Eoin Young's Car Torque - December 2011

Gunn just 'lurrrves' his Giulietta

TV entertainer Jason Gunn starts his day with Dave Fitzgerald on the ‘Jase and Dave’ breakfast radio show every morning at 6am on the Christchurch radio station Classic Hits. That’s mornings. Then in the afternoons he's fully involved working with his wife, Janine at Whitebait-TV writing, directing and producing. It's a full-on day for the enthusiastic star and he's motoring from the very start of it.

Gunn loves cars. Doesn’t know what makes them work, but just loves the way they do it. The Gunns live in the country and with traffic sparse in the mornings Jason enjoys everything about his 1750cc 235bhp Alfa Romeo Giulietta QV GTV. “I just lurrrve my Giulietta…” He runs his tongue around the word, almost coaxing it into a high-revving power exhaust growl. His eyes light up as he thinks about those magic morning drives.

Gunn is almost proud of his total lack of technical knowledge. “When it comes to what goes on under the bonnet, I’ve no idea but I do have as much appreciation of performance as anybody and when you hop in that car with its superb handling, you just can’t wait for a corner. Straights roads, they’re fun…but you just can’t wait for a corner, and being a five-speed manual ‘box’ you just drive it. Gunn revels in the memories, smiling like a little boy with a secret. “You feel like the engine is right there, right there beside you, like you’re part of a close team. Just the noise and the handling, the take-off…you flick the little switch up to D on the DNA settings (you’ve got the standard position on N and you put it back to A for snow or bad weather, but you flick it forward to D…I think that’s for Dynamic…I don’t know what it does technically to the car but it just gives it that extra bang…outstanding!”

That’s Gunn-ese trying to describe the DNA system. Alfa Romeo describes it a tad more formally: “DNA allows the car’s personality to be adapted to the needs of the driver and different road conditions. When the selector is in DYNAMIC position, the car’s performance is exactly as you would expect from the sporting spirit of any Alfa Romeo: the engine response is immediate, delivery is substantial due to the overboost, while the Electronic Q2 differential allows corners to be tackled in complete safety.”

Jason moved up from an Alfa MiTo to the Giulietta this year. “Look at that great shape,” he says, off on another wave of appreciation. “You put a passenger in and drive away and they wonder what they’re in. It’s a lot bigger, a lot wider and spacious inside than it looks from the outside. And with four doors you can put the kids in the back. Big enough for adults back there too. It’s…(he searches for the word he wants)…it’s one of those cars that covers a few bases. Four adults, boom. Three kids in the back, wife and I in the front and we’re away.”

Then the Gunner is off on another tack. “The Giulietta has a great stereo. The first thing I do when I’m buying a car, I ask “Can I listen to the stereo please?” The salesman also looks puzzled and asks why? You’ve got to have a good stereo. Trouble is, driving a car like the Alfa, you’re driving with the stereo right up or right off, because you just love the sound. That really does it for me. It’s something that needs total concentration for appreciation. It’s just truly a pleasure to drive…”

I think he likes it.


Jennifer Lopez and her 'Bambino'

American superstar, J-Lo, Jennifer Lopez has a new Bambino (Fiat 500C). The multi-award winning actress, singer, dancer and producer got behind the wheel of the Fiat 500C, first in a video clip for her new pop track ‘Papi’ and more recently in a new TV advertisement that debuted in the USA last month and which is now on YouTube. 

The commercial, titled ‘My World’, is voiced-over by Lopez, who is seen driving a Fiat 500 Cabrio as she travels through the streets of Manhattan to the Bronx where she grew up. As well as the TV ad, the advertising campaign features an interactive pathway, that through a series of freeze frames makes it possible to explore key concepts of the Fiat 500, i.e. its values of style, charm and ingenuity, all of which have allowed it to be welcomed with enthusiasm all around the globe.

Loeb wins ...and loses

Sebastien Loeb had clinched the manufacturer’s World Rally Championship for Citroen in the previous rally but needed to win the British final round or at least beat his closest rival Mikko Hirvonen’s Ford to take his eighth consecutive driver’s title. Hirvonen solved that problem by crashing his Ford out of the event on the first day. But it wasn’t to be an easy drive home. On the final day of the rally in Wales, a Spanish tourist rammed Loeb’s rally car off the road on a non-competitive road section!

“It’s proof that a rally isn’t over till you’re back in the parc ferme,” said Loeb as they extracted his Citroen DS3 rally car from the tourist’s rental car instead of fighting for the top step of the podium. What happened was fairly ordinary: we were on a narrow road and we came upon a car on the top of a crest where there was no visibility. The Spanish driver had the wrong reflex and pulled in to the right and we collided!”

Loeb leads Schmacher

Loeb now has more motorsport world titles than any other driver including Michael Schumacher.
Sébastien Loeb has not only won eight World titles to Schumacher’s seven titles, the Citroen driver’s titles are all consecutive and Loeb’s name and that of the Citroen rally cars he has piloted sit alongside just about every record in the World Rally Championship.

All of these records have been achieved behind the wheel of a Citroen, starting with the Citroen Xsara, which won the manufacturers’ title in 2003, 2004 and 2005, followed by the Citroen C4 WRC in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. This year Loeb is continuing his winning ways behind the wheel of the Citroen DS3 WRC. This means that Citroen holds the record for the most manufacturer wins – 79 wins – the longest run of wins with eight this year for the DS3 WRC, the longest run of podium finishes – 38 from 2008 to 2010 and 25 from 2005 to 2006 – and the largest number of 1-2-3 wins in one season, as well as the most wins in one season in 2005 and 2008 with 11 wins.

Maserati Kubang combines sportiness with high performance

Unveiled to the world at the recent Frankfurt Motor Show the Maserati Kubang SUV will combine sportiness with high performance and luxury. Until now Maserati has produced sedans, coupes and two or four seater convertibles. Whether named Quattroporte, GranTurismo or GranCabrio or, before them, Ghibli, Mistral, Bora or Indy, their common denominator rested in two words: performance and luxury. Times have changed: sportiness and luxury today don’t have just one definition. They can also take the form of a very dynamic looking, very high performing and sporting luxury SUV.

The Maserati Style Centre, headed by Lorenzo Ramaciotti, was charged with creating the distinctive dynamic look of the new Kubang and it is immediately recognizable as a true Maserati.

The Maserati Powertrain Department in Modena headed by Paolo Martinelli is charged with designing the new generation high-tech Maserati Proprietary engine. Martinelli had nearly 30 years at Ferrari where he also served as engine chief of the Formula One racing team.

An eight speed automatic transmission and specific performance settings such as suspension, brakes, steering will be exclusively developed in Modena for the Maserati sport luxury SUV by the Maserati Product Development Department.

Fixed Price Automotive Servicing

Euromarque customers can now tailor their service requirements to personal choice and choose from a detailed menu using the new 'Smart FIXED PRICE Automotive Servicing' plan which starts from $199 plus GST. The first level of the servicing plan gives customers a 45 point preventative maintenance and vehicle safety check, new engine oil and engine oil filter plus a full written report recommending any additional maintenance or repairs.

The scheme is available to all Euromarque and Gary Cockram customers, as well as all new customers through our service department 'Cockram Motor Group (CMG) Service and Parts'. Every aspect of servicing can be undertaken for all models at set prices. Give our service team a call today to book your vehicle in - phone 03 982 8333.

New Citroen DS4 Arrives

The first new Citroën DS4 has arrived at Euromarque and is now on show. The second model in the DS line was earlier this year voted ‘Most beautiful car of the Year’ by over 60,000 web users in 62 countries. Alongside this recognition from the general public, a jury of personalities from the worlds of design, sports, culture and media, awarded the DS4 the “Most Beautiful Interior” prize, distinguishing the quality and refinement of the Citroën DS4 and the DS line as a whole.

And like the exterior styling, the interior of the Citroën DS4 exudes power, dynamism and refinement. The body-hugging front seats in “Bracelet” upholstery and the finest quality leather, the sculpted dashboard with superior tactile quality and the panoramic windscreen extending backwards into a dark roof express the DS4’s strong personality.

Delivering on the driving sensations promised by its styling, the raised, four-door coupé promises a unique road feel that makes travelling and movement irresistible.

It also achieved a 5-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests with a score of 97% for its safety systems, and also received the Euro NCAP Advanced award, like the Citroën C5, the new C4 and the DS3 before it, for debuting advanced safety systems.
See it now.