2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class Test Drive

Mercedes-Benz takes a crack at the full-size SUV market with a vehicle that marries expected luxury with surprising off-road prowess.
MSRP: $52,400 - $54,900

The Mercedes-Benz GL450 competes directly with the Audi Q7 and is among a new breed of big SUVs that takes advantage of a more sophisticated unibody construction (meaning a superstructure, body panels and underbody platform welded together as a unit, which is how most cars are made), rather than the traditional and less refined body-on-frame arrangement (a cabin box bolted to an old-fashioned, ladder-like chassis, which is how most pickups and traditional SUVs are built).

General Motors now has similar offerings in this more car-like configuration, including the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook.

Go to the SUV Buyer's Guide to find out more about the difference between unibody construction and ladder frames, and why it matters.

The GL450 was designed for U.S. and European markets, meaning that it has to be big enough for America’s oversized needs but still be maneuverable enough to navigate Europe’s smaller roads.

Mercedes compromised by making the GL450 six inches narrower than some of its competition, limiting rear seat width. Furthermore, its seven-seat setup can’t be turned into a nine-seat configuration, as is optionally available in some other full-size SUVs, like the Suburban. But the GL450 does carry one distinct advantage: the three-pointed star. And although the logo has been tarnished by recent, broadly publicized quality-control problems, it’s still iconic enough to mean, “I’m Special.”

Don’t confuse this vehicle with the Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV, an ancient, juice-box-square, civilianized military vehicle that is still being sold to sheikhs, gentleman ranchers and people who find Range Rovers just a little too technologically advanced for their tastes. Compared to the G-Class, the GL-Class is an honest, thoroughly modern, three-row SUV.

The GL is not built in Germany, but at a Mercedes plant in Tuscaloosa, Ala., where the midsize M-Class SUVs have been assembled for nearly a decade. On one hand, vehicle-assembling robots in Alabama are probably just as competent as the robots in Germany. But on the other hand, it’s still hard for some to accept that a company that has made German craftsmanship a part of its brand mystique for more than a century is now building vehicles in the Deep South. Draw your own conclusions.

Exterior

The GL450 looks like a beefed-up M-Class. It seems to tower over other cars, thanks to its ample size and jacked-up stance.

Another Mercedes model, the R-Class, could possibly be cross-shopped against the GL-Class. Looks-wise, the R-Class skews more toward a wagon or minivan, though Mercedes is particular about not calling it either one.

The R-Class comes with a V6 instead of a V8 and doesn’t offer the ultimate towing and off-road abilities of the burlier GL450. But for most drivers simply looking for a stylish, safe vehicle with room for up to seven plus cargo, it certainly fits the bill. And it’s less expensive, too.

Despite TV commercials from multiple manufacturers showing SUVs summiting mesas and plowing through alpine snowdrifts, many of these vehicles no longer make any pretense at being genuinely off-roadable. They typically don’t have the requisite ground clearance, low-range gearing or appropriate four-wheel drive capabilities to do anything more adventuresome than driving on well graded dirt roads. (Read more about these features in our SUV Buyer’s Guide.)

The GL450, however, can be equipped with an optional off-road package that tacks on another 1.5 inches of ground clearance to its already-best-in-class 11 inches. The package also fits a transfer case with low-range gearing and adds lockable center and rear differentials for true four-wheel drive, as opposed to the standard GL’s totally transparent, automatic, full-time all-wheel drive. Mercedes estimates that only 2 percent of GL-Class buyers will opt for the package, which they feel is probably an accurate representation of how many SUV owners in general have any interest in real off-roading.

Interior

While the GL450’s ample ground clearance may be perfect for off-road situations, it’s less than optimal for more mundane pursuits, like getting in and out of the vehicle. It’s a long step up to any of the seats; getting back down is likewise a leap of faith. To further facilitate off-road prowess, the GL450 doesn’t have running boards or assist steps, so if you’re short, this could be a deal-breaker. This is where the lower-to-the-ground R-Class is at an advantage.

The third row is accessed by manually folding the middle-row seats forward, and no contortions are needed to crawl all the way aft, which usually isn’t the case for these setups. Once back there, you’ll be amazed by the relative comfort and ample headroom of the two backseats. Deep footwells and nicely designed foot space under the middle-row seats eliminate the knees-in-your-face experience common to many third-row arrangements. Plus, the seats are actually sculpted, not just slab-like cushions designed more for stowing than seating. For reference, I’m 5 feet, 11 inches and the rear seats fit fine. There’s also a fixed glass panel in the roof over the rear seats to lighten the atmosphere back there.

The third-row seats also quickly power-fold flat into the floor at the touch of a button, creating a cargo area that betrays the GL’s narrowness: with a volume of 83 cubic feet, it’s smaller than that of most other full-size SUVs, and roughly the size of a typical midsize ute’s hold.

As far as middle-row space is concerned, I sat there comfortably behind a gorilla of a guy during the test-drive, and suffered no ill effects. And not only did Mercedes get the spacing between the seats right, the backs of the front seats are also concave, for additional knee room.

Performance

Besides making the whole vehicle lighter and stiffer, the unibody construction lowers the GL450’s center of gravity and gives it a surprisingly refined, car-like ride, without a hint of excessive leaning through turns. Its extremely long wheelbase also works to eliminate any truck-like hobby-horse movements, the back-and-forth pitching sometimes found in smaller SUVs.

A sophisticated air suspension system helps keep the car level — in place of coiled steel springs, high-pressure air bladders cushion all four corners, and electronics instantly pump up the ones that need more support to counteract body movement while cornering or hard braking. The air suspension can also be used to raise the entire vehicle three inches above its normal ride height — 4.5 inches more if you opt for the off-road package — for increased ground clearance.

Speed-sensitive, power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering is nicely weighted and precise. It completely eliminates the on-center imprecision that was characteristic of generations of earlier Benzes with recirculating-ball steering — a mechanism the Germans have since consigned to the company museum.

The GL450 has a smooth-shifting, complex, seven-speed automatic transmission controlled by a stubby, extremely simple column shifter. The only options are forward and reverse, with an electronic park-engage button on the end of the stalk. If you want to select an individual gear, there are two switches located on the back of the steering wheel which allow manual up- and downshifting.

Mercedes demonstrated the GL450’s respectable off-road capabilities to journalists on a hilly, muddy vineyard track in the Napa Valley of California. The GL450 being tested had special deep-lugged off-road tires that aren’t part of the optional off-road package, but none of us were allowed to drive ourselves. The organizers admitted that part of the course was simply “too muddy to use” after a substantial rainstorm, although I suspect a Jeep demo would have relished the challenge.

One last interesting feature that’s also part of the standard GL450: pushing the DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation) button on the dash lets you set a speed anywhere from 4 to 12 mph so that the GL450 will hold a set speed and crawl down steep descents. Certainly the GL450 showed that it has the chops to perform serious off-road work, but let’s hope there’s always a Jeep — or one of Mercedes’ own G-Class — around to pull it out if it gets stuck.
(C)Forbes

2007 Nissan Sentra SE-R

Pocket Rocket With a Gee Factor.

Type: Compact front-drive performance sedan.
MSRP: $20,525 - $22,880 (tested).
Engine: A 2.5-liter in-line 4-cylinder (200 horsepower, 180 pound-feet of torque); six-speed manual transmission.
Consumption: E.P.A. mileage estimate is 24 m.p.g. in town, 31 on the highway.
Alternatives: Honda Civic Si sedan ($21,685), Chevrolet Cobalt SS ($19,515), Hyundai Tiburon GT ($19,995), Mini Cooper S ($21,850).

Here is a car-marketing rule of thumb: the more letters and suffixes tacked onto a car name, the more gaudy accouterments — inside and out — the car will possess. So naturally you’d expect something called the 2007 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V to be pretty well endowed.

But the Spec V — let’s simply call it that — is surprisingly subdued in its excesses. Although it’s decked out with the requisite rear spoiler, bright red seat belts, and 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, which have an awkward spoke pattern and look like stove-top gas burners, I felt relieved that things weren’t bigger, shinier and worse — with one exception.

A G meter sits front and center on the gray dashboard. It measures the G forces — how many times the force of gravity is pulling on your body. It also measures the extent to which Nissan has gone too far.

Not only is the Spec V a performance version of the Sentra, it is the performance version of the performance trim version — the SE-R — and sort of a pocket rocket squared.

The SE-R made its debut in 1991 as the Sentra’s top trim level. It came with a more powerful engine and was an instant underground hit with enthusiasts. For most of the decade, the SE-R was one of just a few performance-oriented compacts sequestered below the lackluster mainstream.

But then came the movie “The Fast and the Furious,” and automakers were suddenly made aware of a whole new market to exploit. In 2002, it was no longer enough to have just an SE-R. Nissan added a Spec V. In 2007, you needed a G meter.

I kept my eye on that G meter for the better part of five days of driving. Most of the time, the needle sat right on zero, but it wasn’t for the lack of trying. Oh, I tried. I pegged the car on on-ramps and off-ramps. I stopped short and started hard. The most I coaxed out of the Spec V was 0.1 g. Maybe it was broken. Maybe it is unnecessary.

Based on the sixth-generation Sentra, the Spec V is more powerful than the previous version. The 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine returns 200 horsepower, which is 23 more than the SE-R and 60 more than the 2-liter 4 found in the regular Sentra. And the sound is beautiful, a smooth, graceful hum all the way up to the redline of 6,800 r.p.m.

The Spec V is available only with a close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox, which does the job without quirks or wobbles between gears. The electronic power steering feels direct, with a good amount of weight on surface streets, but on freeways the power assist seemed overdone.

You get the sense that all of the mechanical bits have been tweaked according to focus groups and research data to walk the delicate line between performance and comfort. The Spec V is definitely bigger and more spacious than ever. But it is also roughly 400 pounds heavier than the 2006 model. To stiffen the chassis, there is a larger front stabilizer bar and a V-brace behind the rear seats. A sport-tuned suspension and four-wheel disc brakes (including 12.6-inch rotors up front) also help the Spec V tuck in its weight. But all of that equipment fails to hide the bulk altogether.

The Spec V feels athletic but not chiseled. Road & Track clocked it at 6.6 seconds from a stop to 60 m.p.h., so its acceleration is better than ever. But the weight is the biggest factor in the overall feel of the car, which pales in comparison with the more enthusiastic pocket rockets of its ilk, like the Honda Civic Si and the Mini Cooper S.

And for a car with a name as long as the Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V, it is more of an everyday driver than you’d expect. It’s still sporty and fun, but it is likely to disappoint extremists, especially those in search of higher Gs.
(C)NYT

Engine: Clean or Efficient?

From the outside, the dark blue Saturn Aura accelerating to a steady 50 miles an hour on the high-bank oval here at General Motors’ proving grounds looked altogether unremarkable.

In fact, it was not much to look at under the hood either, despite an experimental engine using a method of burning gasoline that may prove to be the next major advance in fuel economy and emissions control. Only a couple of stray electrical connectors hinted at the differences distinguishing this engineering prototype from thousands of other Auras on road.

From the driving position it’s another story. A laptop computer placed between me and a G.M. engineer, Jun Mo Kang, displays a graph that plots the car’s changing engine speed against the load on the engine, just colorful enough to draw my attention away from future cars and trucks in full disguises zipping by in the faster lanes of the track.

My time behind the wheel last month was the first test drive G.M. has given to a journalist of its prototype homogeneous-charge compression-ignition engine. An H.C.C.I. engine runs on a combustion process that researchers say holds the potential for significant gains in overall engine efficiency. G.M is one of several automakers developing H.C.C.I. technology.

In principle, the H.C.C.I. engine takes advantage of the best characteristics of gasoline engines — low emissions that can be controlled effectively with available technology — and diesel engines, which offer low fuel consumption.

As I press and release the Aura’s gas pedal, a small orange dot on the laptop screen darts in and out of a wedge-shaped area on the graph. The point of the wedge begins slightly above idle speed, at about 1,000 r.p.m., and ramps up to its widest point at 3,000 r.p.m.

“Don’t push the pedal too hard or fast,” counsels Mr. Kang. “Try to keep the dot within the zone. That’s where the engine is running in H.C.C.I. combustion.”

After less than a lap of practice on the immense track, I find it easy to feather the pedal so that the orange dot constantly floats in the sweet spot on the graph, earning a smile from Mr. Kang.

When H.C.C.I. is finally ready for the road — G.M. won’t say exactly when that might be — computers will take over the task of keeping the engine in its ideal operating range. And though much work to refine the engine’s operation lies ahead, experts say the technology is worth the investment.

“I believe H.C.C.I. represents the next great advance of the internal combustion engine,” said Chris Gerdes, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Stanford University, which is one of G.M.’s partners in H.C.C.I. research.

“With minimal changes to the engine hardware, H.C.C.I. gasoline engines should be able to produce diesel-like efficiencies while simultaneously lowering emissions,” he said.

Dennis Assanis, director of the Walter E. Lay Automotive Laboratory at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, says the H.C.C.I. combustion process offers potential for raising gasoline engine fuel efficiency by 15 percent to 20 percent while offering reductions in oxides of nitrogen, an important contributor to smog that is difficult to control.

The 2.2-liter engine in the test Aura is based on the G.M. Ecotec four-cylinder; a 2.4-liter version of this engine is available in the Aura for 2008. G.M. rates the H.C.C.I. engine at 180 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque of torque; by comparison, the ’08 Aura engine makes 164 horsepower and 159 pound-feet, and is rated at 22 miles a gallon in town and 30 on the highway.

G.M. would not give fuel economy figures for the H.C.C.I engine beyond the expectation of a 15 percent improvement in mileage.

The H.C.C.I. process is something of an answer to the long quest for so-called lean-burn engines, which use less fuel in relation to the volume of air ingested. Such engines present other problems, though, especially in terms of emissions control, because it is hard to ignite the air-fuel mixture evenly.

The H.C.C.I. gasoline engine aims to solve this by igniting an almost evenly distributed (hence the term homogeneous in its name) mixture of fuel, air and captured exhaust gas in the cylinders. Combustion is spontaneous, a result of heat in the cylinder rather than a spark plug, similar to the way a diesel engine operates.

Until recently, H.C.C.I. combustion was little more than a laboratory experiment. Engineers could coax the process to work successfully on special single-cylinder test engines running at a constant speed. But when applied to multicylinder engines operating under various loads, speeds and atmospheric conditions, H.C.C.I. refused to cooperate.

To get around the difficulty of making it idle smoothly and quietly under high loads, G.M. has, for now at least, limited its H.C.C.I. mode to the 1,000- to 3,000-r.p.m. zone used in the Aura test car, a range that covers most typical driving. Below and above that range the engine uses conventional spark ignition.

Making H.C.C.I. compatible with a broad range of fuels; reducing the faint rattling noise during the transition from compression ignition to spark ignition; and reducing emissions at low loads are other issues being addressed.

“H.C.C.I. relies on a very delicate balance of chemistry happening thousands of times per minute in the cylinder,” said Paul Najt, a manager in G.M.’s powertrain research laboratory who has been working on H.C.C.I. for more than 30 years.

“Controlling the chemistry is the difficult part to implement,” he said. “If the temperature and gas composition aren’t precisely correct, either nothing happens or something very bad happens.”

Bringing H.C.C.I. to production has become a top priority among the world’s major automakers. One sign that the technology is inching closer to production is that automakers are attaching brand names to their various H.C.C.I. programs.

At next month’s Frankfurt auto show, Mercedes-Benz will announce details of its Controlled Auto Ignition system, which it has named DiesOtto in homage to diesel and gasoline engine pioneers. Volkswagen’s Combined Combustion System is under development, and Honda’s H.C.C.I. system, originally conceived for racing motorcycles, is being tested in a four-cylinder auto engine.

China’s automakers and government-backed research institutes are also intensely interested in H.C.C.I. technology, judging by a survey of technical papers presented at last year’s congress of the Society of Automotive Engineers.

G.M.’s decision to move its H.C.C.I. program out of the laboratory and into what Mr. Najt calls the advanced engineering phase, as well as beginning road tests, signals the automaker’s steady progress in critical technology areas, said Matthias Alt, manager of the company’s global H.C.C.I. program.

“In the first half of 2007 we achieved significant gains in the system’s computer controls,” he said. “This moved the program ahead faster than even we ourselves expected.”

But while Mr. Alt and his team of engineers and scientists have made great progress, they acknowledge that many challenges remain before H.C.C.I. combustion is happily percolating inside new G.M. engines.

“As our development of the enablers and computer controls continues, we’ll extend the H.C.C.I. operating range up and down the load range,” Mr. Alt said. The optimism of Mr. Alt and his engineers suggests that the H.C.C.I. Aura won’t be stuck in the slow lanes of the test track much longer.
(C)NYT

2007 Chevrolet Avalanche Test Drive

Despite a more civilized demeanor, the new Chevy Avalanche maintains its unique versatility and raucous persona.
MSRP: $32,460 - $36,165

Trading a little of its maverick character for a dash of distinguished poise, the redesigned 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche has become a stronger player in a growing market of luxury-appointed four-door pickups. Its added refinement won’t shock the system of the Mountain Dew-chugging target customer, as the Avalanche remains rugged and highly useful for unwieldy recreational and utilitarian demands.

Its individuality hinges on an innovative "Midgate," a fold-down wall behind the rear seats that extends the pick-up bed by several feet and offers numerous passenger/cargo configurations. And now that the Avalanche occupies a place on GM’s growing roster of FlexFuel vehicles, which can operate on E85, the corn-based fuel composed of 85 percent ethanol, the Avalanche seems to court “green” shoppers as well.

Following sales of about 400,000 units in five years, the Avalanche enjoys one of the industry’s highest customer-retention ratings. This loyalty could be due to the fact that, for drivers with such particular requirements in a vehicle, there aren’t too many other options. The Honda Ridgeline looks somewhat similar, and is competitively priced, but it doesn’t offer the Midgate functionality. And the Cadillac Escalade EXT does allow its pick-up bed to extend into the cabin, but at a far higher price.

Built in Silao, Mexico, the new Avalanche is available in LS, LT and LTZ trim levels with two- or four-wheel drive. The base LS is well equipped with disc brakes at all corners, a 320-hp 5.3-liter V8, GM’s OnStar communications and diagnostics system, stability control, a tow hitch, CD player and cloth-upholstered front/rear bench seats. All of these features are available at the starting manufactuer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $31,615 for two-wheel drive; four-wheel drive tacks on $3,000 for all trims.

The LT models give buyers the opportunity to pile on luxury amenities. LT1 upgrades to cloth bucket seats, 17-inch alloy wheels and power mirrors. LT2 adds leather, automatic climate control and a six-disc CD changer. LT3 adds side-curtain airbags, heated seats, Bose seven-speaker premium audio, power adjustable pedals, XM satellite radio and ultrasonic rear parking assist.

The fully-optioned LTZ sports all of the LT3 features plus an Autoride suspension, a real-time damping system that also levels the vehicle’s ride height when towing or carrying heavy loads. Chevrolet expects most customers (75 percent) to opt for the mid-level LT setup with the remaining split evenly between the base LS and decked-out LTZ. A new, all-aluminum 6.0-liter V8 rated at 366 hp is available in the popular Z71 off-road package.

Our test model was an LT3, packing four-wheel drive and such options as a navigation system, 20-inch wheels, rear-seat DVD player, sunroof, locking rear differential, rearview camera, luggage rack and rain-sensing wipers for a total MSRP of $45,600. It’s not Cadillac Escalade territory, but ten grand more will put you into an Escalade EXT, if that matters to you. And the Escalade EXT is basically a dressed-up Chevy Avalanche.

Exterior

When compared to the outgoing model, sleeker styling and all-around tighter tolerances improve the Avalanche’s appearance. The formerly hard edges have been replaced with rounded corners that contribute to a less tense design overall. The original trapezoidal headlights later found on so many other Chevy trucks are now less angular and better complement the horizontal front grille and bulging hood.

The sides of the pick-up bed are still tall and deep, requiring a tip-toeing 58-inch lift-over effort to place cargo inside. Long arms are also handy for reaching inside the bed’s lockable side storage bins. The massive tailgate is easy to operate, thanks to a torsion spring in the hinge, and it thoughtfully locks and unlocks along with the doors remotely. The entire bed can be secured with a rigid, removable three-piece cargo cover.

The cargo bed is the Avalanche’s crowning achievement. The 5’3” hold stretches almost three feet, to 8’2”, when the midgate is lowered. Operation is simple: First, flip and fold the 60/40 split, rear bench seat. Then turn a knob in the middle of the Midgate crossbar and gently lower the panel that divides the cabin from the pick-up bed. That’s it.

The same stout composite material that lines the cargo bed continues into the cab and features the identical tractor-tire tread pattern for skid resistance. With the rear window and cargo cover in place, unwieldy objects like surfboards, dining room tables, large fluorescent light bulbs and 4x8 sheets of plywood can be swallowed whole and securely locked.

The cabin’s rear window can be removed and stored to accommodate bulkier cargo, or to provide an open-air ride. The Avalanche doesn’t offer a power rear window like the competing Hummer H2 SUT, but Chevy says owners keep the window in place 90 percent of the time and, when necessary, leave the midgate down and cargo-bed cover in place to maintain security while carrying larger items.

Interior

Compared to the previous model, the 2007 Avalanche’s interior styling is more contemporary and materials have been upgraded, although neutral-colored plastic remains the norm. While it offers a commanding driver’s position, the Avalanche’s rear visibility is compromised by the tall side panels and bed. Thankfully, the optional rear-view camera gives a clear view when the transmission is shifted into reverse. It also makes aligning the tow hitch with a trailer much easier.

The Avalanche is roomy, easy to drive and very much in its element on long road trips. There’s considerably less wind and road noise than in the old Avalanche cabin, and easy-to-use controls and a compliant suspension make cruising quite comfortable. The navigation and Bose audio systems likewise help in this regard. A new rack-and-pinion steering provides ample feedback from the road, and the brakes — which have long been a sore point in GM trucks — finally inspire confidence with a solid, linear pedal feel. In crowded urban driving or parking garages, however, the Avalanche’s 18.5-foot length, muscular bulk and 43-foot turning circle can be frustrating.

Performance

As with the previous model, it can also be a little frustrating to pull away from the gas station in the Avalanche as you watch the fuel needle plummet towards “E.” My 753-mile trip over California coastal highways used 47.5 gallons of regular gas, equating to a rather dismal 15.9 mpg.

After finding California’s only E85 pump (at the time), I logged another 219 miles on the highway and spent 19.2 gallons, achieving an underwhelming 11.4 mpg. There is no loss of power when using E85, as the Avalanche’s engine is designed to take advantage of the fuel’s higher octane level.

Despite the current positive publicity generated by automakers and corn farmers around the renewable nature and reduced emissions of E85, if this fuel isn’t at least 28 percent cheaper than regular gas, there are no financial benefits to using it.

E85 cost $3.15 a gallon at the Regional Transportation Center in San Diego at the time of the fill-up, compared to $3.39 for regular gasoline. The week before, E85 was 50 cents cheaper; the week after I visited, 22 cents higher. The owner of the fueling station said that in order to promote E85, he never sells it for more than regular unleaded.

Full-size trucks that have the ability to tow 8,000 pounds or haul a 1,400-pound payload probably aren’t going to offer 30 mpg or better anytime soon. It’s a reality that truck owners accept, in exchange for a vehicle that serves serious recreation and utility needs, or the needs of their ego.

But the changing customer base has demanded a quieter, more refined ride, plus more comfort and amenities. And the Chevrolet Avalanche proves to be more than capable of delivering on these requests.
(C)Forbes

2007 Pontiac Solstice GXP Test Drive

The Pontiac Solstice is a much more convincing roadster in GXP trim, but there's still room for improvement.
MSRP: $21,515 - $26,515

Even though it baked for more than three years, GM pulled the Pontiac Solstice from the oven too soon. It looked done, but the inside wasn’t quite cooked through. As a result, the two-seat roadster cloaked in gorgeous skin was undermined by several flaws — excess weight, a rattly driveline, a barely hospitable interior and a folding top that consumed virtually all trunk space.

The 2007 Solstice GXP rectifies several of those issues. “GXP” is the name that Pontiac gives to its high-performance models, and the designation is fitting here: Packing 260 hp thanks to a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, the GXP has the legs to run with entry-level roadsters offered by European bluebloods BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. A revised powertrain mounting system eliminates most of the rattling and whining. The standard sport suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers raises the already surefooted handling an additional notch. Those who patiently avoided the scramble for the base Solstice were wise to wait for the GXP’s arrival.

Exterior

With the soft top stowed, the Solstice is one of the most fetching new two-seaters to appear in decades. Its blend of pert proportions, voluptuous curves and retro fairings on the trunk lid lifts spirits at every sighting.

Pontiac was smart to avoid the temptation to dress up the GXP edition with unnecessary ornamentation. There are a few visual distinctions between the standard Solstice and the new turbo model, all of which have a functional purpose: dual exhaust outlets, a lower opening in the front bumper that sends air to the turbo system’s intercooler and large front brake ducts to help keep the stoppers cool.

The polished aluminum wheels that are offered as optional equipment on the base Solstice are standard on the GXP. A new rear spoiler is also optional, a pleasant change in an industry where higher horsepower numbers are sometimes communicated through higher rear wings.

Interior

The interior of the regular Solstice was rather unimpressive, and the GXP doesn’t really display any improvement. Unlike its subtle massaging of the exterior, Pontiac responded to serious ergonomic flaws inside by tacking on window dressing that does nothing to improve the cabin’s habitability. There are minor changes to the gauge cluster, with a new digital boost gauge and a tachometer redline lowered from 7,000 to 6,300 rpm. The seats get some new red accent stitching, and pedals can now be decorated with slippery metal trim, an option that should definitely be skipped.

Unfortunately, there is still nowhere in the cabin to stash a cell phone, the cup holders are awkward to use and elbows frequently run afoul of one thing or another — the emergency brake lever rubs the passenger, and arm rests are hard and abrasive. There is no button to centrally operate the power door locks, and the driver has to use his or her right hand to reach the power window controls because the switch is placed so far back on the door. It’s as if the entire interior was designed by blind apprentices grabbing mismatched components from wherever they could find them. The truth is that GM gathered parts from all over the world to save costs and keep the Solstice’s price attractive — a worthy goal, even if the execution is a muddled.

Storage outside the cabin is likewise abysmal. When the Solstice was launched, Pontiac announced that custom-fitted luggage and an external carrying rack would eventually be available through GM’s Service Parts Organization to offset the paltry trunk space. But those plans have yet to bear fruit. So aside from cramming small bags and items in the oddly shaped trunk like puzzle pieces, or vacationing with the top up the whole time, which would allow a little more cargo space, you’re stuck with a two-seater that doesn’t let you head out of town for more than a day or so in terms of packing provisions.

Performance

In terms of displacement, the GXP engine is actually smaller than the one in the regular Solstice, but adding a turbocharger, intercooler, direct fuel injection system and more advanced variable valve timing transforms the car from a modest Mazda MX-5 competitor to a mad sprinter capable of embarrassing European roadsters costing tens of thousands more.


With 260 hp and ample torque available the instant the throttle is opened, the GXP feels like it’s energized by a small eight-cylinder engine, making for a Solstice that is smoother, quieter and better behaved than its less potent twin brother. Due to the reduced engine displacement, gas mileage is actually improved over the non-turbo model, if only by one or two miles per gallon.

Tire size remains the same, but a more aggressive tread pattern and stickier compound allow even moderately skilled drivers to make the most of the new-found power. The extra solidity of the spaceframe helps here as well, plus it inspires confidence on the rough roads that bounce Mazda’s MX-5 Miata, the most direct competitor to the Solstice.

The Pontiac Solstice GXP packs a secret weapon that you may not expect: the optional ($850) five-speed automatic transmission. It isn’t without flaw — for instance, there are no steering-wheel-mounted shift controls (as provided in the MX-5 Miata and many other performance-oriented models), no manual shift mode and incomprehensible markings adjacent to the shift lever reading "PRNDIL." But when you engage the mysterious L position and depress the throttle, all is forgiven; the Solstice goes like a shooting star. The transmission delays upshifts to 5,800 rpm in first and second gears, and to 6,000 rpm in third gear, and it automatically downshifts as you brake hard when entering a turn so that you can get through it speedily. Couple this eagerness with no loss of boost during full-throttle upshifts and you’ve got an engine-transmission marriage made in heaven.

According to Pontiac, the Solstice GXP can go from 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds and clear the quarter-mile sprint in 13.9 seconds at 100 mph. That’s quicker than the base BMW Z4 and Porsche Boxster, and only a hair slower than a V8-powered Ford Mustang GT.

But the acceleration isn’t the only remarkable thing. What’s marvelous is that Pontiac harnesses the turbo engine in the name of refinement, when they could have just as easily created an equally fast ride that feels unpredictable and raw.

It’s a pity Pontiac’s efforts stopped at the engine and suspension, and that the interior and top designs leave so much to be desired.
(C)Forbes

Review: 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid

Ford's revamped small SUV hybrid combines cool technology with fuel-thrift economy.
MSN (Doug Newcomb's) Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Pros:
Great gas mileage for its class
Punchy performance
Vivid multifunction touch-screen display

Cons:
Noisier than most other hybrids
Lacks steering-wheel audio controls
No traction or stability control availableThe 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid goes further on less fuel and also treads a thin line between eco and macho.

The last time I drove an Escape was when Ford's cute ute first became available in 2001. A buddy and I took the XLT 4WD version down to Baja on a road trip, and by the time we crossed back into the U.S., we were impressed with the way the Explorer's baby brother handled Mexico's pot-holed blacktop and washboard dirt roads with equal aplomb.

The only bummer of the Baja trip was when the fuel tank ran dry on the drive back up the peninsula, after we ignored rule number one when driving in Mexico's Outback—always top off the tank when passing a gas station. With the 2008 Escape Hybrid's rated fuel economy—34/30 mpg highway/city, compared to 18/24 for the model we drove—we probably would have made it to the next gas station about 20 miles up the road.

Six Years Later
The year 2001 doesn't seem that long ago, but from a tech perspective the 2008 Escape Hybrid is light years ahead of the first-generation version we drove south of the border six years ago. This was pre-Prius, and even pre-iPod, and the new Escape's hybrid drivetrain and even its auxiliary input jack show how much technology has changed since then.

The Hybrid's 155-horsepower 2.3-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine is mated to an electric motor driven by a 330-volt nickel-metal hydride battery that's recharged by regenerative braking. This fuel-sipping setup produces slightly more power than the equivalent-size 153-horsepower four banger in the original base model. And although it's more sluggish than the 200-hp V6 in the XLT version I first drove down in Baja, the Escape Hybrid didn't have any problems merging into freeway traffic or even overtaking slowpokes on a two-lane highway once I put my foot into it.

Handling was about what you'd expect for a near 3,600 pound small SUV: lots of body roll around sharper corners, and not quite as nimble as some of its sportier European and Japanese competitors. Braking was adequate if a bit stiff. The standard Escape uses hydraulic friction braking, but the Hybrid's regenerative braking system is combined with friction braking. Because of this, the Escape is the only Ford SUV without traction and stability control as standard features.

Engine Noise
Unlike other hybrids that initially run off the electric motor unless the battery is low or there's a significant load on the engine from, say, the climate control, the Escape's engine always fires up when the key is turned. Ford says this is based on comments from focus groups asking for more feedback and a feeling of control. Also, the Escape Hybrid's engine runs for longer periods than other hybrids I've driven, but Ford claims that it's more fuel-efficient to operate the engine at lower rpm when the throttle is closed rather than restarting it each time.

Subsequently, the Escape is not as quiet as other hybrids I've tested. However, most of my driving was done during a hot week in the summer and the engine doesn't shut down with the AC on since the compressor is driven off the engine. But the Escape Hybrid is quieter than any non-hybrid SUV in its class. The benefit of buying this vehicle is fuel economy, of course, which in my testing averaged around 30 mpg with equal amounts of city and highway driving.

Teched Out
The interior of the Hybrid Escape is far more teched-out than the first-generation version I took to Mexico. The test model came with the an optional DVD navigation system controlled by an exceptionally vivid 6.5-inch touch-screen monitor, which is bundled with an "Audiophile" sound system that includes a 6-disc CD changer and 320 watts powering seven speakers.

While it would be stretching it to describe the system as audiophile-quality, it does sound decent. But I didn't like that the position of the volume knob on the top left-hand corner of the head unit. Whenever I'd go to crank the volume, my hand inadvertently kept hitting the touch screen, and I'd invariably change the source. All the more reason for Ford to add steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, which would fit nicely on the right side of the wheel, opposite the cruise controls buttons.

With the nav system you also get an energy flow monitor that tracks power transfer between the engine, drive wheels and battery as well as overall fuel economy. This is augmented by an analog economy gauge in the instrument panel that shows whether power is flowing to or from the big battery in the back. The vehicle I tested also came with the Hybrid Premium Package, which adds a 110-volt power outlet in the center console.

Passive Aggressive
While the new Escape Hybrid treads softly on the planet, it has an aggressive presence, thanks in part to a recent redesign that brings its appearance in line with Ford's Super Duty trucks—and obviously to better match macho competitors like the Nissan Xterra. In fact, I wouldn't hesitate to take the 2008 Escape Hybrid back to Baja, where tough trucks rule. And I may even be tempted to pass Pemex stations without topping off the tank.
(C)MSN

Italian Pride Is Revived in a Tiny Fiat

When Luca De Meo, 40, became chief executive of the Italian carmaker Fiat Automobiles five years ago, one of his relatives — he forgets whether it was his aunt or his mother — told him, “Luca, you’ve got to bring back the 500,” or the Cinquecento, the chubby little car that symbolized Italy’s postwar economic miracle.

And now, following in the tire tracks of the latter-day Beetle from Volkswagen and the Mini Cooper from BMW, Fiat this month began selling an updated version of the classic 500 of 1957. At 11 feet 6 inches in length, it is about 4 inches shorter than the Ka, Ford’s tiny runabout, but 18 inches longer than the original 500.

More than a year before the car arrived, Fiat started marketing it as a return to everybody’s childhood. In Italy, advertisements appealed to patriotism, with slogans like, “The new Fiat belongs to all of us.” Fiat offers extras on the car like a side stripe in the colors of the Italian flag — red, white and green — and little Italian flags stitched into the upholstery.

In France, where the original 500 was lovingly known as the “pot de yaourt,” or pot of yogurt, for its soft shape, the ads read, “The new Fiat is your history too.”

In less than a month, Fiat has sold more than 57,000 of the cars.

The intrigue surrounding the 500 comes as carmakers in Europe are taking a new look at small autos. European cars have grown over the years, along with European pocketbooks, but with cities getting more congested and gasoline prices at $5 a gallon or higher, carmakers have been anticipating renewed interest in small cars.

Now the market is being flooded with such cars. BMW introduced an update of the Mini late last year, and Renault replaced its little Twingo in June. Daimler is preparing to send its tiny two-seater, the Smart, to North America, and most of the Japanese carmakers have what the Europeans call “city cars” as well.

All these new and retro models are hitting the market just as European car sales have flattened, creating a buyer’s market and forcing carmakers to devise ways to attract customers.

Many carmakers see retro models as the answer, because they are instantly recognizable and stir up nostalgia.

To some, like Marco Zurru, an auto industry consultant with Roland Berger, marketing a car like the 500 for its style is something of a paradox, because the original 500s were stylish by accident.

“Don’t forget, the original 500 sold four million cars,” Mr. Berger said.

At the same time, the new 500 is economical, borrowing a variety of components — including the platform, the engine, the transmission, the rear suspension, and most of the electrical and electronic equipment — from Fiat’s Panda, another compact car that is assembled with the 500 at Fiat’s big new plant in Tychy, Poland. Factory workers there make about $1,200 a month.

Indeed, some have called the car a Panda in the skin of a 500. (As an extra, you can even buy a car cover printed to look like the old 500 of 1957.)

Bringing costs down further, Fiat is sharing the 500’s platform with Ford, which will shift assembly of its new Ka next year to the plant in Poland, from Valencia in Spain.

If the 500 is built differently, it is sold differently as well. Five hundred days before its introduction, Fiat asked potential buyers to enter a competition over the Web to design accessories for the car, and about 8,000 people did so. (The prize? Free accessories with the purchase of a 500.) Among the most popular of those customer-designed extras, at least in Italy, are a clear sunroof and the Italian colors as decoration.

The car has about 100 options, including hand-stitched leather steering wheel covers from the furniture maker Poltrona Frau, 11 colors, and 7 interior trims. Prices start at 10,500 euros, or about $14,400, and can easily run up to 14,000 euros.

Fiat says the 500 is safe, too, despite its diminutive size. It comes with seven air bags, helping to earn it five stars, the highest rating possible, in the standardized European frontal collision test.

“Like the Mini, you buy it because it’s interesting, beautiful things for the beautiful,” said Martino Boffa, the managing director in Milan of the marketing consultants Icon Added Value. He added, “It’s not functional; it’s a luxury item; it’s a toy.”

Mr. De Meo, who was a sales executive at Toyota and Renault before joining Fiat, compares the 500 to the Bic pen. “In the 1950s there was one Bic, and it was black,” he said. “Now there are 50 varieties.”

Luca Trazzi, whose design firm, designboom.com, organized the accessories competition, with a jury that included the fashion designer Giorgio Armani and Jasper Morrison, the industrial designer, said the 500 and the Mini were both “translations of old styles.”


The appearance of the new 500, he said, has stoked demand for old ones, which were discontinued in 1974. “People are paying double what you pay for a new 500, for any kind of 500, even 500s from the 1970s,” he said.

Of course, the new 500 has its critics in Europe. Reviewing the 500 for Le Monde, the French newspaper, Jean-Michel Normand asked whether “the neo-retro inspiration is the only path forward in producing original and desirable small cars.” He added, playfully, “So what is Citroen waiting for to give us a new 2CV?,” referring to the classic 2-horsepower runabout.

To be sure, the 500 is a classic in North America. There are 500 clubs across the United States and Canada, as well as Web sites and blogs devoted to it. When the Pixar unit of Walt Disney released the animated film “Cars” last year, it featured a yellow 500 named Luigi, who spoke accented English and changed tires during pit stops.

Yet Mr. De Meo says he has no plans to sell the 500 in the United States, lacking a distribution network, even though his boss, Sergio Marchionne, 55, a native Italian who grew up and was educated in Canada, has said he wants Fiat to re-enter North America in 2009 with the Alfa Romeo brand.

Mr. De Meo says the 500 “will not be global in the strict sense, but will be for mature, sophisticated markets.” He added: “A product becomes global because its image is global.”

For all its global ambitions, Fiat has cast the introduction of the new 500 as a very Italian event. Daniele Cuniberto, the sales manager at Torino Auto, a dealership a short walk from the Fiat headquarters, said that stripes on the side in the Italian colors were the second most popular extra, exceeded only by the clear glass roof.

For Mr. Boffa of Icon Added Value, Fiat has made the 500 “a national event, saying, ‘We’re Italian, we have saved Italy.’ ” The marketing in Italy, he went on, “arouses national sentiments.”

“There’s a moralizing, chauvinistic aspect. If you’re Italian, you have to buy a Fiat.”

Indeed, roughly one-third of all cars bought in Italy are Fiats. A local economic research firm, the Centro Einaudi, recently calculated that the Fiat Group, with its myriad businesses including farm and construction equipment, accounted for as much as 30 percent of Italy’s economic growth.

But will this work outside Italy? Mr. Zurru of Roland Berger thinks so. “At least in Europe,” he said, “the 500 is linked to a cinematographic experience, a model rich in symbolism.”

“You know,” he said, “La Dolce Vita.”
(C)NYT

2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Test Drive

Super-Fast Luxury. Reach warp speed without even feeling it.
MSRP: $85,750 - $181,500

The new Mercedes-Benz S600 will boggle even the most jaded luxury-car owner. Now, most people will probably be satisfied with the V8-powered S550 (roughly $86,000), which restored the S-Class' flagging profile among top luxury cars. But for buyers who'd never consider themselves "most people," Mercedes will tack on $55,000 and an additional 128 hp from a twin-turbocharged, 510-hp V12 and call it the S600.

For that $140,675, the flagship S600 delivers more propulsion and gadgets than the Starship Enterprise. And it reaches similar warp speeds with an almost eerie lack of engine noise or vibration. (In this space, no one can hear the Benz scream.)

This 5,000-pound luxury liner storms from 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds, and clips through the quarter-mile sprint in an amazing 12.6 seconds. That’s not only faster than pricier sedans like the Bentley Continental Flying Spur or Rolls-Royce Phantom; it’s quicker than most sports cars, including the Porsche 911 and Ferrari 612 Scaglietti.

The sole shortcoming is the car's obsession with technology, some of it useful, some smacking of overkill. But computer gimmickry aside, the Mercedes S600 is unquestionably one of the world’s most commanding automobiles. Power, prestige, safety, luxury — this Mercedes slathers it on like a knee-deep mound of beluga caviar.

Exterior

The previous S-Class was conservative to the point of invisibility, but the new model takes at least modest styling risks. The front grille and V-shaped hood are more prominent, while the raised rear trunk lid recalls the BMW 7 Series. Bulging wheel arches appear clumsy at first glance, but seem more appropriate after repeated viewings.

Despite the makeover and the six-figure price, the S600 isn't about making necks crane and flashbulbs pop. The S600 owner knows he's rich, knows he's got a great car and doesn't feel the need to rub either fact in your face.

The S-Class has grown about an inch longer and taller, and a half-inch wider; V8 and V12 models are identically sized. The trunk is wide and deep and includes a power-operated lid that opens and closes at the push of a button. But there's no pass-through for skis or other long items.

My test model featured an especially nice twilight-blue paint called Black Opal, a sweet contrast to the caramel-colored leather inside.

Interior

The S-Class’ interior benefits from a thorough design upgrade, with glorious sweeps of burl walnut, lustrous metals and eye-popping attention to detail.

Virtually every option available on the base S550 is standard on the S600, including the road-taming active suspension system, park distance control, keyless entry, rearview monitor, four heated, powered and massaging seats, four-zone climate control and a hands-free phone.

Special mention goes to the Distronic Plus adaptive cruise control, which maintains a driver-adjustable distance from traffic ahead and regulates speed without you touching either the gas or brake pedal. On the bruising highways of New York, the system worked smoothly even in stop-and-go traffic. (You can set any cruising speed up to an improbable 125 mph).

The Infrared Night View screen puts an image on the driver’s instrument panel, illuminating the nighttime street to draw attention to stray pedestrians, pets and debris. That feature seems clever at first, but the novelty soon wears off — it seems safer to keep your eyes on the road rather than on the display.

The seats are magnificent. The front feature heating, cooling and an inflatable moonwalk’s worth of pneumatic chambers. Those allow 16-way adjustment, four massage settings — including one that attains Shiatsu levels of pressure unlike the barely-there pulsing of the Bentley Continental Flying Spur’s seats — and even side bolsters that can firm up through turns for added support.

Limousine-like rear seats also heat, cool or massage on command. Another button shimmies the front passenger seat forward to maximize rear legroom for those being chauffeured.

Pull up one of those plush chairs and get comfortable with the Tolstoy-sized owner’s manual, because it takes time and patience to master the vehicle's myriad functions. For better or worse, Mercedes has mimicked BMW’s iDrive with its central display screen and rotary-wheel COMAND controller. While the Benz's graphics and menus are superior to BMW's, some functions that should be simple remain anything but. If you assume, for example, that the "preset" menu is the place to set a radio preset, guess again.

Performance

The S600's fearsome capabilities are almost wasted on U.S. roads, with their left-lane dawdlers and radar-zapping patrol officers. With 510 hp and a god-like 612 pound-feet of torque, the Mercedes will reel in and spit out any car in its path. Step on the gas, and entire towns quickly disappear in the rearview mirror. The speedometer says you're flying, yet there's no tire squeal or engine wail — only a nearly imperceptible hum from the 5.5-liter V12.

If luxury has a sound, this is surely it.

With the no-free-lunch rule in effect, the Mercedes S600 returned a mere 12 mpg over a week-long test, one mpg less than the EPA estimated average. The car’s 11 mpg city/17 mpg highway government estimates result in a $3,000 gas-guzzler tax.

Steering is fluid and effortless, and it feels more heavily boosted than the previous S-Class. The active air suspension — featuring Comfort and Sport settings — produces a creamy ride while keeping the body flat and composed in turns. Powerful brakes are larger than on the S550 and help rein in an additional 500 pounds in curb weight.

Despite the sense of serene control, the S600 remains more a pampering cruiser, not nearly as sporty as a BMW 7 Series or even the Bentley Continental Flying Spur. There's ample tire grip but a shortage of steering feel, especially at the triple-digit speeds this Benz so effortlessly reaches. (Most S-Class owners, of course, will drive happily without ever testing the outer limits of handling.)

In at least one area, the more affordable S550 trumps its 12-cylinder sibling: It employs a seven-speed automatic transmission. The S600 makes do with two fewer gears, and its five-speed unit could use at least one more.

Mercedes touts the S-Class as pioneering the latest safety advances. In the event of an accident, the Pre Safe system will cinch occupants' seat belts, shut the sunroof and windows to support curtain airbags, and reposition front passenger and rear power reclining seats for optimal crash protection.

In addition, when the S-Class senses an impending collision, it adjusts its own braking force to maximize stopping power. Mercedes claims that in real-world and simulated testing, the systems reduced rear-end collisions in heavy urban traffic by 75 percent.

Considering the value of the car — and its occupants — that's the kind of technology any S600 owner will welcome.
(C)Forbes

Mercedes ML320 CDI: So good, it's illegal

Think diesel doesn't get a bad rap? The ML320 CDI is nimble, fuel-efficient, as clean as anything on the road -- and outlawed in five states, writes Business 2.0 Magazine.

It's a wonder criminals get caught in this country. I recently spent a week on the lam, and not once did a policeman give me a second glance.

And it's not as if I was being inconspicuous -- my getaway vehicle was a shiny 2007 Mercedes-Benz ML320 CDI, one of only a handful of such rides on the road in California.

Of course, therein lay the problem.

Driving the CDI in California is, legally speaking, a no-no. You see, the ML320 happens to be powered by a diesel engine, and though its emissions technology is sophisticated enough to clear the regulatory hurdles erected by legislators in 45 of 50 states, California is notoriously tough (as are Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont).

No matter that the SUV's turbocharged V-6 power plant contributes less to global warming than any gas engine out there, or that the nationwide introduction last fall of ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel has nixed the blue-smoke spew associated with such cars.

Until Mercedes outfits the ML320 CDI with an additional piece of postcombustion technology to further reduce nitrogen-oxide emissions, which is scheduled to happen next year, the vehicle remains verboten in the Golden State.

Call me an outlaw, baby.

Now, if you're going to run from The Man, there are few better ways to do so. This is, after all, a Mercedes. And as with every Mercedes -- especially a $60,000 SUV -- luxury abounds.

The ML320 is comfy (bird's-eye maple, black napa leather, multiple climate zones, etc.), safe (reinforced body cage, front and rear crumple zones, back-up camera, etc.), and convenient (powerlift rear gate, parktronic, voice control, etc.). Thus, even before we talk about the engine, the ML320 CDI is an easy sell. The diesel closes the deal.

For the few of you not conversant in such matters, let's chat about diesel engines.

Invented in 1892 by a man named Rudolf Diesel, such power plants tend to be more efficient, reliable, and adaptable than gasoline engines, not to mention cheaper. This explains why half of all European cars are diesel-powered.

But due to a plot orchestrated by Henry Ford and the Illuminati (just kidding), diesel engines have never captured American hearts. The lone company to make inroads in our market has been Mercedes; during the 1970s gas crisis, two-thirds of the vehicles it sold here were diesels.

Unfortunately, domestic standards for diesel fuel at the time left much to be desired, and these cars belched plumes of acrid exhaust, pinged and knocked, and, in cold climes, started only intermittently. All of which soured the populace on nonpetrol rides. Today a mere 4 percent of vehicles sold in this country are diesels.

Happily, diesel technology and refining standards have made much progress since then. As of Oct. 15, 2006, all diesel sold in the United States is of the ultralow-sulfur variety, some 97 percent cleaner than previous versions.

Meanwhile, the engines also evolved, becoming smoother, more powerful, and cleaner, advancing to the point where they are almost indistinguishable from their gasoline counterparts. Stand next to an idling ML320 CDI and you'll likely never notice that it's a diesel.

Thus automakers such as Mercedes (and Audi, BMW, Ford, and VW) are pushing diesel as an economical, environmentally friendly fuel option, with some success. Within eight years, 15 percent of vehicles on American roads are expected to run on diesel.

Should this day indeed come to pass, few drivers will benefit more than those behind the wheel of an SUV.

Because of compression ratios and a bunch of other stuff you probably don't care about, diesel engines provide an astonishing amount of torque, making them ideally suited to hauling boats, flattening hills, and lugging giant loads of bothersome cargo, such as your kid's lacrosse team.

Couple the CDI's 398 pound-feet of torque with a seven-speed automatic transmission and permanent all-wheel-drive, and you've got a nimble, fast, seamlessly shifting 2.5-ton jumbo craft that somehow manages 27 miles to the gallon. You can even run the thing on B5 biofuel -- meaning that my flight from prosecution might well have been fueled with vegetable oil, soybeans, or sunflowers.

Not that the coppers were after me, exactly. In fact, toward the end of my scofflaw week, I phoned the California Highway Patrol to see what my odds were of actually getting busted.

After I explained that I was writing about -- even touting -- a sensible, fun, fuel-efficient vehicle that was technically still some months from being legal in this state, the CHP spokesperson asked, "You're not going to encourage people to break the law, are you?"

Me? Perish the thought.

New Ford Taurus is really good!

The rebirth of the Taurus name was greeted by laughs but, it turns out, Ford has made a good car out of what was the Five Hundred.

Base prices: $23,000 to $28,000
Seating: Four comfortably, five maximum
Fuel mileage: 22 mpg overall, according to new EPA testing method
Power: 3.5-liter V6, 6-speed transmission

Pity the new Ford Taurus. It's a restyled and slightly re-engineered version of the Ford Five Hundred, a dull car that simply got no respect.

To try and turn things around, Ford also changed the name to Taurus, a name originally associated with a great automotive success story. The original Taurus had once been the most popular car in America, but it had long since been eclipsed by the Camry when it finally slipped out of production last year.

When the revamped Five Hundred's name change was announced at this year's Chicago Auto Show, most journalists saw it as nothing more than a laughable attempt to relive a moment of long ago glory.

That's too bad, because it just happens to be a really good car. In fact, the Five Hundred was never a really bad car. It was just dull.

Except for that, the Five Hundred provided in spades: It had good fuel economy, enormous amounts of interior room and a trunk you could float a barge in.

For the new Taurus, engineers put in a more powerful engine and upgraded the suspension. Ford designers worked, both outside and inside, to relieve the painful blandness that marked the Five Hundred.

This car has chrome - maybe even too much chrome - and it has more-than-adequate power. All without changing any of the stuff that made the Five Hundred such a practical, decent vehicle.

Does all this mean the car formerly known as the Five Hundred will finally get some respect? It should.

Big small shape
The Taurus's overall tall, rounded shape is unchanged from the Five Hundred. The car still looks a bit chubby, but the big three-bar chrome grill and the flashy side vents help.
The Taurus Limited, the top trim level, comes with chrome side view mirrors and door handles, too. At that level, the sheer volume of chrome really does lend the car some luxury-class style.

The pudgy shape serves a purpose, though. This car fits an awful lot of space over a small amount of asphalt.

The basic idea has always been to offer all the functionality of an SUV in a sedan body. The Taurus succeeds at that and more. There is plenty of room for passengers in both the front and back seats - more than you'll find in most two-row SUVs, in fact.

With all its seats filled with passengers, the Taurus actually has more storage space than many SUVs. The back seats fold down flat, just like an SUV's, leaving a full top-to-bottom pass-through. Even the front passenger seat folds flat, letting you load items that reach from the taillights all the way to the dashboard.

It's also available with all-wheel-drive.

These are all features that already existed in the Five Hundred and, thankfully, the Taurus hasn't lost them.

Its new interior doesn't look as well put together as, say, the Toyota Avalon's or even the Chrysler 300's, but it's still an attractive and functional piece of work. The center console has two separate bins, a lower, larger one and a big one beneath that.

Even with four occupants, everyone gets plenty of space for beverages. There are front and rear cupholders in the center. The back ones come in a fold-down center armrest. There's als a bottle holder in each door large enough to hold a two-liter soda bottle.

Improved drive
With its new 260 horsepower V6, the Taurus has power enough to accelerate without feeling strained as the Five Hundred did when pressed hard.
The engine also provides enough power for the six-speed transmission to work smoothly. In the Five Hundred, the car would often slog between shifts that seemed to come too early.

The Taurus' 57 horsepower improvement over the old Five Hundred also comes at no cost in terms of fuel economy. In fact, the Taurus gets about one mile more out of each gallon than the Five Hundred did, according to new EPA estimates. (It's actually not that unusual for an increase in power to result in better fuel economy. A stronger engine doesn't need to work as hard.)

The suspension is also tighter, but this is still no performance sedan. The Taurus is supposed to be a roomy, comfortable cruiser. The new shock tuning makes it feel more controlled in turns and over bumps, though, while still offering a smooth ride.

Steering remains a weak point. It doesn't feel like you're tossing around one of those American land barges of the old days, but the steering still feels a bit remote and numb.

Top safety
In advertising, Ford bills the Taurus as "rated the safest full-size car in America." That's based on the Taurus' "Top Safety Pick" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Taurus actually shares that award with one other large car - the Audi A6 - not counting its own corporate twin, the Mercury Sable, shown here. The wagon version of the Taurus, the Taurus X, got the award, as well.
To earn that award, a car must get the Insurance Institutes's top rating of "Good" for front and side impact protection as well as for whiplash protection in rear impacts. Starting last year, cars were also required to offer electronic stability control, at least as an option. ESC is a computerized system that helps a driver maintain control when a skid or rollover threatens.

The Taurus also gets 5 stars, the top score, for front and side impact safety, according to the government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Lots to like
In all, the Taurus is a car with a lot to show for itself. Unfortunately, it may be brushed off by shoppers who see it as just a Five Hundred with a little make up and jewelry, but who miss the more powerful engine and suspension improvements.

They're the same shoppers who missed that the Five Hundred - while no-one's idea of a hot ride - really wasn't bad if you were just looking for a practical family car.

If questions about reliability are standing in your way, check with J.D. Power & Associates and Consumer Reports.

If you just look at recently introduced models, like the Ford Five Hundred and Fusion, it's a non-issue. Ford's new models perform just as well as Toyota's and Honda's and, in some cases, better. There's no reason to think the same won't hold true for the Taurus.

If you're shopping for a large car, the new Taurus should absolutely be on your list. In fact, if you're shopping for a mid-sized SUV, it should be on your list as well. You'd have a hard time finding anything in an SUV that you're not getting here except with better fuel economy and closed-in lockable cargo space.

And, if you want a third row of seats, there's the Ford Taurus X. It's basically a crossover SUV based on the Taurus.
(C)CNN

2008 Audi TT Review

For 2008, Audi has redesigned its TT Roadster.

Heading north on Route 257 through southeastern Quebec, it occurred to me that Audi’s second-generation TT is a perfect example of how, sometimes, it can take years to fulfill a promise. Then my thoughts turned to manure.

The first TT arrived in the United States as a 2000 model, and the rounded little Bauhaus design made visual promissory notes: It would be wonderful to drive.

But we were tricked. The steering lacked feel and the driving experience was rather average, not coming close to matching the magic of the TT’s appearance.

For the 2008 model year Audi has an all-new TT, which is on sale now. A stronger body and redesigned suspension have delivered huge improvements in its handling, finally giving it the performance to back up its come-hither-and-enjoy-driving look.

As before, there are coupe and convertible versions and a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. There are two engines: a new turbocharged 2-liter 4 producing 200 horsepower or a carried-over 3.2-liter V-6 that makes 250 horsepower. You can get a six-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch automatic. Unfortunately, there are restrictions on what goes with what.

Prices start at $35,575 for a front-wheel drive coupe with the 4-cylinder engine, which comes only with the automatic.

Those who want the V-6 must also take the quattro all-wheel drive system and a price of $42,275. A six-speed manual is standard on this version; the automatic is an option.

All-wheel drive is not available with the turbo 4, although Audi is thinking of changing that, said Filip Brabec, product planning manager for Audi of America.

For those who desire a convertible, the least-expensive TT Roadster is $37,575 with front drive and the turbo 4. A version with the V-6 and all-wheel drive starts at $45,275.

The roadster that I tested had the V-6 and the automatic and a base price of $46,675. The final price was $51,225 with options including fancier leather upholstery, larger 18-inch wheels and an upgraded stereo system with Sirius Satellite Radio.

But back to the manure. Starting early one summer morning my wife, Cheryl, and I drove north from our home in New Hampshire along Route 3, passing the First, Second and Third Connecticut Lakes. These are names that hint at a lack of pioneer poetic imagination but excellent counting skills.

By 10 a.m. we crossed into Canada and were headed toward this farming town advertised by a small, weathered sign in French that translated to “Let us charm you.” A few minutes later, the smell of manure hit with the drenching pungency possible when a convertible top is down and olfactory protection is drastically reduced.

If we’d had some additional warning (“Let us charm you, but we stink”) we could have quickly protected ourselves. Putting the top up (or down) is possible with a push of a button even while the car is moving up to 25 miles an hour.

Incidentally, the power open-close mechanism worked flawlessly; the top was snug.

With an overall length of 164.5 inches, the new TT is 5.4 inches longer, but the biggest change cannot be seen. It is the extensive use of aluminum (there is still some steel) to achieve strength with less weight. The advantage of this new structure can be felt easily. Anyone familiar with the tiresome shake and wiggle of a poorly done convertible will be amazed by the TT’s wonderful solidity even on the worst surfaces.

Inside, the TT feels sports-car intimate without being crowded, and Audi’s tradition of handsome accommodations continues. The basic controls are easy to use, lacking the classic Teutonic approach in which mystery is preferred over logic.

All the good safety gear is standard, including stability control; antilock brakes; rollover hoops intended to keep noggins off pavement; and seat-mounted bags to protect chests and heads in side impacts.

The coupe and roadster each has more cargo capacity than the first TT and could easily be used for a weekend trip.

By noon we had spent about two hours in Canada and saw no reason to wear out our welcome. We crossed into Maine at Coburn Gore and headed south on Route 27, a smooth two-lane with turns ranging from benevolent sweepers to tricky kinks. Route 27’s straights can be short, but with the TT it was easy to build speed.

The 3.2 liter V-6 is rated at 236 pound-feet of torque, all available between 2,500 and 3,000 revolutions a minute. Part of the swiftness comes from the S Tronic dual-clutch automatic with six gears chosen for strong acceleration, not maximum fuel economy.

The dual-clutch gizmo means quick gear changes (Audi claims 0.2 seconds) and, unlike a manual or conventional automatic, there is no discernable drop in power as the gears change. It is also an extraordinarily eager gearbox that needs no more than a hint that the driver needs a downshift.

Audi says a TT with S Tronic is slightly quicker than a six-speed manual. Going from zero to 60 m.p.h. takes 5.3 seconds, compared with 5.5 seconds for a car shifted with manual labor.

On most turns, the TT is a delight. The steering has a good feel and is nicely weighted, inspiring the confidence and communication crucial in a good sports car.

Thanks to a redesigned suspension and extra-sticky summer tires (you can choose all-seasons instead) there is so much cornering power that blind mountain turns at high speeds come with a greatly reduced fright factor.

Alas, it is on the tight turns, like hairpins, that the TT becomes less fun and shows its weak point. It begins feeling nose-heavy and less willing to change direction, reminding the driver that about 59 percent of its weight is up front, far from the ideal 50-50 balance.

On a rough surface the TT’s ride is comfortable, at least for a sports car. That means the TT is suitable for enjoyable long-distance travel. It is not one of those rough-riding, tiring sports cars no good for anything more than an afternoon romp.

By midafternoon we were home, having covered 336 miles on our TT International Tour, more than enough to come to some sunny and solid conclusions. While the original TT was a dynamic disappointment, Audi has learned its lesson and made nice with the new car. It has not just looks and style but the anytime-anywhere acceleration, cornering and braking that finally make the TT as delightful to drive as to look at.
(C)NYT

Ten Cars You Can't Buy in the U.S.

The U.S. has restrictions when it comes to cars that can be purchased here, but it wasn't always that way.

She may be the land of plenty, but when it comes to purchasing certain cars, the U.S. falls short.

Wheels from French automakers Peugeot, Citroen and Renault aren't sold in the States. American buyers can't have Italian brands other than those of high-end makers Ferrari and Maserati. They also can't register many of Germany's new, diesel-powered passenger cars in five states,