The 2020 Nissan Pathfinder N-TREK SUV is an all-round great choice for a big family all-wheel drive.
I tested the five-door, seven-seat Pathfinder on a 20-hour round trip that covered more than 1500km from Sydney to Byron Bay over the space of a week. Here are the five things it gets right and one thing it gets wrong.
1. Driver comfort
The driver’s seat is really comfortable – perfect for a long trip. It allows for a range of adjustments, including adjustable lumbar support and temperature.
The steering wheel also adjusts through a wide range. Unsurprisingly for such a big car, you sit high with a great view of the road.
It has well-designed centre console storage that splits neatly into an upper and lower compartment and plenty of storage compartments for drink bottles, phones, keys and wallets. The glove box is huge, too.
2. Looks
The family four-wheel drive is a relatively daggy category of car but, at the price point, the Pathfinder is a great looking vehicle.
With contrasting black on the front grille, door handles, wheel arches, roof rails and door mirrors and a silver lower bumper guard, it has a suave look notwithstanding its boxy body. Contrasting black and silver alloy wheels add to that style.
3. Ride
Sitting high on the road, with a smooth ride and relatively good acceleration for such a big car, it’s ideal for the highway.
However, it was also surprisingly good on the undulations and windy roads around Myall Lakes.
4. Back row access
Nissan has come up with a clever folding solution for the middle row of seats that provides good access to the rear row of seats.
The seat folds up and the now compact unit slides forward. Unlike so many third rows that are strictly child-only, a reasonably lithe adult could easily slip into the third row.
Add to that relatively good legroom in both the second and third rows, a large rear sunroof and separate climate control in all three rows, and you have a very comfortable passenger experience, even with a full car.
5. Storage
I’ve already mentioned the huge glovebox and deep centre console. On top of that, there are (an almost over the top) thirteen cup holders throughout.
The boot fills out the generous storage options with a mammoth 1164 litres with the third row folded down and 2004 litres with both the second and third rows folded down. Perfect for hauling around gear for the kids.
The one thing it gets wrong
The infotainment system. First, the centre panel has a bewildering array of buttons and knobs in addition to the touch-screen display. It’s an overly busy and confusing set-up.
Second, the screen technology – in particular, the map – feels dated and not just because it doesn’t allow Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The infotainment system gets the job done but it’s a real contrast with the slick exterior.
All in all, tough, the Nissan Pathfinder is a great car for a long drive with the family.
Find out more about the Nissan Pathfinder
For those unfamiliar, the classic car hobby may draw superfluous images of manicured concours lawns, and bustling high-end auction houses. And yet – especially in recent years – we’ve observed the entry-level segment as one of the most increasingly active sectors in the market.
We’re talking neat cars costing $15,000 and under, and they often sell like hotcakes at auction. Especially amongst younger enthusiasts, it seems more and more people are looking to stick something old in the garage for those sunny Sunday drives.
Are you after your first-time classic? Here’s five we’ve picked out of the Unique Cars classifieds, for as much as a new Kia Picanto.
1978 Mercedes-Benz W123 280CE – VIC – $14,500
Mercedes-Benz is one of the most popular brands for classic enthusiasts and collectors alike, and the W123 generation of executive cars is a particularly astute place to start investigating.
These cars archetyped Benz’s post-WWII commitment to over-engineering and durability, and were the marque’s most successful model ever with over 2.7 million units produced over its lifecycle.
This one presents in the desirable CE coupe body, and is specified with the 2.8-litre inline six petrol engine – the largest available six-cylinder in the range – matched to a four-speed automatic gearbox.
The listing for this one is a little scant on details, but it’s described as a ‘good’ and ‘honest rust free car’, that’s ‘mechanically sound’ with functioning sunroof.
1985 Nissan Bluebird TRX – VIC – $13,999
Before Nissan’s famous Skyline GT-R ever turned a wheel in anger on Australian soil, it was the Nissan 910 Bluebird at the hands of George Fury which gave homegrown V8s their first taste of turbocharged terror at Bathurst under Group C regulation.
The TRX model debuted in dealerships as a sport-oriented trim in 1982, and boasted a unique body kit, centre-mounted aerial, 15-inch alloy wheels, rear spoiler, bolstered seats and rear disc brakes.
Five Australian classic cars for under $25,000
This 1985 Series III example is finished in its original coat of Beacon Red over Beige interior. It represents one of around 1000 ever produced, although far fewer survive to this day.
This one presents as fastidiously maintained and highly original, albeit with a few easily reversible modifications. Certainly one for the passionate classic JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) enthusiast.
1986 Mitsubishi Cordia – SA – $9,500
The Mitsubishi Cordia faced steep competition when new, vying for a piece of a saturated market which included the Toyota Corolla, the Holden Piazza and even Mitsubishi’s own Starion.
While the turbocharged GSR model has long been the pick of the litter for sporting enthusiasts, the non-turbo models were still decent handlers boasting rack-and-pinion steering, Macpherson strut suspension in front, and an independent trailing arm rear.
Five modern classic cars for under $20,000
This one might on sale may not be the force-fed GSR model, but it’s the scarcely-believable condition that caught our attention.
The listing describes the car as ‘one of the best in the country’, and the attached photos show a car that looks as new as you’ll likely ever find.
Again, this is one for the Japanese enthusiast, or any fans of the more quirky offerings of Australia’s motoring past.
1986 Mercedes-Benz 230E W124 – VIC – $7,500
The brick-headlight W124 generation of Mercedes-Benz is a prime example of recent growing interest in more modern ‘young-timer’ classics.
Developed to fill the gap between the brand’s simple range of compacts, and the larger tech-laden S-class; the W124 found unprecedented success in many markets around the world thanks to an expansive range of body styles and engines.
Despite costing well over six-figures when new in certain specification, collector interest until recently had been minimal. Prices for top-end AMG models and high-spec coupes are already nudging as-new prices overseas, however mainstream sedans still represent one of the best all-round buys in the $10,000 and under segment.
Police raid uncovers a treasure trove of modern classic cars
As one of the last models to come from Benz’s famous ‘over-engineered’ era, the W124 was produced by the millions and is famous for its ability to clock up well over a million kilometres with little other than routine maintenance.
This one is described as a highly original survivor, and looks to be in good condition throughout. The car has recently been treated to a new windscreen, four new tyres and a new battery.
This could feasibly be driven every day, and would make for a confident first-time classic/club car.
View the 230E’s listing in full at UniqueCars
1997 Holden VS Commodore – VIC – $6,500
With the steep rise in popularity (and value) for Australia’s locally-made cars in the wake of our now-defunct manufacturing industry; there’s less and less to be found at this price point except for more modern models that have yet to claim their ‘classic’ credentials.
While a six-cylinder VS Commodore may not get everyone’s blood boiling, this one has a rather interesting story, and is in pretty astounding condition.
This car was reportedly ordered new by a CFA manager back in 1998, and is validated by the car’s original logbooks which cite the Country Fire Authority as its original owners.
Furthermore, the car was specified with the highly desired ‘police pack’, which often comprised of Holden’s FE2 sports suspension, a unique speedometer; and various other possible options.
Despite being ordered as a working car, the seller claims that the car has travelled less than 30,000km in its life, and has recently been treated to numerous replacement parts and a full service.
If you’d forgotten what a VS Commodore looked like brand new out of the showroom, this one looks like a pretty darn good indicator and boasts a neat bit of history you can share at your local cars-and- coffee meet.
Have a car to sell? Advertise it for free in Unique Cars Magazine and on tradeuniquecars.com.au!
As the clock winds down on the brand in Australia, Holden’s customer-facing website has dropped all references to its former list of vehicles.
General Motors announced in February that the Holden brand would cease operating in December, prompting a huge run on remaining stocks of Holdens.
As recently as August, Holden was still advertising that it was selling its remaining vehicles, including the Colorado ute and the Equinox SUV, but now the site has wound back to include on the most basic information about the brand, including warranty and basic service information.
Any evidence that the once-great company sold cars – besides a single paragraph on the home page about remaining dealer stock – has disappeared.
Information about the last remaining car in the Holden catalogue, the incoming Chevrolet Corvette C8, has been moved to a new site for GM Special Vehicles, the company that will become the de-facto GM importer for Australia from the beginning of 2021.
Many dealers are also starting to remove Holden signage from the front of their dealerships, as seen in the Facebook post below.
Holden also recently signed off on the sale of its historic Lang Lang proving ground to Vietnamese company Vinfast.
The company has been understandably silent about plans to farewell the brand internally.
The upcoming Bathurst 1000 – where only a token crowd will be allowed to attend – will mark the last Supercars race where Holden will feature as a factory team, while the Bathurst International is planning a large Holden gathering at its event in November.
MORE HOLDEN NEWS
Holden departure will cost $1.6 billion
Ford: we will miss you, Holden
What now for Corvette in Australia?
Holden’s demise catches government by surprise
MORE What does Holden’s axing mean for its customers?
At WhichCar we try to filter out the marketing spin and sensationalised news to bring you only what matters in the world of cars accurately and without padding, but this week has delivered a whole host of stories that appear to be huge on first inspection – but probably aren’t.
On this week’s chat, the WhichCar Weekly podcast takes on the theme ‘Big News That Probably Isn’t Particularly Big News’. Bear with us, we are working on a more catchy title.
Toyota’s tease
First up, Dan and Scott welcome back Tim Robson for a discussion about the mini-but-mighty Toyota GR Yaris, and the shocking news that it will be an absolute bargain at just under $40,000. Except, it won’t.
Clever promotional stunt or potentially brand-damaging strategy? The WCW team digs deeper to try and get inside Toyota’s marketing mind and find answers.
Nissan misdirection
Next up, after a protracted teaser campaign and many, many years of speculation, Nissan has finally revealed the next generation in its iconic Z-car bloodline. Except, it hasn’t.
The gorgeous Nissan 400Z that was unveiled this week is not the model so many have on their garage wish list, but a prototype that is as many as two years ahead of an actual production model.
Nissan is in trouble but can this early glimpse garner enough attention to safeguard the future of the brand?
Bugatti bombshell
And finally, the panel discusses reports that Bugatti is about to change hands.
Rumours have it that the Croatian EV authority is about to snatch ownership of the hyperbolic brand from Volkswagen’s hands in exchange for a share of the company. Except it probably isn’t.
If true, current co-owner Porsche will increase its share in the company from 15.5 percent to 49 percent.
So, current owner Volkswagen hands over Bugatti for no cash but, through another of its brands Porsche, gains almost half of the company that now owns it… You can see where we’re going here, right?
The automotive world is a funny place.
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WhichCar is in the running for the 2020 International Motor Film Awards Best Journalist Film for the Lamborghini Urus review that featured as part of WhichCar TV series season two on Channel 10.
The annual event recognises the world’s best automotive cinema and television with a range of awards that cover 15 categories, including the award for automotive journalism.
WhichCar goes up against seven other nominees from production companies from around the world, including former Top Gear presenter Rory Reid and former Fifth Gear presenter and racing driver Tiff Needell.
The finalists will be judged by a panel comprised of 24 industry heavyweights from a diverse range of backgrounds, including German Oscar winner and film academy founder Jacques Steyn, BAFTA winner Vic Armstrong, Former Fifth Gear and Top Gear presenter Vicki Butler-Henderson, and polarising Porsche modifier Magnus Walker.
Last year’s Best Journalism Film award was taken home by the Grand Tour for its Detroit Muscle Power feature, while the Grand Prix top prize was handed to Mission: Impossible – Fallout.
The 2020 winners will be announced at the IMFA presentation night in London on November 30.
Behind the scenes
Daniel Gardner | March 2020
I feel I need to start with an admission – Contrary to what was implied, the Urus that features in this WhichCar TV segment was not the first Lamborghini I have driven. Nor, if I’m being completely honest, is it the first yellow one. But it’s no word of a lie that the Urus is the most significant model in the Italian car maker’s history and my apprehensiveness was no act.
Turns out, I needn’t have been worried because Lamborghini’s SUV foray is a total blinder. Director Sean and I took possibly the most inconspicuous high-rider I’ve ever driven for a blast down Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula in search of great driving roads and the right audience.
The latter we found in Sorrento where you’ll also find a disproportionate number of other very expensive SUVs, and it was fascinating to sit back and watch the locals react to our star of the show.
Looking only out of place due to its rarity, the Sorrento community gave the Urus a warm welcome. One guy in a BMW X5 even bombed our shot announcing “Lambo baby” as he passed, but perhaps the phrase we heard most that day was “Congratulations Mrs Nassif”. A quick internet search will reveal exactly what that means if you don’t know already.
The shoot actually took place in April 2019, which was unfortunately too late to make the first season of WhichCar but meant we got lucky with some idyllic Autumn weather, showcasing this lovely part of Victoria at its absolute best. At the time, the Urus was one of the very first on Australian roads, adding to the number of people that craned their necks to get a good look as the bright yellow SUV passed.
Dynamic shots were provided by the well-known Arthur’s Seat – a short winding ribbon of a road that climbs from Dromana up to some spectacular views as well as the famous cable car at the summit. Here too the Urus received lots of attention and many positive responses.
While the Urus was definitely the star of the feature there was one other vehicle that somewhat made my day and you get a glimpse of it in the very last frame. You don’t see many examples of the Suzuki Mighty Boy on the road these days, but the one that makes a cameo at the conclusion of the segment is a bit special.
Not only is it still owned by the same family that bought it new, it still wears the incredible 1980s lurid striping that was applied by the dealer when it was new. And we’re not talking some slaphappy wrap. The stripes it wears were hand-painted by a professional pinstriper and are still bright and vibrant to this day.
We also met another unusually decorated car on our travels but this time it was something else from the Sant’Agata stable – a Huracan Spyder. In the custody of Troy of Eye Candy Motorsport, the drop-top supercar provides a good illustration of just how big the Urus is when parked next to the smallest model in the current line-up.
The only other significant location was the set for the lovely moody dark shots that focus on some of the Urus’ details at the start of the segment. To get the results we had to fill my basement car park with lights and equipment, which got some funny looks from the neighbours.
Most importantly though, I’m very happy to report the Urus was not a disappointment. Quite the opposite in fact. It’s certainly nothing like any other model I’ve driven with the same badge, but it certainly does deserve its place in the coveted line-up and, with the help of a few Sorrento locals, it’s already the company’s best seller.
If you haven’t already watched the Urus feature on Channel 10, have a click on it above and enjoy the results of an action-packed and memorable day.
iPhone users might be surprised to find a new emoji in their keyboards following an update to iOS 14 firmware, after Apple added its rendition of a pick-up truck to the 3000-strong catalogue of emojis.
Along with a raft of changes brought about by Apple’s latest iOS 14 update, the automotive world will no longer have to get inventive with how they describe a truck when words fail.
Interestingly, it turns out that Ford was the brains behind the operation, which explains why the emoji looks closer to an F-150 truck than any other.
Following a failed bid to get a Ford truck as the official Apple truck emoji years earlier, this time Ford secretly campaigned the Unicode Consortium (which dictates the industry standard for Unicode characterisations) via a third-party marketing agency to get the emoji into Apple’s catalogue.
In fact, during development of the project 12 months ago, Ford US’s director of marketing Matt VanDyke told The Atlantic that they designed the navy blue rendition to look like a mix between ‘our’ Ranger and the F-150 sold in North America.
“We kind of tried to make it look like it could be both,” VanDyke said. “Even most of our pickups are sold as double-cab pickups, but the traditional iconography of pickups is single cab. So we tried to stay true to that.”
The latest push sneakily didn’t include the Ford logo anywhere on the application, though we can see in the rendered product that there are some similarities between the Ford’s utes and Apple’s newest emoji.
The same body creases are included down the side, similarly shaped front-and taillights and, of course, the shape of the front window is a dead-ringer for America’s most popular truck. No need to try and translate emoji meanings here.
Nonetheless, Ford’s pretty proud of the outcome having released a cute video detailing the ‘making of’.
We give the new truck emoji a laughing emoji combined with a heart emoji and a thumbs-up emoji – no poop emoji here! Wait… is that not how emojis work?
Do you think the emoji resembles the Ford Ranger or is it closer to the Ford F-150? Let us know in the comments below!
One glance at Mercedes-AMG’s new GT Black Series is enough to make you wonder if it actually did bolt numberplates on a racecar.
AMG certainly delights in making comparisons to its track-bred weaponry; for example, when aero boss Gustavo Estrada talks about how the Black Series carves through the air.
“At the front we have the new significantly wider inlet, this is a carryover from our GT3 racecar,” he says in a promotional video.
“It increases furthermore the cooling efficiency and eliminates the need for separate inlets for wheel arch radiators.”
It says the Black Series produces “well over” 400kg at 250km/h. The Porsche 911 GT2 RS, a car the Black Series will be hoping to thump for the Nurburgring Nordschleife lap record, is claimed to make 450kg of downforce but at a much higher 340km/h speed.
| Watch the AMG GT Black Series tear around the Nurburgring
How far that is from a GT3 car is hard to say. AMG’s customer racing division keeps tight lipped on the GT3 car’s downforce figures for competitive reasons, but we’d safely assume the Black Series fares much closer to the toned-down Mercedes-AMG GT4 racer.
Still, the Black Series has taken plenty of cues from the recently updated GT3 racer.
The unique front fenders are also heavily scalloped behind the wheels to allow extra tyre width but also vent pressurised air. GT3-inspired gills atop the fenders assist them, while the rear bumper features outboard channels for further cooling.
There’s also a “largely closed” underside that aids a rear diffuser.
The Black Series also mimics the GT3 in what it offers on setup, especially with aero. The rear wing’s big party trick is its active flap on the top plane but owners can still adjust both boards through three steps.
The front splitter can also be mounted further forward to complement an element that actively lowers, creating a Venturi effect and quickening airflow under the car.
It can also be changed through the regular drive modes.
| The ultimate Black Series collection
However, if you’re really keen to play race engineer you can manually adjust front and rear camber, or even set up its front carbon-fibre or rear steel roll-bars to three different levels of stiffness.
Fitted to the Black Series’ 19.0 by 10-inch front and 19.0 by 12.0-inch rear wheels, they’ll be available in two compounds. The soft option is called MO1A while the harder tyre is called MO2.
With such high-level engineering, the Black Series is not afraid to try to match its GT3 relation on price, either.
Its price recently announced in Europe (EUR335,240 or A$543,178) puts it at least in the same bracket as the EUR399,000 (A$646,499) GT3 racecar.
Five Tech Talk points
1. Carbon Clad
The Black Series uses carbonfibre for the front guards, bonnet, rear hatch, roof and aerodynamic additions. AMG hasn’t yet made public the car’s weight, but here’s hoping it’s lighter than the GT R. The GT3 car meanwhile uses carbonfibre doors but an alloy roof.
2. Small Tweaks
The Black Series gets adjustable traction control like the GT3 car, but not its adjustable anti-lock brakes nor brake bias. Race drivers move the pedals instead of the seat in order to maintain a more optimal weight distribution.
3. Caged Animal
The Black Series offers a Track Package that adds a 2kg fire extinguisher in the cabin as well as a titanium ‘roll-cage’. It’s less of a cage and more of a lattice placed behind the driver. Four-point harnesses attach to its main brace to hold on you in carbonfibre bucket seats.
4. Race-style suspension
The Mercedes-AMG GT3’s suspension carries over the front top control link from a road car but redesigns everything around them. The coilovers also feature adjustable compression and rebound damping, while the roll bars are adjustable.
ATMO VERSUS TWIN TURBO
Why AMG’s GT3 racer sticks to the big bore formula
The jury is out on whether the Black Series’ flat-plane crankshaft has changed the M178 V8’s (pictured) sound for better or worse.
But if it’s the way Tobias Moers wanted for the last V8 under his watch at AMG, then it’s for a higher purpose.“It’s a perfect fitted race engine,” he said. “It gives you precise feedback, instant throttle response.”
Why you won’t see it in the latest AMG GT3, however, is because the 6.2-litre M159 V8 that served in the SLS AMG GT3 racer proved more than capable of meeting the restricted outputs in GT3, to be virtually ‘bulletproof’ as well as qualified for the ‘ain’t broke don’t fix it’ mantra.
Buying a new car is an exciting proposition for myriad reasons, often eclipsing the dreary selling process of the one you’ve already got. Selling a car can be a real nightmare and car dealers are happy to take away that pain by offering a trade in, but you might get burnt in the process.
We’re forever being told that a car dealer will offer you the lowest possible amount if you trade in your vehicle, but is it really worth your time and effort to go-it-alone and sell it yourself?
DEALING WITH DEALERS
Selling your car to the dealer is certainly the path of least resistance. But are you prepared to take a cost cut? Often dealers will offer you a price that is thousands of dollars less than what you could get by selling your car privately.
But while you can expect less money for the car, you have the convenience of not lifting a finger. You’re also essentially selling your car on the spot, which is a pretty good deal if you’re in a rush for your new car or need the cash.
There are two options here, though. You can either trade your car in for a newer car, which will give you the most value if you intend on buying something newer. Or sell it to a used car dealer for cash.
Top tip: You don’t need a roadworthy certificate when selling your car to a dealer, which is an added benefit. Additionally, they’ll take on any major repairs.
PRIVATE SALE
Selling your car privately can be time consuming, but it can work in favour of your wallet.
You’ll need to prepare the car, set the price, advertise it, show people through and process the sale. It’s not hard, but it does take time.
Ensuring your car is in good condition is your first step. That may mean investing some money to fix any issues, especially mechanical ones, and ensure it’s clean and roadworthy. It’s a good idea to get it detailed as well, and make sure any photos used to advertise your car for sale are a true representation of the car.
Once you’ve settled on an appropriate price, and decided where you’re going to advertise it, make sure you’re available to answer any questions about the car and find time for inspections. Be prepared to negotiate.
Your time investment is what’s going to get you the extra dollars, so if the money means more to you than convenience, private sale is the way to go.
Top tip: cars with low mileage and that have been looked after will sell quicker.
Do I need a roadworthy certificate to sell my car?
As annoying and time-consuming as they are to obtain, a roadworthy certificate (RWC) is usually a necessity when selling a used car.
So long as you want to transfer ownership to a third-party, a RWC is required by law in most states when transferring the registration from seller to buyer.
However, if a car is being sold unregistered a roadworthy certificate is not needed. Although, be sure to remove the numberplates from the car when handing it over so you don’t receive fines from traffic offences committed by the new owner.
Although selling cars would be a lot easier without one, a RWC is needed to maintain a base level of safety and ‘roadworthiness’ when transferring between owners. Otherwise we’d likely fill up our roads with unreliable, uneconomical and perhaps even unsafe vehicles.
So, what should you do?
Generally if you’re just looking for a means to an end, we’d recommend at least hearing a car dealer out on their offer. It’s not in a car dealer’s best interest to insult you with an offensive offer, so generally they’ll try help the changeover cost – that is, the cost you have to pay for a new car on top of your trade in offer – to be as palatable as possible in order to get the sale.
It’s worth getting an understanding of the price a car dealer will pay, then checking similar car listings to see if you can beat it by selling privately.
That said, if you know what you’ve got and think you can make more money than a car dealer will offer for a trade in, go right ahead and sell your car privately. Generally you’ll find it easier if you’re selling a near-new car that is desirable, hasn’t travelled too far and in-demand.
You might have to endure some finicky details by getting the car ready and you’ll have to show potential buyers in your spare time, but generally you can make more money if you stick it out.
I’ve gotta say (again) that I’m not mad about retro car design in all its forms.
Taking an otherwise useful VW Golf and repackaging it so that the vaguely Beetle-esque styling dictates vastly less practicality and spaciousness than the hatchback on which it’s based? Makes me think Bob in marketing might have been practising a bit of astral distancing with the cone-fed COVID mask.
Same goes for a retro car that ignores all the things that made the original so fabulous. That oughta be the antithesis of retro, right?
Sure, there’s a lot to look forward to in terms of alternative fuels and whatnot, but as far as I can see, we’ve already reached peak tappet-head.
It’s not that I don’t appreciate modern turbocharging tech, and I can see the advantages of current-thinking vehicle packaging. Hell, I even own a car with stability control these days, just in case you thought I was one of those internet nutjobs who won’t wear a mask or vaccinate their kids.
If, as I suspect, the good old days are now firmly in our mirrors, the only way to make the next generation of cars palatable (if not actually intoxicating) is to draw on the power of retro. As in, they don’t make nostalgia like they used to.
If designers can use a retro look and feel (and smell, if necessary) to provide a mental and/or emotional link between the safe, efficient modern car and the fun-mobile of a few decades ago, then the product has a much greater chance of success.
Not saying things were particularly safe back then, or that we should live like that again, but they were fun times.
Opinion: Stop the hoon beatups, ACA
That’s what a modern car is going to need to represent. I know that was always the aim of retro, but it’s now more important than ever.
Efficiency, safety, reliability are now all givens in modern car design. So is my ‘Meh…’ reaction to many of them. But fun? Now we’re talking. Fun disappeared from the standard equipment list a long time ago, and, like quarter-vent windows, it’s about time it made a comeback.
Ever walked into a lolly shop and been hit between the nostrils by the sugary smell of your happiest childhood days? Or tuned into a radio station to hear a song that took you straight back to the bedroom of your first rented flat with your first serious partner? That’s what cars of the future are going to have to offer me.
Forget all that shite and remember the time Grandma got into the Blackberry Nip and disappeared backwards off the edge of the verandah with a glass in one hand and a loaded revolver in the other.
And then do your best to relive those good times. And I’ll see you at the next red light. I’ll be the guy revving the manual V8 two-door.
UPDATE – Just 4000 fans a day will be allowed to attend the Bathurst 1000 this year, a move that has left organisers “disappointed”.
There will also be no camping at the 2020 Bathurst 1000, while spectator areas at the top of Mt Panorama will also be off-limits to race fans.
Pre-purchased seating only will be available at the bottom of the mountain, including at Murray’s Corner, Hell Corner, Pit Straight East and Pit Straight West.
“Whilst we are disappointed that we can’t have a full crowd at Bathurst, we’re delighted to offer even limited attendance,” said Supercars CEO Sean Seamer in a statement.
The news comes as NSW prepares to loosen restrictions on stadiums, with the current 25 percent capacity restriction expected to be lifted to 50 percent at the start of October.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CFQg5qfBmZC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading
“A racetrack like Mount Panorama is not as easy as a stadium to prepare in a COVID-19 compliant way due to the lack of dedicated seating,” said Seamer.“We thank the NSW Government and Bathurst Regional Council for their ongoing support of the event and for working with us on a plan that will allow fans the opportunity to see a new king of the mountain and championship winner crowned on October 18.”
Seamer acknowledged the decision will be unpopular; crowd numbers in excess of 200,000 have been seen at Mt Panorama over previous years.“We understand a number of fans will be disappointed that camping and normal ticketing opportunities are not available this year,” said Seamer. “However, the safety of everyone attending the event is our main concern at all times.”
The series is racing this weekend at The Bend Motorsport Park, where MOTOR test driver and Supercars racer Warren Luff set the venue’s first-ever production car record.
UPDATE – Supercars has formally announced that it will push back the Bathurst 1000 by one week.
The 2020 season finale will now run on October 18, moved to its latest-ever start as Supercars juggles fluid border restrictions in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
And in a stunning turnaround, it’s been revealed that the series will in fact race four times over two weekends at The Bend in South Australia, despite the series snubbing Australia’s largest motorsport complex earlier in the year as it juggled a decimated calendar.
The omission of the circuit brought a sharp rebuke from the owner Sam Shahin, who suggested that Supercars “owes South Australia a big apology“.
Fences, however, have been mended, and the series will race over September 19-20 and 26-27, before decamping to New South Wales for the final ever Bathurst 1000 that will feature a factory-backed Holden effort.
The announcement of The Bend means that Queensland Raceway misses out on a Supercars round for the first season since 1999.
The extra week between the final race at Tailum Bend and Mt Panorama will give officials and teams vital time to deal with any issues that may arise out of quarantine requirements.
Currently, anyone who travels from South Australia to NSW is required to self-isolate for 14 days, though this may change on the run-up to the event.
Announcing the final rounds also puts certainty around the 2020 championship, which will award 900 points over three more weekends of racing. Currently, 123 points separate DJR Team Penske’s defending champion Scott McLaughlin and Holden Red Bull Racing ace Jamie Whincup.
A marathon road trip through the top end of the country will see drivers, crews and officials on the road and away from home for up to 100 days, and now a new change in COVID-19 restrictions in NSW has thrown plans into disarray.
As part of tightening restrictions in the state, Motorsport Australia (formerly known as CAMS) has declared that all state and national motor racing events are outlawed until early October, while travel restrictions across Australia that wax and wane are also causing headaches for Supercars.
The six-week ban means some chewing of fingernails for a Supercars team that already has multiple logistics to worry about.
Those logistics include travel for teams, marshalls, officials and other workers needed to host a four-day motorsport event.
It’s not so much the hosting event itself that is under threat, though. According to Motorsport Australia, the restrictions don’t apply to professional sports.
“These restrictions are specific to community sport for the next six weeks, not professional sports, such as Supercars,” said CEO Eugene Arocca.
“The entire Supercars fraternity has done a fantastic job in working with various State Governments to ensure they have a strong COVID Plan in place for any events they have hosted, or will host in the future.
“Motorsport Australia doesn’t expect these most recent restrictions to impact the ability for us to issue a permit for any planned Supercars events in New South Wales.”
2020 – Annus Horribulus for Motorsport
The 1000 will serve as the finale to a truncated 2020 season that started as planned in Adelaide in February, before the motor racing world ground to a halt at the Australian Grand Prix in early March.
A two-month dry spell was broken by a race at Sydney Motorsport Park… but then it all went pear-shaped in Melbourne, with a coronavirus outbreak resulting in a border lockdown from the NSW side.
Victorian-based teams including Tickford and Walkinshaw Andretti United were forced with less than a day’s notice to throw their cars, gear and crews into trucks and essentially emigrate to NSW, with no return date in sight.
They were spread across NSW, all congregating back at Eastern Creek for a set of three races, including a night race under SMSP’s new lights, before trekking north to Queensland to set up camp in places as disparate as SeaWorld.
The idea was to keep one step ahead of the travel bans, congregating in a coronavirus-free bubble to enable to show to go on.
COVID-19 strikes again
Then COVID-19 flared up in a few key Brisbane suburbs, throwing plans for certain teams like Triple Eight to head to the Northern Territory for the first of four race days over two consecutive weekends.
While drivers and crews flew from Queensland to NT, team trucks were literally parked up on the side of the road on the border, waiting for permission to cross.
The delays pushed the Hidden Valley double-header back by a week, meaning that six races would be held over four days across two weekends – with one Saturday briefly threatened by state elections in the Territory.
Townsville’s double-header
Teams are now packing trucks and heading south to Townsville, which will play host to another two weekends of Supercars racing around the hybrid street/road course in the city’s inner suburbs.
Fans will be permitted to attend both weekends, although all tickets must be pre-purchased.
Tickets will be pretty affordable, too; kids under 12 will get in free, with single-day tickets $35 and a special price of $110 for a four-day ticket across both weekends.
When that double-header winds up on Sunday September 6, teams will then battle border regulations to move lock, stock and barrel to South Australia.
QR no go
While that seems like a logical solution, that has been knocked on the head.
The track was snubbed for a 2020 round before the onset of the coronavirus, so it changed the configuration of its safety barriers that were put in place for its 2019 round.
Will there be a 2020 Supercars champion?
As it turns out, a return to Ipswich isn’t essential; Supercars must conduct at least six rounds across a minimum of four states or territories in order for the 2020 season to be considered a proper championship.
So far, the series has raced in once in South Australia and Victoria (sort of, but because the cars qualified at the abandoned AGP meeting, it’s counted), and twice in NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory.
The Bathurst 1000 – or at least a second round at the Mt Panorama circuit – was originally set down for February 2021, but a change in TV rights between 2020 and 2021 put paid to that plan.
The 2020 Finale – The Bathurst 1000
The famed 1000km race brings its own issues, though, in the form of out-of-state co-drivers.
Several from Victoria, including defending champion McLaughlin’s new co-driver Tim Slade, Garth Tander and Tony D’Alberto, amongst others, will be required to quarantine for two weeks prior to the event.
Two co-drivers from Western Australia will, if conditions remain unchanged, be unable to return home at all after the event.
The potential for the Bathurst 1000 to become the season decider has also reared its head. Would McLaughlin sacrifice a second Bathurst win after the uncertainty of his first in a quest for a third championship?
Would Whincup give up on the chance of winning an eighth crown over the lure of a fifth win at a place that’s given him his fair share of heartache?
As well, underlining the massive logistic effort to move the teams to The Mountain is the fact that many team members will have been on the road for more than 100 days straight by the time the season wraps up.
While back-to-back races and tight turnaround times are a normal part of the championship, this is entirely new.
Away from home
“We’ve got a message on the inside panel which is to our friends and family around the country who we miss so much,” said Team 18 driver Scott Pye, who scored the team’s maiden podium as a standalone squad in the first round of the NT double header.
“For all of our crew it’s a difficult time at the moment, none of us wants to be away from our family, but we are doing what we can to keep this sport alive and I hope we can put on a great show this weekend for everyone watching at home.”
Teammate Mark Winterbottom, a father-of-three, echoed those sentiments.
“We’ve got our families riding with us this weekend which is a nice touch for the team to have on the side pillars of the car,” Winterbottom said.
“It’s pretty special to do that for them watching from home, and hopefully they can bring some extra fight and good luck to the team this weekend.”
Racing is the winner
The truncated and transient nature of the 2020 season has mixed up the racing – well, to a point.
Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin has been largely untouchable, but there has been a mixed bag of results from squads up and down the lane.
Albury-based Brad Jones Racing, the tiny Team 18 and even fledgling outfit Team Sydney have all rotated up the order, while traditionally strong outfits like Triple Eight Racing and Erebus Motorsport have struggled for consistency – though the latter gave 2020 first debutante winner in the form of Anton de Pasquale.
Supercars has also taken the opportunity – whether by design or circumstance – to mix up the racing. Fuel stops have been benched, which helps with transport and safety logistics, while forcing teams to use soft and hard compound tyres at different races has also spiced up the action.
The show must go on
Logistics issues have also raised their heads, with the transport and distribution of the BP racing fuel used by the series under pressure, given the sheer amount of time that the teams are on the road.
Tyre supply is not an issue, though, with Dunlop able to supply control rubber to the field thanks in part to round cancellations in places like New Zealand, Perth and Tasmania.
“Obviously we don’t know what is going to happen, but we are prepared to be on the road until Bathurst or even longer,” Dunlop Motorsport operations manager Kevin Fitzsimons told racing site Speedcafe.com.
“It is not the ideal position, but everyone is in the same boat and doing what they have to do.”
