LET’S GET TECHNICAL

Congratulations on a great magazine that has always kept abreast of current news and events, and stood the test of time.

My question is, why has CAR magazine always had a cartoonish side profile when it shows the car’s dimensions, instead of having more accurate drawings that are freely available from the manufacturer? [Bruce, it’s more out of necessity than anything. Some manufacturers don’t offer quality profile drawings of their vehicles. To compensate, each test vehicle is photographed in profile and that image is then used by CAR’S talented team of designers as a base from which to draw the sketches you see in our road test pages. They’re kept relatively simple – “cartoonish”, if you will

– to allow enough space to include measurements – editor.] is probably cheaper to maintain/ service than, in my opinion, the overrated German offerings. One of your testers even happily attests to satisfactorily owning one, if I’m not mistaken. My daughter owned a Jazz for four years before moving to another model from the same manufacturer. Not one complaint and, yes, you mention it at the top of the category. Owners have moaned about the Polo’s interior noises and squeaks for which Volkswagen cannot provide an answer.

I concur, the Polo looks nice and drives well but it is also one of the most frequently stolen and hijacked vehicles in the country. How many owners complain about the car I’m referring to? How many are satisfied with it? You say it’s expensive but look at the prices of your runners-up. Encourage owners to write in about their experiences besides after-sales service and you will see the Honda Jazz will come up almost to, if not at the top of the log. [Valid points all, Pat, and I agree: the Jazz is an underrated option in the South African market. However, myself and the team believe that, for various reasons, the shortlisted Polo, Polo Vivo, Ford Figo and Fiesta, Audi A1 and Suzuki Swift are each more compelling choices in the small-car market. That said, were we to include after-sales service and reliability – note that we don’t because there isn’t one conclusive study to incorporate, hence why we vote based on new cars’ capabilities – I’ve no doubt the Jazz would feature more strongly.

As a point of clarification on the Polo’s reputation as one of the most stolen vehicles in SA: more Polos and Vivos are sold than any other passenger vehicle, hence why their figures are skewed – editor.]

I was so chuffed to read Peter Palm’s article on the (1964-‘69) Ford Corsair last month.

He may not recall but we chatted briefly towards the end of last year when we encountered each other in Riebeek-kasteel. Peter and his colleagues had stopped for breakfast after riding in from Paternoster in the rain. The trio was testing three BMW motorcycles for CAR.

His article on the Ford Corsair brought back so many memories. I was working as a trainee motor salesman at Holmes Motors when the Corsair was launched. The shape was unusual but, as you noted, the performance was average, at least until Willie Meissner got involved.

If memory serves, Willie increased the bore of the Kent 1500 engine, modified the cylinder head and camshaft and added the two twin-choke side draught Weber carburettors, along with a free-flow exhaust system. Wider wheels (fiveinch) with appropriate tyres, lowered suspension, a small badge on the rear fender and

– I think – a thin green strip down the side completed the makeover. It was quite a brute! Not at all sophisticated by today’s standards. I recall driving it once. A busy salesman asked me to take a prospective customer for a test drive. All went well until I attempted to demonstrate the car’s exceptional handling on a tricky off-ramp from the Black River Parkway. The back end stepped out, my face drained of all colour and I only just managed to control the tank slapper and my composure.

In my defence, it turned out the right rear tyre was seriously under-inflated.

The Ford Taunus was another kettle of fish altogether. A rather avant garde shape with