Inside Track Motorsport News - Streetwise Blog

TESTED: 2007 Acura RDX

2007-06-12T15:49:00.000-04:00

By Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Acura Canada

For years now, Honda has eschewed any form of assistance when it comes to making horsepower, preferring to use higher compression ratios and red lines rather than resorting to ‘cheating’ with turbos or superchargers.

It is, after all, called Honda Motor Company…

So as a result we saw little four-banger screamers revving to eight or nine-thousand rpm: Civic SiR, Integra Type-R, Prelude SH and the S2000.

But now Honda – as with the rest of the market – is jumping head first into the Crossover segment, and small-displacement low-torque high-revving engines just don’t suit the soft-roader segment in North America. Given the company’s desire to offer a vehicle positioned below its popular Acura MDX, it was faced with a quandary. Using the redesigned CR-V platform meant that none of the Honda/Acura V6 motors would fit, and even the 210-horsepower version of the corporate 2.4-litre found in the TSX would come up short next to its luxury branded rivals, Honda did the unthinkable. It turned to turbos.

Well, not turbos plural, but certainly to the technology. Seeing the efficiency provided by a properly designed turbocharger as a viable way to stay ahead in the fuel-economy and emissions game, a brand-new engine was designed for the new for 2007 RDX.

Displacing 2.3 litres, Acura’s new powerplant features the company’s Variable Flow Turbo technology that can narrow the turbo intake passage to spin the turbine faster thanks to improved exhaust flow. Combined with the i-VTEC variable valve timing and cam phasing, the RDX produces 240 hp @ 6000 rpm and a very stout 260 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm. Add in competitive fuel mileage for the segment – 12.5 l/100km city and 9.3 l/100km highway – and it’s apparent that Acura has put just as much effort and engineering prowess into its debut turbo.

(I figure it took about 25 seconds before someone dropped one of these into a ’93 Civic Hatchback…)

A five-speed automatic transmission routes the power through Acura’s SH-AWD system introduced on the RL sedan two years ago. The RDX is by definition a front-wheel-biased machine that sends up to 45 per cent of the engine power to the rear axle. The SH – or Super Handling – part comes from the system’s ability to send up to 100 per cent of that rear-biased power to the outside wheel, effectively rotating it faster than the inside wheel, making for higher cornering forces and greater stability.

Despite all this all-wheel-drive trickery, the RDX is definitely an on-road biased vehicle. With a relatively low ride height, 18-inch street-biased tires, and very ‘sporty’ – i.e. firm – suspension settings, the RDX is definitely a little corner carver. The all-aluminum engine helps give it some admirable turn-in, and the brakes on the 1,810 kg package are firm and responsive.

Inside, as with all Acuras, drivers are treated to a very high level of specification with very little being available on the options list. A great sound system, moonroof, xenon headlights, power driver’s seat and dual-zone automatic climate control are standard, while the Technology package adds Navigation, a rear-view camera, Bluetooth connectivity and an upgraded stereo. The space follows the Acura future-Asian theme with lots of faux brushed aluminum, lots of buttons, and bright gauges.

It’s on the outside that the RDX is at its weakest. While everything from the B-pillar back is stylish and well put together, the nose still has some work left. The very large front overhang isn’t helped by the angled lower fascia, while the ‘speed strakes’ in the five-pointed grille are a fussy afterthought. It’s obvious the design was guided by the need to feed cool air into the engine bay, but the result is something that looks unfinished.

Pricing is very simple; the RDX starts at $41,000 even, while adding the Technology package brings that total up to $45,000. That’s a pretty penny in today’s market, especially given the larger vehicles that command that same price tag. However, the RDX will sell, especially to size conscious Canadians who jump on compact anything much easier than our American cousins. Even a turbocharged Honda.

TESTED: 2007 GMC Acadia

2007-06-12T15:43:00.000-04:00

By Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy GM Canada

Faced with the prospect of slow-selling, badly dated Envoys getting even more unpopular thanks to the increasingly rapid demise of the traditional body-on-frame SUV, GMC has finally released what it hopes will be a competitive shot in the white-hot Crossover market.

Meet the 2007 GMC Acadia, one of General Motors’ new full-size triplets designed to be more user friendly and less compromised on road compared to its previous offerings. Designed from the start as a ‘real’ seven seater – as opposed to those mid-sizers sporting Geneva Convention defying third rows – the Acadia is one big machine. Based on the new front-wheel-drive unibody Lambda platform, it is actually larger in every dimension compared to the ancient Envoy, although its clean styling and driving style make it appear and feel smaller than it actually is.

Powered by GM’s ‘High-Feature’ 3.6-litre V6, the Acadia comes with 275 horsepower, and uses the new GM / Ford joint-venture six-speed automatic. Power is directed either to the front wheels, or optionally all four. As of y et, there is no alternative engine, which is a shame since the Acadia’s power is average at best, and lower than either of the Envoy’s outgoing units. And with a curb-weight of 2,234 kg, it needs all the help it can get, especially with all seven seats occupied.

However, with full independent suspension all around and four-wheel-disc brakes, the Acadia does a very good job of getting around town, smothering out nasty pavement humps while proving to be relatively agile. The vehicle’s width and long wheelbase become very apparent when trying to park or negotiate tight turns, but in more open environments, you never take notice.

Inside, Acadians are treated to a new high in terms of GM cabin design, with very little nasty plastic used, and the dash-top storage bin is handy to stash keys, glasses and a cell phone. Our SLT tester had a 10-speaker Bose sound system with a rear-mounted DVD player, and all Acadias come standard with a raft of safety features including six airbags, StabiliTrak with Proactive Roll Avoidance and traction control.

GMC has kept its pricing in check as well with two-wheel-drive Acadias starting at $36,495, while a fully-loaded all-wheel-drive SLT2 will run about $44,000.

The downsides? Well, the big C-pillars provide massive blindspots, the fuel economy is still dreadful, and the towing capacity has dropped considerably, reducing the Acadia’s use as a utility vehicle even more. There are rumours that perhaps a V8 engine might find its way under the hood, which could be a mixed blessing.

And although GMC has done an excellent job at putting a Toyota Highlander / Honda Pilot competitor into the market, its biggest competition will come from within: the virtually identical Saturn Relay, and the soon-to-be-announced Chevrolet version on the same Lambda platform. Hopefully the Acadia’s position as the first model out of the gates will give it the head start it needs to secure a foothold in the market.

Forza Motorsport 2 is coming...

2007-05-04T12:37:00.000-04:00

Microsoft just sent us a few teaser shots and a quick video of its new racing game for the XBOX360, Forza Motorsport 2. We had great fun playing the original, and in some respects, we preferred it to our old standby, Sony's Gran Turismo series.

Look for it to hit store shelves May 29, 2007, and we'll hopefully have more insight into the gameplay soon after.

(After watching the video, was anyone else thinking last lap of Sebring '07? At least Bergmeister and Melo didn't hit the wall, though!)

Download the preview here.

DRIVEN: 2007 Suzuki SX4

2007-04-13T10:58:00.000-04:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos Courtesy Suzuki Canada

Suzuki has been making some very big headway recently with the introduction of its new Grand Vitara and offered-everywhere-but-here Swift. The positive reviews just keep coming.

Now, the company has taken its aging Aerio out to pasture and replaced it with the SX4, a vehicle designed in a joint venture with FIAT, that aims to appeal to more than just the, ahem, decidedly female customer base of its predecessor. That’s immediately apparent with Suzuki’s new viral marketing campaign that sees the little SX4 play the modern equivalent of a knight’s steed in the very clever ‘Wolfboy’ choose-your-own-adventure online movie (www.wolfboy.ca).

While the SX4 follows the Aerio’s path of being a tall-yet-compact four-cylinder hatchback with optional all-wheel-drive, the former is pitched as more of a diminutive SUV alternative versus the latter’s city-based roots. A generous ride height, matte-grey plastic fenders, a roof rack and tall-profile tires means the SX4 emits some off-road signals, although lower-range models come exclusively with front-wheel drive.

However, all-wheel drive becomes available when you start climbing the price ladder. While at first glance it appears that the system is typical of mild AWD systems – i.e. off until you need it, then with a heavy front bias – which is true. However, the SX4 offers drivers a couple neat options. The first is to turn the system off completely, which improves gas mileage when you don’t need it. The second is the ability to ‘lock’ the power into a 50:50 split at lower speeds, giving the car some impressive traction is lousy conditions.

This came in extremely handy as we had our JLX tester during the first major storm of the season around Toronto, dumping close to a foot of snow and slush over a two or three day period. Even with the stock all-season tires, with the AWD locked, the SX4 proved to be a little tank, unstoppable in the aftermath and completely confidence inspiring. In fact, if you’re in a mood to play, the SX4 proves to be a good partner as power-on slides out of slow corners are simply a tip of the gas pedal away. Highly entertaining.

Part of that confidence came from the car’s powertrain, which is really quite impressive. While the 2.0-litre four-cylinder only puts out 143hp @ 5,800 rpm and 136 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm, that’s still one of the most powerful base engines available in its price range. And, paired with the low-geared five-speed manual transmission, the SX4 is decidedly sprightly. The engine is eager to rev, and the relatively low torque peak provides some much-needed grunt around town. While it’s difficult to comment on the clutch feel as we drove the car exclusively with big winter boots, it was progressive enough to not bunny hop away from traffic lights. And the shifter was more agricultural than your average Honda, but well within the spirit of Suzuki’s offering.

The downside of such peppy low-speed response is a highway ride that’s especially hectic. Cruising along with the speed of traffic on Highway 401 will see the tach needle hovering at 4,000 rpm, and given the SX4’s rough-and-ready nature, most of that noise gets transmitted into the cabin. This is not a continent-crushing GT, especially given the car’s short wheelbase and torsion-beam rear suspension.

The other main area that Suzuki has improved is its seating position, especially for taller drivers. Piloting the Aerio would see steering wheel plunked in the drivers’ lap with little or not room to push the seat backwards to gain more room. While the SX4, like most modern Euro-designed small cars, has very upright seating with tons of headroom, there’s a much better relationship between the ‘larger’ drivers and the major controls.

And it’s amazing what you get in the way of controls and materials in a vehicle that’s priced so competitively. As with the Grand Vitara, the SX4 doesn’t make you feel like you’ve spent your hard-earned money on a penalty box, with an above average quality to the dash, door panels and HVAC controls. However, the SX4’s radio and display are too small and dim to read properly, especially when wearing sunglasses, and the buttons to change the radio’s source are fiddly and difficult to distinguish from one another.

Still, the SX4 is one of those rare cars that you enjoy despite its flaws. Rather than wishing for it to meld to your driving style, you adjust your driving style to suit its habits. Once you connect with it, you’ll be amazed at how eager and sturdy it is when you need it.

Thankfully, as hinted before, the SX4 will not hurt your wallet when it comes time to purchase. The ‘base’ two-wheel-drive manual-transmission version starts at a $15,995, while a fully-loaded all-wheel-drive automatic JLX with ESP (electronic stability program) comes to $23,595, which is only $100 more than a very-base-model Subaru Impreza wagon. Our manual-transmission AWD JLX tester came to a reasonable $21,495 – save the money from the power-sapping four-speed auto and forget the ESP, especially given the regular car’s abilities.

And the SX4 will start to build more street cred in the next year or so as Suzuki is using it to step up to the World Rally Championship in a 300-horsepower turbocharged version. Oh, how we long for the days of homologation specials… but the regular version is still a great place to start.

DRIVEN: 2007 MAZDASPEED3

2007-02-28T11:44:00.000-05:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Mazda Canada

Mazda has never been known to overpower any of its products in recent years. Even the MAZDASPEED versions of the old Protégé and Miata gained only modest power, despite the addition of a turbo. It was always more a question of handling balance versus outright power. Even the MAZDASPEED6, with its 270 horsepower is blunted by being trapped in a body that weighs over 3,600 pounds.

However, someone at Mazda has finally gotten the message, perhaps in the wake of the Dodge’s SRT offerings – 240 horsepower in the old Neon, potentially 300 in the new Caliber when it hits dealerships later this year. Coming to the hot hatch party underdressed wouldn’t garner Mazda many headlines.

So they let their creative braintrust loose with the new MAZDASPEED3, taking the very potent 2.3-liter direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder from the MS6, and slapping it in the lighter 3 body. Leaving out the all-wheel-drive system shed even more weight, and the result is a relatively svelte (for 2007, anyway) 3,150-pound package.

Although the MS3 is a few horses shy of its bigger brother – 263 vs. 270 – but the torque output is identical with 280 lb-ft peaking at a low 3,000 rpm. Combined with a close-ratio six-speed gearbox, a clutch-type limited-slip differential, and Mazda’s torque-management system working overboard, the MS3 blows from a dead stop to 100km/h in 6.1 seconds.

During those 6.1 seconds, you’d imagine that it would be chock full of strained arms trying to control a torque-steering monster, but Mazda’s engineers have done a very good job of limiting the to-and-fro. The torque-management computer reads dozens of inputs from the ABS sensors, traction control, steering-angle sensors, etc., and limits the power appropriately in the first two gears. There’s still wheel-spin – you could smoke off the summer rubber muscle-car style in a minute or two if you’re determined enough to abuse it – but the MS3 has been designed from the start with enough beefy pieces to survive the big front-wheel-drive launches.

Thankfully, the suspension has been designed to suit more than just the wrong-wheel-drive drag crowd. Mazda claims a 60 per cent improvement in roll stiffness thanks to retuned dampers and spring rates, along with fatter stabilizer bars. Larger brakes hiding behind 18-inch wheels with low-profile sticky tires round out the package.
Driving the MS3 is a lesson in brutality. Compared to, say, the Volkswagen GTI, the Mazda rides rougher, is louder, faster and corners harder. It’s a much more hardcore machine than Germany’s hot hatch.

The only problem with all that effort spent at reducing torque steer and tire smoke is the reduced effect it has on feel. And while the MS3 grips and grips and grips, you never find you can just dance with it. Subtlety is not its forte… at least not the driving portion.

Visually, there isn’t much to differentiate the MS3 from the lesser models. A larger front bumper, larger rear hatch spoiler, those larger wheels, and the big single exhaust. The True Red paint job – the only colour available in 2007 – tries to garner some attention, but even then, you’d be hard pressed to spot the differences from 50 feet away.

But when you have so much power underhood, being considered a sleeper is never really a bad thing…

Inside, the seats get bigger bolsters, and the pedals are aluminum, but the rest mimics the regular 3’s facelift for ‘07. While the design is still modern, some of the materials are feeling a little brittle, but the cabin is certainly no penalty box.

Mazda has done a decent job at positioning the MS3 competitively in the hot sport-compact segment. Without any options to choose, the pricing comes in at $30,995, higher than the base prices of the Honda Civic Si and Volkswagen GTI, but better equipped than either. Might as well try the most powerful hot hatch available while they last…

DRIVEN: 2007 BMW 335i

2007-02-28T11:36:00.000-05:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy BMW Canada

A year after launching its new 3-Series sedan, BMW has now taken the opportunity to fill out the remainder of its entry-level lineup. And, at the same time, introducing a brand-new engine that will sate power-hungry Bimmer-philes for quite a while.

While the 3-Series Coupe (codenamed E92) made its Canadian debut at last October’s AJAC Test Fest, it whetted our appetites enough to want a more ‘extended’ test when time permitted. Now that we’ve spent a week in BMW’s new two door, we’ve come to appreciate it even more.

Or should we say appreciate the engine even more. Certainly you’ve already heard about BMW’s first forced-induction gasoline engine since the BMW 2002 Turbo – the company has been making excellent turbo-diesels for years, so they’re not out of practice by any means. Combining a direct injection 3.0-liter inline six with two small light-pressure turbos, BMW has come up with nice round power numbers: 300 hp @ 5,800 rpm, and 300 lb-ft @ a ridiculously low 1,400 rpm.

While 300 horses in a relatively small car is a near guarantee of fun, it’s that torque figure that really stands out. With the peak hitting barely above idle, it’s the big-block-style shove in the back in any gear at any time that characterizes the 335i Coupe. Turbo lag is virtually nonexistent, and with this flexibility, the six speeds feel superfluous.

And, although the 335i weighs 150lbs more than the outgoing M3, the performance gap between the two is negligible. (All of which bodes well for the new V8-powered E92 M3 that makes its debut later this year.)

With such a spectacular engine under hood, you could almost excuse the 335i Coupe if it looked like a dog’s breakfast. Thankfully, it doesn’t, although photos don’t do the car any justice. In person, the Coupe is a more conservative evolution of Chris Bangle’s styling direction; in fact, from the rear, it looks remarkably like a 6-Series with the truck ‘fixed’.

The front isn’t anything special either, although you could argue it’s very much a Q-Car: understated on the outside, anything but underneath.

As with every 3-Series built, the 335i is a performance enthusiast’s dream, with BMW’s typically responsive and engaging chassis, although the run-flat tires do make the ride unreasonably harsh – the first thing M-sport engineers do is throw on ‘normal’ rubber. Why BMW doesn’t adopt that thinking across the rest of its range is a mystery…

Meanwhile, the optional Active Steering is still in the ‘Undecided’ category. At low speeds, only having to use half a turn of lock to maneuver is exceptional, and backing off at high speeds so you don’t go flying off into the weeds if you sneeze certainly is the smart thing to do. However, if you’re in the middle of a changing-radius turn, the combination of speed and angle change can be really unsettling. You find you need to take two bites out of complicated corners when one should suffice.

Non-Active Steering is still superb, though, so you might as well save some money by not selecting it.

The brakes are sufficiently beefy that they’ll take just about anything the road can throw at you, but a day at the track might find them wanting. Why a ‘big-brake’ option isn’t available on any of BMW’s models – including the M’s – is increasingly curious.

Inside, the main features will be familiar to anyone who’s driven a new 3-Series in the last year as the Coupe shares the sedan’s fitments; iDrive is (thankfully) an option, while the sport seats are firm and supportive. Ergonomically everything is correct, but finished with very little passion. Some extra verve would be welcome…

As with any German car, the pricing depends heavily on what options you check; value for money is not at the top of BMW’s game. The 335i starts at $51,600, while our reasonably well-equipped tester – Sport Package, Premium Package, Active Steering and Park Distance Control – rang in at $60,550.

Still, despite the gripes, the Coupe continues to set the bar further away from its rivals. The Infiniti G35 came closest, but we haven’t seen the new two-door version yet. The Lexus IS350 doesn’t come with two doors, and the Mercedes-Benz CLK350 isn’t focused enough. Until someone looks beyond ‘benchmarking’ the 3-Series and truly invests in perfecting the sport coupe, BMW has the enthusiast vote all locked up.

DRIVEN: 2007 Audi Q7

2007-01-18T17:11:00.000-05:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Audi Canada

Being late to the Luxury SUV party at this point could spell lost profits and questions like ‘what’s taken so long? Well, Audi, what’s taken so long?

Four years after corporate siblings Volkswagen and Porsche launched a two-pronged attack on the luxo-sporty SUV market with the Touareg and Cayenne respectively, Audi has taken its sweet time in responding with a ‘wagon-on-stilts’ offering of its own.

However, don’t accuse the 2007 Q7 of being a simple badge swap. No, Audi took the VW/Porsche platform, stretched it, massaged it and made it its own. The engineers at Ingolstadt threw out the bulky and chunky ‘true’ four-wheel-drive system that gave the ‘Tourenne’ some serious off-road credentials, and installed Audi’s own Quattro-based on-road-oriented all-wheel-drive hardware. Clearly the company was acknowledging the car-buying public’s preference to stay on pavement with only the odd cottage road throwing up the occasional challenge.

The styling, based on the Pikes Peak concept vehicle from a couple years back, really is the most aggressive-looking vehicle Audi sells. Pinched, slanting headlights with LED side markers, big gaping intakes and that massive grille all distill into the new corporate DNA. From the side-on view, the Q7 has very little to differentiate it from other Audi wagons other than the big bulging fenders, while the rear features new-shape taillights and, well, that’s about it.

Thankfully, the whole package is designed proportionally as only when you’re walking around it does the Q7 really show its size. Scope the optional 20-inch wheels (or the 21’s in the S-Line pack) with 55-series tires and they look like 17’s on any other car…

Inside, the Q7 is another example of ‘Audi Modern’, with the now ubiquitous grey-on-grey, a smattering of wood (or aluminum), red gauges and great ergonomics. As usual, the buttons all have wonderful tactility and anything that swings or moves is damped. To be honest, it’s starting to get a little boring, and it would be nice to see the company take another step forward with its newest products. The second-row seats have a ton of legroom, and there’s even optional quad-zone climate control and heated rear seats.

The other thing that separates the Q7 is that it can seat seven (in a very tight pinch). The two optional rear-most seats are very small, and the sloping roofline severely cuts into adult headroom. With the seats folded, the Q7 offers an enormous amount of cargo room, but as with other mid-sized SUVs with seven chairs, storage space drops considerably with the extra seats in use.

The Q7 comes in two flavours: 3.6-liter V6 or 4.2-litre V8, both of which come attached to the aforementioned Quattro system through a six-speed automatic transmission.

As you can imagine, the number of available options across the line is stunning. The our loaded V8 tester had just about every option you could throw at it including DVD-based navigation system, adaptive cruise control, 20-inch wheels, a towing package that ups capacity to 6,600 lbs. and adaptive air suspension. A rear parking camera, panorama moon roof and a host of three-letter acronyms and glut of airbags dedicated solely to keeping the passengers safe are all standard equipment on the ‘bent-eight’.

Our V6 tester was optioned to be more engaging to the driver. Missing most of the (heavy) luxury items mentioned above, it also featured the S-Line package, which adds larger 21-inch wheels and tires, sport suspension, different front and rear bumpers, aluminum trim, an S-Line steering wheel with shift paddles and a smattering of badges inside and out.

While the V6 isn’t tremendously powerful (280 hp vs. 350 hp for the V8), the S-Line package really makes the most of the 6300-pound brute. The lighter engine, coupled with the sport suspension and wide, sticky tires made the Q7 3.6 relatively nimble. While there’s relatively little feedback from any of the controls, the Q7 is a moderately entertaining vehicle to drive quickly.

Once you add the weight of the V8 and associated hardware, even the optional air suspension’s ‘dynamic’ setting can’t make the Q7 dance. While the extra power would be useful to those willing to tow small boats or racecars, the less expensive (and much less thirsty) V6 option would be the better option all around. The 3.6 starts at $54,500 with our Premium S-Line-equipped model asked $69,250.

While a Q7 4.2 starts at $68,900, our just-about-loaded tester rang in at a wallet-bending $83,500. Tick all the options and a Q7 4.2 Premium commands a price of $93,250. To truly appreciate the vast number of combinations possible with Audi’s options list, it would be best to browse online and really research what you need and what you don’t.

While it would be difficult to say the Q7 was worth the wait, Audi has put forward a class-competitive vehicle that should resonate well with its intended customers. The only question is how many prospective Touareg and Cayenne buyers will be cannibalized by yet another corporate sibling rather than from the BMW and Mercedes-Benz camps.

For those looking to spend even more ridiculous amounts of money, Audi has recently announced that it has found a new home for its R10 Le Mans racer’s twin-turbocharged diesel V10 engine. Where? Under the Q7’s hood. Yes, really. No word yet on whether or not that model will make its way across the Atlantic. If it does, we’ll supply the party hats.

REPORT: Test Fest 2006

2007-01-18T17:07:00.000-05:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy AJAC

For the umpteenth year now, AJAC has held its annual Canadian Car of the Year Award evaluation called Test Fest, and Inside Track was invited to the party. Between Russ Bond (see page 54) and I spread out over six of the 13 categories, we were certainly prepared to cover an incredible spread in machinery.

This year, the entire Test Fest action was moved from its traditional home of Belleville, ON and Shannonville Motorsport Park to Niagara-on-the-Lake and a temporary track facility at the Niagara Regional Airport. As Russ has already mentioned, the new track certainly was fast and challenging, and quite a change of pace compared to the two tracks at SMP.

Fair warning: by the time you read this, the AJAC CCOY category winners will already have been announced, but for fun, I’m going to put forward my predictions on the three classes I was a part of anyway. Talk about a wide range of classes; I was tasked with evaluating SUV/CUV Under $35,000; Sports/Performance Under $50,000 and Prestige Over $75,000. While I don’t have the room to go into detail on every single vehicle, I will give you a brief run-down on each of the competitors.

Whereas in past years, the SUV and Crossover categories were split based on off-road capability (i.e. the Crossover contenders never went mudding), this year the split was (correctly) based on price range and market realities. A miniscule percentage of people actually take their vehicles off road, and the awards should reflect that.

Given that it was the lowest-priced SUV/CUV category, it was interesting to see how each of the manufacturers (eight in all) ‘packaged’ their various vehicles (nine in total) to slip under the price limit. Some genuinely did it on value, like the absolutely loaded Hyundai Santa Fe ($34,295) and the Jeep Compass ($26,135) and Wrangler Unlimited ($29,750), while others offered mid-priced versions of their mid-class vehicles, like the base front-wheel-drive Ford Edge ($33,919) and mid-level Dodge Nitro SLT ($32,830).

The others rounding out the group included the Honda CR-V ($29,700), Mazda CX-7 ($34,185), Saturn Vue Green Line ($31,690) and the Toyota RAV4 V6 Sport ($34,980).

First off, to answer your first question, yes the Jeep Compass drives exactly like its Dodge Caliber sibling, which didn’t bode well for the cheapest member of the group. The Nitro feels like what it is: a stretched and reworked Jeep Liberty with some neat touches, but an unrefined engine and body control kept it from garnering top scores.

The Vue Green Line is an old SUV in desperate need of replacement, while the RAV4 is a rocket of a small SUV (and I believe Toyota’s fastest vehicle) but the rest of the package just doesn’t live up to expectations.

The Wrangler Unlimited is big, rough, noisy, uncouth, jarring and, well, perfect for its intended purpose, which is to go over big, sharp rocks, ford streams, climb mountains and hit the beach. The only problem is that off-road ability is only a relatively small portion of the overall score, and the noise, vibration and rough ride that make it a true Wrangler mean it won’t be the category winner.

If the Edge we had were equipped with all-wheel-drive, it would have been a top contender, but the only two-wheel-drive model was at a disadvantage here. The CX-7 was the enthusiasts’ choice, but its so-so fuel consumption will mar its shot.

The new CR-V is really only an evolution of the models before it, but I predict it strikes the right price/value/performance balance to win out in this group. We’ll see if I’m right.

On to the exciting stuff. In Sports/Performance Under $50,000 it was like the old Sesame Street song: ‘One of these things is not like the others; one of these things just doesn’t belong.’ The challengers? The Acura CSX Type-S (a Honda Civic Si sedan in North of the Border clothing), the Volkswagen GTI, the Mazdaspeed3… and the Saturn Sky Red Line.

Hmm… three small front-wheel-drive compact cars vs. the low-slung, gorgeous, turbocharged roadster? Yeah – that’s fair.

The Type-S/GTI/MS3 fight was a worthy one. All three were hotted-up versions of their pedestrian siblings. Hot hatches (and sedan) personified.

The Sky, which I wasn’t a fan of before, now makes more sense with a turbocharger; 260 horsepower in a light car is nothing to sneeze at. Better shoes than I figured you could quite easily keep up with some of the Over $50K siblings if you were working hard. So, great track car then? Yes, but you still get all the ergonomic nightmares I’d written about a couple issues ago, and just because you have an intercooler doesn’t mean the roof goes down any easier…

The CSX Type-S was actually underwhelming compared to the Civic Si coupe from last year. The addition of not as supportive leather seating, a navigation system and other luxury touches have taken the purity away from the normally aspirated screamer. It’s still very predictable on-track with great brakes and steering feel, but you wonder why you wouldn’t either get the Si for performance, or step up to the not-much-larger TSX for more luxury.

I’m intimately familiar with the GTI, having spent quite a few weeks behind the wheel in various guises. It was at Test Fest in four-door format for the first time, and I was very surprised that Volkswagen decided to leave the car’s trump card at home. The awesome DSG transmission that we’ve raved about in the past was nowhere to be seen, and while VW’s manual is still a pleasure to drive, it’s no DSG. The GTI was a good middle-packer, but not tops in this group.

The brute of the bunch was the Mazdasspeed3; 263 horsepower and 280 lb-ft through the front wheels sounds like a recipe for disaster, but Mazda has certainly done their homework. Equal-length half-shafts, a limited-slip differential, retuned suspension, traction control and torque-control management means all those horses make their way to the pavement. Passing is stupid-easy with all that torque, and the turbo lag is really unnoticeable.

Wonderful seats, a reworked interior, and a price tag equal to its lower-powered rivals, and the MS3 comes out as my pick of the bunch.

In the Prestige category, the $75k price limit really was arbitrary as none of the four contenders even remotely approached that price. The ‘cheapest’ was the stunning Jaguar XK Convertible at $122,450, through the Lexus LS460L ($122,700), the Mercedes-Benz S550 4Matic ($132,400) and finally the Audi S8 ($150,250; the highest MSRP at the event.)

Like S/P<$50k, the XK8 really was the odd car out in a sea of performance luxury sedans. The while the convertible isn’t as sexy as the coupe, the Jag still imbues any driver with a sense of style, regardless of whether they deserve it or not. Some might whine that it’s an Aston body-double for half the price, and I say, ‘Hey! It’s an Aston body-double for half the price! What’s the problem?’ Some people…

The rest of the three were – excuse the old cliché – like the three bears. The Lexus LS460L is a huge improvement style-wise compared to the last generation, and the new 4.6-litre V8 and world-first eight-speed automatic transmission are trick pieces. However, given that the stretched LS’ most comfortable seat is the passenger-side rear, a major cush factor was applied. Sporty? Not at all. Complete Mama Bear.

On the other side of the scale is the hardcore, V10-powered Audi S8; all grunty noises and taught handling, the S8 was the best balanced on track, and could really be hustled for such a large sedan. At part-throttle, the 450-horsepower engine makes your spine tingle, and the glorious $7,800 Bang & Olufsen sounds system took over after that.

Not a luxury car in the traditional sense of the word as the S8’s interior is starting to date a little, especially compared to the new top-shelf offerings from Lexus and Mercedes-Benz, but absolutely the sporting choice. Papa Bear all the way.

I’m not sure Mercedes-Benz would appreciate me calling their new S Class ‘Baby Bear’, but that’s what it ends up as. The company has done a great job of blending the sporting with the indulgent, and jamming it full of the usual techno-stuff that takes you months to realize is already there. Although on paper, the new V8 is down on power to Audi’s Lamborghini-derived V10, on the track they’re neck and neck for acceleration.

And the Benz does an admirable job of hanging on in the corners as well. It would be interesting to see how an AMG version did around the track.

M-B’s take on the 7-series cabin really is quite nice, and it certainly isn’t as shocking as when BMW introduced it five years ago. Still, it’ll help propel the S Class to the category crown this fall.

REPORT: Test Fest 2006… Uncensored!

2007-01-18T17:02:00.000-05:00

Story by Russ Bond
Photos courtesy AJAC

Yes, I got in trouble at the Automobile Journalists’ Association of Canada (AJAC) Test Fest… I knew I would – trouble just seems to follow me around sometimes, and when you put that many cars in one place with a “racetrack” at my disposal, there’s going to be problems.

To be honest, we journalists have – for the most part – driven the majority of vehicles that are in our groups before we ever get to Test Fest, as part of our regular road tests, so we sort of know what they are like. The difference at Test Fest is that we drive them back to back on the local roads and highways, and on a track.

Ah yes, the track.

This year, the ‘track’ was three runways at the Niagara Airport that were littered with cones, which formed the track layout. The first day we had to stop “testing” so Dalton McGuinty could land and then take off again in his private jet, one that we probably pay for. Right about now he’s pissed off at losing his ‘red carpet.’ You see, when he boarded to leave, they left the carpet on the ground. Once the engines were started, said carpet was last seen at about 100 feet and climbing.

McGuinty wasn’t our only aircraft experience this year. On the second day, a funny looking jet fighter came by, and then landed. “Hmm, what flag is that on the tail?” I wondered. Then, not too long later, two American F-18 fighters show up and do a couple of passes.

I’m thinking, this might be a good time to take a car, and leave the airport before all hell breaks loose. Turns out, the old fighter belongs to a private pilot, and the F-18s were ‘practicing’ – for what, I’m not sure.

All these planes at an airport meant a delay in our track time.

After they’d finished with the runways, I got my first experience on the track, which went fairly well. It was a great layout, and it was fast. I think it was far faster than the previous location, Shannonville Motorsports Park, and didn’t have any of those annoying first-gear chicanes that they normally put in. The cars could be put through their paces in relative safety, as there was nothing to hit.

We all go out on the track, and even though the memo we receive from AJAC read, “The track is for dynamic testing, not to display your racing prowess,” or something to that effect, I’m guessing I’m not the only one paying little or no attention to that. Just standing at the side of the track you can hear the tires squealing and engines racing, bouncing off rev limiters. Maybe that’s what ‘dynamic testing’ sounds like.

You see, what happens is some of us – the others will remain nameless – play a little cat-and-mouse game amongst ourselves. They let us out on the track together, but spaced apart – after all it’s not a race. What we do – and we all do it, regardless of what the others say – is try to catch the car ahead of us. The object is, if you are leading, don’t get caught, and if you are ‘chasing,’ try to catch the guy ahead. While ‘dynamically testing’ your car, of course.

I noticed that another journalist was constantly lining up behind me as we waited for our turn on the track. I figured I would get used to the track, by doing one of my other groups first before I get to the ‘rockets’ – Sports/Performance over $50,000.

By the third time I line up with one of my convertible group, I can’t help but notice that my ‘competition’ is taking faster and faster cars each time. This time I am in a Volkswagen Eos 2.0T, and he’s in a Shelby GT500.

He hasn’t been able to catch me yet, but this will be close. The Eos was actually pretty good, aided by its DSG transmission. I finished my ‘test’ with ease – no Shelby in sight.

Test Fest is more than just wailing around the track. I find its always good fun to stop at a convenience store while you are out on the road portion of the test. You stop, in one car, then are back an hour later in something different, then again in something else. The look on the clerk’s face is always priceless, you can see it going through his mind, “Wasn’t that guy here earlier in an Audi, then a BMW, and now a Shelby?”

Sometimes they will ask, sometimes they won’t. I just look at them like there is nothing wrong. One guy asked me how long I’ve had the Shelby. “About a half hour,” I said, with a perfect poker face.

My groups this year were diverse to say the least. I had Sports/Performance over $50,000; the SUV/CUV over 60k and the Convertibles.

Here’s something I can’t quite wrap my head around. In the Convertible group, I had an Audi A4 Cabriolet 2.0T, and in my SUV’s over 60K I had a Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer MAX.

Now, I know that someone who is in the market for one is miles away from looking at the other, but hear me out. The Audi A4 Cabriolet came in at $65,350, while the monster Ford came in at $63,424 – (I had to go back and look at the sticker on the Ford again as I thought it must have been $93, not $63).

The Audi is very nice, is well equipped and is a leader in that segment. The Ford has enough seating for a soccer team, with more entertainment systems than your local bar, heated and cooled seats, navigation and a power liftgate.

My question is how can Ford offer all it does in that model for 60k?

I heard from another journalist it was like Walmart buying stock for its stores, versus your local corner store. Walmart pays much less based on sheer volume. Whether this is true or not, I don’t know.

What I do know is ‘stuff’ costs money, so the more stuff you have, the more expensive it should be, right? If you do the math, (taking the weight and dividing it by the cost) based on mass, the Audi is $36.71/kg, while the Ford is $22.71/kg.

I guess you could argue the Audi is a ‘premium’ brand, while Ford is more mainstream, but I really, really liked the Ford in its group, as I did the Audi in its. And I’m not pitting one against the other, I just don’t understand how you can get that much ‘stuff’ for that price?

The reason I got in trouble this year was for giving rides in the test cars to manufacturer reps that were on site. Apparently there is a time for this, and it wasn’t time yet when I was out there. Before I found out I couldn’t give rides, the guy from Dodge was the best. He got a call while we were wailing around the track, and he managed to finish the call – all the time talking a few octaves higher…

DRIVEN: 2007 Hyundai Entourage

2007-01-18T16:56:00.000-05:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Hyundai Canada

It’s not often that we test a minivan here at Inside Track, seeing as Streetwise reviews are generally aimed at the more sport-oriented enthusiasts. However, most folks face the reality of needing a people hauler in addition to their sports car or hot hatch.

Usability, space and decent fuel economy were tops on my list of vehicles to take on a trip to New Brunswick as three adults and two dogs going away for a week during fall creates an incredible amount of luggage and detritus. Hyundai was more than happy to let me take their new 2007 Hyundai Entourage on the 10-day journey.

First things first. The Entourage is essentially a slight reworking of the all-new Kia Sedona minivan, albeit with Hyundai’s own touches. The Entourage was very much an ‘on-again-off-again-on-again’ program as Hyundai initially cancelled its planned introduction, then changed its mind and called ‘game on!’

It’s a wise thing that saner heads prevailed as the Entourage really is another example of the Korean company really doing their homework and putting out a great product that truly competes with the best in the segment.

Forward of the A-pillar, the Entourage features unique, more up-market styling compared to its Kia sibling, while the rest of the body gets a few chrome touches to differentiate the two. The design is ‘standard minivan’ but you really can’t complain too much about that.

It’s inside that the Entourage really shines. There are cubbies and cup holders everywhere, two big glove-boxes, door-mounted driver’s seat controls, logical HVAC and stereo controls on the dash, and clear, bright gauges. In the back, our top-level GLS tester featured second-row HVAC controls, and a roof-mounted DVD player with a flip-down LCD screen and two sets of wireless headphones. Hyundai has also adopted the current trend of roll-down sliding-door windows, which really is one of those ideas that makes you wonder why it hadn’t been done that way in the past.

Also, the flip-down fish-eye ‘brat’ mirror allowed those of us traveling in the front to keep an eye on those two pooches to prevent any unneeded snooping through luggage for hidden treats.

The seats do deserve some praise as the front chairs were comfortable for the 15-hour journey to Fredericton, although a little more rearwards travel would be appreciated by those long of leg. In the back, the third-row seats fold perfectly flat into the cargo floor with a very easy pull-pull system, however Hyundai hasn’t caught up with DaimlerChrysler’s second-row fold-flat seats.

Those second-row seats do travel fore and aft on rails and recline for comfort, and while removing them is relatively painless, replacing them can be frustrating and awkward.

Still, with the rear seats folded and one second-row throne pulled and stowed in the back with the cargo, it was amazing just how much stuff you could pack in while leaving plenty of room for dog beds and water bowls. This was a good thing as my girlfriend has started packing relative to the size of the vehicle we’re taking. Hyundai claims the most interior room of any minivan on the market, and given its ability to swallow the whole enchilada without complaint, I’m not about to question that fact.

Thankfully, the Entourage’s large size is offset by its wonderful powertrain. Hyundai has come to the table with its new DOHC CVVT-equipped 3.8-litre V6 as found in the Azera sedan, albeit tuned for more torque delivery. In the Entourage, the engine puts out 242 hp @ 6000 rpm and 251 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm, second-highest in each category behind the Odyssey (2 hp) and Ford Freestar (12 lb-ft.) respectively, and gives the vehicle a ULEV rating.

Mated to a five-speed automatic transmission with Shiftronic, the Entourage really pulls strong through the bottom part of the rev range, albeit with the penalty of torque steer if you really cane it. Passing situations are addressed easily, and the manu-matic transmission allows for easier gear selection when cruising up and down the Appalachians in eastern Quebec. No getting stuck behind a logging truck for us!

The rest of the time, the Entourage was happy to cruise at a comfortable speed along the Trans Canada, although road noise was higher than we would have liked. Still, the surprisingly taught suspension did soak up all the major road imperfections without throwing the whole vehicle around in the process. Around town or on the two-lane back roads along the St. John River valley, the Hyundai was sprightlier than it had every right to be, although I think the Odyssey or Nissan Quest would still be the outright sporty handlers.

Over the course of the 4,000-plus kilometer trip, the Entourage averaged about 11 L/100km, which stretched fill-ups to about 550 km with lots of room for error. And, despite the relatively big power ratings, the Hyundai only needed regular gas.

As with all Hyundai offerings, the Entourage’s biggest playing card is its value. The already very well equipped base GL starts at $29,995, while our full-bore GLS Leather tester, which adds 17-inch ally wheels, upgraded six-speaker stereo, power driver’s seat, ESP, front heated seats, power sliding doors and tailgate, fog lights, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, back-up warning sensors, trip computer and the DVD player rang in at $37,195 with no options.

Add to that Hyundai’s standard five-year/100,000km powertrain and comprehensive warranty, three-year 24-hour roadside assistance and the IIHS Top Safety Pick award, and the Entourage truly is a real competitor to the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna.

So would the Entourage really appeal to the ‘enthusiast’ driver? Well, given its broad dimensions, I imagine you could fit a kart in there without too much hassle. Anyone have a tape-measure?

DRIVEN: 2006 Ariel Atom

2007-01-18T16:36:00.000-05:00

Story by Mark Swain
Photos courtesy Todd McCall / On Track Promotions

"Light weight, supercharged Ecotec engine, superb braking, race-engineered suspension, open cockpit, and you are going to let me drive it? Fantastic!”

The above conversation centered around the spectacularly anticipated Ariel Atom, and I was in heaven. The Atom’s entrance into the Canadian and United States marketplace is definitely a welcome addition, although it’s not new to North American automotive enthusiasts. The car etched its place in history with one five-minute video clip that originated on the U.K. television show BBC Top Gear. This clip went on to greater acclaim on the internet, soon becoming one the most watched automotive videos on the web. If you haven’t watched it yet, please take a moment to now. I’ll wait.

I remember the first time I saw the Top Gear test. The phenomenal results placed the Ariel Atom right at the top of the charts with some of the most reputable supercars. The greatest part of the entire video is watching as the tester Jeremy Clarkson blasts down the Top Gear track with his face literally flapping in the breeze! Now that is fast!

After watching the video several times I was off to the internet to do some research on this new supercar. Pouring over specifications and photos I figured this would be as close as I got to the real thing.

Fast forward a couple years to 2006, and Dave Goadby has started distributing the cars within the Canadian market. I know Goadby very well as I was fortunate enough to drive for him at TMI Racing. At the time we raced an Ultima GTR as well as a Stealth B6, which are both European supercars in their own right. The news that he was going to bring the Ariel into Canada seemed like a natural fit.

The Canadian distributor will be working closely with Brammo Motorsports in the United States. Each Ariel Atom for the North American market will be built at the Brammo Motorsports facility in Oregon. In Canada, one car has already been sold and I imagine many more will hit the streets once a few Transport Canada issues are sifted through. As of yet the Ariel Atom is not road legal up here.

The race track really is the only place to fully test the potential of a vehicle. This being said, we headed to Shannonville Motorsports Park to see if all the hype could be substantiated. I arrived just as the car was being unloaded and rolled into pit lane. It is definitely not hard on the eyes!

Taking a walk around reinforces the fact that this is a quality-built automobile. The attention to detail has created perfection from stunning welds, to the carbon fiber body panels that actually fit! Anyone who has kit car experience will know what I am referring to here…

Now it was time to get behind the wheel and have some fun. The cockpit of the Ariel Atom is very functional. The digital dash displays all the important information including a neat shift lift incorporated in the tachometer needle. Racing seats are mounted on fully adjustable sliders that make it easy to get comfortable; even at my height (6’3”) I had no problem fitting.

Many sports cars are so highly tuned that you need a team of engineers to get them started and ensure you have executed every ritual before you put it in first gear. Not the Ariel Atom – a touch of the start button brings the beast to life at an idle so smooth and quiet you have to look twice to see that it is running.

A final tug on the shoulder straps of the five-point safety harness and I am away heading into turn 1 of the Fabi circuit. The stock GM-sourced drivetrain allows for easy starts with good clutch feel. Bringing the car slowly up to speed I can’t help but smile! The car is just great to drive at any speed. A few slower laps allow me to familiarize myself with the car. A quick look down shows you the tires working, a look left allows you to look through the car and judge the apex curbing, and listening behind allows you to hear the gentle wail of the supercharged Ecotec four-cylinder engine.

A quick trip to the pits after the orientation laps allows us a chance to do a quick once-over and ensure everything mechanically is working ok. It also gave me a chance to discuss some of the handling characteristics with Brent Gates of TMI Racing.

Gates is an accomplished racecar driver in his own right, having won numerous Canada Challenge Cup events as well as racing in the Rolex and Grand Am Cup series. Besides working with the Ariel Atom program, he is also a lead engineer at AIM Autosport, so he knows a thing or two about set-up and handling.

I was told that the car is currently set up with street car alignment specs as well as damping rates. Gates will be working in the future to develop a base race set-up for customers to use. With the mechanical check complete and the tire pressure reset, it was back to the track.

Acceleration is brisk to say the least, shifting at a conservative 6,500 rpm still gives more than enough zip. The car comes alive from 4,500 rpm onwards and keeps pulling all the way to redline. The gear ratios are fairly good, however for the Fabi circuit it would have been nice to have second and third gears closer together.

The car has very quick steering response. Understeer at the turn-in point and the ability to induce oversteer on exit are common handling traits until you are able to get some heat in the tires. Once the tires are warm the car quickly darts to the apex and powers out with ease. Trailing-throttle oversteer can be used to your advantage with the Ariel Atom. A quick lift of the throttle going into the double-apex left-hand corner allows the rear end to gradually rotate and steer the car in the desired direction. Reapplying the throttle liberally quickly stops the rotation.

Braking comes in the form of four piston calipers connected to a manual Tilton pedal assembly. The manual pedal allows for great feel and the ability to modulate braking at the limit. To put it bluntly, the car stops fast! After an hour or so of lapping the brake pedal did become a bit long, but still had great ability to stop the car. Changing to racing brake fluid will cure this problem.

The Ariel Atom is a great car and an ideal choice for avid lapping day enthusiasts! At the end of the day I was still smiling, the car was in one piece, and after many, many laps not one thing had gone wrong. Stunning good looks, drivability, performance, and just plain cool! This is a great recipe for success.

Pricing for the Ariel Atom starts at $41,995 US for the base model, while the full race package tops out at $93,450 US. For more information on the Ariel Atom please check out www.arielatom.com.

DRIVEN: 2007 Saturn Sky

2007-01-18T16:21:00.000-05:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy GM Canada

In the years that I’ve been reviewing cars and the dozens of different models that get parked outside the Inside Track offices continually, no one has ever gotten hurt before.

That might sound like a stupidly obvious statement, and I never truly believed that anyone could injure themselves checking out a ride, no matter how nice.

Then the Saturn Sky arrived.

No word of a lie – one of our sister magazine’s sales managers now sports a bruised and bloody lump the size of an egg on his forehead after walking into an iron support beam while scoping out the Sky over his shoulder. While we all believed his story that the beam ‘appeared out of nowhere’ – sure, Rog – it was perhaps the most dramatic proof that despite its recent troubles, General Motors still has some design mojo stocked up somewhere.

The 2007 Saturn Sky is the sibling to the white-hot Pontiac Solstice, GM’s big attempt to prove that it can produce niche vehicles as well as anyone else. It’s also ‘Maximum’ Bob Lutz’ first tangible results as the company’s car guru, and many have pinned their hopes on the twin two-seat roadsters taking a big chunk out of Mazda’s record-breaking MX-5 sales.

You can’t deny that the Sky looks amazing… when you’re sitting inside, all you can see are those razor-sharp fender creases, both front and rear, and those big rear haunches really do help convey that Saturn means business.

If the whole thing screams ‘Opel’ to you, well that’s because it is. The Sky will be sold as the Opel GT in Europe, while Vauxhall gets a version as well. The new ’07 Aura sedan is much the same as its Continental Vectra sibling as Saturn now becomes a rebadge division after years of being ‘a different kind of car company.’

Unlike every other Saturn, the Sky actually uses (some) sheet metal instead of the dent-resistant polymer pieces that gave the division its reputation for massive panel gaps… a revolution, I know.

Inside, things appear kosher at first glance, however once you spend more than a few minutes sitting behind the wheel, the Sky’s obnoxious ergonomics and cheap materials really make you wish for the keys to that MX-5. The most obvious defects include not being able to contort your wrist enough to reach the window and mirror switches placed too near the driver along the sculpted door panels, and the lack of any interior storage space bar the tiny glove box and the de rigueur cubby between the seatbacks. The ridiculously flimsy cup holders pull out underneath said cubby, and when a drink is installed, interferes with the cubby’s hinged door.

This is nothing compared to the utter contempt and frustration one feels when having to put down the top, which is a multi-step process in futility. Roll down the windows slightly, unlatch the roof from the windshield header, pop the trunk using the key fob as there’s no switch either inside or outside the cabin, fumble with the folding roof’s spring-mounted trunk attachment points, open the rear-hinged trunk by wedging your fingers into an incredibly minute gap between body panels, finally flop the roof down into the now-nonexistent trunk space, close the trunk, pop the trunk again because the center-latched affair takes just the right amount of shove to fit properly… you get the idea.

It’s absolutely the antithesis that is the MX-5 roof, which takes all of three seconds to open or close thanks to brilliant engineering and lots of forethought. And you still get a decently sized trunk in the Mazda.

While it’s understandable that given GM’s lack of experience designing a rear-wheel-drive two-seat roadster other than the Corvette that there would be some bugs. However, the Sky’s roof design really is off-putting. I’m a big fan of convertibles in general, and will gladly dress up in a toque, scarf and gloves in order to really maximize the roof-down season, but after two days of the tedious exercise required to turn the Sky into a sun-chaser, I just left it up for the rest of the week as it was too much of a hassle.

Thankfully, the Sky does have some redeeming qualities. Amazingly, for such a short-wheelbase sports car, it does ride surprisingly well and makes for a decent highway cruiser. Saturn says that its car and the Solstice share the same suspension design, but that the Sky’s bushings are softer, allowing for a more comfortable setup.

Despite being about 400 pounds heavier than the MX-5, the Sky’s 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder give the car decent response thanks to 177 hp @ 6600 rpm and 168 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm, although our tester’s five-speed automatic blunted the car’s acceleration. While the five-speed manual isn’t the last word in refinement, being able to select your own gears does improve the ‘roadster’ appeal.

The Sky works best when not pushed to its absolute limit. The softer suspension allows the car to lean more than the Solstice would, and while the brakes are responsive, actual stopping distances aren’t really impressive.

What the Sky will excel at is more relaxed Sunday drives, the odd spirited blast down a back road or cruising along Yorkville in the middle of summer.

The biggest pill to swallow, though, is the price. Saturn is asking more for the Sky than an equivalent Pontiac as the former is aimed more upscale. The base Sky starts just over $31,000, but once you add the five-speed automatic ($1,250), upgraded sound system ($930), red leather interior ($1,520), and the 18-inch chrome wheels ($950), you get a price – $37,420 – that exceeds a fully-loaded MX-5 GT.

One can only hope that the addition of 100 extra horsepower, one extra gear and some suspension work can help the Sky Red Line bolster the line’s reputation as something other than just a modern boulevard cruiser.

DRIVEN: 2007 Mercedes-Benz B-Class

2007-01-18T16:15:00.000-05:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Mercedes-Benz Canada

Despite having a reputation for building some of the most solid luxury sedans in history, Mercedes-Benz has been on a real quest in the last 10 years or so to extend itself into just about every niche possible. Would the company have even considered building an SUV (other than the ultra-basic military G-Wagen) in the mid-‘80s? No… you would have been laughed out of the board room for even suggesting such a thing.

But 10 years is a long time. In that span, we’ve witnessed two generations of ML SUVs, the lackluster C-class Coupe, the gorgeous CLS and – hold your breath – the front-wheel-drive A-Class – sold everywhere else but North America, of course. Now that the A-Class has come around for a full redesign, Mercedes-Benz decided to amortize some more of the platform’s costs by building a bigger, more solid B-Class, with which to attack the growing ‘premium hatch’ market.

Seeing as Canada is more than receptive to hatchbacks compared to the sedan-favouring United States, the 2007 B-Class has hit Canadian streets far in advance of our American neighbours.

Now, before I get into detail about the B-Class itself, we the question of whether or not Mercedes-Benz’ second attempt at a premium small car will be any better than its first has to be answered. Certainly the environment for such a thing is leagues ahead of where the C-class Coupe was launched, helped by MB’s main competitor BMW and the Mini brand. They proved that small can be hip, and combined with exorbitant gas prices, the small premium hatch isn’t the anchor it used to be.

Thankfully, Mercedes-Benz have learned from their earlier errors and put together a very capable package. The B-class, like its A-class sibling, is based on Mercedes-Benz’ sole front-wheel-drive platform, the same one that mounts the transverse four-cylinder engine very low and at an angle so that in a collision, the motor will be directed underneath the ‘sandwich’ flat floorpan. Like most small space-efficient cars, the B-class features MacPherson struts up front, but uses a compact ‘parabolic’ rear axle to save on packaging.

The B-class’ styling is very much “R-class lite” with sweeping shoulder and window lines mixed with a fairly blunt snout. In standard guise, the 16-inch wheels seem a little small, and the car tends to look more MPV than hot hatch.

Mechanically, there are two B-class engine options, the 2.0-litre normally aspirated four-cylinder (134hp/136lb-ft) in the B200, and the same engine with a turbo strapped on in the B200T. Our Arctic White B200T tester served up 193hp @ 5000 rpm and a solid 206 lb-ft from 1800-4850 rpm. Combine that plateau of torque with the AUTOTRONIC continuously variable transmission (a $1,500 option; six-speed manual comes standard) and the B200T becomes quite the little front tire burner.

For those of you who have a passion against one-gear wonders (i.e. CVTs), have faith that Mercedes-Benz has done an admirable job of making the electronic throttle very responsive. The computer programming really makes the car quite enjoyable around town, and for those who want to, the CVT does provide six ‘preset’ gear ‘ratios’ to swap between by moving the gear selector back and forth.

Inside, it really is typical Mercedes-Benz, only smaller. Plastics are soft-touch as in the rest of the range, and it’s tasteful and airy thanks to the Panorama sunroof that’s standard when you select the Premium package. All the gauges, switches and even the steering wheel feature back-lighting, and the eight standard airbags do a good job of boosting the B-class’ safety credentials.

The seats are comfortable, but not terribly sporty, and there’s a plethora or small cubby spaces to stow the usual detritus that accumulates in cars.

The driving experience in our non-Sport package equipped tester was, um, not really sporty. The steering was light and accurate, and considering its small size, the B-class had a great ride around town, soaking up most of the really offensive bumps and bangs that you encounter on a daily basis. While the $1,500 Sport Package, consisting of front sport seats, a sport suspension system along with 17-inch 10-spoke aluminum-alloy wheels and performance tires, would probably improve the performance somewhat, you still wouldn’t end up with a back-road burner or potential autocrosser. The B-class feels too big for that.

But it would work wonders as a small family hauler with lots of flexible luggage space, and that three-pointed star on the front does wonders for curbside appeal.

The major problem Mercedes-Benz will face is the value-for-money equation. While the B200T comes in at a high-ish base price of $35,400, once you get jiggy with the options list, the transaction price really starts to soar. Our mid-level B200T tester equipped with the $2,200 Premium Package – heated front seats, exterior chrome accents on the grille, rain-sensing windshield wipers, illuminated visor vanity mirrors, cruise control, auto-dimming mirrors and exterior Sight & Light Package, an electronic compass, and the Panoramic sunroof – along with Bi-Xenon headlights ($1,675) and the aforementioned CVT ($1,500) came to a stunning $43,275. A B200T with absolutely every option ticked – and there are quite a few including 18-inch AMG wheels and the COMMAND navigation system – totals a pocket-withering $57,434.

Obviously there are very few people who would actually load their B200T up that way, but Mercedes-Benz really has to hope that it can bank on quite a few buyers wanted to get into the brand at the lowest level if the B200 is to be a success. Audi – another one of the uber-expensive-options manufacturers – seems to be doing well with its more sporty but less useful A3 model, so perhaps the time is right for a popular small Mercedes-Benz.

DRIVEN: 2007 Dodge Caliber

2007-01-18T16:07:00.000-05:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy DaimlerChrysler Canada

After more than a decade as DaimlerChrysler’s entry level vehicle, the Neon is dead. Long ago considered to be little more than a rental fleet fodder (bar the balls-to-the-wall insane SRT-4) the cute, happy Neon descended into the category of bargain-bin special.

So it’s understandable that when introducing its brand new compact offering, the Neon name went into the ‘round-file’. Hence the 2007 Dodge Caliber now carries the entry-level flag in the DaimlerChrysler lineup.

All-new in this case really does mean it as the Caliber shares nothing with its Neon ancestor. The platform has been designed to see duty across the whole DaimlerChrysler fleet (including the Jeep Compass/Patriot twins) while the three DOHC four-cylinder engines (1.8, 2.0 and 2.4) were jointly designed with Hyundai and Mitsubishi.

When the Caliber was probably first discussed and the design locked in (i.e. pre-Hurricane Katrina) North America was still in love with their SUVs, and anything that looked like an SUV. So it’s not really a surprise that the Caliber takes a lot of its cues from the bigger Dodge Durango including the big cross-hair grille, power-bulge hood and big lights. The rear is equally, ahem, interesting with the matte-grey plastic trying to disguise the high rear roof line. Broad shoulders, chunky wheel arches and big wheels (only the base model gets anything under 17 inches!) also contribute to the SUV-ish feel.

You do have to see it in person to really appreciate that the Caliber is a compact car… photos just don’t do it justice. And the exterior design really is polarizing and colour sensitive.

However, understanding that while Americans won’t buy hatchbacks or station wagons but they will buy ‘crossovers’, it’s easy to understand why Dodge went in the direction it did. Another sedan might have carried the Neon stigma even if it had been renamed.

The Caliber comes in three trim levels, each with their own engine and drivetrain options.

The SE and SXT come either with the 148-horsepower 1.8L DOHC VVT engine or the 158-horsepower 2.0L. The R/T exclusively gets the 172-horsepower 2.4L version, but gets saddled with standard all-wheel-drive. The confusing part is that the 1.8L comes only with a five-speed manual transmission, while the other two engines are mated to non-optional (but $1,200 extra!) continually variable transmissions (CVT).

Confused yet? I sure was. While the 172 horsepower in our R/T tester looked decent on paper, the 3,308lb curb weight, all-wheel-drive system and non-responsive CVT made the Caliber a slug. Despite the modern engines, the 2.4 really struggled to make any power higher up, and real-world gas mileage suffers accordingly.

Why Dodge thought that 172 horses were too much to let loose without the heavy AWD system is incredible, especially given that the front-wheel-drive Caliber SRT4 on its way now will put out 300 horsepower. Apparently, the unofficial word is that thanks to initial grief from us journalists, Dodge will at some point launch a front-wheel-drive 2.4-litre R/T with a five-speed manual. Hallelujah.

Dropping 200 pounds, two driven wheels and the CVT would do wonders for the top-of-the-line Caliber, as the rest of the package really is quite useful. While Volkswagen drivers will probably suffer strokes after a stray knuckle-knock on the dashboard, the Caliber’s interior packs lots of great ideas into a small package. The big hits are the glovebox fridge, big enough to keep four bottles of water cool when the air conditioning is on, along with the iPod holder that flips out of the center console.

However, the neatest thing is the optional ‘Music Gate’ system that mounts a pair of speakers in the rear hatch that can flip down when the door is open to provide tunes at your next beach bash. Combined with the rest of the cubbies, pockets and bins, the Caliber does provide a space for just about everything you’d bring along with you.

So while the Caliber is a bold move forward for Dodge, the end result itself is a lesson in compromise. The opening price of $15,995 is truly attractive given the size advantage you’d gain over the tiny Korean and Japanese offerings, the materials are a little cheap. All-wheel-drive security brings extra weight and blunted performance, and at $25,895 the R/T isn’t a bad deal, although loading up the options list starts to really make you question your decisions.

Those wanting a truly sporty small car from Dodge should wait for the aforementioned two-wheel-drive R/T, or put your money down for the guaranteed small-car tire toasting SRT4.

DRIVEN: 2007 Volkswagen GTI

2007-01-18T16:00:00.000-05:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Volkswagen Canada

Now this is what I’m talking about! After having already reviewed two versions of Volkswagen/Audi’s new small chassis in the A3 2.0T and 3.2 quattro – and found them lacking in the performance vs. price equation – Inside Track has now had the chance to experience the best of the new breed: the 2006 Volkswagen GTI.

Much like the new Honda Civic Si, the new fifth-generation GTI is a renaissance for Volkswagen, whose MKIV models were known for being overweight, underpowered and underwhelming. The MKV model addresses most of those of those complaints – although weight isn’t one of them as the GTI now tips the scales at a less-than-svelte 1,500 kg.

However, VW’s gotten its mojo back and has done everything in its power to make the GTI a real competitor in the hot hatch arena once more. They even poached the Ford engineer responsible for the Focus’ much-loved ‘control-blade’ rear suspension design to incorporate something similar into the Volkswagen’s back end. Yes, you read that correctly – a GTI with independent rear suspension.

Combined with the MacPherson struts and 23mm integrated stabilizer bar up front, along with a tubular anti-roll bar helping out in the back, the GTI is a real corner-carver. It’s also the first VAG product in a long time that actually has some steering feel. The A3 is completely bereft of any feedback whatsoever, so it’s a real surprise to have its sibling actually talk back.

While the previous generation of GTI had either turbo-four or normally aspirated six-cylinder power, the new version uses the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder used in the A3 2.0T, pushing out a strong 200hp @ 5,100 rpm and 207 lb-ft @ 1,800 rpm. What’s most notable is that diesel-low torque figure makes passing maneuvers no-downshift affairs, but it plateaus at that amount all the way through to 5,000 rpm, making for an incredibly flexible power plant.

As with its siblings, the GTI has two options for transmissions: a normal six-speed manual, or a six-speed DSG, and Inside Track was able to spend serious time in both of them. Although the six-speed manual is much improved over the last Volkswagen version, the DSG really is the enthusiast’s choice. Normally I’m not a fan of the sequential paddle-shifters because of the nasty head-banging lurch, horrible around-town manners and burnt-clutch waft, but VW really has an amazing product on its hand.

(As an aside, Volkswagen is so confident in the DSG that it’s going to replace all ‘regular’ torque-converter automatic transmissions across the entire transverse-engine line by 2008. Plus, Porsche is said to be working on a seven-speed version of its own DSG for use in the new 911 Turbo.)

Driving the GTI in anger is a great thing for the senses. The intake and exhaust are more aggressively tuned compared to the Audi, and it makes all sorts of farts and brrrrapps! when you’re coming on and off the throttle. It really is a full WRC-style job coming into a corner. Stamp on the brakes, tug the left paddle two or three times, turn the wheel, plant right foot again, smell burnt rubber, rinse and repeat.

One thing that really goes a long way to helping that impression is the great plaid Recaro seats that come standard on the GTI. They are perfectly shaped, wonderfully comfortable and thoroughly supportive, and are in fact the only seats in a VAG product that didn’t give me back pains after hours behind the wheel. The optional leather seats available aren’t nearly as nice to sit in or look at, so save yourself $2,580 that the Leather Luxury Package (including power sunroof) costs and stick with the lighter cloth seats. If you're desperate for the glass panel, it's also a standalone option at $1,400.

The $900 18-inch five-spoke phone-dial wheels, so the standard 17-inch ones look a little anemic. However, the ride is still firm enough without the extra un-sprung weight.

You’ve probably noticed I haven’t spoken much about the new GTI’s looks. Well, there they are. Seriously. The new Jetta’s been compared to a Toyota Corolla enough already, but thankfully Volkswagen’s added some added splash to the hot models. The blacked-out honeycomb front grille with bright red surround looks trick, but the rear is still very ‘generic hatchback.’ It’s a shame VW ditched their confident and classy ‘Euro’ look for something more than vaguely Asian.

However, the while our test cars were black and gun-metal grey, the bright white versions running around certainly have an appeal. White’s the new silver, maybe?

Pricing is fairly straightforward. A GTI 2.0T with the six-speed manual starts at $29,375 with the DSG starts at $30,775. Now go find your Fast.

DRIVEN: 2006 Pontiac G6 GTP

2006-07-05T10:32:00.000-04:00

Story by Steven James Day
Photos courtesy Steven James Day and GM Canada

Driving the 2006 Pontiac G6 GTP reminded me that I’m old enough to remember when GM offered its mid-size sporty cars such as the Lumina Z34 and Pontiac Grand Prix GTP with manual transmissions. They weren’t always the most refined, but they were quick and, most importantly, fun to drive. Then, citing poor sales, almost all the manual transmissions were cancelled and GM asked people to settle for automatics. And while GM does build some of the best automatics in the business, it’s no substitute for a proper manual.

Well, it’s 2006 and building a sporty car without a manual just doesn’t cut it, so Pontiac found a six-speed manual for the new G6 GTP coupe and sedan. Although they share identical drivetrains, I prefer the look of the coupe, so I arranged to test a Liquid Silver example that also featured the optional Ebony leather interior. The GTP-badged heated sport seats are very well bolstered, supportive and comfortable all at once. I can also honestly say that the quality of leather is one of the best I’ve experienced in any recent GM product that doesn’t have a wreath and crest on it. The leather-wrapped steering wheel is nice and chunky, with the shift knob (also leather wrapped) fitting well in my hand. The shifter doesn’t feel as precise as a Honda’s, but is smooth nonetheless.

The overall interior fit and finish is well executed, and although some of the trim pieces seemed to differ greatly in quality, it doesn’t feel cheap. You certainly won’t mistake it for an Audi, but it is leaps and bounds over anything that ever wore a Grand Am badge. The ergonomics are great and all of the controls were intuitive and easy to use. The four-gauge cluster (240 km/h speedometer, 6,000 RPM tach, water temp and fuel) was clean, attractive and easy to read, and light up at night in the orange-red that has been a Pontiac trademark for years now.

The standard eight-speaker 200-watt Monsoon stereo sounds crisp, clear and very loud for a stock system. It even features speed-compensating volume control, and since my test car had the leather interior, redundant controls were on the steering wheel. You can opt for the oddly named sport package to get the radio controls, leather-wrapped steering wheel/shift knob with the standard cloth interior.

Two optional features that my test car was equipped with was a six-disc in-dash CD changer ($435) and XM satellite radio ($325 plus monthly subscription). I might be a bit biased here since I do have XM in my personal car and love it, but I think one negates the other since I rarely listen to CD’s anymore since getting XM. Although I know quite a few people that can’t fathom paying $12-15 a month for radio, I find it worth every penny not to have to listen to the commercials and repetition that come with regular radio.

BMW’s Chris Bangle has drawn more than a little fire for his designs over the last few years, but you can clearly see the impact he’s had when it comes to automotive design. For someone who is supposedly reviled as a designer you can see his influence in quite a few cars, such as the new Lexus LS. Add the G6 coupe to the list because there is a crisp line in the trunk that is obviously the result of Bangle’s influence. Bob Lutz did hint that he saw Pontiac as the American BMW. Maybe those recent rumours of Pontiac’s entire line up going RWD will come true.

Back to the G6 – there’s a little Toyota Camry Solara in the rear with a hint of Nissan 350Z in the taillights. But overall the exterior is very clean, uncluttered and – most importantly – cladding free. The standard 18 x 7 inch wheels and chrome dual exhaust tips are a nice touch.

The only proportion that I found odd is when viewing the G6 directly in profile. The optional 18-inch ultra-bright polished wheels are pushed to the corners thanks to its stretched wheelbase, so it seems a bit long. However that translates into above-average rear-seat room for a coupe. I put my five-year-old son and his booster seat in the rear and had no issues buckling him in. I thought the rear window might be a bit too high for him to see out of, but he assured me that he could see just fine. Sitting “behind myself” was comfortable, but I don’t know if I could take sitting for a long trip back there. But then again I don’t plan to be anywhere but the driver’s seat…

Speaking of the driver’s seat, there were no problems getting comfortable thanks to the aforementioned sport seats that feature six-way power adjustment and manual lumbar support. Although clutch take-up is bit heavy, it’s nothing to be concerned with, and since the G6’s 3.9 litre V-6 produces 241 lb-ft of torque at only 2,800 rpm, the car launches with confidence when the throttle is mashed. Torque steer is minimal even with the standard traction control switched off and Pontiac claims a 0-100 km/h time of just less than 7 seconds, which I have no reason to dispute.

Horsepower comes in at a very respectable 240 @ 6,000 rpm. The engine is torquey off the line, simply just explodes above 4,000 rpm and pulls hard all the way to redline. The 3.9-litre V6 accomplishes this without four valves per cylinder or overhead cams, however it does feature variable intake valve timing and variable induction.

Out on the highway at 120km/h in sixth gear the engine just loafs along at around 2,000 rpm, which should make for very decent fuel economy. There is more than enough power to pass if you need to or just drop a gear or two and you’ll slingshot by just about anything. There also weren’t any squeaks or rattles as the NVH was kept to a minimum. I could hear my passenger without any problem.

The G6 feels way more Saab than Pontiac, which makes sense since it is based off GM’s Epsilon platform, which also underpins the Saab 9-3. The chassis absorbed any bumps I could throw at the car with a minor thump, and while the ride is firm it’s not harsh. The steering is weighted perfectly to the suspension and at 8/10ths the car handles very well. But when driving at 10/10ths and you push it a little too hard into a corner, understeer is the result as the 225/50R18 inch all-season performance tires lose grip. There is also quite bit of body roll through some tighter corners.

Should you push it beyond your capabilities, GM has fitted its StabiliTrak dynamic stability control system to both GTP versions, and full-function all-speed traction control is included as well. Both can be switched off via a button on the dash, but since I wasn’t able to test the G6 at the safety of a track I can’t say whether or not ‘off’ does indeed mean ‘off.’ While it’s nice to have collision-avoidance features such as ABS and StabiliTrak as standard equipment on the GTP, I would like to see the optional front and rear side-impact and head curtain airbags standard as well. However, unlike StabiliTrak, the front and rear side-impact and head curtain airbags are available across the entire G6 line. ABS is also optional on the lower trim levels.

My tester’s four-wheel discs with ABS possessed fantastic pedal feel and stopped the car repeatedly with confidence and without issue. Gone is the long travel and mushy feel of previous GM brakes.

Base price is a very reasonable $29,885 for the GTP coupe, while my test car came to $34,882 before freight or taxes. This price as tested includes $1,732 for the leather seats, $1,195 for the power sliding sunroof, $1,310 for the Ultra-bright polished 18-inch wheels, $435 for the six-disc in-dash CD changer and $325 for XM. I would skip the leather, polished 18 inch wheels and CD changer and opt for the side impact/head curtain airbags.

I enjoyed my time with the G6 GTP. It’s not a raw performance coupe – neither are its Accord or Solara competition for that matter – but is a very nice GT-type car with lots of standard features, luxury touches and quite a bit of refinement with excellent balanced performance. The G6 GTP would make an excellent daily driver, just be sure to opt for the six-speed to make it a fun daily driver. For a slightly higher base sticker price of $36,885 and slightly lower horsepower rating of 227 horsepower and no six-speed manual the GTP is also available as a hardtop convertible.

Georgian Pontiac in Barrie, ON provided the author’s 2006 Pontiac G6 GTP.

DRIVEN: 2006 Dodge Magnum SRT8

2006-06-29T13:15:00.000-04:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos by Ed Gatner

How do you best describe the 2006 Dodge Magnum SRT8? How about the station wagon from hell? The Devil’s own family hauler with room for three little devilkin and a decently-sized Cerberus? Hmm… not quite evil enough.

Have you seen this thing? Blacker than the pits of Hades, and three times as mean. I can’t count the number of times people took one glance at it and turned to stone. Well, not really – they were only so stunned by the sheer presence of the thing that they just stopped moving. Three neighbours I’d never met before suddenly became a whole lot friendlier when I pulled the SRT8 into the driveway.

The Street and Racing Technology (SRT) Group certainly did their jobs when the order for a hotted-up Dodge Magnum came down the pipeline. We’re already fans of the ‘regular’ RT, so you should already have a frame of reference to work from. Take out the already potent 5.7-litre HEMI V8, and dump in a 6.1 litre version that puts out a monstrous 425 hp @ 6000 rpm and 420 lb-ft. @ 4800 rpm. Then, lower the thing, stiffen up the suspension, up-size the anti-sway bars, fit a set of pizza-plate-sized Brembo brakes, slap on massive 20-inch five-spoke wheels with ‘real’ performance tires, drop in some Viper-inspired super-aggressive sport seats and then shake until Armageddon.

What do you get? One wickedly fast machine that goes, whoas and turns remarkably well too. It’s a muscle car that doesn’t get scared at the first sign of a twisty road, and can feel equally capable bringing home the weekly groceries.

Is it heavy? Abso-friggin’-loutely. It weighs in at 4,260 lbs., but thankfully feels much more nimble than its size and heft would suggest. On track, its behaviour is downright benign thanks to the Mercedes-Benz sourced Electronic Stability Program and those huge brakes. Oh, you can get the SRT8 majorly sideways – just check the photo above. But it’s not a hair-trigger thing – one wrong breath and you’re off.

No, the Magnum SRT8 is even happy doing the daily commute, and its surprisingly well-judged ride – you can thank that weight here – doesn’t beat you up going out for milk.

Of course, you always want to take the long way home, but that’s a whole other problem…

The Magnum is one of three LX platform cars that have undergone the SRT treatment. Like the three bears, the 300C is too subtle, while the Charger almost seems like it’s trying too hard. The Magnum version is just right.

Downsides? Well, if you have to ask about the gas mileage, stop reading right here. In this day and age of over $1-per-litre gas, anyone buying a six-litre engine who complains about gas mileage officially gets their human card revoked. Do your research. Dodge’s claims of 14 mpg city / 20 mpg hwy seem optimistic, especially given that the SRT’s V8 doesn’t come with the Multiple-Displacement System (MDS) that shuts down a bank of cylinders when cruising on the highway.

And, of course, since we live in Canada, you’ll have to find some huge snow tires and extra wheels that’ll fit over those monster brakes. Even the stock all-seasons on the regular RT’s are ‘marginal’ at best for this big rear-driver.

However, the great part is that the Magnum’s price is significantly lower than any other vehicle of its size and capabilities. The Mercedes-Benz E55 wagon, which admittedly is leagues nicer inside than the Dodge, starts at $122,000. Audi’s S6 Avant is now on ice for the time being, and BMW doesn’t make an M5 Touring (yet anyway). Nothing Japanese even fits the bill, and neither GM nor Ford offer anything comparable either.

A base Magnum SRT8 comes in at $46,520, while a fully loaded version with sunroof, side airbags, upgraded Boston Acoustic sound system, navigation system and all the bells and whistles only rings up to $54,195. A relative bargain for a little piece of hell.

DRIVEN: 2006 Lexus GS300

2006-06-29T13:11:00.000-04:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Lexus Canada

With Lexus’ domination of Mercedes-Benz over and done with, the Japanese company decided it was time to turn its attention to the new sales leader in the global luxury market, BMW. What you see here, the 2006 Lexus GS300, is the first of an entirely redesigned fleet of Lexii ready to tackle Bavaria’s most popular car maker.

Now in its third generation, the GS300 follows the same tune as before: a mid-sized four-door sedan with six-cylinder power and rear-wheel drive. The GS’ exterior styling follows what Lexus calls L-Finesse. We call it ‘Flame-Surfaced-Without-The-Bangle-Butt’ or ‘One-Better-Than-Bimmer’. Your call…

Anyway, it’s a handsome sedan, with a rakish rear window and low roof height that helps to give the GS a very sleek profile.

Under the hood, the biggest change from before is the adoption of a traditional V6 in place of the old inline six. Displacement is the same as before, 3.0 liters, and it puts out 245 hp @ 6,200 rpm and 230 lb-ft @ 3,600 rpm. There’s also a 4.5-litre V8 available (GS450), and Lexus has just recently launched a V6 hybrid version (GS450h) that’s the most powerful of the three. Both V6 and V8 get six-speed automatic transmissions while the 450h debuts a new two-stage CVT.

While the recipe reads well for the enthusiast, the problem comes once you’re on the road. Sorry – that should be once you’re driving ‘spiritedly’ along your favourite road. While Lexus are aiming directly at the 5-Series with their latest GS, they’ve handcuffed what’s quite obviously a very balanced and able chassis with a hyper-sensitive form of traction and stability control called Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM).

At seven or even eight-tenths, and the car is relatively nimble, if mute in its information delivery. But once you start pushing the envelope, the electronics yank you back into shape without even a hint of letting you slightly sideways. And the worst part is that it’s undefeatable. You can’t turn it off. Period. It’s nothing like a BMW.

However, it is very much a luxury car, which means a gorgeous interior and top-notch materials, a quiet cabin and very good ride, even on the large-ish 17-inch wheels on our tester. The stereo is fantastic, and it’s a great place to relax and let the heated seats melt away the stresses of your day. And despite the general lack of headroom both front and rear (something had to give for that rakish roof) the GS is more than happy to schlep you and three other people wherever you want in great comfort.

It’s even a decent price – our Touring-package equipped tester coming in at $67,100, about $8,500 under a comparably equipped 530i.

But it’s definitely not a BMW. And maybe that’s the point. For years Lexus cribbed its entire playbook from other manufacturers. Now after 17 years in the market, the company’s finally confident enough to have their own sense of self. So enjoy the GS350 for what it is – a Lexus. Not a BMW.

DRIVEN: 2006 Honda Civic Si

2006-06-29T12:44:00.000-04:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Honda Canada

The Honda Civic has officially reached middle age – in times now where car names and lines are lucky to stretch four or five years without a change, the Civic name’s 28-year history is certainly getting on.

Perhaps that helps explain the philosophy behind the eighth-generation of Honda’s compact competitor – it’s undergoing a mid-life crisis. All sleek, edgy and streamlined, attempting to reach out to the younger generation.

And the Si Coupe is probably the most radical of them all. While the previous SiR looked a lot like the offspring of a bread van and a guppy, it was almost universally panned as an underwhelming, underperforming, overpriced flop. It was made even more painful as the European Civic Type-R was a real screamer with 200 horsepower, fat sticky tires, a six-speed manual transmission and lots of attitude.

Honda had obviously taken its eye off the ball.

Thankfully, the company’s come back swinging, and the brand new 2006 Civic Si Coupe is a real stunner. Gone is the upright minivan look and in is the low, sleek shark-like styling. It’s a great job by the usually conservative Honda.

Mechanically, it backs up the looks with a very tasty spec sheet: a 197-horsepower 2.0-liter DOHC four-cylinder with full iVTEC treatment, a slick six-speed manual transmission, and – amazingly – a helical-type limited-slip differential. The Si Coupe also sports a firmed-up suspension tune: the rear features Honda’s traditional double-wishbones, while the fronts are still struts, but feature revised geometry for better performance.

Add to that formula a set of big four-wheel disc brakes and 17-inch wheels with sticky performance tires, and the Civic Si Coupe is a rocket around the track. The steering is laser sharp with tons of feel, while the brakes are able to haul you down from illegal speeds with ease. Pitch the Si into a series of sweepers, and the car takes a nice set. Its line is fully adjustable with the electronic throttle thanks to the slippy diff, and once the engine spins north of 4,000 rpm, the most wonderful pissed-off engine sounds add to the soundtrack. Pure intake and exhaust growl, all the way to the 8,000 rpm redline.

The Si Coupe’s interior makes it easy to enjoy spirited driving. The seats are perfect, well bolstered and covered in Alcantara to hold you in place, and the shifter falls right at hand.

The dash itself, though, is what’ll catch your attention first – it’s divided into two binnacles split visually by the steering wheel rim. A rev counter and warning lights sit in the bottom one, while a digital speedometer dominates the top. It’s a little disconcerting at first, but given enough time, you become quite used to it.

The only real issues are some slightly impeded sightlines thanks to the fairly massive and aggressively raked windshield pillars. It sometimes makes it hard to aim for the apex without having to strain your neck, but such is life.

Also, rear passengers will find the seats somewhat cramped as Honda decided to sacrifice space in the quest for good looks. For those who are itching for a more friend friendly version, the company recently took the wraps off a Civic Si Sedan ‘concept’… expect it in showrooms probably by the end of the summer.

The best news about the Si Coupe is its pricing, which starts at $26,080. The only real performance upgrade you could ask for would be 18-inch wheels with summer tires for $1,777.88, but you can certainly find aftermarket packages for cheaper.

So the Civic is a smoking bargain. Not convinced? Well, the Honda is such a hot package that Acura’s decided to kill its aging but still excellent RSX coupe at the end of the ‘06 model year – no direct replacement is planned as the Si Coupe made it irrelevant. That’s not a bad sign for those looking for a reasonably priced, highly entertaining ride – the Civic’s come out swinging.

DRIVEN: Audi A3 3.2 Quattro

2006-06-29T12:41:00.000-04:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Audi Canada

The 2006 Audi A3 has already found friends at Inside Track thanks to its sharp styling, potent and flexible turbocharged engine and the super-trick Dual Shift Gearbox (DSG) transmission. The only issue we had was the price. A reasonably equipped A3 2.0T was at the sharp end of $40,000 for what is essentially a compact five-door hatchback.

Well, Audi’s now introduced a high-performance version of the A3, this time loaded with a 250-hp 3.2-litre V6, quattro all-wheel-drive. Remember the Volkswagen Golf R32 that Canadians were denied? Well, this is essentially the same package, only bolted into the much-lauded fifth-generation corporate platform, independent rear suspension and all. And, like the 2.0T, it’s available with either a six-speed manual transmission, or the aforementioned DSG.

How’s it drive? Bloody quick, despite the bloated 3,650lb curb weight, a 328 pound penalty versus its two-wheel-drive sibling. While the DSG in our tester isn’t equipped with any sort of launch control, the V6 builds power progressively, and if you leave the transmission in Sport and let the computer sort out the shifts, acceleration is impressive. Audi claims 0-100km/h runs under six seconds.

Despite having driven a few cars with DSG, it’s still stunning to experience just how quick and seamless the shifts are, all without seeming to stress either itself, the clutch or your neck. Turn a BMW SMG transmission to ‘full-kill’ for a day and you’ll swear you just tried to keep ‘roid-raging Barry Bonds away from ‘the Cream and the Clear’.

Anyway, the only complaint is that even in fully ‘manual’ mode, the computer still keeps things in major check – i.e. banging off the limiter is verboten, and the electronics will quickly shift up to the next gear in a, perhaps vain, attempt to save the engine. At least in an M3 you can ride that 8,500 rpm limiter all the way to the Nurburgring and back.

Enough about the transmission… our tester was also equipped with the S-Line performance/equipment package, which includes 18-inch wheels wrapped in sticky rubber, a more aggressive body kit, special S-Line badges, and a more aggressive suspension tune than the regular 2.0T. Unfortunately, the steering is ridiculously light and doesn’t transmit anything in the way of feedback to you, and at speed it weights up artificially. Not the sort of thing to engender confidence.

However, the car as a whole is a useful tool, and is quite capable in the curves. You can definitely sense the weight when you’re in transition, and since the quattro hasn’t caught up with the rest of the uber-sporty Audi range, it still splits power 50:50 f/r rather than 40:60 like the RS4 and S8. That leads to predictable understeer at the limit, and the A3 isn’t as sensitive to throttle steer as, say, a WRX on its original tires…

All that weight does make it a very decent highway cruiser, though the seats could use some extra bolstering to keep you held in place.

The brakes will pull you to a stop in a hurry and are easy to modulate, but Audi’s nanny-ish electronic throttle won’t let you do the two-step on the brake and gas pedal at the same time.

Inside, it’s ‘Audi Modern’, with ultra-thin panel gaps, soft-touch plastics, and the whole shebang. It’s obvious why they’ve become the industry standard. Our tester featured the dual glass Open Sky roof, DVD-based navigation system, DSG transmission, leather seats, HID headlights… just about every option you could throw at an A3, including a brace of airbags and safety equipment.

Price? You don’t want to ask. How about $55,490? Yes, you read that right. Audi’s obviously banking on having their ‘premium hatchback’ be a hit in North America as an aspirational choice because the value equation was rocked about $20,000 ago. It’s only another $1,500 to get into a similarly equipped and much larger A4. Hopefully for them, Canada’s more hatch-friendly market will play their tune.

Or maybe they’ll all buy Golf GTIs for considerably less money.

DRIVEN: 2006 Dodge Charger RT

2006-06-29T12:38:00.000-04:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy DaimlerChrysler Canada

Let’s get this out of the way: we’ve all heard the criticism before about Dodge’s decision to build the new Charger as a four-door sedan rather than a two-door like its muscle car namesake of old. Been there, done that. Get over it. If having two extra doors prevents you from even trying to enjoy what Dodge has to offer, then that’s a real shame because the new Charger is certainly worth its badge.

The Charger is the third of the Brampton, ON-built DaimlerChrysler triplets to use the very successful LX platform. Since we’ve gone on at great length about its Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum siblings, the basic information should sound familiar: a choice of V6 or V8 engines, five-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel-drive.

However, it would be unfair to tag the Charger as nothing more than a retro-ish sedan version of the Magnum, because there’s been a huge effort made by DC to infuse it with the spirit of Bo and Luke Duke’s favourite ride.

The major change has been to shorten up the wheelbase in order to make the Charger more nimble than its larger brothers. Stiffer suspension settings on even the V6 SE models helps to differentiate the drive as well. Our HEMI-powered R/T benefited even more from the optional Road and Track package – yes, that means it was a Charger R/T R/T – that included different 18 x 7.5-in aluminum wheels, P235/55R18 BSW all-season performance tires, supporting sport seats with grippy ‘Preferred Suede’ surfaces, and even more focused steering and suspension settings.

So equipped, the 4,031-lb Charger R/T was surprisingly nimble and fun to drive. The steering is sharp, and turn-in is decent, although the all-season tires have early limits. Having summer performance tires even as an option would help even more in this regard.

The V8 really is a nice piece, proving to be super-torquey and responsive, and it truly does roar when you put your foot in it. The five-speed automatic is well matched to the HEMI, although we’ll say again that a manual transmission would be a welcome addition to the lineup. It seems obvious to say that gas mileage wasn’t the greatest over the week we had with the R/T, although most of the driving done was in-town where the Multi-Displacement System (MDS) cylinder shut-off wasn’t able to perform its magic.

While the interior shares most of its components with the Magnum, the exterior is something completely different. The office was split into the love it/hate it categories, but whichever way they fell, it’s obvious that the Charger stands out in a crowd. The squinty headlights, upright crosshair grille, rear fenders and fast-back profile hearken back to the ‘good ole days’, the touches of a modern sedan are still there in spades.

For those who have a bit more extrovert in their blood, Dodge does offer the Daytona R/T package, with lurid Go ManGo! and Top Banana paint, blacked-out grille and wheels, flat-black graphics on the hood and sides, and black spoilers front and rear. Mechanically, the Daytona R/T includes everything from the R/T R/T, and really gets the mid-life crisis blood flowing…

Pricing for the Charger R/T starts at $39,045, with the R/T package adding another $950 to that total. The Charger Daytona R/T runs for $42,045. Those who are looking for even more punch can step up to the SRT-8 for not much more money… we’ll bring you a full test once we get our hands on one.

DRIVEN: 2006 MAZDASPEED6

2006-06-29T12:30:00.000-04:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Mazda Canada

It seems to get boring repeating it time and time again, but the Mazda6 in all its iterations has been a favourite in the Inside Track offices since its introduction. The combination of slick styling, sweet chassis, nimble moves and good value has conspired to keep us searching for opportunities to drive one whenever we can.

So when we heard that the company’s in-house tuning division MazdaSpeed got its hands on the mid-sized sedan, we – of course – couldn’t wait to finagle one for a week.

MazdaSpeed’s well known for taking perfectly good production cars and adding a turbo, bigger wheels, tighter suspension, sticky tires and an aggressive body kit – witness the previous generation Miata and Protégé versions for reference. Even when you’re familiar with the recipe, though, the final versions were always a cut above what the spec sheet would suggest.

The MS6 is remarkable in its transformation. It features a 274-horsepower turbocharged and intercooled 2.3-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine, with a six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive. While the numbers may suggest that Mazda’s taking aim at the STI and Evo rally-specials set, in reality, the MS6 is much bigger and heavier than those two, preferring to play the Grand Touring card instead.

The engine truly is an amazing piece – it’s an evolution of the 2.3-liter that already sees duty in most of the global Mazda and Ford catalogue, but equipped with DISI, or Direct Injection to boost power and economy. D.I. has been a staple in diesel engine technology for years, but is only recently becoming more popular on gasoline engines.

What it does in the MS6 is help to produce an amazing 280 lb-ft of torque that peaks at an amazingly low (for a turbo) 3,000 rpm. The horsepower peaks at a healthy 5,500 rpm, but runs out of breath soon after. Thankfully the six-speed manual transmission has closely spaced ratios that help keep the engine on boost.

In fact, the MS6 launch was delayed several months after the North American-spec final-drive ratio was changed to match the more aggressive Japanese-spec version to improve acceleration. While it obviously adversely affected the fuel economy, Mazda executives felt the change was more than worth the delay and headaches. We tend to agree.

The MS6’s all-wheel-drive system is all new as well, and features what Mazda calls an ‘active torque split’ that uses all manner of sensors to split power anywhere between 100/0 to 50/50 f/r. It also employs a rear limited-slip differential to help get the back end moving properly as well. While it’s not an aggressive rear-biased ratio, in normal everyday driving, the MS6 acquits itself very well.

Incredibly, the first chance we had to sample the MazdaSpeed6 was during AJAC’s Test Fest back in October. Russ Bond was given the enviable task of judging the Modern Muscle category, where the MS6 was thrown headfirst against the Dodge Magnum SRT8 and the Chevrolet Trailblazer SS. As for me, I was able to storm around Shannonville’s Nelson circuit for a bit, and almost had to be black-flagged to come back in once my half-hour was up.

Both Russ and I agreed that the MS6 was incredible on track, proving to be more nimble and responsive than its 1,628kg curb weight would suggest. Also, the engine proved to be hugely flexible, providing a very solid powerband in which to work.

Inside, not much has changed over the regular Mazda6 range, bar a few piano-black trim pieces and the optional two-tone leather seats in our test car. Thankfully, the MS6’s interior hasn’t dated much since the range’s introduction, so it’s still a great place to be. The MS6 offers power everything, all manner of airbags, traction control, stability control, a great stereo and amazing seats.

The only complaint is that Mazda’s refresh of the 6 lineup has diluted the MS6’s impact some as the restyled front and rear fascias and new wheels look remarkably like those fitted to the hi-po model.

Once again, though, Mazda really has pulled the value card here. The MS6’s MSRP is $35,995, undercutting its closest rival – the Subaru Legacy 2.5GT Limited – by $4,300 and the Mazda is the better steer. Also, the MS6 has only two options – a moonroof and either mono- or two-tone leather seating (and the price is the same for either). They only come packaged together, so a loaded MS6 adds up to $38,795.

MazdaSpeed deserves a lot of credit for once again balancing the power/grip/comfort/value equation. There are rumours floating around about a MazdaSpeed3 featuring the same engine (although perhaps not the all-wheel-drive) coming soon. I’ll have to get that dialing finger warmed up again.

DRIVEN: 2005 Toyota Tacoma Sport

2006-01-31T14:48:00.000-05:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Toyota Canada

Toyota’s small trucks are legendary for their durability and reliability in the nastiest conditions the world can throw at them. The original Tacoma was Toyota’s first step forward towards making those small trucks more livable in a more urban environment, and it was a success in that regard.

However, much like the rest of the world – and its competition – the new Tacoma has grown bigger. The compact truck market used to be flooded with offerings from a slew of different manufacturers with only the Dodge Dakota taking on the ‘mid-size’ tag. Well, now with Nissan (Frontier), Chevrolet (Colorado), GMC (Canyon) and now Toyota introducing their new generation of ‘small’ trucks in mid-size packages, only the ancient Ford Ranger and Mazda B-series can lay claim to the compact descriptor.

Like many pickups, the new Tacoma is offered in a dizzying number of combinations of cab sizes, engine and transmission choices, drivetrain options, etc. The one that probably appeals to the typical Inside Track reader the most, however, is the two-wheel-drive Tacoma Double Cab Sport V6, and the week we spent with it opened some eyes.

Motivating the bigger truck is a bigger engine, in this case a 4.0-liter V6 pushing out 236 hp @ 5200 rpm and 266 lb-ft. @ 4000 rpm. While this powerful engine is available with a six-speed manual, our tester was hooked up to a five-speed automatic transmission. There was plenty of passing urge when called upon, but the enthusiast in us still cried out for the stick shift. No matter…

The Sport package offers a host of upgrades to the regular Tacoma, including a more aggressive body-colour front facia, a hood scoop, lowered suspension with Bilstein shocks, body-hugging seats, a limited-slip differential, 17-inch aluminum wheels and grippier tires.

For a body-on-frame truck, the Tacoma was surprisingly agile, despite the high center of gravity, and the upgraded shocks provided good body control without transmitting too many nasty vibrations into the cabin from broken pavement.

The combination of sticky-ish tires and rear LSD meant you could really push the Tacoma hard, and it would respond relatively well, with the sport seats keeping you in place comfortably. The brakes were probably the only thing that could use some work; perhaps a more aggressive pad compound would help them bite better and improve response.

The four-door model provided a good amount of leg room in the rear, and passengers had few complaints about the accommodations. While the interior is done in ‘Toyota-modern’ and everything lines up correctly, there were some areas that could stand a little improvement to distance the more expensive Tacoma from the Corollas.

Pricing for our tester rang in at $35,520 and there’s an enormous array of options and packages that you can select to personalize the truck any way you want. Hopefully Toyota’s reputation for quality and high resale value will continue, making the Tacoma a good deal not only when you first buy it, but years down the road as well.

DRIVEN: 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara

2006-01-31T14:45:00.000-05:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Suzuki Canada

Suzuki’s been in the business of making off-road ready compact SUV’s for a long time. While the Samurai, Sidekick and Vitara were demons off the beaten trail, they were always too focused on the rough stuff to really compete with the more comfort-oriented, lighter-duty car-based SUV’s that have since dominated the market.

Enter the 2006 Grand Vitara, Suzuki’s completely redesigned entry into the small five-seat SUV market, and one that’s a serious shot across the competition’s nose. Just looking at the trim and aggressive sheet metal, you get a sense that Suzuki’s not messing around. It’s razor sharp, with squinty headlights and big fenders – it’s a design that’s thoroughly modern, and probably the best in its class.

Underneath the skin, Suzuki has stubbornly chosen to keep with its body-on-frame design, which is traditionally a better chassis to use off-road. Only this time, they’ve cleverly attached a completely unitized body on top, much like Land Rover has done with its new – and much more expensive – LR3 and Range Rover Sport. The idea is to better isolate the cabin from the shocks incurred from the ladder frame, and provide a very stiff shell from which to work with.

It’s inside that shell that’s perhaps the biggest surprise of all; the interior design is by far the best we’ve seen from Suzuki, and it leapfrogs ahead of a good number of pricier competitors as well. The seats are comfortable and supportive, the gauges are clearly marked and easy to read, the center stack is very well integrated, and the pieces all fit together with very small gaps. All in all, it’s a great place to escape from the nastiness of nature.

Once out on the road, the Grand Vitara drives extremely well; in a previous article, I’d dubbed it the “Miata of SUV’s” because of its steering response, agile handling, and good braking. Unfortunately, “Miata” doesn’t equal ‘muscle car’, because the Suzuki’s most obvious failing is under the hood. The 2.7-liter V6 has gained power over the last generation, but unfortunately, it’s not enough.

That super-rigid construction and lush interior materials make for lots of weight, and the 185 horsepower the engine provides just isn’t strong enough, especially with the five-speed automatic. It’s adequate for around-town duties, but long hills or highways – even more so with a full load of people or cargo on board – will have you pushing your foot deep into the floorboards.

It means you have to drive the Grand Vitara with momentum in mind, which thanks to the great suspension setup, is highly entertaining for a small SUV.

However, the Grand Vitara’s biggest weapon is its value for money. For instance, even the base models starting at $24,495 get Electronic Stability Control as standard equipment. A fully loaded JLX with leather, moonroof, and key card entry and ignition only runs $29,995 – a relative bargain in this class.

Combine it all, and the Grand Vitara adds up to be a very nice package for the money. That it finished third out of nine in the AJAC SUV of the Year category only behind a Mercedes-Benz and a Range Rover Sport is even more impressive. Had Suzuki put more ponies under the hood, and I would lay even odds the Grand Vitara would have won.

DRIVEN: 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML350

2006-01-31T14:44:00.000-05:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Mercedes-Benz Canada

Mercedes-Benz has completely revamped its popular ML-class SUV for 2005. While the original, launched in 1997, arguably started the trend towards ‘luxury’ Sport Utes, its eight-year run with only a mild mid-life freshening left the ML in a position behind its newer – and more car-like – rivals.

While the exterior styling could only be called evolutionary, what’s changed underneath the skin is dramatic. The 2005 ML350 that we had on test ditches the old body-on-frame construction of the original, and adopts a unibody chassis that’s highly popular in this world of ‘crossovers’ and SUV’s that never go off road.

That body-on-frame gave the original ML a serious set of off-road credentials, even though most of its customers would never consider taking it off the pavement. Thankfully, the 2005 version doesn’t abandon the skill set of its predecessor, possessing great mud-bogging capabilities that belie its more civilized construction.

It being a Mercedes-Benz, the ML adopts the same ABS/traction control-based four-wheel-drive system that does away with traditional locking differentials. A myriad of three-letter-acronym systems including Hill Decent Control (HDC) and Electronic-Brake Force Distribution (EBD) help the 4,730 lb. truck get through the nastiest conditions. During the off-road testing portion at the AJAC Test Fest this past October, the ML handled itself with aplomb, and Mercedes-Benz offers a more dedicated off-road package including air suspension and different tires.

Thankfully, the ML’s on-road abilities haven’t been sacrificed either, with even the ‘base’ model offering good body control with minimal dive or pitch, and the brakes are responsive and confidence inspiring.

Powering the ML350 is MB’s first of a new generation of V6 and V8 engines, replacing the old three-valve SOHC units. In our case, it was an all-aluminum 3.5L V6 that puts out 268 hp@ 6000 rpm and 258 lb-ft. @ 5000 rpm. And mimicking the McLaren-Mercedes Formula 1 car, all V6-equipped ML’s feature a seven-speed automatic transmission. The combination is silky smooth, and provides good acceleration and throttle response.

The interior appointments are probably the most obvious improvement over the previous generation, which had come under criticism for some un-Mercedes-like materials and quality. No major complaints in the new one, though; soft-touch plastics abound, and the design is clean and bright.

Only the stubby steering column-mounted gearshift takes some flack – it’s positioned right where the windshield wiper controls are on most other non-MB vehicles, and takes some getting used to so you don’t switch into neutral while trying to clear the front glass. While its operation is simple enough to understand, it’s a large departure from the traditional gear levers of old.

Regardless, the $55,750 Alabama-built ML350 truly is a solid, luxurious vehicle, and hopefully is an indication of Mercedes-Benz’ renewed focus on peerless quality.

That it won the SUV category at Test Fest 2005 against some fierce competition is a strong indication of just how serious the company is to retake its position at the top of the luxury sport-ute pile.

2006 AJAC Car of the Year Category Winners

2006-01-31T14:40:00.000-05:00

Photos courtesy respective manufacturers

Best New Economy Car: Honda Civic Sedan
Runner-Ups: Toyota Yaris, Hyundai Accent

Best New Family Car (Under $35,000): Hyundai Sonata GLS V6
Runner-Ups: Volkswagen Passat, Ford Fusion

Best New Family Car (Over $35,000): Hyundai Azera
Runner-Ups: Dodge Charger RT, BMW 3 Series Touring

Best New Luxury Car: BMW 5 Series Touring
Runner-Ups: Infiniti M45 Sport, Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Best New Sports Sedan: BMW 3 Series
Runner-Ups: Lexus IS, Subaru Impreza WRX Sedan

Best New Sports Car: Honda Civic Coupe Si
Runner-Ups: Chevrolet Cobalt SS, Mazda MX-5

Best New Sport Utility Vehicle: Mercedes-Benz ML-Class
Runner-Ups: Range Rover Sport, Suzuki Grand Vitara

Best New Pick-up: Honda Ridgeline
Runner-Ups: Lincoln Mark LT, Dodge Ram

Best New Multipurpose Family Vehicle: Mazda5
Runner-Ups: Mercedes-Benz B-Class, Subaru B9 Tribeca

Best New Modern Muscle Car: Dodge Magnum SRT8
Runner-Ups: Mazdaspeed6, Chevrolet Trailblazer SS

Best New Alternative Power: Honda Civic Hybrid

AJAC Most Coveted Vehicle Award: Chevrolet Corvette Z06

AJAC TEST FEST 2005: Sport Utility Vehicle

2006-01-31T14:36:00.000-05:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy CNW Group

SHANNONVILLE, ON – Every year, the automotive orgy that is Test Fest takes place at Shannonville Motorsport Park, two hours east of Toronto.

By putting category nominees through back-to-back on-road and on-track testing, Test Fest gives voting members of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) the opportunity to drive new and heavily revised models in a controlled setting. The purpose of this four-day high-octane extravaganza? To find segment winners across 11 categories, and to determine the annual AJAC Car and Truck of the Year awards.

As in the past few years, both Russ Bond and I were present and accounted for. Bond-o was assigned the very difficult task of picking the best in the Sports/Performance and new-for-2006 Modern Muscle groups. Lucky dog… At any rate, you can read about his experiences – both good and bad – in another post.

As for me, I had the opportunity to do double-duty as well, taking on the Sport Utility Vehicle and Sport Sedan classes.

First off, the SUV category had nine contenders, certainly the largest of this year’s crop, which made for a long day of testing. The nine were all 2006 versions of the Ford Explorer, Hummer H3, Jeep Commander, Kia Sportage, Mercedes-Benz ML350, Nissan Xterra, Range Rover Sport, Saab 9-7X and Suzuki Grand Vitara. Phew!

This was perhaps the most difficult category to judge, simply because of the wide range of prices and target audiences. What makes SUV different from, say, Multi-Purpose Vehicle, is that the SUV criteria includes off-road testing, while the MPV’s hit the low-speed Nelson track.

On-road testing proved one thing: the Range Rover Sport Supercharged is one bad-ass piece of machinery, as it should be for a price of $97,250! That supercharged 390-horsepower V8 pushed the 5,600-pound behemoth down the road with vigor, but the taught performance-biased suspension and 20-inch wheels with low-profile gumball tires certainly looked like they’d be a hindrance off-road.

Who were we to doubt Land Rover when it came to mud-loving vehicles, though. Despite the nasty conditions, the RRS/S handled everything with aplomb thanks to its very tasty and trick Terrain Response Control System. It’s basically a set-it-and-forget-it knob that allows you to dial in what conditions you’re driving in (or over) and the computer sets the ride height, brake bias, ABS sensitivity, traction control, etc., to get you where you need to be. Amazing.

And how did the others stack up? The ML350 is quiet and sophisticated inside, with definite improvements in construction and drivability, even though the exterior is simply an evolution of the previous model.

Coming down a notch or two, the mid-priced offerings were slightly more prosaic. The facelifted Ford Explorer is slightly less than breathtaking, and despite a homerun for the interior design, the materials inside are just too hard and brittle to really impress. It drives, well, just like you’d expect an Explorer to drive. The Saab has a very pretty face, but shows too much of its body-on-frame Chevrolet Trailblazer roots. While the V8 engine sounded great and had plenty of shove down low, it quickly runs out of breath and is hamstrung by the sloppy four-speed automatic. It also suffered the embarrassing disappointment of being the only SUV contender to not complete the off-road portion of the testing, mainly because of ground clearance issues.

While is looks like it can tackle the Rubicon Trail straight out of the box, the Jeep Commander was actually the best all-rounder of the bunch. Its HEMI V8 and five-speed automatic are very refined and the ratios well matched. The interior – while not top-shelf – is tasteful and comfortable. As a result, the Commander is a great highway vehicle, tracking straight and true with great damping. While the looks might drive some away, spending some more time with it will see the design mature, like day-old mud on the rocker panels.

The two hardcore off-roaders of the bunch, the H3 and the Xterra were completely different animals. While the H3’s looks are typically shocking Hummer outside, they’re combined with probably the best GM interior in, well, forever. The Xterra is very much an evolution of the old model, including the theater-style roof and tube-frame roof rails.

Interestingly, the Xterra was the only one of the bunch that (as equipped) could be put into two-wheel-drive for extra fun on gravel roads. The rest were all given some sort of full-time all- or four-wheel-drive, some with lockable differentials, and others with electronic traction/brake control to keep the tires from spinning.

The Xterra also ranked highest in the fun-to-drive category, thanks to its grunty V6 engine, sharp throttle and rear-wheel-drive configuration. The interior isn’t really anything to be proud of, but Nissan advertises that as an asset, and it’s functional, if a little dour. The H3’s main complaint comes from its engine, or lack of it. Even with the five-speed manual, the Hummer is underpowered and unrefined.

The ‘bargain’ entries in this group, the Kia Sportage and Suzuki Grand Vitara may look similar on paper, but were very different in execution. The Kia is a great effort by the Korean hotshot, with good equipment, decent driving dynamics, and genuine off-road ability, despite a road-biased all-wheel-drive system.

The Suzuki, however, was a revelation. The truck looks wonderful, inside and out, and truly handles well. Turn-in for an SUV was amazing, especially given its obvious off-road capabilities, and body lean was kept to a minimum. The only complaint is the lack of power; the small V6 engine doesn’t produce enough poke to satisfy, making for a momentum-focused driving experience. Think of it as the Miata of SUV’s…

Conclusions? Well, to be honest, the RRS/S truly is an exceptional vehicle, but the AJAC voting system takes price into account, meaning that expensive vehicles usually don’t fare as well in the end. Chances are it’ll be either the Suzuki Grand Vitara or the Jeep Commander.

AJAC TEST FEST 2005: Sport Sedan

2006-01-31T14:34:00.000-05:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy respective manufacturers

On the complete opposite spectrum from the SUV category, the Sport Sedan group was tight and fairly singular in its purpose. The four contenders were the 2006 Audi A4 3.0, BMW 330i, Lexus IS350, and Subaru Impreza WRX Sedan.

While three quarters of the group were clearly aimed at the same crowd, the black sheep of the family – the Impreza – was quite shockingly different. The facelift and bigger engine ensured its entry into the class, but despite five years of tweaking, the same basic shapes and interior materials remain.

That’s not to say that the WRX is outclassed – far from it. In fact, while more than capable on road or on track, the Scooby delivered its performance loud and ‘in your face’, unlike the other contenders. And really, that’s the WRX’s appeal as a rally car for the road.

On track, the bigger brakes and revised suspension inspire confidence and are able to cover up for ham-fisted mistakes. But for some reason Subaru insists on equipping most of its models in horrible Bridgestone all-season tires, which are neither sporty nor sticky. They’re most likely cheap, which helps explain their appeal, I suppose.

Moving up the ladder, the Audi A4 was similar to the Subaru in a couple of aspects – all-wheel-drive and a facelift over an older body. Other than that, where the Subaru was loud, the Audi was quiet. Where the Subaru was agile, the Audi was slightly ponderous. You get the idea… On track, the Audi really felt out of its element. The S4 proves that Audi can do sporty, but this regular A4 just didn’t quite cut it.

From my perspective, it was quite obvious who the two real contenders were: the Bimmer and the wanna-be Bimmer. Erm, the Lexus. While that might sound a tad harsh, no one at Lexus would deny who their bulls-eye rests on. The original IS300 was a direct Japanese clone of BMW’s 3-series, right down to the straight-six engine.

Now into its second generation, the IS350 takes the fight straight to the Germans, even out-powering them with over 300 horsepower from a 3.5-liter V6. Unfortunately, that engine is not available with a manual transmission, which automatically drops them down a notch in my book… On the high-speed Fabi track, the IS was a good performer, but not perfect. The brakes were a little spongy and the steering a shade light, but the car’s computer allowed a surprising amount of rude behaviour before reeling the driver in.

The 330i is what you’d expect from BMW: stiff chassis, direct steering, wonderful balance and good brakes. I’ve driven the less powerful 325i for a week, and its higher-octane brother just adds more good stuff to the pile. The same criticisms about a not-quite-there exterior and so-so interior remain, but as a driving tool, the BMW is unmatched.

The Lexus comes so close that it’s scary, and remains the better looking of the two, both inside and out. The materials used are also of a better grade, but the radio and HVAC controls do look a little Corolla-ish. No matter…

It really came down to the nitty gritty with the BMW and Lexus, even to such things as which had fold-down rear seats (BMW) to which had more rear legroom (Lexus). Really nit-picky stuff. If you’re interested in one, you’d do yourself a disservice by ignoring the other. And that’s as close as I can call it.

Keep your ears perked during early December as the category winners will be announced. From there, the Car and Truck of the Year will be voted on and revealed during the Canadian auto show season in 2006.

So that wraps up another year at Test Fest, which both Bond and I were very grateful to be a part of again. Hopefully, we didn’t cause enough damage to have our invitations lost in the mail come next October. It’s just a good excuse to get out of the office… but don’t tell my boss that!

AJAC TEST FEST 2005: Sports Performance / Modern Muscle

2006-01-31T14:32:00.000-05:00

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.

DRIVEN: 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

2005-11-30T11:05:00.000-05:00

By Russ Bond
Photos courtesy Russ Bond and GM Canada

Ever heard the saying, “Couldn’t drive a nail in a snowbank,” or “can’t fight your way out of a wet paper bag?”

This is how I feel right now – I am in car guy hell! And I’m not exaggerating!

Picture this if you will. A nice little place in the country, a quaint circular gravel driveway, a Le Mans blue Corvette – not just any Corvette, but a Z06, the monster of monsters – and... wait for it... three inches of snow. Yes, friggin’ snow, for the last flippin’ four days.

Yes, there is a 505hp dream machine stuck in my driveway. What are the odds? It is just killing me to see it sitting there. I want to use all six gears; I want to feel the monster brakes like I did at Shannonville a few weeks ago. I want to get looks as I rumble through town. I want to feel like the king of the world. But right now, I am a hostage in my own house.

I have driven the ‘regular’ Corvette C6, and from my brief taste of the Z06 at Test Fest, I can tell you it is a vastly different machine, which to me is the best thing about the Z06. It will never be confused with a C6. A C6.R maybe, but not a C6.

Often manufacturers will make sport or performance models that, on a good day, might beat the base model. The Z06 will make a mess out of what is already a great car: the C6. The horsepower difference alone tells you GM was serious. Going from the 400hp LS2 in the C6, to the 505-hp 7.0 Liter LS7 aluminum block engine with a dry sump system in the Z06 is a serious jump.

GM has also taken the time to make the rest of the Z06 blend in with that jump in horsepower. Just about everything is upgraded to give more performance, and GM makes good use of extensive racecar technology and lightweight components – such as carbon-fibre front fenders, wheelhouses, and floorboards (with balsa core).That makes it actually 22 kg lighter than the C6; 1421kg total. It also features massive six-piston front and four-piston rear disc brakes – stopping is not an issue, unless of course it’s snowing!

Chevrolet did all this without taking away from the daily drivability – a huge plus. The Z06 is as refined as the C6 on daily commutes or just tooling around the countryside. Inside the differences are minor, other than the speed at which that the world passes the windshield.

The gearbox seems much better, especially in feel compared to previous models. The torque is brute force in action and yet on the highway at 130 km/h, it is running at about 1,200 rpm. So, if you want to cruise, it is perfect. If you want to race, track day, or do spirited driving, it is perfect. If you want to look good doing both, it’s perfect. Are you seeing a trend here?

Before it started to snow, I went for a brief shopping trip in it. No problem, pop the hatch and there is a good amount of space. Heater works great, the satellite radio – which has great comedy channels by the way – is a good traveling companion, and the Z06 is fairly easy to park. Watch the splitter on the front, though, as it won’t clear the cement stops, and the nose is longer than you think.

But sadly, all I can see is it covered in snow out the front window of my house as I sit here and type this.

With a price tag under $100,000, the Z06 is like stealing candy from a baby. There is no way that if you buy one you would have to feel that you’ve taken GM to the cleaners. This performance of a true supercar with these looks at this price – something doesn’t add up here. Seriously – the Z06 could easily be priced at $150,000 and they’d sell just as many.

There is no competition for it at that price. Nothing even remotely compares, and for the minor jump in price from the C6, you should seriously consider ‘upgrading’ – if you can find one.

Speaking of which, availability might be the Z06’s biggest problem. It might well be a case of ‘who you know’ in order to get one. [I do happen to know Peter Klutt at Legendary Motorcar has a red one in stock, www.legendarymotorcar.com]

Never, ever, would I say that I thought a Corvette Z06 would be an eyesore, but, sadly, it is just that. It’s killing me that it is so close, and yet so far away. Why me? I have the key, I am allowed to drive it. I didn’t know my mother was Mother Nature, and apparently she is a little pissed at me.

DRIVEN: 2006 Dodge Magnum RT

2005-11-03T12:39:00.000-05:00

Story and Photos by Mike Galipeau

The family vacation – a drive halfway across the country in the middle of the summer, with two children. For this story, I’ll be Clark Griswold, my wife will play Ellen, my son is Rusty, and my daughter will be Audrey.

The old family wagon has 270,000 km on the odometer. It’s a Volvo, so I know it will make the 5,000 km trip to Wally World. Alright, so we weren’t going to Wally World, but we were heading to the East coast, to visit cousin Eddie (My brother). Ellen was a bit concerned about the reliability of the trusty wagon.

Off to the dealership I go to find a new family car. There it was, the 1983 Family Truckster in Metallic Pea, with wood paneling and eight headlights. I wish…

Truthfully though, DaimlerChrysler Canada, hooked us up with a 2006 Dodge Magnum R/T, almost as cool as the Truckster. Instead of Metallic Pea, we got Cool Vanilla and no wood paneling. It was the first time I had seen a Magnum in that colour, and it really brought out its muscular look. Well that, and the HEMI badges, the dual exhaust, and the 18-inch wheels and tires.

Gas was $1.04 a litre in Eastern Canada, so Ellen was not impressed to see a 5.7-liter 345-hp, 395-ft-lb powered car show up in the driveway. More about that later!

Wally World, er, sorry Halifax, was waiting so it was a 5:30 a.m. departure for 10 days of family bliss. However, the night before was spent loading the car.

My initial thought when I popped the trunk on the Magnum was “this is smaller than our Volvo back here.” However, the Magnum’s cargo space is deceiving. The sloped roofline and tiny rear windows make it seem small. The rear floor has a removable system that provides added cargo space, but I found this out after we had returned from our trip.

Even without the floor panels removed the Magnum swallowed a full-size stroller, two huge (and heavy) suitcases, a playpen, two diaper bags, a massive bag of toys, and various other items that we never looked at again.

Audrey and Rusty were ecstatic about the optional DVD system in the back – I got to listen to the Wiggles and Bob the Builder the entire trip, as Rusty didn’t want to wear the supplied headphones. I was excited to use the DVD based navigation system, though.

Our departure time felt very, very early, and we were off. Ellen was expecting to have to fill up every hour, but I secretly kept my eye on the mileage as we went. The number finally settled on 10.5 L/100km while on the highway – I was amazed. I had not seen the old 5-cylinder turbo Volvo do that. I had really hoped that the MDS (Multiple Displacement System) would prove Ellen wrong.

And yet, when you wanted to pass, the five-speed auto downshifted smoothly. It didn’t matter that we had a full trunk, two adults and two children in the car going up a 50 per cent grade with a headwind and the A/C on – this car moves!

My 2 1/2-year-old son “Rusty” put it best. “Dad, when you pass someone, I hear the HEMI, I like it.”

Eighteen hours later, thanks to the engineers at DaimlerChrysler for the DVD system, we were at Cousin Eddie’s in Porter’s Lake, NS. Eddie is a die-hard Dodge fan, and was blown away by the Magnum. We spent the next three days at their trailer. Alright, it’s a house, and a very nice one.

While in the Halifax area, we took a Griswold family day-trip to Peggy’s Cove. We had parked right beside a couple who had rented a V6 Magnum. It really occurred to me then how much the R/T package adds to this car. Yeah, you get the HEMI, but the car just looks more aggressive. While he was whining about the cost to rent a car and the rearward visibility, I was telling him about the 100-foot patch this thing laid. I mean, could lay if you wanted it to…

It was time to hit the Cabot Trail. I had been looking forward to this part of the trip the most. A friend had told me that he had to have the brakes done on his car immediately after driving the loop! With the Griswolds in the car, though, I’d have to take it easy and enjoy the ride. Turns out, the Cabot Trail is the most scenic, twisty, hilly road I have ever been on.

The Magnum is a big car. I didn’t realize it until we got back in our Volvo wagon – it felt tiny by comparison. However, the Magnum does an amazing job of shrinking itself on the tight, twisty sections, then feeling like a ‘60s Big Block beast when the road straightens out. The ability to manually select the gears on the Mercedes-Benz-sourced five-speed automatic worked well when heading downhill into a 180-degree bend. The brakes never even felt like they were working too hard, although I did think the steering was a bit over-assisted.

The rest of the trip was amazing although the Cabot Trail was my Wally World, and as far as I was concerned, we had made it. With three days to go, we hopped on the ferry in Pictou, NS, and headed to PEI. From PEI we drove the 11 km Confederation bridge back to New Brunswick. We stayed another night in Moncton, then drove the next day straight to Burlington, on the west side of Toronto.

We had put the 2006 Magnum R/T through a lot – we drove a total of 4,980 km in 10 days. We had the car on two ferries, one big bridge, through five provinces, took it to the beach, the Cabot Trail, through Montreal and spent a grand total of only $512.00 in fuel door to door. That’s only 10 cents per kilometre. Considering we had budgeted $800.00 for gas for the trip, Ellen was now a believer that a big-cube V8 could be practical and fuel efficient when built and packaged properly.

However the car is not perfect. The interior door panels did feel and look a bit plasticky in areas, but overall the interior has an upscale feel. Ellen felt that the seats could have been a bit deeper, and some more bolstering could be added, but stepping up to the SRT-8 package should take care on that.

The Magnum truly is practical power. It worked as a Family Truckster, it satisfied my need for grunt and handling, it kept the kids entertained. The entire Magnum line-up should be high on your list if you’re looking for the next Family Truckster – just pray you don’t have to deal with a salesman that looks like Eugene Levy in a cheap suit.

DRIVEN: 2006 Audi A3 2.0T

2005-11-03T12:33:00.000-05:00

By Mark Atkinson
Photos by Mark Atkinson and Michael Banovsky

Look back through the history of premium-brand entry-level small coupes, and there’s lots of wreckage piled high. The E36 BMW 318ti Compact and more recently the Mercedes-Benz C-class Coupe have all failed miserably when it comes to sales in North America. The fact that their high-gloss badges weren’t enough to justify their high price tags – relative to their performance and equipment – should be a warning to any up-market brand.

So why has Audi chosen this point in time to launch the second-generation A3 – the first one was sold everywhere else – into the North American marketplace, especially when the United States is very fickle when it comes to hatchbacks? It’s a big gamble, especially given that the upcoming Volkswagen Golf GTI and Jetta GLI will be mechanically identical and arguably lower priced.

Yes, the A3 shares the same platform as the new Jetta and upcoming Golf – and stretched to fit in the brand-new Passat – replacing the venerable ‘MKIV’ architecture that underpinned everything from the Seat Leon to the Audi TT, and everything in between.

The main feature of the new design comes in the form of an independent rear suspension – a first for Volkswagen. After fielding bags of criticism about the old car’s rear beam axle, VAG went out and poached the engineer responsible for the excellent class-leading ‘Z-axle’ found initially under the Ford Focus and now spreading across the entire Ford/Mazda/Volvo lineup.

What does this mean? Sharper responses and a more controllable ride, for starters. The A3 has excellent turn-in, despite the typically numb steering, and feels quite nimble when thrown about. This really is a car you can take by the scruff of its neck and muscle it around – it will plough into understeer at the limit, of course, but at 9/10ths it’s rewarding in a solid, Germanic way.

Powering the A3 is VAG’s new 2.0-liter FSI turbocharged engine, replacing the ubiquitous 1.8T that found its way under millions of car hoods. The FSI stands for Fuel Stratified Injection, which is essentially means the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber like a diesel rather than back in the intake manifold. First seen on the nearly unbeatable Audi R8 racecar, FSI increases power and improves fuel economy.

The new engine produces a neat 200 hp at 5,100 rpm and 207 lb-ft at 1,800 rpm. The engine is then mated to either a six-speed manual transmission, or Audi’s very trick six-speed DSG gearbox. Either way you go, the car is quick, but the DSG is worth every penny, not only for the quicker acceleration, but also for the seamless operation across the board. Whether you keep it in automatic, sport or shift it yourself, the DSG is a hugely impressive piece of technology, making BMW’s SMG technology look clumsy in comparison.

The downsides of DSG when compared to SMG are courtesy of Audi’s lawyers – it doesn’t give you absolute control over the gears selected – i.e. it’ll shift to first when you come to a stop, shift up if you bang it off the rev limiter long enough. And Audi still won’t let you press the gas and brake at the same time – in either the manual or DSG cars – so forget serious bouts of left-foot-braking as the engine will just kill any and all power. BMW will let you do whatever you want with its SMG, although both companies have disabled their respective ‘launch control’ features for North America.

Still, despite the relatively minor headaches, the DSG shifts keenly with either the steering-wheel-mounted paddles, or with the floor-mounted shift lever. Floor it from a stop, and the 1,510 kg DSG-equipped A3 will hit 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds, 0.2 seconds faster than the six-speed car, despite a 30kg advantage for the stick-shift. The one complaint about the A3 is the lack of Quattro availability, at least for now. It appears that Audi plans to release a V6-powered model, which will feature all-wheel-drive. Whether or not Quattro will be an option on the 2.0T remains to be seen.

Besides the attractive spec sheet, the styling will hook you, of course. Whether or not Audi’s now-signature big horse-collar grille and squinty headlights looks good depends heavily on what’s tacked on behind it. The A8, where the corporate face first appeared, is large enough to compensate, while the new A4 looks very awkward, mainly because the rest of the car didn’t change with the facelift.

The A3 somehow makes it work, despite being the smallest of the redesigned cars. Strangely, while the five-door A3 is shaped like a typical small wagon – and stretched compared to the three-door version sold everywhere else – Audi calls it a Sportback. Anything to avoid that station wagon stigma...

The lines are tasteful and sharp – Audi design chief Walter da Silva’s guiding hand is very much apparent – and helps justify the price.

Inside, the design is very much new-Audi, although the materials can be hard and hollow in some spots. The airbag cover on the three-spoke steering wheel is supposed to evoke that horse-collar grille, and the controls are located within easy reach. The DSG paddles also feel worth their price thanks to a fluid action and tactile clicks with every shift.

So what we have is a semi-luxurious, semi-performance-oriented ‘hot hatch’ that’s trying to take customers away from both its lower and higher-priced competitors. Not an enviable position to be in, frankly.

Pricing for the A3 2.0 T is like a bad dream. It starts at $33,650 for the six-speed manual, and $34,600 for the DSG. Then you get to the options list: Sport package ($2,500 for 17-inch wheels and tires, leather seats, three-spoke steering wheel, aluminum trim, fog lights, sport seats, tighter suspension and a roof spoiler), the Cold Weather package ($950 for heated seats, mirrors and windshield washer nozzles), Sound package ($1,250 for Bose premium audio package and six-disc CD changer), Open Sky system ($1,500 for the dual-pane panoramic glass roof, rear side airbags ($500), Bi-Xenon headlights ($900), Convenience package ($950 for Homelink, storage package, trip computer, auto-dimming interior mirror, rain/light sensor), and finally the Navigation system for a whopping $2,750.

That totals $45,650, a not inconsiderable sum for what is essentially a front-wheel-drive compact car with a huge number of more able competitors at that price.

Canada would appear to be the ideal place for the A3 given our love and acceptance of five-door vehicles – witness any number of Mazda Protégé5’s, Mazda3’s, Volkswagen Golf’s, Toyota Echo’s, Subaru Imprezas and Ford Foci in our cities. Canadians love the practicality of a hatchback and buy them in droves. And while the high price point of the A3 relative to its class competitors may be a big hurdle for most, you only have to glance around at the dozens of no-option BMW 320i’s running around with plastic hubcaps to realize that there are many who are willing to part with big sums of money to be on the lowest rung of a brand’s ladder.

It’ll be up to Audi to convince potential customers to spend with their hearts and not their heads if they want the A3 to really thrive.

DRIVEN: 2005 Toyota Prius

2005-10-19T12:20:00.000-04:00

Story and Photo by Michael Banovksy

I just got back from the book store. Never one to pass up a good deal, I picked up arguably the most influential piece of literature published in the last 200 years or so: The Communist Manifesto.

How good of a deal, you ask? Well, considering that it gave reason to some of the bloodiest conflicts in the history of the globe, I bought it for the princely sum of $10.

Just as the Manifesto was once at the center of global conflict, so too is the 2005 Toyota Prius. Automakers around the world are weighing up the hybrid equation, with the little Toyota at the centre of the movement. Since its inception, the Prius has single-handedly taken the concept of being green out of consumers’ minds and into Toyota’s pockets.

On the surface, it’s really a case of what’s-not-to-like? Seating for five, family car dimensions – oh, and did I mention somewhere between 50 – 69 mpg?

The original Prius sold like… well… 8 track tapes next to an iPod. Now, with a little refreshing and slightly better performance (handling, horsepower, economy, you name it), it sells like hot cakes. Leonardo DiCaprio has like a half dozen of them, for Pete’s sake.

When the original debuted, consumers were like: “Oh, how cute! The Japanese turned the Playstation into a car.” The new Prius is like the Playstation 2. Good thing the Americans have their XBOX: The Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner SUV hybrids and the upcoming Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan hybrid sedans. But for now – in the eyes of most consumers and based on the pocketbooks of the filthy rich – the Japanese are still the hybrid leaders.

Anyway, save for Toyota’s decision to scale the USS Enterprise’s bridge as the Prius’ dash, the interior works extremely well. My only complaint is the screen.

It’s a full-featured touch screen, with graphs, bars, and all sorts of seemingly important numbers displayed with colourful graphics. The problem is, the important chart (which displays minute-by-minute fuel consumption) scrolls right-to-left, just like most Asian newspapers. Unfortunately Asian newspapers are by far the most confusing in the world.

Driving a Prius, though, is probably close to being in an isolation chamber. Think green thoughts, think green thoughts… It’s so quiet that after a while, you get the impression that every other car is killing the earth. Naturally, the only saviour is you, your Prius, and its Hybrid Synergy Drive.

The drivetrain alone reads like the Death Star plans. Sometimes the battery powers the car, sometimes not. Sometimes the battery helps accelerate the car, gets re-charged by braking, or allows the engine to turn off at a stop. That’s the best part, and the most useful. Not only does the car save fuel, it also lets passengers talk over the droning of a fossil-powered pollution pump.

It’s so beautifully executed that you can hear a passerby’s iPod playlist.

The handling is mushy – what would you expect? My only gripe is the steering wheel – shaped like the Oval Office, it’s horrible for tight parking-lot control.

I suppose the most remarkable thing about the Prius is that – forgetting the car’s engine auto stop function here – you’d never know it was a hybrid.

But if this exact car, powered by just a gasoline engine was say, the current Camry – would it sell? No.

My only concern is that when the hybrid hysteria dies down, will the Prius and other hybrid cars be the automotive equivalent to finding the Communist Manifesto in the bargain bin for $10? In 20 years, will the hybrids die and be relegated to dissection duties in high school shop classes?

All I know is that for now let the Big 3 tremble at a hybrid revolution.

NEWS: Dodge Nitro's a Go!

2005-10-06T17:48:00.000-04:00

With files from DaimlerChrysler Canada

ANAHEIM, CA – At the California International Auto Show on October 5, the Chrysler Group confirmed production of the Dodge Nitro mid-size SUV for the 2007 model year. Nitro will be the first mid-size SUV for Dodge, completing the brand’s current lineup of cars, minivans, trucks, commercial vehicles and a full-size SUV.

Using the stretched underpinnings and power-trains from its corporate sibling the Jeep Liberty, the Dodge Nitro is based on the Dodge Nitro concept vehicle that was unveiled at the 2005 Chicago Auto Show in February, 2005.

With a uniquely bold, powerful design statement that will ignite the mid-size SUV segment, the Dodge Nitro’s crisp lines and substantial body size create a brawny character not found in any other mid-size SUV. The Dodge Nitro’s spacious interior is both functional and flexible for people and cargo. Chrome, silver and red accents have a dynamic presence throughout the interior.

The five-passenger Nitro is designed to attract a customer seeking a distinctive style, sporty performance and cargo flexibility.

NEWS: 2006 Acura CSX to replace EL

2005-10-06T17:43:00.000-04:00

With files from Acura Canada

TORONTO, ON – Acura Canada announced on October 5 the introduction of an all-new luxury compact sedan. The Acura CSX will launch across the country later this fall and will be exclusive to the Canadian market.

Presumably based on the all-new 2006 Honda Civic, Acura Canada has yet to release any images of its new entry-level challenger.

Power for the new Acura CSX luxury compact will come from a 155-horsepower 2.0-litre DOHC engine that features i-VTEC “intelligent” valve-control systems, combining VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) with VTC (Variable Timing Control). The i-VTEC system delivers enhanced performance across a broad power band in addition to enhanced fuel efficiency and low exhaust emissions.

The suspension has been tuned for a performance-oriented feel. The CSX will feature drive-by-wire throttle control, 4-wheel disc brakes and a speed-sensitive electric power steering (EPD) system for sporty driving performance.

The Acura CSX will feature a wide range of distinctive luxury and convenience features, and a full complement of standard safety features, including the new Advanced Compatibility Engineered (ACE) body structure for enhanced safety in a frontal collision with a vehicle of differing size.

NEWS: 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab Dually Introduced

2005-10-06T17:35:00.000-04:00

With files from DaimlerChrysler Canada

In a salute to the largest pickup truck market in the United States, Dodge tipped its hat to Texas at the end of September and unveiled the all-new 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab Dually.

The 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab – the most spacious and versatile pickup cab on the planet – adds a dual-rear-wheel model that takes towing and hauling capability to new levels of performance.

Featuring dual rear wheels that expand the rear-wheel track to two metres (six feet, four inches), the 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab Dually provides more payload capacity and enhanced trailer-towing stability. To supply class-leading muscle, the Dodge Ram Mega Cab Dually model comes standard with 610 lb.-ft. of torque, courtesy of its 5.9-litre Cummins Turbo Diesel engine.

Available as a 3500 series, configured with 4x2 or 4x4 drivetrains, in SLT or Laramie trim and with a one metre, 90 centimetre (six-foot, three-inch) box, the all-new 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab Dually comes standard with a six-speed manual or optional automatic transmission. An electric-shift transfer case is standard on four-wheel-drive models, and a limited-slip differential is optional.

The all-new 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab Dually arrives in Canadian dealerships in January. For more information on the glut of options, GVWR and other options, visit www.dodge.ca

NEWS: Nissan Canada Inc. Posts Best Ever September

2005-10-06T17:29:00.000-04:00

With files from Nissan Canada

MISSISSAUGA, ON – In the same week that Nissan announced they had achieved their ambitious goal of 1 million additional sales, Nissan Canada Inc. (NCI) had another successful month, one of the best in their history.

NCI recorded its best September ever last month, selling 7,085 units versus 6,119 a year ago – an increase of 966 units or 15.7 per cent. September was NCI’s fifth best month for total sales in company history. August had been the third best ever.

The Nissan brand had its third best September ever with Altima, Frontier and Quest all having their best ever Septembers.

Altima sold 1,968 units to lead the way, an improvement of 274 units over September 2004. X-Trail had another solid month with 1,004 units sold, 137 over September 2004. Quest moved 430 units, an improvement over September 2004 of 107 per cent.

Infiniti Sales were led once again by the G35 models – the sedan and the coupe accounted for 332 units, while the all new M had its second best month ever with 128 units sold during September. The Infiniti brand improved 13 per cent over September 2004.

NEWS: 2006 Hyundai Sonata and Tucson Earn 5-Star Crash Test Rating

2005-10-06T17:21:00.000-04:00

With files from Hyundai Canada

Hyundai Auto Canada has announced that its all-new 2006 Sonata mid-size sedan earned the highest rating in the latest U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) crash tests.

The 2006 Sonata received five stars in the frontal and side-impact crash tests for both the driver and passenger seating positions. The test results are measured from one to five stars, with five being the highest. The NCAP side impact crash tests are conducted at 38.5 miles per hour (62 kilometers per hour), and full frontal barrier impacts at 35 miles per hour (56.3 kilometers per hour).

The previous Sonata generation was recognized as one of the safest mid-size sedans on the market but the 2006 Sonata offers even greater safety. An all-new computer-designed rigid body structure features reinforced bulkheads, pillars and side-impact protection to provide the foundation for a stiffer front sub-frame. Extensive testing using computer simulation as well as real world testing has further optimized crumple zones and impact load diffusion paths.

Every 2006 Sonata is equipped with advanced dual front airbags, seat-mounted side-impact airbags for the driver and front seat occupant and side curtain airbags designed to help protect the driver, front seat passenger and outboard rear seat passengers. In addition, the front seats feature active head restraints for extra protection against whiplash in rear collisions.

The Tucson is engineered to provide its passengers with multiple defensive layers. The steel unibody has designed-in crumple zones and a high-tensile front sub-frame that are designed to work together to reduce the forces that reach the passenger compartment. To help resist intrusion, four structural rings encircle the body. All four doors also have internal guard beams to protect passengers in a side-impact collision.

The Tucson’s passenger restraint systems help minimize injury. Three-point belts are provided at all five seating positions, and the front seatbelts have pretensioners and load limiters. There are two outboard rear LATCH child-seat anchors.

A total of six airbags are positioned in the Tucson’s interior. Dual advanced frontal airbags are complemented by front seat-mounted side-impact airbags and roof-mounted side-curtain airbags that cover both the front and rear rows of seating.

NEWS: Subaru Announces Pricing for 2006 Legacy and Outback

2005-10-06T17:10:00.000-04:00

With files from Subaru Canada

Subaru Canada has announced pricing for the 2006 Legacy and Outback. For the new model year, the Legacy and Outback lineups have been enhanced with more power and performance and additional standard features, while emissions performance has also been improved.

The Legacy 2.5i Sedan with 5-speed manual transmission has a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $28,495; the Legacy 2.5i Wagon with manual transmission has an MSRP of $29,495. The Outback 2.5i has an MSRP of $32,995. For a complete listing of model pricing, please go to www.subaru.ca.

The 2006 Legacy 2.5i models gain a more powerful engine, standard 17-inch alloy wheels, larger brakes, an air filtration system and an engine immobilizer for added security. The flagship Outback model, the 3.0R VDC Limited Wagon, adds the Subaru Navigation System as standard equipment. The DVD-based navigation system uses a seven-inch touch screen panel in the centre dash.

NEWS: Nissan Announces 2007 Versa Hatchback and Sedan

2005-10-06T17:05:00.000-04:00

With files from Nissan Canada

Nissan announced the addition of an all-new Nissan Versa hatchback and sedan for the 2007 model year. The new entry-level Versa is expected to have a MSRP starting in the mid-$14,000 range in the Canadian market. The hatchback model is scheduled to go on sale in early summer 2006, with the Versa sedan following in late 2006.

Versa is an international design, built on Nissan’s advanced “B” platform, shared with various Renault models sold worldwide. Versa models sold in North America will be assembled at Nissan’s Aguascalientes, Mexico facility, which also builds the current Nissan Sentra.

The name Versa reflects the “versatile space” provided by the roomy interior and cargo area. Versa is called Tiida in Mexico, Japan, China and other markets where the car is sold.

Versa offers a high quality interior design and craftsmanship. The interior features a clean, simple design and layout that accentuates its surprising roominess. The Versa exterior features a dynamic look and attention to detail, with the body forms and long rooflines suggesting both the roominess inside and Versa’s performance capabilities.

Every Versa comes with a standard 1.8-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder engine designed to satisfy both performance and environmental requirements. The all-new engine is rated at an estimated 120-horsepower and 125-plus lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy is estimated at 6.2L / 100km with the available Nissan Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) transmission

The Versa sedan and hatchback will be offered in several models and with a long list of standard and available features and amenities, including Bluetooth Hands-Free Phone System, and Rockford Fosgate-powered subwoofer.

NEWS: Hyundai Tucson and Santa Fe Top AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Award Categories

2005-10-06T16:57:00.000-04:00

With files from Hyundai Canada

The Hyundai Tucson and Santa Fe sport utility vehicles each captured top honours in the AutoPacific 2005 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards announced on Sept. 16.

The owners of the all-new 2005 Hyundai Tucson rated it tops in Vehicle Satisfaction for the Compact SUV category. Consumers noted overall quality, interior styling, interior comfort, interior storage, seating capacity, power and acceleration and the Tucson's warranty as strengths of the vehicle.

Other factors strongly contributing to Tucson's winning score were exterior styling, handling, braking, driver's visibility as well as reliability and dependability. Tucson tied with the Honda Element for the top overall score in the compact SUV category. The award adds to Tucson's trophy case, which includes honors from J.D. Power and Associates as the highest-rated all-new vehicle in the 2005 Initial Quality Study.

Santa Fe owners rated it tops in the Standard Mid-Size SUV category for the fourth year since its introduction in 2000 as a 2001 model-year vehicle. Drivers noted overall owner satisfaction, instrumentation, interior comfort, interior materials, price, reliability and dependability, and Hyundai's warranty as strengths of the vehicle. Other factors contributing to Santa Fe's score were anti-theft features, audio system controls, interior styling and seating capacity. Santa Fe tied with the all-new Chevrolet Equinox for the top honors in this category.

The AutoPacific report stated, "The Hyundai Santa Fe continues its string of category-leading performances. Santa Fe has won or tied in its category for four of the five years it has been on the market. This is a testament to Santa Fe's strong combination of product competence, value and warranty. Santa Fe satisfies its owners and continues to help Hyundai build its brand image in the United States."

NEWS: 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara

2005-10-06T16:38:00.000-04:00

With files and photos from Suzuki Canada

The only thing the all-new 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara has in common with the outgoing model is the name. Completely new from the ground up, the Grand Vitara now offers sleek styling, a more powerful standard V6, comprehensive safety, advanced handling characteristics on- and off-road and useful technology.

Inside the chiseled exterior of the Grand Vitara awaits a thoughtfully designed interior with materials, fit-and-finish standards, safety, and technology features that compete with vehicles costing thousands more. From roof-mounted, supplemental side curtain airbags to help protect occupants in side impact crashes to an available SmartPass™ keyless entry and start system, the Grand Vitara reaches a new level of sophistication in this price range.

Also new for 2006 are two available four-wheel drivetrain options, a full-time four-wheel-drive system (JA, JX, JLX models) and a four-mode, dual-range four-wheel drive system (JLX-Leather). All models feature the same lightweight, stiff unibody construction, enhanced with a robust built-in ladder frame to offer the best of both worlds - a refined on-road ride and the rugged off-road performance expected from Suzuki SUVs.

The stiff, lightweight frame structure is teamed with a fully independent suspension system that features MacPherson struts in the front and a multi-link system in the back.

To help the driver maintain control, particularly in emergency maneuvers, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with traction control and an anti-lock brake system (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) are standard.

The standard 2.7-liter, six-cylinder, 24-valve DOHC engine generates 185 horsepower and 184lb.-ft. of torque, giving the Grand Vitara a 3000-lb. tow capacity, enough to haul small recreational boats or a pair of personal watercraft. Also, a specially tuned variable induction system (VIS) improves throttle response and overall engine efficiency, while the engine rides on hydraulic mounts to further reduce noise and vibration

The Grand Vitara delivers 12.4/9.3 L/100 km. city/highway with the optional five-speed automatic.

The Grand Vitara is offered in 4 model trim versions. The Grand Vitara JA starts at an MSRP of $24,495 with a five-speed manual transmission and all wheel drive.

The Grand Vitara JX 5-speed M/T has an MSRP of $26,495. Move up to JLX for $28,995. The top of the line fully loaded JLX-Leather model has an MSRP of only $29,995.

DRIVEN: 2006 Mazda MX-5

2005-10-06T16:21:00.000-04:00

Story and Photos by Mark Atkinson

In this time of ever-increasing levels of complication and computer assistance, it’s always nice to find something so (comparatively) basic and simple. That’s what has always made the Mazda Miata so appealing – it’s an affordable, easy to live with, unpretentious two-seat roadster in a sea of 4000-pound sedans and sky-high SUV’s.

That the Miata is a highly-capable sports car only helps its cause.

Since its introduction in 1989 – and the subsequent freshening in 2001 – the little Mazda has caught the hearts of more sports car owners than anyone else. In fact, it’s in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling sports car of all time.

If you go back a few issues, you’ll remember that we were big fans of the Mazdaspeed Miata – it proved an excellent platform for our High Performance Tire Test in April thanks to its low weight, nimble responses and just-right power.

So given all the history, all the hearts and wallets on the line, do you suppose Mazda may have been a just a little nervous to completely redesign the world’s favourite roadster?

It certainly seemed that way during the Canadian press launch in Kelowna, BC in August as Mazda executives seemed wound fairly tight when discussing the third-generation’s attributes. After spending a full day driving on spectacular roads from Kelowna, down to Osoyoos near the Washington border, and back up through the Okanagan to complete the circle – and another full week with one in Toronto – I can quite faithfully say they have nothing to be afraid of.

Except the name. Quite confusingly, we were made aware that in keeping in line with the rest of the world, the new Miata would now be called the MX-5 – which is how Europe has known it from its inception. In Japan, it used to be sold as the Roadster or Eunos Roadster – don’t ask – but even the home country is getting the memo.

It just seemed so strange to build 15 years of equity in a name – Miata – and then just give it up to follow some silly alpha-numeric system. That would be like Ford ditching the Mustang badges and calling the car a ‘Feelgood’ just because it wants its car names to start with ‘F’.

Even more confusingly, the Canadian Mazda executives were wishy-washy on just how hard-edged the changeover would be. The car itself doesn’t have a Miata badge on it anywhere, but the customer literature and commercials might refer to it as the ‘MX-5 Miata’ and see how it goes.

So, to aid in any confusion, both the old and the new cars will be referred to as Miata, because that’s just what they are. Stubborn, I am.

At any rate, the really positive thing is that even though this Miata is all new – with some drastically changed styling if you look really hard – from 30 (or more) feet away, it just looks like a Miata.

Now the gory details. The one complaint that could regularly be leveled at the old Miata was its size – or more specifically, the size of the drivers who could actually fit comfortably in one. I was at the extreme edge of the scale, and once wedged behind the wheel with my knees jammed between the rim and the door and console, could only pray that an accidental airbag deployment would not deprive me of my goal to one day have children.

The new Miata is larger in every dimension than its predecessor – length, width, wheelbase and weight. However, thanks to a weight-loss diet that comprised not of trying to pull out pounds at a time, but of shaving ounces wherever possible, the new Miata weighs only an unbelievable 22 pounds more than before. Twenty-two lousy pounds. I’ve seen bigger Thanksgiving turkeys.

Anyway, what that’s allowed is for Mazda to make the new Miata not only a better performer, but also a more livable car day-to-day – more on this in a minute.

The platform is a shortened version of the one used to underpin the brilliant RX-8, albeit with a different front sub-frame to accommodate the new all-aluminum 2.0-liter 16-valve four-cylinder engine. The four-banger puts out a healthy 170 hp at 6,700 rpm and 140 lb-ft at 5,000 rpm, a substantial 30-plus horsepower increase over the old 1.8. Coupled with the Miata’s legendary slick-shifting transmission, the car scoots to 100 km/h in the mid seven-second range.

The suspension features coil-sprung double wishbones up front, with a coil-sprung multi-link in the rear; both ends also get stabilizer bars. Combine this with the engine placed behind the front wheels, and you get a very nimble and responsive car that’s a cinch to drive.

The styling is a mix of the RX-8 ‘big fenders’ and the Ibuki show car from 2003. Whereas the original had a Coke-bottle figure, the new one is much more curvaceous. Even the top’s been improved – while still a do-it-yourself affair, it now folds in a Z-shape, which eases operation and allows for a much cleaner look when stowed.

Mazda will be offering three versions of the new Miata in Canada. First is the GX, which comes complete with 16-inch aluminum wheels and a five-speed manual transmission. Next up, the GS is the performance-oriented package, with upgraded Bilstein shocks, stiffer spring rates, a six-speed manual, 17-inch wheels, Dynamic Stability Control and a limited-slip differential. The GT has none of the performance upgrades other than the bigger wheels and the six-speed manual, but it comes loaded with leather seats, automatic climate control, air conditioning, ABS, a seven-speaker Bose audio system… you get the point. Seems a bit confusing, right?

Well, if you want your cake and to eat it too, then the ‘Third-Generation Limited’ is the way to go. Based on the GS mechanicals and associated performance upgrades, the Limited comes with the retina-searing metallic red paint, an equally bright red-leather interior, silver-finish trim, the chrome windshield and headlight surrounds, and generally everything Mazda could throw into the diminutive two-seater.

Amazingly, a five-speed automatic is an available option on the GX and GT models – you can even specify wheel-mounted paddle shifters in the GT…
In Kelowna, we had the opportunity to drive both the GT and Limited models, and found both to be highly entertaining choices. The Limited was just that much sharper and more focused, but the GT was certainly no slouch. Whichever way you choose, chances are you’ll be more than happy with the decision.

The biggest complaint comes from the Miata’s tires – they’re just too big. Well, let me qualify that by saying that the sticky rubber does a great job of keeping the car planted, but with the current power levels, you’d have to be an absolute loon to get the tail out under power. The LSD seems superfluous in everyday driving, but for those with an interest in competing, it’ll prove a vital companion.

Other minor quibbles include brakes that can be a tad snatchy at low speeds – but which really are quite acceptable when really pushing on, and the molded door-mounted cup-holders, which really are only good for banging your knee on. There are two console-mounted cup-holders as in previous versions… how many bottles of water do you really need in a Miata?

At any rate, pricing for the new Miata starts at $27,995 for the GX, moving to $30,995 for the sport-oriented GS, and on to $33,995 for the leather-lined GT. The Limited actually seems quite a bargain compared to the GT; at $34,495, it's only $500 more for all the performance goodies, and the visual upgrades as well.

The question we’re all waiting for now is whether or not Mazda will push forward with a Mazdaspeed version in the near future. The answer at the launch was ‘no’, but given the company’s past actions, keep your eyes peeled in the next year or two.

DRIVEN: 2006 Mazda5

2005-10-06T16:18:00.000-04:00

Story and Photos by Michael Banovsky

Remember when the minivan was mini? Better yet, remember the Nissan Axxess, the Toyota Van, and the original Honda Odyssey? (And the original Dodge Caravan, for that matter.) They were all from a time when the marketers were convinced that less was more.

That’s what Mazda would like you to think with their 2006 Mazda5. Part of the largest-growing segment across the globe – mini-MPVs – the Mazda5 is the first ‘mini’ to hit North America running.

It’s built off of Ford’s award-winning C1 platform – already seen here in the Mazda3 and Volvo S40/V50 – stretched a bit in all directions, and fitted with dual-sliding doors. It’s also fitted with Mazda’s sprightly 2.3L 4-cylinder engine, developing (in soccer dad guise) 157 horsepower and 148 lb/ft. of torque.

If it sounds anemic, it isn’t – with only one person on-board. Filled with people, luggage, or furniture, and it’s a bit challenged. Blame the lithe Japanese nation – anything more than two North American-sized adults and the engine sounds like a blender.With one person on board; however, it’s a hoot.

The manual gearbox has a long throw, which encourages full use of the engine. Handling is predictably predictable, right up to the limit. At the very low-low limit, the 5 displays (at first) somewhat unnerving characteristics.

I apologize to the trees that were scared in the making of this article. At the limit, a slight lift will bring out (not d0rift car levels here, folks) the tail, giving the sliding doors a better view of the road ahead. If you’ve driven a (BMW) Mini, it’s a similar at-the-limit feeling.

Because the 5 responds to a little bit of sliding, it’s much quicker in the corners than its large-van brethren, which just roll. The 5 rocks.

Inside, it’s standard-fare Japano-box construction (The only difference is that it’s in Mazda black). The first two rows are adjustable; all four seats have tilting backrests and are on sliders. The second row seats also fold forward sans-backrest to provide storage. When all three rows of seats are folded (yes, the six-passenger van that’s called the 5), the load area is cavernous.

Everyone I showed the 5 to was impressed. Basically, the 5 lets you to hold onto a long sweeper, your wife, and your kids. If DVD systems are entertainment for kids, the driving dynamics of the 5 are entertainment for adults.

If it doesn’t win AJAC’s coveted Car of the Year award, the voting journalists are probably too old and crotchety to understand.

Finally, the execution stays true to promise. Less is more.

NEWS: Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass Concepts

2005-09-14T12:07:00.000-04:00

With files from DaimlerChrysler Canada

Jeep designers have gone to the extreme once again, creating two all-new sport-utility-vehicle (SUV) concepts that could expand the Jeep brand into new territory.

The Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass concepts are compact Jeep 4x4s that would deliver fun, freedom, utility, capability, as well as the potential for exceptional fuel economy and interior flexibility – all at a great value. Making their debut at the 2005 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, these concepts hint at two future compact SUVs that the Jeep brand could build for global markets as soon as next year.

With the potential for the powerful yet fuel-efficient all-new 2.4-liter World Engine and a state-of-the-art 2.0-liter diesel (for international markets), the Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass concepts could be coupled with a new Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). All-new Jeep technology also would give these two concepts Jeep 4x4 capability.

The two very distinct interpretations of a compact Jeep complement each other, yet target different sets of customers who seek great value and fuel efficiency. The Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass concepts would expand the brand’s global lineup, which includes Jeep Commander, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Liberty (Cherokee outside North America) and the legendary Jeep Wrangler.

Jeep Patriot Concept: A Modern Interpretation of Classic Jeep Styling

Strong and capable, the Patriot concept is unmistakably Jeep, designed to appeal to compact SUV buyers who want traditional Jeep styling with best-in-class off-road capability. Jeep Patriot is rugged, exuding the brand’s key attributes of mastery, authenticity, freedom and adventure, but would still offer exceptional fuel economy, interior flexibility and utility at a great value.

Painted Armour Green with black door handles, body-side moldings, black accents, dark tinted windows and a stiffer windshield, Jeep Patriot would be built for maximum cargo volume, rugged driving conditions and excellent utility. Four doors and a rear liftgate provide easy access to the Jeep Patriot concept’s spacious and functional interior.

Classic Jeep design cues include aggressive 17-inch off-road wheels and tires housed inside signature Jeep trapezoidal wheel openings. These combine with a raised roof rack that can hold additional gear to provide a no-nonsense, functional statement. Jeep Patriot’s higher beltline completes the vehicle’s protective profile.

The rear of the vehicle features an upright backlight and a bold bumper that further illustrate the Jeep Patriot concept’s interior spaciousness and add to its rugged appearance and capability.

Jeep Patriot not only looks like a Jeep, but all-new Jeep off-road technology would ensure Jeep Patriot could be a Trail Rated 4x4, which would make it the most capable vehicle in its class.

Jeep Compass Concept: A New Type of Jeep in a Contemporary Package

Sleek and sophisticated with a rally car toughness, the Jeep Compass concept would deliver Jeep fun, freedom and capability, broadening the global appeal of Jeep and attracting new buyers who might not have previously considered the brand.

True to Jeep’s signature design cues, the Jeep Compass concept features the brand’s signature seven-slot grille, round headlamps, large and capable fog lights and trapezoidal wheel openings.

A steeply raked windshield, an expressive hood, low-to-the ground stance, deep fascia, wire mesh grille texture and prominent lower intake give the Jeep Compass concept a powerful and capable appearance.

The Jeep Compass concept’s side profile is highly sculptured. Powerful fender forms exaggerate the Jeep Compass concept’s athletic stance, performance 19-inch wheels and red-line tires.

From the rear, a roof-mounted spoiler completes the Jeep Compass performance message. The deep fascia is uniquely styled to accommodate a large chrome dual exhaust system, which also reinforces an aggressive, performance-oriented character.

NEWS: 2006 Toyota Yaris Announced

2005-09-14T11:26:00.000-04:00

By Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Toyota Canada

The immensely popular Toyota Echo hatchback will be ‘replaced’ in 2006 by the new slightly larger ‘Yaris’ model. Well, not exactly replaced as the Echo hatch has always been known as the Yaris in Europe (and the Vitz in Japan, but that’s just getting confusing…)

At any rate, the new Yaris will offer much of the same: reasonable price, great fuel economy, decent performance, Toyota reliability and rock-solid resale values. The Yaris will continue to be offered in both 3-door and 5-door configurations with two or three trim levels for each. The top-of-the-line RS will feature slight cosmetic tweaks and larger wheels and tires, but no increase in performance over the standard 106 hp.

While the Yaris was recently previewed at the 2005 Frankfurt Auto Show a few days ago, Toyota Canada will give Canadians their first look at the 2006 Yaris when the hatchback goes on display September 16 at the Georgian College Auto Show. Visitors are invited to the Toyota area during show hours running from September 16-18 in Barrie, ON.

NEWS: 2006 Lexus SC 430 Redesigned

2005-09-14T10:51:00.000-04:00

By Mark Atkinson
With files and photos from Lexus Canada

For 2006, Lexus has made a series of changes to its SC 430 convertible coupe. While never the a class-leader in performance terms, the two-door has always served as a competent cruiser. So refinements to the front and rear views make it better looking, and a new 6-speed automatic transmission helps keep the performance in line with its more traditional competitors.

In line with the new Lexus L-Finesse design philosophy, the headlamps, grille, bumpers and rear combination lamps are redesigned to further enhance the premium feel of the luxury sports coupe. New 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels firmly connect the SC 430 to the road, while an Adaptive Front lighting System (AFS) now equips the vehicle for better illumination in turns.

The rear-wheel-drive SC 430 is powered by a carryover 4.3-litre, 32-valve aluminum alloy DOHC V8 engine that produces 288 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 317 lb/ft of torque at 3,400 rpm. This powerplant not only moves the 1,742-kilogram SC 430 from 0-60 mph in a swift 5.9 seconds, it is tuned to provide consistent torque across a substantial range of engine speeds for immediate and dependable response.

Equipped with Lexus’ most effective emissions and fuel economy controls, including sophisticated VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing-intelligent) technology that continuously optimizes tuning characteristics based on engine speed and load, SC 430 is certified as an Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV).

The SC 430’s transmission is a new 6-speed automatic Super ECT (Electronically Controlled Transmission) that manages shift decisions based on engine speed and load. It also monitors throttle position, road speed, power requirements and operating temperature to efficiently direct gear selection and even adjusts for the slight wear on parts over time so shifts remain crisp.

Torque Activated Powertrain Control continuously analyzes accelerator pedal angle, engine operating conditions and vehicle speed, then adjusts the throttle to maintain even velocity. The system automatically holds shifts for hill climbing and downshifts automatically when the brake pedal is engaged so that, with only small adjustments in pedal pressure, adequate torque is always available and unnecessary downshifts are avoided.

Back by popular demand is the Pebble Beach Special Edition, with its dramatic colouring and exclusive trim. For 2006, a Tigereye Mica exterior is complemented by a camel interior and espresso dark brown wood. Each Pebble Beach model comes with a leather luggage set, along with unique badges and floor mats.

The 2006 Lexus SC 430 is priced at $92,650, and the Pebble Beach edition has a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $93,850.

NEWS: 2006 Toyota 4Runner Updated

2005-09-14T10:50:00.000-04:00

With files and photos from Toyota Canada

With a choice of potent V6 and V8 engines, and an extensive array of stability and traction management technologies, the 2006 Toyota 4Runner combines outstanding off-road capability with on-road comfort and all-weather safety.

For the 2006 model year, 4Runner is enhanced with:

• revised headlamps, bumpers, LED rear combination lamps, grille, fog lamps and fender flares.
• 4Runner Limited V6 and V8 models get 18-inch alloy wheels, and a memory function on the driver’s seat and side mirrors.
• 16-inch alloy wheels are now standard on the 4Runner SR5 V8.
• A Sport Package for the 4Runner SR5 V6 and V8 now includes power seats and in-dash 6- CD changer.
• All sound systems now include a mini-plug and MP3 player.

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the revised 2006 4Runner SR5 V6 starts at $39,960, while the Limited V6 has an MSRP of $49,950. The V8-equipped 4Runner SR5 has an MSRP that starts at $42,840, while the Limited V8 has an MSRP of $52,585.

NEWS: Hyundai Opens New Environmental Technology R&D Centre

2005-09-14T10:16:00.000-04:00

With files from Hyundai Canada

Hyundai Automotive Group today held the grand opening of the new Environmental Technology R&D Centre. As the new home of Hyundai’s environmental research efforts, the Centre will spark new synergies and generate greater efficiency in Hyundai’s efforts to develop cleaner, more eco-friendly vehicles.

Located on the southern edge of Seoul in Mabuk, phase 1 of the centre was completed with a total investment of US $58 million after start of construction in July 2003. The scale of the investment is a clear sign of the Hyundai Motor Company’s commitment to attain global leadership in environmental management.

Situated on a 30,488-sq. meter site, the five-story 14,233 sq. meter facility is home to 200 researchers and more than 400 pieces of high-tech equipment. Facilities include a 700-bar hydrogen filling station, a fuel-cell endurance tester, an emissions lab, dynamometers and other specialized equipment for testing electric propulsion systems. A pilot plant for automated vehicle dismantling focuses on improving the material recycling rate of end-of-life vehicles.

The new centre will allow Hyundai to proactively respond to the intensifying environmental regulations in the areas of product development, manufacturing, sales, after service, and vehicle recycling.

Of particular note, the 700-bar hydrogen filling station, coupled with the 350-bar station at the Group’s Namyang R&D Centre will enable fuel-cell vehicle tests within the Seoul metropolitan area and will help accelerate the commercialization of fuel-cell electric vehicles.

Furthermore, in line with the purpose it seeks to serve, the centre itself was contracted using environment-friendly materials and processes such as vacuum toilet systems which in using one-tenth the water of a conventional flush toilet results in 1,500 tons of water savings annually; heating and air conditioning systems using heat pumps; natural light systems using solar reflectors; floors made of scrapped tires; and electric power created from actual fuel-cell tests used during technology development that will result in a 1,000-ton reduction in CO2 emissions

NEWS: 2006 Honda Civic Revealed

2005-09-14T09:46:00.000-04:00

By Mark Atkinson
With files from Honda Canada

Honda has officially revealed the details on its eighth-generation Civic, which has been one of the most popular cars in Canada for decades. While we’ll wait for a full test to completely go through the myriad details of the brand-new car, here are some of the highlights you can look forward to for the 2006 model.

There will be two bodystyles sold in Canada, the sedan and coupe, with various trim levels of each. The Civic Si Coupe returns to its full glory, something that unfortunately couldn’t be said for its now-retired hatchback cousin. Expect close to Acura RSX Type-S levels of performance thanks to an i-VTEC equipped 2.0-liter, 197-horsepower version of Honda’s venerable K-series engine combined with a six-speed manual transmission.

On the other side of the scale, the Civic Hybrid features a 1.3-liter four-cylinder with IMA (Integrated Motor Assist), that combined with the standard CVT, provides an estimated highway fuel economy of 4.3 L/100km.

The Civic Si will only be offered in the coupe body, while the Hybrid remains a sedan.

The ‘bread-and-butter’ Civic sedans and coupes will feature a brand-new 1.8-litre i-VTEC SOHC 4-cylinder engine that produces 140 horsepower (10 to 21 percent increase, depending on trim level) and 128 lb-ft. of torque (12 to 16 percent increase, depending on trim level).

Honda has a tradition of making its vehicles fun-to-drive with responsive suspension tuning and refined road manners. The 2006 Honda Civic chassis features refined suspension geometry with larger wheels and tires, a longer wheelbase, and a new-generation 4-channel anti-lock braking system.

The all-new MacPherson strut front suspension design incorporates new geometry with a high caster angle for straight line stability along with improved toe-control dynamics for sharp and responsive steering. Honda claims that changes to steering angles, bushings, material rigidity, and spring and shock tuning result in amazingly linear suspension movement at the upper limit of vehicle dynamics.

The majority of 2006 Civics will be produced and assembled using domestic and globally sourced parts in Canada and the U.S. The Civic Coupe and Civic Si models – and in fact all Civic 2-door coupes built for the global market – will be produced and assembled exclusively at the Honda of Canada Manufacturing (HCM) plant in Alliston, ON.

Civic Sedan models will be primarily produced at the Honda of America Manufacturing plant in East Liberty, OH, although the majority of Civic Sedans for the Canadian market will be built at the HCM plant in Ontario. All Civic Hybrid models are built in the Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Suzuka, Japan, manufacturing facility.

We’re certainly eager to get our hands on all of these all-new models, so check back throughout the fall for more involved driving impressions.

DRIVEN: 2005 Dodge Viper SRT10

2005-09-14T09:12:00.000-04:00

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos by Mark Atkinson and Michael Banovsky

The Dodge Viper, in all its iterations over the last 16 years – RT/10, GTS, ACR, SRT10 – has garnered a mixed reputation by automotive journalists and enthusiasts alike thanks to the combination of massive power and ‘right now’ handling with very little else to show for it.

Since its introduction, the Viper has been at the top of the North American performance car pile; the last generation Corvette Z06 came the closest, but wasn’t quite powerful or brutal enough to knock it off its perch, while any version of the Ford Mustang – supercharged or not – was just too far away to begin with to offer any real competition.

The only real ‘homegrown’ talent to take away the crown of American Bad-Ass is the new Ford GT, which easily mixes it up with the Ferraris and Lamborghinis of this world, but hasn’t been available in Canada to this point.

So that leaves the Viper SRT10 in a curious position as the not-quite-at-the-top-but-still-somewhat-reasonably-priced-two-seat-blow-your-doors-off-sportscar, which it holds quite admirably.

While the Viper SRT10 was completely overhauled for the 2003 model year, the new look still surprises, mainly because there seem to be so few of them out there. The design certainly retained many of the original’s styling cues, however the new look really does away with the original’s dramatic curves and bulging fenders. Spend enough time poring over the second generation, and you’ll discover it really does look sharp.

The Viper badge has been updated, while the cross-hair front fascia remains. The rear lights mimic the earlier generation’s, and the rear bumper sports a working diffuser.

But really – let’s be honest here. The body panels, chassis and everything else are simply built around the SRT10’s engine, which we all know is an 8.3-litre all-aluminum, pushrod V10 that unleashes a monstrous 500 hp @ 5600 rpm and 525 lb-ft @ 4200 rpm. All that motivating force is controlled by a six-speed manual transmission geared high enough for the SRT10 to top 300 km/h, and a Dana Hydra-Lok speed-sensing limited-slip differential to try and keep the 3,410 lb two-seater pointed roughly in the correct direction.

Open the hood – conventionally this time; Dodge did away with the heavy, expensive one-piece clamshell piece from the first gen – and you’ll see those crinkle-red valve covers topping the relatively compact unit. It’s mounted very far back in the chassis to aid in weight distribution, and is thankfully not obscured by gigantic plastic shrouds, something which is de rigueur nowadays.

While the original RT/10’s side-pipes were said to produce sounds like an angry UPS truck, the SRT10’s have been tuned much more aggressively, and with even part throttle, the V10 just roars. Tunnels will soon be your friends.

Nevertheless, once you’re underway, the Viper’s reputation of biting inattentive – or just plain dumb – drivers hard is easy to understand. With so much power, a heavy shift action, and those wide front tires tram-lining all over the place, the SRT10 is certainly a ‘two-hand’ vehicle. A latte-sipping road couch it isn’t.

While those fancy computer-controlled paddle-activated sequential-shifting transmissions are usually a complete waste of time, the Viper would probably be the best candidate out there to have one offered, simply because you wouldn’t have to risk moving your arm from the steering wheel to the shifter and back again. But the added weight and complexity would completely go against the car’s ethos, so don’t count on that happening anytime soon.

Speaking of that ethos, the Viper is refreshingly free of any and all forms of traction and stability control – other than the 100-year-old ‘analog’ method of using your brain. Dodge does claim that they’ve fitted ABS, but four-piston calipers squeezing 335mm vented discs combined with the ultra-sticky 275/35 ZR-18 Michelin ZP tires (345/30 ZR19 out back) meant that they didn’t activate once in the four days I had with the SRT10.

To be honest, most of the time I drove like a grandmother, breathing gently on the throttle, shifting up early, cruising at 110 km/h with the engine lugging a tick over 1100 rpm. Two days were spent almost exclusively with the top up and the air conditioning on while touring the Niagara wine region – surprisingly, the SRT10 proved to be a decent touring companion. Never complaining or overheating, despite the near 40C days with rainforest levels of humidity, and the seats were perfectly shaped for long-distance travels.

But when those times arose when I did push the ‘go’ pedal further, the Viper was a willing companion. Too willing, in fact. There is absolutely no public place where you can morally push the SRT10 to its limits. And if you do, then suffer the consequences – you’ll get no pity from me.

While that may sound harsh, Dodge has gone and built just about the ultimate sports car; it features nothing more than it absolutely needs, including all those creature comforts that you can now find on sub-$20K economy sedans.

The car’s biggest departure comes in the form of its roof. It is a conventional convertible with a manual fabric top rather than the older one’s targa-style afterthought. While it’s not a complex system, the major gripe comes from needing to have the trunk open to raise or lower the top, which means lots of gymnastics getting in and out over the wide (and usually roasting hot) sill to go al fresco. Once either fitted or stored, the roof is clean and unobtrusive; it’s the transition that grates.

As a competition vehicle, the Viper would probably be overwhelmed by a typical Solo 2 event – it’s too wide and fairly unsuited to the domain of tiny and nimble Miatas and Civics. Something that allows it to stretch its legs would be more appropriate. For those really serious about getting a Viper race car, Dodge does offer a Competition Coupe version, which really is a factory-made ground-up racing version, one of which you can see regularly competing in the CASC-OR Ontario Challenge Cup, not to mention the hordes on the grid at every SPEED World Challenge GT event.

At any rate, there will certainly be two types of Viper SRT10 buyers: those who find it to be the best combination of power, balance and brutality at half the price of its competition, and those who simply want to spend $127,000 to pose and look good driving down Yonge Street.

Either way, it’ll make you a hit at parties; one ‘gentleman’ who I let sit in the driver’s seat nearly offered me his first-born in thanks and couldn’t stop mentioning that it had been the greatest moment of his life. While I suspect a heavy dose of alcohol was involved, it certainly helps prove just how many fanatics there are for whom the Viper will always be the ultimate in anti-PC sports cars.

DRIVEN: 2006 Volvo XC90 V8

2005-09-14T08:58:00.000-04:00

Story by Michael Banvosky
Photos by Michael Banovsky and Volvo Canada

Can something be clean burning, yet inefficient? Safe but insecure? Useful and useless?

Consider the 2006 XC90 V8, equipped with Volvo’s first V8. As their taglines say: “Perhaps it’s the best V8 on the planet, because it’s the best V8 for the planet.”

The new, Yamaha-developed, ultra-compact all-aluminum 4.4L V8 produces 311 horsepower at 5850rpm, and a maximum of 325lb.-ft of torque at 3900rpm. Mated to a new six-speed automatic transmission and Volvo’s Haldex electronically-controlled all-wheel-drive system, the 0-100km/h sprint takes a mere 6.9 seconds.

Despite the performance, the engine meets both the American ULEV II and the European Euro 5 exhaust emission regulations. The question is: with an engine that drinks 16.4 L/100km in the city and 10.7 L/100km on the highway - 17 and 26 mpg respectively - is it more important to have low fuel consumption or good emissions? If those figures seem high, they are. Even with effort (and after the first 80L tank drained in under two days), I couldn’t manage better than 14 L/100km on the highway and 17L/100km in the city - closer to 19 mpg combined.

They’ve mated the engine to a large, over-two-metric-tonne SUV that features inflatable side curtain airbags for all three rows of seats, whiplash-reducing front seats, side-impact airbags for the first two rows of seats, and dual-stage front airbags. For electronic acronyms, the XC90 V8 has DSTC (Dynamic Stability and Traction Control) and RSC (Roll Stability Control). Basically - and I tried under controlled conditions - the computers will cut in at even a hint of a rollover. Impressive, but why fit tons of security systems to an inherently unstable vehicle type?

Finally, as of this writing the XC90 is rated to tow 5000lbs. If that looks familiar, it’s the same amount that an XC90 T6 will tow - but most owners will never take it off-road. For the record, the XC90 is also one of the few relatively capable road-biased SUVs. In other words, it will almost never be used to its full potential.
But, as I’ve discovered, this isn’t a logical Volvo. The Swedes have tried to over-think the SUV, and come up with a truck full of contradictions instead.

Which is why I like it.

Flooring the gas pedal unleashes a sonorous roar that is more refined than the sound from an American V8, but contains more character than is found in a typical Japanese lump. The handling up ‘till the limit is controlled and precise. As a bonus, the interior controls, the look of the ‘ute, and the cargo space are just plain sweet.
For an as-tested price slightly north of $71,000, it’s a big emotional leap. On paper, the XC90 V8 seems like an overpriced BMW X5 alternative. On the road; however, it might be worth it.

Finally, a Volvo that makes no sense.

NEWS: Dodge Announces Charger SRT8 Pricing

2005-08-19T11:46:00.000-04:00

Special to Inside Track
Photo Courtesy DaimlerChrysler Canada

WINDSOR, ON – August 18, 2005 – DaimlerChrysler Canada announced pricing for the quickest sedan in its lineup, the all-new 2006 Dodge Charger SRT8.

Adding a new level of Dodge DNA to the SRT (Street and Racing Technology) formula of benchmark performance at the lowest price, the all-new 2006 Dodge Charger SRT8 is available for $44,650. Dodge Charger SRT8 arrives in dealer showrooms in November.

The all-new 2006 Dodge Charger SRT8 is powered by a 6.1-litre HEMI V-8 engine producing 425 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque, and is equipped with a host of performance upgrades and premium amenities.

NEWS: All the latest...

2005-08-17T10:04:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photos courtesy their respective manufacturers

Okay, it's time to unveil photos of the new Porsche sedan, two new German performance SUVs, and the origin of many automotive logos. But the Porsche goes first.

According to Autoweek.com, the long-rumoured, super-secret Porsche 4 door that was never photographed and subsequently crushed well...photographed and not crushed. This photo depicts an early 90s 911, with all of the current 911 styling cues intact. Draw your own conclusions as to why the photo was released...

Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG

I wonder: Will this hot ML sell like the old one? If so, only a few fat cats in North America will find homes for the successor to the old AMG Hammer sedan. In other words, a really fast SUV is still quite mental. Best quote from the press release:"
As in a Formula 1 racing car, the seven gears can be changed using the gearshift buttons on the AMG ergonomic sports steering wheel."

From Mercedes-Benz: "The powerful heart of a high-performance athlete beats beneath the bonnet of the ML 63 AMG: as a completely new and autonomous development by Mercedes-AMG, the AMG 6.3-litre V8-engine generates an output of 375 kW/510 hp at 6800 rpm and a maximum torque of 630 Newton metres at 5200 rpm; this makes the new AMG powerpack the world’s most powerful naturally aspirated eight-cylinder engine in regular production.

This unique combination of a high engine speed concept and a large displacement enables the best of both worlds to be achieved: outstanding liveliness accompanied by powerful torque from low engine speeds. The driver of the ML 63 AMG experiences the decidedly sporty character of the new AMG V8-engine in the form of great agility and dynamic responsiveness in all engine speed ranges.

No other off-roader in the direct competitive lineup has a larger displacement and output than the new ML 63 AMG. The AMG 6.3-litre V8-engine provides the performance levels of a sports car, with acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in just 5.0 seconds and a maximum speed of 250 km/h (electronically limited). Compared to the preceding ML 55 AMG with 255 kW/347 hp and 510 Newton metres, the new ML 63 AMG generates 46 percent more output and 23 percent more torque.

Power transfer in the top M-Class model is via an AMG SPEEDSHIFT 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission with a DIRECT SELECT shift lever mounted by the steering wheel. Three shift modes specially configured for the sporty performance characteristics of the AMG V8-engine ensure that the power is used to best effect. These shift modes - "S" (Sport), "C" (Comfort) and "M" (Manual) – are selected using a switch in the centre console and differ in their gearshift characteristics and speed.

As in a Formula 1 racing car, the seven gears can be changed using the gearshift buttons on the AMG ergonomic sports steering wheel. The permanent four-wheel drive of the ML 63 AMG is also decidedly sporty in nature: in the interests of the best possible agility and performance on bends, the generous power of the AMG V8-engine is distributed to the front and rear axles on a 40:60 basis. A specially strengthened drive train ensures an optimal power transfer and the reliability typical of a Mercedes."

Audi Q7

After teasing us for about six months, Audi has finally released photos of their new SUV, the Q7. Deliveries start in the new year. Engines are their FSI 4.2L V8 and, well...saints be praised:

"The 3.0 TDI six-cylinder engine features a latest-generation common rail injection system that uses piezo inline injectors, thus combining the high performance of 171 kW (233 bhp) and substantial torque of 500 Nm with exceptional refinement and excellent economy."

Automotive emblems

No, not do-it-yourself jobbies, but an article on the origin of several well-known badges. The article can be found at: Business Week.

Click at your own risk.

NEWS: Mitsubishi Sportback

2005-08-11T10:07:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photo courtesy Mitsubishi

Here it is, folks: The new Lancer Evo X. Okay...it's what Mitsubishi are showing at the Frankfurt show in September. Still, it's a good indication of how the Lancer/Lancer Evo will look when sitting on DaimlerChrysler's new small-car platform.

Let the turbo kits begin.

NEWS: Custom lettering

2005-08-09T14:13:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky

We here at Inside Track feel that car names can be boring.

For instance, the next Miata will be called the MX-5... In Europe, The Toyota Echo Hatchback is called "Vitz" (which is much cooler, btw). The Vibe is called "Voltz", the Integra is "RSX" over here...and don't get us started on the Lexus GX470 being called the "Land Cruiser Prado" in Japan.

Well, point your browser over to YourEmblem.com and finally you can order the letters to say "Gooolie" instead of "6000 LE".

We will not take any responsibility for misuse...and badges don't make your car go any faster. Oh, and "Wagon Queen Family Truckster" will set you back about $106.00 CDN, plus shipping...

NEWS: New Vehicle roundup

2005-08-09T11:18:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photos courtesy their respective manufacturers

Golf R32

Yes, Volkswagen continues the across-the-pond-tease – this time with the limited-edition R32. It features a 250 horsepower V6, DSG gearbox, 4Motion all-wheel-drive, and tires that are speed rated for 300 km/h. Inside, special seats, trim inserts, and steering wheel complete the look. Prices start at €32,200 (about $48,360 CDN).

Volkswagen Passat V6

These are the details of the all-new Passat to be launched in the U.S. shortly. All details for Canada (including the engine lineup) should be unchanged. It will be in Canada at the same time or shortly after it’s debut in the U.S.

From Volkswagen: “(Our) most powerful Passat ever, the 280-horsepower 2006 Passat 3.6L—an all-new car that arrives at U.S. dealerships in two months… This new Passat will be among the most powerful front-drive, family midsize cars ever offered… The V6 offers a nearly class-leading power-to-weight ratio that allows this family hauler to propel from 0-60 mph in just 6.6 seconds.

Prior to the launch of this new top-of-the-line V6, Volkswagen will bring the 2006 new Passat model to the U.S. market beginning this month. This all-new sedan will represent the most, sophisticated and affordable German-built family midsize car on the market today, with the starting price at less than $23,000 (less than $28,000 CDN) [for the 4-cylinder model].

Significantly, the new Passat’s base engine is upgraded to a sophisticated new four-cylinder engine called the 2.0T. This two-liter is efficient and sporty and uses a turbocharger and an intercooler for cool, higher-density intake air. The 2.0T’s high-end breathing is further enhanced by its four-valves per cylinder. The engine’s overall efficiency begins with an advanced direct-injection fuel delivery system that culminates in 200 hp at 5,100 revolutions per minute, and 207 lbs.-ft. of torque all the way from 1,800 rpm to 5,000 rpm—an extraordinary torque curve that provides plenty of pulling power from the low end through the top.”

Suzuki Grand Vitara

This one IS coming to Canada! It looks like Suzuki pulled off an excellent design, based on the Chevrolet Equinox. Exact specifications and mechanical data will be announced at the Frankfurt auto show in September.

Porsche Panamera

Just in case you missed it, the long-rumoured 4-door Porsche sedan has been approved for production in 2008 as a 2009 model. Prices will start north of $100,000 to take the fight to the Mercedes-Benz CLS, Bentley Continental GT, BMW M5, etc.

As if the thought of a 4-door Porsche was enough to make you weep, imagine what one will look like when a bling-conscious celebrity gets one. Chrome rims and mesh grills, no doubt…

DRIVEN: 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible

2005-08-05T16:36:00.000-04:00

Story and photos by Michael Banovsky

If your body isn’t getting certain nutrients, it’ll start throwing itself at all the things needed to get them. Pasty white people, like me, always get dragged into the heat at the first lick of summer to get burned – by our sun-craving bodies, no less. So saying I was looking forward to the 2005 Mini Cooper S Convertible is a sort of understatement. My body craved it.

First impressions confirmed that whenever zee-Germans decide to allow us some fun, it’s spoiled (deliberately) by something. In the Mini it’s the number of buttons, switches, and clicky-things all over the interior. I really only need four things: a door handle, window and headlight switches, and the button to start tanning.
When you take an artist’s sketch of a funky, retro-inspired interior and try to add BMW-levels of functionality, it just doesn’t work. The inside should be more Cooper than 7-Series, thanks.

The button to start tanning actually has two settings. The first acts like a sunroof and retracts the top just enough to burn your legs. The second setting is all SPF30. The sunroof setting, though, is a tad useless. I used it once under threatening skies and it turns the car into a vacuum bag for sucking in road grime.
Should I even mention the laughable rear seats?

But starting the little supercharged 1.6L inline 4-cylinder engine makes all of the criticism go away. It sounds awesome – and there’s even a bit of backfiring built in.

It’s the little-engine-that-could quality that I admire most. For example, when the hood is open and the engine revved, it shakes about and looks (if you squint enough) like a heart, beating away. Brilliant.

Launching this car is awesome. The clutch is tight and progressive, and the last car I drove with a floor-hinged accelerator was my father’s Porsche 914 2.0. But the Mini has power that the little Porsche only dreamed of. 0-100km/h comes up in 7.4 seconds – surely only because 1st gear is so short and requires a shift into 2nd.
With the traction control off – let me tell you – the front tires smoke like Bob Dylan.

But turning off the electronic nanny yields a nice surprise while cornering. I was skeptical of all the praise heaped upon the Mini’s chassis, but now I know it’s for real.

The car can be setup to under or oversteer, depending on the corner and driver skill. Lifting off mid-corner puts the rear of the car into a controllable slide. Yum. And don’t assume that these antics require hooligan-ish speeds. No, it’s just all fun, all of the time.

I was asking people during the week how much they thought the Mini cost and – you’re all wrong. With a base price of $36,500 plus the sport ($1800) and premium ($1,750) packages – and white bonnet stripes ($130) – the car rings in at $40,180. It’s a little much, really.

Besides, the people who will most likely buy the Mini will have to choose between it and time at a tanning salon – I couldn’t imagine an enthusiast could forgive the cowl shake. Just go out and buy the hatchback, with its better rigidity and performance.

After all, pasty white people like me are really craving speed and not sun.

DRIVEN: 2005 BMW 325i

2005-08-05T16:32:00.000-04:00

By Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy BMW Canada

When automotive journalists – me included – bring out the word ‘iconic’ when referring to a particular model, it’s usually because they’ve run out of things to say, and mostly because everything has been said already.

For example, the BMW 3-series is iconic for the simple reason that it’s been on top of the compact luxury sport sedan category for well over 25 years now. Over four generations, the simple philosophy of entertaining four or six-cylinder engines matched to a nimble, responsive rear-wheel-drive chassis. It’s a philosophy that’s carried the company for decades now, and one that manufacturer after manufacturer has tried in vain to perfect.

Just how many car magazines have been sold with the words “So-and-so’s 3-series Fighter Inside”? Billions. Unfortunately, the only one to earn the title of “Best non-BMW Compact Luxury Sport Sedan” so far has been the Infiniti G35, which is a stupendous value and perfectly able car but is still missing some of the delicateness that the Bimmer offers.

So the launch of a brand-new 3-series is a vitally important, both for BMW’s image, and their bottom line. Thankfully, the German manufacturer is very much aware of the template to use, but as with most redesigns, is stretching the dimensions to suit our stretching waistlines.

The new E90 3-Series (the chassis code for all you Bimmer anoraks) is larger in every dimension than its E46 predecessor, but retains all the correct proportions – long wheelbase, short overhangs, bluff front and back, wide stance with wheels at the corners, etc. – that most immediately relate to the smallest BMW.

I have to admit that I was one of those calling for BMW’s chief designer Chris Bangle’s head when the handsome, understated and athletic 7-series was morphed into the massive, ‘flame-surfaced’, awkward behemoth that’s sold today. (Not even a mid-life facelift can help bring me back to the fold, but that’s another story.) And I have yet to meet anyone who upon viewing the current 5-series for the first time exclaimed “Oh, that’s absolutely gorgeous! I have to have one!” Usually it was something more like “Wow. That’s, um, different. Does it still drive well?”
Admittedly, the concave styling with a myriad of line intersects works very well on two-doors and roadsters. The Z4 is one of the most stunning roadsters ever – especially in a colour other than silver – and, in the sheet metal anyway, the 645Ci is sex on wheels.

So you can imagine my dread when thoughts of what the new 3-series would mutate into. Strangely, after having driven a 325i sedan for a week (coupe, convertible and touring/wagon arrive later) that perhaps Bangle hadn’t gone far enough.

At any rate, the 3-series adopts the 5-series style lights and front end, with the 6-series’ wide kidney-shaped grille. The three air intakes in the lower fascia with fog lights at the outer edges are becoming increasingly ubiquitous, but work well with the rest of the car’s design.

Thankfully, BMW resisted the droopy door line that makes the 5 and 7 look like they’re folding in the middle, and bold shoulder lines extend to the rear. Also, the ‘Bangle Butt’ from the 7-series is mercifully absent, while the rear taillights look more bloated than they should.

However, it’s not something that most folks will gripe about, and will all others before it, the new 3-series will get easier on the eyes as more and more hit the road.

Inside, the styling bears a strong resemblance to the Z4, with its stark dash and its cabin-wide swath of brushed aluminum. The sound system and HVAC controls are immediately recognizable to previous BMW owners, and as always, the ergonomics and materials are spot on. The seats deserve some praise for their comfort, support and adjustability – they were absolutely perfect.

For the technophiles, the complicated I-Drive system is available if you order the GPS-based navigation system, but was thankfully missing from our mid-level tester.
BMW’s naming nomenclature has been fairly easy to decipher over the years. The first digit always denotes the class (3, 5, 6, 7, etc.), while the last two are the engine size in litres, so a 330i is powered by a 3.0-liter straight six. However, there have been some exceptions to the rule, most notably with the earlier four-cylinder engines.

Well, get ready for another exception. While the new 330i retains the 3.0-liter straight six, this year pushing 255 hp @ 6,600 rpm and 220 lb-ft @ 2,750 rpm, the 325i also has a 3.0-liter straight six, albeit with only 215 hp and 185 lb-ft. The difference is all in the tuning, and the Double-VANOS variable intake and exhaust trickery that would take six pages on its own to describe.

At any rate, the lower-powered engine in our tester was hooked up to BMW’s excellent six-speed manual transmission, which comes standard on every 3-series. (An optional six-speed automatic is available across the line as well.)

With the usual 50/50 weight distribution, sticky tires and beefed up suspension and 17-inch wheels from the optional Sports Package ($2,800), the 325i is a hugely rewarding drive. Despite being heavier than before, the car still feels like it’s on its tiptoes, and can slice through traffic with ease. The steering communicates its intentions very well, and you’re not so isolated that you can’t feel what’s going on through your seat.

Our admittedly well equipped 325i tester starts at $39,900 – with the usual mountains of safety equipment like ABS, TCS, EBD, and a glut of airbags. Ours also came with the aforementioned sport package, the $4,300 Premium Package (glass sunroof, auto dimming mirror, electric seats, Harman/Kardon sound system), and another $800 for metallic paint for a price as tested of $47,800. Just for reference, the more powerful 330i starts at $47,500.

So BMW has hit another home run, but will the ticket price be too expensive to fill the seats? At this point, it seems that BMW can sell every car it builds, so given the successful redesign, the Bimmer icon will remain so.

NEWS: Supercar to be discontinued

2005-07-12T11:47:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky

Well, it looks as though my favourite supercar is being phased out of production. No, not the Lamborghini Gallardo or Pagani Zonda, but the Acura NSX.

Why the NSX? To me, it showed that a car could be both fast and easy to live with. They’re practically bulletproof little cars as far as reliability is concerned, and Honda even overs a factory “refresher” program to update the car to the latest specifications.

The good news? They’re developing a successor. From Honda/Acura Canada:

“TORONTO (July 11, 2005) – To further enhance the division’s performance image, Acura is developing a new sports car to succeed the award-winning NSX “supercar.” Acura also announced that production of the current generation NSX will be retired at the end of the year due to the extensive retooling necessary to meet stringent 2006 emissions and equipment regulations for North America, Europe and Asia.

“Acura remains committed to offering customers ultra high-performance vehicles,” said Jim Miller, Executive Vice President, Honda Canada Inc. “It’s too early to comment on any specifics, but the all-new model promises to be just as groundbreaking as the original 1991 NSX.”

As the first-ever supercar from Japan, the NSX was created as a hand-built, exotic, mid-engine sports car that established new levels of performance, refinement and drivability. The NSX went on sale in the summer of 1990 and posted record Canadian sales of 253 units the following year. Through June 2005, NSX cumulative sales for North America totaled 9,551 vehicles.

NSX was designed by Acura as a technological and performance showcase. It was the first production car to utilize titanium connecting rods and feature an all-aluminum body, chassis and suspension. It featured a transversely mounted dual overhead cam V-6 engine equipped with Acura’s breakthrough VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) system, titanium connecting rods and a variable volume induction system.

Over time, the NSX received continuous updates to ensure its competitiveness and popularity with sports car enthusiasts. The NSX has also captured multiple championships in the highest levels of sports car and prototype racing.”

NEWS: Ford GT to be Sold in Canada

2005-07-07T11:43:00.000-04:00

With files from Ford of Canada

TORONTO, ON – For the first time, the Ford GT supercar will be available for sale in Canada, Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd., announced today. Race fans can catch their first glimpse of the incredible 550-horsepower Ford GT in action at the Canadian Champ Car World Series races in Toronto (July 10), Edmonton (July 17) and Montréal (August 28).

Ford of Canada will offer 200 unique, limited production Canadian cars for sale during the 2006 model year after working with Markham, Ont.-based automotive supplier Multimatic Inc. to customize the vehicle to Canadian standards.

“Multimatic is extremely pleased to be working with Ford of Canada to bring one of the world’s best supercars to Canadians. Having worked with Ford on the original development of the Ford GT concept vehicles, it is great to see that our partnership will bring this exclusive car to Canada,” said Hao Wang, assistant general manager, Multimatic Technical Centre. Multimatic supplies components, systems and engineering services to the global automotive industry and has operating divisions in North America and Europe with partners in Asia, South America and Australia.

The Ford GT motor, based on the largest V-8 in Ford’s modular engine family, features 85 per cent new moving parts and produces 550 horsepower and 500 feet-pound of torque.

The 5.4-litre powerplant is all-aluminum and fed by an Eaton screw-type supercharger. It features 4-valve cylinder heads and forged components, including the crankshaft, H-beam connecting rods and aluminum pistons. Power is put to the road through a Ricardo six-speed manual transaxle featuring a helical limited-slip differential.

Major features on the GT include Brembo monoblock brake calipers; one-piece BBS wheels 46 cm (18-inch) front, 48 cm (19-inch) rear; Goodyear Eagle F1 supercar tires; carbon-fibre bucket seats with ventilated leather seating surfaces; 6-speed manual transmission; AM/FM stereo with CD; bi-xenon headlamps; fog lamps; driver and passenger front air bags; ABS; leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel; passive anti-theft system; power exterior mirrors, windows and door locks; air conditioning; remote keyless entry and rear window defroster.

Pricing has yet to be announced, but don’t expect much change from $300,000 after taxes.

DRIVEN: 2005 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T 4Motion

2005-07-05T09:26:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photos by Michael Banovsky

If you’ve flown anywhere in the last oh, say 20 years or so, you should be familiar with the Boeing 767. The first variant, the 767-200, was originally launched in 1978 and produced from 1981 to 1984. Most worldwide airlines still use them extensively for long-range journeys. In fact, it even broke the flying distance record for twin-engined aircraft several times.

The only problem with the aircraft (besides having its origins in the Jimmy Carter presidency) is that its chief rival, the Airbus A330, practically killed the 767 in the commercial jetliner business.

So what does all of this have to do with the 2005 Volkswagen Passat 4Motion? I’ll get to that later.

I’ve never driven a car as anonymous as the Passat. Forget beige Toyota Corollas and silver Honda Accords, the Volkswagen Passat will get you unnoticed. Walking up to it while the lights flash as the doors unlock is like finding a wanted man.

Think about it: All of the artist’s renderings of what criminals look like now, 10 years after the deed, have a bit of someone you know built into them. Your wife’s eyes, your best friend’s nose, the cable guy’s hairline. But they never add up to anyone specific. The Passat is the man on the 6 o’clock news, ten years later – and all grown up.

Because while its rivals have been introducing hybrid drives and sharper styling, Volkswagen engineers haven’t done more than nip and tuck the Passat since its 1998 introduction. So the current car is yes…gasp…almost seven years old. That means I was just entering high school when it came onto the market.

I won’t describe the year-by-year changes since its introduction, because they’re rather boring. The Passat did briefly feature the much-vaunted W8 engine, but the projected customers were already too attached to their BMWs.

The important thing to consider is that when Hyundai, Subaru, Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Ford, Chevrolet, Chrysler, and Mazda were designing their current-generation cars, the Passat was sitting in their laboratories being dissected. It’s that build quality, those materials, and this comfort customers want.

Think rubber-coated switches are neat? Red gauges? Vibration-damped door handles? Side airbags? Traction control? Volkswagen pretty much brought those touches to the masses as standard, circa 1998.

Its been around so long that some of its parts have found a home in more exciting automobiles. The 170 horsepower 1.8L turbocharged inline-4 cylinder engine? Found in the 180 and 225 horsepower Audi TT in a slightly different tune. Its 4Motion all-wheel-drive is merely a re-badged version of Audi’s World Rally Championship-winning Quattro system. Other interior parts have found their way into other VW-group cars, and for good reason: in 1998, there was no Phaeton or Touareg. The Passat was the top-of-the-line Volkswagen.

So back to those airliners. Just last weekend I took the Passat, my girlfriend, and some luggage to Montreal. On the highway this car is a gem. The seats kept me fresh and un-cramped for 6 hours. The steering was nice and light. The centre armrest could be extended to support my right arm. The glovebox is air-conditioned. The rear sun shade kept the interior relatively cool. Simply put, the car was rock-solid (both inside and out).

The accommodations are very much like a Boeing 767 jet. So instead of getting a container ship full of cup holders, there’s two. Instead of integrated power plugs for your cell phone, you get a cigarette lighter.

In fact, if you don’t mind throwing all of your crap in the trunk, you’ll be amazed to find that other than the two cupholders and door bins, there’s practically no room for anything else. Where competitors have fitted a coin holder, VW gives you an ashtray. Where other midsize cars have under-armrest storage for CDs, VW gives you two slots – both big enough for even the largest packet of sugarfree gum. So it really is like an airliner, then.

On the highway, I did Toronto-to-Montreal on half a tank of (recommended) 91 octane gas. So impressive is the fuel consumption that the trip gauge was (for about 45 minutes) showing increased range.

At just-below-what-the-police-set-their-guns-for, the Passat is gold. I think for the highway portion I was averaging about 7L/100km – or a real-world range of slightly over 700 kilometers. Not bad for a non-diesel, non-hybrid car.

But as soon as the Passat enters the city, things change. The turbo, usually dormant on the highway, starts pushing you into the seat like a jet does on takeoff. The steering becomes numb, and the gearshift an anesthesiologist’s wet dream. It becomes an airplane taxiing into a gate. In other words, in the city it’s absolutely useless.

So as Boeing watched their market share dwindle with the 767, so did Volkswagen with the Passat. With each, the competition simply caught up. But both companies have a plan: Boeing has the upcoming 787, and Volkswagen the new Passat.

For the 767 and the current Passat, its successors are considerably roomier, quieter, and even more capable. But the reason for spending almost $39,000 on a largely outdated model is that, like the 767, the things that made it so successful in the first place are still there. The features and engineering that made the Passat a benchmark in the mid-size pack are all packed under its German skin.

On the right road, with the cruise control set and the stereo tuned into smooth jazz, the Passat does the most convincing impression in its class of an airliner. For those who don’t mind its obvious shortcomings, your flight has arrived.

NEWS: Hyundai climbs J.D.’s scale

2005-07-04T10:23:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photo courtesy J.D. Power

Another year, another survey. Don’t ask us why Mercury is ranked higher than Honda… But you can’t argue with the industry’s two biggest improvements: Porsche and Hyundai. Hyundai’s press release is as follows:

“Hyundai displayed dramatic improvement in the 2005 J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) with an industry-leading reduction in problems reported by owners. Problems per 100 Hyundai vehicles declined by 31 percent, and Hyundai moved up 12 places in the nameplate rankings.

“Hyundai has dedicated itself to quality over the past several years, and this year’s Vehicle Dependability Study ranking demonstrates the results of this emphasis on quality,” stated Steve Kelleher, President and CEO of Hyundai Auto Canada. “We understand that quality is the number-one priority for Canadian consumers, and we’ve responded with constantly improving initial quality rankings, and now a dramatic improvement in long-term dependability.”

NEWS: Toyota gets bigger

2005-06-30T12:04:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky

Well, it’s no secret that Toyota intends to fight the “Big 3” on their own soil – in fact, nearly all of their cars sold in North America are produced here. And after a fierce bidding war between Ontario communities, Woodstock was on top of the lumber pile. Press release is as follows:

“WOODSTOCK, Ontario (June 30, 2005) – Toyota announced today that it will construct a new plant here employing 1,300 team members to build the RAV4 sport utility vehicle. The new plant represents an approximate C$800 million/US$650 million investment and will be Toyota’s second Canadian assembly plant. It is the first green field automotive assembly facility in Canada in almost 20 years.

Additionally, Toyota announced an expansion of Canadian Autoparts Toyota, Inc. (CAPTIN) in Delta, British Columbia. As a result of the C$39.0 million/US$31.6 million expansion, wheel capacity at the facility will increase by nearly 17 percent per year, starting in July 2007.

The new plant will open in 2008 and will have the capacity to build 100,000 units annually. Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Canada, Inc. (TMMC) in nearby Cambridge, Ontario, will manage the plant. TMMC builds the Toyota Corolla and Matrix and the Lexus RX330 in Cambridge, where it employs 4,300 team members.

This new facility will boost Toyota’s manufacturing employment in Ontario to about 5,600.

By 2008, Toyota will have the annual capacity to build 1.76 million cars and trucks, 1.44 million engines, and 600,000 automatic transmissions in North America. The company’s direct employment is 37,000 and direct investment is nearly US$16.6 billion with annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and services from North American suppliers totaling nearly US$25 billion. Toyota’s North American-produced vehicles include the Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Matrix, Sienna, Solara, Sequoia, Tacoma, Tundra,
and the Lexus RX330.”

DRIVEN: 2005 Hyundai Tuscon

2005-06-28T09:39:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photos by Michael Banovsky

I must admit that the guys at the office were laughing at me. Not because the new Hyundai Tuscon a cute-ute, not because the other two testers usually get things with big engines, and not because it looked like a Tonka toy.

They were laughing at me because of its colour.

Hyundai calls it “Aqua Silver”, and it reminds me of an old linoleum floor my grandparents had in their kitchen. I think it reminded my colleagues of their grandparents’ kitchens, too.

I could care less, really. I’m not an SUV person, and no amount of car-like handling will persuade me otherwise. The newest form of SUV, the mini-SUV, is kinda like a restaurant saying its pies are homemade. I know it’s reheated frozen dough, and so do you – so why are you giving me the impression your mother slaved over a wood stove all morning?

It’s the same with these mini-SUVs. I know it won’t handle, be as efficient, or perform like a car – and so do you – so why are you saying any different?

But alas, as soon as I saw the console-mounted purse hook I knew the final judgement wasn’t mine.

See, my girlfriend is the target market for the Hyundai Tuscon. She’s 20-something, has a relatively good job, and is fresh out of university. She owns a few knock-off Louis Vuitton purses, calls her friends “divas”, and wears entirely impractical footwear.

Since I started at Inside Track, she has been bombarded by words like “apex”, “braking point”, and “drafting”. To her credit, I think she’s beginning to understand some parts of auto racing. Hell, I even explained downforce and lift to her by having her curl her outstretched hand out of the passenger window of the Tuscon.

But I know as hard as I try – and as hard as she tries to listen – there will be some things she won’t get. Shortly after I went on a tirade about the Tuscon’s “he-told-me-they’re-leather” seats and really sloppy automatic transmission with useless tap-shift controls, she discovered the purse hook.

I think the word is “sold”.

She was impressed by the off-line performance of the 2.7L 6 cylinder engine (as seen in the Tiburon), and the chunky styling, but was more scared than usual at my off-ramp antics – suitably controlled by my tester’s Electronic Stability Program (ESP).

Okay, okay. It’s not a performance car. BMW and Infiniti would never have come up with the purse holder or the reclining rear seats... or the in-door cupholders big enough to swallow my morning banana and strawberry soy smoothie. The glass lifts independently of the tailgate, too – another detail my girlfriend loved.

For the as-tested price of $28,725, the Tuscon delivered above-average levels of fit, finish, and performance. But unfortunately, like my recently-tested Tiburon, the weak point was its drivetrain. Oh right… I suppose the target audience won’t care about that, will they?

They’ll care about the little interior details and the fact that visibility and parking are great (two areas women on the go appreciate above all else.)

But back to the knockoff purses I mentioned. What is the point in having something that looks the part when it won’t be able to do any of the things that made the original brand famous in the first place?

Why have a mini-SUV that’s hapless off-road and compromised on-road?

Because – like my girlfriend’s “Louie” – it’s the look that counts. The Tuscon, then, can be likened to paying for a car and getting an Aqua Silver mini-truck.

Yeah, she loved the colour, too.

DRIVEN: 2005 Hyundai Tiburon

2005-06-28T09:35:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photos by Michael Banovsky

I’m breaking the rules here.

It’s actually the little matter of journalistic integrity – a matter not very little at all. Unlike the politicians, I haven’t taken bribes, jumped parties, misspent public money or fast-tracked strippers into the country.

I’m using quotes without a source. Which, as my teachers told me, is a big no-no. Whoops.

Well try telling that to a hoard of race fans at the Montreal Grand Prix (the only F1 race in North America). With temperatures hovering north of 40 degrees Celsius, everyone was running for the comfort of their air-conditioned cars. None of which, of course, were as bright red as the Hyundai Tiburon Tuscani I was driving.

Back to the un-authourized sources. I didn’t get their names, because it really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.

The important thing – at least to Hyundai – is the following. During the GP weekend, seven (!) people walked up to me and asked what exactly the blushing Korean was. These were not the uneducated, beer-slinging, Montel-appearing masses. These were race fans.

The Tiburon has been on the market in a couple of forms over the last few years, starting out as a pretty little prince of a car (that only women seemed attracted to), which then was turned into some sort of bug-eyed frog. For this latest generation; however, the looks have been subtly pieced together from a wide variety of other cars.

The details are all Audi TT – even the climate control seems shamelessly reverse-engineered – and the profile is a cross between a Nissan (Datsun) 240Z and a Ferrari 550 Maranello.

It all works rather well, and to Hyundai’s credit, they take no kudos for the design. Except, of course, the modest chrome “Hyundai” on the Tiburon’s behind. All major exterior badges are a big “T” – for Tuscani, the name of my tester’s trim level.

It worked flawlessly. Without the melted capital-H logo and a huge (optional) rear wing, my people (the race fans) thought that the car was far more upscale than its $28,000 price tag suggested.

At that price, it is the cheapest GT car on the market.

Yes, I said Grand Touring. Just like an Aston Martin or something equally as expensive. It’s not cheap – the interior trim and surface finishing is aimed at Mercedes-Benz – if not Japanese – levels. No, I mean it is capable of soaking up kilometers faster than a downpour.

Consider this: I drove six hours to Toronto directly after sitting in the Montreal sun for seven hours on Sunday. We didn’t stop for gas. My ever home-improving father had no complaints of back pain (and even slept a few winks.) In fact, his first impressions of the car confirmed that it was far better suited to long-legged cruising than his luggage-limited Audi TT coupe.

There are some bad bits, though – namely the engine. Kudos to Hyundai for making the equivalent of a Fisherman’s Friend wrapped in a Ferrero Rocher wrapper. The engine is not particularly powerful at 170 horsepower, and is even more anemic when you consider that all the empty space in the engine block adds up to 2.7L.

The other sour note was the notchy gearbox. I am not one to speculate the benefit of fitting a short-shifter, but I was tempted to fork over my own money for something – anything – to improve shift feel.

Other than those minor problems, the Tiburon was excellent fun to drive. Without gobs of tire-shredding power, the handling was all about balance and finesse. It had no more power than is necessary. There was no torque steer all weekend – thankfully.

At any rate, the combination of stellar looks and a first-class cabin makes the Tiburon the king of the compact GT class. What is the compact GT class, you ask?

Well, it was summed up by one Montreal parking attendant.

“I know, I know…you’ve got an expensive car,” he said. “And you don’t want anybody parked beside you. Here, park next to the shack and I’ll watch it for you.”

Finally, Hyundai’s shark is worthy of the name Tiburon.

NEWS: 2006 Mazda Miata pricing

2005-06-27T13:39:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky

Okay, I know many of you are itching to see how far your Solo2 budget can stretch next year, and if…if you can be the first between the cones to have a DIY turbo kit for the all-new Miata.

Good news: The new Miata starts at $27,995 (the same price as this years’ model), up to $33,995 for the luxo-spec. Press release is as follows:

“Mazda Canada will offer the 2006 MX-5 in three versions: GX, GS and GT.

“The 2006 MX-5 Miata GX is ideal for driving enthusiasts looking for an
affordable sports car. Standard equipment includes a 170-horsepower,
2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine with variable valve timing; 5-speed manual
transmission; 16-inch alloy wheels with 205/50R tires; 4-wheel disc
brakes; front and rear stabilizer bars; power windows and door locks;
AM/FM/CD with 6-speakers and steering wheel mounted audio controls; tilt
steering, cruise control, keyless entry and fog lamps. Starting at $27,995
the 2006 MX-5 is the same price as the 2005 model, but has even more
standard features. A new 6-speed sport-shift automatic transmission, air
conditioning and a detachable hard top are available options.

For sports car lovers who are especially looking for an exhilarating
driving experience Mazda Canada offers the 2006 MX-5 GS. Upgrades from the
GX model include a 6-speed manual transmission; 17-in alloy wheels with
205/45R 17 tires; anti-lock brakes (ABS); limited slip differential (LSD);
dynamic stability control (DSC); strut tower bar; sport tuned suspension
with Bilstein shock absorbers. The price of the 2006 MX-5 GS is $30,995.
Air conditioning and a detachable hard top are available options.

If luxurious amenities are of prime importance then the 2006 MX-5 GT is
available. The GT model comes equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission;
17-inch alloy wheels with 205/45R 17 tires; ABS; strut tower bar; Xenon
(HID) headlights; heated leather seats; cloth convertible top (vinyl on GX
and GS); air conditioning; side airbags; smart card keyless entry and
Bose® audio system with 7-speakers. 2006 MX-5 Miata GT models start at
$33,995. A new, 6-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel mounted
paddle shifters is available as an option, as is a detachable hard top.”

NEWS: The million dollar computer that crashes all day

2005-06-22T09:42:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky

It’s not every day that someone brags about their computer crashing (except Windows users, of course), but Volvo isn’t a normal person. It’s not a person at all. Volvo is a team of androids whose only goal is to produce the safest cars in the world.

Aided by their new computer, Volvo employees (who are seriously not androids) are able to do an entire crash simulation in five hours, as opposed to their old computer that took three days. But at least they didn’t have to worry about pop-ups!

From Volvo Canada:

“GÖTEBORG (June 22, 2005) - Volvo Car Corporation, the recognized leader in automotive safety research, has commissioned one of the world's most powerful supercomputers to simulate vehicle collisions. Using a collection of more than 300 processors, the crash simulator works around the clock to accelerate 'real life' safety engineering and reduce the development time of new Volvo automobiles.

With computing power that is the equivalent to more than 1,000 ordinary home PCs, this new supercomputer has effectively doubled Volvo Cars' virtual crash simulation capacity and is a natural continuation of the company's long-term commitment to safety research.

"Investing in cutting-edge virtual development resources will help us to achieve our aim of making Volvo's real-life cars the safest on the market," says Anders Djärv, head of Crash Simulation at the Volvo Car Safety Centre in Sweden.

Advanced development of virtual crash tests was initiated three years ago to make use of the company's cost-effective Linux clusters. Supercomputers have been integral to the Volvo Cars vehicle development strategy since the 1987 development of the Volvo 850. At that time, high-capacity computers were used to perform flow, panel pressing and crash simulation calculations.

With the installation of Volvo Cars' new supercomputer, the company has achieved its goal of developing sufficient computing capacity to enable crash simulation engineers to input test data before going home in the evening and have the results waiting for them the following morning. Reviewed together with the design engineers during the day, crash engineers can then assemble fresh input data for that night. The result is that Volvo Cars can conduct crash safety research 24 hours a day.

The new supercomputer consists of 151 nodes (IBM eServers 325), each consisting of two CPUs, for a total of 302 AMD Opteron processors. The measured capacity is 1.3 TFlops (peak), making it one of the fastest Linux clusters in the automotive industry. Although it's a fairly approximate measure, the capacity is equivalent to more than 1,000 ordinary home PCs!

NEWS: Four-saddle Bull

2005-06-21T14:51:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky

So don’t let rumours of a four-seat Porsche scare you off – Lamborghini is also readying its entry into the super-luxury-grand-sports-sedan segment with a car to be called the Lagartijo.

Lagartijo (we’ll let you come up with your own pronunciation, as if Murciélago and Gallardo weren’t hard enough) was the name of a bullfighting legend, who spared the life of the famous bull named…you guessed it: Murciélago.

It will be constructed in carbon fibre, share the Murciélago’s 6.2L V12 (620 horsepower), and sales will begin in 2009 at about $330,000 USD each.

But what happens when they run out of bullfighting names? Maybe they’ll start using names from their old tractors… Hey, the “Runner 450” doesn’t sound too bad, eh?

NEWS: See? Classique.

2005-06-20T16:45:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photos courtesy Mercedes-Benz

Well, here it is… Now, before you get all excited and throw your arms up in disgust, I must say the design does grow on you. At first thought, I had considered to show (with pictures) how Mercedes-Benz ripped off such well-known vehicles as the Ssangyong Rexton, Maybach 59, Ford Focus, and BMW 7 Series. (Front end, rear tail lights, fender flares, and Bangle-butt, respectively.)

Well, I’m sure it was designed to look good in either silver or black – like they sell any other colours – and despite the wheels in these press photos (one as-nameless editor here had a particularly tough time keeping his lunch down) it is an elegant car.

If only they didn’t do a Chery and reverse-engineer a 7-Series’ interior…

NEWS: Five Hundred stars

2005-06-20T12:55:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky

Ford’s decision to base the Five Hundred and the Mercury Montego off of the Volvo S80 platform have paid dividends. The Five Hundred starts at $29, 295. Ford-speak follows:

“DEARBORN, Mich., June 20, 2005 – The 2005 Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego large sedans today added another award to their safety “trophy case” by earning IIHS’ highest technical safety rating of “Good” and a “Best Pick” designation for offset frontal crash performance. The sedans’ “Best Pick” designation by IIHS is awarded to vehicles that are top performers in a particular class.
Five Hundred and Montego are the only 2005 model passenger cars to have received a “Best Pick” designation from IIHS and NHTSA’s top five-star crash-test rating for front- and side-impacts for vehicles tested without the optional side air bags. A two-row Safety Canopy™ side air bag system with rollover sensor is available and provides additional protection not only in certain side collisions, but in rollover events as well.”

NEWS: New Scooby...

2005-06-16T15:53:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photos courtesy Subaru

...and it's a doozie.

We'll let the pics speak for themselves, as it's not like Subaru will change a whole lot spec-wise.

NEWS: New RAM

2005-06-16T15:47:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky

For the ’06 model year, the Ram will go through a host of changes to keep it competitive against stiff competition from Ford, Chevy, and the imports. Changes include cylinder deactivation on the Hemi option, which will save customers “227 million litres of fuel annually.”

From DaimlerChrysler:
“In addition to being the first pickup truck to offer Chrysler Group's MDS technology, the new 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 the most powerful light-duty pickup truck on the market boasts an all-new frame and suspension, an all-new interior, and an even bolder new Dodge Ram exterior.
The new 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 is the first pickup truck and latest Chrysler Group vehicle to feature standard MDS with the 5.7-litre HEMI. Without compromising its best-in-class 345 horsepower, the new 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 s HEMI V8 engine seamlessly alternates between four-cylinder mode when less power is needed and V8 mode when more power is in demand.
The Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 model utilizes a new coil-over shock absorber and double wishbone front suspension. Mounting the shock absorber inside the coil spring enables four-wheel-drive models to benefit from the coil springs added tuning characteristics.
The interior of the new 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 complements the bold exterior by taking
luxury and refinement to new levels in the pickup truck market. Enhanced driver and
passenger comfort and more feature content is abundant inside the new 2006 Dodge Ram 1500.
Driver and passengers will experience an interior environment that is 20 percent quieter than the previous Dodge Ram 1500, achieved by employing laminated front-door glass and improved door seals. In addition, extensive use of Polymer Constraint Layer (PCL) and new body mounts reduces road noise and resonance between the engine and cabin. All-new seats, including optional bucket seats with available leather trim, provide substantial bolstering and generous support while adding a rich appearance to the new 2006 Dodge Ram 1500’s interior.
A new instrument panel cluster placed underneath a redesigned cluster brow is designed to reduce glare, and a new, wide center stack contains a new audio system and new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning controls.
Premium amenities including a new GPS Navigation radio, new rear-seat DVD (Quad Cab"
only), Infinity® sound system, UConnect" hands-free communication system, SIRIUS
Satellite Radio (late availability, pending CRTC approval), sunroof, adjustable pedals, dual-zone climate control, heated seats and a new power-sliding rear window are available on the new 2006 Dodge Ram 1500.”

NEWS: Ferrari FXX

2005-06-15T14:46:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photos courtesy Ferrari

Okay, okay… I know that they aren’t doing too well this year in F1, and that they make really expensive cars almost all of us won’t be able to afford…but this proves my theory that Ferrari could throw a prancing horse on a Pontiac Aztec and sell it for $400,000.

In fact, the Ferrari FXX (taking the “F” moniker (F40, F50, F60, etc.) to an “X-treme” level) is much more ugly than the Aztec. It’s also much more expensive, at roughly $1,800,000 USD. (That’s over $2,250,000 Canadian…) Thankfully only 20 or so will be made.

Obviously, there is some purpose for the looks: the aero parts add 40 per cent more downforce over the Ferrari Enzo. The engine is 0.2L bigger, for a total output of more than 800bhp at 8500rpm. The transmission will shift at 100 miliseconds. The aero parts are fully adjustable. It has carbon brakes and custom 19-inch Bridgestone racing slicks.

Slicks? Yeah, it’s not road legal. It’s the showcase of Ferrari’s Corse Clienti (Track Client) program. The FXX package includes Ferrari-organized track events during the next two years, an official team of technicians to look after the car, storage of their FXX at the Ferrari factory, a driving course, individually-tailored seats and pedals, and a full evaluation of the client’s driving via onboard data collectors.

Ferrari says: “the wealth of data and experience gathered in the course of this very special program will be exceptionally important. In fact, the feedback from these highly skilled, non-professional client test drivers will be compared and supplemented with suggestions from Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello and Ferrari’s professional in-house test drivers.”

I’ve got a suggestion: You’re driving the ugliest Ferrari ever made. That fact alone is worth avoiding the FXX. I bet they're already lining up outside the “more money-than-brains club...”

NEWS: Jeep Accessories

2005-06-15T14:27:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky

Okay, this is to offset the super-crazy Ferrari FXX that was shown today. Mopar has created a line of new accessories for the Jeep Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited. Well, we got a separate release for each new product… From Mopar:

“Jeep Wrangler is rugged, durable, and capable. And authentic Jeep accessories by Mopar included in the Off Road Enthusiast Package are just as hardcore, including skid plates, rock rails, unlimited half top, rugged full coverage flooring, off-road front and rear bumpers, Warn winch, and corner guards.”

We’re sure they are available at your local Jeep dealer. For a full rundown, visit www.mopar.com

NEWS: Challenging the X

2005-06-13T10:01:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky

Just driving down a Canadian highway fills most people with a sense of environmental responsibility. After all, only an hour outside of Toronto, rocks begin to jut parallel to the road and the roadside trees seem to go on forever.

So it’s no surprise, then, that a team of students from Waterloo University have won round one in the Challenge X, a competition sponsored by General Motors and the U.S. Department of Energy.

The Waterloo team used Canadian-sourced components (a fuel cell engine from Mississauga, ON’s Hydrogenics Corp. and an electric drive system from Burnaby, BC’s Ballard Power) – to create an Equinox that improves on-road fuel economy and reduces emissions.

They beat out 16 other teams from around North America – which is even more impressive considering they are the only Canadian entrant. They drove away with a Chevrolet Equinox, over $20,000 in prize money, and a great head start for rounds two and three of the competition.

"This is the ultimate made-in-Canada success story," said David Paterson, Vice President Corporate & Environmental Affairs, GM Canada. "Canadian students using Canadian technology on a Canadian-designed and -built vehicle are shining on the North American stage. All of us at GM Canada salute the University of Waterloo team's major achievement, and we look forward to more success from these remarkable students in the years ahead."

NEWS: Hyundai’s Entourage

2005-06-08T14:44:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky

Much like DCX stamped out competitors in the 80s by offering the super-popular Caravan, I think Hyundai will score big with its new minivan, the Entourage. Poised to offer class-leading power and a competitive price, Hyundai’s entry comes when some manufacturers are downsizing (Mazda5) or scrapping (Ford’s Freestyle) their minivan offerings. It should be an interesting fight.

From Hyundai Canada:

“Hyundai has announced that it will introduce an all-new minivan in the spring of 2006 as a 2007 model.

Called the “Entourage”, the new offering will extend Hyundai’s product range into the highly-competitive minivan segment for the first time.

Strengthening the Hyundai product portfolio, the new Entourage minivan will be offered only as a long-wheelbase version and will be powered by the sophisticated 3.8-liter V6 engine that will also be found in the 2006 Hyundai Azera premium sedan.

“The Entourage will be yet another milestone vehicle for Hyundai in Canada,” said Stephen F. Kelleher, President and C.E.O. of Hyundai Auto Canada. “We are extremely excited to be entering this market segment and, like other new Hyundai offerings, the all-new Entourage will offer buyers outstanding levels of quality, spaciousness, safety and standard features while reflecting and retaining traditional Hyundai value.””

NEWS: The Gender Split

2005-06-07T16:41:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky

Unfortunately, we don't yet know if this survey was done among 12-year-olds. If so, the men all like cars they can't afford - and the top 10 cars for girls must be what the "hot guy" drives at their school. (Which would explain all the budget motors.) Prices are all in US dollars, in case you thought there was some sort of sale going on. From Cnn.com:

Top 10 cars for men

1. Porsche 911 coupe, $70,095 - $193,765
2. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, $28,504 - $35,274
3. Ford GT, $143,345
4. Volkswagen Phaeton, $68,905 - $104,455
5. BMW 6-series convertible, $76,900
6. Jaguar XK8 coupe, $69,830
7. Maserati Spyder, $92,302 - $96,465
8. Mercedes CL, $96,720 - $132,320
9. BMW 6-series coupe, $69,900
10. Porsche 911 convertible, $79,895 - $141,995

Top 10 cars for women

1. Pontiac G6 convertible, (Not yet available)
2. Suzuki Forenza, $13,994 - $18,494
3. Volkswagen New Beetle convertible, $22,940 - $27,100
4. Volkswagen New Beetle, $17,185 - $27,100
5. Pontiac Sunfire coupe, $11,460 - $15,770
6. Volvo XC70, $36,080
7. Mitsubishi Eclipse convertible, $25,744 - $31,544
8. Chrysler PT Cruiser convertible, $20,045 - $29,120
9. Kia Rio sedan, $10,535 - $13,065
10. Kia Optima, $16,585 - $20,585

GAME: Configuroto

2005-06-06T10:43:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky

A few days ago, during a lull in the world of automotive news, I decided to configure some cars on the Internet. Not because I was going to buy one, mind you – but just to see how fat I could load up a few cars with options…

Pretty soon the bug spread, and Mark Atkinson was configuring a long-wheelbase Ford panel van. Other guys in the office were convinced they could spec out a Buick so it rang in at over $50,000. Then, like a Cold War-era arms race, we were all competing to configure the most over-the-top model.

Configuroto was born.

Here's the game:
Configure a car on the Internet, and add every conceivable option (the car must be on-sale in Canada). Take the total MSRP (options included), and divide it by the number of options you put onto the car. The winner is the person with the lowest overall total after three cars.

For example, on ford.ca, a 2005 Focus ZX5 SES retails for $21,755. Options are a 4-speed automatic ($1,200), leather seats ($860), side impact airbags ($500), power moonroof ($1,000), and a perimeter alarm system ($250).

The total is $26,535, divided by the five options, for a total score of 5307.

The player with the lowest total of three configured models added together is the winner. Don't forget to email your results to your friends - the best way is to put simply: "Ford Focus - 5307", so that your optioning skills are kept secret. Feel free to post your lowest scores using our handy-dandy comment system.

Note: No prizes will be given, except for the immense gratitude and admiration your fellow motorheads will bestow upon you.

Good luck!

NEWS: Passat Wagon

2005-06-06T10:34:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photos courtesy Volkswagen Germany

In some look what we'll be getting in a few years news, these are the first official photos of the redesigned Volkswagen Passat Wagon.

Although VW is currently pushing its redesigned Jetta, we'll be getting the new Passat next year - and the wagon most likely six months after that. Expect the range of engines to include the 200 horsepower 2.0L FSi, the 255 horsepower 3.2L FSi V6, 150 horsepower 2.0L TDi diesel, and (maybe) a range-topping W8.

I suppose that Ikea shopping spree will have to wait...

NEWS: Another high noon duel?

2005-06-06T09:39:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photo courtesy McMaster University

Austin, Texas has seen many midday duels under the scorching sun. This year, the competitors won’t be using wild west-style revolvers, but solar cars.

Team members of the McMaster Solar Car Project have just unveiled one of Canada's entries into the first-ever North American Solar Car Challenge. Named Phoenix, the solar car features a redesigned aerodynamic shell, a three-wheel chassis system for reduced road resistance, a more efficient solar array with 479 solar cells, and new suspension, steering and braking systems for improved performance and handling.

"We've engineered Phoenix based on what we've learned from our previous two cars, Fireball 1 and Fireball 2," explains Avery Yuen, Project Manager, McMaster Solar Car Project. "We've found better ways to tap the sun's energy and overcome earth's natural resistances to make Phoenix travel faster over a longer period of time while making it easier to drive."

The first-ever North American Solar Challenge is a special edition of the biannual American Solar Car Challenge and will run from July 17 to 27. More than 30 teams from across North America will race on a highway route that starts in Austin, Texas, crosses the Canadian border into Manitoba and finishes in Calgary, Alberta.

Cars will reach speeds of over 100 km/h while using the equivalent electrical output of a toaster.

"Engineering a solar car lets us put into practice what we've learned," said Karleen Dudeck, Business Manager, McMaster Solar Car Project. "It also lets us explore engineering solutions in areas such as alternative energy and environmental protection."

The team has spent the last 12 months working on designing, manufacturing and fundraising for Phoenix. More than 50 local organizations and individuals have contributed to the development of the car, which is valued at over $300,000.

The project can be found at www.solarcar.mcmaster.ca

NEWS: Toyota and Nissan sales, BMW V10

2005-06-01T15:39:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky

Today’s news roundup is not particularly exciting (unless you enjoy graphs), so I’ve kept the numbers brief and saved the most interesting news for last.

Toyota sales

(TORONTO) Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) today announced that it has achieved an all-time record Canadian market share of 12.4 per cent, thanks to strong sales in the month of May.

Lexus set an all-time sales record with sales of 1,107; up 32.4 per cent for the month. Lexus car sales of 454 units are 33.9 per cent ahead of last May. Lexus truck sales set a new May record of 653 units and are 31.4 per cent better than a year ago.

“Outstanding customer demand for the new Lexus RX 400h gasoline/electric hybrid SUV has helped shatter sales records for the popular RX lineup,” said Stuart Payne, Director responsible for Lexus in Canada. “Strong sales of the ES and GS sedan lineups also helped propel Lexus to this record-breaking sales month.”

Highlights:

Best month ever for Echo lineup (Sedan and Hatchback), with 3,817 units, outselling last May by 8.4 per cent.
Best month ever for Matrix, as 2,878 units sold leap sales ahead by 35.8 per cent.
Tacoma truck sales of 663 units are ahead of last year by 212.7 per cent.
Total sales of Lexus RX SUVs reach an all-time high of 594 units, up 41.8 per cent.
Sales of 102 Lexus GS sedans are up significantly over last May.
Sales of 266 Lexus ES sedans are up by 26.7 per cent.

Nissan sales

(MISSISSAUGA) - Nissan Canada Inc. recorded a strong May, which follows a record setting April. Nissan Canada Inc. sold a total of 6,831 units, a 328 unit increase over May 2004.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Nissan division beats May 2004 numbers by 202 units.
Nissan division posts 3.4 per cent increase in April 2005 versus April 2004.
Nissan truck sales were strong with Frontier sales up 207.8 per cent over the previous May, selling 102 units.
X-Trail sales strong with 935 units sold this month.
Altima:1680 units sold.
Xterra continues its strong year with 265 units sold.
Infiniti Sales up 3.7 per cent in May 2005 with 847 units sold versus the previous Month when 816 units sold.
Infiniti sales up 17.4 per cent in May 2005 versus May 2004. Overall a 7 per cent increase in total sales by May 2004.
G35 sales continue strong with 528 units sold in May (an 11 unit increase over April
Infiniti sold a record 115 units of its all new M45 luxury sedans in May.

International Engine of the Year Award

From http://www.ukintpress.com/engineoftheyear/

BMW takes home a record six trophies in one year – haul includes the overall International Engine of the Year 2005 title for the M5 V10

BMW’s Formula One-inspired 5-litre V10 that powers the M5 and M6 super-sedan and super-coupe has been named the best engine in the world in the International Engine of the Year Awards 2005.

The Bavarian car maker, which has also won Awards for its M3 3.2-litre and its new twin-turbodiesel 3-litre in this year’s competition, walked away from the seventh annual International Engine of the Year Awards Presentation with a total of six trophies, the newly crowned V10 having also dominated the Best New Engine, Best Performance and Best Above 4-litre categories. The unit beat tough competition from rival and previous Awards’ winner Mercedes-AMG and from last year’s overall International Engine of the Year, the Toyota Prius 1.5-litre Hybrid Synergy Drive, which in 2005 has won the Best Fuel Economy and Best 1.4-litre to 1.8-litre categories.

Juror Van Tune, America’s most-watched TV automotive pundit said of the BMW 5-litre, now International Engine of the Year 2005: “Who in the world needs an Autobahn-eating 507bhp V10 with a bloodthirsty battle cry that frightens Ferraris, but morphs into a dutiful pussycat in city traffic? You and I do, of course.” Van Tune was one of 56 motoring journalists from 26 countries who voluntarily give their time to choose the greatest powerplants in the world.

Elsewhere in this prestigious contest, the 1.3-litre Multijet turbodiesel that was jointly developed by Fiat and GM took the 1-litre to 1.4-litre honours, while Honda’s Insight 1-litre hybrid won the sub 1-litre category for the sixth consecutive year. The Japanese firm’s 2.2-litre turbodiesel won the Best 2-litre to 2.5-litre sector.

BMW wasn’t the only German manufacturer to experience success with its performance engines: Volkswagen’s Golf GTi 2-litre FSI turbo engine topped the 1.8-litre to 2-litre class.

DRIVEN: 2005 Suzuki Aerio Sedan

2005-05-31T14:06:00.000-04:00

Story and Photos by Michael Banovsky

It started to make sense only last night. Well, this morning if staying out ‘till 3:00 a.m. constitutes feelings of an early morning trip to the washroom, and not tooting around in the chemical epicenter of North America.

I was trying my hardest to make the Aerio look interesting. Set against a bleak backdrop of the land of chemical spills and towers that rise high into the night sky to belch smoke, the Aerio looked even less imposing. Its black paint seemed to suck in light instead of reflect it, making it look more like half a black hole than a $20,000 car.

Since I picked it up I’ve been trying to decide what to call it. I found out on a run to Mosport International Raceway that it’s not an economy car – a discrepancy that’s down to the engine not being broken in (I don’t believe it), to me going the speed of traffic (somewhat likely), to Suzuki’s claim that it will do 40 mpg (bingo). It’s also not a small car in the traditional sense.

If you will, visualize something between a Toyota Echo Sedan and a Honda Civic. That’ll get you the Aerio’s length. It’s as wide as a Mazda3 and as tall as a small van. So while from the beltline down it looks athletic and purposeful, from the beltline up it looks like a domed aquarium.

The Suzuki has something I alluded to earlier with the van comment. The seats are upright, like in a van. The view out the front is all glass, and the ‘windowettes’ in front of the doors are pure Pontiac Transport, circa 1989. So you either feel like you’re in a van or really, really tall when you drive it. It truly affords a commanding view of the road. And, because you sit upright, putting one foot on the dead-pedal and one on the accelerator is more like being in a Lazy-Boy than driving a car.

I don’t need to explain what a whole lot of metal and glass sitting on top of the generous 185/65/R14 tires does for handling. To be fair, it’s much better than I thought it would be. Then again, I also agreed with my friend who said it would roll like a football at the sight of a corner.

It can be fun, I’ll admit – mostly because the high driving position affords a view of an apex that would make Ricky Carmichael jealous. It’s pointy and tossable until the grip runs out, and then the car – instead of understeering – does its best impression of an oil rig off the Grand Banks…in a heavy storm.

If the heavy listing doesn’t discourage your fun, you’ll be pleased to notice that poking the gas pedal makes the Aerio scoot. Its twin-cam 2.3L inline-4 cylinder engine is rated at 155 horsepower – until recently the most horsepower per dollar you could get in a car. But while the engine does have a nice output, the vibrations and buzzing caused by putting your foot down make the power best suited to racing cabbies – and not Hondas – off of stop lights.

But then again I said I had this car figured out, didn’t I? And honestly, all this talk of handling and power don’t mean anything to the people who should be buying this car. My friends and I aren’t really in the target market – and no matter how funky and cool Suzuki tried to make the Aerio, it’s not a youth car.

So my father and I hopped into the Aerio and took it to my grandparents’ house for my grandmother’s birthday. This was the test. My grandfather is used to driving large sedans and trucks (his current fleet is an older Chevrolet S10 and a 1989 Lincoln Continental). I imagine the sight of his son and grandson pulling into the driveway in a small Japanese car was a bit out of the ordinary.

Surprisingly, it didn’t take much arm-wrangling to get him behind the driver’s seat. I turned off the stereo, closed the windows, and let the A/C whisper softly as he backed out of the driveway. “So what do you think, grandpa?” I asked. “It’s really nice,” he said. He accelerated down the street and stopped at the corner. It was rush hour. He turned without difficulty, and started to drive down one of the busiest streets in the city.

My grandpa loved the high driving position, the windowettes, the power, and – unexpectedly – remarked at how solid the car was. I mentioned the sunglasses holder above the driver’s door, the automatic climate control, CD player, dual front and side airbags, power everything, and the fold-down rear seats. Then came the question of price.

“$21,195, grandpa.”

“Well [in 1990], my Lincoln was $30,000,” he said.

I think he was sold. It’s just a good thing I didn’t tell him how comprehensive the warranty is. You might be thinking that this was just a gimmick – yes, my grandfather’s approval was too convenient when you thought I was going to hate the car.

No, I don’t hate it. It’s an awesome little car; but like anything, it helps to see things from a different perspective. The Aerio does everything a car should do. Truthfully, I haven’t seen my grandfather handle his Lincoln like he did the Aerio. Everything just fit, fell into place, whatever.

That brings me back to Sarnia’s Chemical Valley, where I figured out that the Aerio is a perfect car for older people, and people who need to take short trips around town. Canada’s population is ageing, much like the thousands of smoke stacks that light up this end of town. They just need a good car, so they can spend the rest of their time on enjoying life. Thank goodness the Aerio passed the test.

Just before we left my grandparents’ house, my father remarked that the car was “a bit ugly.”

“I think it’s cute,” my grandmother said. Case closed.

DRIVEN: Suzuki Aerio SX AWD

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Suzuki Canada

The Aerio sedan is only one half of Suzuki’s compact offering – the other is the sportier five-door SX hatchback.

Mechanically, the two are identical, sharing the 155-horsepower 2.3-litre DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engine, with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. Visually, all SX models differentiate themselves from the more plebian sedan thanks to an 'Aero' kit, which features side skirts along with front and rear air dams, fog lights and 15-inch aluminum wheels. And of course the tall-wagon styling.

The SX is Suzuki’s more sporty offering – compared to the sedan, at least – and is the only model available with full-time all-wheel-drive, albeit only with the automatic. It's certainly a benign system, allowing you to put your foot down anywhere without having to deal with torque steer, and really makes the SX fun and secure to drive in nastier weather.

However, the AWD does bring forward a large penalty: weight. The curb weight for a front-wheel-drive manual transmission SX comes in at 1,214kg. When you add the automatic transmission, it adds another 25kg. The AWD system then tacks on a significant 91kg to the final tally.

This means the SX AWD has a certain 'point-and-shoot' quality about it, asking to be flogged and coming back for more. It’s not razor sharp by any stretch – in fact, it feels like a much larger, more mature car thanks to the extra weight and suspension tuning. There is a fair amount of body roll built in, but Suzuki isn’t pitching the Aerio as their next sports car.

Thankfully, the SX AWD doesn’t suffer too badly in the fuel economy stakes compared to its lighter siblings: 29 mpg (vs. 30) in town, and 37 mpg (vs. 40) on the highway.

The cabin itself is well designed, with some clever touches throughout, and the seats are comfortable, if lacking in side support. One complaint leveled at Suzuki when the Aerio first hit the street was the absence of tilt steering. That’s now been rectified, but it’s still a tight fit for taller drivers – the upright seating position and the limited seat travel means the steering wheel is still awfully low.

Small complaints aside, what Suzuki has done is position the SX AWD into a corner of the market that no one currently occupies – the small, five-door hatchback with all-wheel-drive segment. Alright, I suppose Subaru comes closest with its Impreza 2.5 RS Sport Wagon, but the Aerio’s upright styling will fit larger objects more easily in the cargo area thanks to the Subie’s trademark angled rear window.

And even though the base price of the Impreza wagon is $1,000 less than the $23,995 Suzuki is asking for the Aerio SX AWD, the former is fairly stripped compared to the latter’s very long feature list.

Standard equipment on the SX includes ABS with EBD (electronic brake force distribution), AM/FM/CD changer with six speakers and subwoofer, cruise control, climate control, a height-adjustable driver's seat, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a ton more. All-wheel-drive is the only option available.

If we had our way, Suzuki would be offering a five-speed manual with all-wheel-drive, a slightly tauter and sportier suspension tune. Perhaps a turbo too. Maybe even a full-on WRX fighter, and paint it bright yellow like the Suzuki rally cars.

Greedy? Oh yes. Dreaming? Certainly. But if Suzuki’s spending money on a program like that, why not capitalize on its competition success?

But while we’re waiting for a day that will most likely never happen, the Suzuki Aerio SX AWD will continue to sell to those looking for reliable, comfortable and somewhat different transportation, with the added bonus of all-wheel-drive.

SNEAK PEEK: Facelifted Subaru Impreza WRX STi

2005-05-30T16:55:00.000-04:00

By Mark Atkinson

Well, as you can tell by these unofficial photos, it appears that Subaru's new corporate 'face', already seen on the new B9 Tribeca, is being applied to the rest of the company's range.

As these pictures can attest, the Impreza is gaining a 'nip and tuck' - the second in its four-year lifespan. The new model features the upside down horse-collar grille flanked by two extra vents, and the headlights take on a more aggressive appearance.

The hoodscoop is smaller as well, something that plagued the previous (current) version.

No word on mechanical upgrades, but there is strength behind rumours that claim the WRX will gain the de-tuned 2.5-liter engine - the one found in the Forester XT and the Legacy GT - and do away with the 2.0-liter unit used for years... What is certain, though, is that the car should be even more entertaining to drive, even if the redesign isn't to everyone's tastes.

The rest of the Impreza model line should receive the updates as well, including the TS and RS sedans and wagons.

NEWS: Mazda Launches Production Version of Mazda MX-Crossport Concept

2005-05-25T14:45:00.000-04:00

With Files from Mazda Canada
Photo by Mark Atkinson

Mazda North American Operations today announced that the MX-Crossport concept car, which debuted earlier this year at the 2005 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, will formally move from concept to production vehicle. The company also confirmed that the vehicle will be named the Mazda CX-7.

Featured at a number of global auto shows in the past few months, including the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, the MX-Crossport has received high-praise from the public for its Zoom-Zoom exterior styling and driver-oriented interior. The production version, which will be built in Japan, will pick up many of the concept car’s design themes when it goes into production in 2006. It will be launched first in the North American market, and Mazda will continue to study launch feasibility in other global markets. Additional product information and launch timings will be made available as the year progresses.

In Mazda’s new global naming strategy, crossover-type, sport utility vehicles will carry the CX designation—as in Mazda CX-7; rotary engined sports cars carry the RX designation (RX-8) and piston-engined sports cars carry the MX designation (MX-5, as will be seen on the all-new 2006 MX-5 Miata). Core production vehicles will continue to carry the name ‘Mazda’ and a number, based on vehicle size (Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda5, Mazda6); Tribute, MPV and B-Series Truck will continue with their current nomenclature until further notice.

DRIVEN: 2005 Jeep Liberty CRD

2005-05-25T13:08:00.000-04:00

Story and photos by Mark Atkinson

The Jeep Liberty has become a familiar sight on Canadian roads since replacing the original Cherokee back in 2002. By switching to a unibody chassis, incorporating independent front suspension and offering a new V6 to replace the old inline unit, the middle rung on the Jeep ladder was immediately more competitive with its rivals.

On road, at least. Off road, it would scare them silly. The Liberty was still designed to be a Jeep, which means skid plates, optimized approach and departure angles, high ground clearance, and everything else neede for a day of rock crawling. And most importantly, the Liberty features a ‘real’ four-wheel-drive system that uses a traditional transfer case and locking differentials rather than the part or full-time all-wheel-drive that characterizes most ‘soft-roaders.’

For 2005, Jeep has given the Liberty a mid-life facelift, which incorporates the usual freshening of headlights, the trademark seven-slat grill and front fascia, along with different wheels. It’s a tasteful difference, although certainly not extreme. It’s still very obviously a Liberty.

In fact, the most appealing thing Jeep offers for 2005 isn’t apparent from the outside. You have to raise the hood and take a peek at the engine that could hopefully spark a revolution in North America.

It’s a diesel.

Now, for those of you who haven’t stopped reading because of some traumatic event involving one of GM’s old gasoline-turned-diesel V8 anchors from the ‘80s or a glow-plug equipped U-Haul van, stay with me. The 2.8-liter 16-valve, four-cylinder, direct-injection common-rail diesel, features the very latest in clean-burn technology. It’s a Detroit Diesel-built unit, rather than one of Mercedes-Benz’, and has served the European market for some time.

In North America, the Liberty CRD, as it’s called, offers 160 horsepower, which doesn’t sound like much, until you consider the 295 lb-ft of torque that comes along with it (at a low 1,800 rpm). The 3.7-litre gasoline V6 only puts out 235 lb-ft at its peak. Channeled through a new five-speed automatic transmission – well, more like a four-speed with two second gears – that’s exclusive to the diesel unit, the Jeep offers ‘right-now’ power no matter what you’re doing.

While the zero to 100 km/h run isn’t stellar compared to the gasoline unit – few diesels really like that test – in-gear and part-throttle acceleration is stunning, meaning you can pass slow-moving traffic with ease, and steep hills generally don’t even require a downshift. The Liberty CRD is also rated to tow 5,000 lbs, making it quite the hauler for a small SUV.

Fuel economy numbers are impressive, with Jeep claiming a 30 per cent reduction in fuel economy as compared to a similarly sized gasoline unit. For my week spent with the CRD, it was the first time I didn’t have to fill up a Liberty mid-week, despite the liberal application of the ‘go’ pedal. Getting near 600 km to a tank with mostly in-town driving was highly impressive.

There is a small noise penalty paid as the CRD exhibits some of its diesel brethren’s clatter and whirr on idle and during acceleration, although once underway, it’s barely noticeable.

The rest of the package is typical Liberty, which means relatively nimble handling, great turning circle, decent brakes and more grip in the corners than you give it credit for. The interior amenities were numerous in our Limited 4x4 tester, including power sunroof, ABS, AM/FM/CD player with a GPS unit, side-curtain airbags, vehicle information center, etc., etc.

Pricing for the Liberty CRD is broad, mainly because there are so many different options you can choose to outfit your Jeep with. The CRD itself is a $1,990 option on the highest-spec model, the Limited 4x4, so the entry price is already near the top end of the model range.

The CRD option also forces you to select the $275 five-speed automatic. So a base-priced Liberty CRD Limited 4x4 runs $36,935. Our tester also featured the $1,895 six-speaker AM/FM Stereo with CD player and GPS Navigation; the $590 overhead mini console with trip computer, HomeLink and Vehicle Information centre; the $1,050 power sunroof; and the very trick $155 rear cargo organizer that flips and folds away in the cargo area, making the most of the Liberty's small hatch. And just about everything else Jeep could throw at it.

If you tick all the option boxes, including the Trac-Lok rear differential, the tire-pressure monitoring display, and power heated and colour-coded mirrors, you could conceivably end up paying $42,495, including $1,050 destination fee. It’s a pretty price to pay for a small SUV, but tallying up the benefits of extra range and all that torque – plus its genuine off-road credentials – the Liberty CRD makes a good case for occupying space in your driveway.

NEWS: Victoria Day Roundup!

2005-05-24T07:35:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photos courtesy their respective manufacturers.

So much news, so little time. While we were sipping iced cappuccinos and watching fireworks, one of the most exciting cars in recent memory was released, a still-yet-to-be-made car *might* get a hardtop, the New Beetle II was shown, Saab production will move, and Porsche discussed their hybrid plans. Whew...

Porsche Cayman S

Isn't this awesome? The first small crocodile let into Porsche showrooms will be the S, with a 295 horsepower, 3.4L flat-6. 0-100km/h will be in 5.1 seconds, with a max speed of 171 mph (275 km/h). Eighteen-inch wheels and stability control are standard. Options include the Tiptronic automatic and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM).

Not optional is a luggage area twice as big as the Boxster's... Prices for the Cayman rise about 10 per cent over the equivalent Boxster, so expect to pay around $84,900 if you want the first one on your block.

Hardtop Solstice?

Sources and suppliers have confirmed Pontiac will offer a hardtop for their Solstice Sports car - in order for the car to compete in SCCA club events. The new car will fit into SCCA B-Stock competition against the Miata, or in the Grand-Am Cup's ST class with the BMW 330 and Mazda RX-8.

Pontiac also showed a fixed hardtop version called the Solstice GT recently, under evaluaction for a 2007 introduction. The next variant; however, will be an Opel version for export to Europe.

Time to trade in your Fiero...

New New Beetle

It was going to happen sooner or later. The New New Beetle (or Beetle II, New Beetle+, or whatever) will now feature the same 2.5L 5 cylinder engine as found in the new Jetta. The engine makes 150 horsepower, and will scoot the Bug 0-100 km/h in about 7 seconds. Even better news? It's the base engine.

And you've seen the styling changes before: the Beetle does a Lindsay Lohan-like transformation from Disney movie child star to bedroom pinup with accents found on the VW Ragster concept shown at the Detroit International Auto Show 2005.

Saab production of the 9-5 will move to an Opel plant in Russelsheim, Germany. The move will happen in 2008, and the 9-5 will join the Saab 9-3 in Germany. Saab's Trollhattan, Sweden plant? It will make 'niche' vehicles with a total output of 20-40,000 cars per year.

Porsche's hybrid plans will be announced at the Frankfurt auto show in September. While the production version will not be shown, Porsche will announce whose system they will use. Toyota, Volkswagen, and DaimlerChrysler hybrid drives are under consideration. Expect the hybrid powertrain on the Cayenne... Or maybe a Carrera EV.

OPINION: Suzuki’s ace

2005-05-18T11:29:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photos Courtesy Suzuki

Suzuki has a bit of explaining to do, simply because I'm a bit jealous.

The days of the crazy-fun early-90s Swift GTi are gone. Now Suzuki peddles the more benign Swift+ - a competent vehicle, but unfortunately a far cry from what driving enthusiasts believe Suzuki is capable of.

“What they’re capable of?” you ask. Suzuki has an excellent record in racing; they captured the Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC) last year with the Ignis Sport, while the Swift+ was the basis for Bill Bacon's P3-class title in the Canadian Rally Championship. They have also engineered two notably monstrous machines: The Hayabusa motorcycle and the Escudo Pikes Peak rally car.

They are capable of making a great car – that something I firmly believe in. The evidence lies with what they have replaced the Swift in Europe with. It's a brand new car - also called the Swift – and the press are comparing the driving experience to a Mini Cooper. The new Swift looks excellent, handles well, and with the upcoming model, will have some power.

The new performance derivative (which will probably be called the Swift Sport) is the basis for Suzuki’s new JWRC car. It will feature a 1.6L twin-cam 4-cylinder engine, a full bodykit, twin exhausts, lowered suspension, close-ratio 5-speed transmission, and sport seats will be on offer for the top model.

If Suzuki brings this car to North America (don’t hold your breath), it would give serious heartburn to all of the current and upcoming small-car champs: the Toyota Echo Hatchback, Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent, Scion xA, and Scion xB.

Let’s hope Suzuki lets us drink from its newest vintage.

NEWS: Toyota’s new hybrid…and new recall

2005-05-18T11:18:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky

Middleweight hybrid

As if it wasn’t expected already, Toyota has confirmed it will build a hybrid Camry. Production will start in late 2006, in a supposedly re-freshened or redesigned Camry for sale in 2007.
Expect the powertrain to be similar to the Toyota Highlander and Lexus RX330h – a 3.3L 6 cylinder engine with variable valve timing mated to their Hybrid Synergy Drive for a combined output of around 268 horsepower.

Also expect prices to increase accordingly – about $2-4000 over the V6 model. The new model should be previewed at the Detroit International Auto Show in January 2006.

Award-winning trucks get recall

Toyota is recalling 880,000 trucks, 789,000 of which were sold in North America. Affected models are the Tacoma, Tundra, Sequoia, Land Cruiser, and 4Runner built between May 2001 and December 2003. Toyota has discovered a front suspension issue that could lead to steering problems. The fix is for front-suspension ball joints that could fail prematurely.

One accident has reportedly occurred in Japan, and information on expected recall costs has not been disclosed.

Opinion: The Mitsubishi Motors Recovery Plan

2005-05-17T13:46:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photos Courtesy Mitsubishi Motors

Despite the fact that Mitsubishi’s sales plunged about 37 per cent in the U.S. for 2004 – which means dealers in North America are finding difficult to shift product – there are a few bright spots in the lineup…globally, that is. And although Canadian sales are up slightly, Mitsubishi Canada's marketing strategies are directly tied to the U.S. Besides, plummeting sales in the U.S. will never be offset by strong Canadian sales. Not by a long shot.

I understand selling cars is difficult when your executives work in revolving doors –in-out, in-out – and that building brand awareness is difficult when your products are mostly bland, but there are only a few ways to gain back market share in the current market.

1) Go high – Offer high-spec luxo barges like the Diamante and offer top-spec sports cars like the Eclipse (like the 2004 Eclipse Convertible, which topped out at close to $43,000). This strategy won’t work. The current market is too dependent on gas prices, and without a solid marketing gimmick (i.e. HEMI), customers won’t be able to justify buying a thirsty V6 or V8 – á la the new Raider pickup truck. Mitsubishi’s top-spec model should be the four-cylinder Eclipse – with an optional Ralliart supercharger (for someone who wants the power) at the high-end. No V6s!

2) Go low – Mitsubishi has three awesome products for sale in various countries that would make excellent candidates for Canada. They are (drum roll please): The L200 pickup truck, the Colt supermini, and the Space Star.

The L200

Offered as either a regular, extended, or crew cab, the L200 would have only one competitor in its market segment: the Ford Ranger. If it was priced well, the L200 could compete for customers that need a real “small truck”, in a segment (the truck segment) that has grown substantially in recent years.

It would appeal primarily to rural types that need a tough truck – and also to people that don’t have the space to justify buying a big truck. Bringing over the diesel version would mean at least 10,000 annual sales in Canada.

The Colt

The Colt is an award-winning car, developed in the middle of a huge financial crisis. It would compete directly with the Toyota Echo Hatchback, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, and Honda Civic. The Colt would appeal to first-time car buyers, and people that want a small diesel car for city driving.

The small car market in Canada is booming right now, yet most “small” cars (Corolla, Civic, Golf, Sentra, etc.) have grown substantially. The diesel model would offer fuel economy on par with the Smart CityCoupe, but with much better performance. Then there’s the Colt CZT…

The Space Star

The Mazda5 is the first of the new-wave small wagons (the Mercedes-Benz B-Class is another) that will invade this country. If Mitsubishi offers the Space Star, it should figure on at least 40,000 units annually – making it its best seller. Again, with fuel at a premium and an aging population, many people don’t need the space of a full-sized minivan.

3) Offer competitive pricing – Can the new warranty. A 10-year, 160,000km warranty sounds good now, but the legacy costs will be astronomical. Ford, GM, and Chrysler are finding out the hard way right now that pensions are costing them an arm and a leg. A crazy warranty is the same. Offer a solid warranty; that’s it. Can incentives, and use Saturn’s no-haggle pricing policy. After a few years, the residual values will increase to make lease rates and finance rates attractive. Incentives only hurt residuals anyway…so can them, and your cars will be worth more in the long run.

Conclusion – Mitsubishi is Japan’s oldest automaker, and is a company rooted in engineering. Believe me: they can engineer great cars. Well, they do engineer great cars. But selling vehicles to North American tastes is getting a little bit old now…and the bigger ones are hurting owners with fuel costs. There are many Canadians that just want an honest-to-goodness car or truck. That is Mitsubishi’s market, the one all but abandoned by other carmakers.

NEWS: Hyundai top quality survey

2005-05-17T13:01:00.000-04:00

Courtesy Hyundai Canada

Toronto, Ontario, May 17, 2005 – Hyundai garnered two segment winners in the 2005 Strategic Vision Total Quality Study. Tucson and Accent topped the small SUV and Small car segments respectively.

“Hyundai is certainly doing a lot right to grow its position in the U.S. market and provides another blueprint for domestics with its superior interior craftsmanship reported by its owners,” said Daniel Gorrell, Partner-in-Charge of Strategic Vision’s automotive division. “Hyundai is within striking range of Toyota and Honda with respect to problems reported. With resolve, Hyundai may match these two quality leaders soon.”

NEWS: Audi Q7

2005-05-16T16:29:00.000-04:00

By Michael Banovsky
Photo Courtesy Audi (though not willingly)

Aaah, the Internet. I suppose automotive journalism isn't the same now - with
press embargos and such - but sometimes you'll find a gem among all of the message boards
and consumer sites.

Case in point the new Audi Q7. It has been among the most-photographed upcoming model; so
frequent is it caught on camera that prospective owners are already measuring for garage
space. But we've never seen it sans-cladding...until now, of course.

Details are sketchy, but it will be built off of the VW Touareg/Porsche Cayenne Platform,
and feature a range of engine choices from a 3.2L FSI V6 (a la the Audi TT 3.2 and most
likely only available in Europe) to either the Tourareg's TDi V10 or a new FSI V8 to
feature in the new Audi sportscar (see a few posts below).

Expect conventional gas shocks/springs for the base model, up to a fully-adjustable air
suspension on the top models. Audi's range of Bluetooth accessories and MMI interface
will (of course) be thrown in the SUV.

Don't expect performance to fall outside of the window set (on the slow side) by the base
VW Touareg, or (on the fast side) by the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S.

Well, maybe by a QS7, RS7, or an RSQ...

NEWS: Lexus announce pricing and details for Hybrid SUV

2005-05-13T15:33:00.000-04:00

By Mark Atkinson
With Files and Photos from Lexus Canada

Lexus is following up on the success of the Prius gasoline-electric hybrid car by launching an SUV using the same technology.

Sales of the Lexus RX 400h started on May 4, and the SUV is positioned as the premium model in the RX lineup. The 400h features the Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) powertrain that combines a 3.3-litre V6 gasoline with a high-torque electric-drive motor-generator. The RX 400h moves from 0-100 km/h in under eight seconds.

On-road behaviour will be kept in check thanks to Lexus’ Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM), an advanced system that anticipates and corrects stability problems with a combination of braking and throttle control. All 400h models feature on-demand electronic all-wheel drive, and an electronically controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (ECVT).

The RX 400h has a combined city/highway fuel consumption rating of 7.8 L/100 km, using about 7.5 L/100 km in city driving and 8.1 L/100 km on the highway.

The 2006 RX 400h will be offered in two trim levels. The RX 400h Premium will have a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $62,200. The Ultra Premium version will have an MSRP of $69,700.

DRIVEN: 2005 Acura RL

2005-05-13T14:47:00.000-04:00

By Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Acura Canada

The 2005 Acura RL is a technological tour-de-force aimed straight at the mainstream players in the mid-level luxury car arena: the BMW 5-Series, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and the Audi A6. After languishing for years in the ‘also-ran’ category with the previous generation RL that was criticized for being plain, underpowered and front-wheel-drive, the Japanese company has put its considerable efforts into ensuring the newly launched version leaps to the front of the pack.

While many were hoping – and some praying – that the RL would offer Acura’s first V8 and rear-wheel-drive chassis (bar the NSX), the 2005 RL sticks with six-cylinder power. And while the company couldn’t justify signing off on the expense of designing a new rear-drive platform, it has spent the cash developing a new all-wheel-drive system that hopefully can expand throughout the majority of the Honda and Acura lineups.

Acura calls the system SH-AWD, which stands for Super Handling – All Wheel Drive, a very Japanese name if ever there was one. Since Acura isn’t known for doing anything halfway, SH-AWD offers a clear benefit over its competitors.

According to Acura, “it can vary distribution of engine torque between the front and rear wheels, up to 70 per cent either way to optimize acceleration traction or cruising fuel efficiency. All of the engine power coming to the rear is directed to the outside wheel, and that one wheel is mechanically accelerated to generate additional turning force.”

It’s a development of the trick limited-slip front differential that highlighted the Honda Prelude SH model, only now driving all four wheels with lots of electronic control.

While going through the exact details on how the system works could take a dozen pages in itself, needless to say it does work. Turn-in on the RL is super-direct, especially for a large car that weighs in at 4,000 lb., and getting on the gas way early in a corner doesn’t have you screaming nose first off the outside of the turn.

Acura says that the system can be fitted to any of its platforms that feature a transverse mounted V6, so doing the math means that we could see SH-AWD versions of the TL, Accord, Odyssey and others.

But back to the RL. In typical Acura style, the engine is a development of its SOHC i-VTEC-equipped V6 range, this time in 3.5-liter displacement. The mill puts out an impressive 300hp @ 6,200 rpm, but only 260 lb-ft at a sky-high 5,000 rpm. That lack of low-end torque doesn’t help the hefty RL off the line, especially with a five-speed automatic. However, once it has a few revs behind it, the engine really comes into its own, and the RL is by no means a slowpoke.

The transmission itself features a manual-shift system, much like others in this segment, but Acura has added a pair of up/downshift paddles behind the steering wheel to complement the console shifter.

From a styling standpoint, the RL’s new clothes are certainly a departure from the old, staid sedan sheet-metal. It’s curved and subtle, with a more aggressive front end. The five-point Acura grille makes it’s appearance, tying the RL in stylistically with the rest of the Acura lineup. The rear makes use of a similar ‘bustle’ that Chris Bangle used on the BMW 7-Series, although it’s better integrated on the Acura. Five-spoke 17-inch wheels round out the tasteful package.

Inside, the RL really shines, with a beautifully designed dash and center stack. Two pieces of wood come swooping down from the doors to meet on either side of the HVAC stack, and truly are pieces of art. The controls for the navigation system and ventilation controls are well marked and a cinch to use, while the gauges are bright and easy to read.

Rear-seat room is at a premium, though, especially in this segment.

Acura also offers the same Bluetooth wireless connectivity between your phone and the onboard stereo system to give you hands-free voice-activated control over your calls that originally debuted on the TL.

The one problem that the RL will face in the market is its pricing and equipment levels. The RL comes in one specification – absolutely loaded – for a price of $70,700, including $1,200 for freight and PDI. The six-cylinder versions of its competition come in around the same price, but you need to hit the option lists hard to even get them near to the Acura’s equipment level. But there are always those who favour a V8, and for them, the RL will quickly drop off their radar.

But those in the know will realize that they’re already getting one of the most technologically advanced, best handling luxury sport sedans around. Super Handling indeed.

DRIVEN: 2005 Infiniti G35x

2005-05-13T13:09:00.000-04:00

By Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Infiniti Canada

Since its introduction in 2003, the Infiniti G35 has come the closest yet to knocking the BMW 3-Series off its perch as the most desirable small performance-oriented premium offering. Others, like the Lexus IS300, had tried to match the Bimmer’s sweet package of balance, response and power, but it was in vain, and Munich’s best-selling automobile came out unscathed.

The G35 sedan has been much lauded for its combination of nimble, predictable rear-wheel-drive chassis – shared with the Nissan 350Z, Infiniti FX, and now the upcoming M35/45 – and it’s powerful 260-horspower six-cylinder engine. When the G35 coupe – certainly the best looking car available for under $100K – was launched shortly thereafter with a 295 horsepower version of the 3.5-liter VQ engine, it was only a matter of time before the more potent power plant would make it’s way under the sedan’s hood.

For 2005, that’s exactly what’s happened, although both the sedan and the coupe share a revised tune now worth 298hp @ 6,200 rpm and 270 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm. Both are available with either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission.

Look out BMW.

While Infiniti has yet to introduce a wagon version to compete against the 3-Series Touring – although there is one offered in Japan that would take very little to bring over – the company has bolstered the G35 lineup by offering a full-time all-wheel-drive package to the sedan, creating the G35X.

The all-wheel-drive is essentially the same ATTESA E-TS system found in the FX series, and traces its roots back to the fire-breathing Nissan Skyline GT-R. It’s rear-biased, as befitting the original car’s driveline, and can distribute power front to rear using an electromagnetic clutch. In normal standing start situations, the power is split 25/75 to improve acceleration and then reverts to 0/100 during normal cruising until needed. It can even to 50/50 in ‘snow’ mode up to 19 km/h for ultimate control and bad-weather stability.

The G35X only comes with the five-speed automatic transmission, which is initially disappointing, but Infiniti has tweaked the slush-box with enthusiasts in mind. A manual shift mode come standard – slide the console shifter to the left from Drive, and then push/pull for downshifts and up-shifts. The really trick thing is that Infiniti has succeeded in replicating one of the best things about shifting gears yourself – the matched-revs downshift. The car’s computer automatically blips the throttle on downshifts, which is something entirely in character for a premium sport sedan.

On the road, the G35X exhibits great stability, and the all-wheel-drive is seamless in its operation. While the two-wheel-drive version is known for it’s willingness to be steered with the throttle – and perform some lurid tail-out slides – the extra traction afforded by all four wheels delivering the power means that you’re more likely to find understeer at the limit.

It would be fair to say that the G35X more than holds its own in the snow as well, and shutting off the stability control makes for a very predictable partner in wintry parking lot fun…

The penalty for all that fun, though, is the added weight of the all-wheel-drive system, which increases from 3,482 lb in the two-wheel-drive models to 3,668 lb in the G35X.

One of the main criticisms leveled at the original was its somewhat underwhelming cabin for what was supposed to be an entry-level luxury car – hard, cheap plastics and a so-so design were the biggest gripes.

Well, Infiniti took those complaints into account, and substantially revised the G35’s interior for 2005. A matt-silver finish on the center console is tasteful, while the texture of the dash and door panels is much improved. The drum-style HVAC vents on the dashboard need to be seen to be believed, but work well and are intriguing in their design. Everything falls easily to hand, and the GPS/Navigation system fitted to our tester (a $3,400 option) is one of the best out there.

Our tester also came with the $2,900 Premium interior upgrade package which features a power sliding tinted glass sunroof with one-touch open/close, tilt feature and sliding sunshade; reclining rear seatbacks with adjustable outboard head restraints; driver's seat memory linked to steering column; dual-zone Automatic Climate Control with rear vents; one-touch open/close rear windows with auto-reverse feature; power tilt and telescopic steering wheel; and Infiniti’s Intelligent Key, which allows you to keep the key in your pocket while the vehicle’s operating.

The sedan also gets a revised front fascia as well, which brings it in line with the more attractive coupe’s version.

Base price on the G35X is $42,890, while our tester rang in at $50,457 with the Premium and Navigation packages, plus $1,267 for freight and PDE. That’s about $7,000 to $8,000 less expensive than a comparable BMW 330xi or Audi A4 3.2, and it’s more powerful than either.

Perhaps the best thing about the G35X is that it’s ultimately a preview to the upcoming Nissan GT-R, which will be based on the same platform – and probably share components with – the G35 coupe, only with a manual transmission, a twin-turbocharged engine and all-wheel-drive.

We’re waiting for the phone call…