GENESIS CLIP

The Good Car Guy just showed a YouTube clip of an interesting - but partial - debut of an upcoming Opel. Exact GoodCarBadCar words: "Sure, it's a bit geeky; plenty unbelievable; and it's not as if this is the C7 Corvette. But it's well done and 10x cooler than the Hyundai version of the same concept."

Well, ↓ is one and the same.

CAR PCOTY

British car magazine, CAR, whose editors proclaim on the cover that they offer the definitive view, has named their Performance Car of the Year.

If you're looking for consistently sound opinion, CAR may not be the place for you. Once known and perhaps even renowned for a magazine that centred on dynamic peformance, CAR has evolved into what seems to be a car-as-a-conversation-piece style magazine, with none other than Piers Morgan contributing.

Nevertheless, the PCOTY feature is certainly suggested reading. The Audi R8 was joined in the final three by the BMW M3 and Honda's Civic Type R. The Audi overcame some high-strung group members (Caterham 7 R400, Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, Porsche 911 GT3 RS) and the M3 and Civic didn't put up enough of a challenge.

Having already battled the Renault Clio F1 Team R27, Vauxhall Corsa VXR, and a Mini Cooper with Works package, the CTR was relegated in the final round despite obvious credentials. "A great hot hatch.... but not quite torquey or communicative enough to feel really special in this company," said the judges.

And the M3? CAR says: "Because, as good as it is, it doesn't move the M3 game on massively. Yes, it's quicker than the old car, more refined, practical and as sideways as ever, but we expect all those things from the M3."

So the R8 takes the crown. One paragraph by Chris Chilton makes very clear the overall reasoning for Audi's win. "And then I pointed the R8 home and knew we picked the right car..... The icy white markings on the dials glowed back from the dash, the Bang and Olufsen hi-fi murmured quietly, and I tried to figure out how this car costs only £76,000. It's still a lot of money in anyone's reckoning, but not for a car of this calibre. In the context of an M3 that costs £50K, a Lamborghini that shares many of the R8's parts and costs over three times as much, and a Porsche that costs £94K but can't be driven in the rain, the R8 easily cements its place as a worthy winner."

In order of their lap times around the Cadwell Park circuit (as driven by British Touring car great Matt Neal), here are CAR's candidates and a brief summary by CAR and the inevitable GoodCarBadCar take as well.

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PORSCHE 911 GT3 RS: "Even Neal thought it was too hot to handle; naturally we wanted to marry it." GCBC says: "A regular GT3 is enough 911+, the RS adds way too much cost for way too little improvement."

CATERHAM 7 R400: "Like being hardwired into the tarmac; if lapping circuits is your thing, nothing beats it." GCBC says: "Proof that a little less weight will do you good."

LAMBORGHINI SUPERLEGGERA: "Couldn't beat the GT3 on the road but was even more exciting on track." GCBC says: "Amazing that extreme examples of extreme cars can face such competition now, such as the GT3 RS, Ferrari 430 Scuderia, and 911 GT2."

AUDI R8: As happy chasing Lambo's on the track as tailing eVextra's on the M25. Brilliant." GCBC says: "Audi now has more than power, looks, and Quattro on its side; the R8 is a pure driving experience."

BMW M3: "We still don't like the steering but what fun - and what an engine!" GCBC says: "The original M3 had a four fewer cylinders and a lot less luxury....."

SUBARU IMPREZA RB320: "Last of the saloon Impreza's divided opinion. Mighty fast but hard work." GCBC says: "Showcasing passion that may never be revealed on the new WRX's or STi's."

NISSAN 350Z: "Quick, but far from the sideways here at Cadwell its roundabout antics suggest." GCBC says: "The Z, as usual, laps with the big dogs for a substantially smaller cash outlay and looks good doing it."

AUDI S5: "Old style Audi - safe and competent but not fun on track; A5 TDI better on road." GCBC says: "Not fun on track, true. But stinking fast and heart-wrenchingly beautiful."

VAUXHALL VXR8: "Bargain V8 saloon better on road than on track." GCBC says: "What was CAR expecting? I'm expecting the Pontiac G8 to be very good indeed."


HONDA CIVIC TYPE R: "Almost racer-like in its responses but amazing VTEC engine needs another 40 bhp." GCBC says: "Needs a communicative chassis and steering before it needs another 40 horsepower, but it looks sweet."

RENAULT CLIO 197 F1 TEAM R27: "A proper oldschool hot hatch and great at Cadwell; but hardwork on the road." GCBC says: "If the weight remained equal to that of the old Clio, then the long-titled new Clio would be in with a shout."

MINI COOPER S WORKS: "Great to look at but minimal power increase from Works kit and poor under braking." GCBC says: "Pray the Mini brand doesn't go soft. It hasn't... yet."

VAUXHALL CORSA VXR: "Torquey engine and smooth ride great on road but VXR outclassed on circuit." GCBC says: "Have you seen this little sucker go 'round the Nurburgring?"

CHALLENGER SRT8 PRICED

Dodge has announced the price for the first edition (limited though it will be) of its good-looking Challenger muscle-car. $37,995 puts the very powerful 6.1L Dodge Challenger SRT8 significantly higher than a Ford Mustang GT but significantly lower than a base Chevrolet Corvette.

These $37,995 cars won't be on driveways near you until spring '08. By the way, Dodge lists $40,095 on its website, a fair chunk of change different from the press-released numbers. Expect horsepower figures for the SRT8 version to be no lower than 425 and torque of at least 420 lb-ft. Those are the numbers for the equivalently-engined Dodge Charger SRT8.

RUF/STUDIO TORINO RK

Is the regular Porsche Cayman tired, dated, or dowdy? I hope you've not tired of Porsche's all-rounder, but.... if you want your Islands (or car) a little spicier, Ruf and Studio Torino did one up just for you. Take note, if you were under the impression that the recent Part I and Part II of the mid-engined sports car profiles were a backhanded bash of the formula.... you were wrong.


The RK Coupe is more than just a design masterpiece. Every Cayman driver seems to believe that the mid-engined Boxster coupe could handle a LOT more power. Ruf supplies. The 3.8L motor normally found in the 911 S has been supercharged to 440 horsepower. Only 49 of these cars will be built, and they'll be mighty expensive. Figure 911 Turbo money.

Those 49 owners have a tasteful & classy but also aggressive & distinctive body on top of an even more capable Cayman, tuned by one of the world's most revered Porsche tuners.

OPEL CLIP

GM Europe design is light years ahead of what GM Europe design was just a few years ago. The Vauxhall/Opel Corsa, Astra, Vectra, and Zafira are all - at this time - look much flashier and more expensive than just one generation ago.

The Insignia group of vehicles won't be fully revealed for a number of months. Automakers all enjoy building hype. Hundreds of Pontiac G6's were given away on Oprah Winfrey's show a few years back. The smart fortwo has been touring America ahead of its on-sale date. The faster-than-Z06 Corvette was 'caught' (wink wink), extensively, on video before General Motors wanted to even talk about it. In any case, this very partial Opel Insignia reveal is one of the better hype-builders. Sure, it's a bit geeky; plenty unbelievable; and it's not as if this is the C7 Corvette. But it's well done and 10x cooler than the Hyundai version of the same concept.

MAZDASPEED6 - BYE

The next Mazda 6 built for North America will not be the same as the Mazda 6 seen on other continents. Apparently, this means the future existence of the North American MazdaSpeed 6 has been called into question. And apparently, the answer to that question is......

No more MazdaSpeed 6. Had Mazda done a better job on the first tuned 6 than they'd see there was and is reason to have another try. But the Speed 6 has only a touch more zip than a V6 Honda Accord or V6 Toyota Camry and equivalent power to the six-cylinder Nissan Altima.

Sure, all-wheel drive was a pleasing extra but supplying the consumer with four driven wheels meant added weight thereby slowing the car and worsening fuel efficiency. The front-end styling wasn't exactly 'pretty' and the marketing department seemed to know of only one colour: silver.

Many also found the driving experience relatively uninspiring, an odd result for a car that in regular 4 and 6-cylinder configurations was fun-to-drive. So in an age where fuel economy is becoming more and more important and under constraints that would increase the cost of development, it appears that MazdaSpeed 6 has bid farewell.

That's sad news for a car that only just joined the BMW 328i, Infiniti G, Acura TSX, and Subaru Impreza WRX in an attempt to prove the Honda Civic Mugen Si to be overpriced.

CAR DESIGN PART II

In Car Design Part I (recommended reading), The Good Car guy asked the following questions: Where has design evolved the most? Where has modernity struck heaviest? Who designs with cookie cutters? Which design group resides 'in the box'? Does anybody?

INEXPENSIVE FAMILY VEHICLES

MID-ENGINED SPORTS CARS

From the top: Chevrolet Malibu, Volvo S40, Mazda 5, Audi R8, Ferrari 430 Scuderia, Lotus Europa, Porsche Cayman

CAR DESIGN PART I

So all the AutoCAD has got you down. Car styling ain't what it used to be. I remember when every new model year meant significant changes, say you. They didn't used to explain why it looked good, you just knew when you laid eyes on the car, say others.

Well, I wondered. And I wondered. And I wondered some more. And then I edited some pictures to (mainly) show the profile of a dozen or more vehicles. Plenty of people suggest that a typical midsize sedan, especially those built in Japan or America, or just carbon copies. The designer of the Nissan 350Z said, on that car's debut, that a car's design impact derives from a singular profile line.

I'm going to show you the profiles of multiple "family" cars, all priced under $30,000. Then you can look at the profiles of multiple mid-engined, high-dollar sports cars. Where has design evolved the most? Where has modernity struck heaviest? Who designs with cookie cutters? Which design group resides 'in the box'? Does anybody?

INEXPENSIVE FAMILY VEHICLES

MID-ENGINED SPORTS CARS

From the top: Citroen C5, Nissan Altima, Ford Mondeo, Honda Accord, Saturn Astra, Koenigsegg CCX and Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera.

CAR NEWS BITE

Fluent in German? www.Mercedes-Benz.de showcases the new look of M-B websites that'll be seen across the world. Considering the fact that 50,000,000 people utilized a Benz website last year, reconfiguring the site is a fairly important process. The result seems swell, but the language barrier is keeping me from knowing for sure.

Poor Toyota Motor Corp: the current recall touches the hundreds of thousands. Lexus GS, Lexus IS, and Toyota Crown and Mark X models in Japan may all suffer from potentially faulty fuel pipes. The recall affects 264,000 vehicles in Japan, USA, Canada, and England, and Germany.

FORD NEWS

Workers at Ford's St. Petersburg, Russia factory have been picketing since last Tuesday, but Ford has begun producing automobiles again anyway. Negotiations will resume Friday. The workers want.... you guessed it - more money. Yeah; I know, I wasn't up to speed on Ford's Russian employee issues either.

Ford of Brazil has posted 15 straight quarterly profits and has a 12% market share at present. At the dawn of the current millennium, Ford was beginning to consider removing itself from South America altogether. Now the Brazilian operations are helping to cover some of the parent company's losses in its home market of America. Tailored products like the EcoSport combined with heavy cutbacks (plant closures and employee buyouts) have aided the resurgence.



Ford plans to invest $200 million in its Kentucky truck plant and will receive $24 million (or more) in credits over the next ten years for doing so. The Blue Oval can't get away with laying off any more than 626 of the 4,137-strong workforce, either.

Marcus Gronholm will finish up his career this weekend in Wales. To capture the WRC driver's championship (as he did in 2000 and '02) in his Ford Focus rally car, Gronholm must take the race outright and see Citroen's Sebastien Loeb drop to sixth or worse. Ford will take the team championship for the second consecutive year.

Bill Thimm died six days ago. It's an interesting story. Thimm was just a teenager in the 1930's, leading tourists around a Ford factory when the Henry Ford took notice of him and his drafting talent and put him through school. Bill Thimm retired in 1974, got all Michael Jordanesque and returned to consult with Ford Motor Company in 1978 and then retired for good in 1987. Bill Thimm was 88 years old.

The Aussie Touring Car championship will be decided this weekend on Phillip Island. Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup in their Ford's must battle Garth Tander and possibly last year's champion, too. Rick Kelly and Tander are both Holden drivers. Ford appears to be in the best position to take the title. Lowndes has done so three times before - in Holden's and Whincup currently leads the standings. The V8 Supercars series is basically Australia's NASCAR, but raced with much truer examples of the nation's best-sellers. Picture Accord and Camry all liveried-up and tuned for total performance rather than the identical, old-tech, badged-up jobs of NASCAR.

MAZDA BAHRAIN

The MX-5, formerly known as the Miata in parts, was just introduced to the Bahrain public. It is, as the local Mazda man put it, a "warm companion". I would argue that every convertible is a warm companion in Bahrain.

Along with the MX-5 comes the CX-9, defined as "futuristic". Mazda's point man in Bahrain, a certain Mr. Singh, hit the nail on the head this time, though. "Standing out from existing crossover SUVs the CX-9 is the insightful solution not only to the modern family's complex needs but also to the enthusiast driver's desires." It is a rockin' family SUV indeed, chosen by MotorTrend as SUV of the Year.

Expect to see a YouTube clip of young men racing across the desert in Mazda's latest. The CX-9 will use the plenteous straights (like the bridge to Saudi) to keep the roadster in its sights.

HONDA'S 27th STRAIGHT

Twenty-seven straight months of growth. We're not talking about my nearly 3-year old niece or even the New England Patriots audience, but Honda's sales. October of 2007 saw a 12.5% rise in worldwide output compared with 2006. Honda, though you may not realize it, is considered by many in autodom to be a bit player. Engines... sure. Small cars.... yeah. Worldwide domination, never. So they say.

Truth be told, Honda's October figures were 'just' 363,532 vehicles. Both output and sales were down in Japan but exports were up. North American and overall Asian outputs climbed, but nothing like Honda saw in Europe where growth was measured at 88.9% compared with Oct/06.


Forget those numbers. Just remember 27. 2-7. Twenty-seven. That, my friends, is consistent success.

SAMSUNG - No, not your stereo

Renault's Korean subsidiary, Samsung Motors, will see a doubling in investment in hopes of increasing exports. Renault owns 80% of the company, the other portion belonging to the maker of your stereo or mp3 player.

Here's what you don't know: Samsung will sell around 172,000 vehicles this year, but less than a third are exported. By 2009, Samsung hopes to be selling around 250,000 vehicles. That would still be just a large drop in the bucket compared to sales of affiliated brands like Renault and Nissan. Ironically, this developing brand is better earner (in specific terms) than Renault. The operating profit for Samsung is 5.4% higher than that of its French parent.


Here's what you may know: Samsung's home market is the fourth-largest economy in Asia and there are some big names competing for a slice of the pie; Hyundai and Kia being the two household brands.

Here's what you do know: Fuel prices are rising, small car sales are surging. Samsung is primed to take advantage of its lower operating costs and even build cars in Europe to take advantage of the current auto atmosphere. Current Samsung models include the SM3, SM5, and SM7.

BMW INDIA

About half of all BMW's sold in India this year have been of the 3-series variety. You'd expect it to be so. Nevertheless, as of the first 3/4 of the year, that is just 500 BMW 3's. The 5-series makes up the majority of the remaining sales (with BMW India's chief figuring the 5-series will soon overtake the 3) and the X5 and 7-series selling in small numbers. Peter Kronschanabi expects to see only 50 BMW M3's sold in the first year after its introduction and not a single 1-series.

The lesson you learn from this: In a word, potential. 1.74 million cars were sold in India in 2006, and the market is growing at a rate of 20% per annum. In a nation of a billion people, the 'potential' for sales growth is hindered more by poor infrastructure than personal finances.

GT-R - UK v Japan

With Nissan GT-R prices in Japan starting at the equivalent of about £34,000, Brits are wondering why on earth they'd buy an officially imported example from Nissan. The GT-R will likely cost over £60K in old Blighty, and after importing costs, a Japanese example wouldn't cost you much more than £45,000 or so.

Care for more Nissan GT-R articles?

What does Nissan UK have to say? Well, not only must Britons wait till 2009 for their first GT-R's to arrive; not only will they pay through the nose for the AWD, turbocharged V6 911-competitor, not only will they have but 300 to divide amongst themselves each year, but they must also wait for its high-dollar arrival because of the grey-import's poor radio reception.

Aha. We all knew that each and every buyer of Nissan's ultimate halo car was purchasing for one reason and one reason only: terrific AM/FM stability. Losing out on such a necessary feature (in a car that reaches 60mph in 3.5seconds and tops out on the exciting side of 190mph thanks to 473 horsepower) would be an incalculable loss.

2007's BEAUTIES

What do the Lamborghini Reventon, Mercedes C-class, Audi A5, and Opel GT have in common?

They're considered to be among 2007's most beautiful cars - in their segments - as decided at the 15th annual competition in Milan.

The Reventon qualified as the winner in the Special Models category; the C-class in Medium Sedan over the Audi A4; the A5 beating the BMW 1-series in the Coupe class; and the Opel garnering the Convertible title over the second-place finisher, BMW's 3-series. Other winners included: Fiat 500 (city car), Fiat Bravo (lower medium), Lexus LS600h (large sedan), Aston Martin DBS (sports car), Mercedes-Benz C-class wagon (umm... er, wagon), Volkswagen Tiguan (crossover), and Renault Laguna coupe concept (ummm.... concepts).


Other so-called beauties that nearly came out on top: Mazda 2, Nissan Qashqai, Volvo V70, Maserati GranTurismo, and Peugeot 308. Clearly, this competition really should be renamed. "Most Impressive Design", perhaps? "Visual Stunners", maybe? Is the Volkswagen Tiguan a "beautiful" crossover? No, beauty is the mark of something particularly graceful, ornamental, or of excellent quality. The Tiguan just happens to be the best-looking cute-ute of 2007. The DBS, GranTurismo, and Laguna coupe all deserve the word "beautiful" to be part of the description.

2006 saw cars like the Volvo C30, Ferrari 599GTB Fiorano, and even the Audi Q7 make the list.

BEST WINTER CARS PART II

BusinessWeek's automotive section recently showcased winter's best automobiles. Along with the vehicles brandished ↓ and in Part I, BusinessWeek provided some interesting statistics.


SUBARU OUTBACK: BW says: "The Outback has as much ground clearance as the taller Tribeca SUV (which is based on the same platform), and like all Subarus, the Outback has permanent all-wheel drive as standard equipment." TGCG says: "The Outback is an obvious choice and obviously good."


VOLVO XC70: BW says: "Ground clearance is almost three inches higher than the V70 wagon, and only a fraction of an inch less than the more imposing Volvo XC90 SUV." TGCG says: "The previous XC70 was the most comfortable vehicle I've ever spent a weekend in, a weekend with snow and sun. I expect nothing less from the new Cross Country."

AUDI A6 AVANT: BW says: "Besides Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system, the A6 Avant has headlight washers. Standard equipment includes heated front seats and heated exterior mirrors. A cold-weather package of options ($600) includes heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and a removable ski sack to keep melted snow from dripping in the rear cargo area." TGCG says: "Much as I love the headlight washers, I stick to the imposing appearance and impressive capabilities as reasons for making wintry use of an A6 wagon."

TOYOTA SIENNA: BW says: "The Sienna is rare among minivans in that it has all-wheel drive in its highest trim and equipment levels." TGCG says: "You and your's and their's and their stuff will fit comfortably and possibly unaware of the peril outside."

HONDA RIDGELINE: BW says: "The oddly styled Honda Ridgeline gets good marks for off-road performance in slippery conditions, with a driver-friendly combination of all-wheel drive, traction control, antilock brakes, stability control, and a five-speed automatic transmission that helps take care of most slippery situations automatically." TGCG says: "It may look funny, but the Ridgeline is capability personified."

TOYOTA FJ CRUISER: BW says: "Toyota says the FJ Cruiser is the most capable off-road SUV in the Toyota lineup." TGCG says: "That lineup is freakin' full of SUV's, too. Put a plow on the front and take care of every driveway in the neighbourhood. So cool."

HUMMER H2: BW says: "Features aimed more specifically at Old Man Winter include heated front and rear seats, heated outside mirrors, and remote starting." TGCG says: "Read my review."

RANGE ROVER: BW says: "With a single knob, the driver can select one of five modes, depending on the road (or off-road) surface: general, for everyday pavement; grass/gravel/snow, for slippery conditions; sand; mud and ruts; and "rock crawl." The system governs throttle response, automatic transmission operation, electronic differentials, antilock brakes, the air suspension, traction control, and hill descent control." TGCG says: "It may be the world's most impressive all-around vehicle... the Queen seems to think so."

SATURN VUE: BW says: "The front-drive version, with a four-cylinder engine sitting over the driving wheels, probably provides enough winter traction for most people, coupled with antilock brakes, traction control, and electronic stability control, all standard—plus winter tires, which cost extra." TGCG says: "The Vue is almost cool now, but not if the badge lacks the V6 and AWD alphanumerics."

TOYOTA TUNDRA: BW says: "Something called the Tundra better be able to go (and stop) in the snow, and with optional all-wheel drive this pickup certainly has the right equipment, subject to proper tires." TGCG says: "The Tundra is fast, and will accelerate almost as quickly in slippery conditions when badged 4x4. But be careful, you've many thousands of pounds to slow down."

BEST WINTER CARS PART I

BusinessWeek's automotive section recently showcased winter's best automobiles. Along with the vehicles brandished ↓, BusinessWeek provided some interesting statistics.

Subaru, which equips all of its North American vehicles with all-wheel drive, sees its market share rise from the cross-America total of 1% to 5% in Colorado, 6% in Alaska, and 8% in Vermont. 85% of all vehicles Audi sells in America send power to all four wheels. All-wheel drive won't help when braking begins.

Terrific winter tires are your best friend(s) in emergency stops. Because of all-wheel drive's limitations, BusinessWeek also emphasized vehicles which feature technical equipment that will help you in wintry situations - perhaps in ways that AWD couldn't dream of.

One Land Rover test driver also made clear the importance of practice, in empty parking lots of need be. My personal winter driver training came at the wheel of my future wife's cousin's Nissan pickup. A very old and very rear-wheel drive Nissan pickup. A 5-speed manual Nissan pickup with a lever for an emergency brake hidden just beneath and to the left of the steering wheel. So, let it be clear: despite our apparent lack of winter to this point - I can drift into a snowbank with the best of 'em. Here, then, are BusinessWeek's best winter vehicles, spread across a wide swathe of the marketplace, with their reasons for induction and The Good Car Guy's further reasoning for purchase.

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SUBARU IMPREZA 2.5i: BW says: "Standard all-wheel drive is the Impreza's primary claim to fame when it comes to winter driving" TGCG says: "It ain't pretty nor a terrific value, but you will make it up any snowy hill faster than any Civic in town."


VOLVO C30: BW says: "Traction control and sophisticated antilock brakes are standard, including electronic brake force distribution and brake-assist—features not always found on small cars." TGCG says: "It's a little, pretty, Volvo hatch, so if front-wheel drive, ABS, trac-con, EBD and brake-assist don't save you; you can rest assured the structure will keep you safe."

HONDA ACCORD: BW says: "Like other front-drive cars, the weight of the engine over the front axle makes for better traction in slippery conditions, especially with winter tires instead of standard-equipment "all-season" tires." TGCG says: "It's probably the best mid-size sedan you can buy, so garnish it with winter tires and enjoy whatever season comes."

BUICK LUCERNE: BW says: ".... unlike its competitors, the Lucerne is front drive, with the engine over the drive wheels. Rear drive is supposed to confer sportier handling on dry roads, and in pursuit of a sportier image, most of the competition has evolved to rear drive." TGCG says: "Buy an AWD Buick Enclave instead."

MERCEDES-BENZ C300 4MATIC: BW says: "unlike the previous product generation, the Mercedes 4Matic all-wheel-drive system is now available for the C-Class." TGCG says: "An all-new Benz is cause for paying attention. The advent of the best C-class ever is reason for purchasing, with or without AWD."


MERCEDES-BENZ S550 4MATIC: BW says: "The 4Matic is a competitive advantage for Mercedes, since archrival BMW does not offer AWD in its flagship 7 Series." TGCG says: "You'll be cool enough - in your neighbour's eyes - when your driveway holds the flagship Benz, but when you venture out in a strong winter storm and they're stuck inside.... well, that's cool at another level."

'NUTHER PAGANI CLIP

Pagani has garnered GoodCarBadCar mentions before, but I just noticed this video and thought it worth embedding for you. The Zonda - so outlandish and extroverted - actually goes about its business in a lightweight style; not thumping out enormous levels of horsepower to simple engage the driver in straight lines. No, the Zonda's relatively low-power engine (when compared with Veyron, Enzo, Koenigsegg) works in tandem with a perfectly honed chassis to seduce any potential owner into true ownership.

evo SUMMARIES 2 - ACP

For part 1 of this special evo edition of Across The Pond, follow this link. British car mag evo, whose thrust is 'The Thrill of Driving', recently wrote the following regarding the following:

Mitsubishi Evo X: "After a low-speed recce alongside one of Mitsubishi's testers, it's our turn to drive the 1.9-mile circuit. I opt for the full-on High-Performance car with TC SST, and on the tester's advice select the Super Sport shift mode. It's immediately impressive, each pull of the right-hand [addle (made from magnesium, incidentally) delivering a smooth and almost instantaneous upshift, with just enough of a push in the back to let you know the gear's been engaged." - Richard Meaden


Porsche 911 GT2: "As you'd hope, the GT2 also has the GT3's satisfying feeling of quality, not just in terms of tight build and underlying structural integrity but in the precision and feel of its controls...... Brake pedal feel is superb too, and with no hint of lost motion at the top of the pedal yet a progression that allows you to measure light and heavy stops effortlessly. The ride is notable calm too..... The kick in the back is sensational..... It's a supercar in concentrated form and from this perspective £130,000 doesn't seem expensive." - John Barker


Ferrari 430 Scuderia: "It all pivots around 3500rpm, the engine speed at which the exhaust valves open (you're going to notice this, everyone within a radius of three miles is going to notice it; think of F430 re-mixed through Motorhead's PA system) and the transmission shift program switches from the easy-does-it to let-'em-have-it. When this happens, you instinctively grip the wheel a little tighter because, for a few moments at least, it seems impossible to pull back. You want to hear more of that astonishing engine note, and your brain scrabbles to sync with the sudden shift to an F1 metabolism. The intoxication is nerve-gas scary." - David Vivian

External links:
Evo
911 GT2
Scuderia

evo SUMMARIES - ATP

British car mag evo, whose thrust is 'The Thrill of Driving', recently wrote the following regarding the subjects ↓ and GoodCarBadCar showcases them in this special Across The Pond:

(Fiat) Abarth Grande Punto: ".... But now there is a road car, the Abarth Grande Punto, and it's being displayed in this flagship showroom where we're also about to settle down for the press conference. Although clearly based on a Fiat Grande Punto, you won't find a single Fiat badge on it. There are scorpions on the wheels, a shield on the bonnet, a shield and tricolour lightning bolt on each flank, more shields inside, but not a single four-letter word beginning with 'F'...... the engine is much better than you'd expect a 1.4 to be. It's remarkably unturbo-like and, whilst it needs to be kept on the boil, it sounds good and pulls strongly between three- and five-thousand rpm." - Henry Catchpole


Mini One: "With all the brouhaha surrounding the Minis in the upper echelons of the range it's easy to forget about the One, the 1.4L entry-level model..... When it's all said and done, it's hard to knock the One. It's an honest, no-frills tool that delivers on all levels. So unless you're after a full-blown hot-hatch, our advice is to keep it cheap and keep it cheerful. After all, it's the way Minis used to be." - Roger Green


Audi A4 3.2 Quattro S-Line: "The tuneful V6 makes short work of straights and slow-moving traffic, while high grip levels and tight body control make for impressive composure when you up the pace.... For all its talents, though, the A4 feels slightly inert from behind the wheel. It;s undeniably capable, combining agility and pace, but the whole experience is very businesslike..... Don't despair though, because it's an improvement on the old car across the board, which means the legend of the RS4 is in safe hands." - Ross Pinnock

External links:
Punto
Mini
New A4

3 GERMANS

Mercedes-Benz has been building high-powered bruisers for quite a few years, not only through their in-house AMG tuner, but in the main part of their showrooms, too. Even run-of-the-mill E-classes are sometimes more powerful than recent AMG products.

Watch the C63 AMG in action

Audi has been declared by many the builder of terrific automobiles that lack a satisfactory connection with the driver. Too much weight on the nose; too much assist for steering and brakes. The RS4 and R8 sing a different song.

Watch the RS4 in action

BMW builds famous fast cars. Their followers know the cars not by model designation but by internal code name - E36, E46, E92. M, as in Motorsport, BMW's have long been regarded as the cream of the crop; in addition to their standing as the driver's choice.

Watch the M3 in action

Car&Driver compared the three latest small supersedans (the BMW is a 2-door but offers the space you need and will be available in 4-door fashion) a short time ago and came away with unsurprising end results. Audi finished third, Mercedes filled the middle, and BMW took the prize. But there's more than just the surface to see. GoodCarBadCar offers you the numbers.

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163, 161, 153: The governed top speeds for the RS4, M3, and C63, respectively. The German gentlemen's agreement to shutter top speed at 155 isn't completely working, but it's close.

3.9: Seconds required for the Mercedes to reach 60mph. This is exoticar fast, folks, and you can utilize this speed on an interstate on-ramp with your family aboard.

6: Speeds in the transmission's of both the Audi and BMW, all 6 of which must be found by you, the driver.

7: Gears in the automatic-equipped Mercedes.

451: Horsepower produced by the 6.2L AMG V8, 31 more than its closest competitor, the Audi, which is 6 stronger than the BMW.

8.6: Pounds which each BMW horse must tote, the best ratio in the test despite its comparably low power rating.

295: Pound-feet of torque at your disposal in the BMW M3's high-revving V8, 148 less than the AMG V8.

10: Miles traveled for each gallon consumed by C/D's test driver's in the Mercedes, four fewer miles than the Audi or BMW would journey.

85: Decibels produced by the M3 at full-throttle, 6 more than both the Audi and Benz. Beautiful. 4034: Pounds of metal, plastic, and cowhide needed to construct one Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, 220 more than the Audi which is 243 pounds heavier than the BMW.


51: Cubic feet of interior volume available to front passengers in the Audi and BMW, 2 more than Mercedes provides.

39: Cubic feet of interior volume available to rear passengers in the Audi and Mercedes, 2 more than the BMW provides.

17: Cubic feet of trunk volume available to Mafia victims in the Mercedes, 4 more than the Audi provides; 6 more than the BMW.

15: Inches of front discs Audi offers for your braking pleasure, the size of a base Honda Civic's wheels.

40: Profile of BMW's tires, the tallest available in the trio, although the Benz's front tires are equal.

59.5: Percentage of total vehicle weight the Audi rests on its front axle, 7.6 percentage points more than the BMW.