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Wheels magazine has always had a passionate audience, with a thriving letters section. Here's the latest from our readers.
And while we're talking about the mag, have you subscribed?
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Ice Ice Baby
šļø Malcolm Bassil, Carlton, VIC
Look, I get it. I know that the motoring industry is moving to an electrified future and that Wheels reflects what the motoring industry is doing, but I really canāt see myself ever buying an electric vehicle.
Iāve driven a few and they just leave me absolutely cold. Thereās so little of the character that I love about cars in them. Iām 63 but Iām no Luddite and, given the glacial pace of Australiaās adoption of EVs, I really canāt see a point during my lifetime when Iāll be unable to fuel an internal combustion engined vehicle in this country.
Am I right in thinking that fossil fuels still have a long future ahead of them Down Under?
š Editor Andy
It would seem that way, Malcolm. But itās worth bearing a couple of points in mind. Firstly, itās likely that future governments may punitively tax you for an ICE vehicle to push you into an EV. Stick seems to be preferred to carrot, despite carrot nearly always being more effective. Secondly, never say never. The EVs that have failed to impress you thus far are just the vanguard. Theyāre improving, and improving fast.
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Rinsolvent?
šļø Ian Hamilton, via Facebook
I was browsing the Wheels digital archive this morning and in the May 2002 issue, I chanced across the Rinspeed Presto, a car which, at the touch of a button, would expand from a 2.7 metre, two-seat cabrio to a 3.6 metre, four-seater.
Firstly, I thought this was a great idea that has never really gone anywhere, making large cars easy to park, but it also got me thinking about Rinspeed, who seemed to present at virtually every Geneva Motor Show with some weird and wonderful concept car.
Theyāve been at it for more than 20 years, yet donāt sell any of the cars. How on earth do they stay in business?
š Editor Andy
That is a very good question. Speak to founder Frank Rinderknecht and youāll just get an avalanche of buzzwords like āthink tank for mobility issuesā that never answer the question of how the company stays afloat. It was originally a profitable Porsche tuner, but now? Who knows. Frankās just turned up in Qatar, driving a VW iD Buzz there for this yearās āGenevaā Show.
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The Wheels question to you
Would Elon Muskās public persona prevent you buying a tesla?
I just can't...
- The more I see of the guy, the less I like. Heās scuttled Twitter, and some of his statements are just so ... off. If I buy a Tesla, that seems a tacit statement of support for his problematic viewpoints. M. Carman, via Facebook
Not really
- Was Henry Ford a nice guy? Was Colin Chapman? Enzo Ferrari? Letās broaden it. Steve Jobs? I donāt really know where you go with this argument. I donāt like Musk much but can accept he builds a good car., S Lewington, via Facebook
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Never have i ever
šļø Steve Brezowski, Rockingham, WA
Being an occasional Wheels customer (I grab one off the rack in my local servo if the cover looks interesting), I was really excited by the latest edition of the magazine with the BMW Neue Klasse concept.
I dunno if itās just me, but there seems to be a real buzz about the global motor industry at the moment, as if itās undergoing a real shift with all sorts of weird and wonderful cars being tipped out of that process.
Not only do we seem to be seeing car makers go absolutely crazy with their internal combustion engines, but weāre also seeing some exciting electric cars. The mix of cars in the October issue was just deranged. I donāt think weāve ever seen a time like it.
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Dating Honda
šļø Alan Townsley, via email
Just wondering if Wheels was going to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Honda at all?
I was watching Max Verstappen clinch the Constructorsā championship at Hondaās home track in a Honda-powered car on Hondaās 75th birthday and the company doesnāt seem to be getting much love from Wheels.
Any particular reason?
š Editor Andy
This is interesting, Alan. Honda, as a corporate entity, was indeed incorporated 75 years ago, but only started building cars for its domestic market in 1963. That makes its car manufacturing arm 60 rather than 75, and itās been 50 years since the brand opened in many export markets, as Michael Stahl mentioned in his Civic piece last month.
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Rest easy, big red
šļø Asif Tarafdar, via Facebook
I was horrified to hear of the recent passing of Wheels veteran Ash Westerman. I feel as if Ash has been pretty much a constant fixture in my history of reading MOTOR and Wheels and I always enjoyed his effortless turn of phrase and effervescence.
Seeing him on page 78 of the last issue was especially poignant, but I wanted to go back and read some of his best pieces. I loved the one about finding the Lithgow Panther and the accompanying video was excellent. Any others youād recommend?
š Editor Andy
Weāre all reeling here, Asif. Itās been a shocking turn of events and Ash was a fantastic asset to Wheels and an all-round lovely bloke. His huge body of work will continue to entertain readers for years to come. Of his more recent work, Iām a particular fan of his drive to Bodie ghost town in January 2019, his farewell to the Holden GTS-R W1 drive in May 2017 and his search for the Tassie Tiger in a Jaguar F-Type SVR from February 2017. Weāll round up some more of Ashās finest in due course. ā Ed
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Off beatz
šļø Jay Stanley, via email
Loved the Lotus Elise feature in the last issue and Enrightās namecheck of Swizz Beatz as a design consultant for Lotus.
I used to work in New York and was nearly flattened by Mr Beatzās Evora company car at a crosswalk. Having fallen off my bike, I was then nearly collected by his entourage in a giant Chevy Suburban that was crashing every red light trying to keep up.
Iāve heard that post-Lotus, he has taken to camel racing in Saudi Arabia. If his talents behind the wheel of an Evora are anything to go by, I feel sorry for the camels.
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