Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2008 i MotorTrend

The SUOTY Saga in Moving Pictures The annual Motor Trend award season has begun, and first up to be evaluated was a motley crew of crossovers big and small, brawny rigs, and everything in between, all vying for the exalted title of Motor Trend 2009 Sport/Utility of the Year. Given the wildly differing competitors from all ends of the sport/ute spectrum, this year’s choice was an especially difficult one. So after you’ve read through our coverage, head over to the motortrend.com video area to watch our multipart series on our judging process and more about how we came to crown our 2009 winner.…

LAMBORGHINI, builder of the most extreme Italian sports cars, now wants a slice of the super-sport-sedan market. At the Paris motor show, it unveiled its first-ever four-door GT—the Estoque—that leavens the uncompromising speed and thunder of a V-10 Lamborghini with people-and-golf bag-carrying versatility. Both practical four-door four-seater—there’s room for four adults and for 16 cubic feet of luggage out back—and continent-crossing Grand Tourer, the Estoque would compete with the upcoming Aston Martin Rapide and with less-expensive four-door sport sedans such as the Porsche Panamera and the production version of BMW’s beguiling CS Concept. Estoque is a concept, but everything you see is production feasible, including those giant wheels (22 inch at front, 23s at the rear), says CEO Stephan Winkelmann, the Romebased German who runs Lamborghini. “We’ll wait for feedback…

WHATEVER you think of the new Acura TL’s, er, unusual styling, you’ve got to hand it to the boffins working on the car: They’re enthusiasts. Most luxury brands can boast no better than a low single-digit manual gearbox take-rate. Acura is one of those: It expects about five percent of its projected 70,000 TL sales per year, or 3500 to be sold with the stick. That’s enough for those engineers to argue for it, coming a year after the new TL’s launch, due to the car’s engineering development cadence. Honda management figured the stick might as well be scrubbed, however, and still has 10 to12 months to pull the plug if it so decides. The six-speed manual will be available only with the 305-horsepower, 3.7-liter super-handling all-wheel-drive (SH-AWD) version of…

no more clowning around I’ve had it with all the hoopla surrounding the smart fortwo. I don’t give a damn how many mpg it gets (not enough, considering how small it is). I’m waiting to see one go bouncing down the highway like a golf ball after losing a battle with a gust of wind. The other day I saw a clown refusing to get into one—something about dignity. The other disaster I’m waiting for is the first hydrogen-powered car explosion. Isn’t anyone curious as to why, in industrial uses of compressed hydrogen, the stuff is kept in a separate building, typically behind concrete walls? No one in his right mind would sit on top of a tank of compressed anything that is pushing outward at 5000-10,000 psi. To complete…

THIS PRICE LEADER was never expected to account for more than about 30 percent of Challenger volume, but the current economic climate and fear of everrising gas prices may cause buyers to pay more attention to the less muscular versions of all three neo-ponies. How will the Dodge stack up? Its LX platform architecture offered two V-6s from which to choose, and Dodge opted for the larger 3.5-liter, which spins the dyno needles to an even 250 on the horsepower and torque meters. That’s well up on archrival Ford’s 4.0-liter Mustang engine, which spools out just 210 horses and 240 pound-feet. Both are single-overhead cam designs, but the Dodge breathes better with double the valve count (24 to 12). The 3.5-liter is also smoother and more sonorous than the truly…

IT’S ABOUT 11 P.M., and I’m parked along a dark freeway off-ramp about 100 feet ahead of an idling semi. The driver’s probably sound asleep in there, but me, I couldn’t be more awake. I’m sitting here because it just hit me that I really, truly, might not have enough of this compressed hydrogen to make it to the 24-hour U.C. Irvine refueling station I’m heading for. Sure, I know this is exactly why GM’s Project Driveway sent these 100 fuel-cell Equinoxes into the real world—to get gritty feedback like this. But guess what? I’ve suddenly realized there’s a difference between “real-world experience” printed on a press release and sitting here in the dark, ahead of an idling semi wondering what the hell to do next. The difference is called…

FOR TWO vehicles born of the same parents—the new-for-2009 ML320 BlueTEC and Oilivia, our 1960 190D sedan—they couldn’t be more different. Yet, the connection is clear. Both are diesels. Both are well-constructed four doors. And each is capable in its own way. The ML320 is one of three “clean diesel” BlueTEC models M-B is rolling out on a 50-state basis (the new powertrain also is available in the R- and GL-Classes). BlueTEC employs a sophisticated exhaust system and urea-solution injection to meet emissions requirements and boils out as much torque as a small locomotive: 398 pound-feet, served continuously from 1600 to 2400 revs. The seven-speed automatic trans ensures the engine is always spinning within its prodigious powerband. Unlike diesels you may remember from the past, it doesn’t rattle or smoke,…

LEG 4 OILIVIA’S SUNDAY-MORNING glow-plug snafu spoils a highly anticipated evening of St. Louis Blues-club carousing and condenses the midnight vehicle hand-off debrief to grumbled essentials: “Here’s how ya start it, don’t go over 65 mph, and check all the fluids. Now we need a drink and some food, stat!” So the next morning, as Vance immortalizes our visit to the Gateway City, I sit contemplating the array of unmarked, nearly identical knobs and levers on the 190’s dash. It’s far simpler than the modern ML’s, and yet I must study the manual to work it. Some things never change. Having arranged the ventilation levers for maximum cooling, we cross Old Man River and head for Illinois’s oil fields, which account for two percent of domestic oil production. It’s a…

XL $22,270 4.6-liter 2-valve V-8, 4A (Regular Cab) STX $25,070 4.6-liter 2-valve V-8, 4A (Regular Cab) XLT $26,240 4.6-liter 2-valve V-8, 4A (Regular Cab) LARIAT $34,110 5.4-liter V-8, 6A, Sirius, Tow Pkg, 10-way power-heated front seats, SYNC, power pedals (SuperCab) FX4 $35,555 5.4-liter V-8, 6A, Sirius, Tow Pkg, driver power seat (SuperCab) KING RANCH $40,765 5.4-liter V-8, 6A, Sirius, Tow Pkg, 10-way power-heated/cooled front seats, SYNC, power pedals, universal garage opener (SuperCrew) PLATINUM $44,860 5.4-liter V-8, 6A, 20-inch wheels, power runningboards, unique grille, heated/cooled seats with console flow-through, rain-sensing wipers (SuperCrew) MIX AND MATCH 3 ENGINE OPTIONS ■ 4.6L 2-valve SOHC V-8 ■ 4.6L 3-valve SOHC V-8 ■ 5.4L 3-valve SOHC V-8 variable camshaft timing 5 WHEELBASES ■ 126 ■ 133 ■ 145 ■ 157 ■ 163 2 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS…

YOU KNOW the world has changed when one of the contenders for Motor Trend’s 2009 Sport/Utility of the Year is a 390-horsepower four-door coupe that’s only a tenth of a second slower to 60 mph than a Ferrari Testarossa and takes barely a half second longer to cover the standing quarter mile. Back in 1985, when we first tested the Testarossa, the American sport/utility vehicle segment could be pretty much summed up in one, rugged four letter word: J-e-e-p. Now, it’s atomized into a collection of vehicles more diverse than any other, offering everything from high-riding hot-rods, to functional family wagons, to all-purpose luxury limos, to tough-as-nails rock-crawlers. So what makes a modern sport/utility vehicle? For all their apparent diversity, today’s SUVs do have a number of key characteristics in…

CHEVY’S NEW three-row crossover proves among the more pleasant surprises in this year’s contest. The Traverse is the fourth General Motors’ model built on its Lambda chassis architecture, others being the Buick Enclave, Saturn Outlook, and GMC Acadia. The Traverse is functionally much the same as its cross-brand siblings and gives Chevy a much-needed entry in this segment, replacing the ages old, truck-based TrailBlazer. It also gives us our first taste of GM’s direct fuel-injection V-6 in this platform, although the other variants also are so equipped for 2009. “Times have changed,” says Kiino. “We’re criticizing a Honda instrument panel and center stack and praising a Chevy’s.” It’s true: The Traverse’s IP and controls are clean and workable. The interior plastics and materials are attractive and appear durable. Thirdrow access…

WHILE SOME of our contestants were busy stretching the precepts of the SUV like taffy on a hot August day, a photo of Honda’s all-new Pilot could be printed next to the SUV’s dictionary definition. The Pilot’s got all the telltale SUV visual cues—boxyness, copious ground clearance, and rough-and-ready-looking rolling stock. Which in today’s SUV-fleeing marketplace, basically amounts to three strikes against it. For numerous other manufacturers, three strikes might mean you’re out, but, remember, we’re talking about Honda here, which, almost as a self-imposed rule, never, ever, produces inefficient or one-dimensional vehicles. Think of the Ridgeline among its truck peers. Or the defunct NSX against its supercar brethren. Just because the Pilot matches the characteristic template for SUVs, don’t jump to conclusions. For instance, compared with its predecessor, the…

KIA EXECS have got to be beyond tired of seeing the phrase above pop up whenever the discussion turns to the Borrego, the Korean automaker’s stout, all-new midsize SUV (sorry, Kia, had to go there again). Despite a market that’s run screaming from traditional truck-based SUVs, Kia remains confident its first seven-passenger SUV will be a sales success. After hustling it around our test loops, we’re pretty sure the Borrego will more than hold its own. Not some sissy car-based crossover, the Borrego is a brawny, body-on-frame lad capable of towing up to 7500 pounds with the optional 337-horse, 4.6-liter V-8 (the base 3.8-liter V-6 pulls up to 5000 pounds). We have the loaded-up, 4WD V-8 mated to a smooth-shifting, six-speed automatic with a manual mode. It’s a solid freeway…

TOYOTA HAS FINALLY nailed this full-size-truck thing, just as the potential buyers are craigslisting their Cigarette boats, Boston Whalers, and Airstream campers. Surging gas-prices mean fewer folks can afford to fuel these toys, much less drag them around behind three-ton, mountain-climbing, isolation-tanks that can run the 60-mph dash in 6.7 seconds. Complicating things is the fact that the company dares not advertise this mega-guzzler much for fear of eroding its moral hybrid high ground. So the Sequoia’s “Significance” score suffers in today’s automotive climate. You may wonder about its “Value” score, too, given the eye-watering $59K price of our allsinging, all-dancing Platinum edition. Show some restraint on the order sheet and a reasonable $39,245 buys equal or better functionality in an SR5 with the same brawny 5.7-liter V-8/six-speed automatic combo,…

IN ADDITION to the Forester’s two gasoline-fueled powerplants, by 2010, U.S. models may also sport a new boxer diesel recently released in the European market. The world’s first production boxer diesel, the turbocharged, DOHC, 2.0-liter four makes 145 horses at 3600 rpm but a mighty 258 pound-feet of torque at 1800 rpm. Standard and only transmission is a six-speed manual newly developed for the diesel (Subaru doesn’t have an auto able to handle the diesel’s torque and says developing a new tranny is unlikely). The Forester 2.0D’s estimated EPA city/highway fuel efficiency checks in at an amazing 34/41 mpg. Towing capacity climbs to a lofty 4400 pounds. Price: about $2800 more than the turbo gas four. Want to see the Forester 2.0D stateside? Send Subaru your thumbs-up now.…

RACER JOHN COOPER is inextricably linked to Mini. Appending his surname to the little beastie created one of the most iconic Anglophile sportsters ever. The tradition continues with Mini’s latest John Cooper Works (JCW) branded Mini, the Clubman. This one joins the Motor Trend stable as our third longterm Mini—following the 163-horsepower 2003 Cooper S and our 172-horsepower 2007 Cooper S—in an ascending progression of power and performance. As expected, most of the Clubman’s performance goodies are standard equipment: 1.6-liter turbocharged 16-valve four-cylinder, 17-Inch alloy wheels, 205/45R17 ContiSportContact 3 SSR run-flat tires, and Brembo front disc brakes with 12.4-inch ventilated rotors and red-painted calipers. However, Mini thrives on a palette of personalization and extended upgrade options; thus, our Chili Red Clubman sports $100 black hood stripes, a $250 multifunction steering…

THE xB is still frugal at the pump, delivering about 23 mpg over its nearly 16,000-mile tenure. Before its 15,000-mile service—a $188.26 oil change, inspection, tire rotation, and cabin air-filter change—the Scion had racked up maintenance cost of just $24.99. Still, its tab of $213.25 for over 15,000 miles of reliable, fun, practical use is nothing to harp on—our long-term Sentra SE-R accrued a bill of $416.42 over that period. As for adjustment periods, copy editor James Dryden has a recurring one when hopping in the xB. “In most of the other long-termers, I simply adjust the seat, fix the mirrors, and off I go. But in the xB, I feel like my whole body is out of place. Maybe this is due to the high seating position and awkward…

“THE CX-9’S silky-smooth ride and power delivery,” says Truck Trend art director Thomas Voehringer, “make it my personal, rolling therapist. Throttle tip-in is light and responsive without the aggressive overreaction many ‘scoot/utes’ possess. The powerband is strong and fluid as you watch the digital display tick off the gears. Shifting can best be described as smooth—even under full power, gear selection is seamless.” Luckily, our 2008 Sport/Utility of the Year continues to impress when turning and stopping. “Braking is progressive, and, yes, smooth. The initial grab will not jerk you, or your passengers, out of the seat. It’s a firm, measured deployment reflected exquisitely in pedal feel. The entire driving experience in the Mazda CX-9 is graceful” —and it drives through trees with amazing accuracy. ■ Months/miles in service 12/29,696…

MINI has been busy at work on a crossover SUV concept for some time. Finally, it arrived as a concept at the Paris auto show. But what is it, exactly? HERE’S WHAT WE SAW: The Mini Crossover Concept is all-wheel drive, of course, slightly longer and wider than the Clubman and certainly taller. Features include a tie-down between the seats for securing cargo, a huge sunroof that can help accommodate large cargo items, and an optional add-on cargo container that attaches to the rear. The driver-side rear door slides for easier loading and unloading (not a practical production detail for a car sold in RHD and LHD versions) and a touch-sensitive, sphere-shaped infotainment system interface placed where the big speedometer usually is, called the Center Globe. It includes a trackball…

JUAN-MANUEL FANGIO drove a Maserati 250F before he left for Mercedes-Benz’s Grand Prix team in 1957. Maserati isn’t returning to F1—not with parent Ferrari dominating—but it has developed a racing version of the new GranTurismo coupe. For now just a concept following its Paris show premiere, the GranTurismo MC Corse features new engine mapping for its 4.7-liter V-8 to produce 450 horsepower and 377 pound-feet of torque. It gets a high-performance conical air filter and racing-type catalytic converter and silencers. Maserati has changed suspension settings, improved weight distribution and added singlesetting racing dampers. Racing slicks are on 12x18-inch front and 13x18-inch rear wheels. Brakes are upgraded and include larger discs and monobloc racing callipers. The racing version includes an FIA-spec integral welded rollcage. The partially modified bodywork is made of…

where do you read motor trend? E-mail digital photo(s) of you and Motor Trend to: motortrend@gmail.com or mail them to: Motor Trend, c/o Mail, Readers on Location, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048 SMILE FOR THE BIRDIE Er, penguin. Richard Moretti of Orange County, California, in Antarctica with the Gentoo penguins. HIPPO POWER Brock Tella of Cardiff, California, on safari at the Ngorongoro Crater in Tarzania. Does a hippo have any kind of zero-to-60 time?…

TIMING, THEY SAY, is everything. And Cadillac’s could certainly be better. Three months after the 1929 stock-market crash, Cadillac premiered at the New York auto show its Series 452 with a 185-horsepower V-16 engine designed to trump chief rival Packard’s V-12. Fast-forward almost 80 years: Cadillac is ready for another flagship, perhaps something along the lines of the gorgeous Sixteen concept that was first shown in 2003. Except, once again, the economy isn’t ready. Worse, once-mighty GM doesn’t even have the money to spend on such a project—it’s got Chevy Volts and Cruzes that badly need building. It’s been four or five decades since Cadillac built a car that came close to being “The Standard of the World”—the brand’s tagline until the 1970s—but with the new CTS, and especially the…

CHECKING IN AT the other extreme end of the Challenger spectrum is the ripsnorting SRT8. Introduced for 2008¾ with a five-speed automatic only, the 2009 options list includes a six-speed Tremec TR-6060 transmission with a ZF-Sachs 250mm twin-disc clutch. It comes packaged with a hill-start assist system, bright pedals, and a way shorter axle ratio (3.92:1 to the automatic’s 3.06:1) for $695. It also includes a first-to-fourth-gear skip-shift system to help snooker the EPA into granting it city/highway ratings of 14/22 mpg, up from 13/19 for the automatic—not that it matters much to anyone seeking out this type of tire-melting machinery. The pistol-grip shifter looks a bit like a Porsche stick, with leather where your fingers grip and aluminum-look trim greeting your palm. (Surely the aftermarket will oblige with all-aluminum…

“MISTER, THEY DON’T MAKE diesel engines small enough for passenger cars. If I put diesel fuel in your tank, this car will never run again,” grumbled the attendant of a little Midwestern station. So we had to pop the hood of Motor Trend’s test car to prove there really is such a thing as a diesel car.” So began a story entitled “Is the Diesel the Coming Economy Car?” in our June 1959 issue. In just four pages, it talked about the pros, cons, and costs surrounding diesel power for passenger vehicles and chronicled a 5122-mile trip our editors made across America in a new Mercedes-Benz 190D “Ponton” sedan, the first diesel-powered automobile sold in (relatively) mainstream numbers in the United States. Fast-forward 50 years to a conversation over drinks…

LEG 2 SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, TO BOISE, IDAHO BEHIND THE 190D’S titanic steering wheel—seemingly so titanic it could’ve steered the Titanic—I buckle the lap belt, pull the dash-mounted knob to warm the glow plugs, and, after about 20 seconds, extend the knob another notch to start her up. Without hesitation, the archaic oil burner comes to life, firing vibrations through the structure and a thick cloud of black smoke into the damp Seattle atmosphere. Though fully aware that Team 1 just traveled 1209 miles in this car, I’m nervous that its 1959 birthday means its last mile could be 1210. As we near downtown Seattle, though, I realize the 190D is running like Forrest Gump—effortlessly. Sure the powerless steering is heavy at low speeds and the drum brakes require considerable pedal…

DIESEL ACROSS AMERICA BY THE NUMBERS ■ HIGHEST FUEL ECONOMY OMY: LEG 1, RUNNING SLOWER SPEEDS ON FLATTER TERRAIN: 33.1 MPG IN THE 190D, 27.8 MPG IN THE ML320 BLUETEC ■ LOWEST FUEL ECONOMY OMY: LEG 3 IN THE 190D, HOOFING ALONG AT 60.7 MPH FOR 27.6 MPG; LEG 4 CLIMBING THE ALLEGHENIES IN THE ML320, FOR 26.4 MPG ■ TOTAL TRIP DISTANCE: 5167 MILES (JUST 45 MILES LONGER THAN THE 1959 TRIP!) ■ TOTAL GALLONS CONSUMED: 173.917 IN THE 190D, 192.390 IN THE ML320 ■ AVERAGE MPG: 29.7 MPG (190D), 27.2 MPG (ML320) ■ HIGHEST FUEL PRICE: $ 5.30, FIREBAUGH, CALIFORNIA ■ LOWEST FUEL PRICE: $ 4.35, OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA ■ TOTAL FUEL BILL: $ 816.42 FOR THE 190D ACCOUNTING FOR INFLATION, THAT ’ S 3.4 TIMES THE 1959…

AFTER NISSAN announced in May of this year that its 480-horsepower, all-wheel-drive GT-R lapped Germany’s infamous 20.8-km (12.9 mile) Nürburgring Nordschleife (“North Loop”) in a time of 7:29.0, Viper people became restless. Then, just a month later, following Chevrolet’s declaration that its 638-horsepower supercharged Corvette ZR1 was now king of the hill, breaking the GT-R’s record with a time of 7:26.4, Viper people became downright mad. Not the folks who work for Dodge, that is, but the members of the Viper Club of America, a fan base that, in fact, stretches its arms well beyond the U.S., as far away as Japan and Germany. Sick and tired of hearing about other cars making history at the Nordschleife, they wanted to see their pride and joy—namely, Dodge’s new track-attacking 600-horsepower Viper…

THIS should be a hit. Smallish car-based crossovers are all the rage, and this one offers a miserly four-banger, a $20,750 opening price, and an optional third-row seat (V-6s only). Wow features like storage under the front-passenger seat cushion and beneath the second-row footwells, integrated child-booster seats, the MyGig stereo/nav system with live Sirius satellite traffic and weather, and (soon) even Internet connectivity in the car should have buyers lining up and editors awarding big points on significance and value. But the journey from drawing board to showroom floor included shortcuts. Inside, the oddly sloped center console places frequently-used audio controls at the bottom near a blunt corner where many drivers rest their knees. And our jury is unimpressed by the sheens and textures of the plastics. Chevy and Ford…

“FEELS like a tallish sport coupe,” says editor at large Arthur St. Antoine. Technical director Frank Markus agrees, at least that the EX seems little like an SUV, claiming, “It’s a sport wagon in my book,” while executive editor Matt Stone concludes, “It’s not a car and it’s not an SUV—it might best be thought of as a G35 wagon with a high center of gravity.” Suffice it to say, the EX proved the most carlike entry in this year’s field and, subsequently, the most difficult to classify. Apparently, Infiniti faced similar predicaments when categorizing its G sedan-based sport/utility, opting for the comparably catchy and appropriate title of “coupe-inspired luxury crossover.” While Infiniti’s label for the EX is rather oxymoronic, the vehicle’s dynamics parlay a much clearer message: The EX…

SINCE LAST year’s contest, a lot has changed with regard to the SUV market. Most manufacturers are going for the smaller, more fuel-efficient, and in some cases carbased vehicles, the 2009 Lexus LX 570 is none of those, and it’s damn proud of it. This Lexus is an amazing luxury/utility vehicle, capable of a dash to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, while the quarter mile disappears in under 15 seconds at over 90 mph, and all this by a behemoth that weighs over 6000 pounds. Oh, did we mention the Lexus can also off-road with the best of them? Hillclimbs, rock crawling, sand washes—nothing slows this machine down. Such off-road ability is due to features like Crawl Control, a three-speed downhill assist that also works going uphill, and Active Height…

VOLKSWAGEN affectionately refers to the Tiguan as “the GTI of compact SUVs.” Given that VW’s cuddly crossover shares myriad parts—notably, the 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder—with the company’s pocket-rocket, that statement isn’t far-fetched. After extensive on- and off-road driving in a Tiguan SE—Volkswagen provided a midlevel front-driver rather than one with 4Motion all-wheel drive, which is available on SE and SEL trims—we can confirm that VW’s assertion is more truth than hyperbole. “Really superb chassis,” says editor at large St. Antoine, adding, “The front end bites hard and delivers really good steering feel.” Technical director Markus echoes those thoughts: “I love the way this one steers—quicker ratio than most, very light and lithe, and predictable turn-in with minimal drama.” The SE also proved satisfyingly quick at the track, scooting from 0 to…

FOR THE entire time Suzuki has sold ATVs, motorcycles, dirt bikes, and outboard motors in the USA, it’d had to watch these toys being towed by other manufacturers’ trucks. For 2009, that’s changing, as Suzuki made a deal with Nissan for its own version of the Frontier. Called the Equator, Suzuki hopes to lure sand, mud, and marine enthusiasts to its automotive showroom for a truck with its own name brand. There are few differences between the Equator and Frontier, which are manufactured side by side in Nissan’s plant in Smyrna, Tennessee. Both come with a choice of a 2.5-liter four or 4.0-liter V-6; five-speed manual or automatic transmissions (the Frontier adds the option of a six-speed manual); two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive with VDC, HDC, and Hill Start Assist;…

FOR AN annual 900-mile fishing trek to Mammoth Lakes, senior editor Ron Kiino signed out the CR-V to transport himself and three buddies, not to mention a 50-quart cooler, four duffel bags, eight fishing rods, four sets of waders and boots, and two float tubes—the last items deflated, of course. “I was a bit worried,” says Kiino, “that a full load of people and gear would overburden the CR-V and its 166-horse four-banger, but I was proven wrong. Even trudging up the steep grade from Bishop to Mammoth—an elevation gain of over 3700 feet—the CR-V, spinning at around 5000 rpm in fourth gear, had minimal trouble conquering the ascent.” That said, Kiino did wish for one feature absent in the Honda. “The five-speed auto could really use a manual mode…

“I SPENT a weekend in the CTS while apartment hunting and came away impressed,” says editorial assistant Carlos Lago. “Horsepower is more than ample, and the transmission never misses a beat. Manual mode makes for a fun experience, too, even if the upshift and downshift movements are backward.” Lago does have a few nits to pick, though, especially with the navigation system: “The nav directed me down a dead-end road and told me to drive through a cement planter. Later that night, it asked me to make two illegal turns. It seems the maps are in need of an update.” The seats don’t agree with him, either. “I normally rest my left knee on the interior door handle while driving, but the hard plastic in the CTS makes this uncomfortable.…

ACCORDING to senior editor Ed Loh, “The Rondo reminds me of a really nice box, like the kind my dad used to bring home filled with oranges from the local citrus distributor.” Let’s allow Loh to elaborate: “As a child, I appreciated the thick, corrugated walls of this box and its simple design, with a multitude of uses—fort, car, art project, jail cell for my sister, stairway toboggan. Now, as an adult, I appreciate the Rondo in the same way. It’s basic and no frills. The inside is covered in broad swaths of inoffensive plastic. The controls are simple and easy to use. And, although it’s not a ton of fun to drive, just like that cardboard box, you make of it what you can—take friends to the movies, schlep…

FREDDIE AGABASHIAN’S Cummins Diesel Special wasn’t the first oil-burner to compete in the Indy 500, but it was the fastest—and likely most significant. The company had been there before. In 1931, a Cummins-powered Duesenberg qualified last, but ran the entire race without a pit-stop, finishing a lucky 13th. The long, low, heavy Special roadster of 1952 was purpose-built for diesel power and surprised everyone in motorsport when it grabbed the pole that year with a record four-lap-qualifying average of 138.010. It was powered by a turbocharged inline-six-cylinder truck diesel that put out around 400 horses. Things didn’t go so well in the race, as the turbocharger inlet was clogged with rubber and other debris by lap 70, overheating the massive engine. The car retired, but the point had been made.…

PURE ELECTRICS, next-generation hybrids, and extended-range electric vehicles will stage an onslaught on the market for 2009-2010. It’s not a high-volume onslaught, though; except for established models like the Toyota Prius and the next Honda Insight, cars like the Lotus-based Dodge EV and the 2011 Chevrolet Volt will “ramp up” in production from fewer than 10,000 each in their first year. In fact, it could be far fewer, a sub-1000 number, depending on battery technology and cost. Intrigued shoppers will flood showrooms and supply will fall far short of demand. Ah, but why not look at a new compact or subcompact car while you’re there? That, in fact, is the raison d’être for most of these cars. Take a look: GENERAL MOTORS THE CAR OF THE FUTURE: The 2011 Chevy…

MERCEDES-BENZ’S hilariously named ConceptFASCINATION, revealed at the Paris show, is of course a preview of the design of the new E-Class to be launched in 2009. Well, a preview of the front half anyway. In fact, the real E-Class will have the star above the nose in the conventional way on the Luxury versions, if MBUSA decides to divide it into Luxury and Sport editions as it does in the C-Class. The nose, as well as the flank sculpting, is also a preview of the MY2010 E-Class Coupe, Mercedes sources tell us. That car was designed as the replacement for the CLK, but then rebadged to appear as a member of the E-Class family, not the C-Class family. It still sits on the C platform, but positioning it as an…

VOLKSWAGEN IS working on a plug-in hybrid version of the Golf/Rabbit for introduction in calendar 2011, called Twin Drive. The electric-only range is targeted at 30 miles. A basic proof-of-concept version using a diesel engine is currently on test in a 20-car fleet, in Berlin. At the Golf VI launch, VW engineers spoke about the production version, a gasoline-fueled car because emission controls will soon get too expensive for a diesel. Although VW engineers talk of the gas engine as a range extender, the gasoline motor is clutched to the wheels, unlike GM’s concept of an extended-range EV, where the combustion engine never drives the wheels mechanically. Twin Drive has no conventional transmission, helping to offset the weight of the electric motor. The single gear ratio is equivalent to the…

a man’s world The new Mustang had better have a clutch pedal and none of that paddleshift crap—or I’m not the least interested (“Trend”). Also from about two issues ago, you lauded the same stupid setup in the Pontiac, claiming that men will opt for this setup. Wrong! Real men will opt for the clutch. Paddle shifters are for sissies. Laszlo Cedar Knolls, New Jersey rabbit run Come off the Yaris versus the Escalade debate (“The Asphalt Jungle”). Americans have bought many millions of Civics, Sentras, Camrys, and Accords. And Minis and Fits, etc. Yes, Europeans have more choices. A big part of that is because Ford and GM (until recently) won’t bring their Euro models over. They have lots of excuses about making them fit for American roads, drivers,…

THESE MUSCLE/PONYCARS seemed such a great idea at the time—both in the late 1960s when the supply of oil and hormonal baby-boomers looked inexhaustible, and again in 2005/2006 when Mustang styling went all 1967, prompting Dodge and Chevy to hustle out their own retromobile concepts. Gas was still (relatively) cheap, power was easy. But quicker than you can computer-engineer a rear-drive sedan into a coupe, oil prices and CAFE regs have yanked the rug out from under this class. Can V-6 engines, cylinder deactivation, and manual transmissions help Dodge earn a piece of the neo-pony pie with its gorgeous Challenger?…

THAT BRINGS GOLDILOCKS to her “just right” Challenger. Well, mostly. This one is projected to be the volume seller, and with good reason. Equipping an R/T for peak performance with the optional six-speed manual and 20-inch tires, as our tester was (adding $995 and $1350, respectively), costs $7550 more than an SE on 18s. For just over 40 percent of the price premium paid for an SRT8 six-speed, you get 72 percent of the power bump—376 versus 425 horses—and 94 percent of the torque improvement—410 versus 420 pound-feet (automatic R/Ts are rated 372 and 401). Spinning through the same trannies and gearing, the R/T delivers about 80 percent of the SRT8’s incremental straight-line performance (5.1 versus 4.6 seconds to 60 mph), and its chassis delivers half of the SRT8’s handling…

LEG 1 REPRESENTING BlueTEC is a fully loaded ML320, since it’s the first platform to launch with the new powertrain as a 2009 model. For a 190D, we had only to go as far as the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Irvine, California, and its enthusiastic staff led by manager Mike Kunz. He sourced a restored example nearly identical to our original tester (it’s really a 1960, but same thing): four-on-the-tree transmission, 13-inch wheels with hubcaps, a single-speaker AM/FM radio, and no A/C. Perfect. That original 1959 trip followed a haphazard route from Seattle to Manhattan; reading the story doesn’t really tell you exactly where our forbears traveled, so we can’t recreate the route exactly. Instead, we've endeavored to inject historical perspective, making several diesel- and oil-related stops along the way.…

LEG 3 WILL WE make it? As the 190D motors through east Texas, the outside-temp gauge on the ML320 BlueTEC following behind reads 107 degrees. The cows along the roadside, slow-basting in the raw sunlight, stare back with forlorn eyes and jaws agape, as if to say, “Ugh. How long do I have to wait to be a steak?” Yet, despite a lack of airconditioning, it’s actually comfortable in here, the breeze blasting fragrant country air in through open windows. Yesterday, Leg 2 drivers Harwood and Kiino handed off the keys in Denver. We’d prearranged an oil change at this point, and Mercedes dealer Murray Motor Imports of Denver graciously stayed open late to keep us on schedule, service advisor Kemal Demos and shop foreman Jon Umland treating our 190D…

THIS TIME, Ford has brought every possible F-150 configuration to the table where other makers are being measured. In other words: No one will accuse Ford of bringing a knife to a gun fight. Plenty of buyers will appreciate this, Ford’s Baskin-Robbins approach to truck building, with more than 31 flavors from which to choose. But can Ford keep making so many flavors when the economy and truck lovers have gone on a crash diet? The new F-150 features an updated, fully boxed frame to act as a more rigid platform, which allowed suspension engineers to make incremental improvements. Nothing revolutionary here. In fact, the overall suspension strategy of the truck is no different from the previous model (front coil-over shocks with double A-arms, and a rear live axle on…

■ 1. FIRST TURN, T13, IS A TIGHT LEFT; second gear; 45 mph; Coronel: “Light oversteer and slight wheelspin.” ■ 2. ESSES LEADING UP TO HOCHEICHEN; second gear; 91 mph; “Car must roll well because of left-right, left-right.” ■ 3. JUST BEFORE FLUGPLATZ—A FAST, SWEEPING RIGHT—THERE IS A HIGH-SPEED JUMP; fourth gear; 138 mph; “Four wheels off the ground here—very exciting!” ■ 4. SCHWEDENKREUZ, ANOTHER HIGH-SPEED JUMP; FOURTH GEAR; 152 mph; “Getting jump right is important for fast lap time—must go flat-throttle.” ■ 5. FUCHSROHRE, TRACK HEADS DOWNHILL AND THEN UP; fourth gear; 150 mph; “Tough on the car—hit bottom through this section.” ■ 6. WEHRSEIFEN; first gear; 42 mph; “Slowest section of track and only time in first gear.” ■ 7. EINFART BREIDSNEID, THE HALFWAY POINT; fourth gear; 136…

PROBABLY NO vehicle in this year’s field generated more buzz—pro and con—than the X6. “Considering its heft, this bad boy handles really well on the pavement,” writes Floyd. “Useless but somehow cool,” notes Stone. “Feels like a cheetah disguised as a brick,” adds Kiino. BMW’s new SUV without the “U” doesn’t really know what it is. It’s big and immensely heavy (nearly 5000 pounds), yet seats only four (sort of) and offers limited luggage space in back. It’s pricey enough to char your American Express Black Card: more than $63K as-tested with the twin-turbo six and easily a good $10 grand more for a similarly optioned twin-turbo V-8 xDrive 50i. It rides tall like an off-roader, but would prefer not to get dirty. Visibility is limited, particularly to the rear.…

CONSIDERING oil prices and the swiftly shifting market, this year’s most significant contenders split into two subsets: small, four-cylinder models (Forester, Tiguan) and larger, space-efficient unibody family wagons (Traverse, Journey, Pilot, Flex). While the Chevy Traverse and Ford Flex duked it out for superiority, in the end, the Ford’s distinctive take on the basic box and its more entertaining interior won the argument. It was the only other contender besides our winner to get votes (three). “Its engine noise is not as pleasant as the Chevy’s,” Frank Markus says, “but the interior is dressier than the similarly equipped Traverse.” With a third-row seat rated for two passengers to the Traverse’s three, it’s available in six- (with optional refrigerator between the split second row) and seven-passenger variants. Other notable options include…

AS IF TO emphasize that the SUV and crossover market is slicing itself much too thin right before our eyes, we have three specialized competitors for this year’s competition. They include the all-new BMW X6, the all-new Infiniti EX35, and the second-generation Infiniti FX50, the last of which has the impressive honor of being the fastest SUOTY player we’ve ever tested. Can you say 0-to-60 in 5.4 seconds? Although the bottle-nose-dolphin “good” looks have just about everyone on staff scratching his head, not a single driver has complained about the 390-horsepower DOHC V-8. Unfortunately, and maybe not too surprisingly given how most of us drive, it’s also gotten one of the worst fuel-economy numbers on our test route, just nipping ahead of the much heavier Toyota Sequoia and Chevy Traverse,…

IF EVERYONE in the Ice-Cream Shoppe is ordering Fudge Peanut Ripple Marshmallow Mango Royale and you’re ordering Vanilla, that new Murano parked outside probably belongs to you. Since making its debut as a 2003 model, Nissan’s sporty, midsize crossover has sold well—even into old age. The 2006 edition nudged out three rivals (Ford Edge, Toyota Highlander, and Hyundai Santa Fe) for top spot in an MT comparo. Now comes a brand-new 2009 version—and it’s as if someone packed Vanilla into a Mango Royale box. “Nissan’s VQ six continues to impress,” writes Kiino. “Delightfully light compared with the LX 570 and the Borrego,” logs Markus, adding, “Astute suspension makes for a comfier ride.” Notes Lassa: “Does nothing to overly impress, upset, or offend.” Diminishing the Murano’s appeal is its standard CVT.…

IT WOULD be easy to say that this year’s winner is a knee-jerk reaction, that the editors of Motor Trend responded to the skyrocketing cost of gasoline like the rest of the driving public by abruptly abandoning the traditional SUV formula for something smaller, more fuel-efficient, greener, more, well, forest-y. It would be easy to categorize our selection of the Subaru Forester as Motor Trend’s 2009 Sport/Utility of the Year as a choice made solely at the pump, but it wouldn’t be true. Sure, our Subaru Forester 2.5XT contender posted the best observed fuel-economy numbers (16.0 mpg) for an all-wheel-drive SUV in this year’s competition, but that’s not the whole story. So how does a small, quirky, former airplane manufacturer from the Gunma prefecture of Japan finish first among surprise…

THERE IS no automotive silver bullet that saves money, reduces environmental impact, and gets us off foreign oil all in one shot. But Volkswagen has chambered a round that moves the game forward by a fair amount. The Jetta TDI “Clean Diesel” sedan and wagon have arrived, featuring cutting-edge technology, substantially better mileage than a gasoline engine, and affordable pricing. The Jetta 2.5, powered by a gas-fueled 170-horse inline-five-cylinder, is EPA rated at 21/29 mpg. The TDI makes 140 horsepower from its 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel I-4, but delivers an EPA estimated 29/40 mpg with an automatic, 30/41 with the manual. The gas Jetta’s five-banger is rated at 177 pound-feet of torque, but the TDI gurgles out 236 pound-feet, from 1750 to 2500 rpm. The Jetta 2.5 puts out 0.81 pound…

TRUCK TREND editor Mark Williams, who spent a week with the T&C, notes, “It has none of the booming echoes that big, hollow caverns typically do, but there are some problems. The high-pitched whistle emanating from the driver-side A-pillar at higher speeds (75 mph or so) is just about intolerable. Also, the power pushbutton setup for the third-row seat had an episode in which a piece of luggage accidently hit the ‘close’ button on the side pillar and almost crushed the passenger belted into the seat. It doesn’t seem equipped with any pressure-sensitive retract feature.” The bright side? “Fuel economy on highway cruising seems almost unnaturally good—got 25.6 mpg over the 1500 miles I drove, and even got 540 miles between fill-ups. Love the 22-gallon tank.” ■ Months/miles in service…

AT 5000 miles, the Evo paid a visit to Calabasas Mitsubishi for its first scheduled maintenance, an $85.74 oil change, inspection, and tire rotation. With fresh Mobil 1 synthetic oil running through its 2.0-liter turbo engine, the Evo entertained Kiino on a twisty drive home. “The surgical steering is made for tight turns; its perfectly weighted feel allows you to be ultraprecise when placing the front tires. Chassis balance is almost uncanny. The front end offers up so much grip and the rear, which gets Active Yaw Control, is so willing to rotate it feels like oversteer is the name of the game, but in reality, both ends are sticking like syrup and working together so beautifully that you can’t believe the car is devouring sweepers that effortlessly. Brakes? Awesome.…

BACK WHEN some of the more senior Motor Trend staffers started in this business, the running gag was, if you wanted a Jaguar coupe, you’d better buy two—one to drive while the other was in the shop being fixed. Quality was not Job One at Jaguar, as Ford exec Bill Hayden declared not long after Ford took over the British maker in 1989: “Apart from some Russian factories in Gorky, Jaguar’s were the worst I’d seen.” What a difference a decade or two makes. In 14 months of Jaguar “ownership” (we had a naturally aspirated XK coupe for six months and the supercharged XKR for eight months), we had an air-temperature sensor replaced under warranty, spent $5 on a new battery for the key fob, and replaced one tire taken…