Road - Become a writer

Despite what I have said in the past, there are many folk out there who still think the life of a freelance motoring writer is glamorous, exciting, life-enhancing and mind-enriching, with lots of overseas trips and luxury hotels, fluffy towels and room service, tapas and cocktails with wee umbrellas, rich food and gorgeous PR girls. Oh, and some driving too.

On the other hand, it can be wet, windy and cold while sitting in the back of a car in a Service Area on the M6 trying to write up a feature on the laptop before your free hour’s worth of Wi-Fi access is used up following the purchase of an extortionately priced carton of watery cardboard flavoured coffee bean grindings and floor sweepings. And all because the deadline is looming.

Journalists and photographers live their life by deadlines. If they miss it, it’s an ear-bashing at best, sacked or no fee at worst. That means no time for shopping in exotic locations, lounging by the pool on assignment, and no time for the bar in airports. The deadline is the red lined, rev limit before the engine goes bang.

Gone are the days of 3 day press trips, business class air fares, five course meals and free bars. Now it’s a flight out one afternoon and back the next, queuing for hours to get through security and passport control, fighting for the arm-rest on a Queasyjet, stale air and wet armpits, a dry choke on the in-flight sandwich and dislodging it with some tepid, coloured water. And still trying to write up hastily written notes taken during the trip.

Or not. In this case, it’s off to the Cotswolds tomorrow for the launch of the new Isuzu D-Max pickup.

But here’s the thing. Isuzu are launching a wee competition for any poor misguided soul who is still hankering after a life as a motoring hack.

Isuzu UK will give eight folk the chance to experience a day in the life of a motoring journalist, test driving the new Isuzu D-Max pickup, which goes on sale next month.  The competition winners will undergo a full product briefing before taking the pickup on a comprehensive road driving route and then tackling a purpose-designed off-road course.

To apply, entrants must submit up to 200 words detailing why they should win one of the eight places at: www.isuzu.co.uk/journalist, where the full competition rules and terms and conditions are also available.  The closing date for entries is 4 June.

During the event, the winners will be encouraged to use their own social media channels to inform and entertain their family, friends and followers.  Following the event, the winners can also submit a test drive report to Isuzu which will be featured on the Isuzu D-Max website.

So if you do fancy it, why not have a go - and do it now. Maybe I should have a go myself, or maybe not, I’d probably get gubbed!

Rally - MacKay wins

Andy Horne does panel beating!

Reay MacKay won the Stravaigers Lodge Fort Augustus Gravel Sprint by 2.2 seconds from David Wilson but as the event sponsor when asked how he felt about collecting his own prize, replied: “I’ve been gubbed for the past five years on this event, so I don’t feel at all guilty about winning!”

He actually set his best of six times on the third run of the day by which time the Inchnacardoch forest road was starting to cut up on the corners and at the hairpin, and few folk bettered their earlier times – apart from Wilson.

MacKay’s pace was impressive, but Wilson’s was flamboyant and he set his best time on the fifth run having ruined a very promising fourth stage time: “I might just have caught Reay on that one – but I put it off at the hairpin!”

Third quickest was Dougal Brown but like Wilson was trying right to the end, maybe a bit too hard for he slid off the road on his fifth run and clouted the front near side corner on a tree. No mechanical damage, just cosmetic.

Kevin Ronaldson set the fourth best time in his Subaru ahead of the top 2WD runner, Ian Cattanach in his Sunbeam having set his best time of the day on the opening test and then missed out on the afternoon runs when his gearbox started blowing oil out of a seal.

Neil Morrison was sixth in his Sunbeam having set his best time on the second stage before the diff bolts sheared and he lost all drive. With the two Sunbeams unable to run in the afternoon, Alex Pirie thought he might have been in with a shout for the top 2WD award in his Corsa.

He had missed out on the first two stages when a stub axle sheared and although he got going later in the morning, the deteriorating conditions frustrated his attempts to improve and he finished just two seconds adrift – that equates to a second a mile over the 2 mile stage.

Fastest Times of the Day:

1 Reay MacKay (Subaru WRC) 1m 50.4s

2 David Wilson (Mitsubishi EVO9) 1m 52.8s

3 Dougal Brown (Mitsubishi EVO9) 1m 56.4s

4 Kevin Ronaldson (Subaru) 2m 03.8s

5 Ian Cattanach (Talbot Sunbeam) 2m 09.4s

6 Neil Morrison (Talbot Sunbeam) 2m 10.9s

7 Alex Pirie (Corsa) 2m 11.2s

8 Richard Ramsay (Subaru) 2m 11.3s

9 Andrew Morrison (Ford Escort) 2m 12.9s

10 Alasdair Graham (Ford Escort) 2m 12.9s

Rally - MacKay in control

Reay MacKay is leading the Stravaigers Lodge Fort Augustus Gravel Sprint after the first three of the day’s 6 stages here in Inchnacardoch Forest just outside Fort Augustus.

With a borrowed gearbox (he still hasn’t got the parts from Hewland for his own box yet!) in the Subaru WRC, he has a 3 second lead over David Wilson in the Lancer. Mind you, the Highland Hotshot is lucky to be second:  “I spun it just after the Finish on the first stage,” said David, “I thought it was the ‘Pearly Gates’ this time as I was going backwards.” Fortunately not.

Dougal Brown is another 3 seconds adrift in his Lancer so there’s all to play for this afternoon yet.

Young Adam Horne smacked the nose of the Honda Civic on his first run but faither Andy hooked it up to the Transporter’s towbar and pulled it out. The radiator is actually bent, but didn’t burst, so he’s still going.

And running Course Car duties today is former Scottish Rally Champion Jimmy Christie: “I bought back a car I had 5 years ago, an EVO6, and this is its first run out.” As for future plans he said: “I think I’ll do the Speyside then take it from there.”

Fastest Times of the Day (so far after 3 of 6 stages):

1 Reay MacKay (Subaru WRC) 1m 50.4s

2 David Wilson (Mitsubishi EVO9) 1m 53.3s

3 Dougal Brown (Mitsubishi EVO9) 1m 56.4s

4 Kevin Ronaldson (Subaru) 2m 06.6s

5 John MacKintosh (Toyota MR2) 2m 07.0s

6 Ian Cattanach (Talbot Sunbeam) 2m 09.4s

7 Neil Morrison (Talbot Sunbeam) 2m 10.9s

8 Richard Ramsay (Subaru) 2m 11.3s

9 Alasdair Graham (Ford Escort) 2m 12.9s

10 Stephen Ronaldson (Talbot Sunbeam) 2m 13.2s

Road - Skodaciously good

The odd thing was, this week’s press car attracted almost as much interest as last week’s, and yet the two are worlds apart in image – although that situation is changing these days. Whereas the Merc generated pangs of male desire, this week’s Skoda Yeti attracted the school-run brigade.

Rugged enough to mix it with the serious 4x4s on the school run, yet ‘green’ enough to allow users to be smug when they pull up outside the school gates in the shadow of some giant shouty auto-chav Gucci travel bag.

In fact, the lady in the Honda Jazz stopped by once on the way to school and then again on the way back for a second look having dropped off her wean.

And that’s where this particular Yeti scores. It’s the ‘Greenline’ model which has been optimised for fuel efficiency and is only two wheel drive. That means it’s not quick, but it’s frugal.

And therein lies the biggest surprise. With a modest 105 hp and a nought to 60 time of 12 seconds, the sporting motorist wouldn’t give it a second glance. That would be their loss. It’s a hoot to drive.

The car rides and runs well, is quick through the five gears once on the move and drives like it shouldn’t. It’s as much fun on a twisty road as an MX5, but everything happens slower so you get more time to savour it.

And because it has an SUV style body it has bags of room inside for four/five adults, a decent boot and flexible seating to carry all manner of shopping needs and domestic junk. In other words it’s a remarkably good family car.

The only drawback is that putting one of these on the road won’t give you any change out of 20 grand. In other words, Skoda is not a cheap brand anymore, but the good news is that it lives up to its name and its price tag.

On that basis, there’s nothing abominable about this Yeti.

Bike - Good News Story

What is 18 years of age, built like a twiglet and goes like a bumble bee with its bum on fire? John McPhee.

The Oban youngster is following in the wheeltracks of Donnie MacLeod, Niall MacKenzie, Steve Hislop and Stuart Easton and rapidly making a name for himself in motor cycle racing.

Backed by the Racing Steps Foundation the KRP rider has been awarded one of the two wildcard entries to next month's MotoGP World Championship fifth round at Catalunya on the third of June.

McPhee currently lies second in Spain's CEV Buckler Moto3 Championship and this will be his fifth Grand Prix wildcard. Previously he raced in the superseded 125GP category, claiming his best result - and first World Championship point for 15th - at the British Grand Prix last year before going one better at the season-ending round at Valencia.

His selection recognises the progress he has made since stepping up to the new 250cc four stroke class in the CEV series in April. He finished his first season in the ultra-competitive Spanish championship in 10th place in the rider standings in the 125GP series last year and has racked up podium finishes in each of the successor Moto3 rounds staged so far.

John welcomed the wildcard saying: "I'm delighted and really excited about it. I secured top 15 finishes in the Grand Prix at Silverstone and Valencia last year in the old 125 two-stroke class so obviously the aim is to try and better that this time around. I'm under not under any illusions as to how hard that's going to be. But I'll definitely be giving it my best shot.”

"The new KRP bike has shown itself to be competitive in the CEV championship and gets better race-by-race as the team introduces new parts and tweaks. So Catalunya will be a good test as to where we stand in relation to the bikes being run by the Grand Prix teams.”

Gaun yersel Jock.

Blethers - Illuminating idea

One of life’s more dazzling, and yet intensely annoying, inventions these days is bi-xenon headlamps. I know they are not supposed to dazzle other drivers, and they are supposed to adjust automatically to oncoming traffic, but they still friggin’ annoy folk.

And that’s the ones that work. All too often the adjustment has failed or is slow, or the lights are out of alignment leaving you seeing spots as they go by. And that’s when weather conditions are good. When it’s wet and dreich the effect can be positively dangerous.

They also don’t seem to consider those of us who live in hilly countries. Every time an oncoming car crests a rise, they dazzle the poor sods coming towards them, because they don’t react quickly enough to cope. Even ‘sleeping policeman’ and speed bumps  in built up areas cause a flash like a paparazzi’s camera when coming towards you.

Surely we don’t need lights this bright when there is a blanket speed limit of 70 mph in this country, do we? The only time we need to turn night into sunlit day is when rallying through forests in the wee sma’ hours.

So that’s why a new idea from Mercedes-Benz sounds interesting. Buried away in the 20 page (and that’s the short version) Mercedes-Benz E Class Press Pack is an explanation of the optional ‘Intelligent Light System’ which unfortunately wasn’t fitted to the E220 I was driving last week, but I wish it had been. It would have been good to try it out.

This new system has five separate modes, but the really interesting one is the ‘Adaptive High Beam Assist’ which uses a camera on the windscreen to recognise oncoming traffic and vehicles moving ahead. This controls the headlamps so that their beams do not reach the other vehicle while providing good illumination. The range of the dipped headlamp beams can be extended from 65 to up to 300 metres. If the road ahead is clear, the system performs a gentle transition to high beam.

There’s a ‘Motorway mode’ too, which comes on automatically when driving above 56 mph and increases the driver’s range of vision by up to 60 per cent. This lighting function is activated in two stages: the Intelligent Light System first increases the output of the bi-xenon lamps from 35 to 38 watts providing better illumination of the road ahead and verges. The second stage activates at 68 mph and above, when the beam of the bi-xenon module on the driver’s side is elevated slightly. Motorway mode has a range of around 120 metres, and the driver is able to see about 50 metres further at the centre of this cone of light than with conventional low-beam headlamps.

Other attributes are enhanced fog lamps and headlamps which swivel when cornering. All very cunning and interesting.

And for those cars which don’t have such an intelligent system, how about a certain Aston Martin DB5 - with machine guns behind the sidelights. That would fix ‘em!

Air - It's a Honda

This is a Honda, but not as we know it. The Honda Aircraft Company has just successfully completed its first test flight of its fourth conforming flight test aircraft, the ‘F3’. This latest HondaJet test model demonstrates the latest new product enhancements in its avionics and cabin management systems.

These include a new 60/40 display configuration on the Garmin® G3000 Primary Flight Displays for the flight deck, a new Cabin Management System (CMS) and updated production aircraft interior. The new available CMS enables passengers to use a wireless mobile device, such as a tablet or smartphone, to view real time flight information and to control the HondaJet cabin’s lighting, temperature, music, and window shades for enhanced comfort and productivity.

The Honda Aircraft Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Honda Motors Inc. and was founded in 2006 following more than 20 years of aeronautical research and development. Headquartered in North Carolina, the company has a 500,000 square feet R&D, Manufacturing and Administration facility to develop, produce, market and support the aircraft with HondaJet dealers.

The HondaJet is the fastest, highest-flying, most quiet and most fuel efficient in its class. The two highly fuel-efficient GE Honda HF120 turbofan jet engines are uniquely mounted in over-the-wing-engine configuration to improve performance and fuel efficiency by reducing aerodynamic drag.

Honda's first-ever commercial aircraft therefore lives up to the company's reputation for superior performance, efficiency, and value. No doubt Mr. Soichiro Honda would be very proud of the Honda Aircraft as it fulfills one of his long-standing dreams to advance human mobility skyward.

 “The Power of Dreams” right enough, eh?