AJAC TEST FEST 2005: Sports Performance / Modern Muscle

Story by Russ Bond
Photos Courtesy CNW Group

Each year, selected members from AJAC (Automotive Journalists Association of Canada) descend on Shannonville for a week-long test session of all the new and significantly revised cars and trucks, with the idea of determining the AJAC Car and Truck of the Year.

For the past four years, I have been attending, and I have been lucky to have been part of what I think are the best groups to evaluate. This year I had ‘Sports Performance’ and Modern Muscle.

In the Sports Performance group, it was kind of like that game on Sesame Street. You know the one: ‘One of these things, is not like the other…’ (you can sing that part if you want). The contenders were the Mazda MX-5, Mitsubishi Eclipse GT, Chevy Cobalt SS Supercharged, Pontiac Solstice, Honda Civic Si, Pontiac G6 Coupe and the Corvette. Not just any Corvette, mind you, but the ALMS-car-with-run-flat-tires-version, the Z06.

By any stretch of the imagination, this grouping – I thought – could have no clear winner, as in my opinion, the Z06 should never have been in this group. It is nearly double the price of any of the others – and often double the performance as well. The judging does take that into account; AJAC has a formula they apply after the scores are submitted to equal out the pricing issues, so we will see just how it turns out.



Putting that issue aside for a moment, I’ll start by saying the Z06 is exceptional value for the money. It is stunning on the road and on the track. Very drivable on the highway, and will murder just about anything on any track.

As for the rest of that group, I thought it was pretty close. I could see a sports-minded buyer looking at the rest in that group – they seem to be in the same market.

Things that impressed me in that group were the MX-5 (Miata) – it is much more refined and drivable compared to the last Mazdaspeed Miata, which I thought was a little peaky. The new look, and the fit and finish is why the MX-5 is still going to be one of the most popular convertible sports cars on the market.



The G6 was actually quite good on the track, and the new Si definitely was the rocket of the bunch. The Cobalt SS was the easiest to drive fast without working up a sweat – that one is a sure winner for Chevrolet. The Solstice, while looking great, could stand a little more development, and the Eclipse, though overweight and pushy, is miles ahead of the last one.

I don’t know which will come out on top, but like I said, it probably should have two winners. The Corvette, and what ever is judged the best of the rest.

My second group had a similar sort of issue I thought to begin with. Modern Muscle featured the Chevy Trailblazer SS, Dodge Magnum SRT8, and the Mazdaspeed6. Two other entries, the Cadillac STS-V and the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, were withdrawn just before Test Fest by their respective manufacturers because they couldn’t guarantee enough customer deliveries in 2006 to satisfy AJAC’s rules.



At any rate, at first glance, the Mazdaspeed6 seems a little out of place, but I found out very quickly, muscle doesn’t necessarily mean V8. The Speed6 is clearly the best Mazda to come along in some time for performance enthusiasts: all-wheel drive, great power from the turbocharged 2.3-liter, direct injection, and a very well-developed suspension package. A quick note to Targa Newfoundland racers – look into a Mazdaspeed6 for ‘06.

The most impressive of the traditional muscle, was clearly the SRT8. What a blast on the track! I did a few laps with four people in it, and managed 140 km/h through turn 1 on Nelson track – this from a station wagon. Kudos to the performance folks at Dodge; the SRT8 is just fantastic to drive.



The Trailblazer is all motor, and sound. The LS2 V8 is great to listen to, the suspension is better, and the SS package looks great. They could fix the seats though… Right turns were fine, but lefts would find you sprawled over the center console.

Again, I am not sure which one will win, but Modern Muscle will prove to be much closer than Sports/Performance.

We’ll find out which vehicles win in all 11 categories by early December, and AJAC Car and Truck of the Year will be announced during the Canadian auto show rounds early next year.