The website of Adam Sloman, motoring journalist.
Archive for June, 2010
The same, but different
Jun 30th
My sister has recently come back to the UK to visit after four and a half years in Australia, and while there are many similarities between the UK and the Aussies, it’s remarkable how many things are different.
My sis brought back a load of Aussie mags and brochures, and in amongst them is the sales bumpf for the Holden Sportwagon range, where the smallest engine is a 3.0 litre V6, all the way up to massive six litre V8.
6.0 litre V8-cheap to run down under
Now, over here in Blighty, the idea of a 6.0 litre, 300+ break horse estate is almost unthinkable, as European manufacturers focus increasingly on frugal diesels, hybrids and electric cars, most manufacturers seem almost embarrassed to shout about the higher performance models in their ranges. But then, sis explains that petrol is about 60p a litre, where as over here, it’s near the £1.20 mark. At those prices it’s not difficult to understand how and why people are able to run such big cars. If the situation was replicated in the UK, I can think of a whole host of cars I could afford to run!
Of course Vauxhall has dipped it’s toe in the water, importing the Holden as the VXR8, but Down Under, these big engined beasts are the norm, with petrol-heads generally split into two camps, Ford or Holden.
My 18 year old nephew has just bought a Ford XR6, with the (by Aussie standards) small V6 engine. When I was his age, the closest I got to anything with a ‘V’ in it was my 1991 Rover 214. There’s other little differences too, thankfully the Aussies managed to keep the steering wheel on the correct side of the car, but my sister was totally befuddled by my sat-nav barking instructions in yards, not metres, and felt that at 70mph, we were ‘flying’ !
It seems to me that Australia may well become the last refuge for the petrol-head, where Bathurst becomes a monument to speed and the smell of hot engines and burning rubber.
Maybe I ought to get myself on a plane and go and take a look for myself, before I forget what a V8 sounds like.
Anyone want to buy me a ticket?
My Gran Turismo 5 wish list
Jun 22nd
Having previously posted the latest trailer for Gran Turismo 5, I thought I’d add my ‘wish-list’ of things I’d like to see in the upcoming game.
1. Classic Minis
GT2 Mini Cooper
The Mini Cooper and it’s mkI Morris Cooper S ancestor made it’s debut on the PSOne, in the second game of the series, Gran Turismo 2. Since then, the Mini has featured in each addition of the game, a testament to the cars popularity in Japan.
Cruelly, the original Mini was removed from the European version of the game, rumours suggested that BMW requested it, leaving us EU PS2 gamers with just the MINI and the kit-car based Mini Marcos.
Given the games 1000 cars it’s reasonable to hope the Mini will make it and that BMW won’t have any qualms about it being included in the European version. That said, if it’s not, I’ll buy a different version!
2. Proper pit-stops
Today’s racers can replicate almost every aspect of motor-racing, real-world tracks, pixel-perfect panels, inch-acurate interiors, even realistic damage that deforms the cars, effects handling, and more. But pull into the pits and illusion is shattered. The car comes to a halt, a few stereotypical sound effects and your off, car fixed, racing back under way. Come one, lets see people swapping wheels (if that’s why you’ve come in) or at least see the pit mechanics lift the bonnet, or maybe stick some fuel in. It’d be really simple to do, but it’d look great.
3. Gimme a garage and let me walk around it
Two games that really stick in my mind are Sega GT 2002 and Project Gotham Racing Three. I loved the way that PGR 3 let you chose a range of garages to put your motors in and then let you wander around them, and in Sega GT 2002, photos of your racers were hung with pride in your garage, for all to see. I also liked the Sega game’s interface, garage door open, car parked, and, if you wanted to sell a car, it was parked on the grass outside with a ‘FOR SALE’ sign propped up on the windscreen, whichever way you cut it, that’s just a very cool way to do it. Compare this with the sterile car selection system used in Forza 3 and it’s obvious which method appeals more to us petrolheads!
4. More British tracks
As a Brit I want to see more tracks from the UK. Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Donnington. Come on, they’re superb tracks and a great blast to drive on. Yes it’s going to be ace to be able to blast around the famous GT tracks, but a few more tracks from dear ‘ol Blighty wouldn’t go a miss.
5. Customisation
Forza 3 pretty much got custom paint jobs spot on, so lets see GT take a spin at it, with so many more cars there’s so many more options for different designs, liveries and paint jobs.
6. More licensed race series
We know that the new Gran Turismo has got the license for both World Rally Championship cars (which means, erm, three cars, I think) and NASCAR. Yeah, NASCAR. Surely there must be better championships to add to the mix. Touring Cars would be much better if you ask me. As the Top Gear lot once scrawled on the side of a car, ‘NASCAR SUCKS’
I’m sure more details will emerge about GT5 as we move near the November release, hopefully some of those details will knock some of the wishes off my list!
Out of the garage… and then back in again!
Jun 19th
Well another attempt to wake the MG from it’s near five year slumber has failed.
I’m starting to think the car just doesn’t like me.
The other woman (apologies for crap pic-cameraphone!)
After getting some help swapping the clutch slave, clutch master and brake master, it was done to me to give the car a simple service and get her ready for her MoT.
With a service kit ordered up from the MGCC, I set about swapping the plugs, fitting a new, uprated Lucas sport coil and then finally replaced the points and condenser. Taking the battery off charge, I hooked it up and everything was set.
I pulled choke (kids, ask your Dad) all the way out and turned the key, ready for the hearty roar of the trusty B-series engine.
Nothing happened.
Not sure the battery had got enough charge I grabbed the jump leads and manouvered the Sloman Family fun bus into position to act as a mule to kickstart the ol’ girl.
Hopping back into the B I quietly though ‘Right, here we go!’
Nothing happened.
Now, I’m no mechanic, as I fully admit, but I am a keen at having a go and I’ve taught myself to do an awful lot under the bonnet of a car, and believe you can do anything with a Haynes manual and a socket set. Then, somewhere from the depths of my mind, a thought came rushing forth. ‘I bet the starter motor is stuck.’ I grabbed my hammer and gave the starter a few brief, short ‘thwapps’ with the base of the shaft and, hey presto, it started to turner over.
Still wouldn’t bloody start though. So, as it stands, I’ve run out of ideas. My current plan is to replace the worn seatbelts and finish fitting the new carpets. Then I’ll stick it on a trailer and take it to someone who can show me why it’s not starting, and how to fix it. Of course be the time I manage to do all this it’ll probably be the Autum/winter and I can’t have the car out in crap weather.
Hmmm, maybe I’ll get it on the road for Summer 2011…
My GT Dream…
Jun 18th
As a long time car-nut, I love anything car related, especially racing games. Now, after five years of waiting, the racing game finally has a release date:
With over 950 cars, Gran Turismo 5 is finally threatening to knock it’s Xbox rival, Forza Motorsport 3, into a gravel trap. I’ve been playing the latest Forza since launch, but GT5 looks to move the genre on a level. Graphically the PS3 title definately has the upper hand over Forza, but as far as I’m concerned, it all comes down to the cars.
Forza disappointed me slightly with it’s selection of cars, were as GT, as a series, has always done that little bit better. GT4 boasted the likes of the Triumph Spitfire, MGF and Mini Marcos. This latest trailer looks great, with the damage model shown off once again, and an appearance from Top Gear’s The Stig and our first glimpse of GT5′s rendition of the famous Top Gear test track. November 2nd can’t come soon enough!
We apologise for the break in service…
Jun 18th
Been a tad quiet here for a day or two, hasn’t it. Well, it’s not my fault, really it’s not.
I’ve got a couple of post ready and raring to go, except my WordPress seems to have thrown it’s toys out of the pram in so much as I’m unable to upload any media to the blog.
Obviously, being a writer/photographer, uploading images with my words is quite important, and I don’t think it looks quite the same, posted as just a plain, dull body of text.
So, until I either figure out what suddenly made it stop working, or someone helps me fix it, things are out of my hands. Grrr.
Wahey! As of 10:35 and an update to WordPress 3.0 it’s working again. I’ll pick my toys up now. Sorry.
Sunny Silverstone
Jun 7th
Yesterday I spent the day at the home of British Motorsport, covering MG Live! for Keith Adams’ website, AROnline.
MG Live logo
A great day, if knackering, started at 5:30am, when I got up, got sorted and left to collect my father in law and head off to the circuit.
I signed the in-law on as a member of the press along with me, and once we got out lovely (!) purple-bibs, we were off. There was loads to see and to be honest, I would’ve been better taking it in over two days. Still it was a great day and definately one for next years calendar, hopefully next time I’ll be going in the MG BGT.
I was great to see people I’d met and worked with before, like Pete and Willem who looked after me and Holland last year, and Chris Wright, who’s MG ZR rally team I had also featured for the MG Enthusiast. It was also a great chance to chase down potential new features, and enjoy some top notch MG racing action, too.
I’m just putting the finishing touches to my words for AROnline, so keep ‘em peeled for my full report!
