Water crossing
They decided to make a splash on the international scene by tackling Rally Whangaeri in New Zealand with a leased Ford Fiesta. This first foray overseas also saw Brendan’s front-drive competition debut. “Rally Whangaeri came about because the Fiesta Sporting trophy hadn’t taken off in terms of popularity and they wanted an international driver to boost exposure. We had minimal testing in the car and I found that it needed to be set up for entry well before a corner, so we could drive through under power. My usual left-foot braking technique wasn’t as effective in the Fiesta, due to the brake booster (he had never rallied with one before) altering the pedal feel and making it harder to pivot into turns. Despite this we lead all Fiestas after the first day and were again ahead of the pace on the second. A puncture cost us some time but our challenge ended when we returned to the car. It wouldn’t start because the battery had gone flat,” he remembers.

Whangaeri was the precursor event to participation in the WRC round in New Zealand, again in the Fiesta. When I ask Reeves about nerves, he smiles, but his response is quite assured: “We took a lot from the experience, just seeing how much importance the WRC guys place on reconnaissance and being specific with their notes. I wasn’t nervous being in front of them, as obviously they were running well ahead on the road.”

As for the rally itself, they finished first in the Fiesta class and 25th outright- despite a broken ball joint on the last stage sapping time. Off the back of this performance Brendan earned a wild card entry to the UK for a Fiesta shootout. The majority of other invitees had been running the cars all season…

“Twenty junior drivers were flown in from around the world to compete, the prize being a contract with M-Sport (Ford’s international rally team). The first day we did fitness and psychological tests, and I came out at the top of the list. Day 2 was the actual driving. The conditions were very difficult for me, being minus five degrees and with an icy surface- I’d never driven on that type of surface before. It was a 3km stage and we had three allocated runs each, but I never had my last run as the driver before me destroyed the Fiesta! My second run was good enough for eighth overall, but I had a lot more time in hand as I got to grips with the car. Unfortunately I never got the opportunity to show it,” he says with slight annoyance. Regardless, Reeves made it through to the final five and was interviewed by an illustrious panel that included Marcus Gronholm and Malcolm Wilson. After his demeanour was assessed, they placed him third overall- a remarkable result given the circumstances.

Targa time
Back in Australia Rhianon had an opportunity to co-drive for Rick Bates in the Targa Tasmania for the factory Mazda team in a Mazda3 MPS. Bates was impressed with her professionalism and when an opening came up to drive a second MPS she recommended Brendan. The siblings were subsequently entered in the showroom class for the Tasmanian Tarmac Challenge, as preparation for an assault on the Targa in 2009. The result was a strong eighth outright and first in showroom class.

This momentum carried into the Targa as they won the 2WD Showroom class at Targa Tassie after mixing it in the wet with the Mitsubishi Evos- until the MPS was penalised for a tyre change (against Targa rules) after a puncture.
Gravel, however, continued to be the Reeves focal point. “Our intention was to do as many pace noted gravel rallies as possible, to gain more experience and good enough results to allow an entry into the Australian WRC round in Perth,” he says.

The early results were encouraging despite a small budget which did little for continuity of competition and equipment. “We were fortunate to have Mick offer us a Rally School STI for a couple of events. We won outright at Rally Lithgow in NSW and came second behind Eli (Evans) in South Australia despite being in a less developed car. “

Rising star
Two further key results leap out from his results page. The first was his performance in the Pirelli Star Driver event in Queensland, with Glenn Weston co-driving (Smyth was part of an all-girl team with Emma Gilmour). “This concept pitted drivers under 26 against each other where we competed for points on each stage rather than going by totalled stage times,” he says. “There was some exceptional competition with Eli Evans, Hayden Paddon and Nathan Quinn present. The top 2 guys were to be invited to an Asian Pacific shootout, with the winner getting a paid drive in the Production Car class of the WRC.” Reeves/Weston were duly victorious and one guaranteed spot was theirs, the shootout scheduled for aforementioned WRC round in Northern NSW.

The wander back to Whangarei
A chance for more international exposure came when Brendan was able to lease Emma Gilmour’s STI to enter the New Zealand APRC round, again at Whangarei. This time his intent was nothing less than outright victory. With Weston alongside, Reeves showed confidence and poise as he mixed it with the best rally drivers in the Asia Pacific championship. “The car was very well set up; with a terrific diff program that Emma had developed with Possum Bourne Motorsport to suit the NZ roads. Again we didn’t have much opportunity to test, but still we were running second overall behind Paddon. Cody (Crocker) was third, but driving a new and unsorted car so I expected a fight as the rally continued on. On the fourth last stage, we caught up to Richard Mason, who had blown a turbo and filled the stage with smoke. I lost too much time behind it, and Cody’s clear run allowed him passed. There just wasn’t enough time for me to catch it back up!” The rallying fraternity were mightily impressed with this 20 year old arriving to drive a leased car serviced by borrowed crew to a podium in his first outright Asia Pacific event. Things were looking great, and confidence in the Reeves camp was sky-high for a memorable performance in the Australian WRC event.

Learning experience
Rhainon returned to the co-driving chair for the ARC’s Rally SA, but it was here that all the hard grafted momentum stalled with a massive accident that separated the Rally School STI’s engine from its frame. “We were really focussed on running at the front and we were setting fastest stage times. Unfortunately the car developed a misfire and with the time lost came a need to claw it back. I don’t remember much of the accident- but in the lead up we were doing over 180km/h approaching a 9L over a crest. We landed on a gutter on the right side, the gutter then pulling the car up and into a gumtree before spinning us into another tree on the left. “

Rhianon suffered breaks in both legs and heels, while Brendan cracked vertebrae in his neck. As a result, the guaranteed entry into the Australian WRC in Northern NSW had to be shelved as it was on only three weeks later. “We were pretty shattered and Rhianon had to have several operations to set her legs. She maintained her positivity throughout, and she has vowed to get back alongside me again in 2010,” he explains.

An incident as monumental as this can have a negative effect when one climbs back behind the wheel, however Reeves enlisted the help of a sports psychologist, Anthony Klarica, who was recommended by Simon Evans to assist in his rehabilitation. “He basically helped me refocus on my goals for the future, and to move forward with real positivity for the time ahead,” Brendan remembers.

Fightback
The return came on a local VRC round, the Akademos that he had previously won outright in the naturally aspirated RS. This time he entered in the STI that he had prepared for Perth, alongside Ben Atkinson, who is best known for sitting with Cody Crocker. “My intent was to ease myself back into the groove. Ben was so good about it, being very encouraging. To start with I was braking far too early, but I knew my reasons for it. We were initially running second outright, eventually upping our pace and eventually taking the win, so it was great for the confidence knowing I could still do it.”

Moving forward
So, what lies ahead in 2010 for Brendan Reeves? “I have an entry in Rally Tasmania in our LHD STI Spec-C, with Rhianon returning alongside,” he says. “We are entered in the outright class which allows us some freedoms in tyres, gearbox and engine. The competition is going to be intense- Jim Richards in his Porsche GT2 will be there, Tony Quinn’s GT-R…and Steve Glenney in a similar spec car to my own.” A ‘who’s who of recent Targa Tasmania winners, in other words.

“Things are also looking good for another attack on Showroom class in the Mazda MPS at Targa Tasmania and we’d love to do it again. It is a an event that consumes you… our ‘recce’ last year racked up over 6000kms as the roads change so much in wet/dry conditions. The challenge in making the tyres last the event was an education in smoothness and utilising a higher gear in corners to rely on torque to drag you out without spinning wheels.”

Strong drives in these local events will contribute to 2010’s ultimate goal- to further develop an international profile with entries in selected Asia Pacific and (hopefully) WRC rounds. Reeves is currently talking with a couple of international outfits to achieve this, and early feedback suggests things are progressing well.

The competition driving will be augmented with further work at the rally school (“It’s very cheap testing!”) and his ability to develop hardware has led to some further opportunities- in fact, after our chat he is off to test a new generation of tarmac rally tyre at Phillip Island, aboard a Les Walkden 2008 STI. I jokingly offer my availability should he “Need any circuit tips,” and he kindly goes along with the (attempted) comedy in his easy, down-to-earth manner. As we depart, it is this flash of personality that leaves the biggest impression. He combines good nature with an immense natural talent that is supported by an inquisitive, professional, committed attitude; the net result bringing a true self-belief that will see him go a very long way in the rallying world. Watch this space and remember the name- ‘Brendo’ is on a mission.

*If you are interested in supporting Brendan and Rhianon’s rallying, please feel free to contact us at info@lautista.com.au for further information. They have also introduced a new service designed to develop co-drivers- again, email us for info or visit www.brendanreeves.com.au .

With a jab of handbrake, the Evo pulls alongside the viewing platform, its driver’s face already broken into a smile as he hears yet again the incoherent ramblings of another passenger who has just had their perceptions of fast driving altered forever. The driver, completely relaxed, climbs out, the Evo now sitting idle, its previously superheated internals now ticking cool. He pulls up a chair alongside mine, shakes my hand. “G’Day, I’m Brendo. Nice to meet you.”

‘Brendo’ is perhaps better known as Brendan Reeves, the 21 year old country Victorian who has already proved himself as one of the quickest rally drivers in the country. His resume is already highly impressive and many in the industry are tipping massive things in his rallying future.

Fuelling the passion
How did it all begin? “My Dad Michael was a successful rally driver, winning the Victorian Rally Championship in 1997 and 2003. I remember going to watch him long before I was old enough to drive, helping out in the service crew. I was fascinated by the sport, and when my older brother Nathan got into go-karting I wanted to as well,” he recalls.
Even at the age of 7, Reeves had established that he wanted to be a professional rally driver when he grew up. Obviously not yet old enough to drive a car, he entered the world of karting and participated until he was 11, but found the atmosphere a little tense with other parents pushing their children a little too firmly to be the next Schumacher.
Being so young at the time, he remembers that the new information was quickly absorbed. “I learned race-craft on the karts, and almost unconsciously developed an understanding of the tarmac ‘line’- of entry, apex and exit, which helps me even today on bitumen.”

Reeves played Aussie Rules football and hockey as he ticked away the couple of years required before he could legally compete in local Autocross events. By the time he was 15, brother Nathan was already into rallying and father Michael felt it was time to retire from the stages to devote all his time to developing his children’s rallying interests (I say children as daughter Rhianon Smyth is today a highly successful co-driver in her own right, and usually partners Reeves on major events.)

Dirty work
Out at the family farm at Wedderburn, Michael built a dirt practice track and Brendan’s first memorable dirt experiences came in an assortment of Datsun’s, along with a stripped out Falcon. “It had no weight in it so the suspension worked quite well, and it had a torquey engine so I quickly learned about oversteer!” he laughs.

Brendan fondly recalls Sunday afternoons where he would race a stopwatch over 6kms around the track, battling for top time against his father, brother and friends. “It was fantastic to have the benefit of that track. Combined with Dad’s advice, along with that of his rallying friends, was invaluable. I still occasionally venture out there for testing.”

The move into autocross was “To learn the ropes in a competitive environment at low cost,” he says.
Obviously a fast learner, Brendan at 16 years old became the youngest ever winner of the Victorian Autocross Championship, which pits drivers against the clock over a range of 2km dirt circuits. He competed in a Datsun 240Z that he keeps to this day. “It was a great, reliable car, with around 280bhp and the ‘Option 1’ dog-leg gearbox which the works teams used back in the Seventies. Being rear-wheel drive and quite powerful, I learned a lot about being smooth with my inputs and aiming for the cleanest, grippiest exit lines during that time.”

At the end of 2005 Brendan entered Nathan’s Datsun 1600 in his first stage rally with his father’s old co-driver, Robin Smalley. “Having an experienced hand guiding me at that point was vital,” Brendan remembers. “I drove right on the edge in the first stage, as fast as I could go. As the stage ended, Robin said ‘You don’t need to drive anywhere near that hard to win this event.’ The underlying message really sunk in- you had to manage your speed in a way to combine good pace with enough margin to bring the car home. I also discovered how fit you had to be to achieve consistency. There was a 57km night stage, still the longest I have ever driven, and I came out of it panting. Dad caught me, and said ‘What’s the matter, Brendo? A bit puffed are we!?’”

Brandan’s quickly developing professional mindset was enhanced by an invitation to a 3 day course at the Australian Institute of Sport Rally Development program. Here he was presented with further tools that would assist his development. “We basically learned the other side of rallying. Most people think we just turn up and drive the cars. The AIS educated us about nutrition and mental/physical fitness, but also introduced skills in dealing with the larger rallying community- sponsors and media in particular.”

Adaptation
2006 saw Reeves participate in a couple of rounds of the RS Cup, a championship designed for the all-wheel drive, naturally aspirated Impreza RS. “It was…enlightening!” he grins. “Going from the 240Z which had big power but not much grip to something completely the opposite dictated a change in driving style. The RS was all about keeping up momentum through the corners.”

He quickly adapted, winning the RS cup with a twelfth outright at the 2006 NGK Rally of Melbourne, a round of the Australian Rally Championship (ARC). Rallyschool.com.au owner Mick Ryan reminds me that “Brendo also won a Victorian event outright in the RS…against turbocharged STI Imprezas… including one driven by his brother!”
In light of this banter, it is obvious the siblings enjoy a good natured rivalry. Rhianon, who also works the Melbourne rally school weekends with her brothers, appears to enjoy stirring the pot- at one stage cheekily asking a returning school student which brother was the quicker ‘hot lap’ instructor. When “Nathan” was the response, she made sure Brendan heard about it! “But those laps are about going sideways not about speed!” was his smiling response.

The national stage
Brendan’s impressive performances in the RS led to a real breakthrough for 2007, as Les Walkden provided a privately owned left hand drive STI for Brendan and Rhianon to compete in the ARC. “Les was a big supporter of the RS challenge and after it finished in ’06 he wanted to give a young driver a chance to step up. I was lucky enough to be chosen,” he recalls.

It was another steep learning curve as Reeves was new to LHD and the Impreza’s ‘dog ‘box’. The established rallying fraternity, more close-knit than in other forms of motorsport, were quick to lend the new boy a hand. “Cody Crocker was great,” Reeves says. “A fortnight before the first Rally in Queensland he came out to the farm and, on that same dirt track Dad had made, he showed me how to get to grips with the car.”

This quick familiarisation led to a scarcely believable third outright in Queensland, but the lingering taste of champagne was not long to last, for at the next event in Western Australia Brendan and Rhianon failed to finish. “We’d come through to the last stage and were again looking good on pace. It was a wet stage…we crashed and basically destroyed the car. It was humbling, especially after experiencing the elation of Queensland.”

Reeves/Smyth ended the ARC season sixth overall and third privateer. Ever competitive, he recalls with disappointment the missed opportunity to take third overall with a strong finish in the Melbourne finale. “The Victorian drought made the surfaces very slippery. On the fourth stage I misheard the pace note for a 7 Right and lost my spot on the stage. We ended up rolling seven times…,” he says, voice trailing off at the memory.

The ‘new boy’ had thus made an STI-sized dent (sorry) on the sport, and as time went by he found that the advice that was once free-flowing from guys like Crocker, Simon Evans, Ed Ordynski and Neal Bates was now replaced with competitive banter as their respect for his ability grew. “Cody and Simon sometimes work for the rally school, and we always try to one-up each other, the aim being to slide the car as much as possible!” he laughs.

The brother/sister team then spent the summer of 2007/08 developing their pace note communication, adapting the familiar 1 to 10 corner grading system to their own specifications under the guidance of the aforementioned Crocker and Ordynski. A more diverse range of opportunities were to come in the new year….

Follow the link for part 2: Part 2

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Ford’s opinion was that those who required more performance would plump for the 240kw XR6 turbo or 260kw XR8 if a V8 grumble was required. There was no longer any need for a hotted up atmospheric version of the six, especially since the standard engine was so far ahead of the competition. So, the XR6 became a handling and cosmetic package; a recipe of wider alloys, lowered suspension and body addenda.

The lineup remains similar in today’s FG range, though the numbers have changed with development- the XR8 sporting 290kw, the XR6T 270kw, while the base Barra motivating the XR6 produces 195kw @ 6000rpm with 391nm torque @ 3250rpm. Given those figures match the entry level XT, does the sporty handling tune accentuate the Barra’s strengths enough to justify the XR6 beyond its body kit? Let’s find out.

The test
Welcome to Tasmania, known for apples, cheese, pinot noir and breathtaking wilderness. This wilderness provides a stunning canvas from which to paint sinuous ribbons of black tarmac, celebrated annually by the world renowned Targa Tasmania.

We have nabbed the keys to a new XR6 finished in the popular Nitro Blue and matched to a non-showy Black cloth interior. It is in a standard spec with the no cost option 5 speed auto replacing the 6 speed manual, and a 245/45/17 wheel/tyre combination designed to compliment the lowered, stiffened ‘Virtual Control Link’ front and ‘Sports Control Blade’ rear suspensions. Our aim is to discover the abilities of the XR6 across as broad a cross-section of roads as we can find, and following the route that comprised the ‘West Coast trundle’ of the 2009 Targa Tasmania sounds ideal.
Coming for the ride is photographer Daniel, a veteran of XR Falcons having previously owned EB XR8 and EL XR6. Leaving Launceston for Highway 1, the FG’s gleaming blue paintwork shimmers off the shop windows, standing out against the bleak greyness of a typical Tassie morning.

After finding a comfortable seating position through the manually adjustable seat and steering wheel, we head west for Deloraine. First impressions are of a big, relaxed sedan that is in its element at a loping 110km/h cruise. Passengers are reasonably seperated from road undulations and the engine makes unobtrusive progress. Unfortunately, that degree of separation also feels evident in the steering. Though the car sits solidly with no tram-lining tendencies, it’s feels as though there is a feedback barrier distorting the message between rack and hand, dampening the chatter from the wheels. While this detachment contributes to the sentiment of progress-with-minimal-effort, we hope that the XR6 can break the barriers when the road starts to fall back on itself.

Another early bugbear is the auto’s lack of intuitiveness. It often kicks down unexpectedly, disrupting driving flow. As a result we experiment by nudging the lever into manual mode, which is quite a reach across fat centre console (forget even attempting this if you have bottles in the central cup holders). This achieved, we lock the ‘box into 5th gear to determine if the early kick-down is masking a lack of low-rev torque. My right foot plummets through the false stop in the throttle, and we glance at the speedo to await the corresponding increase…hmm, it seems to take a long time to gather enough momentum to turn 90km/h into 110, and is “Nothing on even the manual EL’s high gear, low rev-range response,” according to Daniel. Running it back through the lower gears suggests the big 6 only really starts to wake up with 3000rpm on board, with the combination of older-tech auto and 1800 odd kilos dulling the 195kw motor’s response.

By the time we reach the road that makes up the Mole Creek Targa stage, familiarity has grown and we are ready to explore the XR’s dynamic repertoire in more detail. Sport mode selected with the DSC engaged, the big Falcon transitions from Jekyll to Hyde with a multivalve snarl as revs rise, replacing the previously hushed vocal track. Grip from the Dunlop sport tyres is mightily impressive, and they play a key role in assisting the XR6 to overcome its girth and allow it to turn in with respectable agility. Little roll is evident laterally, and traction in the dry is good enough to not overly worry the DSC system, though over 50kgs of luggage (which was quite easily swallowed by the boot- if you are into that kind of data) set right on the rear axle has to help. Despite these attributes you are still left yearning for more feel, the power steering remaining slightly aloof and lacking the kind of granular feedback that allows you to truly key in to the tarmac beneath.

We gather our thoughts as we cross Oliver’s plains to take in the legendary Cethana stage, cutting through Cave country, rocky outcrops providing an imposing backdrop as we ascend, traverse free-fall down Mt Claude. Here there is either a camber, gradient or surface change around every corner; the bends themselves ranging from hairpins to flick-flack esses. Cethana’s second half is known as a brake killer even at legal speeds and the XR proves this with the previously nippy pedal response replaced with a degree of sponginess, accompanied with a hint of ‘brake whiff’. It doesn’t dilute the sense of awe at driving this strip of bitumen, which compresses every aspect of a rewarding road into 37kms that locals proudly proclaim as the “best piece of tarmac in the world.”

Unfortunately our relationship with the rain has turned from on-again off-again to a live-in arrangement so it’s a good time to settle back into cruise mode, passing through the historic town of Wilmot and spotting the local extroverted letterboxes (from a model steam-train to an outhouse) along the way to tackling more Targa turf in the form of a winding dive to Gunns Plains and a steep climb through Lowana, which sees the wipers working wilfully to keep our field of vision clear.

The Falcon further impresses, maintaining its composure with exceptional body control and a surprising resistance to scrubbing understeer, even without DSC. Switching this off provides an opportunity for the rear to have more input into the cornering process, with a tentative throttle squeeze early in a hairpin revealing that the nose will push wide initially before trimming back to the line as you move to the apex. A more confident input balances the car nicely, avoiding that initial washout, while stabbing harder still offers a relatively benign transition to power oversteer- provocation of which is exacerbated by the conditions. After one sliding instance, Daniel remarks “It’s amazing in this day and age that you can access an engine like this in a car primarily aimed at families. It’s lucky the DSC defaults on when you turn the key…could you imagine Mum on the school run being distracted by the kids in the back and getting broadside in a roundabout?” Thankfully, that aforementioned numbness in low-rev delivery means that it takes quite a prod to do draw this reaction unless the gate is locked in 1st gear.

After our overnight stop on the north coast at Ulverstone, the Targa route takes us through Burnie (with a detour to the Hellyers Road whisky distillery thrown in- well recommended for passengers) before gliding south west towards the conclusion of the trundle in Strahan.

It’s raining harder than ever, so much so that at one point we have to stop to pause for breath, the swiftest wiper speed unable to cope with the deluge. Despite this the Dunlops continue to impress with the way they find grip even in puddles that appear designed to cause aquaplaning of true heart-in-mouth proportions.

Through to the famous Hellyer Gorge we continue to make assured progress between thick forests and meandering rivers (do watch for tourists parking their cars in the middle of the road near the gorge itself…) and the short, intense stage of Mt Black before taking in Rosebery and the final, 33km Rinadeena stage that gradually descends into Strahan.

It’s a grower, this XR, revealing further depth here as initial sweeping corners morph into 30km/h snaps left and right. It carries a poise that is particularly well resolved, with bumps on corner entry being ironed flat (they barely register through the wheel), the shock absorbers maintaining body control as the big Ford settles into the apex. This control is tested during one particularly challenging moment when we negotiate a DSC-free tightening left over a crest, followed by a quick pivot into an adverse camber sharp right. The rear lifts, goes light- the momentum building into a slide, but a settling of the throttle combined with a smooth but swift steering correction settles things down once more. So, you can play but we would advise to keep the DSC on for regular road driving.

Overall, as we settle into a dinner of fresh ocean trout, it is safe to say that the XR6 has exceeded early expectations. But is it still relevant in today’s market? Daniel: “It’s a slow burner isn’t it? I couldn’t bring myself to see beyond its weight and the detached, dulled initial responses. But you learn to adjust…you can get it to flow by easing it into the apex, trusting the grip and using the manual shift mode to exploit the engine more completely. I’d still take the 6-speed manual, though.”

It has to be said that the XR6 still fills its intended niche despite the standard engine, which isn’t short of power in the first place. It is entertaining enough to keep the enthusiast interested, yet is spacious enough to carry five adults comfortably. The ride mixes a tinge of sportiness without being harsh and though the steering could use more feel its overall blend of power and handling is very well judged. It is also cheaper, more fuel efficient and easier for anyone to get in and drive than either of its more illustrious XR siblings. Even without the sparkle of extra stomp, the XR6 still makes a strong case for itself.

The British car auction on the Thursday night is dominated, as you’d expect, by the usual British sportscar brigade, with all the usual suspects; Jaguars from XK120 through to E-type, Big Healeys, MGs of all shape and size, Triumph, Morgan and Allard, the majority of which are offered without reserve. There are certainly a few standout cars in this selection though, the pick of which is the last ever Aston Martin DB4 GT, chassis number # 0175.
# 0175 is a very special car, being one of only 6 ever made to full Factory Lightweight specifications. The weight reduction of these cars was achieved by replacing many steel parts with aluminium, by judicious use of “hole-cutting”, and by the deletion of many other components. Who needs a window washer or glove-box lid anyway? The car was totally restored and race prepared in 1995, and has many historic racing victories to its name. An excellent entry to the world’s best motoring events, at an estimate of around $1 million USD.

Other highlights in the British car auction include a DB4 race car with many modern safety and performance components and a 416bhp engine, a DB4 GT Zagato Replica (est $300,000 – $450,000 USD), and a 1964 Jaguar E-Type “Semi-Lightweight” race car which was specified from new with all the desirable racing modifications, and sympathetically upgraded over the following forty years (est $300,000 – $400,000).

Most of the really interesting (though possibly less useable) stuff is reserved for the Friday auction however, with a range of Detroit concept cars due to cross the block, including four from the “Dream Machine” 50s, when the sky really was the limit when it came to styling, and one very interesting concept from the 90s.
The most important of these concepts, and considered by many to be one of the most significant concept cars ever produced, is the 1954 Mercury XM-800. A dramatic two-door hardtop, its futuristic design influenced most American cars of the next few years, and introduced such features as the forward sloping A-pillars and wrap-around windscreen, functional hood scoop, and aerodynamic fender skirts. A unique car, subject to a nut-and-bolt restoration, and of immense historical importance, this car’s estimate is ‘available upon request’ (that’ll be millions then).

Other concept cars from the 50s include the 1958 Cadillac “Raindrop” convertible, which could automatically raise it’s hardtop roof at the first raindrop it felt (est $250,000 – $300,000 USD), and the 1956 Cadillac Maharani Special, which featured a fridge, hotplate, folding table, coffee dispenser, and kitchen sink with running water. Sounds like a bargain at an estimated $150,000 – $200,000 USD.

Chrysler’s 1956 “Plainsman” concept car was designed by Virgil Exner and crafted by Ghia. A response to the growing station wagon market, it is a two door car supposedly reflecting the “colorful [sic] and casual way of life that typifies the nation’s westward movement” according to the contemporary promotional material. Another one-off show car, the car is fascinating for its subsequent life. To avoid paying duty on the car Chrysler loaned it to a gentleman in Cuba, and it was then bought by a Chrysler employee living in Cuba. When he was forced to flee Cuba he took the car with him to Australia, where it was converted to RHD and fitted with a 440 cube V8. On return to the USA it was driven regularly as a family car, before eventually being sold on and converted back to LHD. It remains street legal and is completely original. The consignor of the car encourages a complete cosmetic restoration. What a cool car. Estimate is $250,000 – $300,000 USD.
Fellow fans of the classic video game Gran Turismo 2 will no doubt remember fondly the Ford GT90. From memory it was a pretty hard car to win in the game, and then was pretty tricky to handle anyway, but looked pretty stunning. Well, here’s your chance to own the real thing, as the only GT90 ever built is up for sale at this auction. With 720bhp from a 6.0 litre quad-turbocharged V12, and supposedly the “world’s mightiest supercar”, the car is probably more notable for introducing Ford’s ‘edge’ styling theme, which produced some pretty good looking cars to my eyes, including Focus, Mondeo and Cougar. Another lot with ‘estimates available upon request’, this car will easily break the million dollar mark.

Not many cars can wear the tag ‘legend’ easily, but the car which is undoubtedly the highlight of the Automobiles of Arizona auction was built to wear that label. CSX 2196 was originally a 289 Shelby Cobra, but when the racing competition started to get more threatening during 1963, the decision was made to stuff a 427 engine in it to see what it could do. Legend has it that Carroll Shelby took it for a test drive, got out, and simply said “make it a race car”. Months of testing, strengthening, racing, strengthening, and more testing and strengthening followed, and eventually the car was fitted with a unique clam shell design body, with both boot and bonnet hinging at the cars extremities for easy access to the mechanicals, and both doors simply flipping down from their lower edge, giving the car its “flip-top” nickname. This car is the only Cobra 427 prototype ever made, and one of the most important cars in history, in this writer’s humble opinion. Oh, and did I mention that it has 623bhp from its aluminium block V8? Yes, estimate is available upon request. I would expect at least $3 million USD for this car, but if that’s too much there is a ‘normal’ 427 Cobra in the auction at an estimated $650,000 – $770,000 USD in a lovely black on black colour scheme.

All this is a bit rich for my blood, but I’d be tempted by the 1963 BMC Technical Support Vehicle at an estimate of $115,000 – $145,000 USD. One of only 8 remaining, these vehicles were designed to carry a car to an event and provide logistical support. Transporters can be very boring, but these ones were styled by Pininfarina, and it shows. Flowing lines and beautifully sculpted alloy panels lead down to small tail fins and chrome bumpers. What better way to take your race car to Goodwood?

Pictures courtesy RM Auctions and associated photographers.

I have owned it over the last 2 years, but with a new house and some other projects on the way I just can’t justify keeping it around, lovely as it is.

Some basic details:
-Comprehensive history folder including all maintenance and upgrade receipts from Maranello Motors under my ownership.
-2 litre engine on 40mm Webers (rebuilt early 2007), 2 litre gearbox, diff and brakes, upgraded cams (previous owner didn’t have specs available).
-Koni Red shocks (new fronts, rebuilt rears).
-Lowered suspension with stiffer springs.
-Electronic ignition and thermo fan.
-Semi-comp brake pads and braided hoses.
-Near new 185/65 Bridgestone tyres.
-Retrimmed Black vinyl seats (no cracks in the dashboard either).
-Autotecnica steering wheel with spacer to improve driving position.
-Fire extinguisher.

It has also just come back from having some small patches of rust removed and a couple of small dings ironed out and repainted.

My intention was to enjoy this car on country roads and also on the occaisonal track expedition. In actuality, I have enjoyed the roads immensely but it has only gone on track once, at Winton for the driver development day earlier this year.

The car has been completely reliable and is ready to be enjoyed on road or at the club sprints. It will come with a Victorian RWC and is registered until August 2010.

This is a truly regrettable sale.

Some pictures are attached, I can send more information and photos on request. The best way to contact me is via email: adam@lautista.com.au

Car is located in Craigieburn.

Asking for offers around $14,000 with RWC. Negotiable.

Ferrari Classiche, the specialist division set up in Maranello to provide owners of historic Ferraris with restoration, maintenance, supply of parts and issues Certificates of authenticity, has completed the restoration of the unique Corsa Indianapolis single-seater, a one-off built in 1953.

Chassis 0388 was built with the specific intention of competing in the 1953 Indianapolis 500 and, had it competed, would have been Ferrari’s first attempt at America’s greatest race. Nevertheless, it was raced across the USA with motorsport luminaries such as Carroll Shelby behind the wheel. Historically, it represents a step away from the Formula One cars of the same era and indicates the rapidly growing importance of the American market to Ferrari.

The restoration included not just the unique Corsa Indianapolis, but also tracking down all the documentation for the car to ensure its full and accurate heritage.

The Monoposto Corsa Indianapolis project started 1953 with the idea of participating in the Indianapolis 500, which eventually wasn’t completed, probably due to the numerous other motorsport projects in which the Scuderia department was involved. On 21 January 1954 the car was sold to Luigi Chinetti, then Ferrari importer for North America. The following month the car was shown at the New York Motor Sports Show. The Daytona Speed Week GP, in February 1955, was the car’s first official appearance in a race, where it was driven by Bob Said.

1956 was the busiest year for the Monoposto Corsa Indianapolis: in May Giuseppe Farina used the car for a test in Indianapolis, on 15 July it was driven by Carroll Shelby at the SCCA Mount Washington hillclimb and on 22 July at the SCCA Golden Jubilee hillclimb in Indianapolis. In the year 1958 the car returned to the factory for modifications for the Monza/Indianapolis race, with Harry Schell behind the wheel.

After the competition the car returned to Maranello for repairs and further modifications, for a new coachwork in Formula 1 style in 1960 bodied by Carrozzeria Fantuzzi. In the same year the car was tested by Cliff Allison on the Modena race track. The Monoposto Corsa Indianapolis concluded its motorsport activities and changed the owner several times.

HISTORIC RESEARCH

The historic research for such a particular project started with the identification of the assembly sheet 250/I (Indianapolis). The tubular chassis with extra tubular bracing (with no existing designs) was made by the chassis supplier Gilco.

Naturally it is important to underline the existence of a specific list of components dating from March 1953, entitled “250 Indianapolis”, encompassing components that were specifically designed and identified as “250″. These included clutch, suspensions, hubs, braking system, fuel tank, oil radiator and tank (the car also had a double Houdaille shock absorbers rather than the usual single absorber).

In that context, the design in February 1953 of the Tipo “250 I” engine had an identical bore and stroke (68 mm) yielding an overall displacement of 2963.45 cc. The engine was initially equipped with a single-stage supercharger, then with two superchargers and twin Weber carburettors (various types were tested: twin Weber 40 IF4Cs, 46 DCFs and 42 DCFs).

Probably because of the many different racing projects dealt with by the Racing Division at the time, the development of this design didn’t go according to schedule and it was only bench-tested at the end of September 1953. A few days before the other test, a 375 engine was tested, while this was subsequently fitted when the car was delivered to Chinetti.

RESTORATION ACTIVITIES

The restoration of such a highly unusual car involved followed Ferrari Classiche’s usual methods for restoration work carried out at the factory, while the running gear was stripped down and verified in correspondence to the original design and state of deterioration, to determine whether the parts could be re-used.

The car’s similarity to the original design and eventual modifications made by the factory over time were verified through the analysis of the assembly sheet, analysis of the list of components (all of the components, divided by group, required to complete the car). Following a verification of the components installed and correspondences of the same to the original design was carried out, followed by a verification of the components’ treatments (engine, gearbox, differential, suspension, brakes, transmission assembly, timing gear, ignition, lubrication, cooling system and exhaust system) to ensure that the same were rendered compliant with the initial specifications.

FERRARI CLASSICHE

Ferrari Classiche provides owners of historic Ferraris with restoration, maintenance and supply of parts, thanks to a process that involves researching the cars’ original designs which are held in the company’s own technical-historical archive and issues Certificates of authenticity to road-going Ferraris over 20 years old as well as to all competition cars (such as the Monoposto Corsa Indianapolis), including Formula 1 single-seaters, regardless of the year they were built.

The Company’s body, responsible for evaluating the cases presented, is the CO.CER (Comitato di Certificazione), chaired by Engineer Piero Ferrari. The certification document officially attests to the cars’ authenticity and also provides a further guarantee for buyers should the vehicles ever be sold. Introduced in 2009, the Attestation for vehicles of historic interest is now available to Ferrari cars that, although they do not fully comply with the strict Ferrari authenticity certification criteria, have been deemed, as a result of their competition and/or international recognized show history, to be of historic interest.

Based in the original old factory building, Ferrari Classiche opened its doors in July 2006 and has since become a major player in the protection of the unique Ferrari heritage. In fact, it has already issued around 1,200 certifications of authenticity and has completely restored a total of over 30 cars at its workshop.

As the first round of the newly created Australian Tarmac Championship (ATC), the 7th running of the Pacific Hire Mt Buller Sprint was an opportunity for leading tarmac crews to get a jump start in the standings.

The championship spans four rounds with Buller run on the first weekend in December being followed by Targa Wrest point in January and March’s Lake Mountain sprint, before culminating with the jewel- the 2010 Targa Tasmania from 27 April to 2 May.

Though this year’s edition had 77 entrants vying for honours across Classic and Modern classes, the absence of 2008 winner George Miedecke along with Targa Tasmania winner Tony Quinn and Jim Richards robbed the event of some ‘top-line’ quality depth. This was further reduced when the newly finished Weeks/Crunkhorn Gallardo, pre-race favourite and stage record holder, was sidelined with electrical problems after only managing one clean run on the Saturday morning. “The crew did a wonderful job in even getting the new car to the start line, but there was no point continuing if it wasn’t right,” Weeks said of his new mount, which was hastily completed over the 3 weeks between his Porsche RS victory in Classic Adelaide and the start of Buller.

Regardless of the reduction, the remaining cream (bad cooking pun) rose to the top and an intense battle ensued with 2006 winners Jason and John White eventually taking overall honours in their flame-spitting Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera Type R and scoring 250 points towards the ATC.

The Whites beat out Steve Jones/ Ben Searcy (230 points) in their impressive R35 GTR (known amongst the start line spectators as the ‘silent assassin’- so quiet, yet so efficient) with rally star Dean Herridge and co-driver Chris Murphy taking the final step on the podium in their wastegate fluttering 2008 Sti Impreza.

Another formerly victorious team in Ray Vandersee/ John Allen finished 4th in their manic Skelta G-Force- “There wasn’t much grip in the early going and we had a couple of spins, but it came together as the event went on,” explained co-driver Allen of their performance.

‘Showroom’ modern was won by journalist and committed racer Dean Evans with co-driver Simone Bachmann (10th overall) in a Lancer Evo X Club Spec, complete with dual-clutch SST gearbox.

In classic, the experienced duo of Rex Broadbent and Chris Randell took their wailing 1974 RS 911 to victory, beating rivals Pye and Lenne in another RS by 40 seconds after the 10 runs. In overall rankings these classics were 12th and 15th. The Porsche domination of this category was a suitable nod to the German marquee, who were the initial sponsors of the first Buller Sprint back in 2004.

The White’s also took kudos for the fastest run of the weekend with a staggering 8.26.01 which translated to an average speed of over 114km/h for the 16km course. However, word amongst the quickest teams was that times were around 15 seconds faster this year, due to the removal of the final left hand hairpin so favoured by spectators. This means that Weeks’ 8.36 from 2008 remains the time to beat.

New for this year was a ‘thoroughbred touring’ category, whereby curious enthusiasts could bring a helmet and enter their road car to enjoy the climb behind a pace car, all under closed road competition conditions. It appears that the intent- to whet competitive appetites in preparation for further participation in tarmac rallying- rubbed off on many of the group, with Audi S3 driver Steuart Meers vowing to return: “That is 15 minutes of pure adrenalin…surely a roll cage wouldn’t be that impractical,” he laughed. He added that event organisers Mountain Motorsports had really made the touring drivers feel part of the event, with merchandise and social functions allowing the group to mix with the professional racers.

Despite the eminently reasonable entry price of $10 for the weekend, it appeared as though spectator numbers were reduced compared with previous years (which had been held over the Melbourne Cup weekend). Sentiment amongst racegoers was that there needed to be more opportunity for spectator movement between stages, along with more viewing sections on the climb as in previous years, where some of the offset car-parks scattered along the climb were utilised for this purpose.

Also under scrutiny was the prologue, run over the last 2.5km of road for the last couple of years, which worked well for competitors and crew alike but limited spectator and community involvement. Perhaps a return to the days of running through the Mansfield streets, and involving the largest local town needs to be considered to showcase the magic of tarmac rallying to a broader audience. Thankfully the organisers are in negotiations for this to happen.

The championship focus now shifts to Targa Wrest Point, which features the finest sections of Southern Tasmanian tarmac. With Broadbent not entered at the time of writing, team Pye/Lenne has a chance to take a clear lead in the classic standings- though they will face strong competition from Andrew Miedecke/Daniel Wilson in their V8 powered Capri Perana. In modern, the White’s bring a 20 point buffer over Jones/Searcy, but with Quinn, Richards and Weeks back online, the action at the front is sure to be fierce.

Here we were then. We found the sign-in office easily enough, after narrowly avoiding a maniacally driven 125i convertible which nearly rear-ended us. A good start to a day of dedicated driver development!

We were instructed to traverse the main straight’s underpass, acoustic fun in itself, after which we were greeted with the sight of a row of perfectly prepared current model BMW 325i’s quietly warming through.

Random workers buzzed around, all in appropriate ‘BMW Driver Training’ gear, looking effortlessly professional. This feeling of slick organisation was set to continue as we were ushered into the conference room above the main pit area to enjoy a wide-ranging breakfast spread accompanied by ‘available all day ‘refreshments. I must admit to feeling nervous and not wanting much but the fresh fruit kept me on song through the theory sessions. To the instructors’ infinite wisdom, this was all covered in one block at the start of the day, all the better to allow us to focus on the practical applications behind the wheel.

A few glances and nods were swapped amongst students as said instructors entered the lecture room. Geoff Brabham, son of 3 time World Champion Jack, a Le Mans winner in his own right and chief instructor for BMW Australia, was there to not only supervise but to participate in the day! Not bad we thought, given this was the Advanced 1 ‘introductory’ course.

Joining Geoff were Derek and Rhys, and it was Derek that presented the theoretical component to the day. Obviously super comfortable in his role, former Police driver trainer Derek took us through several key components of safe driving on the road. Specifically, he encouraged us to use our vision more completely. It was a mantra often repeated: “Humans are designed to only look for hazards a few metres ahead of themselves, so they would be avoided at running speed. Most drivers only look at what is immediately in front of them, when they should be looking much further ahead.” Think of it this way: If you were looking at the bumper of the car ahead, you wouldn’t see what was beyond it. But if you were looking beyond, you could still see the bumper of that car in your lower sightline.

We went through the effects of braking and how long it actually takes when you factor in your reaction time and that of the car in exerting full brake pressure. At 100km/h the reality is that you should be keeping at least 5 seconds between you and the car in front to enable adequate hazard avoidance time. This caused some debate amongst the students who claimed that if you did that people would continue to cut into your lane ahead of you. Derek’s response provided food for thought: “So what, how much time out of your journey do you actually lose by letting them in?”

Next we looked at grip and how the different forces of braking, accelerating and cornering affect the tyre, particularly in an emergency situation. This extended into footage of oversteer and understeer to reiterate the effects of incorrect steering, throttle and brake inputs, and how to control these issues when faced with them.

Finally we were encouraged to utilise a particular steering method that worked on the 9 to 3 hand positions encouraged by the traditional BMW 3 spoke wheel. Your hands should stay in this position until 90 degrees of lock is required, at which point the bottom hand should disengage and rest just below the wheel. If more steering is needed, the upper arm can continue to sweep the wheel through to 180 degrees while the bottom hand picks up its position at the top of the wheel, in a similar method to ‘hand over hand’. As lock is unwound, the hands return to the 9 to 3 position, all very nice in theory and quite simple in application once you get used to it, the power steering assisting with its light touch.

“OK,” I hear you say, “enough of the theory!”- We were divided into groups of 2 and allocated one 325i’s per team. Once we had found our mount, my co-driver Daniel and I got busy familiarising ourselves with the Beemer and all its gadgets including car-to-car intercoms for communication. “Bloody electric memory seats, DSC, sport-shift auto trans, run flat tyres” I may have uttered; the tech laden features of a modern BMW quite a change from the old world familiarity of my Alfa 105 coupe.

Seating position was paramount, ensuring you had bent arms (wrists should dangle over the top of the steering wheel) while maintaining good visibility , with the pedals situated close enough to your feet to enable comfortable exertion of full pressure.

We trundled out in groups to the skidpan section, which was set up with witch’s hats to form a slalom course designed to familiarise us with both car and steering technique.

Following this, the fun really began, for, in Geoff’s own words: “We now venture out onto the circuit to put theory into practice….and also just because it is simply good fun!”

We were split into groups of 4, each group then following an instructor’s DCT-equipped M3 Sedan onto the vast expanse of Phillip Island’s Gardner straight.

Daniel, my co-driver, was immediately on it, wringing the 325i through the gears in manual mode, straight six emitting a cultured howl to 7000rpm. Each driver had 2 laps at the head of the queue, before moving over to rejoin at the tail of the snake. The first driver was to control the pace, with the instructor (initially Geoff Brabham for us, which was surreal in itself) matching his speed to that car. As we came to the front of the queue, the shrunken images of the other 325’s in the rear mirror suggested that Dan’s speed was superior to the others. Geoff came onto the radio to move us into the faster group headed by Derek. This was fine initially, as Daniel quickly adjusted to the higher speeds. Quickly, though, butterflies entered the cabin when a lap and a half later we pitted for the driver change and I was expected to be right up to speed…

Thankfully, my first laps of Phillip Island (complete with cones directing entry, apex and exit points) were at the rear of my group, for the pace was cracking and I wanted to ease myself into experiencing this new car/circuit combination.

The circuit certainly lived up to all I had heard about it, with long, adversely cambered double apex bends, shiveringly quick curves, steep braking zones and sharp hairpins combining with a very high average speed to form a complete challenge.

By the time I worked to the front of the queue, more detail was becoming apparent- primarily the skill of the instructors, which was humbling to say the least. Real appreciation developed by observing how they could maintain consistent gaps with people behind them, whose speed varied wildly, while at the same time studying student’s lines and making constructive comments at speeds of up 200km/h.

I felt that I was now using my vision more completely, craning my neck to look past the thick A-pillar to the exit of Honda corner and squeezing the throttle earlier and earlier. My largest adjustment came with timing my ‘track-out’; unwinding steering lock quickly enough to get the car pointed for exit as early as possible. This went hand in hand with using the entire track surface rather than instinctively keeping left, and by the end of the session I felt as though I was lapping as well as the others surrounding me.

As for impressions of the 325i, both Daniel and I felt it best to leave the gearbox in performance auto mode, which changed down gears for you under hard braking and clung to them longer on exit. It seemed to respond better than the manual mode, which felt slow-witted; trying to short-shift out of MG, for example, wasn’t working as the lag in making the shift saw it change up as you ran to the apex of the left hander that followed.

Another issue surrounded the run-flat tyres which contributed to quite dull feel through the steering. Geoff was diplomatic about them, while Derek was more succinct, saying that he “much prefers” running traditional rubber.

The morning shifted to more technical development, with half heading over to the skidpan, whilst my group moved onto Gardner straight to run through some braking and avoidance exercises.

Rhys ran this session, demonstrating in the M3 what we’d be expected to do each time. Initially, we did straight-line braking tests both with and without ABS, at 80km/h and 100km/h, noting the change in pedal feel (the trick is to mash the pedal with it on, at which point the pedal ‘pulses’.)

The beauty of ABS is that it still allows the driver to control the car through steering, whilst braking heavily. Come the high speed wet lane change exercises, I have to admit that the ABS required quite an adjustment for me, as my natural reaction to an emergency brake is to feel for the point of lockup and modulate the pedal to maintain some steering. In practice I took out many a cone, tank-slapping my way between the lanes…of course, being first in the group made this doubly embarrassing as I sat laughing nervously with the hazard lights blinking.

After another break we made a beeline for the skidpan, which was a chance for Derek to show off his skills behind the wheel. Well, with a 414bhp M3 and a wet pan, it’d be rude not to! Again it was humbling to observe this- as he tipped broadside between the cones, Derek spoke through our intercoms as if he was having a nice cup of tea and a bikkie (he probably was).

Our first tests involved provoking understeer with the DSG system switched off. This wasn’t so much about recovering traction loss, as about feeling the benefit of the new technology. A brisk run to 50km/h and a wrench of the wheel to the right saw the 325’s nose skid straight on- again, instinct told me to ease throttle and steering to recover grip, which I duly did. “Nice recovery,” said Derek, “but not the objective of the exercise. Do it again!” The second time, I let the nose plough on until I received a “Good!” through the speaker. By the time of the third run DSC was on. Keeping the foot down, the car still understeered initially, but caught up in time to alter the forces and tighten our line without much driver input. An odd feeling- as it removed you from the equation.

Oversteer came next, and while many salivated at the prospect the combined effects of run flat tyres and a slow-witted auto gearbox meant these well balanced Beemers struggled to maintain any slide. We were asked to provoke the rear by simply stomping the throttle upon turning for a slow right. Again, understeer took over, before the ‘box caught up and spun the wheels furiously into oversteer.

Everyone in the group spun like a top, even Ian, a former sprint-car driver. It seemed the issues mentioned above combined with a lack of throttle sensitivity (it is electrically operated) to create this effect, which even Derek appeared confused by. Regardless, with DSC back on the rear was noticeably more controlled but it further removed that layer of involvement that enthusiasts so craved. The good news was that in safety terms for most drivers it really does the job.

Armed with our new appreciation we ventured back on track. As before DSC was compulsory but in dry conditions its presence was hardly noticed. I was now far smoother, turning in later than before, applying throttle sooner, and running to the ripple strips on exit. My rhythm from Siberia through to Lukey heights was developing well, a gentle ease of pressure through the Hayshed allowing for a cleaner apex as the climb began. Geoff came onto the intercom, talking through his lap up ahead with a quote on smoothness that had us all laughing ourselves wide of the next apex- “Compare the experience to, I don’t know, dating Jennifer Hawkins. Always be smooth, caress with your touch…”

Our day concluded with passenger hot laps in the instructor’s M3s. Derek was our chauffer and gave us a first-hand experience of his sideways skills, hitting both apices through the Southern Loop in a haze of smoke before exceeding 240km/h down Gardner straight. If my eyes were not already widened enough, this final experience topped the day off. I now can’t wait to participate in the next lever, Advanced 2- the keys to an M3 for the day beckon.

Having recently driven through the Queenstown Targa stage, in normal road conditions but in the wet, and knowing how damn slippery it is (the muddy rock run-off from the mining country surrounding the road turns it into a quagmire) I have an even greater appreciation for the skill and commitment of the guys that run at it this hard during Targa time. Enjoy!