The Dinosaur that is

So has the speed inducing, growl and formidable lumbering of the locally grown V8 come to an eventual end? Has the rise of the opposition and call for the dismemberment of fossil fuels finally put an end to Australia's home grown and much lauded V8 franchise?

It has been a long 47 years since the inception of the first locally produced V8 and much has happened over the years.  Between the introduction of independent rear suspension to the whine and pull of a factory superchager, the Australian automotive scenery has much to thank for the humble Holden Commodore.

So is this truly the end of an era or did it merely open a door for future possibilities? I feel as if most of us have come to the realization that we won't be rumbling around with the sound of masculinity through the suburbs for the rest of our lives. Some of you may have seen the end coming and snapped up a few of the last, reasonably well-kept models, and have them lovingly kept within the confines of your man cave.  Some of you may have been a tad late and picked up anything you can at the expense of a few stockies and a loud Friday night at the legal or not so legal skid pan.

Regardless of whether you have one or not, the Commodore as we know will soon cease to exist.  Will the next incarnation be pulled around by a 4 cylinder along the lines of a larger Astra? Will anyone buy it?  Bottom line is we will end up with another Camry, a white econo-box that gets us from A to B with the possible weekend getaway to C.  That's what the big automotive manufacturers see at least anyway. Small cars that use minimal amount of fuel with the least possible personality so as to not detract from the functional machine it is meant to be.  The automotive equivalent to those Styrofoam boxes the lite 'n' easy meals come in.

Whilst Holden and Ford's bottom line numbers have improved this year, especially over the Korean multinational that everyone knows and loves - Hyundai -  the fate of the pants tightening V8 is all but sealed.

What is to happen with the automotive scene now? We know now that Mazda executives have approved the design of the RX9, the eventual successor to the RX7, but what are Holden to do? reinvent the Torana with a turbo 4? Import as many GM produced yank tanks ala Ford's Mustang? I guess its back to yard finds and troweling the dust pages of old auto magazines.

End rant


See you at the track
- Willie

A new era of Summernats?

Another January is over and with it another Summernats is done and dusted.
With the influx of flagship cars as well as what is always regarded as the hottest day of the year, the 29th year of Summernats was the second in a row in which a non-V8 came away with the prestigious Grand Champion award.  That being said however, the much acclaimed Mazda that came away with the top honours was a shoe in amongst the sea of lion and blue oval badged behemoths.

Much can be said about the spectacle that is Summernats.  Some say the belligerent wrong-doers with reckless attitudes towards personal and not so personal safety that attend this festival of fire do nothing but promote the maligned and degraded brand the name Summernats was identified with in days gone by.

Others say that since Chic Henry sold the carnival of chaos, the new owners have continuously raised the bar and ushered in a new era of automotive debauchery, just without as much debauchery.  The emphasis of family days, the assurance of safety and the inclusion of key cars such as the Red Bull Racing V8 Supercar wheeled by Jamie Whincup assist in stimulating the friendly attitude and encourage local law enforcement bodies to praise the lack of attacks on a Saturday night.

I love the Summernats as much as the next red meat eating, methanol whiffing male but to me it feels like the makeup gun that Homer made Marge "Homer, you've got it set on crack whore!".  At the end of the day the Summernats will always be a celebration of all that is masculine. You can tone down all that made it everything it was to begin with, but as long as people are willing to shred compressed rubber to appease the shirtless masses who are willing to pay $8 for a can of beer, then you will have 100,000 people streaming through the gates at $70 a ticket.

I for one think that the Summernats as a brand will go from strength to strength doing just what they're doing:  providing a locale at which to perform burnouts as much as your hearts content and present your hard earned and built ride for the inspection and admiration of your peers. So long as they show that they are making an attempt to curb the alcohol fuelled violence and endorse a family friendly event, then the public just may be appeased.

Next year will be no different, with Summernats turning the dirty 30, it will prove to be a true spectacle.  Lets just hope the ACT government doesn't have other plans.  With the revenue the Capital receives from this revelry of rev-heads I highly doubt anything will happen to waylay the event.


See you at the track
- Willie