Feature car: Trick pony

All new Honda Civic arrives

HONDA’S 11TH GENERATION CIVIC HATCH HAS ARRIVED IN NEW ZEALAND, SPORTING A NEW LOWER AND SLEEKER PROFILE. IT’S CLAIMED TO BE THE MOST FUN-TO-DRIVE CIVIC HATCH EVER

The new car has an appealing four-door coupe look but it is a full five-door hatch, thanks to a lightweight composite rear door, which allowed for the design of low-profile hinges. A low bonnet and pronounced beltline combined with straightedged side windows give the car a classy long and low look, which also promises a larger greenhouse. It’s unusual to see door-mounted side mirrors but that has preserved the low beltline.

Honda is making much of the clean design it was going for, and the new model is certainly tidier than the previous generation, which had a host of accent lines and pronounced haunches. The A-pillar is nearly 50mm further back than on the previous car, and now has dimensions similar to Accords. The new Civic’s wheelbase is a significant 35mm longer than that of the previous model, and its rear track is 12mm wider. Almost all of that length has gone into improving rear legroom. Rear headroom has been preserved, despite the coupé lines, thanks to the new hinge design.

STIFFER AND SMOOTHER

The new body delivers a 19 per cent improvement in torsional rigidity over the previous generation, which translates into improvements in ride, handling, and refinement. Reductions in noise, vibration, and harshness are augmented with the extensive use of structural adhesives, spray-in foam in the pillars, and additional sound-deadening in the firewall and under the floor.

The pulled-back A-pillars, low hood, and hidden windshield wipers enable a windshield with clearly defined corners for a panoramic view. The instrument panel is designed with a minimum of cutlines to reduce windshield reflections.

The cargo space is more easily accessible, thanks to a 40mm wider lower hatch opening and low liftover height. The standard 60/40 split seat back can be folded for expanded capacity, and the side-pull cargo cover will conceal the rear cargo area.

The fascia is dominated by a horizontal honeycomb grille, echoing the radiator grille, which hides the air vents. A simpler dash design is important when the now unavoidable large touchscreens are cluttered with so many images. It’s good to see this nine-inch screen has a rotary volume knob and button controls, and a lip on which to steady your hand for aiming your fingers while driving. Honda is always good at the details and here it has paid close attention to materials on the different touchpoints, and made sure all switchgear and controls operate with satisfying feedback.

The Civic Hatch features the new anti-fatigue seat, which debuted in New Zealand on the new Jazz. Trim is taken to the next level with combination perforated leather and Ultrasuede seats with added shoulder support. The driver’s and front passenger’s seats are eight-way and four-way power adjusted respectively.

SPORT MODE

The Hatch is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-litre, 16-valve, 4-cylinder producing 131 kilowatts at 6000rpm and 240Nm of torque at 1700 to 4500 rpm, mated to a CVT transmission driving the 18inch front wheels. Fuel efficiency and emissions are improved by a new standard idle-stop system, a new catalytic converter design, as well as Honda’s variable timing and lift electronic control (VTEC) on the exhaust valves.

For maximum driver enjoyment, Civic Hatch’s suspension and steering were developed in Europe. Civics have mostly been fun to drive and Honda says this is the most fun-to-drive Civic Hatch ever. The driver can select normal, eco, or sport driving mode.

The front MacPherson struts feature new lowfriction ball joints and front damper mount bearings to improve steering feel and self-centring. The spring and damper alignment has been optimised to minimise operational friction, and a new, larger compliance bushing with an improved bushing axis minimises harshness.

The rear track’s additional width adds stability to the multi-link rear end, and the longer wheelbase also aids ride quality. New rear lower control arm bushings promote better straight-line stability and turn in, while reducing noise and vibration inside the cabin. The electronic power steering has been retuned to provide better feedback and improved straight-line stability.

The reduced suspension friction and improved bushings are claimed to help reduce road shock, when going over railroad crossings for example, by 20 per cent.The all-new aluminium front subframe, with an efficient truss and rib structure, provides rigidity and stability.

BOSE AUDIO

The new Civic gets a 12-speaker Bose audio system for the first time, with digital signal processing that is custom engineered for the Civic’s interior. Dynamic speed compensation technology automatically adjusts volume and tone based on vehicle speed, reducing the need for drivers to manually adjust settings while on the road. Passengers are protected by eight airbags, including new knee airbags.

Standard in the car is a new Honda Sensing suite of driver assistive technologies that uses a new single-camera system providing a longer, wider field of view than the previous radar-and-camera based system. Combined with software advances and a new, more powerful processor, the system recognises hazards faster, along with road lines and road signs. Honda Sensing now features ‘traffic jam assist’, and provides more natural brake application and quicker reactions when using adaptive cruise control (ACC). It also has more linear and natural steering action when using the lane keeping assist system (LKAS).

As Honda’s longest-running automotive nameplate, more than 27 million Civics have been purchased by customers around the world since 1972, making it one of the top six best-selling passenger cars globally, ever. New Zealand was the first country outside Japan to assemble the Civic — it was assembled here until the sixth generation.

The new Civic Hatch Sport, available in four colours, is priced at $47,000 plus $800 in on-road costs.

Best car in the world is an EV

Hyundai Motor Group’s all-electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 have jointly taken top spot at the first-ever ‘Best Cars of the Year’ 2021/2022 Awards. The joint world champions were singled out for quality, innovation, design, and state-of-the-art tech by a judging panel of global industry leaders from across the automotive spectrum. Cars they beat included the Audi e-tron, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Porsche Taycan. Each of the top 10 places was occupied by a different brand, covering six countries spread across the world’s top three car-producing continents — Asia, Europe, and North America.

“We are proud that our first two dedicated battery electric vehicles are jointly honoured as the first-ever Best Cars of the Year,” said Heung Soo Kim, head of the EV Business Division at Hyundai Motor Group. “It sends a clear message that not only are both Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 worldclass electric vehicles, but also that we are on the right track with our electrification strategy. The world can expect more great EV models from both brands in the coming year.”

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 was launched in 2021 as the first model in the company’s battery electric vehicle (BEV) line-up brand. Ioniq 5’s modern take on retro design includes Hyundai’s first clamshell hood. The fully electric car has generous interior proportions thanks to the 3000mm wheelbase, short overhangs front and rear, and the absence of a conventional drivetrain tunnel.

The Kia EV6 shares the group’s pioneering E-GMP EV architecture, but the external design distinguishes the Hyundai and Kia models from each other. The EV6 has already won multiple international accolades since its launch during the second half of 2021 for its visionary, connected tech user experience, 800V ultra-fast charging, and dynamic performance driving characteristics.

The ‘Best Cars of the Year’ Awards were formed to produce an unaffiliated and democratic view of the ‘best’ vehicles on offer around the world. The judging panel brings together designers, engineers, motorsport pioneers, acclaimed journalists, broadcasters, and media professionals alongside outstanding vehicle retailers, automotive consultants, major event organisers, and real-world car buyers. This combination has helped to generate an authentic, unbiased view of the ‘best’ cars available.

Renault 5 turns the big five-oh

The Renault 5 is 50 years old this year. The car was a true symbol of pop culture, with more than 5 million units sold across the world, and it is making a comeback with its rebirth planned for 2024.

From March, Renault will be launching NFTs that will allow the greatest fans to acquire limited edition pieces of work that are created especially around the Renault 5 universe. This will include art, sneakers, and music, with the return of a portable tape player.

Artist Greg l’illustrateur will create a series of work on the theme of Renault 5 and its variations.

To start the events, the Renault 5 Alpine Group II, accompanied by a Renault 5 Turbo, will attend the Monte-Carlo Historique.

On the 28 January, an exclusive film made in stop-motion will be broadcast across Renault channels, alongside the hashtag #50YEAR5, which will accompany all Renault 5 activations across the year.

Hyundai's Ioniq 5 joint winner

German bid to boost battery tech

The Volkswagen Group and the Bosch Group have signed a memorandum of understanding to set up a European battery equipment solution provider. The two companies plan to supply integrated battery production systems as well as on-site support for battery cell and system manufacturers.

The companies are aiming for cost and technology leadership in provisioning battery technology and the volume production of sustainable, cutting-edge batteries.

The Volkswagen Group and the Bosch Group aim to supply the entire range of processes and components needed for the large-scale manufacture of battery cells and systems. The industry-wide demand is enormous. In Europe alone, various companies plan to build cell factories with a total yearly capacity of around 700 gigawatt hours by 2030. The Volkswagen Group itself plans to build six cell factories in Europe by 2030.

For both partners, this alliance is a further step towards playing leading roles in the world of e-mobility. The partnership will draw on complementary areas of expertise. While Volkswagen is an accomplished at-scale automaker and is on its way to becoming a major battery cell manufacturer, Bosch has excellent know-how in factory automation and systems integration.

Thomas Schmall, CEO of Volkswagen Group Components, commented, “Europe has the unique chance to become a global battery powerhouse in the years to come. There is a strong and growing demand for all aspects of battery production, including the equipment of new gigafactories. Volkswagen and Bosch will explore opportunities to develop and shape this novel, multibillion-euro industry in Europe. Our decision to actively engage in the vertical integration of the battery-making value chain will tap considerable new profit pools. Setting out to establish a fully localised European supply chain for e-mobility made in Europe certainly marks a rare opportunity in business history.”

ONE TRICK

PONY HAVING RACED A FALCON FOR EIGHT YEARS, BARRY MORGAN NEEDED A CHANGE. THE ANSWER WAS TO BUILD HIMSELF ONE HELL OF A ‘65 MUSTANG FASTBACK

Barry Morgan has long been a fan of circuit racing, particularly the nostalgic stuff, and has been a regular campaigner of a pre-’65 Falcon for many seasons. Watching the big boys hurl their toys around circuits and seeing them grinning from ear to ear when drivers removed their helmets after battle was something Barry decided he needed a slice of, so the decision was made — he was going muscle car racing!

With the fields full of Camaros and Mustangs, Barry really wanted to pedal something a little bit different. Eventually, he stumbled across a ’70 Ford Maverick for sale in the States. It was set up for drag racing, had recently been completely refreshed, and had zero passes on it. This would be a perfect donor car — or so he thought. When it arrived, Barry and his son, Jason, quickly decided it would be a sin to tear it apart only for its body! The Maverick turned out to have a bit of history behind it. It was originally built in 1978 and raced in the old B/SM class at the likes of the ’79 Winternationals in Pomona. It originally ran a Boss 302 and a four-speed during its early racing career. This combo has since been removed and replaced with a 351 Windsor stretched out to 408 cubes full of expensive and exotic stuff, including a set of early Roush Yates Trick Flow R heads and is backed by Mike’s Transmission Ultra-Glide with buttock-clenching 5000rpm stall converter. (The Maverick is currently for sale, so if you want a solid nine-second car to go and do wheel stands within the super sedan ranks, hit us up.)

Resigned to the fact that the Maverick wasn’t going to happen, the search was now on for a plan B. That would be found hiding in the back of a shed in Temuka: a white 1965 Mustang notchback. Yes, a notchback — more about that later. This car

had been imported but was missing the necessary paperwork to allow it to be registered on the road. It wasn’t his first choice, and, as it turns out, it wasn’t really his second choice either. Despite all of this, he bought it anyway.

“My preference was a fastback, so after purchasing it I decided to cut the roof off,” explains Barry. Now, not everyone possesses the skills to behead a notchback and turn it into a fastback, but Barry isn’t just anyone. The retired self-employed engineer is no stranger to all things vehicular. He still owns his T-Bucket TNT, which he built in 1968, so lopping the head off a Mustang was right up his alley. A fastback roof section and a pair of rear flanks were purchased from the Mustang Centre in Christchurch. He quickly peeled away the bits he didn’t want and attached the bits he did. All the internal sections of the body frame were painstakingly fabricated from 1mm sheet metal. While he was at it he also hand built a set of doors and new trunk lid and hood from aluminium too. He also set about altering the front sheet metal, added some fender flares, filled in the front valance, and altered the grille area. He made a plug for the front splitter for good mate Andy Giles to make a mould from so fibreglass components could be made. Everything was then screwed, glued, and bolted together to make a one-piece removable front clip to assist in servicing the stallion at the track. A set of flares were also grafted onto the rear fenders to finish off the tough exterior Look.

Barry didn’t stop here with the fabrication though, as you could imagine by now he was “in the zone” and it’s safe to say that there is probably more Barry Morgan stuff in and on the Mustang than there is Henry Ford stuff. Racecar life means three things–safety, handling and speed! Barry broke out the tube bender, twisted up some sections of tube into a fairly elaborate roll cage, and burnt them all together inside the shell, with electricity and sparks. 1965 suspension was never going to cut the mustard when he was howling into the left hander at the end of the front straight at Ruapuna. Bespoke front double wishbone suspension was crafted, XA Falcon spindles and Bilstein coil overs made their way out of Barry’s shed and onto the front end. Tunability is handled by another creation from Barry’s brain. The front end features a fully adjustable blade-style sway bar arrangement which can be tuned on the fly from inside the cabin, clever! Completing the interior are a pair of race seats, and a myriad of hand-made items, steering column, alloy dash and centre console control panel all built by Barry.

He also hand built a nine-inch diff housing and stuffed it with 3.89:1 gears sitting in an aluminium carrier. Gun-drilled 31-spline Nascar axles also found their way into the rear of the car, all firmly