Monday motorsport wrap: Tech regs fail to address V8 Supercars financial woes; Frosty runs hot in Townsville; Aussies collide in the US; World Rally Cars set to go wild in 2017.

V8 SUPERCARS: No surprises in step to new-generation cars

THE bait for new manufacturers in the sport is almost set with non-V8 engines and coupe body styles the essence of new draft technical regulations announced by V8 Supercars.

But nothing within the draft regulations appears to address the elephant in the room – the ongoing budget problems threatening the financial viability of a number of existing teams.

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Some say there is a case to dump unique regs and instead adopt FIA’s global GT3 template for the series, handing the costly parity process to the FIA while the manufacturers fund development and homologation, and also supply complete cars and support at prices below the going rate to build a current V8 Supercar.

But some key people, especially those with profitable sidelines within V8 Supercars, are vehemently opposed.

Pre-empted late last year, the new Gen2 Supercar regs spring no surprises and are on track to come into play from the start of 2017.

Four- and six-cylinder engines will be eligible, although the V8, which has been mandated for more than 20 years, is expected to continue as the dominant powerplant of the sport.

V8 Supercars plans to green-light a test program with its own twin-turbo V6 engine, based on a naturally aspirated Holden.

The category hopes broadening the range of engine and body configurations will see it regain relevance to more manufacturers and fans while building on the characteristics that made the series so popular for two decades.

The hope is that existing engines used by some brands in other forms of motorsport could easily find a place in future Supercars.

All post-2016 cars will continue to use the existing Car of the Future chassis and control components, and be subject to current engine and aero parity rules.

The base guidelines stipulate the car be front-engined, have a four-seat configuration in the road-going version, be available in Australia in right-hand drive, and have sold 5000 identical body shapes globally.

It paves the way for coupes such as the new Ford Mustang.

“From our many discussions it is crystal clear manufacturers want to go racing with their DNA embedded on the inside and outside of the car they choose to race,” V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton said.

That DNA has been much diminished since the old days of production-based touring car racing, to the point where today’s Commodore and Falcon V8 race cars don’t include many components to link them to the road versions.

V8 SUPERCARS: Hot Frosty sweeps Townsville

FORD hero Mark Winterbottom continued his sizzling 2015 V8 Supercars Championship form with wins in both legs of the Castrol Edge Townsville 400.

The two wins landed Winterbottom the maximum 300 points on offer, extending his lead from 95 to 248 points over nearest rival, Triple Eight’s Craig Lowndes, who had a flat weekend in the deep north.

The racing over the weekend was entertaining, with an element of unpredictability brought on by the mandated use of both hard and soft tyres in each of the 200km races.

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Most of the leading contenders had to deal with fast-fading soft tyres on both Saturday and Sunday.

While there were signs that defending champ Jamie Whincup is emerging from a lacklustre first half of the season, Winterbottom’s most serious rivals in Townsville were his Prodrive Falcon teammates Chas Mostert and David Reynolds.

But the man they call Frosty had the strategy, nous and skill to come out on top.

“There’s a lot of kerbs here and that’s where we have really improved the car,” he said after celebrating his wins.

“I think we can win anywhere after this round. This was the bogey round for mine. Homebush and Gold Coast now don’t seem as frightening as they did four days ago.”

On Saturday, Reynolds, well aware of the edict that drivers from the same pit garage should not crash into each other, closed up behind Winterbottom but couldn’t mount a safe challenge.

Frosty had to work harder for his Sunday win, starting fourth and finally moving to the lead past Reynolds, who was distracted by an engine issue, on lap 52 of 70.

Reynolds, looking as pacy as anyone in the field, had led from the first corner.

The two big Holden teams gained some speed overnight and James Courtney in the HRT Commodore came on strong late in the race Sunday (from 16th) to pass teammate Garth Tander without incident. He then charged by Reynolds, who clung on to claim third place and his third podium in as many races. Tander was fourth.

Speedy Chaz Mostert’s weekend promised more than it delivered. The pole winner on Saturday was quick throughout, only for a rear-end problem to drop him back to eighth. On Sunday, he again appeared in contention for the win, but his Prodrive Falcon lost tyre performance and dropped to fifth by race end.

Volvo’s Scott McLaughlin’s ended a run of recent outs with a fourth on Saturday and a brilliant pole on Sunday morning. But after getting the jump ahead of Reynolds and Mostert, his day ended early with a broken water pump pulley.

Fabian Coulthard, an impressive third on Saturday, was also in the mix on Sunday until incurring a pit-lane penalty from spinning wheels during his pit stop.

Though another Whincup title now seems like a long shot, Winterbottom remains wary and cites history: “I don’t know where he is in the points but from here last year he put about 600 points on everyone in six or seven rounds. He dominated. Who knows what he is going to do. It’s definitely not what we are focussed on. He has won six championships; he is not someone you write off, nor that team.”

INDYCARS: Aussie contretemps hurts Power’s title chances

WILL Power has slipped from second to third in the 2015 IndyCar Championship after he and fellow Australian Ryan Briscoe collided during the Wisconsin 250 at the Milwaukee Mile oval.

Evergreen Sebastien Bourdais took his second win of the IndyCar season – his first oval victory since winning at The Mile in 2006 – ahead of Helio Castroneves and Graham Rahal.

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Juan Montoya kept his championship lead with fourth ahead of polesitter Josef Newgarden and Ganassi pair Tony Kanaan and Scott Dixon.

Power’s non-finish means Dixon has jumped ahead to second in the championship, 54 points behind Montoya.

Power’s race ended when Briscoe spun after a restart and collected his fellow Aussie.

“No question it makes it tough,” said Power, commenting on his second DNF in a row. “We just have to focus and move on.”

WRC: 2017 World Rally Car rules hailed

ONE of the great spectacles in world motorsport – WRC rally cars going hard on gravel, ice, snow or tarmac – will be even more outrageous two seasons from now.

New technical regulations to be introduced to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2017 have been greeted enthusiastically by teams, who also believe the fans will love the enhanced show they’ll provide.

The appearance of the cars – which are based on big-selling production models including the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo and Hyundai i20 – will also get an overhaul, copping more distinct and dramatic looks with bigger wings, greater overhangs for front and rear bumpers, and larger door sills.

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One of the attractions of off-roading is there’s no such thing as unsuitable weather. Four-wheel driving is an activity that can conquer almost anything Mother Nature has in store, which means you can access and experience beautiful sites during even the coldest days of winter.

Many magical days are to be had in Victoria’s forests, especially when rain turns to snow. While it may seem daunting to go off-roading in the snow, a bit of preparation can go a long way when it comes to braving the winter elements.

Just like any trip on rough terrain, your 4×4 needs to be in top-notch mechanical condition. While warmer weather tends to be friendlier to your vehicle, there are extra precautions that need to be considered when travelling in low temperatures.

COLD COMFORT

Remember, your vehicle runs on fluids, and fluids can freeze. Even if they don’t become solid, fluids that drop dramatically in temperature don’t flow like they’re supposed to. Your coolant and wiper fluids are the most susceptible. Without antifreeze, which prevents the problem, you risk damaging your water pump. It’s also important to remember oil can freeze too, although that usually occurs at temperatures much lower than you’d find in Australia. But it does affect the flow of oil, so consider lower-viscosity oil for the duration of your trip.

Another thing to keep an eye on is your rubber elements, such as hoses, which crack easily in the cold. To avoid this, replace anything that looks old or suspicious.

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Petrol drivers finally have one up on their diesel-driving mates – petrol freezes at about -50 degrees Celsius, which is rare in our country. Diesel, on the other hand, freezes at temperatures lower than -20 degrees Celsius, but you’ll hit problems before it drops this low.

All fuel needs some element of inherent lubrication, wax is the key when it comes to diesel and this wax in the fuel can start to crystallise at low temperatures at cloud point (when the fuel becomes cloudy). Australian Standard AS3570 sets maximum temperatures for the supply of diesel fuel. These are set by region and by month and range from 15 degrees in central Australia in January to -3 degrees in Tassie in June. A reason why storing fuel for months is not a good idea – the blend changes over the course of the year. Alpine diesel is your solution, or highland diesel, which both offer lower cloud point levels.

As an extra precaution, you can add Callington Roxdiesel additive to your fuel, which further lowers the cloud point. Add it to warm diesel in a partly filled tank, then fill up and drive to ensure the best mix – the ratio is 1L per 500L of fuel, so not much is required.

FROZEN STIFF

If leaving the vehicle overnight, move the wipers away from the windscreen so they don’t freeze on – you could damage the wiper motor if you try operating them and they can’t move. If you need to clear your windscreen, use de-icer instead of hot water, available from various auto stores. Alternatively, the humble credit card does a good job of scraping.

Also, make sure you don’t leave the park brake on. If the temperature drops low enough, it might freeze in place – use chocks instead.

A few more little tips: cover the windscreen with a tarp to prevent ice and snow build-up; rub Vaseline on rubber door jambs and seals around windows so they don’t freeze shut; and remove any wet items – like clothes or shoes – because that raises the humidity level in the car, leading to condensation.

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Check your tyre pressures in the morning as the cold air causes pressure to drop. Don’t fill up with too much air because as the day goes on, pressure will increase.

Once your maintenance check is done, don’t start the car and just leave it on idle to ‘warm up’. This causes more grief for your engine; you’re better off starting the car just before you go, driving gently and reducing your electrical load.

Despite the damage cold weather can do to your vehicle, nothing takes more of a hammering than the battery. Before taking to the road, get your battery tested. A dual battery system can help take the pressure off the main battery, if you wire your accessories to the secondary one.

Plenty of problems can arise when you take your 4WD off-road, but cold weather, or snow, doesn’t need to be one of them.

This article was originally published in 4X4 Australia July 2014.

Heart-bursting, arm-spreading, life-affirming exhilaration – when did you last feel that rush? It can be hard to extract from everyday activities. People often talk of creating a vacation mindset by turning off devices, kids and barking dogs for some downtime. But how do you do the opposite and create an experience that is upliftingly thrilling? Simple: drive in a rally.

Essentially, a rally is an organised point-to-point (as opposed to circuit) motorsport event, and can be held on sealed roads (‘tarmac’), on dirt (‘off-road’), or a combination of both. Drivers might be ranked for speed, technical ability, navigation or endurance – there’s something for everyone, regardless of experience or ability.

When it comes to driving, most of us are used to abiding by the rules: don’t go too fast, don’t slide in the dirt, don’t hit the mud at high speed. In a rally you have permission to go hard and test your limits in an arena many women don’t even realise exists. Most importantly, rallies bring together a community of like-minded adventurers, who are always keen to help a newbie find her feet.

My life-changing rally moment came in 2012, when I was invited by Volkswagen to drive with my good mate Sammy Stevens in the women-only Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles, across the sand dunes, mountains and mudflats of Morocco. Famous throughout Europe for its mixture of all-female madness, gruelling terrain and exotic landscapes, the Rallye is almost unknown in Australia, but should be on every gal’s bucket list. From professional drivers and women keen for a challenge to TV personalities and even a Miss France or two, the Rallye brings together all types, all ages and all languages (but mainly French) for a drive that will leave most of them indelibly changed.

All my driving until then was on tarmac and out of competition, so this was something absolutely foreign: 180 women in an arduous eight-day marathon, following a secret off-road route that was only revealed at 5am each day – in French. Qu’est-ce que vous avez dit? Stuffed if I know – my French started and ended in eighth grade. We were supposed to have passed a two-week sand-dune driving program and learned to navigate with compass and map, but we missed the memo and Sammy and I launched into the Extreme route on the towering dunes of Erg Chebbi with hearts in our mouths, a week’s supply of French military rations, pallets of Red Bull and a swagful of swear words.

Turns out driving on sand dunes is much like skiing: keep rolling in second gear, make wide sweeping turns and never, ever brake. Brake while heading up a dune and you’ll swamp the car in sand, which means digging it out while praying it doesn’t roll on you. If you panic and brake as the car crests the top of the dune, you might dig in and even roll your car arse-over-cabin. We slid nose-first down a particularly steep sand hill and ended up balancing on our bumper bar for a moment. That’s what cargo nets are for, and as we were barraged with drink bottles and sleeping bags, we wished we had one.

Crucial footnote: the volunteers who work the medical and organisational tents are some of the best-looking men you have ever sidled a dust-covered car up to. Word is it’s a highly coveted gig with, er, fringe benefits, and it was clear that despite the exhaustion, the heat, high emotions and an early curfew, everyone was having an excellent time.

You want what this rally has: adrenalin guaranteed, total immersion in French gutter talk and Moroccan high sands, and fun in spades. Literally. Shovelling sand every day for over a week between heart-stopping vehicular feats will send you home taut, tanned and transformed.

For the same high, minus the jetlag, you can start local with something like the Shitbox Rally or the Variety Bash across outback Australia, or you could jump straight into the born-to-be-bad Tatts Finke Desert Race (it’s on my revised bucket list). Just pack a rake, a shovel and traction mats, and the sandy beyond is yours for the taking.

Off-road rallying: the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but also the most exciting, and one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had. That 10-day trial by sand, sweat and incomprehension changed the way I went about my daily work. It will teach you to not sweat the small stuff, and get on with what really matters. I was just a regular gal with a little more driving experience than many, and I was utterly transformed by the support of the rally community and the stretch of attempting something so far out of my comfort zone. So grab a four-wheel-drive, find some sand, and have a crack!

Sally Dominguez is a multi-award winning Australian product designer and architect now living in the USA. Her products include the Nest highchair and HOG tank. She is currently running her own Adventurous Thinking tools and strategies program.

PLUS

• When it comes to buying a small car, cabin space isn’t usually a priority. But the Holden Astra delivers anyway with a roomy cabin and a generous amount of cargo space – even for tall folk.
• Its value isn’t necessarily a stand-out, but it’s better than previous models, so we give it a half tick.
• Standard kit includes a display screen, navigation, smartphone connectivity and parking sensors. The performance version in the VXR gives you the look and the feel of a performance drive, while the GTC is the pick for those who want the look but not the power.

• It may have the styling of a sport car, but the interior is not as suave as it could be – based on an old model, the interior is in need of an update.
• The media system, controlled by a joystick, could be better. Touchscreens tend to be more efficient, but you get used to it.
• It’s missing a reversing camera which is annoying given it doesn’t have the best rear visibility. But given its generous suite of standard kit, including rear and front parking sensors, we can probably forgive it.

Again one of Formula One’s brightest minds will be instrumental to an extreme road car design.

Adrian Newey, renowned Formula One designer, is collaborating with Aston Martin to create an extreme supercar according to Autocar, with the aim to have it on par with Ferrari’s LaFerrari and McLaren P1.

It’s no secret that Newey, after declaring he wanted to spend less time around Formula One as Red Bull Racing’s Technical Director, wants to lend his genius to a road car project, and the potential pairing may realise another car in the vein of Gordon Murray’s McLaren F1.

The news also coincides with rumours Aston Martin will make a return to the sport as partners with Red Bull Racing, which would afford the team a chance to use Mercedes-Benz engines after its contract with Renault ends in 2016 as the car manufacturer owns five per cent of Aston Martin.

Helmut Marko, RBR’s racing advisor, when asked about the F1 partnership has also told Speedweek.com the two firms are working together “but on other projects”.

The Mercedes-Benz relation also opens up potential for the Newey-designed Aston Martin to utilise Mercedes technology for its own drivetrain, if for some reason the current V12 developed by Aston Martin Racing in the Vulcan isn’t the right fit.

How exactly the project between Newey and Aston Martin will differ to the Vulcan remains to be known, as the 527kW hypercar that’s being sold as a circuit-only machine already fits the bill as its highest and most exclusive offering, but it’s said that the two parties want the project to have little overlap with the Vulcan as possible, explaining Newey’s desire to have the car designed for road use.

That said, the possibility that Newey’s brain has access to this V12 for a road car has us delirious in anticipation.

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Malaise has taken over us in the absence of tyre frying action from the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

But that’s not to say we can’t enjoy it a few weeks on.

Goodwood’s done a cracking job of providing the public with access to videos of the four-wheel legends from this year’s event, and we’re sure you’ll be particularly taken by the footage of Aston Martin’s latest circuit-only customer car, known as the Vulcan, demonstrating what 527kW worth of Aston Martin Racing 7.0-litre V12 does to rear tyres on the Lord March’s driveway.

The gentleman behind the wheel is factory driver Darren Turner, and rather than escort the one-of-24 hypercar up the hill climb with kid gloves, he gives us multiple foot-controlled twelve cylinder concerts while laying elevens.

Mad, but exactly why 2015 was another great year for the Goodwood festival.

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Giorgetto Giugiaro, the man behind countless beauties, has sold his remaining shares of the company bearing his name to majority shareholder Audi.

INFLUENTIAL automotive designer Giorgetto Giugiaro has announced his retirement by selling his 9.9 percent remaining share of the company he started in 1968 – Italdesign – to Audi AG.

Effective from June 28, the Italian-based coachbuilding firm is now 100 percent owned by the Volkswagen Group, which acquired 90.1 percent control from Giugiaro in August 2010.

In a statement released by Italdesign, the 76 year-old designer has resigned from his role as Honorary President at Italdesign Giugiaro, “…to dedicate more time to his passions and personal interests.”

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Some 200 new employees have been added to Italdesign’s payroll since the Germans stepped in five years ago, with another 50 earmarked to be hired before the end of 2015. Among a host of industrial enterprises, the Moncalieri, Italy-based company also designs and engineers time pieces, furniture, buses and trains, farming equipment, coffee machines, photography equipment, clothing and sporting equipment.

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His relationship with the Wolfsburg brand was solidified in the early 1970s when former Volkswagen AG chairman, Ferdinand Piëch, trained at the Italian design house, which Giugiaro and business partner Aldo Mantovani started four years earlier as Studi Italiani Realizzazione Prototipi S.p.A.

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Starting his career in 1955, Giugiaro has designed or help create over 200 cars, with some of them – including the original Alfa Romeo Alfasud and Alfetta GT, Audi 80, BMW M1, Daewoo Matiz, Fiat Panda, Punto, and Uno, Lotus Esprit, Maserati Bora, Suzuki SX4, Volkswagen Golf, and Volkswagen Passat – becoming landmark models.

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He was also partly responsible for several less successful (or well received) models – including the infamous 1980 Morris Marina-based Ital that bared the company’s name, 1981 DeLorean DMC-12, 1985 Holden RB Gemini, 1986 Holden Piazza, 1988 Renault 19, and the 1991 Subaru SVX.

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Turning 77 on August 7, Giugiaro was awarded “Car Designer of the Century” in 1999, and was inducted in the Automotive Hall of Fame three years later.

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Audi has halted production lines bearing the RS4 and RS5, deleting the last models to feature Audi’s venerated atmo 4.2-litre V8 from the company’s model range.

While the duo will be available for as long local supply allows Audi Australia has confirmed to MOTOR the RS4 and RS5 are no longer being produced, meaning you can no longer place factory-orders for either car.

Considering the current B8-generation Audi RS4 first appeared in 2012, four years after the A4 was released, and the next A4 will debut in 2016, will we have to wait almost half a decade for the hi-po coupe’s and wagon’s replacements?

Not necessarily. It’s known Heinz Hollerweger, current boss of Quattro GmbH, believes RS models should debut earlier in model lifecycles, meaning we could see a new RS4 or RS5 as soon as 2017.

There’s also the fact that however long Quattro GmbH takes to prepare the successors, Mercedes-AMG and BMW will exclusively enjoy the luxury compact-performance market. Something Audi will want to fix as soon as possible.

The more concerning issue for enthusiasts surrounding this news is the fate of the RS4’s atmo 4.2-litre V8. An 8250rpm rev limit, direct injection, and double-overhead cams helped the engine extract 331kW from 4163cc, or 106hp per litre, which made it a masterpiece of an engine, but MOTOR believes with the RS4 and RS5 it has exited altogether from the brand’s line up.

Its replacement could be anything. And whether that’s a de-tuned RS6 Avant V8, highly-tuned supercharged six, or the electric-supercharger V6 setup seen on the Audi RS5 TDI concept, one thing’s almost certain: the engine will be boosted, now defining the Audi R8 as the firm’s last naturally aspirated performance car.

And that makes today’s news rather sad. But rather than cry in to your ale, and in honour of Audi all-paw war wagons, check out our top 10 fast wagons for a cheer up.

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VW has revealed a racing concept of its seventh-generation Golf which should inject the manufacturer in to touring car racing come 2016.

Although only a concept for now, the car has been developed within regulations of the new Touringcar Racing International Series (TCR) which debuted this year as a support event at the Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix.

VW’s motorsport arm has built the vehicle to ‘evaluate’ a potential customer programme for 2016. “The newly created TCR category provides a promising platform for customer racing – on a national and international level. With exciting races, production-based technology and reasonable costs, it offers a new outlook for private racing teams,” says Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director, in a release.

With the TCR’s reliance on road vehicles, the Golf racing concept features the Golf R’s engine (producing a more muscular 243kW and 410Nm), six-speed DSG transmission, and other details like its front and rear lights.

It’s also based on VW’s MQB platform which it says “reduces the cost of assembling and running the touring car.”

Where the racing concept diverges from the showroom Golf, radically, is its chassis and aerodynamic setup.

Up front protrudes a sizeable splitter, matched out back by a huge carbon fibre rear wing and fenders that have been stretched over new widened tracks. VW says the chassis is 40cm wider than the road car.

Appropriate safety gear such as a racing seat, fuel cell, and roll cage help the Golf comply for competition, while the engine grounds its power exclusively through the front axle.

Volkswagen Motorsport will partner with Englester Motorsport to further develop the car during the remaining rounds of the TCR in Austria, Singapore, Thailand and Macau.

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SO, THIS is it. The last naturally-aspirated V8 from Mercedes-Benz AMG. It seems restless, idling at an impatient 600rpm. The 6.2-litre V8 is anything but Mercedes-smooth at this low engine speed, the whole car wobbling and shaking like an old-school eight with a hot camshaft.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that this C63 is doing a hot-rod shimmy at the side of the road here in the dry interior of California’s Mojave Desert. After all, this is the Edition 507, the C63 with a handful of SLS engine components that stands as a final tribute to the wonder of natural aspiration.

Cars like the high-revving C63 will be treasured, stashed away and saved. Folks out this way hang on to two things: Their cars and their guns. The firearms get oiled regularly, but the cars are usually left to waste away while the owners hope for an economic miracle that would allow their restoration. The grass doesn’t grow up under these vehicles, but that’s only because it is too dry for grass to grow. I can imagine a stored 507 being dusted off by a future ‘Mad’ Max Rockatansky for use in a post-apocalyptic battle of good versus evil around here.

The roads out here in the badlands are almost empty. At one point, some tumbleweed actually rolls across the road in front of me. Seriously, I thought that only happened in the movies. This lack of traffic is a good thing, though, when you have so much horsepower under the bonnet. How much is there? Well, the name is no accident, as this swansong C63 produces 507hp. That translates into 373kW in the more civilised regions of the world, backed up by an impressive 610Nm of torque. They are mighty figures from a production car without any device forcing extra air into its gullet.

It can operate in Driving Miss Daisy automatic mode, Sport, Sport + or Manual, with changes controlled by the metal-plated paddles on the steering column. The latter is the best option for fun and, thankfully the changes are quick. Mercedes says 100 milliseconds; I got a similar figure on my stopwatch… It is also able to double de-clutch on down-changes, allowing for more aggressive downshifts. Thank goodness. There is nothing worse than having a transmission/engine computer resist changing down until it’s too late, blocking the change and beeping in disgust. It’s not like I want to compression lock the rear wheels, I just change as if I was using a manual.

Switch it to Sport+ or off completely and the 507 is fantastically slidey, as I found out the day before at Willow Springs Raceway. Thanks to its power and optional electronic locking diff (up to 40 per cent lock), you can pretty much steer with the throttle, making the steering wheel largely redundant. The steering is adequately precise and the springs and dampers, lifted from the C63 Performance Pack, are firm enough to keep body roll under control.

Composite brake discs with six-piston calipers at the front and four-pistons at the rear help tame the grunt, with the pedal refusing to yield even after several laps of punishment. Maybe painting the calipers red helps.

Some of the crests actually qualify as jumps and sport the sump guard gouges to prove it. I hit one at a speed that my attorney suggests I do not disclose and comprehensively leave the ground leaving no option but to pucker up. I pray the car doesn’t come down off-line, grip up and fire me into a cactus field. I don’t like the idea of knocking on the nearest trailer for help. Out here, with all my teeth, I’d be considered ‘real perty’. Thankfully, the 507 lands straight and true, losing none of its composure.

A man in denim overalls with a Captain Caveman beard and a hat older than the Edsel appears out of the dust and walks over stiffly. His face is only slightly less menacing than his dogs, but it turns out old Joe Wealand is a gentle soul looking after an old alfalfa farm. He just gets cranky when folks turn up asking to buy the Edsel, which is not for sale. His dogs, part cattle dog, part shepherd and part wolf, express his objection to said barn-find hunters.

It sounds so incredibly angry. I’m talking angry like Jabba the Hut finding nothing but crumbs in his cookie jar. This is not a ‘technical’ sounding engine like the newer AMG turbo V8s, it’s more guttural and certainly doesn’t need any M5-style electronic audio amplification. There is a fantastic ‘thrump’ that accompanies the up-changes and aurally-pleasing blips for the down-changes as well as some crackle and pop on lift-off.

This 507 is not as harsh or hardcore as that car. You could live with it everyday, although that would depend on the roads you intend to use it on. The freeways out of Los Angeles conspire with the dampers to re-form your skeletal structure every time it hits an expansion joint, yet, out here, the chassis is just fine. There are enough luxury features to make life comfortable, including supportive leather seats with cheek heaters. This car has light-coloured porcelain trim for parts of the doors and seat. This gives the owner a vast reserve of jokes about the pleasure of sitting on porcelain.

But the traffic increases approaching Santa Clarita. We’re not in the outback now and I have to remember the apocalypse hasn’t happened yet. There are stillpPolice to watch out for and rules to follow. But when the day does come, I’m definitely going to track me down a 507.