ROAD TESTS : NEW AND SOME FAVORITE 'USED' VEHICLES AND NEWS, TOO

PONTIAC'S ALL-NEW, ALL-AUSSIE G8 --- A PROPER GTO SUCCESSOR?

Let’s get right down to it: What if they built a thoroughly-delightful, family-sized and powerful performance sedan with all the right bells and whistles, priced so reasonably that even your mother wouldn’t object  … but no one could afford to put gas into it?

Such is the problem in which Pontiac finds itself with their all-new, all-Aussie G8 “lite” V6 and its nastier older V8-equipped brother, G8 GT. It’s no different than the situation Dodge is experiencing with their newly-launched Charger and Ford finds itself in with Mustang (though that particular “pony car” remains true to its coupe-only roots).

Both versions of G8 deliver a ton of performance for the dollar, US, Aussie or otherwise. The baby of the family base-prices at $26,910, while the proper V8-equipped G8 can be had at only $29,310. That works out to about $1,500 each for the two extra cylinders offered by the GT, or about $30 per each extra horsepower drivers get with the V8.

(Click anywhere on this line to see the digivid G8 GT road test running on CAR NUT TV).

The buyers’ choice is for either the plain G8, with its modern, 256-hp, 3.6-liter four-cam DOHC V-6 and the  5L40 five-speed automatic, or the bruiser version, G8 GT, with its pushrod Gen IV L76 361-hp, 6.0-liter V-8 mated with a six-speed 6L80 Hydra-Matic. Both trannies can be set in “full auto” mode or the driver can select semi-automatic, clutchless sequential shifting. GM calls this auto/manual system as having “manual-shift capability”.

There’s a rumored all-manual six-speed shifter for the V8 coming from Oz sometime in the future, but nothing definite as yet. Unless GT sales are unexpectedly strong, though, we wouldn’t bet on it happening. Pontiac did tell us that they expect as much as 80% of the G8’s ordered to be GT models, which is a high ratio when compared to competitive cars; since we heard that directly from Pontiac, though, in mid-March, gas prices have skyrocketed. The Los Angeles Times, surveying several well-known automotive consultancies, among them JD Power and Associates and Car Lab, reported on May 31st a huge shift in the buying habits of those choosing cars offering I4 or V6 engines now favor the four-bangers, a definite change from the past. (Photo --- Busy interior belongs in a car aimed more at a family's 17-year old kid, not dad).

No matter the G8 model chosen, both the five- and six-speeds are “driver shiftable” using the console-mounted shifter (sorry, boy racers, no F1-style paddles; this car is for your dad). Our V8 tester came with a “normal” and “sport” mode choice for the six-speed; naturally, we spent most of our driving time in the sport mode, especially on the curvy parts of the over-100-mile route laid-out by General Motors’ engineering- and PR-types, and appreciated how long the system, when in sport, stayed in-gear until upshifting.

Click below to read and see more about Pontiac's all-new G8.

2007 Jeep Patriot Road Test, See it now online here at www.SteveParker.com

2007 Saturn Sky Road Test from Car Nut TV!

"This is going to walk right out of the showroom.  Priced where the Solstice and Miata are going to be.  It gets 24 miles per gallon city and highway combined.  The problem with this car...  " says Host Steve Parker... Watch the video above to see the complete Road Test!

See more of Steve Parker's Car Nut TV 2007 Road Tests right here in the "Road Test" blog. 

NOTES : 2008 ACCORD AND CALIBER SRT4 PRICING; DELOREAN... AGAIN?! TAURUS SELLING IN KOREA AND PASTE-ON (AND PHONY) SUNROOFS ...

Honda's 2008 Accord is just as interesting for what is available as for what isn't. Ford's Taurus (nee 500) will be sold in Korea, and we can't imagine why. Some guy is selling a paste-on sunroof, which reminds us of those fake "Continental" rear-tire carrier kits and faux vinyl roofs. The DeLorean threatens to make a comeback; will it become the Avanti of the 21st century? And Dodge hopes-to-high-heaven that their SRT4 Caliber can enjoy even 10% of the cachet with people under 40 which their Neon demonstrated.

Here's some of the PR fluff from Honda on the most important car (to American Honda) which they sell in the USA, the Accord:

"The Honda Accord was first Japanese-nameplate car assembled in the United States and calendar year 2007 represents the 25th anniversary of its manufacture here. The first Japanese-built Accord was introduced as a 1976 model, and by 1982 it was being manufactured both in Japan and in a brand-new automobile assembly plant in Marysville, Ohio. The success of the Accord set a path for Honda, and conclusively proved that assembling cars in America was a viable proposition. Seven more Accord generations followed, leading to the eighth-generation 2008 Accord.

Completely redesigned for 2008 with increased dimensions for a more spacious interior, the sedan styling theme expresses a powerful presence with sharp and strong character lines. The coupe is further individualized with an aggressive stance and unique proportions that create a muscular, sporty demeanor.

An available 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine produces 268-horsepower - the most ever for any Accord - while  introducing a new generation of fuel-saving Variable Cylinder Management™ (VCM®) technology and achieving a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) rating. The VCM system operates in six-cylinder mode for power and 4- and 3-cylinder modes for efficiency, resulting in an EPA city/highway fuel economy rating of 19/29* miles per gallon (Accord Sedan V-6).

Also new for Accord, an Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure enhances frontal collision compatibility with vehicles of different sizes and bumper heights. Additional safety equipment standard to all Accord models includes Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), also known as Electronic Stability Control; side-curtain airbags; dual-chamber front side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS), active front seat head restraints, anti-lock brakes and more.

The Accord is available in sedan and coupe body styles with 2.4-liter 4-cylinder and 3.5-liter V-6 engine choices. Available transmissions include a 5-speed manual (standard with all 4-cylinder engines), a 5-speed automatic (standard on sedan V-6 models, available with all 4-cylinder engines and V-6-powered Accord Coupes,) and a 6-speed manual transmission (exclusive to the Accord Coupe EX-L V-6 6MT).

The Accord Coupe styling radically breaks from the sedan with a uniquely aggressive image. Its long hood, sleek roofline and muscular lines suggest power and a heightened agility compared to the sedan. Dimensionally, the Accord Coupe's overall length of 190.9 inches is 3.2 inches longer than 2007 model, its width of 72.8 inches is 1.2 inches wider, and its height of 56.4 inches is 0.6 (LX-S) to 0.7 (EX, EX-L) inches higher. Compared to the 2008 Accord Sedan, the Accord Coupe is 3.2 inches shorter in length, 1.7 inches shorter in height and 0.1-inch wider." --end of Honda PR release--

OK, enough of the corporate PR stuff. Accord is THE crucial, mission-critical car for Honda (and we don't know what "mission-critical" means, but everyone's saying it). It is now, by tradition, either the #1 or #2 best-selling car in America, trading "Best Of" jabs with Toyota's Camry, year after year. And rightfully so --- Both offer near worry-free transportation, lots of interior space, smart styling for the segment and just a bit of excitement if the buyer so desires. We're talking about a car which sells in numbers over 400,000 units annually, just in the USA. Figuring conservatively ($10,000 factory profit per car), those kinds of numbers add up to $4 BILLION in monies for Honda (and remember, that money, while much of it is indeed put back into America, the ultimate decisions as to where that profit goes remains naturally where the company is headquartered, in Japan).

And while we haven't completely prepared our evaluation of the 2008 Accord as yet (but we will have a full road test posted here soon as well as a video road test from 'CAR NUT TV'), what the all-new Accord does not offer is also a bit more-than-interesting: A hybrid model, which the previous generation Accord did offer.

The Accord hybrid was a bust. Honda found it more than a neat trick to try and promote a car both as a fuel-sipping gas-miser hybrid and the most-powerful Accord ever. Schizophrenia is never a popular sales tool. In reality, its direct competition, Toyota's Camry hybrid, offered a true 40 miles per gallon in highway and city mileage combined, while the Honda Accord hybrid, at $5,000 more on its sticker than its Camry competition, produced an honest 10 miles per gallon less. And we drove both cars a lot.

Accord hybrid was a rare bomb for Honda. We'll present our impressions of 2008's Accord here very soon; though we can say without fear that Accord Coupe continues to be one of the best-looking cars on the road.

But Honda needs to decide what kind of technologies they are going to use on their largest car to produce  the kind of mileage and emissions figures Americans are beginning to demanding. Honda prides itself on using no "tricks" such as turbocharging or supercharging to get the most performance and efficiency from their engines, and they've been able to get away with that --- so far. Honda sells no V8 engines, either, claiming they get more than enough horsepower from their V6 engines (see Honda's NSX model, sold in the US as an Acura). At this point, Honda might be thinking of "hybrid gas/electrics" as some sort of gimmick, though the Honda Civic hybrid apparently lives on (at least for now). We can expect to see Honda making use of much of the new diesel technologies, which offer great promise for every car-maker.

Whenever Honda brings out a "brand-new" car, it's news. We'll certainly find out more about the future of this particular 8th generation Accord when we visit the TOKYO MOTOR SHOW the third week of October.

PRICING ON CALIBER SRT4

Gotta hand it to Dodge --- $22,995 is a tried-and-true method of drawing that "younger than springtime" crowd to the showroom ... A crowd which this division of the Chrysler Corporation, sorely needs to reach. Potential buyers in their 'teens and 20s can not afford a 300 model, especially one with a Hemi. The PT Cruiser has become a smaller minivan for the over-50 crowd (at least from what I've seen on the California freeways, and from breakdowns of Chrysler sales figures) --- And Chrysler has just brought out a new "paint and tape" version of the PT which insiders say is the vehicle's final iteration. More on that later; but it isn't groundbreaking, and we can tell you that. In their own division, Avenger, Challenger, Magnum (all three for the "older-crowd" cars), Nitro (warmed-over Jeep) and Stratus (second family car) and of course, Viper, are all out of reach, both dollar- and image-wise, once you get one optioned out by the dealer. If Dodge can create and sell for under-$25K a "well and popularly-equipped" SRT4, they just might have an answer to their Neon SRT4, which was a great car for a younger set who were "turned onto" a car company called "Dodge" for the first time. And by the way, SRT stands for "Street and Racing Technology". But, you know, it still looks like a box and we expect it won't handle much better. Here's some PR stuff on the car from the factory:

"Boasting 285 horsepower, 265 lb.-ft. of torque and a 0-60 mph time in the low 6-second range, the all-new 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 is available for $22,995, which includes $560 for destination. The 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 once again delivers the SRT mission of benchmark performance at the lowest price.

Exterior styling includes an aggressive SRT stance, a front fascia with functional brake cooling ducts and a larger grille opening. The unique hood features a functional air scoop enhancing underhood cooling. A large integrated spoiler above the rear glass is tuned for smoother air flow and lift reduction. Available exterior colors are Brilliant Black, Sunburst Orange, Bright Silver and Inferno Red.

Inside, the all-new Caliber SRT4 boasts sport seating with deep, performance bolsters, an SRT race-inspired instrument design, and an optional Reconfigurable Display (RCD), with exclusive "performance pages" that provide lateral and longitudinal G-force, 1/8-mile and 1/4-mile acceleration time and speed, 0-60 mph time and braking distance. The Dodge Caliber SRT4's suspension is lowered 28mm in the front and 22mm in the rear, contributing to the unique SRT performance ride and handling characteristics. Chassis highlights include unique performance tuning, 19-inch cast-aluminum wheels and Goodyear three- or four-season performance tires. Benchmark braking is delivered via four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with 340 x 28mm vented front rotors and 302 x 10mm rear rotors, with twin-piston aluminum front calipers. And finally, a whopping 285 horsepower and tire-smoking 265 lb.-ft. of torque is delivered courtesy of Chrysler's 2.4-liter DOHC I-4 Turbo World Engine. An electronically tuned Brake Lock Differential and Getrag DMT-6 six- speed transmission help put the power to the ground." --end of PR release--

DELOREAN REDUX? DEAR GOD, SAY IT AIN'T SO!

All you folks out there who have been taught through your TV and movie screens that there is something almost magical about the DeLorean, well, to quote a line from many other films, fuhgeddiboutit.

DeLorean wasn't a good car to begin with, and practically nothing which can be done to it now improves it abilities, either in speed, handling, comfort, dependability, etc. It fails, as a car, on many, many levels.

But that's like saying Paris Hilton shouldn't be famous because she's a lousy actress. DeLorean the car, and Ms. Paris, have this in common: Being famous for being famous; fame is drawn to them because of the extremely well-crafted marketing campaigns which swirl around them. If the DeLorean car had not been in the movies (ok, in case you don't know, it's in the many "Back to the Future" movies which, for the record, we really enjoyed, especially the first and second ones). it would have remained an automotive oddity, too new to be considered a "classic" at auction, thus never drawing high bids, and eventually to fall into the "auto orphan" category, with a factory which could never service the cars or make an adequate number of spare parts. But a guy in Texas (where else?) thinks he has the answer.

Here's part of a Salt Lake Tribune story on the topic from August 20, 2007:

"A quarter century after DeLorean Motor Co. began making its glitzy, $25,000 two-seater - an operation that collapsed after two years - Stephen Wynne's small automotive outfit plans to bring the vehicle back into limited production at a 40,000-square-foot factory in this Houston suburb. DMC eventually made fewer than 9,000 cars, distinctive for their gull-wing doors, stainless-steel exterior and rear-engine design. An estimated 6,500 remain on the road. Already, the Humble (TX) operation will take an existing DeLorean, strip it to the frame and rebuild it for a base price of $42,500. The company also handles routine maintenance, such as oil changes and tuneups, and ships between 20 and 50 parts orders a day to mechanics and individual owners worldwide." ---end of story quote---

When we saw the name "Wynne", we immediately though of another Wynn, Steve Wynn of Las Vegas,  who has built and owns some of the biggest hotels and casinos in the world (he's broadened his reach beyond Las Vegas and Atlantic City to the small island of Macau, just a hydroplane ride away from Hong Kong. We also remembered that the big-time Wynn is the same guy who put his elbow through a Picasso painting called "Le Reve" ('The Dream', 'Le Reve' is also the name of a hotel Wynn is building in Las Vegas). Wynn paid more than $48 million for the Pablo Picasso painting of Marie-Therese Walter back in 1997 (see photo of painting), and hoped to claim $54 million for a "thumb-sized" rip in the painting. The painting had already been sold to New York art collector Ronald Lauder (his mom was Estee' Lauder); but after Wynn put the hole in it, Wynn says his wife told him not to sell the painting; she felt it was a 'sign' that the painting should stay in Wynn's hands. Their insurance company agreed with Mrs. Wynn. And Wynn does have a fantastic art collection, much of it displayed in his various Las Vegas hotels, including the Bellagio.

But why bring up Wynn versus Wynne? Because the Las Vegas Steve Wynn has a horrible disease which is slowly but surely taking away his sight, and we felt that the only person who could possibly be interested in re-producing the DeLorean car had to be be someone who must be ... blind.

Wynne is also planning to re-create fully-running, "better-than-new" with interior, exterior and drivetrain improvements DeLoreans for about $57,500. Even venerable old Carroll Shelby once told me, "Ya know, Steve, it takes just as much money to build one car as it does to build a million of 'em", speaking as he was of Federal regulations, crash-testing and all of those other little petty "annoyances" our government demands. Frankly, the adversarial relationship between DC and Detroit has been one of the few public/private bonds which actually works. We well-remember all the tooling for the Avanti winding-up in the hands of some midwest mall-builder, and living as we do in the area in Palm Springs, CA, where the Avanti was designed by a team of young, eager stylists striving to save the Studebaker Corporation in 1960, led by the incredible Raymond Loewy, we do feel for this guy. And other than, "Remember the Avanti!" our other advice is: "Good luck".

TAURUS ON-SALE IN SOUTH KOREA: WHY?

Ford is launching the Taurus in South Korea at the end of the month where it's expected to compete with locally manufactured sedans like Kia's Opirus (just WHO the hell is naming these Korean cars?!), which we know in the U.S. as the Amanti (same question). Closest thing to "Amanti" in this country was the crew over at Mazda when they were trying to come up with their own new "luxury" division, and that was going to be called "Amati". Go figure, right?

Korean Taurus' (Tauri?)  will get the same 263-hp 3.6L V6 and six-speed auto as US cars, placing it above much of its local competition.

The Taurus was "re-launched" in the US this year when it bombed as it went upscale, leaving many buyers behind, and tagged with a new name: "500". Thus Ford had to educate all their loyal and potential buyers that the "Fusion" was really supposed to be the replacement for the "old" Taurus, and Taurus was now aimed at a more upscale crowd.  And that cost Ford a TON o' money; you can bet on that.  It cost Ford, probably, tens of millions to do and then re-do their ad campaign for this car. So the "Fusion" name gets pasted on all of Ford's NASCAR racers and all that expensive advertising for the "new 500" goes away. Then suddenly, and with little noticeable fanfare, the venerable and once-popular Taurus name magically returns to the marketplace. So all those buyers who have been aching to buy their father's car now have their chance. But remember the late, great Oldsmobile Division's "This is not your father's car" ad campaign? That program is now in textbooks, studied for its being one of the worst automotive ad campaigns ever. We said it in the news story you just read above this one, but we'll say to FoMoCo the exact same thing we said to the guy trying to bring back brand new DeLorean Motor Cars: Good luck!

PASTE-ON SUNROOF; GUARANTEED TO NOT LEAK!

The DECANO self-adhesive sunroof is a miracle of technology that's comprised of a "series of flexible laminated layers, weatherproofed and framed with a self-adhesive tape." The public will never know your sunroof is actually a giant black sticker with a frame around it. Buy a better-standing in your community for only $25 plus $6 shipping and handling.

Where will this horror stop? My god, stop the insanity!!! Several terribly ugly "paste-on" appearance bits and items have been perpetrated on us through the ages. This group includes "Continental kits", sometimes laughingly known as a "Full Cleveland", which included phony rear-tire carriers that were somehow attached to your vehicle's rear bumper, and plenty of chrome was a mainstay of these "appearance packages". Also, faux vinyl roofs, as if real vinyl were not bad enough. Interestingly,  ironically, and maybe karmically, too, both the faux and the real vinyl roofs would eventually peel off and go flapping in the wind ... And by the time the car had gone through several generations of sales and owners, the folks who ended up with these beauties never had the money to fix (or remove) them. And let's never forget all those "Indy 500 Pace Car" paint-and-tape jobs, and the many other vehicles ruined by the factory or dealer in "commemoration" of some event or race. These things NEVER bring big prices at auction.

Perhaps the General itself, yes, General Motors, was the single worst perpetrator of these ugly add-on "extras". For a time there, and well into the 21st century, any Pontiac model which would stand still long enough would have "plastic cladding" attached to it. This would range  from front air dams to rear wings and to those horrible pieces of "handsome (ahem) side cladding" which had nothing in particular to do with appearance or performance.

But phony sunroofs? Yech!

ROAD TEST : JEEP'S 2007 PATRIOT AND COMPASS; ALMOST TWINS UNDER THE SHEETMETAL

The first Jeep products built on an automotive platform (at least in anyone's recent memory), the Compass and Patriot both offer a lot of the same standard equipment and options --- And when you look under the sheetmetal, you quickly find out why. They are basically the same vehicle, both being the Jeep versions of the "car which must save Dodge", and the Neon's replacement, called the Caliber. Though the Patriot (which we test-drove for a week around southern California) offers more serious optional off-road equipment than its more girly-ish cousin, Compass, the most noticeable difference between the two Jeep products, apart from their off-road prowess, is really their appearance. Patriot looks more like an older and traditional Jeep Wagoneer put on top of a Bunsen burner and allowed to melt down a little. (Photo - Nope, not the 2007 Patriot but the 1962 Jeep Wagoneer --- Thought you'd like to see where they got the Patriot's styling concept, albeit shrunken down to Disney-esque 5/12th's size for Patriot. Never throw away a good idea, right Detroit?).

Why have two of these similar products, though? Think of what goes into the marketing, advertising and public relations costs alone ... Not to mention the extreme costs of manufacturing two different vehicles, albeit on the same assembly line. Production of the 2007 Jeep Patriot began in the third quarter of 2006 at the newly refurbished Belvidere (Ill.) Assembly Plant. The new 172-horsepower 2.4-liter World Engine that powers Patriot and Compass is built in the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance Assembly (GEMA) assembly plant in Dundee, Mich. But here's an interesting choice Jeep offers buyers: They can get a $200 credit for equipping their Patriot or Compass with an older, 2.0 Liter engine pumping out 158 horsepower. (Stay tuned --- A 2.0 liter turbocharged diesel version of the Patriot is already being sold outside the USA; it should be available here with its California-approved "Bluetec" diesel emissions system in 2009, earliest. Lots of torque there, Mr. and Mrs. Off-Roader! You might want to wait ... ).

The bad news from the engine bay? There appears to be no room for a six-cylinder powerplant of any kind, though a turbocharger or supercharger would probably fit easily with either of the available 4-bangers. Installed longitudinally, as is typical (and necessary) for front-drivers, there's no room at all for a 6; a traditional straight-6 might squeeze in the space installed north/south, but not in a V configuration. In any event, a straight-6 in a Jeep makes more sense for the extra torque which can be mustered from an inline engine. Hey Jeep! Where's the new 6'er for these new cars?

What that $200 engine credit between the 2.0 and 2.4 liter engines tells us is that Jeep expects both the Compass and Patriot to end up in a lot of daily rental  fleets (test drive one soon at your local airport!) and as work trucks of a sort; perhaps used in light industrial and package delivery jobs. Still, TWO Jeep versions of the Dodge Caliber? We still don't completely get it ... and would have advised DCX against it. Why not just several more levels of the Patriot (or the Compass)? (Photo - 2007 Jeep Patriot at NY Auto Show).

When Dodge killed the Neon and replaced it with the Caliber, we wondered just what the company might have been thinking. In great General Motors tradition, that art of killing a product just when it finally gets right (see: Pontiac Fiero, Cadillac Allante', among many, many others), DCX seemed to borrow from their big cross-town friend and with Neon every bit as capable as other "tuner" cars out there (that is, with the MOPAR parts available and other goodies available from the aftermarket), Dodge replaced it with a mini-mini-van named Caliber. Dodge promises an all-wheel drive, turbocharged version of Caliber soon, but will it have the panache and style of a Neon, even a new car with the Neon name? We don't think so. A small-ish mini-van is still just that, no matter what you call it. See also: Pontiac trying to sell one of the first Korean imports as their all-new "LeMans" ... Dead-On-Arrival. It was made by Daewoo (now owned outright by GM), but something told consumers during the years 1998 to 1993 that this LeMans was just not going to be the basis for the next-generation GTO, as the original Tempest/LeMans had been way back in 1964.

All that said, Patriot provides as smooth, quiet and comfortable a ride as you might expect from any standard front-wheel drive five-door hatchback. People who might have complained about the rough and noisy ride of traditional Jeeps will get over that in the Patriot (and Compass, too). Don't be fooled --- Patriot is not as serious an off-roader as truck-based Jeep 4x4s.

There are three suspension and drivetrain set-ups for Patriot: In addition to the standard front-wheel-drive system, Jeep Patriot also is available with Freedom Drive I and the Freedom Drive II Off-Road Package. Freedom Drive I is an available full-time, active four-wheel-drive system with a locking center differential. This is for on-highway rain and snow driving and getting off-road, too ... But not too far off-road. Freedom Drive 1 (and who can argue with these Jeep-ie "USA! USA!"-chanting names?) should be useful on the hard-packed dirt road you take to get to the Forest Service gate behind which is the real dirty stuff.

Freedom Drive II Off-Road Package helps turn Jeep Patriot into a Trail Rated 4×4, creating the most capable vehicle in the crowded compact SUV class. ("Trail Rated" is Jeep's corporate slogan for vehicles which  meet specific minimum standards for such things as approach and departure angles, power and torque delivery, water fording and more. Not every Trail Rated Jeep can conquer northern California's daunting Rubicon Trail (as all "real" Jeeps used to be able to do), but every Trail Rated Jeep is capable of dealing with some serious, but not all, off-road challenges. Because buyers were asking for less off-road capability and more on-road comfort, the "Trail Rated" moniker was thus born. It sounds pretty serious to your neighbors ... But we both know that a Jeep vehicle thusly rated might still get you stuck out there, so be careful and smart. Don't let the manly slogan fool you!

Freedom Drive II includes a second-generation continuously variable transaxle with a low range (CVT2L)  that engages when the off-road mode is activated, 17-inch all-terrain tires and aluminum wheels, a full-size spare tire, air-filtration system, skid plates, tow hooks, fog lamps and seat height adjuster. It's recommended for true off-road situations that include steep grades, wheel lift and rock or log climbing. Like, you know, the stuff you think you're going to do when you buy a Jeep, but never really get around to doing ...

If you notice, the TV ads for Patriot put the Compass in there, too, really confusing the differences between the two. That's okay with Jeep; Most salespeople are going to try and sell you the Patriot even if you specifically go to the store to buy a Compass. If you're not going to go seriously off-roading and don't mind the slightly wussy design of the Compass, save yourself some bucks and go with the "lesser" Jeep. It still has the "Jeep" name, and the neighbors will be duly impressed.

Prices are close on Patriot and Compass; Patriot models start around $14,500 and similarly-equipped  Compass models are about $500 less. Our test Patriot was just a tad over $23,000, and that was without the heavy off-road package.

Someone say trannies? Patriot comes with a choice of a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) or a five-speed stick. Get the stick; the CVT is the modern version of what we used to an "automatic". If you're going to be off-roading, take the stick shift. While we haven't yet found a CVT we like, Jeep's version of the gas-saving unit is unremarkable enough, doing its job with the somewhat noisy and annoying whine which we've come to expect from them all. "Shift, damn tranny, shift!" you find yourself screaming at the center tunnel of Patriot. In the meantime, it is shifting ... Only in its own way; you can't feel it!

CVTs are less expensive to engineer, build, service, replace and install than conventional automatics. They also add about 1 mile per gallon and with the 2.4 liter 4-banger we averaged a good 23 miles per gallon, city and highway driving combined. Not terrible at all for a 3,200 vehicle with tons of interior space (some 60 cubic feet) and a 1/2 ton towing capability out of the crate (2,000 pounds with the tow package).

The interior is well turned-out for Jeep, and we can remember when the interiors coming out of their plants  looked like half-finished high school metal shop projects. Patriot has oodles of hidden storage spaces (which the cops probably know all about by now) and the second row of seats fold fairly flat fairly easily. One complaint which we've been making about DCX product interiors for about, oh, 20 years ... Exactly how many of those radio fascias did they buy? Several million? I think we speak for millions when we say ... Get some better-looking and easier-to-operate-with-gloves radios in these cars!

Patriot (and Compass) are both extremely well-equipped without adding on the options. Four wheel anti-lock disc brakes (Yes! Discs all around on a Jeep!), traction control, plenty of airbags (including side curtains) and an antiskid system w/rollover sensors come for the stock price. Also you get power steering, tilt steering wheel, vinyl upholstery, front bucket seats, center console, cupholders, split folding rear seat, AM/FM/CD player, digital clock, tachometer, outside-temperature indicator, variable-intermittent wipers, visor mirrors, rear defogger, and a rear wiper/washer. Yep, all standard at right around $14,750 out the door.

We liked the Patriot and found it as capable as Jeep claims it to be; add on the proven Jeep off-road expertise (like their New Process differentials) giving Patriot the ability to handle much of the bad stuff (which is where the Jeep becomes fun), and you'll spend a lot less than $27,000 or so and feel like you got a good deal.

But until proven otherwise, we just don't understand why both Compass and Patriot need to be in the line-up; funny, cute ads aside (with a guy filling up a gasoline container with what appears to be several gallons of Slurpee at a desert gas-n-go while a long line of "cutesey, real world-looking" people get in place behind him), paying for the product planning, engineering and manufacturing along with the marketing and advertising for two so-closely-related vehicles seems a waste.

Perhaps the new owners (those slick auto experts at Cerberus, who now own Jeep) will see the folly of their ways. And maybe, just maybe, if enough people say so, the Neon will return, too ... and as a car, not another boring minivan!

On our CAR NUT SCALE OF ONE TO FIVE, FOUR TIRES AND A SPARE: 2007 Jeep Patriot, outfitted with the "Freedom II" off-road package, rates a FOUR. Stock, with fewer options, it's a disappointing THREE --- nothing special, and definitely no home run, either. Leave the front-drivers to Dodge and Chrysler.

'CAR NUT FOUR TIRES AND A SPARE RATING SYSTEM':

One Tire --- Not acceptable

Two Tires --- Acceptable, but only if you can't afford anything else

Three Tires --- Average, nothing special but agreeable and should at least outlive the warranty

Four Tires --- Near-best in the category; an excellent purchase and a good bet

Five Tires (Four Tires and a Spare) --- One of the World's Best; buyer literally can't go wrong

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ROAD TEST --- 2006 SATURN VUE REDLINE

We say, "It's the best Honda engine you can buy in an American-made, midsize crossover SUV".

The facelifted 2006 Saturn VUE ($17,390 to $23,050) has some  mostly appearance-related upgrades inside and out. My VUE Red Line AWD V6 featured a new integrated step pad, headlamps and hood and grill, all for a smoother look. Inside, new seats, chrome-and-wood accents and a new center console. VUE Red Line AWD V6 ($26,705) with a Honda 250-horsepower V6 is second only to Toyota’s RAV4 as most powerful in class. Good crash tests and mileage that rivals some hybrids, VUE’s a solid package.

It’s easy to tell the boxy VUE is built on the same “Theta” platform which is the basis for the Pontiac Torrent and Chevrolet Equinox. VUE is as bland-looking as most Saturns have been since the supposed import-fighting Division was created by GM’s then-CEO Roger Smith in 1990. Even Red Line VUE models, such as my AWD V6 model, do not stand out in a crowd. With appearance cues like a front and rear spoilers, one-inch-lowered suspension, 18-inch wheels and unique grille trying to look trendy, it might have housewives swooning but not the tuner crowd.

In spite of VUE’s stylists attempts to sex things up, it remains “as boring as it wants to be”. If one of your criteria in buying a midsize SUV is avoiding car-jackings, vehicle thefts and break-ins, VUE fits the bill. It’s the American-made version of the prototypical Japanese “car as appliance” that goes and goes without drawing attention.

This year’s VUE keeps Saturn’s highly-regarded plastic body panels; most future Saturns will discontinue them as production moves from the original Spring Hill, TN factory. The next-generation VUE will be built in Europe. The PreVue concept is a copy of the Opel Antara GTC seen at Euro auto shows last year; look for it in 2009.

The Red Line package on my VUE provided a six-way leather power driver’s seat with manual lumbar support. It’s almost impossible to not get comfortable for any driver. For passengers, VUE was rated differently by my official tester (my wife), who said she simply could not find a fully-comfortable seating position. But you should put your butt in the seats to be sure they fit you (and those in your extended clan).

Large, bright gauges are right in front of the driver. Most  controls are now on the new center console; Heat/vent/air conditioning is controlled with large knobs that ‘snap’ into position nicely. Standard are cruise control, power windows, door locks and mirrors and a security system with remote keyless entry. The XM-equipped radio had a small screen, difficult to read and it’s red coloring washed-out easily in bright light. Radio controls are also on the steering wheel but are not well-illuminated (so what use are they at night?). Rear seats easily fold 70/30 and rear stowage bins have bag hooks. Curtain side airbags are standard; anti-lock brakes are optional on four-cylinders (a buyer’s insult in 2006). Body panel fit and finish outside is not the best, but VUE’s interior appears to be as good as any competition.

VUE’s basic engine/tranny package is GM’s Ecotec 2.2 liter 143 horsepower Inline-4 cylinder with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission (calling 1985!). For any fun with the I-4, order the 5-speed. That VUE is front-drive only, as is the base V6 with its Honda engine, 3.5 liters and churning out a near class-leading 250 horses. Only a five-speed automatic comes with the V6. That VUE can also be ordered with all-wheel drive, but it’s no off-roader; AWD offers extra margins of safety and control on wet pavement or dry, packed dirt roads, without driver input. It also increases turn radius and makes U-turns too much of an adventure. VUE’s steering is soft and felt disconnected from the road; braking was mushy until ABS kicked in during a test panic stop.

Overall performance? Sluggish, except at highway speed with the V6. VUE weighs about 3,600 pounds (plastic body panels are not light weights) and has the top-heavy feel experienced when driving a midsized SUV; it takes some getting used to if you haven’t. My Red Line V6 AWD with the 250-hp engine was more fun to drive than baseline VUEs, but not by much. One high point: Saturn has discontinued use of the noisy and listless Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

Once Saturn dealers got their own SUV/crossover, they sold well. VUE is priced smack in the middle of the marketplace, has the smooth V6 250 horse engine and for 2006 improved appearance inside and out. Important: VUE scored a perfect “5” in NHTSA’s front and side impact tests, and an average “3” in their rollover tests. Mileage is a positive (especially these days) for VUE.

Figuring all the engine/tranny combos available, VUE averages  27 miles per gallon, highway and in-town combined, relatively high in its class. There’s a huge amount of competition: Ford’s Escape (available as a gas/electric hybrid)/Mercury Mariner/Mazda Tribute, Kia Sorento/Hyundai Sonata, Honda’s CR-V and Toyota’s RAV4 along with Subaru’s Forester and the already-mentioned Torrent and Equinox are all in the fight. VUE gets a gas/electric hybrid version called Green Line late in 2006 (a 2007 model) and Torrent/Equinox are slated for a 3.9 liter V6 power package, but not VUE.

Our VUE represented the end of its current product cycle and is one of GM’s best-selling vehicles. Our crossover drove smoothly (if loose and mushy-feeling at times) and was quiet, with no squeaks or rattles. Combined with its stowage space, clearly hits a sweet spot with buyers.

ROAD TEST --- 2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA LT

We say, "The 2006 Impala LT has new styling, new engines and a new interior. What could be wrong?"

Chevrolet has done a face-lift on the 2006 Impala, and also offers a new family of engines, including a powerful V8. Our Impala LT, one of five trim levels available, had an all-new pushrod V6. With an EPA-promised average of 26 miles per gallon and a price of $22,225 with almost every bell and whistle, the window sticker was as good-looking as the car. Starting at $20,830, Chevy’s 2006 Impala LT and its new 3.5 liter 211 horsepower V6 engine made big promises, so we went looking for the facts.

There is no more important nor meaningful name in the Chevrolet lexicon than “Impala”. After reading the press material and doing a walk-around of the vehicle, it’s obvious that Chevy is taking all they know and finally making a car aimed right at the heart of the family sedan market, dominated for several years by imports. Approaching the new 2006 Chevrolet Impala LT, its new sheet-metal gives it the look of a more expensive sedan, and it was hard to immediately pinpoint: Detroit, Tokyo or

Stuttgart? Hip reflector headlamps in front give Impala a modern, hungry look. The high rear trunk deck implies muscle under all the bling. All four doors are wide enough to make entry and exit easy, and their “stop points” make sense.

Impala LT utilizes pricey piston rods to hold open not only the engine hood, but also the trunk, deep-sixing cheap-looking, inconvenient and room-robbing, luggage- and golf bag-crushing hinges. That shows Chevy is listening to what buyer’s want, and checking the competition. Impala, for generations the car of choice for millions of American families, goes up against tough competition in the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, even Ford’s all-new Fusion, gaining popularity in NASCAR. Will it be up the task? We're finding out this season as the NASCAR Chevy "Car of Tomorrow" to be used in every race next season is called "Impala". Also, Chevy has developed a brand-new 352 cubic inch engine for their top-tier NASCAR teams, eventually trickling down to all who want to use it, called R07. Perhaps a version of that motor, the first built from scratch by GM for NASCAR teams with the team members' input, will get a run in a street version of the car. One can only hope ...

Inside, “power everything” in an all-new interior. Standard  power features include: 8-way power driver’s seat, power windows, door locks and trunk latch, even a remote starting system; a touch of the key fob from many feet away starts Impala LT and gets that heater or A/C running (dual zones standard). Informative trip and condition read-outs are available from an easy-to-read screen; dash buttons allow the driver to program everything from the volume of warning chimes to the driver’s language to how long interior lights stay on after you close the doors. Not only is the driver’s seat comfortable and supportive, but the passenger seat and two outboard rear seats are good for long drives as well.

The front center storage console can be folded up to create a sort-of-comfortable bench seat for a third person in a pinch; the rear seat holds three easily and can be folded open in an 80/20 split to handle long trunk-based loads. All gauges are bright, large and familiar to anyone who’s ever driven an American sedan. The audio system was adequate, not special. Drivers over 40 will feel instantly right at home; the transmission shift lever is a stalk exiting the right side of the steering column, just like dad’s car. And grand dad’s, too.

Impala LT provided an immediate, pleasant surprise: The new (and base) 211 horsepower V6, mated with a four-speed automatic (the only tranny available in all ’06 Impalas) makes the car a threat at the “stop light Grand Prix”, an event held daily, millions of times worldwide. With that take-off spunk, the 3.9 liter 242 horse V6 and 303 horse 5.3 liter V8 would be even more useful and enjoyable, even confidence-inspiring, as when getting up to speed on the open highway from a slow on-ramp, or passing a big rig or any slower driver. There was virtually none of the dreaded “torque steer” (“push” for you NASCAR fans) from the front driving/steering wheels. Steering felt well-connected to the road, response from input was crisp and predictable.

Four-wheel disc brakes were powerful, but anti-lock brakes are not standard (available as a $600 option, including traction control) on Impala LT, but side curtain airbags are standard. Impala LT showed off its four-wheel independent suspension on bumpy highway on-ramps to an advantage, and the front coil-over strut/rear strut/coil springs suspension kept Impala LT on even keel. Impala LT was extremely quiet at triple-digit speeds, and runs through a car wash revealed no leaks. It’s well built.

There’s a short list of “cars I would buy”. Considering I thoroughly test a minimum of 50 cars annually, it’s tough to get a place on it. But this Impala LT for 2006 makes the grade, even with its base engine and lower trim level. The new engine made the car go better (and more quietly) than we expected, the large four-wheel disc brakes made it stop like a champ, the new interior, including all gauges and controls, is as comfortable, useful and intuitive as any other on the market, even better than most. Impala LT is terrifically quiet for a vehicle in this price range at speeds above rational, able to seat up to 6 adults when necessary and, at around 3,400 pounds, Impala LT delivered a real-world city/highway combo 24 miles per gallon, driven hard and pushed at times to the max. Words of high praise.

But you might want an aftermarket audio system. Chevy still has some things to learn in that department. Impala, for the first time in too long a time, seriously challenges Accord, Camry and the new Fusion. We’d say Dodge Charger, but that’s a rear-driver, and another ball of twine altogether. Family-size sedan shoppers now have a great reason to visit their local Chevrolet dealer, just like their dad, and their grand dad, too.

ROAD TEST --- 2006 CORVETTE Z06

CORVETTE Z06 --- CHEVY'S MEANER VERSION OF THEIR JUNKYARD DOG

America’s love affair with the Chevrolet Corvette only strengthens with the 2006 Corvette Z06. A street version of the Corvette C6R, which won its class at the “12 Hours of Sebring” and the “24 Hours of LeMans”, its massive LS7 7-liter (427 cubic inches) V8 pumps out 505 horsepower, and produces a factory claimed top speed of 198 miles per hour. Corvette Z06 is base-priced at $64,890; our tester totaled $71,485 with all available options. Specific body parts set Z06 apart visually from a stock C6.

Every Corvette stirs the blood, the new Z06 even more. Enzo  Ferrari said “Corvette is the only real sports car made in America”, and he knew a few things about sports cars. Z06 features a unique-to-the-car front fascia and upper air inlet, specific grille, fenders, quarter panels and rear spoiler, setting Z06 apart from stock. Z06 looks low, mean, powerful, purposeful and all its body panels fit as well as any in the industry. Aluminum, magnesium, and carbon fiber front fenders and wheelhouses have Z06 weighing-in just below the stock car; 3,132 of Z06 pounds versus 3,179 for the two-door hatchback and 3,199 for the convertible. ‘Vette is no longer the “plastic pachyderm”.

Chevy will build only about 4,000 Z06 models a year (and a like number of Cadillac XLRs at GM’s Bowling Green, KY, plant). Chevrolet makes about 35,000 Corvettes annually, making Z06 an instant-collectible. Those shopping the lower-end of the supercar market will find Z06’S safety, comfort, performance, overall quality and price a tough combination to beat. Someone’s ego might demand a fancier nameplate, but Z06 delivers without the over-$100K price tag. Competition for Z06 is Dodge’s Viper and Ford’s latest Mustang Shelby Cobra GT500.

The power driver’s seat and steering wheel will make almost any driver comfortable. Passengers reported plenty of legroom; stiff seat backs kept driver and passenger alert and engaged. Getting in Z06 is easy: Open the door, fall backwards into the car; climbing out is another, less simple, matter. Main gauges are large, bright, easy-to-read and smack in front of the driver. Analog instruments (speed, rpm, fuel level, oil pressure, coolant temp and amperes) keep drivers informed. Push-buttons check other systems via a digital read-out below the speedo. Air pressure on the four pricey run-flat tires is monitored; there’s no spare.

A heads-up display (HUD) projected on the windshield has three different modes and is easily positioned in (or out) of driver vision. There’s a small glove box and a slight bit of console storage; the rear hatch covers a surprisingly large storage area. A weekend’s worth of luggage for two is easily stowed, or a couple of golf bags. The gear lever is canted towards the driver; clutch pedal is easier to engage then you’d expect. A Z06 is probably the closest thing most will ever have to the experience of sitting in a race car; Z06 just has a lot more gauges, buttons and switches fighting for your attention.

Engage the clutch, push a button and Z06 roars to life (doors  are button-operated, too). The car is immediately thrilling and intimidating; four pipes burble and rumble from the rear, body panels provide a smooth but low-key noise and vibration throughout the cabin. Z06 makes you feel on start-up that something is about to happen. A six speed manual tranny is the only one available; an automatic option might be welcome. A moderately strong push is necessary on the clutch pedal to change gears; might dissuade those planning to use Z06 daily. Steering tracks like a slot car. The Z06-specific fully-independent four-wheel suspension is tuned to “sport”.

A ride on a smooth surface can be pleasant, but bumpy roads and railroad tracks have their shakes transmitted, it seems, directly to the seats. Brakes are four-wheel, anti-lock, massive cross-drilled discs and never faded in a week of testing. Like race cars, Z06 acceleration is brutally efficient, but braking is even more impressive. Overall, a tamer in-cabin experience than one might expect. Z06’s traction control makes the drive more predictable; turn it off and the driver can whip out the rear-end with a simple blip on the throttle. Z06 is a surprising all-around visceral pleasure.

Z06, magnificent as it is, might be eclipsed in ’09 by a semi-secret Chevrolet project called “Blue Devil” and/or “Sting Ray”(pictured). But this current Z06 seamlessly melds horsepower, electronics, safety and appearance in a single package like no other car at this price. Racing technology abounds: Balsa wood and carbon fiber make-up the floorboard, a race-bred “dry sump” oil system allows engine placement much lower between the rails, and cures “oil starvation” under heavy acceleration or high ‘g’ cornering. Steel rails on the car are shaped by “hydroforming”, using water jets to bend the metal, a more exacting and precise way to make lighter cars. Oil, transmission and axle coolers are standard, as are front airbags; side airbags are an option but should be standard.

We managed 14.5 miles per gallon combined city/highway mileage, and 91 octane fuel is necessary; the sticker says an average of 21 is possible (16 city, 26 highway) but, frankly, using fifth or sixth gears at highway legal speeds had the engine lagging uncomfortably. Z06 is comfortable, luxurious, but serious fun. Drivers need to exhibit self-control. Z06 should not be a teenager’s first car, unless their last name is Unser or Andretti. (Photo - C6R factory race car, successfully developed and campaigned by Canadian road racer Ron Fellows as well as other top world-class drivers).

ROAD TEST --- 2008 LEXUS LS600h L; $120,000+ GASOLINE/ELECTRIC HYBRID SEDAN

So, what do YOU think --- Will Americans spend $120,000 - or maybe more - on a Japanese car?

TECHNOLOGICAL TOUR DE FORCE FROM LEXUS --- IF IT AIN'T IN OR ON THIS CAR, LEXUS DON'T MAKE IT! 

         Ladies and gentlemen, start your Barco-Lougers!

        There’s an old saying, “You can sleep in your car, but you can’t drive your house”.

        Outside of motorhomes, driving or riding in the super-technical Lexus LS600h L is the closest thing we’ve experienced to cruising high-speed roadways in our favorite  EZ chair, plugged into our iPod, viewing our fave DVD, feet up, massage turned ‘on’, lovely leather chair either heating or air-cooling our backside to the same temperature as the rest of our body.

Would someone buy a hybrid gas/electric-powered super-luxury sedan at nearly 1/3rd more its conventional price in order to attain less than twice the fuel mileage of that gasoline-only powered model?

Lexus is betting that some 3,000 Americans will, and gladly so.

The highly-anticipated 2008 Lexus LS600h L carries a base price of $104,000 and fully-optioned, the car will nick buyers for just about $121,000 (compared to a base price of $61,000 for a conventional LS460 L, the sedan’s long wheelbase model).

While the car can’t be described as terribly exciting to drive, it does join a legion of famed models from various manufacturers which were produced in limited numbers to, more than anything else, prove a point.

The 1964 Pontiac GTO. The Oldsmobile 442. The Dodge Road Runner. The Chevy SSR and Corvette C6R. The Ford Mustang in any Shelby/Roush/Saleen configuration.

All vehicles made by car companies flush with money (at least for those models) and able to do some things just for fun. Not because they need to do it, but simply because they can. To prove something to their customers and their competition.

        In the 1980s, when the entire country of Japan was flush with funds, even that country’s normally very conservative automakers got into the swing of fun things, focusing especially on small vehicles (with engines 660cc and under, known there as ‘K-cars’, whose buyers are given tremendous tax breaks) and turning them into hot, hip vehicles which even the wildest Tokyo teens sought to be seen in.

        Now, in a technical tour de force by a division of the world’s largest car company, Toyota, the Lexus LS600h L moves that staid car company unarguably into the ranks of the world’s greatest automotive engineering companies.

           Now near if not actually on a par technically with Lotus, Honda, BMW and even the old and original Chrysler (considered, before WWII, the foremost automotive engineering firm in the world), Toyota’s three quite disparate divisions (Toyota, Lexus and Scion) have thrown down the gauntlet and dared every other major carmaker to answer this quite impressive sedan.

When Honda held their first USA state-side press conference about their new division, something called ‘Acura’, the big question on everyone’s mind, the gathered Honda executives from the US and the Japanese “home market” as well as the American journalists, was simple and straightforward: Would American car-buyers spend as much as $18,000 or even over $20K on a Japanese-made car?

That question, asked publicly for the first time in late 1985 (the brand went on-sale at 18 dealers in March of 1986) saw the answer come quickly.

Not only would Americans be willing to spend that much on a Japanese car, they would line-up, put their name on waiting lists and pay deposits to dealers to await their new vehicles which they’d get as much as three months later.

After just four years of Acura selling their V6-powered Legend sedans (and what a fantastic name --- We predict it will be back) and sporty, fun Integra models, Acura and Honda rocked the auto world with the NSX, a mid-engined rear-wheel drive sports car which was a true “supercar” in everything but price. NSX was also the first all-aluminum mass-produced sports car in the world.

Honda had done their homework, working on developing the products and marketing for Acura for a full decade before the cars were available in the US. As of 2007, the Acura name has still not been introduced as a brand in Japan, but it is sold in Canada, Mexico, Honk Kong and mainland China.

Acura also opened the door for the Infiniti (Nissan) and Lexus (Toyota) luxury channels.

In those headiest of days for Japan and their then-booming ‘80s go-go economy, even Mazda started a major project and push for their own luxury brand, to be called “Amati”.

Luckily for the company, the project never reached fruition. Mazda, which has traditionally attempted to bring too many products to the market at the same time, would have probably seen Amati lost in the dust not only of the Honda, Toyota and Nissan luxury entries, but even their own large group of new offerings. Mazda is still using that questionable strategy of introducing a lot of fairly-similar cars with similar names at the same time, rather than spacing-out the timing of their new-model introductions.

Mazda is also generally recognized as, next to Honda, probably the best automotive engineering company in Japan. Focusing their relatively meager resources (compared to Toyota, Nissan, Honda) on a brand-new luxury channel certainly would have taken away money, effort and talent (not to mention actual marketing dollars) from their small cars, which are now selling very nicely in the US. So sometimes a new luxury channel is not a good idea.

Today, there’s another question being asked by the Japanese, this time by Toyota and their Lexus division. And it makes the “$18,000” Acura question pale in comparison: Will Americans spend $121,000 on a Japanese-made car?

In addition to their original strategy of creating hybrid cars and trucks for the masses, Toyota is also making available several hybrid gas/electric models from their Lexus division. Interestingly, Scion, the purported “youth” division of Toyota (whose original name and inside-company code-word was “Genesis”; too biblical!) as yet offers no hybrid model, and in fact the big news from that company at recent auto shows is a factory-developed supercharger for the small and sporty Scion tC coupe, adding another 100 horsepower or so to the vehicle. Not exactly Sierra Club virtues.

Lexus is selling both their RX SUV model in a fuel-saving hybrid configuration (as Toyota does with their similar Highlander SUV) as well as the largest, longest and heaviest version of their take-no-prisoners LS sedan.

Aimed smack at the heart of the upper-end luxury segment, the Audi A8, the Mercedes-Benz S-class and the BMW 7-series cars, Lexus’ LS600h L (h for hybrid, L for long wheelbase, 600 for total theoretically-available horsepower) is loaded with virtually every feature, most of them standard, which the company makes available to their “conventional” LS model buyers.

From its all-wheel drive (utilizing a Torsen differential) system to the air-ride suspension to the reclining, massaging, heated and cooled front and rear seats to the traction control, anti-lock brakes and various advanced passive and active pre-collision safety systems and airbags, to the parallel parking assist to the radar-equipped cruise control, this Lexus weighs-in at 5,220 pounds. (By the way, credit must be given to Audi for their hilarious TV spot which takes a dig at the Lexus’ parallel parking assist system; if you’ve seen it, you know what we mean).

And yet even with all those features, all that weight, all that engine, the car is rated by the state of California as a “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle”, the highly sought-after SULEV rating which captures the attention of the “green” population. Part of the reason this Lexus is so clean is a newly-developed Hydrocarbon Absorber and Catalyst (HCAC) system linked to the two-way exhaust to help prevent exhaust hydrocarbons from being released into the atmosphere during cold start up, when the catalysts are not up to temperature. In other words, your exhaust gasses are heated clean before their release …

To achieve that kind of “greeniness” in a relatively quick off-the-line big car (0 to 60 in 5.5 secs) which also offers a booming mid-range for passing power (the torque of electric motors happens immediately, there’s no waiting in line) is impressive in any case. In fact, 50 to 70 mph comes in just 3.5 seconds.

But the big news, naturally, is in the engine bay (and the trunk area and under the rear seat, where the massive DC nickel metal hydride batteries are housed and cooled), where a conventional gasoline-fired 5 liter 32-valve V8 putting out 389 horsepower mates with 288 volts coming from two DC permanent-magnet electric motors (one used to power the wheels, one used to start the V8 when it shuts-off at stop lights, etc) for a total-of-438 horsepower.

The LS 600h L is defined as a “full hybrid,” capable of operating in electric-only mode in-town for short periods at low speeds or with a combination of the gas engine and electric motor. This heavyweight floats above the turnpike much as the conventional Lexus does, keeping the driver involved in the experience only as much as absolutely necessary.

This is not a “driver’s car” with flashy or showy handling and performance; it is definitely an “engineer’s car”, something a Cal Tech professor will show-off to his associates, or the car which Ed Begley-types will self-park at the Beverly Hills Hotel to let everyone know how "green" they are. An all-aluminum Audi A8 buyer will probably be more attracted to this Lexus for its sheer force of technology than either the S-class or 7-series. Doctors and lawyers buy Beemers and Mercs ... Engineers will be most attracted to this Lexus, as they already are to Audi's A8.

Perhaps the single most-impressive part of the car, engineering-wise, is the Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission. For those who know, and have so far abhorred, the feel and sound of typical CVTs, which tend to wind and wind and whine and whine and feel as if they have a rubber band which is about to snap if a solid “shift” does not happen, Lexus seems to have mastered the problem and potentially ended the complaints. The “dual-range continuously variable automatic” in the LS600h L can actually be shifted like a conventional automatic eight-speed … yes, the first mass-produced eight-speed. Officially, Lexus calls it “eight ratio steps available in manual mode”. The best thing is, it works.
           Power is controlled by a three-mode hybrid switch which allows the driver the most effective use of torque output. The driver can select “hybrid” (normal), “power,” or “snow” options. The “hybrid” mode provides the smoothest operation; “power” sharpens accelerator response and allows the engine to go to higher revs before a shift, and the “snow” mode softens accelerator response, making it easier to accelerate on slippery road surfaces. (We don't get a chance in So Cal to really test that snow mode too often...).

Naturally, as with the Prius (and the Lexus is really an over-amped Prius-on-steroids, all things considered), heat generated by braking is recaptured and used to recharge the vehicle’s batteries.

As with the regular (non-hybrid) LS models, the 600 feels too disconnected from the roadway. Even with its all-wheel drive system, which in most vehicles would usually offer the driver an extra feeling of self-assuredness while negotiating fairly-twisty but high-speed freeways, the steering “feel” is extremely, sometimes worryingly, light. It’s something a Mercedes or BMW driver would have to experience and get used to feeling.

While we appreciate the technology of the “electric” power steering on the car, wouldn’t it be nice for the driver to be able to adjust that steering input and wheel response and feel? Probably will never happen, considering insurance regulations and the like, though the technology makes such an adjustment very do-able. You won't be seeing too many of these rigs at the SCCA weekend Driving Rodeos.

        Outside, the car is all-Lexus, all-the-time. It’s a near-exact copy of the long-wheelbase LS, built in Japan. Only a few small “hybrid” badges give the vehicle away as the special model it is. Lexus sedan buyers like their cars conservative and this vehicle isn’t breaking any new design ground. This in spite of the fact of the much bally-hood use of LED (light-emitting diode) lighting front and rear, which stylists have been telling us will make exterior design on all such-equipped vehicles easier to change and more daring. Not so on this car.

          Incidentally, the Lexus brand has been on-sale in Japan since only November of 2005, when it was introduced to the Japanese public for the first time at that year’s Tokyo Motor Show.
          Inside, gauges and controls are as well-placed as possible, but there are so many controls that too much of the switchgear is spread around the instrument panel, the steering column and the center console and tunnel, making for some easy confusion. There’s just too much “there” there.

         Yet no one can fault the car for its velvety comfortable ride, supreme quietness, fantastic sound system and ultimate comfort. The doors close as solidly as a bank vault, the fragrance of leather saturates the interior and finding your own perfect comfort zone, separate from the driver and two other passengers, is a simple matter of learning to use the fully-intuitive personal controls.

Looking for personality? Sorry, try that ’64 GTO …

What’s the bottom line, the actual fuel mileage?

The 2007 LS460 has a rating of 18 city and 27 highway, utilizing the conventional 8-speed transmission with the 4.6 liter 380 horsepower V8. Also, the LS460 weighs nearly 900 pounds less than the 600h L. Using the new 2008 EPA rating system, Lexus says the LS600h L churns out 20 miles per gallon in the city and 22 on the highway. However, as with all things governmental, we found our mileage during a week with the LS600h L in the real world was a bit different.

Our observed average, admittedly under our heavy right foot, was about 15 miles per gallon, city and highway combined. Not bad considering the competition in class, but nothing to join Greenpeace over, either.

Certainly 50, 100 and more years from now, some of these first few thousand 600 models will be in museums and private collections (Lexus sells about 30,000 LS models annually in the US; about 10% of those will be 600h L models for the 2008 model year).

With its high-flying price, ultra luxury and full-bore technology of-the-moment, they will always be attractive in an engineering sense, certainly remembered more for their sheer audacity in the use of new technologies than their appearance or performance.

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ROAD TEST --- 2007 JAGUAR SUPER V8

Here’s the thing about the 2007 Jaguar Super V8 --- It does many things better, easier, faster and is more forgiving than you’d expect. Everything about its appearance, inside and out, fairly screams “Old!”; But the reality of driving it provides an unexpected level of exhilaration, that which a driver might expect to find only with a “newer” car. (Photos by Steve Parker --- Be sure to 'click' on the photo thumbnails for larger versions!))

        This luxurious car stops, turns-in and negotiates corners, accelerates from 50 to 75 miles per hour and handles the most potholed roadways in America (those of the LA Freeways and side streets) with aplomb, at least as well as any of its competitors.

That’s all thanks in no small part to an expensive, race-bred and computer-controlled double-wishbone suspension, and what amounts to the “Jewel in the Crown” of this car: A rigid but lightweight aluminum understructure … and the standard, and quite beefy, Pirelli P-Zero tires (255/40ZR19 to be more exacting).

        Surprisingly, it’s “launch” where this car lags, its “off-the-line” acceleration in that “Great American Race” which takes place millions of times daily around the country, “The Stop Light Grand Prix”.

           Frankly, Super V8 is a bit of a dud when the pedal is initially pushed to the metal.

Chalk it up to old-fashioned Euro-type gearing, where low end is sacrificed for high-speed ”Autobahn”-style cruising. Expecting that 400 horsepower supercharged 4.2 liter V8 to snap-to when the light turns green is a waste of time; simply get used to the fact that Jaguar engineers still consider off-the-line comfort more of a plus instead of pure acceleration.

Super V8 will still go from 0 to 60 in well under 7 seconds, but that  Honda Civic in the next lane will quite probably beat your car across the intersection, and then some. However, on the open highway, this Jaguar cruises at triple-digits with the best of them, Asian, Euro or North American. Hit the highway with that Civic next to you, and then give the Civic's driver a reason to someday make his or her own $92K to spend on a luxury cruiser --- Greed may not be good, but having the bucks to get into something like this Jag is certainly worth the trouble. At the least, visit your local Jag store and talk the sales squid into letting you test-drive one ...

         Its price certainly shouts “New!” At $92,000 with no options, the Super V8 supercharged long-wheelbase version of what essentially is a super-outfitted Vanden Plas XJ gives one hope for, at least, what’s left of the British motor industry, even if the most recent rumors have both venerable Euro makes Volvo and Jaguar on Ford's "Sales List of the Week".

        For the driver and any of the three passengers slotted into one of the vehicle’s four climate zones, Super V8 is a return to the days when “motoring” actually meant something; when not just arriving was important, but the quality of the trip to the destination counted for something, too.

        As much as Jaguar’s more “veddy Briddish” executives may not care to actually admit in mixed company, their 2007 Super V8 is a thoroughly modern motorcar, on a par in many ways with (and, at under 3,800 pounds, much lighter than) the Mercedes S-550, Audi A8L Quattro, BMW 750iL and the all-new Lexus LS460 L offered up by the competition.

        This sportiest iteration of Jaguar’s long-wheelbase XJ sedan first saw life as the somewhat tepid XJ in 1968; it wasn’t until 1998 (!) that the XJ’s straight-6-cylinder motors were replaced with modern V8s (with much of that specific technology borrowed from Jag’s then-new owners, Ford Motor Company).

Currently, the XJ is working on only its third generation in 39 years; the Super V8 and XJR (shorter wheelbase, same 400 blown horsepower) models first hit these shores in 2005. Things can move slowly in the UK. Some rumors say the base engine in the XJ will soon hit 320 horses stock (it’s at 300 now) and the supercharged XJR and Super V8 versions will churn-out some 450 horses through the J-gated shift lever which allows minimal stick-shift-like fun (but not with any drinks in the center tunnel console drink holder mounted right where it should not be, directly between the two front seats; even one drink on the passenger’s side blocks smooth use of that old-tech shift gate which should already have been replaced with the gate now-utilized in the XK coupe models).

The tranny holds six gears; The new Lexus tops-out at eight, so Jag  has some catching-up to do. That could positively affect the car’s mileage. Get used to spending near $100 to fill the 22.5 gallon tank. Jag claims an average of about 20 mpg combined; We averaged just a tick over 15 miles per gallon combined highway and city driving in our time with the car, and that’s a big difference from the company claim (but with that $92K price tag, I suppose most buyers would not care too much about petrol prices).

        In my over-35 years of testing cars, trucks and motorcycles for various magazines, books, TV and radio shows and of course, now, websites, I had never driven a Jaguar automobile which did not experience some sort of problem, usually electrical, occasionally mechanical.

        Let’s make all the “Lucas Electronics” jokes now: “Lucas, Prince of Darkness”, Lucas lights switches have three positions --- Dim, flicker and off. Smoke coming from the instrument panel wiring? Don’t fret; It’s only a Lucas leak!

As they say, there are usually reasons for negative stereotypes. Jaguar moving from demanding the use of British electrics to more modern and reliable systems (say, those developed after 1950) has been a boon for their cars. The last time I drove a Jag for a lengthy test, about five years ago, the car broke-down 55 miles from where I had picked it up from Jag’s Public Relations people; At my first stop, in fact, the car would not restart. A dead battery and a sick alternator were the culprits, still not unusual for Jaguar even then. I won't forget that day, and I can still show you the JACK IN THE BOX fine-dining establishment off the 55 Freeway in Orange County (yes, that OC) where the Jag gave up the ghost.

We’re happy to report we were able to return this Super V8 car to Jag’s crack PR staff with nary a complaint, even about the electrics.

        So it’s only fair to you (and Jaguar) that I write in this article that the particular test car featured in this piece, apart from an instrument panel push-button, supposedly for the radio, which did nothing when pushed (after all, it is still British-made), this car was a dream to sit in, to enjoy, to look at, to sleep in, to drive. Nothing on the car broke, in spite of over a week’s worth of fairly heavy (and heavy-footed) use. We even imagined (the wife and I) that the back seat, with its own electric adjustments and TV screens for the DVD system, might be good for certain extracaricular activities, but controlled our ardor (my, we are getting old!). However, I am still sworn to secrecy (by the wife) about what happened in the back seat of that Bentley ...

        There could be fewer push-buttons on the dashboard and instrument panel and center console and driver’s door sill and the side of the seats, both front and rear. Those parts of the Jaguar are starting to look much to Lexus-like, with numerous buttons seemingly everywhere the engineers fit “just one more”.
        Rear seat passengers find buttons and switches and knobs which not only adjust their own seat backs, but also the seats in front of them, to some extent, to make for more rear legroom, we imagine. The rear center fold-down console contains the de rigueur two cupholders, but flipping up another part of that fold-down exposes a complete control system for the telephone, DVD system and more. The rear of the center tunnel coming from the front of the car contains numerous radio and AC controls. The rears of both front seats hold fairly large TV monitors for rear passengers’ use; Fold-down writing/snack tables are also found in the rear of both front seats, again for the rear passengers’ comfort and convenience.

        Sitting in the rear of a car was perhaps never more of a comfortable and mechanical and electronic challenge, for those up to the technical task! “Indeed”, as they might say “across the pond”. (That’s the Atlantic Ocean to readers too young to remember cars coming from that part of the world called “Europe”, specifically the UK, uh, I mean "England").

        We did three round-trips in and out of Los Angeles and the Palm Springs area, about 900 miles total, in the 8 days we had the car. We sped along on the Freeways at triple-digits (though I’d deny it in court or to the Jaguar PR person) and crawled along at bumper-to-bumper speeds in downtown Los Angeles and on the 405 Freeway (the infamous San Diego) in West Los Angeles. Exterior temperatures during our test period ranged from 115 degrees in the desert to lows of only about 65.
         Through it all, Super 8 ran like a champ. The HVAC kept the several “zones” of the car’s interior right where we wanted, temperature-wise. The car’s sound system is as good as any found in any other European luxury sedan.

There are airbags for the driver and front passenger and side curtains which offer some protection to the rear passengers. There should be seat-mounted airbags for those back seat passengers. Anti-lock brakes worked well when called upon for testing; Anti-skid systems can be expected to work correctly as well.

Jag’s GPS is also “as good” as that found in any comparable BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Audi model, and another “neat-o” modern feature, the radar-based “adaptive” cruise control, was almost magical in its quick action to allow the car to speed-up or slow it down (with an audible alarm) when coming up on traffic (or rear-markers for you racing fans). Always hated that name "adaptive", though. Sounds like a high school gym class for the "special" kids ...

The exterior is still right out of the late 1960s, and it looked old then. HID headlamps (with washers) offer a slightly updated front-end appearance, and of course the bright metalwork on the front grille lets those still in front of Super V8, for whatever reasons, that a supercharged Jaguar is on its way … And please pull one lane to the right, if you would be so kind.

Super V8’s interior is an even upgraded version over the Vanden Plas Jaguar models (Vanden Plas started as a British styling house which made custom carriages, then auto bodies and interiors, to order; it’s now a part of Jaguar).
             The only real bothersome noise in the cabin is the rustling of the gathered leather. And the interior leather/carpet theme is carried through to the trunk, where deep carpeting, along with enough room for three sets of golf clubs, wins the day for Super V8.

However, because the car is certainly longer than it is wider, there is a lack of elbow and shoulder room, especially for the driver and front seat passenger. Rear seating is more comfortable overall as it should be, but that same “length over width” challenge is still found there. Some stylists and designers have been able to overcome these types of specific challenges in other autos; Jaguar’s apparently have not yet been able to do so.

As a driver, this car goes on my list of “Cars That I Would Buy – If I Had The Money”.

Why should that mean anything at all to you readers?

With the rare ability to test drive new cars and trucks, at least one a week, over the course of many years, I’ve racked-up perhaps millions of miles in very different kinds of vehicles, from rotary-engine RE5 Suzuki motorcycles to Honda “Side-By-Side” Formula race cars built specifically for that company's “Twin-Ring Motegi”, Japan race track, from Messerschmitt “Bubble Cars” run on BMW twin-cylinder motorcycle engines to the world’s fastest, most luxurious and best autos, Ferraris to Lamborghinis to Maseratis and most others in-between. Even drove one of the first of Jerry Weigert’s Vector “American supercars” on the runway at Santa Monica Airport. Boy, that was a long time ago!

My first real job, as Feature Editor at Petersen’s “FOUR WHEEL OFF- ROAD” magazine, was being asked to "jump" an International TravelAll for our photographers for the cover of that magazine. For my job as West Coast Editor of POPULAR MECHANICS, I got to drive a Toyota all-wheel drive prototype which had just been shown days earlier at the 1985 Tokyo Motor Show … And did it right smack in front of Toyota’s corporate headquarters outside Nagoya, Japan (in a place called, yes, Toyota City).
           As Juan Manuel Fangio drove with one hand on the wheel and leaned into the back to talk, I sat in the back seat of an S-class Mercedes-Benz taking laps at California’s now-defunct Ontario Motor Speedway during a “media day” for one of the first Long Beach Grand Prix races, that one featuring the F1 cars.

So, I’ve been around cars, trucks and motorcycles. And there are actually very, very few of them which I can honestly say I would buy, that is to say, would like to live with for a long period of time.

Jaguar’s 2007 Super V8, for all its idiosyncrasies and strong references to the classic automotive past, makes the list. In fact, it is truthfully because of those very idiosyncrasies that it will remain there.

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ROAD TEST --- 2007 DODGE CALIBER R/T

ROAD  TEST --- 2007 DODGE CALIBER R/T

Plastic side-cladding, lots of standard features make this somewhat peppie, AWD variation of the popular Caliber a $20K stand-out.     


 

        Driving Dodge’s all-new Caliber R/T brings you back to that first car a lot of us had; yes, that 1963-or-so Volkswagen Beetle which was simply put together, simple to fix, and would run forever on 8 gallons of gas and as many pints of oil as an owner could keep pouring into its air cooled 4-cylinder engine. Those VW’s might not have been all that reliable, but with regular maintenance (like, daily) they’d run well and were just plain fun to drive.

        Caliber R/T, while worlds away from any old V-dub in terms of reliability, appearance inside and out, safety features, comfort and performance, would still make a great first car for any of today’s kids, a fine first or second car for any family. This car is, in many ways, today’s version of yesterday’s Volkswagen.

        And at $20,260 … fully-equipped, with all-wheel drive … it also has today’s version of old Beetle pricing.

        One thing that the old VW did which this Caliber also does is make “a statement” about their owners. VW Bug buyers were young, frugal, motivated by enjoyment and their own and their friends’ desires, and keen to have others look at them as “different”, as a bit of a “rebel”, a “free-thinker”.

We drove Caliber R/T through Los Angeles’ uber-hip Little Tokyo on the same hot July Friday night when an international  gay film festival was happening, and my wife and I (author hastens to mention) received a lot of positive comments about the little crossover as we slowly cruised LA’s 1^st Street, giving pedestrians a good, long look at R/T, after our late dinner at Suehiro. That’s the place where I’ve been eating the hiyashi somen (best hot-weather ice-cold dipping noodles on the west coast) for over 30 years. Ask for it when you visit there; Suehiro is directly across 1^st Street from the Miyako Hotel.
         So a lot of those same qualities which made the Bug famous are shared by Caliber R/T. Motoring as fashion is as important as any other aspect of why certain people buy certain cars (trust me, there have been a lot of expensive studies on this), and I think Dodge has a clear, honest winner with this one.

        Caliber R/T was able to combine its 172 horses and weight of 2,966 pounds to cruise well above legal freeway speeds when on the open highway; 162 foot pounds of torque does not give Caliber R/T any kind of “launch”. Only furiously working the 6-speed Continuously Variable Transaxle from gear-to-gear, up-or-down, added the extra snap which R/T needs to quickly reach freeway speeds, to execute those all-important open-road passes when the gas tankers decide to travel in the center, not the right, lane, and also enabled R/T to slow more quickly than it would using the pedal for the four-wheel disc ABS brakes alone (though World Driving Champion Jackie Stewart, “The Wee Scott”, told me decades ago to never use the tranny to slow down a car through downshifting because, “Transmissions are a lot more costly than brakes to fix or replace”, these days transmissions and their electronics, which can delay inopportune shifts that might damage the engine, are sturdy enough to keep up with most driver abuse).

        Caliber is tall, but doesn’t feel too top-heavy. Taking corners can result in a bit of that “Here-we-go!” feeling (again, like our old Bug), but only the most extreme (and, frankly, dumb) driver might find themselves looking at the roadway upside-down after handling a series of tight curves.

        Caliber is also surprisingly quiet in the cabin. We found none of the annoying “whine” which filled the cabin, apparently from the center differential, which we experienced in the Jeep Patriot AWD (see road test elsewhere on this site), which is very similar to the Caliber R/T when the sheetmetal is removed.

This is a “crossover”, though, a truck-like body built on an automotive platform, which explains  both the quiet and comfort of the interior, and also the lack of real off-road ability, even when equipped  with all-wheel drive. There’s no low gear to shift into should Caliber find itself in more than an inch of snow, slick, deep sand or a tight, muddy trail with tree limbs and big rocks strewn around. Don’t let the “AWD” badge fool you; keep Caliber on traditional roadways or, at worst, hard-packed dirt or gravel roads.

In all, as far as the driving experience on twisty mountain roads, wide-open highways and city streets, Caliber R/T handled them all remarkably well for a vehicle of this price, as that first old V-Dub of ours did in the mid-’60s, in those days for about $2,000 or so.

        Now, after spending a week in a 2007 Jaguar Super 8 (see road test elsewhere on this site), getting into just about anything for our next test vehicle, outside of those in the near-$100,000 class, would be a disappointment.

        That’s probably what you’d think. But you’d be wrong.

        After so many years of jumping from car to truck to minivan to pickup to motorcycle to luxury sedan to tuner car to … who knows what else … You learn a few lessons. One of those is that cars which are supposed to be near-perfect, at prices bordering on $100K, had darn-well better be near-perfect in actual use. If not, then you have a good story, certainly more interesting to write then the standard “Wow, gee whiz, what a car … blah blah blah … and it costs 100 grand”.

        My theory is a car which costs that much is going to be a lot of fun, entertaining, interesting and full of the latest technology right out of the crate.

        It’s easy, in a sense, for a car company to build a good 100 grand car. (Some of you might remember a car actually named the “20 Grand” … a silver-toned 1933 Duesenberg Arlington torpedo sedan, called the “20 Grand,'' a one-of-a-kind model designed specifically for the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. Today it can be found in the “Tower of Beauty”, the collection of the late owner of “Merle Norman Cosmetics”, JB Nethercutt, in Sylmar, CA. Nethercutt was Norman’s nephew).

        It’s building a really great car for around $20,000-or-less which is the real challenge. And much to my happy surprise, Dodge has actually done just that with their new Caliber R/T model. Based on the rather pedestrian-looking and slow-poke Caliber, Dodge’s replacement for their long-in-the-tooth-but-respected-by-street-tuners Neon, Caliber R/T offers a bit more horsepower and all wheel drive, along with enough plastic body cladding to make this model (and the SXT) look quite different from the standard-stock SE to turn heads.

        It’s not often we drive a car tagged at $20,260 which has people calling out, “Hey! What is that you’re driving? Not bad!”

        Actually, while driving in southern California, sometimes anything less than someone pulling a pistol on you means you’re having a good day, and our R/T tester brought the best out of most people.

        You may also know the Caliber as the Jeep Compass (two-door) and Patriot; indeed, the cars are quite closely related under the sheetmetal and many plastic bits.

All things considered, option by option, the Caliber R/T may very well be a better buy overall than the Patriot with the base AWD system offered. That’s because, while the vehicles are closely priced, Jeep dealers are having a pretty good year, but your local Dodge store might be more inclined to “deal” with an interested buyer a bit deeper on price than the Jeep salesperson.

Caliber R/T’s interior is way upgraded over the stock SE model. Inside, R/T looks more like a Dodge version of a Honda Element or Scion xB … You get the picture. Two-tone upholstery, everything easy to hose-down and clean-out, neatly illuminated dual cup holders where they belong (very low and between the front buckets), a single 115-volt power outlet, and on the driver’s side of the dash, a cigarette-lighter type plug for cell phones, PDAs, etc.

A sliding armrest with a flip-up cell phone or MP3 player holder is a good idea, and the MP3 plug on the radio, close to the holder, makes a  lot of sense.  Even with the passenger side airbag, Caliber’s interior designers managed to shoehorn a unique two-level glovebox into the right side of the instrument panel; it’s always nice to have extra storage space for personal effects.

One complaint: While trying to bring that dang DCX radio into barely the 20^th century (my theory  is that Chrysler brought 10 million of these things in 1985 or so and won’t stop using them until they run out), Dodge has wisely built Sirius Satellite Radio capability into it. But if the buyer doesn’t order the GPS navigation system, which comes with a large screen, there appears to be no way to list or view the channel/song/show info on the stock radio’s screen, something which makes satellite radio from Sirius or XM so much fun. This Caliber did not have the optional speaker set which hangs from the rear hatch (our Jeep Patriot did).

Most controls feel tight and easy-to-use, though in cold weather, gloved fingers might have a hard time with some of the dials and knobs. Bright white electroluminescent backlighting on the gauges is a nice and smart touch.

There’s also a nifty cooling bin for a can of pop or two, and we must admit that the air conditioning system on Caliber was as strong as any we’ve ever used, no matter the price of the vehicle. We spent over a week in the Palm Springs, CA area, with temps daily hitting 112 or more and a few days of rare high humidity, but R/T’s AC kicked butt, as some might say. Caliber’s interior cooled-down quickly, much as the fantastic cold air blasters traditional in GM vehicles handle the heat.

A seeming ton (though not really) of stowage space under the rear hatch (48 cubic feet total) makes Caliber R/T more than just a mini-minivan; there’s really a lot of room, and the easily-folded second row of seats only adds to that total.

Seats front and rear are more comfortable than you might expect from this “20 grand” crossover, and the driver’s seat can be height-adjusted, too.

Power comes from a fairly quiet and smooth “world” 2.4 liter inline 4-banger 16-valve engine with variable valve timing and a familiar dual overhead cam arrangement. There’s 172 horses reaching all four wheels; non-R/T buyers get 148 horses with a manual tranny, 158 if they opt for the CVT. That CVT takes a little more horsepower to keep the 0 to 60 times under 8 seconds or so. R/T buyers also have a choice of a CVT tranny or a 5-speed stick.

Our tester, as mentioned, had the CVT and for once we actually enjoyed using the center-mounted shifter to “shift” between the six gears offered. Dodge calls this their “Continuously Variable Transaxle II”, and seems an improved version of earlier units.

Drivers can utilize either the stick shift or the CVT to increase 0 to 60 times; with that DOHC configuration, the torque in this high-revving 4-cylinder engine is at the high rpm range, and manual shifting is called for.

R/T comes standard with front drive; if you can afford the AWD by building the ridiculously high $2,000 cost into your monthly payments, do it. Dodge has quite the nerve charging that much more over the front-driver for an AWD system which can add a margin of safety in wet or sandy conditions (like we have in the desert on occasion), yet does not make the Caliber a real off-roader in any sense.

Another one of my rules for buyers is: If a buyer can afford the bigger engine offered, get it. Likewise, if buyers can afford an AWD option, get that too. Ordering options like these, performance options, will give owners more fun and capability while they own the vehicle, and usually that extra cost can at least be made-up when it’s time to sell or trade-in that car or truck.

R/T comes with standard four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes. Other standard features include cruise control, power windows and front and side curtain airbags Dodge should spend a few bucks and install airbags for the rear passengers, too, though they can expect at least some protection from the front/rear side curtain airbags.

Also, look for standard power mirrors, rear window washer and wiper, tilt steering column, leather-wrapped steering wheel, “sport” suspension, air conditioning and keyless entry. The only options on our R/T were the Sirius Satellite Radio, blue seat inserts and “luxury” front and rear floor mats.

For the price, this is definitely one well-equipped car.

Recently at some auto shows, Dodge has shown a concept car called “Hornet”, which resembles some of the high-mileage and instantly-popular mini-Asian imports, such as Honda’s Fit, Toyota’s Yaris and Nissan’s Versa. Rumors say that Hornet is really a smaller version of Caliber, and may soon be built for overseas markets. If “Hornet” sales go well, bringing it to the USA is a possibility. These kinds of vehicles are in big demand; Honda says they are already closing-in on worldwide sales of the Fit hitting 2 million.

But the future Caliber which is capturing the attention of enthusiasts nationwide is the Caliber SRT-4 model, “SRT” the designation for the hottest cars and trucks from Dodge.

Again, using the rumor mill (as Dodge officials won’t say much), Caliber SRT-4 will be based around a 280 to 300 or more horsepower version of the 2.4 liter inline-4, equipped with at least one turbocharger, mated with a 6-speed manual shifter, and 19-inch wheels and performance tires helping get the power to the ground. All-wheel drive will be standard, without doubt (who wants to drive a 3,000 pound car putting 300 horses through only the front wheels but a street tuner racing on a drag strip?).

Sounds like this Caliber, slated for sale late in 2007 as a 2008 model, would be a worthy successor to the much-loved-by-tuners-and-street-racers Neon SRT-4.

However, Chrysler’s announcement in July, 2007, that their much-anticipated Imperial model has been officially “killed” due to concerns that the car would deliver very poor mileage, hurting the company’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) numbers, means the SRT-4 might also find itself on the chopping block, and soon.

In the meantime, for the “normal” folks out there who want a car with a large, usable interior, body cladding which sets it apart from most other crossovers on the road and acceptable mileage (we averaged just under 16 mpg, highway and city combined, in real-world use; Dodge claims much better mileage on their stickers), Caliber R/T joins a long list, which seems to lengthen daily, of modestly-priced crossovers which are capturing American buyers.

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ROAD TEST --- 2007 NISSAN VERSA SL SEDAN

Grab a cup of whatever you like to drink, because this is going to be a fairly long road test. Why? Because Versa is the kind of car a lot of people buy and drive, especially those buying their first car. So we figured you'd be interested.
      We could easily go on and on (and too often do) blathering about the latest super-exotic which perhaps 25 people will ever drive, if production versions of that latest exotic are ever actually built.
      And we’ve met our share of “exotic car-builders” who have one car actually built (more like pieces glued together), and constantly repaint it so as to appear that they have a lot more than one, this chicanery aimed at potential buyers, inexperienced journalists and, perhaps most of all, investors.
      Sometimes these “exotic car builders” are seen, finally, on the TV news, hold-up in their former “factory”, holding off the local SWAT Team. Don’t laugh … It’s happened and we have the tapes and stories.
      Well, here goes. Road test: 2007 Nissan Versa SL Sedan, all nearly-3,000 words of it.
      For a minute, while studying the Monroni (that’s the price sticker, for you youngsters) for our test car, we thought we were reading a sticker for a late ‘70s or early 1980’s Detroit econo-box. You know, from back in the day when Detroit would punish a buyer for getting anything less than the upscaled, upgraded and velour’d-out version of whatever it was they were buying. Especially if the buyer was not taking the “handsome vinyl roof” being offered.
      Front disc and rear drum brakes? Anti-lock brakes a $250 option? Those were the types of things which eventually turned buyers off of the Big Three.
      It appears that Asian car-makers are discovering how difficult it is to create low-priced cars in great numbers which meet American safety, emissions and fuel mileage specs, the toughest in the world.
      But seriously, on this Versa sedan, a new model added to the better-looking Versa four-door hatch, buyers still get a large number of standards for their dollar. For $16,505, air conditioning, front and rear stabilizer (or anti-roll) bars, a tachometer (which was an option on many small cars right up through the 1980s), power door locks and windows, front- and rear-side curtain airbags and an advanced-tech Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) are all counted as standard.
      Versa is the Nissan answer to Toyota’s Yaris and Honda’s Fit; as Asian cars have not-so-slowly-but-surely gotten bigger inside and out (Honda’s all-new 2008 Accord is upped from “mid-size” to “large” by our own EPA), these car-makers are discovering what Detroit found out some three decades ago: It’s a lot more difficult and more expensive in every way, from basic engineering to styling, to “downsize” than it is to “upsize” any vehicle.
     Any good car company can build an expensive, gimmick-, safety- and comfort-laden large car, but shrinking those lessons learned into a small car which must hit a specific price point is by no means easy. Car companies have gone out of business (Oldsmobile, anyone?) trying to do less difficult things.
      But Japan’s Big Three has a lot of tricks up their sleeves when it comes to small cars, lessons learned while Detroit was virtually ruling the world (they thought) with huge, heavy vehicles, booming V8 engines and never-say-die emissions and mileage figures.
      For many decades (about five, to be more exact), Toyota, Nissan, and Honda have had their hands in manufacturing what are known in Japan as K-cars. Not the K-cars which Lee Iacocca made famous in the USA in the 1980s (and which saved Chrysler Corporation), but a class of Japan-only cars under 5 feet wide with engines 660cc or under (a 1 liter engine equals 1,000cc’s, for comparison). They’re called Kei Jidousha, or Keicars, or just plain old K-cars and they carry with them huge tax advantages for their buyers.
      And they are all over the tiny alleys and wide thoroughfares and the few super highways of Japan like so many millions of tiny, buzzing flies. Many of them are sold by companies such as Daihatsu (which had an abortive attempt at sales in the USA in the early ‘90s), Suzuki, Isuzu, Subaru and some others, yet almost all of them have some association with Japan’s Big Three of Toyota, Nissan and Honda. In fact, Daihatsu is now a fully-owned subsidiary of Toyota, with all the worldwide marketing, advertising and PR “oomph” which comes with that association.
      So “upsizing” the engineering, styling and perhaps most important, the performance and safety of some of the existing K-cars in their home market was not as difficult (and nowhere near as expensive) as it was for Detroit in the 1970s and ‘80s.
      Versa, like Fit and Yaris, is a perfectly acceptable car in today’s difficult, dog-eat-dog automotive marketplace. It’s got a nice price and the right claims to safety in a car as small as it is, tipping the scales at just 2,700 pounds. As a hatchback, Versa has appealing styling for single buyers and, as a four-door sedan with a traditional “trunk” look, it makes a good argument for a small, young family’s first car as well.
      Inside, the car offers a reasonable version of Nissan’s traditionally well-turned-out interiors; not as nice as a Maxima, certainly, but better than a shopper might expect. Large, bright ovals hold the speedometer and tach, the cruise system is easy-to-operate with steering wheel controls and virtually all of the switchgear is intuitive and familiar to anyone who has spent more than 15 minutes in the driver’s seat of a Japan-designed car. And ingress and egress (what we used to call "getting in and out of the car") is easy front and rear; the rear doors are longer than we'd expect in a car this small overall, another nice touch adding to comfort.
      Two “lighter-style” power outlets are conveniently located on either side of the hand brake on the center tunnel, a nice touch in an age when outlets of various types are sometimes scattered around cockpits.
      As one would expect, there’s more than an abundance of plastic throughout the interior, but the “woven cloth seat trim” and “soft-touch upper door trim” (Nissan’s descriptions) make for an overall pleasing effect front and rear. And when it comes to roominess front and rear, Versa, in our purely subjective testing, does seem roomier than its competitors, though we’d put no more than four adults in the car or any of its competitors without expecting complaints.
      Versa is indeed small and light, but has a seat height which does put the driver and passengers seemingly a touch above the fray. If that is Nissan’s goal, it’s been achieved, though Yaris and Fit both sport taller overall height measurements. Numbers can deceive. Which is why we’ve been telling buyers for almost 40 years: Drive the cars before you buy them, and be sure to sit not only in the front driver and passenger seats, but, almost as importantly, in the rear seats as well, especially if you’re going to be carrying around friends or relatives on any regular basis.
       Other nice cabin touches one might be surprised by is a light in the glovebox (and if you don’t think that’s a big deal, try breaking down on the I-15 outside Baker, California, at 2am on your way to the SEMA Show in Las Vegas without a glovebox light while trying to read your tire warranty by the headlamps of passing cars and semis), intermittent speed wipers, a tilt steering column and the aforementioned air conditioning. But Versa’s AC unit carries an extra, a micro-particle filter, a feature those who live in high smog areas might greatly appreciate.
      Outside, Nissan’s all-new Versa sedan looks a lot like, well, a last-generation Volkswagen Jetta. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does give the car a bit of an aged, even somewhat used appearance. If Nissan were going to copy anything from VW, they might have focused more on Volkswagen interiors, which are used by many car-makers as benchmarks. But apart from the undeniably cute and different Beetle, VW doesn’t offer a lot in our own “School of Automotive Exterior Design”. Nissan could have “borrowed” from better.
      As stated above, the Versa four-door hatchback is a much better-looking car in many ways than this sedan version. What strikes us as especially humorous is Nissan’s almost proud use of the term “hatchback”. That word had come to be a description, almost a symbol, throughout the 1970s and ‘80s, of the absolute lowest of Japan’s imports, the cheapest, most base and basic cars that nation had to offer. Yet today, the word has made a striking comeback for an entirely new generation which, thankfully, knows nothing of cars such as the Mitsubishi Precis and, yes, even the Ford Pinto.
By the way, we consider “Precis” possibly the worst name for any car ever sold in the USA. Isn’t it just a bit too, uh, clinical? Others may cast their vote for the “Daihatsu Naked”, but that’s available only, unfortunately, in Japan. We say unfortunately because we’d love to see American TV ads for the Naked.
      Is Versa, then, functional? Yes. Utilitarian? Perhaps too much so. The question for Nissan is whether this car contains enough of the by-word of the day, “authenticity”. Is it authentic? Yes. It’s a very traditional three-box, four-door sedan with a usable and useful trunk.
      Does that mean someone should buy this car because it meets some stylist-developed definition? Absolutely not.
      In a car this size and weight, safety needs to be one of a buyer’s major, if not overriding, concerns. You want the most car for your money, the most protection your dollars can buy.
      For the $16,550 our Versa sedan cost, it performs well in the safety department. It has available anti-lock brakes, but they should be standard, not the option they were on our tester; Nissan can afford it. Also, the company can pop for front and rear disc brakes, not the front discs, rear drum set-up. Front- and rear-side airbags, in addition to the mandated dual front airbags for driver and passenger give Versa a lot of points in our book. And modern design, learned from years of manufacturing cars this size and smaller, results in a good series of 4’s and 5’s from the NHTSA crash tests, at least for the hatchback, a ‘5’ being the highest, or best, possible … Those numbers were not yet in for the sedan as of press time.
      Keep in mind that American car-buyers have more information as far as safety and crash-survivability then any other consumers in the world, and most if not all these numbers are from third-party providers; groups such as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Federal government. Within your budget, shop smart (not impulsively) and use all the numbers wisely and even a small vehicle like Versa can provide more than reasonable protection for you and your friends and family.
      Versa sedan comes with a 122-horsepower four-banger, a fairly anemic and unfortunately rowdy 1.8 liter engine with sophisticated, and by now tremendously well-proven, double overhead camshaft design (DOHC).
      There is a trade-off with almost all of the small, DOHC powerplants, and that is that most of their horsepower tends to be produced at the higher end of the rev range (the higher numbers on the tachometer, for newer readers). This means you need to keep your foot on the gas pedal to really build-up a head of steam to get on that freeway.
      Versa’s tepid 127 foot-pounds of torque (that’s the power which you actually can feel the engine producing, the power which gives the car its initial get-up-and-go, explained again for newer readers) doesn’t help matters any.
      But there is a choice you can make when you order your new Versa to help the driver make the best use of that power in the engine compartment, and give the driver better control of the car, too.
      But first, you’re going to have to learn to drive a stick shift.      
      OK, got than done? Good. Now onto step 2, which is: Order the six-speed manual.
      Versa offers three different transmissions, which is unusually rare (and welcome) for a car at this low a price point.
      Our test car came with the aforementioned CVT, which can best be described as a series of pulleys (or really long rubber bands) which transfers the engine power to the front wheels (this is a front-wheel drive car, built, only incidentally, in Mexico).
      For the most part, we don’t very much like these CVTs; they tend to feel somewhat harsh and be noisy and whiney, plus the vehicle never really seems to find a specific gear where the engine is happy because, technically-speaking, it never really is in a specific gear as we are used to thinking of them.
      Accelerating onto a highway is a loud enough exercise to preclude conversation with Versa’s CVT. But the car-makers do like them for a few reasons, including the facts that they are less expensive and less complicated to both build and service than the automatic trannies they are built to replace, and they also offer better fuel mileage than those automatics, too.
      And to be honest, it was difficult to tell, at running speeds, whether the noise in the cabin was coming from the CVT or the engine. It was just plain noisy.
      And while the CVT offers the best mileage of the three offered in Versa, we would order the six-speed manual in our car, if we were planning to live with it for any length of time. To begin with, if this Versa is for a first-time car-buyer, it’s a great thing to learn how to drive a car or truck (or even motorcycle) with a clutch and a stick shift. That skill itself is getting more and more rare, which is terribly unfortunate, because the art of the proper usage of a clutch pedal, the gas pedal and a shift lever is nearly lost in America.
      Shifting a car upwards into higher gears and learning to apply the accelerator in proper proportion to the clutch is one of life’s great enjoyments; likewise, downshifting into lower gears to slow the car much faster than a driver could using just the brakes alone is, too, fun and exciting.
      And using those bits and pieces of the car gives the driver the most control they’ll ever experience with it, no matter what the car-maker or salesperson may tell a prospective buyer about shifting with levers behind the steering wheel or allowing a computer to control all of the shift points. Fewer than 10% of the cars and light trucks sold in the USA come with “standard”, or stick shift, transmissions. Don’t let the art die out.
      A stick shift can make even the Versa fun!
      However, if you’re going to be using the Versa as a daily driver, to and from work in an area where the highways tend to be terribly-crowded during rush hour (and most are), we’ll forgive a buyer choosing the automatic. But, please: Learn to drive a stick shift; add it to that list of “1,000 things to do before I die”.
      Apart from the pain and anguish of being forced to suffer with that CVT-equipped Versa for a week, the car acquitted itself as well as many cars in its price class can be expected. 
     We’ve commented enough on acceleration; the feel of the brake pedal was mushy and we can’t help but think that properly cared-for disc brakes all around, instead of the front discs/rear drums, might have helped both that pedal feel and the total amount of brake which had to applied to stop at a certain point (like a limit line at an intersection, or a car stopped in front of us at an intersection … Little things like that, you know?).
      Apply that “mushy feel” descriptor to the suspension in general, too. A straight-from-the parts bin strut front end and torsion beam rear end grace Versa’s underside. In spite of the front and rear stabilizer bars and “ripple-control shock absorbers”, our Versa felt every bit like a $16.5K car, and a bit top-heavy at that, offering more of that “Here we go!” feel than we’d like in harder cornering. Frankly, if we were told that the famous American comedy team of “Dive and Squat” were appearing at “Le Club Nissan’s Versa Room”, we wouldn’t be surprised.
      Nissan engineers have thankfully “tuned out” most of the understeer inherent in any front-drive car, so Versa tracks fairly straight, even on ribbed freeway lanes. When the driver turns the steering wheel, the car tends to go where it’s been pointed without too much of a fight. As they say in NASCAR, “push”, or understeer, is when you see the wall before you hit it, even while trying to turn away from it, to little or, usually, no avail; Turning the steering wheel simply doesn’t turn the car, and Versa escapes much of that potentially dangerous driving hassle.
      Nissan’s all-new 2007 Versa sedan is a fine car at the price, offering what appear to be plenty of designed-in and other sundry safety items to off-set its diminutive size and weight in a crash. And with cars such as these from Japan and the Mini and Smart from Europe plying our roadways with gigantic 18-wheelers (not to mention Suburbans and Expeditions), these safety questions take on real importance.
      Bright and sunny inside, a nice car in which to learn to drive (with a stick shift) but a bit worn in the looks department outside, Versa offers good to great NHTSA crash scores (for the hatchback, sedan numbers not yet out) and mileage ratings hovering between 28 city and 36 highway, depending on the chosen transmission.
      Everyone knows that in an accident between two or more vehicles, the bigger one usually wins, but the issue isn’t “winning”, it’s survivability without injury, and Versa apparently acquits itself well according to the published reports. Nissan’s Versa takes on Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit with the confidence the company has always shown in the face of great competition, but apparently finding it more difficult to build-in that “fun quotient” for which the company was well- and rightly-known.
      And that’s something more and more of these small cars will need to do as they enter the American marketplace, not only the toughest car safety market in the world, but also the most fickle when it comes to taste.
      Now aren't you glad you read the whole article?

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2006 Dodge Magnum Road Test!

Be sure to check out some of Steve Parker's Road Tests from prior years, including 2007, 2006, 2005 and more. Visit this blog site's Road Test pages for more online versions and video Road Tests as well.

Above, the 2006 Dodge Magnum turns heads and grabs a lot of attention.  See this online video and more in 2006 Road Tests!

Breaking News : January, 2008, Dodge discontinues the Magnum after the 2008 model year!

ROAD TEST --- 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY

2003 CAMRY --- LET THE SHOOT-OUT BEGIN!

Written August, 2003 for Gannett Publishing

Okay, everyone --- hit the deck! For the next few weeks, it’s shoot-out time at the Car Nut Corral!

We’ll be looking at the three best-selling cars in the USA, America’s own Ford Taurus, Honda’s 2004 Accord (also made in America) and today’s pick, the 2003 Toyota Camry LE (made in --- well, if you guessed America, you were right).

Because this is right smack-in-the-middle of model-year changeover time, we had to take what we could get from the manufacturer’s Los Angeles test fleets as far as 2003 and 2004 goes, but there are no major differences between the model years which would affect our tests. So here goes!

It was the 1983 model year when Toyota replaced the old, rear-wheel-drive Corona with the aimed-at-the-USA-market Camry. By the time the front-wheel-drive Camry came to market, Honda's Accord had already been tearing up the sales charts for a few years. Camry was such a hit that within five years of its introduction, it car was being built in the USA at Toyota’s Georgetown, KY factory. Toyota vows to always “Build ‘em where we sell ‘em”.

Millions of both Accord and Camry have been sold in the USA since, and Taurus, which initially was a big player in the battle, introduced in 1985 for the 1986 model year, manages to stay in the same sales neighborhood.

Many of you will remember how radical the Taurus was when first introduced. The brainchild of Ford of Europe stylist Jack Telnack, Taurus was the first “Euro jelly-bean” styled car made and sold in the USA. And it was an immediate hit, in effect saving Ford Motor Company from possibly going out of the car business in this country.

But Taurus rested on its laurels for perhaps too long, and the Japanese, already good, never stopped until only “great” was good enough. In a few years, Taurus fell behind the two imports, and in 1996, an all-new Taurus was met with derision by much of the public. Since then, Camry and Accord have not seriously looked back. For 2005, Ford will bring out a car called “500” (never throw away a good car name!), which the company says will take on all the imports and domestics in new ways, especially these two popular Japanese sedans.

In the meantime, our test car for this week, Camry LE, is the bread-and-butter for gigantic Toyota  Motor Sales, USA, headquartered in nearby Torrance. Powered by a 157 horsepower 2.4 liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder engine, Toyota shows how important they consider their base model car by using their VVT-i variable valve time system in the modest I-4 Camry LE. This system was, just a few years ago, used only in Toyota’s most advanced and expensive engines, like the V8 Lexus corporate flagship.
All the cars in our shoot-out are front-wheel drive models, all offer a plethora of options, some of which were not even imagined when the cars were first introduced (DVD for rear seat passengers!?!?!?).

The prices of our chosen rides are all within about $100 of each other, similarly equipped with automatic transmissions and options (Taurus does not offer a 4, only their 3L V6. We’ll have plenty to say about that!).

In the case of Camry, we found it to be perfectly “Toyota-ish” through and through. That is, solid and reliable, with easy to use switches, simple to read and understand gauges, greatly appreciated attention to safety and for the most part, completely bland and soulless. Not that that’s a bad thing, as Martha Stewart might say. “Calculatedly dull” is clearly what many buyers want.

There are definite trade-offs between exciting and dull. Every bit of excitement added to a vehicle incurs higher costs, and, in the case of add-on performance equipment, there could be higher insurance prices and a greater chance that a dealer will tell you that your warranty is 'void', becuase you added that aftermarket stuff. But these days they don't say that as much as they had in the past.

Certainly Honda, Toyota and Ford all have many great-looking cars and trucks which offer race car-like performance. They just don’t sell as nearly as well as more mainstream offerings. Camry, like Accord and Taurus, comes from the factory outfitted for the lowest common denominator of acceptable performance. This keeps prices stable and repair and insurance costs predictable and low.

For Camry and Accord there are aftermarket appearance and performance parts available from Toyota, Honda and various third-party firms. Taurus occasionally has produced a performance version, such as the 1989 Taurus SHO, which had a magnificent 220 horsepower all-aluminum 3 liter V6 24-valve engine built by Yamaha. SHO eventually got a V8; sadly, there is no SHO in the works right now.

So what does Camry LE, priced at right around $23,000 with almost every possible option (including sunroof), really offer?

Absolutely acceptable and adequate performance and appearance. Surprising performance and looks, in fact, for the price. A mid-sized four-door which weighs-in at about 3,142 pounds, can seat four adults in long-range comfort and, even with the four-speed automatic, get up and running on I-10 at a modestly  nice clip, and deliver an average of 29 or 30, 31 mpg combined city and highway driving.

Interior appointments strike an observer as almost luxurious for a car at this price point. Ride comfort and interior NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) is simply not a factor to a critic after a week and almost 1,000 miles in Camry LE, on freeway, city streets and even mountain roads.

There are many thoughtful touches, like the trunk hinges which stay out of the way and won’t intrude on your soft-sided Louis Vuittons.

In the coming weeks we’ll be looking at Accord and Taurus (Mercury Sable, actually). We’ll drive them all along the same routes, checking mileage and performance on our local freeway, the I-10, Highway 74 (which runs along the mountain tops between Palm Desert, CA and San Diego. It's 150 miles or so of really fun driving (or motorcycling, if you are so disposed, and your wife allows it) and up and down Highway 111 (yes, someone has to do it!), which is the shopping street for locals. In addition, we generally drive our test cars in and out of the LA-area at least once or twice during our testing periods. This adds to our honest seat-of-the-pants feel for the machine.

And that’s what we’re going to report to you. How does Camry stack up? Without giving away the shoot-out, we’ll just say that on a value-basis alone, Camry is a car which perhaps only one other car company in the world could build --- Honda. And they’d call it Accord.

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 HONDA ACCORD COUPE

2003 HONDA ACCORD COUPE –--

ONE OF JAPAN'S BEST-LOOKING CARS ... EVER?

Written August, 2003 for Gannett Publishing

     Last week on the cover of this section, our friends at Wheelbase Communications did a nice job of listing some facts and figures about the all-new 2003 Accord. And now that I’ve lived with an Accord coupe for the past week or so, I can add my driving impressions to the mix.
       In 2001, Honda sold over 414,000 Accords in the US, the vast majority of them made in this country (they’ve been building cars and motorcycles, lawn mowers, marine engines and generators here for 20 years). Toyota, with their Camry, sold some 22,000 or so cars less in the same year, for second-best-selling honors. Taurus trailed in third place in car sales, with that very important Ford garnering 353,000 sales.
     By sheer definition, “best-selling” means it must appeal to the widest possible audience, thereby meaning a staid, conservative vehicle with few surprises. Through the years, in spite of aiming for that largest group of buyers, Honda has done a pretty good job of keeping at least some excitement in their bread-and-butter Accord.
     The car we drove was a four-cylinder EX coupe with a five-speed manual transmission, with a large boost in horsepower over the previous generation car. That little four-banger makes the driving experience a lot of fun, with a 6,500 rpm redline. Indeed, Honda made the base engine a little bigger this time out (2.4 liters) but the amazing thing is, with only 1/10^th of a liter enlargement, the company managed to coax 25 more horsepower from the powerplant (the new 3 liter V6 produces a full 40 more horses than last year’s car). The four-cylinder engine now makes 160 horses, the V6 240.
       Honda manages to develop all this extra power without adding turbochargers or other expensive and potentially break-able gimmicks. They do it the old-fashioned Hot Rodder’s way: By further refining their advanced valvetrain and cylinder heads, and reworking even more the intake manifold and exhaust system over previous generation Accords. Results are impressive.
       Even with all this power and intense high-tech work, prices start at under $16,000 for the base Accord sedan. Our tester came in well under $23,000, with a sunroof, and averaged over 39 miles per gallon in city and highway driving. This Honda coupe weighs-in at 3047 pounds, a relative lightweight these days.
          You can also order a nav system, upgraded stereo and side airbags are available on even base models (standard on others; front airbags come on all models). Anti-lock disc brakes are standard on all Accord models this year (except the basest of 4-bangers).
         For these 2003 models, Accord offers a five speed stick, and a five-speed automatic. Coming in a few months is a six-speed stick shift, available only on the V6 coupe. That car is one I want to drive!
        Those surprised by Honda’s engine magic need to remember that this is the same company which produces the remarkable Acura NSX sports car and the Honda S2000, Honda’s 50^th anniversary car, which creates 240 horsepower out of a four-cylinder engine a mere 2 liters in size. That’s the most power from any production engine of that size in the world. They’ve also dominated in F1 and CART racing in the past and are entering IRL racing next season.
         Honda’s Research and Development arm is headquartered in the same group of buildings which houses Honda Racing, in a facility an hour north of Tokyo, at a place called Tochigi. Not many who work at this center are over 40 years old, and company tradition has top Honda executives finding their way to the Board Room through the company’s Racing and R&D divisions.
        Accord keeps its expensive and advanced front and rear double wishbone suspension for the new generation car, a nice acknowledgement to enthusiast drivers.
        This race-bred system provides superior handling, and the only weak points on the suspension are the tires. Enthusiast drivers might want to snap up some wheels and tires at the aftermarket store once they buy their Accord.
         Interestingly (and disappointingly), so far there is no official corporate “sport package” available for 2003 Accord, but we would bet the company has one in the wings under development and may spring it on us next year. And numerous outfits around the country and the world make almost as many performance and appearance parts for Honda are manufactured for Camaros and Mustangs.
          Exterior design is an improvement over the last Accord. The rear end is decidedly Mercedes-like but the fast-dropping front nose is all Honda. The only exterior body parts the sedan and coupe share are the headlights.
          Honda comes darn close to hitting their target interior, that of the Volkswagen Passat. Woodgrain inserts on door panels and the center console tunnel give this under-$25K car more than a touch of class. All is up to Honda standards, which means near-perfect in terms of placement of controls, readability of gauges (dash lights come on when you open the doors) and overall comfort. They’ve even (finally) moved the cruise controls from the dashboard to the steering wheel (but the controls are not illuminated, as they should be).
            Rear seat passengers will rightfully complain about legroom in the back and difficult entry and exit. The trunk is large, and locking fold-down rear seats meant we were able to bring our Christmas tree home from Costco without having to scratch the roof! (Interior trunk and fuel tank access are also lockable).
          My only performance complaint about the car has to do with the brakes. Perhaps it was the tires on our base car, but Accord coupe’s braking could have been more aggressive and predictable. I’d like to try one with more performance-oriented tires and see if that makes a difference.
         All of this in a car’s base model, with the small engine and standard shift, and yet one which you’d have no hesitation about driving cross-country. Once again, they’ve raised the bar.
        Toyota comes out with a brand-new Camry in 2002, which becomes a benchmark for the world. Now, Honda does the same with their 7^th-generation Accord, the latest version of a car first introduced in the US in 1976. Yep, it was the Bicentennial, Jimmy Carter was President and oil prices were as high as 50 cents a gallon. And Honda took the opportunity to come out with a “big” car.

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 AUDI TT and A4

A TALE OF TWO AUDIS ---

It was the best of cars...and...it was the best of cars…

Written July, 2003 for Gannett Publishing

     Recently we had the chance to spend quite a bit of time in two brand-new 2003 Audi models. First was their topline TT with a 225 horsepower turbocharged inline 1.8 liter 4-cylinder engine. A car which still easily turns heads though it has been on the road for some time now, TT’s radically-futuristic design, which should look completely contemporary 50 years from now (as does the Porsche 911 model), TT is a blast to drive.

      A blast, that is, once you get yourself in it. TT is one of those “open the door, turn your back to the seat, and fall” cars, and it is no less easy to get out of it. In what Audi laughingly refers to as a ”rear seat”, there’s room for, maybe, one kid in a child’s seat. But the rear hatch and the extra “rear seat” space makes for quite a bit more storage in the car than you’d imagine from just glancing at the outside.

     When we first saw the TT as a concept, we fell in love with its overall design but also, and importantly, its small touches, like the special stitching in the front seats. The designers did get a little bit too “cute”, you might say, evidenced as the lack of real usable storage space up front. And side and rear visibility is some of the worst in the industry. It’s a small, small car and it never lets you forget it.

     At 2,921 pounds, drop that I-4 in the front engine bay, mate all four wheels with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive system, and connect it all to the driver via a snappy six-speed stick shift, and you’ve got a wild little beast which runs like a model car on a slot track.

If you grew up, as many of us did, hanging around that tough crowd at your local slot car racing establishment, this is exactly what you thought the real thing would feel like if and when you finally got into one.

     And at a base figure of $39,000, for all mentioned above, plus another 7 or 8 thousand in available options, TT remains a not-so-pricey way to get into, if not a true supercar, a very nice entry-level model into that rarified air. The only real option performance freaks out there need will be the 225/40ZR18 tires, and that’ll run you a reasonable $775 at the dealer. By the way, don’t buy TT for its fantastic German build quality. It’s built in Hungary.

     Our next week was gloriously spent in an A4 Cabriolet, Audi’s latest convertible. Talk about a car polar opposite from the TT, it’s hard to imagine that these two cars are made by the same company. But after some time behind the wheel, the “Audi DNA” is there, all right. The car looks good in and out, handles very well, pays attention to drivetrain detail as well or better than any other car company in the world, yet has some of the quirks we Americans find endearing in some foreign cars (as long as they deliver promised performance).

     Audi does it right. You want a convertible? Well, with Audi, you get the most powerful A4 model underneath that power-operated soft top with the heated rear glass window.

     The latest A4 captivated the industry and enthusiasts worldwide with its good looks inside and out, more choices for the consumer when it came to power and getting that power to the ground, and it was the car which signaled Audi’s design DNA for many years to come.

     Audi chose A4 to be its primary convertible platform, its previous Cabriolet model having been on the market for a good decade or more beforehand. TT comes as a convertible, too, if you like, but there are few large, four-seat droptops available, especially with the kind of quality and performance offered by A4, and at a reasonable going-in price of $41,500.

     The Cabriolet is about 600 pounds heavier than its hardtop cousin. This is because in removing the roof, a huge part of the vehicle’s structural integrity is also removed, making it much more susceptible to jarring, violent and even dangerous twisting, enough to break the frame. All that integrity has to be put back into the car, underneath and in the side frame rails.

     We told you what was special about the TT in the tech department. In the A4 Cab, the big news is the transmission. Connected to the smooth-as-silk 3 liter 220 horsepower V6 is a brand-spanking new Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), which Audi calls “multitronic”. The multitronic in the A4 is the hardiest of its kind in the world, the only one able to handle the torque (221 foot pounds) and horsepower of this Big 6. There are no fixed gear ranges, and the differential for the front-wheel drive system is built right into the same compact multitronic box. The CVT is lighter, smaller and easier to repair than a conventional automatic and Audi claims it promotes fuel mileage figures about 10% better than a conventional five- or six-speed unit. And somewhat amazingly, Audi engineers have figured out a way to “shift” this “shiftless” unit in six distinct “ranges” which do not really exist!

     Both cars are winners, and that’s good for Audi. But Audi still suffers their unique age-old problem, at least in this USA. That is: Just what is an Audi? With Porsche and Mercedes-Benz prices coming down daily, and Volkswagen prices going up and up (the new Touraeg SUV starts around $35,000, their W8 Passat starts around $38,000), why opt for Audi?

     Audi’s tradition in car and motorcycle manufacturing dates back to the 19th century, when engineer August Horch founded the company. Four automakers merged in 1932 under the emblem of the Four Rings to form Auto Union, and the Swabian company NSU from Neckarsulm, which joined in 1969. Thus Audi was born.

A drive in either the TT or A4 Cabriolet might convince you there’s a definite place for Audi at the automotive table.

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ROAD TEST --- GMC’S 2003 ENVOY XL

GMC’S 2003 ENVOY XL ---

IT’S ALL BIG!

Written July, 2003 for Gannett Publishing

The industry lists SUVs in four general categories: Compact, mid-size, full-size and luxury. In Envoy’s mid-size class alone, there are over 35 different choices, from, alphabetically, Buick Rendezvous to Toyota Highlander.

So manufacturers have to do something to get our attention.

Leave it to General Motors, probably the most under-rated car company on the planet, to churn out some really nice mid-size SUVs.

And there’s a neat plan for a GMC Envoy, to be introduced a few months from now as a 2004 model, which is really different and maybe much more useful for a group of buyers than any SUV yet introduced.

That Envoy will be called “XUV”, and will feature a retractable rear roof to allow stowage of tall items in the rear bed. XUV will be available only as a 5 seat model (no third seat row) and, using the nifty GM “mid-gate” system, can seal the passenger compartment completely from the elements when the rear roof is opened, if you so desire.

Let’s start with Envoy’s basics:

Under the sheetmetal, GMC’s well-appointed Envoy shares a lot of its drivetrain components and frame engineering with brother divisions’ Chevrolet TrailBlazer and Oldsmobile Bravada (still available at some Olds dealers). The GMC and Chevy versions offer long-wheelbase variants, which adds some 16 inches to the length of the vehicle and allows for a third row of seats and a total seating complement of 7 real full-sized people. Bravada makes do with seating for 5.

Envoy comes in rear- or four-wheel drive versions. It also is available with Autotrac, a dashboard knob-operated system which allows the truck to be kept in four-wheel high on dry pavement (check your SUV owner’s manual --- your machine might not offer that feature). Also, Autotrac offers a true four-wheel low gear, for the toughest off-roading situations (check your owner’s manual for that one, too --- odds are it does not list “4-wheel lo” as standard or as an option).

Anti-lock four wheel disc brakes are standard on all models, but front side airbags have been changed from a standard, as they were last year, to a $350 option (part of GM VP’s Bob Lutz’s ongoing crusade to cut costs. But Bob, cost-cutting on safety?). Rear-seat DVD is available, and the Envoy long-wheelbase XL can be had with an automatic load-leveling rear air suspension.

The longer Envoy, the XL, is available with a 5.3 liter V8 engine producing 290 horsepower and a massive 325 foot pounds of torque. Even though just a four-speed automatic transmission is available throughout the Envoy line, that big gob of torque makes most towing and hauling an easy job, even at an average weight of around 4,900 pounds, depending on the model ordered. Envoy XL with the V8 and the proper gear ratio is rated to tow 5,800 pounds. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, which is what Envoy can haul, not tow, is 6,400 pounds, a capacity of about 1,500 pounds over the truck’s empty curb weight.

Fuel tank capacity in the XL is 25 gallons, and you’ll need it: GM says 16 mpg combined can be expected, but that would probably be true only for a vehicle going down hill. Going down a very long, very steep hill. We averaged in the 12 mpg area combined highway and city.

GM increased the fuel tank’s capacity in the short-wheelbase Envoy this year, up to 22 from 18.7. These days, when fuel consumption is supposed to be at least a passing consideration when making a vehicle purchase, I’d like to see engineers make vehicles which need less gas, not more.

The base engine is a very nice 4.2 liter inline 6. It’s a great, solid, truck engine. This fairly new engine (when did GM last have a straight 6?) puts out 275 horses and a matching amount of pounds feet of torque. As much as we like the 6, which works pretty well in the short-wheelbase model, the longer, heavier, XL model with the V8, at a $1,500 premium, is practically a necessity. And there’s no 8 available on the shorter truck.

All in all, of the three SUVs built off this platform, Envoy is available with the most options and accessories. That’s one reason why the Envoy’s pricing is the highest of the three trucks (from $28,500 for the base rear-driver to $37,385 for the XL SLT. Our test truck rang in at a whopping $42,970.).

The other reason the Envoy is more expensive is because of that GMC name. “We Are Professional Grade” is GMC’s tagline. GMC execs say that through numerous surveys and focus groups (does GM do anything but “numerous” anything?) “Professional Grade” really hit a positive nerve with buyers, like “Rolex” with watch-lovers and “Craftsman” with tools. You get the idea.

Inside and out, Envoy is good-looking. The new front fascia makes the truck stand out strongly in traffic. Its four-wheel off-road capabilities will have Envoy feeling  right at home just about anywhere in Joshua Tree, and after a quick wash, appropriate for opening night at The McCallum.

Inside, these trucks have probably the best interiors of any GM truck we’ve driven in 35 years of road-testing. Fit and finish is excellent. There was the expected amount of noise and vibration, but certainly nothing as bad as an early 1980s Suburban. These newest GM trucks are a giant leap beyond anything they’ve built before.

We enjoyed driving Envoy, being seen in it, and challenging its capabilities on- and off-road, though we certainly would have liked pulling into the gas station a bit less often.

These trucks remind me quite a bit of the minivans which GM brought out in the mid-‘90s. Though they were superior to just about everything else in the market, GM had managed to muck up their reputation by this time to the point where the introduction of these minivans (along with a really strange promotion with Warner Bros.’ Cartoon characters), elicited not much more than a “Ho-hum” from the marketplace.

Envoy, TrailBlazer and Bravada, are, thankfully, doing better than those minivans. Consumers might be starting to finally look beyond the GM label and take into account the vehicle itself.

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ROAD TEST --- 2004 FORD F-150

2004 FORD F-150 ---

IS $2 BILLION ENOUGH TO BUILD A BRAND-NEW TRUCK?

Written July, 2003 for Gannett Publishing

     For almost two full days, we drove a variety of all-new 2004 Ford F-series pickups over just about every road surface imaginable, except snow.

We towed, hauled, four-wheeled up and down hills so steep we couldn’t see the ground out the windshield, forded rushing streambeds, swiftly negotiated hard-packed dirt one-lane roads in hill country 50 miles from San Antonio, TX and drove on pavement ranging from just-built Interstate to glorious, mysterious, bumpy backwoods two-laners which called out for future investigation.

The verdict? The two-billion (yes, with a “B”) dollars Ford spent on developing this entirely new truck was well-spent. They’ve taken the American pickup several steps forward in performance, usefulness, comfort, size, safety, hauling and towing power.

We hope there are also improvements in how the environment is affected by its manufacture, its daily use, the possibility of a future hybrid version and even its afterlife (recyclability). These are all things company CEO, 41-year-old Bill Ford, has been outspoken about. Yet throughout the presentations for the F-series, Ford’s #1-seller worldwide, those topics never came up.

There’s an all-new frame which is 9 times stiffer than the previous F-series (which is now in its 7^th year, and will continue available as the “Heritage Edition” until sold out). That, combined with unique outboard-mounted rear shocks, plus numerous other suspension and frame goodies (hydroformed front frame rails, fully boxed side rails, aluminum lower control arms, and on and on) keep this truck so smooth and quiet that it feels as much a car as many of the highly-touted “crossovers” starting to flood the market.

There are other small touches which impressed us. A torsion bar hidden inside the rear gate’s hinge makes raising the 40-pound-or-so gate feels as if it weighs about half that. Four-wheel anti-lock brakes are standard throughout the line. No more recirculating ball steering system, either. This new F-series comes standard with a more precise rack-and-pinion system. We also liked that the handles for the rear doors are easy to get to and right where you would naturally expect to find them.

And here’s a little tip: You real gearheads may want to wait for the over-500 horsepower Lightning version of this F-series, which has no due-date, but looks and reads like a real winner on paper.

The base truck, with the 5.4 liter V8, starts out at $19,125, the same price as the 2003 version. The top F-150 base prices at $35,570. On average, 2004 models are priced to 2003 comparable models an average of about $400 more.

This F-series is the first pickup line to offer four-doors in all cab styles, which include Regular Cab, SuperCab and SuperCrew. Lesser models’ rear doors are rear-opening (what we called “suicide doors” in an earlier age) and higher-line models have traditional doors.

Inside and out, the new F-series is bigger in almost every measurement that its predecessor. This F-series model had the most comfortable, quietest and easy-to-use interior of any pickup we’ve ever seen. Sure, others will catch up, but Ford has to be commended for being the first to try out some new ideas which will be standard on most trucks in a few years.

Curb weights for trucks with the 5.4 V8 range from 4,925 pounds to a whopping 5,879 pounds for trucks equipped with the “payload package”. With that same package, F-150 can tow as much as 9,500 pounds, has an 8,200 pound Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and a Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) of 15,300 pounds. Anyone say “bass boat trailer”?

We estimate combined miles per gallon, city and highway, to be in the 15 mpg range.

Exterior and interior bits are put together with a high quality degree of fit and finish. And we were driving actual production trucks, made on the same assembly lines which had kicked into gear just a few weeks before this press event. We were driving exactly what the first retail customers would be getting.

Ford’s choices for interior surfaces are all excellent, and execs told us there is not one square inch of naughahyde or velour in any of the models. Which is good, because there’s been a shortage for several years of wild Naughas and Velours, and this step by Ford should help in their slow-but-sure comeback. Must be part of Bill Ford’s commitment to the environment.

All the trucks, at least for the first few months, come standard with another all-new feature, a 3-valve 5.4 liter V8 engine producing 300 horsepower and 365 foot pounds of torque. The 5.4 V8 is mated to a new version of the 4R70E four-speed automatic transmission, this one called the 4R75E and designed to handle the extra torque of the new engine.

Coming soon in the truck will be a version of Ford’s ubiquitous 4.6 liter 2-valve V8, and a V6 will eventually be available. No decision yet made on diesel engines, but the possibility is definitely alive, Ford folks tell us. If enough people ask about them, they’ll build them.

F-series is the best-selling vehicle in the world, with more than 27.5 million trucks being sold worldwide since its initial introduction in 1948. The company regularly sells over 800,000 of them a year in the USA, more than some car companies counting sales of their entire car/truck line.

Ford chose the Lone Star State for the press intro because, in 2002, Texans bought more than 900,000 F-series trucks. And the organizers made time for sightseeing: The Alamo, the Hotel Menger, the unique downtown drinking and party center called Riverwalk, and a little town called Gruene (pro: Green). Gruene boasts scores of antique shops, and the oldest dance hall in Texas, Gruene Hall, where John Travolta made a movie (“Michael”), George Strait got his start, and President Bush’s photo taken outside the place hangs on the wall.

In spite of it being home of the hated basketball Spurs, we liked San Antonio. Especially because we had such a great new vehicle with which to enjoy this unique city and the beautiful, surrounding countryside.

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 MAZDA MIATA MX-5

2003 MAZDA MIATA MX-5 ---

OK, so it's cliche time: Good things Come in Small Packages

Written July, 203 for Gannett Publishing

     In summer, 1989, my photographer, Dave Gooley, and I arrived early at a port near Ventura, and spent a day driving south on Highway 1. We stopped here and there at particularly photogenic spots, framing an all-new, never-before-seen in the US sports car against the dramatic backdrop of the setting sun over the Pacific Ocean. The results were sort of “Mazda Brochure Becomes Sunset Magazine Cover”.

     You might have seen some of those photos in magazines and newspapers almost 15 years ago. They were of the brand-new Mazda Miata.

     Today’s Mazda Miata is not so different from the original car, introduced in 1989 as a 1990 model. It now has a bit more horsepower (142 today as opposed to 116 in the original), some more attention paid to the suspension, improved fit and finish and a price bump, for the base models, of a minimum of $7,000 (that first car sold for $13,800.).

     It’s a little bigger in most all dimensions, heavier than the original (2,387 pounds now versus 2,117 then) and comes with modern-day safety and convenience features (heated glass rear window, passenger and driver airbags, four wheel anti-lock disc brakes as an option on the topline models, and more).

The convertible top remains manually-operated, because it’s so easy to operate with one hand. There is still a bolt-on hardtop available. With that metal top in place, one can see the British styling DNA between Miata and the Lotus Elan.

What makes the car fun? That it lives up to its billing, and doesn’t try to be anything else. Yes, it’s loud inside, but a sports car should be. It also handles like a slot car on an HO race track (remember those?) and even with its short horsepower, Miata remains the perfect car in which to learn how to really drive, how to anticipate a car’s reaction, how to become, in a terrible cliché, “one with the car”.

The base cars come with either a four-speed automatic or a five-speed stick, the upscale cars can be had with the automatic or a 6-speed manual stick shift. Mileage, thanks to the smallish 1.8 liter inline 4 engine, still hovers around 25 miles per gallon, combined city and highway.

Cars like Miata are like motorcycles, in that they react so positively and quickly to driver input. You quickly learn to “steer” using the brake and gas pedal, with minimal use of the steering wheel. You start braking much later going into corners, easily pushing the car to your limits. There are other cars with these qualities today, but they carry badges like Porsche, Mercedes, BMW and others.

     Miata offered all the things so many enthusiasts remembered from the days of the post-War British sports cars --- MG, Triumph, Morris, Morgan, Jaguar, etc. --- but without the hassle. No longer was it necessary to shoehorn a domestic engine into your British sports car to try and achieve some regular, predictable performance.

Even I suffered and reveled through three years of Triumph Spitfire ownership. When it ran, which was infrequently, it was the most fun you could have on four wheels. In years to come, I would appreciate how much I learned about the basics of automotive engineering from that cute little monster.

It was in those days I learned that Lucas, the outfit which made the car’s electrics, was rightly nicknamed “Prince of Darkness”. That Brit headlamps had 3 positions: Dim, flicker and off. And finally, that the British had managed to learn the secret of turning iron into dripping oil (just check under the car every morning).

The consensus among some automotive cognoscenti in the late 1980s was that the market would reject a two-place mass-produced sports car, especially when that car’s performance was not earth-shattering.

Those “experts” didn’t count on the “fun” quotient being such a powerful draw.

Since those heady early days of Miata sales near the 30,000 or so mark annually, it’s settled into sales of a steady 20,000 or so a year, hyped every season or so by a “special edition”. This year, the “Shinsen” model (which means “Fresh and New in Japanese, they tell us) is the Miata meant to draw new customers and bring back older fans looking for something fresh, but still basically Miata.

Legends say Miata was first proposed in 1979 by an American engineer who spoke fluent Japanese, Bob Hall (his twin brother Jim worked for years on secret and futuristic General Motors products). Hall and Mazda stylist/engineer Tom Matano, working at Mazda design headquarters in Irvine, CA, spent years developing the car and convincing the company’s Japanese executives that the car would be welcome in the USA.

The car was an instant hit, and some of the Mazda insiders worked hard on creating the Mazda Club of America, which rapidly became, and remains, one of the most popular and active automotive clubs in the world. Club members stay in touch with each other, participate in local and national events, and have a direct line to the factory with new ideas and suggestions for next-generation Miatas.

Why has Miata remained relatively underpowered? Mazda wants to make sure that the car’s price remains low, and insurance costs do not scare away potential buyers. Adding another 2 cylinders or an extra 30-40 horsepower would raise insurance premiums too high for many buyers. Because of this, a huge marketplace for Miata performance equipment has developed. There are many companies manufacturing performance and appearance aftermarket parts just for Miata.

Which brings us to the big Miata news. Next year, Miata will bring out a MazdaSpeed version of the car. MazdaSpeed is a factory “skunk works”, like Ford’s SVT, Chrysler’s MOPAR and Cadillac’s V-series. The Protégé and the Mazda6 have already gotten the MazdaSpeed treatment. The great news is that Miata is next.

After almost 15 years, Miata remains popular exactly because it has not changed. Mazda understands there will always be an audience for a sporty, raffish, convertible two-seater with modest performance, Japanese dependability,  and a low price. Fun is difficult to define, but Miata has come to exemplify the word in cold, hard steel.

Miata, as just a few other cars, like the New Beetle and the Mini, makes you smile.

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 CORVETTE Z06

2003 CORVETTE Z06 ---

THE REAL AMERICAN SPORTS CAR’S ULTIMATE STATEMENT

Written June, 2003 for Gannett Publishing

     Enzo Ferrari said it best: “Corvette is the only real sports car made in America”.

     This upcoming weekend celebrates the 227^th birthday of the USA. Last weekend, Bowling Green, KY, home of the Corvette, became temporary home to thousands of ‘Vette lovers from around the world, honoring the car’s 50^th anniversary.

     So with all the stars seemingly in the right place, and just a few months before the official public appearance of the sixth generation Corvette (or C6, as it’s known at the factory), it seems a good time to take a look at the current “ultimate” Corvette available right off the showroom floor.

     The 2003 Z06 Corvette is the 21^st century version of what people mean when they say “General Motors musclecar”. If you are a ‘Vette freak, this is a “gotta-have”.

Z06 is a honest-to-gosh, super-powerful two-seat sports car with unexpectedly high levels of interior comfort and fit and finish. Outside, the car is as well put-together as any Corvette ever made. And you can only compare Corvette against itself because, since the first one came off the line 50 years ago, their body panels have always been made of fiberglass.

Z06 is priced lower than you’d expect. The base Z06 price is $51,435. Our test car, in a blazing “Millennium Yellow” (or “Hello, Officer gold” --- which added $750 to the tag), came in at $53,280. The car has, through the years, became known as the “Plastic Pachyderm” because of its high weight. It tips the scales at 3,240 pounds. On a list of 17 sports cars with various statistics mirroring the Z06, only Dodge’s monstrous Viper was heavier, by a little over 100 pounds.

With its standard six-speed stick shift (the only tranny available), all the electronic wizardry controlling the ‘Vette’s 350 cubic inch all-aluminum V8 powerplant, running on the open road at high speeds, this Corvette can still manage as much as 23 miles per gallon. In town, mileage suffers, of course, with the constant shifting necessitated by Z06’s race-track-oriented shift points. Overall, with a nice mix of freeway and in-town driving, many drivers will average around 18 mpg.

As high-tech and advanced as Z06 is, in some ways it is a brutal throwback to the musclecars of yore. If you want smooth, easy fun with a car that jumps at the touch of a button, get thee to the Acura lot and peruse the NSX. Things get a little more rugged and authentic over at the Porsche and BMW dealerships.

     But if it’s classic USA stump-pulling low-end torque and close-to-frightening mid-range and top-end passing power, then your choices are limited to Viper and Corvette Z06. Remember, also, that Viper base-prices at $79,995.

      There are 2003 convertible ‘Vettes and a hatchback coupe with a removable roof panel, but Z06 is based on the more performance-oriented hardtop.

     Corvettes for 2003 come standard with run-flat tires and a tire pressure monitoring system (Federal law says you can’t have the run flats without the pressure monitor).

Z06, about 2,200 of which were sold last year (total ‘Vette sales were slightly over 33,000), has no spare tire, no tire changing tools, no air pressure monitoring system and can not be ordered with the new-fangled Magnetic Selective Ride Control. Anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes and an anti-skid/traction system are standard, though.

     Why no run flats, etc, etc?

     Z06 has tires bred from and for the race track, as well as specific tires and wheels front and rear. Corvette is one of the few cars in the world which can pull close to or even over 1g on the skidpad. For those of you who don’t understand what you just read: Rear-wheel drive Z06 can turn into and out of the sharpest, tightest turns imaginable, at very high speeds, and not spin. And unless your name is Andretti or Unser, Z06 can do more on the race track without you than you can do in one.

     The tires you do get as standard equipment on Z06 are very expensive and highly-targeted. The Goodyear Eagle F1s, 265/40ZR17 in front and 295/35ZR18 in the rear, go a long way towards making Z06 practically race-track ready. The tires have a street life, in the real world, with some hard driving, of 10,000-12,000 miles. But that’s the perennial trade-off in the world of tires; the more high-performing tires a car has, the shorter their useful life.

     So the Z06 doesn’t have run flat tires, but also it lacks a spare tire. How do they get away with this dichotomy? Chevrolet says be happy with the air compressor kit in the trunk, which also includes a nice can of tire-fix which in most cases will temporarily solve slow leak problems. Chevy says their research shows the vast majority of flats comes from slow leaks, and not sudden blow-outs. What does Chevrolet recommend in the event of a catastrophic blow-out? Order OnStar when you buy the car.

     I have driven NASCAR Winston West cars on the track at Willow Springs Raceway. The thunder, the roar, the visceral feeling of the engine which runs right through your body, literally shaking from your toes right into your brain --- nothing, one would think, could duplicate that experience on the street. But hop into a Z06, fire it up, and head for the nearest open road. It’s not 700 horsepower like the race cars have, but with 405 ponies to do your bidding, it’s a pretty good replica of the race car.

     Z06, unless you have driven a race car, is simply the closest thing to one most people will ever drive. A few minutes in the Z06, and, if you’re an enthusiast or a race fan to begin with, you’ll conjure up the feeling, “Oh --- this is why they do it!”.

     Z06 goes, stops, steers and handles like nothing else you’ve ever driven, especially nothing made in America.

      If you ever get the chance, drive one, for as long as the owner will let you. Don’t worry, they’ll understand why you don’t want to get out.

     And by the way: Z06 may not have the electronic tire pressure monitor, but open the owner’s manual and you’ll find a nifty little Z06-badged manual tire gauge. Which has worked fine for the past 100 years.

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ROAD TEST --- 2004 SCION Xa, Xb Models

2004 SCION Xa, Xb ---

ALL NEW CARS FROM AN OLD FAVORITE

Written June, 2003 for Gannett Publishing

     If you’re excited when the new cars come out, then it’s time to get down to your Toyota dealer to see an entire line (well, two at least) of cars which you’ve never seen before.

     Starting this week, Toyota introduces a new line of cars in this country, called Scion (pro: sigh-on). (Photo - Xa model).

     Scion will be sold in Toyota dealers, but in a separate area of the store, and then separate stand-alone stores entirely, designed to appeal to the “Gen-Y” buyer Toyota desperately needs to visit their showrooms. This is unlike Toyota’s Lexus division, where dealers were forced to build entirely new showrooms if they wanted to sell that brand (GM did that same thing with Saturn).

    Scion goes on sale first in California (both Toyota dealers in our Palm Springs/Coachella Valley area will carry the cars), then both models will be rolled out to the rest of the country between now and June, 2004. Also in 2004, Scion will being out a third model, a sporty coupe. Right now, there are two Scion models, the xA and xB, xA a four-door sporty sedan and xB a boxy van-like vehicle which really cheats placement in any existing niche. The Scion people say xB “defies categorization”, and they may be right. And that could be good or bad.

     Apart from their unique looks, both Scions share some other attributes. These include quite low pricing, an effort on Toyota’s part to make financing easy for almost any customer, including first-time buyers with no or even bad credit, and almost copy-cat interior sand drivetrains. (Photo - Xb model).

My biggest problem with Scion is the engine. The 1.5 liter four-cylinder engines produce a measly 108 horsepower, and for a 2004 model meant to appeal to a young audience, that’s just not enough power to get anyone excited.

Of course that power output will help keep insurance costs low, so it’s part of Toyota/Scion’s overall strategy to make the car attractive to young, first-time buyers. Scion promises loads of power and appearance options for both cars (Scion dealers will offer as many as 40 options) and in the mix is a planned supercharger to help add some oomph to the drivetrain. Both cars are front-wheel drive, and there seem to be no plans for all-wheel drive anytime soon (extra cost, heavier weight and insurance costs all being a factor).

Both xA and xB come with a five speed stick shift as standard, but a four speed automatic is optional. We drove one of each and our advice is to stay away from the automatic unless you absolutely hate or can’t drive a stick; both Scions offer only adequate power as is, and with the automatic it just takes too long to get up to speed.

The interior is nicer than you might expect for cars at this price ($14,165 for xB, $12,965 for xA, about $800 more for each if the auto tranny is ordered).

There are plenty of standard features, from power windows, door locks and side mirrors to air conditioning, tachometer, tilt steering wheel, rear window defroster and more. That’s a complete grouping of in-car features for any auto, more so when available at these low prices.

Scion officials point out proudly that there is “no velour” found on the interior surfaces (which is nice, because there has been a terrible shortage of both wild and domesticated velours and naughas for the past few years, but their numbers are slowly coming back).

There is, though, as you might expect, a heck of a lot of plastic, but Scion has done an admirable job of making the interior feel a lot more upscale than the price would indicate. Surface feel is not cold but welcoming, switchgear and gauges are fun and you can change the color of the radio screen if you like (all the gauges are on top of the center console, ala Toyota’s Prius hybrid  --- which raises a question: If Scion is aimed at Gen-Y’ers, where is the hybrid version of this car? No real answer on that yet from Toyota).

Scions are not about performance, at least automotive performance in traditional terms. Scion offers performance in terms of pricing and financing and, the company hopes, individuality. In fact, at the press introduction we attended, Scion the car seemed almost an afterthought, whereas Scion the financing experience was the big news.

Steering is snappy rack and pinion, while braking sees Scion equipped with front discs and rear drum brakes. For 2004, even at these low prices, four wheel discs seem expected. Neither xA nor xB weighs over 2,500 pounds, and with the small engine the cars manage good fuel economy, about 33 miles per gallon average combined city and highway. Handling is about what you’d expect for a car at this price; you won’t be taking Scion out on race tracks anytime soon, and the 15” wheels shod with all-weather tires are adequate for street use, but for nothing out of the ordinary realm of daily driving.

Both Scions have been on sale in Japan and done well for the past two years. The xA sedan is called “ist” over there, and the xB van is known as “BB”. From what Toyota learned in Japan about these cars and their buyers, Scion knows their main market in the USA will be urban dwellers, big-city folk. Neither one of the these Scions is meant for a comfortable cross-country run, though they are more than capable of making a 3,000 mile road trip due to their inherent, built-in Toyota quality.

Honda is learning an interesting lesson with their Element box-like van aimed also at the Gen-Y group. As much as they have tried to sell Element to that group, the vast majority of Element buyers have so far been over 40.

There are two big “bubbles” of population in the country right now; First are the Baby Boomers, those moving through their 40s and 50s and into the beginning phases of retirement. The second-biggest consumer group are the Gen-Y’ers, those coming into the formative buying years.

Car companies are going to try every trick in the marketing playbook, and write some new ones, in getting to this audience.

Marketing is one thing, but you can not contrive authenticity. Product remains king, and whether or not a certain group will buy your product is going to be determined by members of that group, not who manufacturer thinks should be buying.

     For price and standard features alone, Scion should be investigated, especially for those looking at their very first car or a second or third conveyance for their larger family car.

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ROAD TEST --- 2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP

2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP ---

GENERAL MOTORS WITH A HOME-GROWN WINNER

Written May, 2003 for Gannett Publishing

      At just under 3,500 pounds, the 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix comes in three flavors: GT1, GT2, GTP and GTP with something called “Competition Group Package”, or in shorthand, “Comp G”.

     Okay, now I am out of my weekly allotment of Gs, Ts and Ps. If anyone has some extra, please e-mail them my way…

As with almost the entire Pontiac line, Grand Prix lost its way in the past decade. Impossible to tell apart from what was once its cousin and most recently its virtual twin, Monte Carlo, it appeared the GP was to be relegated to the position of a slightly upscale Grand Am, a car which spends most of its life in the service of daily rental fleets at airports around the country.

Pontiac’s apparent savior doesn’t run in on a white steed; No, Bob Lutz comes into town piloting one of the retired jet fighters from his collection. The former Marine Corps officer started his automotive career at GM in Europe. Lutz (who was born in Switzerland) had a lengthy stay as one of the two top people at Chrysler (before the Daimler buy-out) where he green-lighted some true winners, including Prowler, Viper and PT Cruiser.

Now back at GM, the over-70 exec has ordered Pontiac to return to its roots as GM’s performance division, resurrecting the “Wide Track” name and marketing imagery. Lutz also planned for 2004 by re-introducing the GTO, a warmed-over version of an Australian car called the Holden Monaro, outfitted with a 345 horsepower version of the Corvette V8 drivetrain and 6-speed stick shift found in that car.

So Grand Prix remained for Lutz to play with, and it has come to represent the current pinnacle of a sports sedan priced under $30,000. In fact, GT1 models start as low as $22,395.

GT1 and 2 GPs come with a 200 horsepower 3.8 liter V6, probably one of the two or three best V6 powerplants in the world. Our GTP model sported a pleasant surprise on the top and side of the engine --- a Roots-type supercharger!

That blower adds 60 horses to the total, bringing the final number to 260, a downright usable and respectable figure for a relatively lightweight car. Torque in the GTP models has 50 more ft. lb., than on the base models, 280 versus 230. We averaged an acceptable 22 miles per gallon in freeway and in-town driving during our test week.

The only transmission available with GP in 2004 is a floor-mounted (shades of GTO!) four speed automatic which is not too exciting. Order the GTP car with the topline Competition Group Package, or Comp G, and this Pontiac comes with wickedly fast and accurate paddles on the steering wheel called TAPshift. This is apparently General Motors’ first foray into these popular thumb-shifting devices which, in the Comp G case, allows for crisp and quick shift action without having to take your eyes off the road or hands off the steering wheel. You are still out the door for under $30K.

Suspension is tight enough even on the base models, but on GTP and especially on that car with the Comp G package, Grand Prix becomes an excellent real-world performance car. Take it to a driving school and really learn the limits of your own skills. What you do at the school is increase your own skills to come as close to the car’s capabilities as possible. Using the Grand Prix as a baseline will give you a solid, predictable, powerful and fun package. GP is fun to drive to the corner store, much less on the skidpad at the San Bernardino Sheriff’s EVOC facility (where teenagers take driving lessons and FBI and Secret Service drivers brush up on their own unique skills). Or call Danny McKeever at Fast Lane Driving at the Willow Springs race track outside the upper desert’s Rosamond, and let this car teach you a thing or two.

Exterior-wise, GP breaks wonderful new ground for Pontiac. Gone is the tacky plastic side cladding, which kept more than one male over 35 from buying the car. Sure, you want to attract young buyers, but those buyers are spending $20,000 on a new car, not closer to $30,000. So killing the side cladding and “wanna-be boy racer” look did nothing to harm actual sales. Be happy for small favors like this. Remember, Pontiac is the same GM division which brought us (“foisted” might be a better term) the Aztek. GP is so smooth, in fact, that from the rear it looks more like an Audi A6, one of the world’s best-looking conveyances, than any recent GM product.

Inside, the front seats could be more supportive. Someone from Pontiac should sit in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo and see what real performance seating feels like. In the rear, squeeze three USA-sized adults, but only in a pinch. The GP’s a sedan, of course, so those four doors make getting in and out a breeze for all ages.

Instrumentation on GTP should use more traditional dials and gauges (or “gages”, as GM has traditionally spelled that term). A performance car, especially equipped with a supercharger, needs to offer the driver more info than you get from the GP dash. And center console.

On the very plus side are the tight and taut suspensions with anti-roll systems front and rear, Ferrari-ish Brembo four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, a traction control system which works very effectively to keep you and GP on the straight and narrow when applying the right foot liberally, and an overall feeling of low-slung meanness (they used to call it “Wide Track”, and they’ve wisely decided to do so again).

This auto was a pleasure to drive and fun even to write about. Sure, Pontiac is making a huge deal out of the “return” of the GTO (I didn’t know it had been sent to Australia for R&R between US appearances!) and they should, 40^th birthday and all. But Grand Prix GTP, even though it is a front-wheel drive car, is something very special to offer folks like us who miss Firebird and Camaro, looking and wishing and hoping and waiting (there’s an old song!) for the 21^st century version of Detroit muscle in a family-sized sedan.

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 MITSUBISHI MONTERO

2003 MITSUBISHI MONTERO ---

AN OLD FAVORITE REMAINS TRUE TO ITS ROOTS

Written May, 2003 for Gannett Publications

     Want to feel old? Try this on for size: The 2003 Mitsubishi Montero SUV is celebrating its (gulp!) 20^th anniversary!

     As Montero aged, like most of the rest of us, it got heavier, larger in almost all measurements and (in a nice change) more powerful. And smarter! Today’s 2003 model, the third generation of the vehicle, sports a 215 horsepower 3.5 liter DOHC V6 engine, a 5-speed “Sportonic” automatic transmission which can be shifted like a stick if you so desire (4-spped auto in the base model), and a four wheel drive system second to none in the business.

Today’s truck is a far cry from the base 4-cylinder 4-speed stick shift model with front hubs you needed to get out and manually lock or unlock when you wanted to go in or out of four-wheel drive. This Montero remains a real truck, not offering the comfort of one of the newer “crossovers” (Mitsu’s Endeavor is the all-new model in their line-up with such road comfort/utility pretensions).

     Montero seats seven, and the third rear bench seat can be removed or folded fairly flat into the rear floor. The wide tailgate opens like a door, not a hatch, and makes loading and unloading a fairly simple affair. After all these years, Mitsu engineers should have figured out a way to get that spare tire and its huge carrier under the truck and not block rear visibility the way it does in this anniversary model. Have they considered developing “run-flat tires” for off-road use? The time for that has come, as most SUVs could well afford to lose the weight a spare wheel and tire add to the total package (each 100 pounds equals about 1/10th of a mile per gallon).

     And if it is good mileage you’re looking for, search elsewhere. Montero is a true heavyweight at 4,750 pounds. With that big and torquey 3.5 liter V6, managing just 14 miles per gallon combined in in-town and highway use is something of a victory.

     The first time I drove a Montero, probably that first year’s model in 1983, I ventured off-road through Joshua Tree National Monument and was simply amazed by the truck’s abilities. Even more impressive to me, however, was the lack of rattles and noise when the off-road segments were over and we were back on the I-10. In those days, I was one of the editors of Petersen’s FOUR-WHEEL OFF-ROAD magazine, and almost everyone on the staff regularly put the Montero at or near the top of their favorite and most capable off-road vehicle.

     In those dark, early and dank days of off-roading, SUVs were 4x4s which one could also drive in some comfort on the highway. Today, SUVs are high-end trucks offering unabashed luxury on the highway and some solid off-road prowess. Things have come full circle, and Montero with them.

And while Montero has been powered-up and somewhat gussied-up, it has not been softened in the least. This means that while you won’t get the comfortable ride you might expect from a more mainstream SUV, Montero still offers some of the best off-road abilities in the business.

The 20^th anniversary Montero starts out a tad over $38,000. I have always said that one of the best buys in the used car market is a Montero, and this latest generation vehicle was introduced in 2001, so there are probably some 2-3 year old Monteros in the marketplace which might make excellent buys.

And Mitsubishi stores are well-known for their aggressive deal-making. The company’s industry-leading “0-0-0” plan, offering zero interest, zero down and zero payments for a year, keeps Mitsubishi in a top tier as far as sales go nationwide.

     Not only was I driving before the first Montero came out, I was also legally licensed and on the road before anything called an SUV ever appeared. But Montero, which appeared in 1982 as a 1983 model in the USA, and was known as the Pajero everywhere else in the world, was an instant hit, and was one of the very first SUVs worthy of that then-new title. Pajero was available as either a two- or four-door, but in the US, the two-door was sold by Mitsubishi partner Dodge as the Raider (remember that? There are still a lot of them on the road!). That partnership is still in effect, as DaimlerBenz, which owns Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge, also holds a large chunk of Mitsubishi’s automotive and truck works.

     Montero/Pajero hit the asphalt and the dirt running. In only its second year of production, it won the grueling 6,000 mile-long Paris-Dakar race, generally considered to be the wildest, toughest and most dangerous of all off-road events (even the Pope once asked the race be cancelled, responsible as he thought it was for too many injuries and deaths. The promoters, the same folks who run Formula 1 racing, didn’t listen.).

     That Paris-Dakar win put Mitsubishi on the map as far as off-road prowess was concerned, and Montero was the first real Asian SUV sold in this country with popular appeal (Toyota’s Land Cruiser had been around awhile, but was at that time still aimed at the most rugged off-roaders).

     Montero sales started out well and have stayed strong for the past 20 years, and in 2002 the company moved almost 20,000 units off their lots in this country, even with competition from within their own ranks (Montero Sport) and the all-new Endeavor (which we’ll review here in a few weeks).

      A solid entry today as it was 20 years ago, Montero is meant for those 5% or so of SUV buyers who actually know how to take their rigs off-road.

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO SS

2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO SS ---

WAY TOO MUCH FUN FOR A MERE PICKUP TRUCK!

Written April, 2003, for Gannett Publications

     A few weeks ago we spent time in a vehicle with absolutely no socially redeeming values, got lousy fuel mileage, pumped out emissions like there was no tomorrow, burned the rubber off all four tires in equal blasts of black, tarry smoke, weighed-in at an embarrassingly high mark --- and we loved every minute we got in it!

     I am as socially conscious as the next fellow, maybe even more so. I vote for candidates who favor protecting the environment. Heck, our family car is a Toyota Prius gas/electric hybrid which gets up to 45 miles per gallon. I may not be as stalwart (or boring) as Ed Begley, Jr. when it comes to ecology, but I try to do my part.

     Sometimes, though, you just gotta have fun!

     And our test vehicle, the Chevrolet Silverado SS pickup, provided fun in great big gobs of sticky, hot fudge sundae-type illicit enjoyment. Like hitting the refrigerator at 3am for that last piece of cheesecake while the rest of the world sleeps (you know anything eaten between 1am and 4am has no calories), Silverado SS, with 345 horsepower, all-wheel drive and enough torque to pull a house from Palm Desert to Banning without breaking a sweat, is a nasty pleasure which might demand a 12 Step Program for its owners.

     Okay, maybe we’re being too hard on Silverado SS.

     It does have four doors, it does seat five USA-sized adults in pretty luxurious comfort, and it has a full complement of sporty gauges with all the controls solid and simple to operate, placed right where they should be. Also, with its hefty horsepower and curb weight of just over 5,000 pounds, Silverado SS is capable of towing a trailer up to 7,500 pounds. That’s real hauling power!

With its all-wheel drive system and very beefy four-speed automatic transmission (I don’t think GM, or anyone else besides the military, has a five speed tranny hefty enough to handle the 345 horsepower and 380 ft. lbs. of torque SS churns out), Silverado SS could be the perfect tow vehicle for horse or race car trailers, boats and whatever else you may have to take to the track, the snow, the river, the ranch or the ocean.

And for looks, check out those massive 20 inch polished five spoke aluminum wheels all-around, shod with equally impressive Goodyear P275/55R rubber. With those wheels and tires and the tight suspension under this truck, it handles in the slalom or on the skid pad as good or better than many sports cars. Control is also enhanced greatly by four wheel disc brakes with anti-lock.

That huge 6 liter pushrod V8 is classic American big-block power, with a great exhaust note that lets everyone know SS means business. Mileage from that mill? We never averaged better than 14 mpg in town and on the road combined, but when you spend just a tick over $40,000 for a pickup with such whopping horsepower, you don’t expect subtlety in any form. You’ll need all the room the 26 gallon fuel tank offers when at the pump (and high-test is recommended, though we seemed to motor along just fine on the cheaper stuff).

What’s underneath the Silverado SS is what makes it so special. Basically, SS drivers are piloting the same platform which sits under drivers of the Hummer H2 and the Cadillac Escalade SUV. Both are heavier than the SS, so the Silverado wins in the “fastest truck” department when it comes to GM (though it still doesn’t reach the 380 horsepower from the 5.4 liter supercharged V8 in the Ford Lightning SVT).

Both Ford and Chevy dominate in vehicle sales in this country because of their trucks. They’ve been the best-selling vehicles in this country, overall, for at least the past 20 years. And with their trucks being so successful, both companies are able to offer upgrades of their basic trucks for not a lot more money than the standard versions.

In addition to the Silverado SS and Ford Lightning models, Dodge has brought back their legendary Hemi powerplant to their truck line (and cars will be getting it soon). American makers (though Chrysler is now but a division of Germany’s DaimlerBenz) still control the full-sized truck market in this country, though there are more than clouds on the horizon.

The all-new Titan from Nissan looks to be a real winner, and it’s built in the USA, as is the good-looking and sophisticated Toyota Tundra. Both those Japanese makes utilize dual overhead cam engines, expensive powerplants which offer more high-end horsepower than low-end torque, and that might be enough to keep American trucks, with their legendary stump-pulling power, winners in the sales race. The Japanese have frankly been purposely reticent about entering the full-size pickup market, fearing trade retaliation in the way of legislation from Washington, via Detroit. But the gloves are now off. Honda, it is said, is just this-close to a full-size pickup for America, too.

Whatever decisions they may make in Tokyo and Toyota City, though, the USA still controls the pickup market, and the companies have the money and freedom to offer super-special fun packages like Silverado SS. And we like that, as politically incorrect as it might be.

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ROAD TEST --- 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA MINIVAN

2004 TOYOTA SIENNA: MINIVAN AS SEX SYMBOL?

Written April, 2003, for Gannett Publications

     A spry, 50-ish Japanese engineer, Yuji Yokoya, recently spent two years driving more than 53,000 miles through almost every American and Mexican state and Canadian province.

His mission? To find what could be improved on Toyota’s popular Sienna minivan. We reviewed the 2002 Sienna a few months ago, and recently drove the all-new model both in the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs, CA area) and up north in the Big Sur area. We met up with Yokoya-san at The Lodge in Rancho Mirage recently and he told us of his adventures.

The results of Yokoya’s efforts can be found in Toyota showrooms in the form of the 2004 Sienna. Other manufacturers are taking note, no one is standing still in this marketplace, and while Toyota might be leading the way right now with the first truly new minivan of the 21^st century, others will definitely follow.

Introduced by Chrysler in November, 1983 as 1984 models, the first minivans were one of The Big Ideas that Lee Iacocca needed to bring that drowning company back to life.

The minivan was a bold, daring venture. The idea that a housewife or suburban businessman would be caught behind the wheel of anything resembling a “truck” was nothing any marketing expert would have counted on as being accepted by American consumers. In the mid-‘80s, the SUV craze had yet to start, as the vast majority of people who owned trucks or vans were the ones who needed them for work.

The first Asian attempts at American-style minivans were failures. Underpowered, too tall, too narrow and rough-riding, they might have been fine as sushi delivery vehicles in Osaka, but for an American family taking a trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, the vans provided an experience tantamount to torturous.

After a few false starts, the Japanese minivans found their place in American driveways. It took some years for it to happen, but after thousands of hours interviewing Americans to find out what they wanted in a minivan (Nissan went so far as to “embed” their engineers with “host families” in California so they could observe Americans in their “natural habitats”), they felt they had the information they needed to make a minivan acceptable to American buyers.

Toyota’s new 2004 Sienna is typical of what we’ll be seeing in tomorrow’s minivans. The engine is the same advanced 3.3 liter V6 found in the new Lexus RX 330 SUV. It produces 230 horsepower (up from 210 in the last one), and all-wheel drive is an available option – a first for Sienna. All Siennas share a new five-speed automatic transmission, with a shift lever conveniently popping out of the center console, falling easily to hand. The interior is downright luxurious, rivaling any topline family sedan. Wood and leather abound, if you order your Sienna so equipped.

There are a variety of seating configurations, but the idea is that you can fit up to 8 American-sized adults in the truck, or fold and/or remove the rear seats to make for a completely flat storage area which can hold a 4x8 foot sheet of plywood (the standard for the industry).

Sienna’s rear passengers get their own climate control systems and a DVD player with wireless headsets for all the kids. There are more cupholders in this thing than there are varieties of Big Gulps. Airbags abound as well, and front and rear passengers are protected by side curtain airbags. Two-wheel drive Siennas have front disc and rear drum brakes, while the AWD model gets discs all around. Sienna also has a special model made for disabled drivers with a power ramp and many other features.

The two power side sliding doors as well as the rear hatch can all be opened (or closed) remotely with the key fob. If anything gets in the way of a closing door or hatch, the unit automatically stops and re-opens. The Sienna’s rear hatch, upon initial opening or closing, sounds a very Japanese-like, annoying, insistent “Beep, Beep!” to warn bystanders than something big is about to happen. And get this --- the windows in the side sliding doors open and close just like the windows in the front doors! That’s another minivan first.

Sienna prices range from $22,000 to over $36,000. That’s right in line with the other new minivans which are coming out in the next few seasons. The lightest Sienna weighs-in at 4,175 pounds, the heavyweight XLE AWD model tips the scales at a hefty 4,365. With all-wheel drive, Sienna can tow a fairly heavy trailer, too.

Thanks to the innovative five-speed tranny, we managed about 22 miles per gallon average in combined city and highway driving. Toyota is first with this new-generation minivan, planned precisely to attract those who now may be thinking “no” when it comes to larger, more expensive SUVs which get worse mileage.

Minivans as sexy transportation? Sounds strange, but then again, whoever thought you’d be able to buy a pickup truck with a leather interior?

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ROAD TEST --- 2004 MITSUBISHI ENDEAVOR

2004 MITSUBISHI ENDEAVOR ---

WHAT’S A CAR/TRUCK OFFSPRING? A CROSSOVER!

Written June, 2003, for Gannett Publications

     Mitsubishi appears right now to be “King of the Crossover”; that is, they have 3 distinct and separate “car/wagons” on their sales lots, seeming to strongly believe that this segment is the hot one right now and is only going to grow.

     If Endeavor is their answer to the mid-sized crossover question, they seem to understand the niche very well. Endeavor is built on the all-new 2004 Galant platform, and both Endeavor and Galant are built in the USA. Galant has been the best-selling Mitsubishi for some time now, and using that car’s platform as the basis for Endeavor makes a strong statement about how important Endeavor is going to be to their sales efforts.

    A good move by Mitsubishi marketing people is that Endeavor not only borrows from Galant, which this year comes with a 4 cylinder engine as well as a 3 liter V6, but they also go upscale to their Montero parts bin and use the same engine/tranny in the Endeavor as in the larger Montero. Endeavor comes standard with the 3.8 liter V6 pumping out 215 horsepower and 250 foot pounds of torque, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission.

Endeavor is available with either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Prices range from $25,600 to $33,100, with three trim levels and AWD or FWD available within each level. In each case the AWD version is about $1,500 more than the front-driver, so as always, I recommend getting the AWD version if you can at all afford that superior model. AWD allows the vehicle to realize all its performance capabilities and holds its value right up to the time you trade it in or sell your Endeavor on the used market. Though in no way is Endeavor a serious off-roader, AWD does add an extra margin of performance and safety, especially here in our Valley, where sand on the road in the lower elevations can be just as dangerous as a thin sheet of ice just ½ hour and some 4,000 feet up Highway 74 which runs from Palm Desert to San Diego,CA, on the mountain route..

Endeavor weighs anywhere from about 3,900 to 4,200 pounds, depending on the version ordered (AWD adds about 300 pounds). We enjoyed the ease of the automatic transmission, but would like the option of a stick shift, too, especially if we planned on towing with an AWD model.

More and more it is difficult to find a true manual transmission, and the majority of people these days do not know how to operate one. In fact, Lincoln offered a stick shift in their V6 LS model when it was introduced a few years ago, and made a lot of noise about it. But in the newest LS, that stick has been dropped to due a lack of demand (we’ll look at the LS V8 soon in these pages).

Inside and out, Endeavor is nicer then one might expect from what is essentially a big and pricey station wagon. Controls and gauges are all easy to operate and read. Overall handling is about what you’d expect from a crossover this size; more stable-feeling than a comparably-sized SUV, and with four wheel anti-lock disc brakes and front and rear stabilizer bars, this li’l truck provides predictable handling and is comfortable and familiar enough for just about anyone to get in and drive off with no special training (I think any SUV buyer should get extra driver’s training and maybe a special endorsement on their driver’s licenses, much like those needed by motorcycle pilots or big-rig drivers).

     Mitsubishi is going through a growing period, bringing out a lot of new products in the period of just a year or so. That can be good or bad, depending on how much money the company has to spend on advertising to differentiate the new cars from each other, and to make sure that each car and truck gets its fair shake in front of the public.

     A few years ago, Mazda dug themselves a hole which they are now still climbing out of. They had some great new products for the USA, the most important marketplace for any international car company, but they all came out right on top of each other, one quickly after the other. The company didn’t have enough people with the marketing savvy to make sure the public understood what was going on.

     Things were so bad for Mazda that a wonderful car, the Millenia S, equipped with a “Miller cycle engine”, an engine which mimicked the power of adding a small supercharger, probably one of the best V6-powered cars on the road at the time, died on the vine. In fact, Millenia S    has been deleted from the Mazda line-up in this country.

Coming out at about the same time as Millenia were the MX6 and MX3. I heard some of the top analysts in the world tell me the MX3 was the best-looking Japanese car in the past 20 years. But the public paid scant attention. How could they, what with all the noise surrounding Mazda in general?

Great cars in their segments, but too much for consumers to follow. People have a hard enough time remembering just one new car from a well-known manufacturer. For Mazda, being somewhat obscure outside of performance circles anyway, trying to find out about so many all-new cars was confusing and time consuming for the average shopper.

Today Mazda is attempting a resurrection, this time based around a car called the Mazda6 (reviewed recently in these pages).

Mitsubishi, judging by sales figures and general customer awareness and knowledge of the new models, seems to have avoided the Mazda pitfalls.

Mainly, it appears that a fabulous advertising campaign, breaking new music mostly from European groups unknown in the USA, has worked extraordinarily well for them, as have their very aggressive sales tactics (0% down, 0% interest, 0 payments for a year).

But it’s the product which ultimately makes or breaks any new car introduction. Judging by reaction to the Endeavor we drove for a week or so around the Valley, Mitsubishi has a winner on their hands, if it doesn’t get lost in the crowd.

With mid-size crossovers becoming a hot segment for all manufacturers, Endeavor fits into the category as well-priced, nicely designed inside and out, adequately powered and definitely worth a look.

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ROAD TEST -- 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GTS

2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE:

NICE PACKAGE WITH A HOT FACELIFT

Written April, 2003, for Gannett Publications

     This year’s Eclipse celebrates the 11^th anniversary of the car and the third major change in styling since its introduction. Made at the Diamond Star Motors Plant in Normal, Illinois, Eclipse has a simplified offering of just 3 separate trim models this season (as opposed to 5 last year) and continues to offer one of the lower-priced convertibles available.

     We tested a GTS model, the top-of-the-line coupe, with a 210 horsepower 24 valve 3 liter V6 engine. There are lesser V6 cars available with 200 horsepower, and base models can be had with a 147 horsepower 2.4 liter four-cylinder. If you are a performance-oriented driver, and want the “go” which is promised by this car’s “show”, then shy away from the four cylinder engine. It’s stout and hardy and rugged, all good things, but just doesn’t have what it takes to get this somewhat heavy, almost-3,000 pound car, moving at a fast clip.

     Our V6 motivated the GTS adequately, especially coupled with the standard five speed stick shift transmission. There’s a four speed automatic available (with a shift-like-a-stick feature), but as with the choice between the 4- and the 6-cylinder engines, if you like to take advantage of all the engine has to offer, save some bucks and stay with the five speed. We managed an average of around 23 miles per gallon in city/highway driving combined. The car ran fine on less-expensive 87 octane gasoline. Save your money and eschew the expensive liquid stuff with Eclipse.

Mitsubishi’s Eclipse does a good job of representing the modern-day, reliable, semi-fast sporty car with a definite eye-catching design. In fact, something Eclipse has in common with the Pontiacs of today is the liberal use of “body side cladding”, which some shun as a “boy racer” look, but other buyers eat up.

Inside, Eclipse is very familiar, and, frankly, a little long in the tooth, showing its age. Nothing fancy here as far as gauges and controls are concerned. Seats are comfortable and on GTS models, anti-lock brakes and side airbags are standard, but are not available on lesser trim levels. The rear seat is small, as you would expect in a 2+2 Japanese sporty car, the rear hatch covers a rather large stowage area. Liftover height for putting things in the rear is not too high; it’s easy to get things in and out. There is no traction control system available.

Handling is predictable and comfortable. The car is no rocket ship, so it’s hard to get into situations over your head and abilities which are potentially dangerous. There’s a nice lack of the typical front-wheel drive bug-a-boo of “torque steer”, which keeps the car pointed where you aim it, whether you are under hard acceleration or in a high-speed corner. We found the brakes responsive and effective from any speed. The power steering is well-boosted; the driver doesn’t feel disconnected from the road, yet it’s not an uncomfortable ride. Eclipse is one of the smaller cars which we would not hesitate to take on a long trip.

Pricing on the car ranges from just above $18,000 for a base 4-cylinder car to almost $30,000 for a convertible Spyder model with the optional automatic transmission and the V6. My feeling is that those prices are a bit high for the value received, but Mitsubishi dealers tend to be very aggressive and more than willing to bargain.

Their “0 down, 0 payments and 0 interest” program has brought a lot of younger people and first-time buyers into Mitsubishi stores, and seen them drive out in new Eclipses.

Also, Mitsubishi’s absolutely brilliant corporate TV advertising can not be discounted as a strong factor in aiming their cars at a young crowd. Those ads have even turned music groups into stars, as the company has sought out unknown international rock bands with catchy tunes and featured those songs in the TV spots!

Mitsubishi may be one of the smaller Asian car companies doing business in the US, but they have a strong dealer body and a solid parts and service operation. While  Mitsubishi is a gigantic corporation which builds everything from oil tankers to bullet trains to locomotives to airplanes to color TVs to cell phones and high-end stereos, with cars as merely one of their divisions, they’ve obviously paid a lot of attention to their automotive products.

Eclipse started life as one of a triplet of cars, including the Eagle Talon and the Plymouth Laser (domestic automotive divisions which no longer exist). It has appeared as a very inexpensive base version, and even as a turbocharged all-wheel drive car (our personal favorite model) and of course the Spyder drop-top is still available. If they’d make a supercharged V6 version (the supercharger would really help with low-end power) they’d have something approaching a perfect sporty car in this price range.

As is, with competition including Acura’s RSX, Toyota’s Celica and the VW New Beetle (and New Beetle convertible), Eclipse holds its own in a very crowded and capable field. And your local dealer might be willing to make you a solid deal, more willing to bargain than some of their competitors whose cars are in higher demand.

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ROAD TEST --- 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA MINIVAN and 2003 SATURN L300 SEDAN

MINI-TEST TIME! 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA, 2003 SATURN L300

Written November, 2002, for Gannett Publications

     We spent the past few days with two old friends, and it’s wonderful how far they’ve come.

     The Toyota Sienna minivan and the Saturn L300 sedan are the latest versions of two popular, venerable modes of transit, both built in the  USA.

      Remember the original Japanese minivans? Tall, boxy, very truck-like affairs which were shipped over direct from Asia with almost no modifications for the American market.

    The Japanese saw the potential for minivan sales in this market, based upon the almost instant success of the then-new Chrysler products. Rather than wait to develop a minivan specifically for America, they took existing Japan-market products, which were used almost exclusively as cargo vans, put some seats and soundproofing in them, and shipped them to the US. Amazingly, they sold. People wanted minivans, and they wanted already-famed Japanese dependability.

     Sienna is built in Kentucky. The platform is from the pre-2002 Camry, certainly no slouch when it comes to quality. So Sienna has great “automotive DNA”.

Our 2002 LE test vehicle was base-priced at $25,755, and final price was just over $28,000. Options included a passenger side automatic sliding door ($395), side airbags for the driver and front passenger ($250) and vehicle skid control (pricey at $550). Speaking of pricey, out tester also came with the $3,077 “Symphony” package. This option includes Dunlop tires on 15” wire wheels, a super-duper JBL stereo system with 6 speakers (hence the “Symphony” name), power door locks and a passel of other neat-o features.

At just a tick under two tons, Sienna is no champ in the mileage department. All Siennas come standard with a four-speed automatic transmission mated to a nice 210-horsepower 3 liter V6 powerplant. With that drivetrain, Sienna averages about 21 miles per gallon, city and highway driving cycles combined.

Toyota is selling in Japan (and we’ve seen undergoing testing on LA freeways) a hybrid gas/electric Sienna with all-wheel drive. It’s called Estima in Japan and is selling, like their hybrid Prius sedan, like hotcakes. This may ultimately be Toyota ’s answer to improving minivan fuel economy. Insiders say the company will announce a gas/electric hybrid RAV4 mini-SUV at the upcoming Detroit and Los Angeles auto shows, and a similar announcement about a hybrid minivan might also be made.

Inside and out, Sienna is quality personified. Not everyone is enamored of Toyota styling, but their engineering can usually not be faulted. Everything works, controls and gauges are where they should instinctively be, reliability and longevity is a given. Not much in the way of personality here, but that’s never been Toyota’s long suit. However, if you have 30 large to drop on a minivan which will last long enough to see your kids through their teen years and on into college, Sienna remains a wise choice.

Saturn’s L300 has been re-worked to a nice extent for 2003, especially on the styling side. The addition of some well-placed chrome on the car’s grille and rear deck changes the looks of the staid Saturn to a remarkable extent. Inside, well-placed touches of leather add to this new, upscale look.

With a 3 liter V6 dual overhead cam engine manufacturing 182 horsepower and 190 foot pounds of torque, L300 comes standard with a four-speed automatic transmission which allows an average of about 25 miles per gallon (the car weighs almost 3,200 pounds). The drivetrain is smooth and quiet, but step down hard on the right pedal and a nice, throaty and somewhat unexpected roar comes through the cabin and the car turns into an actual performer of sorts. There’s also a 2.2 four-cylinder version called L200 and wagon versions of both dubbed LW200 and LW300.

This is not your father’s Saturn.

Our L300 attracted as much or more attention from other drivers and their passengers as any other car we’ve driven in quite some time. That judicious and tasteful use of brightwork on L300’s fore and aft really has it looking quite a bit different from any other mid-size sedan on the road. Older and young alike took long, hard looks at the L300 and seemed to appreciate its styling, something the folks at Saturn’s parent General Motors would be thrilled to hear.

L300 came base-priced at $20,645. A “DVD Entertainment” package cost $4,060, and included a lot more than a DVD player and fold-down TV screen for rear-seat occupants. It also brings with it GM’s cool OnStar telematics system, heated seats and outside mirrors, 16” chrome wheels, and foglamps, and that’s only about half the list of items in that pricey package.

While anti-lock brakes (ABS) are standard on the Sienna, they are a $400 option on the Saturn L300. A few seasons ago, Toyota charged as much as $800 for ABS, but they were standard on many GM vehicles. Is this marketing progress for GM?

This 2003 Saturn L300 is smart-looking, comfortable, more powerful than you’d expect and packed with features for well under $26,000. Saturn also offers an all-new small-ish Ion for 2003. Their Sky convertible concept car may see production in another 18 months. If Saturn keeps moving in the direction of the L300, they’ll have some real winners. Incidentally, their VUE SUV, which we reviewed here recently, is selling very well, and deservedly so.

Two old friends, updated for the 21^st century, and in mostly pleasant ways.

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Written November 2002, for Gannett Publications

ROAD TEST --- TOYOTA'S 2003 AND 2004 PRIUS GAS/ELECTRIC HYBRIDS

TOYOTA’S ALL-NEW PRIUS: POETRY AND FUEL-SAVINGS IN MOTION

Written October, 2003, for Gannett Publications

Let’s sit back and think for a moment about our “dream car”. It could achieve, say, as much as 60 miles per gallon with emissions so low they would be hard to measure. Rated by the industry as a “compact”, the car could hold five adults, from and rear, in comfort for even a long trip. There would be airbags protecting the front occupants from almost every angle, and the vehicle would be engineered so rear passengers would be as safe as possible in a collision. Our dream car would have four doors for ease of entry and exit, and the rear deck would have traditional Japanese-style hatchback design, making for a fairly huge, secure-from-prying-eyes trunk. And the price? What would we like to pay? Even though the average price for a new car in the USA is just above $25,000 for 2004 models, we’re pricing our dream car at, oh, $19,995, base price.

This all sounds fair to us. And it sounds fair, evidently, to Toyota as well. Because the car we have described above is no dream car. Indeed, it is for sale at Toyota dealers throughout Japan, Europe and the US. And it’s called Prius.

This is the second-generation Prius, and as great as the first-generation car was (and we know --- we’ve owned one for more than a year), this is a huge improvement over that car. In fact, we’re seriously considering selling or trading-in our Prius and buying a 2004 model (know anyone who wants a low mile used Prius?). Toyota has added enough power and space to make Prius more than simply a wacky concept-car-for-the-street.

The car was introduced to the public at the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show (which, incidentally, is where Carey and I are as you read this article). 2004’s Prius is a car which can stand whatever the real world has to throw at it. It looks completely different from the original model which first went on-sale in Japan in December, 1997, as a ‘98 model.

We’ve seen Prius in this country for just a few years, but Toyota’s work on it goes back more than a decade. In September, 1993, Toyota’s then-Research and Development (R&D) Executive Vice President Yoshiro Kimbara created “G21”, a committee to research cars for the 21st century. "G" stood for "Global" and "21" for 21st century. In August, 2000, Prius was launched in the US as a 2001 model, with a Toyota suggested list price of $19,995. Roominess in the front and back has been greatly expanded and all seating positions are, overall, much more comfortable. The car is also heavier (by 125 pounds) and larger on the outside than the previous model.

Toyota says that will make this all-new Prius safer in most accidents, something we believe. Speaking of roominess, the trunk in Prius for 2004 has not only been expanded, but by turning the car into something of a classic “hatchback” or “fastback” configuration, the “trunk” is downright huge. A retractable cover adds security. The gasoline engine’s horsepower has been upped from 70 to 76, and the electric motor’s horsepower was 44, and is now 67.

Torque has rocketed from 258 pound feet in the original car to 295 pound feet in this all-new model. This means the initial “launch” at the “Stop Light Grand Prix” as well as Prius’ passing ability on the open road have been impressively increased. This all combines to make Prius more fun than ever to drive. Both cars retain four wheel anti-lock disc brakes at all four corners, though the new Prius’ brakes feel stronger and tighter than last generation’s.

The early Prius, says Toyota, gets between 52 and 45 miles per gallon of fuel with its 1.5 liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine and electric motor. The entire hybrid system runs off batteries constantly and automatically re-charged whenever the gasoline engine is running. Prius 2004 uses the same size gasoline engine, but a new “Hybrid Synergy Drive” system has everything running just a bit more efficiently. Mileage is better (60 and 51 mpg when all systems are operating correctly and as designed) and as mentioned, horsepower is up across the board.

Now, don’t ever expect to actually meet those factory-supplied mileage figures in the real world of stop-and-go in-town and high-speed passing on the I-10, but you can get close with judicious use of that right-side pedal. On the 2004 Prius we tested, the final price was $26,917, as our tester came with a $5,245 option package containing a rear wiper, door side and side curtain airbags for front occupants, HID headlamps, a voice activated satellite nav system (with a neat-o display screen, which also is used for several other features), smart entry and start (just have the key in your pocket to command the car to perform a number of functions) and a nine-speaker JBL sound system. Most of these features are of the “fun” variety and do little to affect Prius’ performance and handling. We hope companies such as Toyota Racing Development (TRD, run by the son of a Japanese Toyota Vice-President and located in southern California) will have more than an optional wing and air dam available and soon.

On our "Car Nut TV Show" on TIME-WARNER TV, we gave the new Prius our highest rating, a 5. While we’re not going to rate vehicles in these particular pages, we felt we had no other choice to tell you that rating, given the technology on-board Prius for 2004. Prius 2004 bodes well for us all for the future and deserves our attention.

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 MAZDA6

2003 MAZDA6 – AN ALL-NEW STEP-UP FOR MAZDA

Written May, 2003, for Gannett Publications

     Mazda6 looks perfect on paper, and after some time, it does grow on you to become a perfectly acceptable sporty sedan with a nice price. I like to be “knocked out” by a car right off the bat, but Mazda6 just doesn’t do it for  me.

For a company which prides itself on engineering prowess and the excitement produced from well-designed and unique cars, Mazda6 is initially quite bland and soulless. It stirs no emotion at first glance or drive.

But give Mazda6 a chance, and, especially at its price point, it can be downright attractive.

Avoiding the gee-whiz effect helps keep the price down (the 4-cylinder model starts at $18,530, the recommended-by-us V6 begins at $21,100).

Mazda “cheaps-out” a bit by making anti-lock brakes an option on the base “i” model, something which these days should be standard. That ABS system prices out at $400, and also asking an extra $450 for front side airbags is a bit much. Anti-lock brakes and traction control are standard on the high-end car, discs brakes on all four corners found on both models.

There’s only about a $3,000 or so difference between the 160 horsepower 2.3 liter inline 4 engine in the base Mazda6 “i” and the 3 liter V6 in the “s” high-line model. Keep in mind Mazda6 weighs under 3,100 pounds, and that V6 churns out 220 horsepower.

What all this meant in my case is that in the first few minutes in the car, driving it from Mazda’s Orange County maintenance center for their test cars to the 91 Freeway and --- home --- it’s noticeable how powerful smooth and quiet that V6 is. So our old saw holds true for Mazda6 as it does for almost any other vehicle --- if you can afford the model with the bigger engine, buy it. Maybe in the Mazda6 that truism is, well, even truer, because the price differential is not that much between the two models.

Both the 4- and the 6-cylinder are available with either a four-speed automatic or a five-speed stick transmission. Seems to us that for a brand-new vehicle which Mazda is practically betting the company on, a more modern five speed (or even six) auto would be right.

Good news is that with the V6, a six-speed stick is optional. It makes the car more fun and helps mileage at highway speeds (we averaged around 23 mpg combined city and highway in our week-long test).

Inside, Mazda6 is surprisingly nice for a car at this price. We’ve come to expect good interiors from economy cars, especially Toyota and most of all Volkswagen, whose interiors are considered the current best-in-the-business.

Mazda6 seems as good or better at interior fit and finish, use of colorful and comfortable, long-lasting materials, and, on the high-line Mazda6 instrument panel, touches like aluminum trim. A hint here or there of real wood or carbon fiber trim would go far towards bringing out a luxury or sports aspect of the interior, whichever the stylist sought to achieve.

Dashboard gauge red-lighting is “de reigeur”, of course, for a sporty sedan in this range. Gauges are large, easy to read and the controls are for the most part comfortable to use. The switchgear itself, that is, the controls and their “feel”, is excellent. Mazda6’s overall interior may not be measurably or subjectively “best in class”, but it’s as good as anything else at this price.

Mazda6’s biggest drawback? It’s a front-driver. Now, I am not automatically against front-wheel drive. However, Mazda’s Miata is a rear-drive car, and their soon-to-be-here RX-8 rotary-powered sports car will also be a rear-driver. Going to the cost and trouble of coming out with an all-new model, the Mazda6, it seems to this critic at least that the company should have seriously considered rear-wheel drive for the car.

With its relatively light weight in class, smooth and powerful 220 horsepower V6, four doors and comfortable seating for five, anti-lock brakes and a decent-enough suspension, making Mazda6 a rear-driver would have instantly put it into another league, that of BMW’s 3-series. In fact, this car would probably be more spacious inside and more comfortable overall than that much-heralded small Beemer.

Rear-drive would have made the car a bit heavier and Mazda engineers would probably tell you the interior could not be as large with a rear-drive set-up, but it would have been a nice gamble today, when more and more manufacturers are returning to the industry’s rear-wheel drive roots.

As is, Mazda6 is a spry front-driver with decent, though not exceptional, handling and braking. All models come standard with 16 inch wheels, though 17” models are available and we’d order them. With upgraded rubber and its standard four-wheel independent suspension set-up, Mazda6 with rear-drive would rank near the top of any enthusiast list. But such things are not to be, at least not in the next few years for Mazda6.

Drawbacks and negatives, sure, as with any car. But at this price point and with 220 horsepower, fully-independent suspension and very nicely-appointed interior, Mazda6, breaking little new ground, certainly deserves to be on any under-$22,000 sedan shopping list.

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO SS

2003 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO SS --- AMERICAN MUSCLE WITH PROMISE OF THINGS TO COME

Written April, 2003, for Gannett Publications

It’s not rear-wheel drive, it doesn’t have a 700-horsepower V8 or a four-speed stick shift, all of  which you’ll find on the NASCAR version of the Monte Carlo, but in spite of what it might be missing, this is a nicely-styled sporty coupe in a great American tradition. And you can order a Jeff Gordon look-alike model!

GM has kept the 2003 Monte Carlo price within a few bucks of the previous generation, through a questionable process called, in perfect corporate-speak, “de-contenting”. Some items which were standard on the base Monte Carlo LS and the higher-performing SS last year are now optional. Some of these things include (and some are new options this year) OnStar, traction control, side airbags, tire inflation monitors and anti-lock brakes (ABS is now $600 on the base Monte). XM satellite radio is also a new option on both models for 2003. While this keeps the base price for the SS down to just over $20,000, and the base for the SS at $23,000, our test car, with all the options, stickered-out at $29,930.

With a curb weight of just a tick under two tons, Monte Carlo SS with a 200 horsepower 3.8 liter pushrod V6 managed about 22 miles per gallon combined in our freeway and in-town driving loops. That simple V6 is an owner’s dream. Nothing too fancy, all the power is available nice and low in the rpm range, where it is really usable, and it’s a snap to fix if it ever needs repair.

Mated to a four-speed automatic (the only trans available), rubber-burning starts at the “Stop Light Grand Prix” are easy, and high-speed passing on the open road is a simple matter of stepping down hard on the right pedal and letting the tranny kick down, smoothly, into a lower gear…and hanging on. The base Monte comes with a 3.4 liter V6 producing 180 horses. Adequate but not nearly as much fun.

Monte Carlo first came out in the mid-60s, the brainchild of John DeLorean, who had a hand in every aspect of the car’s birth. He styled it after the great Duesenbergs of a previous generation, and it was an instant hit with the public, and continues to sell well. Today, Monte is basically a two-door version of the Impala family sedan.

It continues as one of the better-looking coupes sold in America, and is built with American sizes and tastes in mind. After spending time recently in European and Asian sporty coupes, it’s a pleasure to get into a similarly-powered –priced and -equipped two-door which actually has a lot of comfortable and useful interior space. And the upgraded SS model features a nice array of complete instrumentation, too.

Monte Carlo’s worst point is rear seat entry and exit…it’s just too much of a hassle to move the seat and the belts out of the way to get into or out of the thing.

But it’s fun to drive! The car is tight, handling and braking feel secure and predictable (as predictable as a front-driver can be) and the engine has a nice Detroit-like growl to it. NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) are at acceptable levels for a car with sporting pretensions. In our desert, where air conditioning is critical, the GM unit blasts cold air like a Frigidaire (indeed, GM owns that company, too!). One minor complaint is the AC/heating fan is awfully loud when turned to “high”, which it often is in our neck of the woods.

Front seats are very supportive and were built with performance driving in mind, a nice and somewhat rare thoughtful touch from a domestic manufacturer.

     Henry Ford may have won the first official motor race against Alexander Winton about 100 years ago, but Louis Chevrolet, namesake of the giant GM division, was a French race car driver and his genes have filtered throughout the corporation all these years. (Just imagine…if the other guy had won that race, we’d all be driving “Wintons”).

     It was back in the 1950s that a marketing/advertising guy named Jim Wangers got hold of a Chevy engineer named Zora Arkus Duntov and campaigned the Chevrolet brand in the Pike’s Peak Hill Climb, even then as now a world-renowned event.

Duntov won, went on to become the acknowledged father of the high-performance Corvette, and Wangers went on to eventually, along with John DeLorean, bring the original musclecar, the 1964 Pontiac GTO, to market. The die had been cast within Chevrolet, though; their win at Pike’s Peak helped to cement “racing” and “Chevy” in the American mindset.

Next for Monte Carlo? Well, I am driving it this very week, at least the Pontiac version of what’s coming in 2004. I’m in a 2004 Grand Prix with a 260-horsepower supercharged version of that same seemingly plain-Jane 3.8 liter V6. But put a blower on it and this thing is all ready for the ball! And it is a kick!

Monte Carlo is scheduled to get the same set-up next season, and we’re looking forward to that.

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ROAD TEST --- 2002 MINI COOPER

2002 MINI COOPER --- A CAR WHICH LIVES UP TO ITS HYPE

Written October, 2002, for Gannett Publications

     MINI is one of those very rare cars which makes people smile. With a tiny engine (just 1.6 liters, it’s a four-banger with a single overhead cam arrangement) producing what seems on paper a measly 115 horsepower, MINI Cooper combines retro styling with modern high-tech in a completely successful manner.

      Only about 20,000 MINI’s (the company prefers the upper-case spelling for the new car) will be imported to the US each year, one-half of them high-performance “S” models, and there are but 60 dealers throughout the nation (none as yet in our Coachella Valley).

      Buyers can chose a 5-speed stick shift or a CVT automatic, which can also be shifted in “manual” setting as a 6-speed. Tiny 15” wheels and tires are standard, but can be upgraded to more sporting 16 inchers. The base MINI easily reaches 100 miles an hour and a bit more without punishing the engine a bit.

MINI weighs 2524 pounds, and the S model is a bit over 100 pounds more.

MINI Cooper S adds a Roots-type supercharger which boosts horsepower to 163, comes with a 6-speed Getrag transmission, 16” alloy wheels with run-flat tires and can hit 136 miles an hour. An option package includes 17 inch wheels and tires. MINI S goes on-sale by early 2003.

Base MINI and the spiffier S can easily achieve an average of 30 miles per gallon combined city and highway driving.

Both MINI models, the base and the S, have starting prices under $20,000. Pretty amazing.

     The original Mini was launched in the UK in 1959 as the Austin Seven and Morris Mini Minor. The car was the answer to a government request to develop a small car with great fuel mileage which was also fun, safe, affordable and appealing. The request came about due to the Suez Canal Crisis of the mid-50’s, which saw the Egyptians closing the Suez Canal and possibly shutting down oil deliveries to Europe.

    Mini was a technological breakthrough, featuring the first production transverse-mounted engine driving front wheels. Mounting the engine sideways freed space for passengers and some luggage. The Mini's longevity makes it one of the auto world's senior citizens and one of the all-time top sellers. Over 5.3 million Mini models have been sold worldwide. The “old” Mini was sold in the USA from 1960 through 1968.

     The new MINI is also a front-driver with a transverse-mounted four-banger, but it's now owned by BMW. There's a lot of BMW in the new MINI, from the solid feel of its doors to the car's excellent road manners.

When BMW bought the Rover Group in 1994, Mini was part of the deal. New MINIs come from BMW's plant in Oxford, England.

How international is MINI? Consider this: Aside from being assembled in Great Britain, owned by a German company, and using a transmission made in Belgium, MINI’s engine is made in Brazil by DaimlerChrysler. Because Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) is an obvious competitor to BMW, that situation will probably change. The MINI might eventually get the same small engine BMW is designing for their all-new 1-series car, destined for the US market in 2005.

The original Mini was an instant hit in the UK. All the Carnaby Street mods and rockers had Minis, from Peter Sellers to Ringo Starr. Dress designer Mary Quandt fancied Mini, and borrowed the name for her new, short skirt. The car became a real social phenomenon, an icon, representative of the age.

A 1969 film, The Italian Job, starring Michael Caine, captivated audiences worldwide with its story of a huge robbery in Turin, Italy. The crooks made their getaways in a fleet of Minis, going through, above and even under the city. The movie is being remade for release in 2003 with Charlize Theron, Mark Wahlberg and Edward Norton listed as the stars. Along with the MINI, again.

Power was never MINI’s forte. Handling, was, and remains, the strongest point of the car (aside from its happy styling). The original Mini was winning rally and road races throughout Europe soon after race driver John Cooper got his hands on a few and “tuned” them into competition cars. A MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension system make today’s MINI remarkably agile.

Even though it’s a front-driver, torque steer is nearly non-existent thanks to equal-length drive shafts coming off the front transaxle. Vented front and solid rear disc brakes with anti-lock are standard on all MINIs, and there’s an assortment of suspension-stiffening items and traction control systems available.

MINI’s low-to-the-ground stance make it feel nearly impossible to tip over. With the shortest wheelbase of any passenger car sold in the USA, the quality and comfort of the ride for occupants is remarkably quiet and smooth.

Front seats are very stiff and supportive. Rear seating can hold two adults. A huge speedometer mounted smack in the middle of the center console is an attention grabber. The tachometer is mounted on the steering column itself, right in front of the driver. Dials are black on white; red back-lighting at night is easy on the eyes. But the controls on the radio are too small for human hands and fingers. Beneath the radio and AC controls --- toggle switches! These control power windows, door locks, and a variety of other functions.

After two weeks in two British-made cars, the MINI and the Honda Civic Si, I’m ready to take back just about everything negative I’ve ever said about made-in-the-UK cars. As was proven in Japan, then in the US, and now in the UK, give auto workers a good plan, good equipment and high morale, and they’ll build a great product. MINI fits that bill as well as any car in the world, for a lot less money than you’d expect.

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ROAD TEST --- 2002 LEXUS IS300

2002 LEXUS IS300 --- SMALLER, BUT BETTER

Written August, 2002, for Gannett Publications

     Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota, seems to do no wrong. Their cars and trucks have been heartily welcomed by American buyers, and Lexus is perennially at or near the top of every major customer satisfaction survey.

    The IS300’s closest competitors include Audi’s A4, the Mercedes-Benz C-class, another latecomer-to-market, this one also from Japan, the Acura (Honda) TL and the biggest target of them all, the virtual center of the bullseye, the BMW 3-series The Audi can be had with all-wheel drive and a new type of fast-acting and fuel-saving shifting mechanism called ”CVT” (Continuously Variable Transmission). BMW and Acura both offer more horsepower than the Lexus. BMW and Mercedes both have higher-performance versions of their models which can cost up to and even over $50,000.

IS300’s exterior styling is not dramatic, but under the sheet metal are the right ingredients for a real sports car.

Let’s start right out with a key ingredient for this or any other car with sporting pretensions: IS300 features rear-wheel drive, and that was a very good decision on the part of Lexus’ engineers (the Acura TL is a front-driver).

The only engine available is a 3 liter inline 6-cylinder which produces 215 horsepower; there is no “lesser” four-banger for those looking to save a few bucks but still get the IS300 “look”.

That I-6 goes through its 17.5 gallon fuel tank at an average of about 21 miles per gallon, in-town and on the highway. And Lexus claims IS300 is happiest with the highest-octane fuel you can find at a public pump; we used both high-grade and lesser fuel and never experienced a bit of hesitation, knocking or pinging in over 600 miles of testing.

IS300’s base model gets a pure five-speed stick shift this year, something performance drivers were clamoring for after the car’s introduction last season. The upper level sedan and the all-new five-door wagon come with an “autoshift” five-speed manual/automatic, shiftable with a floor-mounted stick or through the use of pushbuttons on the steering wheel.

At about 3,300 pounds, with a weight distribution of close to 50/50 front and rear, the car manages to go, turn and stop with surprising aplomb.

And while, as mentioned, there are no design “shockers”  on the exterior, inside, IS300 is smart, comfortable, clean and inviting. Seating for the driver and front passenger is very comfortable and supportive, even for the long haul.

The dash, instrument panel, storage areas, etc., are all adequate, but not great. The speedometer and the rest of the instrument pod, right on front of the driver, have gotten a lot of publicity because of their unique design, like something out of an expensive wristwatch catalogue. It appears precise and classy, but making the instruments larger and easier to read would be an improvement.

The navigation system screen pops out of the top of the instrument panel, a bit disconcerting and it seems like an afterthought. The weakest part of the nav system is that the system’s controls are on the center console, easily accessible to misplaced cups and little kids’ fingers and hands. Shouldn’t be too difficult to find a better spot for the nav system controls.

While IS300’s trunk is a nice size, rear seat room is a compromise. Full-size adults will be cramped in the back seat of this sport sedan. Also, IS300 makes use of those u-shaped hinges in the trunk, which cuts down on usable storage space.

But the most important thing about a “sports” sedan is the “sport” built into the car. On this point, Lexus has the right combination of ingredients on the IS300, and it’s integrated those features into a workable unit.

The “autoshift” mechanism is not only fun to operate, but it shifts faster and more safely than any human (for instance, the system won’t let the engine over-rev on either up or down shifts).

Aggressive 215/45R17 tires mounted on 17”x7” alloy wheels feel just right for this car.

Disc brakes all-around (drilled in front, solid in the rear) are equipped with an anti-lock system and Electronic Brake Distribution and Brake Assist. The TRAC traction control system, mated with all the advanced braking features and high-end wheels and tires, all contribute to making IS300 safe and secure in most any on-road situation you can throw at it.

And of course, front and side curtain airbags are standard as you might expect on a Lexus. The blue-tinged high-intensity headlamps, which brightened up even the blackest desert night during our test.

Under the IS300, a racing-inspired double wishbone suspension system front and rear is as good as anything in the price class.

Oh, the price. IS300 bases at $29,435 for the sedan with the five speed stick shift. Take a step up to the IS300 with the “autostick”, and you’re looking at $30,805. Finally, the all-new five-door wagon with the five-speed autostick starts at $32,305.

But how about a six-speed transmission in the near future? Also, we spied but one cupholder in the front of the IS300.

In any event, the IS300 is a good, usable sum of all its parts. Well-balanced, attractive inside and out, just enough options available to put the car over the $40,000 mark. IS300 is no plaything, even though currently it is the “small” Lexus.

By the way, our IS300 test car came in at $36,754. Next week, we’re planning to take a look at a Lexus LS430 equipped with their new ”sport” package. Can’t wait to drive this new one and tell you all about it!

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2003 FORD MUSTANG SVT COBRA

FORD’S 2003 SVT MUSTANG COBRA ----

BEST “BANG FOR THE BUCK”

Written May, 2003, for Gannett Publications

     Let’s get the important stuff out of the way right up front: SVT Cobra is the most powerful car for the money (or “bang for the buck”) that you can buy off any showroom floor.

Ford’s workhorse 4.6 liter V8 gets some helpful “massaging” with a supercharger. That powerplant, mated to a snappy six-speed stick shift, churns out 390 horsepower and a quite impressive 390 foot pounds of torque. Turn off the traction control and you can light up the rear tires until the neighbors call the cops.

     The car is not too heavy, at just a bit over 3,600 pounds. Stopping all that power is done quite nicely, via a four wheel anti-lock brake system with large-for-passenger-car 11.65 drilled discs at the rear and huge 13 inch vented, twin-piston caliper Brembo discs on the front wheels.

     We averaged between 16 and 18 miles per gallon during our time with Cobra. And there’s only one real-world way to drive Cobra –-- hard! The thing screams for your right foot.

An important chassis appointment on Cobra is the independent rear end. Other Mustangs have a solid rear axle. This helps keep the power on the ground, where it belongs. Up front, the ubiquitous MacPherson strut system can be found.

     Goodyear Eagle F1s, the rubber shod on the 17 x 9 inch five-spoke cast aluminum wheels, are serious enough for any street activity and moderate competition, and don’t necessitate an expensive upgrade for the average Cobra buyer.

Cobra rides rough, and those thin side-walled tires mean you’ll feel every bump in the road. The clutch for the six-speed tranny is very heavy and gives your left leg quite a workout; in fact, in a track situation, it can be downright tiring and cramp-producing. Steering is quick and very responsive; “point and squirt” as they say, and the car goes where you intend. And the traction control (which can be mercifully turned off, which is a necessity if you plan on drag racing or autocrossing the car --- on a sanctioned race track, of course) works quite efficiently and comes in handy during in-town driving on wet or sandy, dirty surfaces, both of which we battle with in our desert.

Basically, it’s a blast! Cobra is sold and serviced only through Ford SVT dealers, and there is only one in the Valley. Ford has about 1,400 SVT dealers nationwide, out of their approximately 4,000-strong national dealer body.

     Cobra, which celebrated its tenth year as an SVT car last year, costs under $34,000 for the base model with all that performance. This year, there’s a convertible available that’ll run the average consumer about $4,000 more than the coupe (our test car was the coupe).

     SVT stands for Special Vehicle Operations. It’s the lab where some lucky and enthusiastic Ford engineers get to work performance magic on existing vehicles. Right now, SVT cars and trucks include the Cobra, Focus SVT and SVT Lightning pickup, based on the F-150. Whatever you do, if you buy one, don’t mention those SVT initials to your insurance agent!

     October, 1961, had Carroll Shelby, working with Henry Ford II, contact AC cars of the UK. His idea was to put a 4.2 liter (289 cubic inches) V8 Ford engine into one of AC’s lightweight, alloy sports cars. By March of 1962, the first prototype was ready, the first Cobra born.

     The thrust behind all this craziness was for Ford to challenge the rest of the automotive world at LeMans, where the world’s most prestigious 24 hour endurance race is still run every June. The Daytona was the coupe version of the Cobra Roadster. Its aerodynamic body, designed by Pete Brock, was way, way ahead of its time. Drivers Dan Gurney and Bob Bondurant won the GT class at the 24-Hour of LeMans in #5 in 1964. The tradition of spraying champagne from  the winner’s podium supposedly started with Gurney and his first LeMans victory for Ford. Knowing Gurney for many years, he’s a real kid at heart, and I believe the story!

The car evolved into the fabulous GT-40 (so named because the top of the roof measured a mere 40 inches from the ground) and in 1967, Gurney and AJ Foyt won the LeMans event for the Ford factory team. Today, just a few drivers, such as Tony Stewart, and Robby and Jeff Gordon, are as skilled in so many different racing disciplines as these “old-timers” (all of whom are still very much involved in the industry).

What was behind the development of the Cobra and then, especially, the GT-40, was Henry Ford’s all-consuming desire to win at LeMans and beat Ferrari. Legend has it that Ford was this-close to buying Ferrari, and Henry the Deuce (as Henry Ford II is known in the business) traveled to Modena, Italy to meet Il Commandatore, Enzo Ferrari. But Ferrari changed his mind and sent Henry back home to Dearborn, MI.

In just another month or so, Ford will start the official celebration of their 100^th birthday, and the Ford GT will serve as the crown jewel of the festivities. There will be just a few of these well-over-$100,000 sports cars, based on the original GT-40, available to the public. But this is an indication of how that LeMans effort and Cobra have been to Ford Motor Company.

     If you can’t cough up that hundred grand, about $65,000 less can still get you a nice piece of the heart and soul of what made Ford a winner at LeMans some 40 years ago. And that’s a bargain!

    

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION

2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION ---

UNBEATABLE FOR UNDER $30K

Written May, 2003, for Gannett Pubications

     The current performance market is even more exciting than the musclecar years of the mid-‘60s. There are more choices, from three continents, and the cars are cleaner, more economical and much better-built than ever before. And without question they are incredibly safer.

     Here’s where we are today: The all-new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution has a small 2 liter inline 4-cylinder engine, but, along with a massive turbocharger, produces 271 horsepower and 273 foot pounds of torque. It all gets to the ground via full-time all-wheel drive, in a package weighing just a tad over 3,200 pounds. Evo manages to deliver as much as 26 miles per gallon on the highway with an average highway/city figure of around 22 mpg.

All that’s missing in the four-door five-passenger Evo is a six-speed stick shift transmission; the five-speed works well but the extra gear would allow for better highway mileage (there is no automatic available, and that is as it should be with a real sports car).

     And you can get the whole package, with just about every option, for under $30,000.

     Some of the options you will want, but to keep the price under $30K, they are on the “opt” list. These must-haves include front and rear strut tower braces (for tighter, more predictable handling), brake cooling air guides and the sports pedal and sports meter kit. You can forgo the front air dam and rear wing unless you’re planning on hitting the I-10 at above triple digits, and recent news reports have the CHP frowning on this activity.

Those little “tuner cars” are all the rage. Never seen one? Check out “2Fast 2Furious”, the sequel to the original “Fast and Furious”, making millions at the box office.

Small, economical, powerful, fully instrumented, cute as a button and able to handle the toughest curves like a slot car, “tuners” range from the Lexus IS300 on the top-ish end to the new economical Dodge Neon SRT-4.

Even staid Saturn is bringing out a “Redline” model of their Ion, the emphasis being on performance (and that name, aside from defining the top-end reading of a tachometer, also an “in” reference to the tires on the original Pontiac GTO).

     Mitsu’s Evo is the company’s first shot at the “super tuner” market in the USA, while the similar Subaru WRX has been here for a couple of years. For gigantic Mitsubishi, which dabbles in everything from lumber to oil tankers to locomotives and aircraft, Evo is their first.

     Not that the Evolution is truly new. In fact, the car we can finally buy in the USA is actually no less than the eighth generation of the vehicle. It’s been a top-seller around the world for many years, and, like its Subaru WRX cousin, it is the street version of a World Rally Championship racer (hence the “WRX” moniker).

     Mitsubishi, along with their hotter-than-hot advertising and aggressive-to-the-max sales campaigns (their “0% down, 0% interest, and 0 payments for a year” has been a huge winner for them), brings Lancer Evo to a market with a seeming undying hunger for these small, solid and fast cars.

Recently we visited a show at the Los Angeles Convention Center which had more than 350 companies from around the world exhibiting their wares specifically for this marketplace. Tens of thousands attended, most apparently under 30. Along with small mom-and-pop operations from Korea and Taiwan and the like, also represented were General Motors, Toyota, Nissan, Ford, DaimlerChrysler and more. SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association, the industry trade group which measure these things, estimates the marketplace for “aftermarket” equipment to be over $26 Billion annually in the USA alone. A large percentage goes to the “tuner” arena, and it’s growing.

One top exec told me that young folks used to walk into a speed shop and ask “how much”. Today, he says, they slap a credit card on the table and ask “How long?”

     When the Pontiac GTO was introduced in Fall, 1963, one of its revolutionary marketing concepts was to include an “aftermarket” piece of equipment as a selling point. Before this, manufacturers thought that to put any name other their own on their cars would denigrate the car in the consumer’s eyes.

But GTO came standard with a “Hurst” gear shifter, and the public ate it up. George Hurst’s name and products became legendary. Even today, the beautiful All-American blonde named Linda Vaughn, who represented Hurst at innumerable auto shows and drag races around the nation, is still one of auto-dom’s best-known and most-loved characters (and she still looks wonderful!).

     Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evo picks up on this 40-year old concept and takes it farther than DeLorean ever dreamed.

Standard on Evolution are brakes from Brembo (the Italian company whose hard-stopping units are found on Ferrari’s Formula 1 racers), Recaro bucket seats and 17”x8” Enkei lightweight alloy wheels. Separately, as aftermarket items, these items could cost over $7,000. They’re all standard on every Evo.

     The Evo and the similar Impreza WRX STi are currently at the top of the hill in the USA as far as all-wheel drive tuner machines. There will be more coming soon, and perhaps one from a USA maker (Dodge’s promising Neon SRT-4 might get AWD in its next generation in some 3-4 years and Ford’s Focus SVT is a hot number, too).

In the meantime, for those in the market for something fast, incredibly fun, not subtle at all and definitely not comfortable for a long drive, Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evolution is one of the few cars which really fits the bill.

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ROAD TEST --- 2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP

2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP ---

GENERAL MOTORS WITH A HOME-GROWN WINNER

Written May, 2003, for Gannett Publications

     At just under 3,500 pounds, the 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix comes in three flavors: GT1, GT2, GTP and GTP with something called “Competition Group Package”, or in shorthand, “Comp G”.

     Okay, now I am out of my weekly allotment of Gs, Ts and Ps. If anyone has some extra, please e-mail them my way…

As with almost the entire Pontiac line, Grand Prix lost its way in the past decade. Impossible to tell apart from what was once its cousin and most recently its virtual twin, Monte Carlo, it appeared the GP was to be relegated to the position of a slightly upscale Grand Am, a car which spends most of its life in the service of daily rental fleets at airports around the country.

Pontiac’s apparent savior doesn’t run in on a white steed; No, Bob Lutz comes into town piloting one of the retired jet fighters from his collection. The former Marine Corps officer started his automotive career at GM in Europe. Lutz (who was born in Switzerland) had a lengthy stay as one of the two top people at Chrysler (before the Daimler buy-out) where he green-lighted some true winners, including Prowler, Viper and PT Cruiser.

Now back at GM, the over-70 exec has ordered Pontiac to return to its roots as GM’s performance division, resurrecting the “Wide Track” name and marketing imagery. Lutz also planned for 2004 by re-introducing the GTO, a warmed-over version of an Australian car called the Holden Monaro, outfitted with a 345 horsepower version of the Corvette V8 drivetrain and 6-speed stick shift found in that car.

So Grand Prix remained for Lutz to play with, and it has come to represent the current pinnacle of a sports sedan priced under $30,000. In fact, GT1 models start as low as $22,395.

GT1 and 2 GPs come with a 200 horsepower 3.8 liter V6, probably one of the two or three best V6 powerplants in the world. Our GTP model sported a pleasant surprise on the top and side of the engine --- a Roots-type supercharger!

That blower adds 60 horses to the total, bringing the final number to 260, a downright usable and respectable figure for a relatively lightweight car. Torque in the GTP models has 50 more ft. lb., than on the base models, 280 versus 230. We averaged an acceptable 22 miles per gallon in freeway and in-town driving during our test week.

The only transmission available with GP in 2004 is a floor-mounted (shades of GTO!) four speed automatic which is not too exciting. Order the GTP car with the topline Competition Group Package, or Comp G, and this Pontiac comes with wickedly fast and accurate paddles on the steering wheel called TAPshift. This is apparently General Motors’ first foray into these popular thumb-shifting devices which, in the Comp G case, allows for crisp and quick shift action without having to take your eyes off the road or hands off the steering wheel. You are still out the door for under $30K.

Suspension is tight enough even on the base models, but on GTP and especially on that car with the Comp G package, Grand Prix becomes an excellent real-world performance car. Take it to a driving school and really learn the limits of your own skills. What you do at the school is increase your own skills to come as close to the car’s capabilities as possible. Using the Grand Prix as a baseline will give you a solid, predictable, powerful and fun package. GP is fun to drive to the corner store, much less on the skidpad at the San Bernardino Sheriff’s EVOC facility (where teenagers take driving lessons and FBI and Secret Service drivers brush up on their own unique skills). Or call Danny McKeever at Fast Lane Driving at the Willow Springs race track outside the upper desert’s Rosamond, and let this car teach you a thing or two.

Exterior-wise, GP breaks wonderful new ground for Pontiac. Gone is the tacky plastic side cladding, which kept more than one male over 35 from buying the car. Sure, you want to attract young buyers, but those buyers are spending $20,000 on a new car, not closer to $30,000. So killing the side cladding and “wanna-be boy racer” look did nothing to harm actual sales. Be happy for small favors like this. Remember, Pontiac is the same GM division which brought us (“foisted” might be a better term) the Aztek. GP is so smooth, in fact, that from the rear it looks more like an Audi A6, one of the world’s best-looking conveyances, than any recent GM product.

Inside, the front seats could be more supportive. Someone from Pontiac should sit in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo and see what real performance seating feels like. In the rear, squeeze three USA-sized adults, but only in a pinch. The GP’s a sedan, of course, so those four doors make getting in and out a breeze for all ages.

Instrumentation on GTP should use more traditional dials and gauges (or “gages”, as GM has traditionally spelled that term). A performance car, especially equipped with a supercharger, needs to offer the driver more info than you get from the GP dash. And center console.

On the very plus side are the tight and taut suspensions with anti-roll systems front and rear, Ferrari-ish Brembo four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, a traction control system which works very effectively to keep you and GP on the straight and narrow when applying the right foot liberally, and an overall feeling of low-slung meanness (they used to call it “Wide Track”, and they’ve wisely decided to do so again).

This auto was a pleasure to drive and fun even to write about. Sure, Pontiac is making a huge deal out of the “return” of the GTO (I didn’t know it had been sent to Australia for R&R between US appearances!) and they should, 40^th birthday and all. But Grand Prix GTP, even though it is a front-wheel drive car, is something very special to offer folks like us who miss Firebird and Camaro, looking and wishing and hoping and waiting (there’s an old song!) for the 21^st century version of Detroit muscle in a family-sized sedan.

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E500

ROAD TEST --- 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E500

Written March, 2003, for Gannett Newspapers

     Truisms: The sun rises in the east, traffic in the Coachella Valley(Palm Springs and environs) is best during the hottest summer months, and Mercedes-Benz can still build a powerful, comfortable sedan.
     The latest is the 2003 E-class, specifically the E500. Face-lifted and otherwise improved for 2003, this almost all-new E-class comes in three flavors (a fourth Super-E will be here this Fall). There’s a wagon and sedan with a 3.2 liter 221 horsepower V6 (the wagon doesn’t get the new front-end treatment and other changes ‘til later this year), but the current star of the show is the 500, equipped with a 302 horsepower 5 liter V8.

     This new E gets the same headlight and cosmetic “front clip” as the league-leading S-class. 2003’s E is longer, wider and taller than the last model, but magically doesn’t gain any weight (yet still tips the scales at a hefty 3,815 pounds). Prices start at around $55,000 for the 5 liter E, but this is one of the few cars where the high price is actually worth the money. Though there’s plenty of competition in the range (Audi A6, BMW 5-series and Lexus GS400, and Cadillac’s V-series next year), Mercedes still manages to stand apart from them all due to its bank-vault tautness, legendary attention to safety and spiffy performance.

We’ve said it before: If you get hurt in a big Mercedes, it’s probably your own fault. Remember, in the S-class Princess Di was in during that fatal accident, the only person who survived the crash in the car was the one wearing their seat belt. Safety systems do indeed work.

     Now, how about that new front end? M-B’s S-class and even their small-ish C-class already have it, and the current styling trend is definitely towards these “ovoid” headlamps. Smaller, more powerful Xenon gas bulbs give the engineers and designers a lot more latitude. On our E-class, the headlamps had high-pressure washers.

     E-class’ styling outside is classic and subtle. No surprises here, the car looks how a high-priced luxury-performance car seating five adults should appear. Stately, almost majestic, the kind of car where a dignitary in the rear seat would not be unexpected. And yes, bulletproof versions are available.

     Inside, E-class features Mercedes power seat controls in front, the best and easiest to use in the business.   Those infinitely adjustable front seats make it next to impossible to not find a comfortable position. Heated and ventilated seats in front are options. There are also massaging seats available, and air bladders which fill and empty automatically in order to help with bolstering during hard cornering.

     This new E-class has four separate climate control areas. There’s plenty of storage throughout the interior, a front seat cupholder which is a wonder of Teutonic engineering (you have to see it to appreciate it!) and front and rear headliner lights which are subtly, even elegantly, illuminated when the headlights are on. Airbags abound, and there are front and rear side curtain bags. Mercedes gauges, controls and switchgear in their larger cars are legendary. Thankfully, the COMAND computer system which Mercedes introduced in their S-class a few years ago has been greatly simplified to make it much more useful for the driver when operating the AC, audio and other “command and control” operations. Along with three separate buttons which automatically use an embedded cell phone service to call for help (directions, emergency and tech assistance), there’s an available satellite-based navigation system.

     One very cool and retro-style dashboard touch is the use of bar gauges to measure fuel levels and engine temperature. Also, I spent 15 minutes looking for the ubiquitous digital clock, until I found a large analog timepiece on the main dashboard right in front of me!

     There’s adaptive cruise control, a “set and forget” system which keeps this E-class a pre-determined distance from vehicles in front.

Also, this is the first E-class with an available hydraulically adjustable suspension with which the operator can raise or lower the vehicle as conditions dictate. If all that weren’t enough, our E-class test car also came with three-way adjustable suspension settings for the shock absorbers.

     What helps make the V8 work with its rear-drive configuration is a new five-speed automatic transmission. It’s smartly-geared to take the best advantage of the engine’s power in this heavyweight car, and can be shifted like a stick with a feature called Touch Shift. Turn off the traction control and tire-spinning is easy! 

Then there’s that trunk. Huge! We’re talking almost 16 cubic feet of space, with well-designed hinges which don’t intrude on luggage, and enough space not just for a weekend jaunt but even a month on the road.

We averaged around 19 miles per gallon city/highway driving combined, and of course this car is elegant enough to look correct whether parked at the supermarket or in front of The Lodge in Rancho Mirage.

     What’s next? Later this year, an all-new E55, the higher-strung version of the car from Mercedes subsidiary AMG, pumping out closer to 400 horsepower with appropriate suspension upgrades for all that oomph. Then in 2004 and beyond, look for E-class to be available with all-wheel drive and with a diesel engine option (as all Mercedes models will be in the next few years).

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ROAD TEST --- LEXUS 2004 RX330

2004 LEXUS RX330

Written March, 2003, for Gannett Newspapers

     This is the second-generation RX from Lexus, the first major change in some 5 years to a vehicle which introduced the concept of the “luxury crossover”. Bigger, wider, longer and much more fully-equipped than its predecessor, Lexus RX330 is priced lower than the previous RX yet offers better mileage, lower emissions and more horsepower than the older RX.

     How do they manage all that? Well, besides Toyota’s legendary economies of manufacture (and Lexus is a Toyota division), the decision was made for this RX to be built in North America. Because the completed vehicles no longer need to be shipped across the Pacific, Lexus is able to bring a base front-wheel drive RX330 in at about $100 less than last year’s model, and the all-wheel drive RX 330 is priced at a whopping $500 below the previous RX. RX330 is built in Canada, and is the first Lexus to be assembled completely outside of Japan. Pricing on 4x2 RX 330 models will start at $35,025 and the all-wheel drive RX begins at the $36,425 mark. It’s easy to go over $40,000 when a fully-optioned RX 330 hits the road.

     That “330” designator refers to the engine size. This powerplant in the RX330 is a smooth-as-silk 3.3 liter aluminum V6 producing some 230 horsepower and 242 pound feet of torque. RX 330 is no feather-light vehicle, tipping the scales at just under 2 tons (for the 4x2) and about 4,100 pounds for a fully-equipped all-wheel drive (AWD) model, the one we’d recommend. Fuel mileage averaged, in the all-wheel drive RX330 we drove for a week on highways and city streets, around 22 miles per gallon. Pretty  impressive for a vehicle offering this combination of performance, comfort and utility.

With a fairly high engine compression ratio of 10.8:1, Lexus says the vehicle will run fine on 87 octane gasoline but recommends 91 octane high-test for the best performance. We used the lower-grade fuel during our week-long test and found it provided all the necessary oomph RX330 needed with absolutely no engine pinging, missing, knocking or hesitation (tell-tale signs that you might want to use a higher-grade gasoline).

If you plan to use the RX for towing purposes, the front-wheel and AWD drive models can pull about 2,000 pounds, and with the optional towing package, a 3,500 weight is approved by the manufacturer, enough capability for a small trailer carrying a watercraft or a motorcycle or two, even a small race car for those so inclined.

What makes RX330 more intriguing is Lexus’ announcement that later in the year it will be available with a gas/electric hybrid engine, like that in the Toyota Prius, essentially doubling the gas mileage to over the 40 mpg mark. Can’t wait to test that one!

RX330’s exterior is an evolution of the styling of the original model. New headlamps and rear lights stand out from the older model, and the headlamps utilize a feature which Preston Tucker put on his cars more than 50 years  ago, Yep, now they call them “adaptive headlamps” and the lights actually turn with the steering wheel! What a concept, huh? The Feds at the National Highway Transportation and Safety Agency say they are withholding comment on this “there’s nothing new” idea until they see if they receive complaints form the public about glare from the oncoming headlamps. For now, it’s all legal.

Also on the front end, you’ll find headlight washers, which shoot a very high-pressure stream of water at the headlamps.

Below the grille you’ll note two small, dark windows which look like the infrared signal receivers on your cable TV box. What these units actually do is send and receive a radar beam which works in conjunction with what Lexus calls “adaptive cruise control”. Using simple controls on the steering column, turn on the cruise control, set the desired speed, and the system automatically keeps RX330 a pre-determined distance from the vehicle in front. If the vehicle in front slows or someone cuts between you and that car or truck, the system gives off a loud audible alarm and quickly reduces engine speed and/or applies the brakes, all giving the driver time to react to the situation. Other cars have similar systems but we found the RX330’s set-up the simplest to use. Standard brakes, by the way, are anti-lock discs on all four corners.

Inside, RX330 is spacious and comfortable. Top-line editions have more wood and leather than your rumpus room. A DVD player with wireless remote headsets keeps the three rear seat passengers entertained, and there’s fun for the driver, too. The center-console screen used for the satellite navigation system doubles as a TV screen for the camera located on the rear hatch, which switches on automatically when RX330 is slipped into “reverse”. The driver gets a very nice wide angle and color view of what’s behind the vehicle, but you still must use your mirrors and turn your head to get the full picture of where you’re headed (or backing). And that rear hatch is power-operated, too, opening and closing at the touch of a key-fob button.

     There are airbags galore, including side curtain airbags for front and rear passengers and even a knee-height airbag for the driver. Heated seats are an option, as is an air suspension system to keep things on an even keel no matter what RX330 may be towing or hauling.

     There are simply too many features on RX330 to list them all in this 1,000 word story!

     On our CAR NUT TV program, we gave RX330 our highest possible rating, and atill feel good about doing so. In terms of its place in the market, value for the dollar, available options, general consideration for safety, engine performance and economy, RX330 comes as close to perfect in the class as a vehicle can get. If you read this column regularly, you know it takes a lot to get us this excited, especially about something as mundane as a crossover SUV/wagon.

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 SUZUKI AERIO

2003 SUZUKI AERIO SX --- SURPRISING FEATURES IN A VERY SMALL PACKAGE
Written March, 2003, for Gannett Newspapers

     Suzuki’s weird-looking, nice-running, big-inside, fuel-sipping Aerio is a car which you might not have considered just a few weeks ago. But with gas prices going through the roof with no clear end in sight, Aerio, which can hold four adults in relative comfort and garner an average of over 30 miles per gallon, city and highway combined, starts to look downright attractive as a second car or even primary transport for short-track commuters, young folks or a new family.

     There were two main comments we got during our week-long test drive of an Aerio SX five-door wagon throughout the Coachella Valley. The first was on the car’s styling. It is very Japanese in appearance, one of the new wave of sharp, edgy, boxy cars and trucks headed to our shores from Asia, where the style has been in vogue for many, many years.
     I still don’t know if we as a buying nation really like these styles, or if they are being shoved down our throats by companies with designers too unimaginative to come up anything new. Sure, they may look new to us, but if you’d gone to Japan as long ago as 1979, as I did, and returned every year or so after that, these “dynamic and modern” styles are actually quite old-hat throughout Asia.

     Second, folks commented on the surprising amount of interior space in a car with such a small exterior footprint. With a front to rear wheelbase of barely over 97 inches, Aerio (which replaces the Esteem in the Suzuki line-up) is one of the two or three shortest cars sold in this country. And it tips the scales at barely over 2,600 pounds, which goes a long way towards helping it achieve fairly remarkable fuel mileage figures.
      Aerio proves once again that old maxim of the auto world, that it is much easier to upsize your small vehicles than to downsize your Detroit behemoth.
      It’s surprising this little thing has four doors at all, not unlike your initial thoughts when you spy a Mini. But it’s inside where Aerio shines. It’s smartly outfitted, well laid-out and snappy as far as controls, gauges and instruments, and the seating is more comfortable than you’d expect from a car in this price range, which starts out just above $13,000 and can head upwards towards $16,000.

My own feeling is that Aerio might be a bit overpriced, putting one in mind of a car from Japan called Daihatsu (remember the Rocky SUV and the Charade?). Daihatsu became one of the rare failures of an Asian car company in America, due in large part to the fact that while the cars were of a very high quality (the company is owned mostly by Toyota, and Toyotas are built on the same assembly lines in Osaka, Japan) they were perceived by potential American buyers as being too pricey. The same might prove true of Aerio, but time will tell. Suzuki car and truck sales were down 12% last month compared to February a year ago.

Aerio does provide an all-wheel drive (AWD) option, and that will help with sales in this sub-compact category. Other than the AWD on Subaru’s Impreza, there really isn’t another auto in this class with AWD available. While AWD is an option on Aerio, it is standard on the Impreza competitor. Aerio comes standard as a front-driver.

“Cheap” used to mean “punishment” in the car world. The cheap car was the one you were forced to buy, with comfort and performance and even safety all at a minimum level, but that has changed radically in the past decade.

Aerio comes off the showroom floor standard with air conditioning, CD changer, tilt steering wheel, power windows, mirrors and door locks, and a snazzy digital tachometer. That’s a lot for the money, and we no longer are “punished” because we can’t afford a high-end auto.

What Aerio does retain from the days of “cheap” is one of the noisiest, harshest rides in the business today. The powerplant is a little wonder of efficiency, as you might imagine, coming from a company which has excelled in building some of the best sporting motorcycles in the world. It’s a 2 liter 16-valve inline 4, developing a very healthy-for-the-segment 145 horsepower and a solid 135 foot pounds of torque for front tire squealing whenever demanded. For a car of this weight, that’s a good amount of power.

But driver and passengers feel every one of those horses. Aerio’s NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) quotient is a definite negative. This is the one area of this spry, unusual-looking car which will turn off some buyers. There are smoother-running and quieter autos for the price, maybe not as space-age-looking, well-equipped or with as much horsepower, but if it’s long-range comfort you’re in the market for, Aerio might not be your cup of tea.

In all, from a company which started out making looms for the textile industry (as did Toyota), then went on to virtually invent the small SUV, the four-wheel ATV, the large-displacement sport motorcycle and some of the finest marine outboard engines on the planet, Aerio is about what we’d expect from an outfit with such a solid reputation.

We always have great respect for a company willing to take a chance, whether we agree with the results or not (Suzuki also made the X90 --- remember that ugly little demon?). With a bit lower price and a nicer ride and more soundproofing, Aerio would rate our highest recommendation. As is, it’s a solid competitor in a growing field packed with high-quality, well-equipped vehicles.     

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 HONDA ELEMENT

2003 HONDA ELEMENT --- BOXY YOUNG FUN AT A LOW PRICE

Written February, 2003, for Gannett Newspapers

     Honda’s Element is different enough so folks either love it or hate it. And after driving one for a week throughout the Coachella Valley, I can report in my very unscientific survey that a lot more people liked Element. than not. That’s good news for Honda.
     This vehicle is basically “gravy” when it comes to Honda’s bottom line. That’s because so many of the important parts on Element have been already paid for.
     Element is based on Honda’s existing and popular CR-V mini-SUV platform. Both of them are built in the USA. You can almost bet on a small pickup truck being introduced in the next year or two by Honda using the same basic underpinnings as Element and CR-V.
     A nice benefit of this build philosophy for consumers is that Honda can price Element pretty low. Prices start at just over $16,000 for a front-wheel drive DX model and travel upwards to just over $22,000 for an all-wheel drive (AWD) EX Element with all the nifty options, including a 270-watt CD audio system and a tilting/removable “skylight” over the rear cargo bay area. In the base model, you can order a “radio delete” option to save money if you want to install your own aftermarket system.

There are a couple of drawbacks to using the CR-V platform, too, related to the engine and transmission. Element and CR-V share the same 2.4 liter in-line four cylinder engine, and while it is peppy enough in CR-V, the Element weighs as much as 400 pounds more than CR-V and you feel the effect of that extra weight during every facet of driving. Element can weigh as much as 3,544 pounds.

Acceleration, whether using the four-speed automatic or five-speed stick shift, is slow. Braking takes a bit longer than it should (anti-lock brakes are optional on EX models; get them). Turning is sluggish, not as crisp as you might expect from a small-ish Honda. Finally, you feel it a bit in the pocketbook, too. Our mileage in Element averaged only about 20 miles per gallon, combined city and highway with the stick shifter, which usually is a bit better than the mileage in a comparable automatic-transmission equipped vehicle.

Element is a four-door, and the rear doors are rear-opening (what we used to call “suicide doors”). Those pillar-less rear doors can not be opened or closed independently of the front ones. A bit of a hassle. Inside, Element seats four in its front and rear buckets.

Rear seats can be twisted out of the way, folded almost totally flat, or removed completely. But those nifty seats are heavier and harder to remove and install than they should be. We know Element is aimed at young, outdoorsy types, but setting up Element’s interior to your needs for hauling shouldn’t be as much of a physical challenge as it is. There’s plenty of storage behind the rear seats, with a cool little flat panel, which, with optional legs, can be turned into an instant picnic table. Nice, typically Honda engineering touch, the kind of thing we had hoped to see more of throughout the vehicle.

The interior is covered in rubber-like and plastic materials which, while giving it a bit of a cheap feeling, also appears very functional, usable and utilitarian, and easy to keep clean (though Honda says you should not hose it down inside indiscriminately --- but it looks like you could! All it’s missing is a drain plug between the seats.).

Controls and gauges are typically Honda, which is to say, as good as they come. Neat-o storage pockets and drawers abound, again a signature of Honda’s usual thoughtfulness and quality.

We liked Element, and frankly expected we would. It’s the rare Honda which is not appealing in some way. In Element’s case, it has low power and poor agility and somewhat bad fuel mileage going against it. But its utility potential, cool styling, smart interior touches, all-wheel drive option (also optional are side curtain airbags on EX) and surprising interior comfort keep things on the plus side.

Factor in the cost, and we’ve probably got another winner from Honda. Honda execs see no reason why they shouldn’t be able to sell up to 30,000 units this first year of production alone.

But what about that exterior styling?

The boxes are coming, the boxes are coming. Do we really like them or are the marketers convincing us that we should?

They’ve been here before, but not a lot of us noticed. Remember the original Japanese minivans? 

     Boxy, square, narrow, straight and tall. If you thought they looked more at home on the Ginza in Tokyo than on Monroe Street in Indio, you were right. Most of those  first efforts were imported direct to the USA without too many styling modifications, as the Asians tried to jump on the minivan bandwagon which Chrysler started in 1985. They did so, with mixed success.
     Now we have the Element from Honda. Honda and Toyota both had vehicles in the ‘80s which looked something like the Element, tall wagons available with all-wheel drive and a modicum of storage space.
Mitsubishi, too, had a similar vehicle in those days called Expo LRV (their partner, Dodge, sold a version called the Colt wagon). Looking back now, they were all very much ahead of their time.
    These car/truck/wagons were the original “crossovers” which are all the rage coming out of the USA, Europe and Asia today and into the future, likely replacements for both the SUV and the minivan. Though it was easy to put 2 or even 3 bicycles and a picnic lunch and plenty of luggage into one of these ‘80s small wagons, use the all-wheel drive capabilities to go off-road (Honda still calls it “Real Time 4WD”) to go somewhere neat, and have the fuel mileage to get you there and back on one tank of then-50 cent gas, they didn’t catch on with the public.
     Man, have times changed! Now, for whatever reason, the boxes --- are back. Get ready.

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER; ALL-NEW, NOW WITH V8 POWER

Written January, 2003, for Gannett Newspapers

  For the first time in seven years, Toyota has given their 4Runner mid-size SUV a complete facelift and made a V8 engine available. 4Runner is built in Japan, and shares its underpinnings with the all-new Lexus GX 470. Bigger than the RAV4 and smaller than the Land Cruiser, for many thousands of buyers, 4Runner has proven to be “just right”.
     Weighing in at 4,280 pounds, 4Runner has a 23 gallon fuel tank --- and you’ll need every drop it holds. Even though there are two engines offered, a 4 liter V6 (upgraded from last year) and that sweet, smooth and down-low powerful 4.7 liter V8, mileage for 4Runner with either engine will average only around 17 miles per gallon, on a good day, combined city and highway.
     That V6 actually offers more horsepower than the V8 (245 for the 6 versus 235 for the 8), but it’s in the torque department where the iForce V8 trumps that 6. At 320 pound feet of torque, the 8 has 40 pounds more low-end power than the V6, and torque is what you need if you plan on hauling big loads or towing a trailer. Both engines are rated to two up to 5,000 pounds in 4Runner, but you’ll put a lot less strain on the truck if you tow with the V8, and probably wind up with a more reliable, dependable and longer-lasting engine to boot.
     The V6 comes with a four-speed automatic; the V8 with a new five-speed auto tranny. Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes are now standard on 4Runner (an improvement over the previous front disc/rear drum set-up), and, depending on the engine and model, there are three different drive systems on tap. Rear wheel drive is standard, and there is also four-wheel drive, with the driver choosing between 4x2 or 4x4 service with high and low ranges. All-wheel drive, with the four wheels permanently locked in a 4x4 position, is available with the V8, but even then the driver can pick a tough-going 4 wheel low gear via a dial on the large, easy to understand and operate dashboard. Side curtain airbags are optional on all models this year. Traction control and an anti-skid system and brake-assist are standard. A satellite GPS navigation system can be ordered, as well as a power moonroof.
     With all the safety gadgets, if you get into trouble with this new 4Runner, it’s probably your fault!
    The graceful V8 tells a lot about the truck. It’s quite sophisticated and advanced, with double overhead cam shafts and heavy use of aluminum. Originally developed by Toyota Racing Development for “Ironman” Ivan Stewart’s Baja racing trucks, the iForce V8 found its way into Toyota’s first full-size pickup, the Sequoia.
    4Runner looks the rough-stuff part and can easily handle the toughest off-roading (even if it can’t match hill-climbing with the Hummer H1 --- we know, we tried).
    Overall, the new 2003 4Runner is remarkably smooth, elegant, quiet, refined and commodious. This is simply the most comfortable traditional truck-frame SUV we have driven in recent memory.
     4Runner holds 5 adults; there is no third-row seat available (as they are on more and more trucks of this size, especially domestics). Rear stereo and air conditioning systems are also available.
     Prices reflect the quality. The 2WD V6 4Runner starts at $27,715, and the top-line V8 4WD is base-priced at $36,990. Our test truck came in at $42,539 with a JBL stereo and GPS nav system, side curtain airbags, moonroof and adjustable rear air suspension.
     One of the underlying themes of the recent Los Angeles Auto Show (and at the larger Detroit Auto Show, also known as the North American International Auto Show), is the apparent coming demise of the super-popular truck-based sport utility vehicle.
     There will always be a market for truck-based SUVs, with their rugged body-on-frame design, their high ride height, tough suspensions, four-wheel drive and their ability to seemingly go just about anywhere, on- or off-road.
     “Crossovers”, however, are becoming all the rage. These are car-based vehicles, easy, familiar and comfortable to operate, some with all-wheel drive, but with much of the storage and towing abilities of their true SUV brethren.
     Also, something called “sport tourers”, a name which used to refer to a long-range high-performance motorcycle, are starting to see the light of day. The Dodge Magnum concept seen at the LA Auto Show was called a “sports touring sedan”, really a high-performance (a supercharged Hemi engine and the almost de rigeur all-wheel drive in this case) station wagon.
     Yes, station wagons are coming back, with new names, hot styling and high performance which’ll knock granny’s socks off!
     There appears to be a backlash against big SUVs building throughout the nation, as some see a correlation between our national reliance on foreign oil and the miles-per-gallon of the vehicle in their driveway. Some are of the opinion that a 3,000 pound crossover or sport tourer might serve their purposes just as well, and more economically, than an over-6,000 pound SUV. Recent revelations that buyers of those behemoths are eligible for tax credits far more than they would receive for buying a more ecologically-sound hybrid gas/electric vehicle are also making people think twice about the Biggest and Baddest of Big and Bad SUVs.
     Is 4Runner one of the last gasps of the powerful, full-on truck-based SUV? If so, it presents itself in a very winning and convincing way.

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 NISSAN 350Z

2003 NISSAN 350Z --- AFFORDABLE FUN FOR US ALL

Written January, 2003, for Gannett Newspapers

     There is really only one legendary car to ever come out of Japan as far as American buyers are concerned, and that was the original Datsun 240Z.
   Introduced in 1969 for $3,526, Z was so popular that Kelly Blue Book, just a year after Z’s introduction, listed used 240Zs at $4,000 --- a used car, only one year old, at a price above the original sticker!

     Z became a demon on the street and the race track. When Bob Sharp Racing (with an actor named Paul Newman doing the driving) got hold of some Z cars, they put Datsun on the map as far as road race victories were concerned.   
       So the car has the “right stuff”. And gigantic kudos to Nissan for putting the Z label on a car worthy of the name. Like Pontiac has done with their new GTO, Nissan waited for the right vehicle on which to place a legendary title.
     A 3.5 liter V6 engine producing 287 horsepower is the heart of the Z. A 6-speed close ratio transmission which is a joy to shift is standard and there’s a five-speed automatic optional (but why bother with that?). All models have optional side curtain and side bolster airbags, and all come standard with four wheel anti-lock disc brakes. The “track” edition of the Z has race-inspired Brembo brakes, just like the big boys on the race track!

As the 240Z was the height of tech at the time it was introduced, today’s 350Z has all the bells and whistles, from a GPS navigation system to a massive stereo system which can blow you out of the car (but don’t worry --- there’s a convertible version coming later this year which will let you open the top and really turn it up!).

     The suspension is fantastic. From exotic carbon fiber bits on the drivetrain to an all-aluminum suspension with three links in the front and four on each rear wheel, 350Z’s ride is sharp and crisp, but might be a bit too harsh for some. 350Z goes, stops and turns like the race track-bred champ it is, but inside you’ll find an unexpected level of comfort, with a large interior for a car this size, comfortable seating (for two only!) and good front visibility.

     Weak points in the car include a lot of wind noise and tire noise at higher speeds to match that somewhat rugged ride. Engine noise is loud, too, but welcome in a car with such sporting pretensions.

     There’s no glovebox, inexcusable in this day and age when Lexus can put a glovebox and a 6 CD changer in front of the passenger. The single cupholder is a cheap-o folding affair which looks like it could break with just a nasty look, and a brace between the rear struts definitely helps handling but kills any useful rear storage space.

     No matter how nice a car is, it’s the little things like this which eventually drive owners crazy, and we’re sure Nissan will fix these things in subsequent model years.

A trip computer that’s easy to operate is a nice touch, but the only electrical outlet we could find is behind the front seats, making plugging in a radar detector which needs to sit near the windshield a big hassle. And trust me, you’ll want to equip your Z with a radar detector, especially with our ticket-happy, radar-using (Ka band) CHP on the I-10.

The most negative point inside the car from a driver’s perspective is rear and side visibility. Backing up becomes more of a challenge than it needs to be.

Z comes in five different trim packages, which might be confusing to some buyers. They range in price from about $27,000 to just a tick over $34,000. Mileage averages about 22 mpg combined city and highway.

Z is a rush to drive, a lot of fun. It’s a real driver’s car with its rear-wheel drive, great front and rear weight distribution, and we can’t say enough about that snappy six-speed, which feels just as good as the unit in the Honda S2000 and Acura NS-X, probably the best in the business.

Nissan rewrote the book with 240Z in 1969. Unlike previous Japanese sports cars, including the first Japan-market Fairlady (which is still the name of the Z in Japan), it was designed to meet the requirements of Western markets, especially the United States.
          German Albrecht Goertz (who previously designed the gorgeous BMW 507) was employed to design a beautiful 2-seat body. Engineers in Japan were working hard to develop all-wheel independent suspensions, a 5-speed transmission and a straight-6 engine which was derived form one of Datsun’s older, proven truck powerplants.
           The outcome amazed automotive journalists all over the world with its attractive look, crisp and near neutral steering, sparkling performance and high standard of finish. As a result, it became the most popular sports car in the US.
             In 1973, 240Z was upgraded into a 2+2 sports car called 260Z (as indicated by its name, a 2.6-liter engine was used). Z continued evolving to 280ZX and 300ZX. They were hardly comparable with the original in terms of handling and beauty. Like the Toyotas Supra, Mazda RX7 and Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4, the previous Z eventually priced itself out of the marketplace.

Today’s 350Z is probably the best Porsche you can buy for under $35,000. While it weighs-in about 400 pounds heavier than the Boxster S, the Z, at about 3200 pounds, with more horsepower than the Porsche, makes it feel just as spry as the German “wundercar”. Also, overall reliability as well as service and parts costs might be superior to its Teutonic cousin.  

Z deserves your test drive, even if you’re not really in the market for one. Everyone should be able to drive a car like this at least once a year!

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 NISSAN XTERRA

2003 NISSAN XTERRA SUV --- GETTING STRONGER WITH AGE

Written January, 2003, for Gannett Newspapers

Nissan’s 2003 Xterra mid-sized SUV is already looking a bit long in the tooth when compared to some of the sporty, spiffy “crossover” wagon/SUVs which dominated the auto shows this past month.

But Xterra, which last year was gifted with a supercharged 3.3 liter 210 horsepower V6 engine, is a solid, honest, nice-looking truck which keeps its emphasis on towing and stowage capabilities and off-road prowess.

Xterra, as it has been since its 2000 introduction, remains a bit rougher around the edges than some of the competition, but it is also priced, value-for-value, in most cases well below the competition. We found Xterra with more NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) than some of the newer trucks on the market, and certainly more than the NVH factor in one of the new car-like crossovers. However, keeping in mind price and sheer ability, Xterra rises to the top.

Xterra remains based on Nissan’s Frontier pickup; both are built in the USA.

Sure, it’s a little clunky and you can’t use the four-wheel drive on dry pavement (the gears might bind up in the transfer case), but Xterra remains equipped with a 4-wheel LO setting for the roughest off-road adventures, rare for this spot in the marketplace. The lever which the driver uses to choose between four- and two-wheel drive is a real throwback to the early 4x4s of the ‘70s, but it is fun, and works well. Not as trick as the fancy electronic controls on newer trucks, but also probably less susceptible to breakage, too.

The true-truck ladder frame on Xterra keeps the whole thing together after rough off-roading. We took Xterra into the desert for a few hours of real fun, pushing it hard, having a blast. When we left the dirt and hit Monroe Street and the I-10, Xterra exhibited not one rattle or squeak from the punishment.
        Base Xterra XE comes with a four-cylinder 2.4 liter engine turning out 143 horsepower, barely enough to back this over two-ton truck out of the garage. But with a base price for the 4x2 at under $18,000, it’s worth a look for the budget- (and not the speed-) minded. Only the five-speed stick shift comes with that base 4-banger; other models have the stick or a four-speed automatic.

SE model adds the 3.3 V6 producing 180 horsepower (a slight rise from last year's model). The Big Mother 210 horsepower SC model (which can average around 16 miles per gallon city and highway combined), puts a blower (supercharger) on top of that V6 and you can feel the ooomph upon take-off and when passing on the freeway. Nice low-end torque with that V6 comes in very handy on launch, and especially when off-road, climbing hills.

New for 2003 are optional side curtain airbags and a new brake porportioning distribution system, mated with some cool new sports-car-like traction control and anti-skid systems. And the already exceptional Rockford-Fossgate stereo system has been upped from 220 to 300 blaring watts. Anger your neighbors!

Many years ago I went to a press introduction of new vehicle at a Nissan facility in Southern California. Present were Jerry Hirshberg, hired away from Buick a few years before to direct Nissan corporate styling, and Yutaka Katayama, the man who put Nissan on the map in the US (and the model for the mysterious "Mr. K" in those commercials). The vehicle was a new Nissan truck which was referred to as the "Hard Body".  Sounded like a good idea at the time.

    But the vehicle bombed, and not because of the truck. It was a good truck. It was just that in their myopic, superior-than-thou thinking at the time, the advertising people at Nissan (the same ones who brought you the "rocks and trees" campaign for the first Infinitis) didn't realize that east of San Bernardino, no one knew what a "hard body" was.
             Well, things sure have changed. If someone told you five years ago that France’s Renault would buy Nissan, you'd have laughed. But it's happened, and things changed in a big way at Nissan, almost all of them for the better.
     Hirshberg joined Nissan more than a decade ago, and he ran, until retirement two years back, La Jolla’s Nissan Design International, a college-like campus near the Pacific Ocean where some very good (sometimes bad) ideas were developed through the '90s. When Renault and Nissan executives met in Tokyo following Renault's takeover of the Japanese carmaker, he was named to the Board of Directors of the company.
              Xterra (a created name suggesting activity, energy and excitement, according to the press releases) was the first product available from Nissan which was created almost entirely by Hirshberg and his band of merry boys and girls by-the-sea.

Xterra has been great effort, a good, solid truck in the Nissan tradition of delivering fun, purposeful vehicles that are priced right and deliver a bit of attitude at the same time.

Xterra prices start around $18,000 and a full-zoot supercharged V6 210 horsepower 4x4 will set the buyer back well under $29,000. For those interested in off-road, towing and storage abilities as well as basic creature comforts, Xterra deserves a test drive.

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 SUBARU IMPREZA RS 2.5

2003 SUBARU IMPREZA RS 2.5 --- SMALL BUCKS, BIG FUN

Written December, 2002 for Gannett's DESERT SUN newspaper

     The mission: Visit mom-in-law on Christmas day.

     The challenge: She lives in Garner Valley, way up Highway 74 from Palm Desert, CA, and there’s snow and ice on the ground above 3,500 feet. And we'll be at near-4,000.

     The vehicle: Must have four doors. Must be economical and get great mileage. Must have all the creature comforts, especially because grandparents will be in the rear seat. Safety a major concern, so must have all-wheel drive.

     The choice: Only one which meets all our requirements, and that’s Subaru’s Impreza 2.5 RS.

     With 165 horsepower and a weight of just under 3,000 pounds, Impreza is surprisingly peppy and fun to drive. The 2.5 liter single overhead cam four cylinder engine is no great example of modern engineering, but its proven “horizontally opposed” design has unique appeal, same as a Porsche car or BMW motorcycle.

Impreza manages to average around 25 miles per gallon in combined highway and city driving. In a car which can hold four full size adults in comfort (relative comfort for the two in the rear), those are all pretty good numbers.

     Here’s another nice number: $20,120.

That was the price of our test car, equipped with power locks and windows, CD player, foglights, halogen headlamps, dual front seat airbags, four wheel antilock disc brakes, front and rear stabilizer bars and a four wheel independent suspension system. No other carmaker does all this for this low a price.

     Outside, Impreza breaks no new territory in styling. It’s not a head-turner, but a subtle design which won’t attract unwanted attention (like local cops!). On the Impreza RS, nothing but the optional (and unnecessary) rear wing gives it away.

Inside, Impreza is solid, tight and driver-useful. Nothing quirky here; plenty of storage space, folding rear seats to allow lots of stowage, large, easy to read and use gauges and controls. It’s not especially warm and welcoming, but about what you’d expect from a company which makes most of their money building buses and trucks (except in the US).

All Subarus sold in this country are equipped with all-wheel drive. For years, Subarus have been best-selling import cars in snow country.

All-wheel drive provides a confidence and ability beyond what most drivers will ever demand. The driver never notices the AWD, there’s no difficulty turning the front wheels, no major weight addition to the car, none of the other things one might notice with all-wheel drive cars where it’s sort of afterthought marketing gimmick. All the driver knows is the car handles extraordinarily well and is stable in just about every situation.

Our main complaint? Noise and vibration. The Impreza could use a six-speed instead of the five-speed stick (an automatic is optional) to cut down on top-end engine noise and harshness. But remember, this is a $20,000 car, so there are some things we expect to put up with.

Subaru first came to this country in 1967. Harvey Lamm and Malcom Bricklin approached Japan’s Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) and talked them into their becoming the sole USA importers (Bricklin would later go on to make his own sporty kit-like car in Canada and import the Yugo, too, but that’s another story). FHI eventually bought-out Lamm and Bricklin and today there are about 600 dealers nationwide.

FHI has been around since the turn of the century. During WWII, then called Nakajima, after the company’s founder, was the top producer of aircraft for the Empire. After the War, the company changed their name (and their products!) and got involved in motorbikes and mini-cars. Mini-cars (engines under 660cc) are still their top product in Japan. They also make buses and trucks, pre-fab houses (very popular in Japan) and rockets for the Japanese space program.

The name “Subaru” is the Japanese name of the six-star constellation Pleiades. Also, FHI was originally formed by the merger of six companies, and the six stars on the Subaru logo denote the six main islands of Japan. See, now you know more than you ever need to about Subaru! Go out and win that bar bet!

Today, owned in large part by General Motors, Subaru continues to mine their niche. They’ve shared a factory with Isuzu in Indiana since 1989, and the Subaru Legacy and Outback models are made there.

I’ve always liked Subaru, a sometimes quirky little company that takes a chance now and then. Their “Tokyo By Night” dashboards of the 1970s are legendary for their sheer audacity. Who can forget the little spinning dashboard icon on their turbo models?

This column was written before Christmas, and we hope you had a great and safe holiday! If you don’t hear different, you can assume our Impreza RS got us to mom-in-law’s home way up the mountain and back (with the grandparents in the back seat) in fine fettle.

    

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ROAD TEST --- 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY

2003 HONDA ODYSSEY --- HONDA GETS IT RIGHT (AGAIN)

Written December, 2002 for Gannett's DESERT SUN newspaper

Honda scores a big "10", or close to it, with this latest version of their Odyssey minivan, which was almost completely redone in 2002. Made in Canada, this is still the nearest thing to an American-developed minivan on the market from any import company, and it has enough neat-o Honda-only features that folks from Chrysler, Ford and GM spend a lot of time reverse engineering Odysseys in their own R&D Centers (reverse engineering means taking the vehicle apart, bolt-by-bolt, to see what makes it tick).

Odyssey is now available in three trim versions, including one with a semi-fancy leather-clad interior, but all feature one item no one can ignore: A glorious Honda powerplant. It's the same 3.5 liter V6 which Honda uses in other, sportier products around the world, but tuned to minivan use, it has both the low-end ooomph you expect from a truck along with the smoothness and quiet you would normally expect from a more expensive Honda or Acura. That is a combination which is simply hard to beat at any price. The official numbers have the engine developing 240 horsepower and 242 pound feet of torque. Mileage is a bit of a disappointment, averaging around 20 mpg combined in-town and on the highway.

Odyssey's nice low stance makes it easy to get and out of with needing a trampoline or a safety net. Ride and overall handling are as good as any other machine in the class. Nothing exciting, but you don't want surprises when you're hauling the family around the desert. Built on a car platform and not based on a truck, there's a welcome minimum of shake, rattle and roll (or what the experts call NVH --- noise, vibration and harshness).

It's going to be a simple matter to order and option-out your own Odyssey for above the $30,000 mark (though the base price is just over $24K), and that may turn-off some buyers. But Honda knows they'll be able to sell every one. Don't expect dealers to move too much on Odyssey pricing; demand is pretty strong.

Along with that standard V6 comes a smooth-as-silk five-speed automatic transaxle driving the front wheels, seating space for seven large adults, enough neat-o hidden storage spaces and rear heat and AC controls and other doo-dads to make even the geekiest soccer mom and dad proud...and a third row rear bench seat which folds absolutely flat into the floor or flips backwards to serve as an excellent tailgate party couch.

There's even one of those cool built-in video screens and a navigation system available (though you can't get both on the same minivan, something we don't understand).

Odyssey features standard dual sliding side doors, power-operated (except on the base LX), opened and closed via controls on the key fob or toggles on the instrument panel. The rear quarter windows can also be opened and closed from the driver's control panel to act as vent windows. The driver's window features auto up and down switching for 2003.

Anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes are standard, as are front side airbags and traction control.

The driver's control area is well laid-out and all the switchgear is what you've come to expect of Honda. The gear shift selector stalk sticks out from the steering column like an older domestic car, adding more room to the front floor area. Gauges are large and easy to read, and for the most part the controls are where you expect them to be. The radio and heat/AC controls are convenient, and those systems work great, but I missed an outside temperature gauge. With all the other cool features and at these prices, that should be standard on Odyssey.

The interior quality is typically Honda: Functional but not very warm, even with the high-zoot leather option. There's a nice folding tray between the front seats, but no locking center storage area. In fact, there's remarkably little storage room for the front seat passenger and driver. We couldn't find more than one electrical outlet in front, either, a big no-no these days.

The first Odyssey effort several seasons back was pretty bad. It had only a 4-cylinder engine, it was too small for American families, and it featured two hinged, swinging doors on both sides. Someone say "Japanese station wagon"? No one was sure whether the vehicle was a minivan or a big station wagon. Whatever Honda wanted journalists and consumers to believe, it was not the vehicle Honda dealers had been waiting to sell. This Odyssey certainly is.

All Honda is now missing in their line-up is a real pickup truck, and that is surely not beyond the realm of possibility. In fact, it's probably a pretty sure thing in the next year or so. Take a sport/ute or minivan and cut the rear cab off and what have you got? A Honda pickup! Stranger things have happened.

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2003 FORD CROWN VICTORIA --- KEEPING THE COPS IN CARS

2003 FORD CROWN VICTORIA -- THE CAR COPS LOVE TO DRIVE

Written February, 2003 for Gannett’s DESERT SUN Newspaper

One fun thing about driving Ford’s Crown Victoria --- pull up close to another car on the I-10 or Monterey or Highway 111, and they get out of your way! One look in their rear view mirrors (for those drivers in the Coachella Valley who actually bother to use them) and all they can think is --- Cop!

Crown Victoria for 2003 is the kind of car which those of a us of a “certain age” (around 50 and beyond) grew up with during our all-American childhoods. Back then, “performance” meant getting the family (2 adults, 3.2 kids and a pet) from one place to another with a minimum of fuss, just enough power and handling for the job, and a maximum of comfort. Air conditioning and heating systems had to be able to blast the occupants out of the car if need be. Stopping and turning were not nearly as important as off-the-line “launch” and what was advertised as a “boulevard ride” for literally 1,000’s of miles on end.

The less connected driver and passengers were to the roadway, in those days, the better. But times and tastes have changed and, with them, our cars have changed dramatically. We reviewed 2001 Crown Vic in these pages, and found it a real throwback to the old days.

Good news for 2003 is that the car has changed and grown with the times, with better safety, handling and performance features than the previous generation, but still enough of that “old time feeling” to make those thinking about buying their “last car” feel right at home. About half the car’s annual sales are virtually guaranteed to police agencies and various government outfits throughout the world. Crown Vics are used by the Secret Service and FBI, apart from their ubiquitous service for local cops and state and national Highway Patrols around the world. It’s not unusual to see top foreign dignitaries being ferried around their nations in Crown Vics.

Check out our own President’s motorcade --- “Dubbya” rides in his custom Cadillac DeVille and the Secret Service makes heavy use of Chevy Suburbans and Ford Expeditions as “War Wagons”, but you’ll see Crown Vic after Crown Vic making up the bulk of the vehicles agents use for that they officially term “protective intelligence”. Why all this law enforcement reliance on the Canadian-built Crown Vic?

Simple. It is the only North American-made four-door sedan with a V8 in front, drive wheels in the rear, room for six adults inside and a trunk which can carry enough weaponry to arm Saddam’s Republican Guard for a nice day trip out of town. Cops and their ilk like the horsepower, bulk, reliable and predictable handling and the stowage space Crown Vic offers. In 2000, Ford sold about 92,000 Crown Vics worldwide. In 2001, even with talk of Crown Vic being on its way out, the company moved over 95,000 copies. When you’re selling almost 100,000 cars a year, especially of a model whose majority of tooling pieces were paid off many years ago, you keep the sales heat turned on “high”. And at least for another couple of years, Ford won’t have any serious competition in this arena.

When Chevrolet stopped making the rear-drive Impala in the ‘90s, they opened the police and municipality markets to Crown Vic almost exclusively. General Motors converted the plant in Arlington, TX, which made the Impala, Buick Roadmaster and Cadillac Fleetwood rear-drivers, to truck production and that meant Crown Vic was the only V8 rear-drive sedan built in North America (along with its sister car, Mercury’s Grand Marquis).

DaimlerChrysler and General Motors have a slew of rear-drive cars coming out in the next few years, but until then, for the all-important and lucrative cop market, Crown Vic is it (and Grand Marquis for lieutenants and above!).

Now built on essentially the same platform as the new Lincoln Town Car, Crown Vic now has a beefed-up suspension to cut down on turning wallow, brake dive and acceleration squat (sounds like my visit to the gym!). It all works well to keep the car more stable under hard driving. Steering has been upgraded from the antiquated recirculating ball system to a modern power rack-and-pinion set-up. Anti-lock brakes are standard on all models and front side curtain airbags are available on all models as an option.

There have been problems reported from police departments about gas tank fires after very high-speed impacts, and Ford is feverishly working to solve that problem. These were all reported on older Crown Vics, and there have been no reports of similar happenings from civilian cars.

Base engine is a 4.6 liter V8 224 horsepower affair, and the “sport” package garners dual exhaust pipes and 239 horses. A handling “sport” option also buys stiffer springs and shocks and stabilizer bars, grippier tires and rear air suspension. 2003 Crown Vic gets a slight facelift with nicer-looking headlights. Inside, there’s a lot of plastic yet it’s all pretty comfortable.

This is not a luxury car, but has the room and smooth ride of a classic American cruiser. Gauges are simple and straightforward; no navigation systems, on-board computers or performance gizmos. Heck, there’s not even a tachometer! Engine temp, fuel level and speedo --- that’s about all you get. Ford figures for their traditional Crown Victoria buyers, that’s all they want or need!

Those rear wheels are driven through a robust four-speed automatic transmission with the shift lever on the steering column, just like you remember in your dad’s car. Ford says a shift-on-the-center-console option will be available later this year, but that robs you of the front bench seat and replaces it with buckets, sort of defeating the utilitarian purpose of this people-hauler.

Prices on Crown Vic are attractive, ranging from around $24,000 to about $30,000, fully-equipped with the performance and handling options. Mileage was better than in the last Crown Vic we tested, with an average mpg of about 21 in city and highway driving, combined. Like a dependable and reliable old friend, Crown Vic keeps chuggin’ along, doing its job with little fanfare or thanks, just like the many public agencies it serves on a daily basis worldwide.

2003 HUMMER H2: WHEN MASSIVE IS SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH

2003 HUMMER H2: WHEN MASSIVE IS SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH

Written November, 2002 for Gannett’s DESERT SUN Newspaper

                                             

Recently, a big southern California Hummer dealer told me he ordered 10 H2s when they were first offered, figuring any truck that big and pricey would sit on his lot for months until he slashed prices and they finally sold.

Much to his pleasant surprise, he sold all 10 in one week, 8 of them to female buyers. Now he wants all he can get his hands on (H2s, not females).

General Motors (owner of AM General, the Mishiwaka, IN-based outfit which makes both the Hummer H1, H2 and all the military Humvees) tells us the “typical” H2 buyer is a 41-year old man with an annual household income of some $215,000. (Leaves me out on several accounts!)

Yet my own completely unscientific survey of H2 drivers has shown many, if not most, at least here in our Valley, are women.

H2 is the world’s biggest and baddest mass-produced SUV. It’s so big it’s better to call it by one of the nicknames which usually apply to RVs; a “rig” or an “outfit”.

At a dry curb weight of 6,400 pounds, H2, like Disney’s hippopotamus in a tutu and dancing ballet, is surprisingly nimble on-road. Off-road, it’s almost every bit as capable as its larger H1 cousin, that derivative of the military Humvee, which is to say it will go places where professional rock climbers would have trouble establishing their footing.

H1 (whose hardtop model outweighs H2 by only 400 or so pounds) uses a turbodiesel engine to produce a somewhat modest 195 horsepower but also a gut-wrenching 430 pounds of torque (that’s the low-speed power you use to climb over things). Our test H2 utilized GM’s 6 liter Vortec V8 gasoline-fired powerplant. It’s no slouch, developing a nifty 315 horsepower and an ample 360 foot pounds of torque.

H2 will get you just about anywhere H1 will; H2 just does it faster.

GM decided to use a lot of existing off-the-shelf parts to create H2. There are a lot of chassis and steering components on H2 which are also found in the 1500 and heavy-duty 2500 series Suburban SUVs. This allows H2 to have some exterior measurements which are actually larger than the H1 (like height and length) yet still remain lighter overall.

Also, sharing components with other GM vehicles lets H2’s base price come in quite a bit lower than H1’s. H2 starts at about $48,000, while a base H1 hardtop prices at nearly $107,000.

Inside, H2 comes with essentially the same familiar instrument panel and comfortable and highly-adjustable seating you’ll find in top-end GM trucks.

And that’s a good thing, because the old H1 is horribly uncomfortable. For one thing, the engine on the H1 protrudes halfway into the interior, bringing with it all the noise and heat only a huge turbodiesel can provide. In H2, the engine is well in front of the front passengers, and occupants are protected from H1-like powerplant nastiness.

H2 comes with anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes and a full-time all-wheel drive system which can be locked in several high and low configurations, depending on the driver’s read of the terrain. The transmission is a heavy-duty four-speed GM automatic. Side airbags are not available, but front driver and passenger airbags are standard, as is the popular OnStar telematics call-for-help system.

Options include a power sunroof and an on-board air compressor (though you need a hose to reach the tires. H1 can deflate or fill all four tires with the driver’s push of a button). There are also a huge number of factory stowage racks, hooks, tiedown systems, power winches and all other matter of off-road gear available direct from your Hummer dealers.

A six-foot guest found his legs surprisingly crunched in the rear seat of the H2. The rear storage area is large, but placement of the full-size spare tire in the back cuts down on usable space and also harms the driver’s rear visibility. How could they build a truck this big and not be able to design it so the spare tire goes under the truck?

Oh, and H2 can tow about 7,000 pounds. And can easily ford streams more than 20 inches deep.

H2 does everything any huge SUV is expected to do, with all the comfort, convenience, performance on- and off-road and safety you have a right to expect when spending these kinds of bucks.

It takes getting used to driving; heck, it takes getting used to climbing in and out of H2! You have to pay attention when piloting H2; forget eating lunch, turning around to yell at the kids or chatting it up on the ol’ cell phone. H2 demands respect, but, treat it as it deserves, and be rewarded with a driving experience like no other. Wherever you might want to go.

Which brings us to the inevitable Final Thought on H2: Its atrocious fuel mileage.

In a week of use in-town and on the open highways of the desert, we never got more than 9 miles per gallon, on average. H2 has a 32 gallon fuel tank and you’re going to be filling it, often. Don’t get behind one of these monsters in the self-serve line at the local gas ‘em up. You’ll be waiting for your turn at the pump almost as long as you would for a motorhome.

Ultimate Irony Department: Our US government has built a “severe” off-road test track at a facility in Quantico, VA, to test upgraded, built-up, strengthened and hot rodded versions of civilian pickups for use as military vehicles. Yes, the original well-over-a-decade-old Humvee is on its way out, and the Feds figure they can save some $30,000 per vehicle by taking existing trucks and converting them to military use. Just what GM has done with H2.
         H2 just might be the current hippest vehicle on the planet, next to the Cadillac Escalade (judging by what I see on MTV videos). Yet, in this day and age, is 9 mpg hip?

Smaller H3 and H4 models are already on the GM drawing boards. Maybe they’ll offer a high mpg hybrid model before too long.

2003 HONDA PILOT --- AT LAST, A TRULY HONDA SUV!

2003 HONDA PILOT --- AT LAST, A TRULY HONDA SUV!

Written October, 2002 for Gannett's DESERT SUN Newspaper

     There’s one huge loser when it comes to the 2003 Honda Pilot midsize SUV --- and that’s Isuzu. Because Isuzu is going to lose many thousand Rodeo sales every year, sales of that SUV which used to go to Honda.

     For several years, Honda had been selling a re-badged Isuzu Rodeo as the Honda Passport, and even though most consumers knew it was not a “real” Honda, they bought them in fairly big numbers anyway. That’s the kind of trust Honda buyers have in that company’s products (demographic and psychographic experts in the auto business have created an entire segment in their studies called “Honda-only” for a large group of buyers, especially those in California and the rest of the west coast).

     Winners from Pilot sales? Consumers. And Honda dealers.

Perhaps most of all, Honda’s reputation will be enhanced by Pilot. While the company still rightly sits near the top of most industry surveys when it comes to initial quality, re-sale value and the like, there’s been a slight feeling that the products are in some ways not as great as they used to be. And mere “good” is not enough for Honda. They want “great”, only. Pilot seems to fit that tough bill.

     Pilot is a 2003 Honda, but the vehicle goes way back to Honda’s original philosophy and their first cars in this country. Like those initial cute little Civics and Accords, Pilot is a lot of value for the money, with power, comfort and features you would not expect in a vehicle which base-prices at under $27,000.

     Where does Pilot come from? It’s built in Canada, and it is closely related to the Acura MDX, which has been with us for two years now. MDX is based on the Honda Odyssey minivan platform, so in a sense, the Pilot sees the wheel come full circle. Honda to Acura and then back to a Honda. And Honda’s North American “product planners” and engineers had most of the input into this vehicle --- Pilot’s designed and built in North America for this market, not for Asia or Europe.
    Pilot actually has a few features which sets it above MDX. For instance, the three rows of seats in Pilot can seat eight full-size adults, while the MDX’s seating is recommended for seven only. Also, Pilot has 8.8 cubic feet more of stowage space than MDX --- that’s not a lot, but it shows that Honda gave at least as much careful thought to Pilot as it did to the more expensive and exclusive MDX.

And it is price where Pilot really shines. Pilot starts at $26,900, while the base price of the MDX is $35,700. That means the most expensive Pilot with every option (leather, navigation system, DVD player, all the goodies) would be right around the base price of an entry-level MDX, and a top-line MDX could easily cost over $40,000.

Pilot shares the same basic engine with MDX, a highly-reliable, smooth and expressive 3.5 liter V6. However, in order to set MDX apart and above Pilot, this year MDX’s engine produces 260 horsepower, while the Pilot puts out 240 horses (what MDX had produced until this year). That’s still plenty of power for this vehicle, which weighs-in at under 4,500 pounds.

A five-speed automatic transmission is standard on Pilot, as is full-time all-wheel drive. There’s no extra low-range gear for serious off-roading, but the rear axle can be locked if the going gets tough in deep sand or dirt (remember, this is an SUV and some people might actually take Pilot off-road. Perhaps more so out here in the desert than in other parts of the country).

Pilot’s styling is not ground-breaking, as was the case to some extent with MDX. This is, after all, the “soccer mom” version of the MDX, the proletariat Honda as compared to the chi-chi Acura. Pilot looks solid, suburban and useful.

Inside, there’s comfort for most discriminating tastes. Pilot has been engineered to ride a bit more softly than MDX, adding to the comfort factor. This also takes a bit away from the handling of the vehicle, but the fairly low ride height (remember, Pilot is based on a minivan, not a pickup) should allow most drivers to avoid even a feeling of rolling over and keep Pilot “shiny side up and rubber side down” under most all circumstances. Instrumentation and controls are mostly up to Honda standards, though I found myself flipping the wiper control when I wanted to move the gear-shift lever. Pilot is definitely a bit noisier than MDX, built with less sound-deadening material. The 19.2 gallon fuel tank will provide between 17 and 22 miles per gallon.

While Pilot is not so much better than its competition in most areas of comparison, it does have that V6 Honda engine, among the best in the industry. For many people, Honda’s overall quality reputation combined with the rock-solid reliability of their engines will be enough to encourage them to take that all-important test drive. Put Pilot on your list.

CLASSIC ROAD TEST --- 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA

2003 NISSAN MAXIMA SE

Still crazy (fun) after all these years

     The Nissan Maxima has been around a long time (some of you may remember its precursor, the Datsun 810), and it keeps getting better. Maxima first appeared as an option on the 810 line in 1981; the next year, it was its own car and the 810 was no more.

     Last year, 2002’s Maxima got a larger engine with 255 horsepower and an available six-speed stick shift. This was because the new-generation Altima, the car that really helped turn Nissan around in this country, was becoming so Maxima-like that Maxima had to be moved upmarket, with more equipment, a bigger engine, and a higher price.

For 2003, Nissan has added an “SE Titanium Edition Package” option, and our test car was so equipped. This is a $999 package which includes a Bose stereo with an in-dash 6 CD changer, front seat side airbags, stainless steel door sill plates, titanium-tint accent stitching and a few other neat-o gimmicks (like a Radio Data System radio, which only works if you’re in a market where stations use the RDS feature. None do that I know of in Palm Springs…yet).

In spite of the extra grand in the car’s total, our Maxima still came in at well under $29,000. Maxima remains one of the best bargains in the business.

Maxima comes in 3 trim levels, base GXE, mid-range, sportier SE and topline GLE. Even that base car (starts under $25K) comes with 16 inch wheels and tires, and that’s a nice touch; SE and GLE both some standard with 17 inchers. All Maximas come standard with four wheel anti-lock disc brakes with power assist, and front driver and passenger airbags. In any event, no Maxima is going to cost more than $31,000 or so, with every possible option.

Our car tipped the testing scales at 3,320 pounds and we managed a respectable 24 miles per gallon average, driving that 6-speed stick as it was meant to be (hard). More judicious shifting and a lighter foot on the right pedal will garner much better mileage (as high as 28 mpg on the highway). But, hey, what do you expect from your intrepid Car Nut? I have to drive these cars tough to give you the most honest report! (And it’s a heck of a lot of fun in a car like Maxima). Like I say, it’s a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it…

Back to business. Maxima’s exterior has never been a strong point. In a way, that was a positive, as the car was a real “sleeper”, the last car the CHP would look at on Highway 10, yet a car more than capable of holding its own in the quarter mile (which it can clear in 7 seconds flat with the 6-speed) or on the open road.

It’s still a fairly bland design, but the new rear end (and spiffy, super-bright Infiniti Q45-look Xenon headlamps in front) have added some much-needed panache. Inside, it remains conservative but comfortable for four full-sized adults. Three in the back would be a squeeze.

Controls and gauges have always been a strong point in Maxima and remain so. Easy to read, simple to understand and use. Maxima keeps the entertainment the driving experience, and not as a side-show on the instrument panel.

And the driving is where the fun is. That 255 V6 powerplant (same basic engine that’s in the new Z-car) is wonderfully smooth, redlines at 6,600 rpm and you can use it all with the stick shift (a four-speed automatic is also available, but how often can you get a fun sedan at this price with this power with a stick? We say go for the stick!).

What the 6-speed Maxima needs is the front-end limited slip differential which comes on the Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V (reviewed previously in these pages). The car suffers from a good amount of torque steer when stick shift-equipped, something not as apparent in the automatic transmission cars.

And we still bemoan the fact that Nissan did away with Maxima’s independent rear end some years ago, as it “de-contented” the car to being down prices. The present solid beam rear axle cuts down on overall handling and comfort.

But overall it’s a kick to drive. Maxima has grown up over the years, and has grown well into its role as the “top” Nissan. Nissan’s ad campaigns over the years, stressing Maxima’s sportiness (remember the “four door sports car” ads?), convinced the public the car was not really a competitor to Accord, Camry and Taurus. But it was, and a good competitor at that.

Maxima has reached what is probably its height as a front-wheel drive car. The next generation car might be very different. Those shopping a more staid and “traditional” family sedan, whether it be one of the aforementioned super-sellers or even Impala or Intrepid, deserve to treat themselves to a Maxima test drive --- especially one with that 6-speed!

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CLASSIC ROAD TEST --- 2003 PONTIAC VIBE GT

PONTIAC’S 2003 VIBE ---

CROSS-CULTURE, CROSS-PURPOSES

     The Pontiac Vibe is the heavily-promoted “American” version of the Toyota Matrix. The interior and exterior designs have been done by Pontiac stylists for the Vibe, but the little sport/wagon is built on the same platform as the Matrix, both using the same Toyota 1.8 liter four-cylinder engine. It is built in Fremont, CA, at the factory shared by Toyota and GM. They’re all made on a version of the Corolla platform.

Though I was not really knocked-out by the Vibe, my wife thought it bigger inside than the Matrix and even thought the car looked bigger overall on the outside when compared to its Japanese cousin.

It is available with a 130 horsepower version of the 1.8 liter engine for base models, with your choice of either a four-speed automatic tranny or a five-speed stick.

The all-wheel drive models come with a 123-horse engine and an automatic transmission only. The AWD Vibe is not meant at all for off-roading; the power going to all four wheels is meant to help in overall on-road performance and handling, which makes us wonder why Pontiac (and Toyota) didn’t make AWD available in the “top” available engine, the 180-horsepower GT car.

The 180-horse GT model is a lot of fun but comes with a six-speed floor-shift only, so if you don’t know how to drive a stick, don’t ask the dealer about the GT model.

A nice touch on the topline car is that the GT comes standard with four-wheel disc anti-lock brakes, where the other models have front discs and rear drum brake set-ups.

But our dream Vibe would have that 180-horse powerplant available with all-wheel drive --- and so would the Matrix! But, we imagine that GM/Toyota simply could not find a reasonably priced, small AWD system which could handle the 130 foot pounds of torque and 180 horsepower which the GT dishes out. By looking at the numbers, we’d stay away from the AWD Vibe/Matrix.

With that model’s engine tuned to just 123 horses, and with the weight of the car at least 200-300 pounds over that of a front-drive base car with the 130 horse engine, the AWD models sound like real slow-pokes (interestingly, Pontiac does not list Vibe’s weight on their own website).

Also, keep in mind the AWD Vibe comes only with an automatic transmission, and that cuts down on acceleration, too. (The factory says 0-60 comes up in 9.5 seconds for the base car, 9 flat for the GT and somewhere around 11.5 seconds for the AWD model.)

Outside, Vibe looks a little too much like Aztek’s cuter young sister, and it’s a big step in the right direction. It’s certainly jazzier and more “boy racer” than the Toyota Matrix, and that’s to be expected from Pontiac with its tradition of flashy cars.

One thing we really liked about Vibe’s exterior is the standard adjustable roof rack (and inside there are adjustable rails in the rear cabin for tying-down bicycles and other large, unwieldy items). Also, the unique separately-opening rear window and tailgate are cool and useful features.

Spend the extra cash for the optional 17 inch tires and wheels, especially if you go for the GT model. The standard 16 inchers provide an exceptionally noisy and bumpy ride, and while the 17 inch units don’t help that, they do add a measurable improvement to Vibe’s overall handling.

Inside, seating is exceptionally nice, front and rear for four full-sized adults, especially for a car which does not have a model base-priced over $20,000 (Vibe pricing starts at a tick over $16,000).

Skip the $1600 navigation system. The main screen for that system and its too-small-for-human-fingers control buttons are a hassle. If you really don’t know where you are, save $1570 or so and buy yourself the latest Thomas Brothers map. The standard radio system in the car is just fine as it is. Also, we found the air conditioning able to handle some of our desert’s hottest days.

Dashboard design is Pontiac-fun-time, with silver bezels surrounding the main gauges (and reflecting too much sunlight) and red-light-at-night dial illumination, which you’ll get used to after awhile. The stick shift, if you get the standard tranny, is mounted high up in the center console, like a rally racing car (and similar to the new Honda Civic Si) and is a lot of fun. After some time in the car, you realize this is where stick shifts should always have been in a lot of cars!

The engine, though, is buzzy (but got as much as 30 mpg on the highway) and the GT model requires a lot of shifting in-town to keep the car anywhere near its usable powerband. That’s the same thing we said about the Matrix, but the kicker is this: The car is inexpensive and you get a lot of features for the money. This is a great car for a college student or a second (or third) car for an established family.

In fact, the Pontiac models are priced a bit higher than their Toyota counterparts, but with General Motors’ incentives like 0 per cent financing, don’t run out and buy a Matrix without doing the pencil work on a similarly-equipped Vibe. Our test topline GT car, with most all options (but a sunroof), came in at $22,500, to the penny. Not bad at all for a sort-of domestic entry in the Tuner Car wars.

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