Road magazine issue 9

Road Nine: Hot hatch heaven & thrills from das green hell 24Hr Rennen PLUS... Focus Rs track test // R26-R B-road blast // VW Scirocco TSi // 330S STi // NBR 24Hr exclusive with Tim schrick’s amazing aston & the rest of the menTAlists PLUS: Road2 FOR ALL THINGS TWO WHEELED

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Is it really that time of the year again? Looks like it... the forests surrounding das Grune Holle are full to bursting with beer kegs, PA’s, fireworks, bratwurst, logs, computer screens with live feeds to the pits, mezzaine scaffolding viewing platforms with matresses and rain covers on and much, much merriment.

It can only be the utterly jawdraopping NBR 24Hr Rennen – quite simply, the maddest,

baddest race in the world. And Road are back for more, this time, with an old friend, Tim Schrick, as he rips up the race prep rule book and tries to totally re-engineer an Aston Martin Vantage to get a top 10 finish, in just a few months: Drama, drama, drama and an epic tale to reflect the epic nature of this epic event. And we meet a few other famous faces out there there enjoying the best road in

the world, for 24 ace hours.

Also this month, we celebrate turbo nutter hot hatch action, with an exclusive track test of the amazing, £25K, 300 bhp Focus RS. And the lithe and lively Megane R26-R gets a b-road blast in Suffolk, VW’s new Scirocco TSi gets a run at Snetts and the most powerful Impreza ever built, the 330S STi gets a rigt good caning. Enjoy!

The ROAD team

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forza italia

While it’s true that every Ferrari is innovative by definition, it’s equally true that in the course of the Prancing Horse’s history, certain cars have marked a genuine departure from the current range. This is very much the case with the Ferrari 458 Italia, which is a massive leap forward from the company’s previous mid-rear engined sports cars. www.ferrari.com

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2:55am

What better way to announce the arrival of the awesome Red Bull X-Fighter event in the UK than for superstar Australian FMX rider Robbie Maddison to jump Tower Bridge!

The riders are coming to the UK on the 22nd of August at Battersea power station. Go check it out and check out the highlights from the amazing Madrid event and the Tower Bridge jump recently online. See you there. www.redbullxfighters.com

Photo by Joerg Mitter

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ROAD 9 contents

12 Race ace Phil gets the chance to test the new 300 bhp Ford Focus RS on road and track, with a 200 bhp counterpoint from VW’s leek, sex swift Scirocco TSi, now with NBR 24Hr heritage 22 Cane the Cayenne Tim takes the diesel, yes, oil-burning new Porsche Cayenne Chelsea Tractor on a proper road trip; to Wales...

30 NBR 24Hr Tim Schrick re-writes the rulebook with his amazing Aston Martin Vantage V8, totally re-engineered in a matter of months.

Will it make it to the starting grid? Will Tim win?

38 NBR faces Sabine Schmitz, Ford’s GT, V12 Astons, VW Scirocco GT24s (two on gas!) Pirelli xy, BMW’s, Manthey Motors & all the ‘Ring madness, including the fabulous ‘Young Timer’ GP retrocars

62 R26-R rip Sleep suffolk’s B-roads rock, and provided the perfect place to show-off the R26R’s tricks, while being near quality fish ‘n chips 68 Superscoob Phils takes the most powerful Impreza to date, the storming 330S STi Type UK on a road trip across The Ridgeway’s open plains and belting A-roads

72 Mud & guts Neil goes to a massive rallycross meet to revel in the size of their turbos, power slides... and balls!

74 Regulars News, project cars, and other sexy sundries 96 Road2 A lovely place for all things two wheeled and fun!

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Editorial www.roadmagazine.co.uk

Editor: Phil Royle proyle@roadmagazine.co.uk Creative Editor: Tim Hutton tim@roadmagazine.co.uk Features Editor: Matt Bagley matt@roadmagazine.co.uk Publishing Editor: Philip Raby phil@roadmagazine.co.uk Road 2 Editor: Rob Cooper rob@roadmagazine.co.uk

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ROAD TESTER PHIL ROYLE DAMP TOG NEIL DENHAM

GIANT KILLER

The new Ford Focus RS is nothing short of a minor miracle and almost as much of an automotive paradigm shift as the mighty GT-R. 300bhp – through the front wheels? Surely not! But it works, incredibly, practically and best of all, putting a HUGE grin on your ugly mug.

Make no mistake, the RS is back in business!

For many a year, rumours of a 4x4 Ford Focus Cosworth have been afoot. And boy, did we all want to see that WRC road replica. Even a standard Focus Zetec is a good drivers’ car, thanks to that fabulous independent rear suspension set-up getting the arse-end involved, and the small matter of a WRC-homologated chassis.

Quality DNA, see.

But Ford has made us

wait. And wait. And wait.

Sure, we’ve had the 225bhp, 152mph ST, with the same Volvo Duratec 2.5-litre turbo engine as we now have (in much wilder, more advanced form) in the new RS, but, despite being a lovely daily driver performance car, it was not that hot, and a bit wollowy, and heavy. A speddy softie.

So, we all wanted the Cossie for the C21st. And

here it is. No Cosworth engineering badge, for sure, but make no mistake, this is a true Rallye Sport (RS) Ford, and a far, far better car, relatively speaking, than the last Cossie, the 1992 Escort RS Cosworth. A legend...

The Mk1 Focus RS, released in 2001 and honed

by WRC giants, Prodrive was flawed by torque-steer and was inconsistent; some cars were ace, others a WWW.ROADMAGAZINE.CO.UK 13

mare to live with, thanks to unreliable geometry set-ups at the factory. It also ‘only’ managed to channel 212bhp and 229lb ft torque, from its boosted-up 1998cc inline four – enough to propell it to 143.3mph and to 60mph in 6.4 seconds. Quick, but not earth-shattering. More importantly, the Mk1 RS went down as an untamable monster and cemented the term ‘wrong wheel drive’ in my mind. Still, they sold all 4,501 models, and 48 percent of them in 365 days.

So, what do I know?

Wind the clocks forward eight years and we still have no Cosworth 4x4 Focus, but we do have the MkII RS – offering 300bhp, a huge (and massively accessible thanks to trick Borg Warner turbo technology) 325lb ft torque, 163mph V-max potential (in typical Ford form, having a mega top end is everything - offering supercar performance to the masses), 2.5-litre turbocharged tried and tested Ovlov engine and total five-seat, big boot, high spec practicality... and all for just £25,000. Bugger me!

The Mk1 struggled to channel its 212bhp through its front wheels desperately trying to steer as well, via a

Quaife ATB differential, which was, frankly, pants. No car has ever torque steered like the Mk1 RS. And I expected the same from the now daftly powerful FWD MkII... but how wrong I was.

Thanks to some clever stuff called ‘Revoknuckle technology,’ a totally revised and re-egineered Quaife ATB diff and fancy modern ESP programming, the new Focus RS puts its rampant power and endlessly accessible torque down to the black stuff brilliantly. Acceleration is nothing short of fierce; with the big Borg Warner blower somehow managing to act like a quick-spooling diesel turbo, offering ace low revs pick-up, but also managing monster levels of boost and surge in the mid-range, and a proper rush to the redline.

It’s amazing, accompanied by a crazy cacophony of turbo nutter noises, making you grin from ear to ear: Whhaaaar-pop-pop-popbang-crackle-whaaaaaarrrpseeeeu. I love it! As will any other boost junkie.

And don’t be thinking this is just some headbanging, uncompromising performance car. Sure, it has daft performance, especially for just £25,000, and being

wrong wheel drive, but this is an easy car to potter about in, with total P&Q, serenity and comfort. It’s no VW build quality inside, but it ain’t a Renault either and it is garishly stylish, like the exterior. There’s also lots of nice, generous, standard equipment touches; including a boost gauge. Oh yes!

The praise continues, as no weaknesses emerge from the extensive test drive we gave it on the launch. Best of all, is the chassis. Wow, it’s so darn good.

The nose, despite having to cope with 325 torques, is easy to keep in check and the back end is as mobile as a water skier behind a speed boat. Lively is not the word. If you like lift-off oversteer, you will enjoy this car. Not since the Pug 205 have I had so much turn-in, lift-off, go sideways fun... all accompanied by that turbotastic tune. What a car!

And for just £25K, it’s frankly a no brainer. Think I’m talking it up? I’m not. Take a test drive. You won’t believe it.

But, be quick. There are only going to be 4000 made, and 2000 are sold. A wise buy.

Enjoy!

TOP LEFT front end looks amazingly hard, with gaping intercooler TOP RIGHT Equipment levels are Very generous and it’s a nice cockpit ABOVE RS logos everywhere, show Ford is proud of its performance sub-brand, and rightly so

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TRACK ATTACK ROAD gets the UK’s first track test in the 300bhp, all-new Focus RS MkII. Wey-hey! And we bring along VW’s subtle, stylish and suave Scirocco TSi as a 200bhp counter-point

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Having tested the performance car of the hour at its UK launch, on nice British back roads and sweeping A-roads, and found it to be utterly brilliant at pootling and pressing on, we just had to get the RS out on track. All the signs are there that the MkII RS is an absolutely perfect daily driver cum weekend track day tool; with bionic power, big brakes, an outstanding chassis and frankly unreal levels of grip, and fun on tap.

So, we asked Ford Press Office if we could get the RS out at Sntterton with our track day friends, Open Track, and, amazingly, they said yes. At the time, we were the only mag in the UK to get such track access...

So, we thought we’d better bring someone handy as F**K behind the wheel to give the RS a proper run for its money. Enter Don ‘oversteer is a state of mind’ Palmer – the UK’s leading limit handling guru and track instruction ‘Masterclass’ legend (www.donpalmer. co.uk). Dude to thee and me.

“Bugger me,” he says after his first run out. “It’s lively, and I wasn’t expecting that.”

Then he disappears out onto speedy Snetts again, and

I don’t see much of him all day; he’s having far too much fun, I can tell.

Don is a brilliant indicator if a car is a true drivers’ car; he can expose weaknesses and get a car up and over its limit faster than anyone I know. And, if a car is pants, he’s out of it after dancing it sideways everywhere, within five minutess. I couldn’t get him out of the RS...

So, I went for a few laps with him. This is always a pleasure, as he can dance a car from lock to lock with consummate ease, at mega pace, while chatting about world affairs and lateral thinking for Europe. Top man.

We exit the pits, at full chat (and the RS feels darn fast as a passenger) and turn into Riches. The nose is planted at the apex, until Don lifts, when suddenly the side window becomes the windscreen and we are in an arcing drift that takes us all the way to turn-in to Sears, where, we start another slide that lasts half the way down Revvett straight, where we knock up over 140mph!

Bloody hell fire. The Bomb hole to Coram is the best, as Don dances the RS past both apexes, broadside – fully at one with this amazing,

affordable performance car.

And my laps, even as a far less skilled driver, are almost as sideways and fast. God, this is a fun, fun, fun car.

Good on you, Ford engineers – and the suits, for letting them get their way with it. I love this car too much. Well done Ford!

As a counter-point, we brought along the less lively, but better looking, more suave, subtle and less chavvy, Scirocco TSi, with its 200 + bhp two-litre TSi turbocharged engine.

It’s similar money, but oh-so different; oozing style, class, design and build quality throughout. It is drop dead gorgeous too, even in this sick green.

And, out on track at Snetts, it too surprised.

Despite being down on power 100bhp over the rampant rabbit RS and having no fancy mechanical diff or revoknuckle stuff, it was amazing: Fast, stable, neutral and a hoot.

Obviously, the success of the NBR GT-24 Sciroccos has translated back to the road versions. It’s fab.

So, do you want a hot hatch for occasional track day fun? Here are two total crackers.

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Midnight OiL BURNER Tim spends 24 hours in Porsche’s first diesel and decides maybe he is turning soft...

Outside is a group of people peeping through the tinted windows of this week’s Road test car. I would go out and discuss the virtues of diesel-powered cars, and how the Marmite looks of the Cayenne do it for me, but alas, since it got dropped off this morning, I haven’t worked out how to start it!

We get there in the end.

Where I’m used to jumping into my track-prepped BMW, turning the key and going, I always forget that with every new car built there is generally some quirky thing needed to get the bloody thing going.

So, about those looks.

When the Cayenne was first launched, I was at the front of the queue ready to have serious words with Porsche’s design team. But over time, it grew on me. And, with the facelift, I think the harder edges really work. There’s

no point me discussing how good this car is off-road (it’s incredible), as for much of its life it will be the school run car for some yummy mummy. Just as well, then, that this particular model has digital TV and radio, and tinted windows to stop any nosey people.

As you’re probably aware though, I’m no yummy mummy. In fact, I have a very serious trip planned for ‘the Cayenne; A 700-mile round trip from Portsmouth to Anglesey and back. Why you ask? Well, today Road newbie Rob and I are guests of Suzuki, but more of that later on in the magazine.

The alarm goes at 1am.

I’m awake ,though; I always am when there’s something exciting in the day ahead.

By 2am, I’m on the road and heading over to pick up Rob. For the drive up there, we have planned an economy

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“The Cayenne delivers the same excellent Porsche handling you come to expect, but in a supersized package�

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run (huh? Ed): Keep it real on the motorway and avoid the Sports button. Rob is already stood outside his house and I’m completely unaware that I’m driving around in a mobile disco, but the twitching curtains tell me that maybe I could turn the volume down a bit. Great stereo, then.

Now, 40 miles of backroads await us. Rob gets to work with the digital radio, but alas the signal can’t keep up with the oil-burner’s progress, so we resort to the regular radio parp pumped out in the wee smalls.

So far so good; the seats are comfy, Rob is fast asleep (as all map readers are within 10 minutes) and the sky is beginning to lighten up. The interior is typically functional and, while not glamourous, it is definitely very Porsche.

So, this diesel engine thing. To me it’s a no-brainer in a car like this; bags of lovely torque, improved fuel consumption and an opportunity to feel slightly better about owning a car that won’t make you any friends down the local ramblers club.

We arrive at Anglesey way ahead of time, and with a good amount of diesel left in the tank. Our dawn raid up the A34 has once again paid off; a non-rush hour drive for the sake of getting up a few hours earlier, well worth it.

Jumping out, I don’t feel like I have just driven 350 miles. I’m enjoying this!

Here’s hoping I don’t come off the bikes and do myself a mischief, as I’m rather looking forward to the return leg and attacking that 40 odd miles of back roads again.

Unfortunately, the leathers I have borrowed for the day are broken, so no bike track time for me, just some pooting around the local roads instead. Nice.

By five, we are done for the day, everyone is happy and nobody has done any damage to themselves. And we set off for our return leg, as per usual I decide I know better than the onboard sat-nav and set off in the direction I think is right, only to be wrong. Damn technology!

While the drive back down the motorway is a long slow one, we are both happy to WWW.ROADMAGAZINE.CO.UK 27

be sat in the cossetting surrounds of the Cayenne.

The interior is just the right size, while not as big as you might think. It is far better than the stuffy Range Rover Sport, that’s for sure.

At last, we peel off the M3; destination A272; an absolute cracker of an A-road and very apt today as it is a real bikers’ favourite. Luckily, it is late enough that nobody is out to play. Sport mode engaged, ride height dropped. I’m ready!

At speed, the first thing that hits you is just how well

this car handles, staying perfectly balanced. You can carry great speed through corners and, while I wouldn’t want to drive it raggedly, getting all that weight shifting about, I think it would take a fair amount of abuse to unsettle it.

Short-shifting the torquey V6 is really smooth and ample for my skills after a long day. The only niggle I have (and maybe it can be turned off), is that sidelight that comes on when you steer. At speed, attacking a corner, the last thing you need is the bush to light up

next to you! Surreal.

We make short work of the A272 and Rob steps out the other end slightly dazed, but content and elated.

I’m going to be sad, handing the keys back. This is a cracking everyday car, and I’m a sucker for white, so the bling spec is really doing it for me. Go and try one out for yourselves, without prejudice.

Thanks to Porsche GB for the test. Suzuki GB for the fun middle bit, and Rob for keeping his roadside dinner down mid-A272

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ROAD buddy, D-MAX TV’s Tim Schrick has a mad plan for the NBR 24HR: To buy, strip, cage and TOTALLY re-engineer an Aston Martin V8 Vantage and attempt a top 10 finish, in just nine months, from buying the second-hand, 90,000 Euro, 383 PS, 186 mph, 4.3-litre V8 Vantage to gridding up on the world’s most feared endurance race. Gulp!

Team Schrick was created, with chief sponsor POINT-S, and a wealth of talent; including race pro and fellow driver, Jorg Van Ommen, master engine builder, Darius Baghi, 71year-old ‘Uncle Funny, Ecklard Spelsberg and team manager, Jorg, with his band of highly-motivated, highly-skilled mechanics.

Also on board for the ride, with the critical bespoke six-speed sequential gearbox, from Dave Plant’s ‘imagineering’ company in the UK, DJM Engineering, were top gents, Jules Aryton and Steve Eaton...

who would prove vital to getting Tim’s amazing Aston out on der ‘Ring at all.

The Aston was still being built as the scrutineers turned up to inspect it, with ‘to do’ lists being crossed off and re-written every hour. There were issues with the engine cooling (water pump failure), the exhaust, the Aero pack, some minor safety things to add, maps to upload and the cockpit to finish: Race start in 24 hours. And still Tim has not even driven the car yet...

“Yah, I will drive it in qualifying. It will be good,” says an amazingly chilledout Tim. Legend.

Night qualifying comes and goes as the jobs get done, and everyone works their asses off for 24-hours solid, as they have been doing for two weeks solid now. Still, the beast V8 is not ready to rumble.

In the final few minutes of day qualifying, amazingly, Tim dons his lid and gets into his life’s dream Aston

for the first time. And he’s off down the pits, a tear in his eye, no doubt. Tim’s first drive of the race car, in the dying seconds of qualifying.

We all wait. Then the TV shows the stricken Aston, limping off the GP track, steam coming out of the bonnet. Tim crawls it back in, despondent. And the scrabbling to fix things starts again, all night long.

Race morning: And race chiefs say Tim can start at the back of the grid, which he does, to an even bigger cheer from the grandstand crowds than the leaders got. Everyone, including the chief of Aston Martin, Dr Ulrich Bez, wants this car to fly. We all admire what Tim and his Team Schrick have done to be here.

Sadly, it was not to be. The bespoke Aston only managed to get to Aremberg, before the engine overheated. Game over... but, still, it was the car of the NBR 24Hr... and just you wait for 2010...

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TOP LEFT TEAM SCHRICK’S COLLECTION OF AEROQUIP FITTINGS AND NUTS AND BOLTS SHOWS the increadibly high LEVEL THEY ARE WORKING AT LEFT BOTTOM TIM GETS LIVE in the race, from back of the grid ON THE GP CIRCUIT. DESTINATION, GREEN HELl. The crowd let off the biggest cheer in the whole 24Hr race!

LEFT MIDDLE THE ASTON OVERHEATS IN LAST MINUTE OF QUALIFYING, live on TV, much to team’s dismay BOTTOM MIDDLE ROAD LOGO GETS PRIDE OF PLACE ON REAR ‘BOOT’ lid.

Gotta be worth a few seconds a lap, eh?

LEFT Aston Martin’s Chief Executive, Dr Ulrich BeZ and Tim talk freely about the project in the pits before the race starts.

Quite a special moment...

ABOVE Melina Evangelisti from Pirelli meets our Phil, with Tim his usual relaxed self, despite pressure cooker atmosphere

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TOP LEFT Tim gets out in the 2009 24Hr. His aston dream is alive, to the biggest cheer of the event ABOVE Al hands on deck, after the only short qualifying session is cut short as engine overheats middle bottom Steve & Jules from specialist gearbox suppliers, DJM, were amazing in true dundirk spirit. Top boys. Amazing gearbox.

LEFT Tim’s first ever drive of the ‘finished article’ is for qualifying, in thelast minute!

Left bottom EVERY DETAIL OF THIS CAR OOZES SEX APPEAL. THIS CAR HAS BEEN BUILT WITH PASSION left middle ON TRACK TEAM SHRICK HAS SERIOUS PRESENCE

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Insania

The best race on the planet... Das N端rburgring Nordschleife 24Hr Rennen Photography Neil Denham & Phil Royle

Peter Andre appears to be a bit of an arse, but he did create a word that sums up the sheer insanity and mania of the best race in the world, the Nürburgring Nordschleife 24-Hour Rennen: Insania, defined.

ANY 24-Hour race takes unreal levels of physical, mental and mechanical commitment and reliability.

Many mere mortals who can pedal think they can do it, and fail, hideously.

Now throw in 100’s of laps in the dark (and often, fog, wind, rain and thunder here in the stunning Vulkaneifel region), on the world’s most difficult, uncompromising, harsh circuit in the world, the Green Hell, and you see why it’s THE challenge

top drivers travel around the world for, year on year.

There is, quite simply, no motorsport experience like it: 180+ vehicles, 1,500+ drivers, 200,000+ spectators (many of them camping for up to a week in the woods, to ensure a good viewing point), madness.

And, this year, we had

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SABINE SCHMITZ 3AM / GP PITS AT 3AM, THE RING IS NO LAUGHING MATTER EVEN DEMI-GODDESS UBER-DRIVER, SABINE FEELS THE PAIN OF THE GREEN HELL IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS...

IT’S ALL IN THE EYES

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a treat from Ford, with a spectacularly quick Ford GT (which went on pole) and Audi’s awesome R8 LMS here en masse; both trying to knock the local heroes and winners of the past three years running, Manthey Motors (Porsche RSR, Cup and Cup S) off their top spot. Can it be done? Only by the likes of a team like Audi and a car like the R8 LMS, or that mad

bugger of a Ford GT (see cover shot this issue).

Alpina BMW were also here with their new Alpina B6 GT3 fleet, and VW were back with both petrol and gas-powered Scirocco GT-24’s, whilst Lexus returned with their F1-style mechanics in red, with a team of space-agemotosport-sounding V8 ISF’s. They are tremendous.

Then there are all the

usual high-profile European VLN and Supercup racers and teams who come and race here all year, but relish the prospect of the 24Hr Rennen the most: Team after team of immaculately race prepped, rapid, rabid BMW 135i, M3, Z4 M, Porsche 911’s, Audi TT, A3, Dodge Vipers, Nissan 370 and 350-Z’s, Aston Martin Vantages, Lancer Evo X’s, Impreza STi’s, Honda

S2000’s, Seat Leons, VW Golfs, Ford Mondeo V8s and Focus RS’s, MercedesCarlssons and even the odd Opel Manta, and lone Porsche 964 RS, for old school fans.

The standard, scale and sex appeal of the race cars involved is off the scale, as is the whole event... from the ADAC Classic retro warm-up race (see on), to the unreal starting

procedure; where the grid is opened up to the public for a massive bun fight; up close and personal with the brolley dolleys and ice cool driving gods, and Goddesses: This is a dobefore-you-die experience.

As is watching the start – in three gloriously frenetic groups; all setting off like its a sprint race, not the most demanding of all races, 24Hours solid.

Setting a fine example of this and both trying to lay out their stalls early one, The leading Manthey RSR piloted by mentalist Marc Lieb had the most all-mighty of ding-dongs for the first six laps with the Ford GT, to determine who set off the fastest. It was jaw-dropping stuff – watching two of the fastest cars you could imagine, with a combined 1,500 bhp WWW.ROADMAGAZINE.CO.UK 43

MAIN BRAVE RECOVERY DRIVERS WORK LONG AND HARD, IN DANGEROUS RACE CONDITIONS RIGHT TOP DJ IN THE HOUSE...

OR WOODS TO BE PRECISE. ONLY NBR 24HR RIGHT BOTTOM BEER, FAST CARS, SPLIT SCREEN TIMES FROM PITS: FOREST FOLK HOSPITALITY WORTH TRAVELLING FOR ALONE

going hammer and tong, bumper to bumper for a good hour or more. Bloody marvellous stuf.

I remember a similar duel last year between an 850 bhp Viper and the 1,000 bhp twin turbo Land Motorsport 997 911, which was almost as dramatic.

It seems to be an annual tradition, and certainly gets the crowds on their feet – in the lively, totty-filled F1

GP circuit pits, or out in the forests, with the hardcore spectators, beer, bratwursts and fireworks.

Sadly, the fab Ford GT broke down in the night, leaving the fight for top honours between Manthey Motors and Audi’s R8 LMS; both of which held and lost the lead through the evening and into the darkness, to dawn.

Sabine Schmitz and

Klaus Abbeleen pulled off a historic third place in last year’s race, and qualified in 7th on the grid, in their 997 GT3, which had a number of Aero and engine changes from 2008. But they could not replicate the pace of last year, and, what with too many Audi R8’s to worry about as well as the fleet of Manthey, Alzen and Muhlner Porsche, not to mention Aston Martins,

Dörr Motorsport’s Z4 M and those unstoppable Scirocco GT-24’s.

After watching the start and catching all of Tim Schrick’s news (see on), Neil & I spent most of the evening and night in the forests near the Karusell and at Brunnchen. The sights, sounds, smells and experiences up there have to be seen to be believed and are the backbone of

what makes this event so unique.

We stumbled back to the pits at 3am, to watch another must-see site of das 24Hr Rennen; dawn re-fueling, tyres and driver changes, without the hype of the start and finish of the event, or the normality of daylight as a backdrop. THIS is NBR 24Hr; yawning mechanics leaping to their feet to do

another windscreen clean, drivers removing their lids, sweating, crying and collapsing or smiling like they’re possessed. There is nothing else like it.

Naturally, after a good old effort from Audi on their debut here, Manthey took first place in the now legendary green and yellow RSR, with Audi second... this year. See the insania unfold for yourself in 2010...

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VW ran a team of their spectaular new Scirocco GT-24, 320 bhp DSG petrol race cars at last year’s 24Hr event and they got class wins and an amazing 11th, 15th and 32nd overall, in the hands of legends like Carlos Sainz and Hans-Joachim Stuck.

This year, with a similarly talented driver line up and amazingly organised team,

they also ran superbly, taking a remarkable 15th and 20th places overall and VW’s third consecutive SP3T class win: A proper job!

Even more impressively, one of their new 282 PS gas-powered GT-24 CNG Sciroccos came 17th overall and won the AT category, with the another in runnerup spot.

Is it too much to state that here’s a car that might spell out the future of mega motorsport events like this?

VW Technology Board Member and one of the four racers in the winning CNG Scirocco thinks not: “We’ve shown natural gas vehicles can deliver as much sporting performance as those powered conventionally.”

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Pirelli Tyres had a big presence at the 2009 Nürburgring Nordschleife 24Hr. And they took home three class victories, with their cars – a 420 bhp BMW Z4 M Coupe, two 360 bhp BMW 135i coupes (one running German hacks) and a major part of Dr Ulrich Bez’s V12 Aston project – running in SP6, SP8T, SP 8 and SP 10; with the big

boys. They also ran a Volvo C30 Bio-Ethanol, which gained a silver medal in class.

But their best result came from the devastatingly fast and reliable Dörr Motorsport mean beast of a jet black Z4 M Coupe, car No. 69, driven brilliantly by Rudi Adams, Luca Ludwig, Arnd Meier and Markus Grossmann, to take the SP6 class win, and

10th place overall. Reeesult!

Pirelli’s perfect PR lady, Melina Evangelisti said: “In the past we had a strong connection with Audi here, driving since 2007 with three A3’s supported by Jörg van Ommen. And we drove in 2008 with two Audi TT’s by Jörg.

“For 2009, we decided to do something new and different. As we are working

also very closely for some years with Dörr Motorsport, we decided to go on with them. Dörr Motorsport is active in racing for 10 years now. And they have had a strong development in that time, with now some very good and fast cars (like the BMW Z4) but also the “Phantom.” Rainer Dörr has the perfect Know-how of BMW, as he has some

BMW-car dealerships in Germany and loves his racing.

“The journalist project started in 2001. The concept is that only journalists are driving our cars. We are the first pure journalist team and again are on our own this year: The 135i’s is very special.

And for Pirelli, this ia an amazing project. As Italians,

we love emotional stories and which track and which race is more driven by passion than the 24-Hr race at the Nürburgring?

We use this place a lot, of course, to test and develop our range of tyres. We say ‘a tyre which runs well on the Nordschleife, runs well everywhere!’” www.pirelli.com WWW.ROADMAGAZINE.CO.UK 49

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SMALL CAR BIG HEART

Phil tries to fit into a daihatsu Copen and realises its many, quirky Japanese charms

I went on a 1,500 mile round NBR 24Hr trip in a Daihatsu Copen, and I had only one complaint... being 6ft+, with the roof up (which is esential with a boot full), my head was stuck on the roof. Shame, as the rest of the ÂŁ12,585 car is cracking.

Its chassis is ace, eaking out grip from its tiny tyres at each corner, Mini style. It’s

trick 1.3-litre DOHC engine revs its nuts off, and is not at all slow (I saw indicated 119mph in Germany!) and it did 40+mpg, everywhere, foot in! Add in the tasteful red Momo interior and cool hard drop top and cheeky looks and what’s not to like as a cheap MX5 alternative? I’d have one, if I could get in it! that is.

Road took the overnight, chilled-out, cruise-style Harwich to Hook of Holland route to the Ring & Spa (see R11), cutting down the European and UK driving time. There are two daily crossings on the Harwich - Hook of Holland route, with crossings taking 6 hrs 15 mins, providing efficient service with excellent

onboard services and facilities. I had a cabin, with a shower and porthole!

Prices start from £49 for one car with one passenger.

Heartily recommended, as you arrive fresh for the drive either end…

For more information visit www.stenaline.co.uk or call 08705 70 70 70.

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FOR OLD TIMES SAKE The ADAC Classic race is just the ticket as the warm-up to the modern metal of the 24Hr. 110 mint, rare and retro racers take to the Green Hell: Heaven...

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American brothers, Tim and Luke Bullt were one of three BMW M1’s blitzing the competition. The leading M1, run by brothers Peter and Achim Heinrich (spotting a theme here?) won the race by a country mile and were noticeably quicker than anything else. In fact, the M1 still looks like it could give modern race cars a run for their money. His best lap – of the GP circuit and north loop – was a cracking 9:38.712, which is f**ing flying. What a special sight and sound it is to see these legends in action, on a circuit like this...

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One of our favourites in the ADAC Classic was this rare 1978 Renault 5 Turbo, mid-engined, rear wheel-drive, 900Kg missile . Predicatably, but sadly, it had mechanical trouble (most likely a blown head gasket or clucth eh R5 owners? I remember the pain!), and did not finish, but, for the few laps it was running, it certaily got the crowds going snf our hearsts beating a little faster. What a legend. Va-va-voom, before it was trendy. I wonder what Nocile would have made of a lap in it? Mmmmm.

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Life’s a beach

Phil Royle blasts the lithe and lively Renaultsport Megane R26-R track day special down some belting British B-roads

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Renault, we applaud you.

Merci, merci, merci pour la R26-R! Sacre blue. Mon dieu et oh-la-la. Hats off to the guys who came up with this stripped-out, cagedup, lightweight (1230Kg), 230PS (310Nm), 0-60mph in 5.9 seconds, slick-shot toy of a performance car. C’est fantastique!

So fantastic, in fact, it’s got the production car record for a wrong-wheel

drive car on the toughest 73 bends in the business, the Nürburgring Nordscheliefe, with an incredibly rapid 8m17s. And that is quick.

The limited edition (230 models) R26-R is a direct two fingers up at the current trend of making performance cars heavier and heavier (only Lotus seems not to follow), and more and more powerful.

It’s brave, imaginative

and bang on the money – primed to capitalise on the growing-in-popularity track day revolution, boosted by Top Gear’s test track action.

The naughty R26-R screams its French flair at you from first glance; with its carbonfibre bonnet, smoked plastic rear windows, red ‘Interlargos’ 18-inch rims (hiding beastie brakes) and the small matter of two carbon bucket seats,

a pair of Sabelt harnesses and a bright red, deeply cool, chunky roll cage imbedded in the back, where the rear seats used to be. I just love it.

Losing 123kg over the standard R26, stiffening up the chassis with the cage, fitting a limited slip diff and using a set of trackday goers choice of rubber – the semi-slick Toyo R888 – is the key to the R26-R’s

stunning performance. It also has 312mm/300mm vented and grooved (rather than drilled as R26) brake discs, with shopping fourpiston Brembo calipers, for late braking prowess and a short-shift on the six-speed gearbox, for slick cog swaps. C’est focused.

The R26-R also gets a limited edition badge, from the factory who built them at Dieppe, switchable

traction control, air con, no radio, a few stylish touches (like rear spoiler and R26-R steering wheel) and a wicked-sounding, lightweight titanium exhaust system (which Renault claims does not increase power over the standard R26, at 227bhp, but I think does reduce lag and increase boost marginally).

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all of which are great, bold, in-yer-face colours, reflecting the focus and mood of this toy car.

Track time is where the R26-R is in its element, making mincemeat of bigger, more expensive machinery – no drama. It grips for France, stops well and goes like stink, with an ace and individual boosted soundtrack, which you have to hear to believe.

We took the R26-R to Snetts and on some classic British B-roads – real twisty stuff between Harleston and Southwold in Suffolk, and it was bionic, brilliant and brave in equal measure.

And, big, big fun, too.

I can’t believe Renault built this. Good on ’em.

And I tell you, with cars like the R26-R, Focus RS and Scirocco TSi, we’ve never had it so good. Fantastique!

THANKS...

Tim Jackson and Lisa Haworth-Langford for the loan of the R26-R, at Renault Press Office UK Neil Denham for the super photography: www.denhamautos.co.uk

Impressa Meet the mostpowerful Impreza built to date – the ballistic, 330bhp, 470Nm torque Subaru Impreza WRX STi Type UK 330S. Phil Royle takes it cross country to meet its little STi brothers at Castle Combe Racing School

Regular readers may know that I am rather fond of the Subaru’s bionic symmetrical All Wheel Drive and turbocharged thrills; I’ve owned five ‘Scoobies’ in my time.

And no, I’m not a chap who wears baseball hats

backwards. They are immensely practical, brilliant handling, invincible, reliable, fun and characterful A-B barn stormers. And, with a bit of work on set-up, they make cracking trackday cars, too. Especially if you buy

into the lightweight, highly focused Japanese Domestic Market Type R’s and RA’s, then strip one, cage it and re-spec it WRC-style, as I have done with mine. And a fine GT3-slaying beast it is too; much to their lack of amusement, having

shelled out over £100,000, but had their ass kicked by an impish Impreza, for a fraction of the cost. Quality.

For a fast road and occasional trackday Impreza, you can not go wrong with Prodrive’s RB5 or the two-door P1, in

‘classic’ GC8 form. And the later-spec, facelifted STi7, 8 and 9s are all good, especially the subtle but swift Spec D and JDM Spec Cs. And there are some cracking aftermarket tuned versions out there, too, from fellow Imprezafolk like

Iain Lichfield of Lichfield Imports. His Type 25 rocks.

But what about the new model? Which has really grown on me. The chassis is amazing, as is the new Si Drive variable throttle map.

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TOP LEFT Easy to use multifunction display is cool TOP RIGHT 330 ponies and a tidal wave of torque live underneath that shint top mount intercooler Right caste Combe own a fleet of Type Uk STis

to its name. And the trick Driver Controlled Centre Differential, controlling the amount of lock in the diffs and varying the amount of torque split to the rear (up t0 80% fully open), is brilliant; effectively giving you a RWD car, wrapped up with AWD security.

The new 255bhp WRX S special is ace, but only has a five-speed gearbox. The Type UK STi offers a slicker, stronger six-speeder, the Si Drive and DCCD, along with 300bhp, 300lb ft, 155mph V-max, 0-60mph in 4.9sec, and all for just £25,000; some £1600

cheaper than the outgoing STi9 model. It’s a hell of a lot of car for the money.

But what if you hanker after that bit more? Enter the £30K 330S, the most powerful factory STi built to date. It produces 330bhp and 470Nm torque, does 0-60mph in 4.7sec and is limited to 155mph, which it reaches darn quickly.

The 330S comes with bespoke 18-inch lightweight rims, big Brembo stoppers, 330S badges, unique bucket seats and fettling under the bonnet by Prodrive; with a stainless steel quad

exhaust system and full ECU re-programme.

It’s quick as projectile vomit. And it grips like a barnacle, come hell or high water. And that lovely flat four rumble is back, from the EJ25 2.5-litre Boxer. A1!

I enjoyed a wicked blast across the Ridgeway, to meet up with Castle Combe’s Racing School (see R10), which owns a fleet of regular Type UK STis – which together, have covered over 1,000,000 miles, trouble free, at full chat on track. The 330S blended in a treat: What an impressive Impreza.

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RALLY: CROSS

Our Neil gets blown away by the speed, scale and skill of a round of the European Rallycross Championships Most of the European Union is represented when you go and see a rallycross event and when it’s the FIA European Rallycross Championship big meet at Lydden Hill in Kent, there seems to be every nationality represented. This was my first time watching since 1988. It was a massive turnout.

Rallycross is fast and furious racing, half on gravel and half on Tarmac, with drivers only having only three laps to get a place for the points. So, it’s bumper to bumper action, sideways, flames spitting from the anti-lag exhausts from the off.

The Germans love it and, having seen the

Nürburgring 24hr just recently, it was no surprise to see spectators had constructed a viewing platform two-stories high on the best corner, complete with flags. Beer and 500bhp full-hoy sideways around a mixedsurface circuit – good afternoon in my book.

Keeping up the British and northern end of the EU is David Binks, the recycle guy from Newcastle in his 500bhp Evo 9 with his MSR Mechanics, kept busy with a snapped driveshaft. Evil Evo at full tilt, that.

The final round of The Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross is 18th October at Mallory Park; the first time since 1979. Go!

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RS ACADEMY ON TRACK Aimed at those who want to experience the world’s best cars, exactly as they were meant to be driven – free of traffic and speed cameras! Enter, RS Academy.

The Academy will operate from three of the best drivers’ circuits in the world – Germany’s Nürburgring (Nordschleife), Belgium’s Spa Francorchamps and the ultra-exclusive, privately-owned Ascari Race Resort near Marbella in Spain.

The initial line-up of drivers’ cars for 2009 includes the following: Renault

Megane R26-R, Caterham R500 Superlight, BMW M3 CSL, Porsche 997 GT3 RS, Lamborghini Superleggera and Radical SR3. The fleet will be constantly expanded in line with membership and we know that there are further very exciting machines lined up for introduction in the near future. www.rs-academy.co.uk

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AVON CALLING PIKES PEAK RS200 Essex-based team, Mach 2 Racing entered the famous race up the Pikes Peak mountain in Colorado Springs, USA, with a 1150bhp, Avon tyre-shod Ford RS200 driven by double ex-British Rallycross Champion, Mark Rennison.

The 12-mile Pikes Peak course starts at 9440 feet and ends at an altitude of 14,110 feet. Its 156 turns, mixture of asphalt and gravel surfaces and the sheer drops of up to 6000 feet make it one of the toughest challenges in motorsport. We love it! www.avon-tyres.co.uk

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ROAD SPECIAL 25% off WOLFRACE ALLOYS Wolfrace wheels has recently launched a direct sales website and for the first time in the company’s 38-year history, they’re selling directly.

To celebrate the new website launch, Wolfrace is giving Road magazine readers the chance to save a whopping 25 percent from the order total!

Wolfrace’s high quality products come with warranties, are made in Germany and have TUV certification.

All you need to do is use the code ‘WOLFRACEROADM’ when prompted during the payment process. This will give you 25 percent off the order total, and will also work on Wolfraces accessories website. http://alloywheelsdirect.wolfrace.com http://shop.wolfraceaccessories.co.uk

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NEW road lady CARLY WILK This is Carly. Carly wrote to us saying just how much she was into cars and that she wants to get on track and learn to drive super fast. So in true generous Road spirit we have obliged. I know, we are kind, eh?

Anyway, so there is no confusion we thought we better include a photo as an introduction.

Enjoy...

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two wheeled stuff ROAD 2 The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed that there is a bumper new section stuck on the end of the magazine. So without further ado, we like to introduce Road2 – somewhere we can indulge in all two tyres short of a road trip. Bikes are mad, bad – so we love ’em...

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ROLLING ROAD LEYTON CLARKE RACING DIARY

Since the last time I wrote there have been some dramatic changes. As you know I drove for Thorney Motorsport for the first three rounds at Rockingham in April. Despite having a pretty good weekend ending up with a 2nd a 1st and a 3rd putting me straight into the lead of the championship the team did an awful job on presenting the cars, it appeared that they literally hadn’t been touched since the previous season, we were not happy which lead resulted in us leaving the team.

For a couple of weeks I

was without a drive not sure where I was going to be next, then we started having talks with the tin-top giants, triple eight engineering, ( VX Racing ) the same team that run the Vectra’s in the BTCC. As you can imagine I was extremely excited to see how these guys worked and to see how they would accept me having previously been their main competitor.

We kicked it all of with a test at Rockingham where we knew the times from the race two weeks ago.

The team do a brilliant job, we had set-up guru

Steve Guglielmi in the car all morning getting the handling sorted, and he did a brilliant job as well.

Once it was all sorted it was my turn to go out and see what time was possible, after 5 laps I had gone half a second below the lap record which I already held there, so I was confident the car was right and obviously pretty happy.

Come race weekend we ran the car on the Friday track day and again it looked like we had the legs on the other competitors going half a second quicker than the

rest. Come qualifying the next day it said a different story, miraculously the Thorney Motorsport car that showed zero pace in testing managed to lock in pole, a little bit strange if you ask me but there you go.

Race one, I managed an awful start dropping back to fifth and making life difficult for myself, but after the pole sitting Thorney car lost it at Graham Hill Bend which allowed me to skip up to third and then the fight was on to grab second place which I managed and was reasonably happy to bring home a second for my first

race with the new team.

Second race was not so good, again I didn’t get the best of starts and had slower cars in front of me holding me up but defending very well, so the best I could do was a 3rd place.

In the 3rd race we had taken a few risks on the car set up which we were quite certain would pull of well. We had gone with a set up that would mean we would sacrifice a small amount of pace at the start of the race to then allow us to keep the tires in good condition for the end of the

race, thankfully it worked for the first 7 laps I was 3rd and then within two corners the other drivers were really suffering with tyrewear and I literally drove straight past them bringing home another podium and my first win the Triple Eight squad.

So my biggest thanks to the guys at Triple Eight and the guys at KW suspension for setting up a fantastic weekend of results.

See you all soon.

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ROLLING ROAD TIM HUTTON E36 320i OK, so it’s all go at last. It all started with a chat with the guys at Corbeau, they sucked me into this project!

But that’s for another time as, while I write, the seat is being built at their factory.

So, to kick off I headed up the local tip. As far as my girlfriend was aware I was just throwing away some garden rubbish, only as I pulled the bags out, the interior started to come out, too. I highly recommend pulling out all your rear seats and boot sounddeadening in a public place, people genuinely thought I was completely mental.

Funny I thought until I got home and my girlfriend thought so, too; especially when she reminded me we were meant to be taking her mum shopping in the car!

So, I’m in the bad books at the moment. Not to worry, though, as I was distracted by the huge exciting box that arrived from EBC. Now, this project is all about showing you why you shouldn’t give

up on that old car in the garden. First things first, it needs to stop. Doing some research, only good things were mentioned about EBC’s Yellow Stuff pads. They are borderline race pads, but the bite from cold is plenty to give me confidence when I’m pootling around, too. Good times. There’s also no point getting new pads if you’re running shagged discs, so again EBC suggested fitting the drilled and slotted 3GD discs. These last for ages and one of the features that really impressed me is that they are dimpled rather than drilled, so there is little chance of cracking, but they will still degas.

I have never run-in a new set of brakes properly before but Mr Royle gave me a full briefing and off I set to go through the motions. This is 0-30-0 ten times braking steadily but not hard, then the same at 40, 50 and then five times at 60mph. I can tell you, it’s harder than it sounds

finding somwhere to do this, but don’t try it on the A3 even if it is really late!

I know have to do 150 miles general driving, then the brakes are finally getting to a point where we can have some fun.

Meanwhile, I have noticed that the brake pedal is feeling spongy, so I have ordered some Millers brake fluid and trumped for some of its awesome 10/40 racing oil, too. If you haven’t heard of Millers look at a few racing cars and you will see its stickers everywhere.

More of that next issue!

Coming up, I have the suspension to sort, oil change and fuel filter change, some decent tyres and the arrival of the seat and harness. Then I’m ready for some serious track action. I’m sure it won’t all go to plan, though!

THANKS TO: www.ebcbrakes.com www.millersoils.net www.corbeau-seats.co.uk And Russ for the hard graft!

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ROLLING ROAD ASHLEY VAN DYKE I DRIVE GREEN

The centennial era has begun in Indianapolis as we approach almost 100 years of the famous Indy 500 which will be marked in 2012. In addition to the feeling of history and tradition there were also signs of change. As the world of racing has been effected in ways of funding and the economy, people are looking to innovate new ways to bring responsibility and sustainability into an industry that has fallen short of doing their part for the environment for over 100 years. It’s not obvious what might be the motivation but never the less race organizations are taking more action to be, or appear to be, on the

eco movement front. Might it be they care about the planet and want to do what they can to give back. Be leaders by demonstrating action to make a difference.

Or are they seeing a new industry approach, a green industry, and they feel it may open up new avenues to sponsors which could bring money and support to motor sports. Being intrigued and wanting to learn more I made a visit to the “i drive green” event for an eco driving challenge hosted by the #00 Indy Car driver Nelson Philippe and ecoDriving USA. The task was simple. Get in a production car, mine was a Toyota Sienna, and drive the course laid out

by the instructors. The car was equipped with a G-box that measures the g-forces while driving the vehicle. The G-cam is a camera that has two accelerometers measuring the forces exerted by the vehicle thoughout the journey. G-tech is the founder of these devices (www.my-gtech.com) based in Belgium. The company sent its top eco driving professionals to Indianapolis to work with me and prove its data is not only scientifically accurate but the tips they share to increase efficiency really work and can be applied to any vehicle even a race car.

What does this data have to do with becoming a better

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ROLLING ROAD ASHLEY VAN DYKE I DRIVE GREEN

driver? Not only can you save money by decreasing your petrol bill but you also demonstrate giving care to your car which means more TLC for your car’s parts and causing less wear and tear. You, yes you, can drastically reduce emissions by making small changes in your everyday driving practices.

Before the instructors gave any tips, my first score was 52%. I thought I was really trying, too.

Making sure to be easy on the brakes and letting off the gas when I knew there was nowhere to go.

After a debriefing I learned

there are other ways to be more efficient with just a little more attention to detail while on the road. I know you’re thinking this sounds a bit like taking the fun out of your driving but I argue that if you can add a little finesse in your daily driving practices and found it’s going to make your experience on the road safer and less costly more people might be keen on learning what eco driving is all about. Another upside is the opportunity to challenge yourself and put your awareness skills to the test. I was determined to beat my score of 52% and

really took in everything the instructors were telling me to maximise my opportunity next time out. Pretend there is a glass of water sitting on your dashboard. Don’t let your rev range hit over 2500. After talking one on one with the eco driving professionals, I went back out on the course. This time I dramatically improving my score to 96%.

A unique treat awaits me at the end of my eco driving session. Ronn Maxwell with Ronn Motor Company brought a very special exotic car, The Scorpion, from his headquarters in Austin, Texas. The Scorpion

(www.ronnmotors.com), a hydrogen fuel injection (HFI), supercar was looking like a diamond sitting next to my Toyota Sienna. With an Acura dual overhead cam, aluminum/magnesium block, 3.5 litre, V-tech, V6, Type S twin turbo engine, it also produces hydrogen during vehicle operation through electrolysis of water using the power generated from the vehicle’s electrical system. A small amount of hydrogen added to the vehicles intake air/fuel mixture allows the engine to operate with less fossil fuel. I love the performance package that includes

improving efficiency and utilizes alternative fuels but how does the car handle and drive? Sure, the car has caught my eye with beautiful lines, scissor doors and sits low to the ground but I wanted to know what it felt like to drive the car. My test drive around the course was short but very sweet.

A production car which is completely street-legal but has the feel of a real race car. Heavy clutch, tight suspension and loud pulse pumping acceleration this is not the car you’re going to avoid the paparazzi in.

In fact quite the opposite.

I was turning heads in all

directions and making quite a splash zipping around through the gears. The car makes a statement of change and I could feel the excitement when talking to Mr Maxwell about the movement of highperformance vehicles with alternative fuel flairs. With a price tag of $250,000 and a limited number of 200 being made in 2009 I think this may be a great addition to any collection of vehicles for those who can afford it.

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ROLLING ROAD AL CLARK NISSAN SKYLINE HR32

Okay, I promise I do like proper track driving – I hold a Nürburgring season pass, but ever since I purchased my first MX-5 a few years ago and learned to embrace the wet roundabout, I have had a fascination with competition level drifting.

Having recently achieved my Drift Licence (like an ARDS, only more sideways), I’ve been looking for a more suitable car than the ’5 to prep into a fully caged, sideways smoke machine that was still great for grip work, too.

And here she is – a 1992 Nissan Skyline HR32 GTS RB20DE. In non gibberis, she’s the best shape, lightest shell and 100% rear-wheel drive.

Unfortunately, when this car left the factory in July 1992 some spineless buyer

specced a 1998cc nonturbocharged six-cylinder coupled to an automatic, which was awful.

Luckily, those resourceful (or lazy?) engineers in Japan had a habit of making an almost unending list of interchangeable parts between (completely separate) 1990s Nissan sports models, which is handy as I’ve raided a Nissan 180SX (or ‘the model down’) of its front subframe, two litre four-cylinder SR20DET turbocharged engine, gearbox plus dashboard.

The engine is almost 100kg lighter but has twice as much power and torque as the old pig iron RB20DE, and is one of the most cheaply tunable engines in the world, with hundreds running over 300bhp all

day, and a good handful pushing 400-450bhp for not a inconsiderable amount more.

So hopefully now you’re starting to see where this is going. Take the Skyline shell, mate it to the spiffing 180SX engine and transmission and you’ve got yourself the makings of an awesome track machine on a budget.

As she sits today, the subframe, engine, wiring and temporary coilovers are all fitted. One needs a clutch, a gearbox mount and a prop shaft to get it to the stage where she can actually be driven, then it’s just a case of fitting an aggressive LSD and all the other millions of geeky things I look forward to telling you about in the future.

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ROLLING ROAD PHIL ROYLE Impreza Type RA Insurance is one of those things in life I hate, with venom. Year after year, you go carefully, park in sensible spots, avoid mentalists on the road (& track days), keep it on the black stuff, shiny side up and act like a cherubim, only to have your premium go up at the end of your angelic year of motoring. So, you shop about – a process sure to make a mass murderer out of even a lifelong saint, despite the C21st addition of so-called ‘user friendly price comparison websites.’

It’s a long, painful, boring, annoying chore… like filling in a tax return, only more talking to foreigners first. And it’s sooooo time consumingly dull. Then, when you have found a policy to suit, at a price you are just about prepared to pay, you find out there’s no accident cover, or breakdown cover, or legal, or track days cover either.

Raaaaaaaaaaaaaar!

As you can tell, the insurance industry is not my fav thing… until I met Heritage Insurance (www. heritage-quote.co.uk) that

is. What a bunch of cool, car-mad, knowledgeable, efficient, helpful and, best of all, human folk they are.

With over 40 years experience, Heritage (trading as Norton Insurance) have got some great relationships – therefore deals – with their chosen, top end insurers, like Chaucer. They offer brilliant levels of cover, from a highly reputable firm and which also includes fabulous extras, like track day cover (with your club), FOC, with your annual policy. That is gold dust, in my book; no nee to sort two lots of insurance hell out.

Just one easy, simple, onestop-shop approach.

And their customer service is excellent. You can actually call a local rate number, and, within seconds, be speaking to a real human, with no holding music, or over-complicated list of push button menus… it’s that easy. And the staff are all really well clued up and efficient, as is their paperwork, and website.

Heritage offer specialist insurance policies for

vintage and classics, modern performance cars, everyday cars, kits and replicas, 4x4’s and motorhomes, grey imports, family fleets, rally, track day and hill climb competition vehicles (like my own Type RA Impreza) and travel and breakdown cover too. They even do house insurance.

Having found these guys to insure my track RA and classic MX5 (less than £200 PA), and also had a brilliant deal on my road Impreza Wagon from Adrian Flux (adrianflux.co.uk), finally, years of attrition and venom can be let go of: And, relax!

Maybe insurance is not painful at all, when you know where to go for it…

Thanks www.heritage-quote.co.uk www.adrianflux.co.uk & REMEMBER… See you all at www.opentrack.co.uk December 1st, Oulton Park Road Magazine seasonal special… just £119. Come and have a hoon before you have to order Christmas and cope with in-law visits!

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Opentrack UNIQUE TRACK EVENTS

ANGLESEY SEPEMBER 22ND/23RD A masterclass in trackdriving artistry with Mark Hales and Don Palmer.

A two-day intensive course using the teaching skills of two of the most experienced driving coaches in the world.

Mark Hales has joined forces with the highly respected coach and car control expert Don Palmer to create a unique learning experience.

With your help, Hales and Palmer dissect the driving experience then allow you to reassemble it in a way that only you need understand.

It is not a quick fix, but it is the best route to greater understanding.

The venue we use most often is the picturesque Anglesey Circuit in North Wales where we will help you develop your track driving skills to a very high level.

Oulton Park December 1st

For the track day enthusiast, Oulton Park should be on your list of “must do” UK circuits. It’s a technical and challenging circuit with a combination of high and low speed bends and plenty of gradient to get to grips with.

The cost for the day is £119.00 for a Car and Driver.

You may have a extra driver sharing your car and track time for £40.00. Passengers in your vehicle are £10.00 each.

www.opentrack.co.uk FOR FURTHER DETAILS Please call Dave or Phil on 01954-202-588 / 07946-610193

2

a section for all things sexy, fast and fun

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Life with two wheels Roads are changing, no longer do we all run cars on a daily basis. Instead, the convention of a weekday car and weekend bike is quickly fading.

Congestion charges, running costs and the over-population of our roads have led to a switch from four wheels to two.

New riders are realising that a motorcycle is more than a mere tool; it’s a source of endless fun, satisfying achievements and adrenaline induced smiles.

Pinning it through a city centre in rush hour, cruising the motorway on a summer night, crossing borders in the peak of winter or firing around a track at the weekend, Road2 is about the simple but satisfying pleasures of life with 2 wheels.

From value commuters through to exotic superbikes, Road2 brings a new perspective on the exciting life of bikes.

Easy to absorb developments in riding and bike technology that can be enjoyed online wherever and whenever you like!

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Farq’in quick Ryan Farquhar ensured his excellent 2009 season continued when he took a win and three seconds at the Skerries 100 road races. Held on the outskirts of Dublin, Farquhar took victory in the Supertwins race and took close seconds in the Open, Supersport 600cc and Grand Final events whilst he also claimed a new outright lap record at 109.521mph.

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45 DESMODECI! Over 150 guests witnessed the World’s largest ever gathering of Desmosedici owners at Donington Park as 45 Desmosedicis from all over Europe took to the track.

This exclusive Desmosedici-only track day saw owners from UK, Germany, Switzerland, Holland and France congregate at the Derbyshire track for an historic day boosted by perfect weather.

Desmosedici owners enjoyed nearly two and a half hours of track time on the full GP circuit with optional one to one training from DRE instructors that included ex racers David James, Marco Luchinelli and Dario Marchetti.

This fantastic day was topped off by the generosity of those present who raised ÂŁ5,500 for Riders for Health. www.ducati.com WWW.ROADMAGAZINE.CO.UK 103

Powerhouse Superbike and Ultra-styled Streetbike

Early morning, light breaks through the curtains; I can tell it’s not the sun from the V6 growling in the background.

That’ll be Tim then. It’s 2.30am on a Thursday morning in April, we hit the road in the Porsche Cayenne (see pages xx), a long drive to North Wales ahead of us; destination Anglesey Race Circuit.

We’re special guests at Suzuki’s dealer training day; the full line-up from Suzuki’s two-wheeled range is present including the

recently launched powerhouse GSX-R1000 superbike and ultra-styled Gladius streetbike.

On arrival, it is announced that the morning track session is temporarily postponed due to standing water and slippery track conditions from the earlier downpour.

Perfectly located on the edge of the country, the track was blown dry by the sea breeze, after lunch we were out on the streetbikes.

Leathers, boots, helmet and gloves fitted, no questions

asked, I head straight for the iconic Gladius. After giving it life with a turn of the key and push of a button, the already warm engine purring quietly enough to hear the instructor shout ‘It’s slippery out there so I’m leading at a sensible pace.’ Fair enough, no one wants to be scraped off the Tarmac by marshals.

Rambling round on the sighting lap, mucking about with the gearbox and it’s clear the 645cc V-twin engine has plenty of grunt, you can use WWW.ROADMAGAZINE.CO.UK 105

the torque to power out of corners a gear or two higher, instantly making it easy to ride. The power delivery is smooth, thanks to the fuel injection system from the GSX-R superbike range.

What’s more, the lightweight and low centre of gravity gives a composed feel and decent feedback.

After a few laps, the Hayabusa-mounted instructor disappears down the straights, a clear invitation to wind it up.

I give the Gladius some stick; for a twin it revs reasonably high, giving the option to hold third through the midstraight kink. Treble figures on the digital speedo catch my glimpse before I get onto the Gladius’ twin disc brakes for the crested tight left corner.

After notching up a few laps and grinding down the

footpegs on the surprisingly decent-handling Gladius, we pull in and take out the rest of the streetbike range.

Next up is the GSX-R superbike range. I make for the smallest of the three siblings – the GSX-R600.

I make the compulsory comparison to my older Honda equivalent; a tad smaller, slightly more comfy seat, a more focused riding position and few more gadgets on the futuristic dash.

Lap 1 – Going backwards The joker before me played with the drive mode selector and left it in ‘C’ (‘Chicken’) mode, resulting in a gutless exit onto the main straight, by the time I figured it out, everyone was at the next corner.

Lap 2 – Playing catch up The wobbly first lap adaptation from streetbike to superbike was like a cruel parent taking their kid’s stabilisers away too early, but with the bike set in ‘A’ (‘Almighty’) mode the second lap was smoother and the group were back in sight.

Lap 3 – The blue and white mist As I sling the 600 into some of the tighter corners, I’m amazed how agile it is.

The chassis is awesome, giving a planted feel, even when flicking from left to right in the chicane. Pinning it down the straight is hugely satisfying, although the acceleration wasn’t noticeably better than my older CBR600.

Lap 4 – Knee hammered apexes Finally on the pace, tyres warmed, I brave it into

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the sweeping right-hander, hang off the bike and there it is; the sound of moulded slider being grated down by the Tarmac. All the more satisfying when you stand the bike up to check it wasn’t the bodywork.

Next, I move up to the mid-range GSX-R750.

Dimensions are so close to the 600 on track it handles just as well, giving a slightly more respectable graze on my slider. The extra power is noticeable and in the right

gear out of the corners it stimulates your mind quicker than a shot of Red Bull to the heart.

While this is all seriously fast fun, there is one dark thought lurking in my mind, whispering to the little devil on my shoulder. Now it’s my turn, I dismount from the faithful steed and walk purposefully towards the thoroughbred racehorse, nerves kicking in and adrenaline pumping in anticipation.

Waiting eagerly alongside the GSX-R1000, the marshal in the pit lane springs to life and, as I glance round, a series of yellow flags with a sliding bike and rider draws my attention. Someone has dropped a bike and the clearup time means our session is over before I get out on the 1000. Understandably, I’m absolutely gutted!

I have been promised another stab, though – watch this space.

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Our client list includes Subaru Cars, Isuzu Cars, Daihatsu Cars, RMA Track Days, Gumball, Bullrun, Tracktive Solutions PR, Leyton Clarke Racing, Fisher German CS, RICS UK, KW Suspensions, Opentrack.co.uk, and European Porsche tuners.

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www.stradalemedia.com

Cheap, cheerful and good quality?

SMC GB is the importer of American owned SMC motorcycles. It is serving up a tastly range of price-conscious on-road and off-road bikes.

The new metal arrived on British soil in 2008, with the road-legal version landing this year. The range is aimed at newcomers but is claimed to

also be comprehensive in the hands of intermediate riders.

The company has said that it aims to ‘inject confidence and optimism back into the motorcycle industry’.

Head of Sales, Steve Amos says, “This is a fantastic opportunity to support the industry when more people

are turning to two wheels.

Motorcycles make economic, social and environmental sense. Our bikes are a complete ‘package’ and not just a ‘purchase’.”

Road 2 is currently arranging a test. In the meantime, for more info visit www.smcgb.com

COMPETITION Win a set of wheels!

Road has teamed up with SMC to offer some great prizes in a free-to-enter competition.

Star prize

One set of two wheels, which includes a black anodized rim, an off-road tyre and a hub. This can be two of either 21, 19, 18 or 17 inch in diameter. These are worth £133.00 each.

Runner up prizes

One litre bottle of Muk-Off bike cleaner – we have two bottles to give away.

To enter, all you have to do is answer the following question: Where are SMC based?

Hint – you can find the answer at www.smcgb.com Send your answer in an email marked ‘SMC competition’ to rob@roadmagazine.co.uk WWW.ROADMAGAZINE.CO.UK 111

BEAUTIFUL SIMPLICITY A collaboration between UK motorcycle design studios, Xenophya Design and Ellis Pitt has spawned the creation of Mac Motorcycles.

Mac specialises in a small range of lightweight, aircooled singles using a 500cc Buell motor in a tubular backbone frame.

There are four models ;

‘Spud’, for dossing about on, ‘Ruby’, the motorcycle equivalent of ‘the girl-nextdoor’, ‘Peashooter’, for squirting to your favourite pub and gassing with your mates and the ‘Roarer’, a modernday dinosaur-chaser!

Ellis explains: “What underpins Mac Motorcycles’ philosophy though is the belief

that the riding experience has been hijacked by technology and plastic.”

Plans are to produce a few hundred bikes for markets in the UK, North America and Japan and depending on specification, could cost around £8000 to £10,000. www.mac-motorcycles.com

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0% finance deals For the launch issue of Road2 we have assembled a collection of the best deals to Road readers onto two wheels this summer. Manufacturers are giving great offers to combat the credit crunch and make life on two wheels even more enticing.

Aprilia

Ducati UK

Honda

Kawasaki

Currently running a 0% finance campaign with only 20% deposit (25% on Tuono) on the: Tuono, Tuono Factory, Shiver Dorsoduro. uk.aprilia.com

Finance is now available at 0% APR typical with 50% deposit on: 1198, 1198s, 848, Monster 696, Hypermotard 1100s, Multistrada 1100S, Monster 1100s. ducatiuk.com

The award-winning CBR range can be snapped up with 0% finance over 42 months, including: CBR125, CBR600RR, CBR1000RR. honda.co.uk

Offering a stunning 0% finance package, with two and a half years to pay and a comfortable deposit of just ÂŁ99 on: EX650 (various models), ZX600 (various), ZR750 (various), ZX1000E, ZR1000 (various) ZG1400A kawasaki.co.uk

Please check websites for latest details. Offers corrct at time of press

MV Augusta

Suzuki

Yamaha

Triumph

Finance your dream machine on a 0% offer over two and a half years, deal applies to: MV Agusta F4 1078 RR 312, Brutale 1078 RR Brutale 989 R. mvagusta.co.uk

Offering a cracking 0% finance over 3 years on some of its most popular bikes, including: GSXR600, GSX-R750, Bandit 1250 (various), V-Strom 650 (various), GSX650F, SV650 Sport DR125SM. suzuki-gb.co.uk

A minimum deposit of ÂŁ99 and finance available at 0% over 3 years. Models eligible for the promotion are: FJR1300A, FZ1 (various), FZ6 (various), XJ6 (various), XJR1300, XT660 (various), XV1900 Midnight Star, XVS1300A Midnight Star, XVS950A Midnight Star, YZF-R6, X-CITY250, X-MAX250. yamaha-motor.co.uk

Low-rate finance available on the new Daytona 675. Contact your local dealer for more information. triumph.co.uk

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GLOVELY When it comes to bike gear, call me a tart, but i like to know im wearing stuff the the pros are happy to wear.

Thats why this season i will be mostly wearing Alpinestars GP Tech gloves. Why? Well Moto GP and WSB riders wear them for a start, plus they have their cool and safe 3rd - 4th finger bridge that

stops my pinkey snaping off if im a bit ambitious.

Infact, these gloves have more exotic materials than my bike, most importantly they are there for a reason though, and they come in black, that means they wont look dirty and knackered in six months time. The first time you slip them on they already feel like

an old friend, I don’t know about you but there’s nothing worse than wobbling off down the road in bike gear that is a bit fresh and starchy. Don’t mess around when you buy you bike bits, go for the good stuff, it’ll last too! www.alpinestars.com

Bootifull There’s not a great deal to say here.

We have TCX’s awesome Bayliss Rep RS boot on test and all we can do is get a skantily clad model to wear them for us. While the chrome might not be to everyones taste they have really grown on us, expect to see them in proper action soon, then we can tell you about all the fancy things like its vented sole and metatarsel control system, until then, just enjoy the picture, and know that these boots look hot. www.tcxboots.com

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ROLLING ROAD ROB COOPER CBR 600 Low miles in one of the best Highlights of the month biking months of the year Moto GP – Rossi and Anyone who has ever Lorenzo battle at Catalunya, experienced paranoia will the most exciting last lap in know it’s not fun, no matter motorcycle racing history, how trivial, I can’t think Rossi takes the victory with of anything worse than a win or bin move into the losing your confidence on final corner. Sachsenring two wheels. After a couple saw Rossi pip the lead once of weeks of doubting my more, by an ironic 0.099 of own riding, I decided to a second. take the CBR to my local dealer, a few hours later i’m British Superbike – The reassured to discover the already unpopular Brookes wheel alignment was out. overshoots his braking A couple of adjustments point and t-bones leader later I’m back on the road, Andrews, causing no less enjoying the warm summer than six riders to crash, evening. hailing red flags for a dramatic end to the race.

Lesson learnt: if you’re paranoid that your bike Freestyle MX – Robbie doesn’t feel right, get Maddison crosses London it checked over, even if Bridge in a less than they tell you it’s fine, its orthodox manner. worth it for restoring your confidence.

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