ISSUE_005
Page 8
u.n. d.o. UNIdentified nissan driving object
MAY 4TH
May 4, 2013
EDITOR’S COMMENTS
Up in yah
I
grill
t’s been a month now, five issues under our belt and I think the formula has now been set. That formula is great presentation for the car lover at heart, and even those on the fringes. It’s a visual world and Ignition ref lects that with pictures to match the words, all in a format that’s top notch. I recently had the pleasure of seeing one of our issues on someone’s Smartphone. As good as we projected it would look, I was still blown away. That’s when I knew we’d hit the target dead on. That doesn’t mean complacency. Nothing’s perfect and even the best talent in the world will make mistakes. There hasn’t been a story that I’ve read over that I didn’t think I could do better. The photography isn’t easier due to the high quality. Each issue I’m flooded with awesome pictures. Often it’s hard to choose the best ones to use and just like with the text, upon later review I go damn, I should have used that one instead. Other times there just isn’t space to use them. That’s where the Internet comes in. I’ve opted to use alternate pictures for various stories on our Facebook page. This might encourage a little visit from time to time outside of downloading and reading the PDF. Issue five is significant because it’s our first test drive. It’s a test drive with a difference. While others just drive the car around with the restrictions of the dealer, we have no intention of doing that. If you’re going to be spending your hard earned money on something as expensive as a motor vehicle, we hope Ignition is the one that’s going to give you the ammunition you need before a purchase. Our test drive isn’t some words squeezed up against a few pictures in order to fill some space between the ads. Car ownership is much more than figures, it’s about the experience and Ignition will bring that to you, every chance we get behind a wheel.
INSIDE
Auto show in Mobay -
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TEST DRIVE: Nissan Juke - 8
Lee sprints away -
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INTERNATIONAL
You’ll also notice a small lack of International Motorsports news, that’s because Peugeot’s Pikes Peak challenger deserved the spotlight, especially after they released the publicity pictures. I’m sure you’ll agree. Look, like, read Ignition. ignitionweeklyja@gmail.com
Pikes Peak wait - 2
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May 4, 2013
LOCAL
Seeing the
Forester
for the trees 3
May 4, 2013
LOCAL
D
NA is a hell of a thing. In the case of the Subaru Forester it’s been evolving from its Impreza roots. It began life as a larger wagon version defining itself with its boxy shape and eventually moving into SUV territory with its last incarnation. For 2013 Subaru’s made the transition complete. Even though it still shares some corporate DNA, the new Forester is its own being, breaking free from its former roots. Its underpinnings are exactly what one would expect from Subaru, a company that’s been called the Porsche of Japan. Like the famous German company they’ve spent decades refining their mechanicals, full-time symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, and the boxer engine layout. This gives the Forester two major advantages out the gate from birth. The boxer by nature is a smoother operating engine, and in combination with the rest of the AWD drivetrain’s lower positioning gives better chassis balance in what would normally be a top-heavy vehicle. The problem was the rest of the vehicle, and that seemed to have been all addressed as Kingston Industrial
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The 2013 Subaru Forester was launched last weekend in two trim levels the fully loaded XT (above) and the base model (below).
May 4, 2013
LOCAL Garage, local dealers for the Subaru brand, unveiled a very credible challenger in the mid-range SUV market in the form of the 2013 Forester last weekend. In a two-day event that began last Saturday, all that attended were given the opportunity to testdrive the new SUV over a very challenging course normally reserved for Motocross, the Caymanas Bike Track. Upon first sight the Forester continues along the design of the previous generation tweaked to follow the current trend of including visual corporate elements across all models. It shares a similar nose to that of the Subaru XV, especially in base trim. In all dimensions it’s a bigger vehicle for more interior room and better ground clearance. However, there are no negatives to the size. The extra room is welcome. The new ride height enhances its already rugged off-road abilities and it also never feels as large as it looks, allowing it to be thrown around in conditions that would stop most of the competition. Where the extra size comes into the play is just the overall feel of refinement. The ride is never harsh no matter how hard it’s pushed, and noise levels never seem to become intrusive. The bigger canopy increases all round visibility and keeps the cabin from being a dark dank sea of plastic. Extensive development of the platform has given the Forester excellent on and off road manners.
The interior of the Forester XT is luxurious with full leather amenities and features normally seen in the premium brands like a powered rear gate for easy access. (below) Gone is the trademark hood scoop for the turbocharged boxer engine. Instead, the ducting for the intercooler has been moved under bonnet to streamline the vehicle’s airflow profile for higher fuel efficiency.
The best change for the Forester is the new CVT transmission. Gone is the old clunky four-speed automatic, now replaced with the transmission already available in the XV. And like the XV, it’s a perfect match to the 150bhp 2-litre engine. Power delivery is never abrupt inspiring confidence over rough terrain and operating seamlessly on regular pavement. It also helps improve the fuel efficiency of the Forester despite the new size. The big news was the 2.0XT trim Forester displaying the full potential of the model with up market features. Externally the XT gets a more aggressive front bumper and larger 18-inch wheels. The interior is miles above the base Forester to the point of making you wonder if it’s even the same vehicle. Lovely optional leather is plentiful. Everything that can be powered or automated is so, from the front seats to the rear gate. A sunroof is standard as is the powerful stereo system with integrated multifunction display screen. Mechanically, the XT gets a similar set of serious upgrades. It runs a 240bhp turbocharged version of the boxer engine. Subaru fans will notice there is no longer the trademark hood scoop for the intercooler. Airflow is now handled by a complex piece of plastic ducting under the bonnet. The CVT transmission has a manual mode with steering mounted paddle shifts. Topping this all is the addition of X-Mode for serious off-roading. Activating it allows the Forester’s electronics to all work in concert to navigate the toughest terrain. The engine, transmission, AWD and brakes allow functions such as Hill Descent Control and Hill Holder. The 2013 Subaru Forester is now available at KIG with the base model starting at JA$4.9 million, and the 2.0XT at JA$6.5 million. 5
May 4, 2013
LOCAL
Thaniesia Crossley
I like it. It’s a very good buy.
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Dale Murphy
I’ve driven Subarus before, but this is my first time in a Forester. I loved the space, it’s really roomy inside and it drove very well. It made the test track feel like the highway.
Keith Tennant
I owned five Subarus to this point. The performance puts the new Forester above its rivals like the CRV. They’ve spent a lot of time on the suspension which made it ride easily over the rough sections. I was also blown away by new CVT transmission.
May 4, 2013
LOCAL
2013 Jamaica Motor Show heads to Mobay
T
he Jamaica Motor Show heads for Montego Bay’s Dump Up Beach, on Sunday, May 5th starting at 10am and ending at 6pm. The show for used and new car dealers comes on the heels of the successive auto show that kicked off earlier this year in Kingston offering many ‘premium car deals’. The Jamaica Motor Show is fast shaping up to be one of the biggest and best auto shows in Jamaica, with a record number of vehicles on display, discounts, sales and thousands of patrons supporting this auto show over the years. “This year is going to be an amazing year despite the economic downturn, Scotiabank is back on board along with the RJR Group, Guardsman Alarm, Kia Motors Jamaica and the RJR Commu-
nication Group are fully behind us, plus we have made additions to this year’s show to ensure the entire family and our fans enjoy themselves by adding a Children Village,” said Ian Lyn, CEO of event organizers the Firm Agency. Lyn is upbeat about the future prospects of the show outside Kingston. “We can confirm that multiple car brands can be expected at the 2013 Jamaica Motor Show in Montego Bay. In January of this year patrons left satisfied having seen the good deals on hand. We’re thrilled to offer this platform to Jamaicans to get affordable car deals in the current economic times, as well as to offer a unique market for players in the used and new car dealer market.” For 2013 JMS is working on expanding to other towns outside of Mandeville and Montego Bay.
In January, JMS drew the crowds to Kingston’s Police Officer’s Club.
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May 4, 2013
May 4, 2013
U.N.D.O
TEST DRIVE The 2013 Juke looks like nothing in its class, much less anything else on the road.
Unidentified Nissan Driving Object
By John Bridge
T
here’s no getting around it, the 2013 Nissan Juke looks like nothing on this world, especially in the black of our test car. From afar, in my lens, the profile is similar to that of a Suzuki Swift, but as one gets closer that all changes. The brain begins to register something is wrong. The high curves of the rear wheel arches terminate into
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a muscular angle topped off by a back light cluster the press kit says is inspired by the Juke’s much bigger brother, the 370Z. From behind they might as well be bright red thrusters ready to blast it back to whatever planet it came. Then we get to the front. It’s enough to stop traffic. Unlike the back, there are no straight angles, just a bulge caused by the forward curves. It reminds me of one of those animals with the
fake set of eyes for camouflage. The top specification model has three sets of lights, including the optional fog lamps. On the side fenders are the first pair, molded to look like they’re peeking over the bonnet looking at you. They’re aren’t the main set, that honour goes to the two large round lamps nestled dead set in the middle of the front bumper. Given their size ratio to the other lights, large is an understatement. They look like they could fire a tractor beam, or could be used for some alien probing, if you get my drift. The fog lamps are the smallest, lo-
It takes a moment to appreciate the external visuals.
cated lower under the front lip spoiler. During the day they appear to be a weapons system out of Japanese anime ready for earth’s invasion as they flip on and off due to the light sensitive automatic function our test car has fitted as standard. Even with all that, the 2013 Juke never looks wrong. Sitting on 17-inch wheels, chunky tyres, and an obviously raised ride height, it’s a small Crossover Utility Vehicle that uses design language to stand out in a crowded segment of boring. Nissan didn’t play it safe and I thank
them. The shy need not apply here, more so if you go for a Juke in one of the several available colours up the scale. It takes a moment to appreciate the external visuals. The intelligent key system is the same as that found in Nissan’s higher luxury vehicles. All you need to do is have it on your person to have access. Inside, the Juke is just as well designed as its exterior, which says a lot. The dashboard hits all the buzzwords, but sporty would be the main one, as the instrumentation 9
May 4, 2013
TEST DRIVE
The interior is well appointed with a centerpiece designed to look like the top half of a Superbike.
binnacle again seems to mimic that of the 370Z. Running between the supportive leather wrapped seats with their red stitching is the Juke’s interior centerpiece, as if you had an old brick fireplace in your own home, the Superbike inspired center console. What appears to be initially a gimmick sets off the cabin perfectly with its glossy red finish. It continues on the armrests, blending in nicely with the red mesh fabric used strategically around the inside. Settling in, all but the largest will have no space problem, as the interior doesn’t match up with the initial compact dimensions. It’s a lot bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside. As expected the rear seats have a 60:40 split for even more cargo room. The similarly deceptively smallish trunk isn’t so, with a hidden lower compartment. It can swell from 251-litres of luggage capacity to a maximum 830-litres with the back seats down. 10
Finding a comfortable driving position is a breeze, and once the chunky leather trimmed height adjustable steering wheel is in your hand the positives of the Juke begin to shine. Pressing the big start button fires up the unusually smooth 1.6-litre engine. A smoothness I suspect is born out of three reasons, the first two discovered once I start driving. Nissan’s Xtronic CVT transmission keeps the motor in the peak of the powerband instead of the useless and noisy upper rpms. The second reason are the three driving modes available on the fly from the ICON system nestled under the 6 speaker audio system. The third is just the overall cabin refinement. The engine is a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre fourcylinder putting out 117bhp. Not an amazing figure, but it’s helped along by the Nissan Xtronic CVT transmission and three fuel modes. There will be a 1.6 turbocharged version available in the future.
The ICON system is borrowed goods from the R35 GT-R Supercar, just resized for the Juke. It doubles as a screen for the climate control and extra driver information. It has a neat trick where the buttons switch their icons based on which mode is being used at the time. In NORMAL the Juke is an above average performer. The 117bhp may not sound like much on paper, but using a CVT transmission means you have to really press the accelerator to move the engine out of its comfort zone. It never feels slow. In SPORT things sharpen up a bit with the throttle giving more access to the rev range quicker. The steering response increases as well helping along the twisty test route I chose for the Juke. Using ECON mode dulls the driving experience for the purpose of fuel economy. Thankfully for Nissan its not a marketing ploy, each mode does have a profound effect on how the vehicle drives.
May 4, 2013
TEST DRIVE The Juke’s manners are helped significantly by the intelligent four-wheel drive system. A soft compliant suspension mixed with a raised ride height for light off-roading doesn’t seem like a combination for pleasant driving manners. The extra traction made the car surefooted in the changing conditions I threw at it. Corners were dispatched with minimum lean and tyre squeal. Good composure was maintained regardless of road surface quality. The Juke was never floaty at the high speeds it could attain or got rough when the pavement became the Jamaican norm. In all the time spent in the Juke I could only find one small chink in its armour, the price. At around JA$3.6 million, there isn’t anything else in its class that can match it. It possesses a high degree of style, is well appointed — downright luxurious for this bracket, drives great switching from fun to frugal on a dime, and comes with a good degree of off-road/all-weather capability. It’s a bargain at its sticker price. All good, but the problem is I can’t just shake of the fact that it’s within close range of the average sedan that may offer less features or drivability, but more space. On pure logic alone, the Juke would win hands down. It’s supposed to be a small SUV. So the question becomes are you willing to break free from the dullness of the basic family sedan for the flight of vehicular fantasy that is the 2013 Nissan Juke.
Compact, the Juke also has all-terrain ability due to its standard 4x4 system.
The cool red theme is all over the cabin, extending from the stitching in the leather seats to the door fabrics.
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May 4, 2013
MOTORSPORTS David Lee returned to the Sprint Championship at St Ann’s Badda Badda Raceway to win both rounds held on the same day.
Lee-ving the competition in the dust
F
ormer National Rally Champion David Lee made a welcome and spectacular return to the National Sprint Championship at the Badda Badda Raceway on April 13th. The St. Ann venue would again host to the challenging Motorsport, this time in a combined manner as the second round had been cancelled due to weather conditions at the time. Competitors would now face two rounds of the series on one day, putting a premium on survivability over speed. The first
half of the day would be round two, while the second half would see something completely new, a reverse run of the course for round three. The format didn’t faze Lee one bit as his trusty Lancer Evolution VIII crushed the competition. While four-wheel drive has the advantage on Badda Badda’s mixed surface he was pushed on by the battle in class JA2 between consistent rivals 2012 National Sprint Champion Jordan Powell, 2012 Rallysport Matthew Gore and Daryl King. In his own class, JN8, he easily bested Joel Jackson and Spencer Whittingham who were sharing a car. The pair was
more hampered by their own problems rather than any direct racing with Lee. Jackson went into the event as series leader with an opening round win at the very same venue. His regular Subaru Impreza WRX STi was overseas after contesting Rally Trinidad earlier in the year. To try and maintain his lead he opted to take a drive with Whittingham’s Lancer Evolution V. The unfamiliarity with the Mitsubishi took its toll on his speed, while the owner himself dealt with a host of mechanical problems, but it being his own car ensured faster times than Jackson.
Gore missed out on a second overall podium, but went home with 3rd and 1st place JA2 class points.
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May 4, 2013
MOTORSPORTS King making short work of the course in his front-wheel drive Honda Civic.
Powell was fast enough to handle King.
As Lee had tied up both championship runs, in round two Gore would lead his JA2 rivals with King in third, Whittingham fourth and Powell rounding out the top five. The reverse format of the third round wasn’t as forgiving to Gore, his Toyota Starlet already ailing, second position would go to King followed by Powell. Fourth would go to Christopher McFarlane and a spectacular effort by Marvin Porteous in his older rear-wheel drive Toyota Starlet completed the top five for the day. Lee now leads the Jamaican National Sprint Championship.
Jimmy Marsh seconds off the front-wheel competition.
Christopher McFarlane running the circuit in reverse.
Retirement in round three’s championship lap for Whittingham meant no points for Jackson dropping him down the overall Sprint leaderboard.
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May 4, 2013
INTERNATIONAL
Peugeot 208 T16 A
Pikes Peak Edition
fter announcing last week that they’ll be returning to Pikes Peak, Peugeot has finally revealed the specifications for the new 208 T16. From the original press photos the car was obviously a 208 in shape alone. Underneath all the carbon bodywork that includes a stupendously huge rear wing from the 908 HDI FAP Le Mans racer is a endurance racing prototype tubular steel chassis.
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Powering the 875kg package is a 3.2-litre mid-rear mounted V6 biturbo engine with, funny enough, 875bhp. A six-speed sequential gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifts and four-wheel-drive is given the task of handling all that power. Suspension is equally impressive with pressurised dampers, double wishbones and pushrod/rocker arm actuation at all corners, torsion bars, and anti-roll bars all round. Since the race is no longer gravel and now all tarmac, the 18-inch package wheel package comes straight from their circuit racing programmes. Behind them are 380mm front and 355mm rear vented carbon brake discs Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peakpacks more power than a modern Formula One car and that’s not an idle boast as the tested performance figures show 0-62mph in just 1.8 seconds. 125mph comes up 4.8 seconds later. 2.2 seconds later it will hit its 150mph top speed. Unfortunately, the 90th Pikes International Hill Climb, which was scheduled to take place on July 8, was called off after wildfire in nearby Waldo Canyon, Colorado consumed more than 3,600 acres around Colorado Springs, which is Pikes Peak’s nearest town. This has caused the authorities to close Highway 24 for the foreseeable future. Highway 24 is the road leading from Colorado Springs to Pikes Peak. Fans will have to wait until a new date is set. Pikes Peak International Hill Climb President & CEO, Tom Osborne, says they are committed to making sure it takes place this year.
May 4, 2013
INTERNATIONAL
Kia unveils Horki sub-brand in China, kicks off with concept car
Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG,
Kia Motors Corporation’s joint venture in China, Dongfeng Yueda Kia (DYK), has unveiled a new Chinese-market concept and a new local brand name at the Shanghai Motor Show. The new brand will be called “Horki” which combines two Chinese characters, “Hor” signifying China and “Ki” signifying driving. Together the word suggests harmony and driving. The brand also revealed a China-market only concept which is based on Kia’s all-new Cerato (Forte) platform.
swagen Group its declared objective of lowering the European new car fleet’s CO2 emission level to 95g of CO2/km by 2020. These high-performance diesel engines will have a variable valve-train assembly, a high-pressure injection system at up to 3,000 bar and combined charging with the innovative e-booster. Volkswagen also sees great potential for natural gas drive systems and will be systematically rolling out natural gas technology with the Golf TGI BlueMotion and the Audi A3 g-tron. In the medium term the first choice in terms of alternative drive systems is plug-in hybrid technology. The Volkswagen Group’s first plug-in hybrids, the Porsche Panamera and Audi A3 e-tron, will shortly be going into full production. They will be followed by the Golf and many other models, such as the Passat, Audi A6 and Porsche Cayenne.
Kia has combined with Chinese automaker DYK to create a new local brand.
VW confirms development of 10-speed dual clutch, 134-hp/liter diesel
At the 34th International Vienna Motor Symposium Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, gave a forecast of future drive system technologies being focused on by Volkswagen. This includes the development of a high-performance diesel engine delivering 134bhp per litre of displacement, a new 10-speed dual clutch gearbox that reduces fuel consumption and alternative drive systems like plug-in hybrids. This is all in an effort to allow the Volk-
Study says voiceto-text no safer than regular texting
Reuters reports that a new study by the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M has found the technology to be no safer to use while driving than employing a traditional handheld device. The study found that drivers took around twice as long to react to situations on the road as they did while they weren’t texting and that eye contact with the road decreased as well. The study used 43 participants who were tasked with
without any electronic devices and then with a voice-to-text system. Interestingly enough, using the speech-to-text device actually took longer than simply typing out a message on a phone. Despite this fact, the drivers said they felt safer while using the hands-free option. Researchers said that this response could lead drivers to attempt to text even when it isn’t safe to do so.
driving around a test course, first
China’s Great Wall aiming to sell vehicles in US around 2015
Great Wall Motor Co. plans to sell its vehicles in the US by around 2015. The Chinese automaker has been researching its planned expansion for the last two years, looking at everything from regulatory hurdles to establishing a dealer network, as well as customer needs and wants. Great Wall is one of China’s most respected and most financially established automakers, and it has a lot of experience building factories in other markets, as well as exporting vehicles. Although it isn’t immediately clear what models the company plans to market here in the US, it is apparently looking at establishing a factory stateside. The company currently sells its wares in 76 countries and regions around the globe, but has yet to attempt to crack the US or Canada. Great Wall may be China’s largest purveyor of SUVs, but it has a full lineup of models to choose from – it brought 26 vehicles to the Shanghai Motor Show, including a stand-alone section for its Haval brand of SUVs. The Asian nation’s automakers have been promising to bring their vehicles to the US market for years now, but to date, not one has made a full-fledged effort however a recent study by Bernstein Research suggested that Chinese automakers still have a decade or more of development before they will be able to field globally competitive products. At the moment, the only Chinese-built cars sold in North America are Honda Fit models, and they are only available in Canada. 15
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