Innehållsförteckning för November 2003 från MotorTrend

Cadi-Wacko Cadillac’s Sixteen supercar is just that—super! Looking at that car makes me proud to be an American. More power to Cadillac. Now if only Lincoln could jump into the fray. And as for the question “does anybody need 16 cylinders and 1000 horsepower?” The answer is “hell, yes!” Bryan WilliamsSan Bruno, California I can’t call it pretty, it certainly isn’t practical, and there’s little chance it’ll ever be real. But that Sixteen is the biggest sensation from Cadillac in a generation. Maybe ever. See, they do have a pulse! Matt del GardoDarien, Connecticut What do you think? motortrend.com To the Enzo’ the Earth Enzo Ferrari? Big deal. It still doesn’t make the specific power output of the $32,000 Honda S2000. As big as it is, it probably doesn’t handle…

Cool stuff this month• New Golf [the car, not the game] • Shelby and Ford, together again • GIVI’s three-valve pushrod engines • London taxis invade the New World • Spy shots, rumors, fun facts Frankfurt Golf Tournament Volkswagen launched its fifth-generation Golf at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The new Golf three- and five-door grows in every dimension, including overall length, which is up 2.2 inches to 165.8. VW boasts an 80-percent improvement in chassis rigidity, and the new car has six airbags, five head restraints, standard ESP stability control, brake assist, and electric power steering. The Golf gets a more upmarket look, whether you chose a base model or a loaded one. In Europe, the Golf offers two new 2.0-liter direct-injection turbodiesel I-4s (up to 138 horsepower) and two…

Even Colin Chapman never built ’em this light Hype surrounding the Lotus Type 119B soapbox was that it would be one of the fastest gravity-powered vehicles in the world, able to reach speeds of up to 230 mph, a theoretical number Lotus refuses to confirm. But the soapbox’s magic extends beyond its capacity for speed. A young, five-man team from Lotus Engineering began work on a gravity racer in September 2002, and the result is the 86-pound Type 119B, which boasts a chassis constructed with an aluminum honeycomb core. Wheels, hubs, and struts are enclosed in fairings for maximum aero. Steering components are of the titanium Formula One variety. This is no pile of plywood with coaster-wagon wheels. Nor is it a four-figure backyard project. Lotus values the 119B at…

Anglophiles, rejoice: One of the world’s most recognizable automotive icons, the London taxi, has been homologated for North American sale. Since 1949, the London taxi has been England’s urban people mover, evolving into an efficient, comfortable, and charismatic conveyance. First introduced on the other side of the Pond in 2002, the latest edition, dubbed TX2, is purpose-built for livery and taxi services, with an emphasis on reliability and function. “These cars are extremely durable with an average life of more than 500,000 miles,” says London Taxi Cab of North America President Larry Smith. The cars are engineered to withstand a brutal duty cycle and for easy repair. Even the steel body panels unbolt for quick replacement. The 3969-pound, body-on-frame cars are powered by a 2.4-liter, 90-horsepower Ford turbodiesel with 148…

Lamborghini’s heritage is one of producing powerful V-12 engines wrapped in fantastic, often outrageous sheetmetal that makes the car look as potent as it is. Audi’s current reputation is based on sleek, serious, all-wheel-drive sedans with interior designs as handsome as they are functional. If Audi or Lamborghini alone were to produce a new, compact exotic, either car would be newsworthy. When the two come together (Lamborghini is owned by Volkswagen under the auspices of Audi) to produce a single car combining each company’s strengths, the result is a new-era supercar with the ferocity of a Lamborghini and the polish of an Audi: The 2004 Gallardo with 495 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and a body that’ll trip even the most jaded Beverly hillbilly right out of his…

Good tidings for BMW 330i sedan fans: More power and better handling from a new, North American-only Performance Package. The $3900 factory option comes as close to an M3 sedan as BMW is willing to offer—for now. According to press materials, there will be no four-door M3 because, “the new M3 [2-door] generation incorporates sharply widened body sides that would not harmonize with the openings for the rear doors.” Look for it with the next 3 Series, currently under development. Until then, the subtle aerodynamic bumpers, side sills, and deck spoiler only hint at the hardware beneath. Inside, extensive use of Alcantara and unique surfaces differentiate this 3 Series from Sport Package-equipped versions. BMW’s M division developed a sharper suspension, riding 0.6 inch lower on 18-inch Michelin Pilot Sport…

If it seems it’s been a long time since Saab served up a new convertible, that’s because a decade has passed since Saab launched the predecessor to this new 93, the latter also being the first drop-top built on GM’s global Epsilon platform. Powered by a 210-horse turbocharged four-cylinder, the 93 features a three-layer, one-touch power softtop. It’s a high-quality piece, constructed around a weight-saving magnesium frame. The top can be lowered in 20 seconds at the touch of a button (no unlatching required). It stows cleverly underneath a body-colored tonneau and still offers a heated, glass rear window. Body-structure rigidity reportedly has increased 300 percent over the previous generation, reducing cowl shake and minimizing squeaks and rattles. Safety improvements include Saab’s new DynaCage rollover protection, which incorporates innovative pop-up…

If it’s never occurred to you that aluminum is amazing stuff, consider what our lives would be like without it. For instance, 747s would be made of wood, and pilots would say annoying things like, “Well, folks, I wish we had as many knots on our airspeed indicator as we’ve got on our wings.” Without aluminum, beer cans might be made of iron, and fraternity brothers would wear out their arms just trying to eat breakfast. What makes aluminum ideal for planes and Pabst Blue Ribbon—strength, lightness, resistance to corrosion, ease of shaping and recycling—makes it good for cars, too. Acura proved this in 1991, when it launched the world’s first regular-production aluminum-bodied automobile, the handbuilt NSX exotic—a car that, thanks to a body 40 percent lighter than its steel…

Minivans aren’t about projecting an image, though they do say something about the families who use them. These multipurpose vehicles don’t focus on high performance, either, even if they can outpace many cars in the same tests. Minivans are here to do one thing: Solve the transportation riddles of the modem family. Our particular minivan trio has much in common. All three come standard in front-engine, 230-to-240-horsepower V-6, five-speed automatic, front-drive configurations (Nissan and Toyota offer all-wheel drive). Each has seating for seven with power-operated dual-sliding side doors (Nissan and Toyota have a power rear hatch as well). The Odyssey used to be the only one to offer that magic fold-into-floor third-row seat; the other two have it now, and theirs are easier to operate. Toyota’s splits 60/40 for even…

Infiniti’s G35 is hot: Sales are strong, and the G offers such a great all-around package that we voted it our 2003 Car of the Year. It’s also a worthy foundation upon which to dial in more power and better handling—and that’s what Stillen serves up. The stock 3.5-liter DOHC V-6 is a powerful piece that’s received many accolades, but Stillen ups the power game by way of a smog-legal Roots-type supercharger and manifold system. A seventh fuel injector and a reprogrammed ECU combine (with 6.1 psi of boost to increase dyno-tested power at the rear tires by nearly 70 horses. The combo teams with Stillen’s free-flowing, aggressive-sounding cat-back stainless-steel exhaust system to produce a wider, torquier power curve. All that thick off-idle torque easily overpowers the Toyo T1S 275/35ZR19…

Honda’s North America-only division depends heavily on what the company’s home office in Japan decides to build, but the U.S. is the automaker’s most important market. So a few years ago, when it looked like Honda might build a V-8 for use in its flagship Acura RL (Honda Legend in other markets), that meant a possible V-8 for the NSX. The V-8 has been scrubbed, but the NSX, now entering its 15th year with only updates and facelifts, will live on. The 2006 NSX will retain its mid-engine layout and V-6 power. A hybrid powertrain with all-wheel drive, like the all-new 2005 RL/Legend, remains a possibility. While some predict the next NSX will get only a facelift, others say the car gets something more like the makeover illustrated here.…

Check out this concept illustration of GM’s Delta-platform (Saturn Ion, Chevy Cobalt) five-passenger multipurpose vehicle, which we first wrote about in June 2002. In retro terms, it’s about a decade ahead of the 1930s-style PT Cruiser, but then it’s coming to market half a decade after the Chrysler. Designed to evoke the 1949 Suburban, the Bryan Nesbitt (ex-Chrysler/PT designer) penned car will get naturally aspirated 2.2- and 2.4-liter four options, making up to 200 horses. Codenamed HHR (high-heritage roof), the car will wear Chevy badges only. Volume estimates? GM hopes to sell 100,000 per year.…

Fabrizio Giugiaro must be a huge fan of “The Jetsons.” Take a swoopy carbon-fiber body with a transparent canopy, mate it to a fifth-generation (C5) Corvette platform and running gear, and you can imagine George Jetson cruising to work at Spacely Sprockets in the Corvette Moray. The looks of Italdesign’s latest show car may not be for everyone, but a close examination of those well-proportioned lines and flashy details accomplishes exactly what Giugiaro and Co. desired. The craftsmanship is outstanding, amply demonstrating that Italdesign Giugiaro is capable of making compound curves and hard lines with a high degree of skill. Why a Corvette? The most obvious answer is the car’s 50th anniversary. Less known is Fabrizio Giugiaro’s love of this most American sports car, particularly the 1963 “split window”…

Snaking along scenic Highway 1, we remind ourselves that we’re driving a midsize family sedan, not a sports car. Mazda’s four-cylinder version of the 6—the i—is a willing partner on these curvy roads: a free-revving 2.3-liter, 160-horsepower inline-four joined to a snicky five-speed manual and a driver-focused cockpit, all wrapped in far-spicier-than-vanilla bodywork. Mazda launched the 6 in V-6 and four-cylinder i versions earlier this year, and the cars are a vast improvement over the 626 and Millennia they replace. Like its Camry and Accord competitors, the 6i is no rocket off the line, but once the tach tops 3000 rpm, the DOHC powerplant comes on strong, delivering an enthusiastic pull. The standard five-speed manual is one of the most positive shifters around, though we long for another cog.…

The curtain of morning mist that shrouds the racetrack is beginning to rise. Dan Gurney, back in the pits after his stint driving the car, offers me some feedback before I take the wheel: “The chassis feels very balanced and predictable out there. It’s with you all the way.” As I fire up the big V-8 engine and tighten myself into the low-slung racing seat, from the pit wall team boss Carroll Shelby gives me an enthusiastic thumbs up. 1 slip the chunky shifter into first and roar away, the 500-horsepower engine behind me pinning my helmet back and filling my ears with the mechanized brawl of eight ravenous cylinders feasting on all-you-can-eat helpings of fuel and air. As I swoop onto the track, a sister car flashes by at…

A generation ago, trucks, sport/utililies, and vans were mostly used by tradesmen, hard-boiled off-roaders, and delivery services. Trucks were for work, cars for pleasure. And that was that. Before long, automakers began offering carlike amenities in their trucks, SUVs, and vans. Buyers responded by snapping up more of them for their active lifestyles. Over the last two years, sales in the light-truck segment, which includes pickups, sport/utilities, vans, minivans, and crossovers, have grown larger than the car segment. As buyers head out to test drive the new models, we have every reason to think 2004 will continue this trend. Assembled in the next 20 pages is a directory of 2004 and some upcoming 2005 models. From Acura to Volvo, we give you thumbnail sketches on what’s new and provide the…

THE ENTERTAINER Back-seat passengers driving you batty? Give ’em a DVD or video to watch. Pioneer has introduced an affordable, detachable screen for rear-seat entertainment. The 6.5-inch high-resolution display clamps onto a front-headrest mount and includes a built-in speaker, dual A/V inputs, and auto dimmer. The active-matrix 16:9 LCD screen can be plugged into any video game or other video source including Pioneer’s DVH and AVH DVD systems. We tested the unit and found it a cinch to use, with excellent visual quality. $600; 800/PIONEER; www.pioneerelectronics.com EXHAUSTIVE SOLUTION If you’ve already upgraded your 1992-2003 Honda Civic with wheels, tires, and a body kit, it’s now time to stock up on more power. Consider MagnaFlow’s easy-to-install, bolt-on cat-back exhaust system that delivers a claimed 9.0-horsepower increase. The system is constructed of…

2003 BMW Z4 The Z4 is far more than just a reskin of the successful Z3. It’s larger and daringly styled, packs a new one-touch top, and offers a new-tech sequential manual gearbox—more than enough reason for a One-Year Test. BMW answered the call with a Bright Red Zed wearing all the trimmings: the Convenience Package (autodim mirrors, storage pack, rain-sensing wipers, auto headlamps, and automatic climate control for $850), Premium Package (fully automatic softtop and power seats at $1500), Sport Pack (including dynamic Driving Control, sport suspension, and 18-inch wheels for a cool $1200), the above-noted six-speed SMG ($1500), heated front seats ($500), and the navigation system ($1800). With $695 in destination fees, our Z4 stickered at $48,995. So far, the only questionable option is the SMG box: It’s…

Stylish where the previous car was staid and boxy, the new C-Class gleefully replaced the 190E and made Mercedes ownership at the entry level much more appealing. With a wheelbase one inch longer and width up 1.2 inches, the new C successfully addressed the cost-to-cramp ratio, although there’s no confusing the C for an E-Class. Available only in four-door-sedan guise, the major differentiators of C-Class models are powertrain and standard features. In 1994, the base car was the C220, powered by a 2.2-liter, 148-horse DOHC l-4 feeding a four-speed automatic, while the upscale version was the C280, powered by a 2.8-liter, 194-horse DOHC inline-six also mated to an autobox. Mercedes added standard features and updated the car with each passing year. For 1996, the C got a new instrument cluster.…

“I’m never going to do an ugly car again,” vows Ford’s outspoken vice president of global design, J Mays. The company’s 24/7 concept car of a couple years ago was meant to highlight future Internet potential in automobiles. Instead, the slab-sided boxes became the poster children of Ford’s loss of direction under previous boss Jack Nasser. “At least we had the good sense not to put it into production,” admits Mays. The 24/7 concept may not have gotten the green light, but its crate-like, slab-sided styling presaged an emerging styling trend. The most common complaint from consumers a decade ago was that new cars were too bland. “They all look alike,” people said. For better or worse, that’s no longer the case. Now, the automotive scene is blessed with a…

Appearing in a James Bond film near you soon? Aston Martin’s current DB7 has proven one of the most successful cars in the company’s history, but at 10 years of age, it’s time for something new. Aston unveiled its replacement—the DB9—at the Frankfurt auto show in September. This ultrastylish 2+2 gran turismo will slot into the lineup above the upcoming AMV8 Vantage and below the flagship Vanquish. The DB9’s all-new platform, which, like that of the Vanquish, relies heavily on aluminum-and-composites construction, is both light and structurally rigid. The car was designed in house by Henrik Fisker and will be built at the company’s remodeled Gaydon facility in England. Power comes courtesy of Aston’s 5.9-liter, 450-horse-power DOHC V-12; transmission choices include a six-speed sequential manual gearbox and a conventional six-speed…

Thirty-three years after officially parting company, Carroll Shelby and the Ford Motor Co. are joining forces again. Shelby will “offer his expertise in partnership with Ford Performance Group in the development of specialty niche products.” The reunion unofficially began with the Ford GT. Shelby, 80, was a senior technical advisor on that car. Ford says Shelby will work on cars and trucks that offer performance-minded consumers more power, better handling, and unique design. We suspect it’ll manifest itself in the form of a new Shelby Mustang, and a 21st-century Cobra is possible. Shelby has also expressed interest in the sport-compact crowd. Read: SVT Focus. Speaking of Shelby, in September, this space bollocks’d up ownership of the Cobra moniker. This is the correction: Ford owns the name and licenses it exclusively…

Compact pickup truck sales drop Nissan has introduced the Titan; Toyota is constructing a new factory in Texas to build its full-size pickup truck; and now even Honda, normally regarded as a purveyor of small cars, will build a full-size pickup. What’s up? It’s common knowledge that trucks now outsell cars; SUVs have taken the market by storm, the luster is off minivans, and full-size cars are almost extinct. The big surprise is compact pickups: This segment has lost 36 percent of its market share in the past 10 years. So Japanese manufacturers are moving into the more lucrative market for full-size pickups, and, judging by the 41-percent gain in market share over the past 10 years, it makes sense. Think back to the 1970s and 1980s when compact pickups…

Contestant Number One: “Alex, I’ll take Triple Plays for $400.” Trebek: “A Cézanne painting, supermodel Laetitia Casta, and the Porsche 911.” Contestant One: “Uh, what are things that need lots of oil?” Trebek: “Noooo, I’m sorry. As they like to say in France, ‘Vous êtes une personne incroyablement ignorante.’ Anyone else care to buzz in?” Contestant Three: “Um, what are things that border on perfection?” Trebek: “Correct! Or, as they like to say in France, Oui!” Talk about jeopardy: The current 911 is so good—so refined, so fast, so coolly capable whatever the driving mission—that Porsche engineers may well be wondering, “How are we ever going to top it?” One answer, of course, is not to top the car, but to detop it. Now available are two new open-air…

While the Pathfinder Armada is a derivative of Nissan’s full-size Titan pickup, it’ll first hit the streets packing heat in the performance, comfort, and utility arenas. Impressions of its grand aesthetics aside, the overall functionality is formidable. The new Endurance 5.6-liter V-8 engine rocks. Acceleration numbers weren’t available as we went to press, but Nissan’s 305-horsepower rating undoubtedly is understated. Throttle tip-in is measured, yet response is decisive and delivered with a haughty V-8 exhaust rumble. Backing up the all-aluminum V-8 is a new five-speed automatic gearbox with a gated floor shifter. Under most conditions, it shuffles through gears seamlessly. A tow/haul mode on the transmission delays upshifts and gains easier downshifts for hauling loads up to 9100 pounds. The Armada’s four-wheel double-wishbone suspension is taut yet compliant and…

Ford’s original GT was a race car, although a few were used on the street. Ford’s new GT is a street car, and a few likely will end up as race cars. Somewhere in the murkiness of this dichotomy, we find the 1967 GT40 Mk III, the purpose-built, street-legal version of Ford’s Le Mans-winning racer. Credit the company with a reasonable attempt at streetifying the GT. The Mk III was about eight inches longer than the original GT40, mostly at the tail end, in an effort to create a modicum of luggage space. Interior trim and a ventilation system were added, and the shifter was relocated from the right side sill to the center of the cockpit. The addition of mufflers, road-legal lighting, vestigial bumpers, and large “FORD” lettering were…

It’s hard to believe that gaming visionary Kazunori Yamauchi met a cool reception from the auto industry as he sought support for a broad-appeal PlayStation driving simulator. From the beginning, the original Gran Turismo set the benchmark for automotive games, spawning a franchise that has sold more than 30 million units worldwide. Today, Polyphony Digital President Kazunori commands both a $1 billion legacy and respect in motoring halls around the globe, not to mention cult status with legions of GT fans. Key to its success, the console series has captured the performance essence of the latest speed machines with enough realism to offer players the virtual experience—at least as much as one can get from a desktop—of piloting their dream cars. Gran Turismo 3 A-spec set the high-water mark for…

Jaguar’s all-new for 2002 X-Type marks the first time in decades that the automaker has produced a vehicle that sells for less than $30,000. It’s Jaguar’s first foray into all-wheel drive and also brings the return of a manual gearbox to the lineup. A significant vehicle for Jaguar? You bet. Like many automakers, Jaguar had BMW’s 3 Series in its crosshairs, so we decided to see if the entry-level X marked the spot with a Motor Trend One-Year Test. Detroit Bureau Chief Jack Keebler and Senior Feature Editor Scott Mead had participated in the hot/cold-weather testing of Jaguar’s X400 prototypes, in 2.5- and 3.0-liter V-6 versions, and advised the hot cat to test would be the latter in Sport model guise. A few months later, Jaguar dropped a manual-transmission-equipped, platinum-colored…

Everyone has memories of a favorite racecar look that has nothing to do with the type or design of the car itself. For some, it’s the vision of those Day-Glo-red STP Indy cars of the 1960s and 1970s; for others, the black and gold of a generation of JPS-sponsored Lotus F1 machines. Blood-red Ferraris and Petty-blue Plymouths. Who will ever forget a black NASCAR Monte Carlo wearing the number 3 on its sides? Gulf Oil hit upon a combination of orange and French blue and has employed it successfully on Gulf-supported race cars for nearly 40 years. The hues are those of the company’s corporate logo, but they never wore better than on Ford GT40 chassis number 1075, driven to victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in both…