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TESTED: THE BEST TIRES FOR TRACK DAYS

JUNE 20]0

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JUNE 2010, VOL. 55, NO. 12

TABLE OF CONTENTS

j

I

FEATURES

FEATURE TEST Rome or Bust

We tlog the new Lotus Evora over 2.500 miles:

England to Rome and back. byTONY QUIROGA

COMPARISON TEST Double Jeopardy

Can Camaro compete with Ford's newV-6 andV-S Mustangs? byTONY SWAN

ROAD TEST

20U In/initi AfS6 Control,Alt, Delete. byAARON ROBINSON

71

20Ulnfiniti Af3?

As quick as lastyear'sV-8M4S. by DAVE VANDERWERP

O\: THE C.O\,ER: ,\ DOUBL8 DOSE OF r oxv CARS.

PHOTOGRAPHY by JOHN ROE

Afake Mine a Jeep

It's straight, square, forthright. by P.J. O'ROURKE

IDS Suck, Squeeze. Bang, Blow, ad infinitum

Despite the green hype, internalcombustion engines will keep powering vehicles for the foreseeable future.

by CSABA CSERE

- -

. -

h.-~ -_

SPECIALTY FILE

114 Dinan Dives In & Drives Dr. Dinan cooks up a spicy M3. byAARON ROBINSON

118 Dinan S3 33Si Crank up the boost!

by DAVE VANDERWERP

CARANDDRIVER.COM ~ JUNE 2010 3

Only the innovative engineers of Mercedes-Benz, could produce a sleek and stylish soft-top convertible that can actually deflect the wind, keep all four occupants comfortable in any season and produce a ride so luxuriously quiet you can hold a conversattan at lop speed with the top dm .... n.* This is the E'Class Cabriolet, the newest member of the amazing E-Class family. The thrill of opening it up is what drives UB. MBUSA.com

2011 E-C1&1lS Gabriolet 550 :illOv.l\" Iridium S~\er me\aj1ic ~inl. May Inc We ontloMI 'equipment. • Please otteyal speed laVis. ©ZOlO SIRIUS XM ~Bi!jO Irc. ©2010 \llercodes-&nz US,II.LLC

'For more 1"lor".,.Uon, <l"1I j·800-FOR-MfRCEDES, OJ vlSI! M8U5A.c<>".,.

COLUMNS

8 Eddie Alterman

From Darwin's Beagle to Ford's Mustang.

40 lohn .Phillips

Nothing i s certain but death and taxis.

42 Aaron Robinson

Toyota wrestles with all the ghosts that haunt it.

44 David E. Davis Jr.

Bob Lutz checks out, but PII bet he's not gone.

UPFRONT

21

ModeJ Behavior

2016 CAFE standards and how autornakers hope to meet them.

26

Hard Times, Bigger Fines Drivers pinched as tax rivers dryup,

28

HOW TO;

Go to a Track Day

First, check your insurance policy.

Japanese CoUectibJes

Three cars now worth a lot of yen.

31

CSI Virginia:

'Jhe Mysterious Z Cras.h A follow-up investigation into what caused the brake failure and collision of OUI Nissan NISM0370Z.

TECH DEPT.

38 lhe .Physics Of: WheeJstands Walking the fine line between glory and agony.

32

6 JUNE 20 10 ~ C A. RA NDDRIV E R. COM

DRlVELINES

PREVIEW

.122 20U Jaguar Xl

The Windsors'newfleet car looks li ke an Italian torpedo tuned in Germany.

byAARON ROBINSON

PREVIEW

124 20U Mercedes-Benz E-cJass CabrioJet

The alfresco choice for the OC crowd. byMARK GILLIES

'~;; ..

I • -. ....__

... -_

PREVIEW

125 20U Audi RS Spyder 5.2 FSI Quattro

Lost the roof, kept the thrills. by MICHAEL AUST IN

PREVIEW

126 Al/a .Romeo GiuJietta

Stop us if you've heard this before. byRAY HUTTON

SHORT 'rAKE

128 Land Rover Range Rover Supercbarged

The elegant box gets more power. l1y DAVE VA NO E RWER P

('REVIEW

130 20U Lamborghini GaUardo LP510-4 SuperJeggeca

Fiercer moves for the creased wedge. byDAVE VANDERWERP

FEATURES

What Would Aristotle Drive?

Examining the tastes of one of history's most influential thinkers.

CAR an dD RIVElI. com/A ristotle

On the Cheap

Searchingfor the lowest cost of ownership in the land. CARandDRIVER .. cQm/Cheap CaTS

Getting Ambulatory

We've gOt all ambulance, and we're not afraid to use it. Help us figure out whatto do with it .. CARandDR[VER.wm/Ambulallce

We're Friends, Right? Become a fan on Facebook and get all of our magazine, web, and blog coverage in one place. F'acebook.wm/CAR,mdDRIVER

DRIVEN

2010 Mini Cooper Camden Those voices aren't in your head i they're coming from the car.

GAR an dDRfVER .. COl1l/CooperGamden

2010 GMC Terrain GMC butehes up the smallcrossover field.

CAR amlDR IVER. comtrerrai«

SHORT T,\I(E 131 Lexus GX460 The really easy rider.

by TONY QUIROGA

ETC.

14 Backfires

The Toyota inquisition, a visit from Franz, Larry Ring's scripture.

.I33 Gearbo:.::

The Squeal Deal: a test of track tires.

136 GearboxDlY

Alignment spells faster track times.

148 What I'd Do DiDerentJy Bobby Rahal,

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Prom Darwin's SeagJe to Ford's Mustang.

W h.euthe20l0MtlstangGTbe.at.o. UttheDo.dgeC.h. allenger RjT and the ChevyCamaro Ss in acompar-

ison test last July, we were shocked enough to broadcast it with one of our most unsubtle cover lines ("MustallgWi.fls!") sincerhe famed "Pourgasml" screamer of September 2003. Understandably so: Ilere was a Jive-axle car bringing it to independently sprung beasts with as much as m more horsepower. But the Mustang was lighter, righter.and al laround all-righter. The FOrd was simply more fun to be in and drive hard, and itwas the easiest ofrhe three in which to credibly reenact the chase scene fromJ3ullitt.

Based on that rest, we are less surprised at the outcome of this month's cover comparo. But another revelation emerges from this. four-way, and it's more.slgnificant than a shootout win" The Mustangs gain a lot more power for 2011, but their essential Mustangness remai ns, Whereas the Camara, great car that it is, hews to the muscle-car side of the spectrum-what is thi s incarnation of the Chevy, really, buta two-door sedans=-rbe Mustang retains its pony-car playfulness. There's a reason for tbis.

Thi nk about the most iconic cars on the road right now, the ones that define their segments; 3-series, Corvette, Accord, F -150, What they have in COmmon is that their companies have never stopped making them and their engineers have never stopped tweaking them. Of course, their marketers never stopped marketing them, either. which always helps the old brand equity, But the small, incremental adjustments; the responses to customer complaints; and the inevitable eureka moments that come from working on the same basic problem year after year =-these are the.thi ngs that make cars exponentiallygreater,

Perhaps the best model of evolution, both mechanically and culturally, is theJeep Wrangler, AsllJ. O'Rourke makes clear in his masterful piece this month ["Make: Mine a Jeep," page 78], the Wrangler has changed in all the good ways, 110ne of the bad. It hasn't.gotten wussified or less capable, but ithas become more useful, more reliable, more Jeep-like. P.]. drove a Wrangler Rubicon 250 miles from his and the Jeep's hometown of Toledo, Ohio, to Chicago; All On the interstate. Sometimes at the speed limit. In, I reiterate, a Jeep .. And yet he makes it work, delivering a hugely entertaining piece with more insighrs than a Honda dealer's lot. Indeed, there's only one P.J.

-EDDIE A'LTERMAN

8 JUNE 2010 :z: CARANDDRIVER.COM

era. J1JMPSTART AUTOMOTiVE GROVP Nicholas J. Matarazzo E.DllOR-!N-CH1E~ Eddie Alterman

Editorial

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Mark Gillies El(ECUTIVE ONUNE EDITOR Er-ik Johnson TECHNIC.l\l DIRECTOR Dave Vand€'rWerp SENIOR EDI1'OR Tony Quiroga TECHNICAL EDITORS Aaron Robin~oll, Michael Austin. K:C. Colwell EDlHlR-IIT-LARGE John Phillips OLD BOY RI<CER Tony Swan ONLINE FEATURES ED!ToRJared can

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ON A HUMAN LEVEL

Numbers don't lie. But they also don't reveal the whole truth.

Se.nsors will be calibrated. Numbers will be crunched.B ut to craft. a m ere emotlona I driving exp~rience, cold hard data can onlyteU you so much. And nobody knows this better than tnfinitiengineer Masayoki Sao ..

So for several months Mr. Sao and his team put aslde thei rca leu latlons and focused their attention on how the system felt from behind

the wh eel. Working 0 n a near-dally basis with the master d river, it became a co llaborative effort based on feel. One that refln·ed and re-tuned the responsiveness oHhe system's front- and rearwheel-stee ring actuate IS to achieve the most n i rnbleyet sta ble luxlI ry driving experlen.ce possible.

Instead of just relying on a nalvtlca I data. to develop Infinin's revolutionary 4·Wl1eelActive Steer (4WAS) system,

he was inspired by a more valuable factori n the equation. The human one. And it was this that led him to employ the lntultlve feedback of I nflnlti's own mas ter test driver.

It was crlticalthet the system enhance maneuverability by controlling the steeri ngangle of a n fo ur wheels. But not detract from the natu.ral sensetlon of the drive.

UltImately, choosing to trust the hu man senses, not just the c-om puterized sensors. ensured the team's success, Notto mention, It reinforced the belief of a n entire company. As one of Mr. Sao's team members put it, "At the end of the day. iii. human decides, not

the tomputets~

The result is a remarkabl,y rewarding 4WA$ system that doesn't just e nhan,ce the vehicl.e'son· road performance .• I! produces a sensation lik.e no other .... ehlde on the road.

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Sic your dogs on us atleditors(iilCBllandDlUVElLct:lm

A CULPRIT IN THE TOYOTA CONTROVERSY?

I may have stumbled on an overlooked factor' [in the controversy over "Runaway Toyotas" in the March 2010 issue]. As an avid.autocrosser, I have tried keeping on the throttle and not lifting for the braking points. I simply hit the brakes before each torn while keeping the throttle down. This works fine for the first two or three applications, and then we bra kes fade quickly after that, If I lift off the throttle afterthat, mybrakes return to normal within sto 10 seconds, My thinking is that I used up all of my power brakes' vacuum assist, With the throttle plates wide open, there is little to no manifold vacuum, By pumpi ng the brakes, I believe that I bleed off any vacuum that may be in the reservoir, and it is not ava ilable again until I return the throttle plate to the idle position.

The overlooked factor is the human factor, How many of us grew up learning to pump our brakes to come to a controlled stop under slippery 'conditions? If your master cylinder is beginning to fail) what doyou do? Pump your brakes, I believe that the people who had the issue with unintended acceleration simply panicked and pumped their brakes, causing a loss of power assist and making the car much harder to slow down.

DAN MICHEL.S CANTON, OHIO

.... YOU':)· autocross diagnosis is ~'P0t an, Mielu:ls. At cmythitlgmow: tlwn about 30-pen::e1l-f ttwottle, ,....." tile engine isn'rmaking encmgll vul'm~U'I to pI·ovide contimwus assistto tIre p(l'wer brakes. MIen defirsil'!g all uniniended-ucceleration situation, push hard on the brakes and do not pump them.lfJIDII,'· car rtlllS out ,0jVUCWI111 assist, it 'will reallYllot stop-Ed,

MAYB.E TOO 'EDGY

Will someone please introduce [Cadillac CTS chief engineer] Dave Leone ["Best of the U.S.," March 2010] and anyone at Cadillac to the French curvet The entire car line looks inspired by origami. Hey, Dave, you should have paid more attention toyonrart teacher and read Car and Drivel' during geometry class '" like the Italians did.

G M and M r, Leone have every right \)Q be proud ofthisworldclass car. However, Mr, Leone and Cadillac did.rrorirrvenr the concept ofpusbrngwheels to the comers orfilliug in wheel wells, Ref'erri ng 00 this as the "Leone F'inger'Test" isa bitvain, Many reference s to the cal" in the story start with" IY I'm sure there are hundreds, if not thousands.ofpeoplewho contributed to the development ofthis fine coupe, Rememberthere is no "F' in team , As a taxpayerand investor (myswck

CFlAIG RENFE'R CONCORD, CALIFORNIA Thtlt'spretty much been GM'sphilosopl!:yIOl·tTw 'last thousand years-'lleve1'let Cf pe ,'sonality emerge, unless it's the clfainrUln:~-Ed,

isworthless),I want to see quality products backed by determinari on, quiet confidence, and a bit ofhurniliry Head coach Mfke'Singtetary has \l. sloganforrhe resurgent 4ge1'5: "show me, don't telJI me ," C.M would be well advised to follow that advice.

M. PARSONS INTERN E T TOWN, U.S.A.

14 JUNE 2010 !! CARANDDRIVER.COM

The CTScoupe is generally a good -looking car, but r have to wonder: When did Cadi1 lnc hire J .Lo to help wirhvehicle deSign?

AL.AN ZUBROD FAYETTEVILLE.

NO RTH CARQ LIN A

You quoted someone at GM sayiogthe coupewould have a lower roof and a windshield two degrees sreeperrhan the sedan's, If"you've ever driven a GTS,YoU knowrhe last thing it rteedsis asteeperwindsbield.It already looks like a coffin lid.

A fewyears ago, GM stopped sellingthe Camam. Why? The stupid windshield was so angled thar itdistorted the driver's vision.

The windshield should have been less steep, to give better visibility for a driver at higher cornering speeds.

BI.L.L. HAYS

TUSTIN. CALIFORNIA _.. Serious I'esea'l'ch

,,_,. indicates t1latCIZ1!l~1 t:topped sdltng.the Clll1U11'O because it Imd morphed into a bigpile ofp()o~Kd.

The 2.0J 1 F\1rd Mustang will be less competitive unless Ford adds fin independently SpIll ng rear suspension, ['11 bet the cheaper Focus and Fiesta have independent suspensions. The 3.7 V-6 Mustang might be a better purchase than the 5.0

V ~8 becausethe V-6 also has four valves per cylinder, it's only 10 horsepower shy of your

Porsche recommends Mobil 0

Please visit www.porsche,comjirJtelligent-performance for further Information.

O:ne race .. One day.

24 hours that will change the sports car world.

The 911 GT3 R Hybrid with fl,ywheel storage puts the power of two electric motors and the intemel combustion engine on the race trac~. ,And the Cayenne S Hybrid with Parallel Full Hybrid puts it on the road. Both stand as testaments to enormous efficiency combined with electrifying performance .. And push even further the idea of Porsche Intelligent Performance. By developing groundbreaking technology for rnotorsports, Porsehe is able to implement the rewards into series production. The result is a company of sports cars utilizing smeller, higher-powered, yet more efficient engines .. And lighter bodies that result in less fuel consumption and CO!! emissions. The epitome of performance with brains. A. pure dedication to progress, the environment and, as always, the driver. Porsche. There is no substitute

The new 911 GT3

Hy rid at t e iirburgring: i d to compete

T e first hybrid car of lis in a 4 .. hour race

F>DR.SCHE INT.E:::LLIGSNT.:

F>E:RFDRMANC'

BACKFIRES

previous compare-winning Must-ang4,6 V -8 (with three valves), and it's lighter. "Where could Fordgorurthenretro with this design? There!s not much room for exterior stYling improvements.

JOSEPH YOUNG ON THE INTERNET BEACH

FRANZIIS THAT YOU? The Porsche Panamera

[" Stimu Ius Packages," Ma n;h 2010] makes me feellike Spencer Tracy in au-oss Wllo"s Corning to Din"l'u:'l". I thought: I would be okay with iewhen T heard about it, but now that I actually see it, I don't like it.

C HR.I S·SCHECK NEW YOIRK, NEW YORK Only Kaj7lfl could see

s inlila.".jtie s betweell' (!

Panamen: a1/,t! Sidney PMt-ie:r-£d.

You write that yon "drove the spatzle out of these cars." now high was their noodle content to beginwith?

ALEX WALLACE CARMEL, INDIANA

• Hig11 enough to lI/curtto comedowll-Ed.

I'd have liked a breakdown of the options in you r-as-tested prices. Did you somehow manage to carry ape-owned Boxster in the Panarnera's bulbous rea r hatchhadd

TOMMY THE DUCK

NORTHOlMSf'ED, OHIO ._" Rigltthe1'/iltheGElCO ~ gedUl 'lmtts ill; "bll, .gTcat, a talking duck"-Ed.

LONG,-T'ERM DIESEL

I have noticed that GID compares diesel mpg figure~ to gasoline mpg figures [LongTelmVolkswagen Jetta TDl, March 2010]. Diesel fuel has about 19 percent more enl;!l'gy per volume than gas does. You should remind people of'this facr, In this case, it means that your observed mpgof38 is equivalent TO about 34 for a gas~powered car. This-seems

prettyterrible.espectallywhen your '9211onda Civic got 41 mpg. People buying diesels for the fee I-good factor should be reminded that mpgfigures alone are.not djrecdy comparable measurements of e ffi ci e nC)'.

ANDERSON OGG

SEATTLI:. WASHINGTON Let us set the t'ecol'd stmiglif; OUI'long-term Jetta achieved o.Q024Sfit1'lo'I'W pf:J' BTU. Bctteri=-Ed:

The Jerta TO! was verynear the top ef OUT 1 ist for anewvehicle purchase next year. But your review-identified an absolute deal breaker: W110 would willingly buya new car with all inadequate heater? I

b aven't heard of such a thing since ... welt since the last aircooled VWwaS sold hem!

EMERY OE.WITT LANCASTER, PENNS¥LVANIA

As to the longtime it rakes for the heater to work: Jbelieve all 'Q9 North American Jettas have an auxiliary electric heater. My '09 Jetta TDI SportWagen does. It can be' 10 degrees outside, and When I turn the temperarure to the notch beyondtheSo-degree mark, the aux heat kicks in. Warm air i 11 st ant ly. On VW onli ne forum s, many other OWners from arou nd the nation confirm that thei r diesel shave the auxiliaryheater. To verily this, look for a huge 200-amp fuse in the fuse box.

DAVI'D MERRITT

MORRISTOWN, >NEW JERSEY

•' YOt! mu st lial,!? Sf .. tlllggled your VW across tlie JeHeylCana,diJ border, as we were told by VW thnt O1i.ly 1'DIs from tire Great W11ite·Nortll wet'€ fkU$ ttj_lIipped'- Ed.

I made the same mistake you did and pur regul ar gasoline into my Jetta TDI. Porrunately, I realized it priorto startup, It was.abour$400toftX. Had I started the car, perhaps your

16 JUNE 2010 ~ CARANDDRiVEiR.COM

readers should know that the tab weu Id have been several thousand dollars for a nonwarrantyreplacemenr of the-engine.

What I'm surprised you did not experience is the nozzle fit for fi lling up [a diesel-fueled vehicle]. There are still two types of diesel fuel OJ] the market, and if you choose the "vrongone, the nozzle will not fit into the f 11 Sp01..1[' This can be quite frustrating, especially when you're running on fumes and need t he fuel.

JOHN LYONS WEST HARTFORD.

CONNECTI.CUT

".FOOL'S GOLD"

In response to your feature 'iNASCARPans for Foreign GokJ11 [March201011 was once an avid fan. It was fun while it lasted, but tbe increasing populariry ofNASCAR has destroyed it, t can't help but chuckle when 1 see die-hard Rarnhardt fans touri ng around in rheir Camrys, I'll bet rnost of them never watched the man race. Racing used to be, and still should be, about the fastest car. Now, motorsports is all abour the driver; the car is Ju~1: a footnote. Americans won't root for a foreign driver, but they have no problem with an American driver racing in a Toyota. Of course, I don't ea re anymore what brand of car or national ity of driver is on the track The SpOIt has devolved into a "show" for the masses. Resrrictor plates were originally promoted as a necessity for safety, but DOW they're used simply to keep the drivers close together for more competitiveracing. Does one drivel" 01" manufaceu rer seem to have an edge No problem-« just adjust: the rules until things are equal agai n. ~ low longuntil a-newly crowned champion doesrrt even win a race? So, NASCARi spanning for foreign gold? They've been panning for fool's gold, and T

think they struck it rich,

JAY OOR'RELL EFFINGHAM, SOUTH CAROLINA

TiHE SOY ULTIMATUMi Forthe last three issues, yotll1/e pUt on your front cover:

"Intelligence. Independence, Irreverence." This seems to be for showonly, as written proof to the contrary is on page 9, center column [Eddie Alterman, March 2010 J; 'Walk in and grab yourself a double soy mocha lan-e ... ' How

Intel ligent is itto continue to' make the same mistaka over agai n? I've alreadyrold you the facts regardingthe lise of soy. When processing soy, there is an inability to remove all the poison, which is an inherent pan of it. Soy isa precursor to make more estrogen, which; ill older males, causes bigger breasts, loss of interest io sex, and many other detrimental effects. Instead, use healthier, Tat-free milk for your Iatres,

Also, as ]·egards yow' magazine's subjectiveopinion, no: shared by maeyofyour readers, yon like the VW G'TI "best" over the Mazdaspeed 3 111 a December 2009 comparo. Mr. Alterman, remember this:

No repeat mig takes. Fastest lIeh ic/e 'Wins, period!

CLEVELAND E. N.ORTON

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNlA

• SomeaocfycOlnfget.tl!iS guywith tne tits offrny ceilillg- Ed.

Perhaps Alterman fails to see Lexus's "product convictions" because they are uniquely selfdenying. LeXl1S aspiresro render motoring-with al J its inherent mechanical violence and relentless physicalityinvisible. To eA""tingu ish its automotive self is Leans's paradoxical, yerundeniable, philosophy. A magazine that has unfailingly critiqued that approach si nee the brand's inception ought to know that.

HIRAKU SHIMQDA POUCHKEEPSIE. NEW YORI<

BACKFIRES

WHITH'ER FRANZ?

It's been one whole year since we have seen Franz Kafka. and his garage. Look at what has happened since then: a' siXfigu re Corvette, exploding GT-Rgearboxes, the death of Pontiac and I rum mer, the Porsche Panabananamera, the Le.ws LFA that no one G'aJ:1 buy, the 2.g-second-to-6o gli Turbo, Porsche baying Volkswagen buying itself, tradtngynurpeer -mpg car £0]' a rebate.on an even-morepoor-mpgcar, WRXs that can fly, and the 1 argeS't recall of cars because they were simply movingforward, E:at1:a,couJd make sense and organ ize all of theserboughts and events going on for us to comprehend, This mad ness is olllygoing to get worse, What next? A hybrid PerrariS99? The Ford Focus RS in America? One of Franz Kafka's quotes predicted the unintended acceleration of Toyota vehicles: In the February 2009 issue, a month before' his final, Franz declares, "The.meani ng ef'life is that it stops."

KEMNE'R F'R'ANI

JERSEY CITY, NEW JEHSEY ~ PI'am: is due bac/{ a[,oul r--r the time HOlll(l,'d srel'1l; lWOltwtes himselfilltoa ft!dgillg gig 011 American ldol-Ed.

TURMOIL AT TOYOTA

r read with interest your discussion ofwhat to do with a runaway car ["Runaway Toyotas," Upfront, March 2010 ]-put it 111 neutral, I have been told ... that with modern digital/electronic controls on automatic trausmissions, you cannot put the car into neutral at high rpm.just as you can't put it into reverse. Are there blocks in some carsthat

prevent shifting into neutral at high rpm, or is th is just more false "conventional wisdom" circulating in the pcpularioni'

LARRY ROLES INTERNET rOG ~ DOIl'tbalinlle the hype. ~ We've tried·it all nlrmef'Ous CaI'S, iucludi11g the two ill oUI'Mm'ch test, and each nndeve1'jlolle shifts obedie1ltly illto ne:lftl'tll II{! 'matter /iII'Ll' hig11 the speed (11' engine rpm-Ed.

VThen ehe dust settles, you'll see that the problem is electrical.I have spent 3S-plu s years in €ngi neeringposicioas forthe manufacture, the design, and the failure alia lysis of circuit boards and associated electronics forbcth military and high-end industrial applications. Here's what the problem is: j nrennitrent "opens/shorts" (I -O/S) On the electronics, 'I'heyare extremely bard to detect, bc:ing iotermirreru ~ n natu re, Ilence, they are-almost i rnpossible to screen out, . .Although they can occur on anyeleetrical component ercircuit counectlon.Jbelieve they are related to either or both ofrhe following: rhe umer-layer connection to feed-through s on the bare circuit board 3)1d/or defects related to the microprocessor itself orhow it is attached to the circu it board. These I -O(S are aggravated by thermal stresses and vibration such as those found underhood on auromobiles. The electronics heat up and vibrate, causing an open or short. Tills creates all incomplete or altered signal on the circuit board resu lting in failure of the device to properly somrol its inrendedfunction. The duration of this condition can vary widely depending on its severiry.T'hese I~OIS sometimes remai n permanentlyopen or shorted but.typicallyretum to their original condition. Example:

After a car StopS, thus

18 JUNE 2010.:: CARANDDRIVER.COM

removing the inputs ofheat and vrhrarron, things return to normal, making it almost impossible to troubleshoot. This does not occur on every electronic modu le or on every car-it could be one in a hundred-thousand or one ina million connecnons.so the percentageofvehicles can be very.small.

M ICHAE L. BAR M UTA EVERETT. WASHINGTON<

1 ntereseing how some Toyota owners say they could not stop their ru nawaycars byshifting into neutral, reverse, etc., with ill ofthese being automatic rransm is sions. If theyhada manual, the y could simply depress the dutch pedal to disengage the engine from the drivingwheels, thereby making the car slow down safely. Another safety advantage of manual transmissions,

JEFF SCHAFER EVERETT, WASHINGTON

I'd bet-being bored'to death while dnving a Toyota would be more likely than an accident caused byasruck accelerator,

BRYAN BE!..l.

HAVERTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

1 'm ageezer (75) and d rive a Prius (not green , just cheap). r used to be afraid of speed cops, Now I Can drive as fast as I want and have an "electronics problem," What a great time to be alive.

SAM DUNNAM CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS

l think the probl em stems from Americans being lazy, I mean, c'mou-they need pu sh-button starters because mrning that key is just too much work, 'They wanta powerful car, but they don'twanr tohaveto pay arterrdon or actually learn to drive the vehicle, As a result, antomakers have had to come up with an ever-growing list of electronic nannies' such as stability C011l;!'01, ERD, self-

parking, I nne-depart ure warnings, laser-guided cruise control, etc, These nannies work bet ter if'thecomputer can control everything on the car including the rransmission and the throttle, For the average American who is more concerned with texting friends than paying attention to the tWO-tOD missile 011 wheels that is being pilote d, these nannies are important. These people can't be bothered with thing'S like followi n,g distances, braking, or taki ng rurnsat a safe speed. Theyprefer to let the computer intervene when the situation begins to get out ofcontroL

Both of my cats have an actual throttle cable and a manual transraisslon so' that "1" can be the one in control, I don't want my life in the hands ofaprograrmner, r say, take away these nannies and make a more comprehensive drivertral ning course mandatorymaybe even include a physics and math. class with it.

JA'SON PUCKETT MESA, ARrz.ONA

AU'NTJEMIMA

David E, Davis's column on the Texas 1000 [March 2010] could have been reduced to the followingwithoUt eliminating anyvaluable centern: lor rode in a new car. It was 'great fun' compared with driving an old cat. I hated myco-driver. The end," I used to dread Patrick Bedard's endless rants Over minutiae only an engineer with oeD would love, but Davis's eolumns make even Larry King's scripture ("Ilike pancakes, Angie Dickinson was a classy dame . Soup is better hot.") seem like Tolstoy.

C.Z" BAUM

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA ...... /l.lIl~BaumJutdfurtlle1· ,...." IlUl-tflll CIll"gO to unload, bllt 1,vewislted to spm·e M1', Davis fi.l"tiU!1' d~Tision while somellt1w gettillg ill "L w')y Killg'ssCJ'iptltl'f;"-Ed. =-

Edited by TONY QUIROGA RAY HUTTON (England) I JUERGEN ZOELLTER (Germany)

PAGE 26 :> A Fine Time Examining the rising costs of traffic and parking tickets.

PAGE 28:> Track Baller Never been to a track day? We'll show you how it's done.

PAGE 32 :> Mystery Solved .Alook into the overheating brakes of the Nissan 3702.

Aguide to stand.inguJ.l for yourself. Page 38.

DIESEL EN.GINE M PG imp rove me nt: 20-30% Cost pe r ca r: $3000·$5600

4)1

..

CYLINDER DEACTIVATION M PG imp rove me nl: 3-6% Cost per car: $75"$400

DIRECT INJECTION MPG improvement: 2-3% Cost per car: $300"$750

'*

~ii!iii~ii

~

ELECTRIC POWER STEERI NG

MPG Improvement: 1-3% Cost per cor: $120

,.

TURBOCHARGED, DIRECT-I NJECTED, DOWNSIZED ENGINE MPG improvement: 8"14% (over pori-injected enqine)

Cost per car: $800"$1200

~

LOW'ROLLING'RESISTANCE TIRES MPG improvement 1"2%, Cos! per car: $10

DUAL'CLUTCH TRANSMISSION MPS improvement: 6"8% (over 4/5-speed auto) Cos! per car: $70-$200

,.

.. ENGINE-,FRICTI.ON REDUCTIO.N MPG lmprovement; H% Co 51 pe r tar: $50- $400

ModeJ Behavior

> 2016 CAFE STANDARDS AND HOW TO MEET THEM .



CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION

MPG improvement: 2-8% (over 4/5-~peed auto)

Cost per car: $300 ...

6"8-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MPG improvemenl: 4-8% (over4-speed auto) Cllst per car: $300-$600

byCSABA CSI1!RI!!



INTEGRATED STARTERI

GENERATOR (MILD HYBRID) MPG improvement: 4"7% Cost per ear: $1500-$2400

Starting this year with 2. OIl mOdelS., the federa. I government's fuel-economy standards, which have sat frozen for years, are going to get abigtime thaw-vthe biggest change since the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) lawwas created in 1975.

The average fuel e conomy for cars



VARIABLE VALVE LIFT

MPG impr ove me nt: 1-3% Cost per ea r: $200"$400

ILL U STRATION by ALEX 0 ST ROY

CARANDDRIVER.COM ~ JUNE 2010 21

UPFRO:\,T

must improve from the current 27.5 mpg, where it has been since 1990, to 37. 8 mpg by 2016. The truck standard has to rise from 23.5 mpg to 28.8.

This means cars must improve bY37 percent, trucks by 23 percent. Combined, cars and trucks in 2016 should average 34.1 mpg, up 35 percent from the current 25.3 mpg~a jump of'y.i percent per year.

While pondering these figures, keep In mind that the tests used to measure GAFE numbers are based on old city and highway tests. Today's window stickers take those raw numbers, massage them, and incorporate ot her sests with the goal of providing a more realistic, lower estimate. Example: A BMW 328i rated at 18 mpg city and 28 highway on its window sticker has a "raw" CA FE

fuel economy of about 28 mpg-just above today's Cal' standard ofz7.5.

Indeed, the new standards are not as severe as they appear. Par one thing, automakers have been bettering the existing standards, As an example, for 2009, car fleets averaged 32.5 CAFE mpg, while trucks came in at 24.5 mpg. That's 5 mpg abo'9'€: the standard for cars and 1 mpg better than the truck requirement. Beating the current targets gives automakers surplus credits that can be applied toward the future increases, which helps ease the burden of the S.l-percent annual improvement That will be requ ired in the coming years.

Just as they do today, the rules will allow auromakers to average their fuel economy across a number of models. A guzzler that doesn't meet the standard can be "canceled out" by one or more vehicles that better the mpg standard. However, the government's

2016 fuel-economy numbers of37.8 mpgand 28.8 mpg are projections because, unlike today, when every car and truckfleet must meetthe same mandatedaverage, the future requirements will be instead based on the size of each vehicle in a manufacturer's fleet.

The relevant dimension is called the "footprint" and is defined as the product of a vehicle's wheelbase and track, in square feet. The idea is to applyfuel-efficiency standards to individual vehicles, thus encouraging all cars and trucks to be more fuel efficient.

Here's how it works. A 2010 Honda Accord has awheelbase ofno.z.inches anda track of 62.6 inches. Multiplying those two figures yields a footprint of 47.9 square feet. lfyou plug that Ii gure into the government's formula, you get a target mpg of 35.9 for 2016. The smaller its footprint, the higher the fuel economyagiven vehicle has to meet; A current Pord Pocus would have to achieve

22 JUNE 20 10 ~ CARA NDDRIV E R.CO M

Vyvanse' for adults with Shown to be ,effective even at 14 hour

H

after taking.

7:00AM

Ate breakfast and took Vyvanse.

11:00 AM Focused on finishing a presentation .

. 5:00 PM Organized my monthly bills.

9.:00 PM

Was able to sit through my ch ]d's favorite movie.

CO STE TtY'

a .;:: •• VyvanSe™(E : ::~ •••• ;: ': - (lisdexamfetamine _. f; .. dimesylate) capsules

In a ci'ioical ~tudy with aoutts with ADHO, Vyvaos~ slgnificandy improved symptoms of inattention (eg, lack ctrocus), hyperactivity,and jmpulsivity. In another clinical study. Vyvansewas shown to

be effecl,ive 2 hours after taking and was effecUve consistently rhroughoclt the day.

lIyou h,ave ADHD ilnd have trouble focusing, ,IS k your doctor about Vyvanse.

1·866.633·4793, www.vyv.Ulse.COIl1.

Abuse of amphetamines may lead to de,~ndence. Mi5u.se' of amphelarnill.e rna.ycau~e$udden death andsedous (I,Irdl'o\l8,scular adverse events. These events have also been reported rarel.y with amphetamine use.

Talk to yoU! beelthcare provider if' your child experiences slowing of growth Ihelght and weight). Children should have their height and weight checked periodically while taking Vyvanse. 'tour healthcare provider mily stop Vyvanse treatment If a problem Is found during these cnetk·ups.

Vyvanse was generally well tolerated Indlnlcal studies. The most common side effects reported in $tudi'e~ of Vyvanse were: chl/dre.n - decreased appetite .. difficulty failing asleep, stomachache, and ilTiirabUity; adulrdecreased appetite. difficulty failing as!eep.and dry mouth.

Aggression, new abnormal thoughtslbena,viors, mania, growth suppresslon, worse.nrng of motion orverbal' tics, andTourene's syndrome ha\'e been assorlared with use of drugs otthis type. Tell the doctor if you or your child has blurred vision while taking Vyvaraso1!.

Pleue se-e patient BriefSummary of FuU P.re5cribing' Information on the following page.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Vyvanse Is indicated for the treatment of AOHO. EffiO'lcy based on two controlled lrialsin (hildren agecl6 to 12~nd one controlled trial in aoults,

TeU the doctor about any heart conditi<lIls, induding structural abnormaliti.es, that )'011, ),ourchild: or iii family member, .may have. Inform The doctor immediately if you or your child develops symptoms that suggest hearl problems, such as chest pain or fainting.

Yyvanse should not be taken if you or your chil'd has advanced disease of the blood vessels {arteriosc,ler'osls); symptomatic heart djsease: moderate to severe high blood pressure, overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism); known allergy or unusual reactions to drugs called sympathomimetic arninss (for example, pseudoephedrine); ~izures: glaucoma: iii history of problems with alcohol or drugs; agitat@d states; taken a monoamine oxldase inhibitor (MAOI) wi~hill the lsst 14 days_

Tell the doctorbdo.re taking Vyvanse if YOLI or your c.hild IS .belng treated for or has symptom5 of depression [sadne~s, worLTIlesSn€55, or hopslessnl;;s) or bipolar disorder-has abnormal thought or visions, hears abnormal sounds, or has been dlaqncsed with psychosis;has had sei~ure5- or abnormal EEGs; has or has had high blood pre5sure;exhibl.ts aggressive behavior or hcstillty, Tel.1 the doctor immedip1:ely if you or your child develops any ofmese conditions or symptoms while taking Vyv.anse.

You are enc'Ouragedto report negative side effects: of prescription dmgs to the FDA.Visltwww,fda,gov/meciwatch,orc;an 1·BOO·fDA·1OSB,

MEDICATION GUIDE

VYVANSe (lisdexamfelamine dlmesylate)CII

Read the MeO'lcation Guide that comes Wjlt) Vyw~se before you or your child starts laking it andoocn til11e you get a rei in, There may be new information, This Medica!!on GUide,does not take Ihe place ~ talking 10 yourcoctorabou! YOli or your child's traatmen! w~h Vyvanse,

What is Ihemoslimportanl informali"n I should fmow about V1vanse? 'VYYa'l'Ise Is a $timulanl medIcine,., The Ioilow,ing have been re~orted wilh lise of stlmulanl medicines.

1. Heart·relal9d problems:

• sudden deatllln pa.llf!nfli who have heart problems or hrunt d~tects

• stro kund heart attack In adults

• i nCfea,sed blood pressure and heart rate

Tell your dootOf if you or y<lll r child nave any he art problems, hea II defects, ~ jg~ ,biOI) d pressure, or Ii IamjlV h lstQlY of th!!Sa prClblems.

Your doGtor should ch eck you 0 r your C Nla carelu lIy lor heart problems Il<e[ore starting Vvvanse.

YilUr doclor shmJ!d check you or yotJl child's tilood presstJ Ie and hea rt rate regUlarly during Irea tmen! WIth Vyvanse. . Call you r doclOi'ri:ghl ~ay if you 0 r your child has any si9JlS of heart prolllmls such as ohes1 pain, shortness 01 breath,or fllinting whne lak!ng Vywnse.

.2. Menta! (PSY~

All Patients

• new or WOrse bellav or andlhollghtp.roblems

• new Of worse b 1 pclar III n es s

o new or wor~ aggressive behavior or ho.stlllty Children and Teenagers

• new psychotic sym~lams (such as hearing lIoiOO$, believIng Il'Ilngs

Illal. are nottrue, are SlIspiciollSj or new manic symptoms

Tell ~ollrdoclol alroiJI any merltal problems yo.u Of your child have , or abOl.lt a famJly history 01 suicide. bipolar ntness, OT depression.

Call ycur doctot I'Ighl. .~. It you oryoul child lirve any new or worsenllig menta I symptOms Or problems IIlhlle laking VyWllSll, espeCial~ seel ng or hear· Ing !hi 1\9$ thai are lIot real, believing things lhatllre notreal. 0 rare! sU$picio liS,

Wh ails V}IIm nse 1

Vyvanse Is a tentlal nervous sysIem s!tmula"l nrescflptlon medlcrrm, Ills used for' tile treatment of AUel1Uon·Deficll HyperacUvity Disorder (ADHD). VyvallSe meW h elj:! if\(; rease atlentio r1I and decrease imp ulsll'eril:ss3 rKi nypetaclIVity in patients wah ADHD.

Vyvanse should be used as a pall o~ a tolal treatment program for ADHO that may indude. co unseling 0 r olhe r 1l1arap ies.

Vyvanse Is a lederally controlled substance, (~Q becauSe I~can ileabllsed 01' lead to dependence, Keep Vyvanse In a sale pJacelO prevent misuse and abuse. Selll n9 or gM 119 ~tay Vyvanse may h<\rTn ,other'$, and is agaInst U,elal.v, Tell you r dodnt' H you 0 r yo lJI en ild Mava (or haw a !aro Iy t'nsmry 00 eve r a!!lJ.sed or been dep enden! on alcohol. presOfipticn medicines or str~et drug s ..

Wh.o should not lake Vyvanse?

VY~lI.nse,shlluld nO.1 be taken II you or yOllr child:

.' have Marl diseas-e or hardening • fife very .a~;{iQl.lS,le. lise, or agitated

ollhe an aries have a hIStory 01 arllQ allose

• Ilave moderate to severe high • are lakf ng or have la~en within !he

blood pressure past 14 crays an anU·depill&slon

ltave hyperthyroidISm mediclM ealleda m(jf'l(iamiM

• have an rJoje pl'ODlem called g!aIlComa OXidase inhicltor or MAOI

• 15 sens rlive 10, allergiC 10, or bad a reaction (0 other stlmll1an t medici nes Vyvanse ha s not be e n stud I eel In child te 11 less Ihan 6 years. old. VYIIElnse IS no I recommended for use in ehild ren I ess !han 3 years old

Vyvanse may nOl be righ.1 for you or your ehll~. Before startlngVywnse I!lIyour or yo ur child'S doClor about all health conditions (or a la rn ify history oQincllJding:

• heart p IQbiems, heart defects, high • I ivel 0 f kidney problems

blood pre!;$ure· IIlYIOltli proli:em$

• mel1~1 problemslnCludrn;gpsydMS'iS.. S9~ures or have ~ad an al'l[Iortnal

man la, bi polar ilincM, or clepressio n brain wave lest (EEG)

• tics or Tourette's syndrome

Tetl yO~1 dQC10r 11 YOl! 0 r your child is pre gnan!, plan n i ng to beoo 11)6 preg nant. Q r b reastfeecfing.

Can Vyv.ans9 be laken with ether medicines?

Tell your doclor abou1 an of the medicines that you or your child lake InclUd· Ing prescripllon ami non·prestrlplion medlcines,vilamins, and !herbal 'supplements. Vy\'anse and soma medlcine.s rmlY interact wilh t;tac/1 other an~ callS(!. se:ria us sldeelfeCl5. SomBti mes the d eses 01 other medicines wi II need to be adjusted while laking Vy"afl~

\'Qu' dootor will decide' ~he1J1er Vvvanse can be laklln With olher medicines, EspeCially tell ~our docl!)t if you 01 yourchi!d t&kes:

• antl·cepresslon medielr1es ifIClu.dlng MAOls. blomj pcessure mediclMs

• anii·psychotic medicines • selzule medicines

• IIthlu m • na reolie pain medicines

Know the Inedlcine:s that you or your chRd takes. Keep a Itsl at your mediomes \Vlth yo u to ,show yo ur dOCIO r and pha rmacisl.

Do nol s1~rI8ny'~ew'medlcine while I'aklng Vyvanse wilnoul talking loyo~r doctor first.

How 'Shollid Vvvanse be taken?

• TakeVyvanse exactly 3.S prescribed .. VYl{aflSIJ comes if) 6 dilfutent strength CajlsutM. YourOOG.tor ,may ao just Ire dose u nl i I' it is ff_g~1 tor you or you r chile!. Take V'fNl/J.e 01"100 " day in the morning.

• Vyvanseoan be lakellwith or wnhoullood,

• From time 10 time, yellr docto! may stop Vyvanse treatment lor a ~vhjl$ to checK AOHO symptoms,.

• ¥Our docto r may do regular onecis of the, blcod, heart and 1:11000 pres sure while takihg Vyvallse, ChHdren should ha.ve tlleir height and weigl!! crleoked often while takingVyvanse. Vyvanse treatment may be stopped if apmh1am.ls taurld ~urlng these.c heek· ups.

• If yOll or your child lakes 100 much VyvansE' or overdoses, call your

do etor 01 poi 5 on 00.0 I wi cen tel rig!lt :'go/'Iay, or gel II In ergency lrea lmenl What are possible side effects· oi Vyvanse?

See "What Is Ih& most Impoltant Information I shoufd know abaut Vyvanse?" JorinformaUon on reported heart and mental problems,

Other serious side.l!tiecls includ~:

• .510Wlng of growth 1 h eigNanrl Weight) III chnClre n

• sei;w res. mai nly in patienls with a history 01 seiZlIres

• eyes igl1! chang.es or & u!ted vision Common side efleols Include:

• upperbel~ pall'l' rsesee • dry mo(tlh

• djzzill.llss • weight loss • trouble sleep.lng

• irrilabilily • decreased !lPpe!ile • vomiting

V'{'J3lise may afiecl VOUfct l'0w en IlOs ability to drive or do othel t!a~iOUS activlUes. Thill to yo UI dClclO r i1 you or yOl,! r child has sf de eltae!s Iha! are botherso me 0 r do 'nol go away,

lhts Is not a, comple:e IIsl 01 posslbreslde eUecls. As yo UI doclo' or Phafmaoist for more. information.

Call your ~tof 1m medltal advice' abolll side effeds, You may report me effec!s to FDAaIHOQ.FOA-l0S8,

How should I storeVyvanse?

• Store Vyvanse In a safe place alroom temperature. 59 to 86' F (15 to 30· q.

Protect trem lighl

keep Vyvanse and all medicines out ol lfie reach 01 chIldren.

Genera ri n10 rm atlo 1'1 a bout Vyva n se

Mer.lidnes are sorn~lim8~· pr8s01'lbed lor purposes olller than Ihose listed In a Mediaa~on 'Guidll. Do not use VY>fMSe tor II comJ.llion foY whictl II was 'not nrescnbl!l't Do not Oillt! Vyvans~ to other p!lOp!e.evel'lif thay have the saml\ condition. II May harm them anc! ij is agi!.inst the law.

TIlts MedicatioJ1 Guide swnmariles the most Impcrlani info rmation abo ut lfyl<ll1Sl)., If you would like more inlorma~on. iaf.l'lith your dooto f.YoU can ask yetlr doctor or pnarmacist ill informabon about Vyvan se ihai was written for heaHncare profesKlMals. For mota fr:irormalion about Vyvanse, pleasll oontactShira US Inc, at 1,800·a2B~oas, What altlthe Ingfedlenls In Vr"<lnse1

Active Ingredient; lisdexamtelamlne dfmesy!ate

Inactlvelngredient&: microe<ysWJline cellulose. crcscarmeJ'ose sodium, and magoesiumstl.larate. The 'capsule s~eUs contain gela.tin, titanium dio;OOe~ ami one or more oj 11m follOWing: D&C Red 1128, D&C Yellow ltlO, FD&C Blue !II, FO&C Gr!lell ~3. and FD&C Aedil40.

This Medication GUIde has been approved by !he U.s. food and 01\19 M.m.,is\ratloo. ©2QOS Shirt! US Inc. US Pat No 7.105,486 and LIS Pat No. 7223.735

LaS! Modified: 0:.12009 \lYV~H180 (Shire

AFTER WADING THROUGH SOME 1500 PAGES, WE CAN SAY THAT THIS OVERHAUL OF CAFE WAS CAREFULLY CONSIDERED.

40.8 by 2016, while a Mercedes S-class will have a bogey of 31.S mpg. The aforementioned 328i will have to hit 38.2 mpg.

The demands on trucks are much less severe. A compact Nissan Rogue SUV, for example, would have to achieve 32.5 mpg in 2016, while 24.7 11lpg is required of a Chevy Silverado pickup. However, the Silverado's footprint is as big as the regulations recognize. Larger trucks, despite all even bigger footprint, Will still have to meet the same 24.7 mpg as the Silverado. On the other end of the

spectrum, the fuel-economy increases stop at cars the size of'the Focus. Cars smaller than the Focus won't be required to get better mileage.

Every automaker's CAFE requirement will be different, depending on the size of the vehicles it produces. In the cases of both cars and trucks, each automaker's fleet CAFE target will be calculated by averaging the footprint-based CAFE targets of each and every

vehicle it sells in a given model year,

Those who build lots of' really large trucks-bigger than medium-wheelbase full-size pickups, such as the. Silverado example-will suffer, as vehicles that big don't get any size-based, fuel-economy breaks. Similarly, if a company's fleet has many subcompacts, it will amass fueleconomy surpluses that, for the first time, can be sold to other automakers to offset some mpg shortfalls they might have.

For z0l6, expected car-fleet CAFE requirements will range from a low of 34.7 mpgfor Jaguar/Land Rover (now owned by Tara) to a high of 40.8 mpg for Suzuki due to the small size of its cars. Porsche would have needed to make the. largest increase in mpg, however, the fact that VW absorbed the sports-car company means there's a good chance that Porsehe's fuel

economy will now simply be part of the conglomerate's overall average. Truck standards are expected to range from 27.Z mpg (GM) to 31.9 mpg (Subaru).

To see how this affects various companies, we looked at their actual CAPE performance in 2008, the most recent year for which complete statistics are available. On the car side, Jaguar/Land Rover is facing the biggest increase-39.9 percent, though BMW and Subaru are close behind. Toyota has it easiest, faced with a mere 5.6-per-

cent increase. American truckmakers aren't too badoff.either, with only a 19.1-percent increase demanded of Ford. Jaguar/Land Rover's truck fleet faces the toughest challenge, an improvement of more than 62.

Expected Cost 0. Savings

$600[J

%0"0

~.ooo

'010""

$Zooo

$1000

EXPECTED PRICE INCREASE OFl016 MODElS

percent.

Achieving these goals will require various engine and transmission 'technologies, as well as improved aerodynamics/ tires with Tower rolling resistance, and materials

that reduce weight.

Government analysts expect that the incremental costs of better mileage will boost the price of an average 2016 model hy$9Z6 (over azort model). On the other hand, the government estimates that each of those vehicles will save about $4000 in fuel costs over its lifetime.

Critics say it's easy for the feds to create these standards-they're not in the business of building and selling vehicles. But after wadi ng through some 1500 pages of documents, we can say that ·this overhaul of CAFE was carefully considered, involved extensive input from antomakers, and-with the new size-based standards=takes into account customer choice in a way that the old system never did. And if gas prices once again head roward $4, customer demand for fuel eCODomywill likely outstrip these regulations.

ESTIMATED .FUEL SAVINGS OVER VEHICLE lI.F,E

CARANDDRIVER.COM !l. J UN E 2010 25

Ar y,QUrC ··Iild's sym'ptGmS consis,t,ently cont,r'ol,led even during familytimie1

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ro S E

~i: .. Vyv~nse~ QC

-,;. __ ~;'':_'''. (ilsdexamfetoUlI e

., _ ulmes)llatel capSUles

Hard TiDIes, Bigger Fines

> DRIVERS PINCHED AS TAX RIVERS DRY UP.

by MICHAEL GOLDSTEIN

I .. Port.aind"OreCJon In'radlon: Expired parking Prevll1us rlne! $24

New fine: $34, That's a 42'pe-rcant inct'e~se" <llld (lon't even thi nk. of par king in iI Ilandicap ZQIW; if you don't h"ve a permit, tne $190 flne- Is now $450-a 137-percent hl~e,

Date 01 Jn~r.as.: 2010 Rationale: "We do not put

flnes lnplace to make mcnev," ~a,vs Sus<1n' Keil, the city's trensportanon bllreau director. "We put fj nes I n pi ace toe ha IlO e behavior."

'J, S,tat,e of Califo.rn'ia (example cited here is Palm Sprin~5i) Infraction: Failure to stop at a ~ed light Prnl.ous line: SJB7

N,w nne: $4'56

Date 01 Incruu: 2009

AatlltnaJe: This Increase 01 lone raised some

.$22·0 milliolll~sl ye."r, ·earmar~ed lor renQIf·etiQn ami construction costs at 40 state courthouses. The line <lp'lIilrentiy varles by ar~; It's a Ila'I$100 f"Or the oflel'lSec, then the city and county Jurisdictions "",her€' 1~ oecurred. alOIH} with the state,splt! ilbout$35Q ofta.cRed·on fine5.

'1. Dallils,Texas Infradlon; EXpired p<lrking Prtlilom: 11M: $20 - New tlntl $3.5-<1 15-percent lnerease

Date ,of In"'l!!a5~ 2.009 Rationilliel "With Dallas

tilc I no its wor51 b u dQ et crls1's In a generation, thl'l Clfy Council unanlrneusl y voted to inc rea se p~ t~ in gmeter lees ~nd illegal - parklf!gllne~ in hope,s of oelleratlnQ revenue," -Gallas MClf(!I(l9 News

8. State of Florida

!nlnellom Speeding, 10 to 14 mph over the limit PuvloU!i fine: $156

New f1ne: $191

I!)a,t,t 0' IneNlase: 2009

R~,tIQ ['ale: The revenue from the Increases In lines coes to a

s t ate- cou rts reven ue trtl s t fun d. "The h op ~ IS thai this is 1M: j·irst step in Irylng ~o .ecure a more 5~able fund·In.C) source for toe court," ~t!~s Lisa Goodner, stele courts &drnin;!;-tr~tor, But loci'l poli~e are less enthusiastlc, Capt, Dennis Stww 01 the Marlon C'ol.mty Shei'm'~ Office says: "t.et·~ be honest, There's not Ihat many 01 USWhO OF! any giVen day ~on't violate." traffle law. You've 1)01 to ma.ke th(> punishment HI the crime."

PACED WITH THE O:-JG01N"G ECONOMIC CRISIS, municipalities across :-J orrh America are reaching ever deeper into the pockets of motorists.

Politicians dare not whisper the "t -word" (taxes), but public- funded budgets must be balanced, which is why cities, states, and provinces are intensifying their efforts to make their drivers a revenue stream.

As usual, the government officials behind these initiatives claim it's all being done in the name of safety. But as Thomas Garrett, vice-president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, wrote ina srudyritlcd "Red Ink in the RearvicwMirror: Local Fiscal Conditions and the Issuance of Traffic Tickets": "Our results suggest that tickets arc used as a revenue-generation tool rather than solely a means to increase public safety." Here are some of the worst offenders:

2. State 0' Colorado Infraction; SpE!lllllng Prevloos line: $50

New fine: $135 for driving 10 to 19 mph over "reasonable and,prl,ident :spe~d'·-a170·perc"l)t 'nere<!"".

Dete Q,' Increau": 2008

R!ltlOI'l~,[e:: "Our fine$. in Co.loraac are three times I~w{'r thaflln M<lssachusell sand Ve'rm(mt. We haven't actually r.aised tr,1ffic lines In about three decades In Colorado:' sa,ys the b'III's sponsor, Slate House Transporh,tlo.n CommIttee chair Buille McFayden 01 Pueblo,

S. :Baston, Massachusetts Inlractlon: ParJ(lng, specifically "flon'em e rge n ty r('p!li fto, a . vehiCle," part of a pa<>Rage or ",enMnced" parKing fines

Previous nn,,: $20

New fln~: $40

Date of Increu.: 2008

R;a·tiona'e: Boston Transportat.ion ComlT1l~sioner Thomas J. Ttnlln says: "I..et meempha site that ~r you don't park IIIe.gally in sestcn, yoU will not be aff'~cled· by thIs a.ctl'on:"

26 JUNE 2010 ~ CARANDDRIVER.COM

3. Ontario, Canada. In'ractlon: Fallure to stop at a red light

Prevfous fln~: $500

New rille! $1000

Date of ino::reIl5~; 2.010

Ratjonal&~ "Higher "fines for corwlctlOIlS wlll be a hOth er effective tool 10 help make Ontario roall"s saler," says Julian Fsntlno, Ontario Provincial Police Commission.er, "especially if It gets fhe attelltion 01 irH'5polls'ib!e and reckless drivers,"

6. State of Georqia lidradilln; "SupefSpeediAg" Previous tine: Standard tlnes

New flnt: A Mate fine of $200 lor driving 8S i'tiph or f~ster en highvrays aM 75 Olp!> or laster on twe-iane roads, issued in addilionlo Ih~ local speeding ticket (typicallv more Ihan $10(1),

Date of Increase: 201:0

Rei 'onale: "lt's a lifesaving Jaw," says Bob Dallas, director of the ·Governor's Office of Highway Safely. "At some point we just have til' put an end 10 th", superspeeders lind using our roadways es a racetreck," Not ~~~In~·n qutte that Way Is Sherlfl J. Tysoj:j. StepheM ",I EManuel COUrtIV, wllo sa·V5 the $200 s.tale 11M is little mllfe than i'l tax lhat will Impose an oU('ohkilter bvr!le,n onthe worklnQ. ~OiH.

A Ild, one WE' ~a/1l ac:fuilily aqrn with.:

9. Germany

InfradFcn: S1aylng In the left lane of the aulobahn when the .rlqM.! lane is free

Prevli:fUS 'I!ru!; 40 euras (about $54) New line: 130 eUf'OS {about $IOB) I)~te of lnerease: 21)09

R~tionlllo: Impro~e road safety.

·'U~ to now, the- fInes In Germany were rether l.owcomplI,,~d with other EUfo,peap countries," says l.t. Col. lOll Walker, the OPM'~ (U.S. Army EUfOpe OrfJce of tile Provost Marshijl) chief Of law'enforcement operations..

ILLUSTRATION by TJlOMAS POROSTOCKY

-c@

TRAVEL AVA LON CLASS

WHAT 0 BING?

VERYTHING!*

THE NEW TOYOTA AVALON

ProlOtype vehicle shown with opiional equipment P ~Glion mOi:lel miW vary, 'Cargo and bad capeoil)'

tlmited by weight arK! distribution, Roose note. soo.tb should .. Iways tie worn when vohfc1a Is In motiOl1

eJ!10'" ToyolaMolor Sal"", U.S.A.. Inc,

Ioyota.com/aveJon

UPFRO],;T

How to: GO TO A TRACK DA Y

We often talk about "track days" as if they are some mythical time in which the rules of the universe have been suspended andall cars are faster and nobody complains about his prostate. But a track day' is nothing more than an opportunity for everyday drivers to take their cars to a racetrack and drive them mercilessly, without fear of traffic citation. So, the newbie might ask, just what goes on at a track day, and how does one find out about themr

.. byTONY QUIROGA

STEP 1; FIND IT

First, locate a nearby or i nterest ing road course and go to that track's website. Once there, find a schedule of events and look for "track day' Or "driver school" events. Occasionally, tracks host their own "open lappi fig" sessions, but most track days arc set up by car clubs. from the schedule, figu.rc OUt which clubs are hosti ng a track dayand then check out th at particular dub's website to lookup how to register and what it costs. Expect to pay about $2.00 for adayoflapping.

STEP 4: BE PUNCTUAL

Plan on sbowingup earlyfor the drivers' meeting: lt'susuallymandarory, tr's also important because it will make clear how the event will be run; what cars will be ou the track, When, and for how longjwhere passing slower cars maytake place on the track; the meanings of the flags; who is in charge of the event; and sundry other safety reminders. The drivers' meeting is also agood time to ask questions. rind out ifinstructors are available to help you with driving tips and learning the track.

STEP 2: GEAR UP

Rules and requirements vary from club to club, so be sure to find out ahead of time what's needed to lap your car. Some car clubs restrict events to their club's make, or they have other restrictions, such as a roll-bar or hardtop rcqul rernent for co nvertibles. The rules will also spell out what sort of safety rating your helmet will need and Whether you'll be requ i red to wear fireproof shoes and a racing suitwbile driving on the-track,

STEP 3; DETERMINE FITNESS

Maire sure your car is ingood enough condition to survive high-speed 'lapping. Check the brakes, all fluids, and the tin's, It's also a good idea to service the car before and after running it on the track These events often demand a "tech inspection," so be sure inadva nee that you r car can pass, thus avoiding a big pile of hassle.

STEP 5: WEAR YOUR RUBBERS CAREFULLY

Most likely, first-timers won't be prepared to buy a set of dedicated track tires [see Gearbox, page 133J, but ata minirnuru, bring a tire gauge to at least fine-tune your

pressu res to keep ti rcsweari ng evenly overt he day. If you're lapping on the tires rhatwill take you home from the track, don't forget to leave some tread forthe return trip. Driving fast leads to wa ntLng to go even faster, and while you're repeatedly red lining your car and exploitingeverythlng ithas to offer, remember that your car still has to get you home.

STEP 6: STAYFULL

Food may not be available at the track-s-or nearby.for that matter-so it's wise to stock up on water and sandwiches, plus SUnscreen and whatever else you'll need to sustain you throughout the day. lIill npyour car's fuel tank at a station near the track to avoid buying gas at the facility; fuel maybe available at the track, btl t It usually costs about So percent more.

BE SMART Even though track days aren't competitive or timed events, your insurance company most likely won't pick up the tab if you turn your car into a static modern art sculpture, so read up on your policy'S fine print. If you keep within your limits and remind yourself there is no trophy to be won, there's a better chance your car will stay shiny side up,

... . -- .. . _. - - . ,\. . - .. ... ~ -. - --- . - _. - - .. - ~ - - - -

2·8 JUNE 2010 .::: CARANDDRIVER.COM

ILL USTRATIO N by CHRIS 'PHI"LPO'f

~~~ BREITLING

1.884

DH PERFECT TREE~ LET us FrR UP THE CHRINSAW.

We nurtured you, We pruned you, little wmged demons to bUIld nests In your

We put our trust IfI you to protect OUI branches. We asked for shade, you

cars Iro.m the sun. And what do you do in return?

gave us bird droppings, Bad move, tree, Don't be surpr ised 11 Wffil:ldClY you lind youmdT in OUI

You belray us Showellrlg our paint with your

toxic sap, Dropping your CTU5ty leaves, And horror among horrors, allOWIng those filthy

lIVing room. As a ccllee table. Piled with car mag<.l2ines. Made out or your hier-ds.

I::ARS DESEfiVE BETTEfl. MDlHE.RS.COM

Japanese CoJJectibJes

by PAUL DUCHENE

apanese cars grew up fast in the 19608. Theywere toddling by 1966; walking by 1970; and, by 1975, the Honda Accord was a runaway suecess. Some of those cars are now edging into the collector market. One rare toddler is an original 19 66 Toyota Corona Deluxe four-door with less than 9000 miles. It stunned the crowd at the Silver Auction in Arizona in 2.007 when it sold for $16,740. The same car sold for $38,160 at Mecum's r ndianapolis sale in May 2.009, to collective gasps. The original price was $1760, or about $11,600 ill today's dollars.

Simple and durable, that '66 car serves as a reminder that the race does 110t always go to the swift, or even to the handsome, but to those who can finish . Which raises the question: Which '60S and '70S Japanese cars are collectible? Ignoring for the moment the everybody-had-one Datsun 2.402 and the nobody-could-afford-one Toyota 2.000 GT, here are three suggestions spanning a sizable price range .

• 1967~'70 DATSUN 2000 SRL311

As street racers have learned, this angular roadster may look like its 160o-cc pushrod Sibling, but with a z.o-liter engine and a five-speed, it's quicker than it appears. A factory race kit offered up to 150 horsepower and Jaguar E-type performance. The first-year, low -windshield model is preferred. Rust is a real threat, so shop in southern states. Timingchain troubles can be catastrophic; check records.

ENGIN-E" 1982-cc SOHC 4-cylinder, 135-150 hp UNfTS MADE" 14,450

VALUE" $10.000-$.20.000

.1976~'77 TOYOTA CELlCA GT LJFTBACK

It's a brilliant revival of the 1969 Mustang Mach 1, right down to the ducktail and the triple vertical taillights. Features include the bulletproof, z.z-liter 20R motor;

rear -wheel drive; a five-speed; lots of gauges; and effective air conditioning. Stylish and reliable, without being

a razor-sharp performer, it's an ideal first collector car.

ENGINE" 2189-cc SQHC 4-cylinder. 90 hp UNITS MADE" more than 50.000

VALUE" $1500-$1500

• 1967-'72 MAZDA COSMO nos

This eccentric sports coupe housed Mazda's first production rotary engine. Its looks are an acquired taste, with early Lamborghini touches (before Lambos achieved total awesomeness). Spares are nonexistent, all Cosmos are righthand drive, and beware of rotorapex-seal issues on early cars. There's a handful in the U. S.:. Lena has one; Mazda North America has two. ENGINE" 982-cc 2-rotor Wankel, 110 hp

UNITS MADE> 1600, including prototypes VALUE" $18,000-$35,000 (if you can find one)

CARANDDRIVER.COM!: JUNE 2010 31

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UPFRO:\,T

CSI Virginia: lbe Mysterious ZCrash

> A FOLLOW-UP INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT CAUSED THE BRAKE FAILURE AND COLLISION OF OUR NISSAN NISMO 370Z.

by DAVE VANDERWERP

W h.ell \\ .. ,el .. as .. t.left. off, w ..... e had Just imbedded a

Nissan NISMO 370Z into Virginia International Raceway's Turn One retainingwall during our fourth Lightning Lap [February 2010J so forcefulJyas to have fused them together into a sort of vehicular diphthong.

The cause? It certainly wasn't a case of running out of talent. No-fact is, the N 1SMO's presumably strong brakes weren't. And they failed us at the worst possible time-at the fastest point on the track, when we were attempting to decelerate from 130 mph for the 4s-mph right-hander that is Turn One.

What was unnerving to this driver, havingjust survived the most terrifying experience in a Is-year driving life, was that Nissan officials from Japan weren't at all surprised. They matter-of-factly reported that the Z's stock brake pads were designed primarily for low noise and low dust, and not for racetrack situations. It's our view, howeverand we don't think we're alone-that the NISMO Z, an even sportier version of a

32 JUNE 2010 !! CARANDDRIVER.COM

sports car, should be equipped with brakes competent enough to survive a few hot laps. And it's worth noting that we've never experienced such hellacious brake degradation in the history of our Lightning Lap events.

As a result of our crash, Nissan began offering highperformance brake pads as a

$580 option for any Sport packageequipped 370Z or NISMO Z.

We wanted to test the fortitude of these upgraded brake pads for ourselves, so we arranged a back-eo-back test of the base pads-like the ones on our Lightning Lap NISMO Z-and the new pads. We used two Sport-package 37025 (which have the same brake hardware as the N1 SMO Z). To provide as much context as possible, we employed the same severe methodology from our 11 -vehicle braking showdown ("The Power to Stop," August 2008].. That consisted ofa continuous battery of stops from 100 mph until the performance of the brakes degraded signifi-

candy. These 100- mph braking events were broken down into five-stop cycles;

we began each cycle with a moderate, o.S-g stop (that'S about half

of the Z's ultimate braking capability) and measured brake-pedal force and travel for evidence offade, Four panic stops followed each cycle's first

moderate stop, and we recorded the distance it took the car to come to a standstill. We executed stops every 20 seconds (including the ti me to accelerate back to 100 mph) and repeated the five-stop cycles until the brakes succumbed to fade. That's when the brakes get so hot that it causes a reduction in the friction between the pads and the rotors, which leads to longer stopping distances and increased pedal travel, as well as requiring more pedal force.

Typically, asporry car can endure 30 or 40 stops in this fashion, but after seven strong panic stops, the base Akebono pads began to give way, which wasn't surprising given our

into a. barrier at 50 mph during our light ning Lap event.

PHOTO GR APR Y by RO BERT K ERIA N

"With f.rl'I"J1 urn fl)~1. ' 'EPA estmotl'd 17 cltyt21i hWll120 rnmblned mp~ manua, uess IS Sports cars vs. 2010 (OlT'pel~tors. Optional 'ealures sMwn

Drive one.

Ul'FROl'iT

Lightning Lap experience, Stopping distances fromioo mph worsened from about 325 feet to nearly 500, a level the Z maintained. through cycles two and. three. By the end of the fourth cycle (or 20 stops), braking distances stretched to more than 1000 feet, pedal travel increased by almost four inches, and even go ading the pedal With ISO pounds offeree couldn't produce 0.5 g of deceleration. Although the brake-pad fade was dramatic, at least it happened somewhat gradually, far more so than during our wild ride at the Virginia track.

These pads fall into the "non-asbestos organic," or NAO, category found on most street cars, and. those organic materials simply can't deal with racetrack levels of heat. The base Z's pads melted away-no exaggeration-to practically nothing during our io minutes of flogging, depositing their material around the rotor in wbat at first glance appeared to be Significant scoring.

The new, upgraded pad (brandedNISMO) is sourced from Federal Mogul's Perodo line (no Hobbit jokes), which also halts impressive machinery such as the Ford GT, the Chevy Corvette Z06, and the Lamborghini Gallardo. This pad material is referred to as "low-

steel," a caregorygenerally defined as being comprised of 10 to 25 percent steel fibers. The steel helps the pads remain effective at high temperatures, and although the pads were designed for track use J Federal Mogul says noise and dust behavior were Significant considerations in the pads' construction.

These brakes had noriceablyrnore bitein irial stopping distances were about 10 feet shorter than 'with the base pads-but an argument could be made that, overall, this setup wasn't necessarily a step in the right direction. Although the upgraded pads endured roughly a dozen more stops than could the base pads and were extremely consistent-the Z's zoth stop took 318 feet, almost exactly the same as the first onetheir performance fell off a cliff shortly thereafter.

The next two stops were spooky: Mashing the brake pedal caused the Z to veer quickly and dramatically, requiring steering correction to keep it in a straight line. A

It's a Setup

Thanks to the team of ex-Ford rlde-end-handlinq engineers at the automotive consulting company Cayman Dynamics (www. ca'Ymandynami;cs.com) for loaning us the brake-pedal force and travel transducers for! his test.

likely cause of the unbalanced braking forces tbatproduced this yaw is brake fluid boiling at some corners of the car but not at others. The next stop fully boiled the fluid and caused the braki ng force to evaporate completely-the pedal sank to the floor as we sailed on for almost a half-mile in wbat felt eerily like a repeat of our racetrack crash. We now feel certain that boiling the brake fluid, which was probably made easier because most of the pad material had already melted away, is what caused the brake failure and subsequent crash atVIR.

I lowever, unlike the Virginia experience with the base pads, the new pads were largely unfazed by the two-dozen stops from 100 mph. Itwas justa matter of trying to getthe calipers to squeeze the pads tightly enough; pumpi ng frantically at the brakes to overcome the fluid issue continued to provide stopping power.

And SO we decided to conduct a test we hadn't planned: swapping the Z's standard brake fluid for an aftermarket product, ATE Super Blue, which has a higher b Oiling p oint (536 degrees F). We tested the fluid, which goes for a little over $6 a pinrversus about $5 for the stock fluid, along with a fresh set of brakes with the upgraded pads. Considering 23 essentially fade-free stops, not only did the fluid extend braking performance, but stops 24 through 31 showed gradua I fade-a waming to the driver that things are startingto overheat-which made this by far the best setup. After that, even the ATE fluid couldn't persever~ and it, too, boiled.

Although the upgraded pads and the one-step-up fluid much improved the Z's braking, even this best performance was closer to the less-track-oriented BMW 33Si's from our previous braking test-although the BMW never boiled its fluid-s-and quite a

ways behind the sports-car champs, the Corvette and the Porsche 911, which both survived more than 45 stops with minimal fade and no failure ..

So where does the fault lie with the Z's overheating brakes? It's certainly not with the brake hardware itself.

Comparing the diameter and thick-

Much Improved The rotors and upgraded

pads (unused on bottom) held up to our abusive testing much better t han the brake

fluid did.

34 JUNE 2010 !! CARANDDRIVER.COM

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Cycles ness of the Z'svented rotors-viz.o x L3-inch fronts and 13.8 x o. 8~inch rears-with those of the competition reveals that they are far from inadequate. In fact, when factoring in curb weight, the 34oo~pound NISMO Z is much better endowed than a Mustang GT Track Pack or a Hyundai Genesis coupe with the optional Brembos. The NISMO is on par with a Chevy Camara SS-whose brakes performed admirably at the latest Lighting Lap-and is only slightly Jess stout than the nearly indefatigable Corvette Grand Sport. Part of the reason for the relatively large rotors is that this Nissan brake hardware is used on bigger and heavier vehicles such as the I nfiniti M sedans and FX SUV.

The fault cannot be pinned on the brake fluid, either. Nissarr's DOT 3-grade fluid, which is used in everything except the GT-R, has a dry boiling point of 450 degrees F.

36 JUNE 2010 ~ CARANDDRIVER.COM

Base brake JJClds

• Upgraded brake pads Upgraded + AlE paid

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That's identical to that of GM's DOT 3 fluid, which is used throughout most of the General's lineup, including Corvettes, but is not as extreme as VW/AudFs S09-degree DOT 4 fluid. So while our test with the aftermarket brake fluid extended the capability of the Z's brakes, it couldn't solve the heat-buildup problem-it simply staved off the inevitable. Thus, an even more expensive and sophisticated fluid with a higher boiling point wouldn't be a panacea, either.

OW' suspicion is that Nissan got a bit greedy in its quest for to day's all-important fuel-economy numbers and boosted the Z's aerodynamics a little too far bycutting back on the amount of air directed through the wheel wells to cool the brakes. Key takeaway:

If you intend to track aZ, don't use the base pads, upgrade the brake fluid, and be sure to install brake-cooling ducts.



1he Physics 01: Wheelstonds

> WALKING THE FINE LINE BETWEEN GLORY AND AGONY. byJOHN PEARLEY HUFFMAN

n drag racing, it doesn't gerrnore dramatic than a wheelstand. Front wheels clawing at the ail', rear tires slammed flat into the pavemenr-dr's the decisive moment between disaster and glory. So much can go wrong. Maybe enough air will catch underrhe car to blow it over in agony. Or the driver will lift off the throttle, and the car will slam down and crack open like a chrome molybdenum egg. Conversely, the wheelie could last the entire length of the track, with the crowd going home remembering that bit of epic awesomeness more than who won the race.

In fact, practically all the cars in the NHRA's professional classes-Pro Stock, Funny Car, and Top Fuel-get their front wheels off the ground to Some extent on every successful run, The front wheels may stayairborne for the first 60 feet or so, gemly coming back down to the ground, after which the car rockers on to complete its run.

But the wheel stand was perfected as entertainment by barnstormers like Bill ''Maverick'' Golden and his "Little Red Wagon," a 1965 Dodge AIOO pickup. Peering through holes cut into the bodywork and steering with individually controlled rear brakes, Golden piloted the mid-engined, Hemi-powered Dodge through nearly 40 years of exhibitions.

"There are tWO factors that produce a wheelstand," says Austin Coil, the legendary crew chief for the even-mare-legendary Funny Car driver John Force. "One ofrhsm is the torque of the rear axle, and the other is the center ofgravity,"

Academia has madefarroo little effort to explain the dynamics of the wheelie, But

Patrick 1 I ale, who developed the Quarter Jr. drag-racing computer -simulation program and currentlyworks as a drag-racing consultant (DragRacingPro.com), earned a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Arizona-State University and has equations on hand to digitally recreate virtually any on-track condition.

"The wheelsrand is the natural reaction to tire thrust," Hale explains. "Too much of a wheelstand can even unload the rear tires if the wheelie bars are pushed so hard into the track that they take weight off the rear tires." It's often the case that when a drag car is s1110ki ng its rear tires, it's because a large violent wheelstand unloaded those huge slicks.

To arrive at a formula for when a car goes into a wheelstand, Hale starts with a bask weight-transfer equation. "Delta front weight" is the weight transferred from the front end to the rear tires as the car accelerates.

II " IOTAl ~frJ~nCNHE~

~ ACCELER~TIOH ~ CA, R I CENTER OF GRAVITY ,

(IH G S) WEIGHT

, WHEELBASE

By rug e braically rearranging th e weight - transfer equation above, you can derive a formula for the amount of g's required to produce a wheelstand, i.e., how much accelerative force is needed to transfer all the weight off the front end.

II C ) ( WHEELBASE ~

, FRO H TWEIGH r

~ ,X VERTltA L HEIGH r

TOTAL WmHT OF THE CEHTER

OF GRAVITY

This equation explains why, as the wheelstand gets higher, it gets easier to keep it going. As t be vertical height of the center of gravity gets larger-it increases as the vehide lifts its nose into the air-the amount of g's required to produce a wheelstand gets smaller.

So how hard can a car accelerate? How many g's call you pill]? Leaving aside complications like the torque multiplication of an automatic transmission's torque converter, powertrain losses, and suspension compression, "tire thrust" can be expressed as:

LOW ~ FIHAl.DRIV£~

" W~~~~ X GEAR! RAIIO ,

RATIO TIR E RADIUS

And with perfect tract jon, the number of g's thatthe tire thrust Will result in is ...

TIRE THRUST TIlTAlI'IEIGHT

A tall, powerful vehicle with a short wheelbase-let's say, oh, a 1965 Dodge Aioo with a 90-inch wheelbase, a short (i.e., numerrcally higb) final-drive ratio, a lightened front end, and a supercharged 426 Hemi honker mounted in its bed-would therefore be the easiest to launch into the air and keep there. Conversely, it's \vby 8000 -hp Funny Gars have long wheelie bars sticking out the back that effectively stretch theirwheelbases. And it's also why Top Fuel cars often run with 30o-inch wheelbases. 'What, you thought it was for the sake of legroom?

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38 JUNE 2010 !! C ARA NDDRIV E R.COM

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Nothing is certain but death ,and taxis.

Y em know those classified ad. s. 'th.at. c.oncJu. d. e."li.Nl. '.t. h .. the line, "Serious inquiries

onlyl? Well, along with 11aviJlg an offiGe halfway between the kitchen and the men's toilet, one of myfavorite C/D perks is-that I can go right ahead and call, with no serious inquiries whatsoever, With no ruOllt!.y in my pocket. With no intention of buying.

So that's what I did when I saw all ad [OJ" a 1982. Checker Marathon with 22 miles OIl the odometer. Asking price: $200,000. 1 called the seller, Christopher Markin, and learned be was only 100 miles distant, in Kalamazeo, Punrrycoineidencs: Kalamazoo was home to the Checker Motors Corporation. "Can I come see yow: car?" I asked.

"How 'bour rornorrow?" said Markin. When I showed up, Mr. M. had a vast garage simply overflowing with flawless Checkers. "Man, you really IOiletbese things," I said, "censidering'that the only thin g more homely than a Checker i s two Checkers."

"Yeah, well, they're my I ife," he said, "What are you, the president of the Ched(er dub or somethjqgr" 1 asked.

'lNo, no," he said, quite graciously, "My grandfather Morris fmmded the Checker companyin 1922. Then my fat-her. David, ran it for 39 years. And I was the executive VP until tbe summer oflasr year, supplyingvarious parts to Dodge and Cadillac. In total, that's Bo-someyears. So the cal'S mean a lot tome."

I briefly contemplated some SON of awkward recovery, like, "OJ course 1 know who youare/'but J'dalread:ybeen busted, and, in any event, 38-year-old Markin didn't seem the least 51 ighted. Beh ind him sat the $20oK Marathon, and he opened one of its tomblike rear doors so I could slide "Within.

"Still smells new," he noted. Then he ezplainedthe car's 2.8-year history: "Every lei,OOO miles, rnydad would give my mom a Hew Checker. So in '82., she decided to design her own version, a real co PO car. First off, she wanted an 'E' designation-thar's the

40 JUNE 2010.:: GARANDDRIVER.COM

limo. Then she picked out her own unique blue-and-gray paint scheme and asked for the rare Frosternp underdash AIC option. But just before the car was to be delivered, my parents got divorced. So my dad parked the car in the plant's showroom and had it repainted all black-maybe for symbolic reasons or just to be funny. And the car sat there from 1982 to June 2.009. People would ask to buy it, but my dad always said 110. Except forthejnitial test drive, the car never moved. It's never seen a gas station. They'd just dump a gallon of gas in it and stan: it a couple ofrimes ayeat.lt's maybe the rarest Checker in history."

Whicl1 isn't to say there weren't other oddball Checkers. "We built a silver limo for John McEnroe;" Markin recalled. "It was

standard sheet of plywood." Behind that is a 1976 eight-door Checker Aerobes, one of 100 r5-passengerai.rport vans: the company created. Then there's a '65 Marathon that Markin~s brother received on his 16th birthday, "I don't even want to know all the action tbar took pI ace in that back sear," he added.

Outside, awairfngresrorarion, is a standard cab the company built for the sitcom TCL'\'"4 starring Judd Hirsch, Danny DeVito~ et al, "It was always that cab they filmed inside the garage," he explained, !l'111(;, only good-looking taxi they had."

I Ie's even held onto the 1947 MG TC his dad bought sight unseen as a gift for Markin's mother. "I I earned to drive a stick shift in rhatcar,"besaid. "1 was ioyears old. Its brakes once failed, and I almost hit the

'We built a silver limo for Jobn McEnroe. It was chauffeur-driven, with a full bar in tbeback.'

chau ffeu 1'.' driven , with a full bar in the back, We delivered it to the McEnroe compound in New York, where John was then lixdngwnh his parents. It later got mauled in HUrricane Andrew. After that, he didn't want it back."

Markin's garage contains Checker gems aplenty, if "gem" is the word you'd apply to any vehicle resernblinga Frigidai re with wi ndows. There's ared '81 Marathon prototype, for instance, built to test a Califomia-ernissions-legal V-8. ''It has 19 miles on it and the originalrires," Markin noted. For that.one, he's asking $150,000. "The \Tp of engineering built it, figuring he could get awaywrth driving it home eve,"y night, But he never drove it. In '81, the decision. was made to stop producing cars, and in 1982., we did."

Parked nearby is a green '72. Marathon wagon, the "minivarref its day," he said. "With the rearsears folded fiat, it canheld a

rear of a Ford truck. T ja mmed tr into second gear and pulled the hand brake. Otherwise, the truck's bumper would have taken my head off,"

Despite selling several of his primo Checkers, Markin'S inventory remains strong. '(JIll still have two wagons, two sedans, and an Aerobus=plus three cars currently on loan to the Gilmore Cat Museum," he said.

At day's end, 1']] confess, the Checkers no Iongertooked so homely to me. In faa,.t:iley were exudmgnkind of lnnocenteharm, like a plump farm girl. o Icourse , t was also having the occasional Travis Bickle flashback.

"As a kid, when I'd ride with my mom," said Markin, "someone would inevitably ask what kind of car we had. And she'd joke, 'Well, ir's a Canadian Rolls-Royce,"

I like that description. =

~-'

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Toyota wrestles with aU the ghosts that haunt it.

admit to SUff/il:il1g my first tingle of sympathy for Toyota when a Los Angeles radio station reported that Toyota pickups are the preferred vehid~ of Middle East insurgents. Apparently, top terrorists choose Toyota. I t's hardly a bankable slo gall.

Japanese automakers have always been tough nuts for the press. Their American employees are well disciplined to keep their yaps shut, and the Japanese media ,courreously avoids ?Elting embarrassing questions. Ilere in L.A., the Pulitzer-seeking missile that is the Los Al1geJes Times had the foresight to sic two beat reporters on Toyota a couple ofmonths after California Higbway Patrol officer Mark Saylor and his wife, daughter, and brother-in-lawwere all killed in a loaner LeA'US last August,

The TImes' Ken Bensinger and Ralph Vartabedian have relentlessly gnawed on Toyota'S ankles, generally Without any real sources other than outside ex-perls and consultants, all ofwhom contributed little but semi-educated chin pulling. In the February 23 edition, the reporters scored a slight coup by nabbin,g two ex-employees, both American. One left Toyota in 2003, the other in 1995. Dark tales were recounted about a cove-up onsrickyCeHca throttles-i111979.

My sympathy for Toyota welled.

It's hard to know if Toyota is getting the shaft. Whar.isnowapparenr.is thar the company hid some qualiryblunders With secret recalls and quiet fixes. A frlend at a competing Japaneseautomaker assures me that the Japanese engineering community has been murmuring about Toyota'S problernaric throttles for three years. ! don't doubt that Toyota has worked on a solution, The real question is whether the company understands the malfunction, if there is one.

Whole theologies revolve around supposed "ghosts" in wires. Crash enough ones and zeros together, the basic idea goes; and you're going to get a few twos and threes. It just happens. Abstract and !highly esoteric discussions of chaos theoryand its random

42 JUNE :20]0.:: GARANDDRIVER.GOM

and unpredictable effect on otherwise normally function ing computer systems must gj'le Toyota managers cold sweats at n.ight. No doubt, strivmgToyota realizes now that when you're the worl d's largest auromaker, you also suffer the world's largest crises.

Toyota's troubles are causing many of us to face our own ghosts, such as the unpleasanr stereotypes some of Us hold dear about Toyora owners: that they're generally the slowest, most nervousdrivers and that they were sent' here to act as human restrictor plates on the speed of society's acriviry. ToyOOl hasraked in billions from this particular constituency-people who, above all, Wish to be anonymous and totally risk-free in a lumpish, soullessttansporration device.

tfyou, like me, feel there's some justice,

OUT )lationallore supposes us to be as yet

remains unexplained. .

The worst revelation to eorne out of'this Wouldn't be that Toyota was hiding a known problem. If that's all there is to it, then Toyota is simply no different from every other automaker in history that. forgot its core principles and submitted to the hemin of short-term thi'nJdl1g to save a few bob. It wasn't-until theywere 011 their knees that GM, Ford, and Chrysler discovered where that habit leads. Toyota wi 11 prove its exceptionalism only by learning the lesson more quickly,

No, the most chillingrevelation would be th&t'Toyora, with its obsessive devotion to its fiendishly efficient, problem- harpooning, andgolden-egg-Iaying processes that are

Nobody bas proven that t,he desire to rid the left lane of Toyotas isn't having some .kind of effect on their throttles"

some rebalancing of the karmic scales, now that Toyota is perhaps sufferi nga disproportionate backlash due to the peculiar characrer of its clientele, then the uuintendedacceleration reports have riot been entirely unwelceme. I do adrnit to occasionally hoping that the plodding Camryollavonienn ... bJocking my path will go spontaneously wide open, which could in fact be murderous thinking. After all, nobody has yet proven that the amalgamated desire of everybody else on the road to rid the left lane of lumbering Toyotas and Lexuses isn't having some kind of telekinetic effect on their throttles.

Toyota's travails are definite Iyrevealing the ghosts in America's wires. We drive disrractedly, sometimes step on: the wrong pedal, and then look around for somebody to sue. How this happens in a land of pioneers and self-assured individualists that

the wonder of the manufacturing world, still doesn't know the exact nature of the malfunction. It could be a design error, a manufacturing defect, or a contagion that potentially affects all computer-controlled automotive systems as they become increasingly more sophisticared. As of this Writing, nobody has produced bulletproof evidence either way.

Grises erupt like firew:ork;s and last only a bit longer. Toyota will emerge for the same reason you can still buy Ford Explorers and Firestone tires, and after adopting throttles that automatically snap shut when brakes are applied. After that, Toyota will have to figure out where the ghost lies in its own wires, for its be loved processes surely were not designed to spit: out a result in which the companypresident is dragged into the glass house of Congress to be publicly stoned. =

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-EPA loel esnmaleslor ana SLbaru ~acy 2.bI with C.VT up 10;.l1 hNy. Acluai nllleage may vary 'VlSRP axCIIJdel;i~!l! Dealer sets actual price. l.!!!lacy 2.5 Lm tej pqdU oed with optional moonroor lIas:<ll MSRP of S2S.99rl.

Bob Lutz checks out, but I'll bet he's not gone ..

Bob Lutz was a Marine \Iviator; and he wears his business suits like his Marine uniform-s-not particularly fashionable, but ,___ absolutely correct and ilflPropriare. I lis grin is fierce, and beads turn his way When he walks into a crowded room. He owns a couple of fixed-wing aircraft and a couple of helicopters , which he usesthe way we use sports cars or motorcycles (which he also OWl1S and rides). His enthusiasm for cars was inherited from his father and his uncles. 1,1 i s f.nher drove a3.5-lite.r Jaguar SS sedan prewat"an Aston M artin DBz postwar (which Bob now owns), and, later, an Aston Martin D Ih. MId H, One uncle used to visit the. family heme in Switzerland driving a Talbot 150 S8 with the dorsal fin, Another drove an Alfa Zagat.o and a Chapron-bodied 1949 Delahaye purchased from Monegasque racing driver and em:reprelleur Louis Chiron, A third drove a Talbot- Lago "Pourtour" coupe. Imagine the Lutz driveway when they all.showed up for the holidays.

In '974, Twas worki ng for the CampbellEwald ad agency as creative director, and Mr, Pete Estes, then GM's executive vicepresident of operations, who had been my consulting client once when l was between magazines, called and wanted me to go to Europe and learn allI could about the importance of 'transverse-engine front-wheeldrive rechnology as pioneered by the Austinl Morris Mini]then mass-produced in the Fiat 12.8, and soon to be introduced in, the new VW Golf. As j was preparing to Ieave, and showing my list of interview appointments to Mr. Estes, he' said, "While you're over there, talk to Bob Lutz. lIe's leaving BMW and guing to Ford, I want to know why he's not coming back to General Motors;" r dutifully added Bob Lurzzo my list.

On the appointed night in Munich, we met in the lounge of the Hotel Vier Jameszeiten, There was a downpour outside, and Mr. Lutz came in drenched, in full motorcycle leathers with his helmet over his arm. Our martinis came, and he began. "'Bunkie'

44 JUNE 2010 !! CARANDDRIVER.COM

Knudsen [Semon E. Knudsen, GM Ii ferwho Jumped ship and became, briefly, president of Ford Motor Company] poisoned the well for front-wheel drive for an entire generation of managers at GM. J Ie convinced them that it was too sophisticated for most car buyers and that luxury-market sales volumes wou ld never recover the extra costs of that technology, That's why they've limited it to the OldsTuronado and the Cadi llae Eldorado."

ThenI asked Pete Estes's question, and Lutz replied, "That's a funny thing, Peteand I talked, and he wanted to know what it would take to get me back. I described my pay and benefits package at BMW, then

bulwark of car enthusiasm against all oft he forces dedicated to the twin mantras ofcost cutting no matter whac and approaching cars as appliances. No matter whether t be productin question was 3; bigh-performance sports ear or a pickup, he cared passionately about how it looked and how it felt.

Bob Lutz lives two or three miles away from me in Ann Arb Or. He bought property here when Ford brought.hirn from England to (he U.S. We occasionally have dinner at a neighborhood Japanese restaurant, He is outspoken, sornetirnes wildly indiscreet, considering the buttoned- up paranoia of the North.American manufacturers he's worked for, lIe hosts gatherings of car guys at his

Beita sports car or a 'pi.ckup,

he cared passio.nate.ly about how it looked and how it felt.

told him what Pord had offered me, He said he'd get. back to me, but I never heard from hi rn again,"

I flew backro Detroit and.made nryreperr to Pete Estes: "Transverse-engine frontwheel drive is going to be very, very important. The Chevrolet Chevetre=front engi ne, rear drive-s-will be insta mly obsolete," Then I played bad, Bob Lutz's puzzlement about their d iscussion, Pete Esteswas a man whose face and manner could never keep a secret. He said, "Goddammit, David, that's exactly what happened! We would hove had to pay him as much as we're payi ng our Pontiacgeneral manager, and I sursas hell couldn't walk ill to the board With that!"

Ships that pass in the night,

Bob Lutz served GM, then BM'W, 'Chen Ford, then Chrysler, with aside trip to Exide, and most recently full circle back to. General Motors. At each ofrhose stops] he proved to be totally producr-oriented, indefatigable, a

house from 'time to time and is locally famous for banzai motorcycle junkets with small groups ofljke-mindad riders through the rolling farmland west of Ann Arbor.

WbenMr. Philip Caldwell was chairman at Ford, and Bob's 'boss, he called me one afternoon and an nounced, "I don't want you talking to our Mr. Lutz any more, He says too many things that he shouldn't say." I answered, ''Il/Ir. Caldwell, Bob and ~ are fellow car enthusiasts, and we talk cars all the time, I am notrrying to nic!\" hi m into revealing any FOI'd Motor Company secrets. If you want to pay me a million bucks a year, I'll drop him like a hot rock." He grunted and said, "The car enthusiasm is the problem. It's his greatest strength and his greateSt weakness."Welcome to Detroit.

Bob Lutz, at 78, is a few mont hsyounger than I am, and he's hung it up at GM. I think 1 can comfortably predict that he isn't yet finished with the automobile business. =

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rill "

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PONY-CAR TWIN BILL

OU'REFORGIVEN IF YOU FEEL YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE, BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY HAVE. LIKE HAMLET, OR MACBETH,

ITS COREISA CLASSlC CONFRONTATIONTI-IAT NEVER SEEMS TO GET OLD, THANKS TO THE ARRIVAL OF NEW PLAYERSAND FRESH PRODUCTlONS,AS ONE GENERATION SUCCEEDS ANOTl-IER.

You may be thinking, "New? Don't see 110 new here." With little more than a year in Chevy showrooms, the Camaros roll into summer unchanged. And it takes the experienced eye of a longtime Mustang cognoscente to see the updates for these 2011 models. The dashboard surface is revised, softened to make impacts with one's head a little less unpleasant. There are also suspension tweaks aplenty, but the real giveaway is a 5.0 badge on the flanks of GT models.

That badge panders to hallowed memories of the Mustang's revered old Windsor V-8 (1979-'95), which, as any member of the Mustang club will admit, fell 58 cc short of 5.0 liters. Ford's 4.6-liter V-8s never seemed to eclipse memories of the not-quite-g.o, but it may be a different story with this barely 5.0 (49$1 cc) successor .. All aluminum, double overhead cams, 32 valves, variable valve timing on all four cams, a high compression ratio (11.0:1), four-bolt mains=the newv-B shares bore centers but little else with the 4.6.

Ford stopped short of direct injection, saving about $200 per engine, but output is potent nevertheless: 412 horsepower at 6500 rpm, 390 pound-feet oftorque aq2So-burlier by 97 horses and 65 pound-feet. There's also a new v- 6 for the base Mustang, a more vigorous version ofrhe 3 .7-1 iter aluminum engine found in the Lincoln MKS and MKT: 30$ horses andzso pound-feet of torque.

With Mustang's power now comparable to Camaro's across the board, these two longtime rivals needed another face-off .. We rounded up our four-horse field in Los Angeles and drove to Buttonwillow Raceway Park, near Bakersfield. Some of'the results were predictable. But there were surprises, too.

---

2. CHEVROLET CAMARO SS

Those of you old enough to remember the carefree years of the biginch V-8 will recall the original pony-car premise-lots of power packed into a relatively lightweight coupe. The revivalist Camaro seems to have lost touch with those roots. Developed by General Motors' Australian subsidiary, Holden, on the same foundation that supported the late (and lamented) Pontiac G8 sedan, the latest Camara is lighter than the Brobdingnagian Dodge Challenger, but at 3860 pounds, it's more Percheron than pinto=-zxc pounds heavier than the Mustang, Maybe ponies are bigger in Australia?

Whatever, mass is never an asset in a sports coupe, and it's one of two elements that work to relegate the Camaro to second place in this rematch with the Mustang GT. This SS is 20 pounds lighter than the car we tested last summer, with more break-in miles, and it

CARANDDRIVER.COM :!:. JUNE 2010 51

grumbled through the o-to-eo-mph and o-to-ioo-mph sprints a little quicker this time: 4.6 seconds and 10.5 seconds, respectively. The revitalized Mustangwas the Camaro's equal to 60 mph, but once the 6. 2-literpushrod V-8 (42.6 horses, 42.0 pound-feet of torque) got all that metal movingpast 60 mph, it was a bit quicker than the Ford.

On the other hand, with a 2.80-pound weight advantage and a shorter (numerically higher) rear end (3.73:1 versus 3-45), the Mustang was quicker in our 30-to-so-mph and so-to-70-mph top-gear passing exercises, as well as in the s-to-60 rolling start.

On the road, particularly a mountain road, the Camaro's mass is magnified by its dimensions. At 190-4 inches, it's 2.3 inches longer than the Mustang, 1.6 inches wider (at 75.5 inches), with a roofline 1.6 inches lower (54.2), on a wheelbase (112.3) that's 5.2 inches longer, and with a track that's wider, front and rear. In its defense, this is a solid chassis that's exempJaryin terms ofstabilityand inspires con-

52 JUNE 2010 = CARANDDRIVER.COM

PONY~CAR TWIN BILL

frdence as speeds build, confidence augmented by steering that's nicelyweighted, linear, and tactile throughout its range.

With its relatively forgivin g suspension tuning, the Camaro is an easycarro drive fast-check the lane-change results-but it's also a big car that drives big and feels even bigger, thanks in part to sightlines sliced thin by the styling. The faster you go, the more you want to see, but the Camara's views are restricted in almost every direction, particularly aft-"like the rear view from a nuclear submarine," according to one crew member. That's the price of the Camara's macho styLing. It got the nod over the Mustang'S by-now familiar looks, and it turns heads, but claustrophobes need notapply.

Inside, the Camaro's leather-clad bucket seats provide slightly better support than the Mustang's, and it is easier to achieve an ideal drivi ng position, owing to power adjustability and a steering column adjustable for both rake and reacb.

The instrument panel won praise once again for its innovative design, although its lurid night lighting reminded one tester of a "pachinko parlor," and the usefulness of the four gauges just ahead of the shifter-oil pressure, oil temp, transmission-oil temp, volt meter-is diminished by their positron, particularly during daylight hours.

This Camaro has more extras than last summer's test car, and it showed up with an as-tested price that was $3485 higher than the Mustang GT's. Chevy offers a lot of car for the money here, figurativelyand literally. But like Sarah Jessica Parker or a hard-tail Harley motorcycle, it's an acquired taste.

1.2011 FORD MUSTANG GT

The people handling the press presentations for the 2011 Mustangs insist the improvements went much further than mere powertrain upgrades. They point to selective chassis stiffening, suspension revisions, some interior detail changes, expansions to Ford's Sync infotainment and communications system, and a nav-screen option (strangely absent in the Camaro inventory).

Okay, fine, but let's get back to that big chunk of aluminum under the hood. We already mentioned the basics-DOHC,32 valves, variable valve timing, and a bottom end designed to handle even more power in the future. We didn't mention the deeper oil pan, to help maintain oil pressure in long corners, Of the windage tray, to reduce power losses associated with excess oil dragging on the crankshaft.

Everything about the new 5.0 smacks of racing hardware and sounds like it, too, with a throaty baritone bark that's more musical than the Camaro's primal basso profundo. Louder, too-note the

TW1NBILL

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Chevrolet Camaro!!

Ford

Mustang GT (2m)

Chevrolet Camaro.RS

Ford

MustangV-6 (2011)

$31.795 $36,465

190.4 inches 75.5 inches .54.2 inches, 112_). J nc hes 63,7 Inclles 63.1' lnehes

'P: 52 cubic feet R: .26 eu b·Te feet 11 ell bi~ feef

3860 pounds 52.3/47.7

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POW t:R Bi-lP ~ RPM >TORQUE LB rT <l"RPM REDl.IN'E > LB PER 6i-lP >DRIVELINE TRANSM1SSl0N ~ DRIVEN WHIOELS >GEAR RATlo:!I Mf'Jf P!!R 1000 RPM!

MAX .sPEED IN GEAR ~

$.26,530 $29,22.5

190.4 Inches 7.5.5 roches 54,2 Inches. 112 . .'l inches 63.7 lncnes 64.1 inches

i": 52. cubic feet R: 26 cobte feet 1'1 r Ubi"c I set

3580 pounds 3800 pounds

54.7/45.3 52.1/:'47.9

16.0 gallons 151 .. .0 galions

91 octane 87 octane

17 mpg 11 rnpg

26 mpq 29 mpg

lS::tTlPlIlIJ'-======:::::;"_ 17 mpQ

$30,495 __ ==== $.2_2,98-0

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.$22,995 $:£\,)5.5

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F: 52 cubic feet ~ 31 cubic feet 13 cubtc feet

3520 pounds 54.0/46.0

16.0 gallons 870CIane

19 mpg

29 mpg

18 mp!fig"=:=====:::J

F: struts. COli springs. "ntJ-rollb"r

'R, mu.ltilink, coil springs .• antl-rcll bar

f:14.0'inch vented dtli~ 'R: 14_4-inch vented disc yes

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:r: 245!4SZ.R·2;0 lOW R: 276/40ZR·20 106Y

pushrod 16·valve V-8 376 CD in (6162: ~C) 426 @5900

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l~pl1 (govltd 157 mph (gov ltd) 113 ropn(gov ItQ)
153 feef 15611ile! 152 feet
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85 dBA 79 dBA 84dBA
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dBA readings in the chart. One crew member wondered whether that high noise level might get a little tedious on long dtive5-76 dBA at 70 mph is a couple brass bands more than 72 dBA, which isn't exactly library quiet. To Which the rest of'the crew replied, "Nah."

With its big edge in pounds per horsepower=-Bv versus 9.1 ~and shorter rear end, we expected the GT to smoke the Camaro in the sprints, but this turned out to be one of the surprises, The Mustang matched the Chevy to 60 at 4.6 seconds, limited slightly byan extra

54 JUNE 20]0 :!. GARANDDRIVER.COM

upshift, but it trailed by a half-second to 100 mph, and i n the-quartermile: 13.2 seconds at log mph versus 13 fiat at Ill.

Our test driver felt that the Mustang's smaller rear footprints (255/4°-19 versus 275/40 -ao=-all four cars on Pirelll P Zeros) hampered its launch and may have held it back in the lane change, where it was slower than either Camara. On the other hand, it pulled a respectable 0.94 g on the skidpad and also stopped in 153 feet from 70 mph, thanks in part to its newly optional Brembo brake package.

TRY NEW PfNNZOIL ULTRA"': NOTHING KEEPS YOUR ENGINE CLOSER TO FACTORY -,,,,,,,.~_ .. ~,.

"'_ -

Your engine is in its m~rfeGt stateti18 day it leaves !he factory. That's why we created new Pennzoil

Current Standard" Pennzoll Ultra- synthetic motor oil. Piston at left shows the current industry standard for clean. Piston at right underwent tile same test using Pennzoil Ullra~'" We ~link n18 results are pretty clear. No wonder irs IBCOIll- I mended by Ferrari. Go to pennzoil.com Not just oil, Pennzoil~

But those are just numbers. On mountain back roads and the But ~ tonwillow road circuit, the dynamic distinction between the Camara and the Mustang was akin to the difference between a fighting bulJ and a star matador. The Mustangfelt much lighter than the heavy Chevy, quicker in transient responses, and much quicker out ofcorners, live rear-axle suspension notwithstanding.

Demerits were tiny: an occasional steering column tremor during bumpy cornering, a hint oftwitchiness in hard braking, and ride quality that could be tiresome on short -coupled slabs of pavement.

We found the Camero's edgier styling a little more entertaining-though it was refreshed for 2010, the Mustang has become per ~ haps a little too familiar-and the interior of our test car, a base GT with almost no options, looked cheap. The base GT buckets could do with more torso bolstering, and the omission of a telescoping steering column is a poor way to save money.

56 JUNE 2010 :::: CARANDDRIVER.COM

And, of course, there's the fuel-eccnomythmg. The EPA projects 17 mpg city and 26 highway for the GT. Fed a diet of switchbacks and sweepers and wide-open throttle, our GT didn't do quite that well: 15 mpg overthe entire test, one better than the Camaro 88's average.

Nevertheless, the addition of a potent new V-8 and six-speed transmission to an already lively package makes this Mustang an almost unmitigated delight. For those attracted to the basic concept, resistance will be futile.

SPEEDIER SIXES

Buyers strap themselves into V-6 pony cars because they like the look but don't require V-8 muscle. Or, more accurately, they don't need that power enough to fork over the additional seven or eight grand for two more cylinders.

5 YEAR UNLIMITED MOVEMENT WARRANTY

NOW WITH-~MONDS AS STAN'DARD

30 DAY MONEY BACK GUA'RANTEE

The Daniel Steiger Alphagraph. A luxury timepiece with a high precision chronograph movement and diamond dial, is now available direct from t'he manufacturer at the astonishingly low price of Just $199, a saving of $826 on the retail price of $1.025. All the features and styling you would expect from a designer watch including a magnificent presentation case, but at a fraction of [he price you would expect to pay. We just make beautiful watches. beautifully simple to buy.

• 6 Genuine diamonds on lhe dial • Buttertlv buckle. Date calendar. Water resistant to 3alms (98ft)

• Gold plated solid stainless steel case and bracelet. Precision movement with chronograph and date dials · Supplied to you in a magnificent presentation case. hICMlos.SoflUn~dWood

PONY-CAR TWIN BILL

In the past, this has meant a pony car severely deficient in giddyup, something particularly true of the base Mustang's old boat anchor, the 4.0-1iterV-6.

But these are no longer children of a lesser god. The V-6 Camaro and Mustang both come to the starting gate with more than 300 horsepower, as well as distinctly better fuel economy than their quicker stablemates.

So being thrifty no longer means having to give up fun to drive.

But just how much ofthe FTD factor is retained? That's what we set out to determine.

2. CHEVROLET CAMARO RS

What you get here is the bad-ass, hunkered-down, assault-vehicle looks withourthe bad. The engine-a 3.6-liter, DOHC 24-va]ve aluminum V-6-iswillingenough, but it's tethered to alot ofCamaro: 3800 pounds. Mass plus big gear spacing plus the tallest rear end in

the group equals relatively sluggish performance: distinctly slower than the Mustangin the sprints.

Handling responses were equally indifferent. Softer spring rates and slow steering made the mountain-road pursuits too much like work .. To its credit, the RS was quiet, smooth, stable, and thoroughly predictable. It was quicker in the lane change than both Mustangsgo figure-and its braking performance was slightly better than the Brembo-equipped 88. But no test driver wrote the word "fun" in the Chevy's logbook.

Inside, the RS sports the same mix of engagingly offbeat design, supportive seats, and one or two trim touches that don't quite work: the big hard plastic trim panels in the door panels, for example. And, of course, there's that high beltlme and low roof that some find too confining.

But if cruising in sinister comfort appeals to you, here's a good place to do it.

2011 FORD MUSTAN"G V-6

T HE.'-1l1GH S"> Cat agile; eager to please, hightech exhau"~ote, great brakes.

THE LOWS"> Tacky grille, steering column adjusts gnly for rake,vine-change shenanigans. THE VERDICT> A captivating V-6ponywith more than one trick.

,

a A

eV.ERYWHERe

V-8 FJNAL RESULTS
~ 1 2
0:. ~
~~ '1> ... ~
q~ 9'"~ o~
.0. e-
0" C'''l.
~4 ~
.;>'" "">w. ~ .
<>''';:
<>&1- ",» 0'tP
VEHICLE
DRIVER COMFORT 10 8 9
EflGONOMrCS 10 9 8
REAR SEAr COMFORT 5 3 2
REAR-SEAT SPACE" .s 3 1
TRUNK SPACE' S 5 4
FEATURESI AME N[TlES' io 3 10
I>[T AND HNISH 10 8 8
[NTERIOR sr V LI NG [0 8 9
EXl'EIHOR StVLlNG 10 8 9
REBATESiEXTI'IAS' s 0 0
AS-TESTED PR[CE- 20 20 18
SUBTOTAL WI) 75 78
POWERTRAIN
1/4 M[ ACCEL£RATJON- 20 19 20
PLEX LBrLITV' 5 4 3
FUEL EeONOM y. 10 10 9
ENGIN£N1JH 10 9 8
TRANSM1SSI'ON 10 9 8
SUBTOTAL 55 S1 48
CHASSIS
PERfOR.MANC£· 20 19 18
SnER[NG fEEL 10 8 8
BRAKE F.E EL LO 9 8
HANDLING 10 9 8
RIDE 10 8 8
SUBTOTAL 60 5_3 50
EXPERIENCE
FUN TO DRIVE 25 20 17
GRAND TOTAL 24() 9:9 193 'These objedivescores are calculated from the vehic.les:t di mens ions, ca pac ities, re hates iii nd ex tras I andynr test tesulrs.

1.2011 FORD MUSTANG V-6

We mentioned surprises, and this was the big one. Not so much because of the straight-ahead performance-s-jog horsepower in a 3S2.0-pound car, the lightest in the group, produced about what we expected; 0 -ro-eo in 5.4 seconds, the quarter-mile in 14flat at 104 mph.

The surprise was what this Mustang could do on mountain roads. Where the GTwas nimble, the V-6was eager, with a lighter touch and better balance. Our test car was a Premium versian, equipped with 19-inch alloy wheels and those summer Pirellis, which helped it put up

60 JUNE 2010 .!! CARANDDRIVER.COM

ftnrl~hed9!J,Sbh f7tlS Partner of CAR ANq.DRIVER

the bestskidpad performance of the foursome: 0.95 g. We're not entirely sure that you'll be able to order this wheel-arid-tire combo with either the premium or American Mustang Club packages. But we're sure that this car was the dancing champ on the high roads of the Los Padres National Forest, one of the most involving production Mustangs in our experience.

This makes the car's lane-change behavior equally surpnsing-castonishing, in fact. For all its agility in decreasingradiusturns, switchbacks, and fast sweepers, the V-6 Mustang was almost unmanageable in this exercise, scattering cones galore. Further studyindicated here.

Our V-6 test car was loaded with optional features-leather, Sync, audio upgrade, power driver's seat-malting it almost as expensive as the GT and a more pleasant place to be.

There were several minor kvetches in the logbook.As in lastyear's com para, the V-6 Mustang's capless fuel filler leaked in hard cornering. Ford's idea.of a power seat

still doesn't include power adjusrabilityfor the seatback, and the development still doesn't include a telescoping steering column, The black-tape accent on the sides had an aftermarket look to it, and the latticework grille doesn't have the cachet of the classicfloating pony that distinguishes the GT. We're also curious as to why a car with Z-rated tires is limited to a top speed of ng mph,

But these are minor flaws in a mostly brilliant product. With its lower base price, its excellent road manners, robust power,. and its outstanding EPA fuel-economy ratings-19/29 manual, 19/31 automatic (our barnstorming average was 18, best in test)-the V-6 Mustang can satisfy just about anyone.

EPILOGUE:

QUO VADIS, MUSTANG?

"Gung-ho" is too tame a term for the Mustang fervor espoused by Ford staffers at the recent introduction of the new 5.0 V· 8. Lots of cheerleading, Lots of enthusiastic

hyperbole about the "next 45 years," a time span reflective of the 45 years the Mustang has already survived.

Given the performance of the new $.0- liter eight, as well as the new 3.7-1iterV-6 and the slick new transmissions, the troops responsible for the 2.011 Mustangs can be forgiven for a little innocent zeal.

But amid all the euphoria, we did catch one ominous portent of'a possible survival challenge in the not-too-distant future. This came from no less an authority than Dave Pericak, the Mustang's personable chief engineer. We asked Pericak about reaction to the new 5.0 V-8 in consumer group clinics.

I-Ie reported enthusiasm among over- 30 types and outright jubilation among Mustang-club types. But itwas adifferent storywith under-go groups.

"Everybody loves a good-looking ear with power," he said. "But a lot of the younger buyers won't considera.V- 8. They don't even want to hear about it."

Pericak and his cohorts perceive the

challenge as educational in nature.

"Environmental respon sibiliry and fuel economy are increasingly important," he said. "But we canjustifya V-8. It's a matter of getting people to understand that a V-8 engine can perform efficiently."

As acase in point, Pericak cites the $.o's impressive EPA fuel-economyrarings-; 17 mpg city and 26 mpg highway-and the even more impressive ratings for the V~6: up to 31mpg highway, afirst for an engine rated at more than 300 horsepower, according to Ford.

We hope Pericak is right about the future of Mustang power because we can remember two epi sodes when Ford product planners looked into the future and declared the day of the V-8 p any car over.

The first of these tea-leaf readings led to the subcompact Mustang II, which made its debutwith a lot of Pinto parts and a four-cylinder engine. It was definitely not one of Ford's better ideas, and was duly interred after five years (1974-'78).

The second was the front-drive coupe

V-6 FINAL RESULTS

1

2

VEHICLE
DR.IVER COMFORT 10 8 9
ERGONOMICS ao 9 8
REAR SEAT COMFORT S 3 2
REAR-SEAT SPACE 5 3 1
TRlJNKSPACIl 5 5 4
FEA lUll ESI AMENITIES to 7 10
FIT AND FINISH 10 8 8
INTERIOR STV!..lIJG 10 8 9
EXTEII lOR StYliNG 10 8 9
REBA'I'ES/EXTR AS- S 0 0
AS-TES'fED P!l:ICE' :lO 19 20
SUBTOTAL 100 78 80
POWERTRAIN
1/4 MI ACCELERATION" 20 2.0 18
FLEXle I 1..1TY· 5 4 4
fUEL ECONOMV' 1-0 1.0 9
ENGIN£NVH 10 8 7
TRANSMISSION 10 9 8
SUBTOTAL 55 5 46
CHASSIS
PERFORMANCE' 20 2.0 19
SUEHING FEEl.. 10 8 8
!laAKErE!:!. 10 8 8
HANDUNG 10 9 7
IIIDE 10 8 8
SUBTOTAL 60 S3 50
EXPERIENCE
P UN' TO DRIVE 25 18 15 GRAND rorx; 240 200 191

• These obje cttve SCorE s are calculate d from the

ve hicles' d i rnenslons, capacftres, rebates and extras, and/or test results.

that eventually became the Ford Probe (1989- '97), diverted from Mustanghood at the last minute by a deluge of anguished mail from club members and other friends of the pony.

Well, good luck to Mr. Pericak and. his colleagues with their education program. One ride in a Mustang GT could well sway some of the fence sitters. -=

CARANDDRIVER COM

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( lR.1 \ I)J)R 1\ U, (.() 11 J)()( flU;' U))',1 N {)\.

CARANDDRIVER.COM ~ JUNE 2010 61

ity Infiniti. After 21 years on the market and an amount of cash spent on advertising to at least equal this season's Yankees payroll, Nissan's upscale brand is still often misspelled with a "s" One day last March, the LosAngeles Craigsli st web site had 79 ads for used "Inf nity"vehicles.

Poor Infiniti. The brand lurches along, mainly on sales of the divine G sedan and coupe, but it's quietly getting its clock cleaned by Acura, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW. Each of those last three brands outsells Infiniri by more than two to one.

Deck chairs have been rearranged. The brand dropped its saleproof'Qag flagship in 2006 and moved the mid~level M into the top spot. But that last M, bobtailed and chiseled and called the Nissan Fuga in Japan (where Infiniti doesn't exist), couldn't really move the needle. Carrying a $so,ooo ticket, the V -8 Jnfiniti M4S drove well-witness comparison-test victories in 'aS and 'o6-butithad the plain interior of, well/a Nissan, The M,in bothV-6

and V -8 dress, currently accounts for just 10 percent of Infiniti sales. The superstar G supplies more than half.

Where is Infmiti headed in its quest for identity and success? Toward extroverted styling and greater horsepower, judging by thenewM.

The 2011 M37 [see Short Take, page 71] and MS6 slide out of the product dispenser with essentially the same "PM" rear-drive platform as before but sheathed in new skin. The ria.z-inch wheelbase remains unchanged, as does the bountiful interior space. M37 prices hardly budge: The entry point rises only $450, to $47,115 for the base M37 equipped with a 330-hp, 3.7-1iter V-6 from the Nissan370Z.

66 JUNE 2010 ~ CARANDDRIVER.COM

The car being pummeled here is a $64,065, rear-drive, V-8~equipped MS6 (a11- wheel drive is available). It's thebase $58/41S M56-that's $5400 more than last year, ill part because navigation is now standardfitted with the $36so Sport package and the $2.000 Sport Touring package (more about those forthwith).

The M is the most beguiling example yet of Infiniti's latest, highly organic, almost halibiotic styling thrust. No angles were employed. From the bluff prow, the metal contorts over the skeleton like the tentacles of an octopus over a rock. In fact, various forms of swimming and wiggling ocean proteins are evoked in the profile-if you squint hard enough-all to alluring effect.

An Austrian rather partial to German cars was riding in the passenger seat during our test. He ran probing fingers allover the dash and door panels, pushed some buttons, pulled afew handles, and said, "Look at that:

The Japanese are finally getting it right." Indeed. The basic interior layout remains unchanged, with large gauges under a thick hood and a center navigation screen operated bya keyboard angled toward the ceiling.

But in the new M, the plastic doesn't look so much like plastic as a sort ofleatherishlike wrap, and nowhere do the eyes trip over some weed of cheapness, even in the back seat. Every millimeter has been combed through to ensure tight fits, low-gloss sheens, and the exactitude of perfectly aligned ornamental stitching.

Horsepower has long been an Infiniti selling point, and the MS6 has a mustang ranch onboard. The V-8 has 9S more horses than before, and the car needs just 4.7 seconds to hit 60 mph, 0.8 second less than before. Don't expect anything at this price, indudingthe news-series, to be anyquicker, The 14-inch front brakes of the Sport package bring 4060 pounds to a hasty halt in just 164 feet, excellent in this class ..

Infiniti wants to be about handling as well. The Sport package slots in doublepiston shocks and firmer springs, as well as zo-inch wheels wearing 24S/40 Bridgestone

Potenza REo50A summer tires. In the past, this also meant ride harshness, bnt here, Infiniti has again attacked a weakness. The zo-inchers roll over pavement breaks with an audible slap of rubber, and the ride is still crisp, but it is no longer jarring. We're witnessing an evolutionary step here, toward the secret ride-and-handling balance that BMW has long profited from.

What prevents the M from passing for a grown-up G are a few odd traits. The

Sport package includes an electric rear-steer system, Actually, "rear-

steer system" slightly overstates it,

The mechanism employs an electric motor mounted behind the rear differential to adjust the toe-in angles in

back. Yes, it's steering, but by no more

than one degree. As before, it's an in-

phase type, meaning the rear wheels

pivot in the same direction as the fronts, onlyar road speeds-it's inert

below 25 mph. The system, meant to hasten the helm response, felt hyperactive on occasion to this driver, The car can veer toward a corner's inside line as if drawn by gravitational forces. The M is pulled around ruts, and. it wanders all the freeway, always keen to explore other lanes and nuzzle with other cars. It's a pity because the M's grip and body control are solid, the basic chassis with its aluminum control arms up front and lat-

ticework of links in back well suited to hard play. Yet, even when you get comfortable tossing the car around with its highly kinetic wheel, the computer intervenes to prevent funfrom breaking out.

All M cars now have a dial to select among four driving modes: "Eco" attempts to save gas by reducing throttle response and upshifting early, "snow," even more so. "Standard" is the no-hurry mode, and

INFINITI MS6

THE HIGHS> 420 horses, an interior that finally befits the price, lovely to look at. THE LOWS> Odd steering, the V-6 is the bette,' value, loaded with anti-fun. software, THE VE R DIeT> The chassis, styling, and power say go; the computers say whoa.

"sport" is the hoon setting, with throttle response and shift strategies suited to fast getaways.

In every mode, the stability control is too intrusive, the threshold set so low that the brakes are fired and the throttle stunted just as the tires (and the driver) are coming up to temperature. Long, fast sweepers where the M should be hunkered down and stroking

nicely near the limit are ruined as the panicky computer seizes control. There's an off button, but we could never fully disable the system, and we shouldn't have to, IfInfiniti wants to run with the Germans, it has to think like them and give the driver more freedom to master the machine.

If you are of a more cautious nature, there's always the $3000 Technology package .. Itwires the car with sensors and alarms to warn of cars in blind spots and when you're straying across Jane markings. The system will even work the brakes on one side to pull you away from danger on the other, and it has radar-monitored cruise control that automatically spikes the brakes if the M gets too close to the cars ahead.

When driving the M equipped with this package, rarely do to full seconds pass without the "Ding!" of a concerned chime, the flash of an early-warning light, or the jerk of

brakes being applied by a diligent microprocessor. This option is strictly for people who fear getting out of bed and not for those who in any way value their sanity.

We'_ve buckled into versions of the M without the Technology package and found everything to be far more natural. In fact, unless your station in society requires that you be ferried around by a 420-hp V~8, the

CARANDDRIVER.COM ~ JUNE 2010 67

COUNTERPOINT

STEVE SILER

The M. 5. 6 has .. come a long, lon.gwayJ. ro. ill .. the underp. owered, unrefined prototype I drove last falL For starters the

athleticism of the final product is impossible to deny, with all 420 horsepower now present and accounted for, complemented by crisp, well-timed transmission shifts and a responsive chassis (though the active s~ee.nng rer,nams a touch to~ darty). Tne mtenor l~ blessed With ferrific . ergo\1o.mlCs, sumptl!0us materials, and technologygal~re. As Infiniti's new flagshIp, ~e.Ms6 needed to be fasr.Iuxurious, and refined, all of which It IS.

DAVE VAROERWERP

It takes guts to resist following the herd, and the automotive herd these days is sauntering toward the goat of improved fuele:c~nomy largely b~way ofbocsted.downsized enlf,ines. Infiniti says It has no pans in thls direction and not on y kept the M's V-8 naturally aspirated butalso bumped i~s displacement by 24 percent. Electnc Rower steenngwas

also benched because of an unacceptable loss of feel

This refr~sp:ing individualism no doubt contributes to the sweet -dnvmg MS6's athleticism, Oh, and fuel economy has improved to be among the best in class, too.

68 JUNE 2010 ~ CARANDDRIVER.COM

330-horse M37 shines as a better value.

To sum up, here's our handicapper's guide to Infmiti MS6 option packages:

If you're loaded, vote "yes" on the $3800 Deluxe Touring package because it includes a 16-speaker Bose stereo that will bake a poearo, lots of interior-trim upgrades, such as verystriking silver-infused wood trim and a suede-like headliner; and various cabin-air filters and purifiers, as well as a function called "Forest Air," which is supposed to mimic the breeze through a stand of mighty sequoias by varying airflow through the vents. It alternately puff-puffs and blows odorless air in a random rhythm but is mostly too subtle to be noticed.

Vote "Hell, no!" on the $3000 Technology package.

Vote "maybe" on the $3650 Sport package.

You get the firmer suspension and big wheels. Buryou also get strange superkinetic steering paired with computers apparently programmed by Amish buggy makers. And you are then required by Infmici's pricing structure to vote "yes" on the $2000 Sport Touring package, which includes the hot stereo, the c abin-air filters, and ForestAir.

Almost since the day it started, Infiniti has been busy reinventing itself. As you see, it remains a work ill progress.

ROAD TEST

2011 INFINITIMS6

V EH I eLE TYPE, front-enqins, rear-wheel-drive, 5'passenger, 4-door sedan

OP T ION s s Sport paCkage (includes 4'Wheel steerinq, 20· inch wheels and summer tlres, sport suspension, larger brakes, pad d Ie s h i ft e rs, s port seats, aluminum pedals, sport steering wheel, and interior and exterior accents), $3650; Sport Tou r i ri g packa ge (i n cl ud es Base stereo, p owe r fear sunshade, cabin-air purifier and filter. and Forest Air climate-control system), $2000

STA N DARD > power windows, seats, locks, and sunroof; remote locking; cru ise control; tilting and telescoping stssr: riq Whec;>1 AUDIOSVSTEM> Bose: AM, FM, XM radio; CD/DVD player; 9-GB media storage: USB and Bluetoot h-aud io inputs; 16 spcaksrs

ENGINE

V'8, alurrnnum block and heads

BOR EX STROI( E,. 3.86 x 3.62 in, 98.0 x 92.0 mm DI S PL ACEMENT > 339 cu in, 5552 cc

COM PH ESSION II ATIO, 11. 5:1

FUEL OELIV E FlV SVS T EM,. direct injection VALVE GEAR" chaln-driven double overhead cams, 4 valves per cvl inder, variable intakeand exhaust-valva timing and intake-valve lift R EDUN E" 6700 rpm

POWER (SAE NET) ,. 420 bhp @ 6000 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) > 417 Ib-ft @ 4400 rpm

DJUVETR.AJN

TR ANSM[SS [ON> 7-speed automatic with manurnatlc shifti nq

FINAL DRIVE RATfo" 2.61:1 GEAR RATIO MPH PER 1000 RPM

6.4 9.8 15.4 22.3 30.6 35.1 39.4

• &

e e o o G

4.78 3.10 1.98 1.37 1.00 0.87 0.78

MAX SPEED

[1'1 GEAR (RPM) 43 mph (6700) 66 mph (6700) 103 mph (6700) 149 mph (6700) 155 mph (5050) 155 mph (4400) 155 mph (3950)

DIMENSIONS EXTERIOR

WHEEILB ASE > 114.2 in LE NGT H >- 194.7 in WI urn >- 72.6 in HEIGHT ~ 59.1 in

F RONl" TR ACK ~ 62.0 in REA R TR ACK > 61.8 ln DRAG AREA, Cd (0.27) ~ frontal area

(2.5.6 sq fO '" 6.9 sq ft

GROUND CLEARANCE-> 5.9 in

WEIGHT

CURB" 4060 Ib PER HOR SEPO WE R > 9.7 Ib DISTRIBUTJON> F: 55.2% R: 44.8% TOWING CAPAC[TY" 0 Ib GVWR > 5143 lb

INTERIOR

1'": HEAD, 39.1 in LEG. 44.0 in SHOULDER. 58.4 in R: HEAD" 37.7 in LEG> 36.2 in SHOULDER> 567 in SAE VOLUME > F~ 58 co it 1'1: 45 cu ft

TRUNK> 15 cu ft

REST RAIl'll S YS TE MS >- F: 3·poin! belts; drlver and passenger front. side, and curtaln airbaqs R: 3~point belts, curtain airbaqs

SE AT 1\ DJUS TM ENTS ~ F: fore-and-aft. seatback angle. front heiqht, rear height. lumbar support REAR SEATS ~ foldinq: no, split: no, passthrouqh: yes

CIO TEST RESULTS

ACCEL.ERATION "lEgO TO 30' MPH ~ l'i! sec

'!oMf'H~ 2.1 60MI>II> 3.6 60MPJ!,4.7 10 M"K~ 6.1 80M?H> 7.7 110MI'll> 9.4 100 MPH. 11.4 110 MPII,.14.2 1.20 MPH> 17.2

UOMP"> 28.7

STREET STA RT, 5 ~o MPI{> 4.7 sec TOI" GEl\.R,3!1~!iO MPH;> 2 .. 3 sec TOP GIAR.!lO-10 MJ>l3~ 3.1 sec JJ_4-MILE> 12.4 sec @ 107 mpll.

TOP SPEED !GOV UO.Id~ R'S CLAIM)~. 155 mph

r~

I1f \

~, 0.86 g

~

ROADHOLQING. ~OO-FT-O[A SK[O!,AO, '--------- IfflOERSTEIOR ~ minimaT

HANDLING

CHASSIS

C H A SSIS T '<1'£ _> unit construction with

1 front crossme.mber and 1 rear rubhe r-lsclated crossmember

B 0 D'{ M ATERI A l-,. welded ste~1 starnpinqs

STEERING

RacK-and'pinion with variable ratio and variable hyd raulic power assist

FlATIO ~ 10.0~-20.0:1

TU R NS LO CK TO LOCK>- 2.5

TlJlINING CIRCLE ClJRB TO CURS, 36.7 fl

SUSPENSION

F: indo ullequal-length control arms, coil springs, a nti -r cll bar

R: lnd .• 1 upper centre] arm, 1 laterallin:k, 1 'Hagonallink .. and 1 active. tce-ccntrcl lin k per side; coil spring s: antl-roil ba r

BRAKES

Hydraulic wiith; vacuum power asslst.antt-tock control, and elBclmnic panic assist

F: 14.0 x 1. 3·io vent~d disc

R: 13.8 x 0.8-in vented disc

S TA I'll LlTV CD NTRO l, partially defeata·ble

WHEELS AND TIRES

WHEEL $IZEITYPE > 9.0 x 20 ln/cast alurnlnum Tl RES> 8ridg sstone Potenza RE050A, 24S/40R'20 95W

SPARE> high·pressure compact

BRAKING

70 TO 0 MPH> 164 ft

FUE,L

cA" ... cln > 20.0 gal lU(HJ[R£O FURL> 91 octane

H[>A CITY, 16 mpq EI>J\ HWY > 25 rnpq CIO QBS.ERVEJ) , ~~ mpq

INTERIOR SOUND LEVEL (dBA) TOLE> 40 FULL TRROTTLE 77

ill-MPH CRUlS.INlh 69

WEATHER

j~Pf;lh\T1.JRE~ 49° f tWMlDJr.". .. 46% JlAROME'rR rc PR£SSUrrE,. 27.50 in 1'19

ODOMETER

nS'-VEHICLE MILEAGE. 302.8

TIRE INFLATION

rss T l'RESSU'RE.S .. F: 33 psi It 33 psi

l"EST NOTES

Wind, dust storms. tumbleweeds-a miserable day In the desert. Though InflnW throttles close when you step on the brake, YOll can tirese- torque it slightly if you trick it by lifting the brake and hitting the throttle at [hI;' same Ume. Panic braking produced ttwee stops In a row of eXile tly the same distance. Computers nne!

CARANDDRIVER.CON! ~ JUNE 2010 69

2011 INFINITI M37 byDAVEVANDERWERP

~ A newfound sense of style, athletic moves, spacious inside.

~ Slightly gritty engine, obstructive transmission programming.

ith its previous-generation M model, Infmiti found itself in an uncomfortable place: Its latest corporate VQ V~6, as found in the Nissal1370Z, was more powerful than the M4S'S V-8. So offering that 330~hp 3 .7-liter in the M had to be delayed until now, after a more potent, 420-hp V-8 found its way into the M. Although the V-6 gets a bit coarse near its 7500-rpm redline, not surprisingly, it propels the restyled 2011 M37 as forcibly as last year's V-8-powered M45: 0 to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and the quarter in 14.1.

And despite the V-6-powered M's 27-hp gain for 2011 j fuel-economy ratings increase as well (although, at 21 rnpg, we averaged 2 mpg worse than in the MS6). The problem is that the obstinate transmission programming makes its fuel-economy mission obvi-

ous. With the four-way selector knob in "standard" mode, the transmission regularly requires more than 50 percent throttle before granting a downshift. The "sport" setting helps considerably, but even then, the seven-speed is sometimes slowto react.

But the reason the M has crawled its way into om bearrs-s-and to two com par ison-restvicrories=is its rightnow eagerness. And, thankfully, that's still the case with the new model. The Sport package, which adds an instantly noticeable zeal compared with the base car, accounts for a lot of this; the steering is far more direct and reacts more quickly off center (this tester loved it; Robinson did not), and the brake pedal has a lot more bite as well. The only downside is that the summer tires can add considerable road noise over certain pavement textures. Overal 1, though, it's a welcome difference. What's not so welcome is thatgetting the $3650 Sport package (20-inch wheels and tires, four-wheel steering, stiffer suspension, larger brakes) also imposes the $3350 Premium package (navigation.ro-speaker Bose stereo, heated steering wheel, cooled seats), which means the cheapest M37S is $54/115, $2450 more than the previous M35S.

But the new car's higher style quotient makes those numbers easier to swallow. The

M's body now bulges in all the right places, and interesting details abound inside: swooping door handles surrounded by pleated leather, switches that are no longer carried over from lesser Nissans, and even an elegantly curving center console. And it's this compelling and comprehensive sense of occasion that makes the M a far more complete competitor to the German horde. ::

THE NUMBERS

zeu INF1N1Tl M3;7

VEHICLE TVPE > tront-encine, rear-wheel" dr'ive" 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PIl.lCE AS n:STED ~ $59,115

(base price: $47,115)

ENGINE T ,{PI::. DOHC 24-valve V-6, alumi num block and heads, port fuel injection

DISPLACEMENT ~ 226 cu in, 3696 cc POWEll (SAE NETj,. 330 bhp @ 7000 rpm 'f(JRQUE (SA,E NE1)~ 270 Ib-It @ 52.00 r]Jm Til. AIiISMISSION > 7,speed automatic with manumatic shifting

DIMENSIONS,

WHEELBASE ~ n4.2 in LENGTH> 194.7 in WIDT H > 72,6 in ElEIGHT,. 59.1 in

CURB WEIGHT> 3980 Ib

C/D TEST RESULTS

ZERO TO 60 MPH> 5.6 sec

ZERO TO 100 MPH> 13.9 sec

ZEIl:OliO 120 MPH> 20.4 sec

STREET START. 5-60 MPH> 5.8 sec STANDING '''~MI).E> 14.1 sec@ 101 mph TOP SPEED (GOVERNOR LIM ITED, MFR'S CLAIM) > 155 mph

BRAKING .10-0 MPH> 170 f! ROADHOLDINa,

2C'1O'PT DlASll'IDPA!) > 0.87 g FUEL ECONOMY, .

EPA CITV/HIGHWA'i DRIVING> 18/26 mpg CID OBSERVED,. 21 mpg

CARANDDRIVER.COM ~ JUNE 2010 71

FEATURE

Make Mine a

IT'S THREE lRINGSNOl' EASILY FOUND THESE DAYS:

STRAIGHT, SQUARE, FORTHRIGHT.

Why would someone choose a Jeep Wrangler for his (or very often her) daily driver? The question has been bothering me for 30 -some years-ever since a rattle bag of us Car and Driver scribes returned, wet and aching, from a Jeep jaunt in the Michigan woods and declared that the off-road enthusiast was the new sportS~ car aficionado. The CJ~7, we claimed, was the MGA, the TR3, the Austin-Healey jooo of the 1970s. (Why someone would choose a British roadster for a daily driver is another question, one that quit bothering me in 1998 when carpenter ants got the last un-museumed Morgan P1uS4.)

78 JUNE 2010 ~ CARANDDRIVER.COM



..

by P.l. O'ROURKE

illustrations by BRETT AFFRUNTI

f

NE 2010 79

FEATURE

,pIJ

LlO

L/{J

.Ql! .Ill!

I SAW THINGS SLIDE INTO DITCHES THAT NIGHT THAT n: NEVER SEEN IN DITCHES BEFORE-A HIGHWAY

PATROL CRUISER~ A TOW TRUCK.

The Jeep Wrangler';Sahara/Rllbicon makes sense if you're- crossing the Rubicon to get to rhe Sahara where you'll be wrangling cattle. But if you're using it to drop the kids at soccer practice, you're nuts. And I say this as a brand loyalist. I grew up in Toledo, Ohio. I lived flY€' blocks from the Jeep factory. My family had a-CJ-2A, used to plow the lot at O'Rourke Buick andsrill in ehe possession of my cousin Mike. The dads ofhalf my classmates at school worked for Willys, I mean Kaiser, WII, American Motors, er, Chrysler, uh, Fiat and Barack Obama. I thought my bedtime prayers began, "Now r lay me dowrrto Jeep ... "

T own one myself, of course, a 1984 Scrambler ..... -rwo seats with a pickup bed. I bought it from the AMC press fleet one Decem bet and drove it from Detroit to New York in: the kind ofblizzard that wouldhave convinced Roald Amundsento move to Key West. The 1940 -size one-speed windshield Wipers were inneedof'Levltra, The vinyl top was beating away like: auditions for a highschool production of Riverdance. The Jeep employed the same heatingsystem used in the vast, half-ruined castles ofimpoveri shed I Ughlands lords. Not that tbeJeep's heating system mattered because-in keeping with Jeep tradition-all the knobs to operate it fell off and were rolling around on the metal floorboard $, getti ng under roy feet as I frantically tried to double-dutch the transfer case into four-wheeldrive, I saw things slide

80 JUNE 20]0 ~ GARANDDRIVER.COM

into ditches that nlghtthar I'd never seen in ditches before or since-a highway patrol. cruiser, a tow truck. I saw-I swear-a snowplow stuck in the snow. Ope thing there was, however, that remained on the road .srock ti res.opaque wi ndshield, incompetent driver and all. Me. It took 18 hours, but J made it to New York.

Well, there's one reason to have a Jeep as a family car. Not that. anyone goes out in weather like that anymore now that we have flat-screen TVs, a million cable channels, Netflix, and high-speed Internet connections to keep us home. Incidentally; Ill)' Scrambler still runs. All the rest of the Imobs. and most of the other things including engine parts have fallen off, to no apparent ill effect. I have 24,523 miles on it. (The odometer broke in 1985.) Mysterious fluids drip from the undercarriage. The license plate is for a tractor because even the most lenient of the local mechanics won'tgive it a state-inspection sticker. But it runs.

So there's another reason, Yet if you don't commute from the Ross Ice Shelf and yolL don't keep the cars of your youth until your own children move into assisted living, you're still nuts.

Admittedly, the Jeep has changed since Reagan's first term. The brakes, for instance-it now has some. And the windshield wipers move at 1Wo speeds, maybe more. Therefore, I got into anew Jeep, a classic two-door softtop with the option pack-

age designated "RUbicon." (Note to Jeep marketing department: That's a pokey little stream in Italy's industrial northeast that could be traversed i I") a Fiat Multipla) I spent a week doing ordinary things in regular weather ona prosaic route down to my (and theJeep's) hometown, over to Chicago, and back to Detroit Metro Airporr.It was a pleasant enough experience.

The Jeep is nimble in traffic and provides excellent visibility. It's nice to have roll-up 'windows and proper doors that lock. Never mind that athief could rip through the rear side curtains with a rattailcornb. You'd have to be a monkey to get into the back seat and a.small monkey to sit in it. Storage space is almost nonexistent, and a 75-pound swingaway spare is between you and whatever you've got that doesn't fit back there.

But the drivers seat is comfortable. in a phys-ed lecture on posture Way. A 3 .S-liter V-6 with 202 horsepower makes the Jeep quick but no quicker than-it needs to be. And the-vented front and solid rear discs put an end to quickness quickly, Out 0]] the Ohio Turnpike, the ride and the wind noise were better than what t expected, but what: r expected was something like holding a storm window in front of my face while sitring in an office chair being towed on a l'Q.pe behind asemi, It was better than that.

The Jeep was stable at speed, which, because it weighs 4200 pounds (about half again more than the original military ver-

The NissanMaxima

SHIFT_ the way you move

FEATURE

IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT NEITHER ARE VllE OR WE'D BE ABLE TO AFFORD MASERATI QUATTROPORTES ..

sion), it ought to be. The suspension largely worked but was smallyuseless, That is, I'm sure the pair of solid axles eould handle Machu Picchu, but when ir comes to little nus" bumps, potholes; and the expansion joints on bridges, America's chiropractors send their love. I didn't test the Jeep's handlingin ess bends or hairpins, but I did leave the highway for an Indiana rest stop going too fast in a light rai n on an off-camber exit ramp, An inrerestingtimewns had, I Iowever, I didn't rna ke the South Bend ni ghrlynews ',

And now lwanta new Jeep-tor my daily driver. ! realize I'm not making sense here. Bur love is 'Uke that, and I love the Jeep. I love the purposefulness and simplicity of the thing. Yes, I'm too old to lead a simple life. No I'm 110t going to use the Jeep for its intended purposes. But, getting into the Jeep, r like to think I'm the kind ofrnan who might just drive right throughthe cham-link fence <I),OU nd that Indiana rest stop and ra ke off acmss the wilderness-well, cornfield, really, And, getting out of the Jeep, J li1\e to think people say, "Yep, that's the !tind of man, no rest stop is bigenough for hi rn,"

Gars are our way of'movi ng through life.

Cars are an integral manifestation of OIH being. Cars are an expression of who we are, like clothes, But we can drive naked, so the hell With clothes,

It wasn't so much the Jeep tbat made me love the Jeep, it was what everybodyelsewas driving. The integral manifestation of our

82 JUNE 20]0 !! GARANDDRIVER,COM

beingwas being a bore, Travel around Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and nHnois~middle class, Middle America, middle of the madand you reallzewhat a sad era iris for carculture, There are fabulous exotics, but YOIl don't see them in Kalamazoo. What you see are the cars andtrucks with a base price around 20 grand, And they're awful, Not that they're awful cal'S, exactly, Considered purely as appliances, everyone of them is better than anyth i ng I imitless wealth could buy a generation ago, Some are fun to ddveSubaru Imprsza, Mazdaspeed 3. Many are good value-! Ionda Civic, Ki.a Optlma, But crash tests, CAFE standards, aerodynamics, and d igitally fidgety design twerps have conspired to fill roads With nonentity,

Once, it was possible to say a bit too much about yourselfwirh yblh- new ca r; Therewas the wbich-way-did-he-ges Studebaker of 1950, Elmer Fudd's 1953 Henry J, the I958 kick-me Nash Metropolitan, the '.57 through '60 nuke-ern Plymouths, and the "Robin, bring the Barmobile around" 1959 Cbevy.

Now there's banality even in the model names. I made fun of Jeep for calling itself Rubicon, but at least Caesars road trip provided Romewirha little excite me nt, It's better than Toyota's fake Latin: "Corolla Yaris Venza Matrix." Or Ford's New Age babble:

"Focus on your Fusion, Taurus." Or Honda's e-mail from the local zoning board: "Does the Civic Insight Fit-? We're in Accord."

What can a person of modest means do

to get a life, automotively? A bitofvariery is stilt extant, You can buy a Kia Soul, a Nis~~ll Cube, a Scion xB,.ar a I Ianda Element, Something wrong in your bong? You can get a Chevrolet HI-IR, which is like admitting you're too out ofit for a ,PT Cruiser. If you're really cute, yon·can drive a Mini Cooper. Or a New Beetle ifyou're so cute you're about [Q pop.There's a Smarr Fortwo, but you're nor stupid, Pickups are a possibility, when yoo can find one that hasn't been up-optioned into BMW price territory. 1'11e Mahindra, on its way fr0111 India, might do, although. it appears to be bui It bypeople who have heard of pickups but have never seen one.

Give me a Jeep, It's not perfect, but neither are We or we'd be able to afford M aserari Quattroportes, The Jeep is straight, square, forthright, It reminds us of something that makes us feel good, And, .ifbelrrg reminded of1NWII makes us feel good compared with what other car'S rernl nd us of, those axe some damn creepy cars. At least the Jeep looks like a motor vehicle, not a netsuke or a plush toy or what the computer-styling software did when the earwent to sleep onthe keyboard,

The Jeep is a manly device, And a womanly device, An American device, It's a fitting instrument to transport the free people ora free nation 'With the respecr to which we are entitled and the dignity that we deserve, Okay, We're a little CTaZY to havea Jeep fora daily driver. But if we go off our meds, we might windup ina Prius, =

SCIENCE VS. HYPE

Gumout Regane"" helps get rid of gunky b ui Idup restoring osl ruel economy and ergine response.

Wllhout Gumout. gunky buildup collects in fuel passages and Injectors. whiCh can hurt fuel economy.

GUMDUT REGANE" COMPLETE FUEL SYSTEM CLEANER COTS FUEl ECONOMY-ROBBING DEPOSITS BETTER THAN THE LEADING BRAND.

1i1"10X the detergent D Ii1" Cleans 6 of 6 D fuel system parts

Ii1" Remains effective D for 10 fi II-ups

~

l~~ NO~e~! 2X '.Il3~ CONC ENTRATE • Same ~erlormance I ,!?".1 = smaller bottle

THE SMARTER WAY TO MAXIMllE FUEL ECONOMY.

ROAD TEST

ROAD TEST

Look kids, Big Ben and Parliament! The Evo@_:(bottom) rides through the Chu_nllel, under j:he EIl(llish Channel.

Even Lotus's devoted, monk-like engineers weren'tthrilledwith the idea ofliving in an Elan for two days. The trips were not without setbacks: Once an Elan prototype's exhaust snapped in half near Lyon, in France. The Lotus suffered the indignity of limpinginro a Renault repair garage, exhaust dragging and engine blaring. Then the Hethel crew, which spoke no French, had to mime the problem to the perplexed French repairman. Hours later, after an exchange of francs and Lotus-branded pens and key chains, they were back on the road, the exhaust system welded back together.

A new Lotus model is rare-about as rare as using the words "practical, refined, reliable, and comfortable" to describe the car without the prefixes "im" and "u n" in place. For more than 50 years, Lotus's cars have pushed intoxicating levels of performance and handling, buta general lack of practicality, refinement, reliability, and comfort often left owners feeling exhausted and hung over.

The new Evoraheld the promise of being different, modem. The idea was to maintain the rabid Lotus-grade handling and perform-

86 JUNE 2010 ~ CARANDDRIVER.COM

ance but throw in a livable interior, a back seat, more room, and the sort of civility that might appeal to Porsche drivers. So how, we wondered, would this new Lotus fare at continually high speeds all the way to Rome and back? Could a Lotus actually be comfortable over 2,500 miles? Or would it revert to its old tricks-shedding parts, splitting exhausts, or worse, quitting entirely and forcing us to hitchhike home? We figured we shouldbring along some Lotus pens just in case.

After a red-eye from Detroit to London and a two-and-a-half-hour, 136-mile trip by car northeast to rural Hethel in Norfolk, I arrive at the gates of the former u.s. Air Force base that frugal Lotus founder Colin Chapman, now long departed, turned into company headquarters in 1966.

And there's my Evora, sitting silently in a steady rain. Th is new model is a stylistic departure from the Elise and the Exige- it's more marurelypenned, looking very unlike a wheeled water bug .. Like the Elise and the Exige, the Evora sits low, the front of the car barely at shin height, the tops of the front fenders about knee-high.

Oetting in doesn't require the Cirque du

Solei! training that the Elise and the Exige do, but slipping between the wide side sills and the steering wheel remains more challenging than gerring into any Porsche, There are still some dollar-store touches inside: cheap-looking window switches, the Fordsourced turn-signal and wiper stalks. But overall, the interior has a style and quality thatwouldn'r look out of place in an Audi.

Firm and snug Recaro seats and a tilting and telescoping wheel adjust easily for a comfortable driving position, Looking out, the huge windshield seems to end at your feet; the view ahead is panoramic, interruptedonlyby the tops of the front fenders, which serve as reference points. When seated on the wrong side ofa car and driving on the wrong side of the road-all thewhile circling London's Heathrow Airporrwaiting for a photographer-it's always useful to know where the front of the car is.

Lensman Tom Salt arrives, and I'm stunned by the amount of gear he has brought along. Kim Kardashian probably packs lighter. The Evora's six-cubic-foot trunkverges on useless, so we just cram our gear into the zg-eubie-foot back seat. Lotus

claims the rear seat is usable by a fifthpercentile female, which basically means that if you're over five feet tall, riding back there is only slightly bet-

ter than being waterboarded.

We head into London,just in time

for the stress of rush hour. We're looldng for backdrops to prove we've

been here, so 'We aim toward Big Ben.

That taken care of, we drive south-

east out of London, then crawl in traffic for a few hours, and-finally-we .'>weep onto the M20, which looks like freeways do everywhere else. Fifty uneventful miles later, we tool into Folkestone and the entrance to the great tunnel built under the English Channel. Beyond it is France.

Spooky to think about: The 31.4-milelong Chunnel runs under the sea for 23.6 miles-it's way down there, 246 feet below sea level at its deepest point. Sixyears in the making, it opened in 1994 and stands as a modern-day engineering miracle. Ticket prices (per car) vary: Expect to paybetween a low of$60 and a high of $300 each way. And you don't drive through the tunnel-you drive onto a massive train car. Turn off the

THE HIGHS> Redefinessteeringfee~ deft in corners, solid structure, soothing cockpit, nothingfell off.

THE LOWS> Sloppy shifter, Muzak engine note ..

THE VERDICT> SujJ'eringdoem'tal'Pear to be part of the Lorus experience anymore.

engine, sit back for a hal f-hou r, and-voila!everyone except you is speaking French.

We spend the night in the tiny town of Coquelles and, the next morning, head southeast on the nearly empty French A4 motorway that connects Reims, France, with Lucerne, Switzerland, in the foothills of the Alps. It's aS3Q-miledrive. The following day, we'll wind through the Swiss Alps, into Italy, and 011 to Rome. Each way, the Evora will erase 1250 miles from its threeyear!36,000-mile warranty.

At a steady 85 mph, the flat farmland of France looks as though it has been smeared with Grey Poupon. The speed limit is a refreshing 130 kmjh (81 mph), but the high-

way bristles with speed cameras. We switch on the cruise control, which, naturally, refuses to maintain a set

speed and continually shuts off at the smallest bump in the road. In 10 hours, we're in Lucerne, where Mount Pilatus in the Alps looks down every year on a big cheese fesrival.

Defective cruise control aside, we'd begun to forget we were in a Lotus. At speed, the Evora is civil.

Carpeted floor mats filled with about an inch of foam help to keep noise just below loud (74 dBA at 70 mph), and the suspension sops up rare scars on the otherwise smooth French pavement. Impressively rigid and apparently screwed rogetherwith care, even cobblestone can't arouse a quiver from the structure, the interior bits, or the plastic body panels. In contrast, driving on a cobblestone road in the smaller, lighter, and harsher Elise and Exige is like being inside a 1950S robot suffering a seizure.

Like its two-seat Siblings, the Evora's larger structure is comprised of glued and riveted aluminum stampings and extrusions that together form the center "tub" section,

CARANDDRIVER.COM ~ JUNE 2010 87

WE'VE RUN 770 MILES AND, FOR THE FIRST TIME, BEGIN TO ENCOUNTER CORNERS THAT CHALLENGE THE EVORA.

where two passengers sit comfortably and two others sit uncomfortably, Bolted to the center section are an aluminum front subassembly and a steel rear subassembly that carries the 3.5-liter Toyota V-6. Each wheel is held in place by a pair of control arms attached to the subassemblies, Fully dressed, this Evora weighs 3085 pounds, a thousand pounds heavier than an Exige.

Perhaps the luckiest Toyota V~6 in existence-having been spared a life sentence in a Sienna-the 276-hp engine is mounted transve rs ely, JUSt in front of the rear wheels. Lotus has modified the Toyota engine-with its own intake and exhaust as well as an electronic throttle, Torque comes in at 258 pound-feetat a high 4700 rpm, hut there is plenty of grunt from idle upward. Power delivery is smoother than Billie Dee Williams hawking Colt 45, but a mid-engined sports car like the Evora begs for an engine that sends kids running, that sounds like it's firing shrapnel with every combustion stroke, Despite Lotus's tweaks, the Toyota V-6 cannot escape feeling like what it is: a minivan engine hiding out in a SportS car. American versions will get a supposedly

88 JUNE 2010 ~ CARANDDRIVER,COM

louder exhaust system, which may knock the purse OUt of the V-6's hands,

No complai nts about the power, though, We got a 0~tQ-60 time of 4.8 seconds and turned a quarter-mile in 13,6 seconds at 102 mph, the Evora's pace falling between that of a Porsche Cayman and a Cayman S. But a problem Lotus faces is the car has a 911-size price-$74,675 base, $88,02.0 as tested,

Connected to the V~6 is a Toyota sixspeed manual transmission lifted from the not-sold-in-the-Il.S. Avensisdiesel, Our test car had the Sports Ratio gearbox ($1500), which has shorter gearing from third through sixth. A steady 80 mph has the engine turning at 3000 rpm; the standard gearset is taller and works the engine less, Shifting cogs rapidly takes a sure hand, not helped by the considerable amount of'slop in the gearshifter's movements.

Dry roads, sunshine, and snow-covered peaks greet us as we arrive at 47S0 feet in the ski town of Anderman in the Swiss Alps. We've run 770 miles and, for the first time, begin to encounter corners that challenge the Evora, Grip from the Pirelli P Zero rubbel' feels endless, and, like any car carrying

~-..=.........._-----

the Lotus badge, this one is perfectly untroubled by high-speed turns, Braking, from the natural pedal feel to the 1S1-foot stops from 70 mph, is on par with that of the best sports cars in the world, But it's the Evora's precise and communicative steering that distinguishes the driving experience. As cornering loads build on the front tires, the steering effort through the hydraulically assisted rack-and- pinion steering inereases=-ir feels spring-loaded, as if you're winding up a giant toy, the tension increasing, When the frout tires begin to relinquish grip, the steering releases as though the spring has been wound too far. Provoke the rear end, by abruptly lifting off the throttle or hammering it, and the Lotus will delicately and slowlydrift its rear tires outward, A polished and slick skidpad surface resulted in a so-so 0,92 gi we fully expect the Evora to get closer to 1 g at our usual test venue.

After playing in theAlps for a few hours, we get back all a freeway and into another runnel, the io.y-ruile-Iong St. Gotthard rube, which spits us out about an hour from the Italian border, It's now midafternoon, and Rome, about 450 miles distant, still feels far,

EVERY ROMAN DRIVING A CAR SEEMS TO THINK HE'SAN UNDISCOVERED r: TALENT.

- .. .. . - . .. - ... -,

A DELUSION I SHARE.

far away. Salt and I begin discussing socialized healthcare but then drift into more esoteric subjects, like, how many puppies would it take to kill you, and, if all the chickens you've ever eaten queued up, how long would that line be?

Programmed to avoid traffic, the Evora's Alpine navigation system sets a course westward toward the Tyrrhenian seaside town of La Spezia, avoiding the Sunday-afternoon congestion on the road between Parma and Florence. Five hours later, a few minutes after 10 p.m., we slip into Rome.

Before dawn the next morning, we take the Evora sightseeing near the Palatine Hill and past the Colosseum. A page in our hotel's guest book warns, "Roman drivers

are crazy!" Not true. In fact, every Roman driving a car seems to think he's an undiscovered Fl talent, a delusion I share. Cars move like they have somewhere to get to, now-accelerating, cornering hard, and jockeying for position, their tiny-displacement engines straining. Visibility through the Evora's rear window is seve rely limited, but I then recall the words of the Italian race-car driver in the film The GumbaU Rally and the primo rule of Italian driving:

"What's-a behind me isn't important."

Late that morning, Salt flies home to Hamburg, Gennany. London is 18 hours away, and-despite having been encapsulated in an Evora for three days straight-vl put in another 12 hours behind the wheel,

90 JUNE 2010 ~ CARANDDRIVER.COM

clipping off the easiest 900 miles I've ever driven, finally stopping at a hotel in the Fountainebleau forest 40 miles short of Paris. Six more hours and another underwater Channel crossing, and everyone's teeth are awful, which means I'm back, Blighty.

So what did we Learn? For the first time in its history, Lotus has built a daily driver that will appeal to people who have never had a Lotus before. It's more exotic and rarer than a Porsche 911, but it's as refined and practical. And, it feels like it will stay screwed together even after its warranty expires. Yet Lotus hasn't compromised the acceleration, braking, and handling that made people look past the flaws and tradeoff's of cars like the original Elan, Europa, Elise, and Exige. Years ago, going from Herhel to Rome in a Lotus required the constant intervention of St. Christopher. The worst this Evora could do was to make us drive without cruise control-you know, actually drive. ::

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ROAD TEST

LOTUSEVORA

PRICE

S TASTED> s:lRl_,020 BASE> $74,675

VEHICLE TYPE> mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive. 2+2-passenger, Z-door coupe

OPTION s s Technology package (consists of navigation system, cru lse control, upgraded audio system, parKing sensors, Bluetooth p-hone interface, auxiliary and USB inputs, and ,Pod connector), $2995; Premium package (consists of leather dash, rear seats, and interior trim: interior accent lighting; [vora loqo on dash; and premium troor mats),

$1990; forged alloy wheels, $1750; close-ratio gearbox, .$1500; Sport pac kage (consists of sport mode for enhanced throttle response and higher rev limit. cross-drilled brake

rotors, sport rear diffuser, blacK-painted brake calipers, and titan lurn exhaust tips), $1275; Laser Blue paint. $1200; clear protective bra, $995; premium sound system, $695; backup camera, $495; power folding mirrors, $450 STANDARD> power windows and locks, remote locking, tilting and telescoping steerinq Wheel AUDIO SYSTEM> Alpine: AM, FM radio; CD/DVD player; rnlnljack, USB, and media-card inputs: iPod connector; 5 speakers

ENGlNE

V-6, aturnlnum block and heads

BORE X STIIO!U > 3.70 X 3"27 in, 94.0 x 8).0 mm 01 SPLACEMENT > 211 cu In, 3456 cc

COM PRESSION I< ATIO > 10.8:1

FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM> port injection VALVE GEAlb. chain-driven double overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder, hydraulic lifters, Variable intake- and exhaust-valve timing REDLlNb 7000 rpm

POWER (SAE NET) > 276 bhp @ 6400 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) > 258 II)-ft @ 4700 rpm

DRIVEtRAIN

TR ANSM!SS ION" e-speec man val FINAL-DIIIV'E IIATlO~ > 3.78:1, 3.24:1

GEAR RATIO MPH PER MAXSPEEO

1000 RPM IN GEAR (RPM)

It 3.54 5.6 39 mph (7000)

e 1.91 10.4 73 mph. (7000)

e 1.41 14.1 99 mph (7000)

0' 109 18.2 127 mph (7000)

4) 0.91 23.9 16.2 mph (6800)

0' 0.86 26.9 162 nnp.]l(600Q)

"~rh~.fir~tl'\tfj'l}isforg:(!rJ.''j I "'IJt tht!: !recrmdI~rs tJ,.~.I.d 6.

DlMENSIONS

EXTERIOR

WHEELBASE> 101.4 in LENGTH> 170,9 in WIDTH> 72.S In HEIGHT ~ 48,1 in

FROWf TRACK> 61.1 in REAR TRACK,. 62.0 In DRAG AFIEA> Cd (033) x frontal area

(20.5 sq ft) " 6.7 sqft

GROU N D C LEA R ANC E > 4.7 In

WEIGHT

CURB> 3085 Ib PER HORSEPOWER »11.2Ib DISTRIBUTION> F: 38.4% R: 61.6% TOWING CIIPACI1'V .. 0 Ib GVWR > 3929 lb

ACCELERATION

ZI;RO TO 30 MPH. 1.7 set

,40 MPH> 2.5 SO MPbl", 3,7 60 MPH> 4.8 1'OMPH> 6.2 30 iii PI!>· 8.7 so MPH> 10 •. 6 ~OO MPH > 12.8 no MPH >- 15.9

S'fR.tl:'I STA RI. S 6U!YIP Il > 5.6 sec

TOP GEAR. 30 lIO MPH> 8.2 sec

1:0P SEA R_ 50 711 MPH >- 8.5 sec

1I4-M1LE> 13.6 sec @ 102 mllh '------------ 'rOP SPEED (DRAG l TIl. Mflt'S CI.AIM) >- 162 mph

INTERI.OR F:HEAD>38.5In LEG,45,2 ill SHOULDER> 49.3 in

R: HEllO:> 3t6 ln LEG ,27.0 in SMOULDER >- 46.7 in SAE VOLUME> F: 50wft R: 23'wft TRUNlb6 curt RESTRAlN'r SYSTEMS >- F: 3-point belts" driver and passenger front airbaqs R: 3-poillt belts SEAT ADJUSTMENTS >- F:fore-and-aft,

seatba.ck anqte

REA R 5 EAT s s folding: no, split: no, pass-through: no

CHA.SSIS

e 11 II SSI S T VPE > space trsrne: center section 01 aluminum with atumlnurn-tube front and steellube rear SUbassemblies

BODV M AHlll ilL >- sheet-rncldad plastic, Ii b e r91 ass ore i nforce d pi asti c

STEERING

Rac~-and-pin ion with hvdrau He power assist RATIO> 16_0:1 r URNS LOC K 1'0 LD CK > 2.9 TURNING CIRCLE CURS-TO· tURB > 33,] ft

SUSPENSION

F: ind, uneq,ual-iength control arms. coil springs, anti-roll bar

R: in d., unequ al-leng,th control arms and a toecontrol link., coil sori ngs.anli-rollbar

BRAKES

Hydraulic With vacuum power assist, anti-lock control, and electronic panic assist

F: 13.8 x 1_3-in ve nled, cross-dr illed, QlsG R: 13,1 x 10~in vented, cross-drttled, disc TB ACTION co NT ROL 1 >- fuHy delealable

WHEE.LS AND TIRES

W HH L SIZE 1'fV PE > F: 8.0 x 18 in R: 9.5 x 19 inl forgedalu mtnum

TIRES> PireHi P Zero

F: 225!40ZR-18 92Y R: 255/35ZR-19 96 Y SPARE> none

t .OHt EW"fJp,mn-spec tru:t em- was not equJ.l'pfd, wzUj Slti biHty C-~:tJ'tn;l'l. A n V, S.~et Cars t''!:Imt stand {iTd w'ith a..fully rieftata bit swbiUtj'-,,-IVnl'ml S],jh:-m.

C./D TEST RESULTS

HANDL.ING ROADHOLD1NG. 200-FT-DlIl SKIDPAD, UNDERSTEER > minimal

I \ \~ 0.92 q },!

~

BRAKING

70 TO Q MPH> 151 f1

FUEL

C APACl'rY > 15.9 gal

R EIllUIREIl FUn. 91 octane. EPA CITV .. 18 mpg

EPA HWY >- 27 mpg

C/D Oil_SERIlED > "'21 mpq

INTERIOR SOUND L.EVEL (dBA) IDLE. 50 FU I L TlHIOTl'1 E: > 8S

70 MPHCR.U1Srr-;G .. 14

WEATHER

TEMPERATt1RE ~ 60° r

ijUMlmJY> 36%

llAROME'rR rc PR£ssUrfE ~ 29.65 in Hg

ODOMETER

·rES-r-VEHlct.E MILEAGE. 11,694

TIRE INfLATION TES-rPRESSU'RE.S .. F: 33 psi R:36 psi

TEST NOTES

The launch is smooth and free of axle hop, but the shifter does !lot like to be hurried through its gatos. Lotus's skidpad was glazed, and tile car unaersteere« more thall on public roads. but it still managrJd 0.92 9 on the slick surface.

CARANDDRIVER.COM ~ JlJNE 2010 93

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Developed 10 combine long tread life with all-season Cilpabilit18s,. the MICHELIN' lTX MIS' tire is designed to brend a smooth, quiet ride with year-round traction in dry, wet and winlp{ conditions, ;indudiqg in light mow. Compared 10 the ori&inal lTX MIS. the new

M I'CHELI N' tTX M/S2 tire is an evolution in looks ... and a leap f.orward in performance.

M~ny lTX M,tS' sii.e:~ ~,e branded Vllith Mi[helin'~ Gr@en X ~mbol as oonfilmatioll of the tire's contribution to vehide fuel eificiency and the globel ellvir'onmenllhe ,Bpplic:atlonol the Green X symbol is d'etermined by laboratory testing 011 e model·by~modej, size·by·size basis.

Discover how your ilext set of ti res ca n result in fu el .saving~i shorter stopping distances and longer tre.ad life. For a limited time, you can en joy a little e-xtr a spending money with your purchase, too.

Haurs: EST M-f 3um'lIpm SAngm-4pm 1-800-981-3782 www.tirerock.com ©l~IO Tiru Rg~k

195100 HB-IS ZISI60 ItR ·16 215155 VR-17 235/55WR-11 235/40 WR -I B~ 255{4SI'ilR-ISn.
195165 11ft -15 215/60 HR -16 22£145 VJR -17a 2.35/55 HR-17 235/45WR-1!1 255155 VR <l BI«-
20"5160 I1R -15 215/1i5l1R ·16 225145 HR-17a 235165 HR -17XL 235150WfH8 2115135 WR -18:cl
205165 Hft -15 225150 ItR ·16 2251511 VA.-17 24Sf40WR-17lL 235/55 VR-iS 275/35 VIIR -IS
195155 VA-16 2~ 1JR·16)(L 225/55 IIR-17 245/45 WR -17J1L 235f60 HR-11ll"- 225/4DWR -19
205150 VR-16 225160 IiR ·16 225/55 HR-17 215!45WR-IB 235f65 IIR -'8 225145WIH9
205155 VA -16 '235160 IIA -16 225160 IIA-17 2~f40WR-ls.a 2)15/40 INA· t BlL 24S4llWR-19
205155 HR -16 ,205/45 IJR ·11 225/65 HfH7 225/45 IVR -t8xt. 246/45 WR -18 245145WR -19
2Q5!1iIJ VII. -IS 205}50 VR ·HIl 2J5I45 WR-11zL :l:2.SfSO WR-18 24SIIlo. HIHB 245/45 WR -20
205/60 11ft -16 21 ;;(45 WR ·17 235145 HIH711 225155 VR -I B 255135 WR ·10x... 245150 VA -20
21'5155 HR - 16~l 215150 IJR - j 7lL 235/511IJR·17 22.5!li0 HR-18 255/40 WR ·1 B 265150 VR - 211

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