Ho to Become a Motoring Journalist

Posted on July 10, 2014 by michaeldekock

I absolutely love cars since I can remember. My mom told me to get other interests too, because she said I would bore people if that was the only topic I could talk about. Then she changed her mind and told me to look for a career involving cars, seeing that it is my passion and that she wants me to do something that makes me happy to go to work one day. So, I started thinking and one morning, when I was about 11, I told her that I was 51% sure that I would want to become a motoring journalist.

Lately I am rethinking my choice, but I would still love to do something involving cars – if it is full time or just as a hobby. Here are a few thoughts about becoming a motoring journalist.

Probably the best known TV motoring journalists today are those three musketeers from the BBC’s Top Gear. For the past ten years and 19 seasons, Jeremy Clarkson, James May, Richard Hammond and The Stig entertained us with their adventures and mischief. Together they had set the standard for motoring journalism on TV. They not only test cars, but push motoring journalism’s boundaries past the limits. (Ask the poor BBC boss!)

They crash cars for fun and sometimes do very thorough road tests – involving stupid questions, like: Can you fit an eel next to very reactive sodium cubes in the bookt of a KIA? Or Can you fit Cienna miller into the glove compartment of a Skoda? Yes, I know.

They – or rather Jeremy – also gets in trouble a lot for saying what he thinks, without thinking about the repercussions and then get fined. But all in all, they are the most entertaining lot in the motoring world today.

Not Every Car Enthusiast can become a Motoring Journalist

Fortunately or unfortunately, not every motoring journalist will end up being a TV celebrity. So, for the rest there is the less glamorous, but still very satisfying option of the printed media. There are hundreds of car publications to work for all over the world. A few examples are car and Driver, Top Gear Magazine, Top Car, Car, Rides, Classic Car etc. Here you see only a few examples of car magazines from different countries.

Another option in motoring journalism is blogging. There are many blogs available on the Internet.

These few sites are a good start: www.carmagblog.co.za, www.carblog.co.za, www.celebritycarsblog.com.

What skills do you need to become a motoring journalist?

To become a motoring journalist, you must at least have some important skills:

o A love of cars and/or motorbikes and/or other vehicles is a necessity.

o Secondly you must have a wide and in depth knowledge of the subject.

o And of course, it would help if you can write.

o (If you have ambitions to become a TV journalist, you’ll have to acquire some communication skills.)

Study journalism at a local university or internationally at a school of journalism.

Find work in the industry at either a newspaper or a magazine and then work your way up – who knows, maybe you will take over Jeremy Clarkson’s job one day when the BBC finally decides to kick him out! LOL!

In the Mean Time…

Read articles in motoring blogs and magazines to increase your knowledge and to learn how articles are written.
Read as many different magazines as possible to get different journalists’ views on different aspects of motoring.
Improve your writing skills by doing courses, writing regularly (or join my mom’s Writing Club).
Visit car shows or expo’s whenever you can.
Start you own blog. This will help you write regularly and it will also help you to get your name and views out there. This will also count in your favour when you apply for university.

The Future of Motoring

Posted on March 14, 2014 by michaeldekock

As we all know, the futuristic vision of motoring normally shows adventurous, spontaneous and all out happy people driving the electric equivalent of a Lada Niva, i.e. a Nissan Leaf, that silly little Peugeot thing and the G-Wizz . I personally think that is not the future for motoring enthusiasts. Well, if it were, then all motoring enthusiasts would say, “Bugger this!”, jump off a cliff and scream “YOLO!!!”

I think the company which has the correct idea for the future car is Fisker, especially with the Karma. They haven’t got it 100% right, but they’re onto something. The idea of having an electric motor as the main propulsion component is excellent. The way the Fisker works (if I got this right and I think I do) is with an electric motor at the rear axle, a bunch of batteries in the middle and a 2.0L turbo at the front. You plug it in your wall socket and it charges just like a phone. Easy. Or, you don’t even have to plug it in. You can just put petrol in it, but the engine doesn’t power the wheels. Instead, the engine charges the batteries, which in turn power the wheels. It is a brilliant system (apart from all the trouble Fisker has with the suppliers, fires and technical difficulties).

There is only one problem. When, not if, all the oil runs out, you’ll be stuck with this heavy lump of unused metal under the bonnet formerly called an ‘engine’. Then one day you can tell your grandchildren about this thing that used to power your car that also made this (sometimes) beautiful, intoxicating sound – not what granny drives now that makes this digital noise to keep her from falling asleep. I’ve gone completely off topic now…

Ummmm… oh yes, the ‘engine’. If you replace the ‘engine’ in the Fisker to, let’s say, a hydrogen fuel cell in the Honda FCX Clarity, then it can work as normal. People will go to a ‘HydroStation’ instead of a ‘Petrol Station’ and the world can continue as if nothing ever happened (well not really, but you get my point). I mean, hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. When we run out of hydrogen, then someone else can just copy and paste this blog and correct the vehicles and technologies of their time. Off topic again…

The best things about electric cars are the specs. All the power and all the torque are there from the second you ‘start’ the electric motor until the second you ‘turn it off’. It is awesome! I can only imagine driving something like the Mercedes-Benz SLS ElectricDrive around the Nürburgring. Or even a hyper-hybrid (just thought that word up) like the Porsche 918 Spyder, or the Ferrari with the stupid name, or the McLaren P1 (a company which should really revise their naming strategy).

Then you get to the bad things. The worst thing about them is that they will wipe out the manual gearbox. I can’t imagine a world without the manual car. I see it as a horrible, miserable place where gearshift hands and left legs are the most bored body parts the universe will ever see. Another thing is the range. And the sound. And the looks (Nissan Leaf). And the irritating fact that you bought an electric car!!!

Michael De Kock is (obviously) a car enthusiast, avid reader and movie lover who have the goal to know (at least) a little bit about (almost) everything.

What is a Car Without Passion?

Posted on March 5, 2014 by michaeldekock

By Michael De Kock

BMW’s M Division cars always had and still have a certain passion that you don’t find anywhere else. They look different, feel different and have their own personality. Before I go on, here is a little history…

BMW M GmbH (previously: BMW Motorsport GmbH) is a subsidiary German car manufacturer – BMW AG.

BMW M, also known as M-Technik or just ‘M’ (for Motorsport) was initially created for BMW’s racing program, which was very successful in the 60s and 70s. As time passed, BMW M began to supplement the firm’s vehicles portfolio with specially modified higher trim models, for which they are now most known by the general public. These M-badged cars traditionally include modified engines, transmissions, suspensions, interior trims, aerodynamics, and exterior modifications to set them apart from their counterparts. All M models are tested and tuned at BMW’s private facility at the Nürburgring racing circuit in Germany.

Now, there are other car manufacturers that also have passion and grace, among other stuff, but none has the same combination as BMW M. The other car companies are Ferrari, who is extremely expensive, but probably has the most passion of any car manufacturer. Then there is Lamborghini, who is just loony and there is Maserati, who makes brilliant cars but unfortunately have too many flaws. Then of course we get Fiat. Fiat owns Ferrari, but Fiat has no passion whatsoever. There are American cars like Ford, Chevrolet, Chrysler (who is Italian now), Dodge, Callaway, Tesla, etc. but they are primarily for drag racing and I don’t think the Americans know too much about corners. The only American car manufacturers who can even think of getting close to the passion-o-meter that the M Division owns, are Shelby and Duesenberg.

Other European car companies include Jaguar which is top in the ‘passion department’ of British manufacturers. The rest don’t really come close. Scandinavia has, or should I say had, Saab (which will forever remain one of my favourite car manufacturers). The Chinese I’m not even going to talk about. The Japanese are okay, but too much like Audi – too… cold and clinical. Australia is too much like America with their cars, although they did bring South Africa the new Ford Ranger, which is brilliant, but one doesn’t necessarily crave it.

That’s the reason BMW M is so good. You yearn for them when they drive by, you want to feel their acceleration, you want to park them in your friend’s driveway and ask him if he wants a spin, just so you can have an excuse to drive it again.

BMW ‘s M Division is one of the two reasons why I want to become a motoring journalist, so that I can feel that perfect balance between power, precision and most important of all – passion.

Well, that and so that I can drive any car like a complete and utter berk…

Drunk Rhinoceros vs Hyper Active Snail

Posted on July 18, 2012 by michaeldekock

I’ve always wondered what would be the best, German or American engineering? Well, I have been in search of the best saloon car. First I want to tell you what my game plan was. Because no traffic cop wanted to give me a licence to do the real thing, I tested the cars on my PlayStation2 on:

1. handling;

2. speed; and

3. looks.

Fortunately, the Americans have a saloon in the sturdy, elegant body of a Chrysler 300C SRT- 8. The Germans on the other hand produced the a-bit-snaily-on-wheels Mercedes Benz CLS55 AMG. I personally think the companies are in a war about how many digits they can squeeze into the names. Why couldn’t they just name it after a famous person or poisonous snake or a flower or something and get it over with. They are both stunning to look at and they are both in class D. D for desirable, definitely. Now let’s get on to the first point of the test.

Handling

The Merc goes beautifully around corners, but the Chrysler steers like a drunk rhinoceros, because it doesn’t have enough power, it feels heavier than it seems and they say this is the sport version!

On to speed

Both cars go from 0-100km/h in about five seconds and has a stopping time from 100-0km/h of three seconds. But, the Chrysler’s top speed is 264km/h, while the Merc’s top speed is only 250km/h. The Merc has 39bhp more than the Chrysler, but the Chrysler is more gorgeous to look at. Both cars weigh almost two tons, but the Chrysler is Cr.56000 (Playstation currency) cheaper than the Merc. Unfortunately, I only got the Chrysler to get up to 245km/h, while with the Merc gave me more than 10km/h over its top speed limit.

Looks

The Chrysler looks like it was styled by Al Capone and the grille is way too big, but that’s what makes this car unique. And beautiful. The Merc looks like a snail on wheels, but the frameless windows are very cool. You have to force the Merc’s boot to close it properly. Both car’s interior are equal in beautifulness (if that is a word), but the Chrysler has that, JE NE SI QUA.

Now to the big question

Which one to choose? Well, if I had to buy a car to drive to work every morning, I’d buy the Merc and if I had money to blow on a car it would be the Chrysler. Personally, I don’t care if the Chrysler looks like a fat cat with mad cow disease on roller skates. I still would want one.

Specs

	Merc	Chrysler
Engines	V8	V8
Max power	469BHP	425Bhp
Transmission	Manual	Automatic
0-100km/h	4.6 sec	4.9sec
Top speed	250km/h	264km/h
Safety factor	8	8
Price	Cr.106,000	Cr.50,000

Chronicles of a 21-year old Beamer

Posted on June 29, 2012 by michaeldekock

I just love our old Beamer. It has a lot of good and funny memories. It also has a few bumps and scratches, but it is still going. It has a 1.6 liter, 4 cylinder engine and it was the base model, but it has a M-sports pack. It gives the car a bit more power, better handling and it has a little spoiler on the boot.

My parents bought the 1991* (this is still in dispute) BMW 3-series second-hand 19 years ago. (*According to Top Gear and some other resources it is not sure if there was a 1991 model. Chances are that it might be a 1988-1990 model.)

I love our old Beamer, because it has a lot of good memories. My parents told me that they drove it to Hermanus, in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, with our young Labrador, Milo, sitting in the front with my dad, while my mom and I occupied the back seat – I still only three months old and travelling in my carry cot. They also changed my nappies on or in the boot of the car. Eeeow! Nowadays I sometimes sit on the boot and watch the neighbourhood go by…

Our Beamer has given us a lot of trouble over the years. I started pushing it at the age of five and kept going. (I am turning 16 in a few months’ time.) I always joked that, when we decide to buy a new car, I want to feel how heavy it is, before buying.

It has broken down countless times – on holidays and everywhere in Pretoria, the city where we live. Lately it refused to start on Fridays after grocery shopping at the local super market. It has broken down on an off ramp on the high way – fortunately just after my mom felt the power went while driving at 120km/h in the fast lane. She had just enough power left to change lanes in time. One (Friday) afternoon my mom and dad arrived home in a tow truck after a doctor’s appointment – both sitting on the only passenger seat, with our little blue Beamer catching a ride on the back. That was probably the day when my father realised that we needed a second, more reliable vehicle.

So, we went on a car hunt and four months later we came home with a (very heavy) bakkie. For those of you who don’t know what a bakkie is – it is a pick-up truck. We bought a 2005 Mazda Drifter double cab, which by the way, I fell in love with from the very first ride. Maybe, because so far, I didn’t have to push it yet!

I have had many a plan for that little Beamer of ours. My parents wanted to get rid of it, but I convinced them otherwise. I wanted to turn it into a 4X4 Jeep-like convertible. Another plan was to supercharge and turbo charge that little 1.6 liter engine. (I actually still want to.) And then I wanted to turn it into a grand ‘tourer’ – something like a four-door an Aston Martin DBS Volante. What will come of my plans, only time will tell.

We fixed one problem by replacing his battery, but there are still a few things to be fixed, such as the thermo stat, the braking pads, the brakes, the clutch, the exhaust pipe and who knows what else. So, for now, our little Beamer is still fighting, although not so fit anymore.

One thing is sure though, he is going nowhere. In a few years’ time I will get my licence (in South Africa that only happens at 18) and the Beamertjie will be my student car. Then he and I will start making our own memories together.

michaeldekock

I write about cars and anything that intrigues me

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