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Goodwood festival of speed + ken block + citroen ds3 + seat fr + drIftng + luke fink + porsche gt3 +
It’s tough out there t ...there’s no doubt abou it, in a season where t your paid F1 seat isn’ safe, being the 2009 n’t BTCC Champion does guarantee you a drive, things look a bit grim. There is a glimmer of
d to stages, read what he ha at th d an , gh light thou to us when we caught y sa g, tin ai W + is us, Racing him at Goodwood. ith w up e fre ly a new bi-month e’s the thrilling er th en Th ill w at online magazine th owing sport of drifitng, gr te ci ex d an rm fo in K hopefully rate of knots in the U a at in us s ha it as you as much w. We talk to Luke no ht rig e. su is st hing compiling this fir Fink who sold everyt t ou ab g rin de on w re d If you’ had in his native Oz an he m fro es m co it s the name, ded a plane with hi ar bo in e ot qu s en Steve McQue ar girlfriend and his st ck ro m ai e W s. the film Le Man et. Oh and there’s lm he h as cr d an ng to cover some raci e too. a few cars in this issu n. ee tw be in se el iza everything itroen’s DS3, Seat’s Ib C r he ot of ty en pl There are d the 100% complete an FR t ou ab r pe ip things to be ch , a car that’s in a T3 G 1 91 t ou ab w too though, ho league of its own. d an n fu g rin B ? ck Ken Blo e rally Tim Hutton excitement back to th
Contents 8 Goodwood FOS 28 Citroen DS3 36 Ken Block 46 Porsche 911 GT3 50 Seat Ibiza FR 58 This is Drifting 74 Luke Fink 84 Comment
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Editorial Editor: Tim Hutton tim@racingandwaiting.co.uk Features writer: John Slavin PR and Marketing: John Marcar Publishing Editor: David Holmes Advertising Advertising Manager: Tom Saunders Call 01452 554911 Contributers Aaron Weddell Writer Stephen Hall Photographer Russell Huggett Photographer
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“Give me Goodwood on a Summer’s day and you can forget the rest of the world.”
It’s a measure of the true brilliance of this event that 18 years after its inauguration in 1993 Roy Salvadoris’ words still ring true. Firstly for me one of my stars of the show we see above, the Alfa Procar, the pinnacle of street sleepers alas it was a static display, but heard in full chat on one of the online video websites you will also fully
appreciate this F1 powered gravel, Justin Laws’ hilarious monster. XJ220 powered Transit van, the stunning Leyton While it might seem a House March, McLarens’ strange choice, I have been all new MP4-12C sporting to this event every year the classic orange and a and this is something I medley of 1970s sports have never seen before so prototypes. Oh and one it’s a personal milestone. more, the goregeous group Other highlights included 5 Lancia that adorns the Jim Clark’s indy winning cover. Over the next few Lotus, back in action pages are the thoughts after a faithful restoration about the event from us project, Ken Block tearing chaps that were lucky up both the tarmac and enough to make it. Enjoy. www.racingandwaiting.co.uk 09
Aaron Weddell As with every year, I had a great time at this year’s Festival of Speed- sure, you have to pick your trackside view points carefully but even with the high cost of entry, personally I thought it provided great value (right up until the point when I got given change for a tenner when I handed over a twenty for a burger at lunchtime!). Where else do you get to see F1 cars rubbing shoulders with WRC superstars alongside classic and rare cars to suit all tastes topped off with some Red Arrows action for good measure?
this entire issue but despite an increase in size and scope and an increasingly commercial awareness, if you have the faintest whiff of petrol in your veins then I’ll be seeing you at the 2011 Festival of Speed.
The only downside on the day was somewhat outside the control of Lord March and company, with the classic Porsche 911 I chose as my steed for the journey breaking down just a few miles outside the grounds on the trip home. But even that had a silver lining as not only did it manage to gasp its last (for Highlights? Well there were that day- it wasn’t a terminal many - from the comparatively issue) just outside a great mundane in as much as you pub but a stricken Porsche can get hands on with the of such vintage attracted latest production models to many interesting characters the sublime Supercar paddock who had also attended the featuring all manner of droolfestival meaning that even worthy super (and hyper) cars. a three-hour wait for a lowThe amount of noteworthy loader became a great little metal tackling the 1.16 mile petrolhead meet. hill-climb course could fill
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A word of advice Get there as early as you can and enjoy the dreamlike scenes of a deserted paddock.
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John Marcar The Goodwood Festival of Speed has deservedly become an annual event on the global motorsport calender. It’s an event a lot of you probably don’t need me to explain or describe but before you skip through and look at yet more pretty pictures I thought I’d voice an opinion. The Festival of Speed 2010 - Bigger, but better? For the minority that aren’t aware, the Festival of Speed is an annual event held in summer on the Goodwood estate, West Sussex near the south coast. The Goodwood Estate prides itself on being famous for hosting motorsport, horse racing and other large scale events catering for anything from fashion and design through to monthly club enthusiast interest events either at its motorcircuit, airfield, horse racing course, or at Goodwood House itself
which sits alongside the famous hill climb road used for the Festival of Speed. Traditionally cars are timed driving up the hill, you can expect to find anything from modern production and concept cars, to historic classics and iconic vintage racing cars. It really does cater for everyone who holds a passion for motorsport. The event is never short of celebrities either, from racing driving legends such as Sir Sterling Moss through to modern day heroes such as Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. The Goodwood Festival of Speed is a truly special event and as a result has deservedly continued to grow year by year. Now I’m no stranger to Goodwood and I’ve been attending the Festival of Speed annually since its first mid summer events back in the late nineties. It was different then, the largest crowd figures were in the
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high 20,000’s. Now that’s no small figure to anyone but when I tell you that this year’s turn out was over 175,000 people, you might start to see what I’m getting at. I knew it was going to be big this year and that didn’t stop me from getting exited about it but as I walked through the entrance gates collected my passes and strolled up to the main cricket pitch at
exactly the same place. If I tried to take a photograph 2 or 3 other people were trying to take exactly the same shot. Is this too busy I thought to myself? I decided to take a break from the crowds and use my press and events pass for my own convenience. I grabbed a seat in the sponsor’s tent but that’s only fun for a while.
the foot of the hill my jaw dropped. I recall seeing it being very busy on previous years but this was really busy, the stands were bigger, the crowds were bigger the grandstands and even the paddock areas seemed bigger. I’ll be completely honest, as I was wondering around the paddocks I was starting to get concerned, as I approached a car suddenly 5 other people would be in
As I looked out on the the crowds my concerns had grown I really was starting to think that that special feeling had been swamped by such a large number of people and I was starting to feel a little down by it all. I took a walk from the sponsor’s tent and almost immediately bumped into a old friend dressed in full combat army uniform. The old friend was a chap called Jim, Major Jim to be precise.
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A word of advice Walk up to the rally stage for some cool air, don’t forget the bobble hat though!
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In his usual blasé form of chit chat he said, “you’re just in time chap, I’ve got the Red Bull stunt biker Dougie Lampkin about to ride some stunts on a Challenger tank I’ve brought along”. Naturally I was happy to oblige and he wasn’t wrong. Before I know it I’m watching Dougie Lampkinhopping across a tank on his stunt bike, Now I certainly don’t remember seeing this sort of thing back in the early days. After being given a full tour of Jim’s vehicles including a lengthy play with one of his tanks, I said my farewells. My spirits had been considerably lifted and so I strolled down to visit some of the sponsor stands. Back in the early days the stands were modest, a few cars, a couple of flashy branded structures and that was about it. The sponsor stands this year were not small structures, they were buildings, not small ones either, containing hundreds of people and cars and display stands. It was like a small Geneva motorshow in the grounds of Goodwood House impressive wasn’t the word, it was staggering.
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Now the main reason for the event is the hill climb itself, I decided to stroll from the start line at the bottom all the way to the top paddock and rally stage at the very top of the hill. I couldn’t have timed it more perfectly. A continuous run of beautiful cars and bikes were setting their times as I walked up the hill. I soaked up the raw atmosphere of the event, as I walked through the crowds, the noise alone from 1960’s F1 cars ripping past and echoing through the trees creating small tingles down my spine. You don’t have to see these cars to appreciate them, the sounds and the smells help create that atmosphere that is so truly unique to the FoS. As you stroll past or through the paddocks it’s a bustle of noise, tension excitement and smells, classic V8 engines barking into life pushing out small clouds of smoke from their exhausts, the smell of classic racing oils and high octane race fuel fills the air. The modern performance
cars are equally as nostalgic in their own unique way, even the diesel Le Mans cars, bellowing out their deep exhaust and engine tones, the air buzzes with excitement. By the time I reached the top, everything started to make sense again. Dispute my initial concerns I had concluded that it was no bad thing that there are more people at the Festival of Speed. Yes it has changed, but for the better. Numbers are predicted to be higher again next year, and so what if they are? As far as I’m concerned those that haven’t been to the event deserve the opportunity to do so. These cars and their drivers won’t last forever. If you haven’t yet experienced the FoS for yourself then I urge you to make sure you make the time for it next year. Who knows what you can expect to find.
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THANKS
To Janet Bradley, Gary Axon and all in the Goodwood Motor Sport Press Office. For more information on all the amazing events Goodwood organise visit: www.goodwood.co.uk
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Words John Slavin photos Michael Brunsden
Ever since we first set eyes on the DS3 way back in March, we’ve loved its looks. It’s a frankly beautiful machine, and everything is customizable, right up to the colour of the roof and the material on the dashboard. There was always a niggling concern in the back of our minds though... would it be as good to drive as it is to look at? www.racingandwaiting.co.uk 29
Oddly enough, shortly after we posed that question, an email came through asking if John Slavin – that’s me – would like to have a go. You can guess what the reply was!
The car already looks amazing in photographs, but in the metal it’s jaw dropping. Swooping lines coupled with bulky, muscular arches, all accentuated by day time running lights, and in this example, bright white paintwork. That paintwork is contrasted against a deep red roof. This car really does look the business, and that’s a theme that continues inside. There’s a piano black dashboard, inset with a multi-function display that reads out all sorts of information, figure hugging seats trimmed in suede, leather and fabric, aluminium pedals, and solid, pleasant plastics. I recently became the owner of a Citroen Saxo VTR, and that’s a cracking car, but it goes to show just how far Citroen has come in terms of build quality. The DS3 feels distinctly premium, a far cry from the rattling, thin, shiny plastics in older Citroens.
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there isn’t an environment in which the car doesn’t feel relaxing and pleasant to drive
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So, a quick turn of the key and the engine quietly thrums into life. The 1.6 litre turbocharged THP in the model tested was developed in conjunction with BMW. It’s a detuned version of the engine found in the MINI Cooper, and it’s every bit as refined as you’d expect. Planting your foot in the carpet results in a rapid surge of acceleration, accompanied by not much more than a quiet woosh from the turbo. Up near the redline, everything sounds a bit more meaty, but the 0-60 time of 7.3 seconds feels very grown up, rather than shouty.
The six speed gearbox is light and easy to operate, but could perhaps do with a little bit more feeling. The steering is well weighted and pleasant, as is the ride quality. Road holding is good, with precise and predictable cornering ability. Enter a bend with too much throttle, and all you need to do is back off to neaten everything up, but without any scary oversteer. Take to the motorway and the DS3 is a competent cruiser, with minimal road and engine noise.
In fact, there isn’t an environment in which the car doesn’t feel relaxing and pleasant to drive, but there’s more than enough power and ‘fun factor’ to put a smile on your face when you want it to. There’s very little to fault with the DS3, though there is a lack of cubbyholes, and the glove box isn’t even big enough for the manual, but the mature road manners, attractive styling and endless customisation mean those tiny flaws are very easy to overlook. www.citroen.co.uk
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N E K K C O L B h t i w p u s e h c t a c on t t t u a H e m m i i t T s hi g n i r u , d a k n c a o h l k B ym g Ken s k l a t d n a d o g o n i r g r u Goodw b r u N d n a s n a f h s i t i r B
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I first met Ken on the 2005 Gumball Rally when I was working for Gumball. During the party onboard a yacht in Monaco to celebrate the end of the event, Ken asked if I could help him out by driving his 450bhp Subaru to Nice airport in the morning so he could have a few drinks at the party. I agreed, of course, and 24 hours later KB came back over to thank me and took my address so he could send some DC Shoes stuff as a way of thanks. Top bloke. www.racingandwaiting.co.uk 39
R&W: This is the first time at Goodwood for you, how has it been? KB: *he yawns* It’s been exceptionally good. Lord March puts on an exceptional event here, not only for me as a competitor to be able to come out and play around with my cars and enjoy some nice driving but outside of the car too. I get to see a lot of vehicles I don’t normally see in the states; I’m a big fan of F1, MotoGP and the WRC, and there’s vehicles I get to see here I just don’t get to see in the States. Secondly, the British fans are the most courteous fans I’ve ever met anywhere in the world, so it’s quite a joy to be able to interact with the people here. There’s been a lot of fans that came out to see me so it’s been quite nice to be able to interact with people. R&W: Is it surprising to get the reaction you’ve had over here? KB: I never really realised how big the impact of doing Top Gear would be. I really had a great time doing that segment with them, but it’s made a huge impact here,
there’s so many people who watch that show. That’s really cool, I was such a big fan of Top Gear before I did that, and to be on that show was a huge honour and I’m really stoked that the piece came out as well as it did. It’s cool that a lot of people here have seen it and appreciate it.
good job building it? KB: Yes it’s a very challenging little course, it’s very tight and twisty and has a couple of spots that could flip you quite easily if you weren’t paying attention. I’d like something that was a little faster and opens up a little more but I think it’s a unique, different challenge.
R&W: It’s one of the few things that we get to see first over here! How’s the rally stage been with Meek, R&W: With all the rallying you’re doing have you been enjoying at the moment, do you your battles up there? have much time to be doing Gymkhana stuff? KB: Chris and I are really good friends, I enjoy KB: We’ve been testing hanging out with him. the new car and tyres He’s a good kid and an and getting ready to extremely talented driver do a new video. I have so it’s been fun battling with him up here. I think he two competitions this got me by a half second or year, a new thing called Gymkhana Grid, which will something this weekend, be a series but the first which is great, I mean, two events are this year, I’ve only been in this car one’s a PR/Media event in for a short time so I’m still August and in December learning it. It’s fun for me we’re doing a Ken Block to come out here and get invitational event in LA. It’s some extra seat time, and been a lot of work and a to be able to run with him lot of testing, but I’ve got a and guys like Freddy is brand new car with 650HP really cool and really fun. at the wheels and I can’t wait to actually start doing R&W: What did you something with it besides think of the course up there? Have they done a testing it in random places.
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R&W: With you spending a lot of time sideways, have you ever wanted to get behind the wheel of a drift car? KB: I’ve driven some drift cars. I enjoy it, but really I’m a stage rally driver, that’s what I like to do. Anything else that I do around that is fun. I enjoy four wheel drive cars, which is why I really enjoy Gymkhana stuff because it’s a different use of a rally car setup. I really enjoy drifting, I’m friends with a lot of those guys and I like watching it, but I only have
so much time in my life! R&W: I guess you’re heading back off to the US shortly, are you planning on coming back to Europe soon? KB: Yes. It looks like we’re going to be shooting Gymkhana 3 here in Europe, that’ll be coming up, and the next trip over is for WRC Germany. R&W: When you’re in Germany are you going to get over to the Nurburgring?
KB: You know I really want to go to the Nurburgring, I’ve actually got some ideas for what I want to do there. But it’s all about time, and I don’t have time this year to do everything! R&W: Have you been around the circuit before? KB: I’ve never been around. I want to, really badly, it’s one of the most unique tracks in the world. For me it looks more like a rally course, the length of it and the amount you have to memorise. I’ve
memorised stages that are 8-10 miles long, but nothing that long. I look forward to that challenge some day! R&W: Who would you like to thank for the year you’ve had so far? KB: I’ve been working with Ford this year, and it’s the start of a new relationship for us, and it’s been really amazing working with them. They were the car manufacturer that worked best for me moving forward, being able to do WRC, and they’ve
built me a great gymkhana car. I’ve been able to rally in America with them, I’m doing the X-games, and I’m going to be able to do rallycross, so it’s a really great package they’ve been able to put together for me. On top of that, I’d like to thank Monster coming in as the title sponsor for the Monster World Rally team. It’s been going fairly well, I’ve had a few rough results, but my car has been faster than we actually anticipated. They’ve been a great supporter. There’s also DC, Castrol, and DiRT 3, too. I’m a lucky bastard,
I have a great programme put together and I’m doing what I love to do! R&W: Is there a range of clothes to go with the rallying outfit, then? KB: Yeah, DC has put together a package of stuff. Obviously all of those T-shirts and stuff, and now there’s jackets, button ups, beanies, that sort of stuff. There’s been a lot of fans who’ve been buying it all, it’s been amazing, the fan base we’ve got because of rallying and the Gymkhana videos.
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R&W: Have you got any plans to do anything like Travis Pastrana’s New Years Eve escapades?
R&W: Did you ever get any tips off Colin McRae or guys like that? KB: If I’m around anyone that’s better than me then I try to get all of the information that I possibly can! Becoming friends with Colin was a huge honour for me, I was a big fan of his in the 90s and he’s part of the reason why I rally, and a lot of the influence and the way I drive comes from what I saw him doing in the 90s. Even now, with Ford, it’s great that I can tap into people like Mikko Hirvonen and JariMatti Latvala, and to learn the car and the different techniques. Every time I have the opportunity to ask, I’m asking something, I might as well learn from some of the best out there.
KB: Jumping stuff for me is fun, the distance of the first one I did at 171ft was unplanned, and all the planning was a bit rough but it’s something I just love doing, like a kid! As a child I raced dirt bikes, and taking a rally car and jumping it like that was a really fun thing for me. For Travis to go out and take that much more seriously and go the distance he did was actually really amazing, and some day I’d like to possibly go back and try to beat that, but it’s not really one of my bigger goals. My development as a driver; the stuff I’m doing in the WRC and improving my techniques R&W: Thanks for your for gymkhana, that’s time! really what I like to do, because that’s real driving KB: Thank you! technique. The jumping is just hitting a certain number and that’s it, as well as having balls of solid steel!
Special thanks to Brian Scotto for making this happen. www.monsterworldrallyteam.com www.dcshoes.com
GOODWOOD REVIVAL “A
n time” i k c a b p e t s l a magic
17 . 18 . 19 SEPTEMBER 2010 Admission strictly by advance ticket only • For tickets or hospitality please call: +44 (0)1243 755055
www.goodwood.com
GWR015/10
DURING THIS YEAR’S SOCIETY OF MOTOR MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS (SMMT) TEST DAY TIM HUTTON SEIZED A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO SLIDE INTO THE SUBLIME SEAT OF PORSCHE’S BRILLIANT GT3.
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There’s a queue of young journos aching to get into the 911 Turbo and, fair enough, it’s a great car. But sat there looking irresistibly inviting in dark blue is the 911 GT3. I ask for a drive, and two minutes later I’m in the driver’s seat. Not that they would let me loose on such a beast on my own. Sat next to me is Barry Horne, pro racing driver and not long back from a stint in a GT3 Cup at this year’s N24. Barry explains that as long as I do what he says we will both have a memorable time over the next 10 minutes. Barry’s a well built bloke so I decide to go along with his plan. As we roll out onto the legendary Hill Route in second he tells me to plant it. I do, up to the red line and into third, still planting it. The car is going extremely fast now as we sweep left overtaking some buffoon driving something too dull to remember. Yes the car is a pulse-raising demon but, most impressively, I
know exactly what’s going on via the sensations through my arms, feet and bum. It’s a total driving experience. We take the racing line using second and third only to slow to drive past a marshall who we give a quick wave to then get back on it. My new best friend Barry isn’t just getting me to drive to my limit. He is rather cleverly setting up situations in which I can fully appreciate just how planted this car is and how well it handles negative camber, direction changes and idiots behind the wheel. Sadly our session ends as quickly as it began and we trundle back to the paddock, adrenalin pumping, my eyes bulging with intensity. I know that there won’t be another mental or physical experience of the same intensity available for the rest of the day. But maybe they’ll let me take the GT3 home for the weekend? Strange that. Barry seems to have taken the keys. Thanks to Barry Horne www.controldriving.com and Porsche GB www.porsche.com/uk www.racingandwaiting.co.uk 49
Stats Entertainment SEAT IBIZA FR TDI 2.0 Words: Aaron Weddell Photos: Stephen Hall
These days everyone wants more for lessyet as many things have consumer products have become cheaper, the humble car- an essential for many- is becoming more and more costly to run. Yet on the bright side, actual retail prices for new cars have decreased- in 2001 you could have Seat’s ‘sporty diesel’ model, the 1.9TDi packing a 110bhp punch for a smidge over £12,000 which is around £15,000 in today’s
money. Walk into a Seat dealer today and the far more powerful and advanced Ibiza FR 2.0 TDi could be yours (admittedly with a little haggling) for around £15.5k. Even based on its £17,020 list price you re paying £120 for each one of the 141 ponies compared to the inflation adjusted £135 of its ancestorso more dash for less cash, a good start. Moving away from my possibly shaky maths the Seat Ibiza FR TDi appeals to the demographic who do
not wish to sacrifice performance for the sake of reasonable running costs- the aforementioned 141bhp is coupled with a hefty 236lb/ft haymaker giving you access to a 0-62 sprint of 8.2 seconds and a top speed of 130mph. So that’s a torque figure that matches a Focus ST in a car marginally smaller than the current Fiesta and in which the top spec Zetec-S configuration musters only 94bhp and 156lb/ft whilst matching the Ibiza on price. The Seat’s
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combined official mpg of 62.7 is the cherry on the cake and a typical retained value of 54% (38% for the Fiesta) only strengthens the small Spaniard’s case.
In the cabin the standard model makeover continues apace. There’s a chunky flat rimmed steering wheel reminding me of my time spent with its considerably more expensive VAG But I’m all statted-out, bedfellow the Lamborghini enough of the number Gallardo but beyond that crunching and onto the it’s business as usual driving. You can’t have with a few FR logos failed to notice that my test liberally scattered around car is a striking orange hue including on the six-speed and even in a more sober gearshift, instruments colour it’s not hiding its and sports seats. The performance aspirations piano-black instrument thanks to the macho cowl is a nice touch but bodykit , silver mirrors, 17” unfortunately only serves alloys and twin exhaust to highlight quite how pipes. Cosmetic addenda much uninspiring greyaside it’s pretty standard black plastic there is hatchback fare but there’s elsewhere. Solid enough a healthy visual balance but there’s nothing here to meaning it looks distinctive really get the pulse racing enough without attracting and the utilitarian layout the potentially wrong kind lacks any surprise and of attention. delight features. What is impressive is the amount
of standard kit on offerobviously one expects the usual fare but you get climate control rather than basic aircon, cruise control and hill-start assist. As this is a diesel we should also look at the practicality points. The five-door version is obviously the default choice for those regularly carrying more than one passenger as the rear access is clearly more limited. Boot space is on a par with its peers at 292 litres and a split fold rearseat allowing this to almost double. As you would expect safety features are legion and the Ibiza has a 5-star Euro NCAP rating. Although the exterior is chunkily handsome it’s not going to snap necks at
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50 paces. However, firing up the engine may turn heads- the well-balanced exterior visual menace suggests that there’s a possibly potent petrol lump lurking under the bonnet but the inevitable diesel clatter makes short work of those expectations. Petrol fans can opt for the TSI version but for the sake of half a second off the 0-60 the 20mpg penalty and the fact that it is slower in the real world it doesn’t really stack up unless you are truly opposed to the marriage of ‘diesel’ and ‘performance’. Plus the petrol is only available with a DSG box which further narrows the market- if you’re the kind of guy/gal who scoffs at the proven advantages of a diesel powerplant then you’re most likely to be a diehard manual cog-swapper.
Once on the move the needle works round the dial in a linear fashion allowing great in-gear flexibility for you to take advantage of gaps in traffic whilst making for smooth progress when just pootling along. But perhaps in the pursuit of that linearity it has lost some of the old school charm that a powerful turbo diesel engine previously offered, that nothing nothing come on ya bastard initial lack of oomph followed by the woooshhhh hang on to your hats burst as the turbo spooled up and slingshoted you down the road. Obviously tractable exploitable urge from low down the rev range is highly desirable and represents progress but the delivery masks just how much get up and go there is from low speeds.
Perhaps it’s just that with the Ibiza’s visual warm/ hot hatch leaning and the weighty headline torque figure one expects a little more whizz-bang and a little less refinement but that isn’t really a criticism, as far as modern diesels go it’s one of the more willing to rev. With a heavy right foot from a standstill you can overpower the 215 section front tyres but once on the pace the XDS electronic system acts as a virtual slip differential is quick to respond and shuffle the power via the ESP and brakes in order to make the most of the available traction. The best thing I can say about the system is that on a back road test the Ibiza simply feels like a hatch with a well-sorted chassis and any misgivings about adding a layer of
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electronic assist to the proceedings fades away as you only notice the road holding rather than any trickery taking place. In fact, until I poured over the spec sheet I was commenting to friends as to how refreshing it was to punt around in a car without excessive gizmos interfering with driver feedback! On the topic of feedback the steering is decently weighted and although doesn’t challenge the likes of the Clio RenaultSport for feel it allows you to place the car accurately and the wider track over the less toasty models coupled with the lower and stiffer suspension makes for a sporty-enough ride without straying into crashy and
uncomfortable over our pockmarked highways. The brakes on the test car had decent enough initial bite but lacked assurance when scrubbing off bigger speeds although perhaps that was more due to suffering the vagaries of fellow car journos over its time as a press car rather than inherent poor performance. They ultimately did as your right foot asked but weren’t as confidence inspiring as you’d hope. All in all it seems like a little bit of a lukewarm review but taking the Ibiza in comparison to its immediate rivals such as the Fiesta it is head and shoulders above them in terms of performance and running costs. Rather than
making every drive a thrill the satisfaction comes not from booting around like a hooligan but rather from making swift and assured progress safe in the knowledge that you won’t need to see a fuel station forecourt every couple of hundred miles. Those looking for a car that replicates the fizz of excitement from the likes of the Clio Cup but without having to pay for it at the pumps need look elsewhere- and perhaps keep looking as that car hasn’t yet come to market but as a warm hatch with great economy, practicality and a touch of what makes the hot hatch greats so much fun should take a closer look at the Seat Ibizia FR TDi.
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Depending who you talk to the sport of drifting is either the next big thing or it’s already dead. We ventured up to Donington to see the UKs premiere drifting event tackle some of motor racing’s most sacred tarmac and ask the drivers for their own thoughts on drifting.
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How long you in the UK for? “so long as I can afford to stay here, I’ll be staying here. That’s pretty much it I’ve got nothing to go back home for now, so that’s it I can just ride and drift” Luke Fink
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“This is Mitto you see here drifting, he is so cool that he declined to give us a quote, but we still love him� Tim Hutton
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What do you think the future holds for drifting as a sport in the UK and Europe? “I think the precise future for drifting as a sport in the UK and Europe is still to be decided, every event organiser is taking a slightly different route and only time will tell which way it turns. At the end of the day, it’s a spectator sport so whatever the public prefers, they’ll get! Looking at the bigger picture, drifting is becoming huge as an amateur sport/hobby, I can only see it going from strength to strength” BonBon
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How bright is the future of drifting in the UK? “The future of drifting is very bright in the UK. There are now two awesome series to compete in: JDM Allstars, and The British Drift Championship. There’s also an amateur level competition that’s going well called the Open Drift Championship, and most importantly of all in my opinion, there’s regular practice days available throughout the year at Santapod, Mallory Park, and a host of other UK venues. The scene as a whole is now huge. The general level of growth can be seen in the insane traffic we get on the Driftworks website now, which is something around 4 million views a month at the moment, making it the biggest drifting website in the world, and showing just how big drifting is in Europe. So yeah! In short, the UK scene is thriving, and drifting is here to stay! People just have to remember to not take it all too seriously. It isn’t all about competitions, it’s simply about having fun doing dumb shit in dumb cars” Phil Morisson
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How did you get into drifting? “I got into drifting through my best mate jon, he had an S13 and I had just got an AE86 as they where my favorite touring car from the 80’s! We went to Lydd kart track for a skid day and well as they say the rest is history” Dan Chapman
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This is Duane Mckeever, he’s 14, and this year he has been giving some of the original big guns a run for their money, with kids like this rising through the ranks and inspiring others, it can only be a good thing.
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Drifting is very much alive, and it’s growing. These are exciting times, and with the right people behind it, it will become something very special, if you want to find out about the practise days, the cars, the people, the modifications then you should shoot over to www.driftworks.co.uk and say hello.
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Freshly imported FROM OZ, LUKE FINK IS AWESOME TO WATCH IN ACTION WITH HIS FULLY COMMITTED STYLE, WE CAUGHT UP WITH HIM AND CHEWED TH FAT ON A FEW TOPICS.
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Luke, aged 28, is originally from Melbourne Australia, where he originally discovered his two passions in life; BMX biking and drifting. Along with his partner Jacqueline he has now flown around the world to sample the drifting scene here in the UK. We wanted to see how he was finding it and to see if he was here to stay… STIFF: Hey Luke Luke: Hey STIFF how you going? STFF: Very well thanks. Thanks for sharing some of your time with us, we know you’re fairly new to competing in the UK, but you’ve actually been away elsewhere in Europe, where have you been and what have you been up to? Luke: Yeah, I’ve been in Rome for the past couple of weeks checking out the drifting scene over there. STIFF: Sounds cool, how was that? Luke: Erm, horrible (Smiles) - Yeah, they totally haven’t got the concept of drifting and seem to be taking things way to seriously. No, it was good fun down
there but they’re trying to turn it into too much of a technical sport which isn’t fun at all. I didn’t enjoy it, personally if you’re not enjoying it then there’s no point in doing it. I’m not sure if we’ll be going back to be honest. STIFF: Hmm, does sound a bit pony out there, so tell us about the car you’re running today, the AE86 - whose is that? Luke: Its on loan from a chap called Paul from JDM Garage, we rang him up last second because we had no car here, and he was kind enough to bring the AE86 down. I love AE86’s; I miss my old ‘86 to death, so it was great to get back behind the wheel of one. STIFF: Well it certainly looked as if you were having a good time, we saw a couple of fairly epic manjis going along the main straight! That was pretty special. Luke: (Smiling) Yeah that’s the great thing about the 86’s, they’re light; you can chuck them about and they don’t scrub tyres. I started out in the practice session
on previously worn tyres and even kept them on for the first round. It was non stop, there was no cool downs, there was no driving straight for a while, just manji everything, drift everything, that’s got to be the best thing about them, you don’t even have to stop for tyres, that’s what I loved about my one back at home. I went from that to a 320hp s14 and I was like, this sucks! You get half way up a touge run and you start having to change tyres! (pointing at the AE86) but no, this is great, I had a bit of an issue with the seat first thing, as I was way to close and we couldn’t move it back, my knees were hard up against the dash and I could barely move my ankles. STIFF: Wow, glad you got that sorted then! - So how are you finding the JDM All stars series so far? Luke: Man JDM all stars is awesome! - Niall (Niall Gunn - JDM all stars organiser) does such a great job which is what, realistically, most places
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k n Fi f o e s u a c e b “It’s e h t d e t n e v n i y e h t ” s w a l n o o anti H ce y o J n Da
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need. Its fun, they don’t bust your balls if your car isn’t running properly or broken, like if your car is broken they actually help you. Its not like you’ve got 4 minutes to get out on track, otherwise your not competing… Its exactly the way its supposed to be and I fully dispose of events that are like that, because it sucks all the fun out of the sport. It misses the whole point; which is fun. Drifting is as much of a show as it is a competition, if the drivers are stressed then they’re not going to put on a good show, it’s as simple as that. STIFF: Tell us about driving with Dan Chapman, it’s clear to see there is a great competition between the both of you - we caught up with Dan at the last event who commented very highly on your driving, how do you find his? Luke: I’m having a ball with Dan! We were stirring things up for months via the web, talking about how I’d be sharing paint and getting some marks on his car, and true to my word I’m marking his car now.
(Luke points down to battle scars on Dan’s S13) STIFF: You and Dan’s driving styles are definitely pretty hardcore in comparison to the other’s more relaxed and uniform approach. What’s that all about? Luke: Yeah, well its better if you’re more ragged edged, if you know what the drivers are going to do every lap then what’s the point of watching? STIFF: Good point! Luke: It’s true! How much harder is it to have fun? I feel confident driving alongside Dan, he’s kick ass! you can really push up on guys like him, but definitely the aggressive style is the major fun - hit it straight to bump stops, bounce it off the limiter, throw it in an extra 50 metres and see what happens, that’s pretty much the way it is. STIFF: Ha! That’s excellent! - So do you think you’re here to stay for the long term as far as drifting is concerned? Luke: Well I hope so! When I got here today I arrived with literally no money, but I just sold a t-shirt so I’m £20 up! That’s food
for another day and a half, also my girlfriend is a singer who is possibly just about to sign a contract, if that happens then it’ll be great, we’ll be rich! Haha! f*ck the sponsors and the competing, I’ll help Niall out and run an insane drift series! Haha! But yeah, in answer to your question so long as I can afford to stay here, I’ll be staying here. That’s pretty much it - I’ve got nothing to back home for now, so that’s it I can just get on my BMX and just ride and drift. If you want to help Luke out by giving him the opportunity to eat some food and have some form of social life, then find the club outrun page of Facebook and badger them for some clobber. Luke Fink Would like to thank: M&T computers - Severnside Imports Outrun clothing - and his wonderful girlfriend Jacqueline. STOP PRESS/////////// As we went live, Luke Fink took the 2010 JDM Allstars title. Congratulations from everyone at R+W
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&
Stars their cars David Holmes So will Cheryl get over her bout of malaria? Why did it take so long to slap the cuffs on Lucas ? Name a television programme that hasn’t featured Pineapple’s Louie Spence. OK. So I need to get out more. But recently, for reasons know only to me and my maker, I have had an enforced spell at home. That also meant not being able to drive any car so there was no easy escape route from Holmes House. Life switched from a regular working environment to one dominated by day-time television, magazines and newspapers. I must have been in denial in the past but it soon
became apparent how our daily lives have become influenced by a saturated fat spread of superficial, celebrity-obsessed information. But it was a small advertisement in a local paper that raised me from the couch to the computer. “For sale, Porsche 930 Turbo. Previously owned by Luke Goss”. And, just in case Luke had not registered on your celebrity radar, it added “of Bros Fame”. For anyone still non the wiser – and too young to remember – Luke and his brother were the mainstays of Bros the group who had a short and not too stellar career with several hits although I can
only remember “I Owe You Nothing”. Which got me thinking about the aforementioned celebrity culture and its effect on motoring, the passion of readers of this publication. Would you pay more for a car which was advertised as “one previous celebrity owner”? Does the name of a pop star, footballer - even politician - add pounds to the value of the vehicle? In the case of Mr Goss, it would seem the link to, admittedly not a major superstar, has failed to push its price up the celebrity chart. Unless there’s a stack of white labels under the bonnet. Offered at £41,995, this
Porsche is more or less at list price. But what if you were interested in the King of Jordan’s Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth, a 150 mph super saloon, or Jeremy Clarkson’s Ford Escort RS Cosworth (bemusingly called Gary)? Once again, both were offered with no discernible premium because of the name in the logbook. A better opportunity arose recently with the sale of a genuine “one lady owner, low mileage” stretched Daimler V8 with customised handbag holder and lambskin rug for the corgis. Yes, Her Maj the Queen was selling her Windsor runaround on
the basis it was surplus to requirements. No selling price was disclosed but the car, without its royal connection, would have a list price of £65,000. In the case of one of the world’s rarest cars, a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO, it was not the celebrity seller but the well-known buyer who attracted the headlines….. and the £12 million purchase price. Chris Evans, Radio 2 presenter and passing acquaintance of the editor of this publication, paid this record sum for a car which cost £6,000 when new. But this was the same man who gave his brideto-be, Billie Piper, a Ferrari 550 Maranello filled with
roses, and she still had to pass her driving test. And what of the car and chase sequence that inspired this publication? Maybe there’s a fortune to be made because two Ford Mustang GT Coupes were used for the filming of Bullitt. One was scrapped after filming was completed. The other was sold several times but the surviving V8 325 bhp classic is rumoured to be in a non-working condition in a barn in the Ohio River Valley in the USA. Now where did the nurse hide my passport?
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