Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2003 i MotorTrend

Convertibles Who cares if the SVT Cobra is “cheaper” than the Corvette (“Summer Fun,” May)? The Mustang will never be the American performance icon the Vette is. Driving a Corvette is much more prestigious than some souped-up Mustang, a car brand every pimple-faced little punk has. This Corvette base model still outperforms the best Ford has to offer. And it does it with a blend of style, sophistication, and class the Mustang will never approach. Jon Owens Starkville, Mississippi I just love it. With the death of the Camaro, Chevy puts up the Corvette—a much more focused, two-seat, pure sports roadster—to square off with the Mustang, and the vaunted Vette only barely ekes out a tiny advantage. Factor in price, and it doesn’t even do that. For all its compromises…

No IRS for Mustang It’s official: As predicted here (February 2003), the ’05 Ford Mustang will have a live rear axle, instead of independent rear suspension, to please core buyers who prefer good straight-line launches—and to please Ford beancounters who like lower costs. Like the current Mustang, the SVT Cobra will be available about one year after the standard car’s debut and will again have IRS. Dodging Hatchbacks Here’s a novel idea for an American automaker: Build nothing but hatchbacks and wagons. That’s right, no conventional sedans. Dodge reportedly had plans to do just that. Its ’05 Magnum was slated to be a wagon only, and its Stratus and Neon replacements will be hatchbacks to help distinguish them from Chrysler models. But Dodge has since gotten cold feet over the…

Beyond SL55 AMG—and that’s saying something You’d think from this photo that Mercedes-Benz is trying to sell vintage prototypes. Not so: It’s all just a tease for the new ’04 SLR, debuting at the Frankfurt show in September. This über-est of Mercedes sports cars features a heavily tweaked version of AMG’s supercharged 5.5-liter V-8—possibly enlarged to 5.8 liters—and good for more than 550 horsepower. Mercedes partner McLaren (yes, as in F1, both mid-’90s exotic car and racing team) will build the car with a carbon-fiber structure and composite ceramic brakes in Woking, England. Trick features abound, including scissor-hinged doors that acknowledge the 300SL Gullwing of the ’50s. The SLR’s sub-Maybach price is expected to be in the $200,000-$250,000 range when it goes on sale in the U.S. next April. A…

Forward vision or grand illusion? “Would you like to drive our 13.6-liter/1000-horsepower V-16 sedan?” asked GM’s Jeff Holland. Even though we knew there’d be extra-sticky driving rules and caveats regarding the $2 million concept’s mechanical polish, there was only one possible answer: “Duh.” Next thing we knew, we were piloting Caddy’s sexy showstopper around GM’s Milford, Michigan, Proving Ground. The Sixteen has been literally the biggest thing to roll onto the auto-show circuit this season. Bob Lutz, GM’s vice chairman of product development and chairman of GM North America, says it’s “a modern interpretation of everything that made Cadillac the standard of the world.” But is it merely a lavish reminder of a once-glorious past or a relevant vision of the future? Enough scene-setting. What’s it…

Just what the sport-sedan doctor ordered For all the sequential manual gearboxes, manumatic controls, and supposedly racing-inspired shift buttons on steering wheels, many drivers still prefer an honest-to-clutch manual transmission. When Infiniti launched the G35 Sport Sedan and Sport Coupe last year, only the latter was available with a six-speed. Infiniti has since completed the job, as the four-door can now be had with a gen-u-ine stick. It’s the close-ratio six-speed unit found in the Sport Coupe (and the Nissan 35OZ), and it’s every bit as satisfying in this application. The gates are close, the lever short and precise, the clutch take-up has just the right amount of feel and response. The gear spacing and Infiniti’s wonderful VQ35 V-6 are a sweet team; the G35 6MT is about seven-tenths…

With his upturned left palm, he pointed at his right hand, which had a thumb-and-index-finger grip in the rim of the D-shaped steering wheel. He delicately yet forcefully manipulated the wheel as a violin player would a bow, then shrugged his shoulders and pleaded for my reaction with a classic Italian, “Eh, eh?” What else could I say but, “Bravo, magnifico!” An entire section of a racetrack was blanketed by a plume of white tire smoke as he effortlessly drifted this macchina rossa around a comer—sprint-car style—at about 50 mph. To call what we were about to experience a normal Motor Trend “First Test” would be like calling your first sloppy, adolescent smooch a “real kiss.” This was no ordinary car, nor was he an ordinary driver. This was a…

Big-time power struggles tend to occur in the same familiar surroundings. Washington. Moscow. Banana republics that don’t sell linen pants. But in case you haven’t noticed, the world’s premium sport-sedan makers are currently embroiled in a power brawl so ferocious, it makes the typical political tug-of-war look like a tussle for the TV remote. Just a few short years ago, BMW ruled the sport-sedan arena all but unchallenged. The M5, packed with a 32-valve 4.9-liter V-8 producing almost 400 horsepower, manhandled any and all rivals as effortlessly as Stone Cold Steve Austin delivering a piledriver to Woody Allen. Suddenly, it’s BMW that’s upside-down. The new Jaguar XJR delivers 390 supercharged horsepower in a lightweight aluminum shell. Audi’s awesome new RS6 brandishes a twin-turbo V-8 that romps with 450 pressurized ponies.…

Wouldn’t you just know it? Design a bad-boy truck with studded fender flares, aggressive tube grille, and tons of ’tude, and what does it attract? Girls. Maybe that’s the point. It’s as if the small pickup offers a different experience from the family sedans or minivans young people had to ride in during their formative years. Driver and passengers sit up higher than in mere cars. There’s room for stuff, and a truck just feels tougher: a hunky alternative to a wimpy econobox. Another reason small pickups sell to younger buyers is price. Where well-equipped full-size rigs can run $30K, compact trucks base in the low teens. But be careful with the extras. Even though the Frontier King Cab starts out with a four-cylinder engine and XE trim at a…

When the Matrix was introduced in ’02, it proved difficult to classify, with its small sport/utility capacity, available all-wheel drive, optional 7800-rpm engine, and space-shuttle styling. Toyota’s Newport Beach, California, designers called it a “street-performance utility.” That sounds about right to us. Three versions are available: 130-horsepower Standard, XR, and our Celica GT-S-powered XRS example. What makes the Matrix so desirable is its versatility. Load capacity is 53 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded flat. Multi-taskers can power an electrical appliance (laptop, blender, boombox, hair dryer?) with its 115-volt outlet on the dashboard. Meantime, driving enthusiasts won’t be let down by the XRS’s high-output engine, optional wide tires, and lively suspension. Our teenage reviewers were split by gender in this case. The girls liked the practicality of the…

Ever wish you could monitor your teen’s driving habits—even when you can’t ride along? A new device dubbed the CarChip lets parents do just that. A small device that plugs into the onboard diagnostics (OBDII) port located under the dashboard of every car made for sale in the U.S. since 1996, the CarChip automatically stores up to 75 hours of information from the engine’s computer (an E/X version holds 300 hours of info). Remove the CarChip from the vehicle, plug it into a PC, and you can view such information as distance traveled, vehicle speed (sampled every five seconds), rate of acceleration and braking, idle time, and more. So when Johnny tells you he “just drove down to the burger joint,” you’ll know if he was actually impersonating Jeff Gordon…

The company that first introduced America to the wiles of the compact pickup some 45 years ago is finally giving its truck buyers a move-up property—its first-ever full-size pickup truck. Currently, two out of every 10 new vehicles sold in the U.S. are pickups, and domestic-brand full-size versions outsell smaller versions by at least three to one. It’s a big country. And Nissan wants a piece of it. Though the Titan won’t arrive until the end of 2003, Nissan still afforded us an early look at two development mules. While their interiors and exteriors were cobbled together in typical prototype fashion, they still contained close-to-production drivetrain and chassis bits, which are what most interested us at this early stage. We poked around underneath a 4WD Crew Cab, examining the stout-looking…

They’re everywhere. Wherever you turn, you’re almost guaranteed to see a new Hummer H2 cruising down the street or bounding over boulders. We, too, like the H2—so much so that we flogged one on a colossal drive from the Arctic Ocean to Key West, Florida (www.motortrend.com). Yet, our biggest criticism was that, despite its powerful 6.0-liter V-8, the H2 could use even more oomph. Moving 6500 pounds of boxy weight doesn’t happen easily with only 315 horsepower on tap. That’s where ace-tuner Lingenfelter Performance Engineering comes in. Famous for building big power, LPE has boosted the output of the H2’s V-8 by an incredible 185 horsepower. The tuner removes the stock V-8, blueprints the 6.0-liter’s bottom end, and installs forged pistons and a custom roller camshaft. Atop the short block…

2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION It’s been a long time coming: Mitsubishi has teased us, here in the States, for more than a decade with its Lancer Evolution series, the street-bound rally-homologation specials capable of embarrassing big-blocks in a big way. Just barely out of its 1000-mile break-in period, we put our Blue By You (no joke) Evo to that test. In a heat match, we spanked an ’03 Ford SVT Mustang Cobra coupe. Not bad for a turbo four-banger with a base price of $28,978 and one option: the large carbon-fiber deck spoiler ($480). In rally tradition, we passed on the moonroof—why add weight? Who said you can’t have Porsche-level fun in a near-$30K car? Art Director Larry Crane notes, “The Evo feels more like a hand-finished race car than…

Pininfarina has been Ferrari’s designer of choice for nearly 50 years. In fact, every model in Maranello’s current lineup came from the minds, pens, and computers of this gifted Turinese design house. Even though Pininfarina designs primarily street cars, many of its Ferrari-based or Ferrari-badged concept cars have centered around a racing theme. One such racily designed and, in this case, racily photographed dream machine was the Sigma Grand Prix of 1969. The Sigma Grand Prix, a joint venture between Swiss magazine Automobil Revue and Pininfarina, was conceived in search of innovative safety solutions for Formula One cars. Besides driver protection, aerodynamic advancement was an obvious element of the design brief. The Sigma was powered by a 3.0-liter Ferrari V-12 Grand Prix engine—though the car wasn’t badged a Ferrari. Show-stand…

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We get the question a lot: “What’s the best car?” Typically, I adopt Socratic equivocation and respond with more questions. “What kind of car do you mean?” “What do you need a car to do?” “How much money are we talking about?” It’s weaselly, but the market is full of variety; we have a wealth of choices, and most of them are pretty darn good. KEVIN SMITH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Porsche 959. Occasionally, I get asked the much weightier question, “What’s the best car you’ve ever driven?” For that, I have a ready answer. The same one, remarkably, I’ve been giving for over 15 years. What does it say, that I cling to such a distant memory? Surely the march of technology has yielded an automotive creation more stunning, more perfect, more…

The MDX sport/utility is arguably Acura’s biggest critical and sales hit since the original Legend. So why not a smaller, more youth-oriented crossover SUV? Based on Honda’s next-generation CR-V platform, the RDX is foreshadowed by the RD-X (adding a hyphen to the names of concepts is a traditional Acura trick) unveiled at the 2002 Detroit auto show. That radical design study would have to be heavily toned down, including such changes as a real dashboard in place of the concept’s virtual video game, full-size headlamps, and a more believable roofline with a less-severe angle to the beltline. Most intriguing in the concept was its powertrain, which could carry into the production model. The RD-X featured a 2.4-liter i-VTEC four (the same engine that makes 200 horsepower in the Accord-based TSX)…

The answer to GM’s compact sports-car future? Two questions: When was the last time you heard “Vauxhall” and “sports car” in the same sentence? And what does Pontiac need in order to justify financing the production of its own Solstice sports car? This aggressive roadster design study may hold the answer to both. True, Vauxhall has its rebadged version of the Opel Speedster (which is, in turn, a kind of reworked Lotus Elise), but that’s an Opel, first and foremost. General Motors introduced the VX Lightning concept at an English hotel as part of Vauxhall’s 100th-birthday celebration. GM says the VX is just a concept, but it’ll study public reaction. The Lightning borrows its underpinnings from the ’02 Solstice concept, in what GM internally calls “the tubular platform” (although it’s…

More guts, plain and simple Subaru is working hard to boost its image from “purveyor of competent-but-conservative all-wheel-drive products” to “happenin’ dealer of pocket-rockets.” Its new-age musclecar poster children are, of course, the rally-inspired WRX and WRX STi. But added horsepower is making its way into other members of the lineup, as well, and the newest manifestations of that trend are the ’04 Forester 2.5 XT and Baja Turbo. We’ve tested their normally aspirated siblings before, noting the 2.5-liter H-4 engines provide good performance, but lack konjo—guts—especially at high altitude. Transplant the semi-closed engine block from the WRX STi, however, and add a 56mm turbocharger and intercooler (enhancing low- and midrange torque), and you get a powerplant that feels more like a large-displacement V-6, but retains four-banger fuel economy.…

More power, more sophistication for Caddy’s sport sedan What makes a good car better? More power never hurts. The all-new 3.6-liter V-6 found in the ’04 CTS is the first variant of GM’s global V-6 family to come to market. It’s larger than the engine it replaces, offers more sophisticated hardware such as variable valve timing, and packs more punch. The 3.2-liter unit in last year’s CTS made 220 horsepower. The new 3600 V-6 makes a provisional 255 at 6200 rpm. Provisional means GM has yet to arrive at a final rating and is looking for a few more ponies before certification is complete. Also noteworthy is that this engine generates 32 more Ib-ft of torque. That’s both welcome and necessary, since this same all-alloy DOHC V-6 is slated…

For years, a favorite carmaker mantra has been, “direct racing involvement creates the ultimate laboratory environment in which to test and develop new technology that can be transferred to production street cars.” In simple terms: “Win on Sunday; sell on Monday.” It’s a good marketing pitch, but legit examples of motorsport trickle-down theory still aren’t as prevalent as the hype would indicate. Not so in the case of Ferrari’s new Challenge Stradale, for which the link is both clear and genuine. The Stradale, a steroid-injected adaptation of the already potent 360 Modena, employs direct technology and hardware transfer from Ferrari’s FI A GT and Ferrari Challenge racing efforts. The result is a street-legal road racer that only 250 “preferred” North American clients can purchase at their local Ferrari dealership. The…

Everyone is following BMW M. Ford SVT, and Mercedes-Benz AMG into the factory-offered performance-model game. Volvo is doing the same with its R Line: the S60 R sedan and V70 R sport wagon. The approach is similar to that of other manufacturers: Upgrade engine, handling, and braking performance in well-balanced amounts; add luxury accessories; make it look sporty inside and out; and sell in limited enough quantity to ensure an element of exclusivity. Volvo has reworked its inline-five-cylinder engine by adding a twin-intercooled KKK turbo, revised engine-management and exhaust systems, and other tweaks. The result is an impressive 300 horsepower from 2.5 liters. Take your choice between a five-speed Geartronic automatic or six-speed manual transmission. R Line Volvos are equipped with standard full-time all-wheel drive, employing a Haldex differential to…

Upon the Element’s intro last fall, Honda marketing execs predicted it would be a hit with the 16-29 age group, specifically 22-year-old males who are active, social, well-traveled, and “work to live.” Reality’s proven somewhat different: According to the Power Information Network, the average median buyer is 42—some 20 years older than projected. Who’da thunk? Yet why not? The Element’s 2.4-liter/160-horse-power i-VTEC inline-four is a sprightly performer when combined with either the standard-issue five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. The optionless (with the exception of exterior/interior colors) DX manual starts at $16,100 (plus a $460 destination charge), some $2400 over a base Scion xB. Go for an automatic and 4WD, and it’ll run you $18,760. The upgraded five-speed EX starts at $19,110, and adding the autobox and 4WD pushes the…

How do teens and their parents agree on the right ride? We contacted a noted family psychologist and California State University at Los Angeles professor, Dr. Rick Fraser, to give us insight on Family Negotiating 101. Motor Trend: What a teen wants is often the opposite of what a parent deems appropriate. How can kids and their folks negotiate a win-win situation? Dr. Rick Fraser: There are three things parents need to express: First, parents tend to see car buying as a leap in responsibility. It’s a way to not only reward kids for responsibility in the past, but also to teach them responsibility at a higher level for the future. Second, parents need to be practical and up-front with their kids about the expense incurred with ownership—the cost of…

It was the question of the day: “Can Chevy’s updated Cavalier compete with the Honda Civic?” One male senior put it in plain terms: “A Chevy against that Honda? Dude, that is so whacked. No way!” Honda’s Civic has for years been the most popular canvas upon which young enthusiasts choose to paint their individualized performance picture. It’s slickly built, economical, high-value transportation just as it comes and can be pumped up into a torrid straight-line or road-course performer. It remains a huge seller, a fact not lost on General Motors. So the Cavalier (and Pontiac Sunfire) were given yet another midlife update this year. The most important element is a 2.2-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine touted as today’s Small Block Chevy; look for higher-performance variants in the future. The Cavalier/Sunfire…

Advanced Driving Dynamics Says Jim Snelling, a former race driver and instructor at the Los Angeles-based Advanced Driving Dynamics school, “You can’t totally prevent people from having accidents. But you can help them lessen an accident’s severity by knowing how to control the car in an accident situation.” Snelling claims the roughly 6000 students he’s taught in the past six years have a 90-percent-lower rate of accidents than average. The one-day ADD course costs $350 and is designed for parents and their children. Students practice such exercises as emergency braking with and without ABS, skid control and recovery, emergency lane changes, proper visual and steering techniques, and parallel-parking techniques. Advanced Driving Dynamics, Inc., 714/974-4233; www.advanceddriving-dynamics.com Fast Lane Racing School Danny McKeever’s Fast Lane school at Willow Springs racetrack, north of…

We went to Mexico, to Oaxaca, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Mercedes-Benz’ victory in the 1952 Carrera Panamcricana. Oaxaca is a magnet for tourists, especially those with interests in arts and crafts, which are present in colorful profusion in every nook and cranny of the town. Mexico was celebrating the anniversary of its 1910 revolution against the dictator Porfirio Diaz, and Oaxaca was in full fiesta mode. Our little group included John Fitch, who drove one of the Mercedes team cars in 1952 and finished fourth, only to be disqualified. World Champion Phil Hill was there, too, having driven the 1952 race in a Ferrari. My co-driver was famous photographer Jesse Alexander, who has been everywhere and done everything while shooting motorsport, but who didn’t make it to the…

Our sable-black DeVille DTS, stationed on Detroit’s mean streets for most of its 17,348-mile review, showed cross-generational appeal, four-seasons capability, room for everyone, and exemplary reliability. Redesigned in 2000, its engineering brief created a full-size player with a sleek, yet formal, look. It doesn’t pack the same sophistication and high-tech quality you’ll find in the best German and Asian-branded flagships, but it doesn’t pack their $60,000-$80,000 window stickers, either. We opted for the taut-riding $47,055 DeVille Touring Sedan variant (it’s also available in base and DHS forms), then added the following: $1985 comfort and convenience package (memory seat, wood trim, power tilt/telescopic steering wheel, rear-park assist, rear airbags, and garage-door opener), the flashy Night Vision system ($2250), CD-based navigation ($1995), power moonroof ($1550), and chrome-finished wheels ($795). That’s $8575 in…

Filed under unintended consequences: BMW’s current 7 Series is so controversially styled that it’s ballooned the value of its predecessor. Not that the old car is unworthy. The ’95-01 740/750 Series are spacious and luxurious, but also deep down driver’s cars that mix good reflexes with expected levels of refinement and comfort. Great cars, in other words. The previous-gen 7 arrived in ’95 after a visual freshening that logically made it look like the 5’s bigger brother. As before, the 7 could be had with the 4.0-liter/282-horse V-8 shared with the 5 Series or a newly enlarged 5.4-liter/328-horsepower V-12. There were two wheelbases, the 5.5-inch-longer version reserved for the 740iL (V-8) and 750iL (V-12), with the additional length making the rear-passenger area positively cavernous. The short-wheelbase model came only with…

He’s brash, opinionated, and often at the center of an on- or off-track controversy. He has a well-earned reputation as CART’S preeminent bad boy. But when the talk, PR, and politics of racing are drowned out by “Gentlemen, start your engines,” Paul Tracy closes his mouth, focuses his attention, and plants his right foot. With Michael Andretti’s departure for the IRL series, Tracy assumes the mantle as CART’s winningest active driver and, at 34, is now among its senior statesmen. We chatted Tracy up just prior to the Long Beach Grand Prix, which he won. Away from the hoopla, he seemed a different person than his rep indicates—humble, even. As the driver of the Team Players Ford Cosworth-powered Lola, he is (as of this writing) 3-for-5 this season and the…

V-1O hyperexotic nears production Porsche’s flagship supercar continues to make its way from design study to dealer showroom. The production version, revealed at the Geneva show in March, is faithful to the original concept, although it differs in detail and is even more powerful. Relying on a tremendously strong and lightweight monocoque chassis of hand-fabricated carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, the $440,000 (estimated at current exchange rates) 3043-pound GT’s 612-horse-power V-10 reportedly pushes it to 120 mph in just 9.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 205 mph. We expect 0-60-mph runs in the mid-three-second range. Among the two-seater’s many high-tech goodies are a pushrod suspension arrangement, magnesium wheels, and ceramic composite clutch and disc brakes. Elaborate, tunnel-tuned underfloor geometry and an electronically deployed rear wing provide significant downforce for reducing…

Company Chairman and CEO Bill Ford took delivery of the first Ford GT supercar at the beginning of June. It was number one of only three virtually handbuilt ’03 models constructed to celebrate the company’s 100th birthday. The trio features billet-aluminum control arms, billet knuckles, and one-off, sand-cast (rather than diecast) aluminum-frame parts. At present, the only part used in the GT from a regular, high-volume Ford vehicle is the Focus steering column. The company ultimately intends to build up to nine units a day on a single shift. Full production begins in early 2004 on model-year ’05 cars, culminating in 800 examples that year. For ’06, 2000 units will be built to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the GT4O’s 1-2-3 win at Le Mans. And for the ’07 model…

In the name of the Father and the Son, a Super Cooper Most of our well-informed readers know that the Cooper model name attached to the Mini brand represents a directly traceable automotive lineage and a real person. In fact, John Cooper was, among many other things, the first aftermarket tuner for the ’61 Morris Mini; hence, Mini Cooper. Within a few short years, his Mini Cooper S boasted several prestigious racing titles. Today, John Cooper’s son, Michael, continues his father’s illustrious work at John Cooper Garages, Ltd., a car dealership (still selling Mini Classics) and tuner shop in West Sussex, England. And now that Mini is part of the BMW Group, the relationship has been rekindled, and the fruits of the union can be enjoyed in the John…

Yo, SVT—we’d like this one, too Although SVT has recently given the U.S. market its own brand of hot hatch, Ford’s RS (Rallye Sport) badge has a worldwide history that stretches to the early 70s, adorning a wide variety of small performance compacts and sedans. Its value became slightly tarnished in later years, as Ford stuck it on anything with boyracer pretensions. Good news: The latest recipient of the RS moniker, the Focus, is truly deserving. Bad news: You can’t buy one in America—at least, not at the moment. The stock Focus chassis has been one of Ford’s best efforts for some time, yet the car has been thoroughly reengineered in RS form with 70 percent of its components uprated or redesigned. The vast spoilers and unseemly body kits…

Imagine yourself on the receiving end of this conversation: “Yo, Luigi. Me and the guys at the Florence Academy for Priceless Sculpture and Bocci Ball have been talking and, well, Michelangelo’s David over there is looking a little, you know, predictable. We’re thinking ‘modernize.’ Here’s a hammer and a chisel. See what you can do.” Well, sure, you’d be all sweaty and white-knuckled. And then once you finished with your “improvements,” you’d be swallowed whole by an angry, torch-wielding mob. So maybe you understand how the designers and engineers at BMW probably feel about now. They’ve taken hammer and chisel to one of the world’s most highly praised sport sedans, the 5 Series, and created a dramatically new car for the ’04 model year—news that prompted a few grumbles here…

The S-modified version of Audi’s 4.2 V-8 effectively made its debut in last year’s larger S6 Avant (wagon) and flagship S8 quattro sedan. But because the engine bay is larger in those cars, engineers repositioned the chain that drives the four overhead camshafts and ancillaries to the back of the engine for the S4 platform. The resulting 18-inch front-to-rear V-8, enhanced by lightweight pistons and connecting rods, weighs as little as the previous biturbo V-6, at about 430 pounds. This lightweight, all-aluminum block and its positioning translate to an exceptionally good (for V-8 sedans) 53/47-percent front/rear weight distribution. Our first tailpipe impression of this engine was how capable it sounded, while having a highly tuned and balanced quality. It’s a V-8, but unlike any V-8 we’ve heard since a BMW…

Learning to drive and acquiring that first set of wheels are the inalienable rights of the American teenager. Yet, no one ever said it was easy. What do pending adults want to drive? What do parents feel they should drive? How does the teen/parent unit sort through factors like safety, practicality, economy, performance, affordability, and all-important coolness? The choices are endless. Our homework assignment: Take eight new vehicles, whose respective manufacturers claim appeal to young adult buyers, to a local high school and let students look, touch, fiddle, and honk (and honk and honk…) horns for a lunch period. When the PeeChee dust settled, we learned that some automakers did their own homework—and others failed the final. Teenagers are today’s most-studied and marketed-to societal group, so we asked experts in…

For rock-climbing and no-nonsense off-roading, a Jeep is one of the best, low-cost 4x4s around. Purchasing a Wrangler is akin to buying a brand-new 50-year-old vehicle. It’s so old, it’s new, in that there’s nothing much like it on the road today. Yet it appeals to the young. According to the Power Information Network, an ’03 Wrangler buyer ranks as the 15th youngest (out of buyers of 219 other models) in the industry. For a tidy $18,910 plus $610 destination charge, buyers can sign onto the Jeep experience. The Wrangler X, new in ’02, is a not-too-expensive step up from the strippo SE base model and includes such standards as the 4.0-liter/190-horse 1-6, a rear seat, full carpeting, AM/FM/cassette stereo, cloth seat trim, tip-and-slide passenger front seat, and larger 215/75R15…

According to Consumer Reports, “Musclecars are a poor choice for young drivers. They’re astronomically expensive to insure, and they beg to be driven too fast.” Guess what: Today’s teens love ’em. Though a 35-year-old car with 350 horsepower might not sound like the best idea for an inexperienced driver, there are models that can make sense as teen transport. Keep the compromises in mind: They bum more, and often more expensive, gas than any modem compact, and, as noted, they may be more costly to insure. Airbags, ABS, modern engine-management systems? Forget them—not invented then. On the plus side, most are less expensive to buy than the same modern compact, tend to hold their value instead of depreciate, and offer genuine retro style. Sound like the right thing to take…

The Lancer has been around for 30 years, just not here. So why did the sixth-gen compact sedan arrive in the U.S. only in ’02? Mitsu needed to replace the aging and largely forgettable subcompact Mirage with something more competitive, more Civic-like in its size, appeal, and build quality. When the ’02 Lancer (ES automatic) competed in last year’s Car of the Year contest, it won the praise of our staff for its roomy interior, friendly price, and just-adequate performance. Many said the well-sorted 120-horse-power front-driver would be a whole lot more fun with decent rubber and a manual box. Enter the O.Z Rally model to supplement the ES, LS, and giant-slaying, truly rally-inspired ’03 Lancer Evolution (VIII)—of which we’re huge fans. While the O.Z is a step beyond basic…

Rounding a sharp, wet bend. Matt suddenly loses control of the Toyota Corolla. Steering frantically, the lanky 16-year-old, who’s had his driver’s license for just two months, fights to catch the slide. But it’s too late. The last thing Matt remembers is taking his hands off the wheel and screaming as the Toyota spins straight into…a cone. “Okay, Matt,” says the driving-school instructor as the Corolla lurches to a stop. “Let’s try it again.” Both student and teacher enjoy a good laugh. As fledgling drivers go, Matt is one of the lucky ones: Although he’s already demonstrated enough driving prowess to convince the jurors at the Department of Motor Vehicles, he’s now attending an advanced-driving school to actually learn how to drive (aided in no small measure by encouragement from…

Lizards scatter across burning yellow sand, as our convoy of ’04 F-150 prototypes hammers through the desert. We’re inside the fenced and guarded confines of Ford’s Kingman, Arizona, Proving Ground, and, as heat waves wrinkle this rocky moonscape, these hardworking test mules are intent on proving that America’s number-one-selling pickup (for 26 years) hasn’t lost any off-road toughness or work-hard capability—though it rides, handles, and runs more like a sedan. For now, the F-150 stands atop the last significant domestic-dominated product segment: full-size pickups. But can the iconic Ford stay there, against fiercely competitive players like Ram and Silverado/Sierra? Furthermore, can it handle the upcoming Nissan Titan and, eventually, a true full-size truck from Toyota? Alongside a shrinking, profit-poor car market, Ford sold more than 800,000 F-Series pickups last year.…

While Nissan’s 350Z is a legitimate and well-executed sports car, GReddy Performance Products has a suggestion: Why not have the “350” in its name represent a 350-horsepower claim? GReddy, the American arm of Japan-based tuner-parts company Trust, now offers a cache of smog-legal speed components designed to really up the Z’s game. Our tester was fitted with GReddy’s twin 18G Mitsubishi turbocharger system ($6000), putting 5.6 psi of boost through a three-row front-mounted aluminum intercooler. Larger fuel injectors, SUS header-type turbo manifolds, twin external waste-gates, twin Airinx air filters, and a dual-pipe cat-back exhaust system are also part of the mix. GReddy’s e-Manage ECU and Profec e-01 boost controller team to manage the boost and ignition required to crank out what seems to be a conservatively rated 350 horses. At…

You’ve heard the expression, “the color of night,” but how about “the color of day”? The color temperature of light is expressed in degrees Kelvin (K), with the higher numbers indicating whiter light. For example, standard sealed-beam headlamps burn at approximately 2800 degrees K, whereas the latest High-Intensity Discharge (HID) burns in the 4200-degree range. Daylight is 5400 degrees K. So the closer you get to that 5400-degree range, the closer you are to the color of day. Halogen lighting came along in the late 70s, offering a brighter, whiter light. Halogen burns at 3200 degrees K, which, at the time, was a marked improvement over standard sealed beams. That difference is like comparing a standard incandescent bulb to fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent offers a brilliant, more natural light. But there’s…