History: Farewell B

Back in the 90’s when I got my drivers license, it seemed that everyone, at one time or another, were once the proud owners of a venerable little Mazda B-2200. As a teenager, the B-series was ideal, with a good sized bed to haul around mountain bikes, snowboards, hockey gear, camping gear, car parts and in some cases, stockpiles of beer or people. It was cheap to buy, was as reliable as the day was long, and with the perfectly suitable 2.2L four-cylinder pumping away under the hood, the B-2200 was ideally fuel-efficient for someone working for minimum wage to operate. As a freshly graduated 18 year-old, the Mazda B-series was the perfect fit.

The story of the B-series goes back a long way from the land of the rising sun. Believe it or not, the Japanese built rather large pickup trucks back in the 50’s and 60’s, as these kind of vehicles were mostly snapped up by workers in the farming and industry sectors, for use as work vehicles. Mazda, however, saw that there was a market that wasn’t being taken advantage of, a market for a small, light duty personal pickup. In the cramped environment of narrow roadways and short distance driving in Japan, as well as all of Asia, Australia and New Zealand for that mater, a compact pickup made a lot of sense. And so, the first B-series pickup was introduced in August of 1961, branded as the B-1500, referring to the trucks engine displacement. The little 1,484 cc four-cylinder pumped out 59 hp and had a one-ton payload rating. The B-1500 soon made a name for itself as being a hard worker and extremely reliable little truck. With the suspension set up with a torsion bar front end and leaf sprung solid rear, the B-1500 also became well known for its comfort. And with that, Mazda created the compact truck market.

Soon, the other Japanese domestic brands began to see that Mazda were making great use of a rather large hole in the truck market. In 1965, Datsun jumped into the game with a slightly smaller 520, which used a 1.3L engine. In 1968, Toyota countered Mazda with the now famous Hilux, which matched the Mazda in size, engine displacement and power. Isuzu, along with GM allegiances, created the Faster, in 1972, which would also see limited importation into North America.

By this time, these small pickups hadn’t properly penetrated the North American market with any great success, and Mazda kept the B-Series out of the market here until Toyota and Isuzu had properly tested the waters. However, in Asia and Australasia, the small trucks were a hit, and the Mazda B-1500 was leading the way in these compact pickup friendly lands.

In 1965, only four short years since its introduction, Mazda gave the B-1500 a slight refresh, adding a four-headlight front fascia, improving the cylinder head and adding down draft carburetor rather than a side unit that upped power from 59 to 73 hp. 1971 would see the B-series finally make it to North America in the form of its third generation. This new truck would see very little in the way of cosmetic changes, however, power was increased yet again with a displacement change from 1.5L to 1.6L, thus changing the vehicles name to the B-1600.

At this time, Mazda were also heavily invested in the Wankel engine technology, now popularized with the Mazda brand and dubbed the rotary. Mazda would use the 13B rotary engine in the B-series from 1974 to 1977, creating the world’s first rotary powered pickup. The rotary powered B-series featured flared fenders, a battery mounted under the rear bed and special edition designed dash, grille and headlights. However, while the twin rotor, 1.3L, 13B was ideal in Mazda’s sports car, the Cosmo, and the RX-4 and RX-5 coupes, the engines low torque rating did not make a good match with the pickup trucks needs and was soon cancelled. Like most rotary powered Mazda’s, it didn’t go out without a fight, as Mazda raced one of these special editions at the 1975 SCCA Mojave 24 Hour Rally.

It was in this era that also saw Mazda’s first truck cooperation agreement with Ford, which would see the new B-1800 be rebadged as a Ford Courier. Ford was in need of small truck to combat the influx of small Japanese pickups like the Toyota, Isuzu and Datsun. The Courier was produced by Mazda in Japan and imported into the US minus the rear bed to combat tariffs.  With the new 1.8L engine increasing torque to 92 lb-ft, the Courier/B-1800 had an impressive 1,400 lb load capability combined with a cheaper price tag than the F-100. The only real difference between the Mazda and Ford variants were the badging on the tailgate and hood, while the Courier had a unique grille to mimic that of the F-100.

1978 would see another generation of the B-series created, this time the truck got the full treatment with an all-new 80’s body design and the usual increase in displacement to 2.0L, however this time with the introduction of fuel injection. Soon after, one of the most popular versions, the aforementioned B-2200 and B-2600 would be introduced in 1985. This marked the height of small truck production, and the B-series saw a whole host of both body and drivetrain upgrades. The B-2000, became the B-2200, then B-2600 with the later producing 121 hp. The body was modernized with plastic bumpers; upgraded grille and headlight assemblies while part time 4WD could now be had for the first time. Customers now also had the choice of a long box or a king cab option on their vehicles. The B-series was sold in North America in this guise for well over a decade, from 1985 to 1998, and while the Courier was still based off the B-series platform, it was not offered in North America, as Ford had now created the Ranger for itself.

However, this would change in the later half of 1998, when Ford changed the B-series forever. They flipped the table on Mazda, effectively killing off the Japanese built truck in North America, and now chose to use the Ranger as the base platform, pumping out Mazda equivalents as thinly rebadged Rangers.

In its new North American cloths, the B-series not only received much larger engine packages, but its size grew exponentially to meet the North American needs. The choice of a 2.3L (B-2300) or 4.0L (B-4000) engines were now mated to either rear-wheel-drive, or optional 4WD with a dash mounted switch. Several of these new 4WD’s were now on par with the more popular Toyota and Nissan trucks in terms of off-road modifications and capabilities. However, with Ford now calling the shots, the only improvements made to the vehicles over their 12-year lifespan was little more than the addition of trim options. As a result, both the Ranger and B-series began to loose favour in a market that saw an every increasing move towards larger full-size trucks, as those trucks reaped the rewards of increased attention, allowing automakers to sell them for nearly as cheaply.

Unfortunately, the writing was on the wall as early as 2009, when word of the B-series demise began to leak. True to their word, with sales dwindling, the B-series was finally executed in 2010, with only a few unsold units still sitting on dealer’s lots. It’s an unfortunate end to what was a great vehicle, and so we pay tribute and homage to the first popular mass-produced compact pickup. RIP B-series.

Review: 2011 Ford Explorer

Great explorers must overcome great hurdles in order to not only to achieve their goals, but in many cases, just to stay alive. Sir Ranulph Fiennes was the first man to reach both North and South Poles, but he lost several fingers and toes in the experience. Likewise, Robert Falcon Scott, who raced Roald Amundsen across the Antarctic to realize the dream of being the first man to the South Pole, only to loose the race by 35-days and later his life on the return journey due to improper preparations. In the cutthroat world of the SUV, the waters are not as warm and comfortable as the Caribbean; rather icy and treacherous like the Arctic. The once powerful SUV has had to give way to the surge in popularity of the Crossover, as the public demands a high cargo and passenger volume vehicle that handles like a car.

Enter the Explorer, the pioneer of the modern SUV, however, as of late, with all the Japanese competition as well as Dodge, Jeep and Chevy producing significantly upgraded unibodied utes, the Explorer had become a relic of out of date body on frame technology. Like most of Fords range of new vehicles, 2011 sees all change for the Explorer, with an all-new unibody stuffed with as much technology Ford could squeeze into it.

Other than body construction, the biggest step forward is how much greener the Explorer has become with the new 3.5L V-6 producing 22% better fuel efficiency, with at city rating of 11.9/100km and 8.0L on the highway. All this comes with an improvement in power as well, upping to 290 hp and 255 lb-ft. The upcoming 2.0L Ecoboost that is due later this summer is even more impressive offering up 237 horsepower and 250 lb.-ft. of torque. However, despite its name, fuel efficiency is actually worse than the V-6, with a 13.1L/100km city and 8.7L on the highway.

The new design is quite an eye catcher if I do say so myself, and sports some distinctly Land Roverish touches that really add to the refinement of the vehicle. Inside the same can be said as a stylish interior design is matched with high quality soft touch materials, while what few buttons there are, give off a very luxurious feel and actuation. However, the coolness factor gets cranked to 11 with both the gauge cluster and center stack satnav, entertainment and HVAC centre.

Like the Fusion, the Explorer utilizes an adaptable digital gauge cluster giving the driver just about any onboard information one could ask for. The Sony controls are all touch sensitive

Along with the cool displays the Explorer has a mass of new drive technology. The list of control system acronyms for the Explorer is large enough to make an Infiniti blush. The Explorer has benefited with a heavy influx of shared technology that has been developed with the specialists expertise of out-going partners Volvo and Land Rover, with excellent safety and off-road abilities.

Lets start with the safety side of the equation. The new Explorer stepped up to bat big time in the safety department with the usual suspects; traction control, ABS and stability control, while adding the BLIS blind spot warning system, cross traffic-alert, adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support.  However, if you don’t think that’s enough, Ford have developed an industry first with the introduction of inflatable rear seat belts found in the 2^nd row outboard seats. As a $250 option on XLT and Limited models, this system uses a compressed air container under each seat which fires air into an airbag folded into the seatbelt. The airbag tears through a seam in the belt, tripling its contact area in the event of a collision. Also debuting is Fords curve control system, which will detect if the vehicle has entered a corner too fast, and keeps it on the road by working with all the systems mentioned above, as well as roll over control, effectively controlling speed and skidding.

Land Rover faithful will know the multi-surface interface now found in the Explorer, allowing the driver to choose either snow, sand, rutted or normal driving conditions. Well, that system, known as the Terrain Management System, now makes the Explorer a formidable soft-roader. And just for good measure, Ford has added a hill decent function as well. With the Terrain Management controls in communication with the driving aids, it all combines to create a vehicle with incredible traction in any environment. Despite the Explorers independent suspension and relatively low ride height for an SUV, it performs beyond its mechanical disadvantages. However, that being said, the Explorer is missing one vital part of the Terrain Management System lacks the air springs found in the LR4 and Range Rover models, a feature that massively increases the off-road character of those vehicles. If Ford are smart, they will offer adjustable lift suspension in an off-road special edition, much like but not as extreme as the Raptor.

So, how does it all work in the real world, on roads slick with packed ice? With our tester wrapped with Continental ice tires driving in the standard surface setting already gives the driver a confident feeling on snow and ice as the Explorer is well planted and turns in well. With the multi-surface control set to “Sand” the explorer starts to get frisky as the computers start to allow the wheels to spin up, and the vehicle is allowed to slid around a little bit before traction and stability programs step in. In “Snow” mode, throttle response is cut and the traction and stability programs are working at the hardest to keep the vehicle on the straight and narrow. The result is a phenomenal amount of grip on even the slipperiest of surfaces.

Overall, Ford have done a wonderfull job bringing the aging old Explorer up to date, and none too soon as both Jeep and Dodge have also made eaqually impressive leaps with the Grand Cherokee and Durango. Until driving the Explorer, I was most impressed with the Grand Cherokee’s excellent new unibody. However, with Fords new design, and one of the most impressive interiors in the business, the Explorer just takes over as my pick for the segment. However, like I said above, if you are looking to do some off-roading, something old Explorer owner are quite fond of, I would suggest the Jeep, as they have the advantage of height adjustable air springs, the Explorers one let down.

SPECIFICATIONS:

MSRP: $29,999

Price as tested: $44,199 (LTD AWD)

Type: 4-door, full-size SUV

Engine: 3.5L V-6, 2.0L I-4

Horsepower: V-6 290, I-4 290

Torque: V-6 255, I-4

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Layout: Front engine, front wheel drive, optional AWD

Brakes: Four-wheel discs

Fuel Economy (L/100km): 11.9L city, 8.0L highway

Trail Report: A Rubicon in the Moab

It’s Easter, and in the 4x4 world that means one thing, it’s Easter Jeep Safari week in Moab, Utah. If for some reason you are not aware of Moab, there is only one thing to know. For a week around Easter, this sleepy little town becomes the centre of the universe to the 4x4 community, much like Sturgis to the biker crowd, only with less leather and exposed mammaries, for the most part.

Anyone who has been to Moab, and the surrounding area will know why this event is as popular as it is. The beauty of the surrounding mountains and desertscapes is only surpassed by the spectacular challenges of anyone of the hundreds of trails that wind themselves through valleys, climb up rocky ridges and buttes and traverse great sandstone landscapes. Its canyon lands are the prelude the Grand Canyon, while rock towers and buttes litter the arid landscape, with regions of soft sand dunes thrown in for good measure. For those of us from the wet rain forests of the BC coast, Moab might as well be on another planet.

While the region is also a hot bed for mountain bikers, its popularity with four-wheelers began back in the days following World War II. You see, the entire region is riddled with fantastic 4x4 trails thanks to the uranium boom after the war. With the cold war ramping up, and the arms race right along side, uranium was needed in great quantities as the main ingredient in nuclear weapons. Well, Uranium was in great supply in the mountains around Moab, and as such, hundreds of mines were dug into these mountains. The rugged terrain meant that roads built to the mines were sketchy at best and required military surplus 4x4’s like the Jeep and Dodge Power Wagon.

Today however, the mines are all quiet, and the roads that lead to them now take four-wheelers on scenic and challenging tours of the beautiful landscape. I was in Moab with Jeep to test-drive Mopars project vehicles. As the Safari’s popularity has increased, Jeep uses the event to unveil project machinery as well as launch production vehicles. So with a Wrangler Rubicon in hand, I decided to do a little exploring with what little time off I had.

There are dozens of official trails used for the Safari, each with it’s own supervisor, as dictated by the local 4x4 club that holds the annual event. Groups need to register ahead of time for use of these trails do to the sheer number of vehicles in town, as well as the environmental sensitivity of the region. With the media, I had already explored two of these trails with Jeep and Dodge, the first day was spent in the dunes south of the town and the second on the Seven Mile Rim trail (Easy trails but we were in press vehicles). So while the groups stuck to the regular trails, I struck out on my own, finding a scenic 4x4 road leading up Onion Creek Rd.

That’s the beauty of Moab, the region is vast and the landscape provides a myriad of topographical features to explore. Turning off hwy 128, I had no idea where Onion Creek Rd. would take me, but one thing I was sure of, I would likely find new and interesting things along the way.

From 128, Onion Creek Rd. runs straight and flat across the Colorado River canyons floor, however it didn’t take long for things to get interesting. While most of the canyon has massive 800 to 1000 foot shear walls down to the river below, here, the creek has washed out a valley of its own, making for a gradual ascent up into the hills and high plateau abote. As soon as the road began to wind around large rocky outcropping, the route took me over several creek fordings as the road and creek crisscrossed each other into the hills. The rocky hills were soon becoming spires, tall thin rock towers that held large boulders precariously on top. It was a surreal scene making me think I was in a Roadrunner and Coyote cartoon, and would soon have an Acme rocket shot at me, or large rock dropped from above.

As I pressed on into the wilderness that was rapidly becoming more extreme, the creeks canyon walls seem to close in while the road narrowed to the point that the Rubicon was just wide enough to fit between the rock wall on the right, and the a hundred foot drop to the creek bed below on the left. The road was deteriorating as well, but still easy enough to get a car down; just don’t put a foot wrong or it’s all over.

Moving past the spires, the road became even more raised over the creek bed, however I was now up into much more gentler terrain. Rounding a corner, I was met with the side of a mountain, bright with several unnatural colors. However, the whites, grays, blacks and reds were all quite nature, proof positive that these hills are home to all manner of minerals, both dangerous and benign.

I pushed on up the road, finally reaching the high plateau above. The rugged and deadly chasm of rock was now replaced with a flat prairie of rock, sand and petrified dunes sitting 5,500 feet above sea level, and a sigh of satisfaction came over me at the sight. By no means was the trail a challenge to either my driving abilities or that of the Rubicon. No, it was the experience of exploring, what seemed to me, to be an entirely different world. The foreign landscape and vegetation, odd rock formations and alien colors all made me feel like an explorer laying claim to a strange new land. For anyone who owns anything with 4WD, Moab is an experience that is sure to be treasured.

Review: Lexus CT200 h

The Lexus lineup has been fairly predictable as of late. Like their parent company, Lexus keeps a safe line of conservatively designed sedans and crossovers to appeal to the largest audience possible. Other than the addition of the LF-A halo car, an ultra exclusive, ultra expensive supercar that is all but impossible to own. However, Lexus have upped the excitement level a bit with an all-new addition to the lineup, making their first foray into the luxury compact market with the CT200 h, but with a twist. This bold looking hatch is sporting Prius power.

Prius tech aside, Lexus has put a fair bit of emphases on this car being a fun to drive hybrid, a sporty hybrid if you will. Well, up until about a year ago, I thought just about everyone at Toyota and Lexus had forgotten what fun meant. And when you’re talking about a fun hybrid, Honda had already beat Lexus to the punch with the 6-speed manual transmission CRZ coupe, which may be slow, but is still great fun. However, like the CRZ, the CT200 h is indeed a well balanced, flat cornering, nimble little hatch that I must admit, is good fun to throw around. However, inevitably with any car with “hybrid” attached to its name, there is always a sacrifice or two to endure, and the CT200 has a couple big ones if you’re looking for a fun to drive, eco conscious luxury hatch.

As Lexus is one of few companies that still employ rear-wheel-drive vehicles, I was a bit let down to find the CT in front-wheel-drive format, however, it’s not a big deal and FWD’s can still be fun. Also, like the CRZ, there isn’t a whole lot of get up and go. The extra weight of the batteries, hybrid electronics and electric motor means the only other car you will want to be drag racing at the lights is another hybrid; again, not that big of a problem as the CRZ has proved. However, what killed the playful side for me was the CVT automatic gearbox. Now, CVT’s, or Continuously Variable Transmissions, are wonderful at what they do, and that’s getting the absolute best fuel efficiency possible. When mounted in the CT’s engine bay with the 1.8L petrol engine and Lexus Hybrid Drive system, the CVT works wonderfully to eek an impressive 4.6L/100km combined fuel efficiency. Even as I ran the car through its paces in the highlands of the Rocky Mountains, I averaged an equally impressive 5.8L/100km. But when you want to take an inspired Sunday drive through the mountains, the constant howl of the engine and lack of any gearshifts can make what should be a fun car to drive, rather mundane, and to make things worse, Lexus even added paddle shifters to a car that doesn’t have any gears. That makes about as much sense as a male cologne commercial, and is equally as painful to endure. Unfortunately this is the only flavour you can get this car in, and Lexus say there are no plans for addition drivetrain options.

But lets move to the next big story with this car, that of its shape and looks. Personally I love the cars shape, a compact hatch is just what this market needed, and it is great to see that Lexus had the balls to jump in feet first with the CT, while BMW kept the 135 hatch at home. Great shape, however, the finer touches are still very safe. Like every Lexus, and Toyota for that matter, the CT's design sticks with the tried and true styling’s, designed not to upset anyone. However, while the CT200 h may sit middle of the road, I’m pleased to see that it does sit much closer to the exciting side of the spectrum.

If the exterior design had me pleasantly surprised, the interior had me head over heals as Lexus really hit the nail on the head here. Lexus interiors have never really sat right with me; however, the CT200 h sports a fantastic interior design. Climate control and stereo controls are all easy to use and are built of the finest quality in terms of touch and feel. The whole interior for that mater is top rate, as seats are very comfortable and will keep the driver refreshed even after the longest of road trips. Rear seating is spacious and comfortable, and with the rear hatch, loading large items into the rear cargo compartment is a snap. Getting back to the dash, driver controls consist of the joystick shifter you find in the Prius and HS250 h as well as the Lexus satnav mouse control and a Driving Mode selector that allows the driver to operate the car in either EV mode (electric power only,) Eco mode, Normal mode and finally Sport. Each mode after EV, improves throttle response to the engine while increasing or decreasing power directed to power zapping features such as AC.

In terms of the safety aspect, Lexus has filled the CT with no fewer than 8-airbags, active seat headrests and a myriad of electronic driving aids, which include Traction Control, Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Stability Control. All good for the average driver, however, if I’m looking to have a bit of fun, these all get turned off. Unfortunately, there is no off button to push, so the CT200 h will always be in a “mom knows best” frame of mind.

So, how does the CT fair against it’s competition? Well what competition is the real question? In terms of luxury compact hybrids, the CT200 h steals the show as the only real option on the market. If you are looking for an extremely fuel-efficient luxury compact, then you can add the Audi A3 TDI to the equation. Think of the luxury compact segment as a whole, than you can throw the BMW 1-Series and Mercedes B-Class into the mix as well. In reality, the A3 TDI is the closest match, with a great design; fuel sipping efficiency and sporty handling.

So who is the Lexus for? That all depends on what you are looking for in a luxury compact. If fuel efficiency and lowering your CO2’s is your prime concern, the CT200 h will be all the more attractive, however, if your looking for a fuel efficient car and think that power is still a big part of the performance equation, the A3 may be a little more along your lines. If economy isn't your thing and you want a pure, high performance barn-burner, the BMW is you vehicle. However, if you want a smart looking hatch, that gets great mileage and you want to give your internal environmentalist some good karma, the CT200 h is well worth taking a good look at.

SPECIFICATIONS:

MSRP: $30,950

Price as tested: $39,417

Type: 5-door, compact hatch

Engine: 1.8L I-4 with electronic assist

Horsepower: 134

Torque: NA

Transmission: CVT automatic

Layout: Front engine, front wheel drive

Brakes: Four-wheel discs

Fuel Economy (L/100km): 4.3L city, 4.8L highway

 

Great Drives: Racing the Sun for Ice

About The Route

Best time to Go: Weekdays from April to October

Places To Stop: Two magnificent glaciers at either end of the route, other than this, just enjoy the epic journey between the two.

Total Distance:  31 km

Route: Starting point is the Fox Glacier, 43°29′21″S 170°02′19″E, where highway 6 winds drivers north through thick lush rain forests, over a mountain range that separates the two glaciers, to finishing at the foot of Franz Josef Glacier, 43°26′13″S 170°10′32″E.

Road Type: Smooth narrow tarmac road.

Warnings: Highly traveled road in January and February with an onslaught of oncoming tour buses. Watch for suicidal Possums, epic rainfall and great masses of hungry sand fly's. (like mosquitoes, but twice as itchy)

Review:

For our last drive in New Zealand, we found ourselves rushing to the west coast of the south island to catch a glimpse of one of two large glaciers, the Fox Glacier or the Franz Josef Glacier just to the north. We spent a little more time than we had hoped on the run over the Southern Alps to get to the coast, so daylight hours were running thin.

With the sun low on the water, we pulled into the small village of Fox Glacier. A short run up the valley, and we came upon the open parking lot for the trailhead that leads to the glacier. To our dismay, the trail was blocked with a sign proclaiming, "trail closed by washout." A week before our arrival, the south island had taken an epic beating, as storm fronts hit the coast for nearly three straight weeks. The resulting run-off of rainwater flooded several valleys in the region, and in this case, destroyed the trail leading to the glacier. All I could see was a small out cropping several kilometre’s away. A snap decision, I chose to push for Franz Josef, hopeful we could get there before darkness.

Back into our trusty BaseJumper 2 Campervan, I shot back to the #6 and turned north, aiming straight for the mountainous range that was nestled between Fox and Franz Josef. Of course in New Zealand, if you see hills, the road is going to get good, and good it got; really good.

With the small village of Fox Glacier right up against the base of this range, we ran smack into steep winding roads right off the bat. Now most of the Great Drives have consisted of great mountain pass crossings with impressive altitude changes that are accounted in thousands of metres. This range however, was only an outcropping of the Alps, with peaks only 800-metres tall. The road itself only reached a maximum of 400-metres above sea level. That didn’t mater however, as the road rollercoastered between 300 and 400 metres three times, climbing and plunging into two river valleys mid range. The rugged nature of the terrain greeted me with an extravagant collection of tight narrow curves, that when matched to the undulations, created a magnificently challenging bit of road. It just kept hitting me with corner after corner of winding glory. It seemed like the steering wheel was in perpetual motion, never getting a break, along with my forearms.

However the cherry on top was the lushness of the Kiwi rain forest that crept right to the roadside. Doing its best to hide the rocky ridges and gorges under a canopy of deep green fern trees, Palm trees and moss; the rainforest provided a majestic atmosphere. Driving this road was like going on a hike up into the coastal BC mountains with the Nurburgring acting as the trail. Despite wheeling around a big campervan with pots and cutlery rattling around in the back, I was in driving bliss. One day I will have to return to this road, armed with something much smaller and sportier.

Unfortunately, I did not get to properly soak in the joys of driving this road, as I was on a mission, and the sun was now creeping level with ocean, as I soon found out as I rounded a couple sharp hairpins, breaking out onto the flood plain of the Franz Josef. Wheeling right at the park turnoff, I rush up an equally impressive park road lining the river leading to the glacier. With tourists filing out of the hiking trails leading to the glacier, we throw the big campervan into a parking spot, grab our camping headlights and leap from the van in a sprint into the forest, like the touristy fools we were, eager for a close up glimpse of the Franz Josef.

With the sun down and only just enough light to see the gleaming blue and white ice of the Franz Josef, we arrived to the lookout-point exhausted and sweaty. However, for the five minutes we had to take in the beauty of the glacier before all went black, the sight was well worth the battle I fought against the sun and this magnificent road. The glacier and the road connecting it to its sister Fox Glacier proved an epic experience in an already impressive part of the world.

History: 40 Years of the Z

In the late sixties, the recipe for a great sports car was pretty simple. Give the car a long front hood to bury a powerful inline-6 engine into and a sloping nose for aerodynamics. Place the passenger compartment back over the rear wheels in a coupe silhouette, and if possible make it a 2+2 for added convenience. Finally, direct the power to the rear wheels, design the car to be sleek and tune the engine and suspension to work a little better than your bread-and-butter cars, and you’ve got yourself a winner. This was the plan when two small Japanese manufacturers joined forces in the mid ‘60s to build an affordable sports car. Nissan and Yamaha partnered the project to improve both companys’ images, however by 1964, Nissan was unhappy with the power that the 2.0L DOHC Yamaha engine was producing and the two parted ways. Yamaha would then take the project to Toyota, and soon the iconic 2000GT was the dream of many a driving enthusiast in Japan and all over the world.

Witnessing the success of the 2000GT, then-President of Nissan USA, Mr. Yetaka Katayama felt that there was a need for an affordable sports GT car in the Nissan line-up. The company already had a very popular roadster, the Fairlady, which was inspired by the standard British roadster of the day, only it was vastly more reliable and much better handling. But the company did not have a GT to take on both the British and Italian sports coupes. So it was back to the drawing board with the lessons learned from the Yamaha venture. In 1966, a prototype was mocked up, designed to be stylish, innovative, fast, and relatively inexpensive through the use of interchangeable parts with other Nissan vehicles. Little did they know the importance of what they had created.

The first Z-car, the 240Z, was released to the world in 1969 with two separate models, one for the Japanese market and one for the American market. The Japanese Fairlady Z featured a SOHC L20A inline-6 producing 129 hp, while the American Datsun 240Z featured a 2.4L L24 inline-6 with twin Hitachi SU-type carburetors that produced 151 hp. A third Z, the 432Z shared a performance version of the DOHC 2.0L S20 engine with the Nissan Skyline.

The car’s supercar styling of the day and affordable price tag made it a hit in North America, where it sold 135,000 units under the Datsun name between 1969 and 1973. Despite the differences between the Asian and North American models, all Zs were built at the Nissan Shatai plant in Hiratsuka. Once the American-bound cars arrived, Katayama (aka “Mr. K”) would ensure all Nissan badging would be replaced by Datsun badging before shipment to dealerships. The “240” in the American naming stood for the engine displacement, which was 2.4L.

In 1974, the 240 would become the 260, as Nissan increased the displacement of the inline-6 to 2.6L. Ironically, with new emissions regulations in the States demanding internal modifications to meet the standards, the bigger engine actually produced less power than the 240. Everywhere else in the world the 260Z was a 153 hp sports car, but stateside, the 2.6L was limited to 139 hp, 12 hp less than the 240Z. The new 260Z also had the option of 2+2 seating.

Mr. K wanted to see the 260Z be a proper performance evolution of the 240 in America. So, in 1975, to combat the regulations at that time, the 280Z was introduced only in North America with an even larger 2.8L engine that now could produce the performance the car required to be a proper sports car, and to help move a car that was becoming increasingly heavy with modern luxuries and safety requirements. The new 2.8L would feature Bosch fuel injection instead of carburetion, that would help emissions and produce 170 hp.

A second generation of the Z-cars would come in 1979 with the introduction of the Nissan 280ZX. This was an impressive complete redesign of the styling to bring the iconic ‘60s sports car into the modern era, and a beautiful car it was. Owners still had the choice of 2 or 2+2 seating, as well as an available T-tops roof. Mechanically speaking, the ZX was exactly the same as the American 280Z with its 2.8L and 5-speed gearbox, but Nissan would jump into the popular turbocharging game a year later, producing the 280ZX Turbo which bumped power up to 180 hp and 203 lb-ft. These improvements only strengthened the brand, as Nissan sold 86,000 units in the first year alone.

However in 1984, engine and turbocharging technologies where changing at an ever increasing rate, and it wasn’t long before the 280ZX was replaced with the third generation 300ZX. The new car featured an all-new engine for the first time, a 3.0L V6 dubbed the VG series. In naturally aspirated form, the engine was good for 160 hp, while a turbocharged equivalent fetched an impressive 200 hp. With yet another all-out styling change, the 300 led the futuristic craze, a technique that worked well as Nissan sold another 70,000 units.

The 300ZX would drive on for another six years, with the Shatai plant pumping out 330,000 examples of the third generation. In 1990, the 300 got another makeover, but this time, the car meant business. The fourth generation 300ZX was a sleek and aerodynamic affair that took performance capabilities well past anything the original designers of the 240Z could have imagined. The displacement of the VG engine remained the same; however, with the aid of variable valve timing, the power of the NA jumped to 222 hp and 198 lb-ft, while a new twin-turbo version was pumping out an outstanding 300 hp and 283 lb-ft. The Z had now developed to the point were it wasn’t just imitating exotics, it was now competing with them directly. The resulting impact of these changes meant that American Z-car sales reached the one million mark, making it the all-time best-selling sports car.

With the success of the 300ZX, inevitably the price had to climb, to the point where turbos were fetching over $50,000 USD. The car may have been setting performance records for the company, but the original concept of an affordable sports car for the average man was coming out of touch. Then in 1996, with Nissan in financial troubles and concentrating on building SUVs, the dream came to an end. The iconic Z car was doomed to the same fate that awaited nearly every Japanese sports car and the program was canceled.

Nissan did not take the same direction as the others, however, the company went through some hard times in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, flirting with bankruptcy on a couple of occasions. Then, French carmaker Renault, a company with a history of doing things differently and against the grain, stepped in and bought Nissan in 1999. The charismatic company head, Carlos Ghosn pronounced, “We will build the Z, and we will make it profitable.” And so, the 350Z, then the 370Z with a 3.7L modular V6, was returned to us. It is a car that pays homage not only to the original design of the earlier cars, but also brings back that joy of driving, a characteristic lost in so many of today’s modern cars.

In a time where safety, fuel efficiency, mass appeal and cost of building dominates the makeup of the cars we drive, the modern Z is a joyful release that reminds us what made driving fun in the first place.

Feature: Introduction To Motorsports - Autocross

Every Sunday morning, when we turn on the television to watch Porsches, Aston Martins and Ferraris enduring the 24 Hours of Le Mans, or Funny Cars streak down the quarter mile, or a rugged Ford, Subaru or Mitsubishi tearing up a rally stage, there is always an urge hidden deep down inside us wanting to be that fearless soul behind the wheel. The problem is, motorsport is a complex and financially exhausting sport. Cars need to be built to exacting standards that are continuously grilled over by suspicious tech inspectors looking for any deviation from the rulebook. A massive bureaucracy of rules, guidelines and safety regulations must be strictly adhered to. If that isn’t enough, the cost of competing for a full year can be as expensive as most people’s yearly income.


However, there is another way. There are several forms of motorsport that are extremely easy to get into, require very little investment and offer not only a great experience, but an excellent stepping stone into more competitive forms of racing. Rallying has TSD events, would-be drag racers have Friday Nighters, and those who love track racing have Autocross.

Now, Autocross is a particularly effective sport to build up the technical skills of racing. An event usually consists of traffic cones laid out in a tight course over an open stretch of tarmac. The tightness of the course and low speeds require the driver to get the most out of the mechanical grip of the car and to drive with an absolutely perfect driving line to eek out the fractions of a second that can determine first from fifth. It is excellent grass roots training to sharpen track-day skills, and as a result, you’ll find everything from bone-stock cars to high-dollar purpose-built open-wheelers taking part in this fun sport.

Just this last August, the Vancouver Chinese Motorsports Club (VCMC) held the largest Autocross event in all of B.C., the Kumho Super Challenge, which attracted competitors from B.C., Alberta, Washington and Oregon. So, to satisfy my urge to drive a car in anger once again, I handed in an entry form for the event.

With just about any car available to me to tackle this event with, as I would be utilizing my access to press vehicles, my choice may have seemed foolish to some. However, to an Autocrosser, it was a wise choice, indeed. In the tight confines of a cone-riddled lot, there is one car that has for nearly twenty years been the staple for Autocrossers – the Mazda MX-5. The MX-5 represents the perfect storm for the needs of such an event. It’s lightweight, and has a good power-to-weight ratio with a spunky 2.0L engine that loves to rev. However, its RWD layout and a short wheelbase are its real attributes, allowing it to change direction lightning-fast, letting drivers thread the needle, so to speak.

With entry fee paid, and home-made magnetic numbers fixed to the doors of my little MX-5, I showed up at Pitt Meadows airport, where racing would be held at the B.C. Driving Centre. Due to the sheer number of competitors, the airport shut down runway 8-Left for use as a paddock.
After a quick inspection to ensure there were no loose items, that my helmet was up to date and that my car truly was stock, competition began. This was not my first Autocross attendance as I have competed in such an event several years ago, but back then, the course was a sea of orange cones forming a complicated course. Getting lost was a very real threat that affected run times, if you managed not to miss a gate. The workers at the Kumho Super Challenge had put together a smooth, fast flowing course that was both fun and allowed me to reach third gear in the MX-5’s close-ratio gearbox.

As I had four runs on the first day, I chose to sacrifice the first to ensure I remembered the morning’s course walk, while coming to grips with the car’s characteristics on the edge of adhesion. That was a good thing as I had forgotten to turn off the traction control. Thinking that running on standard tires, I may need to bump up the air pressures to keep the sidewall of the tires solid, my tactic backfired on the second run. With the red mist blinding me and over-inflated tires only scratching the surface, the MX-5 skated sideways between every gate. It was a miracle that I did not hit a cone (2-second penalty), and my time was six seconds slower than my first run.

With the tires aired down a little and calming myself down for the third run, everything was going well. That was until I got a little sideways out of one gate and had to rotate the car back around the next gate, resulting in the car spinning. Old habits die hard, as I desperately tried to save the run. Once I knew the slide couldn’t be saved, I slapped 1st, popped the clutch and in a glorious mixture of tire smoke and a bouncing rev limiter I was back on track. However, in Autocross, if you spin, your run is a writeoff, thus such acts are not always greeted with the same cheers as rally fans. After a small talking to, I managed to eek out a civilized final run devoid of drifting and tire smoke to pull myself up to 7th in class.



The next day brought a rain-soaked track, with lots of standing water, much more suited to my style of driving. I was looking forward to making up time now that I had my tire pressures sorted out, the only modification you can do in stock class. After missing a gate on my first run, I linked up a beautifully clean second run. By the third, my confidence was flowing and I was ready to make a push for the top spot. However, as I carved through the first corner, a series of hums and vibrations could be heard from the rear as my momentum was taken from me. I had again forgotten to turn off the traction control. In the heat of competition, I could not risk taking my hand off the wheel for the eight seconds needed to turn the system off, and had to endure the handicap throughout my run. My time only slightly bettered my second run, capturing 5th place in my class. Despite the regrets of “what ifs,” the placing was quite good as most of my competition had Ultra High Performance tires to work with.

With the weekend wound up, I couldn’t help but admit that the bang-for-buck enjoyment of Autocrossing is second to none. Nowhere else can you challenge both you and your car’s performance driving abilities for such a small investment. The valuable skills you develop along with the perma-smile that will never leave your face makes Autocross a must for any driving enthusiast.