Description
Compiled by R.M.Clarke, Softbound, 128 Pages, A-WESTPP, ISBN: 9781855206823 - Foreword by Australia's own Gavin Farmer
Our original 96-page book on the Westfield went out of print some time ago, but we decided against doing a simple reprint. Instead, we have searched through our archives and found considerably more material on this fascinating marque allowing us to bring the story up to date. In addition, many of the new pages added are in colour.
Traditionally, Brooklands Books have drawn upon pre-published material to fill books like this one. We are delighted once again to acknowledge the generosity and understanding of those leading magazine publishers who originally commissioned the material which appears between these covers. The material is drawn from Auto Performance, Autocar, Autosport, Car Cars & Car Conversions, Classic & Sports Car, Complete Car EVO, Fast Lane, Modern Motor Motor Sport, Performance Car Performance Tuning, Road & Track, Sports Car Illustrated, Supercar Classics and Top Gear.
R.M. Clarke
From its beginnings in 1982 in Kingswinford, West Midlands, to today Westfield has successfully carved out an international niche for itself as a provider of sports cars that give a sizeable "bang for your buck.
That it is evocative of a former era in so many ways merely adds to the driving and ownership experience. In today's computer chip controlled motoring environment it is almost regarded as an act of mindlessness to contemplate a wild, lurid oversteer slide. Not in a Westfield, in the right circumstances it is almost a prerequisite!
People do not buy a Westfield in any of its many guises for political correctness, no, they buy because they are motoring enthusiasts who simply enjoy the thrill of driving a "proper" sports car.
All this is not to say that a Westfield is unsophisticated, far from it. Technically they are very sophisticated with their fully independent coil-over-dampers wishbone suspension system on all but the most basic model. four-wheel disc brakes (note, with no ABS!), and lightning quick rack and pinion steering. Power can come from a variety of engines, from the Ford CVH 1600cc, Zetec 1800cc, Duratec 2000cc or the Rover 3950cc V8 if we're talking road cars; road-and-race versions can have either of two Honda engines or the Suzuki Hayabusa 1300cc 180ps at 9800 rpm screamer; or for a road-legal race car there is the mid-engined Westfield XTR2 that is also powered by the Hayabusa engine. Performance is electrifying.
Creature comforts are minimal in any Westfield but to want them is to totally miss the point about why the cars are what they are. The articles in this book have a real international flavour and have been written by people who know and understand the cars. Whether for road or track, a Westfield is a sports car to be appreciated and enjoyed.
Gavin Farmer
