Innehållsförteckning för January 2004 från MotorTrend

NOTABLE QUOTABLE Lamborghini Gallardo, October 2003 “Lamborghinis struck me as faux Ferraris before, but there’s a tight, finished look to the Gallardo. Is this the hand of German production engineering?” Mark Albertson Atlanta, Georgia International Bull I think I’m liking this globalization thing. When an Italian supercar, named for a Spanish fighting bull, is built by German engineers, we’re onto something great. I predict Lamborghini’s Gallardo will, perhaps quietly, set a new standard for quality in a category that has frankly had low standards historically. Lewis Thompson San Antonio, Texas I’m seeing a pattern here. Lamborghini reaches new levels of refinement and quality in its Gallardo, with the help of Audi. And just six pages earlier, in your October issue, you note how the Continental GT symbolizes a modern, high-quality…

Earlier this year. I began my typical day en route to my first appointment Traffic was heavy and I was in a middle lane, sandwiched between cars on both sides. Next thing I knew, the truck ahead of me ran over something on the road; it flipped up and landed on the front of my BMW. It was a car bumper that hit my grille and took out the headlights. By the time I made it to the shoulder of the road. I also lost the spoiler, license plate, and my bumper. I called my dealership for a recommendation on where to take the car for repair. The dealership told me to go to a CertifiedFirstTM Network auto body specialist. I trust their advice so that’s what I did. They…

By winning his sixth Formula One world driver’s championship, piloto extraordinaire Michael Schumacher has broken Juan Manuel Fangio’s previous record of five, set in the 1950s. This amazing accomplishment was Michael’s fourth in a row and represents Ferrari’s fifth consecutive constructor’s title. Neither were decided until the last race of the season, but a critical and decisive win by Schumacher’s yeoman teammate, Rubens Barrichello, helped seal the game-set-match for the red cars from 11 Maranello. If you’ve ever wondered what a motorsports dynasty looks like, pay attention: You’re seeing one, here.…

It’ll be the first Saab with all-wheel drive. It’ll be the first Saab assembled in Japan. And it’s got more than a little Subaru Impreza RS and WRX going on not so far beneath the skin. At launch, the 9-2X will be sold only in five-door sport-wagon form and gives the Swedish marque entry into a price point it hasn’t been able to compete in for years. The Linear model uses Subaru’s naturally aspirated 2.5-liter H4, rated at 165 horsepower; the 9-2X Aero gets the WRX’s 227-horse turbo 2.0-liter powertrain. As you can see, the car gets Saab-familial front-end sheetmetal and will likely benefit from interior upgrading.…

If you fire a 12-gauge shotgun packed with 00 buck, you’ll get a sense of what it’s like to pull the trigger on a Ram SRT-10: a loud roar, followed by a cloud of smoke, and, suddenly, heavy metal flying through space. The only difference is that this truck’s Viper-sourced V-10 firepower, good for a 5.2-second 0-to-60 run, surges smoothly at your back and not abruptly against your shoulder. Dodge’s Performance Vehicle Operations group has created more than just a Pirelli-melting, 500-horse cargo bed in search of a chassis. The Ram SRT-10 is a comprehensively well-matched 5150-pound performance recipe that turns a short-bed, standard-cab Ram into a sport-truck-cum-Trans-Am racer. Installing the Viper’s 8.3-liter, OHV, aluminum V-10 into the Ram’s platform is philosophically straightforward, as the truck is factory-offered with a…

The Chrysler Group has been developing a new-from-the-tires-up, rear-drive-platform architecture for several years, and the first products based on it will make their way to market this spring. The Chrysler 300 is a broad-shouldered, square-jawed, full-size luxury sedan, and the fastbacked sport-wagon variant is named Dodge Magnum. At approximately 197 inches long atop a 120-inch wheelbase, they’re about the same size as a Lexus LS 430. These two body-styles are brand-unique at this point, although the Magnum will be sold in Europe wearing the 300 sheetmetal and badge. Three powerplants will be offered: a base 2.7-liter, 200-plus-horsepower V-6; a 3.5-liter V-6 (from the current front-drive 300M) rated at about 250 horsepower, and — drum roll, please—a refined-for-car-duty version of the Dodge truck 5.7-liter Hemi V-8. All V-6-powered models will…

Talk about mixed messages. Just as we began to prepare this story after driving Honda’s latest fuel-cell car, the FCX, a group of nearby Cal Tech researchers rolled a stink bomb into the hydrogen party. According to their report, recently published in the journal Science, a full-fledged, hydrogen fuel-cell economy (that is, one in which all fossil-fuel combustion is replaced) could result in some short-term ozone-hole problems. Against this discouraging speculation, the FCX is an impressive device. As the fifth in a series of fuel-cell-equipped Hondas, the FCX represents something of a graduation into the workforce. Indeed, our day-long test drive was Los Angeles based in recognition of the one-time smog capitol’s leasing a handful of FCXs for real-life, punch-in/punch-out city jobs. Technically, Honda is now committed to using…

Everyone knows Ford’s GT40 and Mark IV were successful race cars. But what were they really like to drive? And how do, or don’t, they relate to the new, for-the-street GT? In order to connect then with now, we spoke to three guys—Mario Andretti, Dan Gurney, and Jackie Oliver—all of whom enjoyed a more-than-casual relationship with Ford’s ultimate racer. We asked them what the original was all about; not the historical significance of the races they won with them, but an honest appraisal of the GT40 and its variations from behind the wheel. They also shared their opinions about the new GT. Dan Gurney, the All American Racer, raced Fords for most of his illustrious career. In 1967, he ran Ford-powered Indy cars, Ford Stockers in NASCAR—even a Mercury in…

We love horsepower, naturally. And responsive handling—the more gs, the more grins here at Motor Trend HQ. Sexy sheetmetal? Always gets our attention. We’ve never denied our affinity for luxurious amenities, either. Above all, though, we are admirers of brilliant design and engineering. Which is to say, design and engineering that advance the state of the automotive art without forcing users to relearn what they already know about the automobile. Having completed weeks of testing and over-the-road evaluations, our editors agree that, in this year’s highly diverse and competitive field, one entry shines more brilliantly than any other. The all-new Toyota Prius, a roomy, feature-packed, and user-friendly gas/electric hybrid capable of delivering an astonishing 60 miles per gallon in city driving, is the 2004 Motor Trend Car of the Year.…

(June 2003). The Ford SVT Focus has competed once as a two-door and twice as a four-door hatchback. Subaru’s Impreza has been around this block twice with the turbocharged WRX wagon and now the facelifted, non-turbo 2.5 RS. Finally, the SE-R Spec V from Nissan makes its second appearance with upgrades for the new year. The only true newcomer, as a model, is the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart. Before you type a poorly proofread e-mail suggesting we forgot to include the Honda Civic Si, Mazda Protégé, or Volkswagen Jetta, remember the Civic ran (and didn't win) in April 2002, the Protégé has been replaced by the Mazda3 (which isn’t here yet), and the Jetta’s four-cylinder model has a 1.8 turbo engine. This roundup is for $20K-ish sporty four-doors with a minimum…

With so many bland copycat machines crowding driveways and freeways alike, it’s refreshing to see an automotive giant like Ford prioritize design and heritage as much as it did with the 2002 Thunderbird. It was this iconic American design, along with a smooth ride, V-8 power, high-quality convertible top, and value-packed sticker price, that got it named the Motor Trend 2002 Car of the Year. Winning the Golden Calipers results in automatic inclusion into our One-Year Test program, which gave us a genuine opportunity to log numerous road miles in this Torch Red two-seater. Somewhat unusual for a car entering our long-term fleet, this T-Bird came to us with over 9000 miles already on the odometer. Availability of Ford’s new ’Bird was thin, and not wanting to wait months to…

• 37th Tokyo Motor Show • Next Toyota Celica stays home • Racing rubber • Dieter Zetsche, Bob Lutz, and Pamela Anderson Hybrid Stop/Start Ford has delayed launch of its hybrid Escape SUV—or it hasn’t. Ford’s explanation: The 2004-model Escape full hybrid, which features a 300-volt battery pack, electric motor, and 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine with stop/start idling, regenerative braking, and electric launch to about 30 mph, was to be handed to 30 to 50 fleet customers by the end of 2003. That didn’t happen, Ford says, because it decided that testing the Escapes would be more efficient in-house. The Escape hybrid will be on sale to retail customers in 2004, as scheduled. When, exactly? Late summer, we’re told. Earlier, Ford said the retail hybrid Escapes would be available about spring…

Dream of being a Formula One driver? Here’s your chance. For 2004, BMW is bringing its renowned Formula BMW race series—a proven F1 training ground already popular in Germany, England, and Asia—to the United States. The goal: Find and groom the next American F1 ace. Anyone between the *ages of 16 and 23 is eligible for the series. Drivers will pilot identical single-seaters designed by Team BMW WilliamsFI guru Patrick Head; the specs include a carbon-fiber chassis, a 140-horsepower BMW motorcycle engine, and downforce-producing wings. Fourteen races are scheduled for June through September, including a likely support race at June’s U.S. Grand Prix at Indy. The top finisher in the series will win a $50,000 BMW scholarship to race in Europe. Yes, the system works: Current Team BMW WilliamsFI pilot…

In naming the marque’s new-from-scratch GT, Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo continues to recognize and honor the people, partners, and places that make a Ferrari something special. After the Maranello and Modena came the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina, so dubbed in honor of Ferrari’s longtime design house of choice. The elegant 2+2 shown here, which replaces the decade-old 456 models, is named after Sergio Scaglietti, who founded the company that, to this day, performs most of Ferrari’s chassis and body assembly work. The 612 Scaglietti, which makes its world debut at the Detroit auto show in January, is the first V-12-powered Ferrari to use all-aluminum space-frame construction conceptually similar to that of the 360 Modena; the exterior panels are crafted of the same light metal. This foundation is some 60…

Giving Chevy’s prosaic four-door more power, better handling, and a snarkier look is a worthy goal. GM already had the 240-horsepower, supercharged 3800 Series II V-6 and sportier suspension pieces handy. Other bits, like the handsome 17-inch alloy wheels, stainless-steel dual exhausts, rear lip spoiler, and a revised front fascia, are new. But then they pulled out a set of “Impala SS” badges—the very same ones worn on the flanks of the beloved, rear-drive, V-8-powered SS of 1994-1996—and stuck them on this V-6 front-driver. Hmm… For the record, this new-for-2004 Impala SS more than plays against the old one, LT1 V-8 or no (see chart). Yet it fails to excite. The blown V-6 is stout, but lacks the grunt and rumble that people associate with a “real” Chevy SS (remember…

Enough talk. You demanded a legit, track-test showdown between America’s 500-horse contenders. We’re here to serve. Sorry, Bow-Tie boosters, Chevy’s Corvette sat this one out. Among the world’s best-performance values, even the 405-horsepower Z06 lacks the beans to tee up on this turf. And, as you can tell from our cover and related article in this issue, a new Corvette is on its way, which creates all sorts of future shoot-around possibilities. Stay tuned on that front. This is a track test, not a road test, so there won’t be any cupholder talk, and we couldn’t care less about golf-bag capacity. We’re here for numbers and an understanding of how these two philosophically and mechanically differing designs, and their disparate technical approaches, get the job done. Other than the fact…

The long wail for the 2005 Corvette is nearly over. Work began on the *C*6 ” shortly after the current-generation Vette came to market as a 1997 model. Considering that the next one will he only the sixth major generational revision in the car's five-decade history, it's huge news for anyone interested in Chevy’s sports-car icon. Much about it is new. A lot is not. But there’s one important change in evidence that has nothing to do with the Corvette’s design or technical specifications: General Motors’ renewed commitment to it. During the 1980s and 1990s. the car's future was in peril al least twice. Even as the C5 was under development, there were factions within GM Ihal weren't behind it and fell the Vette should be sacked. Given the Corvette's…

If this were virtually any other car on the market, the high-efficiency Atkinson cycle engine listed mid-column in the Prius’s spec sheet would be topic A in a discussion of interesting technicalities. But here it’s last on a resume so long and fascinating it would undoubtedly keep the likes of Dr. Ferdinand Porsche (who designed a gas-electric hybrid early in his career) up all night paging through its details. What’s the fuss about? Perhaps the most technologically sophisticated powertrain available at any price. Before studying the nearby diagram, wipe clean your mental slate and start off by thinking of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive as a simple electric car—that is, an electric motor directly coupled to the front axle by a reduction gear (a multigear transmission isn’t required because electric motors…

Auto Shows Door prizes Holiday season is in full swing, and what better gift for any automotive fan than a trip to a Motor Trend Auto Show? This year, Hot Wheels fans will receive a special bonus if they’re among the first to enter the show. Each of the auto shows will be giving away 1:18-scale collectible Hot Wheels cars. This program varies by city, so be sure to visit www.motortrendautoshows.com for a preview of what’s coming to the auto show closest to you. Advance e-tickets are available for many shows. San Diego International Auto Show December 31-January 4 San Diego Convention Center San Jose International Auto Show January 7-11 San Jose McEnery Convention Center Motor Trend International Auto Show-Baltimore January 15-19 Baltimore Convention Center Truck Trend We have the…

When we first heard the name “Clear Bra,” visions of the latest Victoria’s Secret designs ran through our heads. We knew we had to investigate, strictly in journalistic pursuit, of course. It turns out that Clear Bra is one of the street names for 3M’s Paint Protection Film. Initially developed to guard the leading edges of military helicopter blades from debris, the film has been refined and repackaged for OEM and aftermarket automotive applications. Clear Bra is a nearly invisible, “always-on” alternative to bulky and often problematic vinyl front-end protectors. You have to be close to the vehicle, and look hard, to spot this stuff. As with vinyl bras, it offers protection from stone chips, insects, small scratches, and the wear-and-tear sandblasting effect from years of driving. Instead of having…

From a motorsport standpoint, Porsche is best known for its domination of sports-car racing, by prototypes like the 917 and 956/962 and with production-based weaponry like the 935 and today’s GT3/RS. Yet before any of these heroic racers—much less an equally heroic street exotic like the new Carrera GT—came along, Porsche stuck its toe into F1 waters. Stuttgart built this compact Type 804 GP machine in 1960. It was powered by a 1.5-liter flat-eight, air-cooled, of course. This powerplant made something less than 200 horsepower at 9200 rpm, and the car enjoyed minor success during the 1961 season. But it wasn’t until the 1962 French Grand Prix that Porsche won a championship-points Grand Prix. The driver was none other than Dan Gurney. This victory, at the Rouen-les-Essarts circuit in France,…

A Jeep Grand Wagoneer built off the Dodge Ram platform has been an on-again/off-again project at DaimlerChrysler. While the original idea was for a full-size sport/utility designed to compete with the Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon, the changing face of the market (specifically, toward smaller, car-based crossovers) and the flagging fortunes of the Chrysler Group may have put the kibosh on the truck. An alternate plan was to have the Grand Wagoneer (recalling the big Jeep, which was far ahead of its time in the 1960s to 1980s) switch to the new Dodge Durango’s platform. But the Durango plan has been dropped. Now, there’s a good chance the Grand Wagoneer will be the name applied to the stretched, three-seat next-generation Grand Cherokee. That sport/utility also has been delayed…

The front-drive Seville is dead; long live the rear-drive STS! Production of the 2004 Seville already has ended, with enough built to fill dealer lots until the 2005 STS launches later this year. This photo of the STS, shot at Germany’s Nurburgring, shows additional detail in the Art & Science sedan, with better proportions, but much of the same themes, as the CTS sedan. Both a 3.6-liter V-6 and the 4.6-liter Northstar V-8, as well as all-wheel drive, will be offered. BRENDA PRIDDY & CO.…

No, that’s not Kimi Raikkonnen and Juan Pablo Montoya racing for points at the Nurburgring. It's the 2006 BMW 3 Series (codenamed E90) and the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK undergoing testing. The SLK may have the edge, as it’ll be offered with direct-injection gas V-8s and V-6s as well as the 1.8-liter supercharged I-4. The 3 Series will continue with inline-sixes and will be followed by the 2007 4 Senes coupe. A 2 Senes roadster, based on the 2005 1 Series, is reportedly on hold. • BRENDA PRIDDY & CO.…

Even with Japan’s economy enjoying a long-awaited revival, Tokyo was subdued, with much of the usual wackiness toned down a bit. Monolithic Toyota made its mark, though, showing lots of style. It also had a Lexus stand at Tokyo for the first time, as the luxury marque enters its home-market in 2005. We saw two-box tall station-wagon concepts from Mercedes-Benz, Honda (with fuel cells), Nissan, and Mazda, plus continued design leadership displayed by Nissan. Here’s our Top Five. Lexus LF-S Presaging the design direction for future Lexus offerings, the LF-S concept breaks with the heavy, old-Mercedes-like styling that has characterized the brand since its inception. This long-wheelbase flagship sedan concept features a low, coupe-like roofline, sharp flowing character lines, a hidden B-pillar, and a low, wide stance. A hybrid gas-electric…

Ever since the last 635CSi rolled off the production line in 1989, BMW fans have wondered how long it would be before the automaker revived one of its most popular GT coupes. The later 8 Series coupes, sold in the U.S. from 1991 to 1997, were fast and pretty, too. But they also were heavy, with no real rear legroom, and expensive. The new 645Ci melds the flavor of both previous models, adding heavy doses of the company’s current technology and design language. Sharing architecture with the new 5 Series sedan, it’s taller and has a greater overall length than the old 8 Series, with a wheelbase nearly five inches longer. The 645Ci is powered by a throaty, responsive 4.4-liter, 333-horsepower V-8. with 332 pound-feet of torque available at…

Who wouldn’t want to pay for coach and get a free upgrade to business class? Slide behind the wheel of the all-new compact Mazda3, and youd swear you’re soaking in the polish and finesse of the midsize Mazda6. Based on the new European-market Ford Focus, the latest Mazda is a couple inches longer, wider, and taller than the Protege and Proteges it replaces. That makes for more rear-seat room, but most of the added real estate goes for improved safety and structure. The new Mazda is available as a conservative four-door copping a BMW 3 Series roofline or a more muscular Sportif-inspired five-door. As with many larger cars, the new Mazda3 has standard fluid-filled front-suspension bushings, four-wheel disc brakes, and electro-hydraulic steering. Big-car options, such as navigation, Xenon headlamps,…

Aluminum-bodied luxury cars, sport sedans, family sedans, an Australian-built V-8 sport coupe, minivans, a sub-$10K hatchback, a nouveauriche Vee-Dub, and a gas-electric hybrid: All are among the 26 new automobiles up for Motor Trend Car of the Year, 2004. It’s the most diverse field of contestants ever—and that creates challenges. How dare we compare the Pontiac GTO, BMW 5 Series, Acura TL and TSX, Nissan Quest and Toyota Sienna minivans, the premium-luxury Jaguar XJ8, Audi A8 L, and Volkswagen Phaeton, Chevy’s Aveo and Malibu, the Suzuki Verona, and the Toyota Prius, all in the same race for the Golden Calipers? We do it because that’s our job. We take a big-tent approach to automotive enthusiasm. We know you’re most likely interested in cars like the 530i, GTO, Mitsubishi Evolution, and…

As far as we know, they didn’t consider calling it the “Ferdinand.” But this newest Porsche is every millimeter the seminal, race-inspired, super-sports car—and corporate-image sledgehammer—that Ferrari’s amazing Enzo is. In a way, the Carrera GT can make an even stronger claim for its racing roots than can the Enzo, as it actually derives from a V-1 O-powered, carbon-fiber-structured race project that had reached the running-prototype stage, aiming to contest the 2000 24 Hours of Le Mans. But a funny thing happened on the way to the starting grid: Porsche dropped out of racing. In January 2000, Porsche Chairman Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking stunned the racing world, and most of Porsche Motorsport, when he abruptly announced that the factory was halting race-car development and canceling plans to run at Le Mans.…

Ne can’t wait for VW’s new 241-horse, all-wheel-drive R32 to hit the American marketplace. HPA Motorsports couldn’t wait, either. It’s already developed, tested, and certified three positively wicked versions of its R32 turbocharged tuner packages: a 400-horsepower Stage I, a 550-horsepower Stage II, and a full commando 600-horsepower Stage III. We recently tested the Stage II and were delightfully shocked—but your conscience and pocketbook should dictate what’s right for you. How “shocking” can a V-6 Volkswagen really be? How about 0-to-60 mph in 3.2 seconds? The quarter mile in 11.49? A 600-foot slalom in a Mitsu Evo-like 71 mph? During official German TUV government testing, the HPA R32 topped out at 202.6 mph. You read that correctly. More shockers: It runs on premium pump gas and idles more smoothly than…

2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT W8 4M0TI0N It’s rare that a genuinely new engine configuration comes along. When Volkswagen introduced the Passat W8 in 2002, we wanted to see how this innovative “W” (“double V”) powerplant worked under everyday conditions. But a little birdie told us to hold off until the Sport Suspension package became available—a decision we don’t regret. At $39,400, the Pacific Blue Pearl W8 entered our fleet dressed to impress, equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox, 4Motion all-wheel drive, full leather interior with wood trim, 17-inch BBS wheels, power moonroof, and a Monsoon audio system standard. Add the $575 destination charge, and our optionless Passat stickered at $39,975. So far, we’re enjoying this velvety 4.0-liter that’s among the smoothest and quietest eight-cylinders we’ve driven. We like the shifter's sporty…

Nissan, in the process of molting the Datsun label, stumbled upon a delightful formula in 1981: the reasonably spacious, reasonably quick, affordable sport sedan. Nissan moved into a wing of the old sport-sedan castle, once the strict province of BMW, christened it 4DSC—four-door sports car—and refused to leave. Early Maximas were commercial and critical successes. With a fresh, angular new Maxima here for 2004, we might look upon the outgoing car as one with a Salvador Dali-esque “melted taillamp” treatment that signaled Nissan's dalliance with unusual styling. Whatever you think of the wrapper, facts reveal the fifth-generation Maxima a consummately good car. With this iteration, the Maxima’s DOHC 3.0-liter V-6 was enlivened from 190 horsepower to 222 and mated to a five-speed manual in the base GXE and sporty SE…