DRIVEN: 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.”