drivenz Issue #2

December 2018 | ISSUE #2

HYUNDAI I30 N

ROMANIAN ROAD TRIP

McLaren

SENNA

MCLAUGHLIN WINS SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP

Owner, Editor & Designer

Jamie Brown

Contributing Writing

Jamie Brown, Malcolm Flynn, Mihnea Radu, Paul Owen, Peter Louisson, Mike Costello, Liz Dobson, Tony Verdon, Toby Hagon, Mitchell Adam, Andrew Benson, Mat Kermeen.

Contributing Photography

Jamie Brown, carmagazine.co.uk, Hyundai NZ, caricos.com, NetCarShow.com, McLaren, Emanuel Enache, Getty Images, James Smith, Mark Horsburgh, Matthew Paul, Red Bull, Daniel Kalisz, Motorsport Images-LAT.

Web

issuu.com/jimbro57

Instagram instagram.com/brownmotorsportnz Facebook facebook.com/BrownMotorsportNZ Disclaimer Statement: The photographs and written articles in this publication may or may not be taken from other publications, websites, media etc. without permission. The intent of this publication is never to be printed and/or sold, and is solely for the purpose of exhibiting ones design prowess as a portfolio.

Credit for photography and/or articles will be given where applicable. Statistics for vehicles may also be more or less accurate, depending on where the information has come from.

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contents

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featured

MCLAREN SENNA

Named after two legends in the world of racing, this car is at the top of what’s technologically possible.

4 - 9 what’s new FIRST LOOKS...

RENAULT MEGANE RS HYUNDAI i30 N HYUNDAI KONA EV MITSUBISHI TRITON LAMBORGHINI URUS ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE

14 road trip THE TRANSFĂGĂRĂȘAN HIGHWAY

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A gem of a track in the Carpathian Mountains in central Romania.

18 motorsport KIWIS DOMINATE SUPERCARS

Scott McLaughlin seals the Supercars championship, we farewell Craig Lowndes, Hamilton wins his 5th title, Hayden Paddon gets on the podium and we look at our kiwi’s performing around the world.

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what’s new

RENAULT Megane RS More power, more wheelarches, more steering, more doors and more transmissions...

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f you spend your money on an Audi RS 3, you get the same skinny body as the base A3, but for just over half the price of an RS 3, the new Megane R.S. does a lot better in the muscular looks stakes.

You can’t miss those bulging wheelarches on all four corners, which are needed to cover the 19inch alloy wheels and tracks which have been widened by 60mm at the front and 45mm at the rear.

You won’t mistake it for just any Megane from the outside, but the interior is a bit more subdued. If you’re looking to trade up from the existing Megane GT, the only real changes you’ll notice will be carbonlook inlays on the dash and doors and an R.S. logo on the steering wheel.

Aside from R.S. logos on the headrests, the front seats look outwardly similar to the sports seats in the GT, too, but have been treated

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to specific shaping and materials to balance everyday driving with the extra bolstering required for the track.

Beyond those fantastic looks, the seats, the steering wheel and the raspy exhaust note are spot on for an R.S.

Unlike the last generation, the new model is a five-door hatch. This may not be as sexy as the three door, swooping coupe roofline of before, but it makes the R.S. a whole lot easier to live with.

The steering itself is quite nice, too, no doubt due largely to the front suspension’s specific ‘independent steering axis’ steering knuckles, which move the steering axis 13mm closer to the hub face on each side to reduce torque and bump steer.

Access is the number one benefit though, as the regular Megane’s back seat is somewhat lacking in legroom, which is further compounded by limited toe room underneath the sport front seats.

Out of the box, the new R.S. features an 8.7-inch multimedia

system capable of displaying performance analytics including acceleration, braking, and wheel angle. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity is also now built into the system, as is GPS satellite navigation.

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You’d expect it to ride like a rollerskate based on the 35 series rubber at each corner, but the ride comfort is actually quite livable.

It’s an excellent all-round hot hatch, particularly on public roads.

THE SPECS MEGANE RS

1.8L - 206kW Front Mounted

Front Wheel Drive

1-100 in 5.8 secs

155 g/km

$52,990 Model Variants Include Megane R.S. 280 Cup Megane R.S. 300 Trophy

what’s new

HYUNDAI i30 N Finally, Hyundai has revealed its first true performance car under the N badge....

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he i30 N wasn’t exactly the best kept secret, but its debut still managed to surprised by bundling nearly all the features that a Golf GTI, Megane RS or Civic Type R has.

So, let’s start with the look. It’s a little understated compared to the Civic Type R, but that’s probably a good thing. It seems like the i30 N was designed by the same people as the Kona, as it too has contrasting body cladding. Our favourite view is from the back, where twin exhausts are framed by the diffuser. Overall, it’s a sporty alternative to the Golf GTI that won’t make you feel ashamed when picking up your mother-in-law at the airport.

The interior is a slight let-down, even though the steering wheel and seats have been uplifted. In a hot hatch these days, you just want to have some carbon or a big piece of red trim on the dash. But the cabin is as black and somber as a funeral.

As the numerous reports suggested, there will be two flavours available.

The base i30 N packs a 250 PS version of Hyundai’s 2.0-litre turbo and will get from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds. The engine offers direct response with a linear power development, and is available with front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission.

Bigger brakes, wheels and better tyres accompany the 275 PS model which also delivers 352 Nm of torque (260 lb-ft). That one will get to 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds and both seem to have a top speed of 250 kph, which is probably dictated by a speed limiter.

The tech that will help you go faster and have more fun is plentiful. For example, the i30 N comes with an electronically controlled limited slip differential (E-LSD) that allows driven wheels to turn at different speeds by applying different amounts of torque depending on the load transfer.

Also, it has Electronic Controlled Suspension, Rev Matching, Launch Control and a lap timer. Five different driver modes (Eco, Normal, Sport, and N) turn the i30 N from mildmannered everyday car to track toy.

You can even make your own preset with the N Custom setup.

With over 10,000 km of Nurburgring track punishment under its belt, reliability shouldn’t be a problem either. So as long as the price is right, the i30 N should be a winner, striking the same balance between comfort, tech, and fun as the GTI. So, congratulations N-division, you’re off to a great start with this car.

THE SPECS HYUNDAI i30 N

2.0L - 202kW Front Mounted

Front Wheel Drive

1-100 in 6.1 secs

186 g/km

From $54,990 Model Variants Include

i30 1.6 Hatch i30 2.0 Hatch i30 2.0 Elite Hatch i30 1.6 Turbo Limited Hatch

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what’s new

HYUNDAI Kona It might not be going for speed, but the Kona brings genuine touring abilty to EV buyers with it’s range...

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ust a few years ago, Hyundai wasn’t the car company most would have picked to be leading the EV charge here. With a few registered for its arrival, Hyundai is just two units behind Tesla, ready to surpass it by year’s end.

The Kona EV comes along with 150kW and 395Nm, energised by a 64kWh battery positioned in the rear subframe under the boot and the rear seats. But the headline number for the Kona EV is the 400km ‘real world’ range.

After range, charge times are the next thing people want to know about. Hyundai quotes times (from empty) ranging from 43 hours using the one you plug into a regular socket to 9.5 hours using an AC wall box while a DC fast charge will give 80 per cent in 75 minutes.

The point is, you’d get by, as we did, topping it up every night. And you would be mad not to have the home

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wall box installed ($2000) as it’s so convenient to fill at home. There still aren’t enough charge stations for them to be considered user friendly.

It’s also suitably nippy up to 80km/h with extra bouts of pace delivered quickly, seamlessly, smoothly, quietly.

Most will buy this as an urban runabout, and it works best in the grinder of city traffic.

The ride is suited to urban streets where it sorts sharp bumps efficiently and handles speed bumps too. It’s got that added height for ease of entry and vision in congestion while its compact dimensions and easy steering see it manoeuvred about readily. Why, even the brakes don’t exhibit any uncouth snatching at slow speeds.

The steering has no weird weighting characteristics but neither does it have much feel, probably a result of trying to quell the torque influence on the front wheels. It does turn in a

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THE SPECS KONA EV

tidy fashion as the weight is evenly split, and lies low.

This handles more rigorous outings better than Ioniq which was fairly wayward thanks to its rear torsion beam, where this feels more composed. And faster too with more urgent power delivery. Actually the torque hit in Sport mode can be a bit much, the traction control working hard if you’re too quick and heavy with the volts.

If you’re a private buyer, we’re still a bit reluctant to say this is the bee’s knees due to the price. But those early adopters with cash to spend will not be disappointed and the range is more than most will need.

150 kW EV Front Mounted

Front Wheel Drive

1-100 in 7.6 secs

0 g/km

From $73,990

what’s new

MITSUBISHI Triton A tough design makeover headlines the list of changes on Mitsubishi’s 2019 Triton ute...

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midlife update usually brings some design tweaks to the grille and bumper, but Mitsubishi has gone a few steps beyond this with its MY19 Triton ute that arrives less than four years into the current version’s life cycle.

The company has completely redesigned the front, adding its familiar ‘dynamic shield’ face and making the side-view more bluff. It’s prouder, bolder and more macho, which is exactly what ute buyers want.

Everything remains tough and functional, and the steering wheel column has reach adjustment. The new instruments are clearer, too.

Features include autonomous emergency braking (AEB) up to 140km/h, making it just the third pick-up in its class with this feature after the more expensive MercedesBenz X-Class and Ranger, blind-spot monitoring that beeps and flashes

if you move to merge with traffic at the wrong time, and rear cross-traffic alert for reverse parking blind.

There’s also a system called Ultrasonic Mis-acceleration Mitigation, which cuts engine power if you accidentally move forwards or backwards from standstill towards an object and don’t brake (perhaps engaging R instead of D, for example). Thankfully, the UMM system disengages in low-range, or if you’ve locked the centre diff in 4HLc. The Super Select 4WD rotary dial system remains. You can drive in RWD, but unlike most utes there’s also a road-ready shift-on-the-fly 4H (AWD) system with a rear torque bias, meaning you can leave the Triton in 4x4 mode on the road.

Clearly this assists lateral stability and grip on acceleration.

THE SPECS

2019 TRITON VRX

snow, and a 4LLc ‘proper’ low-range gearing set. There’s also a new hill descent control system, if you don’t like engine braking.

The ride doesn’t feel hugely different.

It’s still a little busy at the front at times, and there’s some minor kickback through the wheel, but the rear end seems a little more settled when unladen. The hydraulic-assist steering remains pleasantly light and resistance-free, and that small wheelbase gives the Triton a nimble turning circle.

In short, Mitsubishi has made some worthy tweaks to its Triton staple, and it actually looks halfway tough and desirable now.

2.4L - 133kW Front Mounted

Four Wheel Drive

1-100 in 11.8 secs

196 g/km

$49,990 Model Variants Include Triton GLX Triton GLX-R

You also get a 4HLc mode that locks the centre diff (meaning the torque flow) and is made for mud and

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what’s new

LAMBORGHINI Urus There are the naysayers who poo-pooed the idea of a Lamborghini SUV, well the Urus is here to stay...

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he Lamborghini Urus concept was unveiled at the 2012 Beijing motor show, before another reveal at Pebble Beach that year.

The Urus is the world’s first Super Sports Utility Vehicle, taking exterior design cues from the Aventador but with the practicality of such competitors as the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Bentley Bentayga, and RollsRoyce Cullinan.

The Urus’ 4-litre twin-turbo V8 tweaked engine produces 478kW of power and 850Nm of torque — that’s improvements of 59kW and 50Nm over the 419kW/800Nm Cayenne Turbo S. The Italian also beats the German in the 0-100km/h sprint with the Urus winning at 3.7 seconds over the Porsche’s 4.1 seconds.

It blasts the Cayenne Turbo S for top speeds, hitting 306km/h and the Porsche 284km/h — not that that is anything to sneeze at.

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Lamborghini has worked on reducing drag on the SUV, but the performance comes at a cost, with fuel consumption of 12.7 litres/100km instead of Porsche’s 11.5 litres.

Lamborghini also nicked Porsche’s permanent four-wheel-drive, eightspeed automatic powertrain.

The Urus also has the rear-wheel steering system introduced in the Aventador S to navigate tight spaces.

It features rear-wheel steering and an air suspension system that can provide a maximum of 250mm of ground clearance for off-road use.

For those looking for a premium off-road experience this is a drive package that includes sand, mud and snow. That package is part of Lamborghini’s Adaptive Network Intelligent Management technology.

There’s the standard strada, sport for the motorway and the favourite, the corsa, that gives you track-like driving.

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Lamborghini says it has developed the world’s largest set of carbon ceramic brakes for the Urus, with 440mm rotors in the front and 370mm in the rear, using 10-piston calipers at the front and six-piston calipers at the rear.

Inside the cabin, there is a nice combination of Lamborghini, including the start/stop button hidden beneath the usual flip-up fighter jet cover. I love that touch.

The Urus hunkers down at speed and you have the assurance of those huge brakes on busy motorways, but the best drive was along Scenic Drive.

It was a clear run and the winding, tight road was ideal for the Urus.

THE SPECS

LAMBORGHINI URUS

4.0L V8 - 478 kW Front Mounted

All Wheel Drive

1-100 in 3.7 secs

292 g/km

From $339,000

what’s new

ASTON MARTIN Vantage The new Vantage is designed to look like a predator, from its gaping low-slung mesh grille through to its ducktail rear-end...

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ehind the wheel it feels like an aggressive hunter, urging the driver to push harder and faster into and out of corners, as it clings firmly to the road or track.

The Vantage steering is direct and as accurate as you would expect in an Aston Martin. It excels when pushed either in track mode or sport-plus driving mode.

This is a hard-driving, track-ready sports car that comes with all the luxury you would expect from the British marque that has built a heritage around delivering speed in a tuxedo.

We took the Vantage up a nearby narrow and windy mountain road, over a 200km route, encountering a full range of road surfaces, from rutted gravel surfaces through to super-smooth multi-lane freeways.

Across them all the Vantage stuck to the road, with the ride firm but comfortable.

Aston Martin is currently in a sweet spot, as it celebrates a sales resurgence on the back of the success of the DB11, with new management and robust funding arrangements placing the whole operation on firmer ground.

The company is relying on the new Vantage, traditionally its best-selling model, to maintain and increase that sales momentum. But that hasn’t stopped Aston Martin taking risks with the new model, with radically different styling.

The body is rigid, and the driver sits low and as close to the centre of the car as the designers could manage. This all helps ensure the Vantage wraps around the driver, with the 4-litre AMG engine putting out 375kW of power and 683Nm of torque.

He is among a small, elite band considered to be the engineering superstars of the worldwide motor industry and his influence is obvious on the Vantage. He has helped deliver an exhilarating car to drive, which builds confidence the harder you press it.

It is unusually wide, which is somewhat disconcerting when you are negotiating narrow cobbled streets in Portuguese mountain villages in an unfamiliar left-handdrive model.

The new model brings the iconic Vantage into the 2020s, with massive leaps in connectivity and safety features over its predecessors.

THE SPECS 2019 VANTAGE

4.0L V8 - 375 kW Front Mounted

Rear Wheel Drive

1-100 in 3.6 secs

236 g/km

$249,000

This is the first Aston Martin model set up by former Lotus ride and handling chief Mark Becker.

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featured

SENNA

McLaren

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featured

MCLAREN Senna

ou know you’re about to get behind the wheel of something special when the warm-up act is one of the fastest, most advanced cars on the planet.

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turbo V8 amassing 597kW and 800Nm. It’s also the most powerful engine in any production car in Australia today, the Ferrari 812 Superfast the only thing coming close, with 588kW.

Being handed the keys to a McLaren 720S for my first laps of the famous Silverstone circuit north of London is like rolling up to a rock concert to find AC/DC as the support act.

Accelerating out of the pits – where Senna won during his dominant 1988 championshipwinning season – the engine thrusts you hard into the lightweight carbon fibre seats.

But the car at the end of this four-wheeled honey pot is no ordinary machine. The name conveys that: Senna.

The car I’m in is one of a handful of validation prototypes being used to fine tune and evaluate the finer details before the first of 500 (sold out) customer cars begins its meticulous hand built process. Its code is VP-736 P15, the P15 denoting the model code for the Senna series.

Anyone with a passing interest in Formula 1 will know Ayrton Senna was one of the greatest drivers in history, notching up three world championships and mountains of respect before being killed in a crash when he was just 34. He was leading the race at the time.

The McLaren Senna is a tribute to the legend.

Authorised by the Senna family – it was nephew Bruno’s idea to name it Senna – it is the fastest, most focused car ever produced by the brand best known for its F1 success.

“The Senna is as close to a racing car that is still street legal,” explains McLaren’s chief engineer for the Ultimate Series cars, Andy Palmer.

He adds that every flap and fin, every shape, is there for a reason – all pointing steadfastly towards that unerring goal to go fast.

At the Senna’s heart is the most powerful engine to ever grace a McLaren, a 4.0-litre twin

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Light switch-like gear changes are at the flick of a paddle, jolting purposefully on shifts before furiously rushing back towards the redline (technically a blue line, the fast-illuminating LEDs taking a cue from the shift lights used in F1).

Yet the Senna never feels untamed, its sticky Pirelli Trofeo track-ready rubber helping with that. There’s no wiggling of the tail and acceleration is crisp and controlled.

pressure, which is all about giving better feel on a track.

It’s not just the new carbon brakes retarding the wheels, but also air brakes reducing the stopping distance and adding crucial stability, ensuring the car tracks straight and consistently.

It’s clinically accurate and planted, a rare glimpse into the world of racing, the G forces unlike any car that can legally wear numberplates. The faster you go, the more brutal the sensation.

But that cornering talent doesn’t come through traditional means. It’s the result of an intricate assortment of wings, fins and ribs to ensure air pushes the car to the ground, feeds front- and rear-mounted radiators and forces enough cool air into the engine snorkel proudly planted on the top of the roof.

Like recent era F1 cars, the Senna is not aesthetically beautiful, instead putting function well ahead of form.

The numbers tell a potent story. Topping 200km/h takes just 6.8 seconds. Top speed is somewhere north of 340km/h.

“This car had a very, very clear brief: It needed to be the most engaging car to drive, the fastest around any race track of any McLaren,” says Product manager Ian Howshall. “How the car looked was secondary to that. It is very, very much aero driven, this car.”

But it’s the braking that gives the clearest indication of the Senna’s ability. Stand on the pedal hard and there’s brutal deceleration. The brake is surprisingly firm, requiring plenty of

Every last corner of the Senna has been sculpted for a purpose, at times compromising road-friendly features – such as a boot (there isn’t one).

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Those active aerodynamics aren’t popping up and down according to just speed or brake force. They’re constantly monitoring the forces on each wheel and working to balance the car in microseconds. It’s all part of McLaren’s Race Active Chassis Control II, the latest iteration of one of the most advanced chassis systems on any car, road or track.

It may involve peeling some downforce off the nose as you transition from the brake to the throttle, in turn helping keep the car flat. Or stiffening one corner of the suspension to allow the wings to do their thing.

The speed – and power – of the computer processing is phenomenal, calculations being made in microseconds. McLaren develops its own software with a team comprising about 30 people, something that allows things like a separate control unit for the gearbox, all with the aim of separating computing tasks.

Despite the racing car focus, there’s a road-friendly McLaren flavour inside. Head room is great and space is good for two. Sure, it won’t pamper like a luxury car, but it’s no worse than any of McLarens other road cars, each of which comfortably accommodates two people (of all shapes and sizes).

The quest to focus on major driving controls and lower weight – has repositioned some controls. Don’t go looking for a starter button on the steering wheel or console - it’s in the roof. It’s all part of an intense focus on saving weight.

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The claimed dry weight – without fuel or fluids – is 1198kg. Add those vital fluids and it’s around 1300kg, about the same as a Corolla.

As well as the carbon fibre tub that gives the car its immense structural strength, each panel is hand crafted from carbon fibre.

The side windows include a fixed piece running flush with those carbon fibre surrounds, an effort to reduce aerodynamic drag at what would normally be a seal joining the two.

The tiny retracting window – maybe just enough to slide a Big Mac into the Big Mac – in turn allows for a smaller mechanism and electric motor, shaving valuable grams.

Ironically, the only time McLaren has overlooked weight ever so slightly is for people who order the optional carbon visualisation package; instead of painting over the carbon weave it’s left exposed for a spectacular finish. Aligning it perfectly means laying an extra sheet of carbon fibre as a base, something that adds a few kilograms to the car.

It also adds about $800,000 to the price of the car – enough for a couple of very nice supercars. But the result is spectacular.

As is the sensation behind the wheel.

My two brief drives amount to about 25 minutes, enough to realise the Senna is a car of enormous talents.Stepping out, its long front overhang, cartoon-like wings and myriad shapes and curves look more endearing.

“IT’S CLINICALLY ACCURATE AND PLANTED, A RARE GLIMPSE INTO THE WORLD OF RACING”

There are road cars that have been optimised for the track – think everything from the Porsche 911 GT2 to the Ferrari 488 Pista.

But the Senna is different. It was designed from the outset as a track car, albeit one that also needed lights and numberplates for those who want to experience the full fourwheeled repertoire.

Yes, there are compromises – the rounded edge on the trailing edge of the rear wing was done to appease regulators, so as not to leave a blade-like point – but they are minor.

For now, the Senna is almost certainly the fastest road car around a track. Like the complex and captivating man it’s named after, it’s focused and supremely fast. If only Ayrton could have experienced what is set to go down as one of the most exciting hypercars created.

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THE SPECS

MCLAREN SENNA

4.0L V8 - 597kW Front Mounted

Rear Wheel Drive

1-100 in 2.8 secs

194 g/km

$1,580,000

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road trip

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road trip

The

Transfăgărășan Highway

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road trip

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omania. It doesn’t really sound like a beautiful touristic nation. Oh but it is.

What you need is a decent comfortable grand-touring sports car, preferably rear wheel drive and some form of navigation, otherwise you’ll get lost in gypsy, amish country. If you are awesome enough you could find a grand-tourer with GPS. Do get yourself a tall gypsy hat to blend in if navigation goes wrong.

I’ve gotten my hands on this gorgeous two door, 4.7 litre, 454 horsepower V8. Yes. It is a Maserati GranTurismo, in white. Stunning. But it can’t just be any rear wheel drive that packs more than 400 horses. It has to be comfortable for long distance travels with bumpy roads. If you drive these roads in a Porsche for example with hard suspension made for a track, your pelvis will shatter. Gran turismo conveniently means grand tourer in Italian.

This drive includes the incredible Transalpina and Transfagarasan highways, both cross the stunning Carpathian Mountains. The Transalpina is National Road 67C. Its highest altitude is on the Urdele Pass at 2145 metres above sea level.

The Transfagarasan is National Road 7C and is 2034 metres above sea level at its highest point.

So naturally this means they are closed during the winter months because of snow. So make sure you get your timing right otherwise you’ll have travelled to the other side of the plant only to see a ‘road closed’ sign.

I would recommend doing the Transalpina first from north to south, then across to the Transfagarasan, from the south to the north.

One, because the Transalpina was built first during the reign of King Carol II in the early 20th century. Two, because there is a story that the Transfagarasan, which was built under Nicolae Ceauşescu in the seventies to be better than the Transalpina. But the true story is that the Transfagarasan was built for easy military access incase the soviets invaded. Why else?

The starting point for my trail is from a small town called Saliste which is about 20 kilometres west of the city Sibiu. After driving through a few towns you will find the tight and twisty roads. Follow the 106E signs until an intersection where you head south following the 67C sign.

The roads from here to the Oasa lake aren’t that great, but they only get better.

Eventually you’ll come to an intersection where you go right, and then left about a kilometre later. From here though, the Transalpina turns to gold as you begin to climb. As the road continues to climb and climb, you will eventually realise that you are on top of the Carpathians,

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looking down at Romania. Along the top of the ridgeline there are a string on towns before you descend this amazing road. There are twists and turns up and downs and before long this incredible highway deposits you in the town of Novaci. You are now at the end of the Transalpina.

Get across to Curtea de Arges and from here follow the 7C, north. This is the start of the Transfagarasan. The roads do start off a little ‘straight’ but soon the mountains will come in to view and before long you’ll be climbing. A few tunnels and hairpin turns later and you’ll find yourself at the colossal Vidraru Dam. At 166 metres high it is sure to bring out the person scared of heights inside of you. It was built in

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the 1960’s to produce hydroelectricity. There is also a statue of Prometheus above the dam.

From here the road goes twisty through the bush as it follows the perimeter of Lake Vidraru.

There are some pretty badly repaired roads along here, I’m calling them worse than freshly repaired roads in New Zealand. You can bypass this part of the drive by going on the other side of the lake, however this road is narrow and unpaved. However it does take you to some amazing lakeside accommodation amongst no civilisation, such as Hotel Valea cu Pesti and Hotel Cumpana. After some miles of this ploughed road through the bush, it starts to really turn good, with steep climbs and hairpin turns on smooth roads.

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“you get the impression that you are about to drive off the edge of the planet...”

As this road climbs passed FreshPark Snow Park it just gets better and better. You then get to the point where you think you are on top of the world. But then you drive into the mountain side through a kilometre long tunnel.

When you are eventually spat out by the tunnel there is civilisation. A snow resort with markets selling local goods and three or four hotels, only accessable in winter by a very long gondola.

When you drive past the civilisation, . This is the perfect photographing opportunity, because the view down is unreal. Here you get a glimpse of the road that looks like a single piece of spaghetti that god dropped on the Carpathian Mountains. There are hairpins, sweepers and sheer drops sure to get your adrenalin pumping.

Just when you think its over, it isn’t. The road goes back into the bush and continues to wind its way along the mountain range slowly heading down towards Highway One. Just look out for cows, as they aren’t surrounded by fence. They do wander along the road at times. Eventually you’ll get to red-house town and then Highway One and the traffic. This is journeys end and therefore time to go home and brag about driving the best roads.

If time is on your side, you should by no means bypass all of Romania and take the shortest route to the start of the Transalpina. The rest of Romania is well worth seeing. There are old style buildings in very old towns which once had a high reputation centuries ago. And don’t be afraid to pull over, get out of your car take one of the many amazing short bush walks. You need to get over there and experience Romania for yourself.

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motorsport

MCLAUGHLIN TAKES SU

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cott McLaughlin is the 2018 Supercars champion after finishing second to David Reynolds in the year’s final race in Newcastle, with chief rival Shane van Gisbergen only fourth.

The Shell V-Power Racing driver effectively led the race from lap 21 of the 95, when he moved ahead Reynolds during the first round of pitstops. From there, McLaughlin controlled proceedings and looked set to secure his maiden title with a ninth victory of the season.

With five laps remaining, though, a conservative McLaughlin opted to let Reynolds through rather than fight the Penrite Erebus driver for the win. Reynolds went on to collect a third win of the campaign by 4.6807s, but McLaughlin was the big story.

The 25-year-old started the race with a 53-point lead over fellow Kiwi van Gisbergen after the Red Bull Holden Racing Team driver was penalised for a pitstop infringement in the previous race on Saturday.

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While he only had to finish inside the top six, McLaughlin looked after his own fortunes to ensure the Ford Falcon signed off with one last Supercars title.

It is an eighth drivers’ championship for Dick Johnson’s operation, and the first since Team Penske bought into the squad four years ago.

“Everyone here work so hard,” McLaughlin said.

“We have to pay respect to Shane, we raced so hard all year, it’s been a hell of a battle.

Van Gisbergen could not fire a shot in the race and finished a distant fourth, with team-mate Jamie Whincup claiming the final podium position.

The final margin at the top of the championship was 71 points in McLaughlin’s favour.

Craig Lowndes, meanwhile, bowed out of fulltime Supercars competition with an 11th-placed finish.

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Polesitter Reynolds kept the lead off the line and headed McLaughlin by just over a second after 10 laps, with van Gisbergen another second back in third. Van Gisbergen lost a place to Garth Tander at the start but got back past the Garry Rogers Motorsport Commodore at Turn 8 on the opening lap.

The protagonists were still split by a second, but had fallen further behind Reynolds’ Holden when the Safety Car was called on lap 20.

That was for the second Turn 12 clash in as many days between Jamie Whincup and Fabian Coulthard, which left the latter’s Falcon without a rear wing.

It prompted a flurry of pitstops in which McLaughlin jumped Reynolds, while a slightlyearlier stop helped Whincup vault up to third.

Van Gisbergen, meanwhile, lost two places to fifth, to Whincup and James Courtney, who had run seventh and fifth but pitted before the Safety Car period.

motorsport

UPERCARS TITLE The next phase of the race was largely status quo, McLaughlin edging away to be 3.1s clear of Reynolds on lap 40, while van Gisbergen remained fifth, 8.2s back.

McLaughlin and Reynolds made their second stops five laps later, the gap between them reduced but still two seconds when the strategies played out.

Van Gisbergen did at least get past Courtney but was unable to pull away, and faded further to be 25s behind McLaughlin with 30 laps remaining.

Knowing second place would be more than enough to win the championship, McLaughlin and DJR Team Penske opted against getting into a fight with the Erebus man.

McLaughlin has since announced after deliberation with Dick Johnson, Roger Penske and Tim Cindric that he will run the traditional number 17 in the year of his title defence, rather than the number 1 he is eligible to use.

SUPERCARS STANDINGS

1.

Scott McLaughlin

3944

3.

Jamie Whincup

- 511

2.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

Shane Van Gisbergen Craig Lowndes

David Reynolds Chaz Mostert Scott Pye Rick Kelly

Fabian Coulthard Nick Percat Tim Slade

Mark Winterbottom Garth Tander

James Courtney Will Davison

Cameron Waters

Andre Heimgartner Michael Caruso Jack Le Brocq

Anton de Pasquale

- 71

- 719

- 738

- 1137

- 1336

- 1429

- 1467 - 1654 - 1695 - 1752

- 1805 - 1871

- 2017 - 2071

- 2169 - 2179 - 2271

- 2420

* Kiwis in BOLD

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December 2018

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motorsport

LOWNDES RETIRES FROM FULL-TIME ROLE

C

raig Lowndes said he felt “numb” after bringing his career as a full-time Supercars driver to a close in Newcastle last weekend.

The three-time champion and seven-time Bathurst 1000 winner made his final start as a series regular ahead of his new role as a dedicated Triple Eight enduro driver from 2019.

There were a number of special tributes to Lowndes on the final day of the season, headlined by a guard of honour that stretched the length of pitlane in the build-up to the Sunday race.

Lowndes bowed out with an 11th-place finish, having led for a spell after pitting late in the hope of a caution period, and admitted his retirement from full-time racing “hasn’t sunk in” and might not for some time.

He said his race engineer John McGregor “made a comment going into the last lap to enjoy it for what it is. And I did.

“I could see the crowd waving and cheering on.

“We all have a lot of respect for each other. To see the whole of pitlane come out on the apron to show respect, I’ll always remember that.

“To bow out of the sport on a high, and to really share the moment with everyone, to do that lap in the Commodore out of the sunroof - I haven’t heard a crowd cheer that hard in my life - that was really special.

“To be able to sit back in years to come and see how that all unfolded, I think the memories will be more special going into the future than right now.

“For me, at the moment, it’s a little a bit numb, to be honest, knowing that I’m not getting into a car until October next year. It’s a bit different.”

Lowndes aimed to upstage new champion Scott McLaughlin with his post-race burnout, although he admitted he had to be mindful of the hardware given the Bathurst-winning ZB

Commodore has already been sold to collector and racer Scott Taylor.

“All I wanted to do was do a bigger [burnout] than Scotty,” said Lowndes.

“The engine is alright, I think it got to 105 [degrees]. It was in third gear, so I was making sure I didn’t blow it up.”

Lowndes had a superb 2018 picking up a win in Tasmania and his 7th Bathurst crown putting him level with Jim Richards and just two behind Peter Brock. The year including five podiums and just one retirement in Melbourne.

Craig will next race with this Triple Eight teammates Jamie Whincup and Shane van Gisbergen in the 2019 Bathurst 12 Hour before joining one of them in the Supercars Endurance Cup campaign.

Throughout the year he will be a pundit on Supercars media coverage, whilst hoping to contest some new events around the globe.

Top Supercars 2018 Moments

LOWNDES WINS 7TH BATHURST

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MCLAUGHLIN’S MAIDEN TITLE

December 2018

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RAIN WASHES OUT GOLD COAST

SYNDEY SUPERNIGHT SUCCESS

motorsport

HAMILTON JOINS GREATS WITH FIFTH TITLE

L

ewis Hamilton won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to end the season in which he clinched his fifth World Championship on a high.

It was the 11th victory of the year for Hamilton, who dominated the race with a controlled drive.

Hamilton performed ‘doughnut’ spins after crossing the line, before he and former title rival Sebastian Vettel flanked the retiring two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, and all three performed more doughnuts on the start-finish straight.

Hamilton and Vettel then each shared an embrace with Alonso, demonstrating their respect for each other’s abilities.

The three drivers hold 11 of some of the most recent World Championships won in a golden era for driving talent in the sport.

Vettel took second after Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas faded to fifth, which means the Finn ends the season without a victory.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo took third and fourth.

Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg emerged unhurt from a frightening-looking accident in which he was pitched into a roll and landed upside down in a first-lap clash with Romain Grosjean’s Haas.

Fernando Alonso’s illustrious career ended with an 11th place, just out of the points. The McLaren, which started 15th, was just not quick enough for him to do any more.

Our own Brendon Hartley finished his year in F1 with a 12th place finish behind the retiring Alonso. The kiwi will not return in 2019 with Torro Rosso signing two new drivers.

H

ayden Paddon has given his ongoing contract negotiations with Hyundai a major boost with a season-best finish in the final WRC rally of 2018.

The off-contract Kiwi driver, who is yet to finalise a WRC drive in 2019, has finished second at Kennards Hire Rally Australia in Coffs Harbour on Sunday.

Under pressure to perform in a bid to win a contract, Paddon stood up when it counted in tough conditions on Sunday to deliver a potentially career-defining drive.

Paddon was faultless most of the weekend, won three stages and was consistently on pace with the best drivers in the world.

Toyota’s Jari-Matti Latvala claimed victory in the Rally, 32.5 seconds ahead of Paddon with Mads Østberg a further 19.7 seconds back.

PADDON’S PROMISING PODIUM drivenz

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December 2018

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motorsport KIWIS AROUND THE WORLD Nick CASSIDY

Nick finished agonisingly close to winning both if not, one of Japan’s two premier categories. He finished only one point behind in Super Formula - where the winner was awarded bonus points in the final round, and just one spot behind in the final GT race.

Final Super GT Standing 2nd Final Super Formula Standing 2nd

Earl BAMBER

Earl Bamber was quickest in one of the practice sessions in Macau but qualified 5th on a track that is notoriously difficult to pass on. After a coming together with his teammate Laurens Vanthoor in the qualifying race, Earl consolidated two top five results.

Macau GT World Cup Qualifying Race 5th Macau GT World Cup Feature Race 4th

Marcus ARMSTRONG

Marcus had a difficult end to his rookie year in European Formula 3, with three DNF’s in the final three races. He still took nine podium finishes across the season including a win at Norisring. He then finished 9th in his first appearance in Macau.

Final European Formula 3 Standing 5th Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix Race 9th

Liam LAWSON

With three wins in German Formula 4, Liam Lawson finished second best to German driver Lirim Zendeli who won 10 of the 18 races. Liam then made his debut in Formula 3 Asia, impressing by sweeping the weekend with pole and winning all three races.

Final German Formula 4 Standing 2nd Asia Formula 3 Sepang Results 1st, 1st, 1st

Chris VAN DER DRIFT

Chris van der Drift has won his third Carrera Cup Asia title after winning the second to last race of the season in Shanghai. Despite coming together with his countryman Will Bamber in the final race, Chris had already done enough to take the win.

Carrera Cup Asia Round 11 Shanghai 1st Final Carrera Cup Asia Standing 1st

Will BAMBER

Will Bamber joined van der Drift on the podium in Shanghai for a kiwi 1-2 finish on day one, but had a coming together with Chris on day two to hamper a better championship result. Will finished the season 4th and picked up a win in Malaysia.

Carrera Cup Asia Round 11 Shanghai 2nd Final Carrera Cup Asia Standing 4th

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December 2018

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