Mini Cooper S Clubman
(Credit: Mini USA)After months of making the rounds at every conceivable auto show, the 2008 Mini Cooper Clubman is finally on sale in the U.S.
The wagon-style Clubman is billed as a roomier car that still maintains the personality of the original Mini. To some, it seems like a perfect combination of form and function. But for me, the idea of a big Mini just seems ... well ... against what makes a Mini a Mini. One thing's for sure: the Clubman just seems to be one of those cars that people either love or hate.
Part of the point of making the bigger car is, obviously, to accommodate more stuff. The third door, which opens up suicide-style on the passenger's side, makes it easy for back seat passengers to get in and out -- but it does look a tad strange. And the double doors in back make way for a fair amount of cargo space.
The problem is, when we drove the 1.6-liter, 118-horsepower Clubman, we found it struggling to give us the power we needed. And that was with two adults and no cargo. I couldn't imagine trying to get that thing through the hills of San Francisco with a full trunk. While the handling, which Mini describes as "go-kart" style, was pretty quick and responsive, the car just couldn't keep up with our demands. Of course, one major benefit of the smaller engine is fuel economy - an estimated 37 miles per gallon on the highway and 28 miles per gallon in the city with the manual transmission (34/26 automatic) -- as long as you drive it alone and empty on relatively flat roads.
The Clubman S, however, was a different story. The car had plenty of pep, and while we didn't take it up any steep hills, it was able to reach highway speed and pass other cars with relative ease. But the extra performance drops the gas mileage down to 34 miles per gallon on the highway and 26 miles per gallon in the city with the manual gearbox (32/23 for the automatic).
There's no doubt that the Mini Cooper Clubman will have its loyal followers. Its signature Mini styling cues, along with some model-specific features, definitely attract attention. But unless you're willing to spring for the more powerful engine, be prepared to curse those steep city streets. And for $25k, there are plenty of other cars that could make it up the hill. Although the alternatives might not look as hip.
2008 M3 coupe
(Credit: BMW NA)As a fan of the predecessor to this current M3, the e46, I was skeptical about driving what some called a heavy, underpowered car that didn't quite live up to its ancestors' legacy. A few die-hard enthusiasts, amid cracking tired Bangle jokes that are oh-so-five-years-ago, called it the MPIG, bemoaning the addition of more sensors and high-tech gadgets that added weight and deterred DIYers. And I almost bought into it.
Sure, I'll never love the look of the car like I love the e46. But the new M3 is, for better or worse, one of those cars you have to drive to truly appreciate.
On a recent press trip in Monterey, we had the opportunity to drive the M3 as it should be driven: On empty, windy roads. And later, even better: Madza Raceway Laguna Seca.
The 2008 M3 is powered by an all-new, 4.0-liter V8 engine. This is a drastic departure from the inline six used on the previous generation of the 3 Series cars. The bigger motor catapults the output to 414 horsepower at 8300 rpm, with 295 pound-feet of torque. But the sound of the car remains refined. The engine sounds big, but still reminiscent of M3s past. Sure, there are bigger engines out there, but the M3 is powerful without being raucous. Acceleration is still plenty fast, and the engine revs so high, you could drive around town without changing gears -- if you really wanted to.
On the road portion of our drive, my driving partner and I were amazed at how soft the ride was while driving over uneven pavement. This was due to an optional Electronic Dampening Control (EDC) feature on our car which has three suspension settings: comfort, normal, and sport. But even in "comfort" mode, softness didn't equate to mushiness. The car still felt dynamic and responsive, even while going over potholes and railroad tracks.
The steering was about as tight as I'd ever felt on any BMW. Although faced with a slew of considerably sharp turns as we wound our way through the hillsides, I never had to take my hands off the three-and-nine position. And the nice thick M wheel was comfortable and pleasurable to grip.
At the track, it was time to take it to a whole other level. My manual coupe really let it rip when I got on the throttle, and the brakes bit down hard and fast before the turns. Even though I was only on stock Michelin Pilot Sport tires, the car stuck like glue through the apexes, and the car's back end came around nicely as I gave it more gas out of the turns. Only a few times did I push it hard enough to get those tires to "sing," but I never felt out of control. Admittedly, I did the whole track in third gear, but even so I never lacked for power or torque.
That said, the 2008 M3 is not a "track car" in the true sense of the word. But that's not the point. The beauty of the e92 M3 is that it can be a sensible, dignified daily driver, and still tear it up on track days. And although I am coupe-biased, I think the re-introduction of the M3 sedan will even further the M3's image of an all-around car that can serve many purposes and still be a thrill to drive.
Oh, and about that heaviness thing; BMW lightened the new chassis up quite a bit to compensate for the weight increase. An aluminum hood and suspension, as well as a carbon-fiber roof, shave some weight off, although the "unladen" weight of the coupe is still 3704 pounds, with the sedan weighing in a tad heavier at 3726 pounds. By comparison, the e46 M3 coupe is 3415 pounds. So just imagine the kind of horsepower boost the 2008 M3 could get if it were 300 pounds lighter. But if you're the kind of person who's bothered by that kind of heft, you're probably better off buying an old M3 and ripping all the seats out.
There was no shortage of sexy, sporty cars at this year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Here are my favorites (in somewhat of a particular order):
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CNET Networks)
The race-bred concept, which means "wind" in Japanese, is based on the Courage C65 chassis, which Mazda used in the American Le Mans Series two seasons previously. It has a three-rotor rotary engine that's capable of churning out 450 horsepower. And while it looks awesome, I'd say the chance that it goes into production is pretty slim.
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General Motors)
The uber-performance version of Cadillac's sportiest model is slated to hit dealerships at the end of this year. Its 6.2 liter supercharged LSA engine delivers an estimated 550 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque. It also features Magnetic Ride Control, an "industry-first Performance Traction Management program" (although I'm not quite sure what that means), as well as a new automatic transmission with paddle-shift control (some of us recognized the extra space for the paddles on the steering column when we drove the 2008 CTS earlier this year).
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CNET Networks)
Audi's sleek supercar gets an update with a 12-cylinder diesel engine -- a first for a high-performance road car. The V12 TDI (which stands for turbo diesel injection), generates 500 horsepower and an impressive 738 pound-feet of torque. The V12 TDI is closely related to the engine in the Audi R10, the two-time Le Mans winner. I love how the car looks, but I'm still befuddled by that giant strip of carbon fiber down the side.
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Fisker Automotive)
I'm hoping for good karma for Henrik Fisker, best known for his designs of the Aston Martin DB9, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, and BMW Z8. The Great Dane is launching his first car built from the ground up, powered by plug-in hybrid technology. The drivetrain, developed by Quantum Technologies, consists of a small gasoline engine that turns a generator to charge a lithium-ion battery pack. The batteries power the electric motor and turn the rear wheels. With a zero-to-60 time of less than 6 seconds and a top speed of more than 125 miles per hour, the Karma is definitely poised to be a Tesla-killer.
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General Motors)
My number one car (though a tough call) evokes images of Tim Allen doing his manly grunt on Home Improvement. The 2009 Corvette ZR1 is the most powerful and fastest production car ever made by parent company General Motors. It features a new, supercharged 6.2-liter LS9 V-8 engine that cranks out a jaw-dropping 620 horsepower and about 595 pound-feet of torque. GM says the ZR1 will be the first production Corvette to achieve a top speed of at least 200 miles per hour. But those speed junkies and midlife crisis victims still need to hang on a big longer -- the ZR1 won't arrive until this summer.
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Warner Brothers)
Ladies and gentlemen, start your salivating. Those of us silly enough to go to Detroit in the middle of January to look at cars will be able to gawk at the super-cool Mach 5 from the Wachowski brothers' remake of the classic 1960's 'toon. The car is slated to be on display at Cobo Hall in Detroit during the 2008 North American Auto Show, beginning Jan. 13 for press and Jan. 19 for the public.
Although, like most Hollywood prop cars (and more than a few Hollywood people), it will probably be just an empty shell.
The real-life version of the Mach 5 was first revealed back in June, around the time production plans for the movie were announced. Sadly, previous reports say the driving scenes were filmed with the Mach 5 on a crane, and most of the effects were computer-generated. Still, it's fun to imagine tearing down the road in that sweet little road rocket. If I were Trixie, I'd insist on driving.
Porsche Panamera hybrid
(Credit: Porsche AG)Porsche announced today that it's developing a hybrid version of the Panamera, a four-door GT car that will debut in a traditional combustion engine version in 2009.
The hybrid system will use a combustion engine, plus an electric motor and an additional clutch, along with a battery pack to store power. The system can switch between the combustion and electric motor, or combine power from both, depending on driving conditions. And although we haven't seen specific technical data yet, this system sounds strikingly similar to GM's "two-mode" hybrid system, which can yield anywhere from zero emissions to pretty much standard combustion engine-level emissions, depending on how hard the car is driven. Porsche claims their hybrids will reduce fuel consumption by 30 percent over standard models.
Porsche isn't saying exactly when the hybrid Panamera will go on sale, but says it will be offered at "a later date" than the purely gas-powered 2009 Panamera. It could be a while, since Porsche recently announced that the hybrid version of its Cayenne SUV would be delayed until 2010.
The Ford Focus C-MAX will soon get the voice-activated system.
(Credit: Ford U.K.)More good news for those of us who have been forced to divide our attention between the road and what seems like an ever-increasing number of gadgets and other in-car distractions: automotive voice-activation technology is becoming more widespread.
On Thursday, U.S.-based company Nuance announced that it will be putting its text-to-speech technology in select new Ford models in Europe. The system powers Ford's "Human Machine Interface" (HMI), which allows drivers to make calls, enter destinations into the navigation system, control the audio system, and change the inside temperature using simple voice commands.
For example, a driver can change the radio station simply by saying the frequency number, or in some cases, saying the call letters. And the climate control system can be adjusted by simply saying "warmer" or "cooler." The HMI system can read and understand English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Ford already uses its voice-activated Sync system, powered by Microsoft, on select models here in the U.S.
The European HMI system will be implemented on the Ford Focus and the Focus C-MAX multipurpose vehicles beginning next month. Other European Ford models, including the Galaxy and S-MAX multipurpose vehicles, along with the Mondeo full-size sedan, will get the technology shortly thereafter.
Now and then: Boxster RS 60 Spyder with original type 718 RS 60 Spyder
(Credit: Business Wire)Porsche is putting a bit more oomph into its somewhat ho-hum Boxster with a limited edition 2008 RS 60 Spyder.
The car is a nod to Porsche's racing victories of the 1960s, including its first overall win in the 1960 Twelve Hours of Sebring with its Porsche Type 718 RS 60 Spyder, driven by Hans Herrmann and Olivier Gendebien. In this vein, the RS 60 features a Porsche SportDesign aero kit on the front end, 19 inch SportDesign wheels, and special GT silver metallic paint.
Interior of the new 2008 Boxster RS 60 Spyder
(Credit: Business Wire)While styling cues on the Boxster RS 60 Spyder evoke images of race cars past, don't expect the powertrain to blow anyone away at the track. A modified, dual-tailpipe exhaust brings the engine output up to 303 horsepower, but that's only slightly more than the 2007 Boxster S, which puts out 295 horsepower at 6250 rpm. And also unlike the sports cars of the 1960s, the RS 60 Spyder comes standard with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM).
Inside, the souped-up poor-man's Porsche has sport seats, a race-inspired gearshift lever, and wider-set gauges.
The 2008 Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder will make its North American debut in March of next year at the New York auto show, and will go on sale shortly thereafter with an MSRP of $64,900. Production will be limited to only 1,960 (get it?) cars; fewer than 800 of those are expected to be sold in North America.
Lexus IS-F at SEMA 2007
(Credit: Laura Burstein)Back at SEMA last week, Lexus brought along a handful of 2008 IS-Fs for driving at a proving ground course set up in the back parking lot of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Scott Pruett takes us for a lap
Lexus' latest performance sedan, which was unveiled at the beginning of the year in Detroit, is souped up with a 5.0-liter V8 that puts out 416 horsepower and 371 pound-feet of torque. Standard features include Brembo brakes, 19-inch wheels, and an 8-speed direct shift transmission. Lexus claims it has a zero-to-60 time of 4.6 seconds.
Our course involved a long straight with a braking zone at the end, followed by a right turn (insert joke here about right turns and NASCAR). In the middle was a donut course, where Scott first spun us around with traction control off, then turned it on to illustrate how the car fights against the spin.
The IS-F's quad exhaust
We liked the way the car felt, despite the fact that our ride didn't last long. We must admit, we weren't particularly awed by the IS-F's performance over the IS 350. The general consensus among those of us who got a chance to take the car out was that the brakes really stole the IS-F's thunder. The car might be worth the extra cash if you dig the beauty kit (including the quad exhaust, which drew mixed reviews amongst onlookers) and, of course, want to stop fast.
Oasis electric-cooled truck
(Credit: Global Refrigeration Systems)Refrigerator trucks may not be sexy, but they play a vital role in our day-to-day lives by carrying food and supplies from one part of the country to another. However, they also contribute a significant amount of pollution on our roads.
Aura Systems, a company based in El Segundo, Calif., on Wednesday introduced a mobile-power system that keeps produce cold by using electricity instead of diesel fuel.
Traditional refrigeration trucks use a separate diesel engine to drive the compressor that keeps the inside of the truck cold. The extra engine not only emits more pollutants, but is also extremely expensive to operate.
The first vehicle with the new system, the Oasis, is a midsize Isuzu refrigeration truck. The truck's cooling compressor is jump-started by a large power surge (the system can handle between 5 kilowatts and 8.5 kilowatts of power), and it is kept running by the truck's main engine. And although the system still relies on diesel to keep it going, Aura reps say the elimination of the second motor saves, on average, about $250 in fuel costs per month, per truck.
The Oasis is set be on display at the Worldwide Food Expo October 24 through 27 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
For more information, visit the sites of Global Refrigeration Systems and Aura Systems.
Chevy Equinox fuel cell vehicle
(Credit: Donovan R. Unks)Chevrolet is in the midst of launching "Project Driveway," an ambitious program where more than 100 fuel cell electric vehicles will be put in the hands of select consumers for the largest market test ever of its kind.
Fuel cell power train
(Credit: Donovan R. Unks)Testing will take place over the next several months in the Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C., metro areas. Drivers range from average consumers to business owners to policy makers. Chevy reps also promise that some cars will go into the hands of "celebrities," but no names have been dropped yet.
The cars are modified Chevy Equinox crossover SUVs that draw hydrogen from three on-board, carbon fiber tanks to power an electric motor. In addition, a nickel-metal hydride battery pack captures and stores energy from a regenerative braking system to provide extra power when needed. The fuel cell Equinoxes get a range of about 150 miles on a single fill-up with 700-bar hydrogen.
The Equinox fuel cell cars run solely on hydrogen, which, at this point in time, is a drawback for the average consumer. Although we produce 40 billion kilograms of hydrogen globally every year--enough to power 130 million fuel cell-powered cars--hydrogen fueling stations are still scarce.
Interior display
(Credit: Donovan R. Unks)The three test metro areas were chosen, in part, because drivers have access to hydrogen filling stations within a reasonable radius of their homes and/or places of business. General Motors reps say building a hydrogen fueling station infrastructure wouldn't be as difficult as some might think; they say the initial investment of about $10 billion to $15 billion required to put 12,000 stations within two miles of the top 100 urban areas is close to the amount of money being currently spent on maintaining existing oil pipelines and gasoline manufacturing equipment.
The specs for the vehicle aren't overwhelming--it goes zero to 60 in 12 seconds and has a top speed of about 100 miles per hour. But that's still impressive considering the only thing that comes out of the quad exhaust is water vapor.
Carbon fiber quad exhaust
(Credit: Donovan R. Unks)Features include antilock brakes (ABS), driver and passenger front air bags, roof rail side-impact air bags, and StabiliTrak stability system. The cars are also equipped with the OnStar navigation system, which testers are encouraged to use to ask questions and provide feedback as they drive.
But don't get in line at the local Chevy dealership just yet; the test fleet won't be available for sale to the public. However, the information gleaned from this market test will help shape the next generation of fuel cell vehicles, which GM is working on now.
For a further look at the Equinox vehicles, see "Photos: GM's Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell."
