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FLAT CHATFEBRUARY 2004-MARCH 2004
FLAT CHAT
Bi-monthly Newsletter Of The Porsche Club Tasmania.
A CAMS affiliated club.
ContentsPage: 1 Executive Committee Of The Porsche Club
Tasmania, Club address & Contact Numbers.
2 EDITORIALBy Leon Joubert (Newsletter Editor).
3 THE CHAIR SQUEEKS - In which the Club Chair makes a contribution ….. By John Pooley (Club President).
4 EXCO NEWSBy Rob Sheers (Vice President).
5 ECONOMY RUN AND XMAS LUNCHEON
6 WHAT A WHEELS UP
7 911 40 TH BIRTHDAY FUNCTION
8 2004 EVENTS SCHEDULE
9 YOUR CLUB NEEDS YOU!
10 ADVERTISEMENTS
11 ADVERTISEMENTS
FLAT CHAT
Monthly Newsletter Of The Porsche Club Tasmania.
A CAMS affiliated club. Opinions expressed in this Newsletter do not necessarily represent the
opinions of the Editor, Chairman and Committee members of the Porsche Club Tasmania, or Dr.Ing. h.c.f. Porsche AG or any of its authorised
representatives.
Executive Committee Of The Porsche Club Tasmania
President John Pooley
Tel (03) 6236 3700 (bus)Mobile 0418 120 [email protected]
Vice-President Rob Sheers
Tel (03) 6232 3235 (bus)[email protected]
Secretary/Treasurer
Andrew Forbes
Tel (03) 6232 5292 (bus)[email protected]
Motorsport Director
Charles Button
Tel (03) 6231 3858 (bus)Mobile 0418 126 [email protected]
Committee Member
Philip Petersen
Tel (03) 6233 8724 (bus)[email protected]
Northern Representative (Northern Tasmania)
Bruce Allison
Tel (03) 6334 3455 (bus)Mobile 0418 134 [email protected]
Address Of The Porsche Club TasmaniaPostal Address
P.O. Box 10, South Hobart, Tasmania 7004.
Newsletter Editor
Leon Joubert
Tel (03) 6233 [email protected]
The Porsche Club Tasmania meets at 7:30pm on the third Tuesday of every month at Shannons Car Club Rooms, 337 Argyle Street, North Hobart. Members &
guests are always welcome.
EDITORIAL
The recent Porsche Club Economy Run gave me the first opportunity in several years to drive a Boxster. In this case an older (2,5 litre) Tiptronic model. It served well to remind me just how good a car the Boxster actually is.
In its latest (190kW/260bhp) version the Boxster S has very few competitors. The Mercedes SLK 320, BMW Z4 3.0 and (yet to be released in Australia) Audi TT V6 come to mind. But that’s about it, unless you also want to include the Nissan 350Z roadster.
In one way or another, all these Boxster competitors are fine cars, but none match it for all round excellence.
Would you expect a Mercedes SLK to match a Boxster around the Nordschleife of the Nurburgring?
Would you pick a BMW Z4 or a Boxster S for the demanding roads of the Targa Tasmania?
Will you rather live with the shape of the Boxster or the Audi TT for the next ten years?
Will you be taking a Boxster, or a Nissan 350Z to a “Show and Shine” after 40 years?
It seems safe to say that the Boxster has every chance of emulating the fabulous history of the 911. It is a brilliant design, has a gorgeous and ageless appearance, and is stunning to drive. Moreover it is built to Porsche’s usual high quality standards.
The Boxster is therefore a favourite of motoring journalists in more ways than one.
It is often argued that the Boxster is so good that Porsche should expand the concept.
It has been said that the Boxster’s mid-engine design and packaging can: (1) Easily cope with more power, and; (2) Be stretched in several dimensions without losing any of its good looks.
While the current 2.7/3.2 litre soft top models could remain in the main stream - where they will no doubt get subtle styling and power enhancements from time to time - a “Super Boxster” with Coupe and Targa derivatives could become a direct competitor for the likes of the Ferrari 360.
If it is done, it will probably put the “Super Boxster” into the same price range as the 911 but it may not necessarily plunder sales from the veritable rear engine car. The latter will remain quite unique, and retain its loyal fans.
However, just in case the 40-year old love affair with the 911 ever begins to wane, Porsche will have an excellent mid-engine range in place.
Porsche will introduce a coupe version of the Boxster in the near future. Development cars have already been spotted by spy photographers.
Porsche should also be thinking about a retractable hard top for the Boxster. Volkswagen’s mid-engine Concept R already has that feature, and it is likely to be on the showroom floor with a 300 bhp V6 engine and a price of $70 000 within the next two years.
Porsche Chairman, Wendelin Wiedekin, told the motoring press at the Frankfurt Motor Show that Porsche is looking at a fourth model range. It sparked renewed speculation of the possible revival of the 928 concept, based on the running gear of the Cayenne.
Other rumours centre on a smaller, cheaper Porsche, but such a car will face heavy competition in a crowded market segment. For the time being only Porsche knows the answer and the speculation by motoring journalists may be very far from the eventual truth.
But if new models are needed there will be worse templates than the sublime Boxster. The mid-engine Porsche should have a very long life ahead of it yet, and could be the foundation for the future.
**********
THE CHAIR SQUEEKSIn which the Club Chair makes a contribution …..
It is very gratifying to see the great support for our club events.
The economy run was much fun and everyone enjoyed themselves. I never knew I could drive that slowly and still have fun!
I also never had so many cars overtake me in 70 kilometres, or my navigator (Libby) say that they could count the four leaf clovers in the paddocks!
There must be something wrong here ….
Well done everyone, the organisers and those who participated.
Well done also to our parent company Porsche AG whose unit sales grew a massive 23,2 percent to 67 063 vehicles in 2003. Turnover was up by 15 percent at 5,6 billion Euros.
Porsche is clearly in great shape and well positioned to take advantage as the European and US economies recover from tough times.
It has also been a remarkable year for the company as far as new models are concerned with the Frankfurt Show seeing the debut of the Carrera GT, Carrera 4S Cabrio, 911 GT3 RS, 911 GT2 and the Cayenne (V6). Porsche also launched the limited edition 40th Anniversary 911.
Production numbers for 2003 were as follows:911 27 789
Cayenne 20 663 Boxster 18 411 ------------ Total 67 063
This is the second highest annual production output by Porsche in its history.
To quote Wendelin Wiedekin at the Frankfurt Show: “We at Porsche are optimistic about the future and in any event our company is superbly positioned and prepared for the recovery,
whenever it may come.”
Porsche Australia also had a great year, with sports car sales up from 364 to 417 and the new Cayenne posting an excellent 442 sales. Tasmanians also took delivery of four new Cayennes and three new sports cars during the year.
Here’s to another excellent year for our club in 2004 and the prospect of many new and exciting Porsches coming our way.
******
EXCO NEWS
A word from the committee
Our first year – It seems like a long time since we had the get together at Performance Automobiles to start the club. Our first year was a pretty good start with an interesting mix of enjoyable drives, fun motor sport events and a terrific celebration for the 911’s 40th year at Performance Automobiles new workshop. It was encouraging to see most events and outings were well attended. With a years experience behind us we now have a better idea of what’s popular with members and also hopefully have a better understanding of how to organise things (to run nice and smoothly). It’s been very much a learning experience for us and we hope we are on the right track (please let us know if you think we aren’t). We can look forward to another terrific year as the club consolidates.
Meetings – The club meeting format introduced last year seems to work well and continues this season. For those not familiar, we meet on the third Tuesday night of each month at Shannon’s
insurance office in Argyle Street. The committee arrives earlier to get the business side of things sorted and from 7.30 on all members are invited for the social part of proceedings. Many have come along and enjoyed a friendly chat, glass of wine and nibbles with other like minded Porsche owners. Sometimes there is also some Porsche related entertainment. The meetings provide a good opportunity to pass on any ideas and comment regarding the running of the club, events etc. So come along and enjoy a night out amongst friends and have your say.
Missing club manual – last year Porsche sent us a large, very comprehensive manual on all aspects of running a club. This valuable resource went missing some time ago. Does anyone know where it is??
Club Logo – This has been an on going project but time has come and we must complete the task of giving our club an appropriate identity. Various designs have been put forward for the club logo by committee members but designs to date haven’t quite been right. We had hoped to put forward a number of possible designs to go out with this newsletter for members to vote on. But for various reasons only one design will probably be ready and available. There are some good logo concepts and ideas within the committee but there is lack of the necessary skills (design and drafting) to complete the job. Is there anyone out there who can help??
Wishing you all the very best for 2004.
Cheers Rob Sheers (Vice President)
A proposed Club logo designed by Charles Button is attached for comment.Please respond and assist your Committee in this regard.
Ed.
PAST EVENTS
ECONOMY RUN/CHRISTMAS LUNCHEONSUNDAY 14TH DECEMBER 2003
Another very enjoyable event organised by Charles Button, and quite well supported by an entry of 13 cars.
Charles made the whole exercise simple for everyone to enjoy, with a route instruction which basically said : “Start in Campbelltown and finish at the Caltex service station in Swansea”.
To make life even easier for the navigators, the average speed for the route worked out at 60 km/h – which equals 1 minute per 1 kilometre – which in turn translated into 70 minutes for the whole route.
This gave the serious types every opportunity to creep uphill and freewheel downhill (towards the sea!), while others could even find time to remove wayward echidnas from the road.
Honesty and fair play prevailed, and the results turned out to be a fair representation of what one could expect from the particular cars.
An excellent lunch at Meredith House in Swansea provided a venue for the event prize giving, and the closure of our first (short) year as a Club.
Overall fuel consumption results were as follows:
John Davis Boxster 5,42 l/100kmLeon Joubert Boxster Auto 5.61Charles Button 911 Carrera 6.64John Pooley 996 6.76 Rob Sheers 911 7.06Chris Berry 911T 7.44Philip Petersen 964 Speedster 7.62Gerard Maguire 911S 8.51John Batten 911 C4 8.72Keith Ridgers 944 Turbo 8.91Michael Parker 911T 9.12Greg Zeuschner 911-959 11.63
John Mackinnon (911 C4S) set a new world record for Porsche fuel efficiency with a consumption figure of 1,07 litres/100km, but unfortunately this result was not recognised by the Clerk of the Course due to technical difficulties (kindly pointed out by the competitor himself!).
Charles Button used a formula based on engine capacity to try and equalise the differences between cars, and thus the official results read as follows:
Class A:1. John Davis Boxster 1.4062. Leon Joubert Boxster Auto 1.4583. Gerard Maguire 911S 2.216
Class B:1. Charles Button 911 Carrera 1.4662. Rob Sheers 911 1.6493. Greg Zeuschner 911-959 2.569
Class C:1. John Pooley 996 1,3152. Philip Petersen 964 Speedster 1.4803. John Batten 911 C4 1.694
The outright winner on an “Index of Fuel Efficiency” was therefore John Pooley with the 996, followed by the two Boxsters of John Davis and Leon Joubert.
Having proven our skills and the ability of our cars, we are now contemplating which other marque to challenge for a fuel efficiency contest (!).
Ed.
The photographs below were taken by John Pooley.
The line-up before the start in Campbelltown
Everybody made it to Swansea at a sedate 60 km/h
WHAT A WHEELS UP
I have come to the conclusion that Tasmania is an excellent place to have economy runs.
Therefore we will have to plan and implement the best economy run in the world - right here.
With no criticism whatsoever of Charles Buttons’ Xmas economy run for the club, “proper” economy runs are highly competitive events, and Big Business activities.
After a company has spent $10-billion designing a new car and the tyre company spent another $2-billion for the round bits for it to run on, the press release usually announces that the whole lot is now 3 percent more fuel efficient.
In the meantime the price of fuel has gone up by 35 percent during the design and production period, and emission standards have been upped by 50 percent – at least in California.
It is therefore useful if you can prove that your car is economical – and even better if you can prove that it is more economical than that of the opposition.
In the Manufacturer’s Handbook you will find the ISO (International Standards Organisation) fuel efficiency figures which are established under strict control conditions. Compare my ISO with your ISO, and there can be no reason for further argument. Except that nobody (least of all marketing experts) find ISO figures inspiring.
To achieve public recognition you therefore need a gladiatorial contest in which the least will become the most, and the results can be shouted from rooftops and plastered on tenement walls.
Which is what has been done in South Africa since 1976/77 when someone (temporarily) closed the Suez Canal, and petrol became more expensive than beer.
South Africa’s Total Economy Run has been an annual contest for 25 years, and is probably the leading event of its kind in the world. Only standard production cars can be entered, but because of the demands of the event, some modifications like petrol tank and sump guards are allowed.
The basic format is a 1 200km fast paced rally, which usually also includes a few disguised “special stages”. The brisk format is necessary to obtain “believable” fuel consumption figures from experienced racing and rallying crews.
Control measures are simple: Every crew enters an Official Observer, and the BMW Observer (for example) will be assigned a rear seat in the Mercedes-Benz entry, and vice versa. Cars are sealed before the start of the event, and post-event scrutineering can (and has!) included the use of an angle grinder to open a fuel tank. Cheating is just not viable.
Cars compete in engine capacity and price classes, and there is also an overall Index of Fuel Efficiency. The event is limited to 60 entries, is always over subscribed, and most of the entries are factory supported.
The results are usually interesting. I once drove a BMW 320d over the entire 1 160km route of the event without refuelling until the end. The average speed for that particular event was around 82 km/h, much of it through mountainous terrain.
This result was great for BMW, but I ran the very motivational risk of going from hero to zero if I had run out of fuel before the end!
Just imagine what we can do with such an economy run in Tasmania?
We will have a few “special stages” on Bruny Island, and if you miss the pre-booked ferry you will have to catch up in your own time.
There will be secret controls at the start of every mountain pass to ensure the restart is uphill, and with a 45 second delay. And there will be official speed traps on all the downhill sections!
Judges of Fact will be hidden at railway and road crossings to watch for any breach of traffic regulations, and the event will also be held in February, with air conditioning and open windows optional.
Immediately after every refuel, we will have a short Motorkhana which should reveal any blocked breather pipes.
I am discussing the idea with the Targa organisers. Should be fun, don’t you think?
Leon Joubert *******
PORSCHE 911 – 40 YEARS CELEBRATION
During December the members of the Porsche Club of Tasmania and other friends of the Porsche marque were invited to the new Customer Care Centre of Performance Automobiles in Hobart to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Porsche 911 with a “Show and Shine” of 911 models past and present.
The photographs tell the story …
Porsche 911’s as far as the eye can see…..and there are more across the aisle.
This was the first Porsche 911 sold in Tasmania.
On some Australian models the rear mounted barbeque was standard.
The handling characteristics of the 911 have always been debatable.
There were also some nice prizes.
And the winners were …..
From left to right: Steve Gibson, Andrew Forbes, Philip Petersen, Michael Parker, Rob Sheers, Chris Berry, John Pooley, Charles Button and Rodney Belbin (Judge).
*******
2004 EVENTS SCHEDULE
MARCH 15TH HILL CLIMB.
Club Motori Italia is holding a Hill Climb at Collinsvale. The course for the event is the old Collinsvale Road – over a distance of 1,5 km.
Scrutineering is at Fogarty Automotive, 156 Argyle Street during the week prior to the event. The event is due to start at 08h30, with driver’s briefing at 09h00.
This event is open to all Porsche Club Tasmania members, who are particularly welcome. The entry fee is $85,00 prior to February 8th, and $95,00 after that date.
This is a new course and should be a great event. An L2S CAMS Licence is required plus basic safety equipment – i.e. fire extinguisher, etc.
If you can compete, or assist with the organisation, give Norman Henry a call on 0407 083 159, or come and spectate on the day.
MARCH 21MOTORKHANA
At the Motors AC Delco Dragway.
These events are great fun and require only a basic CAMS L2NS Licence.No fire extinguisher or other competition type safety equipment is required.
MARCH 28th OCTAGON 400 4-HOUR RELAY RACE - BASKERVILLE
Several top mainland teams are scheduled to compete in this event. Keep the date free…
APRIL 18th
DRIVER TRAINING DAY – BASKERVILLE
Again, we will combine with Club Motori Italia and judging by the great response from our last event held at Symmons Plains, competitor numbers may need to be limited. Get in early.
MAY ?CRYPTIC DRIVE/LUNCHEON IN THE NORTH
The luncheon venue has not been finalized but wherever it is it will be good.
LATER IN THEYEAR:
DYNO (SHOOT OUT)
On Performance Automobile’s new four wheel dynamometer at their Patrick Street, Hobart, Service Centre.
TECHNICAL TALK EVENING
With a technician from Porsche Australia at Performance Automobile’s Service Centre.
CRYPTIC DRIVE/LUNCHEON IN THE SOUTH
To be advised.
NAVIGATIONAL RALLY
Combining members from both the north and south. BBQ finish.
OCTOBER 31st MOTORKHANA BASKERVILLE
**********
2004 CARRERA CUP AUSTRALIA DATES.
March 5-7 Special Event Australian GP, Melbourne
March 18-21 Round 1 Clipsal 500, Adelaide
April 2-4 Round 2 Eastern Creek
April 30-May 2 Special Event Pukekohe, New Zealand
May 21-23 Round 3 Hidden Valley, Darwin
June 11-13 Round 4 Barbagallo, Perth
July 2-4 Round 5 Queensland Raceway
July 23-25 Round 6 Winton, Victoria
Sept 10-12 Round 7 Betta Electrical, Sandown
Oct 7-10 Round 8 Bob-Jane T-Marts, Bathurst
Oct 21-24 Round 9 Lexmark Indy 300, Gold Coast
Dec 3-5 Round 10 VIP Pet Foods, Eastern Creek
****************
YOUR CLUB NEEDS
YOU !
We would love to see a team of four Porsche Club of Tasmania entrants compete in the Octagon 400 relay race at Baskerville on 27-28 March.
This is a handicap event in which each car/driver combination in the team nominates its ideal lap time which it expects to maintain.
Based on the nominated lap times for every car/driver combination in a four car team, the organisers calculate an ideal number of laps to be completed during 4 hours, allowing for any safety car interventions etc.
The team which most ideally matches its handicap targets is likely to win.
Cars must comply with CAMS Schedule C, and drivers need a minimum of a CAMS C3 licence.
Entries are still open, so if you have a suitable car, and would like to participate, contact your committee as soon as possible.
*******
Porsche Club TasmaniaMarket Place
FOR SALE
PERFORMANCE AUTOMOBILES
1973 Porsche Targa, $27,990
1998 Porsche Boxster, 2.5 litre, Tiptronic, 35,000kms. $77,990
2002 Porsche 911 Carrera, 3.6 litre, 6-speed manual, tungsten/black, 17 000 km, sport suspension, PSM, sunroof. $179 000
1985 Porsche 944, 2,5 litre, 5-speed manual, red/tan , 84 500km, sunroof, local history. $19 990Kevin KnightPerformance Automobiles, 269 Davey Street, Hobart. 6222 1602 A/H: 0418 825 679
******************
Porsche Alloys, CSA brand 16x7, 16x8 with worm Bridgestone RE71'w, excellent condition. Ideal for track days, etc. Off '90 911 Carrera 4. $550
Norman Henry - 0407 083 159
911 Club Car, CAMS log book, 964 RSR bodywork, RSR specs,
3.4 litre, CR transmission, LSD, big brakes, adjustable sway bars, coil covers, super light 975kg, full cage, super fast 0-100 4 sec's. Quarter mile 12.2 sec's.
Rep. Cost $95,000. $59,000May trade 911/cash.
Peter Hayes - 6257 1527
1973 Porsche 911 E
Ex-Melbourne Show Car
Factory black with red interior. 130 000 miles.
Engine and gearbox rebuild at 107 000 miles.
Many extras. Immaculately maintained.
$54 800.00
Contact Bruce Allison at 0418 134 424
