Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2004 i MotorTrend

TOPLESS CORVETTE You’re the best! And your April issue shows why. The article on the droptop Corvette was all gravy. Nowhere else was there a treatment as in-depth as yours. The C6 makes me wonder why a Cadillac XLR even exists. The new Corvette looks better and costs less. You can’t beat the real thing! D.L. HuntMilwaukee, Wisconsin I can see why you pictured the 2005 Corvette Roadster from the rear quarter on your April cover: The front is, uh, homely; uh, disappointing; uh, nope, I got it, ugly. If ever a Vette needed hideaway headlights, this one does. Randy WorthPleasant Hill, Iowa No one does hidden headlamps anymore. They add weight, cost, complexity, and (when up) aerodynamic drag and wind noise. You’ll get used to it.—Ed. In your Corvette…

> CHRYSLER 300C SRT-8 GETS 425 HORSES > CHEVY COBALT HUNTS FOR STREET CRED > MINI GOES SUPERSONIC > SEEING FERRARI RED HOT-ROD CHRYSLER The next Chrysler SRT performance model after the Crossfire SRT-6 will be an amped-up 300C, called SRT-8. Its 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 gets a bump to 6.1 liters and will make an impressive 425 horsepower—naturally aspirated. The usual host of suspension and wheel-and-tire upgrades will accompany the muscle motor, when the SRT-8 is launched early in 2005. ANOTHER SAABARU The new Saab 97X is a “placeholder,” a quick-solution first SUV for the brand, based on General Motors’s GMT360 platform. The five-seat 97X is available with either a 275-horsepower 4.2-liter inline-six or a 300-horse 5.3-liter V-8, and its life will be short—the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, et al.…

Chevrolet makes its first serious attempt to reach out for the youthful sport-compact market this November with the Cobalt SS Supercharged Coupe (you’re not going to count SEMA Cavaliers, are you?). Nurburgring-tested, as most new GM cars are these days, the Cobalt has a 2.0-liter Ecotec four with an Eaton M62 helical Roots-type blower (produces 12 psi) and air-to-water intercooler, good for 205 horsepower at 5600 rpm. Torque is 200 pound-feet at 4400 rpm. It has equal-length transmission half-shafts to battle torque steer, and Chevy claims improved feel from the electric power steering it shares with the Saturn Ion. The only transmission is a five-speed manual, which places it one cog behind much of the competition. Other mods include 11.6-inch front discs, about one inch more than the standard Cobalt…

Ferrari is countering the Lamborghini Gallardo with this reworking of its “bread-and-butter” 360 Modena. The modificata, or updated, Modena features a V-8 engine of between 4.2 and 4.4 liters rated at 460 to 475 horsepower. The new engine is rumored to be a flat-cranked, high-winding version of the 4.2-liter V-8 currently employed in all Maseratis. Body mods will include slightly flared front-wheel arches (for larger wheels and a wider track), larger air intakes on the rear fenders, a new rear bumper with smaller openings around the exhaust pipes, and a modified diffuser. Expect the front fascia to be mildly reworked, too. An updated Spider—perhaps with a folding hardtop—will follow within a year.…

Audi has given its strong-selling middle child new life. For 2005, the A6 has been redesigned inside and out, is larger in every dimension, and contains stunning technology—all near the same price as the range of 2004 models. Not only does it eclipse the prior generation, it’ll give its rivals something to think about. The sedan retains its trademark profile, yet the lines in front and along the sides were made sharper and more expressive. The front end, which has a large, vertical-theme grille as its main visual element (some like it, some don’t), uses innovative illumination technology, including active cornering Xenon lights, daytime-running lights, and foglights flush with the curved lower grille. The once too-soft rear end, possibly the weakest aspect of the forerunner’s design, is…

Ten years after making its debut in the American market with the Sephia compact sedan, Kia revisits its roots with an all-new version of its highest-volume model, the Spectra. In an attempt to revitalize the product line and continue its upward momentum among the top-10 import brands in the United States, Kia strives to offer extraordinary value in the entry-level segment, packing as much content, sport, and safety into the Spectra as it can. The base-level LX starts at $13,160, while a nicely equipped EX with automatic transmission ($15,265) is still competitive among other comparable compact sedans. Larger in every dimension (inside and out) than the previous model, the Spectra shares its basic platform and powertrain with its cousin, the Hyundai Elantra; engineers swear that’s all the two cars…

Those gripping ads they run on TV boast that today’s sport/utility vehicles are built to tame the Himalayas, but in truth the typical SUV enjoys a cushier life than Marlon Brando’s exercise bike. Sport/utilities have become the four-wheeled equivalent of Patagonia adventure clothing—which, as you probably know, is sold primarily to ensure that its wearers can trek to the Coffee Bean for a latte while being well-protected from avalanches and tsetse flies. Similarly, modem SUVs are way overqualified for the work they usually do. Just look at the hardware you’ll often find on one of these rigs: engine churning out enough power to light Times Square, four-wheel-drive system astutely apportioning just the right amount of torque to each massive all-terrain tire, stability-control computers furiously calculating slip angles and yaw rates…

You’ve heard the expressions before: “Want to make a small fortune in racing? Start with a big one!” Or perhaps: “Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?” Another old favorite is: “What are the two happiest days in a man’s life? The day he buys a race car and the day he sells it.” While it’s true that the words “cheap” and “racing” combine to create one of life’s great oxymorons, there is hope for the Speed Channel stalwart or videogame addict who wants to take his passion to clip apexes a step beyond the virtual stage. There are, believe it or not, dozens of ways you can be taking green—and maybe checkered—flags without a winning lottery ticket or Team Penske driver contract in your pocket. Participation…

Like old cars? Been jonesing to hit the track? Vintage might be your brand of motorsport. And it’s not all about old, million-dollar Ferraris. It can be done on the cheap. Several factors separate vintage racing from most other forms of competition. The first is that a car’s age won't be held against it as race series’ rules and specifications evolve; it’s a car’s advancing years that make it eligible to compete in vintage events in the first place. So you’re a lot less likely to end up with a machine that’s been legislated out of competition as time goes by. Another distinction some will find attractive is that, in general, vintage tends to be biased more toward driving and enjoying old iron than it is about finding that last…

I’ve toyed, talked about, and generally procrastinated with the notion of getting my SCCA competition license for 20 years. When I saw my first Spec Miata race two years ago—with a field of more than 70 of the little guys drafting each other around Laguna Seca Raceway—I knew I’d found the appropriate path to fun and fulfillment in amateur racerhood. My first stop was the SCCA Web site to join the club, apply for a Novice Permit, file the results of a physical, and buy all-important patches for my racing suit. I signed up for an SCCA Super School, which packs two intense one-day sessions into a weekend; all I had to do was listen up and drive smart, and I'd leave with my Novice License. My ride—a 1991 1.6-liter…

There are over 200 dragstrips in the U.S. and Canada, and many stage “run what you brung” events where you can make multiple straight-ahead blasts in your daily driver. Drag racing remains an exceptionally popular form of motorsport, whether you’re a musclecar fan or an import tuner type. After you pay a modest entry fee, your car must pass a safety inspection. A valid driver’s license and a signed liability release are your tickets to the staging lanes. Consider going at least once just as a spectator and learning the ropes to make sure your first race entry goes smoothly. The competition appears deceptively simple. The two-lane strip is either one-quarter or one-eighth mile in length. Both vehicles start from the same line, and a starting-light device (years ago dubbed…

One of the country's premier kart-racing schools is located in Oxnard, California. The curriculum Jim Hall Jr. has developed comes from decades of racing experience, and Jim has a case full of trophies to prove it. The Jim Hall Kart Racing School Day 1 (lA-18) course in which I enrolled focuses on an accelerated learning curve to bring novice students up to racing speed as quickly as possible. The $320 all-day class is composed of extensive racing-line instruction, lead and follow exercises, observation, and timed lapping over the four driving sessions. Every kart in the class (no more than 14 students per day) is prepared to be as identical as possible. For the Day 1 class, karts are Sprinters (no shifting required), equipped with 100cc, 17-horsepower Yamaha two-cycle engines that…

The Acura TL was redesigned this year to compete with the likes of the Infiniti G35 and Lexus IS and, to a lesser degree, the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and Audi A4. This list encompasses the who’s who of premium compact sport sedans, so what anyone else brings to market had better be class-redefining. On paper, the TL looks strong, thanks to a 3.2-liter, 270-horsepower engine that delivers 238 pound-feet We opted for a five-speed Sequential SportShift automatic, which prevented us from getting the stickier high-performance tires that are available only with the six-speed manual. Acura packs its products with standard equipment and offers few options, preferring to denote cars with or without a nav system or a leather interior as separate models. Our “4DR NAVI” model, as it’s…

Times change quickly, as several comments have made it into the logbook about Mazda showing up late to the midsize sedan party: “It’s too bad Mazda keeps putting itself just behind the competition. The 6 is a great car for the most part, with good looks, a comfortable ride, and ample power. But in a market as competitive as this, the Mazda has to be better than that to survive.” Another: “It’s not unlikable, just unlovable. It finds itself in a category full of really terrific sedans for the new age, but Mazda is one development stage behind.” It was also noted that, “it doesn’t seem as edgy as you’d expect from a Mazda product.” We understand that, however, as you can’t get too radical if you want to capture…

Motor Trend has never been a racing magazine. But over the years, we’ve driven a lot of race cars, driven cars on a lot of racetracks, and even done a little racing ourselves. One such endeavor involved a pair of land-speed record runs on the Bonneville Salt Flats, chronicled in our December 1959 issue. Then technical editor Chuck Nerpel (foreground) piloted what amounts to a homebuilt lakester that began life as a Formula Ill road racer. A special cockpit-enclosing canopy was built, and the car was set up for straight-line duty. Running a BSA motorcycle engine, the MT Special ran 99.11 mph, eclipsing the previous H-Lakester class record of 92.34. Associate editor Wayne Thoms took this Borgward Isabella sedan on a 5000-mile cross-continent trip/road test, which culminated in a Bonneville…

Driving the new Lotus Elise for the story in this issue brought the whole subject of mass—and more especially the lack of it—into sharp focus. Every dynamic move an automobile makes, whether it’s to accelerate, brake, or change direction involves managing mass. From a standstill, the engine has to overcome the static inertia of the car as well as the rotational inertia of the wheels (you sure you want those 22s?). Everything has to be spun up, shoved off, and started down the road, and it all takes power. Stopping is the same, with the car’s weight and, again, rotating masses attempting to maintain their progress. Cornering is all about convincing the vehicle’s mass to deviate from its current heading, something it'll always resist. The more mass there is, the…

The Defender, absent from this market since after the 1997 model year, returns to the United States in 2007 as a 2008 model. It retains its image as the purest, most committed sport/utility in Land Rover’s lineup, although a smaller, more basic model reportedly is in the works for introduction a year later. Land Rover is keen on cultivating the no-nonsense image of the Defender, which evokes the original postwar model made famous by the film “Born Free” and by the United Nations peacekeeping forces (before the Toyota Land Cruiser grabbed that market). The new model will remain functional and classic in design, but is expected to be a bit softer for the fun-seeking, less-affluent members of the youth market. Now under Ford Motor Co.’s wings, the next Defender…

Porsche makes a practice of continually evolving its products, but the 911 gets a more serious push, forward and backward, as the 997-generation Carrera comes to market next year. Most notable are the return to round headlights and a visage recalling the popular 993 series cars of 1995-1998. This move also offers further differentiation from the Boxster. Look for a modest reshaping of the rear end and a wider rear track Power comes from a 3.8-liter version of the water-cooled flat six, packing 340-350 horsepower. Updated Turbo and cabriolet models will follow in about a year.…

Despite high fuel prices, luxury cars, SUVs, and full-size trucks are leading an overall sales increase for this model year, so far. Total sales are up two percent over last year. All eight full-size trucks have posted higher volumes, while 19 of the 24 luxury SUVs are up in sales. After a slow launch last year, the Chrysler Pacifica is giving the segment-leading Lexus RX 330 a run for its money. There’s been little change in ranking among top-sellers—the F-Series is still the best-selling vehicle, up nine percent overall, while the Toyota Camry (including Solara) continues as the best-selling car, although its sales are off by one percent. Biggest Winners and Losers (2004 vs. 2003 Model Year) Percent changes are for sales from October 2003 through March 2004 for 2004…

As any practitioner of yoga or Pilates can attest, a good stretch does wonders to alleviate back pain. Remarkably, the same is true for small, elemental off-roaders, as Jeep has illustrated by stretching its iconic Wrangler 10 inches in the wheelbase and five inches out back. The marketing folks say the stretch was to lure customers driven away by cramped rear legroom and the lack of space for a decent-size cooler behind the rear seat. But a glance at other detail refinements suggests that maybe a few customers also were put off by the original-recipe Wrangler’s painfully choppy ride. New gas-charged shock absorbers are softer in midtravel to reduce impact harshness, the optional hardtop ($795) is more rigid and streamlined, the muffler has been stretched along with the frame,…

Almost as if they planned it this way, both of Sweden’s car manufacturers are bringing new compact sportwagons to the market simultaneously. Saab’s 92x (MT June 2004) is a somewhat redesigned and mildly recontented Subaru Impreza, while Volvo’s replacement for the V40 wagon (now dubbed V50) is new from scratch. The attractively styled V50 is the wagon version of the all-new S40 sedan (MT February 2004), and although it shares the same overall length as the outgoing car, a longer wheelbase increases interior room in almost every dimension. Note also that the S40/V50 is built on the same platform as the Mazda3 and European Ford Focus. Offered for the first time on an entry-level Volvo wagon will be all-wheel drive and a manual transmission. Unfortunately, the two won’t be…

Let’s say you’ve got what it takes to go to college (money). For your high-school graduation present, your parents—who love you very much but are looking forward to some peace and quiet once you’re safely ensconced in a dorm many hours away—have offered to buy you a set of wheels. The ground rules: It has to be cheap to buy and insure; it must carry a new-car warranty; it also has to have enough space for you to move your CD collection, Xbox, baggypants, and flat-screen computer the heck out of the newly christened guest room. The short list of what to buy inevitably is peppered with cars built in Korea. Parts and labor are cheap there, and the Korean auto industry is in its adolescence, so it doesn’t know…

Everyone who races has to start somewhere. For most, that means some form of amateur-level competition. My start came from Sports Car Club of America Solo II racing, thanks to my three-time SCCA Solo II National Champion next-door neighbor, Warren Wetzelberg and his wife, Karen. The goal behind Solo II events—more commonly referred to as autocrosses—is to complete a traffic-coned driving course as quickly as possible, without drawing any cone penalties, which are assessed for displacing cones from the marked box or tipping them over. Think of it as a mini road course that’s different each time you compete. Autocrosses are typically held on large sections of pavement such as parking lots or inactive airstrips. One thing autocrossing isn’t about is speed, per se: You’ll seldom go faster here than…

I’m fourth on the grid, waiting for the light to go green for the F1 standing start. I don't own my kart. I don’t even own a neck brace or helmet. My maroon, medium-size lid comes from a wire rack inside the big warehouse that encompasses Kart2Kart’s one-fifth-mile Euro-style indoor track. This is the cheapest, lowest-commitment form of racing for Sunday-morning Formula One-on-Speed Channel couch potatoes. The light changes, I drop the throttle and charge toward the guy on pole as we accelerate into the hairpin first turn. With 10 karts bunched together, overexcited competitors can tangle, but the Panasonic League at K2K, formed by the audio-manufacturer’s local automotive supplier, is full of drivers who understand the rules and physics of racing. The league’s Ecclestone and Mosley, Jim Viola and…

To the uninitiated, drifting may appear to be just another import-car fad set to disappear before it makes a mark. We think it has longer legs than that, as this relatively new form of motorsport requires extreme driving talent and car control. There are pro ranks as well as several ways to participate on a grassroots level. As its name implies, the idea of drifting is to get a car sideways—and keep it there as long as possible—simply because it puts a grin on one’s face. It’s partly about speed, partly about style. And, yes, it’s hard on tires. But what’s wrong with burning rubber? Drifting has developed in Japan over the past several decades. Such drivers as Keiichi Tsuchiya, that country’s famed Drift King, were being recognized for their…

I went to the local drags as a teen, and l’ll never forget the kid running ET in a stock, automatic-trannied 1969 LeMans 350. He was always in the prize money. For my recent foray into bracket racing, the vehicle choice was clear: an automatic transmission anything. While even a minivan would do, it seemed a waste not to have a reardriver that could do a burnout. Ford had a 2004 Mustang GT convertible close by. Irwindale Speedway near Los Angeles has test’n’ tune racing every Thursday night. The $20 entry was a bargain. I made about five passes in as many hours and found the car to be making consistent 9.6-to 9.7-second eighth-mile runs. My first and worst reaction time was an 0.733, and things improved from there. I…

Like many couch-potato racers, you’ve watched Formula One or NASCAR on TV—and whispered to yourself, “I could do that.” Well, it’s time to get your butt off the love seat and go for it. It takes no more than a car, a helmet, and a hundred-dollar bill to get you zooming around a real racetrack, chasing those Michael Schumacher-inspired dreams. Open-track events provide a fun, safe environment in which to learn the limits of your car, perhaps evaluate recent performance modifications, and, most important, improve your abilities and defensive-driving skills. There’s no sanctioning body for this type of action; a promoter rents a track, you pay a fee to play, sign the liability release, and that’s that. Participants bring their own cars, which keeps costs down and makes it easier…

Mustang mania Ford celebrated the Mustang 40th anniversary in Nashville, Tennessee, mid-April, commemorating the ponycar that started a revolution and went on to sell over eight million examples. MT supplied its own Detroit muscle, with Todd Lassa joining thousands of Mustang owners and enthusiasts and sharing his experience online. Ford showed the potential for the 2005 Mustang at the New York Auto Show by displaying the Mustang GT-R concept, built up with components to be offered through Ford’s performance catalog. Complete coverage from the Big Apple, including videos, can be found at motortrend.com, along with photo galleries on the most popular near-production and concept vehicles. Although the auto show season has taken a pit-stop for summer, you can still preview tomorrow’s hardware in the updated Future Vehicle Forecast. Be sure…

There’s no denying that the new-wave retro age is here, evidenced by the return of legendary nameplates such as Ford’s Thunderbird and VW’s New Beetle. The latest modern-tech retro-rod to hit the scene is the Chevrolet SSR. With its bulging fenders and vintage grille, the 2004 SSR looks like something straight out of 1953. Performance, however, is hampered by mediocre power and too much weight (4760 pounds). Texas-based tuner Racing Solutions Inc. recently released three power packages to add a performance edge. We tested RSI’s base Z500 package, which combines a nice mix of added power and increased grip for a fair price. RSI starts by removing the stock 5.3-1 iter, 300-horsepower V-8 in favor of a new Corvette Z06 crate motor. The LS6 5.7-1 iter V-8 bottom end gets…

All who drive our new Ford F-150 FX4 compliment the interior as soon as they set eyes on it. While it clearly raises the truck interior bar by a bunch, we did find a few things to niggle over. One editor wrote, “The heavy front doors require the user to push open while pulling on the handle. If this isn’t done simultaneously, the door will remain latched even after the handle lever has been pulled. This presents some confusion for exiting driver or passenger and gets annoying after a while.” He also commented about the temperature control knob on the HVAC: “It feels as if it’s spinning freely and not connected to anything.” The same editor used the truck to haul his scooter to San Diego, but found that the…

Motor Trend Cars of the Year are chosen for performance, dynamics, quality, value, and importance. When we take one on as a long-termer, we know it'll exhibit a certain amount of workmanship and reliability; we consider the automaker’s history and reputation before awarding the Golden Calipers. But each Car of the Year is a new model, and the vagaries of any all-new car can trouble us as much as it can any consumer. So it’s a singular delight when we get a car (or truck or SUV) that proves to be well-built and a good design. After one year and more than 20,000 miles, we’re still raving about the performance, dynamics, and value of our 2003 Car of the Year, the Infiniti G35. There’s been no second-guessing our original conclusion…

Eight years, seven months, and 21 days. That’s precisely how long it was from the day I started at Motor Trend until the day my career reached its pinnacle in the driver’s seat—the only seat—of a Formula One race car. Thanks to our friends at Michelin who sponsored the once-in-a-lifetime event, now I’m done, ruined, and forever changed as a result. Where does a gearhead turn for a more thrilling experience? What's left? Most people in my position never get a chance to drive an F1 car. And so the obvious question: What was it like? Intimidating. Thrilling. Intoxicating. Memorable. Half of the sky was filled by an advancing storm front that day, and suddenly a sense of urgency and electricity filled the air. As luck or fate would have…

Although the 1 Series is an important launch in Europe and other world markets, BMW says it won’t sell the hatchback version of this subcompact, rear-drive in North America—at least so far. The Bavarian automaker is wary of bringing in a hatchback with its own badges on it, given Mercedes-Benz’s poor luck in selling the C-Class Sport Coupe and BMW’s trouble selling the previous 318ti Compact here. While the 1 Series will be out this fall in Europe, BMW will first import the 2 Series, a coupe based on the 1 but designed to remind enthusiasts of the groundbreaking 2002 of the early 1970s. The 2 Series will be launched in the U.S. in the 2007 model year, and one version of the 1 Series, probably a three-box four-door sedan,…

Mitsubishi has led engineering of the Smart forfour. Its next-generation Lancer platform will underpin the Chrysler PT Cruiser and Sebring sedan and Dodge Stratus, and it has plans to share four-cylinder engine production with DaimlerChrysler and another of its affiliates, Hyundai Motor. But DaimlerChrysler will not pour any more money into the struggling Japanese automaker, with its supervisory board rejecting a plan to spend $7,5 billion to increase its stake in Mitsu from 37 percent to 50 percent. DaimlerChrysler chairman and chief executive Jurgen Schrempp was reportedly architect of the 50-percent plan. He had led his company’s $1.9-billion purchase of more than one-third interest in Mitsu in 2000 after DaimlerChrysler’s attempt to buy controlling interest in Nissan Motor Corp, failed. DaimlerChrysler’s reversal on Mitsubishi came weeks after the New York…

Easily the biggest show in this city in a decade, New York 2004 fulfilled automakers’ promise to spread out significant introductions past the recent Detroit and Geneva events. DaimlerChrysler even built a big indoor off-roading course called Camp Jeep New York, so that Jeep’s best market could test off-road suspensions on something other than potholes. You’ve already seen the stunning Buick Velite concept, Land Rover LR3, Jaguar XJ8L, and the Nissan Altima facelift in previous issues. So here, from the Big Apple, is the rest of the story. LEXUS LF-C CONCEPTx A lot going on here What's up: Concept hints at a coupe, targa, roadster, or convertible (or all-in-one, with a four-position hardtop) version of the all-new 2006 IS 400 sedan, the latest to benefit from a Lexus design studio…

Car companies love conjuring commemorative/anniversary/pace-car editions intended to celebrate some birthday or event in a model’s history, real or imagined. These packages usually fall short of the occasion, composed of little more than a “special” paint color, embroidered floormats, and the obligatory badging. Seldom are these not-so-special editions more desirable than any other. Porsche does this gig better than most, not only brewing up an interesting mix of equipment and trim, but adding performance hardware, sequential numbering, and other features that make these celebratory cars legitimately special. Several have, in fact, become highly sought collectibles. The 911 premiered at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1963 as a 1964 model, and Stuttgart is marking the moment with an amped-up version of the Carrera. Just 1963 (get it?) 40th Anniversary 911s…

With great relief, we can report that the 2005 Lotus Elise apparently will demand no apologies and require no special considerations as it goes on sale in this country. But that was hardly a foregone conclusion prior to our first drive of the new U.S.-spec Elise at the beautiful Barber Motorsports Park outside Birmingham, Alabama. With this $40,000 car, Lotus is effectively relaunching its brand in America (the marque has become almost invisible through years of dwindling sales of the dated Esprit), so a lot is riding on its success. But given the checkered history of Lotus cars through the decades, we weren’t sure what to expect. The Hethel, England, company founded by Colin Chapman in the early 1950s has long been celebrated for its innovative approach to building simple,…

arrived at the stadium parking lot at sunrise and soon realized that autocrossing is accessible to just about anyone with a car that runs and the desire to race it. The staging area was filled with everything from rental-grade Chevy Cavaliers to performance-tired Vipers and Vettes. I pulled up in a 2004 Toyota Corolla S with stock everything, right down to the silver plastic wheel covers. A quick scan of the lot revealed no other Corollas, but I did spot some class-sharing Focuses and a Mini Cooper. Every rookie benefits from an experienced coach, so I brought along Motor Trend roadtest editor Neil Chirico. Having been a Solo II competitor for years, Chirico knows his way autocrossing also will make you a better driver on public roads. Your next-door neigh-bor…

If your idea of ice racing comes from the chase scene in the James Bond flick “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” then strip away the fur-draped Swiss fans sitting in the grandstand and Diana Rigg in her pristine Mercury Cougar. Keep the sub-zero temperatures, however, and imagine a rural lake covered in 10 inches of black ice with a modified oval or road course plowed through the snow cover and a motley collection of rusting, end-of-life rolling stock banging around in pursuit of checkered-flag glory. This is racing at its most elemental, and it’s a great way to keep the competitive juices flowing during the off-season. There’s no national sanctioning body for wheel-to-wheel ice racing, but across the rust belt a patchwork of clubs set local rules and define competition…

Motorsport sanctioning organizations have come and gone over the last 60 years, but the Sports Car Club of America (founded in 1944) remains the backbone of amateur road racing in this country. It continues to provide the framework for regional-and national-level racing of all kinds, plus such professional categories as ProRally and the Trans-Am series. And what is currently the SCCA’s fastest growing regional racing class? It’s called Spec Miata, and it’s so popular that the club launched a Pro version of it this year. The principle behind SM is the same as with any other spec series: make the cars as mechanically identical as possible, so driver ability and racecraft become the main differentiators. The first-generation Mazda Miata (1990-1997) is an ideal starting point for a fun, no-nonsense closed-wheel…

My initiation into drifting came several years ago, during a search for a preowned Toyota Corolla to use as a race car (after driving my street-stock Alfa Romeo Milano to a disappointing finish in my first SCCA Solo II event, I’d learned that the lowered, 15-year-old Corollas that had finished up front make ideal racers: They’re rear-drive, affordable, and—most important—reliable). During my search, I met U.S. Dl Grand Prix drifting expert Alex Pfeiffer, who had a Corolla I wanted to buy. We became friends, and he invited me to go for a ride with him on a mountain road. It was this ride that hooked me on drifting for good. I soon acquired my own Corolla. Mods included a reworked suspension, a Kaaz limited-slip rearend, plus other bits and pieces.…

On the face of it, kart racing may look like child's play, but it is, in fact, racing in the purest sense of the word. We're not talking about backyard go-karts built from old lawn mowers. We're referring to serious machines built for speed and agility that provide the best introduction to open-wheel road racing there is. Local, regional, and national events hosting dozens of International Karting Federation racing classes are gaining popularity with each passing year. Take a survey of past and current open-wheel racers’ resumes (Champ Cars, IRL, Formula One), and you’ll find that most of them have karting titles to their credit. Why? Besides being the most addictive, easiest way to contract the racing disease, karting is the least expensive, most accessible, and best approximation of open-wheel…

Ghosts have been known to visit Sebring International Raceway, even when the track is teeming with thousands of fans. Rookies know only the improved road course with its newly paved portions and the nearby luxury hotel. But old-timers recall the crumbling concrete and Army surplus tents that served as lodging for race fans spread across the long-abandoned military base recycled as a speedway. If a piece of property could talk, the stories Sebring could tell. This past March, the evening before the annual 12 Hours of Sebring began, the season’s most interesting ghost-in-residence sat in a big tent just behind pit lane. It was surrounded by shiny, pristine examples of race cars lovingly restored to beyond-new condition. But this old, tired ghost looked exactly as you’d expect it to, knowing…

Cover cars The third release of the Motor Trend die-cast cars from Johnny Lightning is in stores now. Each three-inch, all-metal model is a former Motor Trend cover car and comes packaged with a PhotoCard of the cover that immortalized it. All cars are painted in the same colors as they appeared on the magazine cover. Here's the list of the latest release, just some of the 24 Motor Trend cars that’ll be available in single-blister packaging this year. Visit your local toy/hobby store and start collecting today. •1958 Chevy Impala •1968 Dodge Charger •1970 Plymouth Superbird •1976 Ford Mustang Cobra II •1980 Lotus Esprit Turbo…

In our last update, we had taken our 2003 Sport/Utility of the Year winner in for the first service and were charged $169.50. Fast forward to the 15,000-mile service, with a visit to the same dealer. We had concerns with a rear-wiper arm cover that had gone missing during a trip through the car wash, a noise from the right rear C-pillar area, and an intermittent freewheeling sensation from the transmission while in drive. After looking through the owner’s manual we discovered that scheduled maintenance is included as part of the deal—we were previously charged for a service that should’ve been free. The representative who took care of us last time was no longer working for the dealer, and our new service advisor cheerfully refunded the previously paid amount, which…

BMW just couldn’t sit still and let Mazda have all the fun, so for 1996 it introduced the much-hyped (and James Bond-driven) Z3. Logically, BMW concluded this segment was intensely price-driven—the Miata is a consummate bang-for-the-buck player—so the Z3 used as many bits and pieces as it could from the 3 Series parts bin (including engines), all wrapped in a steel bodyshell more classically sporty than cuddly cute. Heeding Miata critics who said that car was too small, BMW made the Z3 a half-size larger, with a wheelbase 7.1 inches greater, an additional 3.1 inches in overall length, and some 400 pounds more curb weight. As a result, the Z3 is the equivalent of relaxed-fit jeans—cozy but not confining—though don’t expect the Z3 to have a huge trunk. First appearing…