1-800-33-Honda *Carrying too much cargo or improperly storing it can affect the handling, stability and operation of this vehicle. Before carrying any cargo, be sure to consult the owner’s manual for load limits and loading guidelines. 4WD EX-L model shown. © 2009 American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com crosstour.honda.com

Introducing the all-new Accord Crosstour from Honda. Designed to be practical without looking like it was designed to be practical. The Crosstour’s sleek, contoured body cloaks a cargo-savvy,* tech- enabled interior. It’s versatility, modernized. Style that screams, space that whispers.

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com CADILLAC.COM/2010SRX

THE ALL-NEW 2010 SRX

THE CADILLAC OF CROSSOVERS Adjectives are well and good, but for those who know, the numbers speak for themselves. Choose the 265 hp 3.0L V6 with direct injection and variable valve timing, or opt for the 2.8L V6 Turbo that produces 300 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque,* both with a six-speed automatic transmission. And whatever your engine choice, there is a sophisticated chassis underneath to make the most of the powertrain. Plus, available ZF SACHS Continuous Damping Control suspension technology reads the road every 2 milliseconds for improved driving dynamics. Finally, when the weather turns bad, one of the most advanced All-Wheel Drive systems available manages torque to each wheel, and is augmented by a rear electronic limited slip differential, which provides enhanced control. Introducing the new standard for luxury crossovers. The all-new 2010 Cadillac SRX. Starting at $34,155.† As shown $49,640.†

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com COVER STORY: rOad tests First drives FerrAri cALiForniA Mercedes-Benz sLs AMG 42 28 We travel to Italy to test this new Ferrari named Like the original Gullwing, the SLS mixes in some Ferrari afer the Golden State—By Jonathan elfalan GT with its sports car heart—By Matt deLorenzo roAd TesT uPdATe Porsche 911 TurBo 92 30 • BMW X6 M Stuttgart’s flagship now has direct injection and 458 • MAzdAsPeed3 PDK with actual paddles—By Mike Monticello Audi r8 Fsi 5.2 V10 quATTro • BMW X6 hyBrid • cheVroLeT corVeTTe GrAnd sPorT 32 This month’s updates: Proof that diversity is the Lots of high technology in here…but this X6 still Italia doesn’t get especially good mpg—By Calvin Kim name of the game in 2010—By the r&t staff COLuMns Features Fitted with a screaming The roAd AheAd—By Matt deLorenzo FerrAri 458 iTALiA 9 34 reseArch As A WAy oF LiFe: At Honda 570-bhp V-8, the agile new Do you think Ferrari would put the Italia name on Motor Company, that’s just the way it is… just any old car? Think again—By andrew Bornhop 12 AMPersAnd—edited by Mike Monticello 458 Italia throws down 48 Audi r8 odyssey, PArT i The ViPer LiVes: And a 2010 ACR sets A long-term test of the trans-America variety, with a new track record at Laguna Seca the supercar gauntlet. visits to membership racetracks!—By the r&t staff side GLAnces—By Peter egan MAXiMuM VeLociTy 24 64 siGns ThAT you MiGhT Be A cAr Guy: With Our Driving Impressions Euro tuners take to the circle-shaped Nardo test track full apologies to comedian Jeff Foxworthy in Italy for a top-speed contest—By Mike Monticello and Technical Analysis— 78 Tech TidBiTs—By dennis simanaitis 70 LonG-TerM TesT “MiniVAns sMeLL oF diAPers:” Bears at our In which we welcome the Hyundai Genesis and update national parks have discerning noses (and eyes!) gleaned at the Fiorano track you on the Jetta TDI and 370Z—By Jonathan elfalan 80 TrAckside and on the twisty roads COMPetitiOn TroFeo ABArTh 500: A Silverstone sampling of this one-make series featuring the tiny Fiat 500 82 dAyTonA And Beyond near Maranello—begin The 2010 Grand-Am season will be hard-fought. 89 The PodiuM—By Chip Ganassi Especially in the Rolex series—By Pete Lyons iT’s ALL ABouT rAcinG: From slot cars to on p.34 NASCAR, Chip proves he’s an owner extraordinaire BLAMe MonToyA 86 Why are F1 drivers Trulli and Salo testing NASCAR 94 sPeed zone—By douglas Kott stockers? Just Juan reason—By John Lamm WeArABLes For The WeLL-dressed cAr Guy: dePartMents Driving shoes, Serengetis, belt buckles, all you need 4 FocAL PoinT teChniCaL counTersTeer—By sam Mitani 96 10 reVVed-uP BMW Tech TALk The AFTerMArkeT And The econoMy: 68 22 your Turn The engineers in Munich are hard at work on a A lively SEMA show fuels our optimism 98 Tech corresPondence variety of fascinating issues—By Jonathan elfalan 100 roAd TesT suMMAry 102 The Finish Line 111 Ps Os BY stePhane FOuLOn COver and COntents PhOt conTenTs

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Grande Vitesse Unlike Toyota and BMW, which have pulled out, the Renault F1 team will soldier on in 2010, putting the past season behind them and starting fresh with Robert Kubica, the Polish driver with the speed to rival the likes of Sebastian Vettel. In this dynamic shot, Bernard Asset gives us a unique perspective on the controlled fury that is modern F1. Photo by bernard asset Nikon D700 1 sec. at f/16.0. ISO 200. Nikkor 18-35mm lens Purchase this print (and other Focal Point images) at the Road & Track Photo Store  www.roadandtrack.com/focalpoint.

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FEBRUARY 2010

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The sordid lure of kinetic gratification. Coupled with the 2010 Genesis Coupe, it can only mean trouble. Press the starter button and you’ll hear the darkened rumble of a 306-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 engine that catapults you into the land of shady business. Round a corner and that’s where the naughty rear-wheel-drive layout and Torsen® limited-slip differential1 come into play. Will it corrupt? Maybe. But it’s certain to spoil. And resistance is futile.

> Race one at HyundaiGenesis.com

1Available as part of Track model. See dealer regarding availability. 3.8 Grand Touring model shown. Hyundai Introducing the Genesis Coupe. is a registered trademark of Hyundai Motor America. All rights reserved. ©2009 Hyundai Motor America.

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com BY MATT DeLOReNZO » editor-in-chief

Research as a Way of Life

While Honda is best known for its cars and motorcy- down from the lower circle, while two round seat pads deploy cles, the company has a long-standing fascination with gadgets. from the top. The U3-X has an unusual twin-hub wheel with Maybe it’s the influence of its power products division—after integrated rollers allowing movement in all directions and unlike all, who but Honda would show a butane-powered roto-tiller at a the Segway, which has a gyro to maintain balance, this device major auto show? uses an inclinometer to keep the wheel under the rider’s center The tinkerer spirit of founder Soichiro Honda, who of balance. fixed engines and motorized bicycles, lives on at the Subtle body movements translate to forward, back- company’s research and development center just out- ward, sideways and diagonal movement; however, you side Tokyo. This is the place where Asimo—Honda’s must use your toe to pivot or turn the vehicle. While robot—was born. And it’s also the place where the it’s interesting to ride, sudden movements (as a few of idea of creating the HondaJet was hatched. That’s my colleagues discovered) will pitch you off. Mostly quite a wide spectrum of technology. Rather than a novelty, the U3-X’s real application genius is its busying itself with pure science-type research, Honda unique wheel arrangement that may find use on other, has a practical bent to its efforts, most of which re- more conventional vehicles. volves around mobility. The lesson here is that research is far from a side- I had an opportunity to visit Honda R&D and show at Honda, but rather a core competency. In came away impressed with the spirit and ingenuity short, technology rules. Even Honda’s top designer, of the place. Although no market has yet developed Nobuki Ebisawa, believes that the future direction of for household robots beyond Roomba vacuums and Honda design is less about art than technology. “We small dogs, Honda’s work on Asimo is beginning to need to come up with new designs where the tech- yield some interesting ideas with practical applica- nologies employed are obvious when you look at the tions. Two of them employ technology that enables vehicle from the outside.” Asimo to walk and run, and to assist rehab patients This hunger for new technologies comes from the and assembly line workers in their daily lives. The top. Honda’s president and CEO, Takanobu Ito, ex- first uses a small, battery-operated device that straps plains that “We have always dedicated ourselves to to a person’s thighs and regulates gait and stride. dreaming up ideas to make life more convenient and In tests, it has been shown to train and improve the enjoyable. We continue taking the challenges to turn mobility of patients, especially the elderly who have such dreams into products with our own technologies.” difficulty walking. Strapping on the device, I found it Enthusiasts may mourn the company’s decision did lengthen my stride and made it easier to walk up last year to exit Formula 1 and to kill the NSX super inclines and steps. sports car. Ito said it was a difficult decision to make, but one Looking more like a spare set of legs, Honda’s other device, that was necessary due to the current economic climate. As one which has a saddle and a pair of shoes to slip into, is meant to of the fathers of the original NSX, Ito was particularly pained by help workers lift and carry objects and provide support when the turn of events, but he believes that Honda will again build crouching down on the assembly line. Where the stride assist felt a 2-seat supercar, not one powered by a V-10 engine, but rather more natural, this device felt a bit awkward and not as seamless one employing the FCX fuel-cell technology. in its assist. However, in an industrial setting, it’s likely to ease Soichiro Honda would be proud.  the burden of repetitive tasks. Honda’s R&D crew also has come up with a personal mobility device called the U3-X, sort of a motorized unicycle. Folded up, Asimo. it looks almost like a boom box. Pull a handle and footpegs drop “The lesson here is that U3-X. research is far from a sideshow at Honda, Bodyweight Walking support assist. but rather a core competency.” assist.



www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com President & CeO, jumPstart autOmOtive grOuP Dillon McDonald seniOr viCe President, ChieF brand OFFiCer John C. Driscoll Jr. Editorial Staff Revved-Up viCe President, editOr-in-ChieF Matt DeLorenzo For notable quotables, video links design director Richard M. Baron executive editor Patrick Hong engineering editor Dennis Simanaitis international editor Sam Mitani and general automotive shenanigans, managing editor Andrew Bornhop senior Feature editor Douglas Kott associate managing editor Cheryl Cooper Feature editor Mike Monticello detroit editor Shaun Bailey road test editor Jonathan Elfalan go to: roadandtrack.com/rev assistant road test editor Calvin Kim research editor Jane Barrett editorial assistant Donna George editors-at-Large Peter Egan, John Lamm, Joe Rusz editor emeritus Thos L. Bryant associate art director Robert W. Swif assistant art director Marla L. Santos Photo services manager Brian Blades Photo staff Jeff Allen, Chris Cantle, Jay K. McNally, Marc Urbano art editor emeritus Wm A. Motta roadandtrack.com editorial director Jennifer Degtjarewsky roadandtrack.com senior Producer Amber Chunn roadandtrack.com Producer Faith Sampson

Contributing editors Ian Adcock, David W. Black, Peter Bohr, Tim Considine, Adam Cooper, Tom Cotter, Bob Judd, Gordon Kirby, Gordon Murray, Matthias Pfannmüller, Sam Posey, Kent Shocknek, Jim Sitz, Tim Tuttle, Paul Van Valkenburgh, Tom Wilson, Peter Wright Contributing artists Tim Barker, Héctor Luis Bergandi, Dennis Brown, Jon Dahlstrom, Ken Dallison, Alfredo De La Maria, Yoshihiro Inomoto, Hal Mayforth, Niles Nakaoka, Charles W. Queener, Barry Rowe, Lars Sältzer (Larson), Joe Troise & Frank Ansley, Jack Unruh Contributing Photographers Bruce Benedict, Paul-Henri Cahier, Rich Chenet, Jim Fets, Stephane Foulon, Barry Hathaway, Koichi Ohtani, Allan Rosenberg, Guy Spangenberg, Bill Warner, Bryn Williams, F. Peirce Williams, Jeffrey R. Zwart road & track speed radio host Ed Justice Jr. editOriaL OFFiCe 1499 Monrovia Avenue, Newport Beach, California 92663; (949) 720-5300 Advertising Staff east COast 1633 Broadway, New York, New York 10019; (212) 767-6371 vice President, brand development Zvia Herrmann director of Operations Patti Burns eastern advertising director Jonathan Marshall eastern advertising manager John Ferris designer Ryan Patrick senior marketing manager Deana Ambrosio associate marketing manager Courtney Bistyga accolade manager Nadine Goody h n marketing Coordinator Danielle Renning S ake … vice President & general manager, digital automotive group Robert Ames vice President, Finance director William Frank senior group Circulation director William Carter vice President, Consumer marketing Philip Ketonis Production director Diane Arlotta not stirred vice President, retail sales & marketing William Michalopoulos director, newsstand sales John Kayser F1 Champ Michael Schumacher takes a Classified ad sales (212) 767-5750 DETROIT AUTOMOTIVE 423 No. Main St., Suite 220, Royal Oak, Michigan 48067; (248) 284-2848 bartender on a fast lap while the mixolo- midwestern advertising manager Melissa Homant Office manager Michelle Maguire gist tries to do his thing. Exit question: midwestern advertising manager Bryan A. Weston Who picks up the dry-cleaning bill? WEST COAST 5670 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1600, Los Angeles, California 90036; (323) 954-4838 vice President, Western region Rick DeMuesy Western afermarket manager Bruce Bakke Western advertising manager Bruce Kukuk sales assistant Jeoff Haertle advertising Coordinator Victoria Sanders MIDWEST/TEXAS 500 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 2100, Chicago, Illinois 60611; (312) 923-4819 midwestern advertising director Richard T. Bisbee sales assistant Megan Johns NEWPORT BEACH 1499 Monrovia Avenue, Newport Beach, California 92663; (949) 720-5300 West Coast director, human resources & administration Nancy LaPorte director, Fulfillment services David Northridge Production manager Carla Fredericks systems administrator Brian Carter Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. (www.hfmus.com) Alain Lemarchand, President & Chief executive Officer Philippe Guelton, executive vice President & Chief Operating Officer Catherine R. Flickinger, executive vice President & general Counsel Deborah Burns, senior vice President, Chief innovation Officer John C. Driscoll Jr., senior vice President, Chief brand Officer, Car and driver, road & track Carlos Lamadrid, senior vice President, Chief brand Officer, Woman’s day group Larry Little, senior vice President, Cycle World group Carol A. Smith, senior vice President, Chief brand Officer, eLLe group Philippe Perthuis, senior vice President, Chief Financial Officer Be Like Travis Tom Donohue, senior vice President, Chief technology Officer Bennett Theimann, senior vice President, Chief Procurement Officer Thomas Masterson, senior vice President, Consumer marketing & manufacturing here’s a great time-waster at work Todd Anderman, senior vice President, digital media (not that we played it between Anne Lattimore Janas, senior vice President, Corporate Communications John Weisgerber, vice President, integrated sales & marketing 9 and 5). Eileen F. Mullins, vice President, human resources HFM U.S. is part of Lagardère Active, Share your video with us! a division of Lagardère sCa (www.lagardere.com) Didier Quillot, CeO, Lagardère active Life If we choose your video to run in Revved-Up, Jean de Boisdeffre, CeO international of magazine division, Lagardère active in the Fast Lane we’ll send you a Road & Track cap! E-mail a YouTube video link or image to Subscription Inquiries: [email protected] and be sure to OnLine: www.customerservice-roadandtrack.com enrichedgasolines The Official Fuel Partner include Revved-Up in the subject line. teLePhOne: 800-876-8316 of Road & Track maiL: r&t, P.O. box 55270, boulder, Colo. 80322-5270

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www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Edited by Mike Monticello

Stay of ExEcution: The DoDge Viper LiVes on! ...at least for 2010

CARMEL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA—The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, a could be a cheaper (and faster) alternative. Think of it as a Viper Com- 2010 Dodge Viper ACR reset the production-car track record at Mazda petition Coupe, but without that car’s expensive carbon-fiber bits. Raceway Laguna Seca with a 1:33.915 lap. A small group of journal- The 2010 car represents the final year of production for the cur- ists were on hand to witness the Viper team easily crush the time of rent-generation Viper, of which roughly 500 will be built. All models 1:35.075 set by the Devon GTX a few months earlier. Although the receive a lower 5th gear for improved acceleration as well as a short- Devon is Viper-powered, the Dodge folks were clearly irked that their throw shif lever, while the ACR gets a revised rear wing with new 2008 record of 1:35.117 (set by race driver Randy Pobst in a 2008 end plates for improved downforce. It’s suspected that these changes Viper ACR) had been beaten. SRT vehicle dynamics engineer Chris would result in an even quicker time around the Nürburgring—they Winkler needed only four laps with the 2010 ACR to slice more than surely didn’t hinder it around Laguna! 1 second off the Devon’s time. As a tribute to the record time of 1:33, There are no definitive plans regarding a future Viper. Recently ap- 33 Vipers will be painted in the same red and black scheme as the car pointed Dodge CEO Ralph Gilles (himself a Viper owner) surely would Winkler drove. miss the car if it were never to return. Gilles says that if the Viper does Winkler could’ve run more laps and lowered the record even more, make a comeback, it will be more refined yet even faster, without sacri- but as the ACR he was driving was headed for the Los Angeles Auto ficing its purity. A new engine wouldn’t be needed, as the Viper’sV-10, Show, it was thought prudent to leave with its variable cam timing, should something in reserve. Plus, the Viper »Dodge Viper ACRX spec racer. be emissions compliant into the 2013 folks had testing to do on the new Vi- model year. Don’t expect the next Viper per ACRX spec racer. For track rats and to play second fiddle to anything, as race junkies who are considering buy- that would be against everything the ing a Porsche Cup car, the Viper ACRX Viper stands for today.—Shaun Bailey

PhOTO BY ShAuN BAILEY

12 Road & TRack

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com When Honda announced the car that was to suc- ceed the Acura NSX would be canceled, we let out an agonizing yelp. R&T had tracked the development of the car from Day 1, even putting a concept version on our March 2007 cover. Now we get word that the car is not yet dead. The company plans to intro- duce a racing version of the front-engine V-10-powered sports car to the Japanese Super GT Series next year. Apparently the engineers at Honda were building the race version of the NSX successor in conjunction with the development of CAR BEST BY PhOTO-ILLuSTRATION the production model, so Unlike the production homologation. Rules of loophole in the regulations the production run for both rather than totally writ- version, the race NSX suc- the Super GT Series are that allows the NSX suc- cars ended long ago. ing off both projects, new cessor will be equipped based on those of the FIA cessor to compete. It’s the Let’s hope the involve- Honda president and CEO, with a 3.4-liter V-8, not and Le Mans, so a certain same loophole that allowed ment of Honda’s NSX Takanobu Ito, gave the a 5.0-liter V-10, adhering number of cars must be the previous NSX and successor in the Super GT okay to keep the race-car to Super GT rules. What’s sold as production models. Toyota Supra to race last Series leads to a produc- project going. also a sticking point is But there seems to be a year, despite the fact that tion version.—Sam Mitani

When Nissan introduced the Spec M version of the Japan-market Skyline GT-R (R34), it was an instant hit. The reason behind its popularity

PhOTO KGP BY was that it blended the performance of the Spec V with comfort and civility absent in the other models. Now comes word from Japan that there will be a Spec M version of the current GT-R. While details are still sketchy, we have been informed that the future Spec M will be priced above the Spec V, a model that’s not sold in the States. We have heard reports that it could be as much as 18,000,000 yen, or about $200,000. Included in this price is a custom paint job (the buyer chooses the color and paint scheme) and a subtle body kit. There’s also the possibility nissan that power will be increased to more than 500 bhp, perhaps giving the Lexus LFA a run for its money around the Nürburgring. We’re anticipat- ing the car to make an o
cial appearance any day now, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed gT-r spec M that it will make its way stateside.—SM

www.roadandtrack.com febRuaRy 2010 13

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Porsche says the 2011 Boxster Spyder is the light- est car currently offered by the Stuttgart-based company. At 2811 lb., the Boxster Spyder weighs 176 lb. less than the Boxster S, due partly to aluminum door skins and interior door panels from the GT3 RS. The Boxster Spyder also has 10 more bhp than the Boxster S, its direct-injected 3.4-liter flat-6 now produc- ing 320 bhp. Fitted with tive Porsche claim, as we include shorter side win- comes standard with a lim- from 2004 and 2008, the Porsche’s quick-shifing achieved 4.1 sec. in a 2009 dows, special wheels and ited-slip differential and a 2011 version will be a regu- twin-clutch PDK transmis- Boxster S. The Boxster two bulges on the rear sport suspension, the latter lar production model—on sion, the Boxster Spyder Spyder has a top-down top decklid that are reminiscent lowering the ride height by sale in February at a price can reach 60 mph in 4.6 speed of 166 mph. of the Carrera GT’s. The 0.8 in. Unlike the limited- of $61,200. sec.—a typically conserva- Other Spyder changes mid-engine Boxster Spyder edition Boxster Spyders —Mike Monticello

Cadillac CTS Coupe

subaru impreza WrX sTi special edition Subaru usually saves the best STI models for Japan. That’s changing. At the L.A. show, Subaru unveiled the Impreza WRX STI Special Edition based on the Japan- market spec C. Subaru says the STI Special Edition is “aimed at the driving enthusiast who is willing to trade a few amenities to gain an extra measure of handling per- formance.” That extra performance will come via a 1-mm Officially unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the production version of Cadillac’s thicker rear anti-roll bar and stiffer rear subframe bush- 2011 CTS Coupe is relatively unchanged from the concept seen at last year’s Detroit show. ings, along with 16-percent stiffer front springs and 29- Riding on the same wheelbase as the CTS sedan, the Coupe is 2 in. shorter and has a percent stiffer rears. It also features the charcoal-colored 2-in. lower roofline. This wedgy 2+2 comes with a 3.6-liter 304-bhp direct-injected V-6 18-in. 14-spoke alloy wheels from the spec C. and a 6-speed manual transmission. A revised clutch and dual-mass flywheel are said The STI Special Edition buyer will have to make do with to improve pedal feel and engine isolation; a 6-speed automatic with paddle shifers is halogen headlights (instead of HIDs), a lower-grade stereo optional. Cadillac says the CTS Coupe will return an estimated 27 mpg on the highway, system and manual air conditioning. Everything else re- running on regular-grade gasoline. mains the same as the regular STI, including its 305-bhp The rear-drive CTS Coupe is fitted with a limited-slip differential standard; the Coupe is turbocharged flat-4 and Brembo brakes. also available with all-wheel drive. Helping separate the CTS Coupe from the sedan is the The first 125 Special Editions will go on sale in the availability of Recaro seats from the CTS-V. Speaking of which, there will be a V version U.S. in early spring, available only in Aspen White. Later of the coupe with a 556-bhp supercharged V-8, most likely unveiled at the Detroit show. in 2010, the Special Edition will be available in greater CTS Coupe pricing should start around $50,000.—SB numbers and standard colors.—MM

www.roadandtrack.com febRuaRy 2010 15

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com standard car’s. Butyou considerable hike over the of $105,000 represents a ever, its estimated price tion inemissions. How- mpg, withasimilarreduc- rating ofjust over 16/24 That would mean anEPA than thecurrent 750Li. 15 percent more efcient Hybrid 7, saidto besome it withtheBMWActive- can gosomeway to salving with agreen conscience rollcage and6-point Schroth safety belts. Allofwhichmakes itapity theM3GTS won’t besoldintheStates. the rear seats, stereo, climate control andmost ofthesoundinsulationdrop about265 lb. Inreturn: Recaro seats, a piston rears, alongwithlightweight 19-in.alloy wheels.Titanium muffiers, acarbon-fiber roof andthedeletionof threaded bodies for adjustment of stroke length,heavy-duty brake rotors with6-piston fixed front calipers and4- dual-clutch 7-speed MDKG transmission. Otherchanges includea more rigidlybolted rear subframe, dampers with front splitter, theM3’s 4.0-liter V-8 sees abumpto 4.4 liters, resulting in450 bhp (upfrom 414) routed through a BMW hasmadeamore track-worthy version withthenew GTS model.Besides the obvious adjustable rear wingand Track Attack: BMWM3gTs TheMinM3stands for Motorsports, andassuch, BMW Activehybrid 7 normally aspirated V-8 will shelve the4.8-liter decreased by 0.2 in. width by 0.5 in.;heighthas has increased by 2in.and to 116.9 in.).Overall length grown by 3.2 in.(now up has awheelbasethat this new 6th-generation 5 new 5Series Gran Turismo, derpins the7Series and on theplatform thatun- toned-down styling. Based BMW 5Series features FirST OFFiciaL PhOTOS: Luxury sedanbuyers The range-topping 550i As expected, the2011 5 series 2011 BMW turbo V-8 delivers 440bhp 4.4-liter reverse-flow twin- better thanthe750Li.The powerful andaccelerates get acar thatisbothmore of the twin-turbo setup. It of thetwin-turbo setup. It scroll turbocharger inplace uses asingle(larger), twin- Yes, butthenew engine the current 535i,you ask? aren’t thosethefigures of 300 lb.-ff. oftorque; wait, inline-6 with300bhpand new turbocharged 3.0-liter an estimated 5.0 sec. the 550ito hit60mphin lb.-ff. oftorque, enabling packing 400bhpand450 charged 4.4-liter V-8 in favor ofatwin-turbo- The 535iwillfeature a www.storemags.com synchronous electric motor produced by athree-phase al 20bhpand155lb.-ff. augmented by anaddition- and 480lb.-ff. oftorque, hood, front fenders andnew ficientDynamics,” thedoors, Under thebillingof“Ef- new 8-speedautomatic. manual transmission ora available witha6-speed spring. Allmodelswillbe affer theinitiallaunchthis is expected. in EPA fuel-economy figures a 5−8percent improvement BMW withaturboengine; variable valvetrain, afirst for injection andValvetronic also incorporates thedirect A 240-bhp 528i arrives & www.fantamag.com to display suchthingsas call upanarray ofscreens however, thedriver can the car externally. Inside, there’s littleto distinguish cally optimized wheels, badges andaerodynami- ic’s torque converter. and the8-speedautomat- located between theengine generation, thelatter which ing andBrake Energy Re- electric-assist power steer- will alsocome standard with save weight. The5Series are madeofaluminumto multilink front suspension Apart from someunique —SB www.roadandtrack.com febRuaRy 2010 17 next spring. time thecar goes onsale this willberesolved by the V-8. BMWengineers claim torque withthatofthe the electric motor’s instant system attempts to blend as theenginemanagement celerating from astandstill, noticeable tip-inwhenac- into play, whilethere isa bring theAuto Stop-Start brake pedalisneededto 750Li. Afirmstep onthe to thatofthestandard ing experience issimilar distribution. power recuperation and $45,800. Series, whichstarts at to thatofthecurrent 5 will remain comparable deceleration andbraking. charges thebattery under Likewise, thedriv- BMW assures uspricing —MM —Ian Adcock —Ian FerrariAbu World DhAbi Those who watched the inaugural Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on television, won by Red Bull Renault’s Sebastian Vettel, might have noticed an im- posing red structure adjacent to the Yas Marina Circuit. No, a giant alien spaceship hadn’t invaded the United Arab Emirates—what you saw was the world’s first Ferrari theme park, scheduled to open in late spring. Designed by the architectural firm Benoy, the red roof structure that encloses Ferrari World Abu Dhabi spans over 2 million square feet and carries the largest Fer- rari logo ever created. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi has over 20 “state-of-the-art rides and attractions,” including the world’s fastest roller coaster (hitting speeds over 124 mph), F1 racing simulators, a racing school for ju- nior drivers as well as a “flume ride journey through the heart of a Ferrari 599 engine.” And, of course, Ferrari enthusiasts will also experience two Maranello-inspired restaurants as well as plenty of shopping.—MM All-New Audi A8 Revealed

Buick Regal For the last 15 years (and weighs only between 77 V-8 and V-6 turbodiesels, 255,000 cars) the A8 has and 110 lb. more than the the first U.S. models (ar- Buick, a brand once thought near death, has a new embodied Audi’s vision of previous version. Due to its riving in late 2010, in both lease on life. The 2011 Regal—an Opel Insignia that a flagship sedan. Audi says all-aluminum construction, normal- and long-wheel- was originally slated to be the next Saturn Aura—is the all-new version of its alu- it continues to weigh less base versions) will come leading the charge. The Regal offers a choice of 6- minum-intensive A8 will in- than competitors. with a 372-bhp 4.2-liter speed automatic or manual transmissions and two troduce a whole new level of Inside, wood, leather and direct-injected gasoline V-8 4-cylinder engines: a 2.4-liter direct-injection Ecotec refinement and innovation. high-quality plastics form (up from 350), followed making 182 bhp, or a turbocharged direct-injection For starters, the new A8 an elegant and luxurious later by a W-12 variant. The 2.0-liter with 220 bhp. is considerably larger: More cabin. An optional touch A8 will come standard with An early drive of the Regal with the turbocharged than 3 in. longer, over 2 in. pad on the center console a new 8-speed automatic 4-cylinder around Michigan proved this is a brilliant wider and 0.6 in. taller. The allows menu commands transmission, adaptive air engine—lively and powerful, while still offering decent wheelbase has been in- by “writing” letters with suspension and Quattro economy (estimated EPA 29-mpg highway, with the creased by about 2 in. (now one finger, which Audi all-wheel drive. In 2011 Audi naturally aspirated four getting 30 mpg). But it’s not 117.8 in.), giving more cabin says is a groundbreaking will add a 4-cylinder turbo just the engine that’s good—so is the chassis. The room and an even better intuitive feature. as well as a full hybrid with days of floaty-riding Buicks appear to be over. The weight distribution. Despite Although Europe will lithium-ion batteries. steering feel is superb, with minimal torque effects. the extra size, the new A8 have the option of both —Matthias Pfannmüller The new Regal is definitely not what we’ve come to expect of Buick, and that’s the point GM wants to make. Initial U.S. Regals (arriving this spring) will be built in Germany, with production later switching to Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.—SB

18

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www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com What Matters to You?

Today, America needs fresh leadership to lead us as a nation out of this economic crisis. Leadership must come not only from our political leaders but also from the average citizen. The exporting of American jobs is a trend that must be stopped and reversed. When I walk into my local hardware store, I typically find 85% of the goods for sale are manufactured 7,000 miles away. Recognizable American brands have been forced by shortsighted management and buyers at large national chains to build factories overseas just to save a lousy $.50 on a tape measure. To these ruthless buyers, it is all about the money. Rarely are product quality, the political system, human rights, animal rights and environmental costs to the planet considered, not to mention the cost to our society of exporting not only jobs, but an entire factory! At MacNeil Automotive, we are doing our part for the American economy and for our 300 million fellow citizens and neighbors. My philosophy is that if my neighbor doesn’t have a job, sooner or later I won’t have a job either. For example, we used to have our All-Weather Floor Mats manufactured in England by a company that used antiquated, inefficient equipment. They made a decent floor mat for us, but we thought we could build a better floor mat for our customers using modern American technology, American raw materials and skilled American workers. So in 2007 we transferred all of our floor mat manufac- turing back to the United States. Today, we build the best fitting, highest quality automotive floor mats in the world, right here in America. Our machine shop is equipped with 17 CNC machining centers including four 4 axis mills and one 5 axis mill that produce between 30 to 50 injection and thermoforming molds per month. We have one shift of highly skilled American Journeymen toolmakers and apprentices, but our machines run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is not a more efficient tool and mold making operation in the world - and guess what, it’s right here in America.

©2009 MacNeil Automotive Products Limited

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Furthermore, all of our CNC mills are manufac- tured in Oxnard, CA by Haas. Our 1,000 ton injection molding machines are made in Bolton, Ontario of American and Canadian components. Our thermoforming machinery is made in Carol Stream, IL. The raw steel and aluminum billets which make up our tooling are sourced from American steel and aluminum mills such as Vista Metals in Fontana, CA. The raw materials that make up our All-Weather Floor Mats, FloorLiners, Cargo Liners and Mud Flaps are manufactured in Bellevue OH, Arlington TX, Wichita KS and Jasper TN. Our forklifts are made in Columbus IN and Greene NY. Our warehouse racking is manufactured in Tatamy PA. At MacNeil Automotive, we are also very aware of sustainability and our responsibility to the environment. We are proactive in controlling waste and recycling all of the unused raw materials from the manufacture of our tooling and products including: aluminum, steel, rubber, TPO, TPE, paper and cardboard. As you can see, we are as dedicated to designing, developing and manufacturing the finest automo- tive accessories for our consumer and OEM clients as we are passionate about supporting the American economy, preserving the American industrial infrastructure, and keeping the “money” in our family, a family of 300 million people from all over America. Life is simple; be good to your fellow man, be kind to animals and the environment, and place building a quality product, supporting your country and your fellow American worker before profit. And, one last thing - let’s all do our best to balance family time with work time as our children are the future of America.

Sincerely,

David MacNeil, Founder/CEO [email protected]

Specialists in Original Equipment and Aftermarket Automotive Accessories www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com 22 Road & TRack www.roadandtrack.com show award regularly goingto d’elegance—that is,theBest of nual pebble Beach Concours World War II car. Buthisstate- an arguably over-restored pre- for whattakes place atthean- mixed feelings many ofushave did agoodjobofoutliningthe Post-War Winners ing anew car. lucky me!“her” Mistral Coupe. award went to a1964Maserati cars madeinthe1950s;1968 through 1954was awarded to that timedoes, indeed,fly. years old, not60;furtherproof year’s Monterey concours is72 Best ofshow for theyears 1950 Concours d’elegance’s website. Comparison, December 2009), the new taurus sho(Road test now thatford hasintroduced 4-door witha6-speedmanual. last car was a2004InfinitiG35 recommendations whenbuy- His andHers Road ahead, December 2009) “preservation orneglect?” (the Not-So-Supercar? I thinkMatt Delorenzo’s the winninghorch atthis My wife hasalways trusted my BEThEsda, MaRyLaNd Bart stringham ment “…it ment “…it would be great to see car take a post-war top honors for once” does not does not ausTiN, TExas appear appear Bob taylor accurate according pebble to the Beach Beach equals 80hours. du heures Quatre-Vingt “1988 own peak since you called it race seemsto have reached its 1988 race, theduration ofthe Mans reach theirpeak at the high-speed parade. should befast, butnever just a car unableto turnin? Racing lence makes acloselyfollowing when theaerodynamic turbu- in. Why have alongstraight long andhence too shortto pass makes thezone only50yards zone ifthebrake technology no goodhaving awidebraking tracks andcars for passing. It’s slowest possible speed.” tive inany race isto winatthe from stirlingMoss: “…theobjec 2009) bringsto mindaquote tHe art ofracing really enjoy. making acar thatwe can both was sold.thankyou, ford, for seats withdualmassage andshe it hasheated andair-conditioned all Ihadto dowas mentionthat the next choice isano-brainer. Mans.” Quatre-Vingt heures heures Quatre-Vingt Mans.” fast istoo fast?” December õ ø ∆ Track® & Road Newport Beach, calif. 92663; not onlydidthespeedsatle the key isto design both your excellent article (“how

fax e-mail [email protected]. mail at1499 Monroviaave., www.storemags.com (949) 631-2757; NEWMaRkET, oNTaRio, caNada accepts letters by ToRoNTo, oNTaRio, caNada RockviLLE, MaRyLaNd Harry McKeague TusTiN, caLifoRNia Joe Mcintyre steve coates ngoc tran unsolicited materials. Photographs shouldbereleased for publication by thesource. exclusive. Materials are subject to inquiry andwe reserve therightto editletters. Editorial contributions are considered onlyifguaranteed Include your fullname,city, state anddaytime telephone numberfor verification. We cannot answer every - & the shiny new ford f-150 was 2009). theoffer was good, ers,” sideGlances, november $16,000 when everything was going to bediscounted nearly 177,000 miles (“Cash for Clunk- Chevrolet suburban withover considering trading inmy 1992 sentient Beings 20s), not 20 and four.—Ed. and 20 four not (literally, 20s), eighty as translate as peter egan whenitcame to www.fantamag.com you saved me from makingahugemistake. (aka handling),andcosts nearly $300,000 less. thanks,lexus! nissan Gt-R thatisfaster to 60, hasbetter weight distribution even white, too. $375,000 orso. to thinkIalmost boughtthepuny 480-bhp seconds, 560bhp, anda48/52 weight distribution, allfor amere could Inotbuyone? Just lookatthespecs: 0–60mphin3.7 LFAGT-r versus ing thelexus lfa (Cover story, December 2009). Imean, how I was inthesame situation are. you Right you know whatlfa stands for don’t you? lfant. oh,andit’s Wow. that’s theonlyword thatcomes to mindwhendescrib- Quatre-Vingt Road & Track® & Road does does standard terms, andthevendor must retain acopy. fully understood. a quasi-sentience thatisnot do indeedhave a“life” ofsorts, that complex machines like cars me crazy, butIfirmlybelieve was too muchto bear. and,call thought ofitbeingdestroyed with 17 years ofownership, the and thememories associated of my suburban over theyears, considered thefaithful service up, right? however, whenI considered…too goodto pass Road & Track® & Road caLGaRy, aLBERTa, caNada isnotresponsible for GWyNN oak, MaRyLaNd BELLE PLaiNE,kaNsas ruslan dukan John Lowe greg Martin

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www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com By PEtEr EGAN » Editor-at-largE

Signs That You Might Be a Car Guy

Well, I must admit I was somewhat taken aback, even as the mail arrived just as I was on my way into the house after though the letter was good-natured and humorous. It arrived yes- changing the break-in oil in my newly restored 1964 Lotus Elan. terday from a reader named Michael Lavander of Westland, Mich- As I read the letter, my hands still reeked of Goop hand cleaner, igan, chiding me for not changing my mixed with overtones of drain oil that seemed to be own oil on our new Bullitt Mustang. emanating from the wristwatch zone. Seems I mentioned in a recent col- Also, I’d spent half the morning in auto parts umn that I took the car into the dealer stores, searching for an oil with the additive for its first oil change, and Mr. Lavander ZDDP, which is needed in older engines said he immediately stopped reading, so they don’t scuff their cam lobes and because “The first rule of Car-Guy- lifters. ZDDP—if my high school chem- dom is you change your own oil. The istry class memory second rule of Car- serves—stands for Guy-dom is that “Zygomorphic Diapha- you change your nous Diathermatic Phos- own oil.” phate” or something. I At the end of the let- got a D- in chemistry, so ter, he added, “Please you may want to look tell me that the dealer this up. gave you a free oil I finally found some change coupon for the Valvoline 20W-50 Racing new car and you just Oil claiming to contain the magical felt lazy! I am unable ZDDP, so I bought it and changed my oil. to read past the first paragraph.” And I always will, with the Elan. I Well, Mr. Lavander can relax, slightly. wouldn’t let a non-Lotus guy near the Yes, my new Mustang came with two years of thing. An untutored, reasonably strong coupons for free oil changes, so I was not about to car mechanic could snap the steering wheel turn down a deal like that. right off this delicate concoction, just pull- But I must admit that I almost always take a new ing it into the shop. And then there are the car in for a dealer oil change when it’s still under weird, fragile jacking points… An F-150 warranty. I have an unnatural dread of a hypotheti- pickup it ain’t. cal scene in which the service manager says, “Hey, dahlstrom jon In any case, Mr. Lavander’s letter got me Ron, this guy changed his own oil and filter and now thinking: Is changing your own oil really the he says the car has a funny engine noise!” first rule of Car-Guy-dom? Gales of laughter from the service bays. I had a neighbor in California who If the oil filter falls off my new car or the changed his own oil and greased his drain plug falls out, I’d just as soon have a car religiously, but he couldn’t tell receipt showing that a highly trained pro- a Zerk fitting from a brake bleeder. I fessional did it. once found him trying to inject grease Also, the nearest collection site for drain oil is 12 miles away into his right front brake caliper. Without success, luckily. I sus- and—what with all the used oil from old cars, motorcycles and lawn pected cheapness more than car enthusiasm here. mowers—I hate to make that trip too often. And then there are all But Mr. Lavander is mostly right—changing your own oil is those empty oil cans, jackstands and oily footprints on the floor… certainly a durable symbol of hands-on involvement with cars. So, yes, there’s genuine laziness here as well. When I was a full- Still, I think it’s just one of many. time foreign car mechanic during the ’70s, I changed the oil in What are the other signs of Car-Guy-dom? hundreds of cars, and—during my first year of apprenticeship— Well, here are a few that just occurred to me, off the top of did almost nothing else. I’ve viewed every form of drain plug my head. And I use the term “Guy” here in its gender-inclusive from 6 inches away, and have had remarkably warm oil run down form, as when you address a man and a woman and say, “Can my arm and drip off my elbow in everything from Alfas to Volvos, you guys come over for dinner?” I believe this is now the for- so the novelty has more or less worn off. If our Ford dealer wants mally correct form of address, even in diplomatic circles. to change the oil in my Mustang for free, that’s fine with me. So here—borrowing a page from Jeff Foxworthy—are a few Strangely, the timing of Mr. Lavander’s letter was faultless, other signs that you might be a car guy:

24 Road & TRack www.roadandtrack.com

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SKIPBARBER.com 866 .736.5322 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com 1 You pick up the morning pa- a suicide-door Continental or an MG TC, all in the same brain. per and the headline reads, “Alien  Your bench grinder pedestal is permanently bolted to the floor. Death Ray Incinerates  There is no day so bad that the sight of a buff-colored issue of Millions.” You set the front Hemmings in your mailbox doesn’t dissolve all worldly cares. page aside for later read-  You are on a first-name basis with the only guy in the county ing and go straight to a Sears who knows how to rebuild Dynaflow and Hydra-Matic auto- insert that says, “Presidents’ matic transmissions. Day Craftsman Tool Sale.”  You own more than one floor jack. 2 You’ve owned at least one  The electrical parts drawer in your toolbox contains two brand of car that your local in- high-performance Lucas Sport Coils that look brand new, but surance agent has never heard of, you honestly can’t remember if they’re new spares or if you took and you have to spell it twice. Or them off a race car that was misfiring. So you never use them three times, in the case of the Innocenti Mini Matic T1000. and you never throw them out. 3 There was no way on earth you would have missed the  You’re starting to think maybe a real car guy should have a opening night of a Clint Eastwood movie called Gran coil tester… Torino, regardless of content.  You go to the hardware store to buy two 7/16 grade-8 4 You have a whole drawer filled with cruddy, locknuts and walk out with a box of 100, because “it’s slightly rusty “take-off ” hose clamps, which you always good to stock up.” will never use again. Unless you need to get an en-  You own at least one Nomex racing suit that gine running at midnight when the auto you’ve “outgrown” and one or more helmets parts stores are closed. with expired Snell stickers, preferably from an- 5 You have neighbors who wonder other century. why you can never get a rebuilt engine  When you go house-hunting with a realtor, you running before midnight. And why automatically reject any home without room to the garage doors have to be open… park a car trailer—or at least a place to hide one, 6 You spend Sunday watching three if it’s one of those upscale neighborhoods where different types of racing on Speed zoning laws are concocted to keep out people ex- Channel, and on Monday morning actly like you. someone at your office says, “How  Half the money you earned in your 20s was given to a about those Bears?” and you don’t man in a Snap-On Tool truck. know whether they’re talking about  You have a surprising number of football or a fire in Yellowstone. friends whose children are named 7 You own a “cherry picker” engine dahlstrom jon for legendary hoist that’s all spattered with overspray members of from a defective nozzle on a can of chrome-aluminum spray Team Lotus. paint that also hit your Cobra poster.  You privately 8 The left fingertips on the rubber glove in your bead-blasting believe that a cheap or cabinet are all worn away from holding small carb linkage parts. insubstantial toolbox Your fingerprints don’t look so good, either. reflects a kind of spiritual 9 Jay Leno’s garage seems like an island of enlightenment and malaise in the owner. perfect sanity in a world gone mad.  You never complete-  Opening a velvet-lined micrometer case creates ex- ly bond with any dog that actly the same rush of endorphins in your brain as doesn’t enjoy riding in a car lifting the lid on a plush-lined case containing a and looking out the window. triple-pickup Les Paul Custom.  You own several combination  All your blue jeans have a worn left knee wrenches that have been heated because you have a hole in the left to a cherry red with your oxy- knee of your coveralls. acetylene torch and bent to perform  Your air compressor is slightly special tasks, now forgotten. larger than the refrigerator in your  You have a wall locker in your garage containing at least house. eight cans of motor oil, all of differ-  The only time you use un- ent brands and viscosities (synthetic, printably foul language is when non-synthetic, straight 50 wt. rac- you’re alone in the workshop ing, etc.), left over from past oil and things go really changes where you bought one ex- wrong. Which is tra can, “just in case.” about every five  You imagine that minutes. someday you might  In just one own an old beater of evening of look- such low status that ing at classifieds, you it won’t bother you can entertain notions to mix brands and of buying a big-block viscosities while doing Corvette, a short- an oil change. That day wheelbase Land Rover, never comes. 

26 Road & TRack www.roadandtrack.com

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ENTER TO WIN FREE SWAG AT FALKENTIRE.COM www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com HALF MOON BAY, of the shape is the resolution at eerily similar to that of the origi- CALIFORNIA— the rear of the car, which has no nal Gullwing. With dry-sump Following in the foot- quarter windows like the original. lubrication, it sits low in the bay steps of a legend is a dic- As a result, the B-pillar treatment and provides explosive power ey proposition. Mercedes’ and tall rear deck with its boattail (563 bhp at 6800 rpm and 479 AMG division has a tall or- crease could be more elegant. lb.-ft. of torque at 4750 rpm) to der on its hands in engineering That fussiness aside, the rest of the rear wheels through Mer- its first ground-up automobile in the SLS works very well. The in- cedes’ first dual-clutch sequential the SLS, made doubly so by the terior features high-quality leather shift gearbox. The engine mount- fact that it trades on the heritage trim, aluminum accents and ed aft of the front axle’s center- of the SL Gullwing. well-bolstered sport seats. The line and the gearbox mated to the The overall look and propor- only drawback is that these power rear differential help in giving tions of the car are contempo- seats sit taller in the car than the SLS a front/rear weight dis- rary—crisp character lines, the the 1-piece hard shell European tribution of 48/52 percent. use of LED and projector beam sport seats that won’t be sold in Another benefit of this layout lighting and an integrated rear the U.S. due to their lack of side is the use of a torque tube con- ance, quick turn-in and minimal wing that rises out of the deck- airbags. This tall-in-the-saddle necting the engine and trans- body roll. Contrary to current lid. As is the car’s stance—it position has its benefits in seeing mission, which gives the car fashion, the suspension is not rides on a 105.5-in. wheelbase, over the long hood, but somewhat so much torsional rigidity that adjustable and it seems that measures 182.6 in. overall and, reduces available head room. it feels much more solid and the engineers have done their at 76.3 in., is very wide. Front Punch the start button and the heavier than its 3573-lb. curb homework well, imbuing this track is nearly 10 in. greater SLS’s raison d’être springs to weight would have you believe. 2-seater with a good balance of than the original SL’s. life—a 6.2-liter V-8 (although it Out on the open road, the SLS tautness without being bone-jar- The SLS’s best angle is from displaces 6208 cc, AMG likes to feels tied down, with absolutely ring. That’s not to say you won’t the front; it’s bold and purpose- call it a 6.3). It has a rorty, piston no flex in the chassis. It pos- feel ripples or irregularities in ful. The only unsatisfying aspect aircraft-sounding song that is sesses a delightful blend of bal- the pavement, but rather it’s an

2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG A legend in its own right

By Matt DeLorenzo

28 Road & TRack

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com acceptable price to pay for the quicker shifts, while Sport Plus »The aircraft-inspired cabin of the SLS features controls that are level of grip provided. speeds up the shifts even more. logically arranged and easy to use. The center console knob controls AMG offers the driver several Finally, a full manual mode the improved Mercedes COMAND navi system. The tall rear decklid modes of gearbox and trac- lets you control all the shifts. with integrated pop-up spoiler could be sleeker in execution. tion/stability control. With the Likewise on the traction control former, there are four: The first front, one push will summon a able, but not recommended. feedback. For those wishing for a is C, or controlled efficiency, sport setting that allows you to At the track, the car’s sheer traditional manual, you’re out of which starts in 2nd and snaps hang the tail out like a pro, while power impresses immediately, luck. Still, the paddle-shift gear- off shifts relatively seamlessly still being able to reel the car but after a few laps you really box snaps off upshifts with the (although when the transmission back in when you step over the begin to appreciate its balance. best of them, blipping the throttle oil is not quite up to tempera- limit. Full- The car will drift out (or hang on downshifts. ture, you can get a minor clunk off is avail- out if the throttle is punched), but The SLS AMG goes on sale in from the gearbox). Sport will tightens up neatly with less April with a sticker starting be- give you 1st-gear starts pedal or a touch of the low $200,000. Like the original and slightly brakes. The steer- Gullwing, the SLS is a sports car, ing is spot-on— with a little GT mixed in. It’s the no deadness on kind of car that is not only track- center—with just ready, but also has road trip writ- the right amount of ten all over it. 

»roAdAndtrAck.com/mbsls see more… Photos+ViDeo

“Like the original Gullwing, the SLS is a sports car, with a little GT mixed in.”

www.roadandtrack.com febRuaRy 2010 29

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com 2010 PORSCHE 911 Turbo Astonishing performance...for the seventh time in a row

BY MIKE MONTICELLO

Estoril, Portugal—WhEn (from 9.0:1 to 9.8:1), more ef- believe it’s more about the drive Porsche launched the turbo ficient intercoolers and a new than it is about bragging rights Carrera (aka the “930 turbo”) expansion-type intake manifold, at the drag strip should opt for in the u.s. market for the 1976 the 3461-lb. turbo (the Cabrio Porsche’s easy-shifting 6–speed model year, the car had already is 3626 lb.) has both more pow- manual gearbox (which comes achieved near-legend status, er (up 20 bhp to an even 500) standard)—you see, PDK out- »Besides the availability of a stories of its prowess having and noticeably less turbo lag. performs the 3-pedal manual twin-clutch PDK gearbox with wafted across the atlantic after the little bit of lag that still ex- (partly due to launch Control), true paddle shifters, the new the release of the 1975 model in ists is worth it, as the rush that with conservative claims of 911 Turbo can also be fitted with Europe. the performance from follows is simply mind-blowing. 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.4 Porsche Torque Vectoring. its single-turbocharged 3.0-liter torque is rated at 479 lb.-ft. sec. for the PDK/sport Chrono sohc flat-6 was downright amaz- from 1950–5000 rpm, but or- turbo, versus 3.6 sec. for the oversteer moments are now eas- ing for the times: u.s.-specifica- der the sport Chrono Package manual. one minor gripe with ier to control, due to a smoother tion models produced 234 bhp ($3470) and the overboost func- PDK is that the gear indicator distribution of power between and 246 lb.-ft. of torque, in a tion provides a 516 lb.-ft. hit on the instrument panel is too the front and rear axles. 2785-lb. rear-drive car with an from 2100–4000 rpm. Despite small, and offset to the right. But what still defines this engine mounted aft of the rear the turbo’s extra power, Porsche another new technology on 911 turbo (known internally axle. the 911 turbo had instant says its emissions are down 18 the turbo is Porsche torque as the 997 ii) is its ferocious, supercar status. percent while fuel consumption Vectoring ($1320). it combines pin-you-into-your-seat accelera- Fast forward 34 years, and has decreased by 16 percent. a mechanical limited-slip rear tion. about the only downside the legend of turbo has only new to the turbo is Porsche’s differential with variable torque here (other than price: $132,800 grown—as has the performance. ultra-quick-shifting twin-clutch distribution at the rear axle for the coupe, $143,800 for the But first glance at the new, 7th- 7-speed PDK gearbox (a $4550 by applying the brakes to the cabriolet) is its less-than-stellar generation 2010 model might option) that’s been upgraded to inner rear wheel, intended to music from the engine compart- leave you wondering: “What’s handle the turbo’s extra power. enhance turn-in and minimize ment. usually you want to “blow the big news here?” launch Control comes stand- understeer. While there is a bit the doors off the competition,” For starters, the 2010 911 ard when the PDK is ordered less understeer, a more effec- but the turbo’s intake system turbo features the first truly in conjunction with the sport tive way of controlling the car’s sounds more like it will suck new engine in the model’s his- Chrono Package, which pro- attitude is via left-foot brak- the doors off as it whooshes by; tory. Based on the Carrera s’s vides for thrilling (and consis- ing—happily, the new turbo and although the exhaust is loud, 3.8-liter flat-6, the twin-turbo tently repeatable) neck-wrench- doesn’t cut power when overlap- the note is thoroughly uninspir- version features direct fuel in- ing all-wheel-drive launches. ping throttle and brake as with ing—nothing like a gt3. jection for the first time, while also available for the first most Porsches. PtV or not, the still, small grievances with tipping the scales at 26.5 lb. time on a Porsche are steering- turbo’s chassis dynamics are a car that is greatly improved less than the outgoing version. wheel-mounted paddle shifters better than ever, with perfectly and could very well be the most along with more displacement ($490), although Porsche’s snubbed suspension, incred- “livable” supercar in the world. (the turbo was previously a non-intuitive pushbuttons come ibly direct steering and strong Both Coupe and Cabrio are on 3.6), a higher compression ratio standard with PDK. those who brakes. and, the car’s power-on sale now. 

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30 Road & TRack www.roadandtrack.com

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CALL 800.593.9651 www.Bowfl exWeb.com (1109) P0210ROADBOW www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com tric­to­gas­was­seamless.­The­ BMW 312-volt­nickel-metal­hydride­ 2010 X6 ActiveHybrid battery­pack­is­liquid­cooled­ and­at­full­throttle­can­deliver­ Dynamically efficient 57­kilowatts­to­the­motors.­The­ battery’s­cooling­system­dumps­ BY Calvin Kim heat­into­either­the­air­condi- tioning­system­(the­a/c­system­ can­energize­on­its­own)­or­the­ MIAMI—WITH­A­PERFORM­ANCE- claimed­5688­lb.,­up­419­lb.­ ing­compressor­and­power-steer- power­steering­cooling­loop. oriented­M­version,­two­gaso- from­the­xDrive50i)­of­the­2- ing­pump.­The­last­two,­plus­the­ Like­other­electrically­moti- line-powered­models­(with­die- mode­transmission­and­trunk- vacuum­assist­for­the­brakes,­are­ vated­vehicles,­the­ActiveHy- sel­options­in­Europe)­and­now­ mounted­187-lb.­battery­pack.­ powered­via­an­electric­motor.­ brid­charges­the­battery­pack­ the­addition­of­the­ActiveHybrid,­ (And­if­the­term­“2-mode”­ Functionally,­this­increases­effi- primarily­during­braking.­The­ the­X6­is­BMW’s­first­“full-line”­ sounds­familiar,­yes,­it’s­the­sys- ciency­by­reducing­parasitic­en- brake-by-wire­system­blends­ vehicle.­While­we­could­ques- tem­jointly­developed­by­GM,­ gine­load­and­allows­the­engine­ regenerative­and­hydraulic­brak- tion­the­marketing­decision­that­ BMW­and­Mercedes-Benz.)­ to­shut­down­and­restart­based­ ing­systems­excellently,­but­ led­to­a­hybrid­crossover­coupe,­ Absent­from­the­powertrain­is­ on­drivetrain­demands­rather­ pedal­feel­is­spongy­and­vague.­ instead­we’ll­focus­on­how­well­ BMW’s­all-conquering­torque- than­ancillary­needs. There­was­an­almost­impercep- the­hybrid­system­works­in­this­ vectoring­system.­The­intended­ At­full­song,­the­entire­power­ tible­“clunk”­sound­at­very­low­ big­vehicle. city-based­application­made­it­ system­can­produce­480­hp­ speeds­that­lets­you­know­the­ For­starters,­the­ActiveHybrid­ unnecessary.­ and­575­lb.-ft.­of­torque.­At­ transmission­is­shifting­modes.­ utilizes­many­of­the­same­parts­ Its­two­synchronous­electric­ less­rage-filled­power­levels,­ When­in­either­Sport­or­Manual­ as­the­“regular”­X6­xDrive50i.­ motors,­three­planetary­gear- the­ActiveHybrid­can­operate­ mode,­the­engine­will­not­auto- Externally,­subtle­ActiveHy- sets­and­four­sets­of­multiplate­ in­full­electric­mode­at­speeds­ stop­and­will­instead­charge­the­ brid­badges­on­the­sides­and­ clutches­make­the­7-speed­ approaching­37­mph.­During­ batteries­at­idle. trunklid,­as­well­as­the­Aero­ transmission­the­heart­of­the­hy- our­quick­drive,­we­achieved­a­ BMW­claims­that­the­Ac- wheels,­are­the­only­telltale­ brid­system.­One­motor­exclu- consistent­maximum­speed­of­ tiveHybrid­is­20­percent­more­ indicators.­Inside,­the­doorsills­ sively­provides­locomotive­force­ 34­mph­with­a­fully­charged­bat- efficient­than­the­gas­version,­ carry­ActiveHybrid­badging­ to­the­wheels,­while­the­other­ tery­on­flat­asphalt,­but­a­light­ with­a­similar­emissions­reduc- and­the­center-console­LCD­ handles­engine-start­and­power­ foot­is­needed­to­keep­the­car­in­ tion­to­boot.­We­achieved­19.6­ display­features­hybrid-specific­ regeneration­duties.­Altogether,­ electric­mode.­In­normal­driv- mpg­(versus­14­mpg)­during­ screens,­while­the­instrument­ the­system­provides­an­addition- ing,­the­electric­motor­will­kick­ our­mixed-mode­drive.­And­ panel­sports­a­unique­analog­ al­80­hp­and­125­lb.-ft.­of­torque­ in­when­your­foot­is­to­the­floor­ while­some­may­criticize­the­ battery­gauge­and­a­4-segment­ and­seamlessly­blends­the­power­ to­provide­additional­boost. X6’s­overall­concept,­it’s­hard­to­ bar­graph­showing­the­power­ from­the­internal­combustion­ During­full­electric­running,­ fault­its­seamless­hybrid­system.­ output­by­the­motors. engine­and­electric­motors. we­achieved­stints­of­about­a­ You­just­don’t­notice­it.­We­only­ BMW­engineers­optimized­ The­hybrid’s­4.4-liter­direct-in- mile­in­light­city­traffic­before­ hope­BMW’s­trickle-down­ap- the­suspension­and­center-dif- jected­twin-turbo­V-8­is­the­same­ the­gas­engine­would­activate.­ proach­to­a­performance­hybrid­ ferential­tuning­to­compensate­ as­the­xDrive50i’s,­but­loses­the­ Regardless­of­engine­load­or­ begins­with­this­car,­which­ for­the­additional­weight­(a­ alternator,­starter,­air­condition- speed,­the­transition­from­elec- starts­at­a­healthy­$89,725.­ 

32 Road & TRack www.roadandtrack.com

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Driving impressions & Technical analysis

2010 Ferrari 458 italia

Is this new Ferrari worthy of the Italia name? No doubt.

By Andrew Bornhop » photos By stephAne Foulon

MARANELLO, ITALY—“Past performance is no guarantee of future results.” With financial funds, stocks and the like, that certainly is true. But with new Ferraris, it’s a different story; does anybody really think the replacement for the F430 will be the Prancing Horse’s equivalent of a Mustang II? Not a chance. Nevertheless, one of us had to go to Italy to drive the new 458 Italia and find out for sure, both on the Fiorano test circuit and the roads surrounding Maranello. That fortunate edi- tor was me, and here’s what I learned. ❖ The new 458 (as in 4.5-liter engine, 8 cylinders) is a natural evolution of the F430, a mid-engine 2-seat berlinetta still styled by Pininfarina but with aerodynamics play- ing a much more prominent role. The resultant car is perhaps a bit less organically beautiful than previous Maranello offerings, but there’s an

www.roadandtrack.com february 2010 35

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Enzo-like sense of purpose here, which »Circular LED taillamps flank the rear of direct-injected 90-degree V-8 is a gem, an is vital in a car with a top speed in excess the 458 Italia, inset in the mesh exits for oversquare 4-cam 4.5-liter that screams of 202 mph. Get this: Without any add-on the car’s gearbox and clutch coolers. Mid- up to its 9000-rpm redline in each gear aero appendages—just expert manage- mounted V-8, below, remains a work of art while boasting enough midrange torque ment of airflow gleaned in Ferrari’s wind with its red crinkle-coated intake plenums. to be comfortably loafed around town. tunnel—the Italia, which has a CD of Tricks learned from Formula 1 are at 0.330 (versus the F430’s 0.343), produces work in this high-compression V-8, which nearly 800 lb. of downforce at 200 mph, makes 570 bhp when receiving a full ram with a stability-enhancing 41 percent of effect (at the car’s peak speed) from air that force on the front axle. What’s more, inlets integrated into the trailing edges of the Italia laps Fiorano as quickly as the the rear quarter windows. Of note, with no Enzo and the 430 Scuderia, leaving no ram effect, this dry-sump engine still pro- doubt as to its track credentials. duces 565 bhp. That’s 126 bhp per liter, the As with the F430, the 458 is built on an highest specific output for any naturally aluminum space-frame chassis, a blend aspirated engine in production. The torque of extrusions, sheets and castings that peak of 398 lb.-ft. is reached at 6000 rpm, is significantly stiffer than before, by 20 and more than 80 percent of that is avail- percent in torsion and by 8 percent in able between 3250 and 9000 rpm, thanks bending. Overall length is up by only 0.6 to variable valve timing on the intake and in., but the wheelbase has grown by 1.4, exhaust sides, plus a dual-plenum intake which translates to improved stability, manifold whose central section has three shorter overhangs and a lower polar mo- pneumatic throttle valves that open and ment of inertia. An extra 0.6 in. of width close at varying times to affect the inlet aids cockpit space, and the curb weight of air as desired. The inlet tracts are short 3274 lb. represents a gain of only 66 lb. and straight, just like in a race engine, and compared to the F430’s. torque is further enhanced by split injec- While any weight increase is frowned tion, a secondary fuel pulse at wide-open upon in a car designed as much for the throttle that helps the 458’s V-8 make, on track as the street, the Italia more than average, 20 percent more torque than the makes up for it with power. And the new F430’s at medium and high revs.

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com The fight against internal friction is led block below the pistons. In fact, there’s cially in automatic mode, thanks to the by graphite-coated pistons (which have actually a partial vacuum around the flat- new twin-clutch paddle-shift gearbox, the short skirts and thin compression rings), plane crankshaft, which is said to improve only transmission offered in the 458 Italia. plus superfinished camshafts and hydrau- torque by 6 lb.-ft. at 2500 rpm. Yes, you read right; the 458 isn’t avail- lic tappets, the latter also receiving a su- Although your typical 458 owner won’t able with a manual. Sacrilege? To some, per-smooth DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) feel that tiny bit of torque on his way into yes. But to Ferrari, it’s only natural. Less coating. A new variable-displacement oil work tomorrow, that’s precisely what than 1 percent of F430s were sold with a pump consumes less power at high rpm, Ferrari, a racing company, should be do- manual gearbox, and Maranello insists on and a revised oil scavenge system dra- ing. What he will feel, however, is much employing whatever standard equipment matically reduces the pressure within the smoother shifting than in the F430, espe- is necessary to keep this Ferrari at the

“The Italia laps fiorano as quickly as the Enzo and the 430 Scuderia, leaving no doubt as to its track credentials.”

www.roadandtrack.com february 2010 37

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com “The 458 isn’t available with a manual. Sacrilege? To some, yes. but to ferrari, it’s only natural.”

top of the performance heap. That’s why »The 458’s steering wheel, although carbon-ceramic brakes are now standard. fitted wth more controls than the F430’s, And why the 458 is fitted exclusively with looks purposeful, not too crowded. Note the twin-clutch 7-speed manual trans- the thumb switches for the blinkers; they’re mission, a Getrag-built gearbox whose intuitive, and improve access to the larger lightning-fast (0.04 seconds) and error- shift paddles by eliminating the stalk con- free paddle shifts greatly reduce lap times trol. Yellow tach (right) is an option. Most around Fiorano. Moreover, in automatic impressive: the 458’s 9000-rpm redline! mode, the shifts into the preselected ra- tios are almost imperceptible, a far cry from the clunky automatic upshifts of the F430’s single-clutch F1 paddle-shift transmission. »roadaNdtrack.com/458 And yes, this means the 458 has launch Buy A print And see more control. Simply press the button on the photos + Video center console, depress the brakes, pull back on the left lever to select 1st and mash the throttle. The V-8 will stay at 3000 rpm, at which point you release the brakes and go for a wild ride, one that takes you to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.4 seconds and on to the 400-meter mark in 11.3—those numbers supplied by Ferrari but totally believable based on my two sessions with the car on Fiorano. And there, the car felt fantastic—light, precise, agile, fast and fun, with impressive

38 road & Track www.roadandtrack.com

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com tractability out of corners. The light-feel- for improved brake response and reduced quickly arriving braking point might be. ing front end responded quickly to steering stopping distances. In automatic mode, on the way out of inputs, thanks to a steering rack that’s sig- And while braking hard, if the driver town, the gearbox tended to upshift quick- nificantly quicker than the F430’s. Standard keeps a constant pull on the left paddle, ly into 7th gear, likely for fuel economy magnetorheological shocks—whose damp- the 458’s gearbox automatically downshifts reasons. At that point, a mild application ing characteristics continually adjust to the in quick fashion, the speed and timing of of throttle occasionally would cause a situation at hand—also play a big role, each shift directly related to brake pressure hint of detonation in this high-compres- significantly reducing body roll and allow- measured in the master cylinder. It’s a neat sion (12.5:1) engine before the transmis- ing Ferrari to use stiffer springs and smaller feature, as each ratio is grabbed one at a sion could drop down to the proper ratio. anti-roll bars to control the lean in corners. time, often in a rapid machine-gun succes- My solution? Always use the paddles, The 458 retains double A-arm front sus- sion that makes you sound like Schumach- which are significantly larger than those pension, now with beefier lower arms for er while allowing you to concentrate more of the F430. And thanks in part to thumb increased lateral strength and a better abil- fully on your braking and line. buttons on the steering wheel that have ity to soak up bumps. In back, a multilink Another boon on Fiorano was E-Diff replaced the turn signal stalk, it seems design is now employed, offering increased 3, the active differential that can radically like your hands always have easy, unen- lateral stiffness and reduced camber change vary the power from side to side to help cumbered access to the column-mounted associated with wheel travel. the 458’s stability. In short, this electronic paddles, regardless of steering angle. In standard everyday Sport mode, the diff, housed inside the gearbox and shar- On the highway, the 458 cruises com- traction and stability controls of the 458 ing an ECU with the traction control, fortably, its engine loud enough to be intervened quite readily. Race mode felt accurately predicts what the car will be heard but by no means drowning out nor- much better, allowing mild drift angles doing and improves power-on exits. As a mal conversation. The suspension, aided while keeping that electronic safety at the result, Ferrari says the 458 has 32 percent by the longer wheelbase, delivers a re- ready. What I liked best, however, was TC better longitudinal acceleration coming markably comfortable ride in the Sport Off, which really let the Italia rotate quite a out of corners than the F430, largely be- setting. Counterintuitively, the faster you bit, even to the point of a harmless power- cause the quick-acting E-Diff 3 means the move the steering wheel, the less roll on spin coming out of the hairpin, which Italia’s traction control intervenes much angle you’ll get, so quick are the active reminded me this car does have 58 percent less often. On top of that, Ferrari says dampers. All the while, the steering assist of its weight over the rear wheels. In retro- the 458 needs significantly fewer steering feels natural, now dependent on vehicle spect, on that cold morning, I should have corrections per lap than the F430, a tell- speed, not engine rpm. put the suspension in the full soft “bumpy tale sign of its added composure. Through As for the engine, its powerband is road” setting, which disconnects the shock Fiorano’s fast Turn 7, I was amazed at just particularly fat. Although it could eas- tuning from any of the performance-con- how well the car stuck, a testament not ily manage with two fewer ratios, it’s fun trolling manettino’s settings. just to the grip of the Michelin Pilot Sport working through all seven, albeit with Nevertheless, I had a blast in my two 2s (235/35ZR-20 front, 295/35ZR-20 precious few places where that can be sessions. The carbon brakes, the same rear) but also to the E-Diff 3 and perhaps done. In Sport mode, below 2500 rpm, as those on the 430 Scuderia, worked even a bit of aerodynamic downforce. the exhaust is remarkably quiet, routed superbly. The initial bite seemed soft, but On the mountain roads around Ma- through a muffler and out the center tail- then I realized just how much speed I was ranello, with the manettino set in Race pipe. Above that rpm, flapper valves route carrying into the braking zones…well mode, a little warning light on the dash exhaust around the muffler and into the into the triple digits, and the giant 6-pot would keep illuminating while I blasted two outer tailpipes, creating that seduc- front and 4-pot rear calipers (from Brem- out of tight switchbacks, but I never got tive mechanical wail we always associate bo) were more than up to the task, the the sense that the traction control or sta- with Maranello’s machines. pedal never going soft even while repeat- bility control was too heavy handed. The Inside, beautifully stitched leather al- edly invoking the high-performance ABS car simply felt composed, and the view most goes without saying, with just the into Fiorano’s Parabolica turn. Interest- out the front—aided by a low cowl and right aroma and a handsome appearance. ingly, a “prefill” function automatically prominent front fenders that help focus At 6 ft. 4 in., I fit more comfortably in the moves the pads closer to the rotors the your field of vision—provides the driver 458 than, say, a Lamborghini Gallardo, moment the driver comes off the throttle, with an excellent take on where his next thanks in part to a steering wheel that tilts

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com 2010 Ferrari 458 italia specifications List price est $210,000 and telescopes. and that steering wheel, engine, brakes and tires are warming up Curb weight 3274 lb though saddled with an increasing num- (blue), ready for track action (green) or Weight distribution, f/r 42/58 ber of controls, manages to look sport- need a rest (red), perhaps after an hour of Wheelbase 104.3 in. oriented and uncrowded, aided by a more hot-lapping with test drivers Gabrielle de Length 178.2 in. Width 76.3 in. compact airbag. Simone or Dario Benuzzi. Height 47.8 in. the dash has a modern Fun stuff, all, on a technically brilliant look. Front and center is an new Ferrari that proves absolute perfor- EnginE & drivEtrain analog tachometer, as it should mance and superb dynamics continue to Type alum. block & heads, dohc V-8 be, flanked by two tFt (thin reign supreme at Maranello. and with Displacement 4499 cc Film transistor) screens. on cars such as the Mclaren MP4-12C on Bore x stroke 94.0 x 81.0 mm the right, the driver can dis- the horizon, Ferrari has wisely raised its Compression ratio 12.5:1 play a speedometer, naviga- game with the new 458, a car person- Horsepower (SAE) 570 bhp @ 9000 rpm Torque 398 lb-f @ 6000 rpm tion screen, stereo informa- ally named the Italia by President luca di Redline 9000 rpm tion or other infotainment, Montezemolo. that’s a ringing endorse- Fuel injection direct although not a backup cam- ment for this potent new berlinetta, which Recommended fuel 91 pump octane era. on the left, the most in- goes on sale in June, priced at about Transmission twin-clutch 7-speed teresting element of the VDa $210,000. look for a Spider version paddle-shif manual (Vehicle Dynamic assistance) about a year later. as for a 458 Scuderia, chassis & body center is a pictogram of the there are no plans for one right now, Fer- Layout mid engine/rear drive 458 that uses algorithms to rari perhaps reluctant to build a car that Body/frame aluminum/aluminum calculate and show when the usurps the enzo in any way.  Brakes, f/r 15.7-in. vented & drilled carbon-ceramic discs/14.2-in. vented & drilled carbon- ceramic discs, vacuum assist, abS Wheels 20 x 8½ f, 20 x 10½ r Aerodynamics at Work Tires Michelin Pilot Sport 2; 235/35Zr-20 f, 295/35Zr-20 r Steering rack & pinion, variable power assist The outside edges of the aerolastic Suspension, f/r unequal-length upper & lower winglets in the front inlets deflect a-arms, coil springs, elect. down by nearly an inch at top speed, adj tube shocks, anti-roll bar/ directing less air to the radiators and multilink, coil springs, elect. adj tube shocks, anti-roll bar more beneath the car. The result: less drag and slightly more downforce. pErformancE* 0–100 km/h (62 mph) less than 3.4 sec 0–200 km/h (124 mph) 10.4 sec 0–400 meters 11.3 sec Top speed over 202 mph *Manufacturer’s claims. One reason the 458 has nearly 800 lb. of downforce at its top speed? This diffuser, Coolers for the clutch (pass. side) and which helps underbody airflow join the air gearbox (driver’s side) act as spoilers, behind the car in a less turbulent fashion. creating a high-pressure area that gives the 458 rear downforce. Moreover, when that air flows Note the aero slits just inside through into the wake of the 458’s headlamps. Air the car, it decreases drag. travels in these ports and out the large vents on the top of the 458’s front fenders. This slows the air over the front of the car, increasing downforce.

Ferrari says clean body sides are essential to the proper functioning of the rear diffuser. That’s why air for the engine bay now comes from ducts on the bottom of the 458. Sleek vents cleverly integrated into the C-pillars provide a ram air effect, good for 5 bhp at the 458’s 202-plus-mph top speed. 40 road & Track www.roadandtrack.com

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com 2010 Ferrari California An aluminum Gran Turismo for the Golden State

by jonathan elfalan

42 Road & TRack

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com oday we get a crack at an instrumented test of maranello’s newest gt on the tarmac of la pista di Vairano, the fia-approved road circuit within the expansive Vairano tautomotive safety center. its quasi-remote location marries the beauty of the surrounding idyllic italian countryside with thoroughly modern facilities, all located at an ideal 265 ft. above sea level. v the center is roughly two or so hours from ferrari’s backyard, where their home fiorano circuit services the majority of the company’s testing needs. But as it’s often the case—and today is no exception—track time is highly valuable and difficult to schedule, even from within. thus, the california and i were courteously chauffeured out so as to arrive fresh and fully fueled for the long day of testing. v with the ferrari unloaded, and my driver’s license scrutinized and documented by the track control- lers, we were now cleared to venture out onto the main straight—which i’m told has been used by the scuderia ferrari formula 1 for accelera- tion testing. Luca torre, a head engineer for the california project, was on site to give a rundown of testing procedures as well as answer any technical questions i might have.

www.roadandtrack.com febRuaRy 2010 43 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Slipping in from the driver’s side, I felt the soft tan leather being pulled taut over “On the sun-baked Italian tarmac… firm padding that covers the lightweight magnesium-frame seats. The thin but siz- the california sticks like mozzarella to an iron skillet.” able column-mounted aluminum paddle shifters are almost fully concealed by the Pirellis in a semi-sideways rolling burn- which I gather is not half bad for an all- leather steering wheel when viewed head on, out, which is fun but does you no favors aluminum Gran Turismo that weighs over but are always within a blind finger’s reach. in winning drag races. Compared to pre- 4000 lb. with my added mass aboard. The With the morning chill already begin- vious Ferraris I’ve been in, the California California’s uniquely styled visage—pay- ning to dissipate, the temperature now launches and shifts with little drama. But ing homage to the original 250 Califor- comfortably hovering around the 80s and to call it subdued would be to call a 6-ft. nia of 1957—cuts through the air better steadily rising, Torre takes about 10 sec- 6-in. NBA player “average.” than any of its kin, wind tunnel proven onds to go over the launch procedure— An upshift takes a mere 20 millisec- at a 0.32 drag coefficient. The vertically about the time it would take the Califor- onds for the California’s 7-speed dual- stacked exhausts are more than a design nia to reach well clutch gearbox—40 milliseconds less than stunt to defy convention; they actually » over 100 mph the single-clutch F1-Superfast 2 transmis- allow for proper air extraction coming off The California from a standstill. sion in the 430 Scuderia. Because one the forged 19-in. rear wheels, preventing may lean like a GT, He explains, “For clutch is engaging as the other releases, lift. I keep my foot in much longer than but it grips like a launch mode, the the shift action is smooth yet not seamless needed, partially because there’s room gorilla, which allows manettino (which enough to be confused with an automatic, and partially because it’s fun, but also to it to perform at sur- varies the trans- which is what Ferrari intended. Ask Torre give the massive carbon-ceramic brakes prisingly high levels. mission and CST what is the quickest possible shift time (which are now standard on all Ferraris) It also benefits from stability control) is they can achieve with this new 7-speed an honest chance to show their mettle. Ferrari’s F1-Trac trac- set to CST off, 1st box, and he’ll tell you “zero.” But Ferrari Being fitted to a GT, the California’s tion control system, gear, hold button, knows that 0.02 seconds—at least outside brake pedal has been tuned accordingly, which detects avail- full gas, wait, and of Formula 1—are worth sacrificing for not giving a whole lot of initial bite but able grip to maxi- then release the the spirit of driving. still offering a moderately firm feel. Get mize exit speeds out brake.” The button My first successful launch rips out a into the brakes hard and the ABS surpris- of corners. Torre is referring 3.5-sec. 0–60-mph sprint, clocking the es with sharp pulses but works sublimely, to is overtly la- quarter mile in 11.9 sec. at 116.9 mph, out-stopping almost every car we’ve ever beled “LAUNCH,” which beeps after de- pressing it and then displays “LAUNCH” »roAdAndTrAck.com/calif in the tachometer’s digital gear indicator, see more… for those who need the extra reassurance. Photos Video Flooring the throttle revs the flat-plane + crank housed within this 453-bhp direct- injected 4.3-liter V-8 ahead of me to an unwavering 3000 rpm; over 75 percent of the available 358 lb.-ft. of torque standing ready to make the pavement scream. And if you remember to wait momentarily, as Torre advises, before releasing the brake, the California will simply rocket out of the hole with total computer-controlled precision. Forget to wait, as I did, and you’ll light up the 285-mm wide rear

44 Road & TRack www.roadandtrack.com

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com specifications 2010 © HacHette FilipaccHi MediaU.S., iNc./Road &tRack Ferrari NorthAmerica, Inc.,250Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, N.J.07632; www.ferrariusa.com California Ferrari Rust-through Powertrain Basic warranty f/r % (with driver) , Weight dist Test weight Curb weight gas-guzzler tax ($2100), dest charge ($2000). & doorlocks), CILRcarbon-fiber bridge($4722), less entry, anti-thefsystem; pwr windows, mirrors navigation, Bluetooth, power-adjustable seats, key- auto. climate control, cruise control, touchscreen brakes, leather interior, HD/CD/iPod connection, box, folding retractable hardtop, carbon-ceramic Price astested inclstd equip. (F1dual-clutch gear- Price astested List price Seat travel Seatback adjustment Leg room Seat width: Head room: Seating capacity Trunk space Ground clearance Height Width Length Track, f/r Wheelbase DRAWING BY: TIMBARKER SCALE: 10IN.(254mm) DIVISIONS 340-km/h speedometer, 10,000-rpm tachometer, ABS, front &sideairbags, traction &yaw control, TPMS, pop-uprollbar, seatbelt pretensioners, instrumentation accommodations general data coolant temp, oiltemp, fuellevel enriched warranty seatbelt force limiters Pricing safety 

gasolines na 3 years/unlimited miles 3 years/unlimited miles 945 lb 4095 lb 3925 lb $200,822 $192,000 8.0 in. 30 deg 45.0 in. 2 x17.5 in. 37.7 in. 2 12.0, 8.5(top down) cuf 4.5 in. 51.5 in. 74.9 in. 179.6 in. 64.2 in./63.2 in. 105.1 in. 950 lb Road & Trackof Road the official Fuel partner 46 % 1100 lb 1100 lb 54 % Engine rpm@60mphintop gear Final drive ratio 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd Ratio 1st Gear Transmission: Recommended fuel Fuel injection Redline/limiter Torque Bhp/liter Horsepower (DIN) Compression ratio Bore xstroke Displacement Valvetrain Type/layout Suspension Turning circle Turns, lockto lock Steering-wheel diameter Steering ratio Steering Spare tire Tires Wheels Assist type Front: Brakes Body/frame Layout www.storemags.com chassis &body .213.20:1 3.82:1 0.72:1 4.84:1 0.86:1 5.68:1 1.09:1 7.24:1 1.28:1 9.72:1 1.63:1 15.10:1 2.19:1 3.40:1 Rear: Front: upper&lower A-arms, coil springs, Rear: Front: Pirelli PZero Rear: Front: Rear: multilink,coil springs,tube shocks, drivetrain tube shocks,anti-roll bar anti-roll bar engine vrl ai (Rpm)Mph Overall ratio 7-speed paddle-shif manual premium direct 8000/8000 rpm 358 lb-f@ 5000rpm 105.4 453 bhp@7750 rpm 12.2:1 94.0 x77.4 mm 3.70 x3.05 in./ 262 cuin./4297 cc timing, chaindrive dohc 4-valve/cyl, variable V-8/longitudinal aluminum block&heads, na 2.6 14.5 in. 13.3:1 power assist rack &pinion, puncture kit 285/40ZR-19 103Y 245/40ZR-19 94Y forged alloy, 19x9½ forged alloy, 19x8½ vacuum, ABS calipers ing discs/4-piston fixed drilled, vented &float- 14.2-in. carbon-ceramic, calipers ing discs/6-piston fixed drilled, vented &float- 15.4-in. carbon-ceramic, aluminum front engine/rear drive est (7600) 193 (8000) 170 (8000) 134 (8000) 114 (8000) 90 (8000) 67 (8000) 43 & 4.44:1 www.fantamag.com 2400

performance Location Wind Elevation Humidity Temperature Constant 70 mph Constant 50mph Maximum in1stgear Idle inneutral Fuel capacity Cruise range EPA city/highway Our driving *200-f skidpad; **700-f slalom,100-fspacing. Lateral seat support Balance Slalom speed** Balance Lateral acceleration* Swept area/ton Total swept area From 80mph From 60mph Minimum stopping distance 0–1320 f(¼mile) 0–900 f 0–500 f 0–100 f Time to distance 100 130 120 60 110 40 80 50 90 MPH 30 20 70 10 0 SEC test conditions interior noise fuel economy acceleration 5 handling braking 10 ■ 15 Vairano, Italy light 265 f 42% 82˚ F 11.9 @116.9 mph 78 dBA 77 dBA 84 dBA 70 dBA 20.6 gal. est 274 miles mpg 13/19 est 14.0 mpg excellent mild understeer 69.2 mph mild understeer 0.96g 425 sq in. 835 sq in. 188 f 106 f 9.3 6.4 2.4 seconds www.roadandtrack.com 20 0–10 mph 0–20 mph 0–30 mph 0–40 mph 0–50 mph 0–60 mph 0–70 mph 0–80 mph 0–90 mph 0–100 mph 0–110 mph 0–120 mph Time to speed, sec = ¼mile 0.2 0.8 1.3 1.9 2.6 3.5 4.5 5.7 7.0 8.6 10.4 12.6 then release the brake. brake. the release then 3000, at rpm holds throttle the Flooring screen. indicator gear on displayed be will and “launch” sound will Beep but- ton. control launch the hit and brake lef-foot gear, 1st select off, CST With off-the-shelf Pirellis. Pirellis. not off-the-shelf are distances—these brake near-record the As for bite. initial of amount perfect a delivers that firmness medium a has pedal The it’s activated. when know you’ll so sharply, pulses ABS The tail-happy 599 GTB. 599 tail-happy the in oversteer—unlike mitigate to need no There’s slalom. the in line tidy a maintain to difficult it making wide, feels end rear The limit. the at understeer mild with transitions, in grip great has California The 0−60 mph Slalom Skidpad Top speed 0−¼ mile acceleration Braking Handling Test Notes: Notes: Test Test Notes: Notes: Test Test Notes: Notes: Test

69.2 mph 0.96g est 193mph 11.9 sec 3.5 sec at a glance a at tested from 60 mph (save for the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione) at 106 ft., and tying the venerable Ferrari Enzo from 80 “The beauty of the 2-plus cabin… mph at 188 ft.—wow. The California is the first Ferrari to can be realized with your eyes open or closed.” have its V-8 reside fore instead of aft of the cockpit, and as always, Ferrari’s front travel at maniacal speeds isn’t quite there. ity, hard-drive storage and iPod interface midship placement and rear-mounted A couple tight and cambered corners is definitely a surprise to see in a Ferra- transaxle keep its total weight biased to (while two up) caused the suspension to ri—the last real modern item the company the rear (by 4 percent in this case). Thus, compress enough for the tiny underbody has hesitated to adopt for one reason or an- handling of the winglets to graze the ground. Although other. Our test car had a few options, most » California is up these aero-assisting elements are flexible notably a carbon-fiber bridge ($4722—not Above: Based to task whether to some extent and designed for such shown in photos) suspending the controls on interior finish equipped with the incidents, the resulting sound is some- for the windows, hardtop and transmission alone, there is no standard dampers thing I imagine no owner who values his between the driver and passenger. This, mistaking that you or the available $200,000 investment wants to hear. however, along with countless other items are indeed sitting in magnetorheologi- The California’s Pininfarina-penned styl- that can be “carbonized” at your demand, a Ferrari. Below: On cal system, as first ing is definitely most justified in the flesh. is just icing on a cake that’s attractive in its the tight streets of seen at Ferrari on It can look overly bulbous from some pho- relative simplicity. Italy, anyone associ- the 599 GTB Fio- to angles, but will then somehow shrink to As I wind down the final minutes of the ated with Ferrari can rano. According perfectly pleasant proportions once your day, a few more “sound verification” pass- do no harm in the to Torre, absolute eyes capture its curves under natural light. es (albeit with the top down) are made, public’s eye. performance is The beauty of the 2-plus cabin, on the listening to the hollow exhaust resonance virtually identical other hand, can be realized with your eyes that Ferrari tunes specifically to pull at between the two, although the magnetorhe- open or closed. You can specify two dimin- your heartstrings. I briefly imagine my- ological setup offers two levels of damping utive rear seats or opt for a considerable self back in my home state for which the (selectable through the manettino), each parcel shelf in lieu of them, which makes California is named, flying up the coast at of which falls slightly to either side of the more sense to me. The new 6.5-in. touch- full throttle and, in the process, causing a standard suspension’s tuning for a bit more sceen infotainment system replete with cosmic rift of some sort into which I dis- cruising comfort, or a tad less body roll satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectiv- appear. Not a bad way to go.  and compliance. On this perfectly clean, flat and thoroughly sun- baked Italian tarmac, the California’s double-wish- bone front and multilink rear suspension allow it to stick like mozzarella to an iron skillet. Its body movements feel exagger- ated but well controlled and it’s not nearly as eager to swing its rear out as the 599. Out on the less-than- perfect and not-so-wide Italian mountain roads just outside of Maranello, the California still feels extremely competent, but that irresistible urge to

46 Road & TRack

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www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com by jonathan elfalan » road test editor TheR8

Odyssey:Part 1 of 2

A high-speed ticket to heaven on earth

photos by chRis cantle, Jonathan elfalan, guy spangenbeRg and maRc uRbano

48 Road & TRack

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com we’ll probably never be able to tell you what it’s like to hold a really good lottery ticket, but to have the keys to audi’s first exotic sports car placed in our hands for a long- term test is close enough. ❖ surprisingly, convincing audi we needed to have an r8 for a year was the easy part. months after the sea of excitement started to ebb, it dawned on us that this rare privilege shouldn’t be squandered on just an ordinary test for us. The scope of possibilities was broad but it required proper execution. we needed to do something that would befit and exploit the r8’s abilities. ❖ having done multiple tests comparing the r8 to other cars of its caliber, we’ve routinely been impressed by its magical blending of highway civility with a fierce appetite for apexes. so, with that in mind, we decided to have various staff members drive long distances in the versatile r8 to several track days around the country… venues where the r8 would be allowed to run. ❖ This—along with the growing popularity of country club racetrack facili- ties popping up all over the country, some of which we’ve briefly sampled—became the driving force behind what we’ve deemed “The ultimate road & Track road/Track Trip.”

www.roadandtrack.com febRuaRy 2010 49

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com © RM

perfect panoramic clarity for miles. spring You can pick out the locals on this road. Mountain They’re usually the ones traveling within Motorsports the realm of the national speed limit. oth- ranch erwise it’s a state trooper’s happy hunting grounds out here, as drivers are easily www.SpringMountainMotorsports.com coaxed into triple-digit speeds by the open The rouTe would Take us from Cali- terrain. Given this opportunity, though, i As we arrive at the entrance to Spring Mountain, fornia to New York and back, with five would’ve been guilty of a higher crime by two large, mechanically operated wrought-iron editors driving the r8 for three straight not exploring the breadth of the r8’s taut gates swing open in grandiose fashion. Budding weeks, covering 9000 miles of tarmac and phenomenally stable chassis. palm trees flanking the entry lend a resort-like spread across 21 states, Canada (eh?) and as the small unassuming town of Pah- ambiance to the facility. six of the coolest private racetracks in the rump, Nevada, comes into view, it doesn’t The extensive details and amenities that under- nation. audi probably never imagined look like much to get excited about be- line Spring Mountain’s vision of a car enthusiast’s we’d explore the wonders, strengths and yond being assured that there’s civiliza- Eden are almost as impressive as the rate at which weaknesses of their supercar this way, but tion out here. and then—just like the it has grown. Californian John Morris, one of the they’d already thrown us the keys. proverbial desert oasis—spring mountain co-founders I met that day, reflects his own multi- motorsports ranch uncloaks itself with faceted nature in the development of this top-rate NEWPORT BEACH, CA the shock and awe you’d anticipate from facility. Having made his success through real TO PAHRUMP, NV (VIA LAS VEGAS) sin City’s strip. The wail from a pack of estate website design, Morris was bitten by the Distance: 324 miles high-strung radical sr3 inline-4s elic- motorsports bug in 2002 when he attended a cou- by Jonathan elfalan its a Pavlovian speed response from my ple of Skip Barber racing schools. Through contacts Blasting down Blue diamond road head- pysche, and causes me to nearly forget to he made while SCCA racing, he eventually came to ing west of the famed las Vegas strip—a refuel before the day’s activities begin. acquire Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch with road i remembered to be riddled with lum- we arrive at the nearby shell station just his business partner Brad Rambo in 2004. bering Caterpillar behemoths and dump 45 minutes after leaving the parking lot of the Since then, what was once a modest 2.2-mile trucks some years back—the new asphalt rio casino/hotel back in las Vegas proper, track with some permanent tent facilities has ex- feels like a black velvet rug beneath the and pull up at a pump adjacent to two guys panded to include an 1.5-mile loop (with a configu- r8’s Pirelli tires, straying off into a barren and a pair of conspicuously modified Nissan rable kart track) and a conglomeration of buildings wasteland most visitors would probably GT-rs. This town is already beginning to that comprises 56 private rental garages, an exotic never consider exploring. The road gently feel like Nevada’s best-kept secret for people car dealership, indoor gun range and racquetball curves, dips and rises over the Potosi moun- like me, not a town off the beaten path best courts, service bays for the track’s dedicated school

Maps © Rand Mcnally, R.l.09-s-118 Mcnally, Rand © Maps tains before it opens and stretches out in known for its historic brothel museum. → cars (which include Corvettes, Lotuses and Radi-

»The allure of the Vegas Strip draws millions of visitors (and their dollars) from around the globe yearly, which is easy to see once you’re here. Play in Pahrump, stay in Vegas.

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch a private oasis of speed nestled in the arid Spring Mountains. tRack Maps tiM by baRkeR 3.5 miles, 18 turns (full circuit) 8 track configurations 55 miles from Las Vegas 264 miles from Los angeles cals) and a member-exclusive clubhouse replete with a workout room, a pool and full spa services. Moreover, construction of two 13-unit condo- minium buildings has already begun, and there’s a 79-room hotel planned. Over the next three years, we’re also told to expect an additional three miles of track (for an over-6-mile-long road course), a 9- acre lake (that’s right, a lake), as well as restaurants and gas stations to ensure that you’ll never have to leave once you’ve arrived. For a true enthusiast, though, all this glitz would be for naught if the track itself were uninspiring. I found Spring Mountain’s full 3.5-mile road course to be quite the contrary. The R8’s fresh tires mount- ed just the day before got up to temperature quickly in the Nevada summer heat as I entered the track’s “Radical Loop” at speed. This entry point drops you right into the most dramatic elevation change, one of Morris’ own designs, and is enough to get you airborne given enough speed. The off-camber sweepers, hairpins and high-speed chicanes—90 percent of which are blind—wouldn’t be nearly as »”The Drop,” as it’s called, is one of the coolest elements featured in the “Radical Loop” fun if not for the generous desert runoff areas the portion of the track. Below, this SR3 sees the track when its owner isn’t out fighting crime. location affords. In the R8, this track’s rhythm and character become instantly addicting. With each track days a month including three weekends. lap comes a small leap of faith, my brain second- Wrapping up the day at Spring Mountain, I guessing the previous lap’s visual references, while had a chance to chat candidly with a few of the the Quattro all-wheel-drive system delivers foolish members who had nothing but great things to levels of cornering confidence. If not for the cross- say about their experiences with the club and the country journey ahead, I would’ve worn these tires very friendly and approachable John Morris—who to the cords. himself relished every opportunity that day to race Membership to Club Spring Mountain comes in at (er, beat up on) other members in a Radical SR3. different levels, the most general of which requires The allure of Spring Mountain has already drawn a one-time initiation fee of $15,000, a monthly fee its fair share of high-profile clients. But as it turns of $200, and a day-use fee of $60. This “Classic out, it’s also a great leveling plane once you’re Membership” grants a minimum of 10 available belted in and the outside world disappears.—JE

»The Clubhouse at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch serves as the perfect retreat for bringing things back down to speed after your intense track sessions. We enjoyed a catered lunch here courtesy of Spring Mountain, on a gorgeous summer day that would have been perfect for a dip in the pool. Not a bad way to deal with the 90-degree desert heat...

© RM

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www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com exists between the seatbacks and rear bulkhead, and a certain seatback angle creates the ideal nook for a helmet-shaped object, like a helmet. Perfect! The relentless desert heat combined with a full day of track flogging caused the car’s oil consumption to go up, throwing us a low-oil caution around st. George, utah. audi recommends a special synthetic oil meeting Vw standard 502 00 at a weight of 0w-40, which you are almost guaran- teed not to find on any standard road route. There’s also an apprehensive nod to some- thing that comes relatively close. with no other choice, we opted for the highest qual- ity 5w-30 we could find and called it a day. making it as far as Colorado springs PAHRUMP, NV TO CHICAGO, IL the first day, we had set up our late-night Distance: 1946 miles hotel arrival by booking a room at the first by Jonathan elfalan place that came up in the r8’s navigation a two-day journey to illinois from Ne- system. as fate’s sense of humor would vada is one that requires a pinch of plan- have it, our Cliff house hotel at Pikes ning and a dash of haste. leaving Nevada, Peak was voted “most romantic hotel” i’ve got about a week’s worth of clothes, fours years running—it’s a good thing we a driving helmet, laptop computer and were getting an early start in the morning Nikon d-slr packed into the r8, which (“hey, how about them Bears?”). shouldn’t have presented any packing Before leaving Colorado, a drive up the challenges except that i had to find space legendary road to the 14,110-ft. Pikes Peak for a photo assistant named Vince to fit as summit was in order. intermittent gaps in

© RM well. it’s surprising the amount of cubic the tourist traffic allowed for some antics void area we found within the cabin after in the dirt sections, although i imagine discovering how quickly we could fill the things would’ve been a bit more fun if it front trunk. a fair amount of cargo space weren’t for the “pace bicycles” we caught up to at one point. upon reaching our ob- jective, we took a minute or two to appre- ciate the crisp air, the majestic view and a passing comment from a fellow who said we were a couple weeks early for the races. little did he know that our race was east of this peak, in illinois. →

» Execution is what the R8 is all about. If you want to do it right, the carbon pack- ages, in our opinion, are a must if you’re splurging for this supercar. The subtle wing deploys at speed to keep the rear planted (verified at 180 mph, we might add).

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www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com THIS IS NOT NEW.

New’s gotten old. It’s exhausted, winded and seen better days. So let’s not call this new. Let’s call it something else. Let’s simply call this next. Introducing the Acura ZDX. Introducing NEXT.

acura.ca

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com CHICAGO, IL TO car, because even though it would fit, autobahn MONTICELLO, NY i don’t want my duffel bag and helmet country Distance: 837 miles wedged behind the seats. it’s a good club by shaun bailey weekend car, where you need only a www.autobahncountryclub.net in downtown Chicago i took the keys. friendly companion and twisty road to The warm evening was filled with a vi- have a good time. Joliet is a small city many have never brancy that comes only from a highly on the way to Niagara falls, the flat heard of, located 45 miles outside the heart populated metropolitan area during sum- and straight road is barren of automo- of Chicago. It is here the R8’s nav system mer. The slow traffic gave everyone a tive entertainment. The car’s centralized guides me down a road that has the same name of my good chance to ogle the r8. in our jaunt mass and well-tuned suspension mini- destination’s street address, but leads me to believe that across the country, we learned that few mize pitching and bucking. The resul- I’ve fallen victim to electronic folly. I pass by a couple of are too abashed not to look and point. tant ride is great for long stints on the residential neighborhoods, over some railroad tracks i’d have loved to stay and savor the r8, road. The cabin is even quiet when the and under a small bridge before hitting a road strewn but i had to be in New York in less than engine is kept below 4000 rpm. with potholes that might possibly bend an exotic wheel 48 hours. so with photographer marc we were greeted with regularly sched- or two, or maybe swallow a Smart car whole. urbano in tow, i headed to michigan. we uled fireworks as we crossed back into The surroundings may have caught me off guard got four hours of sleep before making a the u.s. we got off the highway and took at first but then I began to recall, with a bit of nos- run to the border. our shortcut through some back roads through deep forest talgia, the various tracks around Europe with simi- Canada started off with a half-hour con- country where the r8’s high beams pen- lar infrastructure, revealing their well-concealed versation with border patrol. They wanted etrated the darkness. with a vigilant eye treasures only to those who know to look for it. to know all about the car. hard to blame out for deer, we made good time, crossing The Autobahn Country Club started as a fantasy them; i still get a rush looking at it. it’s through ithaca at about midnight. after a dreamt up by four guys—Mark Basso, Mike Keck, unique and subtly beautiful. brisk four hours of sleep, we arrived at the Steve Wagner and Tim O’Donnell—in the manner it does, however, have that imprac- monticello motor Club—they received us that many ingenious ideas are concocted—drawn on ticality of being a mid-engine exotic. with hot coffee in the ViP lounge. we’d a bar napkin following a couple of beers. Fortunate- my luggage is in marc’s Jaguar chase arrived, and it felt like it. → ly, these guys have tremendous follow-through,

54 Road & TRack

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com strong emphasis on safety, I undergo a mandatory RM © check ride with Tony Kester, one of the track marshals with the authority to grant or deny my access. The full track is split up into two linkable loops that give the Autobahn the flexibility to host weekly events without compromising the arrive-and-drive track time promised to its members—which by the way is six days per week between April 1 and Halloween. A dedicated half-mile kart track is also available for member use on weekends, as well as Autobahn Country Club various days during the week. fast, technical and refined, Today we are running on the longer and more with large, trackside quarters and with the help of 40 founding members (aka technical 2.1-mile South Loop, boasting 15 turns that will blow your mind. investors) erected what has become one of the pre- craffed by veteran track designer Alan Wilson— 3.56 miles, 21 turns (full circuit) eminent private racetracks in the country. whose previous works include Barber Motorsports 3 configurations Upon passing under a simple brick and steel arch- Park and Gingerman Raceway among others. 45 miles from chicago way, the neatly manicured green turf that covers Following my approval to get on track, a friendly 195 miles from Indianapolis every unpaved inch of this facility provides a stark guy named Joel—one of the track regulars—has contrast to the parched lands out west. This place is pulled up in a stunning red Audi R8 with silver so vast, I can’t spot a single corner of its over-3.5- sideblades and graciously ofers to take me out for how easy it was for impatience to creep in and turn a mile track from this vantage point. a lead-follow session. A more perfect arrangement corner completely ugly. This is a track that requires I met Steve at the front gate as he led me into the couldn’t have presented itself. I was soon having my some work to master, and as a member I’d have main paddock and clubhouse area where some of ideal braking, turn-in and track-out points served up around 183 days a year with which to do so. the regular members were already setting up for the on a silver platter and reaping the benefits of driving The cost of Autobahn admission is a one-time day—and by “regular” I mean an entire motorcycle lap affer lap as Mr. Wilson intended. Only during $35,000 initiation fee and $4000 annually, and race team and their 18-wheeler rig. With the club’s the subsequent sessions, when I wasn’t connecting unless I sign up for professional driving instruc- the dots my new friend had laid out, did I realize tion, rent out the clubhouse for a private event, or »The dynamic here at Autobahn is relaxed and friendly. Everyone knows everyone and is willing to shoot the breeze while kicking tires in the paddock or over a cup of coffee in the clubhouse. Right: Mike Keck gives us a tour of his three-story trackside team unit.

purchase an on-site lot in which to build my own retreat quarters (like Bobby Rahal has), that’s where the fees end. What could’ve easily been the deciding factor for me was back in the clubhouse, where I was surveying a simple but delectable menu put together by the track’s own executive chef. A quick trackside lunch soon turned into the trip’s best meal: a but- ter-soff ribeye steak topped with grilled onions and mozzarella, sandwiched between two halves of a French roll—Anthony Bourdain, take note. The location of Autobahn, removed from a densely populated and well-known area but still within reach, delivers mystique and appeal at the same time. Some might think it difficult to live in the shadow of a great city, but it’s also a place to shine your brightest.—JE

www.roadandtrack.com febRuaRy 2010 55

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com »Getting there is half the fun, doubly so Monticello © RM in an R8. Onlookers at Niagara Falls (be- Motor club low) had trouble deciding what to look at. www.MonticelloMotorclub.com Cross-country tip: For the cheapest car wash in Niagara, just park near the falls! This is my third visit to the Monticello Motor Club (MMC) since it opened last summer. I’m a lucky track wore off. a nap was in order. The r8 guy, especially since I’m now here in an Audi R8 and makes for a cozy tent, but it is about as have been granted temporary member status. That comfortable for sleeping as an airplane seat. means unlimited track time. If only I had more tires marc, in the Jag, slept like a baby. when we and brake pads… awoke, a rustling in the dark and spooky Unlike many other country-club tracks, MMC has woods nearby got our blood flowing. we no aspiration to host public races. Instead, it caters hypothesize it was a bear, but have no proof. to the well-heeled car enthusiast who wants track at sunrise, on our approach to Pitts- time without the hassle typically associated with burgh, we encountered more wildlife—a conventional group track rentals. Full members suicidal deer. The r8 escaped its wrath, have nearly unlimited access to the track during the but the Jaguar took a hit that left the car summer months that run between April and No- MONTICELLO, NY with superficial wounds. vember. Do you live in New York City, collect vintage TO PITTSBURGH, PA in the home stretch, the r8 got as many race cars and need a place to play with them? Then Distance: 367 miles looks as when it was picked up. even be- this is the club for you. The circuit’s grounds were by shaun bailey ing covered with a thousand bug splatters finished last summer and at this point the track’s after the monticello motor Club it was couldn’t detract from the car’s allure. i will surface is fully worn in. Surrounding the 4.1-mile a 367-mile jaunt to Pittsburgh, Pennsylva- miss it when it leaves our fleet. course is deep forest, lush grass, plenty of runoff nia. we didn’t make it far before both the Please see The R8 Odyssey, Part 2, in and a beautiful absence of typical racetrack bally- coffee and adrenaline high of driving the our next issue.  hoo. There are three large pits, and the track itself can be broken into three small tracks. However, it’s typically just split into two, and today the members Check out the Video! See more photos and buy a print! are running on the north loop. roadandtrack.com/r8

56 Road & TRack www.roadandtrack.com

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com “It’s a fast set of corners that flows seamlessly with plenty of elevation change. There is nothing flat, square or simple about it.”

© RM It’s a fast set of corners that flows seamlessly Ford GT, Lotus 2-Eleven and Ferrari 360 Stradale. Monticello with plenty of elevation change. There is nothing Everything has its price, though. For the exclusiv- Motor Club flat, square or simple about it. Every lap presents an ity of full membership and all the benefits, be pre- An extraordinary circuit for the opportunity to learn the line better. To me this is the pared to pay an initiation fee of $125,000, about discerning driving enthusiast. U.S. equivalent of Race Resort Ascari in Spain and the price of our Audi R8, and then a very reasonable 4.1 miles, 22 turns (full circuit) ranks high among the most enjoyable tracks I’ve $7500 every year thereafer. Out of my price range, 3 track configurations ever driven. We can thank the collaboration of Bruce but I’m a lucky guy, so I’m sure I’ll be back.—SB 103 miles from New York City Hawkins with Brian Redman for its design. 118 miles from Philadelphia With an entire day to spend at the facility I had ample time to relax and enjoy the track’s other No expense was amenities. A two-story temporary structure has » spared on the track’s been erected while the permanent structures are three-car-wide surface. being built. The future buildings will house garages, The VIP members’ area lodging, a restaurant, fitness and spa facilities. temporarily occupies the Although I couldn’t get a massage, I was able to top floor of this tent, dine on the member’s-only second-floor veranda which includes a veranda. If the tent is any overlooking the southern course where a group of indication of the quality of MMC, expect the motorcyclists hosted a track day. Afer a superb permanent structures to be world-class. lunch and interesting conversation with a member who was there to shake down his vintage Porsche 914-6, I went right back to enjoying our R8. With my multitude of laps, the north course was becoming quite familiar to me. On occasion a member would venture out and give chase. The camaraderie of members and gentlemanly racing manners are exemplary. Everyone here is having fun and has nothing to prove. Why can’t all track days be like this? An owner of a fine automobile should learn the skills to use it, and MMC provides instruction. Driv- ers of all skill levels are allowed to run, whether to explore the limits of an exotic car in a safe environ- ment, or to race wheel-to-wheel. Don’t own some- thing suitable for track use? Then pick one of the club cars as a rental. They include, among others, a

57

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www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Germany’s premier tuners blast around the Nardo oval for a “run-what-ya-brung” top-speed event

BY MIKE MONTICELLO

Nardo, Italy—the almost-aNNual CoNtINeNtal tIre/ Auto Bild Sportscars high Performance tuner event is a pretty straight- forward affair: run your car flat-out for three laps around the Nardo Proving Ground’s 7.8-mile oval—maximum speed reached is all that matters. all competitors run on Continental tires—many on ContisportContact 3s, several faster runners on 224-mph rated ContisportContact Vmaxes and the fastest on a special Vmax rated to 249 mph. all aftermarket parts used must comply with strict German certification laws, meaning such things as approved muffler systems and catalytic converters.

64 Road & TRack

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com So how would 18 of Germany’s best unmodified. Steel cylinders with special convincingly laid down the fastest speed tuner cars stack up around Nardo’s banked- forged pistons were used to reach a 4.0- of the event: 233.5 mph. Want 9ff to rep- but-bumpy oval? And would anyone be liter capacity, while other 9ff parts include licate this car? Bring about $340,000. able to break the all-time Nardo speed a new crankshaft, camshafts, titanium The main objective for Ingolstadt-based record of 251.0 mph set in 1979 by a Mer- connecting rods, cylinder heads, bigger Hohenester (known for its race cars and cedes-Benz C111-IV prototype? Read on: turbos, larger intercoolers…and a nearly extreme Audi conversions) when it set 9ff may be a relative newcomer in the 8000-rpm redline. “Everything was done out to build the HS650G was to produce high-end European tuning world, but that that was possible,” said Fatthauer. the fastest street-legal natural gas-pow- didn’t stop owner/founder Jan Fatthauer Poor timing saw the TR 1000 run last ered car in the world. What started out from bringing three stunning models, the on Saturday, in complete darkness. As as an Audi A4 Quattro has turned into a most intriguing of which was a 1000- such, Fatthauer, who did his own driving, 650-bhp top-speed machine. The 3.0-liter bhp 911 Turbo-based coupe called the said it was dangerous to run above 225 twin-turbo V-6 was completely rebuilt, 9ff TR 1000. In building this impres- mph. Back for a second attempt on Sun- with new pistons, crankshaft, connect- sive machine, 9ff left few engine pieces day, Fatthauer’s road-burning TR 1000 ing rods…everything. Hohenester also

www.roadandtrack.com febRuaRy 2010 65

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com »9ff’s TR 1000 (above left) posted the highest top speed, an impressive 233.5 mph. Above, TechArt’s Cayenne Turbo battled the Brabus GLK V12 for top SUV honors, the glory going to the little GLK. Geiger’s bi-turbo Z06 (below) was ham- pered by mechanical issues, but still posted a 213.1-mph run. Hohenester’s natural gas A4 (left) recorded the second-highest top speed of the weekend: 218.5 mph.

completely enclosed the car’s underbody, added disc wheels (made to look like multi-spoke BBs versions) and stiffened and lowered the suspension. With a top speed of 218.5 mph, the hs650G was the second-fastest car at the event, although it had previously run 790 bhp and 620 lb.-ft. of torque. munich- some serious Brabus magic pulled 750 226.2 mph at the 7.6-mile Papenburg based Geiger’s goal at Nardo was to break bhp and 959 lb.-ft. of torque out of the track in Germany. “We must have filled its own Corvette record of 208.9 mph, set 6.3-liter engine. Far more than just an en- up with lower-grade gas,” said Jürgen with a normally aspirated 590-bhp Z06. gine swap, the rear-drive GlK V12 is also hohenester, son of company founder al- the lime-green Geiger Vette sounded equipped with mammoth brakes (hidden fons. as far as driving an audi a4 at over raucous as it thundered by our post, but a by aerodynamic wheels, which are said to 218 mph, hohenester said it was actually mechanical glitch halted the car on track aid rear stability), a lowered suspension quite easy, “Because Nardo is kind of like during saturday’s running—it had man- with special springs and dampers and one big long straightaway.” aged a speed of 208.5 mph, just shy of the modified front and rear axles. unfortunately, the hs650G’s future record! refusing to give up, the Geiger the Brabus GlK V12’s top speed of looks grim. While hohenester says the folks came back the next morning, and, 200.3 mph not only shattered the previ- car could be certified, “It’s extremely dif- despite the lack of a working clutch, laid ous suV record of 191.6 mph held by ficult and costs a lot of money.” down a 213.1-mph run, setting their per- a sportec Cayenne turbo, but the little as the only american-based car at the sonal best for the Corvette. GlK also held off TechArt’s mighty event, the Geiger Z06 Bi-turbo held spe- For its latest creation, renowned mer- Cayenne Turbo, which posted a 199.6- cial interest. after bumping the Corvette cedes-Benz tuner Brabus stuffed a twin- mph run at Nardo. Z06’s V-8 to 7.6 liters (up from 7.0) and turbo V-12 under the hood of a mercedes Will Brabus sell the GlK V12 in the fitting twin turbos, the Geiger now puts out GlK350, creating the Brabus GLK V12. u.s.? the answer was: “yes, if there is a PHoToS LEnA By BARTHELMESS, SVEn KRiEGER/AuTo BiLd SPoRTSCARS And JooST dEMuynCK TOP SPEEDS

1 9ff TR 1000 911 Turbo 233.5 mph 6 MKB Mercedes SL65/12 TT 205.2 mph 2 Hohenester HS650G Audi A4 218.5 mph 7 Brabus GLK V12 200.3 mph 3 Geiger Corvette Z06 Bi-turbo 213.1 mph 8 TechArt Cayenne Turbo 199.6 mph 4 Edo Competition Gallardo LP600-4 211.2 mph 9 Manhart BMW M3 5.0 V10 Touring 197.0 mph 5 Abt Audi RS 6 Avant 208.3 mph 10 Abt Audi R8 195.3 mph

66 Road & TRack

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com “What started life as a pedestrian »Manhart’s 3 Series-based wagon (above left) has an M5 V-10 stuffed under the hood. Above, AC Schnitzer’s 3.5d Volkswagen T5 van has been made into coupe broke the street-legal diesel record. Below, what used The World’s Fastest Brick.” to be a VW van is now the TH2 RS: 800 bhp and 193.1 mph. demand.” at nearly $750,000, one wonders and a fixed rear wing. how much of a demand there could be… the supercharged abt hit For a car that started life as an e91 195.3 mph, just shy of the BmW 3 series, the Manhart M3 5.0 V10 stock r8 V-10’s claimed Touring has come a long way. think m3 196-mph top speed. wagon (if BmW built one) with an m5 Winning first prize V-10 stuffed under the hood. With manhart in the “you’ve got to be headers and exhaust, as well as hJs cata- kidding me!” category lytic converters, an extra 50 bhp was mas- was TH Automobile’s saged out of the 5.0-liter engine. It retains TH2 RS. What’s wacky the m5’s single-clutch smG II 7-speed about it? Well, what paddle-shift gearbox, but adds Bilstein started life as a pedestrian Volkswagen the goal for the AC Schnitzer ACS3 suspension, m5 front brakes and m3 rears. t5 van has been made into the World’s 3.5d Coupe was to break the diesel to help this mighty 3 series knife Fastest Brick. mark of 174.0 mph set by a dms-tuned through the air to an impressive top speed First, th automobile swapped the en- BmW 535d. First step, add power: an aC of 197.0 mph, manhart also added new gine from the front to the rear. But instead schnitzer Performance upgrade and ex- front and rear fascias and a rear spoiler. of a VW unit, th dropped in a Porsche haust bumped the 335d’s 3.0-liter inline-6 the engine swap alone costs $73,000; the twin-turbo flat-6 breathed on by 9ff to pro- turbodiesel to 310 bhp and a stump-pull- complete car, $200,000. duce 800 bhp. the rear axle and 6-speed ing 502 lb.-ft. of torque. an aC schnitzer Performing a top-speed run well into manual transmission come straight from racing suspension system kept the car on dusk might not have been a preferred time Porsche, as do the brakes. track, while aC schnitzer front and rear slot, but it was the perfect time for those of the interior was also completely re- fascias helped with the aerodynamics. us watching the supercharged Abt Sports- modeled, the driver’s position switched to one of the most normal-looking cars at line Audi R8, as it thrilled with its guttural a central location, along with four carbon- Nardo, the aCs3 3.5d quietly went about V-8 music, along with blue flames shoot- fiber racing buckets for passengers. to its business, clocking a 179.4-mph run, ing from its stacked quad exhaust. handle the th2 rs’s aero-defying speed setting a new German street-legal diesel the abt supercharger kit (about of 193.1 mph (breaking the previous van record in the process. $47,000) fitted to the r8’s 4.2-liter V-8 record of 169.6 mph, set by a Claer-tuned a 1000-bhp 911 turbo? a 3 series brings power to 530 bhp. abt (which, be- t4 VW van), h&r provided an air sus- with a V-10? a VW van with an 800-bhp sides tuning VWs and audis, also runs pension system that adjusts the ride height Porsche engine, and a twin-turbo Z06? audi’s factory dtm race team) also added among three different levels depending on talk about cool cars! and speaking of a body kit (abt products are sold in North speed. th claims the van can hit 62 mph that Vette, wouldn’t it be interesting next america through GGI european tuning), in just 4.5 sec. a customer version would year if some american tuners found their which includes new front and rear fascias cost somewhere north of $225,000. way to Italy... 

11 Lorinser C LV8 Mercedes 194.6 mph 16 AC Schnitzer ACS3 3.5d BMW Coupe 179.4 mph 12 TH Automobile TH2 RS VW van 193.1 mph 17 9ff Speed9 911 Turbo 178.9 mph 13 9ff PT-55 Panamera Turbo 191.1 mph 18 Steinmetz insignia oPC opel 178.6 mph 14 Edo Competition Panamera Turbo 189.8 mph »roadaNdtrack.com/nardo 15 AC Schnitzer ACS4 3.5i BMW Z4 188.3 mph LoG on To SEE MoRE…PhOTOs

www.roadandtrack.com febRuaRy 2010 67

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Efficient thinking

By Jonathan Elfalan

“GREEN” IS IN. IN FACT IT’S NOT ONLY IN, Heat ManageMent it’s more popular (dare we say trendy?) Heat is energy any way you slice it. than ever, especially in discussing the Whether you are harnessing that energy future of the automotive industry. But through turbocharging, or avoiding the ki- another trend I see among some green netic creation of it (through regenerative enthusiasts is an overeagerness to hop braking), it’s a good way to yield a net gain on the electric bandwagon and write off in efficiency. BMW took another look at the petroleum-fueled vehicles altogether (did heat equation and noticed that despite these you know the energy in a liter of diesel is good efforts at heat management, there was equal to 154 lb. of Li-ion batteries?). still much valuable heat being lost. Forward thinking is great, don’t get me Each time the engine undergoes a cold wrong, and a concerted effort is what will start, typically meaning a start-up at or ultimately create the infrastructure needed close to ambient temperature, there is a to expedite these great new technologies significant amount of additional energy into the daily life of the consumer. But required (and thus fuel consumed) than in our quest for new ideas and a cleaner if the engine were already warm. The future, sometimes the most creative an- reason for this is oil is more dense at low swers can be found where others have temperatures, which increases friction of overlooked. an engine’s internal components, and thus »Although BMW’s stage 1 thermoelectric I visited Munich for a few days to par- the amount of work it must perform. generator is not revolutionary, this fuel- ticipate in a BMW technology innovation The effect of “cold” can be seen in saving system is ready to see production. workshop, where the Bavarians revealed various systems, a parallel example being many clever ideas. Some were universally us—humans, that is—who shiver to cre- off, with a type of insulating cocoon sur- applicable and others contend we haven’t ate warmth when we’re cold, and use en- rounding the engine, they were able to exhausted all efforts of improving our in- ergy each time we do. For me, a sweater see a fuel savings of up to 0.2 percent for ternal-combustion-powered mobility. As is what I usually wear to cut down on my every degree C of heat the engine retained. the evolving alternatives make their way heating costs, which is exactly the thought In their study, the typical downtime for an to reality, let’s not neglect the small steps process behind BMW’s engine encapsula- engine on any given day was between 5 to in the meantime, or throw the baby out tion idea. BMW states that by trapping 8 hours (think work hours or overnight), with the bucket of crude. the residual heat after an engine is turned which yields about a 2 percent fuel savings

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www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com cool technology that Has nothing to Do With efficiency! All the efficiency talk was great, but too (I asked), but for actual sound bits of the are separated by colors and artists by points, much of a good thing can sometimes leave modified Mini engine from within the cabin, where the size of the point is indicative of the you queasy or worse, bored out of your go to www.roadandtrack.com/minisound. number of songs by that artist. This provides mind! That’s why during the two-day work- easy access to music that matches your mood, shop, BMW/Mini introduced a few cutting- Mini MUsic Map: and is an intuitive way of finding a specific art- edge technologies that stimulated an entirely Artist-indexed playlists are so 2009. Per- ist without having to scroll from A to Z. different region of the brain. haps you’ve come across some advanced music organizers such as Pandora (online) Mini Mission control: Mini active soUnD Design: BMW found that while a driver’s tactile Ever wanted your Mini to sound more like and visual senses are quite active behind a racy hi-revving BMW inline-6, or maybe the wheel, the auditory sense remained an even a throaty Tim Allen-approved V-8 (arr untapped resource—that is, assuming said arr arrr!)? Well the engineers showed us that driver is not on the phone. So they came up this is quite possible—at least on the inside— with a concept called Mission Control, which messing with sound phasing, which essen- they’ve already implemented in the 50th an- tially does the opposite of active noise can- niversary special edition Mini Camden. This cellation technology. Inside the Mini’s cabin, system delivers useful verbal driving tips and the speakers emit additional elements from reminders (1500 possible), in swanky British a sound generator that modifies perceived or Genius (iTunes), which gave Mini the idea accents and a tone that aims to make you engine noise to your liking, and continuously to come up with their own algorithm that feel like the captain of the world’s smallest adjusts with respect to real-time vehicle data. uses all types of metadata to sort and display starship. Not feeling like making the jump to There are currently no plans to experiment your personal music—all 500 gigs of it—in a hyperspace today? The system does come with speakers on the outside of the car user-friendly two-dimensional map. Genres with an “off” switch.—JE within that window. Engine encapsulation perature differential sufficient to generate gauge pods and head-up displays (HUDs). also comes with the added benefit of better electricity with a thermoelectric semicon- BMW states that back in 2003, their HUD sound isolation and protection for heat- ductor material. unit fitted to a production 5 Series re- sensitive components around the engine. With the EGR-TEG system they set quired about 22 W to operate. The system BMW made mention of a number of up on a production 5 Series diesel, they has since become more efficient in the exhaust heat exchangers that would be were able to see as much as 250 watts of 2008 7 Series requiring just 13 W, with more efficient at bringing various other power, which is about half of the electri- one in the works that has close to half that components (such as transmissions) up cal demand for this particular car. energy demand. However efficient these to temperature, as well as servicing some The greater the temperature differential, current units have become, they’ve just interior heating needs (a huge area of sav- the more electricity is generated, which about reached their performance peak, ings for diesel vehicles in particular), but has BMW already investigating larger which has BMW looking to laser projec- I was most intrigued by their simple, yet underbody systems that better utilize the tion systems for multiple reasons. ingenious idea of a thermoelectric genera- exhaust stream and involve more sophis- By comparison, laser technology tor (TEG). ticated semiconductor materials, which (showcased in their Mini Center Globe may someday provide for 100 percent of concept) not only provides brighter and tHe tHerMoelectric generator a car’s electric needs. far more intense colors over TFTs, but Depending on your vehicle and equip- has the ability to project sharper images ment, BMW says that electric power de- laser tecHnology on multiple layers (3D infotainment!), is mands account for 3 to 8 percent of your Cutting down on electrical demand is unaffected by low temperatures (TFTs vehicle’s fuel consumption. Taking a look another approach to increasing efficiency, slow down in the cold) and is more en- at the existing engine architecture, they and though it may seem like split- ergy efficient due to selective pixel acti- noticed that the exhaust gas recirculation ting hairs at this level, it’s an in- vation (TFTs usually backlight even the (EGR) cooler, used for reducing NOX tegral piece of the bigger picture. black pixels). The result is a system with emissions at warm-up, Many cars now offer informa- far greater graphic potential that uses a and the hot exhaust gas tion screens in fraction of the power (BMW’s estimates stream provided a tem- the form of fall around 4 W). liquid crys- »Laser projection, tal displays tHe UltiMate MacHine—WitH among other things, (LCDs) or increMental cHanges is likely the next step even thin film While these technical nuances don’t for in-car infotainment transistor (TFT) make for startling sound bites of revolu- systems. One applica- LCDs that pro- tionary propulsion, each contributes to tion is a split center vide visuals overall efficiency of the automobile and, screen, which can keep for everything most important, each likely has a positive the front passenger from naviga- cost-benefit ratio. Not to mention, they’re entertained without tion systems also good reasons to preserve the Ultimate distracting the driver. to virtual Driving Machines we know and love. 

www.roadandtrack.com febRuaRy 2010 69

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com by Jonathan Elfalan » road test editor

New Beginnings...... for the Hyundai Genesis Sedan, Nissan 370Z and Volkswagen Jetta TDI

2010 hyundai genesis 4.6 2010 Hyundai Genesis 4.6 What we are sure of, though, is that this The Genesis is, by definiTion, a com- Delivered price $43,000 big rear-drive sedan brings a lot to the ta- ing into being. That it’s the name given Total miles/miles since last report 6155/na ble for very little in exchange. our test car to both the coupe and sedan is fitting. Maintenance costs to date $0 is top of the line and fully outfitted, mean- it seems to us that hyundai has finally Repair costs to date $0 ing it has the one option available for the Average mpg to date 20.6 achieved its goal of becoming a respected Best mpg (avg of 3) 24.3 V-8-powered car, a $3500 Tech Package. full-line automobile manufacturer, and as Worst mpg (avg of 3) 17.8 not that the base V-8 model isn’t well such has chosen a name that says so. for- equipped; standard fare isn’t over the top, Bruce Benedictphotos By gotten is the hyundai excel—that, well… pretty clear that the Genesis sedan is not but includes navigation, seat memory, it didn’t. To put this belief to the test, as sporting as we’d expected and hyun- dual climate control, bluetooth connec- we’ve decided a Genesis sedan will be dai’s style still isn’t all its own. The tail- tivity, 14-speaker Lexicon audio, auto- the second hyundai to endure our long- lights look to be borrowed from bmW matic wipers, power rear sunshade and, of term scrutiny (the first was the hyundai and its interior’s center console, infiniti, course, safety in the form of abs and sta- elantra, circa 1992). but unlike previous models that are just an bility control. The Tech Package ups the We knew from our early exposure to the unbalanced amalgamation of design ele- audio system’s speaker count to 17 and car that it has some minor issues. our first ments, the Genesis is a harmonious blend adds a dVd changer, and also includes drive and subsequent Road Test made it that might just define the brand. smart cruise control, headlamps that turn,

70 Road & TRack

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com »Although the styling of the Genesis is clearly derivative of the likes of Mer- cedes-Benz and BMW, this large rear- drive sedan is nevertheless a handsome design. The nav system, above right, features a large easy-to-read screen. parking sensors and—my personal favor- only is this car all new, it’s completely with it, such features seem pointless. Hint- ite—driver’s seat cooling. different from anything we’ve seen from ing at the car’s potential are large brakes We’ve seen all these features before, al- Hyundai. The lack of front badging is and a slight snarl emitted on startup of beit not on a car that has 80 percent of its probably a subliminal nod to this. the dual overhead cam, all-aluminum en- parts sourced from Korea. The rumor was In proper luxury sedan configuration, gine. But don’t get too excited because that the Genesis Coupe and Sedan could the Genesis’ powerful 375-bhp Tau V-8 the exhaust note immediately recedes to have created an all-new brand, much as sits up front and drives the rear wheels a near silent idle that allows passengers to Lexus serves for Toyota, but Hyundai opt- through a smooth-shifting ZF-sourced 6- marvel at the simplicity and quality of the ed to keep the cars in the family. (As the speed automatic, a gearbox that lacks pad- interior. You can almost hear them think- Korean conglomerate already has Kia, it dles and a rev-matching downshift feature. ing, “This is a Hyundai??” That’s probably probably didn’t need another brand.) Not However, without a sport suspension to go the coolest feature of the car, the effect it has on preconceived notions. In the first 6155 miles since the deliv- ery of our Sterling Blue Metallic steed, it has been trouble-free. It has proven prac- tical, comfortable, reasonably fuel effi- cient—with an EPA rating of 17/25 city/

www.roadandtrack.com febRuaRy 2010 71

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com 2009 Nissan 370Z Delivered price $38,470 Total miles/miles since last report 15,141/10,404 Maintenance costs to date $420 Repair costs to date $0

photo ellida By maki Our mileage to date, EPA city/highway 20.6, 18/26

and brake (it cuts power), which I some- times utilize for back-road driving; the engine and exhaust aren’t that inspir- ing to the ear, with an electric motor- like whirring at low speeds; and last, the steering feels artificially heavy, which hinders turn-in precision. Which isn’t to say the new, much more refined Z isn’t »35,521 miles. Our long-term Jetta TDI stops for a break in Marquette, Michigan, along fun to drive—it is—but Nissan could have the shore of Superior, the big lake they call Gitchigoomie. Note the huge iron ore dock in made it so much better. the background. Fuel economy, thus far, has been an outstanding 36 mpg. —Mike Monticello, Feature Editor

highway—and surprisingly fa st, if not low speeds is still loud compared to that 2009 Volkswagen Jetta tdi especially nimble. The Genesis is a foray of other cars. We’re currently investigat- Upon taking in our Volkswagen Jetta by hyundai into a different league of au- ing the merits of ester oil and plan to try Tdi for its third carefree maintenance tomobile; it’s a luxury car not pretending a less expensive blend that meets the aPi service at 30,000 miles, we were getting that it’s a sports sedan. it seems to us that requirement at the next change to see if into the habit of walking in, sans wallet, hyundai is following in the footsteps of there is a noticeable difference. other than ready to sign on the dotted line. for all we Lexus, where exceptional performance the sound issues, our Z’s synchroRev is knew, the invoice could read “chipmunks means ultra quiet and super smooth. The still entertaining to operate and continues removed from intake manifold” and we engine pulls hard and sings a wonderful to work as it’s supposed to, although it might’ve glazed over it without notice. tune at full bore, with an exhaust that won’t undoubtedly wastes fuel while the car is but today, something did manage to grab wake the neighbors. The dash is noticeably coasting and the driver is doing the “neu- our attention—three digits to be exact, absent of clutter, thanks to a central control tral gate shake”—force-of-habit behavior reading “$176.” The Tdi’s rear brake lin- knob for the navigation/multimedia sys- that elicits an unneeded throttle blip. ings needed to be replaced and the rotors tem. if anything, there’s an unusual lack of The revised rear body brace allows for resurfaced, and this is not covered under buttons and knobs for a luxury car. all sorts of items to be packed under the the carefree maintenance program (along With its blend of power, comfort, size hatch that wouldn’t have fit in the 350Z, with other consumables like wiper blades, and sophistication at a price considerably including a sparco race seat i scored for light bulbs, etc., mentioned in the fine less than that of key rivals, the Genesis cheap at that company’s annual garage print). We still think highly of our Tdi, seems just right. combine that with a 10- sale. This really makes this car livable as as it remains one of the most trouble- year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, long as you believe that three’s a crowd. free, low-cost long-term vehicles in the and the Genesis is starting out on the We also think that white is one of the nic- fleet, but it apparently doesn’t come with right foot.—Shaun Bailey est colors this car comes in, and with the the “Ultimate” maintenance program we compliments we often get from passersby, originally thought it did. 2009 nissan 370Z we think others do too. at 15,000 miles, the three engine oil Passing over our 370Z and R8 when the changes our Z has required, while nowhere There are few cars I’ve wanted to like long-term test-car keys are handed out near as costly as the GT-R’s, still land a bit more than the new 370Z. I think the styl- ought to be grounds for permanent exile, heavy on our wallet at $85 a pop. The fac- ing is better and the interior is far im- but the Jetta TDI just fits like that com- tory-recommended ester oil blend claims proved over the previous 350Z, but I still fortable old pair of jeans. Tip-in torque to have sound-deadening properties, al- can’t get past three areas: The car does is so generous it fools you into thinking though we’ve noticed that cabin noise at not allow for any overlapping of throttle the Jetta is quicker than it actually is. The suspension is so well sorted that you forgive the meager grip of the hard-com- »15,141 miles. pound Michelins, which still have usable tread after 35,000 not-so-coddled miles. And seats, with decent bolstering and excellent road-trip comfort, continue to impress; no downside for your backside. photo Brian By Blades —Douglas Kott, Senior Feature Editor

2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Delivered price $23,070 Total miles/miles since last report 35,521/14,651 Maintenance costs to date $176 Repair costs to date $0 Our mileage to date, EPA city/highway 36.0, 30/41

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R- 19 252 255/35 R- 18 226 265/35 R- 19 128 P 245/50 R- 20 241 255/65 R- 16 140 275/70 R- 16 142 255/70 R- 17 136 275/55 R- 17 173 245/45 R- 20 235 255/45 R- 18 150 RFT (Runfl at) 255/40 R- 20 358 235/55 R- 18 146 255/45 R- 20 243 225/40 R- 19 159 205/55 R- 16 $139 285/35 R- 20 394 Pilot Alpin PA2 225/40 R- 19XL 169 225/45 R- 17XL 189 Winter 190 Snowcontrol 205/50 R- 17 $155 255/40 R- 18 $228 295/35 R- 18 $300 165/65 R- 13 $52 145/65 R- 15 $77 235/40 R- 18 187 265/40 R- 18 182 335/40 R- 18 216 Blizzak LM-25 4X4 175/65 R- 15 61 155/60 R- 15 73 245/45 R- 18 220 265/40 R- 18 252 255/60 R- 17 $175 285/45 R- 19 $209 255/55 R- 18 $187 275/55 R- 17 189 275/45 R- 20XL 189 255/50 R- 19 339 Winter 190 Snowcontrol Serie II Pilot Alpin PA3 235/60 R- 18 147 RFT (Runfl at) 185/60 R- 15XL $66 195/60 R- 15 $75 205/55 R- 16 $113 205/55 R- 16 $125 225/55 R- 17 $177 235/40 R- 18X $206 255/55 R- 18XL 169 235/55 R- 18 $268 185/65 R- 15 70 195/65 R- 15 67 205/50 R- 17 164 235/45 R- 17XL 197 245/45 R- 18XL 218 215/55 R- 17XL 166 235/55 R- 17XL 179 255/45 R- 19 212 Blizzak LM-60 Winter 190 SnowSport 225/45 R- 17XL 175 225/40 R- 18 201 285/40 R- 19 276 215/45 R- 17 $144 255/45 R- 18 $205 245/40 R- 20 $272 185/55 R- 15XL $92 225/45 R- 17 150 265/35 R- 18XL 234 245/45 R- 20 260 Primacy Alpin PA3 235/45 R- 17XL 160 275/35 R- 18 234 P 245/50 R- 20 247 Winter 240 SnowSport 195/60 R- 15 $104 205/60 R- 16 $99 205/45 R- 17 $153 235/50 R- 17 168 225/40 R- 19 215 255/35 R- 20XL 293 205/45 R- 17 $165 235/40 R- 18 $210 265/40 R- 18 $267 195/65 R- 15 100 215/55 R- 16 129 215/45 R- 17 152 215/45 R- 18XL 177 225/45 R- 19 205 255/45 R- 20 269 255/40 R- 17 237 235/40 R- 18N0 216 RFT (Runfl at) 205/65 R- 15 107 215/65 R- 16 125 225/45 R- 17 160 225/40 R- 18XL 172 235/35 R- 19XL 243 RFT (Runfl at) 225/40 R- 18 214 265/35 R- 18 274 205/45 R- 17 $179 205/50 R- 16 137 225/50 R- 16 141 225/45 R- 17 163 225/45 R- 18XL 184 245/45 R- 19 223 195/55 R- 16 $138 205/55 R- 16 122 225/55 R- 16 138 P 225/60 R- 18 182 255/35 R- 19XL 264 205/45 R- 17 158 Winter 210 Sottozero 235/45 R- 18 188 255/40 R- 19XL 252 225/40 R- 18 211 225/55 R- 16 $147 225/55 R- 18 $177 RFT (Runfl at) X-Ice Xi2 XL XL 245/40 R- 18 199 255/50 R- 19 228 255/55 R- 18 254 215/60 R- 17 178 225/60 R- 18 159 205/50 R- 17 $181 175/65 R- 14 $73 215/70 R- 15 $89 215/60 R- 17 $105 245/45 R- 18 199 265/35 R- 19 265 235/55 R- 17 171 225/45 R- 17 212 185/60 R- 14 83 195/55 R- 16XL 114 215/65 R- 17 114 255/40 R- 18XL 210 275/35 R- 19 276 225/50 R- 17 202 185/70 R- 14 76 205/50 R- 16 125 225/45 R- 17XL 149 Winter 240 Sottozero 185/55 R- 15 96 205/55 R- 16 112 225/55 R- 17XL 138 Blizzak WS60 225/55 R- 17 $201 245/40 R- 18 $239 285/40 R- 19 $361 185/60 R- 15 87 205/60 R- 16 105 225/60 R- 17 130 175/65 R- 14XL $75 215/60 R- 15 $87 205/50 R- 17 $133 235/45 R- 17 199 245/45 R- 18 255 265/35 R- 20 432 185/65 R- 15 88 215/55 R- 16XL 129 235/55 R- 17XL 149 185/60 R- 14 74 215/65 R- 15 88 215/45 R- 17 127 215/45 R- 18XL 204 255/35 R- 18 229 RFT (Runfl at) 195/55 R- 15 89 225/60 R- 16 114 215/45 R- 18 146 185/65 R- 14 77 215/70 R- 15 85 215/60 R- 17 126 225/45 R- 18XL 216 285/40 R- 18 350 245/45 R- 17 $222 195/60 R- 15 84 235/60 R- 16 119 225/60 R- 18 148 185/70 R- 14 73 195/60 R- 16 85 215/60 R- 17 107 235/40 R- 18N1 232 295/35 R- 18 322 245/40 R- 18XL 268 205/60 R- 15 87 205/50 R- 17XL 118 245/45 R- 19 186 195/60 R- 14 77 205/55 R- 16 107 P 215/65 R- 17 101 235/45 R- 18XL 244 255/40 R- 19XL 333 255/35 R- 18XL 326 205/70 R- 15 88 215/45 R- 17 138 175/65 R- 15 73 205/60 R- 16 90 225/45 R- 17 137 235/50 R- 18XL 255 285/35 R- 19 381 215/65 R- 15 101 215/50 R- 17 120 195/55 R- 15 90 205/65 R- 16 92 235/45 R- 17 152 195/60 R- 15 81 215/65 R- 16 94 235/60 R- 17 112 Winter 210 Sottozero Serie II 195/65 R- 15 82 225/50 R- 16 119 235/40 R- 18 162 215/45 R- 17 $175 215/55 R- 17 $193 245/45 R- 17 $240 205/60 R- 15 85 235/60 R- 16 106 205/70 R- 15 82 235/65 R- 16 105 Winter 240 Sottozero Serie II Winterforce (studdable) X 225/45 R- 17 $201 295/35 R- 18 $336 RFT (Runfl at) P 155/80 R- 13 $36 195/70 R- 14 $53 205/70 R- 15 $55 Blizzak LM-50 Blizzak MZ-03 235/40 R- 18 241 235/35 R- 19 285 215/40 R- 18 $246 XL 175/70 R- 13 44 P 195/75 R- 14 49 215/55 R- 16 79 RFT (Runfl at) Blizzak MZ-03 RFT (Runfl at) 245/50 R- 18 270 295/30 R- 19 355 245/35 R- 18 332 XL 175/65 R- 14 55 205/70 R- 14 51 225/50 R- 17 109 255/40 R- 18 269 255/40 R- 20 425 225/60 R- 17 $123 165/65 R- 14 $70 245/40 R- 18 $207 185/60 R- 14 57 P 205/75 R- 14 51 265/40 R- 18 285 285/35 R- 20 471 P 185/75 R- 14 49 185/65 R- 15 60 Blizzak W965 275/45 R- 18 355 215/85 R- 16E $136 265/75 R- 16E $151 245/70 R- 17E $157 Winter 270 Sottozero Serie II E E E Winterforce UV (studdable) 245/75 R- 16 145 LT 235/80 R- 17 157 LT 265/70 R- 17 168 235/45 R- 20X $375 RFT (Runfl at) P 225/70 R- 16 $68 P 235/65 R- 16 $82 245/35 R- 20 456 245/40 R- 20 $480 275/35 R- 20 489 275/35 R- 20 583 Winter Carving (studdable) Graspic DS-3 185/65 R- 14 $78 195/55 R- 15 $100 225/45 R- 17 $167 ExtremeWinterContact 185/70 R- 14 80 195/60 R- 15 91 225/55 R- 17 177 175/70 R- 13 $57 205/60 R- 15 $75 225/60 R- 16 $90 175/70 R- 13 $55 215/55 R- 16 $103 215/45 R- 17 $127 175/70 R- 14 65 205/65 R- 15 77 215/45 R- 17XL 114 Winter Carving Edge (studdable) 175/65 R- 14 64 215/60 R- 16 92 215/50 R- 17 124 185/60 R- 14 65 205/70 R- 15 73 215/50 R- 17 121 175/65 R- 14 $79 205/60 R- 15 $92 215/60 R- 16X $127 185/65 R- 14XL 69 215/65 R- 16XL 92 215/55 R- 17XL 121 185/65 R- 14 68 215/65 R- 15 79 215/55 R- 17 103 185/60 R- 14 82 205/65 R- 15 106 215/65 R- 16 112 185/70 R- 14 63 225/55 R- 16XL 110 215/60 R- 17 114 185/70 R- 14 64 215/70 R- 15 76 215/60 R- 17 96 185/65 R- 15 86 205/55 R- 16 119 225/55 R- 16XL 147 185/60 R- 15XL 72 225/60 R- 16 96 225/45 R- 17XL 130 195/70 R- 14 66 205/55 R- 16 96 225/45 R- 17 123 195/65 R- 15 85 205/60 R- 16XL 118 235/65 R- 17 169 185/65 R- 15XL 71 225/70 R- 16 98 235/45 R- 17 138 185/60 R- 15 70 205/65 R- 16 83 225/55 R- 17 107 195/55 R- 15XL 87 LT 225/75 R- 16E 143 235/55 R- 17XL 132 185/65 R- 15 68 215/55 R- 16 98 235/45 R- 17 136 195/60 R- 15XL 71 235/60 R- 16 105 235/65 R- 17XL 127 195/55 R- 15 81 215/60 R- 16XL 86 225/50 R- 18 179 195/65 R- 15XL 71 235/75 R- 16 111 LT 235/80 R- 17E 171 195/60 R- 15 72 215/65 R- 16 84 225/55 R- 18 173 205/60 R- 15 73 LT 235/85 R- 16E 142 245/70 R- 17 128 195/65 R- 15 73 225/55 R- 16 102 AltiMAX Arctic (studdable) 205/65 R- 15 77 245/75 R- 16 109 LT 245/70 R- 17E 165

E 205/70 R- 15 73 255/70 R- 16 123 265/65 R- 17 143 175/70 R- 13 $45 225/70 R- 15 $71 LT265/75 R- 16 $133 SP Winter Sport 215/60 R- 15 85 265/70 R- 16 125 265/70 R- 17 129 175/65 R- 14 56 205/60 R- 16 70 215/50 R- 17 106 D 215/65 R- 15 81 265/75 R- 16 119 LT 285/70 R- 17 194 235/55 R- 17 $175 185/65 R- 14 60 215/55 R- 16 80 215/55 R- 17 100 E 215/70 R- 15 78 LT 265/75 R- 16 151 185/65 R- 15 61 225/55 R- 16 94 215/60 R- 17 99 205/60 R- 16XL 83 205/50 R- 17XL 114 SP Winter Sport 3D 195/55 R- 15 75 235/60 R- 16 93 235/55 R- 17 116 195/65 R- 15 $96 225/45 R- 17X $149 235/60 R- 18X $175 205/60 R- 15 65 235/75 R- 16 97 265/65 R- 17 128 205/65 R- 15 90 225/55 R- 17 152 245/40 R- 18XL 219 205/65 R- 15 67 LT 235/85 R- 16E 127 LT 265/70 R- 17E 154 ContiWinterContact TS800 205/55 R- 16 98 235/45 R- 17XL 157 255/40 R- 18 233 205/70 R- 15 61 255/70 R- 16 105 LT 285/70 R- 17D 172 155/60 R- 15 $76 175/55 R- 15 $100 205/55 R- 16 108 235/65 R- 17XL 141 255/45 R- 18 240 215/60 R- 15 72 265/70 R- 16 109 215/55 R- 16 119 245/40 R- 17XL 181 265/35 R- 18XL 256 215/65 R- 15 71 265/75 R- 16 104 ContiWinterContact TS810 XL 215/65 R- 16 116 245/45 R- 17 166 285/35 R- 18 277 225/45 R- 17 $158 225/45 R- 17 $186 225/55 R- 16 124 255/45 R- 17 195 ROF (RunOnFlat) 235/60 R- 16 121 225/40 R- 18 179 195/55 R- 16 $118 205/50 R- 17 136 235/40 R- 18 199 245/50 R- 18 299 ContiWinterContact TS810 S 215/55 R- 17XL 149 235/40 R- 18XL 203 245/45 R- 19 275 Ultra Grip SUV 205/55 R- 17 $177 245/40 R- 18 $243 265/40 R- 18 $221 147 231 XL 202 XL 235 225/45 R- 17 235/50 R- 18 265/70 R- 16 $108 255/65 R- 17 $114 255/55 R- 19 $212 235/50 R- 17 245/45 R- 18 235/55 R- 17 150 265/65 R- 17 121 SP Winter Sport M3 ContiCrossContact Winter 225/60 R- 15 $112 215/45 R- 17 $137 ROF (RunOnFlat) 215/65 R- 16 $115 Eagle Ultra Grip GW2 205/45 R- 16 124 215/50 R- 17 140 205/55 R- 16 $138 P 225/60 R- 16 $136 215/60 R- 16 105 235/45 R- 18 206 225/50 R- 17 205 225/50 R- 16 129 245/45 R- 18XL 224 4x4 WinterContact 225/60 R- 16 116 245/50 R- 18 197 Eagle Ultra Grip GW3 215/60 R- 17 $164 195/55 R- 15 $101 205/50 R- 16 $116 Vanco Grandtrek WT M3 205/60 R- 15 93 P 225/60 R- 18 145 Vanco Winter WinterContact (RunOnFlat) Grandtrek WT M3 205/65 R- 15C $110 LT215/65 R- 16D $137 205/65 R- 15 $98 Eagle Ultra Grip GW3 EMT (Runfl at) D 255/55 R- 18 $298 255/50 R- 19X $203 LT205/65 R- 16 135 225/50 R- 16 $145 245/45 R- 17X $205 Grandtrek SJ6 Grandtrek SJ5 30X9.5 R- 15C $99 275/60 R- 18 $171 Ultra Grip Performance Ultra Grip Full pattern studding 205/70 R- 16 91 P 265/50 R- 20 112 215/50 R- 17 $140 205/70 R- 15 $69 Available for $15 per tire on tires marked studdable.

SPECIALS Pricing Effective January 1-31, 2010 Hours: EST M-F 8am-8pm SAT 9am-4pm 1-888-371-8473 Prices Subject to Change www.tirerack.com ©2009 Tire Rack www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Pricing Effective January 1-31, 2010 Hours: EST M-F 8am-8pm SAT 9am-4pm 1-888-371-8473 Prices Subject to Change www.tirerack.com ©2009 Tire Rack www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com by dennis simanaitis » engineering editor

“Minivans Smell of Diapers...”

a certain demographic’s aversion to that my handy Inflation Calculator tells minivans—immensely practical, efficient and me equates to $78,408 today. popular with others—is that the vehicles’ aura Relatively modest modern cars (the is a bit too family oriented. It’s one reason why Audi TTS, BMW M3 and 135i and barker tim SUVs sell well. Lexus IS F, to name a few) exceed the Now, however, wildlife researchers have of- D-Type in performance. And, in terms fered another dimension to these popular peo- of equivalent dollars, they cost less. But, ple-haulers: Bears like minivans. I would argue, none is as beautiful. A study published in the Journal of Mammalogy Its most recent owner, Ted Gildred, cited that bears break into minivans more often than agrees completely. And, in fact, Ted is re- into any other class of vehicle. This is because the animals sponsible for the more recent appearance of this have learned that there’s good noshing to be had. Bears are largely very car in R&T. During his custodianship, he and the D-Type omnivores, opportunistic enough to eat whatever’s abundant; also went on several Colorado Grand rallies, including one where Ted intelligent enough to teach this foraging behavior to their cubs. kindly invited Peter Egan to ride along (see R&T, March 2007). Researchers examined reports of vehicle damage at Yosem- ite National Park from 2001 to 2007. The study suggested that (re)reAding About Another r&t friend minivan passengers, often the kids, are prone to spill food and While on a heritage binge, I commend to you a book I’ve just drinks, thus leaving a detectable—and delectable—aroma. read: The ‘9’ Horse Wonder, by George F. Yallop. Those with truly Steam cleaning a minivan interior is recommended before ven- prodigious memories will recall a July 1963 R&T article of similar turing into national parks and other areas that bears are known name, “The Nine Horse Wander,” by George and his wife at the to inhabit. Also, of course, it’s unwise to leave food aboard. time, Eileen. Some 45 years in gestation, this fascinating book is the Yet, it’s also been found that bears recognize the shape of complete story, only part of which was recounted in that R&T piece. minivans and seek them out. This is no trivial matter, as a black Amazingly, in 1960, all three in their late 20s, George and bear preparing for winter is known to bulk up on something like his wife took “Calisay,” their already vintage 1933 Riley 9, on a 20,000 calories a day—and a minivan is a great potential source. 10,000-mile adventure circling the world. The Yallops traveled from England across Europe, the Middle East, India, Sri Lanka AppreciAting An old r&t friend (Ceylon in those days), Australia, the U.S. and Canada. Along To my eye, one of the most voluptuous examples of “form the way, they worked here and there to support themselves. following function” is the Jaguar D-Type. This sports racing car Calisay was repaired, disconcertingly often, with spares brought dominated endurance events back in the mid-1950s and it’s one of along or things found en route. the most prized classics today. Expect the example pictured here To cite just one road hazard, bullock carts were the principal to be a star at Gooding & Company’s Scottsdale, Arizona, auction, traffic in Baluchistan (a remote area along the Iran/Pakistan border). January 21–23, 2010. What’s more, this particular D-Type even has Yoked bullock pairs had a nasty habit of clashing each other’s horns, a couple of direct R&T ties. thus leaving shards “which seemed to head for the nearest tyre….” Back in May 1956, this Sharing a tent with a deadly krait snake. Feted in Australia by was the exact car we, er… the “Melbourne Mob” of car enthusiasts. Arriving in America, they tested. In fact, that only to find Calisay wouldn’t clear customs until the following Road Test’s full details make day—“For the first time on the trip we felt homeless.” interesting reading today. A humble hats off from those The D-Type’s 3.4-liter of us who occasionally take our dohc inline-6 produced all old cars on highly orchestrated, of 250 bhp at 6000 rpm; heavily supported tours. The torque was 242 lb.-ft. at Yallops’ adventure is great 4000. Like most race cars of the era, the D-Type had a 4-speed reading, whether in vintage gearbox; speeds in gears were 67, 87, 112 and 162 mph. That is, R&T or in this neat book, it was fairly tall-geared for venues such as Le Mans and the like. which is available for The car’s test weight was estimated at 2460 lb. and, back then, about $48, including ship- would have included two testers aboard. The D-Type’s 0–60 ping and handling. To posting of 4.7 seconds broke a record for the time (a couple learn more, you’re en- years earlier, Phil Hill’s 2.9-liter Ferrari had run a 5.1). couraged to check out Oh, yes. And the D-Type’s 1956 list price was $9875, a figure www.yallop.net. 

78 Road & TRack www.roadandtrack.com

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com A one-make series that may be headed to the U.S.…we hope!

By Ian adcock » Photos By the author

17 tires also helped to give the little hatch a purposeful stance. that morning brought an aer situating myself instant smile to the most in the high-back recaro race series. mournful of faces. seat and tightly cinching Mid-october in eng- only the italians could the 5-point Sabelt racing land means fog, and i put a duck spoiler on harness, i was ready for could barely see from a car’s roof to make it track duty. SilverStone, england— sell upward of 20,000 one side of the track to look dolce vita pert; now, for a nation like abarth is to Fiat what abarths a year in the the other. But the swarm the abarth’s 17 x 7-in. the U.S., where there Cooper is to Mini, and foreseeable future. of abarths gathered wheels and 205/50Zr- “ain’t no substitute for with more than 10,000 Which is why i was motorsports victories recently at Silverstone, and 10 world records home of the British gP, to its credit, the italian to try abarth’s—not »With 188 bhp and marque has the creden- Fiat’s—latest track car, only 2100 lb., the tials to back its ambi- the trofeo abarth 500, trofeo abarth tious worldwide plan to for next year’s one-make 500s are very quick. We hope the series finds a 80 Road & TRack home in the U.S.

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com evAns Wins Skills—both on the track in MAzdA MX-5 cup an MX-5 Cup car and back in the shooTouT! paddock with BUTTONWILLOW, CALIFORNIA—Mazda’s engineers and MX-5 Cup Shootout, the most lucrative media—were prize in American amateur road racing, tested. They has been won by Nick Evans, a 19-year- included: driving old biology student at Ohio State Uni- speed, driving versity who earned an invitation to the consistency, an annual Shootout by winning the Maz- understand- da-powered Formula Enterprise class at ing of vehicle

the 2009 SCCA Runoffs. For his efforts dynamics, the photo mazda/al By merion at Buttonwillow Raceway Park in Cali- ability to analyze fornia, where he competed against four data, and public relations skills. other Mazda-powered amateur national Besides Evans, other participants in champions in a series of tests, Evans the Shootout were Ryan Ellis, of Fairfax, takes home a full ride in the 2010 SCCA Virginia, a National Auto Sport Associa- Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup, a tion Teen Champion in a Miata; Steven prize worth in excess of $75,000. Gorriaran of Providence, Rhode Island, “Wow. Afer hearing the news I was the SCCA Runoffs champ in Spec Miata; speechless,” said Evans, a sof-spoken Bruce Pendleton of Oakland, California, driver who was informed he had won the the NASA PTE champion in a Miata; and day afer the event. “All I could say was Andy Rushing from Austin, Texas, the thank you! I felt so relieved once I won NASA Spec Miata champion. the Shootout and for the opportunity to All were impressive. But Evans, a for- begin my professional racing career with mula car driver, put on an impressively Mazda. I put an enormous effort into the smooth display of speed that couldn’t Shootout and it paid off. This is really a be ignored. He’s clearly a guy to watch defining moment in my life.” in 2010.—Andrew Bornhop

FiT for a The company’s aim, says a spokesman, is to improve durability, not to improve per- Ford? Yes formance, which speaks to the advantages iT’s oFFiciAl: The Sports Car Club of Honda cites for its Fit powerplant. America has approved Honda’s 1.5-liter Some racing insiders contend that ing a little—think of it as Fit engine for use in Formula Ford, which Honda’s entry into Formula F will revi- reduced tire wear—but becomes Formula F now that Ford’s pow- talize the 42-year-old class, which had cubic inches,” 83.5 of having hit the apex, you erplant isn’t the only block on the block. Ef- become somewhat moribund in the last them must seem to have can pile on the power all the will of a wet fire- and still keep the 500 on fective immediately, SCCA club racers will few years—at least in the United States. work. But, with 188 bhp a smooth trajectory. be able to fit the Fit into their Swif DB-1 “Maybe now there will be some interest and 221 lb.-
. of torque For now this will be a chassis by purchasing Honda’s conversion in the class,” says Arnie Loyning, whose propelling just 2100 lb., europe-only race series, the turbocharged trofeo but with Fiat planning to kit, which allows installation without weld- engines have won 27 SCCA national has some real sting. put the abarth into pro- ing or other major modifications. Although championships. Surprisingly for a duction in toluca, Mex- the kit’s $11,750 price tag may seem steep, During its heyday, Formula Ford was a front-wheel-drive car, ico, in 2011, along with bear in mind that a top-of-the-line Ford steppingstone to the major leagues for there’s not too much the standard Fiat 500, tug through the steering there’s a good chance the engine alone costs $12,000 or more. drivers including CART champions Mi- wheel under acceleration, race series could head to Of course, Ford’s not about to take the chael Andretti and Jimmy Vasser. Mean- despite the fog-induced the States as well. news lying down. Rankled by Honda’s while, in Europe where Formula Ford is damp conditions that it might not have the later turned to drizzle. power and drama of presence in the formula, FoMoCo says it still a top feeder series, the list of alumni and the trofeo abarth Porsche Supercup or will “throw a lifeline” to Kent engine users, includes Formula 1 World Champions nips into corners like a naSCar, but from in- such as SCCA club racers, by putting the Jenson Button, Mika Hakkinen, Ayrton cat chasing a mouse. side that cat’s cradle of okay, so you can feel a rollcage i can tell you 50-year-old design back into production, Senna and Michael Schumacher as well as the inside rear wheel li
- it’s a whole lot of fun.  using modern manufacturing techniques. IndyCar star Danica Patrick.—Joe Rusz

www.roadandtrack.com febRuaRy 2010 81

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com n

o i

t i t e Rolex PReview 2010 p m c o

There’s lots to look for in the 2010 Grand-Am series

By Pete Lyons » Photos By F. Peirce WiLLiams

82 Road & TRack

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com There are 12 hours on the face of a Rolex watch, and there are 12 rounds in the Rolex race series. ❖ Such numerical symmetry probably isn’t deliberate, but it does serve to focus our minds on the essence of what is properly known as “Grand-Am Road Racing’s Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16.” ❖ That essence: Twelve rounds of truly hard-fought sports car racing, with both a prototype (Daytona Prototype) and a GT class. The series’ first round, at Daytona the end of January, runs 24 hours, twice around the Rolex dial. Later in the season, at Watkins Glen in early June, they’ll race for six hours. ❖ The rest of the rounds are mere sprints of a couple of hours or so apiece, but they are true sprints, hectic and hard-fought, with any number of teams having a chance to win right into the last lap. Listen: Out of last year’s 10 races that and in some cases are. The Porsches do finished under green, five had winning mar- start life on the production line. Others are gins inside a second. Five! Tightest margin: built up by specialty shops on tubular space 0.167—and that was in the longest race. frames hung with look-alike bodywork. In that longest race, would you care to Porsche’s approach worked best in 2009, guess how many cars were on the winning its GT3 model scoring five victories in lap? Seven—after 24 hours. At Virginia the 12 races. Winning GT team was Farn- International Raceway and Laguna Seca, it bacher Loles Racing, whose Leh Keen was eight cars. Nine at Watkins Glen. Ten and Dirk Werner won four times, jointly at Mid-Ohio. Eleven at the July sprint race earning the driver’s championship. Pontiac, at Daytona and again at Miller, the 11th with three wins, beat Mazda’s two. Also round. And in the season finale at Home- running were Chevrolet, BMW, Ferrari and stead, 13 cars completed the entire 100 Ford for seven manufacturers in all. laps. That’s extraordinary in road racing. How many GT teams participated? Try Out of the 12 races, six different Daytona 37. And drivers? There were 154 on the Prototype car/driver teams were winners. The 2009 points table—154! DP championship went down to that last race. Clearly, Grand-Am provides a happy home Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney came out as for a lot of racers. co-champions, having taken four wins and As for race fans, the series’ tightly regu- 337 points with their No. 99 Gainsco Insur- lated DPs may not be the prettiest motor- ance/Bob Stallings Racing Pontiac-Riley. It cars of all time, but to the sanctioning body, was their second such title (first was in 2007). safety and low-cost practicality count more. Joint third, a scant 6 points behind, were Neither are these the most technically ad- Memo Rojas and Scott Pruett in the No. 01 vanced of “prototypes”—that’s intentional Lexus Riley fielded by Telmex/Chip Ga- too, to foster close racing. nassi Racing with Felix Sabates; they’d won DPs are all coupes with exceptional- twice during the season. Ganassi’s team is ly roomy cabins, for crash safety. Their a three-time series champion (2004, ’06, aerodynamics are severely restricted, they ’08). Eye-opening are the numbers of driv- must use a long list of mandatory spec ers, teams and manufacturers participating components, and all run on the same no- in this series. Altogether, 83 drivers scored ticeably small Pirelli P-Zero spec tires. points in 27 different Daytona Prototypes Whatever the engine brand and con- last year. Of seven engine manufacturers, figuration, officials keep their finger on Ford came out ahead of Porsche, Pontiac, performance parity, trying to hold maxi- Lexus, BMW, Chevrolet and Honda. Be- mum output to 500 bhp. hind Riley Technologies as best DP chassis And in terms of parity, it works. If maker (for the sixth time) were Dallara, you’re a rabid race fan who likes watch- Lola, Crawford and Coyote. ing a clutch of racers fighting like mad But if you want to see really big num- into the last lap with none knowing who’s bers, look at the parallel GT class. Running going to come out of it first, and happy in the same races with the DPs are what to bang bodywork to find out, the Rolex look like modified production sports cars, series is something special to watch.

www.roadandtrack.com febRuaRy 2010 83 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com What’s to watch in 2010? Back to Daytona Prototype, where at Ga- Coyote chassis from Troy Flis’ Spirit of First, understand the depth of tradition nassi, manager Mike Hull expresses regret Daytona team, which uses Porsche’s V-8 behind this. Rolex has been the title spon- at the end of a long and fruitful partner- engine (Brumos stays with the flat-6). sor of the 24-hour race since 1991, so ship with Lexus/Toyota/TRD, but looks for- Spirit of Daytona will have a notewor- 2010 will be its 19th anniversary. It will ward to a new relationship with BMW and thy guest driver this time: a British new- be the 11th under Grand-Am sanction. the Dinan tuning company. “I’m very im- comer named Derek Johnston. And he’s a But the 24-hour at Daytona will be the pressed with that group of people,” he says. real newcomer, having only started racing 43rd at the distance, and it will be the With its four cams and 5.0-liter dis- on four wheels three years ago. But this 48th sports car enduro there since the placement, the BMW V-8 is similar to the 47-year-old businessman has made spec- first, a 3-hour in 1962. (If you’ve spot- Lexus, so installation in the Target-spon- tacular progress in his racing, being the ted that the arithmetic looks funky, it’s sored Riley has proven straightforward; inaugural winner of the Rolex 24 Driver because the 1972 race went only 6 hours Bill Riley himself has been assisting. Challenge presented by Sunoco. This was and in 1974 there was no race at all, due As well as winning last year’s Rolex 24, a points battle among four Sunoco-fueled to that year’s energy crisis.) Brumos also won a race with its second car, series in Europe and the U.K. last season. The Daytona Prototype era began in thanks to Joao Barbosa and Hurley Hay- Johnston, who normally drives a motor- 2004, when a Pontiac-Doran won the big wood. So the potential is clearly there for a cycle-engine Radical sports racer, will season opener. The five subsequent 24s strong 2010 season, although that second car step into a V-8 Coyote at Daytona. fell to Riley chassis that were running will be operated under another team name. Speaking of guest drivers, the Rolex Pontiac, Lexus (three wins in a row) and There’s also SunTrust Racing’s Ford 24 is famed for filling its fields with lu- finally Porsche power in 2009. Dallara, twice a winner in ’09 with Max minaries from NASCAR and other racing Last year’s Daytona-winning team was Angelelli and Brian Frisselle. worlds. As ever, the Speedway was being Brumos Racing with its No. 58 Porsche- If Krohn Racing can resolve the spon- coy about giving us details as early as we Riley driven by Donohue/Law/Garcia/Rice. sorship shortfall that took it out of last sea- wanted them, except to say, “I think we They covered 735 laps, more than 2616 son after winning twice, we’d like to see its will continue to have marquee names.” miles, a modern-era record (i.e., the best Ford-Lola again, hopefully with winning Bob Stallings was more forthcoming. In since the hugely powerful, highly high-tech drivers Nic Jönsson and Ricardo Zonta. the Gainsco car, Fogarty and Gurney are Nissan IMSA GTP, long, long ago in 1992). A top outfit we won’t have back, though, once again teaming with Jimmie Johnson January 30–31 should show us a lot more is Penske Racing, which has withdrawn its and Jimmy Vasser. “I love those four guys,” of the same intense Grand-Am racing. The Porsche-Riley after an indifferent season says the owner. “They’re fast, they’re smart series’ signature stability in its rules plus (by The Captain’s standards) that brought and we have a lot of chemistry. containment of its costs attract lots of con- nothing better than three podium finishes. “I really want to win this race!” testants, and the sanctioning body tells us Among many other teams to keep an to expect most of the regulars to return. eye on, we hear SuperCar Life may take »Lexus won’t be in the Rolex series this On past performance, the top contend- the BMW V-8 out of its Riley in favor of year, so the Ganassi team has switched to ers should include the first two cars in last the Ferrari V-8 engine the team uses in the Dinan-prepared BMW V-8s. And with the year’s championship, named above—al- Ferrari Challenge series. departure of Pontiac, the championship- though both will have new engine pack- There’s also the technically interesting winning Gainsco car will have Chevy power. ages. Pontiac, of course, is leaving the marketplace entirely, while economic fac- tors forced Lexus to quit Grand-Am. Series champ Bob Stallings tells us he’s staying with his “All-American Team” theme and continuing to use a GM en- gine, replacing his Pontiac with a newer- spec Chevrolet. Its latest heads—providing Grand-Am approves them—should im- prove both efficiency and power, redressing a slight performance disadvantage Stallings says the Gainsco car suffered last year. The small-block Chevy is also being used by the Childress-Howard DP team in its Crawford, whose drivers are listed as Rob Finlay and Andy Wallace plus Casey Mears and Danica Patrick as scheduling permits. While we’re looking at Chevrolet’s plans, Pontiac’s sad demise also affects the Rolex GT class. In particular, the Ste- venson Motorsports team, three times a winner in 2009 with its Pontiac GXP.R driven by Andrew Davis and Robin Lidell, is working with Pratt & Miller Engineer- ing to develop a pair of Chevy Camaros for 2010. Mazda, BMW, Ferrari, Ford are among the other GTs expected to return.

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www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com January 8–10, Roar before The Rolex 24, 2010 Rolex daytona International Speedway, daytona beach, GRAnd-AM SeRieS florida (pre-season test open to public) January 30–31, Rolex 24 at daytona Inter- ScHeduLe 1 national Speedway, daytona beach, florida March 6–7, Homestead Miami Speedway, 2 Homestead, florida April 9–10, barber Motorsports Park, 3 birmingham, alabama April 24–25, Virginia International 4 Raceway, alton, Virginia May 28–31 Lime Rock Park, 5 Lakeville, connecticut June 5–6 Watkins Glen International 6 (Long course), Watkins Glen, New york June 19–20 Mid-ohio Sports car course, 7 Lexington, ohio July 2–3 daytona International Speedway, 8 daytona beach, florida (co-running with Sprint cup) July 17–18, New Jersey Motorsports Park, 9 Millville, New Jersey August 6–7, Watkins Glen International 10 (Short course), Watkins Glen, New york (another Sprint cup co-event) August 27–28, Montreal, Quebec, canada 11 (sharing with the Nationwide series) September 11–12, Miller Motorsports 12 Park, Tooele, utah

At Ganassi, Pruett and Rojas are like- the years of those two tracks, along with Tuner cars are all genuine production-line ly to drive the primary car for the full Fontana, Long Beach, Mexico City and vehicles, modified for competition. The season again. For the 24-hour (only) the Phoenix, leaves a huge hole in the West. 2010 roster should include newcomers team will add its second car and its other Right now, the only Western race is at Audi, Dodge Challenger and Kia, plus champion drivers, Juan Pablo Montoya, Miller Motorsports Park in Utah. At least possibly Hyundai, joining the likes of Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti. it’s the season finale this year, on Septem- BMW, Chevy Camaro and Cobalt, Hon- Once the 24 is over, of course, other se- ber 11–12, and for novelty it will run on da, Mazda, Mini, Porsche, Subaru, VW ries get going and the Grand-Am guys are the outer perimeter circuit this time. and 2009 champion Ford Mustang, whose back on their own. They’ll find much that All the rest are at familiar Eastern winning driver was Larry Rehagen. is familiar about the remaining 11 rounds courses, some of which host two events; At all Grand-Am races, autograph ses- on their schedule, but several important see the series schedule above for details. sions and forums let fans meet drivers things have changed. Fans planning their travel will note that and crew, while at most events folks are Prime among them, at least for fans several dates are different this season. A welcome to walk on the starting grids be- on the West Coast (not to mention racers glance at the calendar will also show sev- fore the race starts. Grand-Am is further living there), is that Laguna Seca is gone eral Saturday races. leveraging its relationship with its public from the 2010 calendar. A Grand-Am Glance at another calendar, that of through social networking functions like spokesperson expressed regret that “we Grand-Am’s third series, the Continental Facebook and Twitter, and its website is were not able to get a good contract with Tire Sports Car Challenge. Most dates for packed with video clips. the track this year.” The date has been tak- this series, which was formerly called the For those who can’t make it to the en over by the American Le Mans Series. Koni Challenge, are the same as Rolex’s, track, every Rolex race has live coverage Infineon, regular venue for Grand-Am which is a difference from past seasons. on SpeedTV. owner NASCAR, is not a workable G-A Sharing race cards with the Rolex se- So there’s a tremendous amount of rac- alternative because of a date clash with ries should help raise the Continental’s ing going on every race weekend. Keep Mid-Ohio. profile with both the public and the me- up with all this as it unfolds during the The spokesperson did add diplomati- dia, and it also makes it easier for several season by checking www.grand-am.com. cally, “We hope to come back to the teams to run cars in both. That Rolex watch is about to start tick- West,” and we hope so too. The loss over Continental Grand Sport and Street ing—fast! 

www.roadandtrack.com febRuaRy 2010 85

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com »Trulli, the Italian F1 vet with a Finnish name, is probably wondering what he’s strapped himself into. By end of test, he lapped competitively.

slow circuit, a good place to do a first run and I’m trying to get the feel of the car. We made some little changes to make it more Blame Montoya comfortable, trying different things so I can understand what something does, changing Thanks to Juan Pablo, F1 drivers Jarno Trulli springs or bars or whatever. I’ve never been on an oval before and it’s a new car for me,” and Mika Salo take a crack at NASCAR adding with a smile, “it’s really good fun.” Asked to compare the Toyota to the By John Lamm » Photos By the author Ferrari F430 Salo smiled and said: “It’s a lot heavier and has a lot more power. But NOT FAR SOUTH OF THE DAYTONA INTER- as head of race operations during Lewis it’s quite easy to control the power, the national Speedway, a bit west on Florida Hamilton’s title year. engine is very driveable.” 44, is New Smyrna Speedway, carved as Robert “Bootie” Barker, 38, graduate We hear that NASCAR drivers watch a smooth, high-banked half-mile oval. engineer and the highly regarded crew chief F1 races, but is the reverse true? Salo This classic countryside bullring race- for Michael Waltrip’s No. 55 Sprint Cup car. chuckled: “It’s difficult to follow NAS- track is about as out of sync with the Trevor Bayne, a mere 18 and a 2009 CAR in Europe. Not many TV channels streets of Monte Carlo and Le Mans as pole-sitter in the Nationwide Series for show it and it’s on in the middle of the pushrods are with pneumatic valves. Or Waltrip, a ride he will have during 2010. night when nice little Formula 1 drivers beer with Brunello. A 2009 Sprint Cup Toyota, weighing are asleep. It’s followed more on the In- Yet here come Formula 1 drivers Jarno 3400 lb. and powered by a pushrod V-8 ternet.” But Juan Pablo Montoya’s conver- Trulli and Mika Salo to test their first NAS- with around 850 bhp. sion to NASCAR has raised the attention CAR stock car, a Michael Waltrip Racing Each driver had a day that began with level and Salo added: “I think people (MWR) NASCAR Sprint Cup Toyota. Bayne and Barker setting up the car. have a more open mind now. Before, all Trulli, the 35-year-old Italian, has 13 F1 Bayne laid down a bogie lap time of 18.5 the young drivers in Europe wanted to be seasons—most recently with the dissolved seconds, Salo’s and Trulli’s target. in Formula 1. Now they understand there Toyota team—and the 2004 Monaco Grand Salo owned day one and quickly got in are other forms of racing. I think that’s Prix trophy on his shelf. Salo, now 43, had the groove. He ran short stints, stopping good.” Which we saw later when Salo eight full F1 seasons—he’s one of Toyota’s and talking with Barker and Bayne, who ex- described driving in the Arctic Rally to initial GP drivers—and now races a Ferrari plained why the car was behaving as it was Trevor Bayne, who was ready to buy a F430 in the ALMS series. and how it could be changed to alter that ticket to Finland to try it. Supporting cast: behavior, a NASCAR tutorial for both driv- Most difficult part of testing the Sprint Steve Hallam, 56, MWR’s director of ers, Trulli off to the side, quiet and pensive. Cup car? Salo smiled again and said, “Get- competition, but with 27 years F1 expe- By lunchtime, Salo said of the car: “It’s ting in and out…and it’s hot inside.” He then rience, 18 with McLaren, most recently good. I was expecting a lot worse. It’s a looked the big machine over and said, “This

86 Road & TRack www.roadandtrack.com

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com »RoAdANdTRACk.CoM/TrullI see more… Photos+Video “at the beginning it was quite a shock because the switch from a formula 1 car to a NasCar is big, really big. We’re talking especially about the mass of the car, which is moving a lot. “But I am enjoying it. step by step. I’m used to a very stiff car really on the ground, and this one just has a different way of reacting. In some ways I would say it is easier for a formula 1 driver because the time reaction is slow, so I can figure it out. on the other hand, there are a lot of little details that can make you go slow. “so far from what I’ve understood, you need to be not just a skilled driver, but a smart person as well. you need to be thinking, what’s happening? What’s go- ing on? Can I change this…my driving style…the track is going off…the tires… so many things.” asked about f1 drivers’ interests in NasCar, trulli explained, “I think the world changed.” and, again, the agent of that change is Montoya. “to be hon- est, I didn’t know much about NasCar until three years ago when Juan Pablo »Trulli, top, checks out all 3400 lb. of the made the move. I have been following Toyota Camry stock car he will soon drive. him from europe.” Helping him and Salo (above left) get up to Both drivers are realistic about the dif- speed are Waltrip’s “Bootie” Barker, right, ference between cutting hot laps solo at and young gun Trevor Bayne, left. New smyrna and mixing it up in a Nas- Car race. “running as I’m doing here is is a simple, pure race car…and I like that.” are a dime a dozen. I think you’ve got to easy,” trulli pointed out, “but racing with During the afternoon, NasCar legend have that kind of talent and dedication and 43 cars on an oval is going to be differ- Mark Martin stopped by. he agreed that have a group like Montoya had—Ganas- ent and take a bit of time and experience. 18.5 was a good target lap time and talked si—to continue to work through the learn- Juan Pablo told me the race is even better with trulli, salo, Barker and Bayne about ing curve. It’s a tremendous challenge.” because you’re fighting every lap. car setup, offering the thought that the he added, “Montoya says this is the “I’m really enjoying this…I feel like a half-mile oval was like a road course, toughest of all that he’s done.” young driver and I have to learn every- “…except the two turns go left.” on day two, trulli took time settling thing from scratch.” asked what it takes for an f1 driver into quick, smooth-looking laps and later so how did trulli and salo do against to move to NasCar, Martin suggested, confided that he had trouble at first be- Bayne’s target 18.5-sec. lap? Identically; “you’d better have your expectations in cause he had never driven a race car with a the pair ran consistent 18.7s…an impres- check. I think it takes a Juan Pablo Mon- roof, laughing and admitting, “I was strug- sive start. toya to do it, and I don’t think those dudes gling a little bit. Who’s next? 

No. 9 Aaron’s Dream Machine racer, For the uninitiated, late model smaller series until he turns 18, Boy RaceR was crowned champion of the Georgia stock cars in their various configura- the minimum age for obtaining Will TheRe be a chase Asphalt Series (GAS) while scoring tions use square-tube frames, have a NASCAR license. in The chase one day? wins and several podium finishes in fiberglass, production-car-look-alike When he’s not racing, Chase Elliott six other late model stock car racing bodies and weigh from 2700 to is just another 8th grader. It’s 10 p.m. Do you know where series—all at the tender age of 13! 2750 lb. Powered by stock-block So what do his class- your children are? If your kid is Chase Like many drivers, Chase started his V-8s ranging from 350 to 360 cu. mates say about the Elliott, chances are he’s about to racing career in go karts—in his case in., these carbureted pushrod power- champion driver in take the checker—and win another at the age of 8—progressing from plants develop from 410 to 600-plus their midst? “Not a main event—at one of the South’s dirt karts to pavement karts to shifer horsepower. Bottom line: Late mod- whole lot,” he says, many oval tracks. As the son of 1988 karts before graduating to Bandolero els are quite a lot of race car, espe- matter-of-factly. NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Bill Bandits and Legends racers while win- cially for someone like Chase who’s 5 “They all know it’s Elliott, Chase is proof of the old adage, ning numerous championships along f. 3 in. and weighs 115 lb. just kind of what I “The apple never falls far from the the way. In 2009, Elliott joined the For now, Elliott’s racing options do.”—Joe Rusz tree.” In his first full season of com- ranks of the big boys, climbing behind are limited by his age. “I’m not old petition, Master Elliott, driving the the wheel of a Pro Late Model fielded enough to do anything else, so this by Bill Elliott will be it for a few more years,” says Racing. Chase, who recently turned 14 and will continue competing in these

88 Road & TRack www.roadandtrack.com

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com It’s All About Racing as a young boy racing slot cars and reading Road souls, and whose outlook on the sport is congruent with mine. Plus & Track, I always thought that someday if I could only get my if you have good equipment, you’ll attract good drivers. That hasn’t name in that magazine, I would have arrived, I would have made changed for a long time. I think our stuff is pretty good. And so it to the big time. As a kid you never think you’ll get there. Then when drivers become available, I hope they look to us as a team that one day you wake up and you have three different types of cars, they’d want to drive for. I’ve always said that I want to put a team you win the Indy 500 three times, you win the 24 Hours of Day- out there that I would certainly be proud to drive for. That’s always tona three times and you win some NASCAR races. It’s a dream been my goal. Of course, you can’t do it without standing on the come true for somebody like me. solid footing that I’ve had with our sponsor, Target. It’s that simple. Driving racing cars in the late ’80s, I thought that maybe I At the end of the day, though, it’s all about racing. I don’t could be involved in the sport in another capacity and enjoy it hear or read enough in the media about the actual racing. We all just as much. At the time that was a difficult transition to make get so caught up arguing about standardized cars, standardized because racing really wasn’t a bona fide business. You could engines, about sponsors and sponsor commitments, and even hardly tell someone you did that for a living because if you did, they looked at you with a raised eyebrow—especially in Pittsburgh, which is where “I’m so blessed I’m from. While Pittsburgh is a great sports capital, I wouldn’t to have worked with call it the auto racing center of the United States. Racing was some something that a lot of people great locally didn’t understand. Some still don’t. What I was trying to drivers— explain to people 25 years ago was the whole business concept Dario franchitti, of professional racing, the sport I decided to get into. Scott Dixon and Juan At the time, going from driv- er to team owner was a difficult Pablo Montoya.” transition. But looking back on it now, it seems so seamless. By taking the experience I had on about paint job colors, that we overlook the sheer athleticism the track and then applying what I learned either in college or in that’s involved in driving at a high level of human performance our family business, I kind of pooled all that knowledge together for an extended period of time. Being on the outside edge of the under one umbrella—along with my slot car racing experiences. envelope, as Chuck Yeager says. There’s a hell of a lot of racing Interestingly enough, the fundamentals of racing slot cars aren’t going on that’s really good, and I think that gets lost on a lot of that much different than the fundamentals of racing at the highest viewers. At every level of racing in this country, from slot cars to level. Sure, the latter is a lot more expensive, but it’s all the same. go karts to Legends cars, quarter midgets, sprint cars, modifieds, It’s about having good equipment—good motors, good tires late models, ASA cars, you name it, you still have that little mo- and good bodywork. And it’s about having good drivers. I’m so ment when you watch a driver who’s on the very outside edge blessed to have worked with some great ones—Dario Franchitti, of the envelope. That’s what I love so much about the sport, and Scott Dixon and Juan Pablo Montoya. And you can’t mention that’s what I think the media should focus on. them without talking about guys like Alex Zanardi, Jimmy Vass- Of course, not everybody understands racing. It’s certainly not er, Michael Andretti, Kenny Bräck and Scott Pruett in sports cars. for the faint of heart. But it’s been a very rewarding business for I’ve had a lot of guys drive for us who won a lot of races. me professionally and personally, probably because I have never So how do you find great drivers? That’s a good question. Ev- forgotten what my dad always used to tell me: “Do what you’re erybody’s fast. All these guys at this level are fast. But I’ve been supposed to do when you’re supposed to do it, and everything lucky to find people who feel the same as I do in their hearts and else will take care of itself.”  photo By f. peircephoto williams f. By

www.roadandtrack.com february 2010 89

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Different Strokes for Different Folks Four hot new rides that will help us power out of the struggling economy

2010 BMW X6 M 2010 BMW X6 M 2010 Mazdaspeed3 Driving BMW’s neW X6 M on a race- List price $88,900 List price $23,195 track is an eye-opening experience. The Price as tested $95,025 Price as tested $25,090 way it carves up the turns and gobbles Curb weight 5095 lb Curb weight 3250 lb up the straights is impressive for such a Engine, transmission 4.4-liter V-8tt, 6-sp automatic Engine, transmission 2.3-liter I-4t, 6-sp manual big vehicle. Thank the twin-turbo v-8 and Horsepower, bhp @ rpm 547 @ 6000 Horsepower, bhp @ rpm 263 @ 5500 fantastic torque-biasing all-wheel-drive Torque, lb-f @ rpm 502 @ 1500–5650 Torque, lb-f @ rpm 280 @ 3000 system for that. 0–60 mph 4.2 sec 0–60 mph 6.1 sec 0–100 mph 10.5 sec 0–100 mph 14.5 sec once we took delivery of our loaner, 0–1320 f (¼ mile) 12.7 sec @ 110.5 mph 0–1320 f (¼ mile) 14.4 sec @ 99.6 mph we put it through our test program to find Top speed 155 mph* Top speed 155 mph* out how fast it really is. Braking, 60–0 mph 120 f Braking, 60–0 mph 126 f launching this “sports activity coupe” Braking, 80–0 mph 218 f Braking, 80–0 mph 219 f feels like you’re getting an interstellar ship Lateral accel (200-f skidpad) 0.90g Lateral accel (200-f skidpad) 0.90g ready for warp drive. First, put the car into Speed thru 700-f slalom 65.7 mph Speed thru 700-f slalom 68.8 mph “M” mode. This stiffens the dampers, places Our mileage, EPA city/highway 12.7, 12/17 mpg Our mileage, EPA city/highway 17.0, 18/25 mpg the engine in sport mode for faster throttle * Electronically limited. * Electronically limited. response, quickens the steering and biases (20.1 cu. ft.), living with the M is easy. its with 280 lb.-ft. of peak torque applied to the torque rearward. it also activates M Dy- ridiculously poor rear view is mitigated the road through two postcard-size contact namic Mode, which raises the limits of the by a “top-down” camera system that pro- patches that are also asked to steer the car. stability and traction control systems. Then vides a helpful perspective at parking a tall order, yes, and one this Ms3’s pre- place the transmission into sport. Finally, lot speeds. it’s easy to access the trunk, decessor delivered, albeit with some rough left-foot brake and mash the throttle. engine thanks to the power-operated hatch. edges. now we have a reskinned Ms3 with speed will rise to 2800 rpm and once there, in our brief time with the X6 M, we nagare-inspired organic styling, a massaged release the brake to launch. appreciated the technology and power, interior, retuned suspension, wider rubber When the road gets twisty, the all-wheel- but still found the packaging lacking. For (225/40r-18s, versus 215/45-18s before) drive system sends torque to the wheels those looking for a gigantic, powerful and a carryover 2.3-liter direct-injected tur- that can use the power. To fend off under- sports coupe, the X6 M is the 2.5-ton go- bo 4-cylinder paired with a 6-speed manual. steer, power is routed to the outside rear rilla to be reckoned with.—Calvin Kim so is it new and improved? Well, there’s wheel to help rotate the car through the still some ecu/boost dithering in the first turn. if the back end steps out, more power 2010 Mazdaspeed3 two gears...slightly annoying, but without is sent to the front to pull the car back in as engineering challenges go, MazDa’s it you’d have far more unintentional wheel- line. The feeling is like being on rails. 263-bhp hot hatch presents a scenario un- spin. The shifter now has better-defined aside from the smallish cargo volume thinkable to early front-drive pioneers, what gates; no more inadvertent 3rd-gear selec-

»BMW X6 M. » Mazdaspeed3. photo John By Lamm

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com »Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro. photo By Jeff aLLen Jeff By photo

tion when you’re going for 1st at a stop- light. and the engine, its intercooler now fed through a subie-esque hood scoop, delivers its power in a more linear way and is less asthmatic near redline too. still, its 0–60 time of 6.1 seconds (versus 5.7 sec. for the previous generation) no doubt re- »Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport. flects a weight increase of roughly 100 lb. With increased roll control, the Ms3 handles more precisely, yet with less of its former self’s kidney-thumping feel over photo Brian By BLades larger bumps. skidpad is a solid 0.90g, up from 0.86. under power, steering still gives unsolicited suggestions to your cor- nering line, but this time the torque steer is less extroverted. The interior feels familiar, though ev- ery contour is tweaked. The big news is the Tech package’s nav system, whose screen makes up for its puny size by its optimized line-of-sight location near the base of the windshield.—Douglas Kott revised suspension helped the v-10 snake and ls7 engine of the z06. however, 2010 audi through our slalom faster than a Ferrari what it does include is worth every penny. R8 5.2 Fsi QuattRo enzo.—Shaun Bailey The ls3 v-8 gets dry sump lubrication We’ve given auDi’s v-8-poWereD r8 and is handbuilt for the ultimate in track plenty of praise. The addition of lambor- 2010 ChevRolet durability. The steel chassis is made as ghini’s v-10 nudges the already superlative CoRvette GRand spoRt wide as the z06’s, and the tires and brakes r8 into the realm of exotic-dom, but don’t The gap BeTWeen a sTanDarD corveTTe are taken directly from it too. its suspen- think of the r8 as a rebadged lamborghini and its high-performance sibling, the z06, sion isn’t as stiff, but we found it worked gallardo. There are mechanical similari- has never been adequately filled by the just as well. That makes us wonder if the ties, but the german manufacturer has kept optional z51 performance package. it z06 could benefit from similar suspen- to its ways. instead of screaming for atten- was too little improvement for too much sion tuning. tion, the r8 v-10 has only subtle exterior money. The new z52 package is enough although our test car didn’t have the changes compared to the v-8 version. in- of an enhancement to earn a special retro fender hash marks like the 1996 take sideblades are flared outward and there name—grand sport. For roughly $6000 model’s, they can be had as part of the is less restriction into the air ducts. it’s done more than the base car, the gs offers near $1195 heritage pack that also includes for a reason—not just aesthetics. z06 performance and looks. two-tone seats with grand sport embroi- The exhaust tips are now oval units, To keep the gs price reasonable, it for- dery. no matter how you shake it, this but the growl emanating from the v-10 goes the aluminum frame, forged wheels corvette gives your buck more bang.—SB at its 8700-rpm redline (200 rpm more than the lamborghini’s) is still subdued 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport List price $155,100 List price $54,770 when compared to the italian’s scream. Price as tested $172,250 Price as tested $68,365 its performance isn’t hampered much by Curb weight est 3745 lb Curb weight est 3360 lb the germans’ desire to keep a semblance Engine, transmission 5.2-liter V-10, 6-sp seq manual Engine, transmission 6.2-liter V-8, 6-sp manual of decorum and refinement. giving up Horsepower, bhp @ rpm 525 @ 8000 Horsepower, bhp @ rpm 436 @ 5900 roughly 100 lb. to the v-8 but gaining 105 Torque, lb- @ rpm 391 @ 6500 Torque, lb- @ rpm 428 @ 4600 bhp, the v-10 easily goes quicker through 0–60 mph 3.3 sec 0–60 mph 4.1 sec the quarter mile. 0–100 mph 7.6 sec 0–100 mph 9.2 sec The optional audi r tronic sequential 0–1320 (¼ mile) 11.5 sec @ 123.1 mph 0–1320 (¼ mile) 12.4 sec @ 116.5 mph transmission is somewhat frustrating in Top speed 196 mph* Top speed 190 mph* Braking, 60–0 mph 118 Braking, 60–0 mph 112 traffic where it isn’t as good as modern Braking, 80–0 mph 210 Braking, 80–0 mph 197 dual-clutch units, but at full throttle it Lateral accel (200- skidpad) 0.99g Lateral accel (200- skidpad) 0.96g works flawlessly, changing gears fast- Speed thru 700- slalom 73.2 mph Speed thru 700- slalom 70.7 mph er than humanly possible. although the Our mileage, EPA city/highway est 14.0, 13/20 mpg Our mileage, EPA city/highway est 17.0, 16/26 mpg wheels and tires remain the same, the * Electronically limited. * Electronically limited.

www.roadandtrack.com FEBRuaRy 2010 93

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com By douglas Kott » Senior Feature editor

Wearables for the Well-Dressed Car Guy

So your co-workers probably already know you’re a car guy/girl. They’re not 6-point sockets. and some Neosporin.) super-sleuths or potential Jeopardy! contestants, but they’ve keenly picked So the jig is up. Why not embrace it, then, with some high-quality apparel up on the sounds of YouTube racing videos emanating from your cubicle. and accessories that tell the world that you know the difference between and, with the visual acuity of a forensic investigator, they’ve spotted the Elle Macpherson and a MacPherson strut (oh, potentially bad example!) or two bleeding knuckles on your right hand. (Note to self: Buy a set of good that polar moment has nothing to do with antarctica. You get the picture.

Breck rothage Jaguar silk shirt sparco pitlane shoes

www.breckrothage.com www.sparcousa.com $139 $69 Southern california artist Breck Rothage’s unique style carves away the a racing-inspired shoe for casual use, the Pit- unnecessary and embellishes the shiny bits, his subject matter consisting lane echoes the styling of Sparco’s competition largely of vintage Ferraris, line, right down to the thin soles and rolled heel alfas, Jaguars and due- that makes for fluid heel/toe downshifs. They’re senbergs. case in point: made of suede and canvas (the former used for this high-quality silk shirt toe and ankle areas), are available in six differ- embroidered front and ent color schemes and range in size from 5 to back with the gleaming 11½. They strike us as a lightweight and stylish visage of a vintage Jag- shoe for open-track days, or that hike up to uar. His line also includes Laguna Seca’s corkscrew. embroidered lightweight jackets ($80), fleece pull- overs ($80), long-sleeve polo shirts ($75) and silk- screened T-shirts ($35) that showcase his work.

suixtil canvas touring Bag

sparco Fleece Zippered Jacket www.suixtil.com $50 www.sparcousa.com Want to be associated, in some small way, with a certain J.M. Fangio? est $80 Well, Suixtil was the official provider of race clothing to argentinean F1 and Much of what Sparco makes incor- F2 drivers starting in the late 1940s, and the company continues to this day porates Nomex and is intended to with an impressive lineup of vintage clothing. But it was this Touring Bag keep heat out (i.e., gasoline-fu- that caught our eye. Made of cotton canvas with leather trim, it measures eled fires inside race cars), so the 16 x 11 x 2.3 in. and would be perfect for your sunglasses, gloves and a irony is not lost on us here; this map—of, say, Italy. So where exactly are the Futa and Raticosa passes? plush, zippered fleece jacket is just the ticket to keep you warm and toasty, even in the wind-whipped upper decks of the Turn 2 grandstands. The big zipper pull-tab and generous collar are nice features too. They come in blue, red and black, sizes XS–XXXL.

94 Road & TRack

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Serengeti Cetera SunglaSSeS www.serengeti-eyewear.com $159 Part of Serengeti’s new Polar PhD line, these Cetera sunglasses are quite stylish with their rakish tortoise-shell frames (also available in Hematite black). The polarizing layer is applied to the back of each lens and eliminates the delamination possibility of film-type polarized lens construc- tion. The glasses are also photochromic, instantly lightening or darkening to suit the current light conditions. The lens material itself, mysteriously referred to as NXT, is said to be 10 percent lighter than polycarbonate.

tag Heuer MonaCo lS CHronograpH CaliBre 12

www.tagheuer.com $6000 We’d all like to think we have a little Steve McQueen in us, or at least his character Michael Delaney in the 1971 racing epic, Le Mans. With Tag Heuer’s recent update Belt BuCkleS of the legendary square-cased www.buckleshop.com Monaco first $14.95–$17.95 apiece introduced in Such a deal…these buckles help hold your 1969 and worn pants up and say something about your automo- on McQueen’s wrist, tive predilections. Made of pewter and decorated you can channel some with durable epoxy paint, these are but a few of that special aura. Of offered through www.buckleshop.com, as they course, its movement is have more than 60 automotive-themed buckles automatic, and the dial shows a modern progres- and hundreds of others in a dizzying array of sion with its linear second display. It’s available categories. The route 66 one is probably the in brushed or polished finishes, with either a coolest; on the back is a small bas-relief map of black alligator strap or steel bracelet. the u.S. showing the highway’s path.

BioniC Driving gloveS

www.bionicgloves.com $39.95 Made of supple cabretta leather and designed by an orthopedic hand surgeon, these bionic driving gloves are comfortable, stitched and cut in a way that promotes natural motion so you can grip the skinniest of vintage steering wheels. They breathe pretty well, too, thanks to the numerous small mesh inserts. They’re available in either black or brown, in S–XXXL sizes.

www.roadandtrack.com february 2010 95

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com By sam mitani » international editor

The Afermarket, an Early Indicator for a Recovering Economy?

The thought of attending another automotive show right after covering the ghost town that was the Tokyo Motor Show was as appealing as sitting through a Detroit Lions foot- ball game. Heading to Las Vegas for the SEMA show would be just another reminder of how the sagging economy and strug- gling car market are ruining all our lives. But then again, there are far worse places to go for a business trip than Sin City. The Specialty Equipment Market Association puts on the SEMA show every year. Automotive aftermarket companies come from all parts of the globe to display their stuff—every- photos John By Lamm & maRC uRBano thing from turbochargers to winches to car-wash kits—while buyers and distributors look for their next big business opportu- nity. Last year, with the recession in full bloom, the attendance for the SEMA show was near its all-time low, and this year was expected to be no different. But when I arrived at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the halls were alive with bustling crowds, the booths filled with plenty of interesting souped- »The automotive up cars and pretty girls were strutting their stuff aftermarket dead? all around. I then attended an event at the Las Not a chance. Just Vegas Speedway, hosted by Discount Tire, where look at the 2009 all the major tire companies showed up, bringing SEMA show, where with them their huge rigs and newest products. tweaked Camaros Plenty of guests were on hand to enjoy the day abounded and the getting rides in NASCAR race cars, drift ma- crowds were big. chines and even an IRL open wheeler. If there Among our favorite was a recession going on, you’d be hard pressed cars: the Specter to realize it here. Werks Corvette, This made me wonder: Is all the rhetoric about the supercharged the rebounding economy coming out of Wash- Callaway Camaro ington, D.C., true? Granted, the automotive af- and the slick Ford termarket market may not be the ideal indicator Fusion MRT T4. to judge a recovering economy. People who don’t have money to spend usually hang onto their vehicles longer, which means aftermarket products such as tires, restoration kits and replacement parts sell better. But what I saw at SEMA was the return of car enthusiasm, with wild performance-enhanced creations and revitalized interest in making cars more exciting, not just making them last longer. This glow was absent at last year’s show—heck, it was absent at the Tokyo Motor Show only a week before. It’s obvious from this year’s SEMA show that many aftermar- ket tuners, and some manufacturers, are far from throwing in the towel in this fight with our struggling economy. Otherwise, would they really build things like the Specter Werks Corvette, Calla- way Camaro or Ford Fusion MRT T4 without a glimmer of light at the end of the recession tunnel? Not likely. While being green and ecologically responsible is all well and good, it’s nice to see that the aftermarket folks haven’t forgotten that passion and en- thusiasm, along with good financial sense, have always served as the foundation for driving the automotive business upward. 

96 Road & TRack www.roadandtrack.com

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com ADVERTISEMENT MAKE ROOM IN YOUR GARAGE! By tom wilson Get a digital subscription or back issues of Explained: Thermostats and Radiator Caps ROAD & TRACK and save space! HOT VETTE and let the engine cool) rather than a sudden My current car is a 2006 Chevrolet Cor- violent explosive release from a fractured ra- With digital issues of ROAD & TRACK, vette that runs at around 200 degrees, and diator, heater core or some other component all your old favorites are conveniently the fan does not come on until 200 degrees. of the system. stored online and on your computer, so My old car ran much cooler. Would I be better His reasoning is that a lower-pressure cap you can easily fl ip through back issues off installing a 170-degree thermostat? The with a correctly working cooling system still and search articles, any time, anywhere. ad for this thermostat says cooler cars run runs at the same temperature dictated by the No mess, no clutter, just more space for better. Your thoughts, please. thermostat. The use of a lower-pressure cap you and your car. Roger McTighe only decreases the boiling point of the cool- SaN dIEGo, caLIFoRNIa ant, a point still at a high enough tempera- Our thought is someone is happy to sell ture that a correctly working cooling system thermostats, especially given all the talk about would never reach without destroying the engines running better if they are cooler. If that engine anyway. Does my friend’s reasoning were the case, then Chevrolet would have select- hold any water? ed a cooler engine operating temperature. But David E. Block they didn’t and that’s because everything from EaST SETaUkET, NEW YoRk oil viscosity, combustion chamber temperatures, Interesting thinking. Generally your friend is air/fuel ratio, heater and defroster efficiency, etc., right, but we believe this is a triumph of theory is designed to run in the 190- to 200-degree over reality, plus one thought has been overlooked. range (ofen 193 degrees). Our first reaction is Toyota selected the nomi- Of course, everything is a compromise and nal 15-psi cooling system pressure for a reason enthusiasts are quick to point to cooler intake and it likely wasn’t because they had a few bins charge air as making more power. True, but cool- of such caps lef lying around. Thus, the seals ing the entire engine below its designed running and gaskets were designed to withstand some- temperature to eek down the charge tempera- thing around 20 psi, so making a change to ture extracts a mileage, emissions and longevity protect them is unnecessary. price for marginal power gains. We’ll also note that even at 6 psi the release Colder thermostats have a place in hot rodding of boiling water is never very gentle and once when significant power increases, most ofen things have gotten to that point, you’re likely from adding a supercharger, require greater stranded anyway. And if you asked us to guess, reserves for momentary overheating. But in a a cooling system failure such as you suggest is stock or near-stock engine, the design operating typically a hose coming loose and that will drain temperature yields the best fuel economy, emis- all the water gravity allows. Especially if the sions compliance and engine life. lower or return radiator hose comes adrif, the game is up anyway. PRESSURE POINT What’s been overlooked—and maybe the rea- A former mechanic friend suggested I use son Toyota and many other OEMs select cooling a lower pressure radiator cap (6–7 psi) in system pressures in the 17–21-psi range—is place of the stock cap (13.5–17.8 psi) on my avoiding localized boiling inside the engine. Hot 2004 Toyota Celica GT. He claims the lower spots in the water jacket, say around the exhaust pressure will decrease the stress placed on valves, can cause localized coolant boiling. That the engine seals and gaskets. In addition, if can lead to cracked head castings where the the cooling system fails, the result will be a coolant separates from the casting as it boils. slower, gentle release of pressure from the Elevating the coolant pressure reduces this risk Visit Zinio to get your digital copies today: cap (giving time for the driver to pull over by raising the coolant’s boiling point. www.zinio.com/rt-issues (Issues available: 2005-present) Do you have a technical question? Send it to [email protected], or Technical Correspondence, Road & Track, 1499 Monrovia Ave., Newport Beach, Calif. 92663. Be sure to include your first and last name, hometown and state.

Be Well Read

98 Road & TRack www.roadandtrack.com

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com SHAKY IDEA Do you remember the concept of power balancing for race engines? It was a mystical art based on the idea that the power stroke of an engine put an imbalance into the rotat- ing masses that was quite different from an unloaded rotating balancing job with the engine not running. I suppose this might work in a very narrow rpm band, but I haven’t heard about it since the 1950s. Anatoly Arutunoff TULSA, OKLAHOMA Perhaps you are referring to under- or over- balancing? That’s where the rotating assembly is purposely balanced slightly heavy or light for a power gain on racing engines. One thought was very high-rpm engines could use a little extra counterweight mass to offset a supposed gain in inertia by the especially energetic piston assembly. In other applications, endless trial- and-error has shown a power gain at some point in the powerband.

MORE LEATHER CARE Rick Saltarelli’s recent letter (September 2009) asking for leather seat-care advice continues to generate helpful tips. Buck Hogoboom of Madison, Wisconsin, said he was “willing to share one of my all-time leather secrets, spawning from over a decade of professional detailing experience. Grab a short-bristle horsehair detail brush. Dilute all- purpose cleaner 1:1 with leather conditioner. Soak the brush with the mixed solution and lightly scrub the problem area. Wipe dry with a sof towel. Excellent for armrests and tex- tured vinyl, too.”

BOTTOMING MERCEDES My 2001 Mercedes-Benz E430 4matic has great road manners—smooth and composed. However, I have to be very careful driving over speed humps, which are proliferating in my area and at some driveway entrances, or the front suspension will bottom with a sickening bang. Is there a different set of shock absorbers or springs that I can put on the front that would mitigate this problem without significantly compromising the car’s cruising quality? Christopher Curtis BETHESDA, MARYLAND Preserving that great Mercedes ride while in- creasing spring and dampening rates is too much to ask in our opinion. Practically speaking, we’d suspect that installing new stock shocks may give you just enough renewed control to help with the bottoming. We’d also set the tire pressures toward the top of the acceptable range. Subtle changes, we admit, but, if even avail- able for the 4matic, afermarket springs and shocks will give a lowered ride height (not good for speed bumps!) and a noticeably firmer ride so you know you got something for your hot- rodding money. 

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN THE 4 PANEL! 3

Your friends and family consider you & Model Make Issue as Tested Price Engine Type Horsepower lb.-f. Torque, lb. Curb Weight, 0–60 mph, sec. 0–100 mph, sec. @ mph ¼ mile, sec. Speed, mph Top 60 mph, f. from Braking 80 mph, f. from Braking g Skidpad, Slalom, mph Mileage, mpg Our Fuel Acura RL1 5-0910 $54,860 V-6 300 271 4085 6.2 15.3 14.7 @ 97.8 1305 126 226 0.86 67.3 17.04 to be their automotive expert, so TL SH-AWD1, 2 7-09 $43,995 V-6 305 275 3955 5.9 14.7 14.4 @ 99.1 1285 114 198 0.93 68.0 17.2 now we’re inviting you to share that TSX V-61 9-0910 $38,760 V-6 280 254 3630 5.9 14.6 14.4 @ 99.3 1305 133 241 0.85 64.1 19.04 knowledge with others. Join the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione 1-08 $253,750 V-8 450 354 34954 4.2 9.3 12.4 @ 115.4 181 105 196 1.02 na 14.04 Aston Martin DBS1 3-0910 $276,140 V-12 510 420 3940 4.1 9.2 12.4 @ 114.9 191 111 193 0.95 71.4 na ROAD & TRACK online panel and V8 Vantage 1-0811 $127,200 V-8 380 302 3605 5.3 12.6 13.7 @ 104.4 175 119 212 0.91 69.4 13.9 provide your opinions on a wide range Ameritech McLaren F1 12-97 $1,131,120 V-12 627 479 2840 3.4 7.7 11.6 @ 125.0 231 127 215 0.86 64.5 11.5 Audi A4 3.2 Quattro1, 2 5-09 $49,975 V-6 265 243 3810 5.9 15.3 14.4 @ 97.5 1305 125 224 0.86 66.2 18.3 of automotive topics. We’ll reward A5 3.2 Quattro 7-0810 $48,565 V-6 265 243 3765 5.5 13.8 14.0 @ 100.6 1305 114 201 0.91 67.1 19.04 you with exclusive opportunities and A6 3.0 Quattro1 6-0910 $56,025 V-6s 300 310 4125 5.5 13.8 14.0 @ 100.8 1305 126 227 0.85 64.1 19.04 R8 1-0811 $133,045 V-8 420 317 3650 4.3 11.0 12.9 @ 109.8 1875 112 196 0.98 71.1 14.0 events, chances to win great prizes TTS2 11-09 $52,075 I-4t 265 258 3235 4.6 11.8 13.2 @ 105.2 1555 115 202 0.98 72.0 19.9 and most importantly, to make your Bentley Continental GT Speed15-0810 $226,555 W-12tt 600 533 5170 4.0 9.9 12.5 @ 113.4 2025 116 199 0.90 66.2 11.0 BMW M3 Coupe DCT 12-0810 $65,000 V-8 414 295 3670 4.3 10.0 12.7 @ 112.4 1555 116 205 0.93 71.1 13.1 voice heard. M3 Sedan2 6-08 $59,050 V-8 414 295 3585 4.6 10.5 13.0 @ 110.4 1555 113 195 0.95 72.9 14.6 X6 xDrive50i1 7-08 $73,925 V-8tt 400 450 52704 4.8 12.5 13.4 @ 102.8 1555 116 208 0.90 64.9 14.04 TO JOIN GO TO Z4 sDrive35i 7-09 $57,500 I-6tt 300 300 3460 4.8 11.7 13.3 @ 106.7 1505 116 206 0.89 66.2 21.6 135i2 11-09 $38,175 I-6tt 300 300 3375 4.7 11.7 13.3 @ 105.3 1505 117 209 0.92 71.0 19.7 www.roadandtrack.com/panel 335d1, 2 5-09 $50,895 I-6td 265 425 3960 5.3 13.4 13.8 @ 101.4 1495 116 208 0.92 70.5 25.5 750Li1 8-09 $110,170 V-8tt 400 450 4735 4.9 11.8 13.4 @ 106.0 1505 120 207 0.87 68.7 15.9 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 2-07 $1,482,700 W-16qt 1001 922 4470 2.6 5.5 10.2 @ 142.9 253 111 199 0.94 68.0 9.04 Cadillac CTS-V2 8-09 $66,835 V-8s 556 551 4130 4.1 8.8 12.3 @ 118.8 191 114 198 0.90 70.1 15.6 Chevrolet Camaro RS V-61 11-0910 $29,400 V-6 304 273 3785 6.1 15.2 14.5 @ 97.5 1555 121 212 0.86 66.5 19.04 Camaro SS2 6-096 $32,390 V-8 426 420 3875 4.6 10.5 12.9 @ 110.2 1555 121 212 0.89 66.4 20.8 Cobalt SS2 11-08 $23,510 I-4t 260 260 2995 5.4 12.8 13.9 @ 104.0 160 121 214 0.92 70.0 20.4 Corvette Z062 5-08 $79,595 V-8 505 470 3190 3.4 8.0 11.7 @ 123.7 193 111 189 0.99 70.6 17.5 Corvette ZR1 2-09 $117,000 V-8s 638 604 33254 3.3 7.4 11.4 @ 125.5 205 106 183 1.10 73.4 12.2 Dodge Challenger R/T2 10-09 $38,170 V-8 376 410 4135 5.8 13.8 14.1 @ 101.2 1425 136 246 0.83 62.7 20.3 Charger SRT81, 2 3-09 $46,125 V-8 425 420 4185 4.9 11.4 13.2 @ 108.8 1655 124 220 0.88 65.8 18.5 Viper SRT10 4-0810 $92,535 V-10 600 560 3445 3.4 8.2 11.7 @ 122.8 2029 116 198 1.01 70.2 14.04 Viper SRT10 ACR 4-0810 $98,110 V-10 600 560 3430 3.4 8.0 11.6 @ 122.6 1779 109 187 1.12 73.4 na Ferrari Enzo 7-03 $652,830 V-12 650 485 3230 3.3 6.6 11.1 @ 133.0 218 109 188 1.01 73.0 13.3 F430 1-0811 $248,903 V-8 483 343 3195 3.8 8.8 12.0 @ 119.6 196 114 194 0.94 71.9 12.2 599 GTB Fiorano F1 5-07 $319,408 V-12 611 448 3865 3.2 7.0 11.2 @ 129.3 205 109 186 0.97 71.2 10.04 Ford GT 12-03 $150,525 V-8s 500 500 33904 3.8 8.8 12.2 @ 121.6 190 117 199 0.99 69.5 15.04 Mustang Bullitt 7-0810 $34,705 V-8 315 325 3520 5.1 12.6 13.7 @ 103.2 151 130 234 0.87 66.4 16.04 Mustang GT2 10-09 $34,130 V-8 315 325 3585 5.3 12.7 13.8 @ 104.0 1455 115 202 0.93 69.1 23.4 Shelby GT500KR 10-0810 $83,300 V-8s 540 510 3885 4.7 10.2 12.9 @ 116.0 1555 121 211 0.93 66.8 13.04 Taurus SHO1,2 12-09 $42,985 V-6tt 365 350 4285 5.2 12.8 13.6 @ 103.2 1315 122 216 0.88 64.8 17.5 Honda FCX Clarity1 5-09 $600/mo. FC 134 189 3575 8.6 27.3 16.8 @ 84.3 1005 129 241 0.82 64.1 na S2000 CR 12-07 $37,000 I-4 237 162 2790 5.3 13.7 13.8 @ 100.8 1505 109 204 0.99 71.7 23.44 Hyundai Genesis 4.6L V8 5-091 $42,000 V-8 375 333 4015 5.5 13.0 13.9 @ 103.8 1495 120 218 0.86 63.8 18.04 Genesis Coupe 2.0T 6-0910 $27,500 I-4t 210 223 3390 7.2 18.7 15.4 @ 90.8 1375 124 214 0.85 67.6 22.04 Genesis Coupe Track2 6-09 $30,345 V-6 306 266 3470 5.7 14.7 14.4 @ 99.1 1495 118 211 0.90 69.3 18.04 Infiniti G37 Coupe Journey1,2 6-09 $45,045 V-6 330 270 3700 5.4 13.0 13.8 @ 103.2 1555 118 206 0.89 68.4 19.04 G37 S Sport1 3-0910 $39,8154 V-6 328 269 3670 5.2 13.1 13.8 @ 103.0 1555 118 212 0.92 69.1 na Jaguar XF Supercharged1 6-08 $65,475 V-8s 420 413 4160 5.0 11.4 13.4 @ 107.7 1555 113 198 0.88 66.8 16.04 XFR1,2 8-09 $80,000 V-8s 510 461 4405 4.3 9.6 12.6 @ 115.3 1555 117 206 0.88 66.1 16.7 XKR Coupe1,2 8-08 $98,525 V-8s 420 413 3880 4.2 10.1 12.6 @ 111.9 1555 121 209 0.90 69.4 17.2 Lamborghini Gallardo Balboni11-09 $255,295 V-10 5506 398 32104 3.5 7.5 11.5 @ 126.7 199 115 200 0.95 72.5 13.04 Gallardo LP560-4 11-08 $251,260 V-10 552 398 3595 3.2 6.9 11.2 @ 129.5 2025 112 192 1.00 72.1 10.04 Murciélago LP670-4 SV 11-09 $480,325 V-12 6706 487 36604 2.8 6.8 10.9 @ 129.4 209 114 193 0.97 70.0 10.04 Lexus HS 250h1 11-0910 $39,150 I-4/Elec 187 138 3690 8.2 na 16.2 @ 88.6 1125 126 226 0.77 63.7 28.3 IS F1,2 6-08 $64,205 V-8 416 371 3825 4.2 9.9 12.6 @ 113.8 1705 116 201 0.93 70.9 13.9 IS 350C1 12-0910 $49,415 V-6 306 277 3895 5.5 13.9 14.0 @ 100.7 1415 133 236 0.81 64.5 19.04 Lincoln MKS EcoBoost1 10-0910 $56,625 V-6tt 355 350 44404 5.0 12.4 13.6 @ 103.8 1315 123 214 0.90 62.6 21.4 Lotus Exige S 260 Sport 10-0910 $79,420 I-4s 257 174 2005 4.1 10.4 12.6 @ 110.1 150 112 196 0.97 74.5 21.04 Maserati GranTurismo1,2 8-08 $118,525 V-8 405 339 4350 4.7 11.7 13.3 @ 106.2 1775 112 194 0.95 71.0 16.6 Mazda Mazda3 s 5-0910 $22,130 I-4 167 168 3035 7.5 20.0 15.7 @ 89.3 1305 132 230 0.86 66.8 22.04 Mazdaspeed32 11-08 $26,640 I-4t 263 280 3145 5.7 13.8 14.1 @ 101.3 1555 120 212 0.86 68.7 20.4 Mazda6 s Grand Touring1 1-09 $32,790 V-6 272 269 3555 6.2 15.5 14.7 @ 97.5 1315 131 232 0.83 64.2 22.5 RX-8 R3 12-0810 $32,580 R-2 232 159 3110 6.3 16.4 14.8 @ 95.2 1485 122 218 0.90 70.8 16.6

100 Road & TRack

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com 4 3

R&T SPEED Radio has hit the airwaves! Make & Model Make Issue as Tested Price Engine Type Horsepower lb.-f. Torque, lb. Curb Weight, 0–60 mph, sec. 0–100 mph, sec. @ mph ¼ mile, sec. Speed, mph Top 60 mph, f. from Braking 80 mph, f. from Braking g Skidpad, Slalom, mph Mileage, mpg Our Fuel Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG1,2 6-08 $63,930 V-8 451 443 3920 4.1 9.7 12.5 @ 114.4 1555 113 201 0.93 69.3 15.1 C350 Sport1 9-07 $44,500 V-6 268 258 3630 5.8 14.8 14.3 @ 98.2 1305 135 241 0.81 63.8 21.04 CL6001,2 8-07 $148,775 V-12tt 507 612 4810 4.1 9.6 12.4 @ 114.8 1555 119 211 0.86 62.6 13.0 CLK63 AMG Black Series1,2 8-07 $138,300 V-8 507 464 3810 4.1 9.6 12.4 @ 115.0 1865 115 199 0.98 70.6 13.9 E63 AMG Wagon1 7-07 $93,660 V-8 507 465 4510 4.1 9.5 12.4 @ 114.8 1555 118 210 0.84 64.5 14.2 E320 Bluetec1 7-0710 $59,375 V-6td 208 388 3860 6.7 17.2 15.0 @ 93.2 1305 129 232 0.83 62.0 24.0 E550 Coupe1 9-09 $67,225 V-8 382 391 3810 4.7 11.1 13.1 @ 108.9 1305 137 252 0.84 63.2 15.7 SL63 AMG1 8-0810 $159,750 V-8 518 465 4420 4.0 9.5 12.4 @ 115.3 1865 120 211 0.89 66.6 10.0 SL65 AMG1 2-09 $198,175 V-12tt 604 738 45554 3.7 8.1 11.8 @ 121.6 1555 115 202 0.89 67.4 13.4 SL65 AMG Black Series1 3-09 $304,350 V-12tt 661 738 4215 3.9 7.9 11.8 @ 126.3 1995 112 192 0.99 70.3 14.2 SLR McLaren1 7-05 $455,750 V-8s 617 575 3860 3.5 7.5 11.5 @ 126.1 207 107 186 0.97 69.6 18.04 Mini Cooper 10-0710 $25,650 I-4 118 114 2545 9.1 na 16.9 @ 82.2 126 121 212 0.86 68.1 31.0 Cooper S Clubman 7-0810 $29,100 I-4t 172 177 2845 6.8 18.2 15.3 @ 92.1 1395 120 213 0.89 67.2 27.0 4 Cooper S2 11-07 $28,850 I-4t 172 177 2665 6.4 17.7 15.0 @ 92.6 1395 122 214 0.85 67.9 29.8 R&T SPEED Radio speaks to the enthusiast John Cooper Works 2-09 $31,450 I-4t 208 192 2655 6.0 14.8 14.4 @ 98.9 1475 121 210 0.91 71.3 27.0 4 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT2 8-07 $27,694 V-6 263 260 3570 5.9 14.7 14.5 @ 99.3 148 121 217 0.84 63.9 19.6 who wants to take his car to the next level with Lancer Evolution GSR2 3-08 $33,625 I-4t 291 300 3555 4.9 13.3 13.6 @ 100.9 1625 124 217 0.97 71.7 15.04 performance upgrades, cool electronics and Lancer Evolution MR Touring2 12-09 $44,234 I-4t 291 300 3690 4.6 12.1 13.2 @ 103.6 1625 120 211 0.92 69.2 18.1 aftermarket go-fast parts. Listeners can call in 1 10 @ 5 4 Lancer GTS 7-07 $21,990 I-4 152 146 3110 8.5 24.1 16.5 86.0 125 126 226 0.82 64.7 23.0 and get instant feedback on their questions from Lancer Ralliart2 11-08 $29,915 I-4t 237 253 3540 5.4 15.1 14.1 @ 97.2 1305 129 227 0.84 66.7 17.3 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE Coupe 8-07 $25,515 V-6 270 258 3200 5.7 13.9 14.2 @ 101.2 130 130 234 0.84 65.2 18.7 editors, engineers and manufacturer guests. Get GT-R2 5-08 $72,880 V-6tt 480 434 3800 3.4 8.6 11.8 @ 116.5 193 108 191 1.01 73.4 17.5 the latest news and reviews from the world’s most 1 Maxima 3.5 SV 9-08 $34,940 V-6 290 261 3610 6.1 15.4 14.6 @ 97.7 1495 121 219 0.86 65.4 18.8 comprehensive ROAD & TRACK editorial, and Nismo 370Z 9-0910 $39,540 V-6 350 276 3300 5.0 12.0 13.5 @ 106.6 1555 123 214 0.93 69.9 19.04 Sentra SE-R Spec V2 6-07 $22,715 I-4 200 180 3075 6.6 16.9 15.0 @ 94.2 1305 134 246 0.87 65.3 22.1 a full hour of motorsports every week! Versa 1.8S Hatchback2 4-0710 $14,005 I-4 122 127 2725 9.1 25.5 16.7 @ 84.1 120 135 232 0.78 63.2 32.5 5 Winner 2007 Motor Press Guild Dean Batchelor 370Z2 4-09 $33,740 V-6 332 270 3360 5.2 12.8 13.7 @ 103.9 155 115 208 0.98 69.5 18.7 Best Of The Year Award Pontiac G8 GT1 6-08 $29,995 V-8 361 385 3910 5.0 12.3 13.5 @ 104.9 1405 119 221 0.85 64.3 16.04 G8 GXP1,2 3-09 $43,280 V-8 415 415 4000 4.7 11.1 13.1 @ 109.4 1555 120 221 0.88 65.0 17.8 4 @ 4 Porsche Carrera GT 6-04 $460,400 V-10 605 435 3530 3.6 7.0 11.3 131.6 205 124 199 0.99 71.1 11.0 Ed Justice Cayman S2 4-09 $65,780 F-6 295 251 3100 4.8 11.6 13.3 @ 105.6 171 111 195 0.97 70.8 17.8 Host Panamera Turbo 12-09 $153,615 V-8tt 500 516 4635 3.4 8.4 11.7 @ 118.0 188 116 204 0.96 69.1 16.3 Jr., automotive on-air 911 Carrera S 4-0810 $94,815 F-6 355 295 3295 4.1 10.3 12.6 @ 111.9 182 111 193 1.00 72.5 19.04 personality and photogra- @ 4 911 GT2 12-08 $198,875 F-6tt 530 501 3265 3.4 7.7 11.5 123.9 204 108 187 1.03 75.9 15.0 pher, brings a wealth of 911 GT3 9-09 $133,135 F-6 435 317 30754 3.7 8.3 11.8 @ 119.5 193 106 186 1.04 75.9 13.04 911 Turbo2 5-08 $135,470 F-6tt 480 457 3550 3.4 7.9 11.7 @ 121.2 189 110 194 0.99 70.4 17.2 information to our show. Rolls-Royce Phantom1 8-0610 $346,650 V-12 453 531 5810 5.9 15.3 14.5 @ 97.4 1495 123 219 0.77 57.9 11.7 As President and CEO of Rossion Q1 1-10 $108,151 V-6tt 450 390 2675 3.2 7.8 11.6 @ 121.6 185 130 217 1.06 73.0 18.04 Justice Brothers Inc., Ed Saab 9-3Turbo X SportCombi 10-0810 $44,755 V-6t 280 295 3910 6.4 19.2 15.0 @ 91.8 1555 127 225 0.80 65.1 17.3 Saleen S7 Twin Turbo 9-0610 $602,442 V-8tt 750 700 29004 3.3 6.0 10.6 @ 139.8 250 119 210 1.03 69.9 13.04 works with the biggest Saturn Astra XR 3-08 $20,330 I-4 138 125 2820 8.6 na 16.6 @ 84.4 1295 120 213 0.87 67.0 23.04 names in the auto and Aura XR1 5-0710 $26,269 V-6 252 251 3660 5.9 15.3 14.5 @ 97.7 1155 132 241 0.77 61.9 19.04 racing fields. Shelby GT500 Super Snake 12-07 $70,670 V-8s 605 590 3915 4.4 9.1 12.5 @ 119.9 1505 118 204 0.93 68.4 15.6 Smart ForTwo passion coupe 3-08 $15,625 I-3 70 68 1825 13.3 na 19.2 @ 70.5 905 130 230 0.72 57.6 32.04 Spyker C8 Spyder 3-07 $296,785 V-8 400 354 2985 4.4 10.3 12.7 @ 112.0 160 120 204 0.92 67.1 18.0 R&T SPEED Radio can be heard Saturdays: Subaru Impreza 2.5i 12-0710 $17,640 F-4 170 170 30554 8.2 22.9 16.1 @ 85.6 1205 138 249 0.79 64.2 21.04 Impreza WRX2 11-08 $28,660 F-4t 265 244 3230 5.1 13.5 13.8 @ 101.0 1405 124 221 0.87 67.0 22.2 4pm-5pm EST Impreza WRX STI2 3-08 $39,440 F-4t 305 290 3360 5.0 14.1 13.6 @ 98.2 155 119 209 0.90 69.8 16.04 Product reviews including the best in Legacy 3.6R Limited1 12-0910 $32,383 F-6 256 247 3555 6.5 16.7 14.9 @ 95.6 1495 129 232 0.81 63.8 19.2 aftermarket and in-car electronics. 1 4 Tesla Roadster 2-09 $118,400 Elec 248 276 2750 4.0 11.1 12.7 @ 105.3 121 119 210 0.92 68.6 132/chg 5pm-6pm EST Toyota Prius1 5-0610 $29,195 I-4/Elec net 110 82 3090 9.746.04 17.3 @ 80.4 101 135 256 0.72 61.6 41.04 Volkswagen CC 3.6L 4Motion1,2 7-09 $42,630 V-6 280 265 3855 6.1 15.5 14.5 @ 97.0 1305 127 225 0.91 66.5 19.2 A full hour of motorsports with an GTI2 6-07 $29,290 I-4t 200 207 3255 6.3 16.8 14.9 @ 94.0 1305 120 210 0.89 66.8 17.3 in-depth look at the racing world. R32 12-0710 $35,430 V-6 250 236 3720 6.0 16.3 14.6 @ 95.0 1305 134 237 0.85 65.9 18.2 Volvo C30 Version 2.02 11-07 $27,700 I-5t 227 236 3200 6.5 16.3 14.9 @ 95.8 1495 122 218 0.85 66.3 22.8 Currently the program can be heard C702 4-07 $40,400 I-5t 218 236 3785 7.5 18.9 15.7 @ 91.2 1505 120 217 0.83 65.0 25.8 in many markets via: S80 V8 AWD1 6-07 $56,025 V-8 311 325 4080 5.6 14.3 14.2 @ 99.4 1555 123 210 0.85 64.6 16.3 • Radio America Network V701 5-0810 $34,410 I-6 235 236 3530 7.3 18.6 15.6 @ 92.3 1305 131 230 0.82 63.0 21.54 • Cable Radio Network Data apply to the model at the time (issue date) of testing. Legend: For engine types, I is an inline design, F is a flat and R is a rotary. The number following • Weekly Podcast the letter is the number of cylinders or rotor chambers. An additional letter, a “t” or an “s” designates turbo- or supercharging; “d” designates diesel; “FC • Streamed Live “designates fuel cell; boldface=extremes in that particular category, excluding nonproduction cars; red = newest entries; na=not available, na/U.S.; 1au- tomatic transmission; 2comparison test; 3price at time of test, some estimated; 4estimated; 5electronically limited; 6DIN bhp; 7from previous test; 8altitude- affected; 9aerodynamically limited; 10Road Test Update; 11performance data, no sideview. For purchasing back issues, see info on PS page. The show is also available live worldwide online at: INTERPRETING THE NUMBERS: Factors that affect test numbers include air temperature, barometric pressure, condition of track surface, tune of test car. www.radioamerica.org When comparing cars’ performances, look for the Significant differences in each category, as listed below. This is the amount of difference that is meaningful. WEIGHT of a car is generally accurate to within 1 percent. ACCELERATION numbers are obtained using drop-clutch starts and lif-throttle shifs. Significant difference: 0–60 mph, 0.3 sec.; ¼ mile, 0.5 sec. TOP SPEED is typically as reported by the manufacturer, but occasionally we measure it on a closed test track. Significant difference: 5.0 mph. BRAKING distances are initiated when the pedal is touched, and just enough effort is used to avoid wheel locking; on cars equipped with anti-lock braking systems, the ABS is fully invoked. Significant difference: 60–0 mph, 10 ft.; 80–0 mph, 15 ft. The Offi cial Fuel Partner of Road & Track HANDLING is quantified two ways: The skidpad measures steady-speed cornering grip around a 200-ft.-diameter circle (run in both directions). The slalom, run through eight cones spaced at 100-ft. intervals, samples both controllability and grip during transient handling. Significant difference: Skidpad, 0.02g; slalom, 1.0 mph. OUR FUEL MILEAGE is measured largely during urban driving and basically falls between EPA’s city and highway estimates. Significant difference: 0.5 mpg.

www.roadandtrack.com febRuaRy 2010 101

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Rossion Q1, 1 of only 4 cars per month allocated to the USA. The Rossion Q1 was recently featured on The Robb Report Cover and will be featured in upcoming episodes of the Speed Channel program Supercars Exposed. The Rossion Q1 offers a unique combination of blistering performance (0-60 in 3.1 seconds), stunning good looks and exclusivity, A Bespoke handbuilt Supercar at a Sports car price. �?77Χ� <1=>:<10�� ≅1<Χ� /:<<1/>� 7−>1� 1Β−8;71� :2 Visit us at rossioncars.com or call today at 1 954 788 1001 for more information. >41�=1<51=���595=410�59�∃701��9375=4�+45>1�Α5>4 /:<<1/>�.7−/6�71−>41<��>:;��=501�/?<>−59=���/−<� ;1>=���−=�:<5359−7���−90�25>>10�Α5>4�����/4<:81 �69:/6�:22��Α5<1�Α4117=���1−?>52?7�−90�=?;1<. >:�0<5≅1����������

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www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com By frank ansley & joe troise

Road & Track® is a registered trademark of Hachette Filipacchi Media U.s., inc. Copyright © 2009 Canada & Foreign: $29.94/one year, $54.94/two years, $79.94/three years. Canada and other countries: reprints: For information on reprints and eprints, please contact Brian Kolb at Wright’s Reprints, Remit payment by money order or draf on a U.s. bank payable in U.s. funds to Road & Track, P.O. Box 55270, 877-652-5295 or [email protected]. Boulder, Colo. 80322-5270. Telephone (800) 876-8316. From outside U.s. (386) 597-4375. editorial and production offices located at 1499 Monrovia Ave., newport Beach, Calif. 92663. Fax (303) 604-7644; Web: www.customerservice-roadandtrack.com (include current complete mailing Occasionally we share our information with other reputable companies whose products and services address). single copy: $4.99 U.s., $5.99 Canada (includes a 5% GsT tax). Printed in U.s.A. might interest you. if you prefer not to participate in this opportunity, please call the following number back issues: To order back issues within the past two years, please go to Backissues.roadandtrack.com. and indicate that to the operator: (386) 597-4375. For digital back issues, please go to www.zinio.com/rt-issues. subscriptions: U.s. and possessions: $13.00/one year, $26.00/two years, $39.00/three years.

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www.roadandtrack.com febrUArY 2010 111

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Standard Rear- Vision Camera System displays what’s behind your vehicle.

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It’s equipped with the StabiliTrak stability enhancement system and has a four-wheel independent suspension. It has a refined interior and seating for five adults. And it has an efficient 2.4L direct-injection engine.* In fact, it does everything bigger SUVs can do, and one thing they can’t: offer an EPA-estimated 32 hwy mpg. We gave it more ideas per square inch. Because more is what we do. INTRODUCING THE ALL-NEW TERRAIN. THE SMALLER SUV, FROM GMC. WE ARE PROFESSIONAL GRADE.

*EPA-estimated mpg (FWD) 22 city/32 hwy. ©2010 General Motors. All rights reserved. GMC® GMC logo® MultiFlex® StabiliTrak® TerrainTM WE ARE PROFESSIONAL GRADE®

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