THE ENTHUSIAST’S GUIDE TO LIFE BEHIND THE WHEEL CONTENTS July-August 2008 INDUSTRY OUTLOOK GM makes big changes .............................................6 SPECIAL EVENT Audi Quattro Cup golf tournament.........................20 AAudi North Scottsdale and Audi Chandler present the Arizona leg of this large national event and world championship. By JP Molnar TRAVEL Tucson one-of-a-kind attractions ...........................28 BBesides everything you already know about visiting Tucson, you will not want to miss the galleries, museums, dining and wine country. DRIVING SKILLS Bondurant Summer Teen Driving Program ...........30 CThe Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving applies their extensive knowledge to a program tailor-made for local teens. DRIVING SKILLS DrivingMBA critical driving skills training.............34 DComprehensive programs including high-tech simulators boost driving skills for teens and now also for commercial drivers. ARIZONAFLYER Red Bull Air Race World Series..............................36 EHighly decorated champion pilot Kirby Chambliss of Arizona dizzies the senses in the San Diego stage of this major event, billed by Red Bull Air Race as “the new motorsports.” By Jan Wagner ARIZONABOATER Earthrace ’round-the-world biofuel speed run......46 FSee how “the coolest boat in the world” aims for the world’s circumnavigational record, while doing it all on alternative fuels, and learn how we almost went along. We visit in San Diego. By Joe Sage ARIZONARIDER BMW discounts for US armed forces.....................52 VEHICLE TESTS Mustang Bullitt and GT500 Special Editions.........54 MOTORSPORTS Firebird Lakefest, Monster Trucks, Jet Jam..........56 GHighlights of this April weekend from two of the participants. MOTORSPORTS Austin Special 7 aims for Monterey Run...............60 HArizona’s Tim Sharp is ready to pit his Austin Special 7 GP against larger cars at the 35th Anniversary Monterey Historic Automobile Races, under the watchful eye of Mario Andretti. By HR Driver DEPARTMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER : START YOUR ENGINES ...........................4 DESTINATION DIRECTORY ................................................................8 AUTO NEWS UPDATE .......................................................................10 CAR SMARTS : QUIZ .........................................................................24 MOTOR RESOURCES DIRECTORY .................................................44 H THE INSIDE TRACK : BRIEFS AND RUMORS .................................58 UPCOMING FEATURES.....................................................................62 F AD E C G B - COVER: Audi A5 coupe at the Audi Quattro Cup golf tournament, Westin Kierland Resort & Spa. Photo by Randall Bohl. START YOUR ENGINES : FROM THE PUBLISHER e never cease to be amazed at what Red Bull has parlayed out of the sale of its little cans of potent carbonated beverage. Last year, we followed local W wizard John Swauger as he competed in the Red Bull Soapbox Race. MAGAZINE Another Red Bull event is the Flugtag, in which similarly whimsical craft take to the air, at least to the degree achieved by pushing themselves off a high pier. But they PUBLISHER / EXECUTIVE EDITOR: really take to the air in the Red Bull Air Race World Series, which takes motorsports Joe Sage literally to new heights. We journeyed to San Diego to catch Arizona pilot Kirby CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Jill Amadio, Nick Calderone, Chambliss in his quest to be a repeat winner of the series. Joe Connor, Pilar Covarrubias, Fun is always at the heart of motorsports, but math and science loom large. Mark Cox, HR Driver, Larry Edsall, We’ve all seen the emails: with gas at $4/gallon, it still compares favorably with a Dan J. Gardner, Gary Goldzweig, Bob Kroener, JP Molnar, Jim Rogers, gallon of White-Out® or Chanel No. 5. Well, let’s see... at about eight bucks for four Barbara and Bill Schaffer, Jan Wagner 8.3-oz. cans, Red Bull works out to about, yep, over $30/gallon. Which leads us CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: straight to alternative fuels and biodiesel. However, this time we’re not talking Randall Bohl, Jean-Pierre Brietta, about Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC, but rather Earthrace, “the coolest boat in the Rich Cox, Luis DeBonoPaula, HR Driver, Larry Edsall, world,” still en route across the Arabian Sea as we go to press, seeking to dethrone Dan J. Gardner, Alan Grinberg, a prior record standing since 1998, but with the added touch of this one being a Howard Koby, Dick Reed, Jan Wagner 100% biodiesel, 100% carbon neutral run. We almost joined them in Mexico for DESIGN & PRODUCTION: AdZone Arizona the run to San Diego, but we did at least get to visit at the SD stop. ADVERTISING SALES: 480-948-0200 We present our Arizona Rider Magazine, Arizona Flyer Magazine and Arizona ARIZONA DRIVER MAGAZINE Boater Magazine titles as occasional features within Arizona Driver Magazine. This PUBLISHED BIMONTHLY BY ADZONE ARIZONA LLC issue, for the first time, we have all titles at once. Whether we Arizona Driver Magazine make you seasick, airsick or just lovesick for new wheels, we PO Box 13387 - Scottsdale AZ 85267 always hope you enjoy the ride. www.arizonadrivermagazine.com [email protected] Joe Sage Arizona Driver Magazine, Arizona Rider Magazine, Publisher/ Executive Editor Arizona Flyer Magazine and Arizona Boater Magazine are registered tradenames of AdZone Arizona LLC. 4 • July-August 2008 • ARIZONADRIVER INDUSTRY OUTLOOK : MAJOR GM ANNOUNCEMENTS Hummer H2 t the GM annual shareholders’ meet- A ing in June, Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner announced a range of stra- tegic initiatives in response to growing demand for fuel-efficient vehicles and to economic challenges in North America. NEW CHEVY MODELS AND ENGINE. The GM board has approved a next-generation compact Chevrolet for US and global markets, a next generation of the popular Chevy Aveo, and GM’s turbocharged 1.4- liter four-cylinder engine for the US. The Chevy Volt concept new compact aims to set equipment, quality and safety benchmarks for the size class. The new Chevy Aveo is also expect- ed to have class-leading fuel economy when it goes on sale in the US in late 2010. CHEVY VOLT IS A GO. The Chevy Volt took a major step toward the showroom with board approval for funding produc- tion development and tooling. Technol- ogies for this extended-range electric vehi- cle, including its lithium-ion batteries, should be ready for volume production on schedule. GM plans to produce the Volt at the Detroit-Hamtramck plant, subject to government deals. CAPACITY ADJUSTMENTS. GM will also quickly increase production of small and midsize cars, while reducing production of pickups and truck- based SUVs. Arizona’s Midwest transplants will want to know about plants. GM plans to add a third shift in September at the Orion Assembly Center in Michigan, which builds the hot-selling Chevy Malibu and Pontiac G6, and a third shift at Lordstown Car Assemb- ly in Ohio, which builds the Chevy Cobalt and Pontiac G5. On the other side of the equation, GM will cease production at four truck plants. Oshawa Truck Assembly in Canada, which builds the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, will likely cease production in 2009, Chevy Aveo while Moraine, Ohio, which builds the Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy and Saab 9-7x, will end production at the end of the 2010 model run, or sooner. Janesville, Wisconsin, will cease production of medium-duty trucks by the end of 2009, and of the Tahoe, Suburban and Yukon in 2010, or sooner, if market demand dictates. Chevrolet Kodiak medium- duty truck production will also end in Toluca, Mexico, by the end of this year. STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT FOR HUMMER BRAND. GM is undertaking a strategic review of the Hummer brand to determine its fit within the GM portfolio. The company is considering all options, from a complete revamp of the product lineup to a partial or complete sale of the brand. The big automakers have long made most of their profit from trucks and SUVs. GM is now counting on beating others to growth in the compact and fuel-efficient markets. We’ll stand by to see what others do. “These higher gasoline prices are changing consumer behavior and rapidly,” said Wagoner. “We don't think this is a temporary spike or shift. We think it is permanent.” ■ 6 • July-August 2008 • ARIZONADRIVER DESTINATION DIRECTORY Arizona California Colorado NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TOURISM - ATTRACTIONS - EVENTS National Park Service - Arizona National Park Service - California Colorado Activity Centers, Inc. http://www.nps.gov/state/az http://www.nps.gov/state/ca PO Box 129 • Frisco CO 80443 800-777-8642 • www.coloradoinfo.com Grand Canyon National Park TOURISM - ATTRACTIONS - EVENTS PO Box 129 • Grand Canyon AZ 86023 Disneyland AUTOMOTIVE 923-638-7888 Visitor Info Recorded Message Anaheim • 714-781-4565 • www.disneyland.com Shelby American Collection Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Palm Desert Visitor Information Center 5020 Chaparral Court • Boulder CO 80308 10 Organ Pipe Drive • Ajo AZ 85321-9626 72-567 Highway 111 • Palm Desert CA 92260 303-516-9565 • .shelbyamericancollection.org 520-387-6849 Visitor Information 800-873-2428 • www.palm-desert.org Petrified Forest National Park San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau Mexico PO Box 2217 • Petrified Forest Natl Park AZ 86028 2215 India Street • San Diego CA 92101 928-524-66228 Visitor Information RESORTS AND LODGING 800-359-6205 • www.sandiego.org/nav/Visitors Saguaro National Park Puerto Peñasco Mexico Online AUTOMOTIVE 3693 South Old Spanish Trail Beachfront home