safety car
March 1st, 2010 by NZ Classic Car
As we stand on the edge of another F1 season it’s time for a new safety car to be revealed. This year’s safety machine comes again from Mercedes-Benz but is now in the form of the 2010 SLS AMG, which replaces last year’s SL 63 AMG.
The SLS AMG safety car will make its debut at the Bahrain season opener on March 12 and will take part in all 19 scheduled races. Who is the lucky devil who gets to pilot it? The man for the job is 38-year-old German Bernd Maylander and will be on standby with the Merc in the pit lane throughout the entire race. Maylander, is a former DTM race car driver so he should know a moves to keep the F1 cars honest on the track.
In specification terms the safety car features the same engine, power transmission, suspension and brake system as the standard-production SLS AMG but it’s been fitted with a unique LED roof light system. It also comes with F1 livery and carbon-fibre exterior mirrors.
A special number plate will feature at the rear with “Safety Car” lettering and 700 LED lights will offer additional safety in darkness or wet weather. A sneaky reversing camera will allow the driver to keep a closer eye on the F1 race cars behind via a cabin mounted monitor.
As in the last two years, Mercedes-Benz is offering its C 63 AMG Estate wagon as the official F1 medical car.
September 17th, 2009 by NZ Classic Car
This replica of Tom Walkinshaw’s famous TWR Jaguar XJ-S will be one of the official cars on this year’s Drive NZ Classic tour
When the XJ-S was launched in September 1975, Jaguar was on a hiding to nothing. For a start, the world was reeling from a major oil crisis; not the best time to introduce a new, gas-guzzling V12-powered car. Secondly, at the start of the XJ-S’ development cycle it looked very much like impending federal requirements would mean the end of the convertible car in the US — and the US market, ever since the days of the XK120, took a large slice of Jaguar’s production pie. In short, the XJ-S would be engineered as a fixed-head coupe.
Thirdly, the XJ-S was intended to replace the legendary E-Type — and how could Jaguar replace what was arguably the best-looking sports car ever built — by any manufacturer — with a tin-top coupe that featured a droopy rear-end and a Spartan (by Jaguar standards) cabin.
Finally, of course, the XJ-S entered production during the dark days when BLMC was calling the shots.
With all the above in mind, it can be seen that the XJ-S didn’t exactly debut on the crest of a wave.
Read the rest of this entry »July 22nd, 2009 by NZ Classic Car
Organisers of Drive NZ Classic — scheduled to run from October 9th to October 25th, 2009 — are taking steps to ensure that all the tour’s official safety cars will be classics. Drive NZ Classic have already prepared a stunning replica of Tom Walkinshaw’s Bathurst-winning Jaguar XJ-S and have also prepared an early Range Rover as a recovery vehicle. It is also hoped that the first NZ-bound Lotus Evora will arrive prior to the event — in which case, the stunning Evora will make its public debut on Drive NZ Classic.
The event organiser’s latest official car is lovely old Daimler 250-V8 (pictured) — this Olde English white classic, complete with chrome wire wheels, has been tastefully refurbished and kitted out to look like a ‘60s British police car. Seen here with a ‘police’ blue roof-mounted flashing light, the Daimler will carry a flashing amber light during the event — just to ensure that members of the general public don’t think they’re being pursued by a genuine police car.
NZ Classic Car is planning a feature on the Drive NZ Classic cars in an upcoming edition of the magazine. For now you can find out more about Drive NZ Classic by visiting www.drivenzclassic.com
