This Jordan EJ12 saw action in the 2004 Formula One World Championship, a distinctive yellow and black competitor of the now iconic V10 era. Even today at 20 years-old, it still represents one of the purest expressions of automotive performance on Earth. A carbon fibre skeletal structure is encased in athletic bodywork sculpted by the wind tunnel. Its wings, channels, ducts and outlets manipulate the air to its designer’s will, something that serves as a great ally at race pace. An F1 car generates so much aerodynamic ‘downforce’ that it could theoretically drive upside down. The near 700bhp power unit resides mere inches from the driver’s back, reinforcing a sense of organic and mechanical fusion between man and machine.

Southern Group happenings: May 2024

NASA has trained more astronauts in its history than humans have piloted an F1 car. The opportunity to see the world from this high-octane perspective doesn’t come along very often. Lowering yourself into the almost claustrophobic cockpit you feel cocooned and physically bonded to the machine. Clamp the detachable racing wheel in place – a piece festooned with LEDs and buttons – then wait. And wait some more…

Considering the performance potential for outright speed, you do need to do a fair number of ‘pre-flight checks’ before the car is even fired into life. A team of mechanical nurses tend to this demanding vehicle with millimetric precision. While this EJ12 has had its fragile V10 engine swapped for a hardier Judd racing V8, it still requires fluids to be warmed before the motor will even entertain starting. Those wide slick tyres also need some special attention, as without temperature within their rubber construction to unlock their sticky properties, this car becomes a very costly yellow projectile.

A series of switch flipping and button prodding initiates a loud whirring before a violent splutter from the engine. Its somewhat intimidatingly high idle and continuous vibration certainly make things seem rather serious. Visor down, you’re signalled to join the track.

A few ginger laps to acclimatise reveal heavy but incredibly precise steering. Tiny inputs result in huge lateral leaps, neck-snapping in their immediacy, almost telepathically relayed from brain to car. Gearchanges from the wheel-mounted paddles are just as assertive.

Rounding the final corner and being presented with an open piece of tarmac was only going to yield one result. A firm twitch of the throttle pins your internal organs in place as this finely tuned specimen of sport accelerates towards the horizon. However, that distant horizon doesn’t stay distant for long, and a hard push on the stiff but feelsome brake pedal can generate up to 5Gs in race trim.

Sure, it predictably stops and goes with the velocity of a cat struck by lightning, but the real unshackling from the world of physics is delivered through the corners. The freedom of which an F1 car changes direction is unlike anything else. You can forget a McLaren Senna or even an Ariel Atom, the lack of hesitation, chassis inertia, and sheer speed this thing carries around a tightening bend is almost unfathomable. The only real limitation is the physicality of the driver behind the wheel and their strength to withstand the forces at play. There is a reason a modern Formula 1 driver has to be as fit as an Olympic athlete to last a race distance.

All too soon it was time to pit and bring the car to rest. The mechanical medics raced to the Jordan carrying life-support equipment for the demanding machine. A flick of a switch and the once vocal beast fell silent.

Awestruck and a little achy from the physical assault, my time behind the wheel of an F1 car was over.

The post Behind the wheel of a real F1 car appeared first on Southern Group of Motoring Writers.

This year’s event was held at Rhinefield House Hotel, located in the New Forest, where SGMW members were given the chance to test 14 of the brand’s latest models on the surrounding roads.

As with last year’s SGMW Kia drive day, this event also brings the group together to attend the Southern group’s AGM and the subsequent Heritage Day at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, just a short distance away, the following day.

In total, 23 SGMW members made the trip to the New Forest, an excellent turnout for a group event.

On the day, Kia kindly provided the following models for the group to test drive:

• XCeed 1.6 GDi PHEV 3 DCT.
• EV6 77.4kWh Air RWD.
• EV6 77.4kWh GT-Line S AWD.
• ProCeed 1.5 T-GDi GT-Line S DCT.
• Kia Stonic 1.0 T-GDi 48V GT-Line S.
• Niro EV 64.8kWh 4.
• Sorento 1.6 T-GDi Edition HEV AT AWD.
• Soul EV 39.2kWh Urban.
• Soul EV 64kWh Explore.
• Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT-Line HEV AT 2WD.
• Sportage 1.6 T-GDi 48V GT-Line S DCT AWD.
• Niro 1.6 GDi HEV 2 DCT.
• XCeed 1.5 T-GDi GT-Line S.
• Picanto 1.0 MPi 2.

According to Kia’s head of press and public relations Dan Sayles, the SGMW managed a total of 50 test drives across the 14 cars available on the day.

They covered a total distance of 700 miles, far enough for 297 laps around Thruxton Race Circuit or a one-way road trip from the South Downs in England to either Prague in the Czech Republic or Gothenburg in Sweden.

From the wide array of Kia models available, the EV6 77.4kWh Air RWD and Soul EV 64kWh Explore were the joint most popular cars of the day with six test drives apiece.

Inevitably, there had to be an overall winner, and the Soul took the title as the most popular pick of the day, covering a total 77 miles, with the EV6 taking second place with 73 miles.

At the other end of the popularity contest, the excellent Sportage Hybrid received the wooden spoon as the least driven car of the day with two only test drives.

SGMW members were certainly very prolific when it came to putting Kia’s latest models to the test throughout the day too, with nine attendees managing three test drives each.

In second place, Matt Richardson (who was attending his first SGMW event) and Ben Hodges managed four test drives apiece, while the very busy pairing of Tyler Heatley and Tom Scanlan managed to complete five test drives each to earn a joint first place.

After the test drives were concluded, the SGMW’s annual general meeting was the final event of the day.

In the absence of chairman Ian Robertson, committee members Chris Rees, David Ward, Andy Russell and Chris Manning oversaw the year’s proceedings.

Notable takeaways included the brilliant group efforts and the significant contribution from car manufacturer PR teams that helped make this year’s SGMW Karting GP event a huge success, one that was held as a tribute to Sue Baker, who sadly passed away late last year.

Additionally, it was noted that throughout the past year, attendance of group events has continued to be strong, together with the addition of new members – making the 2022-23 year a hugely successful one for the SGMW.

Chris Rees, SGMW secretary said: “One of the highlights of the year for the SGMW is the get-together for our AGM, which this year was kindly hosted by Kia at Rhinefield House in the New Forest.

“It was great to see 23 members of the SGMW embracing the opportunity provided by Kia to drive a wide range of its new models at a special driving day beforehand.

“To have such a big turnout of members is always pleasing, and the customary camaraderie was on full display. On behalf of the whole SGMW, I would like to thank Dan Sayles and the brilliant Kia PR and events team at Kia for hosting us at such a superb venue.”

The post Big SGMW turnout a real driving force at Kia test day appeared first on Southern Group of Motoring Writers.

Driving to Oslo proved an electrifying experience when Kia UK hosted an exclusive driving day for members of the Southern Group of Motoring Writers.

More than 20 SGMW members, an excellent two-thirds of the group’s total membership, attended the driving day based at Burley Manor hotel, near Ringwood in Hampshire’s New Forest, and a host of test-drives saw them covering the distance from the hotel to the capital of Norway in weather than ranged from warm sunshine to torrential downpours.

The 14 Kia demo vehicles, most of them electrified, were:

• EV6 77.4kWh GT-Line RWD and GT-Line S AWD.
• Niro 1.6 GDI hybrid electric vehicle in 2 and 4 trim levels.
• Niro 1.6 GDI plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in 3 and 4.
• Niro 2 64.8kWh pure electric vehicle 2WD.
• Sportage 1.6 T-GDi 2 2WD and GT-Line S HEV AWD.
• Soul EV 64kWh Maxx
• Stonic 1.0 T-Gdi 2.
• ProCeed 1.5 T-GDi GT-Line.
• Stinger 3.3 T-GDi GT S.

Dan Sayles, Kia UK head of Press and public relations, said it was a pleasure to host SGMW, its ‘local’ group of motoring writers, for the day.

It gave members a chance to drive some of the latest important models to join Kia’s UK range, for the first time or to reacquaint themselves with them, and spend quality time with PRs from its friendly, efficient team.

Before dinner, Dan highlighted some fun facts.

During the day, SGMW members had:

• Driven 14 different cars.
• A total of 805 miles – the equivalent of the distance to Oslo.
• The EV6 was the individual model driven by most members.
• The new-generation Niro range of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric SUVs had the most test drives.

When the pleasure of driving the new Kia cars finished, it was down to business as SGMW members held their AGM.

The post Kia driving day an electrifying experience appeared first on Southern Group of Motoring Writers.