Innehållsförteckning för May 2004 från MotorTrend

> RECORD-SETTING WITH DODGE > SANS-TOP MINI > SHE’S QUEEN OF SMALL CARS > ONE NASTY KITTY IN CHICAGO 2004 CROSSFIRE STR-6 PACKS PUNCH The next-generation Mercedes-Benz SLK will be powered by a V-8 engine. So what's a company to do with the current car's handbuilt, supercharged V-6? Chrysler is happy to take them, and the Crossfire is the benefactor. Available in coupe and convertible forms, this amped-up Crossfire will be the first Chrysler to wear an SRT badge and the first Performance Vehicle Operations SRT model sold outside the U.S. It also gets suspension, brake, rolling stock, and interior and visual upgrades to match the power. The blown 3.2-liter V-6, which was rated 349 horsepower and 332 pound-feet in the SLK, makes 330 horses and 310 pound-feet in the…

Bentley will build just 26 of these Mulliners for North America, but they Ye important cars for the company. The Mulliner calls attention to Bentley's "personal commissioning” program for bespoke cars. The company says Americans don't take advantage of the personalization program like Europeans do. The Mulliner has 19-inch wheels, chrome exterior highlights, split-rim wood and hide steering wheel, and a fully featured interior. Price is $212,990.…

Audi's still beautiful midsize sedan/wagon has aged well, but its replacement has broken cover and arrives here as a 2005 model. The new A6 retains a flowing greenhouse and incorporates the vertical grille theme that's quickly becoming the new face of Audi. Bookending the new nose are Xenon-plus headlamps that turn to follow corners, and all Audis worldwide now have daytime running lamps. The interior features a high, wide center console inspired by the A8. There's a new teardrop-shaped surround for the round coolant temperature and fuel gauges, nuzzling large tachometer and speedometer dials. While the next-generation VW Passat gets a transverse-engine layout, the Audi A6 remains northsouth. Among the five engines listed for the car are two likely to come here-the 4.2-liter V-8, rated at 335 horsepower, and a…

Thirty years ago, Motor Trend interviewed an exec from BMW who said his company(s goal was to build European Buicks. The astonished MT scribe couldn't hide his reaction. Perhaps, MT wrote, the BMW exec was referring to Buick in the 1950s. Fast forward to 2004: Sang Yup Lee, a soft-spoken 34-year-old former Porsche designer, says his exterior design for the Buick Velite concept looks "really tight The whole body hugs around the wheels, like a BMW M3?' Buick wants to be to Cadillac what BMW was to Mercedes-Benz before it went upmarket: a subtler, elegant, less-ostentatious prestige brand without an overstated grille. The Velite will make its New York Auto Show debut about the time you read this. Speaking of grilles, designers made several missteps when…

When the Blazer evolved into the current midsize TrailBlazer, it left a hole in Chevrolet’s lineup. That void will now be filled by the Equinox, developed to compete with the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4. Unlike the Blazer, the car-based Equinox isn’t meant for serious off-roading. But what it lacks in trail prowess, it makes up for in comfort, interior versatility, and luxury at a bargain price. Based on a version of the Theta platform (the Equinox's 112.5-inch wheelbase is six inches longer than that of its corporate cousin, the Saturn Vue), Chevy's cute 'ute will be offered with a single engine/transmission combination: the tried-and-true 3.4-1iter, 185-horsepower OHV V-6, backed by a five-speed Aisin-Warner automatic. Suspension consists of a MacPherson-strut front end and a four-link coil-spring rear.…

Spearheading Maserati's reemergence as a premium brand on the world market is the striking Quattroporte. This fifth-generation Maserati four-door sedan thrusts into the heart of the luxury flagship segment dominated by BMW, Jaguar, and Mercedes-Benz. To help realize the dream of a modern, fast, luxurious, and very Italian sedan, Maserati enlisted the design talents of Pininfarina and the technical abilities of corporate parent Ferrari. The result is art, haut couture technical wizardry, and a proud high-performance legacy rolled into one package. The Quattroporte couldn't get any more Italian if your ridingmates were Federico Fellini, Sophia Loren, and Marcello Mastroianni. Perched on a wheelbase nearly three inches longer than that of a BMW 7 Series, the “4P” sits low and wide, about 1.5 inches broader than a Mercedes S-Class and roughly…

2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS 2004 HONDA INSIGHT 2003 TOYOTA PRIUS The first two full-fledged gas/electric hybrid cars available in the U.S. were nothing short of technological moonshots, so great was their departure from the established paradigms of carbuilding. We all marveled at the Honda Insight's slippery shape, exotic aluminum construction, and stratospheric EPA numbers. Then we were dazzled by the Toyota Priuss multiple electric motors and video-game energy-flow displays. But once the initial astonishment subsided, we couldn't help but notice that these cars just weren't terribly satisfying to drive day in and day out. The two-seat Insight was first to market in late 1999, and the Prius sedan arrived soon after. Each accelerated like an economy car from a decade earlier. They both rode on rock-hard high-efficiency…

Acres of sheetmetal stretch out from the upright, late-1950s-style windshield. That’s a looooong hood over the Hemi V-8; not the stubby kind of cab-forward hood or Japanese car-style hood you can see over. At least for its full-size cars, Chrysler has given up trying to design Japanese-style family sedans—this new flagship is confidently, unabashedly American. While the 300C has mid-century postmodern American styling cues and proportions, it’s devoid of retro styling elements, save for its square, eggcrate grille reminiscent of the 1957-1958 Chryslers. Driving the 300 is like being in one of the prairie schooners of yore, yet without its soft, sloppy suspension, eight-mpg fuel economy, or wait-until-tomorrow-to-stop brakes. Just as cars like the Honda Accord proved in the 1980s that family sedans don’t need to be awkward, this new…

it's safe to say that Audi recovered from its near-death experience in the 1980s R with renewed vigor and sense of purpose-its excellent product is proof of the I company(s resurgence. Perhaps no W model better illustrates Audi's strengths than the previous-generation A4, which replaced the 90 in 1996. A genuine BMW 3 Series competitor (in size if not strictly so in prestige), the A4 bowed with a 172-horsepower, 2.8-liter V-6 under its sleek cowl. It gained a feisiy 150-horsepower, 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder the next year. With five valves per cylinder and a barrel-chested torque curve, the 1.8T became the enthusiasts choice. For 1998, the V-6 received five-valve heads and a boost to 190 horsepower, while the 1.8T stepped to 170 horsepower for 2001. These two engines carried the A4…

I say “autobahn“ and you immediately flash on some kind of image, like “fastcarsnolimit." The spectacular German freeway system fills us with awe and longing, because we have this impression of barreling through the countryside with impunity at fat, 100-something speeds (no Tempolimits, of course). That vision stands in depressing contrast to our own freeway experience, with slow-and-go traffic in town and malevolent speed traps elsewhere. The reality (as always) comes up a bit short of our fantasy, as, even in Germany, traffic, urban congestion, and hotly debated environmental issues increasingly place legal or merely effective upper limits on the speeds heavy-footed blitzers can maintain. Still, the autobahn is a marvelous tribute to man's urge to get someplace and to do so with speed and style. The 6800-mile network moves…

Dustin Hoffman's Alfa Romeo Spyder Veloce seen in “The Graduate” may return in modern form, thanks to the potential convergence of two factors. Factor One is a put option that Fiat Auto says it can exercise on General Motors within two years. GM currently owns 20 percent of Fiat Auto, and this financial transaction would force it to buy the remainder from parent company Fiat SpA. Fortunately for GM, the deal includes Alfa Romeo (unfortunately for GM, it doesn't include Ferrari and Maserati). Factor Two is GM's new Kappa platform, a small, rear-drive architecture designed for the Pontiac Solstice roadster, which also underpins the Vauxhall Lightning, Chevrolet Nomad, and Saturn Curve concepts. That platform would be perfect for a modern Spyder Veloce. The replacement for the Alfa Spyder, which…

Ford SVT set the Guinness World Record for the world's fastest production pickup truck last summer, with a 147.71-mph flying kilometer. The truck was an SVT F-150 Lightning. Dodge's Performance Vehicle Operations wasted no time in breaking that record. In fact, it braved chilly Michigan weather in order to beat the Ford and get the Ram SRT-10 in the next edition of the "Guinness Book of World Records? PVO's SRT-10 whomped the Lightning by nearly 7 mph, recording a 154.587-mph average in a two-way run of the flying kilometer. NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Brendan Gaughan raced the big V-10 Ram around Chrysler Group's Chelsea Proving Grounds to get the number. Naturally, the P.R. wags made a huge deal of the record, with an airplane flying the banner, "Dodge Ram SRT-10,…

Fewer than one in every 100 new vehicles sold each year are sports cars, yet these are what most enthusiasts dream of owning. The good news is sales of sports cars have increased by more than eight percent so far this model year-obviously not everyone is switching to SUVs. While sales of most popular sportsters have fallen, two new models, the Mazda RX-8 and Chrysler Crossfire, have brought in sales of more than 10,000 cars for the segment, so far this year. Corvette fans can smile: It regained its title as the top-selling sports car for the month in January, ironically just when the new C6 was announced. Best-Selling Sports Cars Sales figures are from October 2003 to January 2004 for model-year 2004 and October 2002 to January 2003 for…

For a company not known for cranking out concept cars in huge numbers, Audi has been hard at it lately. Of the three excellent design studies served up by Ingolstadt last year, this elegant-yet-exotic mid-engine sports car was the most inspired—and something Audi could bring to market if it so desired. The Le Mans quattro (let's call it LMq) was first shown at last year's Frankfurt Auto Show in September and was so named to commemorate Audi's historic back-to-back-to-back victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. While the all-conquering R8 and this concept have nothing in common physically, the latter is also a pretty racy piece. The LMq went from first sketch to the glare of Frankfurt's spotlights in just 13 months. Its project leader was Bernhard Vol…

Mazda has offered Miata Special Editions since 1991, so serving up another one this year shouldn't be big news. However, the new Mazdaspeed version is really special. Unique color, trim, and equipment levels have formed the basis of previous SEs, but this one packs what buyers have asked for the most: more power, in the form of the Miata’s first-ever turbocharged engine. The 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine (with WT removed) has been enhanced for the stresses of forced induction. Mazdaspeed's engineers have included an air-to-air intercooler, which allows a cooler, more dense intake charge. This translates to additional wallop. There's also a larger-core radiator as well as a host of other detail changes. Power jumps from the standard Miata's 142 horses to 178, along with an increase in torque from 125…

Quattroporte I Just in time to ride the fast lane of Italy's new autostrada highways, the first Quattroporte created a sport/luxury sedan segment by dropping a slightly detuned sport-racing V-8 into a large sedan. Built from 1965 to 1970, the understated and discreet flagship had a 260-horse, 4.2-liter four-cam aluminum V-8 from the 450 S, later updated to a 290-horse, 4.7-1 iter. Production of the Frua-designed car is estimated at 770 cars. Quattroporte ll The twin specters of government regulation and the 1973-1974 Arab oil-embargo-caused recession weighed heavily on Citroen-controlled Maserati in the mid-1970s. Hence this downsized, front-drive Quattroporte II with nonsporting Citroen hydropneumatic suspension and a 210-horse, 3.0-liter V-6. Luckily, only 12 prototypes of the Bertone-designed model were built in 1976-1978 before Citroen shuttered the project Quattroporte III Pockets…

By the EPA(s reckoning, Honda's Insight has been the gas-mileage champ since its inception. Its now rated at 61 mpg in the city, 66 mpg on the highway with a five-speed manual, 57/56 with a CVT. The original Prius earned ratings of 52/45, while the larger new one manages 60/51. The Civic Hybrid rates 46/51 with a manual, 48/47 with a CVT. But those numbers are generated in the comfort of a test cell, and real people-even fuel-economy nuts driving with the proverbial egg on the accelerator-have been largely unable to match them out in the cold, cruel world. Informal Internet poling among hybrid user groups suggests actual mileage averages of around 40 for the Civic, the mid-40s for the Prius, and 50ish for the Insight Our own one-year hybrid…

To the Chrysler Group's credit, differences between the Dodge Magnum and Chrysler 300 go beyond body configuration, sheetmetal, and advertising campaigns. In fact, the company hopes to conquer some sport/utility and crossover owners with the Magnum. The Magnum's suspension is tuned more firmly in keeping with Dodge's sporty aspirations. The car still feels too big to be a canyon-carver, but it gets around tight turns rather nicely, anyway. The added firmness is most noticeable over rough surfaces, and it'd take aggressive racetrack driving or a slalom test to find major handling differences between the two. In keeping with Chrysler's old pecking order (Imperial, Chrysler, DeSoto, Dodge, Plymouth, top to bottom), the Magnum comes with less standard equipment and offers less optional equipment than the 300/300C. Trim levels start with the…

So there you are, stopped at a red light with the wife and kid piled into your 1 O-year-old Camry, when you hear a thumping bass beat approaching on your left. Y)u twitch your eyes sideways and confirm its source: "Yep, a slammed SUV with ink-black window tinting is rolling to a stop next to you. As the screws holding your cars dashboard together slowly unwind due to the vibration, your daughter shouts, “Hey, look at those wheels-they’re still turning! While spinner wheel spokes will certainly go the way of the leisure suit, tastefully executed, large-diameter wheels can be attractive. That’s the reason car designers inevitably sketch them into their illustrations of upcoming models, why aftermarket-wheel sales have soared into the stratosphere, and why manufacturers themselves are offering bigger wheels;…

2004 TOYOTA PRIUS Tbyota's all-new second-generation Prius was awarded our Car of the Year trophy for 2004, which also earned it a parking space in the Motor Trend garage for a year. There's only one powertrain choice, the Hybrid Synergy Drive system that consists of a 1.5-liter gasoline engine accompanied by a 50-kilowatt electric motor transferring power through an automatic variable-gear-ratio transmission. To the base price of $20,510 we added just three options: "Package #9" ($5245) includes an intermittent rear wiper, driver- and passengerside and curtain airbags, HID headlamps, smart entry and start (a keyless system), security alarm, dimming rearview mirror with Homelink, voice-activated navigation system, upgraded JBL ETR/cassette/six-disc/nine-speaker stereo, vehicle stabiliiy control, and front foglamps; carpeted floormats and rear cargo mat add another $184, and an antitheft system increases…

As demonstrated elsewhere in this issue, hybrid powertrains bridge the gap between today's oil-based transportation landscape and the quest for leaner, greener technology. No matter, carmakers w? undoubtedly continue the pursuit of the pure electric car, as they have on and off for more than 100 years. The Sundancer was ESB/Exide Battery's experimental electric car, and it combined the kit-car look and fighter-jet style canopy that was popular circa 1974. This compact two-seater was built by race-car constructor Bob McKee and employed an eight-horsepower electric motor and a dozen six-volt batteries. Driving range was "excellent, but the size is a bit small for city traffic/(according to an MT report in our April 1974 issue. COVERAG: JANUARY 1969 “Steam, Electric, Turbine, or Gas?” was the question of the month at the…

For thousands of racing fans, it isn't officially the Indianapolis 500 until they hear that deep, measured voice. “I consider it a compliment,’ says Indianapolis Motor Speedway announcer extraordinaire Tom Carnegie. And he should. Through the myriad changes in motorsport, Carnegie’s voice is one of the few constants. When he mans the microphone at this year’s 88th Indianapolis 500, it’ll be Carnegie’s 59th straight 500. At 84, after a couple of artificial hips and artificial knees, he shows no signs of slowing. Carnegie, a native of the Kansas City area, had hoped to play professional sports until a viral fever hospitalized him for months and weakened his legs to the point where he knew he’d never play with the pros. But even as a young man, Carnegie had those pipes,…

You'd think Paul Gentilozzi would be busy enough. He's one of the principles of the Open Wheel Racing Series, which just assumed control of CART and already operates the Trans-Am series for the SCCA. He's a former Trans-Am driving champ, and, last year, he ran his own Rocketsports CART and Trans-Am teams. Td good effect, we might add, as his driver Scott Pruett won the Trans-Am title, driving an XKR. Instead of just lighting a cigar, Gentilozzi decided to build himself a little toy as a celebratory gift. The result is this 200-mph Jaguar XK-RS street concept. Featuring a supercharged version of the race car's 4.5-liter V-8, stroked to 5.0 liters, the car now has an estimated 550 horsepower and 500 pound-feet under the hood, transferred to the rear wheels…

“Oh, don't give him credit for it” Lori Queen exclaims, upon hearing that Motor Trend erroneously named her husband Jim in charge of small cars at General Motors (March 2004—Jim is GM's vice president of engineering for North America). Ms. Queen good-naturedly explains how a major daily newspaper put her in charge of Ford's small cars. Queen has worked for GM for 29 years, but she is just now finding public prominence as the vehicle line executive in charge of the front-drive Delta platform (Saturn Ion, Chevrolet Cobalt, and Chevy HHR) and the new rear-drive Kappa platform (2006 Pontiac Solstice, plus concepts Chevy Nomad and Saturn Curve). Queen acknowledges that GM's small-car history has been spotty, if you think of Corvair and the X-cars, just to name two. But the…

KIA MOJAVE CONCEPT Kia is sticking its toe into the shark-infested North American pickup truck waters with a body-on-frame concept that could pass for a GM model. The midsize Mojave features a flip-open rear window with a sliding load floor that extends the six-foot bed. Kia describes the engine as a 280-horsepower, 3.8-liter forced induction 24-valve V-6, but won't say whether ifs super- or turbocharged (hint: there's no engine under the hood). Kia is serious about entering the U.S. pickup market and is also considering four-cylinder and V-8 engines for the truck. This would be a huge step for a Korean manufacturer. 2004 TOYOTA SOLARA CONVERTIBLE The first Solara ragtop was a coupe with the top chopped, which resulted in serious cowl shake. Toyota isn't making that mistake again: The…

Picnic-table level of conversation with the top down-one of Chrysler's claims about the social prowess of its new PT Cruiser Convertible. We're able to confirm that passengers en route can quietly plot a defense against ants, choose sides for badminton, and snag one of Aunt Mabel's famed deviled eggs-with nothing but sky overhead and a little wind in their hair. This new PT convertible is a pleasantly quiet (top up or down) and well-damped handler, with generous cargo room for Sunday afternoon gear, too. Although it mirrors much of the original PT's heritage styling, this variant is engineered from the ground up as a two-door convertible; more than half of its components are unique from the sedan. While the PT Convertible shares the wheel base and overall length of…

Lets say you need a black suit. A decent piece that looks sharp and fits well can be had at your local haberdashery for $400-$500. But check out that Hugo Boss in the window. The fabric is rich, it drapes like it was custom-made for you, and the detailing is superb. Look at all the extra buttons! Hugos a great label to slip into, as long as you don't mind popping a grand at minimum—and thats on sale. Are the higher product quality and designer brand cachet worth the doubled or tripled cost of going upmarket? Or are you spending twice as much to get only a little more? Pontiac's new GTO and the Mercedes-Benz CLK55 AMG represent the automotive analogy to the black-suit dilemma. They come within a few…

It's been said that you can never be too rich or too good looking. Here in Southern (California, the pursuit of those elusive goals often takes place behind the wheel of a BMW 3 Series. For several decades now, the trimmest Bimmer has served its core constituents well. Driving the car with the twin-kidney grille signals you've arrived, while routinely assuring at your actual arrival occurs somewhat ahead of the rest of the tanned, caffeinaled, 401K'd, and nicely pressed pack. Who can blame Southern (Californians for simultaneously seeking sporty driving fun and status? As a driving environment, the Golden State has it all. Brecik free of urban gridlock, and you can enjoy thousands of miles of great driving roads through soaring mountains, into relentless desert, and alongside balmy beaches all…

Considering the CAFE pressure on trucks and the inherent profit potential in this segment, it's no surprise that most of the hybrid action in the coming years will be in the truck segment This fall, Toyota will beef up its HSD system for use in the Lexus RX 400h, followed in early 2005 by the Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The technology is identical to the Prius's, but the output of the battery and electric motor will be doubled and a 3.3-liter V-6 will replace the 1.5-liter four. Combined output is said to top 270 horsepower with fuel economy better than the current 27.6-mpg compact-sedan average, which equates to a bladder-busting 600-mile range. All-wheel-drive models will get an additional electric motor powering the rear wheels for improved traction and even quicker acceleration…

INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY Where: Speedway, Indiana When: Indy 500 (May 30, 2004), U.S. Grand Prix (June 20,2004), Brickyard 400 (August 8, 2004) When: IMS is Americas Vatican of Motorsport and hosts three hugely important events. The Speedway Museum, a van ride around the track, and a look at the yard-of-bricks start/finish line are worth the visit any time. www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com ANDRETTI WINERY Where: Yountville (Napa Valley), California When: Any time, 10-5 When: Because its Mario! Seriously, Andrettis really into this wine thing, the facility is quaint and relaxing, and Californias Napa Valley wine region is a great vacation spot anyway. The casually elegant, Tuscan-styled winery also hosts weddings and other functions. www.andrettiwinery.com AUTO FACTORY TOUR Where: Many in Detroit, and lots more in the South and Midwest When:…

Ford's SVT Cobra is the most powerful, highest-performing production Mustang currently offered—and among the best to date. But it's an aging platform (due to be replaced next year) and far from perfect. That hasn't kept it from being the best-selling Cobra of all time, however. For the 2003 model, nearly 13,500 customers-over 5000 of them Cobra-convertible buyers-paid from $34,750 to almost $40,000 to take one home. They looked import-performance devotees in the eye and said, "I want my rear-drive ponycar!" Ford's Special Vehicle Team upped the Cobra's ante last year with the addition of an Eaton Roots-type supercharger to the 4.6-liter 32-valve V-8. From the naturally aspirated 2001 modePs 320 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, output rose to 390 horsepower, 390 pound-feet. That put performance in the ballpark of…