ISSUE_003
Nothing but APRIL 15TH
WIN
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April 15, 2013
EDITOR’S COMMENTS
Up in yah
grill W
elcome to issue three, as we continue our fantastic journey into the new unknown together with you our reader. As proud as I am of our very first publication, it was the second that put a smile on our face collective faces. Getting it out of the box is one thing, but last issue we took on a lot and molded it into something fantastic. The look and feel of what we did was unlike any other. Ignition didn’t just throw a bunch of random pictures onto a virtual space and hoped it would work. Hours were spent selecting every image, making sure it fit the words next to it. However, don’t fall in the trap believing we’re just about Motorsports, what you saw, read, and hopefully enjoyed is just the template for how we’ll be handling key content
INSIDE
Kia on fire -
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Carnival of Speed Awards Ceremony -
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This brings me to the next thing, our content. Even with 16 pages, there still isn’t room to fit everything we want into one issue. Be assured that we will run the gamut, not to placate the masses, because we will never make everybody happy. What we strive for is to present our content, whatever it may be, in the most exiting and readable way that it genuinely appeals to all. That means even if you’re into hard news, when you get your copy of Ignition you won’t simply be zeroed in on that, the remainder of the publication can still draw your interest and expand your automotive knowledge. Coming up we have a ton of material like no other. Ignition doesn’t believe it has to reinvent the wheel, like a set of modern rims we just need to offer a different ascetic to an already proven format. We know what automotive enthusiasts like, and our upcoming stories will reflect that. From the street to behind the boardrooms, to dealing with the legal issue that binds us, Ignition will have you covered. Ignition was started on a digital platform. Currently, the publication is available as an online or downloadable PDF, along with a Facebook footprint. It’s been optimized in PDF form to take advantage of modern e-readers like tablets, not just in viewing, but operation as well. Those that opt for the downloadable file will find the interactive elements of the PDF available. That gives you the ability to click around in the contents bar at your leisure. Want to email a comment, just click the email address below, we’d love to hear from you. ignitionweeklyja@gmail.com 2
INTERNATIONAL
Ferrari wins China GP -
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April 15, 2013
DO-IT-YOURSELF
The I
oily bits
f the engine is the heart of any motor vehicle, the oil is its lifeblood. This f luid that f lows through every motor and we’re prompted to change ever so often, is often a mystery to many.
grade engine oil the W stands for winter, which is the thickness of the oil at colder temperatures. For instance a 40W remains as thick as it is from start to finish. A 10W40 is thinner during cold periods, not just weather, but at start up too when the engine needs the most protection. As the engine heats up, this causes a reaction in the oil making it thicker for heat resistance. Therefore, when it comes to choosing the right grade engine oil two things must be looked at first, the recommended grade in the manual, and the real world temperatures the vehicle will face. We cover these effects in our next installment.
The purpose of oil is primarily lubrication of the metal parts within the engine itself. It cleans the engine by absorbing minute particles along with the byproducts of combustion. During this absorption, heat is passed to it from the moving parts aiding cooling. Further minor functions are maintaining the tolerances and stopping corrosion. Once poured into the engine, it’s pumped at high pressure throughout it. Motor Oil is either derived from naturally occurring crude oil, or created synthetically. Regardless of which type a vehicle uses there is one common and important factor, viscosity. This is the ability to, and speed of flow. For oil to do its job, it must be able to reach all the critical engine parts. The numbers prominently displayed on every bottle of motor oil represents this. Viscosity rating is based on the temperature range the oil works best at. These numbers go from 0 to 60 and are followed by a W. The W represents the ‘weight’ of the oil, with 0 being the thinnest and 60 being the thickest. The thickness of the oil is relevant as temperature affects its viscosity. Oil needs to be thin enough to flow at cold temperatures, but be thick enough to avoid being broken down by excessive heat. If there is one number, this indicates mono-grade oil and two numbers mean multi-grade oil. Mono-grade oils only operate best at a set temperature while multi-grade has a viscosity range determined by the temperature. In the case of multi-
The thickness of motor oil is indicated by the numbers on the front of the bottle.
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April 15, 2013
LOCAL
Dwight Moore, President of Kia Motors Jamaica.
Hot
topic
D
wight Moore isn’t just President of Kia Motors Jamaica. He’s been a champion of the brand, putting his money where his mouth is with a state of the art showroom opened in 2004 at Chelsea Avenue. In 2011, to support the growth of Kia, a multi-million dollar parts and service department was opened on the property as well. Earlier this year, on January 18th, Moore’s investment came under threat. At around 5pm that fateful evening, the service centre caught fire. In the irony of all ironies Moore was actually in office, the window behind him offering plain view of 4
the burning building. However, he was so engrossed in work it would take calls from friends and alerts on social media to make him realize what was happening right over his shoulder. Almost three months later, the incident is still fresh in his mind. “A friend saw the smoke sitting in traffic on Half Way Tree road and called me. He thought it was Scotchies’, but began to wonder why they’d be jerking pork on such a high fire,” laughed Moore as he explained the situation. He turned to see smoke pouring from his parts and service department, not from the famous jerked meat establishment next door to him. In a testament to his fortitude, Moore didn’t panic, in large part to his already active staff that
were moving potentially affected inventory out of harm’s way. “We had several vehicles that were in for servicing and had to be removed.” Further offers of help came from nearby dealers, while Moore hoped the fire retardant material in the building’s structure would restrain the flames until the Fire Department arrived. The police were also on the scene to halt any possibility of looting and preserve the scene. On the surface things looked to be working out, until the news arrived that the Half Way Tree Fire Department was unavailable as they were busy fighting another fire. It would be a painfully long wait for trucks from York Park to arrive. Fortunately, the
April 15, 2013
LOCAL word of the fire had spread causing them to respond with five units, and much to Moore’s relief they were able to deal effectively with the burning building. In the aftermath the source of the fire was a short circuit in the one of the storage rooms. The damage was limited to the areas that provided alignment and body repairs, and ultimately made only a minor dent on Kia Motors ability to provide service to its customers. “After looking at it, I felt we’d still be open for business,” said Moore. Kia was still able to post an impressive showing that weekend at several key events, like the Jamaica Motor Show that Sunday. “I just have to thank everyone that worked to keep down the damage, my staff, the fire department, and those that offered
Moore looks at the Parts & Service Department from his office window, remembering that late January evening.
help. We just want them to know that Kia is still here providing the world-class products the Jamaican consumer is aware of such as Road & Travel Magazine’s International Car of the Year, the Kia Optima.”
In the irony of all ironies Moore was actually in office, the window behind him offering plain view of the burning building. However, he was so engrossed in work it would take calls from friends and alerts on social media to make him realize what was happening right over his shoulder. 5
April 15, 2013
LOCAL
Awards Ceremony CARNIVAL OF SPEED 2013
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April 15, 2013
LOCAL
President of the JRDC, Christopher McFarlane entertains the crowd between races at the Carnival of Speed meet.
Expectations exceeded T hose were the words from the mouth of President of the Jamaica Race Drivers Club, Christopher McFarlane as he described the recently concluded Carnival of Speed. The Easter Monday event saw a bumper crowd on hand to not only enjoy a packed race programme, but a wide variety of entertainment including a musical performance by Sizzla Kalonji. For the JRDC the real pride were in the logistics of the race meet which avoided the
traffic mistakes of the past allowing the filled parking lot to be next to empty under two hours. Despite the relative success, McFarlane isn’t sitting on his laurels and already has an agenda for the next event at Dover, the even larger Indpendence Day meet that normally anchors the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship. “Carnival of Speed is the standard, we won’t be doing anything less for our next event,” McFarlane explained. The JRDC President said there were no real shortcomings, but things that could be improved. >> Page 11
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April 15, 2013
April 15, 2013
LOCAL
The man of the night, Total Summerbel Racing’s Andre Anderson, shows of his meet trophy with the Total girls. Anderson collected enough points from all his races to be crowned Meet Champion. He also took home the B27 trophy and shared the Mechanic Champion trophy with Alan Chen for his team’s efforts to keep him racing all weekend.
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April 15, 2013
LOCAL Dwight Spence, Top B45N racer.
Kirby Smallhorne, Top B45T racer.
Sebastien Rae picking up one of his two trophies, this for Top B32 racer.
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Dale Delapenha, Top B38 racer.
April 15, 2013
LOCAL
<< Page 8
“We will be upgrading the timing equipment. It will be
redesigned to stop any interference. The sound system, as great as it was, will be increased.”
The Independence Day event will also see a greater presence
for associate sponsor Pepsi. Music will still play an important role and showcase even more of the Jamaica Cycling Federation. “I also want to bring in the Motorsports stars of the future, the karters.”
For the Club the highest priority is the facilitation of the
international competitors for the upcoming event. With the government holding fast on their no waiver stance, this could adversely affect teams wishing to bring their vehicles and spares into the island to race.
Representing happy title sponsors Rubis/ Shell are Robert Gibbs and Karoline Smith.
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April 15, 2013
LOCAL Natasha Chang, Top MP1 racer.
Kyle Gregg, Top MP2 racer.
Heath Causell, Top MP3 racer.
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Peter Jaggon, Top MP3 racer.
April 15, 2013
LOCAL
The kings of Thundersport Shell’s Sebastien Rae and ATL Racing’s Douglas Gore.
The bikers put on a good show and were rewarded in kind.
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April 15, 2013
INTERNATIONAL and Regional Operations functions reporting directly to him. Previously, Diaz had a 24-year career which culminated in October 2009 as Chrysler’s chief executive in charge of the Ram Truck Brand. In 2011, Diaz was appointed as the chief executive of Chrysler’s Mexican operations where he was the corporate representative responsible for all of the company’s business brands in Mexico, including Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Mitsubishi. He is a respected executive in the automotive industry who has overseen a period of tremendous growth at the Ram brand.
The 2014 Kia Forte.
Fiat 500e set for North American roll-out
Kia using quality and technology to increase sales and brand prestige
Kia is a long way from hawking the anonymous lozenge known as the Sephia on our shores. That was only 1994, though, and in less than 20 years the company has gone from judging its aspirations against Japanese budget competition to walking auto show floors checking out the German standard-bearers for tips on how to increase sales and brand prestige. Kia’s prime directive is “an unrelenting focus on quality.” The Japanese brands earned a reputation for bulletproof reliability, and Kia is keen to make sure its sales targets don’t impinge on its quest for better and better quality – neither in-house nor for its suppliers, a trade-off we’ve seen go wrong before. It has a Pilot Center that studies each new model for potential production problems before being given the approval for manufacture, and it isn’t until the quality control department gives the okay that manufacture can begin. Assuming quality is assured, the second part of the mission is to develop cars with powertrains that provide “performance-oriented technology.” That means putting its small turbo engines in more of its model line, like the new Forte getting the 1.6-liter, direct-injected turbo, more hybrids options among current nameplates and a plug-in hybrid, and bringing dual-clutch gearboxes to the United States by 2015. Beyond the keeping an eye on quality, though, Kia has to keep an eye on the South Korean won. Its plants are now at capacity, it wants to sell 800,000 more vehicles in 2016 than it did in 2012, but the rising value of the South Korean currency means it would need to look at removing content in order to 14
maintain profits. It’s looking at features that customers don’t care about, but if it came to that, taking items out would take Kia in the opposite direction of its market segment.
Fred M. Diaz named Divisional Vice President, Nissan Sales & Marketing for Nissan Division in the U.S.
Nissan announced that Fred M. Diaz has been named to the newly formed position of divisional vice president, Nissan Sales & Marketing, Nissan U.S., reporting to José Muñoz, senior vice president, Sales & Marketing, Customer Quality and Dealer Network Development, Nissan Americas. Most recently, Diaz was president and chief executive officer - Ram Truck Brand, Chrysler Group, LLC as well as president and chief executive officer, Chrysler de Mexico. “Fred Diaz is one of the most experienced, results-driven sales and marketing executives in our industry, and we are privileged to welcome him to Nissan,” said Muñoz. “As Nissan Division continues to grow in the United States, we expect Fred to convey a fresh perspective to our dealers and the entire divisional operations team that he will now lead.” In this new leadership role, Diaz will assume full responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the Nissan Division in the United States, including all sales, marketing, fixed operations, parts and service and administration functions. He will lead the Nissan Division team with the Marketing, Light Commercial Vehicle & Fleet, Parts & Service
Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne complained bitterly, saying the only reason the 2014 Fiat 500e was coming to market was because mean California was forcing Fiat to do so. He said that Fiat would lose USD$10,000 on each one they sell. However, the car has hit the market with a surprisingly affordable lease price of USD$199 a month for 36 months with USD$999 down. If you want to buy the little electric vehicle outright, it’ll cost you USD$32,500, but that’s before a potential USD$7,500 federal tax credit and – since the car will only be sold in California, at least for the first year – the state will kick in another USD$2,500. Fiat is also promising company rebates that could drop the price down to USD$20,500, which puts the 500e well into the range of most of the people we know of in the EV buyer demographic. The 500e is officially rated at 122 MPGe in the city, with highway efficiency at 108 MPGe, for a combined 116 MPGe. The official range number is an impressive 87 miles, and from what we’ve seen, that might be a low estimate. Fiat also offered 12 days of free rental cars through Enterprise and something called the Fiat 500e Pass program. The electric Cinquecento goes on sale in California this summer.
The Fiat 500e going at fire sale prices.
April 15, 2013
INTERNATIONAL
Ferrari’s Alonso takes 2013 Chinese Grand Prix
A terrific start off the line at the beginning of the 2013 Chinese Grand Prix combined with a combative and assertive display of controlled, thoughtful driving throughout the 56 laps of the race in Shanghai was enough to hand Fernando Alonso a comprehensive victory in China on Sunday. It was a race of multiple pit and tyre strategies, all of which clouded the relative positions and strengths of teams and drivers until deep into the race, but once all the tactics shook out it was clear that no one had an answer for Alonso who had proven himself to be quite simply the best driver on the day. As the lights went out, pole sitter Lewis Hamilton comfortably pulled away in the lead while Kimi Raikkonen bogged down and was immediately jumped by both of the Ferraris of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa. There were no major incidents on the opening corners, but at the end of the first lap Paul di Resta had contact first with his team mate Adrian Sutil, and then with McLaren’s Sergio Perez as they battled over 13th place. Alex MacDowall escaped serious damage from Tom Boardman during WTCC qualifying.
Kimi Raikkonen joined Alonso (r) on the podium at the Chinese GP.
Hamilton continued to lead the race but once the DRS was activated on lap 3 he was under mounting pressure from the two Ferraris behind him. Finally at the start of lap 5 Alonso blasted past him down the start/finish straight, and when Hamilton attempted to defend the position he left the inside line exposed for Massa to jump him as well. Hamilton had to concede the loss and focus instead on fending off Raikkonen for third place until he could get round to the pits to ditch the despised short-lived options. The DRS activation had sparked a number of scraps right through the field. Massa took charge of the race on lap 7 after Alonso, Raikkonen, Hamilton and Rosberg all pitted, but by keeping Massa out for an extra lap Ferrari had made a critical error, since the extra time spent on the options cost the Brazilian hugely and saw him return to the track behind Webber who was up to 11th place, although he quickly passed the Red Bull again with the aid of DRS. With that initial round of pit stops completed for those that had started on the options, it was those drivers who had elected to start on the prime tyres and who had no need to come onto pit lane yet who were now in charge: Nick Hülkenberg emerged as the race leader ahead of Sebastian Vettel, Jenson Button, Sergio Perez and Paul di Resta, with Fernando Alonso now in
sixth place ahead of Hamilton and Raikkonen. The fresher tyres coupled with DRS meant Alonso made short work of Perez and di Resta, but Hamilton was having a harder time of it trying to follow in the Ferrari’s tyre marks.
Citroen of Hirvonen and the other VW Polo of Latvala.
WRC Portugal 2013: It was my mistake, says Sordo
Tom Boardman was left to reflect on a tough weekend in Morocco after a heavy accident in the warm-up ruled him out of the second meeting of the World Touring Car Championship in Marrkech. The ex-BTCC race winner made clipped the Chevrolet of Alex MacDowall and made heavy contact with the barriers at turn seven when he suffered brake failure on his Special Tuning Racing-run SEAT Leon – with his car suffering extensive front-end damage as a result. “It wasn’t a good experience,” he told the official WTCC website following his release from Marrakech’s military hospital. “I could see [Alex] MacDowall in the distance and I tried to get his tow. But when I got to turn seven and eight, I pressed the brake pedal and nothing happened. In a split second, I found myself in the wall. I was sent to the hospital where I had a check-up. Everything is alright with me, unfortunately I cannot say the same for the car.” MacDowall meanwhile reflected on a lucky escape having avoided more serious contact from Boardman’s out of control machine. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw Boardman’s car come flying across,” he said. “He hit the sausage kerb and that launched him over my bonnet – without that he was heading for me, the driver’s side. It’s very lucky he hit the kerb otherwise it doesn’t bear thinking about.” STR now faces a race against time to repair Boardman’s damaged car for the next round of the WTCC season in Slovakia in three weeks.
Citroen’s Dani Sordo has confirmed the reason he retired from Rally de Portugal this morning was because he wasn’t listening carefully enough to his pace notes. The Spaniard had enjoyed a great day last Friday, winning two stages and ending the leg just 4.4 seconds off rally leader, Sebastian Ogier. However it all went pear-shaped in the first test on Saturday, when he went wide in SS6, the first-run through the 31.12 km Santana de Serra stage, and hit a small tree, breaking his right rear-wheel. Speaking back in service at the Algarve Stadium, Sordo was clearly disappointed, although he still found much to be positive about, especially how he felt with his Citroen DS3 WRC car. He will now re-started on Sunday under the Rally 2 regulations. “I had done a lot work looking at videos from recce and I had the feeling that I knew the corner well where the incident happened. My mistake was not listening carefully enough to the pace note,” Sordo explained. “I carried a little bit too much speed into the corner and we hit the tree with the right-hand rear wheel, which broke right off. It was a small mistake. The good thing though, is we didn’t make an error pushing too much.” Ogier would win the event, followed by the
Boardman escapes injury in Marrakech shunt
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