OR O RI N OTORING OTO O TOR RIN NG G TO R IN M eews w Neew News N New wss
COMPREHENSIVE COMP
INFORMATIVE
SMALL FIELD, BUT QUALITY FIELD
ISSUE # 287
OCTOBER 2020
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(Display until November 16)
Dane Skeete and Tyler Mayhew last year’s champions.
‘Forty-five entries for Sol Rally See pages 3 - 7 Barbados 2020
General Manager of Sol (Barbados) Ltd Roger Barrow told the well-attended briefing meeting: “This year in particular, it is truly a privilege to support this world-class sporting event. In the current climate, the ability to hold Sol Rally Barbados is testament to the strength of the organisers, the sponsors, the community and our collective rigor-
ous commitment to health and safety standards. Better late than never, better to be safe than sorry. After thanking the event’s title sponsor, along with major partners Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, Automotive Art, Banks, Chefette, RL Seale & Co and the Tourism Development Corporation, Event Director Neil Barnard said: “We have all been a
bit blown away by the commitment level of our overseas competitors faced by the challenges presented by Covid. Not only have they taken considerable time away from their businesses, they have all been through the quarantine process coming into the island and many will have to do so again, some for longer, when they return home.”
Barry Mayers and Ben Norris chasing two wheel drive honours.
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MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
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Inside Front
In a new machine: Jeff Panton and co-driver Mike Fennell (Jr) in the Rubis/Sandals/KIG Ford Fiesta WRC,
Three-way battle for Sol RB’20 title A small field, but a quality field. That’s how Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) chairman Mark Hamilton described the field of 45 entered for their premier event Sol Rally Barbados on October 31 - November 1.
The provisional entry list is headed by last year’s winners Dane Skeete and Tyler Mayhew who will be the Sol/CO Williams Sand & Lime/Automotive Art Subaru Impreza WRC S12B and also includes pairs such as five-time winner Jeff
Panton and co-driver Mike Fennell (Jr) in the Rubis/Sandals/KIG Ford Fiesta WRC, together for the first time in the car, and the pair of Rob Swann, the leading European contender of recent years and Welsh Con’td on page 4 ...
CRIME PREVENTION TIP:
Do not grow plants or trees that obstruct a clear view from windows and doors. Always ask how tall a plant grows before you purchase it. Positioning plants or trees is key to your safety. (From the Crime Prevention Department of the Royal Barbados Police Force)
Dane Skeete and Tyler Mayhew who will be the Sol/CO Williams Sand & Lime/Automotive Art Subaru Impreza WRC S12B.
We make it look like new, when we’re through
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MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
Rob Swann and co-driver Darren Garrod in the Blue Sky Luxury/Marriott All-Inclusive raswann.co.uk Ford Fiesta WRC. Ones to watch in Sol Rally Barbados ‘20.
Swann, Garrod looking for top spot this year From page 3 ... co-driver Darren Garrod in the Blue Sky Luxury/Marriott AllInclusive raswann.co.uk Ford Fiesta WRC, who will also making his debut in Swann’s similar car. Swann, who is no stranger to the local conditions, said that he had been juggling
with Covid testing, travel and quarantine arrangements for himself and his co-driver Garrod, who faced even more complicated protocols to get from the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, where he was competing last weekend. But the British driver who said he is looking to win
this year’s rally had high praise for the stages and the work of the route setters saying that the BRC has made a great effort this year, to mix things up a bit and make the event even more challenging.
Flow King of the Hill 2020 two wheel drive champion Barry Mayers and Ben Norris in the Chefette/Rubis/Quality Tyre/Sign Depot Ford Fiesta.
Roger ‘The Ninja’ Hill and Graham Paints/Motormac/DJ’s Skoda Fabia R5.
Gittens
in
the
Esso/MaxMeyer
Con’td on page 5 ...
Greg Cozier and Natasha Farnum in the Perkins & Son Barbados Rum/Tropical Shipping/Westlake Tyres/Barbados Port Inc BimmaCup Too.
The husband and wife pair of Andrew Jones and Lindsey Pilkington in the Herr’s Chips/AP Jones Pharmacy/Java Island Coffee/Southern Surf Beach Apartments/Weetabix Ford Escort MkII.
MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
BRC Chairman: High praise for organising team From page 4 ... “I am looking forward to the new rally route, particularly that long Drax Hall stage. We’ve always said it is so important to be right on your game straight out of the box . . . this year, that will be even more important. We’ll definitely need a good night’s sleep before heading in to that first thing on Saturday morning,” Swann noted. Of his co-driver, Swann said would be fresh from a co-driving stint with Ruari Bell in JWRC, and has had to go through a lot of testing and travelling to make the journey from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and like him, he too really wants to win this event that is why they have
gone to such extremes to make be among the starters this year. Apart from the top-class group, much attention will also be focussed on the FIA R5, the biggest to date and includes American motor sport legend Ken Block in a brand new Fiesta Rally2 and double British Rally Champion Matt Edwards from Wales, who will be the co-driver for Turks and Caicos Rally Team member Paul Horton. SuperModified 2 is also expected to demand much attention as Barry Mayers and Ben Norris in the Chefette/Rubis/Quality Tyre/Sign Depot Ford Fiesta and Rhett Watson and Bradley Weekes in the Chefette/Stihl/Gliptone/Gun
k/Leafy Organics/Hankook Tyres/Bajan Pure Water/Power King Batteries BMW M3 are expected to keep each other busy along with keeping the fourwheel-drive competitors. The pair of Kurt Thompson and Adam Straker in the Glassesco/NKM Clothing/Bio-Beauty/King Ocean Shipping Honda Civic are also drawn in the same group of seven entries. Of the upcoming rally BRC chairman Mark Hamilton had high praise for the organising team in putting together such event under such trying circumstances. “It says a lot about the event and Barbados that we
P age 5
Rhett Watson and Bradley Weekes in the Chefette/Stihl/Gliptone/Gunk/Leafy Organics/ Hankook Tyres/Bajan Pure Water/Power King Batteries BMW M3. have been able to go ahead be talking more about in the prizegiving after the results have made official. and plan for this postponed coming days,"the BRC The route-setters have edition of Sol Rally chairman added. designed the event to take Barbados, which has only Postponed from May of the attention of competitors been possible through the this year as a result of the just under 100 kilometres of Covid-19 pandemic, this very hard work of the stages, including the 8.1 organising team, our incred- year’s rally has also been kilometres, Halton to Drax reduced to 19 stages in a ible partners and of course Hall which will run three heavily revised route visitthe commitment of our times on Saturday and ing all but one of the local and overseas entrants believed to be longest test in these very difficult times. island’s parishes and movin recent memory and ing away from the tradition We will be following some among stage layouts that of Saturday stages in the very stringent safety protoare either new, or have not north and Sunday’s in the cols which has meant some south-east. It will end at the been used in nearly 20 changes in how we normalVaucluse Raceway with the years. ly do things which we will
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Sol Rally Barbados starters 2020
1 Dane Skeete/Tyler Mayhew (WRC Sol/CO Williams Sand & Lime/Automotive Art Subaru Impreza WRC S12) 2 Jeffrey Panton – JAM/Michael Fennell Jnr (WRC Rubis/Sandals/KIG Ford Fiesta WRC) 3 Rob Swann – ENG/Darren Garrod - WAL (WRC Blue Sky Luxury/Marriott All-Inclusive raswann.co.uk Ford Fiesta WRC)
MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
20 Adrian Linton/Dominic Linton (SM2 Ravensden/JAD Performance/Helping Hands Foundation Vauxhall Astra VXR) 21 Wayne Archer/Moishe Steinbok (H2 Arrow Woodworking/Arrow Construction/D & A Air Conditioning/Archers Hall Design Center BMW 325)
5 Roger Hill/Graham Gittens (FIA R5 Esso/MaxMeyer Paints/Motormac/DJ’s Skoda Fabia R5)
22 Jonathan Still/Andrew Croney (SM2 Suga Apple Swimwear/Executive Auto Center BMW M3) 23 Jermin Pope/Aaron Kirton (M1 Glassesco/Good Time Snacks/NKM Clothing/CA Autobody Repairs/Industries Honda Civic 24 Kurt Thompson/Adam Straker (M3 Glassesco/NKM Clothing/Bio-Beauty/King Ocean Shipping BMW M3 Compact)
6 Ken Block - USA/Alex Gelsomino - USA (FIA R5 Ford Performance/Monster Energy/Hoonigan Racing Ford Fiesta Rally2)
25 Derek Edwards/Damien Johnson (SM2 E-Travel/Executive Auto Center/D & A Air Conditioning/McQuay by Daikin/Arrow Construction BMW M3 Compact)
7 Barry Mayers/Ben Norris - ENG (SM2 Chefette/Rubis/Quality Tyre/Sign Depot Ford Fiesta)
26 Greg Cozier/Natasha Farnum (F) (C3 Perkins & Son Barbados Rum/Tropical Shipping/Westlake Tyres/Barbados Port Inc BimmaCup Too) 27 Chris Surman - ENG/Zowie Boiston (F) - ENG (GpN Warmstyle Motorsport/Top Performance Services/Ignition Motor Sport/Syvecs Subaru Impreza)
4 Stuart Maloney/Kristian Yearwood (FIA R5 Rock Hard Cement/Bushy Park Barbados Skoda Fabia R5)
8 Andrew Mallalieu/Geoff Goddard (FIA R5 Terra Caribbean Ford Fiesta R5) 9 David Coelho – T&T/Barry Ward (FIA R5 Subway/Motul Ford Fiesta R5) 10 Andrew Jones/Lindsey Pilkington (F) – ENG (SM2 Herr’s Chips/AP Jones Pharmacy/Southern Surf Beach Apartments/Kepro Veterinary Solutions/Gales Agro/Weetabix/Java Island Coffee/Weetabix/The Shore Club Turks & Caicos/Hankook Ford Escort MkII) 11 Rhett Watson/Bradley Weekes (SM2 Chefette/Stihl/Gliptone/Gunk/Leafy Organics/Hankook Tyres/Bajan Pure Water/Power King Batteries BMW M3) 12 Paul Horton - TCI/Matt Edwards - WAL (FIA R5 Java Island/HO2 Construction/Sky Motorsports Ford Fiesta R5) 14 Suleman Esuf/Justin Campbell (FIA R5 Express Imports/SY Adam & Son/Prosales/Y Esuf Auto Clinic Ford Fiesta R5) 15 Fraser Louden – SCO/Ashleigh Will (F) - SCO (WRC EV Offshore Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Proto) 16 Neil Corbin/Matthew Staffner (SM1 Nassco/Jason Jones/Emtage Electric/Auto Solutions/Valvoline Toyota Starlet) 17 Jamal Brathwaite/Dario Hoyte (M2 Java Island/Consumers Guaranteed Insurance/Automotive Art/Valvoline/Caribbean Auto Glass/809 Design Associates /TEC Barbados/Stylez Auto Spa/Ellsemere Quarries/Chicken Pen Racing Honda Civic Type-R) 18 David St Hill/Ian Grimes (M3 Tropical Touch/St Hill & Sons Garage BMW M3) 19 Ahmed Esuf/Ryan Ali (M3 Express Imports Inc/Y Esuf Auto Clinic/Prosales/Premier Diamonds BMW M3))
28 Howard Paterson – ENG/Sean Kukula – ENG (C3 Little Bristol Beach Bar/Paradise Surf School/Rallydrive Automotive Mazda RX-8) 29 Harold Morley - ENG/Stephen Bell (H2 Spectrum X Porsche 911RS) 30 Simon Nutter – ENG/Fiona Udale (F) - ENG (H1 Competition Supplies/Westgate Tyres & Exhaust/Scotty’s Cheap Car Hire/Coconut Court Beach Hotel/Udale’s Quality Meats Toyota Corolla) 31 Stuart Garcia/Rasheed Smith (C2 Kirba Inc/Smith’s Engineering Works/GuavaTech BimmaCup) 32 Sacha Soodeen/Dwayne Forde (C2 BimmaCup) 33 Ryan O Wood/Ria Walcott (F) (SM1 MB Auto City/Lucas Oil/BizNeeds/Shonny’s Kitchen Toyota Starlet) 34 Nicholas Morley - ENG/Joshua Plaza – T&T (C2 Globank/Spectrum X BimmaCup) 35 Jason Tull/Hugo Greaves (C1 Devon Star/Dominus PHD/Jay-T’s Auto Services/CA Autobody Repairs/Redline Performance Imports/CST Tyres Peugeot 106 Rallye S2) 36 Jason Downey & Kristina Pinto (F) (C2 BimmaCup) 37 Natya Soodeen (F)/Justin Sisnett (C2 BimmaCup) 38 Scott Knott - USA/Mark Knott - USA (C2 tax-whistleblower.com BimmaCup) 39 Gary Mendes/Shawn Brathwaite (M2 G & G Sales & Service Inc/Lunatics Inc/Dreamauto Kustomz/Blvck Diamond Kustomz/Big Guys Catering/Barbados Muffler Center/Neil’s Bistro/Wyndham Toyota Corolla) 40 Fabien Clarke/Arlington Hoyte (SM1 Empire Building & Construction/Giovanni Exquisite Car Rentals/Bovell Auto Repair/RCR Tours/South 7 DJs Suzuki Ignis Sport)
MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
SOL RALLY BARBADOS 2020 Special Stage Schedule Times indicate Car 0 due
Saturday, October 31 10.00 Start – Sol Charnocks
1040 SS1 – Halton to Drax Hall 1 (8.10km) 1120 SS2 – Dark Hole to Spring Vale 1 (4.60km) 1150 SS3 – Wilson Hill to Malvern 1 (4.00km) 1245 SS4 – Halton to Drax Hall 2 (8.10km) 1.25 SS5 – Dark Hole to Spring Vale 2 (4.60km) 1.55 SS6 – Wilson Hill to Malvern 2 (4.00km) Lunch halt – Bushy Park Barbados 3.35 4.15 4.45
SS7 – Halton to Drax Hall 3 (8.10km) SS8 – Dark Hole to Spring Vale 3 (4.60km) SS9 – Wilson Hill to Malvern 3 (4.00km)
Total stage distance, leg 1 - 50.10km
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Sunday November 1 0930 0945 10.05 1030 1125 1145 1210
Restart – Greenland Agricultural Station SS10 – Bawdens to Rock Hall 1 (4.40km) SS11 – Mt Brevitor to Four Hills 1 (4.40km) SS12 – Lamberts to Mt Poyer 1 (6.80km) SS13 – Bawdens to Rock Hall 2 (4.40km) SS14 – Mt Brevitor to Four Hills 2 (4.40km) SS15 - Lamberts to Mt Poyer 2 (6.80km)
Lunch halt - Greenland Agricultural Station 1.50 SS16 – Bawdens to Rock Hall 3 (4.40km) 2.10 SS17 - Mt Brevitor to Four Hills 3 (4.40km) 2.35 SS18 – Lamberts to Mt Poyer 3 (6.80km) 4.pm SS19 – Dukes to Vaucluse Raceway (2.00km) Total stage distance, leg 2 - 48.80km Total overall stage distance - 98.90km 7 pm (approx) - Prizegiving at Vaucluse Raceway
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MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
Willie Hinds and Wayne Manning in the Black Bess Group Suzuki Samurai are Chefette MudDogs Safari champions. They chalked up 1853 penalties for their effort.
Hinds, Manning overcome problems to win Chefette Summer Safari
Willie Hinds and Wayne Manning defied over-heating problems and drove away with top honours in recently-held Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) Chefette MudDogs Safari. And as if to compound the problems faced by the winners, Hinds said they had
developed engine problems and the Samurai had been working on three cylinders for a few kilometres, and it was sheer determination that helped them to finish and to a great result. “It was one awesome rally and a complete team effort between Wayne and myself,
making the correct calls at the appropriate time.” “I did not believe that Andy (Croney) could have pulled off a one-route rally with such accuracy. The route was challenging with plenty tricks and numerous controls, with well-chosen average speeds to suit what he
The Mendes brothers, Gary and George in the G&G Sales and Service/Goodyear Tyres Daihatsu Rocky took second place in the Chefette Summer Safari. wanted us to do. Andy's smart, so congrats to him on a well-plotted course and thanks to sponsor Chefette, the marshals and all involved for making it possible,” Hinds noted. Driving the Black Bess Group Suzuki Samurai, the pair wrested the title after returning a total of 1853 penalties, over the Mendes brothers, Gary and George in the G&G Sales and Service/Goodyear Tyres Daihatsu Rocky, their bestever result, who rattled up
2672 penalties for their efforts. The experienced pair of Stephen Mayers and David Reece in a Toyota Hilux, the reigning Driver Challenge Champions, placed third with 2836 penalties and
ahead of the Christopher King and Warrick Eastmond in a Nissan Frontier, winners of the July Safari, but had to be content with fourth place, this time around, with 3537 penalties. Con’td next page,,,,
Buckle Up!!! Wear your seatbelt. A message from driveTime
MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
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Pair makes history, new names added to MudDogs winners’ list
From page 8 ... It is the second time in as many events that new names have been added the winners’ list of the Barbados Rally Club (BRC), while King and Eastmond took the honours at stake in the Driver’s Challenge ahead of Ben Norris and Kirk Watkins in Toyota Land Cruiser who ended with 4274 penalties and the father and daughter combination of John Pinto and Kristina Pinto in the Structural Systems GMC Sonoma who amassed a total of 4815 penalties to be seventh overall and third in the driver’s challenge.
During the day’s action, the history-making pair of Biddy ‘Rally Granny’ Barber and her 13-yearold grandson Austin Barber in the First Step Security Mitsubishi Pajero survived some challenges and finished eighth overall with 5895 penalties and third in Class B, which was won by the Patel brothers, Abdullah and Bilal in the Patels Equipment & Hardware/Aquarius Plumbing/Total Tools Mitsubishi L200. Crews will meet again for the November Safari on November 14.
A big splash: Christopher King and Warrick Eastmond in a Nissan Frontier finished fourth with 3537 penalties.
Third place for the pair of Stephen Mayers and David Reece in the Toyota Hilux with 2836 penalties.
Chefette MudDogs Safari Championship - Round 2 Chefette Summer Safari – September 21
The history-making pair of Biddy Barber/Austin Barber in the First Step Security Mitsubishi Pajero finished eighth with 5895 penalties.
BRC Winter Sprint November 22
Class B
1st Patel/Patel; 2nd Pinto/Pinto; 3rd Barber/Barber; 4th Jemmott/Toppin
1st Willie Hinds/Wayne Manning (Black Bess Group Suzuki Samurai), 1853 penalties 2nd Gary Mendes/George Mendes (G&G Sales and Service/Goodyear Tyres Daihatsu Rocky), 2672 penalties 3rd Stephen Mayers/David Reece (Toyota Hilux), 2836 penalties 4th Christopher King/Warrick Eastmond (Nissan Frontier), 3537 penalties 5th Abdullah Patel/Bilal Patel (Patels Equipment & Hardware/Aquarius Plumbing/Total Tools Mitsubishi L200), 3744 penalties 6th Ben Norris/Kirk Watkins (Toyota Land Cruiser), 4274 penalties 7th John Pinto/Kristina Pinto (Structural Systems GMC Sonoma), 4815 penalties 8th Biddy Barber/Austin Barber (First Step Security Mitsubishi Pajero), 5895 penalties 9th Shaquille Jemmott/Shanica Toppin (DreamAuto Kustomz/Blvck Diamond Kustomz Suzuki Escudo), 7901 penalties 10th Dean Springer/Bridget Garity (Eastern Veterinary Clinic Ford Ranger), 9326 penalties
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MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
Mitsubishi Evolution 1X takes top prize at Dyno Day The Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 1X of Jerome ‘Fisherman’ Holder won the top prize at the recently-held Dyno Day in Barbados. At left is show organiser, Greg Simpson.
Jerome ‘Fisherman’ Holder made off with the top prize at the recentlyheld Dyno Day in Barbados Organised by 246 Dyno Tuning, Holder with a 2.2 litre Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 1X, wrested the top prize at stake for a four cylinder car with the most horsepower with 929.1 wheel horse power (WHP) on a days which attracted a cross-section of vehicles.
Soleiman ‘Sol’ Esuf’s Nissan GTR R35 grabbed the prize for six cylinder cars, while Holder came back to lift the prize for 4WD FI cars under 1000 cc. Matthew Durant, with drag racing on hold was good enough to take the prize for front wheel drive (FWD) direct injection cars under 400 hp with his Toyota Celica GT86, while Samaro Forde with a Toyota
Vitz, took the prize for cars front wheel drive (FWD) under 600 hp with a 561.1 wheel horse power (WHP) posting. Good showings were also done by Esuf with a fuel injected Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V111 who won the four wheel drive prize for vehicles under 400 hp, Alec Doodnauth who took the top prize for 4X4 trucks with an Isuzu DMax, Derek Pinto
with a Honda Civic Type R, who won the front wheel drive (FWD) prize for normally aspirated (NA) cars under 250 horsepower and
Esuf, with a Toyota Supra, was responsible for the rear wheel drive (RWD) fuel injected prize for cars under 1000 horsepower
Prize Winners
Jamal Sobers with a BMW M3 took home the RWD FI prize for vehicles under 700 horse power and Nicholas Cont’d next page ...
Most HP 4 CYL - Jarome Holder (Evo IX) Most HP 6 CYL - Suleman Esuf (GTR R35) 4WD FI UNDER 1000 - Jarome Holder (Evo IX) RWD DI UNDER 400 - Matthew Durant (Toyota GT86) FWD FI UNDER 600 - Samaro Forde (Toyota Vitz) 4WD FI UNDER 400 - Suleman Esuf (Evo VIII) 4x4 TRUCK - Alec Doodnauth (Isuzu DMax) FWD NA UNDER 250 - Derek Pinto (Honda Civic Type R) RWD FI UNDER 1000 - Suleman Esuf (Toyota Supra) RWD FI UNDER 700 - Jamal Sobers (BMW M3) FWD FI UNDER 400 - Nicholas Blackman (Swift Sport Boosterjet)
MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
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The top man: Jerome ‘Fisherman’ Holder, centre, receiving his prizes from show organisers Gregory Simpson, left and Kerwin Scantlebury, right, during the prizegiving of Dyno Day in Barbados.
Enthusiasm, anxiety high among fans, participants
From page 10 ... Blackman, with a Swift Sport Boosterjet, took the
top prize for fuel injected FWD vehicles under 400 horse power. During the
day’s proceeding motoring fans witnessed power displays from Steve Bruce,
Pocket socket winners Somma Young, left, and Adonia Freeman, right, receiving their prizes from deputy show organiser, Kerwin Scantlebury.
In prep. mode: Derek Pinto, left, getting his Honda Civic ready for its power test during Dyno Day in Barbados. He was among the winners of the day. Alex Kirton, Christopher Carter and Corey Burton, while lucky spectators won an assortment of prizes. Organisers Gregory Simpson and Kerwin Scantlebury said it was
good event and filled with enthusiasm and anxiety and thanked the participants as well as the associate sponsors DriveTrain Central and Carlos Brandford, the Speed Shop and Robert Bishop,
RastamanTuned, Falicia Fitness, Marks Auto Supplies, Max Torque Performance, HondaCraze Barbados, AVG Investments Inc, Burton Tuned and Vibrant Performance.
Courtesy Garage transitioning to electric vehicles Page 12
MOTORING NEWS, OCTOBER 2020
EV Workshop Manager Albert Taitt explaining the testing machine for lithium batteries during the recent media tour of Courtesy Garage.
EV Workshop Manager Albert Taitt discussing the aspects of the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle with reporters during the media tour of the Wildey headquarters of Courtesy Garage to launch the service of electric vehicles in Barbados.
Senior General Manager Nicholas Mackie, standing, with members of the management team seated from left, Sam Gaston Regional Product Manager, Albert Taitt, Manager EV workshop, Roger Maxwell, Sales Manager Hyundai Vehicles and Nissan sales manager, Shawn Greenidge. ning have also taken us to its electricity and 90 per Barbados’ oldest car dealer- become fossil-free. the wider Caribbean where, cent of that fuel needs to be ship, Courtesy Garage Ltd, And the dealership has as is the case in Barbados, imported. Renewable enerwith operations in Jamaica, been monitoring trends in we also represent the global gy resources are abundant, St. Lucia and St. Vincent the global EV market very Brands of Nissan, Hyundai, meaning the environmental and the Grenadines, is mov- carefully and last year, for Fiat and ZNA vehicles. benefits of EVs could be ing apace to become the the first time, according to maximized if this clean recognised Caribbean marMcKinsey’s Electric Vehicle Several factors make our energy potential were fully ket leader in the transition Index, global sales of new region ideal for electrification of transport. Barbados, exploited. to electric vehicles. And electric vehicles (EVs) for example, is dependent Barbados, like many of its they are hoping to achieve passed a million units. on fuel oil and diesel to neighbouring territories, is this objective before 2030, Our years of meticulous research and detailed plangenerate some 9 per cent of small, thus mitigating range the date set by Barbados to
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MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
anxiety and requiring less extensive, but highly efficient and more cost-effective charging networks including charging in the comfort of one’s home. Barbados is thus well poised to become the first country in the region to convert most of its vehicles to electric. Indeed, full electrification would bring significant benefits to the people of Barbados due to efficiencies in transportation and logistics. It’s against this background that we are today extremely happy to introduce to the Barbados market, the new 40 killowatt lilthium-ion polymer battery which is warranty-protected for a minimum of eight (8) years or 100,000 km .
Our EV Technical team, spearheaded by Albert Taitt, who will have more to say on this when he demonstrates how the system works during your visit to the EV Room in a few minutes. “Awaiting you in the EV Room will be a fully-equipped Nissan Leaf 2 and I am happy to announce that come December, we should be taking delivery of the Hyundai Kona Electric, a compelling and affordable electric vehicle with a zippy performance of up to 449 km of all-electric driving range”, said senior general manager Nicholas Mackie. Accordimg to the general manager, we at Courtesy, have done our homework, and are ready to partner with the relevant authorities in Barbados, to make the electric car a tool of national development. “At 98 years old, we are naturally here not only for the long haul,
but to be recognised eventually as the market leader in the transition to electric vehicles in the Caribbean. The electric car is the future. Our country stands to gain
all around and Courtesy Garage recognises its responsibility in helping government to support its energy policy”, Mackie added.
Courtesy Garage transitioning to electric vehicles Page 12
MOTORING NEWS, OCTOBER 2020
EV Workshop Manager Albert Taitt explaining the testing machine for lithium batteries during the recent media tour of Courtesy Garage.
EV Workshop Manager Albert Taitt discussing the aspects of the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle with reporters during the media tour of the Wildey headquarters of Courtesy Garage to launch the service of electric vehicles in Barbados.
Senior General Manager Nicholas Mackie, standing, with members of the management team seated from left, Sam Gaston Regional Product Manager, Albert Taitt, Manager EV workshop, Roger Maxwell, Sales Manager Hyundai Vehicles and Nissan sales manager, Shawn Greenidge. ning have also taken us to its electricity and 90 per Barbados’ oldest car dealer- become fossil-free. the wider Caribbean where, cent of that fuel needs to be ship, Courtesy Garage Ltd, And the dealership has as is the case in Barbados, imported. Renewable enerwith operations in Jamaica, been monitoring trends in we also represent the global gy resources are abundant, St. Lucia and St. Vincent the global EV market very Brands of Nissan, Hyundai, meaning the environmental and the Grenadines, is mov- carefully and last year, for Fiat and ZNA vehicles. benefits of EVs could be ing apace to become the the first time, according to maximized if this clean recognised Caribbean marMcKinsey’s Electric Vehicle Several factors make our energy potential were fully ket leader in the transition Index, global sales of new region ideal for electrification of transport. Barbados, exploited. to electric vehicles. And electric vehicles (EVs) for example, is dependent Barbados, like many of its they are hoping to achieve passed a million units. on fuel oil and diesel to neighbouring territories, is this objective before 2030, Our years of meticulous research and detailed plangenerate some 9 per cent of small, thus mitigating range the date set by Barbados to
Page 13
MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
anxiety and requiring less extensive, but highly efficient and more cost-effective charging networks including charging in the comfort of one’s home. Barbados is thus well poised to become the first country in the region to convert most of its vehicles to electric. Indeed, full electrification would bring significant benefits to the people of Barbados due to efficiencies in transportation and logistics. It’s against this background that we are today extremely happy to introduce to the Barbados market, the new 40 killowatt lilthium-ion polymer battery which is warranty-protected for a minimum of eight (8) years or 100,000 km .
Our EV Technical team, spearheaded by Albert Taitt, who will have more to say on this when he demonstrates how the system works during your visit to the EV Room in a few minutes. “Awaiting you in the EV Room will be a fully-equipped Nissan Leaf 2 and I am happy to announce that come December, we should be taking delivery of the Hyundai Kona Electric, a compelling and affordable electric vehicle with a zippy performance of up to 449 km of all-electric driving range”, said senior general manager Nicholas Mackie. Accordimg to the general manager, we at Courtesy, have done our homework, and are ready to partner with the relevant authorities in Barbados, to make the electric car a tool of national development. “At 98 years old, we are naturally here not only for the long haul,
but to be recognised eventually as the market leader in the transition to electric vehicles in the Caribbean. The electric car is the future. Our country stands to gain
all around and Courtesy Garage recognises its responsibility in helping government to support its energy policy”, Mackie added.
Page 14
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MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020 Editor: Trevor Thorpe Reporters: Frederick Ferraro, Justin Weir, The Onlooker Pens, Regional & International: JMann, Electronic Services Inc. Advertising: MN Advertising, Photography: MN Pix Clix, Lindsay Farmer, Warren Gollop, Corey Reece, Simon Slade, treVor Thorpe, justbajan.com, Colbert Goddard. Motoring News is a monthly publication covering local, regional and international motorsport and the automobile industry. It is circulated worldwide.
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Business ...
All systems in place for Sol Rally Barbados 2020 Rally fans and racing enthusiasts from across Barbados and the region are breathing a collective sigh of relief at the news that Sol Rally Barbados (SRB) 2020, which was postponed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be taking place this October! Sol Rally Barbados 2020 was originally slated to take place in late May, but due to lockdowns and other restrictions, the event’s two consecutive weekends of exhilarating activities were put on hold until the organizers, sponsors and officials were confident that the event could be held safely, without endangering the health of the “Sol Rally Nation” ¬– the name affectionately given to Sol Rally Barbados enthusiasts. Commenting on the rescheduled rally event, Roger Barrow, General Manager of Sol (Barbados) Ltd., stated that the ability to hold the SRB is testament to the strength of the organizers, the sponsors, the community, and our collective rigorous commitment to health and safety standards. He added that this year’s SRB will feature stringent COVID-19 protocols, including multiple sanitization stations and the mandatory use of face masks and shields,” Barrow also noted that while some persons may have been disappointed that the event did not take place in May, he is confi-
Roger Barrow, General Manager of Sol (Barbados) Ltd, second from right, as he addressed the media at Bushy Park. Also at the head table are from left, Denise Mendes, Karoline Smith and Neil Barnard, public relations officer of the Barbados Rally Club. dent that the public understands that it is better late than never and that it is better to be safe than sorry. The recently announced Sol Rally Barbados calendar of events kicks off with Scrutineering at Bushy Park on Saturday, October 24, followed by the Flow King of the Hill on Sunday, October 25. The following weekend, October 31 to November 1, will be the official Sol Rally Barbados weekend, with two days of
rallying for fans to enjoy. The event will feature some of the world’s best rally drivers and teams, competing against each other for the right to lift the SRB 2020 championship trophy. All teams, officials, volunteers and other members of the organizing team will be subject to stringent safety and health protocols both on and off the track, to help ensure that the event remains safe for all involved.
Speaking at the media launch event on Thursday, October 22, Barrow stated, “We understand that the past year has been a trying time for many Barbadians, and at Sol, we couldn’t be happier to have the opportunity to support this worldclass, family-friendly motor sporting event that you have come to know and love.” This year’s rally event marks the 13th consecutive year as title sponsor for Sol, the Caribbean’s leading
petroleum marketing and distribution corporation. Sol, in conjunction with the Barbados Rally Club, has reassured fans that the organizers have put several policies in place to help ensure a safe weekend of events. Dane Skeete, the 2019 Sol Rally Barbados champion, will seek to repeat his successful run, as he competes under the Sol banner, for yet another year. “We are happy to have last year’s
champion, Dane Skeete on board with us for another year”, commented Barrow. “We wish the very best of luck to him, and all the drivers including Roger Hill, who will be racing under our Esso banner.” Barrow also took the opportunity, on behalf of Sol, to wish Roger Skeete, who was injured in a recent rally event, a speedy recovery. Sol wishes the entire Sol Rally Nation a safe and healthy rally season!
MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
Motoring News Business Centre ...
Argentine Ambassador ends tour of duty to Barbados
Page 15
Business Centre ...
Argentine Ambassador, Gustavo Martinez Pandiani, centre, with members of the Cabinet of Barbados and other invited guests at the farewell dinner held at the Abidah Hotel, Enterprise Beach Christ Church.
Cabinet of Barbados recently gave a warm farewell to Argentine Ambassador, Gustavo Martinez Pandiani in an intimate dinner at the Abidah Hotel at Enterprise Beach. The group of distinguished members of Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s Cabinet
expressed heartfelt thanks and recognition to the Ambassador of the Argentine Republic to Barbados, Gustavo Martinez Pandiani who ended his diplomatic tenure after three years of intense cooperation between the two nations. A tasteful spread of beef, fish and a parade of desserts
were prepared by the Chef and were paired with Malbec and sweet white Argentine wines. The table was artfully decorated while both flags sat in the background as symbols of the strong friendship between the two countries. In attendance were Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Jerome Walcott; Speaker of the House, Arthur Holder; outgoing President of the Senate, Richard Cheltenham; Chief Justice, Marston Gibson; and various Ministers such as Minister of Culture, John King; Minister of the Blue Economy, Kirk Humphrey; Minister of Agriculture, Indar Weir; Minister of Tourism, Lisa Cummins;, Minister of Home Affairs, Wilfred Abrahams; Minister of Environment, Adrian
Forde; Minister Ryan Straughn; and Minister Marsha Caddle. Former Minister Edmund Hinkson; Senator Crystal Haynes; Ambassador of Barbados to Argentina, Tonika Sealy-Thompson; Director of Public Affairs, Patricia Parris; Chairman of the National Sports Council, Macdonald Fingall; President of the Barbados Football Association, Randy Harris; and Cultural Ambassador, Anthony
“Gabby” Carter were also part of the selected invitees. The dinner was showered with genuine words of appreciation for the Argentine envoy who was at times close to tears. The night ended with Ambassador Pandiani expressing immense gratitude not only to the Government of Barbados but also to all Bajans whom he has grown to love.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jerome Walcott, left, shares a toast with outgoing Argentine Ambassador Gustavo Martinez Pandiani, during the farewell reception held in his honour at the Abidah Hotel, Enterprise Beach, Christ Church.
Page 16
Ullyett, Mallalieu among strong field of karters Sunday
Karters Competition is expected to be very keen as drivers of the Barbados Karting Association (BKA) take on each other at Bushy Park on Sunday. Daniell Ullyett and Adam Mallalieu are at the top of Easykart 60 and Easykart 125 Light Classes respectively and could expect to be severely tested by their
counterparts who are expected to face the starter. Ullyett will have to contend with drivers such as Aeden Bruce, Blake Thompson, Kaleb Catwell and Donche Blackman, as well as Rayhan Delair, Jacob Mustor and Jaydn Braithwaithe and insiders have said they are expecting keen competition.
Mallalieu, on the other hand, will have challenges from Calem Maloney, female driver Kayleigh Catwell, Benjamin Moore and Sebastian Thompson, along with race car drivers David St. Hill and Scott Stollmeyer and karters John Kelly and Justin Harris. The action will start at 9 am.
MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
Daniel Ullyett will be looking to tighten his grip on proceedings in his group of the Barbados Karting Association (BKA) competition.
‘Buckle up. wear your seatbelts’
MOTORING NEWS
OCTOBER 2020
Corie Jordan: He loved cars, mechanical things
‘Gone to soon’ and ‘what a sad loss’, were some of the comments made by family members, friends and members of the Barbados Auto Racing Leagiue (BARL) and the Motoring Club Barbados Incorporated Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Corie, Troy Jordan, late of Mile and a Quarter, St. Peter, on October 17, 2020. And eugolist Ricardo Jordan said that from a very young age it was evident that Corie had an creative and innovative mind. Whether it was mechanics, growing crops, or raising animals he was always pondering ways to improve on what he was doing or seeing. Building a skate and searching for wheels and ball bearings to give the fastest possible downhill ride. Fine tuning his bicycle to make it run more smoothly. Modifying animal pens to make feeding and cleaning more seamless and simple to facilitate. Tinkering with a race car to get the maximum performance without compromising reliability. We saw him do these over the years, always seeking a way to make things more efficient. He developed a love of cars and other things mechanical from a young age, learning the fundamentals of mechanics with Tyrone
“Guinea Bird” Arthur and in later years with Charles Lowe amongst others. Out of a desire to be good at everything he learned, he fabricated and/or bought whatever he believed would make him better at his craft. When I asked Corie why he chose agriculture and mechanics on one of our many evening sitting in the garage discussing life in general, he answered: “…nobody was doing anything with the land and this land fed us all. People got to eat, and cars will always need fixing. I am looking to do things that will be needed forever and these are things that I like.” Simple. Logical. Smart. Over the years I watch him grow from learning alongside others to be one of the most knowledgeable local mechanics around. Saw him voluntarily learn to weld and to do auto bodywork so he could make his garage into a one stop shop wherever possible, all accomplished with little to no structured training. He was a very hands-on practical individual. If I was travelling and asked him if he needed anything it was usually a book or a tool he asked me to look for, something to give him more knowledge and versatility and make him better at what he chose to do. What he
Page 17
In a sombre mood: Driving colleagues and friends from left, Dave Jordan, Michael Birkett, Peggy Edwards and Ian ‘Undertaker’ Griffith at the viewing at Earl’s Funeral Home, Half Moon Fort, St. Lucy, of the body of former Group 2B driver of the Barbados Auto Racing League (BARL), Corie Jordan.
couldn’t read or learn through hands on experience he would spend time on the internet researching, constantly trying to get to the next level. The same was true of his car racing career, whether working on cars, building them or going on the track himself. He approached it
methodically and every car build and every race was a lesson to improve on the next outcome or project. With race car builds, he used to say, “…you can do it fast, cut corners and keep spending money, or you can take your time and do it right and be reliable. Over the years Corie built
Members of the Barbados Auto Racing League (BARL) on October 17, 2020, formed a Guard of Honour for former Group 2 driver Corie Jordan in the churchyard of the All Saints Anglican Church, St. Peter.
and/or modified several race cars for other drivers that were successful in rallying and track racing. He worked on almost every race car that left the north, both in rallying and track racing. As his reputation grew so did his clientele and racing drivers seek him out from all corners of Barbados to get modifications or for a project built from the ground up. He was also a highly competitive driver who won several races in the Barbados Auto Racing League at Bushy Park with the Datsun he built. When you raced against Corie you had to drive because he left home every race day looking for victory. That was to be expected though. When man a nicknames his garage NASA you should know special things must and will come out of there. Looking back, I can recall the numerous times he gave things he grew away for free. How people would get the rough side of his tongue initially and he would still help them. How he insisted he
didn’t want anybody around, yet that garage and front step were where so many came and congregated over the years because it was a good place to be. The many times he suggested that we pool money and get stuff to have an impromptu barbeque in the garage or driveway. Living in the old time village way where you share what you have and turn almost no one away. Conversation. Food. Laughter. Libation. Corie understood the history and the value of togetherness; something too few people see or care enough about any more. Only the Almighty knows why Corie was called home when he was, but wherever he is now we have faith he is at peace, with no more pain, and in the company of our loved ones who went to eternal rest before him.
Drivetime Fridays at 5:15 pm, Only on 98.1 The One
Page 18
MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
Hyundai News...
Hyundai Ioniq gets a major refresh including redesigned dash with a simpler layout and larger displays.
Mid-cycle update for Ioniq
The Ioniq is Hyundai's electric hatchback that's also available as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid. The car was introduced for the 2017 model year and receives a major mid-cycle update for 2020 that includes a 37 percent increase in range from 124 to 170 miles. The Ioniq competes with its family rival, the Kia Niro, as well as longer-range electrics such as the Tesla Model 3 and Chevrolet Bolt. Some customers may cross-shop with the plug-in Toyota Prius Prime. For 2020, the Ioniq underwent a major refresh. The hatch has updated exterior styling as well as a redesigned dash with a simpler layout and larger displays. The hybrid and plugin powertrains remain unchanged, but the all-electric version gets a considerable increase in range, from 124 to 170 miles. The Ioniq EV has received a larger 38.3-kWh battery, which increased range to 170 miles, but the bench-
mark-setting Tesla Model 3 provides about 263 miles in basic configuration, and Hyundai's own Kona EV can cover approximately 258 miles on a charge. That battery feeds a 100kW electric motor, which makes 134 hp and 218 lb-ft of torque. If that doesn't sound like much, it's not. At the test track, MotorTrend's test team measured an 8.4second 0-60 mph time and 16.6 second quarter mile at 84.2 mph. The Chevrolet Bolt is much quicker, hitting 60 mph in 6.3 seconds and passing the quarter mile in 14.9 seconds at 93.1 mph. As you may know, the Model 3 is proper zippy. No one's pretending that the Ioniq is meant for drag racing, but around town, the lack of power made things tricky. Seconds to 60 is one thing, but it's tricky to tally how much time I spent waiting for enough space to open up to turn across a few lanes or fit a gap in traffic. As would be expected from an electric motor, accelera-
tion is linear, with nearinstantaneous pedal responses. That doesn't mean that flooring it results in quickness or fun, however. The funny thing about flooring is that it seems like the front tyres can barely contain the torque, but blame that on the tyres, not the torque. The P205/60R16 rubber is meant to eke out efficiency at the expense of traction and grip. That was clear on the figure-eight course, where the Ioniq posted a 28.0 second lap at 0.59 g average. Testing director Kim Reynolds didn't mince words, commenting on its "heavy understeer, mediocre power, and modest braking." What stood out most to him was how "the inside front wheel likes to spin exiting the corners," resulting in a "terrible squeal." Be gentle with your accelerator application, otherwise you might hear it, too. Those tyres don't do favours for braking. The
No shortage of space in the Hyundai Inoiq . Ioniq stopped from 60 mph in 126 feet, a bit behind the Bolt's 123-foot stop and Mini Cooper SE's 119-foot result. Road test editor Chris Walton grumbled about its "squishy pedal" and "gravelly tires" that yielded, in his words, "unimpressive stops." That wasn't only true at the test track. In the real world, pressure on the brakes mostly slows the car down, but stopping completely requires a firmer jab on the pedal. Paddles behind the steering
wheel let you choose between levels of regenerative braking. Even in the strongest setting, one-pedal driving isn't entirely possible—it's more like one pedal and one paddle. Letting off the accelerator will bring the car down to about 5 mph, but then you have to hold the left paddle to stop entirely. One-pedal driving can be fun, something that remains elusive in the Ioniq. And you probably were not expecting the Ioniq to be a secret EV hot hatch, but let
me tell you for certain: It isn't. Hopefully you weren't expecting it to be comfortable, because it isn't that, either. The suspension is stiff to the point where I found myself bracing for impact when I saw potholes approaching and knew to prepare to be tossed around over gutters and dips. The front and rear damping seems out of sync, causing lots of bobbing and swaying even on smoother surfaces. It only ever settles at a stop.
Page 19
MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
BARL getting ready for 2021 racing season
Solieman ‘Sol’ Esuf in the ProSales/Y.Esuf’s Garage Honda Civic leads the field down the back straight during BARL’s Big Cliff/Plummer Memorial event at Bushy Park.
The Barbados Auto Racing League (BARL) is preparing for the 2021 season. Word of this came from chairman Stefan Hinds who told Motoring News that the Covid-19 Pandemic had severely affected members. “Our members were looking forward to the competition first event had to rescheduled from Easter, but unfortunately the economic impact post covid prevented them from competing in the October Tribute Race Meet, but interest is still high and
we are now refocused on our first race meeting for 2021 being our traditional Easter Monday race meet”, he noted. He said the club was contented with its first race meet in seven years despite all the challenges faced by the pandemic, and although the groups were small they produced tight, clean and competitive racing. Hinds said that from the events of this year a champion driver, as well as group champions would be crowned and the
interest among members and drivers has been high and corporate partners are already in place to be a part of the BARL package for 2021. “Interest in BARL’s activities has been good with corporate partners looking to come on board for the 2021 season, and also for some members/parties who were unsure if we could or would ever have a race meet again, or comfortable with our plans and objectives”, Hinds explained.
Former champion driver Kenrick ‘Snappa’ Husbands in the Ultra Lubricants/Big Gasses Toyota Starlet gave notice of his intentions during the day’s action.
Fabian 'Blackboy' Holder was among the drivetrs testing their machines during the BARL’s race day to the memory of Big Cliff and Plummer.
Jason ‘Tully’ Tull in a Peugeot 106 grabbed the opportunty to put seattime with the Peugeot 106.
Page 20
MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
Industry News...
Toyota Corolla 2021: Continuing the tradition The 2021 Toyota Corolla continues its tradition of being an inexpensive, safety-minded, and wellequipped compact car. Available as either a fourdoor hatchback or sedan, the little Toyota offers a variety of personalities. Both body styles feature a pair of dutiful four-cylinder engines, and they're also offered with an extremely frugal hybrid powertrain. For folks who appreciate driving engagement, the Corolla can be had with a manual transmission and a sport-tuned suspension. However, it's still less exciting than most of its competitors, such as the Honda Civic and Mazda 3. While the hatch has a tiny back seat, it shares desirable features and an attractive cabin design with the sedan. The 2021 Corolla isn't the most exciting small car, but it's still an efficient and stylish choice. Toyota offers a wide range of legendarily reliable vehicles, ranging from the tiny Yaris hatchback to the hulking Land Cruiser SUV. The lineup received an injection of excitement this year when Toyota lifted the curtain on the revived Supra sports car—which also won a 2020 10Best award—but the rest of the lineup is rather tame. The Camry is one of the best mid-size sedans you can buy, while the Tacoma has a well-earned reputation for being a sturdy pickup that isn't afraid to get dirty. The Corolla is a great choice for those seeking economical transportation, but when it comes to fuel economy the Prius hybrid is king. Fuel Economy and RealWorld MPG Along with two fuel-efficient four-cylinders, the 2021 Corolla sedan offers an immensely thrifty hybrid model. The EPA estimates
Toyota offers a wide range of legendarily reliable vehicles. Above is the 2021 Corolla. the hybrid will earn 53 mpg city and 52 highway. Comparatively, the government estimates the nonhybrid sedan's 2.0-liter engine will earn up to 40 mpg highway while the 1.8-liter is rated up to 38 mpg highway. The hybrid we tested exceeded its highway rating by 3 mpg on our fuel-economy test route, earning 56 mpg over 200 miles at a steady 75 mph. The only other sedan we tested—a Corolla XSE—saw 41 mpg. The 2019 Corolla hatchback (automatic transmission) earns up to 32 mpg city and 42 highway, according to the EPA. The manual version receives significantly lower estimates at 28 mpg city and 37 highway. The hatch was tested with both transmissions on our 200-mile highway fuel-economy route; the automatic earned 40 mpg, and the manual got 36 mpg. Inside, the Corolla hatchback and sedan share a streamlined dashboard and
soft-touch materials. Every model has passive entry and push-button start, but cer-
should consider the sedan over the hatchback since it has considerably more
The rear view of the 2021 Toyota Corolla. tain Corollas can be upgraded with ambient interior lighting, dual-zone climate control, and heated front seats. Those who regularly have back-seat passengers
legroom behind the front seats. The Corolla hatchback has 18 cubic feet of cargo space behind its back seat, but we only fit two carry-on bags back there.
However, the new no-cost Enhanced Cargo Space option expands that area by
6 cubic feet (23 total) by replacing the spare tire with a tire-repair kit. While the sedan only has 13 cubes of trunk volume, we squeezed eight bags inside. Both body styles had inferior interior cubby storage compared with capacious rivals such as the Honda Civic. Thankfully, there's a convenient tray at the front of their center console and a useful bin below the armrest.
Buckle Up; Wear your Seatbelt
Let’s all keep Barbados clean
MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
Page 21
Industry News...
Bolder Nissan Frontier for 2021 A deep refresh has been given to the 2021 Nissan Frontier, but Nissan says that it’s not for the vehicle heading to the USA. It’s the global Frontier, which continues to share its platform with other midsize trucks such as the Renault Alaskan and the nowdefunct Mercedes-Benz XClass. Although the current generation of this truck has been around for more than five years, it is still one of the best models in the class. Unlike many competitors, it not only provides great job opportunities, but also provides good road riding quality. The updated truck gets a new front-end design that's seemingly inspired by the bigger Nissan Titan. Regardless of where the inspiration came from, the Frontier's new mug looks bigger, wider, and more truck-like. The hood is new and is raised to give the truck a taller stance. The new front bumper, with updated fog lamps, adds character lines for a bolder look. The restyled headlamps come with four LED projectors on top-trim models, as well as C-shaped running lights. The truck's basic profile remains intact, but its rear gets new taillights and an updated tailgate with the Frontier or Navara name
displayed across it. It also features a new step to ease access to the bed. Interestingly, Nissan currently sells the U.S.-spec Frontier under the Pro-4X name in Mexico, but do not be surprised if that model disappears, as the new global Frontier gets a Pro-4X package that adds styling details such as chunky tow hooks, orange accents, as well as Pro-4X graphics on the bed's sides. It's unclear if the Pro-4X package adds any kind of off-road-oriented performance hardware besides all-terrain tyres wrapped around 17-inch wheels. Inside, the Frontier finally gets the technology expected of a modern truck. A new infotainment setup offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, while a dual-zone climate control system unit should help keep things more comfortable for those in the front seats. Speaking of comfort, Nissan notes the Frontier adopts additional insulation materials and acoustic glass as a means of limiting the exterior noises that reach the cabin. No mechanical updates were announced, which means the Mexican-market Frontier should carry over its forebear's 166-hp 2.5liter four-cylinder engine and available 188-hp diesel 2.5-liter unit that makes a
Nissan designers have given a more muscular look to the 2021 Frontier available from local dealers Courtesy Garage Ltd.
whopping 335 lb-ft of torque. Nissan did announce, however, that the updated truck gets a stronger rear axle, a new steering rack, more payload capacity, and more space in its bed. The next U.S.-market Frontier, for its part, will have a 3.8-liter V-6 and nine-speed automatic, a combination that was introduced to its predecessor for the 2020 model year. Given this Frontier was specifically designed for emerging markets, its safety features are minimal. However, some technologies, such as forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and a 360-degree camera system, are available in the refreshed truck. The updated Frontier and Navara will go on sale in Thailand in December, with sales in other markets expected to follow shortly
Buckle Up: Don’t drink and drive
Here’s the master Plan, keep Barbados spic N’ Span. A message from Nassco Ltd & Goodride Tyres driveTime and the Courtesy Garage RPM Report
Page 22
MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
Industry News ....
The launch of an all-new S-Class is a defining moment for Germany's most successful premium automaker.
The Mercedes S-Class: Engineering excellence, a showstopper
A Mercedes S-Class should be a statement of engineering excellence and technical expertise. And even though almost 30 different models comprise today's Mercedes-Benz portfolio in the U.S., the launch of an all-new S-Class is still a defining moment for Germany's most successful premium automaker. Mercedes SUVs, particularly the GLE and GLC families, might today be the brand's volume sellers, but an S-Class is still intended to be nothing less than a statement of engineering excellence and technical expertise that underpins the very credibility of the threepointed star. The mission statement for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is thus crystal clear. The 2021 S-Class, codenamed W223, is built on a
new platform known internally as MRA2. Effectively an evolution of the current car's underpinnings, MRA2 has been reworked to package a new rear-steer axle and a larger battery for plug-in hybrid versions of the car. Compared with the outgoing long-wheelbase W222 S-Class, the distance between the front and rear axles has been increased by 2 inches to 126.6 inches. Overall length has grown 1.3 inches to 208.2 inches, width has gone up by 2.1 inches, and height has increased by 0.4 inch. Although the S-Class is available elsewhere with a variety of powertrains, the U.S. lineup will initially be restricted to just two, with standard all-wheel drive. The entry-level S-Class will be the S 500 4Matic, pow-
ered by the M256 3.0-liter inline-six with the 21-hp, 184-lb-ft EQ Boost mildhybrid system. It produces 429 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. The S 580 4Matic will be powered by the M176 4.0-liter twinturbo V-8, upgraded to work with the same EQ Boost mild-hybrid setup as the sixcylinder engine. Outputs are 496 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. The exterior design is evolutionary rather than revolutionary, though in detail every panel is dramatically different from the outgoing car. Up front is a bigger grille and smaller high-tech headlights; at the rear are two-section taillights that echo the vaguely triangular format seen on the A-Class sedan. Pop-out door handles that nestle flush with the door
skins complement a clean bodyside that's anchored by a crisp shoulder line that runs almost the full length of the car. The raking C-pillar flows more seamlessly into the trunk, the inside of which is slightly larger than that of the outgoing model. Standard wheels for the U.S. market are 19 inches, with 20- and 21-inch wheels available as an option. The family resemblance with the existing S-Class is clear, though in person the W223 has a distinctly fresher, more contemporary look.
Safety first, wear your seatbelt
Auto & Commercial Guide
MOTORING NEWS OCTOBER 2020
Page 23
Days of Motorsport
Date
Event
Venue
Barbados Rally Club Dec. 6
BRCWinter Rally
Dec. 6
BRC Autocross Champ’ship Bushy Park
Islandwide
Motoring Club B’dos Inc Nov. 21
TBA
Speed event B‘dos Auto Racing League
Nov 15
Time Attack
Bushy Park
MudDogs Safari Championship Nov 14 -
For Sale
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1 Evaporator 1 compressor (Will fit W203, LHD car) 1 Mass Air sensor All new parts for W203 car (C-180) Call 823-1117
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Islandwide
Barbados Karting Association Nov 8
Karting Race Day
Bushy Park
B’dos Association of Dragsters & Drifters Nov 29
Drag Racing
Bushy Park
Bushy Park Motor Sport Inc Nov 15
Race Meeting (BARL & BPMSI) Vaucluse Motorsport Raceway Club
Call 424-4798
Digital maps of Barbados for Garmin GPS receivers. Available from Atlantic Computers.
The Courtesy Garage RPM Report Wednesdays at 12:45 pm only on 98.1 The One.
Nassco BRC MudDogs Safari
Nov 28 Nov 29/30
RallySprint (VRMSC) – Vaucluse Raceway Rallycross (VRMSC) – Vaucluse Raceway
Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Car Club Nov. 8
Int race meet
Temeri
NACAM Rally Championship 2020 Nov 26/27
For Sale Engine parts for Mercedes Benz C250 - W204 1 Timing Chain DDD9931078
1 Gasket 2710161221 4 Seals 2710161321 2 Plugs 0009978420 1 Plug 0009976220 1 Cover 2710161406 Call 823-1117
Rally Colima (Tarmac)
Mexico
Formula 1 Nov. 13-15 Nov. 29 Dec. 3-6
Grand Prix of Turkey Bahrain Grand Prix Sakhir Grand Prix,
Turkey Sakhir Sakhir
World Rally Championship Nov. 15 -18
Rally Australia
Australia
OR O RI N OTORING OTO O TOR RIN NG G TO R IN M eews w Neew News N New wss
COMPREHENSIVE COMP
INFORMATIVE
Barbados WI
UNBIASED
Hamilton sets new F1 record
Lewis Hamilton says his latest and 93rd win, which secured Mercedes a 1-2 and record seventh-straight constructors title, boiled down to a considered strategic choice after he was left in third place after the opening lap of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Starting from second behind team mate Valtteri Bottas, Hamilton lost out to Max Verstappen and dropped down to P3 on the opening lap. But he stayed out on his medium tyres 11 laps longer than Bottas and 12 longer than Verstappen, producing successive fastest laps in that time to extend his lead. He finally pitted from P1 during the Lap 30 Virtual Safety Car – which was triggered by Esteban
Ocon's retirement – and emerged back in a lead he would never lose. “Max stopped much earlier than I thought he would and then Valtteri stopped to cover him,” explained Hamilton. “There was no way I was doing the same. Naturally, at the beginning of the race we get given a bunch of different options of strategy and I understood that the only way to do something was to do something different, to extend as long as I could. “I didn’t know how long the tyre would go but I think that’s really where the race was won today.” It was that start of the race, where Hamilton lost out to his rivals and found himself defending from
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AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly on the run to Turn 1, which dictated his tactics. “Valtteri got a great start, I thought I would get a better start today but it didn’t turn out the way I’d liked, and I fell to third so then my next strategy was to try and get by the Red Bull,” he explained. “But it was just impossible to get close and in trying to get close I was killing the front tyres. So I backed off and just tried to keep distance…” That strategy worked perfectly – especially with the help of the VSC – meaning Hamilton cruised to yet another victory. And with the six-time champions winning and Bottas coming home second, Mercedes
Published by Motoring News, 3 Tranquility Drive, Green Point, St. Philip, Barbados,West Indies:
OCTOBER 2020
Page 24
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton claimed his 93rd win at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix November 1.
now have 479 points this season – and a record seventh consecutive constructors' championship. After the race Hamilton was full of praise for his team as their amazing unbeaten run since 2014 continues. “It’s unbelievable!" he said. "It’s unbelievable and to come back year on year and I tell you, while we have great performance, it’s not
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easy to continue to deliver weekend in and weekend out for everyone. “They’re so precise with how they take the car apart and put it back together weekend in and weekend out. Woohoo! Seven-time champs. That’s something I’ll be able to tell my grandchildren one day.” “[It tasted like] toe jam,” said Hamilton. “I mean it
definitely didn’t taste great, I don’t really like champagne as it is, but it definitely tasted worse!” he concluded. As one of the favourites for victory, Hamilton may well be tasting the champagne again at the next race in Turkey, where he could also seal his own seventh World Championship title.
(E-mail: motoringnews34@gmail.com)