Motor trend February 2010 by Anna Emer

FEBRUARY 2010 ★★★★★ MOTORTREND.COM ★ 2010 TRUCK OF THE YEAR: BIG AND TOUGH STILL RULES ★ $5.99CANADA$4.99USA 4.5-LITER V-8 >> 9000 RPM >> 557 HP >> 0-60 IN 3.4 SEC >> WOW! WE DRIVE THE FABULOUS FERRARI 458 OH,BESTMARANELLO’SITALIAYET?YES... A YOUANDGULLWING,AFERRARI,NEWREBORNAV-10AUDIR8...COULD SAY WE’VE HAD FUN THIS MONTH BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE! AWESOME 563-HP AMG SLS STUNNING 525-HP R8 V-10

While designing the all-new Kizashi, we aimed our sights past Accord ® and Camry,® and targeted respected driver’s sedans such as the Audi A4® and the Acura TSX.® We started by creating a track-tuned, highly rigid chassis with available all-wheel-drive traction. Next, we gave the Kizashi advanced safety features that are years ahead of the competition–meeting 2014 standards. Then we added unexpected technology like standard SmartPass™ push-button ignition and an available 425-watt Rockford Fosgate® audio system. Finally, we provided it with a 185-hp engine that delivers more power than any standard engine in its class. The result? AutoWeek said the Kizashi was the “best handling and most composed FWD sedan we’ve driven.” Meanwhile, Automobilemag.com raved that Kizashi “handily beats the dynamics of almost everything else in its price and/or size class.” Visit a Suzuki dealer, and test drive the Kizashi for yourself. The name is unusual, and the car is one you won’t soon forget.

MSRP does not include tax, license, title or destination charges. Dealer prices may vary. Accord, Camry, Audi A4, Acura TSX, Rockford Fosgate, AutoWeek and Automobilemag.com are registered trademarks. 185 hp for MT models. 180 hp with CVT. Kizashi GTS as shown $22,629. © American Suzuki Motor Corporation 2010. Suzuki, the “S” logo and Suzuki model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Professional driver on environmentally approved closed course. Do not attempt. Vehicle shown upon a designated off-road trail. Along with concerned conservationists everywhere, Suzuki urges you to Tread Lightly ® on public and private land. Preserve your future off-roading opportunities by showing respect for the environment, local laws and the rights of others.

P R E S E N T I N G STARTING UNDER $19,000. WELL EQUIPPED UNDER $21,500.

SuzukiAuto.com /Kizashi7 AVAILABLE AWD

(contents) (contents) february 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 5 8670 6034 42 54 continued on page 8 ■ Cover Feature 32 Supercars 2010 The ride is faster, better, safer, and, yes, greener than ever. 34 Maximum Reset Ferrari 458 Italia The F430 gets a ctrl+alt+del. Frank Markus 42 Gullwing Roars Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG The look, classic SL; the sound, pure hell. Edward Loh 54 Why God Created Envy Audi R8 FSI quattro Audi does the impossible— improving on near-perfection. Arthur St. Antoine ■ Comparison Test 100 Executive Privilege ■ Acura RL ■ Audi A6 3.0T quattro ■ BMW 535i ■ Cadillac CTS 3.6 DI ■ Infiniti M35 S ■ Jaguar XF 4.2 ■ Lexus GS 350 ■ Mercedes-Benz E350 For those with the means, eight lovely sport sedans. Ron Kiino ■ Features 60 Speeding Through Time Six decades of supercars: what they did and what we said about them. Matt Stone 70 The 2010 Power List It’s a new world order for the automobile industry: Here are its leaders. Todd Lassa ■ Special Section: 2010 Truck of the Year 86 Variety Show Specialty vehicles are the name of the game. Motor Trend Editors 88 The Contenders ■ Ford F-150 Raptor ■ Ford Transit Connect ■ Toyota Tundra Work Truck 94 The Winner The hardest-working truck in tow business. Allyson Harwood ■ Main cover photograph Mark Bramley continued on page 8 100

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.

orhybridbetter32EPA-estimatedhwympg,thananySUVcrossover.

Standard RearVision yourwhat’sSystemCameradisplaysbehindvehicle.

WE GAVE IT MORE IDEAS PER SQUARE INCH. BECAUSE MORE IS WHAT WE DO.

selectedtoprogrammablepowerAvailableliftgatestopatheight.

cargolegmoreseatMultiFlexcreatesrearroomorspace.highlights.GMCandchromeAvailableaccentsmanybolddesign

26 continued from page 5 ■ Departments 10 The Big Picture A question of character. Angus MacKenzie 14 Trend 22 Your Say 26 The Asphalt Jungle Graveyard shift. Arthur St. Antoine 31 Technologue Power 4 free. Frank Markus 114 Newcomers BMW 550i GT Frank Markus Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR Touring Edward Loh Lexus GX 460 Allyson Harwood BMW X6 Active hybrid Todd Lassa 118 Long-Term Update Ford F-150/Subaru Outback 2.5i Nissan GT-R/Honda Insight Suzuki Equator RMZ-4 Sport/BMW M3 Mazda6 Grand Touring Ron Kiino 122 Long-Term Verdicts Subaru Impreza WRX STI Ron Kiino Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR Kirill Ougarov 134 Archive On wings and a prayer. Matt Stone (contents) 113121221 this month @ motortrend.com february 2010 (contents) 8 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM ■ Lapping Laguna Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca doubles as our satellite ofﬁce. We make the pilgrimage north to the 11-turn, 2.2-mile track several times each year for various events. We test cars there too—lots of cars. With the aid of GPS, accelerometers, video cameras, and a professional race driver, we’ve been able to extract the fastest lap times from 30-plus production cars in the past several years. From the track monster Dodge Viper ACR to the Honda Civic Si, if we’ve tested it at Laguna, you’ll ﬁnd it at our Laguna Lap special section, along with videos from each hot lap and a history of the famed circuit. Check it all out here: www.motortrend.com/features/laguna_lap 118 122117 14 31 134

Reserve and drive the 2010 Ford Fusion.

Year.®

Hertz

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Hertz is proud to announce the Ford Fusion as the 2010 Motor Trend Car of the Year.® The Fusion makes a bold statement, actually two. One, you’re smart. Two, you care about the environment. So go ahead, reserve this incredibly fuel-ef⇒cient car from our Green Collection. And as if all this wasn’t enough, it comes equipped with Sirius XM Radio,® making the decision a veritable no-brainer. U.S. Pat. Off. 2009 Hertz System, Inc.rents Fords and other fine cars. of the

2010hertz.com Motor Trend Car

I remember writing at the time that an Acura NSX or Nissan GT-R (the all-wheel-drive, twinturbo R version had just been launched) would have been way faster along the same road with much less effort. Ah, said some of my colleagues, but what about those sensual scarlet curves, the glorious snap-crackle throttle response of that baby V-, the decades of myth and magic behind the cavallino rampante on the steering-wheel boss? Surely you can forgive the flaws because this Ferrari has something the Japanese pretenders will never have: character.

10 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM

(the big picture) angus mackenzie “ CHARACTER IS COOL WHEN YOU’RE NOODLING DOWN TO THE LOCAL CAR SHOW IN YOUR DETOMASO MANGUSTA, NOT WHEN YOU’RE CHASING TENTHS OF A SECOND ON THE NÜRBURGRING NORDSCHLEIFE. ”

The crisply calculated Nissan GT-R may not have the rosso romance of a Ferrari Daytona, the charming idiosyncrasy of a Porsche , or the aw-shucks muscle of a Corvette ZR. But in form and function it is a supercar that deftly defines its era and its origin. All gigabytes and manga attitude, the GT-R is a supercar like no other, a supercar that only Japan could have created. I’d call that character. ■ a question of character really makes a supercar great

I’ll take competence over character every time when it comes to driving truly fast machinery. Character did not excuse that cold knot in the pit of my stomach every time I hustled a pre- Porsche  hard on a wet road nor having to take fast corners in old big-banger Lamborghinis like I was riding alongside a Mafia hitman with a bad temper and a hair trigger. Character did not excuse that psychotic Ferrari  (and even Maranello knew it—today’s Ferraris, like the delectable  Italia in this issue, are supremely predictable and surprisingly reliable, thanks, I would suggest, to the example set by Japan’s user-friendly early ’s supercars like the NSX and the R GT-R). Character is cool when you’re noodling down to the local car show in your DeTomaso Mangusta, not when you’re chasing tenths of a second on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Character. I thought about that as I blasted through the Mojave Desert in our long-term Nissan GT-R last month, reveling in the relentless, urgent, seamless surge of power from the twin-turbo V- as I fanned the paddle shifter, and delighting in the marvelously planted feel of the chassis as we chased the horizon. The massive Brembos shrugged off the speed with easy assurance whenever the road suddenly jinked left or right, and only a gentle squirming of the steering wheel betrayed the furious calculations constantly routing and rerouting the torque to all four wheels as we punched past their apexes. It was a satisfyingly rapid run, accomplished with neither of us breaking a sweat. Make no mistake, the Nissan GT-R is a supremely competent supercar. But is it too competent? Is the GT-R— whisper it—a sanitized supercar for a videogame generation, a digitized speed experience that lacks grit and soul and…character?

THEY SAY you never forget your first Ferrari. I’ll never forget mine, though for all the wrong reasons: My first Ferrari was an eviltempered bitch of a thing that tried to kill me on an English country road in . The gorgeous red (of course) Ferrari tb had sulked all the way out of central London as I wrestled with a shifter so stiff and tight I feared I’d snap the thing in half. And then, as we raced across the empty moors, it went all Glenn Close on me, teasing with provocative, intoxicating, -rpm foreplay before—without warning—turning into a bunny boiler… The steering wheel squirms uneasily in my hands as the front of the car weaves and darts nervously across the contours of the road. The undergrowth in the periphery of my vision is a bucking, bouncing, bright-green blur. Corner! Hard on the brakes and back two gears, heeland-toeing on the downshift. Brap! Brap! The V- responds instantly to the throttle. I can feel the shudder of the ABS working as the car pitches and bounces even more frenetically over the lumps and bumps on the entry to the left-hand turn. Off the brakes and into the corner. Initial turn in is race-car sharp, body roll negligible. Now comes the balancing act. I wait until I feel the front wheels begin to bite, and then squeeze on the gas pedal to transfer weight to the rear. The Ferrari digs in and…suddenly spits sideways.Thesynapses snap: Don’t lift! Grabbing an armful of opposite lock is simply a reflex action, but it takes a determined, conscious effort to maintain the pressure on the gas pedal. The Ferrari grumpily comes back into line. As my heart rate comes back off the rev-limiter I glance down at the speedo and am mildly disappointed to find we’re doing barely  mph. It certainly felt a lot quicker…

What

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12 FEBRUARY 2010

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THE WORLD’S #1 AUTOMOTIVE AUTHORITY MOTOR TREND.COM

Janet Catallo, Craig Mura, Adam Mayerson

No-Brainer

Buick’s

WHEN editor-in-chief MacKenzie drove the Buick Regal-badged Chinese version in Shanghai in April last year, he declared it a logical candidate for the U.S. Buick lineup: “The Regal would give Buick a modern, stylish sedan that would perfectly complement the new LaCrosse and the solid-selling Enclave.”

Which is what will happen when the 2011 Regal hits Buick showrooms 2Q ‘10. The Regal rides on the LaCrosse’s Epsilon II platform, but on the 107.8-inch wheelbase (3.9 inches shorter than the LaCrosse’s) that will form the basis for the next Chevrolet Malibu. At 190.2 inches, it’s 6.8 inches shorter than the

YOU’RE looking at the single most important car Hyundai will launch in America this decade. While the upscale Genesis sedan has transformed Hyundai’s image, the new Sonata is intended to make the South Korean automaker a major player in America’s most competitive vehicle segment— at the expense of Toyota’s Camry and Honda’s Accord. Hyundai’s done its homework. The all-new sixthgeneration Sonata is big: It’s classified by the EPA as a large car, rather than a midsize. It’s fuel-efficient: Standard engine will be the new andclaimsII198-horsepower,direct-injection,2.4-literThetafour-cylinderthatHyundaiwilldeliver23mpgcity35mpghighwaywiththe available six-speed automatic transmission (a six-speed manual is standard). And ittt will offer something for theee enthusiast driver: a sporty SE version with 200 horsepower (thanks to a dual exhaust), tuned suspension, and 18-inch wheels.Bottom line: It’s as big as an Accord, more fuel-efficient than a Camry, and should be more fun to drive than both. And if Hyundai delivers the Sonata with Genesis-like build quality and refinement, Honda and Toyota should be worried. The bold new styling— Hyundai calls it Fluidic Sculpture—is not the only risk the maker is taking with the new Sonata. Unlike all its rivals, which include Chevy Malibu, Ford Fusion, and Nissan Altima, it will not be offered with a V-6 engine. Instead, Hyundai plans, by the end of the year, to roll out a turbocharged 2.0-liter Theta II for customers who want more power and torque. For those wanting even more fuel efficiency, a hybrid version is coming in the next 12 months.Thenew Sonata uses a MacPherson-strut front and multilink rear suspension.

Y Hyundai takes aim at Camry and Accord New Regal a logical addition to the range

2011 Sonata

14 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM (trend NEWS/OPINION/GOSSIP/STUFF) (trend)

LaCrosse and 0.8 inch lower, at 58.4 inches. With its fast C-pillar, the Regal sedan isn’t designed to be LaCrosse-capacious. The back seat is roomy enough for kids, or adults on short jaunts, but headroom is tight for longer rides. Opel’s Russelsheim, Germany, assembly plant will supply the first year’s production of U.S. Regals. It launches in mid-level CXL trim, with the base gas direct-injection 182-horse, 2.4liter Ecotec four. In late summer, Buick adds a gas direct-injection turbocharged 2.0-liter four option, rated 220 horsepower and 258 pound-feet. Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic. Some time thereafter, Buick will offer its first stickshift since the 1989 Skyhawk, available with the turbo four. Buick expects 20/30-mpg EPA estimates for the 2.4-liter automatic. The turbo automatic will drop to about 18/29 mpg. Suspension consists of MacPherson struts in front and a multilink rear. Buick will offer an adjustable sport suspension option on top of the turbo engine, with standard, sport, and “touring” settings. It changes steering effort, shift pattern, throttle position, shock tuning, and StabiliTrak intervention. This Interactive Drive Control System also adapts automatically to the driver’s style. Buick claims a drag coefficient in the 0.270.30 range, the higher number for U.S. models, depending on engineOtherchoice.powertrains are on the way. Bob Lutz hints at a Grand National, likely with the 300-horsepower, 2.8-liter turbo V-6. The Regal may also get the plug-in hybrid drivetrain originally designed for the Saturn Vue. The V-6 and hybrid won’t be added earlier than fall 2011, after GM shifts production to a North American plant. The CXL will come with standard 18-inch wheels, 12-way power heated leather driver seat, heated leather passenger seat, and Bluetooth connectivity. Turbos equipped with IDCS get standard 19-inch wheels. AWD is down the road, and Buick will add base, cloth-seat CX and high-zoot CXS trim levels. North American-built Regals will probably include hood-mounted ventiports. This is not your grandfather’s Buick, unless he drove one of the ‘30s or ‘50s Centurys, when they were deemed “bankers’ hot rods,” among the most stylish cars on the road. ■ todd lassa GLS and Limited models will be fitted with low rolling resistance tires to help improve fuel economy; the sporty SE gets stiffer springs and shocks, and larger anti-roll bars, for a 20-percent improvement in roll stiffness. Steering is by way of electric power-assisted rack and pinion. A six-speed manual is standard on base models only, but the majority of Sonatas will be ordered with Hyundai’s allnew six-speed automatic. Developed in-house by Hyundai, this new automatic is 26.4 pounds lighter than the five-speed auto it replaces. It’s also 1.6 inch shorter and has 62 fewer parts. Codenamed A6MF2, the transmission allows manual control via the shifter; SE models will get steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.Thenew Sonata is being built in the U.S. at Hyundai’s Alabama plant. ■

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 15 words motor trend editors

Chrysleriskeepingitsiconicsupercar

(trend 16NEWS/OPINION/GOSSIP/STUFF) FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COMR T D

■ todd lassa

VIPER’S back, and it’s here to stay, declares new Dodge chief Ralph Gilles. “2009 was a bad year for owners and a bad year for the car,” says Gilles of the persistent stories the Viper franchise was to be sold off. “But it woke the whole Viper nation. Everyone realized how special it is.” While the Cerberus regime failed to understand the Viper’s potential as a halo car for the company, it needed no explaining to Sergio Marchionne and his team, continues Gilles. Marchionne has committed to building 500 Vipers between now and mid-July 2010. Among those 500 cars will be a mildly tweaked ACR, and the new CR X, intended as a track-only spec racer for Viper fanatics. “This will be a bridge to the new car,” adds Gilles. “I can develop that in peace.” The new Viper will likely appear [in] 2012. While refusing to divulge details, Gilles says the next Viper will definitely be V-10powered, and the engine will be a version of the Chrysler-developedcurrent8.4-literunit.Itwillnot,ashasbeenspeculatedontheInternet,be powered by a V-10 version of a new modular powerplant under development by Ferrari. Gilles says remarks he made about potentially leveraging Ferrari’s expertise were misunderstood: “Ferrari is a great resource for expertise on advanced technologies, materials, and chassis development. But there will be no sharing of parts or components.”Gillesalsodiscounts rumors the next Viper may switch to a V-8: “The Viper will always be V-10,” he insists, though he doesn’t rule out building a V-8 sports car using some of the new Viper’s hardware. “If it had a different engine, it would have a different nameplate. Maybe one with a snake theme.” Remember the Copperhead concept? Gilles notes that the next Viper will have a much more stylish interior and use some advanced materials to further reduce weight—though not too many, as he does not want to push the car’s price point too high. “My biggest conundrum: What is enough power?”

The popular perception is the 600-horse V-10 is big and heavy. It’s long, but it actually weighs less than a Hemi V-8. The current Viper’s front-to-rear weight distribution is 49/51, and the engine is offset 15 mm to the passenger side, so the left/ right balance is pretty good too. The current V-10 is also good through 2013 in terms of emissions.Gilleswants to look at what can be done with the powertrain to improve performance and efficiency. A dual-clutch transmission may be on the agenda (again, another Ferrari connection in expertise). SRT engineers say it would probably be worth 0.6 second around Laguna Seca, say, and therefore probably three seconds or more a lap at the Nordschleife. But the feeling is there would always be a conventional stick available too.

Viperlives

Driver and passengers will also have all the latest connectivity and infotainment options, including 18-inch16-inch1.8-litertrimsatellitesoundnavigation,availableaPioneersystem,Bluetooth,aniPodinterface,XMradio,and,ofcourse,OnStar.The2011CruzewillbeavailableinLS,LT,andLTZtrims.ThebaseLSwillcomewiththeengine,withtheLTandLTZtrimsfeaturingthe1.4-literturboasthestandardpowerplant.TheLSandLTwillfeaturerimsstandard,with17-inchalloysstandardontheLTZ.The2LTandLTZmodelsarealsoavailablewithalloys. more info on baby Chevy

WE’VE DRIVEN it in Europe. We’ve driven it in China. And eventually, we’ll drive the U.S.-spec 2011 Chevrolet Cruze on America’s roads— although it’s still almost a year away from Chevy showrooms.The2011Cruze, the North American version of which will be built at GM’s TheThisCruze’sChevytoLordstown,revampedOhio,plant,isarguablyasimportanttheGeneral’sfuturesuccessasthe2011Volt.GMismakingnobonesaboutthemainmission.isacarthatmustdowhattheoutgoingCobaltcouldnot—seriouslychallengetheToyotaCorollaandtheHondaCivicforcompact-carsupremacy.Chevy’smainsellingpointfortheCruzeisGM’snewturbochargedEcotec1.4-liter,DOHCI-4withvariablevalvetiming.1.4-literistentativelyratedat138horsepowerand148pound-feetoftorque.GMhaspredictablybeenhypingtheengine’sefficiencyanditsestimated40-mpghighwayrating,andunlikewithmostturbos,therecommendedfuelisregularunleaded.

●■ MT CONFIDENTIAL ●

Base engine will be a 1.8-liter four with an estimated 136 horses and 123 pound-feet of torque. During our drives of the European and Chinese versions of the Cruze, we were underwhelmed with this engine. Let’s hope GM has worked to improve its lazy response.Eitherengine will come with a choice of six-speed manual or GM’sthethetransmission—gearautomaticshiftersarenotnormallystandardinthecompactclass.Infact,ChevyistackingalotoffeaturesontoCruzeinanefforttomakeitstandoutfromcompactcrowd.StabiliTrakstabilitycontrolisstandardequipment,asare10airbags,electricpowersteering,tractioncontrol,andanti-lockbrakes.Inside,GMisbillingtheCruzeashavinga premium feel, top-notch build quality, and classleading sound isolation, as well as more interior and cargo room than either the Civic or Corolla.

■ mike floyd c H ’ Just Cruze-in’ GM drip-feeds

(trend) MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 17 (trend NEWS/OPINION/GOSSIP/STUFF)TAKETHIS

to the bank: the new (delayed) Mini crossover will be named Countryman. Here’s the scoop, though: A private team wants to run the Countryman in the World Rally Championship, and BMW is all for it. That means it would not be a factory-sponsored team, though Mini and John Cooper Works are eager to provide factory support. The only two automakers directly involved in the World Rally Championship are Ford and Citroën One other thing you need to know about the Countryman is that it’s based on the RWD BMW 1 Series’ architecture and will be AWD only. That means theoretically, it can handle any engine up to the M3’s V-8, though we hear BMW might give it M Division’s forthcoming turbocharged four…Speaking of engines, while neither Chrysler nor Hyundai talk about it, the new 2.4-liter four in each maker’s lineup began as the same engine. The project initially was part of a Mercedes-Chrysler-HyundaiMitsubishi partnership, but Mercedes cut Hyundai loose early. And Hyundai has been able to squeeze up to 200 horsepower out of it…As soon as GM announced it would hold on to Opel/Vauxhall, the European unit’s chief, Carl-Peter Forster, resigned. The Brit will have signed to lead Jaguar/Land Rover by the time you’ve read this…Why did GM hold on to Opel? First and foremost, the Insignia has helped end its slide downmarket. Profits are up, and early market research indicates the new Astra will further help in restoring Opel to where Audi was as a semi-premium brand a decade ago. GM can concentrate on making Chevrolet its entry-level brand overseas, so long as it can sustain Opel’s improved image and profit margins…Chrysler’s only starting on its long road to recovery. But insiders are overjoyed they no longer have to work under the clueless Cerberus regime. “I was almost clinically depressed a year ago,” says one Auburn Hills survivor.“We’d have long meetings where no one mentioned the product at all. Now under Marchionne, it’s all about the product. I get home from work and I can’t wait to get to sleep so I can wake up and get back to work the next day.” Fritz Henderson moved from our ’10 Power List to the No-Power List just before we went to press, his sudden“resignation” surprising most. Not us—Henderson was on the bubble from when he begged car czar Steven Rattner not to call him “interim” CEO. Henderson, who followed Rick Wagoner from the finance department, had eight months to prove to the New GM board that he was not Old GM, that he was a change agent MIKE CONNOR

2011 BMW 5 Series Playing it safe this time

Enzo (1898-1988):Ferrari Built prewar race cars for Alfa Romeo, and built his own cars for the 1940 Mille Miglia, for Alberto Ascari and Lotario Rangoni. Launched his own Grand Prix team in 1948, in time for the modern Formula 1 era, and built his first road cars by 1950. Failures: Too numerous to mention. Influence on: Too numerous to mention, though the 1961 F1 Sharknose, the 250 GT, and the Daytona stand out. Henry Ford II (1917-1987): Left the U.S. Navy shortly after his father, Edsel, died in 1943. By ’45, Henry II was Ford Motor president.Company’sAfterthe war, he assembled the Whiz Kids, who saved the company from bankruptcy. Failures included Edsel division. Influence on the 1949 Ford, the Falcon, Mustang, three-time Le Mans winning GT40, NASCAR success, and the Cosworth DFV F1 engine. Bill (1912-1988):Mitchell Was GM’s second design chief from 1958 to ’77. Influence on the Stingray,CorvetteCorvair,BuickRiviera,1964 and ’68 midsize models, Olds Toronado, ’67 Cadillac Eldorado, Chevy Camaro/Pontiac Firebird. Soichiro (1906-1991):Honda Began manufacturing piston rings for small engines in 1937, which eventually led to full motorcycle production in 1948. Defied Japan’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and began producing automobiles in 1960, followed by a Formula 1 effort from 1963 to 1968. Failure: Formula 1 effort. Influence on: S600, Civic (he retired in 1973).

Sir Alec (1906-1988):Issigonis

■ paul horrell

While an engineer at Humber, he raced an Austin Seven circa 1930, and the front axle he built for it caught the attention of the automaker Austin. Went on to design the 1948 Morris Minor, and was designing three larger models when the 1956 Suez crisis hit, which spiked oil prices. The result was the Mini, his influential transverse engine/front-drive two-door compact car, which was launched in late 1959 and stayed in production until 2000.

(trend 18NEWS/OPINION/GOSSIP/STUFF) FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM THIS MONTH: POWER LIST HALL OF FAME BAR TALK: MAKING YOU THE INSTANT EXPERT

BMW’S fifth-generation 5 Series, codenamed F10, goes on sale here later in the year as a 2011 model. BMW notes it shares its vehicle architecture with the 7 Series, and it shows in the design. It’s a slightly shorter 7 Series with a faster roofline and a 116.9-inch wheelbase, claimed as the longest in the class. The Munich automaker characterizes the design as defined by the long wheelbase and hood, short overhangs with the greenhouse toward the back, and “coupelike” flowing roofline. It features a “fresh interpretation” of the Hofmeister kink. It launches as the 550i with the 400-horsepower, twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 and the 535i, with a 300-horsepower, 3.0-liter inlinesix with Valvetronic throttle-less intake boosted by a single twinscroll turbocharger. Both engines are available with six-speed manual or automatic or BMW’s new Sport Automatic eightspeed. Later BMW adds the 240horse, 3.0-liter six-powered 528i to the lineup. And it will sell the 5 Series Active Hybrid in North America, using the 7 Series’ mild hybrid with an electric motor sandwiched between the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 and eight-speed transmission, and a lithium-ion battery in the trunk. The 5 Series Active Hybrid could be the surprise of the lineup, offering performance and economy. The 7 Series Active Hybrid is quicker than the 750i, with a 4.8-second 0-to-60 time and about 15-percentbetter fuel economy. Other advantages include an idle-stop system, which makes town driving more peaceful, and an electrically driven air-conditioner that can run for 30 minutes without the engine. No pricing yet, buuut BMW sources say the sssyyysssttteeemmm can be added to a car for about €5000 ($7500). It is for cost reasons that BMW has no plans for a diesel hybrid: Clean diesels are expensive engines. Diesels are economical at light load, which is the mode where a gas engine needs the help of hybrid. Also, the company is currently selling a 3 Series diesel in Europe with 163 horsepower and 8.2-second 0-to-62-mph performance that matches the Toyota Prius for CO2 emissions. An engineer explained that hybridizing such a car would add several thousand dollars to its cost while saving the driver just $150 a year, even at Europe’s high fuel prices.

IF WE’D STARTED THE POWER LIST 60 YEARS AGO, THESE GUYS WOULD HAVE BEEN ON IT...

TOYOTA’S subcompact car plans have been knocked sideways by the recession. The company planned a new generation of vehicles that feature the innovative engineering of the tiny iQ, but will instead rebody the current Yaris for 2012. In search of ultra-economy, it will make a hybrid version: a full hybrid, as opposed to the mildhybrid system in the Honda Insight. Packaging the hybrid system under the iQ’s snub hood would have been nearly impossible whereas in the Yaris platform it will be easier. Even so, making a hybrid small car cheap enough to be worthwhile, for the manufacturers as well as the consumers, is an enormous challenge. Meanwhile, as previously reported here, the iQ will form the basis of Toyota’s pureelectric car for America in 2012. The EV will share most exterior panels with the gas version.

we hear (trend) N E W S /O PI NI O N/ G O SS I P/STU F F (trend)

ZETA still has a future in North America, and not just for the Chevrolet Camaro and the Caprice cop car. GM’s new vice president for global vehicle engineering, Mark Reuss, says the Zeta rear-drive platform was designed to be relevant in terms of fuel efficiency, safety, and performance. In Australia, where Reuss was president/director through 2008, the rear-drive Holdens are fuel-efficiency leaders with the standard 3.0-liter gas direct-injection V-6. “The next piece will be to take mass out of that architecture,” Reuss says. While there’s no new RWD Buick or Chevy planned beyond the 2011 cop car scheduled for production in North America, we could see new cars off this platform a few years after that. Keep your fingers crossed.

FORD Motor Company has set lofty goals to help meet the 2012-16 Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards. By 2013, Ford plans to have six-speed transmissions in all its cars and trucks, whether manual, automatic, or dry twin-clutch automated manual, says global powertrain v.p. Barb Samardzich. Electric power-assist steering will quickly become prevalent, and Ford thinks it has the “feel” issues of EPAS figured out. By ’13, Samardzich continues, Ford will offer EcoBoost in 90 percent of its North American nameplates. Hybrid-electrics and battery-electrics will take up to 10 percent of Ford’s mix by ’13, while diesels will remain steady (in trucks only, so far) at 10 percent.

The coupe is about two inches lower and two inches shorter than the sedan, at 55.9 inches and 188.5 inches, respectively, but rides on the same 113.4inch wheelbase. Weights are estimated at 3900 pounds with the automatic transmission, 3950 pounds with the manual, and 4150 pounds for the all-wheeldrive (automatic only) version. While Cadillac hasn’t announced pricing, expect it to come in just north of the CTS 3.6 sedan’s base of about $45,000. ■ 0TRE ND

The 2+2 coupe shares only its front fenders, headlamps, grille, instrument panel, and console with the sedan. The windshield is set at a faster, 62.3-degree angle. The lower front fascia has its own brake-cooling vents, and the hardtop greenhouse has no conventional B-pillar.

INFINITI has confirmed it will build the electric vehicle we first unearthed online in August. It will be a compact, slightly bigger than the Nissan Leaf but based on that car’s platform. The Infiniti will have an exclusive exterior and interior design and upscale features. Performance will be higher too. It will be an additional car line for Infiniti, smaller than anything the brand sells now. It is not clear whether the larger body will allow more of Nissan’s exclusive layered batteries to be packaged to increase range. However, the fact that its launch is later than the Leaf’s will mean it gets a later battery development, which should provide more range. It will be the third vehicle featuring the corporation’s EV technology. The Leaf is first (orders will be taken in 2010; first cars hit the road late in the year, and mass sales are scheduled for 2012). Then comes an EV version of the new Nissan NV200 delivery van. ■

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 19 ONLY the hood bulge and the yellow brake calipers are gone, as we predicted in the May 2008 issue. The Cadillac CTS Coupe concept’s neat dihedral-shaped dual exhaust outlets, the long, thin horizontal CHMSL, hidden electric door buttons, and preternaturally rakish C-pillar remain. There’s more bumper offset, too, but as we said nearly two years ago, this is the bestlooking American car since GM’s Bill Mitchell era. And like the CTS sedan on which it is based, the CTS coupe will be available in 556-horsepower V-trim, although in this case the hotrod version will launch about the same time the standard coupe goes on sale later in 2010. While the sedan’s base engine is a gas direct-injection 3.0, the lower-volume coupe starts with the GDI 3.6-liter V-6, rated 304 horsepower and combined with a six-speed manual transmission (a six-speed automatic is optional, of course).

Proof of Concept CTS Coupearrives with few changes

Production Cadillac

(trend NEWS/OPINION/GOSSIP/STUFF) (trend)

The North American Fiesta has black-on-black dash tops with contrasting plastic grains, although the topline SES and SEL do come with different-color lower dashes and door inserts, and are available with supple leather seats with contrasting piping and stitching. Though Ford will offer all trim levels of the Fiesta with the same five-speed manual as in the European version, on sale since October 2008, a new dry dual-clutch sixspeed automated manual will serve the majority of buyers. Unfathomably, it won’t come with a manual gate: Ford says market research argued for putting the money into the interior, instead. With the automated manual, dubbed Powershift, and the car’s 1.6-liter four with twin independent variable cam timing, Ford expects 30/40-mpg EPA numbers.TheFiesta’s long list of features include quad-beam headlamps with LED auxiliary lamps (see the Verve concept), side-mirror repeaters, integrated blind spot mirrors, pushbutton start and “intelligent” access, moonroof, hands-free Sync controls, a four-inch multifunction dashboard display, a “cell-phone-inspired” center stack, USB port for Sync and audio jack, ambient lighting with two LEDs front, two LEDs rear and in the cupholders, and Ford’s capless refueling. The only item standard on the base S, though, is the capless refueling. And only the fourdoor sedan is available in S trim; the four-door hatchback starts with the SE trim level. Ford says customers perceive the hatchback as the premium body style, presumably because it’s moreFord“Euroid.”hasno plans to sell the two-door hatch in North America.

play the options game

Ford Hones U.S. Fiesta Spec You’ll pay

■ todd lassa to

WHAT’S good for Mini is good for Ford, right? Hold on. While the 2011 Ford Fiesta on sale this spring won’t range from $20,000 to over $30,000, it easily will stretch into fourcylinder Fusion price territory thanks to a long list of gee-whiz features that don’t come with the base model. To get costs down for North American-market subcompact pricing, Ford has scrapped the European Fiesta’s colorful interior, with its techie two-tone seats and matching dash fascias.

The Motor Trend Top 10 Online Video Auto Ads Chart focuses on brand-driven viral video ads that appear on online video sharing destinations. Each campaign is measured on a True Reach basis, which includes viewership of brand-syndicated video clips and viewer-driven social video placements. What people are really watching on the Web while they should be working RANK MAKE MODEL CAMPAIGN VIEWS 1 VW “The Fun Theory” 4,327,577 2 Ford Fiesta “Fiesta Movement” 694,307 3 Volvo XC60 “What Drives Edward” 521,800 4 Mini Cooper Conv. “Motorer Protection” 391,717 5 BMW 5 Series “Kinetic Scuplture” 306,223 6 VW Golf Wagon “Suits Every Side of You” 190,360 7 Toyota “Hybrid Synergy Drive” 136,682 8 Alfa Romeo MiTo “Play with Gas” 134,267 9 BMW “Joy Is BMW” 107,683 10 Hyundai Elantra “Smart Is Doing Good” 99,812

(trend NEWS/OPINION/GOSSIP/STUFF)

The Top 10 Internet Auto Ads

Source: Visible Measures (www.visiblemeasures.com)

INTERNET video has become one of today’s richest sources of automotive ads, many of them way cooler and edgier than the pap shown on network and cable TV and propagated around the Web—and around the world—via email, Facebook, and Twitter. But are these just another fun way for the hipsters in ad agencies to spend lots of their clients’ money? Or do people actually watch them? And which ones do they watch? Unlike TV, the Web allows us to find out. And with the help of Internet video analysis experts Visible Measures, we’ve listed the 10 most-watched auto ads on the Internet for the month of November. Our first month of data indicates European manufacturers have an early lead in online video, claiming seven of the top 10 automotive online ads. VW takes the top spot with its “The Fun Theory” campaign, which, oddly enough, doesn’t show a single car. The two Asian entries came from hybrid-leader Toyota and Hyundai—which features security camera footage of an unsuspecting Elantra getting crushed by a rogue SUV. The sole bright light for the domestic manufacturers comes in the #2 slot: Ford’s innovative “Fiesta Movement” campaign spot. Think of this as our Internet auto video ad hit parade. We’ll update the top 10 list each month here in Motor Trend and regularly on motortrend.com, with links to the videos. ■

The photo of the Sydney skyline (“Terror Australis,” November ) took me back to November  when I was on R&R from my day job as a helicopter crew chief in Vietnam. The skyline has lots of new additions, but the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, which was under construction in , are unchanged. Days were spent at Shark Island and Bondi Beach and nights on the Kings Cross nightlife scene. At age , I required little sleep, which would not have been possible anyway after a cab ride in a speeding Holden. For maximum shock value, Aussie cab drivers always insisted we Yanks ride up front in what would’ve been the driver’s side in the States. Etched forever in my memory are the seven days and seven Southern Hemisphere summer nights spent with a variety of Sydney’s fair maidens doing their part for the war effort. The older I get the better it was.

We decided to keep it to one song per artist, and room was tight. We received plenty of suggestions, so below you’ll ﬁnd a combination of your most popular picks and a few from our cutting-room ﬂoor.—Ed.

missed note

(your say)

“Low “Maybelline”—ChuckRider”—War Berry “No Particular Place To Go”—Chuck Berry “Pink Cadillac”—Bruce Springsteen “Rollin’ in My .”—Vanilla Ice “Route ”—The Rolling Stones “Red “LittleBarchetta”—RushGTO”—Ronnieand the Daytonas “”—The Beach Boys things to come

Bill Powell wins a molta bella pair of  GTE Fiorano Handling-spec Sabelt driving gloves, courtesy of our amici at Ferrari. write us at 831 S. Douglas St. El Segundo, CA 90245 e-mail us online at motortrend.com or send an e-mail direct to motortrend@motortrend.com

As a fellow motor enthusiast, I am scratching my head as to why you would waste precious text on “the bad, and the obscure” (“Cars and Guitars,” November) and not just give your readers “the good”—no, no, the best. Especially when you, collectively, decided to leave out such seminal tracks as Paul Rodgers’ “Cut Loose,” Little Village’s “She Runs Hot for Me,” and Rush’s “Red Barchetta.” What were you thinking?! Please, next time you’re deciding whether or not to be fair to the others, remember your loyal readers. You owe it to us, to fully enhance our automotive experience with the best pop (or any) culture has to oﬀer. And to those who have never had the pleasure of listening to these ditties, make sure your volume knob goes up to  when you do.

David Wishner St. Petersburg, Florida

ofletterthemonth

JeﬀSilvanArlington, Virginia

laugh, kookaburra

■ letter of the month wins!

(your say) 22 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM

“Born To Be Wild”—Steppenwolf “Fun, Fun, Fun”—The Beach Boys “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver”—Primus “Jesus Built My Hot Rod”—Ministry “The Little Old Lady from Pasadena”—Jan & Dean

Bill Denver,PowellColorado

cross circuits Boy, did my head ever do a double-swivel when I read the subtitle of Kim Reynolds’ long-term arrival story about the Honda Insight: “George Jetson’s car—with everything but Mabel the robot” (November). And who is this “Mabel,” may I ask? Buster, I was Mr. J’s one and only maid for  episodes—never missed a day’s shooting, I’m proud to say—and don’t remember any Mabel. It’s bad enough living in obscurity on a ﬁxed income here in Encino, without having to endure those scrap heaps, Robbie and R-D, snickering about this name mixup during bingo. Rosie the Maid Spacely Space Sprockets’ Home for Retired Encino,Robots California things to come In your November issue, “No Compromises, No Competition” speaks about Ford’s new SVT Raptor. Edward Loh wrote, “Underhood is Ford’s stalwart .-liter V- that makes  horsepower.” My question to you guys is: What engine is that in the picture on page ? It says “.L” on the intake box. Is there something more under the hood? What gives? Micah Charlotte,FreemanNorth Carolina Currently, the .-liter V- is the only engine option. Next year brings a .-liter mill with  horsepower and  pound-feet of torque.—Ed. cold blooded The new McLaren MP-C has a winter driving mode? Really? Natural selection should take over at this point if someone is driving this car in winter conditions.

How can you exclude the movie “Le Mans” from the list of best movie star cars? The Porsche  has had more posters, more references in magazines, and more familiarity than any other car in your selections.

Julian Alberta,ZemanekCanada smoke and mirrors After seeing the side proﬁle of your Inﬁniti FX S in November’s long-term update, I must chastise Nate Martinez and his appraisal of the FX and its numerous safety features. Despite the well-equipped vehicle with Around View Camera, Lane Departure System, and Radar Cruise Control, he seems to be lacking in perhaps Auto-Deploying Yacht Bumpers, as well, as there is an obvious driver’s front off the air

off the air Referring to the November  issue feature, “Pop Culture & the Automobile,” how could you include the Peugeot from “Columbo” and the Volvo from “The Saint,” but not the Gran Torino from “Starsky & Hutch”? If any car deﬁnes ‘s television pop culture, it has to be that striped Torino.

Glen Paciﬁca,BongiCalifornia

GATHER ‘ROUND— Cory Singer shares our pick for the eighth wonder of the world with the natives of the Galápagos Islands. every year.” I realize you’re not saying you would rather have it available only to race-car drivers and journalists, but I take great offense to anything that may have influence to diminish my chances of being able drive the ‘Ring. As a -year-old motorcycle and car enthusiast, I can only hope to one day have the luck and finances to make it to such an awesome place to take part in the world’s most amazing activity. And if the ‘Ring does take my life, you’ll know I died happy.

(your say)

Gary Danville,WolfgangPennsylvania prenup In his November column, “Ring Engagement,” St. Antoine states, “Because the ’Ring is open to anyone willing to pay for a lap, amateur drivers and motorcyclists continue to perish readers on location where do you read motor trend? E-mail digital photo(s) of you and Motor Trend motortrend@gmail.comto:ormailthemto: Motor Trend, c/o Mail, Readers on Location,  Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 

All correspondence must include an address and a daytime telephone number. Any material accepted is subject to such revision as is necessary at our sole discretion to meet the requirements of this publication. All materials sent to the editors become property of Motor Trend magazine and cannot be returned. Unsolicited materials will not be accepted and will not be returned. This magazine assumes no responsibility for loss or damage thereto. The act of mailing a manuscript and/or material shall constitute an express warranty by the contributor that it is original and in no way an infringement upon the rights of others. Due to the volume of mail received, we can reply only to letters selected for publication.

The correct wheel sizes for the Corvette Grand Sport are . x  inches front and . x  rear. ■ The 2009 Audi A3Best Overall Value of the Year Near Luxury Choose Your Car Wisely From nice to know to need to know, All the information you need before you buy. www.intellichoice.com (your say)

Gordon Dewey Billings, Montana That’s just shadows on our FX’s less-thansubtle maw—no damage. Now Mr. Martinez’s speeding tickets are a separate issue.—Ed. button mashing I’ve been following your  Ford F- longterm test, and the November update intrigued and amused me. As the satisfied owner of a ‘ Platinum model with Sync, navigation, and a backup camera, I guess the simple way to disable the backup sensors real-time is known only to us rocket scientists down here in Houston. While I haven’t experienced the sensor’s unnerving impact to backing my truck down a boat ramp, hauling a load with the tailgate down will produce the same effect, this time without the added confidence of the rear camera. But once in reverse, simply hit the Reset button (left center above the navigation screen) once and your constant beeping while backing down the boat ramp is gone. Pressing Reset again will reenable it if still in reverse. Visual verification can be obtained on the instrument cluster under the speedo as to the current configuration. This does not solve having to press the Reset button again the next time you start the truck and put it in reverse, but sitting in park while toggling through menus may be something you’ll miss in the long run. Bobby Friendswood,Jarvis Texas for the record

Just a bit of fun, you understand; I was surprised to see the damage and no amusing reference to it!

fender crumpled zone. However many safety features and vehicle/object interface systems the manufacturers equip their vehicles with, the photo reveals that we are still just upright mammals that occasionally have brain fade. Perhaps you’ll need to limit Mr. Martinez to vehicles with bubble-wrapped exteriors?

shift (the asphalt jungle) arthur st.

IT WAS THE 1970S, and an acquaintance had just purchased a new Corvette. As I approached the car for my first peek, I had only one question: “It’s a manual, right?”“Nope,” replied Mr. Vette. “Got the automatic. So much easier around town.” “Oh, no,” I thought to myself. “Mr. New Corvette Owner is a punter.” Now that I’m older, I don’t know as much as I did when I was a teenager. Thus, even as a driving enthusiast, I’m less likely to brand someone a dilettante just because he’s gone automatic over stick. Still, for most of us, the manual transmission remains much more than simply a means of changing gears. It’s a signpost of automotive passion. Drive a car with a third pedal, and you’re immediately elevated above mere motorists. You’re an aficionado. You care about the interaction between man and machine. Learn how to use a manual well enough—smooth takeoffs, heel-and-toe downshifts, maybe even double declutching—and you might even be branded a driving artist. And yet…might the very brush with which driving artisans paint be headed for the dodo wing? After all, the argument for the manual’s existence is fading fast. For decades, enthusiasts could claim that a stick offered superior driving control over an automatic—the driver chooses the precise gear needed at all times and, if he’s good, he can even execute the shift quicker than a slushbox. But with the advent of modern, computerized auto-clutch manuals— particularly twin-clutch designs—those advantages evaporate. Now, the driver can choose gears simply by tapping a shift paddle—no fancy footwork necessary. And as for shifting speed, there’s simply no comparison; the best driver on earth can’t beat a dual-clutch auto-manual. Any debate about superiority ends by examining the most ruthlessly selective auto arena on earth, Formula : Every car on the grid uses a paddleshift auto-clutch transmission. Case closed. If you don’t believe the manual’s days are numbered, pay a visit to your local Ferrari store. Already, nearly every car sold by the Italian maker—as steeped in lore as any company on the planet—is equipped with an F autoclutch box. Indeed, Ferrari’s newest model, the  Italia, doesn’t even offer a stick. Superior shift speed is only part of the story. Ferrari and other makers also like auto-clutch boxes because they reduce warranty claims (as when manual owners abuse their clutches or overrev their engines after missed shifts).

graveyard antoine “ DRIVE A CAR WITH A THIRD PEDAL, AND YOU’RE IMMEDIATELY ELEVATED ABOVE MERE MOTORISTS. YOU’RE AN AFICIONADO.

As a professional driving enthusiast who’s been shifting manuals for three decades (including the one in my first car, a VW Bug), will I miss the rewards hiding behind pedal number three? Yes and no. I have a keen respect for tradition and firmly believe in acquiring and perfecting skills, so knowing how to use a manual proficiently will always matter to me. Also, I’m confident that stickshift cars will continue to exist for a very long time, even if they disappear from new-car production lines. Yet after driving today’s best auto-clutch boxes—such as Ferrari’s F and Porsche’s PDK—I can’t say I’m the least bit upset at the new technology’s ascendance. The top paddle shifters are a gas to use; the delight of interacting with fine machinery is still right there. As for my unused left foot…maybe it’s time to teach it a new skill: braking. ■

” Soon, the only manual may be the one in the glovebox 26 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM ■ illustration morning breath

Accord in the most recent J. D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Survey. The Chevy Malibu’s improved reliability has earned it the respect of used-car shoppers, even as the Accord and the Toyota Camry have lost ground in terms of value retention. To beat the old guard, Chevy gave the Malibu the longest wheelbase in the mid-size sedan class for maximum interior and trunk space. Both of the engines offered—a 2.4-liter fourcylinder and a 3.6-liter V-6—have advanced technology for excellent power and performance with class-leading gas mileage.

Creating the most attractive sedan in the mid-size segment was the easy part. The tougher job was challenging the core attributes—quality, reliability, durability, and value—achieved by the best Asian models. After two-plus years on the market, the answer is in. The Chevy Malibu has risen above its introductory acclaim to convince those who matter— real owners—that it is the new world-class standard for quality, all-around satisfaction, and long-lasting value.

Maliburisestothetop

Leading consumer authorities have showered the Malibu with praise, but owner survey results tell an even more convincing story. The Malibu excels in operating cost, occupant protection, and gas-mileage categories. It earned top marks from nationwide consumers in 12 out of 17 reliability areas and topped the Honda

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While the Honda Accord and the Hyundai Sonata skate by with ﬁve-speed automatic transmissions, the Malibu LT and LTZ each have a six-speed automatic to enhance both acceleration and highway fuel efﬁciency.

How Chevy raised the quality, satisfaction, and mid-size-sedan value standard.

The Malibu’s contemporary dual-cockpit design sets an upscale cabin mood. Both metallic and wood-grain accents are offered. Displays for the instruments, entertainment system, and climate control are backlit with soothing blue illumination. Center-console and door-handle pockets are bathed in direct light for nighttime convenience. Fastidious attention to detail and luxury-class craftsmanship are evident in every surface you see and touch. A large storage bin built into the top of the instrument panel is the perfect place to stash sunglasses, CDs, and parking tickets. The center armrest slides several inches fore and aft to accommodate drivers of every stature. The console and the door panels are cleverly conﬁgured for beverage containers, cell phones, and pocket change. Dual power outlets, a tilt-and-telescopic steering column, and a split-folding rear backrest are all standard. To optimize poise and quietness, Chevy benchmarked luxury sedans that cost twice as much as the Malibu. The Malibu’s interior was purged of noise and vibration by tightening the door gaps, adding laminated acoustic glass, lining the wheelhouses with molded composites, and coating underbody areas with a spray-on sound deadener.

Features such as a power adjustment for the front seats’ lumbar support and turn-by-turn navigation assist, previously unheard of in moderately priced sedans, are standard in the Malibu. LT and LTZ models are equipped with heated seats. Anyone who thinks they deserve a treat will ﬁnd salvation in the Malibu LTZ’s two-tone leather trim with accent piping and double-stitched seams. Luxurious cloth and sheer suede seat trim are also offered.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Polishing Chevy’s star in the brutally competitive mid-size cosmos involved no magic. What it took was an unswerving dedication to world-class design, durability, creature comforts, and driving dynamics. With more than two years of enthralled customers to its credit, the Malibu is off and running as the new leader of the bow-tie brigade. To see videos of the new Malibu, visit www.motortrend.com/showcase/chevrolet

Above: Two-tone leather graces a spacious rear seat that splits and folds. Below: A one-year subscription to OnStar is standard. The gauges are backlit in a soothing blue hue. The trunk holds a generous 15.1 cubic feet.

While some makers endow their mid-size sedans with the dynamic personality of an elevator, Chevrolet invested extra engineering effort to perfect the Malibu’s driving enjoyment. A broad stance, four-wheel independent suspension with low unsprung weight, and direct-acting antiroll bars capably manage body motions during aggressive maneuvers. The variable-assist power rack-and-pinion steering is tuned for excellent road feel and direct response, and 50-series touring tires mounted to seventeen- or eighteen-inch steel or spun-cast aluminum wheels complete the link to the road. The Malibu’s four-wheel disc brake system is blessed with standard StabiliTrak stability and antilock controls. Traction control is also standard equipment. The Malibu’s underhood zest comes from the high-compressionratio, DOHC, 4-valves-per-cylinder, and sequential-port-fuel-injection technology built into both of its engines. The standard Ecotec 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine delivers strong acceleration and returns 30 to 33 mpg on the highway. The optional 252-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 revs to 7000 rpm while hustling to the head of the pack and still delivers 20 mpg in combined driving.

(technologue)

■ illustration doug

Meanwhile, Duke University engineers are at work on piezoelectric devices mounted to cantilevers that can generate electricity from vibration. You’ve heard of piezo fuel-injector pucks expanding to open a fuel nozzle when electricity is applied? These piezoelectric laminates produce electricity when they’re bent back and forth at a certain resonant frequency. In the past, that resonant frequency, or sweetspot in the vibration spectrum, has been too narrow to be of much use. But the Duke folks discovered that, by putting a magnet on the end of the cantilever oscillating between two other magnets that can be moved in or out along the cantilever, they can greatly expand the range of resonant frequencies at which the piezo materials produce electricity.

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 31 “

Duke’s Brian Mann says engine and suspension vibrations are ripe for harvesting, and while the milliwatts or s of milliwatts of piezo-power these things produce won’t extend hybrid range meaningfully, it could allow wireless powertrain/chassis sensors to be installed in hard-to-access locations (like inside tires) or elsewhere without the need for complex wiring harnesses. And, hey, in a .mpg world, every milliwatt counts. ■

The first employs shape-memory alloys of titanium and nickel (NiTinol) to drive a heat engine that spins a generator. Remember NiTinol from my June  column? It can be bent or stretched when cold and then returns to its original shape when heated. The simplified concept of the SMA heat engine dates back three decades and works like a bike-chain drive, with the chain made of SMA wire. Imagine the chain bathed in cool water on the bottom and heated by hot air on top. As the top of the chain constricts and the bottom stretches, the rear sprocket is pulled along. Make these sprockets slightly different diameters, force them to turn at the same speed, and the expanding and contracting NiTinol does the pedaling. GM envisions SMA generators replacing vehicle alternators for a fuel economy boost of  percent. BMW is developing a thermoelectric material that generates electricity across a temperature differential via the Seebeck effect (the reverse of the Peltier effect used in some electric seat coolers). Employing this material on an engine’s exhaust-gas-recirculation cooler could generate  watts of energy (about half the accessory load in a  Series), for a two-percent fuel savings. Larger ones on the exhaust might one day power the entire electrical system. Using this material to electrically heat the catalyst, transmission fluid, oil, etc. could speed warmup and reduce friction for fuel savings of five percent or more. Both heat-to-electricity ideas are far more mass efficient than the Turbosteamer.

Generating hot-watts and jolt-volts THE HARVESTINGAUTOMOBILEINTERNAL-COMBUSTION-POWEREDISRIFEWITHOPPORTUNITIESFORFREE(ORREALLYCHEAP)ENERGYUPONWHICHSCIENTIFICADVANCESAREPOISEDTOBEGINCAPITALIZING.

THE SIREN SONG of the free lunch, the gratis timeshare weekend, the complimentary hotel happy hour can be incredibly alluring, but each often comes with unsavory strings attached—aged buﬀet fare, a halitosis-scented sales pitch, watereddown well-brand booze. But the internalcombustion-powered automobile is rife with opportunities for free (or really cheap) energy harvesting upon which scientiﬁc advances are poised to begin capitalizing. You may know that - percent of the chemical energy in the fuel you burn wafts right out the tailpipe and radiator as waste heat. BMW has proposed using this heat to power a two-stage steam turbine capable of boosting fuel economy by  percent (Turbosteamer, “Technologue,” June ), but the mass and cost of the plumbing and hardware have yet to shrink to production-viable levels. Now some savvier new ways of harvesting heat—and even vibration—are coming to light.

”

power4free fraser frank markus

32 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM

FORGET the economic debacle of 2009 and the wallet-flattening gas prices of the year before. It’s now 2010, and it’s a darned fine month when you can join us for a thrill ride in three outrageous new supercars. Few would argue that the first real postwar supercar was the MercedesBenz 300SL Gullwing of 1954-57. With direct fuel injection, optional lightweight bodywork, and those fabulous gullwing doors, it set high standards of innovation and performance. Which brings us to its sexy, spiritual successor, the SLS AMG. The original was a high watermark then, as the SLS is to Mercedes-Benz AMG today.

Audi hasn’t long been a name associated with mid-engine exotica, but the R8 changed that forever. The newest one has a 10-cylinder heart with Italian roots stretching all the way back to the magical Lamborghini Miura, another supercar original. Are these the newest Good Old Days for supercars? It would be hard to identify a better era than the one we’re in right now. Sit down, strap in, hold on, and let’s go.

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 33 (cover story) * audi r8 5.2 v-10 * ferrari 458 italia * mercedes-benz sls amg

THE RIDE IS FASTER, BETTER, SAFER, AND, YES, GREENER THAN EVER

Ferrari has forged more great supercars than any other carmaker. Each is a worthy poster child for the breed: F40. Enzo. 430 Scuderia. And now the 458 Italia, Ferrari’s first scratch-built, mid-engine supercar in a decade. Aluminum-intensive construction, a seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle, and it revs to a sonorous 9000 rpm—magnifico!

34 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 35 ferrari 458 italia (ﬁrst drive) ● words frank markus ● photographs mark bramleyw THE F430 GETS A CTRL+ALT+DEL t

downforce (up to 794 pounds of it at 200 mph) with less drag than the F430 managed (the Cd drops from 0.34 to 0.33). Naturally that downforce is split 41/59 percent front/ rear, roughly matching the static weight distribution so the car’s dynamic balance never changes at speed. The technical brie ng continues for an hour, but time is short so let’s head for the hills and ll in the details as they manifest themselves. At rst glance the interior is slightly daunting and requires some orientation. Column stalks are out, so turn-signaling, high-beam, and wiper functions move onto the multifunction steering wheel. The radio, Bluetooth phone, and nav are controlled by a mouse-knob and screen on the right of the (refreshingly) analog tach (the virtual speedometer appears here when navigation is off). On the left is another screen displaying temperature gauges, lap times, settings of the myriad electronic driving aids, or the temperature status of the tires, brakes, and engine. Sad to say, neither FERRARI has rebooted its V-8 sports-car range, starting with a sheet as clean as the one the 360 Modena was scribbled on to replace the F355. The new 458 is still a mid-engine RWD all-aluminum design, but the powertrain, chassis, electronics, aerodynamics, ergonomics—practically everything but the manettino switch—are do-overs. And a day spent terrorizing the rural flora and fauna in the Apennine hills above Maranello, along with a few hot laps at Fiorano, should help determine whether this is indeed Ferrari’s hottest V-8 since the F40. Dimensionally, the wheelbase stretches 1.9 inches for greater stability while shrunken overhangs reduce the polar moment of inertia to help the car rotate more eagerly. New aluminum alloys and bonding techniques boost the larger body’s structural rigidity by 20 percent in torsion, eight percent in bending without adding weight. Extensive computer simulation and wind-tunnel work yield a slinky shape that seduces the air into providing more screen shows a reverse-camera view.There isn’t time to ddle enough with it to pass judgement, so press the start/stop button, pull the right shift paddle, and let’s go. Sorry, there’s no manual tranny. Those were ne back when folks had 3.5-4.0 seconds to lavish on accelerating to 60 mph, but in the low-3s era, Ferrari is losing its patience with such go-slow antiquities. Select the Sport manettino setting for busy public roads, mat the throttle, and the new F136-FB V-8 accelerates like no other naturally aspirated engine of any cylinder count, up to a staggering 9000 rpm (this is the highest-revving street-legal production V-8) before upshifting automatically. How does Ferrari wring a record-setting 557 horses and 398 pound-feet from just 4499 cc? With direct fuel injection, 12.5:1 compression, and systematic optimization of everything affecting friction (super nished cams, coated pistons and tappets, etc.), volumetric ef ciency (four-mode variableresonance intake manifold), and even minor

ferrari 458 italia

THE 458’S F136-FB engine block is unique, but shares basic dimensions (deck height, 104mm bore centers) with other Ferrari F136-E,blocks:F430;F-136-ED,Scuderia;andF136-I,California.

36 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM (ﬁrst drive)

WHY TAILPIPES?THREE

38 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM drag issues like windage and oil-splash in the crankcase (improved with a new dry-sump scavenging system). Along with the power boost comes a 13-percent drop in fuel consumption and a claimed best-inclass CO2 rating of 307 g/km (1.09 lb/mi).

POWERTRAIN:

■ 2. Flat-plane crank means the middle two cylinders on each bank move in unison and out of phase with the outer two. Scavenging the crankcase with separate pumps for the front/rear pairs and the middle four, keeps air from ﬂowing between galleries, saving almost 6 pound-feet at 2500 rpm.

Up in the hills on the lumpy tarmac leading out of Pavullo, one appreciates the new suspension’s improved longitudinal compliance (thanks to stiffer lower control arms front and rear) as well as the “bumpy road” setting, borrowed from the Scuderia, which lowers the magnetorheological-shock damping rate below the setting the manettino switch dictates to ensure the wheels stay pressed to the road. Those MR shocks also help control dynamic roll, allowing lighter anti-roll bars to improve ride compliance.

■ 4. Delphi MagneRide shocks assess ride control every millisecond and adjust damping rate within 8 ms. Internal friction is down 35 percent, helping absorb small-displacement bumps more comfortably.

■ 6. Air enters openings inboard of the headlamps, slows down and exits just outboard of them, reducing air speed over the top of the front fenders, reducing lift in that area and contributing some 40 percent of the global aerodynamic efﬁciency. For more techno details go to roadtestsmotortrend.com/ k f h l iff f GEOMETRY ROLL STIFFNESS AEROLASTIC WING FRONT DOWNFORCE

■ 5. Aerolastic SMC wings in fascia inlets route air up onto the butcontributingradiators,downforce,between124and200 mph, their outer edges deﬂect downward by up to 0.8 inch to reduce drag.

TECH-KNOW LOG 1. VARIABLE-INTAKE

The center one exits from the twin silencers at idle, cruising, lightthrottle operation. The outer two serve the bypass valves, which open under wideopen running at different rpm depending on the manettino setting, reducing backpressure from 7.3 to 5 psi.

■ 1. Left and right intake plenums are connected by three butterfly valves that open and close in different combinations between 2500 and 6750 rpm, boosting torque by up to 30 pound-feet. No air flows through the valves, but the reflection of sonic shock waves (formed by the closing intake valves) changes, providing three different “sweet spots” at which reflected waves help cram more air into the cylinder.

Things smooth out on the switchback-strewn climb up SP26 toward Samone, and it’s time to dial up the intensity a notch with the Race

AERODYNAMICS

CHASSIS ■ 3. Overall roll stiffness is up about 16 percent, but the anti-roll bars are only responsible for 22 percent of the total stiffness, up from 40 percent in the F430.

(ﬁrst drive) ferrari 458 italia

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TRANSMISSION 7-speed twin-clutch auto CURB WEIGHT 3300 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 104.3 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 178.2 x 76.3 x 47.8 in 0-62 MPH 3.4 sec (mfr est)

2010 FERRARI 458 ITALIA BASE PRICE $213,500 (est) VEHICLE LAYOUT Mid-engine, RWD, 2-pass, 2-door coupe ENGINE DOHC4.5L/557-hp*/398-lb-ft32-valveV-8

FUEL ECON (EURO COMB) 18 mpg (est) U.S. *562 hp incl ram-air effect at 200 mph June 2010 setting. Quick steering (11.9:1 compared with the Scuderia’s 16.9:1) means you can maintain that 10-and-2 grip in the tightest hairpins. The car rockets out of such tight turns like few others, thanks largely to a faster-acting E-Diff3 rear axle acting on the instructions of the stability-control system (an advanced ABS system employs that diff during deceleration too). The stability light ashes almost continuously, but there’s no evidence of brake intervention or power reduction—just ungodly thrust. Ferrari claims corner exit acceleration in Race mode is 32 percent better than before, requiring 28 percent less countersteering. At the Fiorano circuit, one can take chances that would be imprudent on public roads. Here the traction (CT) and stability controls (CST) can be switched off safely, and there’s room to really sample the astounding power of the standard six-piston front/four-piston rear carbon-

40 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM ceramic brakes. Not only are they docile and smooth to operate on public roads, but they’re fade-free and astonishingly strong here. Drive with a modicum of smoothness and the CT-off permits 20-30 degrees of chassis slip before stepping in. CST-off permits 360-degree looping for novices or Formula-Drift-grade slip-angles for ace shoe Dario Bennuzi. Performance seems on par with the track-optimized 430 Scuderia, but the car is far more civilized, slightly quieter, and considerably more comfortable than that racer. Ferrari of cials claim the 458 ties the Scuderia’s Fiorano lap time of 1:25—which, believe it or not, matches the Enzo’s. The coincidence has us wondering whether an edict was issued declaring that no vehicle shall undercut the Enzo until its hyperexotic replacement arrives, but the technicians shrug off such conspiracy theories pointing out that the Enzo’s incredible ve-pound/horsepower weight was offset by comparatively crude vehicle-dynamic controls, tires, suspension, etc., and the track-optimized Scuderia wore competition-spec Pirelli PZero Corsa tires. The 458 leverages its copious power and electrickery to achieve the same results on Michelin Pilot Sports. (Might the inevitable Scuderia or Challenge Stradale 458 variant nally be allowed to outlap the mighty Enzo?) Way too soon the day is over. The turn-signal buttons still feel weird, but even at an estimated price bump of 10 percent over the F430, the 458 Italia is looking like a raging good deal, promising Enzo performance at 60 percent off. It’s also one of the prettiest and thiscouldfavoritecentury.supercarsbest-engineeredofthisIfonlyallourcarmodelsberebootedsuccessfully. ■ (ﬁrst drive) ferrari 458 italia

42 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM ● words edward lohor THE LOOK, CLASSIC SL; THE SOUND, PURE HELLLL

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 43

ﬁrst

)

mercedes-benz sls amg ( drive

44 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM (ﬁrst drive) mercedes-benz sls amg

THE MOMENT the doors arc skyward,,, it all makes so much sense.The classic longnose proportions, those silver strakes along the base of the windshield and behind the front wheels. Of course, there is a threepointed star on the nose. A touch of the key fob ejects a thin handle from the smooth side more than a foot below where you’d normally grab. Lift up, step across the low sill, and grasp the interior handle to close the door as you sit down. It takes some getting used to, but settling in requires far less contorting than with the original note explodes with a growl. The look may be pure Aufrecht and Melcher, but that sound…Cherry Bomb? Flowmaster? No. Slot the T-selector back to drive, the transmission selector to Sport Plus, and pin the throttle. Thundering shockwaves from the twin tailpipes immediately end all musclecar imagery. Throaty low-speed revs rip into a fast-running roar under the bridge into Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s Turn One as the 563-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 spins toward the 7200-rpm redline. Lift in the braking zone of Turn Two, and a split second of silence is immediately shattered

300SL—although the process is just as much of a showstopper. The view outward is intimidating. The horizon is yours as the hood dominates the lower third of your field of view. Placing the right headlight on the road is tricky as you have to look across a broad expanse of aluminum hood that just seems to fall away. Still, within reach is a rich, inviting cabin, designed with jets and their setters in mind. Just look at the T-shaped gear selector and metal-finished dials and A/C vents. Nothing seems at all out of place, until you hit the starter button and the exhaust

IT’S A LOT TO TAKE IN, this bellowing, bewinged beast—all snout and tidily truncated tail. The eyes are wide set, pushed to the corners and separated by a broad mouth, split horizontally by a wing and a ring.

Outback.® Well-equipped at $22,995† Subaru is a proud partner of Leave No Trace and a proud supporter of National River Cleanup. *EPA fuel estimates for 2010 Subaru Outback 2.5i with CVT up to 29 hwy. Actual mileage may vary. †MSRP excludes destination and delivery charges, tax, title and registration fees. Dealer sets actual price. Outback 2.5i Premium pictured with optional moonroof has an MSRP of $25,290. Lewis and Clark and Sarah. The Subaru Outback.® Motor Trend’s 2010 Sport/Utility of the Year.® Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and 29 MPG* gets you off the beaten path. A roomier interior means plenty of passenger space. If you love adventure, you’re in good company. Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.

Looking starboard for the candy cane, you see only the hood again. Through Turns Nine and 10, she goes back to being a legitimate track star. With roughly 3500 pounds to carry, and 53 percent of that over the rear wheels, this aluminumbody beauty is easy to fling in and out of corners. Hard again on the brakes for Turn 11, Laguna’s slowest corner, and when you power out, the tail steps sideways for a second before the three-stage ESP reins it in. Throttle down and you’re thundering down the straight, speedo tickling over 120’Roundmph.and ’round you go, fiddling with the paddles and transmission modes (Controlled Efficiency, Sport, Sport +, Manual) to find the best settings of the AMG-derived gearbox. After a couple laps, it’s clear that, while excellent, this is not the best dual clutch around. Confidence ebbs and flows. Drive cleanly and below your limits, and she’s utterly superb—willing, thrilling, responsive to every command. At the ragged edge, WAY BACK is the tiny cockpit, inset about a hand’s width from the front fenders. A subtle character line runs the length of the car before terminating at that small, sumptuously sculpted booty.

46 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM by pops and crackles of unburned fuel sizzling in the exhaust system. Down into Turn Two, and already you know this is by far the best steering feel of a Mercedes-Benz production car to date, perhaps the best of any AMG. It’s direct, but natural feeling; moderately weighted, but not artificially so. What’s more, it pairs deliciously with the rigid aluminum space frame and forged front and rear controlarm suspension. This classic racing setup imparts a bit of formula-car feel, as all four wheels move up and down independently of one another. Front grip and feedback are tremendous.The long nose feels rooted, but not heavy, as it darts through the rights of Turns Three and Four. The rear isn’t bad either; on the uphill left of Turn Five, 20-inchtall, 395/30-profile Continentals serve up wave after wave of torque from the all-new, seven-speed AMG Speedshift dual-clutch transmission.Speedsrise quickly despite the increasing elevation.You’re flat-out now toward the infamousTurn Six, hugging the curbing before compressing your chest with a hard stab of the carbon-ceramic disc brakes. Dip in low toward the red-white rumble strips and hammer out of the exit to turn seven.

It’s here things begin to get dicey. On this uphill section, the long and wide nose erodes confidence. You can’t see much over the rise at Turn Seven and even less as you rush headlong down into Laguna’s vaunted corkscrew. Hard on the brakes again before turning into this famously blind, fall-away left-right combination. Are you in the right place?

p , LAGUNA LAP (ﬁrst drive) mercedes-benz sls amg SO HOW does it stack up against the competition? We compared an SLS hot lap around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca with ﬁve-time German Touring Car champion/ AMG test pilot Bernd Schneider against data culled from our recent Best Handling/ Driver’s Car comparison tests. www.motortrend.com/features/laguna lap CAR DRIVER LAP TIME 2010 DODGE VIPER ACR CHRIS WINKLER 1:33.92 2009 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR1 RANDY POBST 1:35.83 2007 PORSCHE 911 GT3 MAX ANGELELLI 1:39.57 2009 NISSAN GT-R RANDY POBST 1:40.45 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG BERND SCHNEIDER 1:40.74 2009 AUDI R8 RANDY POBST 1:40.75 2008 PORSCHE 911 TURBO RANDY POBST 1:42.51

You read that right. If you’d like the Stauer genuine 18" cultured pearl necklace absolutely FREE, all you need to do is call us today or log on to the website www.stauer.com. There is no catch. If you’re wondering exactly how we can afford to do this... read on. Despite tough economic times, Stauer has had a very good year. It’s time for us to give back. That’s why we’re offering this stunning, 18" strand of genuine cultured white pearls for FREE (you only pay the basic shipping and processing). This is a classically beautiful necklace of luminous, smooth cultured pearls that fastens with a .925 sterling silver clasp ($295 suggested retail price). It is the necklace that never goes out of style. In a world where some cultured pearl necklaces can cost thou sands, shop around and I doubt that you will see any jewelry offer this compelling! Why would we do this? Our real goal is to build a long term client relationship with you. We are sure that most of you will become loyal Stauer clients in the years to come, but for now, in this lousy economy, we will give you these pearls to help with your future gift giving ideas. We did find a magnificent cache of cultured pearls at the best price that I have ever seen. Our pearl dealer was stuck. A large luxury department store in financial trouble cancelled a large order at the last minute so we grabbed all of them. He sold us an enormous cache of his roundest, whitest, most iridescent cultured 5 ½–6mm pearls for only pennies on the dollar. But let me get to the point: his loss is your gain. Many of you may be wonder ing about your next gift for someone special. In the past, Stauer has made gift giving easier with the absolute lowest prices on fine jewelry and luxury goods. This year, we’ve really come to the rescue. For the next few days, I’m not offering this cultured pearl necklace at $1,200. I’m not selling it for $300. That’s because I don't want to SELL you these pearls at all... I want to GIVE them to you. This cultured freshwater pearl necklace is yours FREE You pay nothing except basic shipping and processing costs of $25.95,, the normal shipping fee for a $200–$300 necklace. It’s okay to be skeptical. But the truth is that Stauer doesn’t make money by selling one piece of jewelry to you on a single occasion. We stay in business by serving our long term clients. And as soon as you get a closer look at the exclusive selection, you’re not going to want to buy your jewelry anywhere else. Stauer is a high end jeweler that still understands value. As a matter of fact, our average client spends more with us than at Tiffany’s, but we still know something about affordability. We believe Stauer was the largest buyer of carat weight emeralds in the world last year and this year we are on track to be the largest buyer of carat weight sap phires, so we know about volume buying discounts. We were only able to get so many pearls at this price. This offer is very limited to one per shipping address. Please don’t wait.

Stauer comes to the rescue! $295 necklace of genuine cultured pearls…FREE! Ask about our satin and velvet travel case.

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48 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM

How about that gearbox? Like most modern sports-car transmissions,,, this one seeks the highest gear as soon as possible for emissions and economy reasons. Loaf around and you can sometimes find yourself in seventh gear at about 50 mph. Floor it and the digital gear display drops to third gear in a split second, though the actual gear change and resultaaant manic surge is delayed a beat later. It’s fast enough, but without the impressive immediacy of other dual-clutch transmissions. AMG has clearly biased this dual-clutch for everyday driving, which means shift speed has been sacrificed for smoooothness.Soisitany surprise that it makes a better street car than race car? Not really, as few of the SLs that preceded it ever saw any real lap time. But AMG and Mercedes-Benz should be praised: Though it’s comfortable and rewarding to drive just to the racetrack, the SLS AMG can more than hold its own on it. Riotous exhaust note aside, it all makes so much sense. ■ some of clarity in the steering and chassis goes away. Dash lights come on, throttle gets cut, and concentration is broken by the next logical conclusion: Might this be a better road car than race car? It takes but a couple miles on a loop to Big Sur to find out. On real roads, all that impresses on the track is magnified. The sensational steering is even more supple on Highway One’s seaside sweepers.The independently articulating suspension adores smoothly cambered curves, yet still sends you sailing effortlessly across imperfect pavement. There’s no more fretting about the view either: Only the narrowest and tightest of canyon roads present a problem.

2011 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG BASE PRICE $200,000 (est) VEHICLE LAYOUT Front engine, RWD, 2-pass, 2-door coupe ENGINE DOHC6.2L/563-hp/479-lb-ft32-valveV-8 TRANSMISSION 7-speed twin-clutch auto CURB WEIGHT 3500 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 105.5 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 182.6 x 76.3 x 49.7 in 0-60 MPH 3.6 sec (mfr est) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 12/19 mpg (est) CO 2 EMISSIONS 1.35 lb/mile (est) ON SALE IN U.S. May 2010 (ﬁrst drive) mercedes-benz sls amg THROTTLE DOWN AND YOU’RE THUNDERING ALONG THE STRAIGHT, SPEEDO TICKLING OVER 120 MPH.

GET IT TODAY! ® ;]b]`B`S\R ;]PWZS^`]dWRSabVSZObSab \Sea^V]b]aO\R^`S[Wc[Q]\bS\bT`][bVS ÔUSa]T;]b]`B`S\R;OUOhW\SRSZWdS`SRb] g]c`^V]\SO\gbW[SO\RO\geVS`S 5SbW\abO\bOQQSaab]O\O[OhW\UQ]ZZSQbW]\ ]TW\bS`dWSea`]ORbSabaQO``SdWSeaO\R a^SQWOZSdS\bac^RObSRb]^`]dWRSbVS[]ab Qc``S\bZ]]YObbVSV]bbSabOQbW]\]\bVS`]OR O\RPSg]\R/aWbVO^^S\ag]cZZPSbVS¿àb b]Y\]eeVWZS]\bVSU] AWU\c^T]`;]b]`B`S\R ;]PWZSOb eee[]b]`b`S\RQ][[]PWZSaWU\c^ AbO\RO`RbSfb[SaaOUSO\RRObOÒbSa[OgO^^Zg

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 manu facturing 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.

Specialists in Original Equipment and Aftermarket Automotive Accessories

Furthermore, all of our CNC mills are manufactured 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.

DavidSincerely,MacNeil, dmacneil@macneil.comFounder/CEO

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.

*We pay regular shipping within the 48 contiguous states, when shipped to the same address on additional sets of floor mats or a cargo liner when purchased in combination with a set of front floor mats; or additional sets of Side Window Deflectors when purchased in combination with a front set of Side Window Deflectors; or an additional ClearCover ; or an additional PlateFrame™ WE GUARANTEE YOUR SATISFACTION. If you are not satisfied with your order, call to return your unused product within 30 days for a complete refund, less shipping & packaging. Prices subject to change without notice. Accessories available for: Acura • Audi • BMW • Buick • Cadillac • Chevrolet • Chrysler • Dodge • Ferrari • Ford • GMC • Honda • Hummer • Hyundai • Infiniti • Isuzu • Jaguar • Jeep • Kia • Land Rover • Lexus • Lincoln • Maserati • Mazda • Mercedes-Benz • Mercury • Mini • Mitsubishi • Nissan • Oldsmobile • Plymouth • Pontiac • Porsche • Saab • Saturn • Scion • Subaru • Suzuki • Toyota • Volkswagen • Volvo • And More! Automotive Accessories WeatherTech® All-Weather Heavy-Duty Floor Mats. The best protection for your vehicle’s carpeting. FloorLiner™ Extreme-Duty Floor Protection. The FloorLiner™ accurately and completely lines the interior carpet giving “absolute interior protection” Deep channels carry fluids and debris to a lower reservoir, away from your feet! RearOverthe Hump FloorLiner™ All-Weather Floor Mats Available in Black, Tan and ApplicationsGray!to fit over 400models!vehicle Available in Black, Tan and Gray! Applications for virtually any vehicle!

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54 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM ● words arthur st. antoine ● photographs brian vance AUDI DOES THE IMPOSSIBLE— IMPROVING ON NEAR-PERFECTION

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 55 audi r8 5.2 fsi quattro (ﬁrst test)

56 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM (ﬁrst test) audi r8 5.2 fsi quattro

Steering feel remains simply sublime: The R8 5.2 carves almost without effort, yet you can feel the road and cornering forces through your fingertips as if the tires wore your palms instead of treads. The suspension, with two-position shocks, is the same architecture as the V-8’s (and both cars sport the same standard 19-inch Pirelli PZeroes), but for V-10 duty the settings are tightened up. Ride quality is still simply outstanding—in both forms the R8 glides over pavement like a hovercraft—but maximum grip edges up fractionally, from 0.99 g to the magic 1.0g mark. The added stick of the 5.2 (and its power advantage) helped it trim the run in our figure-eight course from 24.6 seconds (at 0.79 g) to 24.4 seconds (at 0.81). Brakes are the same on both cars, and indeed the 5.2 posted

predictable and powerful chassis dynamics, exhilarating straight-line thrust, and art museum-worthy looks (inside and out). The R8 is a machine that does everything to such a degree of exceptionalness—it’ll happily lollygag around town too—that almost every single one of us has it on our list of “Cars I’m GoingTo BuyWhen My Stock in videosforyourpet.com Goes Nuclear.” So it’s settled then—the V-8 R8 is plenty good enough already, right? Ah, but wait until your right foot gets a taste of the V-10’s kick.With an extra liter of displacement and those two additional cylinders, the so-called “5.2 FSI quattro” romps with 525 horses at 8000 rpm—and allows you to spin its crank to an insane 8700 rpm. Weight climbs by 143 pounds, yet acceleration to 60 mph (with the standard six-speed manual) drops a full half second, to just 3.4 seconds, and quarter-mile performance improves even more, to just 11.7 seconds at 120.7 mph (versus 12.5 seconds at 111.9 mph for the V-8).This isn’t just paper prowess; it’s added speed you can feel in every gear. Says our Ron Kiino:“Seems the jump from R8 V-8 to HOW MUCH is half a second and 105 horsepower worth to you? You’ll want to ponder that question if you’re in the enviable position of having to decide between the V-8-propelled version of Audi’s R8 two-seat, mid-engine exotic or the newly introduced V-10 edition.When the cars are similarly configured, the ten’s two additional cylinders command a premium of nearly $10KAreapiece.theyworth it? It’s at this point our test drivers get all philosophical and existential. Is a 2001 Beringer Private Reserve a “better” Cabernet than a 2002 Quintessa? Do we prefer Angelina Jolie to Jennifer Connelly? “GoodFellas” or “The Sopranos”? It’s debates such as these that keep the MT water cooler boiling. The “regular” R8, understand, is already one of our very favorite automobiles. It won our 2008 “Best Handling Car” competition, and in 2009 finished second (to the Porsche Cayman S) in our follow-up “Best Driver’s Car” extravaganza. Few vehicles on earth so brilliantly combine such sweet steering, V-10 is akin to the leap from Corvette Z06 to ZR1. Sure, 99.9 percent of us will likely never push an R8 V-8 or Z06 to the limit—even at a racetrack—and God knows both are plenty fast and amazing, but the R8 V-10 and ZR1 are simply that much more incredible, and we want them because of it.”

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 57 the same spectacular stop from 60 mph: just 96 feet. So those are the numbers. And, clearly, in added speed alone the 5.2 makes a compelling case for its higher sticker.With the V-10, the R8 truly moves into the realm of world’s fastest cars.What’s more, the 5.2’s higher base price ($150,200 versus the 4.2’s $117,500) includes much of the V-8’s pricey optional equipment as standard—DVD navigation, Bang & Olufsen audio, LED headlamps, and more. Astute observers will also notice broader sideblades (which feed larger radiators) and a revised grille with chrome webbing (an “improvement” most of us agree is actually a retrograde step). What the digits fail to relate, though, is just how friendly and fine-tempered the ultrafast 5.2 is to pilot. As savvy readers already know, the V-10 is related to the mill that used to serve in the Lamborghini Gallardo.That 5.0-liter variant was good for 523 horsepower in the Italian car, and we’re pleased that Audi raised the output for U.S.bound R8 5.2s from the 518 horses predicted during early drives in Europe to a final 525 horsepower—likely the result of fine-tuning the exhaust. Though V-10s by nature aren’t the auto world’s smoothest designs, this one spins as if bathed in Log Cabin; the Audi’s V-10 sports a split pin crank with smoothsounding 72-degree firing pulses. In fact, it’s almost too sweet and syrupy—for such a fiery machine, a little more scream from the tailpipes, especially near the wild 8700-rpm redline, would be most welcome. If the R8 5.2 has any shortcoming—and we’re reaching here—it’s in its gearbox.The standard six-speed manual works well, with a fluid clutch that’s never balky and a gated aluminum shifter that bangs up and down through the cogs with a retro-pleasant “clank.”

Yet you can’t help feeling the R8 could do better. For instance, test driver Scott Mortara was thwarted during his acceleration runs by a crunchy one-two upshift (our test car wore a lot of hard miles). Hey, bring on the paddle-shift auto-clutch manual, you say. Ah, but the R8’s optional R-Tronic unit is a single-clutch design—it works satisfactorily, but has none of the shifting finesse or speed of the top dual-clutch paddle-shift units, such as Ferrari’s seven-speed F1 or Porsche’s PDK. “Dual-clutch trannies are the present and the future,” says Kiino. “The R8 needs to get with the times.” Indeed. Meantime, the manual box is definitely the best way to shift Audi’s star car.

If you’d asked us the question before our 5.2 drives, we’d probably have answered, “Hard to imagine improving on the 4.2 FSI quattro.” And we still might argue that the V-8 sounds better (more of a bawl than the V-10’s muted whir), looks a bit better (with its all-black grille), and of course checks in at a base sticker that’s $32,700 less. After driving the V-10, though, we’ll say this:“Audi has improved upon near-perfection.” Factor in the 5.2’s far more comprehensive standard content, and you’re talking about a price disparity of barely 10 percent or so—chicken scratch in this lofty league, especially given that you’re getting 25 percent more power. Consider, too, this rare twist: When you’re debating the merits of one R8 over another, you’re enjoying an argument you just can’t lose. ■

2009 AUDI R8 5.2 FS1 QUATTRO POWERTRAIN/CHASSIS DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT Mid-engine, AWD ENGINE TYPE 90-deg V-10, aluminum block/heads VALVETRAIN DOHC, 4 valves/cyl DISPLACEMENT 317.6 cu in/5204 cc COMPRESSION RATIO 12.5:1 POWER (SAE NET) 525 hp @ 8000 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 391 lb-ft @ 6500 rpm REDLINE 8700 rpm WEIGHT TO POWER 7.1 lb/hp TRANSMISSION 6-speed manual AXLE/FINAL-DRIVE RATIOS 3.08:1/3.18:1 SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR Control arms, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; control arms, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar STEERING RATIO 17.3:1 TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK 3.2 BRAKES, F;R 14.4-in vented disc; 14.0-in vented disc, ABS WHEELS, F;R 8.5x19 in; 11.0x19 in, cast aluminum TIRES, F;R 235/35R19 91Y; 295/30R19 100Y, Pirelli PZero DIMENSIONS WHEELBASE 104.3 in TRACK, F/R 64.3/62.8 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 174.6 x 76.0 x 49.3 in TURNING CIRCLE 38.7 ft CURB WEIGHT 3726 lb WEIGHT DIST, F/R 44/56% SEATING CAPACITY 2 HEADROOM 37.7 in LEGROOM 45.0 in SHOULDER ROOM 54.7 in CARGO VOLUME 3.5 cu ft TEST DATA ACCELERATION TO MPH 0-30 1.3 sec 0-40 1.8 0-50 2.6 0-60 3.4 0-70 4.3 0-80 5.5 0-90 6.6 0-100 8.0 PASSING, 45-65 MPH 1.7 QUARTER MILE 11.7 sec @ 120.7 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 96 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 1.00 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 24.4 sec @ 0.81 g (avg) TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 2550 rpm CONSUMER INFO BASE PRICE $150,200 PRICE AS TESTED $164,050 STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL Yes/yes AIRBAGS Dual front, front side/head, front knee BASIC WARRANTY 4 yrs/50,000 miles POWERTRAIN WARRANTY 4 yrs/50,000 miles ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 4 yrs/unlimited miles FUEL CAPACITY 23.8 gal EPA CITY/HWY ECON 12/20 mpg CO 2 EMISSIONS 1.32 lb/mile RECOMMENDED FUEL Unleaded premium etting 25 more , , r, IN V-10 FORM, the R8’s sideblade (here in optional carbon fiber) swells outward further than its V-8 sibling’s—feeding larger radiators. At night, special lights illuminate the magnificent mid-mounted engine.

Back to our original query: V-8 orV-10?

any

guidelines.

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Simply put, it was the fastest trio of supercars to which we’ve ever strapped test gear. Each was fabulous in every sense and to date represents a high point for its maker. The Ford GT was the reborn, street version of its record-setting, four-time Le Mans winner of the 1960s. Porsche’s Carrera GT was originally conceived as an endurance racer; when that program was canceled, the remains were reengineered for the street. Named for the founder, the Ferrari Enzo drew design and technology cues from several of the marque’s Formula 1 greats. The slowest of them, the supercharged Ford GT, topped out at 200.1 mph on a ﬁve-mile banked oval in Arizona. It also notched the “worst” 0-to-60 time at 60 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM

■ 01-03: 2003 FERRARI ENZO/2005 FORD GT/ 2004 PORSCHE CARRERA GT

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 61 spectacular supercars (feature)

● words matt stone ● photographs motor trend staff/wesley allison/evan klein 3.7 seconds. The Porsche’s numbers were a bit better yet, but the Enzo ruled this day in the desert, hitting 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, blasting the quarter mile in 11.0 seconds flat and hitting 211 mph with CART and sports car pro racer Bryan Herta at the controls. We wrote, “Like the Ford and the Porsche, the Enzo never stumbled, never got overly warm, never ran rough—even as we continued our handling runs into the 100-degree afternoon heat. Which was perhaps the most eye-opening aspect of our top-speed flog: Today, you can actually own and enjoy a bona-fide 200-mph supercar without being a contortionist or having to keep a staff of mechanics on your payroll.” Amazing times they were. ALTHOUGH BRITAIN’S CAR magazine, in the mid-1960s, legitimized the term “supercars” as part of the modern lexicon, it was hardly the rst to use it. CAR’s editors applied the term to the decidedly super Lamborghini Miura, and it proved a perfect t. About the same time, America’s Car Life applied it to the original Pontiac GTO. The rst known usage? As far as we can tell, the term was coined in an advertisement for the Ensign Six, all the way back in 1920. No matter. Motor Trend has tested the all-time greats, and they’re the stuff of which legend, dreams, and countless posters and wall calendars are made. Supercars had to be more than mere sports or musclecars: They needed to go, stop, and corner. Outrageous looks helped too. And how the game has changed over the years. What was supercar performance 30 years ago is luxury sedanlevel performance today. Top speeds have pushed ever higher, 0-to-60 times continue getting lower, and grip levels approach those achieved by race cars in the not-too-distant past. What hasn’t changed is the supercar’s ability to excite. Dazzling looks, futuristic technology, sounds that stir. And the charisma required to be printed onto that poster on a teenager’s wall. Our 60th-anniversary celebration continues, as we look back at some of the supercars we’ve driven and tested through the decades.

■ 08: 1969 CORVETTE ZL-1 427-cu-in. V-8/550 hp, 0-60 4.5 (est.), 1/4 mile 10.8 @ 130.0

■ 07: 1966 SHELBY COBRA 427 427-cu-in. V-8/425 hp, 0-60 5.3, 1/4 mile 13.8 @ 106.0

62 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM ■ 04: 1956 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SL 182-cu-in. I-6/220 hp, 0-60 8.5, 1/4 mile 16.1 @ 84.0

As the March 1966 story notes, “Fifty GT40s had to be built and offered for sale to nail down Le Mans eligibility. Ford went to the trouble to detune it for the street. The 4.7-liter V-8 makes 335 horses at 6250 rpm, cutting top speed to 164 mph. The car lists at $15,427, and customers must visit the factory in England for a seat ﬁtting.”

If you want to pretend that every stoplight is the grid at Nürburgring or every freeway the Mulsanne Straight, forget it. You can’t afford the tickets.”

There wasn’t much about the Cobra that qualiﬁed it as exotic. It was the opposite: A giant overhead valve Ford V-8 mounted up front and a roadster body with design cues dating back a decade, may not seem supercar-like. But the performance was so over the top, the rest didn’t matter.

Chevrolet built only two, and MT editor Eric Dahlquist drove <04 04 05 06 07

■ 05: 1961 JAGUAR E-TYPE 231-cu-in. I-6/265 hp, 0-60 7.0, 1/4 mile 14.9 European editor Gordon Wilkins drove the E-Type for the July 1961 issue and said, “The 150-mph estimated top speed is no exaggeration. Just hold the engine at 2000 rpm and drop the clutch. There is a brief squeak from the tires, and the car streaks away as though it were rocketpropelled.”

Few would argue that Mercedes’ magniﬁcent Gullwing was the ﬁrst modern, postwar supercar. The SL coupe had it all: racebred power, steel or aluminum coachwork, and those impossibly exotic gullwing doors. “If there’s a better production sports car in the world than the 300SL, show me the way,” said editor Walt Woron as he climbed from one at El Mirage Dry Lake. In the July 1956 story, he added, “The biggest surprise you’ll get from the SL’s performance is the fact that there seems to be no end to the acceleration. It’s there from the screeching rubber takeoff to the slap in the back of the neck when the 182-cubic-inch engine surges to 6000 rpm.” If you doubt the validity of the original formula, just look at the new SLS AMG, which successfully remasters the theme for modern-day use.

Bob Schilling’s commentary in the September 1966 issue describes this car best: “Assuming you have the money, and want a car to cruise at high speed, you can’t do better.

■ 06: 1966 FORD GT40 289-cu-in. V-8/335 hp, top speed 164 mph

one for our May 1969 issue. He wrote, “The ZL-1 doesn’t just accelerate because the word is inadequate for this car. It tears its way across the pavement like all the modern big-inch racing machines, the engine climbing the rev band as the M&H slicks hunt for traction. You rocket from 30 to 145 mph. If the car had a higher gear, one of the engineers casually mentions, it will bust 195, maybe 200.”

The unquestioned supercar poster child of the 1970s and ’80s. At the time, it was illegal to import Countaches into the U.S.; however, self-proclaimed exoticar guru Al Mardikian found a way. Ro McGonegal took the car for a drive for the May 1980 issue, saying, “The V-12 hits you in the back of the head, and the Countach takes off like a bottle rocket. Its response is turbolike, and the rush it gives your body is the voice that crackles, ‘Yes, keep the pedal to the ﬂoor.’”

Roadgoing versions of the BMW M1 came about as a result of BMW wanting to race the car in Group 4 competition. The mid-engine exoticar uses an Italian-built chassis and body, combined with BMW engine, transaxle, suspension, and interior. It was an outrageous recipe for BMW at the time and set the tone for many a wonderful M machine to come. Jerry Sloniger wrote in the March 1979 story, “There certainly is more macho here than in a Turbo Porsche.” <12 08 09 10 11

The Mercedes-Benz C111, like the original 300SL, was designed as a gullwing, street sports car. Mercedes wanted to build 50 C111s (for entry at Le Mans), but only made six. Eric Dahlquist wrote in the November 1969 issue, “It’s like being sucked through a huge vacuum tube at the velocity of a .357 magnum. Going into a turn reveals the machine has a little built-in understeer, but the C111 coupe is the very next thing to driving a McLaren M8B, only for the street.”

■ 09: 1970 MERCEDES-BENZ C111

■ 10: 1976 PORSCHE TURBO CARRERA 183-cu-in. ﬂat-6/234 hp, 0-60 5.5, 1/4 mile 13.5 @ 105.3

■ 12: 1979 BMW M1 211-cu-in. I-6/277 hp, 0-60 5.5, top speed 162 mph (mfr. est.)

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 63Y spectacular supercars (feature)

Wankel Rotary, 0-60 5.0, top speed 162 mph

Due to the gas and insurance crunch, not many fast cars were produced in the mid-late 1970s. The ﬁrst Porsche Turbo Carrera was an exception. Porsche took the lessons it learned about turbocharging from the 917 racing program and put them to good use. We drove a new Turbo Carrera cross-country for the April 1976 issue: “It’s the type of automobile that cannot be driven slowly. We couldn’t hold it under 70 mph for more than very short periods of time.”

■ 11: 1980 LAMBORGHINI COUNTACH S 268-cu-in. V-12/475 hp, 0-60 6.0, 1/4 mile 14.6 @ 100.4

■ 15: 1993 BUGATTI EB110 214-cu-in. V-12/553 hp, 0-60 3.4, 1/4 mile 12.0, top speed 212 mph (mfr. est.)

■ 14: 1988 PORSCHE 959 174-cu-in. ﬂat-6/450 hp, 0-60 3.7, 1/4 mile 11.9

One of the 1980’s top rock stars, and the last car to have personal design involvement by Enzo Ferrari. Don Fuller was elected to drive the mid-engine, twin-turbocharged V-8-powered F40 on Ferrari’s Fiorano test track outside Maranello, Italy. “This thing doesn’t just accelerate; it pounds. It’s going 150, 160, and still rocketing. Let this monster loose, and the corners come up real, real fast. More engine and brake than tire, but a lot of each. And I used all I could.”

■ 16: 1994 MCLAREN F1 370-cu-in. V-12/468 hp, 0-60 3.4, 1/4 mile 11.6, top speed 231 mph (mfr. est.)

64 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM ■ 13: 1987 FERRARI F40 179-cu-in. V-8/478 hp, 0-60 3.9 (est.), top speed 201.3 mph (mfr. est.)

Like the F40, we drove the twin-turbocharged, AWD 959 in Europe long before Porsche would allow us to test it. Phillip Bingham wrote in the January 1989 issue, “The ﬁrst of the two turbos goes silently to work. The rate of acceleration smartly hastens, the tach needle ascends like a military jet, and the four fat tires begin to claw at the tarmac. And then the second turbo erupts into action, launching the car down the road like a torpedo.”

■ 17: 2008 FERRARI 430 SCUDERIA 263-cu-in. V-8/503 hp, 0-60 3.1, 1/4 mile 11.2 @ 126.7

Bugatti’s second postwar rebirth attempt yielded the Italian-built, all-wheel-drive, $480,000 EB110 with not one, not two, but four turbochargers. Bernard Cahier wrote, “The rear visibility isn’t great. But then, who’s going to try to pass you? For those worried about Ferrari F130s [F50s] or McLaren F1s, a 610-horsepower S version capable of 218 mph soon will be available.”

(feature) spectacular supercars <17

Gordon Murray conceived the BMW V-12-powered F1 as the ultimate exotic, inspired by the light weight and simple engineering of his best race-car designs. Phillip Bingham said, “In the time it takes to read this sentence, the McLaren F1 has accelerated from a standstill to 100 mph. Unless you’re accustomed to being catapulted off the deck of an aircraft carrier, the experience is startling.” It was so fast it needed to be detuned to compete at Le Mans, yet still won overall in 1995. Considered by many to be the supercar high watermark of all time.

It takes something special to outrun, outgun, and outshine an Enzo. But technology marches on, and Ferrari’s smaller, less powerful, less expensive 430 Scuderia got it done. Just look at those numbers, among the best we’ve ever achieved for a street-legal car. What the data doesn’t tell you is the spine-rippling sound this car makes, and the sensation of snapping off lightning-quick, full throttle shifts at the Scud’s 8500-rpm redline. 13 14 15 16

We know that no medicine is for everyone. Don’t take VIAGRA if you take nitrates, often prescribed for chest pain, as this may cause a sudden unsafe drop in blood pressure.

Talk with your doctor first. Make sure your heart is healthy enough to have sex. If you have chest pain, nausea, or other discomforts during sex, seek medical help right away.

The most common side effects of VIAGRA are headache, facial flushing, and upset stomach. Less common are bluish or blurred vision, or being sensitive to light. These may occur for a brief time.

VIAGRA does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. Please see Important Facts for VIAGRA on the following page or visit viagra.com for full prescribing information. For free information, including questions to ask your doctor, call 1-888-4VIAGRA (1-888-484-2472).

In the rare event of an erection lasting more than four hours, seek immediate medical help to avoid long-term injury.

Important Safety Information I thought at my age there was nothing I could do about it, then I had ‘the talk’ with my doctor.

Doctor portrayal. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Your doctor will tell you that there is something you can do about your erectile dysfunction (ED). In fact, millions of men over 40 have already taken the first step and talked to their doctor about ED. And so can you.

Your Doctor Talks to Men

Need Some Ideas on How to Open Up to Your Doctor?

In rare instances, men who take PDE5 inhibitors (oral erectile dysfunction medicines, including VIAGRA) reported a sudden decrease or loss of vision, or sudden decrease or loss of hearing. It is not possible to determine whether these events are related directly to these medicines or to other factors. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop taking PDE5 inhibitors, including VIAGRA, and call a doctor right away.

The Indirect Approach: “Is it true age affects sexual performance?” The Silent Approach: Just hand this ad to your doctor, he’ll take it from there.

About ED Every Day

The hardest part about having ‘the talk’ is getting those first few words out. Here are some ideas to help you break the ice when your doctor asks how everything’s going: The Direct Approach: “I have trouble sometimes in bed. Could it be ED?”

Did you know half of all guys over 40 have some form of ED? Here are some numbers to keep in mind from a recent survey of men with ED: Running the Numbers To learn more about VIAGRA for the treatment of ED, and ED in general, visit viagra.com today. You’ll find an online sexual health quiz, videos of guys with ED who’ve had the VIAGRA Talk and other helpful information. Over 20 million men have already had their VIAGRA Talk. Isn’t it time you had yours? Tell MoreMe of men theirafterofdoctortalkinganxiouswereabouttotheiraboutED.menfeltrelievedtalkingtodoctor.

Like the Diablo, Countach, and Miura before it, the Murciélago cemented Lamborghini’s place in the world as a builder of outrageous machines. Le Mans class-winning pilot Justin Bell said, “I’m going, ‘Come on, baby, you can do it,’ and I’m really pushing it. I had the mirrors folded in; I had my ears folded in, trying to hit 200. Wow!” That’s okay, Justin; 193 and still pulling is plenty good enough.

If computer video games have replaced the exoticar posters of 30 years ago, the GT-R is the poster child of the current performance generation. It’s heavy, and the engine is located up front instead of in the middle (as with most exotics), but solid engineering and whiz-bang electronics technology help the baddest-ever Nissan run with supercar kings. Motor Trend’s 2009 Car of the Year, it’s one we’ll be talking and writing about three decades from now. ■ 22: 2006 BUGATTI VEYRON 16.4 489-cu-in. V-16/1001-hp, 0-60 2.7, 1/4 mile 10.4 @ 139.9

■ 20: 2009 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR1 376-cu-in. V-8/638 hp, 0-60 3.3, 1/4 mile 11.2 @ 130.5

Another of the few Corvettes that qualiﬁes for supercar status. Arthur St. Antoine wrote, “Class-shattering power, race-car handling grip, and sweet control inputs leave even the bluebloods in this Chevy’s wake.” With supercharged, all-aluminum V-8 power, carbon-ceramic brakes, and the Le Mans-winning C6R as its cousin, it’s the best Vette yet. ■ 21: 2009 NISSAN GT-R 232-cu-in. V-6/480-hp, 0-60 3.2, 1/4 mile 11.6 @ 120.0

Proving there’s lots of life left in the near-50-year-old Porsche 911 formula, we said the current, 997-series GT2 is “brilliantly engineered and bulletproof. Unreal speed, hellacious grip, and superb controls—everyday drives become laps at Le Mans."

■ 19: 2008 PORSCHE GT2 220-cu-in. ﬂat-6/530 hp, 0-60 3.4, 1/4 mile 11.4 @ 127.9

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 67 ■ 18: 2003 LAMBORGHINI MURCIÉLAGO 378-cu-in. V-12/571 hp, 0-60 3.5, 1/4 mile 11.7 @ 122.5

Sixteen cylinders. Four turbochargers. A seven-speed transmission. One thousand and one horsepower. The Bugatti Veryon is a numbers car if ever there was one. Not everybody likes it: It’s large, heavy, mechanically complicated, and stratospherically expensive. But everyone totally respects what it can do. Bugatti claims it will build just 300 of them, and when they’re gone, its not likely anything will come along that will exceed its record-setting performance. How fast is it? Kim Reynolds wrote in the November 2006 issue, “The fastest! Peak velocity? Two hundred mph? Three hundred mph? Who knows? This thing might never stop.” ■ ( <18 19 20 21 22 ■■

feature)

spectacular supercars

* EPA-estimated 23 city/34 hwy/27 combined mpg, Fusion S, I-4 automatic. Midsize class per R. L. Polk & Co. Non-hybrid.

FORD FUSION + HYBRID. THE MOST FUEL-EFFICIENT MIDSIZE SEDAN IN AMERICA* NOW MOTOR TREND’S 2010 CAR OF THE fordvehicles.comYEAR.®WESPEAK CAR. AND APPARENTLY QUITE WELL.

Piëch = Sloan: VW AG owns Skoda, Seat, Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Scania (trucks), and now, almost, Porsche. And that means: A modern VW BlueSport-based Porsche ? Questionable future for the Audi R? Outlook: Excellent. ■ words todd lassa

the power list 2010 >> 2009 was quite the thrill ride. The auto industry has emerged more or less intact, with the U.S. government owning the former world’s biggest automaker and Fiat controlling Chrysler. As for the folks behind the automakers,  of the  on our  Power List have left or been forced out of their jobs, including the top three from last year. For , we’ve added a measurement of each Power Lister’s prospects for hanging on to his job, labeled Outlook. So pop open a bottle of champagne, say “good riddance” to last year, and read on to see who’s going to bring you your next new car.

IT’S A NEW WORLD ORDER FOR THE ITSINDUSTRY:AUTOMOBILEHEREARELEADERS

70 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM 1. FERDINAND PIËCH Volkswagen AG chairman of supervisory VWboardBUYS PORSCHE, INSTEAD Why he’s first: Piëch is the archmanipulatorMachiavellianwhomanagedtoturnPorsche SE’s bid to buy Volkswagen AG on its ear. Last year, Porsche SE (the holding company) was buying up shares of VW AG. While Porsche was one of the world’s most profitable automakers going into the global Great Recession, it ran up the equivalent of $. billion in debt by buying up  percent of the much larger, full-line company.WhenPorsche couldn’t meet debt obligations, Piëch offered to “help out” by buying up the sports carmaker with VW stock. He won the game, beating his own cousin, Wolfgang Porsche, and demanded Wendelin Wiedeking resign just as the Panamera was being launched. We repeated this story in , but Wolfgang and Wendelin didn’t read it: An expert downhill skier in school, Piëch bought four pairs of skis each year and sold them at a profit at the end of the season to classmates who wanted to beat him. All in the family: Personally owns  percent of Porsche. Not so fast: It isn’t over, yet. Negotiations are completed for VW to buy  percent of Porsche for . billion euros ($. billion). A major VW shareholder, Norway’s oil fund, protested that the deal serves the Piëch/Porsche family and not the automaker.

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 71 2009 RANK 4 2008 RANK 3

2. MULALLYALAN Ford

3. CHUNG MONG KOO Hyundai CompanyMotorchairman

AAUTOMAKER,FOURTH-LARGESTWITHBULLET

Moving up: Hyundai posted a record net proﬁt of $ million for the three months ending in September. Retail sales were up  percent in China, more than twice industry gains. In the U.S., while GM and Toyota sales posted modest October gains, Hyundai was up  percent and subsidiary Kia was up . percent. For at least part of the year, Hyundai/Kia passed Ford for fourth place globally. He’s the boss: All Hyundai’s tough-tomeet sales and proﬁt targets start with Chung. Outlook: Excellent.

Inﬂuence on: Greenlighted the small, fueleﬃcient Range Rover LRX while launching a new Jaguar XJ. A new sports car, the XE, is on the way. After a bumpy start thanks to the proposed location for its factory, the $ Tata Nano has become an emerging market target for manufacturers like Renault. What this means for you: No more Ford switchgear in Jags and LRs. The Nano can help pay for bespoke luxury. Outlook: He already has passed retirement age, and has no heirs.

4. WINTERKORNMARTIN ofAGVolkswagenchairmantheboard NOTICEGIVINGmanagementofTOYOTA

The Speech: In “Preparing for a Revolution,” at Chicago auto show: “As an industry, we need to take a longer-term view of our thinkwhereaheadsteppingstrategies.environmentalThatmeansup,gettingofregulatorsitmakessense.Wethetimeisnow.”

Curriculum vitae: VW’s Seat recruited the Italian designer from Alfa Romeo. He was quickly promoted to lead VW Group design. Inﬂuence on: Alfa Romeo  and , various Seats, Audi Nuvolari quattro, current Audi A, Q, VW Polo, Lamborghini Miura concept (), current Audi TT, R, A, and A. What’s next: In this post-Bangle world, De Silva’s clean designs set the stage for a Volkswagen that appears ready to lead a small-car revolution and an Audi that deﬁnes a new kind of luxury. Outlook: Very good.

LIST.WATCHTOPEOPLE20THEONWASRANKINGYEAR’SLAST* the power list 2010 >>

We say: GM could use an exec like Krafcik. Outlook: Very good, as long as Chung Mong Koo likes him.

FEDERALHEpresident/CEOCompanyMotorDIDN’TTAKELOANS

5. KRAFCIKJOHN Hyundai AUTOREVOLUTIONARYpresident/CEOUSAEXEC

8. WALTER DE SILVA VW Group chief PEOPLE’Sdesigner WORLDPOST-BANGLEDESIGNERCARINA

Foresight: Lined up $ billion in “home equity” credit years before the Lehman Brothers collapse triggered the Recession. Ford is the only U.S. automaker to avoid a departmentTreasuryhandout. At the expense of: Banks charging Ford near-zero interest for the credit line. Inﬂuence on: Fusion, Mustang, Taurus, coming global Fiesta and Focus. Rough road ahead: He shouldn’t count on Fiesta and Focus for big U.S. proﬁts. Outlook: Very good.

Inﬂuence on: Hyundai Assurance Plan made company a sales winner. Pushing Seoul for more passionate driver’s cars.

VW’s #: VW Group may have passed Toyota as the world’s largest automaker by last fall. Credit German, Brazilian, Chinese markets and Toyota production cuts to match demand. Roadblocks: VW’s plan for growth includes target of one million vehicles in U.S. by . Green-lights: The  North American-only midsize car, built in Tennessee, new Golf VI, strong Audi lineup. Outlook: Very good as long as Piëch still likes him.

7. RATAN TATA Tata GROWLANDLETTINGchairmanGroupJAGUAR/ROVERSENSIBLY

72 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM 2009 RANK 8 2009 RANK 10 2009 RANK 6 2009 RANK 9 2009 RANK 13 2009 RANK 20 2009 RANK 16

6. KUZAKDERRICK Ford FORD’SECOBOOSTINGdevelopmentproductviceCompanyMotorgrouppresident,FUTURE Inﬂuence on: Replacing V-s with twin-turbo V-s and V-s with turbo fours. See Lincoln MKS and MKT, Ford Taurus SHO, Flex. Ford’s quieter Lutz: Also credited for bold new product including the  Fusion, plus the ’ Taurus, Mustang GT, and the ’ Focus, Fiesta, and Mustang V-, all leading a domestic car renaissance. Invented here: necessarily—VW/AudiNot is ahead of Ford with gas direct-injection FSI/TFSI turbo fours, but Ford is very aggressive and has a better name for them. Outlook: Potential Mulally successor.

and seeing Nissan struggle in North America, the

9. AKIO TOYODA

Outlook: Very good. Renault board rejected his plan to supply cars to Roger Penske, blunting a future for GM’s Saturn.

Background: Ran Ford’s Asia operations, Mazda, Premier Automotive Group, was chairman of Volvo, ran Ford of Europe. withcombinesBackgroundengineeringﬁnance.

SWEATERBRINGING CULTURE TO CHRYSLER

Challenge: Founder’s grandson takes over as Toyota’s rank atop the automotive world ends. Car guy: It’s in his DNA. Raced a Lexus LF-A at the  Hours of Nürburgring under a pseudonym, and criticized his own company at the Tokyo show for passionatelackingdriver’s cars.

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 73 2009 RANK 5 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR LAST RANKED ’08 ROOKIE 2009 RANK 5* 2009 RANK 19 2009 RANK 11

Why Renault rejected the deal: Didn’t need more competition in the U.S. for its alliance partner, Nissan. What he’s done, lately: Announced Renault and Indian partner Bajaj will build a car to compete with Tata Nano, at a lower price. Outlook: Fair.

12. BOB LUTZ GM vice chairman, advisor, design/ global COMEBACKdevelopmentproductKID Our story so far: Lutz had a falling out with Rick neverLutzandAfter“retire”promptingWagoner,Lutztoearlylastyear.Wagoner’ssackingGM’sbankruptcy,returned,havingleft.

Next CEO?: Now Lutz is Whitacre’s righthand man, charged with helping ﬁnd the right replacement for Henderson. Will history repeat itself?: Rick Wagoner asked Lutz to ﬁnd him a car guy, and Lutz did—himself, in . Why that might work again: Until GM issues an IPO, its CEO choices are rather limited. Outlook: Eternal.

MARCHIONNESERGIO Fiat GroupAuto/ChryslerCEO

15. JIM FARLEY Ford MARKETERCAR-GUYcommunicationsmarketing/CompanyMotorVP

Building reputation:Ford’sAfter he left Toyota, we wondered if his marketing savvy would hold up with a company that didn’t have the same (then) reputation.bulletproofIthas

The limitations: Toyota will build just  Lexus LFAs over two years. It was designed to celebrate Toyota’s Grand Prix victories, but the team pulled out of Formula  last year. Extra credit for: FT-. Outlook: Excellent. 10.

Saving Chrysler: President Obama said Fiat’s takeover following Chrysler’s percent.forPentastar’sbankruptcysummerwastheonlychancesurvival.Fiatholds

Why he’s on the move: Deserves as much credit as anyone for Ford’s current goodwill in the American market. He’s the guy who applied the green-sounding, easy-toremember name for the direct-injection turbos; EcoBoost. Where he’s headed: With Mulally quickly approaching retirement age, Farley is among the lead replacements. Outlook: Excellent.

14. GHOSNCARLOS Nissan SURVIVORCEORenaultMotor/Regiépresident/ Why he’s faltered: Besides proﬁtabilityRenault’smissingsales/targets

Why he’s moving up: Whether you like the styling or not, the new Jaguar XJ is one of the design sensations of the year. Callum has found a distinctive voice for Jaguar, and the prospects for the upcoming XE sports car look good. Why that C-pillar trim is controversial: Callum is steadfastly defending it, for a number of good reasons. But the bottom line is the back of the car takes some getting used to. Which raises this question: Is Ian Callum Bangle?design’sautomotivenewChris

Toyota DRIVER’SSCIONpresident/CEOCorporationMotorWANTSCARS

Regarding ﬁnance: Took on record debt while cutting structural and variable costs; got Ford through governmenteconomypost-Depressiontoughestwithoutloans. That’s not all: Said to love cars and appreciate Ford’s latest product. Outlook: If Ford had to replace Mulally now, Booth would be the guy.

Saving Fiat: Became CEO in , turned losses into a . billion euro proﬁt by .

Saving Opel: No. GM named Magna its buyer, then held on anyway. Marchionne’s plan: B-, C-, D-segment Fiat platforms with Multijet engines for Chrysler, D-segment and larger Chrysler platforms for Fiat/Alfa/Lancia. Outlook: Good. 11. LEWIS BOOTH Ford MONEYWATCHINGCARCompanyMotorCFOGUYFORD’S

13. IAN CALLUM Jaguar NEWBRINGSdirectordesignJAGUARDESIGN

A survivor: Months after he was rumored on his way out, Mercedes posted a modest, $ lostwhenQdownthird-quartermillionproﬁt,percentfrom,butstillaproﬁtmostautomakersmoney.

20.

Who is he: AT&T exec who rebuilt retirementUniversityatTaughtcompanytelecommunicationsthefromCingular.businesspolicyTexasLutheranafterfromAT&T.

HamiltonHamilton.MikaSenna,suchChampionships,ChampionshipsConstructors’sevenWorldandDrivers’WorldwithdriversasAyrtonAlainProst,Hakkinen,LewisHegroomedfromage. Oﬀthe

Lloyd Reuss, was deposed as GM’s last president from engineering in ’, after two years. What’s new: Impressed GM board by owning up to quality problems, calling customers who returned vehicles under money-back program. Outlook: Excellent. 19. ITOTAKANOBU Honda CARSGREENCOMMITTEDpresident/CEOCompanyMotorTODRIVERS’ Inﬂuence on: Chassis design for Mark I CRX, Mark III Accord and Prelude, Acura NSX. Let’s not mention:

LIST.WATCHTOPEOPLE20THEONWASRANKINGYEAR’SLAST* the power list 2010 >>

Why he’s here: The Automotive Task Force appointed him chairman after GM’s July bankruptcy. Car guy credentials: Absolutely none. Inﬂuence on: More hands-on than expected, demanding swift change at GM, like Mulally. Outlook: Likes the power and may stick around longer than ﬁrst planned.

Inﬂuence on: Mercedes’ return to cars built to a standard, upstarts“authentic”theMarketingquestionablythoughstyled.carslikenewE-ClassasluxuryversuslikeLexus. On the other hand: Left Chrysler in shambles, to Cerberus. Extra-credit: SLS AMG Gullwing. Outlook: Remains iﬀy.

17. RON BLOOM Obama admin car czar, manufacturing czar

74 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM LAST RANKED ’08ROOKIEROOKIE ROOKIE 2009 RANK 15 ROOKIE ROOKIE 16. WHITACREED GM COMMERCIALSTHEactingchairman/CEOGUYINTHE

FERRARICHALLENGINGexecutiveAutomotiveMcLarenchairmanON-ROAD

Outlook:

21.

Heritage: His father, Also in charge of development for Honda Ascot Rafaga, aka fivecylinder Acura Vigor. Why he’s on the list: Picks up where Takeo Fukui left offin trying to return to Honda’s heritage of asmakesgearbox.availablesincewillfactor.withengineeringadvancedcombinedafun-to-driveUpcomingCRZbethefirsthybridtheoriginalInsightwithamanualLet’shopeItoitasfun-to-drivehisoriginalCRX. Very good. RON DENNIS Influence on: As team principal for McLaren Formula  from  to , won track: In , he left managementdirectofthe F team to concentrate on road cars, launching with the MP-C. How it worked out: It has about  horses and weighs a tad more than  pounds. Outlook: Excellent. GETTELFINGERRON UAW CONCESSIONSpresident NOT FOR EVERYONE Key to GM, restructuring:Chrysler As United Auto Workers president, negotiated a “two-tier” wage structure allowing two bankrupt automakers to pay younger line workers much lower wages—after historic  contract cut costs. No help for Ford: Couldn’t convince his rank-and-file to ratify the concessions for the only one of the Detroit Three that didn’t take government loans. That means: Until , GM and Chrysler will have a cost advantage over Ford. Outlook: Fair. 22. ZETSCHEDIETER

Point/counterpoint: It was the only way to save entire U.S. auto industry from collapse. New management say they have plans to pay back the government loans. Outlook: One-termer? 18. MARK REUSS GM MUSCLEMODERNpresidentGM

Inﬂuence on: Led engineering on E-, H-cars of the ‘s. Launched the Performance Division in  and served  months in Australia president.yearreturneddirectorpresident/managingasofHolden.HetotheU.S.lastasengineeringvice

REORGANIZING U.S. AUTO INDUSTRY Government Motors: Charged with protecting our investments in GM and Chrysler. Replaced Steven Rattner as car czar last July, leading GM and reorganizations.Chrysler’s Critics say: two$toOﬃceGovernmentdealersstrong-armed,Creditorscutunfairly,Accountingsayswe’reunlikelyrecoupmorethanbillionloanedtoautomakers.

Daimler LUXURY?DOWN-TO-EARTHMERCEDESREINVENTINGchairmanAGAS

AMGMercedes-Benzchairman

Background: Native of Stuttgart, Germany’s Motor City, he trained as a machinist at DaimlerBenz AG before studying precision engineering at Esslingen Technical College. Joined Daimler full-time in , took over AMG in . Coincidentally: Took over after Mercedes bought AMG, went on to hot-rod nearly everything in its lineup. On the other hand: Under Mornhinweg, AMG did what McLaren tried to do for SLR. New SLS is AMG’s ﬁrst tires-up dedicated sports car. And it is stunning. Outlook: Excellent. 25. FIELDSMARK Ford

NORTHKINETICdesignexecutiveEuropedirector,COMESTOAMERICA

Who: Segler was promoted from chief of BMW’s Mini unit to chief of the M Division after Ludwig Willisch retired last year. Segler may reverse Willisch’s promise there will be no new Z M. Or…: Or he’ll drop an M engine into the Z but not call it an M. But not the engine you expect: The new M philosophy is to drop an engine size and add a turbocharger or two. Thus, a .-liter turbo four for the Z, turbo six for the next M, turbo V- for the M, with improved fuel eﬃciency. Outlook: Excellent.

Department, will use $ million of it to buy GM’s Wilmington, Delaware, Pontiac Solstice/Saturn Sky plant. He’ll spend $ million to retool for his Nina plug-in hybrid sedan, which he claims will cost $, after tax thancredits—cheaperaChevyVolt. Sounds like a deal: If we were GM, we’d cash the check before handing over the keys. Outlook: Cloudy. 29. KEVIN WALE GM China SOLD…BUICKSWHENmanagingpresident/GroupdirectorBETTERARE Buicking the trend: GM China Group’s sales rose . percent for the ﬁrst  months of . In October alone, GM’s China sales were up . percent, while its U.S. sales rose four percent. Wale has made GM manufacturer.passenger-carnumber-oneChina’s

Leading Buick product planning: China got the Opel Insignia-based Buick Regal before we did. Global GM: While its U.S. brands struggle in Western Europe, Wale’s recipe for China is being applied to the rest of the developing world. Outlook: Excellent.

HOLDINGtheVPCompanyMotorexecutiveandpresident,AmericasSTEADY

FIRST DEDICATED CAR IS A GULLWINGNEW

What that means: Smith-led “kinetic design,” deﬁning Ford of Europe models for years, ﬁrst arrived via details on refreshed Fusion. Now comes One Ford wave of Fiestas, Focuses. To follow: Variations of C-segment Focus, including C-Max MPV.  Fusion converges with Euro midsize Mondeo. Bigger cars like Mustang and trucks remain styled in America. We anticipate: Smith’s next move. With One Ford gelling, Ford has to keep global lineup fresh. Outlook: Very good. 24. MORNHINWEGVOLKER

Toyota Motor Sales USA group vice president, general manager Toyota LEADERSHIPTHEWEATHERINGDivisionPERILSOF

27. KAY SEGLER BMW M Division ECONOMYFUELchief PERFORMANCEAND

28. FISKERHENRIK Fisker Automotive STILLCEO HAS LOFTY GOALS

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 75 LAST RANKED ’05 2009 RANK 12 ROOKIE 2009 RANK 18* 2009 RANK 12* ROOKIE 2009 RANK 22 23. SMITHMARTIN Ford

Issues: Floormat recalls, closing NUMMI after GM pulled out, Scion’s freefalling sales, boss Akio Toyoda’s dire statements about the company’s direction. Addressing the issues: Lots of new product from a redesigned Sienna to a RWD sport coupe and freshening the Scion lineup. He says: “Bottom line, these diﬃcult times have caused us to do some important soulsearching and [made us] approach the business in new and better ways.” We say: Carter has his work cut out for him. Outlook: Good.

What he’s done for us lately: Helping shepherd in One Ford, the Mulally initiative that usurped The Way Forward, a much lessdetailed business plan Fields introduced before Mulally’s arrival. His place in the business: Caught in the middle between Mulally and Farley, the gregarious, hardcharging Fields has been out of limelight more recently. What’s next: Has to make small cars (Fiesta, Focus, C-Max) big here. Outlook: Good. 26. BOB CARTER

Last time on list: As design chief for Ford’s Aston Martin unit. Okay, follow this: So he gets a $. million loan from the Energy

SATURNALMOSTTHEchairmanCorporationMANWHOBOUGHT Diversiﬁed: Global megadealer, yearIndianapolisdriving,Helioengineandoperationsrental/leasingtruckowner,VMMotoridieselbuilder.WithCastroneveswonhisthlastasateamowner.

Lifer: Has been with Fuji Heavy Industries since graduating from the University of Tokyo; faculty of planningandnewinaerospaceengineering/engineering.Hasworkedincardevelopmentproduct&porfoliosince. Inﬂuence on: Global chief product planner for the new Legacy and our  Sport/Utility of the Year, the Outback. Outlook: Excellent. 35. JEAN TODT FIA REPLACEMENTMAXpresidentMOSLEY’S Team building and rebuilding: Established the Peugeot Talbot Sport rally team, won world titles in  and ’. He went on to resuscitate the Ferrari F team along with Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne and won Ferrari six championships.winningMichaelchampionshipsconstructorswithSchumacherdriver Ferrari is not enough: Todt was Ferrari CEO from MaxAriretirementSchumacher’sto’,beatVatanentoreplaceMosleyasFIAprez. Outlook: improvingSlowlyforF. Outlook: Excellent. 36. PENSKEROGER Penske

HAPPEN.DIDN’TITCZAR.CARNAMEDBETOCHOICEOURMOST,NEEDSDETROITPEOPLEFIVETHEAMONGSECONDRANKEDWASPENSKEROGER**LIST.WATCHTOPEOPLE20THEONWASRANKINGYEAR’SLAST* the power list 2010 >>

YEARVEHICLESPORT/UTILITYOUROFTHE

Ford FOOTSTEPSHORBURY’SFOLLOWINGdirectordesignAmericaexecutive Inﬂuence on: Mazda’s , , , MX-, and CX-. The  Ford Fusion, Mustang, Taurus, and Mercury Milan. Moved from Mazda to Ford in , then took over North American design after Peter Horbury returned to Volvo. Began at Chrysler UK in , then Peugeot-Citroën PSA and Ghia where he consulted to Jaguar, designed Aston Martin Lagonda Vignale concept. What’s next: Britishborn Callum must infuse enough “American”-style design as One Ford embraces European “kinetic” language.design Outlook: Excellent. 34. TACHIMORITAKESHI Fuji planningproductgeneralpresident,corporateIndustries/SubaruHeavyvicechiefmanager&portfoliodivision

,

PLANNERPRODUCT FOR

ONCEoperationsAND FUTURE LUTZ When we last left our hero: GM’s powertrain chief promoted to replace Lutz when Lutz announced his retirement. Then Lutz decided to stay. GM made a new spot for Lutz while assuring Stephens he’s still the product quarterback. Doesn’t sound that comfortable: Last year, after he had to cancel a new V- and boost the eﬃcient four-cylinder lineup, we said he may be the second leastenvied GM exec after Wagoner. Leaves him: The leastenvied exec this year? Outlook: Fair. 32. WELBURNED GM vice president global WHAT’SdesignNEXT? Slipped Stephens:behind big.powertrainsmovedBuickandCamaro,CTS,withreestablishedWelburnGMdesigncarslikeCadillacChevyMalibu,andnewcrossovers,OpelInsignia/Regal.StephensaheadbecauselikeCruzeturboandVoltaredeals,thisyear. Prospects: …good. But next-generation CTS, Malibu won’t look like as big a leap from previous GM design. And: He’ll have Lutz looking over his shoulder, too. That’s good for us, potentially tough for Welburn. Outlook: Good. 33. CALLUMMORAY

Failed Saturn deal: Penske was about to come a step closer to becoming an automaker last year when a deal with Renault/Nissan to provide cars to Saturn after  fell through. Smarting from smart: Penske is exclusive U.S. importer of Daimler’s smart cars. After a strong , sales fell oﬀ a cliﬀlast year. Outlook: Bottomed out.

76 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM LAST RANKED ’052009ROOKIERANK 25 2009 RANK 23 2009 RANK 2** ROOKIE LAST RANKED ’06 30. CHUANFUWANG BYD NEXTchairmanCompanyHYUNDAI? Who: Grew up poor in China’s Anhui Province, studied metallurgical physics and chemistry, in  borrowed $, to start what became world’s largest producer of cell-phone batteries. The auto connection: Build Your Dream started building lookalikesPeugeot/ToyotaMercedes/in. Led to: company.boughtBerkshireelectriﬁcation.automotiveResearchedIn,Hathawaypercentofthe The result: China’s richest individual has aggressive plans to sell cars worldwide. Outlook: Sunny. 31. STEPHENSTOM GM vice chairman, global product

What happened: GM’s North American design veep came out on this side of the bankruptcy without a design job. As Cadillac general manager, he’ll work to improve the luxury division’s image. But not all by himself: Unlike Chevy and Buick-GMC division GMs, Nesbitt won’t cover the sales side. Ex-Chevrolet chief Ed Peper is now Cadillac’s general sales manager. Will inﬂuence: CTS coupe launch. RWD sub- CTS  Series-ﬁghter is a potential RWD.FWD-basedDTSlong-awaitedhit…STS/convergenceisAWD,not Outlook: Good.

JOHAN DE NYSSCHEN Audi of OUTSPOKENCONFIDENTpresidentAmericaAND Conﬁdent: Audi sales and revenues remained steady last year while the premium market slipped by  percent from . New, larger A a certiﬁed hit, most sold with . TFSI. Outspoken: Told journalist Lawrence Ulrich, “No one will pay a $, premium for a car that competes with a Corolla. So there are not enough idiots who will buy it.” Later said diesel and hybrid are technologies.”“complementary Embarrassment of riches: Lots of new product to keep Audi growing, including new A and  A four-door “coupe.” Outlook: Smart. 42. MIKE SIMCOE GM exec director North

Inﬂuence on: Holden design from , Daewoo, Suzuki, Subaru, and Isuzu from  to , GM’s Chinese

FOURUNDERSTANDINGarchitecturalexteriorAmericananddesignBRANDS

41.

All of Fiat: As chairman of SpA, oversees Fiat Auto and Ferrari.

Extra credit: New “bread and butter” Ferrari, the  Italia. Still racing: Montezemelo, who rallied Lancias for HF Squadra Corse in , still ultimately oversees Ferrari F. With Jean Todt having replaced Max Mosley, he and his F Teams Association ﬁnally have a friend in F’s presiding body. Outlook: Magniﬁco.

ELON MUSK Tesla CREDITSHARINGproductchairman/CEO/MotorsarchitectTHE

When we last left our hero: Musk had a public ﬁght with co-founder and ex-employee Martin Eberhard over whose idea it was to power sports cars with laptop batteries. What’s next: In a race against Fisker’s plug-in hybrid, Tesla is taking orders for its $, Model S sevenpassenger electricpowered sedan, to be available in . Mitigating factor: Daimler bought  percent of Tesla last year. Credit where due: Musk’s cars have helped push major automakers into pure electrics. Outlook: Partly cloudy. design center, and the current Chevy Camaro and Equinox, GMC Terrain, and Buick LaCrosse. What’s next: Assuring that future Chevys look like Chevys, future Buicks look like Buicks, future Cadillacs look like Cadillacs. Outlook: designers.betterAmericanforeignersGood—oftenknowbrandsthanAmerican 43.

39. GILLESRALPH Chrysler Group product design senior vp/Dodge Brand president/ ATCEOA CROSSROAD Inﬂuence on: Some of Chrysler’s best designs of the last decade. He was named design chief following Trevor Creed’s couldbankruptcyranretirement,long-awaitedbutthenintothecompany’sbeforehegetmuchdone. Survived: Yes, so far. And Marchionne picked him to lead Dodge, the volume brand. Only if: He said he’d take that job only if he could retain his design chief position. Outlook: As good as Chrysler’s.

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 77 ROOKIE2009ROOKIERANK 14 2009 RANK 19* ROOKIE 2009 RANK 6* 2009 RANK 14* 37. GIRSKYSTEPHEN GM board member THE FINALLYBOARDGETS A CAR GUY Why he’s here: Appointed to New GM’s board of directors, he’s a true car guy who led the board in rescinding the sale of Opel. Understands the business and the passion of cars equally. Background: Automotive analyst for Morgan Stanley from  to , special advisor to old GM’s CEO and CFO in . Advisor to Centerbridge Partners, which tried to buy Chrysler from Daimler in ’. Currently: Heads an independent advisory ﬁrm based in New York. Outlook: Excellent. 38. CORDEROLUCA MONTEZEMELODI Fiat SpA chairman WHAT’S ITALIAN FOR SEAT”?“CATBIRD

eﬃcientwhileproduceFiatMarchionneSubordinatehasturnedAutoaroundtorecordproﬁts,Ferrarishiftstopower.

NESBITTBRYAN Cadillac STAFFSURVIVINGmanagergeneralDESIGNCUTBACKS

40.

Influence on: Benetton, Ferrari, Honda F teams. Cinderella year: Bought Honda F for £ at the end of  and won constructors’ and drivers’ championships in his first year. Head start: Honda backed off its effort in mid-, setting up Brawn with the right chassis package for ’, with engines.Mercedes-Benz Reversal of fortune: Daimler AG and Aabar Investments bought  percent of Brawn GP and renamed it Mercedes Grand Prix. Outlook: Ask again in a month or two.

78 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM ROOKIEROOKIEROOKIE LAST RANKED ’08 ROOKIE ROOKIE ROOKIE 44. SCHREYERPETER Kia design chief TAKING KIA TO THE NEXT LEVEL Then: Original Audi TT,  A, and  Volkswagen Concept R. Left Volkswagen for Kia in  after reported fights with VW design chief Murat Gunak. Now: Influence starting to show up on the Soul, Forte/Koup, and  Veracruz. New corporate grille is his, and the Number  Concept from the  Geneva show, a B-segment MPV somewhat reminiscent of the Audi A is the first all-Schreyer Kia. Next: With Schreyer bringing good design to Kia, the brand is becoming world-class. Outlook: Fair. 45. DOCHERTYSUSAN GM VP service/marketingsales/ UP THE LADDER, INTO THE HOT SEAT Influence on: Original Escalade, which she introduced at Cadillac after four years at GM Europe. Was general manager for Hummer as GM was launching first civilian models in s. Later worked in GM’s Western Region, named general manager of BuickPontiac-GMC in . At New GM: In charge of shutting down the Pontiac division, before she was named to replace Mark La Neve as U.S. sales chief. Challenge: To regrow U.S. sales while retaining Pontiac, Saturn, Saab, and Hummer customers. Outlook: Fair. 46. JIM TAYLOR Hummer CEO BRIDGE TO CHINA? Influence on: Taylor led Cadillac through its product renaissance, then was named CEO of Hummer as GM began negotiations to sell it. The sale: GM has signed a definitive agreement to sell Hummer to Tengzhong Heavy Industrial and Hong Kong SuolangentrepreneurDuoji. And then: GM plants will build the H/HT through June , with an option to extend to June ’. AM General will continue to build the H. Local control: Will open a Hummer headquarters in Michigansoutheasternwhere he’ll run the show. Outlook: Cloudy.

Outlook: Sunny, with a dose of caﬀeine.

47. BRAWNROSS Brawn GP

Inﬂuence on: Turnkey powertrain for Baja Trophy Truck Team, Ford GT, . Shelby GTKR,  Shelby GT, and the new F- SVT Raptor.

LIST.WATCHTOPEOPLE20THEONWASRANKINGYEAR’SLAST* the power list 2010 >> GEPA-PICTURES.COM

48. FRANCOISOLIVIER

HAVE?WHATNICECEOBrandLancia/Chryslerpresident/BROCHURE;ELSED’YOU Who: Quickly transforming s Buick-like Lancias into handsome cars. Tapped by Marchionne to do same for Chrysler division. What: Fiat will supply Chrysler division B- and C-segment cars, a  Sebring replacement, a ’ midsize crossover. The problem is: Fiat-basedRamChrysler/Jeep/Dodge/Crowdsshowroomswithsmallcars. It might work: Sheetmetal will be diﬀerent, like Fiats, Alfas, and Lancias in the home market. Beyond sheetmetal, though… Outlook: Cloudy. 49. HAMEEDIJAMAL Ford SVT SVTnameplatechiefengineerREBORN?

ROOKIECHAMPIONSHIP/OFFSilverMercedes-Benzprincipal/ArrowsASEASON

Whither SVT: Following Hau Thai reassignmentTang’sto South America, SVT name has gone low-key. While the GTs are known more as Shelbys, Hameedi’s Raptor brings SVT name back to the surface. Counterpoint: Hameedi didn’t have new .-liter V- ready to launch with the Raptor engine. Outlook: Could make SVT a household name again. 50. MATESCHITZDIETRICH Red Bull RACINGCAFFEINATEDprincipalRacing

How: Four-billion cans of Red Bull per year buys lots of toys: two F teams, a NASCAR Sprint Cup team, an air race series, Austrian and American soccer clubs, a collection of classic aircraft, an island oﬀ Fiji, and society magazine Seitenblicke. F success: Red Bull Racing/Renault, the ex-Jaguar team acquired in , ﬁnished nd in ScuderiainpurchasedVettel.lookalikeofmostlychampionshipConstructorslastyear,onthestrengthNapoleonDynamite-SebastianMateschitzMinardiwithandrenameditTorroRosso.

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Best Rank: 5 (2007)

LIST.WATCHTOPEOPLE20THEONWASRANKINGYEAR’SLAST*

WENDELIN WIEDEKING

GM’s chairman/CEO was ushering in a new renaissance for his company’s product while burning through billions of dollars. When Lehman Brothers collapsed the global economy, GM and then Wagoner went with it.

The New GM’s new board of directors sacked him in December. He was still considered too much the Old GM and appeared to have clashed with Whitacre, whose prominence in the industry continues to grow. Best Rank: 1* (2009, 20 People To Watch)

RICK WAGONER

FUJIO CHO Toyota Motor Corporation’s chief moved on for much the same reason as Honda’s Fukui: He timed out. In this case, it was with scion Akio Toyoda in the wings, and came as Toyota announced its ﬁrst ﬁscal loss since World War II.

CHRIS BANGLE BMW AG’s director of design did all he could. That’s his critics’ complaint, but the fact is, Bangle had a profound effect on modern-car design, inﬂuencing practically everyone. Whether you like Bangle’s Flame Surfacing or not, the models are all the more interesting for it. Bangle went on to his own design consultancy… many reports indicate he had an argument with his successor, Adrian van Hooydonk, about the direction of Project 1, the modern BMW Isetta.

JIM PRESS Made big news when he left Toyota, where he was the ﬁrst non-Japanese board member to become Chrysler LLC chairman and vice president. Was lauded for quick, last-minute changes to the Dodge Journey just before it launched, but that wasn’t enough. Handed in his retirement midyear and spent the rest of the year hiding.

FRITZ HENDERSON

Best Rank: 4* (2009, 20 People to Watch)

BOB NARDELLI Cerberus tapped the former Home Depot chief to run Chrysler Group when the private equity ﬁrm bought the car company in 2007. With the help of the Great Recession and no serious cash infusion from Cerberus, Nardelli did run it…into the ground. He was gone last year as soon as Marchionne stepped in.

JOHN SNOW Cerberus Capital Management’s chairman appeared among the 20 People to Watch in last year’s list. We noted that when GM reportedly lobbied Bush Treasury secretary Henry Paulson for TARP money to buy Chrysler, it had “Snow’s ﬁngerprints all over it” (Snow was an earlier Bush administration Treasury secretary). In late 2008, Snow was in charge of ﬁnding a new buyer for Chrysler. Good news is Cerberus didn’t get any money from Fiat.

RAY YOUNG Fell off our list after news Whitacre and Henderson were searching for a replacement chief financial officer. Saved by new salary limits for top management at companies that took federal loans, making it tough to recruit his replacement. Meanwhile, Whitacre realized he inherited Henderson’s and Wagoner’s finance department, so Young was still CFO at press time.

Wrote Steven Rattner, “It seemed completely obvious to us that any management team that had burned through $21 billion of cash in a year and another $13 billion in the ﬁrst quarter of 2009 could not be allowed to continue.” And Wagoner, after all, was a ﬁnance guy.

Best Rank: 8* (2009, 20 People to Watch) A HELLUVA YEAR FOOOR THOOOSSSE IN THE HOOOT SSSEAT THE POWER LIST, UNPLUGGED

When he signaled he was more willing than Wagoner to take GM into a preorganized bankruptcy, Henderson became the choice to “ﬁll in” as CEO/president (but not chairman).

The Honda Motor Company chief stepped down last spring, after canceling programs for a new NSX, rear drive, and a V-8, for a far happier reason than Wagoner or Wiedeking: He reached retirement age. His successor, Takanobu Ito, seems committed to maintaining course, which is to make Hondas more fun and more sustainable at the same time. Best Rank: 1 (2009)

TAKEO FUKUI

Best Rank: 2 (2008)

Best Rank: 15 (2006, 2007)

Best Rank: 1 (2008)

Best Rank: 11* (2009, 20 People To Watch)

Best Rank: 4 (2006, for Toyota)

MARK LA NEVE GM’s U.S. sales chief left the automaker for insurance company Allstate just before GM announced its ﬁrst year-over-year sales increase in 21 months. LaNeve, who spent some time at Volvo before working on Cadillac’s renaissance, may have run into New GM Chairman Ed Whitacre’s no-excuses management style.

the power list 2010 >> 80 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM

IT’S BEEN

Porsche AG’s chief saved the sports car maker in 1992. He spent much of 2008 using holding company Porsche SE to buy up shares of Volkswagen AG, and ran up debt to the tune of more than $14.2 billion in the process. Then he encountered the same dire economics as Wagoner. Piëch’s VW turned the tables, bought controlling interest in Porsche, and sacked Wiedeking. Don’t shed any tears—his Golden Parachute was worth the equivalent of $70 million. Best Rank: 2 (2009)

RESEARCHBUYDELIVERINSTALL Since 1979 ®Tire Buying It’s easy to find one near your home or office and your order can be shipped directly to an installer location from one of our six strategically located distribution centers. Because the best tires in the world can’t help you if they’re not properly installed on your vehicle. Tires are like shoes. Winter tires are designed for surefooted travel in the worst conditions. What’s your vehicle wearing? In January 2009, we traveled to Northern Sweden — during the height of the winter season — to experience winter tires where reindeer, moose and dogsleds reign. But this area near the Arctic Circle is also home to a number of European automotive winter test facilities. So we took advantage of the consistent cold temperatures, all of the snow and well-prepared snow and ice surfaces to study this winter’s newest tires. Watch the videos at www.tirerack.com/videos 1-888-372-8473 ©2009 Tire www.tirerack.comRack

Ask about our Tire Road Hazard Service Program ©2009 Tire Rack1-888-372-8473 www.tirerack.comHours: EST M-F 8am-8pm SAT 9am-4pm Get up-to-date pricing, availability and shipping quotes at www.tirerack.com Over a MILLION tires. In Stock. Ready to Ship. 500OVER tire models from manufacturers18 Wondering Where to Get Them Installed? Your order can be shipped directly to an installer location from one of our 6 strategically located distribution centers. Not Sure Which Tire is Right For You? Our highly-trained sales specialists are available to answer your questions and help find the right tire for you. As our test driv ers, they have hands-on experience with many of our top products. Right Now at TIRERACK.COM Use our new tire search to find the tire that’s right for you, your vehicle, and the weather you drive in. • Select your price range with interactive sliders • Choose brands, performance categories and more • Sort results by brand, price, speed rating and more What You Should Know About Low Rolling Resistance Tires Read the 3-part series in our Tech Center at www.tirerack.com/tiretech Ecopia EP100 Find the Right Tire for You by Using Our Tire Decision Guide A helpful way to find the right tires by answering a few short questions about how and where you drive. www.tirerack.com/tdg 1 Vehicle Tire Size2 Driving Conditions3 Performance4 Brands5 Results

TRUCK & SUV Wheels Visit www.tirerack.com to see an additional 94 truck and SUV wheel styles! 3 of the styles available for the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS at www.tirerack.com ©2009 Tire Rack1-888-372-8473 www.tirerack.comHours: EST M-F 8am-8pm SAT 9am-4pm Prices Subject to Change Prices Vary by Application 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS with 20" Sport Muscle Tach AMERICAN RACING PHANTOM 20x8.5 machined with black accent SPORT MUSCLE TACH 20x9 chrome SPORT MUSCLE CM5 20x8 chrome MAMBA M5 15 16 17 18 STARTING AT $129 ea. ULTRA WHEEL GRINDER 17 18 20 STARTING AT $135 ea. ZINIK Z9 SABINI 18 20 22 STARTING AT $149 ea. MAMBA M4 17 18 20 STARTING AT $139 ea. GRANITE ALLOY GA9 15 16 17 STARTING AT $99 ea. DICK CEPEK DC-1 mach. blk. 15 16 17 18 20 STARTING AT $117ea. ATX STORM Teflon® 16 17 18 20 STARTING AT $165 ea. ELBRUS I06 15 16 17 18 STARTING AT $99ea. ASA AR1 black 15 16 17 18 19 20 STARTING AT $110 ea. ASA GT1 17 18 19 STARTING AT $130 ea. O.Z. ALLEGGERITA HLT black Special Order 17 18 STARTING AT $244 ea. MSW TYPE 20 15 16 17 18 STARTING AT $85 ea. BREYTON RACE GTS-R 18 19 STARTING AT $309 ea. MODA MD8 16 17 18 STARTING AT $118 ea. BBS LM-R 19 20 STARTING AT $1,225 ea. O.Z. ULTRALEGGERA HLT 19 20 STARTING AT $149 ea. O.Z. ALLEGGERITA HLT 17 18 STARTING AT $219 ea. BREMMER KRAFT BR04 17 18 STARTING AT $149 ea. O.Z. BOTTICELLI mach. black 17 18 STARTING AT $255 ea. ASA GT2 17 18 STARTING AT $145 ea. MODA EB1 17 18 STARTING AT $99 ea. ENKEI PERF. EKM3 17 18 STARTING AT $155ea. ENKEI PERF. LSF 18 20 STARTING AT $224ea. SeeOnThemYour Car Visit the Upgrade Garage Experiencewww.tirerack.com.atone-click access to everything that ﬁts your vehicle, and keep a wishlist of your favorites. What About TPMS? If your vehicle came equipped with a direct tire pressure monitoring system, we can assist you in selecting wheels that are compatible with its sensors. We also offer an extra set of sensors for all TPMS systems, so your tire and wheel package can arrive with sensors already installed. Want More Info? Call and talk to our highly trained experts. Visit www.tirerack.com to see our entire selection of over 461 wheel styles! Brakes Suspension Induction

?QV\MZ <QZM[ SPECIALS GRASPICDUNLOPDS-3EXTREMEWINTERCONTINENTALCONTACTBLIZZAKBRIDGESTONEDM-V1 BRIDGESTONEBLIZZAKWS60 SPDUNLOPWINTERSPORT3D GENERALALTIMAXARCTICWINTERFORCEFIRESTONE WINTERPIRELLI210/240SOTTOZEROSCORPIONPIRELLI ICE & SNOW For best selection call now or visit www.tirerack.com MICHELINX-IceXi2PILOTMICHELINALPINPA3 BRIDGESTONEBLIZZAKLM-60 Ask about our Tire Road Hazard Service Program ©2009 Tire Rack1-888-372-8473 www.tirerack.comHours: EST M-F 8am-8pm SAT 9am-4pm Pricing Effective January 1-31, 2010 Prices Subject to Change Pilot Alpin PA2 205/50 R- 17 $155 235/40 R- 18 187 245/45 R- 18 220 255/40 R- 18 $228 265/40 R- 18 182 265/40 R- 18 252 295/35 R- 18 $300 335/40 R- 18 216 Latitude Alpin HP 235/55 R- 17 $180 235/65 R- 17 193 235/50 R- 18 $189 255/55 R- 18XL 227 255/50 R- 19 $267 265/55 R- 19 268 Latitude X-Ice P 235/75 R- 15X$113 265/70 R- 15 119 255/65 R- 16 140 255/70 R- 16 $133 265/70 R- 16 129 275/70 R- 16 142 215/65 R- 17 $108 245/70 R- 17 135 255/70 R- 17 136 Latitude Alpin 245/70 R- 16 $124 265/65 R- 17 149 Latitude Alpin HP ZP RFT 255/55 R- 18 $215 X-Ice Xi2 175/65 R- 14 $73 185/60 R- 14 83 185/70 R- 14 76 185/55 R- 15 96 185/60 R- 15 87 185/65 R- 15 88 195/55 R- 15 89 195/60 R- 15 84 205/60 R- 15 87 205/70 R- 15 88 215/65 R- 15 101 215/70 R- 15 $89 195/55 R- 16XL 114 205/50 R- 16 125 205/55 R- 16 112 205/60 R- 16 105 215/55 R- 16XL 129 225/60 R- 16 114 235/60 R- 16 119 205/50 R- 17XL 118 215/45 R- 17 138 215/50 R- 17 120 215/60 R- 17 $105 215/65 R- 17 114 225/45 R- 17XL 149 225/55 R- 17XL 138 225/60 R- 17 130 235/55 R- 17XL 149 215/45 R- 18 146 225/60 R- 18 148 245/45 R- 19 186 205/55 R- 16 $125 205/50 R- 17 164 215/55 R- 17XL 166 225/45 R- 17XL 175 225/55 R- 17 $177 235/45 R- 17XL 197 235/55 R- 17XL 179 225/40 R- 18 201 235/40 R- 18X$206 245/45 R- 18XL 218 255/45 R- 19 212 285/40 R- 19 276 Pilot Alpin PA3 Primacy Alpin PA3 195/60 R- 15 $104 195/65 R- 15 100 205/65 R- 15 107 205/50 R- 16 137 205/55 R- 16 122 205/60 R- 16 $99 215/55 R- 16 129 215/65 R- 16 125 225/50 R- 16 141 225/55 R- 16 138 205/45 R- 17 $153 215/45 R- 17 152 225/45 R- 17 160 225/45 R- 17 163 Scorpion Ice & Snow Winter Carving (studdable) 185/65 R- 14 $78 185/70 R- 14 80 195/55 R- 15 $100 195/60 R- 15 91 225/45 R- 17 $167 225/55 R- 17 177 Winter Carving Edge (studdable) 175/65 R- 14 $79 185/60 R- 14 82 185/65 R- 15 86 195/65 R- 15 85 205/60 R- 15 $92 205/65 R- 15 106 205/55 R- 16 119 205/60 R- 16XL 118 215/60 R- 16X$127 215/65 R- 16 112 225/55 R- 16XL 147 235/65 R- 17 169 Winter 240 Sottozero 225/55 R- 17 $201 235/45 R- 17 199 215/45 R- 18XL 204 225/45 R- 18XL 216 235/40 R- 18N1 232 235/45 R- 18XL 244 235/50 R- 18XL 255 245/40 R- 18 $239 245/45 R- 18 255 255/35 R- 18 229 285/40 R- 18 350 295/35 R- 18 322 255/40 R- 19XL 333 285/35 R- 19 381 285/40 R- 19 $361 265/35 R- 20 432 RFT (Runflat) 245/45 R- 17 $222 245/40 R- 18XL 268 255/35 R- 18XL 326 Winter 240 SnowSport 205/45 R- 17 $165 255/40 R- 17 237 225/40 R- 18 214 235/40 R- 18 $210 235/40 R- 18N0 216 265/35 R- 18 274 265/40 R- 18 $267 RFT (Runflat) 205/45 R- 17 $179 Winter 210 Sottozero 225/55 R- 16 $147 215/60 R- 17 178 235/55 R- 17 171 225/55 R- 18 $177 225/60 R- 18 159 RFT (Runflat) 205/50 R- 17 $181 225/45 R- 17 212 225/50 R- 17 202 Winter 210 Sottozero Serie II 215/45 R- 17 $175 215/55 R- 17 $193 245/45 R- 17 $240 Winter 190 Snowcontrol 165/65 R- 13 $52 175/65 R- 15 61 145/65 R- 15 $77 155/60 R- 15 73 Winter 190 SnowSport 185/55 R- 15XL $92 Winter 190 Snowcontrol Serie II 185/60 R- 15XL $66 185/65 R- 15 70 195/60 R- 15 $75 195/65 R- 15 67 205/55 R- 16 $113 215/65 R- 16 $96 215/70 R- 16 97 225/70 R- 16 110 235/70 R- 16 107 245/70 R- 16 112 235/60 R- 17XL 143 235/65 R- 17 131 235/65 R- 17XL 155 245/65 R- 17XL 152 255/60 R- 17 147 265/65 R- 17 164 275/55 R- 17 173 235/55 R- 18 146 235/60 R- 18 $161 245/55 R- 18 169 235/65 R- 18XL 168 255/55 R- 18 175 255/60 R- 18XL 176 245/50 R- 19XL 189 255/50 R- 19N0 217 255/55 R- 19 195 265/55 R- 19 235 275/45 R- 19XL 212 285/45 R- 19 223 245/45 R- 20 235 255/45 R- 20 243 255/50 R- 20 $267 265/45 R- 20XL 247 275/40 R- 20NO 265 275/45 R- 20XL 282 275/50 R- 20 281 295/40 R- 20XL 285 295/35 R- 21 298 P 275/45 R- 22XL 344 RFT (Runflat) 255/55 R- 18 $203 255/50 R- 19XL 252 Ultra Grip SUV 265/70 R- 16 $108 235/55 R- 17 150 255/65 R- 17 $114 265/65 R- 17 121 255/55 R- 19 $212 Winterforce UV (studdable) P 225/70 R- 16 $68 P 235/65 R- 16 $82 Winterforce (studdable) P 155/80 R- 13 $36 175/70 R- 13 44 175/65 R- 14 55 185/60 R- 14 57 P 185/75 R- 14 49 195/70 R- 14 $53 P 195/75 R- 14 49 205/70 R- 14 51 P 205/75 R- 14 51 185/65 R- 15 60 205/70 R- 15 $55 215/55 R- 16 79 225/50 R- 17 109 Graspic DS-3 195/65 R- 15 $96 205/65 R- 15 90 205/55 R- 16 98 205/55 R- 16 108 215/55 R- 16 119 215/65 R- 16 116 225/55 R- 16 124 235/60 R- 16 121 205/50 R- 17 136 215/55 R- 17XL 149 225/45 R- 17 147 225/45 R- 17X$149 225/55 R- 17 152 235/45 R- 17XL 157 235/65 R- 17XL 141 245/40 R- 17XL 181 245/45 R- 17 166 255/45 R- 17 195 225/40 R- 18 179 235/40 R- 18 199 235/40 R- 18XL 203 235/50 R- 18 231 235/60 R- 18X$175 245/40 R- 18XL 219 255/40 R- 18 233 255/45 R- 18 240 265/35 R- 18XL 256 285/35 R- 18XL 277 ROF (RunOnFlat) 195/55 R- 16 $118 245/50 R- 18 299 245/45 R- 19 275 235/55 R- 17 $175 SP Winter Sport 3D SP Winter Sport 175/70 R- 13 $57 175/70 R- 14 65 185/60 R- 14 65 185/65 R- 14 68 185/70 R- 14 64 195/70 R- 14 66 185/60 R- 15 70 185/65 R- 15 68 195/55 R- 15 81 195/60 R- 15 72 195/65 R- 15 73 205/60 R- 15 $75 205/65 R- 15 77 205/70 R- 15 73 215/65 R- 15 79 215/70 R- 15 76 205/55 R- 16 96 205/65 R- 16 83 215/55 R- 16 98 215/60 R- 16XL 86 215/65 R- 16 84 225/55 R- 16 102 225/60 R- 16 $90 215/45 R- 17XL 114 215/50 R- 17 121 215/55 R- 17 103 215/60 R- 17 96 225/45 R- 17 123 225/55 R- 17 107 235/45 R- 17 136 225/50 R- 18 179 225/55 R- 18 173 SP Winter Sport M3 225/60 R- 15 $112 205/45 R- 16 124 215/60 R- 16 105 225/50 R- 16 129 225/60 R- 16 116 215/45 R- 17 $137 215/50 R- 17 140 235/45 R- 18 206 245/45 R- 18XL 224 245/50 R- 18 197 ROF (RunOnFlat) 205/55 R- 16 $138 225/50 R- 17 205 255/60 R- 17 $175 275/55 R- 17 189 235/60 R- 18 147 255/55 R- 18XL 169 285/45 R- 19 $209 275/45 R- 20XL 189 RFT (Runflat) 235/55 R- 18 $268 255/55 R- 18 $187 255/50 R- 19 339 Blizzak LM-25 4X4 225/60 R- 17 $123 165/65 R- 14 $70 245/40 R- 18 $207 Blizzak LM-50 RFT (Runflat) Blizzak MZ-03 Blizzak MZ-03 RFT (Runflat) 215/85 R- 16E$136 245/75 R- 16E 145 265/75 R- 16E $151 LT 235/80 R- 17E 157 245/70 R- 17E$157 LT 265/70 R- 17E 168 Blizzak W965 Blizzak LM-25 195/55 R- 15 $77 225/50 R- 18 162 255/35 R- 18XL 226 255/45 R- 18 150 225/40 R- 19 159 225/40 R- 19XL 169 245/45 R- 19 $214 275/35 R- 19 188 265/35 R- 19 128 RFT (Runflat) 205/55 R- 16 $139 225/45 R- 17XL 189 245/50 R- 17 $211 245/45 R- 18 247 P 245/50 R- 20 241 255/40 R- 20 358 285/35 R- 20 394 Blizzak DM-V1 Blizzak WS60 175/65 R- 14XL $75 185/60 R- 14 74 185/65 R- 14 77 185/70 R- 14 73 195/60 R- 14 77 175/65 R- 15 73 195/55 R- 15 90 195/60 R- 15 81 195/65 R- 15 82 205/60 R- 15 85 205/70 R- 15 82 215/60 R- 15 $87 215/65 R- 15 88 215/70 R- 15 85 195/60 R- 16 85 205/55 R- 16 107 205/60 R- 16 90 205/65 R- 16 92 215/65 R- 16 94 225/50 R- 16 119 235/60 R- 16 106 235/65 R- 16 105 205/50 R- 17 $133 215/45 R- 17 127 215/60 R- 17 126 215/60 R- 17 107 P 215/65 R- 17 101 225/45 R- 17 137 235/45 R- 17 152 235/60 R- 17 112 235/40 R- 18 162 215/70 R- 15 $90 215/70 R- 16 102 P 235/75 R- 16XL 105 245/70 R- 16 112 275/70 R- 16 124 P 215/70 R- 17 117 225/65 R- 17 107 P 235/75 R- 17 115 245/65 R- 17 117 P 245/70 R- 17 121 245/75 R- 17 $120 P 255/65 R- 17 124 P 255/70 R- 17 125 265/65 R- 17 133 P 285/70 R- 17 143 235/55 R- 18 130 P 255/65 R- 18 149 P 255/70 R- 18 128 265/60 R- 18 149 265/65 R- 18 153 P 265/70 R- 18 $136 275/60 R- 18 155 285/60 R- 18 162 P 255/60 R- 19 162 P 245/60 R- 20 163 P 245/50 R- 20 161 P 265/50 R- 20 163 275/45 R- 20XL 186 P 275/60 R- 20 176 Blizzak LM-60 215/45 R- 17 $144 225/45 R- 17 150 235/45 R- 17XL 160 235/50 R- 17 168 215/45 R- 18XL 177 225/40 R- 18XL 172 225/45 R- 18XL 184 P 225/60 R- 18 182 235/45 R- 18 188 245/40 R- 18XL 199 245/45 R- 18 199 255/40 R- 18XL 210 255/45 R- 18 $205 265/35 R- 18XL 234 275/35 R- 18 234 225/40 R- 19 215 225/45 R- 19 205 235/35 R- 19XL 243 245/45 R- 19 223 255/35 R- 19XL 264 255/40 R- 19XL 252 255/50 R- 19XL 228 265/35 R- 19 265 275/35 R- 19 276 245/40 R- 20 $272 245/45 R- 20 260 P 245/50 R- 20 247 255/35 R- 20XL 293 255/45 R- 20 269 RFT (Runflat) 195/55 R- 16 $138 205/45 R- 17 158 225/40 R- 18 211 255/55 R- 18 254 Blizzak DM-Z3 P 235/75 R- 17 $91 235/55 R- 18 119 275/60 R- 18 $125 265/45 R- 21 287 ExtremeWinterContact 175/70 R- 13 $55 175/65 R- 14 64 185/65 R- 14XL 69 185/70 R- 14 63 185/60 R- 15XL 72 185/65 R- 15XL 71 195/55 R- 15XL 87 195/60 R- 15XL 71 195/65 R- 15XL 71 205/60 R- 15 73 205/65 R- 15 77 205/70 R- 15 73 215/60 R- 15 85 215/65 R- 15 81 215/70 R- 15 78 205/60 R- 16XL 83 215/55 R- 16 $103 215/60 R- 16 92 215/65 R- 16XL 92 225/55 R- 16XL 110 225/60 R- 16 96 225/70 R- 16 98 LT 225/75 R- 16E 143 235/60 R- 16 105 235/75 R- 16 111 LT 235/85 R- 16E 142 245/75 R- 16 109 255/70 R- 16 123 265/70 R- 16 125 265/75 R- 16 119 LT 265/75 R- 16E 151 205/50 R- 17XL 114 215/45 R- 17 $127 215/50 R- 17 124 215/55 R- 17XL 121 215/60 R- 17 114 225/45 R- 17XL 130 235/45 R- 17 138 235/55 R- 17XL 132 235/65 R- 17XL 127 LT 235/80 R- 17E 171 245/70 R- 17 128 LT 245/70 R- 17E 165 265/65 R- 17 143 265/70 R- 17 129 LT 285/70 R- 17D 194 Blizzak LM-18 145/65 R- 15 $49 175/55 R- 15 64 175/70 R- 13 $45 175/65 R- 14 56 185/65 R- 14 60 185/65 R- 15 61 195/55 R- 15 75 205/60 R- 15 65 205/65 R- 15 67 205/70 R- 15 61 215/60 R- 15 72 215/65 R- 15 71 225/70 R- 15 $71 205/60 R- 16 70 215/55 R- 16 80 225/55 R- 16 94 235/60 R- 16 93 235/75 R- 16 97 LT 235/85 R- 16E 127 255/70 R- 16 105 265/70 R- 16 109 265/75 R- 16 104 LT265/75 R- 16E$133 215/50 R- 17 106 215/55 R- 17 100 215/60 R- 17 99 235/55 R- 17 116 265/65 R- 17 128 LT 265/70 R- 17E 154 LT 285/70 R- 17D 172 AltiMAX Arctic (studdable) Winter 240 Sottozero Serie II 225/45 R- 17X$201 235/40 R- 18 241 245/50 R- 18 270 255/40 R- 18 269 265/40 R- 18 285 275/45 R- 18 355 295/35 R- 18 $336 235/35 R- 19 285 295/30 R- 19 355 255/40 R- 20XL 425 285/35 R- 20 471 RFT (Runflat) 215/40 R- 18 $246 245/35 R- 18XL 332 Winter 270 Sottozero Serie II 235/45 R- 20X$375 245/35 R- 20 456 275/35 R- 20 489 RFT (Runflat) 245/40 R- 20 $480 275/35 R- 20 583 Full pattern studding Available for $15 per tire on tires marked studdable. 255/55 R- 18 $298 Grandtrek WT M3 (RunOnFlat) Blizzak LM-22 215/45 R- 18 $149 235/45 R- 18 177 ContiWinterContact TS810 S 205/55 R- 17 $177 235/50 R- 17XL 202 245/40 R- 18 $243 245/45 R- 18XL 235 265/40 R- 18 $221 Grandtrek SJ6 30X9.5 R- 15C $99 205/70 R- 16 91 Grandtrek SJ5 Grandtrek WT M3 275/60 R- 18 $171 P 265/50 R- 20 112 255/50 R- 19X$203 ContiWinterContact TS800 155/60 R- 15 $76 175/55 R- 15 $100 WinterContactVancoVanco Winter 205/65 R- 15 $98205/65 R- 15C$110 LT205/65 R- 16D 135 LT215/65 R- 16D$137 ContiWinterContact TS810 4x4 ContiCrossContactWinterContact Winter 225/45 R- 17 $158 225/45 R- 17 $186 215/60 R- 17 $164 215/65 R- 16 $115 Eagle Ultra Grip GW3 EMT (Runflat) 225/50 R- 16 $145 245/45 R- 17X$205 195/55 R- 15 $101 205/60 R- 15 93 205/50 R- 16 $116 P 225/60 R- 18 145 P 225/60 R- 16 $136 Eagle Ultra Grip GW3 Eagle Ultra Grip GW2 Ultra Grip Performance 215/50 R- 17 $140 205/70 R- 15 $69 Ultra Grip

Ask about our Tire Road Hazard Service Program ©2009 Tire Rack1-888-372-8473 www.tirerack.comHours: EST M-F 8am-8pm SAT 9am-4pm Pricing Effective January 1-31, 2010 Prices Subject to Change Benefits of Buying a Package Im_jYî[WiedWbfWYaW][iWjFWYaW][Whh_l[ih[WZojeXebjed>_]^gkWb_jo"l[^_Yb[#if[Y_ÓY"[nWYjÓjc[djioekhl[^_Yb[oekhYedl[d_[dY[ Package Includes 7bbd[Y[iiWho^WhZmWh[Wjde<h[[>kdj[hHeWZ<ehY[<h[[iYhWjY^b[iicekdj_d]*j_h[iWdZ*m^[[bi"cekdj[ZWdZXWbWdY[ZXWbWdY_d][njhWYeij Visit tirerack.com/snow and select your vehicle. Pick our Preferred Package or choose a tire size for your Winter Tire & Wheel Package from the options shown under “Build Your Own Package.” Pick a tire, then choose a wheel to complete the package. Build Your Own at tirerack.com Sample Tire & Wheel Packages Winter Tire & Wheel Package? Why Should You Consider a ioij[ci"WdZYWdWhh_l[WbieWlW_bWXb[\ehceij7d[njhWi[je\i[diehi_iYecfWj_Xb[m_j^_jii[diehi$h[Yecc[dZm^[[bij^WjWh[ced_jeh_d]ioij[c"m[YWdm_j^WZ_h[Yjj_h[fh[iikh[?\oekhl[^_Yb[YWc[[gk_ff[Z pre-installed on your package! What About TPMS? Tire Rack’s Winter Tire & Wheel Packages make changing to winter tires easy and efficient. Y^Wd][W]W_d"oekhikcc[hfWYaW][]e[iXWYaed`kijWi[\ÓY_[djbo$fWYaW][oekhi[b\$M^[dj^[m[Wj^[hY^Wd][i"oekÊh[h[WZo$M^[dj^[i[WiediM_j^m_dj[hj_h[icekdj[Zedj^[_hemdm^[[bi"oekYWd_dijWbbWi[WiedWb ’10 Ford Taurus SE ()+%,&#'-8h_Z][ijed[8b_ppWaMI,&'-n-$+Ifehj;Z_j_ed7Total Package Price: $908 Optional Set of TPMS Sensors: $288 ’10 Chevrolet Camaro SS (*+%++#'.F_h[bb_IYehf_ed?Y[Idem'.n.ceZW;8' Total Package Price: $1,216 Optional Set of TPMS Sensors: $248 ’09 Subaru Forester 2.5 XT Limited (&+%,+#',8h_Z]ijed[8b_ppWaMI,&',n-Ifehj;Z_j_ed<'& Total Package Price: $752 Optional Set of TPMS Sensors: $128 ’10 Honda Civic Sedan LX (&+%++#',=[d[hWb7bj_C7N7hYj_Y',n,$+D[mIj[[bM^[[bim%9el[hi Total Package Price: $564 Optional Set of TPMS Sensors: $144 ’10 Volvo S40 T5 R-Design FWD (&+%++#',:kdbefIFM_dj[hIfehj):',n,$+CIMJof['+ Total Package Price: $768 Optional Set of TPMS Sensors: $236 ’10 GMC Sierra 1500 2WD Extended Cab (*+%-&#'-9edj_d[djWb;njh[c[M_dj[h9edjWYj'-n.Ifehj;Z_j_edJA' Total Package Price: $1,068 Optional Set of TPMS Sensors: $136

ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE

Integrity of total vehicle concept and execution, clever solutions to packaging, manufacturing, and dynamics issues; use of cost-effective technologies that benefit the consumer.

INTENDED FUNCTION How well the vehicle does the job its designers and product planners intended.

ADVANCEMENT

THE CRITERIA

Each TOTY contender is evaluated against six key criteria. They are:

SAFETY Primary safety—the vehicle’s ability to help the driver avoid a crash—as well as secondary safety measures that protect occupants from harm during a crash.

Quality execution of exterior and interior styling; innovation in vehicle packaging; good selection and use of materials.

EFFICIENCY Low fuel consumption and carbon footprint, relative to the vehicle’s competitive set.

● words allyson harwood ● photographs brian vance/william walker T trhis co prov. reeuck ns for e i aTo Tun e , Er dt,,. , , THE . E r f l t . I i . p . f o w THIS YEAR SPECIALTY VEHICLES ARE THE NAME OF THE GAME

VALUE Price and equipment levels measured against those of vehicles in the same market segment.

86 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM OVER THE LAST few years, sales of pickups for personal use have dropped dramatically. It’s been a long, slow road to recovery in this country, and we still haven’t seen truck sales improve. Making things worse, guys who work in construction are among the most dedicated to buying pickups for use on the job, and there isn’t a lot of that going on right now, either. How did truckmakers respond to this sudden, dramatic, and prolonged change in the marketplace? Instead of sticking solely with the mainstream-market formula, they’re focusing on catering to the specific needs of truck people. That helps explain the interesting grouping of vehicles for the latest Truck of the Year event. Four qualified: the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, the Ford Transit Connect, the Ram Heavy Duty, and the Toyota Tundra 4.6-liter work truck. First contender is the off-road race-ready Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. Instead of taking the street-biased high-performance route of the Lightning, the design team looked at the strengths of the truck platform and redefined the idea of high performance. The Raptor is ideally suited to romping over the ruts and sand of the Baja 1000 and only gets better the faster you go. And even though the extended-cab powered by a 5.4-liter V-8 is an impressive combination, we hear a crew cab and 400-plus-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 are coming. Some of you may wonder why on earth there’s a little van in Truck of the Year. The Ford Transit Connect is no kid-toting minivan. This is a van built for work, with a 1600-pound payload, comparable to that of any half-ton truck on the market. This van, which has been sold in Europe for many years, has been put through truck-durability testing and is ready to take on full-size vans for a piece of that market. For those who need to be able to tow a fifth-wheel trailer or carry 5000 pounds of equipment in the bed, the Ram Heavy Duty arrives for 2010 with a revised platform, all-new sheetmetal, redesigned interior, and several innovations. These trucks are available as 3/4- and one-ton models, plus 4500 and 5500 trucks for even more capability.

DESIGN

The Toyota Tundra gets several major changes for 2010, including an all-new engine and updated styling inside and out. In addition, for the first time Toyota is offering the Tundra with a work-truck package. We tried out a regular cab work truck with the new V-8, to see how the new model answers the needs of the workingEvaluationsman. began at facilities in El Toro, California, where the crew ran every truck through Motor Trend’s test regimen, both unloaded and carrying its full rated payload. All judges also drove each truck through a short road course set up on those grounds, all variants driven empty and full. Once we’d finished there, we moved north, taking all the trucks on a real-world loop composed of surface streets, twisty roads, and freeway—including the Grapevine, which climbs nearly 3000 feet in a few miles. As these are all fairly specialized vehicles, we tested each to see how it does the jobs it’s intended to do. For example, we towed a 28-foot boat with the Ram and took the Raptor through the whoops and soft sand at the Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area. Once the testing and evaluation was completed, it was time for debate, discussion, and the vote.

truck of the year 2010 motor trend

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 87

THE LAST TIME we saw SVT on a Ford truck it was badged Lightning and performed admirably on the street and the strip, but it was still a truck trying to be a car. The 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor isn’t trying to be something it can’t; it’s a truck, and damned proud of that. Significant changes were made to the standard F-150 to convert it into the off-roadracing Raptor.The new Fox Racing Shox and custom suspension are truly incredible. You get 10 inches of ground clearance from the lowest skidplate, 11.2 inches of front and 12.1 inches of rear suspension travel. Numbers like this used to be found only in custombuilt trucks meant to compete in Baja. But even with all these off-road goodies you still get a smooth on-road ride, no bounce and buck, yet the truck is surprisingly fun on a canyon road, once you get used to the body roll and the slide from the knobby tires. “This thing drives like Jerome Bettis: big, heavy, yet changes directions with ease and keeps them wheels churnin’. Surprisingly good out on the twisties; unfortunately, this might well be lost on those who will drive only in the ’burbs or mostly on highway trips to the dunes,” writes senior editor Edward Loh. One negative in this area is the slow steering that makes precise positioning on the road difficult, but that actually helps you once off the pavement.

The interior has nice, standard F-150 appointments, but with a few special additions to differentiate the Raptor from the rest of the lineup. Our tester was outfitted with the Raptor orange accent package for $395, which adds bright orange inserts into the front captains chairs. “They certainly have given this truck a lot of attitude, I wonder, though, how long it would take for the orange-and-black interior to get old. I like the color scheme in small doses, but don’t know if I could live with it,” comments Harwood. The big surprise is how comfortable the seats are now; just a year or two ago, F-150 seats were hard and flat, like a park bench, but the Raptor’s are much softer and well bolstered—just what you want on- or off-road.

A DESERT

There’s one area we all agreed on, there simply was not enough grunt in this powerplant. Except for the badging, you’d never know there’s a V-8 under the hood. One would think a 5.4-liter V-8 engine would put out some serious power, but with only 310 horses (five less than the 4.6-liter V-8 in the Mustang), this has to be among the weakest V-8s on the market today. At freeway speed, you have to plan a pass well in advance because in the Raptor when you put your foot down nothing really happens. RACER YOU CAN DRIVE ON THE STREET duin ■ BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW The SVT Raptor R ﬁnished third in its class in the 2008 Baja 1000. That truck was equipped with a 500-horse version of the Raptor’s upcoming 6.2-liter V-8.

88 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM ford f-150 svt raptor 2010 contender

The track of the Raptor is 6.6 inches wider than those of lesser F-150s to accommodate the beefier suspension, so Ford had to produce special composite fenders that flare out eight inches (four on each side) to house the specially designed, 35-inch BFGoodrich tires that give the Raptor an additional two-inch lift. In fact, the Raptor is so wide, it’s required to run the federally mandated marker lights normally seen on dually trucks, though the Raptor wears them in the front grille instead of on its roof. Highways and city streets are where you notice how big this truck really is; it takes up every inch of the lane you’re in, and when you have to park, say, at a grocery store lot, it barely fits between the painted lines. This makes threading into narrow head-in parking spots an adventure.

WHAT THEY DID RIGHT Fantastic off-road-race suspension that is also impressive on road. When taking whoops at speed, the faster you go, the smoother the ride gets. Huge credit for SVT for redeﬁning the idea of a highperformance truck. Still has actual towing capacity.

TREND.COM

■ ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT Needs the new 6.2-liter, 400-plus-horsepower V-8: The 5.4-liter doesn’t put out enough power for this truck. Exterior and interior design look nice, but may quickly look dated. As-tested price of over $46,000 may scare off potential buyers.

■

MOTOR FEBRUARY 201000 89

Sure you feel the kickdown and hear the engine growl a bit louder, but the Raptor can barely get out of its own way. There1s a bigger 6.2-liter, 400-horse V-8 coming soon, but Ford should have waited for that powerplant.They built this extreme machine, then burdened it with an underpowered anchor of an engine. Still, there’s never been a stock, factory vehicle that can manage the feats the Raptor can while off-road, which is where this vehicle was meant to play. Flying through a river wash filled with whoops that would destroy any other vehicle, the Raptor just glides over the top. And that’s the trick you must remember with this truck:You have to go fast to keep it riding smooth, and the faster you go, the smoother it gets. This keeps you floating atop of bumps instead of trying to drive through them. It’s always nice to see a manufacturer take a chance with such a focused, purpose-built vehicle, and the fact that it’s a truck makes it that much more amazing. But with this wimpy engine, the mighty Raptor fails to clear the high hurdle required to achieveTruck of the Year status. We’ll doubtless prefer the Raptor XT, but this was the Raptor’s one shot at TOTY. ■ scott mortara

2010 FORD F-150 RAPTOR BASE PRICE $38,995 MODEL TESTED F-150 RAPTOR PRICE AS TESTED $46,020 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 2-door pickup ENGINE 5.4L/310-hp/365-lb-ft SOHC 24-valve V-8 TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 5980 lb (56/44%) WHEELBASE 133.0 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 220.9 x 86.3 x 78.4 in ACTUAL PAYLOAD CAPACITY 970 lb MAX TOWING CAPACITY 6000 lb 0-60 MPH 8.3/9.6 sec* QUARTER MILE 16.3 sec @ 85.1 mph/17.2 sec @ 80.8 mph* BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 146/143 ft* LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.71 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 29.8 sec @ 0.53 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 14/18 mpg CO 2 EMISSIONS 1.25 lb/mile RATINGS ENGINEERING ★★★★★ DESIGN ★★★ INTERIOR ★★★ PERFORMANCE ★★★★ HAULING ★★★ SAFETY ★★★ VALUE ★★ SUM UP GOES LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL OFF-ROAD, BUT THE PUNY POWERPLANT AND QUIRKY INTERIOR KEPT IT FROM THE TOP SPOT. *Empty/with 9700-lb payload

Powering the Transit Connect is a plainJane pairing of a 136-horse, 2.0-liter fourcylinder that is certainly game for what it is. Acceleration to 60 mph in a bit over 12 seconds (a groaning 18-odd seconds fully laden) is utilitarian at best. We can only speculate that Ford is testing the waters before investing in a portfolio of new powertrains (avoiding a V-6 is a good way to keep the city mileage number above 20). Can’t be long, though, before a nice little turbodiesel and a five-speed automatic join the lineup, as they seem like naturals.

Along with the similarly innovative Raptor, the Transit Connect is carving itself a brand-new market niche (hey, that’s a novel way to gain market share!). Ironically, following the Transit Connect that day was a late model panel-version Chevy Astro van; and what a slap-the-forehead mistake GM made in dropping that business.

IT SEEMS that with each of this season’s“of theYear” competitions, we’ve had a genre-bender of some sort to deal with. And who’s playing the role of awkward square peg in the nice round holes this time? Ford’s new Transit Connect. Which, come to think of it, kind of looks like a square peg. But what do we call this peg? A small cargo vehicle? Obviously. Some sort of miniminivan? Potentially; there’s an intriguing five-passenger version that fills the bill nicely. But as to whether it’s a “truck,” we direct your attention to Europe’s rat’s nests of narrow urban roads that positively swarm with perky little rolling boxes just like this one. They’re ideal for scuttling around doing trucklike jobs; small businesses have found them to be the perfect thing for their compact-on-the-outside but cavernous-onthe-inside hind quarters. While the Transit Connect is new to our North American eyes, in fact this very edition bowed back in 2003 as a little brother to the Ford Transit (think 15Mercedes-Benz’—cavernousDodge’s—actuallySprinter).Butdespiteitsborderline-cartoonycompactexteriorsize,theConnect(fractionallyoverfeetinlength,asmidgeonunder6feetwide,and6.6feethigh),insideit’sawholedifferentstory.Climbinthebackandthenstepoutagain,anditseemslikearoom-of-mirrorscarnivaltrick.You’dswearyoucouldputanotheroneinsideit.Inactuality,thecargofloormeasures6.5feetlongwhileit’s4.9feetwide,butwhat’simportantisthatit’s53.7inchestall—about4.5feet(creating135.3cubicfeetintotal).Andevenmoreimportant,theshapeissoruthlesslyboxyitwouldhavedelightedaBauhausarchitect.IftheContainerStoresoldcars,thisbabywouldbeontheshelf.Tolookatthem,thepairofrefrigerator-whiteTransitConnectsatourdisposalappearedsortoflikeacoupleminiatureicecreamtrucks.Anybodyforthree-quarter-scaleEskimopies?Hardtotakeseriously.Well,theotherdayonthewaytoournewoffices,Ifoundmyselfpacingajust-mintedTransitConnectimpressivelydeckedoutintheliveryofanevidentearly

business-adopter, Protection One Security. And like that, the whole thing made slapthe-forehead sense. Brilliant. Almost genius sense. With a roof rack and ladder on top, the funny ice cream truck became a deadly serious business implement. Suddenly it’s a rolling toolbox.

Inside, the Transit Connect says “workhorse” as much as its exterior does. BET YOU DIDN’T Built in Turkey, all Transit Connects shipped to the USA are passenger vans, converted to cargo vans here to avoid the “chicken tax.”

THE SMALL BUSINESS SOLUTION 90 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM cargo van ford transit connect 2010 contender F ■

KNOW

Among its remarkable, commerce-friendly features is what’s called Ford Work Solutions. One of them is Tool Link, which employs Radio Frequency Identification to check that any RFI-tagged tools are back in the Transit before departing a job site. Another, Crew Chief, lets a fleet manager monitor up to 30 streams of information, such as speed, location, and Meanwhile,mileage.theinterior’s options for bins and racks are extraordinarily reconfigurable, and the rear doors swing open to a wide 180 degrees (and optionally 225 degrees), so they aren’t an impediment to loading. These are the lessons you learn from selling some 600,000 Transit Connects thus far in 58 countries since 2003. In fact, it’s quite the international vehicle, being built in Kocaeli, Turkey. But while the Transit Connect may originate in Turkey, it’s still perfectly trucky. Just not trucky enough for this year’s jury of Motor Trend editors to award it the calipers. ■ kim reynolds

Could use more power than the 2.0-liter four-cylinder produces. Could also use a ﬁve-speed automatic (why only a four-speed?). Wider mirrors could help with visibility in the cargo van. Interior plastics had an odd odor that we hope will go away over time. ■ WHAT THEY DID RIGHT Very easy to maneuver and park in cities. Excellent payload capacity is the same as that of a half-ton pickup, which is surprising in a vehicle this small. Terriﬁc options cater to the small-business owner, the targeted buyer for this van.

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 91 It utterly lacks the design sparkle of typical consumer vehicles—and who cares? This is a vehicle that justifies itself on a business spreadsheet, not by any standards of Apple Store visual allure.

■ ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

wagon 2010 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT BASE PRICE $22,535 $23,045 MODEL TESTED XLT CARGO VAN XLT WAGON PRICE AS TESTED $25,620 $24,975 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front engine, FWD, 2-pass, 5-door van Front engine, FWD, 5-pass, 5-door van ENGINE 2.0L/136-hp/128-lb-ft DOHC 16V I-4 2.0L/136-hp/128-lb-ft DOHC 16V I-4 TRANSMISSION 4-speed automatic 4-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3390 lb (57/43%) 3491 lb (56/44%) WHEELBASE 114.6 in 114.6 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 180.6 x 70.7 x 79.3 in 180.6 x 70.7 x 79.3 in ACTUAL PAYLOAD CAPACITY 1615 lb 1474 lb MAX TOWING CAPACITY N/A N/A 0-60 MPH 12.3/17.9 sec* 12.6/18.6 sec** QUARTER MILE 18.7 sec @ 73.8 mph/ 20.8 sec @ 68.4 mph* 18.9 sec @ 73.6 mph/ 22.4 sec @ 66.0 mph** BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 130 ft/136 ft 128 ft/133 ft** LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.78 g (avg) 0.76 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 30.2 sec @ 0.50 g (avg) 30.4 sec @ 0.49 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 22/25 mpg 22/25 mpg CO 2 EMISSIONS 0.83 lb/mile 0.83 lb/mile RATINGS ENGINEERING ★★★ DESIGN ★★ INTERIOR ★★ PERFORMANCE ★★ HAULING ★★ SAFETY ★★★ VALUE ★★★ SUM UP A BRILLIANT SOLUTION FOR SMALL BUSINESSES—A SMALL TURBODIESEL AND A 5A WOULD RENDER IT PERFECT. *With 1615-lb payload (40 bags rock salt); **With 1474-lb payload (37 bags rock salt).

F ■ BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW

RUBBER FLOORS. Vinyl seats. Crank windows. It doesn’t get more bare bones than this, but that’s precisely the point.

So, does this bare-bones specification and upgraded engine make the Tundra,

BLUE COLLAR HAULER

In addition, this engine also comes with a new six-speed automatic transmission. The essence of this truck isn’t what’s been added, but what’s been left out.

Yards of black plastic replace chrome on the grille and bumpers. The instrument panel and HVAC controls receive similar black treatment. Need to adjust the outside mirrors? You’re going to have to slide over and crank the window down to do it; gone are power windows, mirrors, and even door locks. Keyless entry and cruise control also have been cut, but can be added back for extra dollars. Rubber floors and bench seats covered in washable gray vinyl are easy to understand. Less so is the deletion of map, glovebox, ignition, and courtesy lighting. Apparently workers don’t need to see while inside the truck or monitor its condition: Simple warning lights replace voltage and oil-pressure gauges in the instrument cluster.

The 4.6L uses dual VVT-i and water-cooled EGR to improve emissions, and fuel economy at light throttle. It also weighs 65 pounds less than the 4.7L.

2007’s TOTY, a good work truck, perhaps even, our Truck of the Year? We tested a regular cab, standard bed, 4x2 Work Truck with a 4.6-liter V-8 to find out. From the get go, our judges noted the Tundra’s eagerness to get down to business. Bed empty, it sprinted to 60 mph in an untrucklike 6.9 seconds and hit the quarter mile in 15.4 at 90.0 mph. The addition of 1760 pounds of rock salt only dampened this enthusiasm by a couple of ticks. Braking was similarly unaffected with the load, the Tundra Work Truck needed only four extra feet to come to a stop (132 versus 136 feet). Impressive numbers, though not everyone was pleased with the way the work got done.“Engine is very strong, lots of power right on tap, but the throttle tip-in is way too aggressive. Like the throttle, the brakes are way too sensitive, especially for a work truck where towing/hauling is highly probable. You don’t want to be jerking your trailer or throwing your load around because the throttle or brakes are too sensitive,” says road test editor Scott Mortara. The Tundra’s performance while cruising was much better received.“Excellent sound isolation, softer ride, and more comfortable than expected. Steering is nice and light,” notes associate editor Allyson Harwood.

Toyota’s TOTY contender, the Tundra Work Truck, is built for a largely neglected subset of the American truck-buying public: the workin’ man (and woman). Unlike the other commercial vehicle in the mix this year, the Tundra offers more of the traditional capabilities you expect in a truck: It can tow a horse trailer, haul a load of gravel, and head far off the pavement at a ranch or construction site. To make a work truck, Toyota applies a delete package to any of the popular configurations of the standard Tundra; 4x2 or 4x4, regular or double cab, standard or long bed. All three Tundra engines are available, from the 4.0-liter, 236-horsepower V-6 to the 5.7-liter, 381-horsepower V-8. In between is a new 4.6-liter V-8 that substantially outperforms the 4.7-liter V-8 it replaces.

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With 310 horses, 327 pound-feet of torque, and 15/20-mpg city/highway fuel economy, the 4.6 represents a huge improvement over the 4.7’s 276 horsepower, 313 pound-feet of torque, and 14/17 mpg (in 4x2 configuration).

toyota tundra work truck 2010 contender

“Seats are soft and cushiony, way more comfortable than you’d imagine when you hear the words ‘work truck.’” The smooth six-speed also received praise, especially for the ergonomically excellent gear selector switch on the column shifter. Some found the package to be pennywise but pound foolish.“Being able to adjust your mirrors depending on what you’re hauling or towing is essential. So are power locks so you can quickly secure your vehicle when you get to a job site. How much could these have saved in costs?” asks Mortara. “Feels like the cabin was decontented without any particular cost savings in mind, more just to say they did it,“ echoes Harwood. Indeed, the sticker indicated our Work Truck package removed only $195 from the bottom line (while options like carpeted floormats with doorsill protectors will set you back $111). At $25,770, the Tundra Work Truck is a good value and a legitimate blue-collar hauler, but is it enough to get buyers out of familiar, stripped-down American trucks? That’s not as clear.“The truck is competent whether hauling a load or empty, but there are better ways to spend your money to get a really great half-ton,” concludes Harwood. ■ edward loh

■ ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 93

Throttle tip-in and brake response are both too touchy. Manual side mirrors make it hard to adjust mirrors to see around a trailer. Severe decontenting in interior only leads to a $195 savings when it seems that more than $195 worth of equipment is removed.

■ WHAT THEY DID RIGHT New engine puts out more horsepower and torque than the 4.7-liter V-8 it replaces, while offering better fuel economy. Comfortable ride. Excellent transmission. Even stripped down, still a highly capable half-ton pickup.

0 2010 TOYOTA TUNDRA BASE PRICE RANGE $24,105-$33,765 MODEL TESTED 4x2 REG CAB 4.6L PRICE AS TESTED $25,770 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front engine, RWD/4WD, 3-pass, 2-door pickup ENGINE 4.6L/310-hp/327-lb-ft DOHC 32-valve V-8 TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4821 lb (56/44%) WHEELBASE 126.8 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 209.8 x 79.9 x 75.8 in ACTUAL PAYLOAD CAPACITY 1779 lb MAX TOWING CAPACITY 9000 lb 0-60 MPH 6.9/8.9 sec* QUARTER MILE 15.4 sec @ 90.0 mph/16.9 sec @ 82.8 mph* BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 132/136 ft* LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.72 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 29.9 sec @ 0.55 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 15/20 mpg CO 2 EMISSIONS 1.15 lb/mile RATINGS ENGINEERING ★★★ DESIGN ★★ INTERIOR ★ PERFORMANCE ★★★★ HAULING ★★★ SAFETY ★★ VALUE ★★★ SUM UP GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS IN A HURRY, BUT TOUCHY THROTTLE AND BRAKES LEAVE US WISHING FOR A SMOOTHER OPERATOR. * Empty/with 1760-lb payload

94 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM THE HARDEST-WORKING TRUCK IN TOW BUSINESS ● words allyson harwood ● photographs julia lapalmee

winner: ram heavy duty 2010 truck of the year

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DESPITE the effects of the Great Recession on personal-use truck sales, there is still demand for pickups ready to do hard work. The heavy-duty truck market has gotten smaller, but the guys who buy those pickups are fiercely loyal to the segment—they need the extreme capability these hard-working haulers provide. Some may wonder why anyone would own a truck that can tow nearly 20,000 pounds, but for a lot of people in construction, those who transport vehicles or goods, and those with ranches, this is just a part of everyday life. Within the next few months, the heavy-duty category will heat up, as all three manufacturers have all-new offerings coming.The Ram Heavy Duty is the first to market, and it’s already ahead of the game. When Ford and GM’s all-new heavy-dutys come out, both new diesel engines are going to require urea injection to meet emissions requirements that take effect January 2010. The Ram Heavy Duty’s Cummins inline-six turbodiesel, which puts out an impressive 350 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque, met those requirements—without urea—over a year ago. Instead, the Ram’s 2500 and 3500 use a NOx adsorber with precious metals that convert the NOx into inert gases. Not only does this mean the T i i

Ram’s emissions and exhaust systems are less complex than those in the upcoming Ford Super Duty and Silverado/Sierra HD (which could improve reliability and help keep maintenance costs down), it also means that, at the dealership, the Ram will very likely have a price advantage over its competitors. And while in this size category diesel is king, there are plenty of heavyduty truck buyers who prefer gas power.

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The 5.7-liter Hemi, the Ram’s base engine, has the most horsepower (383) and torque (400 pound-feet) of any V-8 in its class—and only the Ford Super Duty’s V-10 has more torque than the Hemi, but it still has less horsepower.TheRam’splatform is similar to last year’s, yet has undergone significant upgrades and enhancements that improve ride, handling, and noise levels. It uses a hydroformed, fully boxed frame, with coil springs in front and a live-axle, leaf-spring rear. There’s no shortage of variety throughout the truck line, with a regular cab, Mega Cab, and a real crew cab, replacing the smallish Quad Cab option in the previous Ram. Buyers can choose from single or dual rear wheel setups, rear drive or two four-wheel-drive systems, short or long bed, three different axle ratios, and four trim levels.There’s also the awesome Power Wagon, a Hemi-powered 2500 crew cab with 4.56:1 gears, electronic locking diffs, electronically disconnecting front anti-roll bar, skidplates, heavy-duty battery and alternator, and winch. Much of what is so impressive about the heavy-duty Ram is not only how easily it does all the tasks it’s built for, but also how easy it is on the driver. DuringTruck of the Year testing, we took all the contenders through a driving loop, empty and with a full payload (bags of rock salt); our test crew also measured acceleration and braking data with each truck outfitted both ways. Testers noted that performance was excellent with or without a heavy load and, as expected, ride improves with a load in the bed. There were rave reviews for the Cummins engine, which not only provides gobs of power, but is surprisingly quiet doing it. Driving loops with the salt or without, the truck handled basically the same.That’s how the Rams were throughout the week—they did everything asked of them without effort, and drove like much smaller trucks than they are.

Maximum towing capacity for the Ram 3500 is 17,500 pounds, significantly higher than the F-350’s 16,000 or the Silverado/ Sierra 3500HD’s 13,000. And as the testers (truck of the year winner) ram heavy duty 2500/3500

The Ram is quieter and more comfortable and people-friendly than before without sacrificing its considerable capability. Several configurations even have lower MSRPs than they did in 2009. As Mark Williams explains, “Timing is everything. What a great break that, in the midst of all of this economic turmoil, the new Ram HD gets out ahead of its other two competitors—so much so, in fact, that Ford was forced to pull its project ahead, introducing the Super Duty almost 12 months before it goes on sale.” The Ram Heavy Duty is so good, it’s caused the other manufacturers to change their plans. So good that, when it came time to vote, we unanimously chose it as this year’s Truck of the Year. ■ 51.0 in* CAPACITY 2100; 4540 lb TOWING CAPACITY 12,350; 13,200 lb TEST DATA TO MPH** 0-30 3.1/3.1; 2.9/3.7 sec 0-40 4.7/5.1; 4.5/6.2 0-50 6.6/7.5; 6.7/9.2 0-60 9.2/10.8; 9.5/13.5 0-70 12.3/14.7; 12.7/18.2

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 97 at this year’s Truck of the Year discovered, towing a large boat is very easy with the Ram. As Ed Loh says, “I never thought I’d tow a trailer as long or as heavy as this 28-foot Chaparral, but a minute into the climb up Templin Highway, it was really no big deal. All the towing gizmos made it easy, and of course, so did the monster motor.” The gizmos, in this case, are a diesel exhaust brake and Class IV receiver hitch with a four-pin/seven-pin harness plug. Our 3500 also had the integrated electronic trailer brake controller, plus it came with ingenious towing side mirrors that are normally vertical, but flip 90 degrees to make it easier to see around a trailer.

2010 RAM 2500 MEGA CAB LARAMIE 4X4; 3500 CREW CAB SLT 4X4 POWERTRAIN/CHASSIS DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT Front engine, 4WD* ENGINE TYPE Turbodiesel I-6, iron block/head* VALVETRAIN OHV, 4 valves/cyl* DISPLACEMENT 408.3 cu in/6690 cc* COMPRESSION RATIO 17.3:1* POWER (SAE NET) 350 hp @ 3000 rpm* TORQUE (SAE NET) 650 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm* WEIGHT TO POWER 21.7; 22.6 lb/hp TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic* AXLE/FINAL/LOW RATIO 3.73:1/2.33:1/2.72:1* SUSPENSION, F;R Live axle, coil springs, anti-roll bar; live axle, leaf springs* STEERING RATIO 13.4:1* TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK 2.8* BRAKES, F;R 14.2-in vented disc; 14.1-in vented disc, ABS* WHEELS 8.0 x 17 in, aluminum; 6.0 x 17 in, steel TIRES 265/70R17 118R BFGoodrich Rugged Trail T/A M+S; 235/80R17 117R General AmeriTrac TR M+S DIMENSIONS WHEELBASE 160.0; 168.9 in TRACK, F/R 68.3/68.2; 69.5/75.8 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 248.4 x 79.1 x 78.3 in; 259.4 x 79.1 x 78.3 in TURNING CIRCLE 46.9; 49.2 ft CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 7580 lb (62/38%); 7920 lb (61/39%) SEATING CAPACITY 5; 6 HEADROOM, F/R 41.0/40.5; 41.0/39.9 in LEGROOM, F/R 41.0/44.2; 41.0/39.9 in SHOULDER ROOM, F/R 67.0/66.5; 66.0/65.7 in PICKUP BOX L x W x H 76.3 x 70.2 x 20.1 in; 98.3 x 66.4 x 20.2 in WIDTH BET. WHEELHOUSES

Judges noted that the interior materials and design are much nicer than in the past and that improvement makes this cabin the best in its class. The strategically added sound deadening makes it incredibly quiet too. You basically have to stand outside the truck while it’s running, to hear the diesel.

ACCELERATION

0-80 16.0/19.3; 17.1/24.7 PASSING, 45-65 MPH 5.1/6.4; 5.6/8.1 QUARTER MILE 17.0 sec @ 82.3 mph/17.8 sec @ 77.3 mph; 17.1 sec @ 80.1 mph/19.1 sec @ 71.9 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 139/145; 138 ft /152 ft** LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.69; 0.67 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 30.2 sec @ 0.51 g (avg); 30.5 sec @ 0.51 g (avg) TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 1400; 1500 rpm CONSUMER INFO BASE PRICE $44,100; $47,580 PRICE AS TESTED $56,895; $53,360 STAB/TRAC CONTROL No/no AIRBAGS Dual front, f/r curtain BASIC WARRANTY 3 yrs/36,000 miles POWERTRAIN WARRANTY 5 yrs/100,000 miles ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 3 yrs/36,000 miles FUEL CAPACITY 34.0; 35.0 gal EPA CITY/HWY ECON Not rated RECOMMENDED FUEL * Applies to both models ** Empty/carrying max vehicle-specific payload Ultra-low sulfur diesel RAISING THE BAR in the heavy-duty field, the Ram HD impresses with how well it accomplishes all that’s required of it: huge power and keepingperformanceoutstandingwhileitspassengersinquietcomfort.

PAYLOAD

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FIFTY GRAND is a lot of money, certainly in a recessionary economy riddled with layoffs, bailouts, furloughs, and pay cuts. In someee parts of the country, that kind of cash would not only make for a healthy down payment on a home, it would also cover the entire cost of the home. Yet,,, when it comes to a premium mid-level sport sedan from a luxury automaker, whether with six- or eight-cylinder power, $50,000 is pretty much the price of Scanentry.the present offerings—Acura RL, Audi A6 3.0T, BMW 535i, Cadillac CTS 3.6 DI, Infiniti M35, Jaguar XF 4.2, Lexus GS 350, and Mercedes-Benz E350—and the average base price comes out to nearly $49,000, with a high of $52,000 (XF) and a low of $44,650 (CTS). Through September 2009, sales of these nameplates were down 29 percent compared with 2008, but that still translates to nearly 110,000 Americans writing $50,000 checks during those nine months. Recession? That just means S-Class buyers and the like are stepping down to E-Class territory. To determine which of these eight sport sedans best justifies its premium pricetag, we headed to the formidable and telling roads in Malibu, where our assembly of editors scrutinized, evaluated, and debated the merits (and demerits) of each. Which one had us writing a check we wished we could cover? Turn the page. ■ ron kiino

(comparison) FOR THOSE WITH THE MEANS, EIGHT LOVELY SPORT SEDANS… 100 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM ● words motor trend editors ● photographs brian vance

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ACCELERATION

■ ron kiino GOOD NEWS? A NEW ONE’S COMING INFINITI M35 S 2010 INFINITI M35 S BASE PRICE $46,665 PRICE AS TESTED $54,465 VEHICLE LAYOUT

ENGINE

EMISSIONS

WHEELBASE

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TRANSMISSION

GIVEN THE Infiniti’s last-place finish in this highly competitive comparison, it’s obvious there were M attributes we didn’t find endearing. Before we delve into those, though, let’s first examine the characteristics we applauded. The new-for-2009 sevenspeed automatic, for instance, proved an M bright spot, delivering quick, intuitive shifts (certainly in sport mode) and seamless and euphonious throttle blips. “Always seemed in the right gear for the occasion during my drive in S mode,” says technical director Frank Markus. The 3.5-liter, 303-horseV-6, while a bit coarse under WOT, provided speedy testtrack figures—0 to 60 in 5.9 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.3 at 99.1 mph—and the steering and brakes were deemed above par for the segment. The navigation system, too, was given top marks for its ease of operation. “The nav is simplicity itself to use—one of my favorites on the market today,” notes editor at large Arthur St. Antoine. That said, we were disappointed by the absence of steering wheel-mounted shift paddles, especially since our M35 tester wore the sporty, red “S” moniker, which represents a sport package that includes firmer dampers, rear active steer, aluminum interior trim, sport seats and steering wheel, and 19-inch wheels with summer Bridgestones. Moreover, those Bridgestones, at least in part, transmitted a busy and noisy ride that wore on us, whether traveling along the highway or a back road. “Feel a lot of the bumps through the chassis and steering wheel,” observes senior editor Edward Loh. St. Antoine adds, “Not up to Nissan’s usual high suspension standards. Soft and easily upset in the mountain loop.” We also found throttle tip-in a bit too aggressive and the interior somewhat outmoded and ergonomically challenged:“Interior layout is still a bit of a mess,” opines road test editor Scott Mortara.“I don’t like how the controls are almost on top of the dash.” Markus adds, “Not the handsomest interior here by a long shot. Center stack works okay, but looks intimidating. I do like the way you can choose to perform several functions in any of three ways: voice activation, twiddling the main rotary knob, or pushing buttons.” The all-new 2011 M37, fitted with a 330-horse, 270-pound-foot, 3.7-liter V-6 as well as a more luxurious and ergonomic interior, goes on sale around the time you read this. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. Front engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan 3.5L/303-hp/262-lb-ftDOHC24-valveV-6 7-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3945 lb (53/47%) 114.2 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 194.3 x 71.1 x 59.5 in 0-60 MPH 5.9 sec QUARTER MILE 14.3 sec @ 99.1 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 113 ft LATERAL 0.85 g (avg) FIGURE EIGHT 26.8 sec @ 0.65 g (avg) CITY/HWY ECON 17/25 mpg 15.1 mpg CO 2 0.98 lb/mile

EPA

MT OBSERVED FUEL ECON

FUEL

ACURA RL

CAPTAIN TIMES 2009 ACURA RL BASE PRICE $47,490 PRICE AS TESTED $54,910 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 3.7L/300-hp/271-lb-ftSOHC24-valveV-6

“Transmission is weak in this field and only performs adequately,” says Loh.“Shifts are reasonably quick for just driving around, but not great when you’re running through the canyons.” Further, the RL’s suspension transmitted too much vertical motion, its cabin suffered from a “big Mess o’ Buttons” and questionable plastics, leather, and trim, and its sweet-sounding, smooth-revving V-6 nevertheless produced the most underwhelming acceleration numbers of the group. A 300-horsepower sport/luxury sedan that needs 6.9 seconds to hit 60 mph? That performance is arguably unacceptable in a day and age when the heavier and less powerful Lexus RX 350—a sport/utility, mind you—requires just 6.8. Further, the RL, at 13.4 mpg, returned the field’s lowest observed fuel economy, guzzling more gas than the V-8 Jaguar and the supercharged V-6It’sAudi.rare for the most premium of premium Hondas to finish this low in a comparison test, but the RL is simply a dated entry in an especially progressive segment. ■ ron kiino

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TRANSMISSION 5-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4082 lb (58/42%) WHEELBASE 110.2 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 195.7 x 72.7 x 57.2 in 0-60 MPH 6.9 sec QUARTER MILE 15.4 sec @ 93.0 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 125 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.82 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.8 sec @ 0.61 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 16/22 mpg MT OBSERVED FUEL ECON 13.4 mpg CO 2 EMISSIONS 1.06 lb/mile

OF CURVES IS OTHERWISE BEHIND THE

THE VERDICT was unanimous: Our editors grew very fond of the Acura RL’s Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive system. “SH-AWD does improve cornering feel noticeably,” says Markus, adding, “The corner exits are its real forte. I ended up thinking it worked a lot better than the numbers suggest.” Mortara notes, “I never thought this car would be such fun on a mountain road.” But it was. Despite ho-hum exterior styling—a freshening for 2009, replete with Acura’s controversial bucktooth grille, did little to spruce up this flagship’s conservative lines—and midpack lateral acceleration of 0.82 g, the RL managed to get our adrenaline flowing once on a twisty road. The reason, of course, was SH-AWD, a nifty technology that can apportion up to 70 percent of the available 271 poundfeet of torque to either of the outside rear wheels. Thus, when charging through turns, the RL maintained a rather neutral behavior, displaying minimal understeer and a knack for composed rotation and fast exit speeds. In this way, the RL acquits itself like a bigger and heavier Mitsubishi Evo X. Alas, other than its grin-inducing handling, the RL struggled to wow our crew. The culprits were many, notably a five-speed automatic that came across as archaic among six- and seven-speeds.

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THE LEXUS GS 350 is a specschecker’s dream: strong, sophisticatedV-6 (303 horsepower); solid engine and chassis performance (0 to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds, 0.82 g of grip); class-leading EPA fuel efficiency (19/26 mpg); highly competitive window sticker ($50,995 well-equipped). For legions of ardent Lexus devotees, those numbers are more than enough to seal a sale.The GS 350, it seems, offers everything they’re looking for in a luxury sedan. Everything, that is, as long as you’re not looking for flavor. From its “safe” exterior design to its pleasant but uninspiring driving dynamics, the Lexus simply leaves “spiciness” out of its mission profile. It’s a character everyone noted.“Shares the profile of the Jaguar, but none of the sensuality,” writes Loh in a comment echoed by the rest of us. “Drive is solid but uninvolving. No engine note to speak of, just libraryquiet. Generally responsive to throttle and steering inputs, but neither pedal nor wheel provides eager or passionate performance. You always feel in control in this one—lots of confidence that it won’t bite you (though stability control does intercede pretty early)—but it won’t thrill you.” Don’t push the Lexus hard, though, and it’s all manners and poise. Standard features include everything from dual-zone climate control to bird’s-eye maple trim, keyless pushbutton starting, a 10-speaker audio system, and acres of premium perforated leather. It’s beautifully done, too, with flawless tailoring and a luxurious feel to all the surfaces. Add hard-disk navigation, Mark Levinson surround-sound audio, and heated and ventilated seats, and you’re still well under the price of the less-richly equipped BMW. As a rolling living room—and a superbly crafted one at that—the Lexus is tough to outclass. While passengers will oohh and aahh, the enthusiast in the driver’s seat will be underwowed. Steering feel is light and murky, and the chassis quickly cringes when g forces climb. “Why are you doing this to me?” the GS 350 seems to ask if you attempt to stir up a mountain road. This is a bookish car, not an athletic one. It’s impossible to deny the quality presentation of the Lexus’ banquet, but we’re fussy eaters. And the chef behind this meal is clearly aiming for comfort food, not culinary inventiveness.

LEXUS GS 350

■ arthur st. antoine PASS THE HOT SAUCE, PLEASE 2009 LEXUS GS 350 BASE PRICE $45,875 PRICE AS TESTED $51,195 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 3.5L/303-hp/274-lb-ftDOHC24-valveV-6

TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3763 lb (52/48%) WHEELBASE 112.2 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 190.0 x 71.7 x 56.1 in 0-60 MPH 5.6 sec QUARTER MILE 14.1 sec @ 99.6 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 119 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.82 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.1 sec @ 0.64 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 19/26 mpg MT OBSERVED FUEL ECON 16.7 mpg CO 2 EMISSIONS 0.91 lb/mile

The big direct-injected six drew praise as the only engine not to demand pricey premium fuel, but got nicked for a slightly coarse bark and performance that seemed strained, shouldering a 4093-pound load (including about 200 pounds’ worth of Premium-package wood, hand-stitched leather, and insufficiently shaded panoramic sunroof).That extra mass also contributed to the CTS’ sixth-place observed fuel economy, despite its second-best EPA figures. The transmission was universally praised for possessing the most intuitive sport-mode programming of the group. St. Antoine deemed it “way better than A6’s—it holds gears and is smart enough to downshift quick and early when you’re braking hard into a Despitebend.”midpack objective performance figures, our judges were generally impressed with the CTS’ sporting credentials, but its sedan stats came up short. Dimensionally the rear seat is larger than those of the Acura and Lexus, but its low, short cushion and upright backrest were deemed least comfortable of the group. “A fine choice for an enthusiast driver and co-pilot, but people who frequently ferry more will be disappointed in the Caddy’s cabin,” says St. Antoine.We concurred, ranking four sport sedans superior in performance, comfort, or both. ■ frank markus

FOR 2010, our 2008 Car of the Year winner gets the option of stickier 19-inch summer tires, with which Cadillac wisely armed our test car for this sport-sedan battle. Combined with the second-largest brakes in the test, they helped deliver the shortest stops from 60 mph (108 feet).While objective cornering performance ranked midpack, out on the road these Continentals bit into smooth corners with “almost no understeer at all,” noted St. Antoine. He was also “impressed with the steering feel— sharp, quick, precise.” But throw a few bumps into those curves and the tightly wound FE3 suspension has trouble pressing the tires to the tarmac, resulting in StabiliTrak intervention. That sort of high-adrenaline running, which the CTS’ communicative chassis encourages, revealed another short coming:“Seats need more lateral support,” declares Loh, noting that hard door and console surfaces pummeled his shins and thighs during a particularly rousing romp. Many agreed, ranking driver comfort lowest for the Cadillac.

3/5 SERIES ’TWEENER FEELS TIGHT ON SPACE, OVERWEIGHT CADILLAC CTS 3.6 DI 2010 CADILLAC CTS 3.6 DI BASE PRICE $44,650 PRICE AS TESTED $51,990 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 3.6L/304-hp*/273-lb-ft*DOHC24-valveV-6 TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4093 lb (52/48%) WHEELBASE 113.4 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 191.6 x 72.5 x 58.0 in 0-60 MPH 6.5 sec QUARTER MILE 14.9 sec @ 95.3 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 108 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.84 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.1 sec @ 0.64 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 18/27 mpg MT OBSERVED FUEL ECON 13.7 mpg CO 2 EMISSIONS * SAE Certified 0.92 lb/mile 0:5 0:0:55 MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 105

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WITH THE introduction of the XF, Jaguar not only redesigned a segment player, it also completely reinvented itself as a brand. Combining style, function, and performance into a vehicle that buyers desire—to look at and drive—is a feeling that Jaguar has been unable to induce from lux-sedan shoppers for quite some time. Until the svelte XF arrived, that is. Much of that desire stems from the Jag’s handsome and well-laid-out interior, a luxurious cabin that follows a bit more form than function.The pop-up rotary shifter and flip-up A/C vents are a nice novelty, but the seats are small, firm, and underbolstered, and if you’re in the back seat, the XF’s sloping coupelike roofline means less headroom compared with that of some others. Underhood resides a 4.2-liter V-8 teamed to a six-speed automatic, and the pair work well together: The transmission provides smooth, seamless shifts in normal mode and maintains that smoothness even in more aggressive sport mode. Plus, there are handy shift paddles for full manual control. Zero to 60 takes 6.6 seconds and the quarter mile 15.0 at 96.9 mph. As power and speed mongers, we wish the 4.2-liter V-8’s pep matched its captivating growl, but we surmise the new 385-horse, 380-poundfoot 5.0-liter V-8 in the $57,000 XF Premium solves that problem. On our challenging loop through the twisty roads in Malibu, the XF proved to possess a composed chassis, but we found the suspension a little soft, lacking the confidence-inspiring tautness of, say, the BMW. Moreover, the all-season Continental tires really limited this car’s fun factor, evidenced by the lowest-in-test 0.79 g. That said, the XF is still more enjoyable to drive than any other modern Jag. It’s also better looking than any modern Jag (except for maybe the all-new XJ), wearing sheetmetal we had trouble faulting. The XF, with its sleek, bold styling, a marked departure from the designs of past Jaguar sedans, is very distinctive and very attractive.

TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4044 lb (51/49%) WHEELBASE 114.5 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 195.3 x 73.9 x 57.5 in 0-60 MPH 6.6 sec QUARTER MILE 15.0 sec @ 96.9 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 123 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.79 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.6 sec @ 0.62 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 16/25 mpg MT OBSERVED FUEL ECON 13.8 mpg CO 2 EMISSIONS 1.02 lb/mile

Jaguar has redefined its brand with the XF, a truly modern, downright striking, and significantly entertaining sedan, and one that appeals to a much broader audience. Jaguar is no longer an afterthought when talking about luxury sedans with a sporty bent, and the competition needs to take notice—the XF is for real. ■ scott mortara

STYLISH, GRACEFUL, JAGUAR XF 4.2 BASE PRICE $52,000 PRICE AS TESTED $52,000 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 4.2L/300-hp/303-lb-ftDOHC32-valveV-8

AND A V-8 FOR V-6 MONEY JAGUAR XF 4.2 2010

VEHICLE

TRANSMISSION 7-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4013 lb (51/49%) WHEELBASE 113.1 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 191.7 x 75.9 x 57.6 in 0-60 MPH 6.6 sec QUARTER MILE 14.9 sec @ 84.5 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 123 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.82 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.4 sec @ 0.62 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 18/26 mpg MT OBSERVED FUEL ECON 14.5 mpg CO 2 EMISSIONS 0.93 lb/mile

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IT’S NO real surprise Deutschland’s Three-Pointed Star is near the top of the finishing order. When it comes to sedans, Mercedes-Benz has it covered.The recently introduced E-Class is easily more refined, technically advanced, and stylish than the seven generations preceding it. It’s also the sportiest in its long-famed lineage. The E’s clean and precise styling package, inside and out, is one of the most attractive today.

“Interior is lovely,” notes senior editor Ron Kiino,“a beautiful mix of materials and hues, elegant and classy with a touch of sport.” St. Antoine praises the exterior, but doesn’t care much for one element in particular.

Then again, a sporty but not entirely athletic luxury sedan, proper for a business person or retiree, is exactly what MercedesBenz wants its new E350 to be. It manages to excite the senses subtly while providing maximum luxury, but overall, comes up shy dynamically when compared with the other top two German contenders. Plus its near-$60,000 price tag was the headiest of the group and more appropriate for a sport/luxury sedan firing on eight cylinders.

“Those LEDs on the lower grille bug me. They look like stuck-on afterthoughts from the ‘make me look cool like an Audi’ store. That said, the shape looks good, like lean, creased trousers.” As its badge reveals, our E350 contender utilized the brand’s 3.5-liter V-6 mated to a seven-speed automatic with paddles. This ubiquitous mill makes 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, and provided just enough oomph to hastily hustle the 4013-pound sedan throughout our rigorous regime. It did, however, manage to make a few of editors yearn for more of a visceral experience.“There’s a nice engine note at high rpm but in the lower range, it doesn’t really register,” remarks Loh. Rowing through the gears via the paddles was the most satisfying way to employ the powertrain. Gear changes were quick and smooth, just what’s needed when driving spiritedly. Markus explains,“Tranny S mode doesn’t do any tricks. But the paddles work great, and I used them a lot in this car.”

nate martinez STILL A STRONG CONTENDER AFTER EIGHT GENERATIONS MERCEDES-BENZ E350 2010

■ MERCEDES-BENZ E350 BASE PRICE $49,475 PRICE AS TESTED $59,965 LAYOUT Front engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 3.5L/268-hp/258-lb-ftDOHC24-valveV-6

Still, even with the interior and drivetrain down pat, the chassis was no stellar performer in the curvy bits. Loh notes,“Suspension feels soft, but it upsets easily over small hits and quick camber changes. Steering is just okay, a bit heavy and numb.”

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WITH THE next-generation A6 set to make its debut later this year, you might think Audi would let the current model go quietly into the night. Not a chance; in this test, Ingolstadt’s executive cruiser did not go down without a fight—and nearly took all comers with it. It’s always been strong on style, with clean lines and a sumptuous, well-executed interior.“Gorgeous dash, great use of wood,” finds Markus.“Well arranged cockpit—the pedal to wheel is relationship excellent.” Now armed with a brand-new supercharged, direct-injected V-6 and revised suspension and AWD system, the A6 gives its chief rivals, Mercedes E-Class and BMW 5 Series, and the rest of the pack additional headaches.

Chief among these is the new powertrain, dubbed 3.0 TSFI V6.This Rootssupercharged aluminum alloy V-6 sends 300 horses through a six-speed automatic to a revised quattro all-wheel-drive system that biases torque 40/60 front to rear.Though the numbers it produces are only midpack, our judges rated the package near the top. “Tons of grip and unfailing control,” says St. Antoine.“Engine feels pretty strong, and I really like the short-throw paddles behind the wheel.” Assistant Web producer Martinez agrees,“Corners approached quicker than in the rest—even than the Bimmer—and it exhibited gobs of grip thanks to the winning quattro/Continental tire combo.” Overall dynamics are near the top of the pack as well. Our judges found the steering a touch light, but exceptionally communicative and accurate. “Body motions are very well controlled—among the best here,” says Markus.“For a big, heavy car, it’s quick to yaw and surprisingly decent in transitions—even the bumpy left-right-left stuff.” It’s not perfect. The tradeoff for such stellar handling is a ride deemed “flinty” by one judge and even“lousy” by another. Aural tuning is in need as well, to tone down the excessive tire noise and to transform an engine note described as “moaning” and “raspy” to something more mellifluous. And still, the A6 was just barely beat out by the Bavarian.“Audi gives BMW a real run for its money with this one. Nicer interior, less confounding controls, and dynamic performance in its ascendency,” sums up Markus. Which is to say Audi’s next A6 should give our winner some sleepless nights. ■ edward loh 3.0T $50,925 PRICE AS $55,725 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 3.0L/300-hp/310-lb-fts’chgdDOHC24-valveV-6

TESTED

TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4153 lb (56/44%) WHEELBASE 111.9 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 193.5 x 73.0 x 57.4 in 0-60 MPH 6.0 sec QUARTER MILE 14.5 sec @ 96.9 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 113 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.87 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 26.5 sec @ 0.66 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 18/26 mpg MT OBSERVED FUEL ECON 13.6 mpg CO 2 EMISSIONS 0.93 lb/mile

A HIT THAT JUST MISSES AUDI A6 3.0T QUATTRO 0:2 2009 AUDI A6

QUATTRO BASE PRICE

The fifth-generation, Chris Bangledesigned “E60” 5 Series quickly knocked any notions of “past its prime” right out of our collective heads. “Yeah, I know it’s old, but I love, love, love this car,” writes Ed Loh. “So much fun to drive, even if I can’t give the car bonus points for allowing me to row the gears myself. Unlike many here, this one actually feels fast. Sonorous engine note, excellent driver controls (M Sport steering wheel and shifter), and neartelepathic steering.” Our other editors’ notebook commentaries read much like Ed’s—and for good reason.

The 535i’s twin-turbo inline-six romps with a neat 300 horses and 300 pound-feet; it’s seemingly always on the boil, ready with plentiful torque and go at almost any rpm—even with the optional six-speed auto (a six-speed manual is standard). Indeed, the motor doesn’t really feel like a turbo—it suffers from zero lag, and any turbo whine is well-muted. All you notice is smooth power. Speed comes easily to the

SUBLIME ENGINE AND BRILLIANT CHASSIS BELIE AGE BMW 535I 0:1 2010

BMW WILL soon release its all-new 2011 5 Series—so, naturally, the aging 2010 model featured in this comparison got its tail whupped by newer rivals, right? Yes, and Michael Jordan was all out of air after his fling with baseball.

VEHICLE

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535i: It delivered the quickest 0-to-60 time and tied the Lexus’ quarter-mile elapsed time.Yet the Bimmer also tied with the Lexus for best observed fuel efficiency (it and the GS 350 being the two lightest cars in theThefield).numbers, of course, are only guidelines; the 535i driving experience can’t be properly conveyed with digits. No number could sum up the turbo six’s fluid power delivery, the chassis’ near-magical blend of road isolation and feedback, the hefty feel of every control. For entertaining the human in the driver’s seat, the 535i has no equal in this test. It’s a stunning feat, given the BMW’s Shortcomings?age. Sure. At almost $58K as-tested, the BMW demands the secondbiggest wallet hit in the group. And, even at that price, it’s awfully austere inside—the tally doesn’t include, say, a backup camera or even navigation, and the cabin itself could use some dress-up. The money is in the driving bliss. Sums up Loh simply but revealingly: “This is the one I’d buy.” ■ arthur st. antoine BMW 535I BASE PRICE $51,925 PRICE AS TESTED $57,675 LAYOUT Front engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 3.0L/300-hp/300-lb-ft twinturbo DOHC 24-valve I-6 TRANSMISSION 6-speed manual CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3844 lb (50/50%) WHEELBASE 113.7 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 191.1 x 72.7 x 57.8 in 0-60 MPH 5.5 sec QUARTER MILE 14.1 sec @ 100.6 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 112 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.85 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 26.5 sec @ 0.67 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 16/24 mpg MT OBSERVED FUEL ECON 16.7 mpg CO 2 EMISSIONS 1.03 lb/mile

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The PSIL represents the subset of the frequency spectrum we employ during conversation. If there’s lots of ambient sound in these speciﬁc frequencies, it can be difﬁcult to follow a conversation—a phenomenon called “masking.” (By the way, it’s no coincidence that the frequencies our voices produce happen to be those our ears are optimally tuned to hear.) In the two plots below, the frequency range spans from 12.5 Hz to 20,000 Hz. In reality, anything below about 20 Hz stops being sound at all (it’s vibration). Alternatively, our ability to perceive high frequencies drops from about 20,000 Hz for newborns to 10,000 Hz at retirement age due to a natural auditory degeneration called presbycusis. Taking advantage of this is a clever 17,000 Hz ringtone (called the Mosquito) that students can hear, but teachers often can’t. That’s devious. Within 1.6 miles, our test road offered up a combination of slick fresh asphalt, bumps, and some nasty rough patches—a delightful soup of noise-producing circumstances. According to the traditional dBA measurement (below), the Jaguar was far and away the quietest sedan in the group. But was it? When the same acoustic experience is judged in sones, the Lexus matches the Jag at the top and surpasses it in our measure of conversation ease (PSIL). Subjectively, the last two results also agreed best with our own opinions —which is why we wanted to familiarize you with both.

SOUND ADVICE

ARE THERE BETTER MEASUREMENTS OF NOISE THAN THE DBA? COULD BE NOISE AND RIDE QUALITY

WHILE OUR TESTING generally revolves around measuring the fun part of vehicle dynamics, what dominates most of your time behind the wheel is the experience of ride quality and interior noise. So for this comparison test, we decided to make our measurements more elaborate by employing a terriﬁc sound meter kindly supplied by Bruel & Kjaer (a model 2250 for you sound-meter fans). With it, we recorded the familiar dBA numbers, but in addition, two other, possibly superior, quantities: an intriguing measurement called “sones” and another “PSIL,” which stands for Preferred Speech Interference Level. The sone is what’s called a psychoacoustic measurement. While the calculation of dBAs entails some mathematical manipulation to approximate what our ear perceives, its assumptions are rather crude. It doesn’t account for our ear’s variable response to frequencies as sound level increases. On the other hand, the sone originated from many studies of human subjects who subjectively rated combinations of tone frequency and intensity and then scored these sound samples for their “loudness.”

KNOWN KNOWNS WHAT’S IN STORE FOR SOME OF THE SEGMENT’S KEY PLAYERS, INCLUDING THE WINNER WE CAN futurehybridization.highermoreexpectpower,tech,andThelooksbrightahead.

THE NEXT-GEN Audi A6, which could make its public debut as early as the 2010 Paris motor show, will likely hit U.S. shores with a pair of supercharged 3.0-liter V-6s—one low output (around 300 horsepower) and one high output (roughly 400 horses)—as well as a new eight-speed automatic.BMW,which needn’t unveil a new 5 Series (above) based on this test’s outcome, just took the wraps off of the sixth generation anyway. Sharing a platform and myriad parts with the 7 Series, the fresh 5 will be offered initially with two direct-injection power plants: a single-turbo 3.0-liter I-6 making 300 horsepower and 300 poundfeet (535i) and a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 producing 400 horses and 450 poundfeet (550i). Both engines can be mated to either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic. A 528i, with a naturally aspirated 3.0-liter 240-horsepower I-6, will appear later, as will xDrive all-wheel-drive variants of all trims. At 116.9 inches, the new 5’s wheelbase is the longest in the segment, and to cut weight, BMW has incorporated extensive use of aluminum, notably in the hood, doors, and suspension. Speaking of suspension, the 2011 5 Series ditches front struts in favor of a multilink setup. Just in time to combat the 2011 5 Series, the third-generation Infiniti M (below) will go on sale, aiming to make up for this test’s last-place finish. New names, i.e. M37 and M56, signify more power—the former gets a 3.7-liter, 330-horse V-6 while the latter receives a 5.6-liter 420-horse V-8. Both come with seven-speed automatics, and all-wheel drive and sport packages will be available with either trim. An M35 Hybrid, a first for Infiniti, will debut a year later. According to our source in Japan, the all-new Lexus GS , which is scheduled to appear in 2011, will use a wider platform that retains the 112.2-inch wheelbase but cuts around an inch of front overhang and adds about 1.3 inches of cabin height. Most surprising, though, will be the changes under hood. Lexus will drop the present 4.6-literV-8 in favor of a base 2.5-liter V-6 and a topline 3.5-literV-6. Later in the lifecycle a 2.5-liter hybrid will join the lineup, as will the muchrumored GS F. Employing carbon-fiber body parts and the IS F’s 5.0 liter V-8, but with strategic modifications to the ECU and exhaust, the GS F will put out over 460 horsepower. The most impressive piece of new technology, though, will be the F’s torque-split rear differential, which is similar to the units used in Acura’s SH-AWD and Mitsubishi’s AYC. The big difference, though, is the GS F will be rear drive.

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 111

■ ron kiino

TRUCK / SUV WHEELS NEW NEW Five$68X14”STARTPRICESAT DR-9$9515”STARTPRICESAT J10$10515”STARTPRICESAT Seven$65X13”STARTPRICESAT DR-33$11017”STARTPRICESAT FD-05$11915”STARTPRICESAT Mesh$75X14”STARTPRICESAT DR-19$9515”STARTPRICESAT Viper$8214” 15”STARTPRICESATBuckshot$109PRICESSTARTAT Asan$13615”STARTPRICESAT Precise$15520”STARTPRICESAT TU3$10916”STARTPRICESAT Gunner$115616”STARTPRICESAT72$9815”STARTPRICESAT Raptor$11917”STARTPRICESAT Vairano$17617”STARTPRICESAT Twist$9014”STARTPRICESAT OR-9$13515”STARTPRICESAT FREE Catalog Point your browser to discounttiredirect.com to download your free wheel catalog. Hot NEW Wheel Lace$9415”STARTPRICESATSwurve$9315”STARTPRICESATIncident$8514”STARTPRICESAT Octane$9515”STARTPRICESAT Foil$11415”STARTPRICESAT America’s Largest Independent Tire Dealer Illusion $9915”STARTPRICESAT – Sizes: 15, 17, 18, 19 – Finish: Black Ball Cut Machined, Black Ball Cut Blue, Black Ball Cut Red – Unique multi spoke design with innovative ball cut machining.

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2010 BMW 550I GT BASE PRICE $65,000 (est) VEHICLE LAYOUT Front engine, RWD/ AWD, 4-door4-5-pass,hatchback ENGINE 4.4L/400-hp/450-lb-fttwin-turboDOHC32-valveV-8 TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT 4950 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 120.7 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 196.8 x 74.8 x 61.4 in 0-60 MPH 5.4 sec (mfr est) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 15/21 mpg CO 2 EMISSIONS 1.13 lb/mile ON SALE IN U.S. Currently

Bottom line: In our book, tall, -pound vehicles wear the moniker “ultimate driving machine” a little uncomfortably. ■ frank markus we this one

EUROPE is like a whole other world. Its citizens tolerate insane levels of taxation, live happily in extremely close quarters, and possess fashion sensibilities that foster foreignlooking footwear and business suits dyed colors we associate with the management ranks of the “oldest profession.” Now the Euro elites are eschewing lux sedans and SUVs in favor of “something different.” Something like the current crop of bucks-up hatchbacks including BMW’s X, the forthcoming Audi A, and this  Series Gran Turismo. Maybe Europe loves hatchbacks simply because Americans hate them and they’re P.O.’d at us for grenading the global economy. Whatever, these platypi—some prettier than others—are coming, if only in niche volumes (BMW promises the GT will surpass the current  Series wagon’s  per Fashion-forwardyear).Yanks who can be coaxed into a test-spin of this too-tall car/too-short SUV will be impressed with its Swiss Army knife versatility and, after a few miles at the helm of the i GT, they may think they’ve stumbled across a Filene’s Basement bargain on a slightly irregular  Series ($, if perfect, now $,!). Power flows from the ’s formidable .-liter twin-turbo V- through a new eight-speed automatic to the rear wheels (AWD and the six-cylinder i variant follow midyear). There’s lots of  Series chassis DNA underpinning this first example of the next-gen , and the driving experience—at least in a loaded one with Adaptive Drive (active roll stabilization, dynamic damping control), Active front/ rear steering, Sport Package, and more—drives like a tall-saddled . The steering-wheel rim delivers the same detailed feel of the road surface, and you get the same sensation that electrons are doing as much of the driving as you are. There’s the same lusty whoosh of acceleration, but two extra gear ratios can’t hide the fact that the trunk-within-a-hatch, the extra cargo compartment partitions, the standard (i GT) panoramic roof, and the extra height make the GT almost  pounds heavier than a i. At least that mass buys bank-vault solidity.

114 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM (newcomers) bmw 550i gt alien fashion As with some Euro trends,

just may not “get”

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 115

LISTEN here, sonny, the Evo is all grown up. That ridiculous wing? Gone. A subtle, age-appropriate lip spoiler takes its place so there’s no more guessing about the cop pacing behind. Inside, the Recaro racing seats are now lined in leather—and heated to boot. A full-color LCD now rests between the gauges and not only delivers more information (because of higher resolution), it’s easier on the eyes as well. They’ve even put a powered sunroof in the thing—a first for the aluminumroofed Evo. So this MR Touring model definitely looks more mellow and certainly has additional creature comforts, but does this mean the mighty Evolution has gone soft? LimpBilsteinNoteven?onebit.dampers and Eibach springs still suspend the MR Touring, so the crisp handling clarity has diminished not one iota, even with the  extra pounds the Touring package adds. And that glass sunroof? Though it puts weight up high, you can’t feel the Touring roll any more than a regular Evo—which ain’t much. It’s not as fast though: It’s faster. Running upgrades to the TC-SST six-speed dual-clutch transmission mean all new MR Evos are apparently the fastest of this generation. Mitsubishi claims the MR and Touring will consistently hit  mph in under five seconds, though we’ll have to test one to see. What we do know is that, in Super Sport mode, it still drops rev-matched downshifts like a mechanized Makinen, yet is nice and smooth at low speeds in Normal mode— our litmus tests for fancy dual clutches. So is Mister MR Touring a legit competitor to, say, an Infiniti G or BMW  Series? Well, price and performance are on par, and without the wing (the automotive equivalent of a gel-cast mohawk), it looks more like an upmarket sport sedan. It still lacks some polish; cheaper plastics and a plethora of dash seams do not bring luxury cars to mind. Despite the addition of sounddeadening material, swirling vortices can still be heard off the side mirrors. But if Mitsubishi’s mission was to add refinement with no loss of excitement, it’s well done, sir.

■ edward loh

mitsubishi lancer evolution mr touring (newcomers) less wing, same zing That’s Mister MR to you 2010 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION MR TOURING BASE PRICE $41,710 PRICE AS TESTED $43,709 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front engine, AWD 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 2.0L/291-hp/300-lb-ftturbochargedDOHC16-valve I-4 TRANSMISSION 6-speed twin-cl auto CURB WEIGHT 3600 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 104.3 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 177.0 x 71.3 x 58.3 in 0-60 MPH 4.9 sec (est) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 17/22 mpg CO 2 EMISSIONS 1.02 lb/mile ON SALE IN U.S. Currently

116 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM (newcomers) lexus gx 460 body-on-frame luxury Doing the job better than ever 2010 LEXUS GX 460 BASE PRICE RANGE $52,845-$57,640 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front engine, 4WD 7-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 4.6L/301-hp/329-lb-ftDOHC32-valveV-8 TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT 5300-5350 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 109.8 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 189.2 x 74.2 x 72.6 in 0-60 MPH 7.8 sec (mfr est) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 15/20 mpg CO 2 EMISSIONS 1.13 lb/mile ON SALE IN U.S. Currently

FOR THOSE who feared the Lexus GX would go soft and join the ranks of the unibody RX, rest easy. Undergoing its first major redesign since it was introduced in , the GX continues on as a body-on-frame vehicle, sharing its highly revised platform with the new-for  Runner. While the new GX’s dimensions have changed slightly, its wheelbase remains identical. It looks significantly different as well, its most noticeable new styling cue being the exaggerated rear fender flares. A big difference for  is under the hood. The GX ’s sole motivator is a -horsepower, .-liter V-, backed by a six-speed automatic. Also, fuel economy has improved to  city/ highway mpg. The new powertrain is excellent—and even though base curb weight has gone up about  pounds because of the addition of several standard features, acceleration is quick, and there is no trouble getting up to speed or climbing steep hills. The GX’s off-road pedigree remains intact for . It has an independent coil-spring suspension in front, a live-axle rear, and a Torsen center differential. Coil springs are standard in the rear with air suspension available. New for : a standard electronically controlled transfer case and Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System, plus optional Crawl Control. On the highway, the GX’s ride is comfortable, and it handles well in the turns. It doesn’t have the same level of ride comfort as a crossover, but it’s closer than you might think. New for the redesigned interior are a manually sliding second row, standard power-folding third row, and front and side two-camera parking aid. Standard safety features include  airbags, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, EBD, brake assist, stability control, traction control, hill-start assist, and downhill assist.The demand for body-on-frame SUVs has gone down dramatically, and so have Lexus’ sales goals: about , units for , or  percent of the market segment. There are still buyers out there who want the comfort of a midsize luxury SUV, plus off-road capability, towing capacity, and three-row seating. This is a vehicle that caters to that group, and does so better than ever before. ■ allyson harwood

MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 117 bmw x6 active hybrid (newcomers) panzer suv You will know it by its hood bulge02010 BMW X6 ACTIVE HYBRID BASE PRICE $89,775 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 4.4L/400-hp/450-lb-fttwin-turboDOHC32-valveV-8 + two electric motors; total output 480 hp/575 lb-ft TRANSMISSION 7-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT 5700 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 115.5 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 192.0 x 78.1 x 66.5 in 0-62 MPH 5.6 sec (mfr est) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 17/19 mpg CO 2 EMISSIONS 1.09 lb/mile ON SALE IN U.S. Currently

WHY hybridize the X?

(A) Because fuel efficiency shy of  mpg is better than fuel efficiency just north of  mpg, and (B) because BMW can. It starts with BMW’s smooth .-liter V-, its twin turbos placed inside the vee. The hybrid control box is above that, requiring a hood bulge, a subtle visual clue. The others are optional Bluewater Metallic paint and (standard) chrome Active Hybrid badges, too small to attract the attention of any smug, militant Prius driver. The seven-speed trans has two electric motors, putting out  and  horsepower, and three planetary gearsets. The nickelmetal hydride battery is liquidcooled, capable of . killowatt hours storage, and contributes  of the hybrid’s  added pounds. BMW has retuned the shocks and springs to handle the weight. It’s more about the way the hybrid system adds even more boost to the twin-turbo V- than BMW’s claim of up to  mph pure-electric drive capability. The Active Hybrid feels more like an X M with softened edges than the quicker, torquier X i that it is. It’s less impressive as a fuelsipper. In our -mile test drive, it shut down the gas engine only at stoplights and while backing up in parking lots. Feather-footed stoplight launches got us maybe three yards before the gas engine kicked in, nowhere near  mph. We felt regen-induced drivetrain jerk just twice in -odd miles. This is what BMW got from a partnership that also yielded the big GM hybrid SUVs and pickups, Mercedes ML hybrid, and short-lived Dodge Durango/ Chrysler Aspen hybrids. Here, the hybrid seems to be another BMW argument for diesel power; the X xDrive d is rated / mpg. Even that torquey turbodiesel can’t match the twinturbo hybrid’s dynamics though. Fast or full-throttle launches and freeway -to--mph passing acceleration are fabulous; this is another heavy panzer of an SUV defying physics. And therein lies the conundrum: You’ll hypermile through heavy city traffic and get the dashboard economy number up, only to wipe out the gains once the road opens. If you’re not going to drive it like a BMW, you might as well take your money to your local Toyota dealership and buy three Priuses instead. ■ todd lassa

■ Months/miles in service 11/20,016

■ Unresolved problems None ■ Maintenance cost $97.92 (2 - oil change/ inspection/rotate tires)

■ Avg econ/CO2 15.0 mpg/1.29 lb/mi

“I HAULED the F- out to Diamond Bar to pick up a pair of couches last night,” says associate Web producer Scott Evans, “and came away with mixed impressions. It’s a good-looking truck inside and out and some of Ford’s low-tech features are exceedingly useful, but the truck has its drawbacks. The ride on broken freeways is disappointing, with lots of shaking and vibrating. I’m also not particularly impressed with the .-liter V- engine. This is a big, heavy truck, and you can feel that weight every time you accelerate. Throw some large pieces of furniture in the bed and the lack of power becomes even more pronounced, especially when entering a freeway. I’m sure the truck can tow the , pounds Ford says it can, but they don’t mention how long it will take you to get anywhere if you do.” Evans, obviously, is one of many eagerly awaiting the F-’s upcoming .-liter V-. “On the other end of the spectrum, though, Ford has come up with a slew of low-tech solutions to common problems that work beautifully,” states Evans. “Chevy can laugh all it wants, but the tailgate ‘man step’ is one of the best automotive ideas in a long, long time. Just as useful is the reconﬁgurable bed extender, which came in handy when we needed to secure the couches. On a truck this size, the convex towing mirrors should be standard, as they make lane changes and other maneuvers so much easier and safer.” Additional thoughts? “I understand Ford needed to mount the backup camera high for a good angle, but mounting it below the massive Ford badge was a bad choice. Drop the gate to use the bed extender and the camera becomes useless. Tailgate-down, bed-loaded situations are when you need a backup camera, and yet in this situation, it’s pointing at the ground. Find somewhere else to mount it, or take a page from BMW’s playbook: Make that giant Ford badge the release handle and design it so that, to open the tailgate, you must twist it  degrees; that way, when the tailgate is down, the camera points backward rather than at the ground.”

118 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM words ron kiino Ford F-150 2009 Man-stepping up with low-tech solutions (long-term test) update ISOSLWEEYALLN SONSWELEYALLI

■ Normal-wear cost $0

2010 SUBARU OUTBACK “TOOK2.5I

2010 NISSAN GT-R AFTER nearly , miles, the GT-R’s OE Bridgestone Potenza RER run-flat tires needed replacing. We called Tire Rack and ordered a set of Dunlop SP Sport  DSSTs for $ including mounting and nitrogen fill. When the techs at Thousand Oaks Nissan installed the tires, they noted the inner bands of the front Bridgestones were worn, so they offered to set the GT-R’s alignment to the available “street” setting (less aggressive toe) rather than leave it at the factory “race” setting. They also inspected the Brembos (we reported last update the brakes had grown squeaky) and found no problems, telling us the noise was a result of the high-friction pads. Prior to the tire swap, the GT-R’s ,-mile service netted a $. oil change, inspection, and cabin air filter replacement. ■ Months/miles in service 8/17,659 ■ Avg econ/CO2 16.8 mpg/1.15 lb/mi ■ Unresolved problems None ■ Maintenance cost $473.21 (3 –inspection, 2 – oil change, four-wheel alignment, replace cabin air filter) ■ Normal-wear cost $1650 (replace tires)

update (long-term test)

GERMILLERJESSICAWALKERWILLIAM VideoFutureNew,ONMOTORTRENDTHEWEBexclusiveonlinearticlesandphotos:ForecastFirstDrivesSpotlightRaceResultsBreakingNewsAutoShowsBuyersGuidesTireCenterForumsContestsReaderPollsandmore…onlyat

OUR Outback on an overnight camping trip this weekend and was pleased to find it fully acquits itself as our  Sport/Utility of the Year,” says Loh, who “drove it  miles and managed . mpg.” Loh is also a fan of the Subaru’s powertrain and off-pavement capability. “I normally hate CVTs, but this one is pleasantly smooth and quiet. The car is by no means powerful, but passing wasn’t much of a problem; paddles make downshifting on demand easy and useful, especially if you’re trying to engine brake on the freeway. I also had a chance to do some light off-roading and found the high ground clearance to be a boon over dirt whoops. We had a couple Toyota Highlanders in our party, and they experienced some undercarriage scraping. The Outback’s never touched—not even the longish nose and tail.” ■ Months/miles in service 2/4727 ■ Avg econ/CO2 24.1 mpg/0.80 lb/mi ■ Unresolved problems None ■ Maintenance cost $0 ■ Normal-wear cost $0

■ Unresolved problems None

■ Months/miles in service 6/9318 ■ Avg econ/CO2 37.9 mpg/0.51 lb/mi ■ Unresolved problems None ■ Maintenance cost $85.33 (oil change/ inspection/rotate tires) ■ Normal-wear cost $0 long-term test) update

2009 SUZUKI EQUATOR

(

■ Months/miles in service 8/14,957

2010 HONDA INSIGHT AT AROUND  miles, the Insight’s Maintenance Minder light came on, telling us its first service was due. A quick trip to Miller Honda of Culver City netted us an $. oil change, full inspection, and tire rotation. “It’s a fun car to hypermile around at first,” says assistant Web editor Rory Jurnecka, “but the novelty quickly wears off, revealing serious driveability issues. The brakes feel on/off-ish, possibly due to the regenerative braking system. Steering is light and numb, and the car feels twitchy at full freeway speeds.

Overall, the Insight comes oﬀ like a rushed project: It’s rough around the edges, and the small details (like a comfortable driving position for those over six feet tall) have been severely ignored. Those small details are what’s important when a car is going to serve as a daily driver year in and year out.”

RMZ-4 SPORT “THE EQUATOR was my ride to Joshua Tree for a camping and rock-climbing expedition,” logs assistant Web producer Kirill Ougarov. “It was easy to maneuver, drive, and park, though the V-’s fuel economy isn’t much better than that of our long-term V- F-. I subjected the Equator to some light oﬀ-roading on a dirt road, which it handled without a problem. Also, the Suzuki-spec looks better than the Frontier on which it’s based.” Additional likes? “Suzuki’s quick-rig Garmin navigation setup is simple, cheap, works well, and allows you to enter an address while driving, you just have to undock the unit ﬁrst. What I don’t dig is the year--spec base stereo. No MP capability? No aux jack? No satellite radio? Really? A base-model Cobalt has all these.”

■ Maintenance cost $29.17 (oil change/ inspection/rotate tires)

VANCEBRIANVANCEBRIAN

■ Normal-wear cost $0

■ Avg econ/CO2 15.9 mpg/1.22 lb/mi

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2009 MAZDA6 S GRAND

FORTOURINGITS

2009 BMW M3 “I DEVELOPED a love/hate relationship with the M after tooling around Southern California,” notes senior editor Edward Loh. “I do love the shocking acceleration; this thing embarrasses many true sports cars not just from a light, but from  mph on the freeway. Hit the M button, mash it, and you’re gone—just remember to pull back on the right paddle or you’ll bang into the limiter in about . seconds.” And the hate part? “Over speed bumps, in and out of driveways, any motion that puts torsional stress on the chassis induces a creaking noise from the back seat. I also ﬁnd the sevenspeed DCT lacking. Slow-speed, second-gear crawls seem to confuse it, especially if you need to accelerate from said crawl (as in a merging situation)—can’t do it smoothly. You either get neck-snapping acceleration or barely any speed.” ■■ Months/miles in service 8/13,859 ■ Avg econ/CO2 16.0 mpg/1.21 lb/mi ■ Unresolved problems None ■ Maintenance cost $0 ■ Normal-wear cost $0

second service, the Mazda made another $. visit to Neftin Mazda in Thousand Oaks, which again performed an oil change, full inspection, and tire rotation. Truck Trend Web producer Melissa Spiering took the  to Phoenix over Labor Day week and notes, “The ride was comfortable, and the acceleration was great on the highway. I managed to rack up an impressive  miles on one tank of gas—San Bernardino to Phoenix—for a .-liter V-, that’s noteworthy.”

Senior editor Ron Kiino opines, “I love the ’s ride—reasonably ﬁrm and quite compliant—but Mazda could stand to lessen the car’s vertical motion when aggressively traversing, say, a curvy road with bumps. It’s often recovering (still bobbing) from one set of bumps when the next set presents itself.”

■ Months/miles in service 11/15,775 ■ Avg econ/CO2 20.6 mpg/0.94 lb/mi ■ Unresolved problems None ■ Maintenance cost $205.30 (2 - oil change/inspection/rotate

LAPALMEJULIA

WHEN SUBARU introduced the STi in the U.S. for the  model year, it did so using a four-door compact sedan with the subtlety of a ruffled hot-pink tuxedo. After all, with BBS alloy wheels and Brembo brake calipers painted a sparkly gold that could dress up a bass boat, a gaping hood scoop that could double as a badger den, and a giant rear wing that looked like the handle on Paul Bunyan’s lunchbox, the STI didn’t exactly blend into the automotive landscape. Nevertheless, it was blindingly quick, an absolute blast on a curvy road, and about as reliable as any ordinary Subaru, which is to say virtually bulletproof. Naturally, Subaru found plenty of enthusiastic takers. But as the STI’s first generation neared the end of its lifecycle, Subaru was already hawking more mature versions; the  Limited, for instance, came with silver BBS wheels, black Brembo calipers, and a low-profile lipForspoiler.thesecond generation, which made its debut for , Subaru took the STI’s maturation to the next level, ditching the sedan body style in favor of a hatchback form and losing the humongous hood scoop and rear wing. Sure, the new four-door hatch still featured a scoop and a wing, just modestly sized. And despite functional side vents, bulging fenders, and larger -inch alloys, the hatch came across as understated in light of its predecessor.Subaru,apparently, was serious about trying to attract European-brand customers with the STI, not to mention WRX owners aspiring for something more tenacious but less gaudy. Curious to see how Motor Trend’s discerning staffwould accept this grown-up $, pocket-rocket, we ordered one for our fleet, replete with the $ navigation/BBS wheels package, a $ audio package that included satellite radio, and a $ equipment group with an auto-dimming rearview mirror. All said and done, our STI carried a pricetag of $,. Sure, that’s extravagant for a Subaru but not unwarranted, what with the STI’s impressive equipment list: -horse turbo flat-four, handbuilt six-speed manual, Brembo brakes, forged -inch wheels, Dunlop summer tires, HID headlamps, leather/Alcantara interior, and all-wheel drive with a Driver Controlled Center Differential that offers three auto and six manual settings as well as front helical and rear Torsen limited-slip differentials. Plus, the STI fills a test sheet with daunting data:  to  in . seconds, the quarter mile in . at . mph,  to  in  feet, and lateral acceleration of . g. Over the course of its stay with us, the STI garnered much praise, especially regarding its hatchback shape, stout engine, and day-to-day liveability. Per associate Web editor Rory Jurnecka, “I was able to use the STI to haul a set of old-school mag wheels to the tire shop, drag

122 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM Subaru Impreza WRX STI Our eye-catching pocket-rocket is a staff favorite 2008 (long-term test) verdict words ron kiino h t h d t t d i li ht f it nonr our car Base price $35,640 Options Siriussubwoofer,($3800:Navigation/BBSwheelspackagenavigation,10-speakeraudio,Bluetooth,18-inchBBSforgedalloywheels),Audiopackage2($768:ampliﬁer,satelliteradio);Popularequipmentgroup3b($404:auto-dimmingmirror,HomeLink) MSRP, as tested $40,612 Total mileage 21,644 Avg fuel economy 19.5 mpg Problem areas Right-turn signal bulb Maintenance cost $413.74 Normal-wear cost $893.85 Three-year residual value* $19,495* Recalls*Automotive Lease Guide Engine reprogrammingmodulecontrol

VANCEBRIANWILLIAMWALKERX2 2008 subaru impreza WRX STI DrivetrainPOWERTRAIN/CHASSISlayout Front engine, AWD Engine type Turbocharged flat-4, alum block/heads Valvetrain DOHC, 4 valves/cyl Displacement 149.9 cu in/2457 cc Compression ratio 8.2:1 Power (SAE net) 305 hp @ 6000 rpm Torque (SAE net) 290 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm Redline 6700 rpm Weight to power 11.1 lb/hp Transmission 6-speed manual Axle/final-drive ratios 3.90:1/2.95:1 Suspension, front; rear Struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar Steering ratio 15.0:1 Turns lock-to-lock 2.8 Brakes, f/r 13.0-in vented disc/ 12.6-in vented disc, ABS Wheels 8.5 x forged18-in,aluminum Tires 245/40R18 93W Dunlop SP Sport 600 WheelbaseDIMENSIONS 103.3 in Track, f/r 60.2/60.6 in Length x width x height 173.8 x 70.7 x 58.1 in Turning circle 36.1 ft Curb weight 3371 lb Weight dist, f/r 58/42% Seating capacity 5 Headroom, f/r 40.3/37.6 in Legroom, f/r 43.5/33.5 in Shoulder room, f/r 54.8/53.2 in Cargo volume 19.0 cu ft TEST AccelerationDATA to mph 0-30 1.5 sec 0-40 2.4 0-50 3.4 0-60 4.8 0-70 6.4 0-80 8.2 0-90 10.9 0-100 13.3 Passing, 45-65 mph 2.7 sec Quarter mile 13.5 sec @ 100.6 mph Braking, 60-0 mph 109 ft Lateral acceleration 0.90 g (avg) MT figure eight 26.1 sec @ 0.68 g (avg) Top-gear revs @ 60 mph 2400 rpm CONSUMER Stability/tractionINFO control Yes/yes Airbags Dual front, front side, f/r curtain Basic warranty 3 yrs/36,000 miles Powertrain warranty 5 yrs/60,000 miles Roadside assistance 3 yrs/36,000 miles Fuel capacity 16.9 gal EPA city/hwy econ 17/23 mpg CO2 emissions 1.01 lb/mile Recommended fuel Unleaded premium MOTOR TREND.COM FEBRUARY 2010 123 home a -inch LCD TV, and accommodate my bimonthly Costco run.” Contributor Mike Connor notes, “Engine is quite linear, especially for a -horse turbo. It’s nice not having to worry about an ‘on/off’ switch when you hit  rpm; rather, the boost builds nicely and the power feels natural.” Assistant Web producer Scott Evans opines, “For as much power as this car has, it’s very easy to drive in traffic. The clutch got a healthy workout in bumper-tobumper congestion and my leg never got tired.” It’s rare for a long-term vehicle to endure a year of service with no major gripes, but the STI did, escaping with just a few minor ones. Some staffers had trouble viewing the nav screen under bright sunlight, some weren’t gaga over the exterior styling, and a couple found the Hill Hold feature frustrating. None, however, could really fault the Subaru’s economical .-mpg observed fuel economy. With around  miles on the odometer, the STI displayed some strange behavior to assistant Web producer Carlos Lago. “At partial throttle, I noticed a slight lull in power delivery around  to  rpm, right before the turbo spools.” This ailment was later remedied under an “engine control module reprogramming” recall. Other than that anomaly, the STI suffered only from a burned-out right-turn-signal bulb, which was replaced under warranty. As for maintenance and normal-wear costs, the STI amassed a total of $. for two services—a $. oil change, inspection, and tire rotation at  miles and a $. oil change, inspection, tire rotation, and engine air filter replacement at ,—and $. for a set of Dunlop Direzza replacement tires. Do we miss the STI? Absolutely. As Jurnecka states, “The Evo X has its charms—sporty good looks, steering feel and precision to die for, incredible chassis balance, and a TC-SST gearbox that shines on a rapid Mulholland run—but my verdict is in: I’ll take the STI. While the STI’s exhaust note isn’t the most alluring, it hands-down beats the Evo’s generic, tiresome, and artificial-sounding drone. The Evo’s gearbox, while wonderful at speed, is annoyingly clunky around town and lacks the involvement of the STI’s proper manual box. The STI is so much more practical too. Oh, and did I mention mpg figures? Try hard to get above  mpg in the Evo, I dare you. Meanwhile, I’m pulling  mpg with a mix of leisurely and aggressive driving in the STI. Not bad for  horses.” Not bad, indeed. ■

“Obviously the ride is ﬁrm, but not so much so that you wouldn’t want to drive it on a daily basis. A fun car to drive, and one that made all the teenage boys in my neighborhood turn and look each time I came home from work.”

ACSBPRFECR

■ Rusty Kurtz

“Thanks to the hatchback conﬁguration, the STI now has more cargo space—19.0 cubic feet in the trunk alone (eight more than the 2007 STI) and 44.4 with the rear seats down. This would be an excellent choice for an extended road trip along curvy roads.”

■ Carlos Lago from the logbook

124 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR MitsubishiTREND.COM Lancer Evolution MR Boy racer grows up while retaining charm 2008 (long-term test) verdict words kirill ougarov r our car Base price $38,965 Options Technology package ($2550: navigation, 30GB hard drive, 650-watt Rockford Fosgate audio, Sirius satellite radio) MSRP, as tested $41,515 Total mileage 20,820 Avg fuel economy 18.8 mpg Problem areas None Maintenance cost $615.54 Normal-wear cost $808 Three-year residual value* $20,758* Recalls*Automotive Lease Guide Replace hoodreleasecable

IN A RARE revolving-door moment down in the Motor Trend garage, the Evo X showed up for its one-year stay just as our longterm  Evo IX MR was vacating the premises. And with the Evo X being so radically different from its predecessor, it only made sense to sample the two back to back. Aside from the fresh, aggressive styling, the $, Evo X MR features an entirely new aluminum-block B turbo four in place of the IX’s venerable iron-block G, a softer, more road-friendly Bilstein suspension, and the brand-new TC-SST twin-clutch automatic transmission. And lest we forget, the X also includes such amenities and safety features as Bluetooth, Fast Key, steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise-control switches, and curtain airbags. We also had Mitsubishi throw in the $ Technology Package, which adds navigation, Sirius satellite radio, and a -watt nine-speaker Rockford Fosgate audio system with -inch subwoofer. Total price: a considerable $,, $ more than that of the Evo IX it replaced. Turns out, creature comforts don’t come cheap. Staffers generally liked the X’s softer suspension. Editor at large Arthur St. Antoine logs, “I don’t notice that much—if any—handling loss, yet the driving experience is far more rewarding. The X turns in nicely, rolls over a bit, but hangs on fine. The roll actually allows you to feel the limit coming on sooner, allows you to work the car more.” Senior editor Ron Kiino concurs: “The surgical steering is made for tight turns, its perfectly weighted feel allowing you to be ultra-precise when placing the front tires. The chassis balance is almost uncanny. The front end offers up so much grip and the rear (especially with the new Active Yaw Control) is so willing to rotate that it feels like oversteer is the name of the game. But in actuality both ends are sticking like syrup and working so beautifully together you can’t believe the car is devouring sweepers that effortlessly. Brakes? Awesome. Every turn you feel like you can dive deeper and deeper.” Test numbers support their opinions. The X bested the IX in the skidpad maneuver (. g versus .), figure eight (. seconds at . g versus . at . g) and - braking ( feet versus ), though the -pound-lighter IX proved faster in acceleration testing. That said, no one ever accused the Evo of being a drag racer.Asfor the TC-SST gearbox, while there was initial skepticism, most of the staffeventually joined the “church of the SST,” as assistant Web producer Carlos Lago put it, though not without reservations, mainly complaints about it being jerky in traffic. As Kiino says, “The SST tranny is quite good. I had it in Sport mode for my little session in the switchbacks—perfect mode, by the way, as it always kept the engine right in the powerband (- rpm). In Normal mode, the shifts are impressively quick and seamless, except at low speeds or in stopand-go traffic, when they can be a bit abrupt. Overall, doesn’t feel quite as refined as the VW’s DSG, but it’s pretty close.”

LAPALMEJULIA

Lago notes “the transmission gets confused at stop signs, wanting to roll away in second then downshifting when it realizes the revs are too low.” Fellow assistant Web producer Scott Evans adds that, if you “put it in Super Sport Mode and drive it hard, the SST shifts almost instantly and is very fun to drive,” but “at parking lot and L.A. traffic speeds, it’s jerky and irritating, though you get used to it after a while. It feels like the guy inside the computer doing the shifting is either new at it and doesn’t know how to work the clutch smoothly yet, or he’s in a hurry and doesn’t care.” Evans’ assessment that “this car is best appreciated on windy roads at high speeds, not city traffic and mind-numbing commutes” echoes our staff’s opinions.TheEvo’s Recaros were almost universally lauded as comfortable as well as supportive: “Those seats…damn, Mitsu has been so wise to use Recaros in the Evos. They’re the best sports seats I’ve had the pleasure to sit in,” says Kiino, though the lack of a telescoping steering column made for an awkward seating position for my six-foot-four frame. Five-foot-ten Lago, on the other hand, found it a perfect fit. Living with the Evo wasn’t cheap, however. The stock Yokohama Advan tires made way for a set of $ Goodyear Eagle Fs at , miles, and total maintenance added up to $. for four oil changes, inspections, and tire rotations plus an engine air filter replacement at , miles. Its mileage averaged . mpg, . mpg worse than the IX, and its economy-car .-gallon tank meant it had to be filled up often, making it a less-than-ideal choice for a long-distance road trip. In the end, despite some minor annoyances, the Evo X proved one of the most fun-to-drive and reliable cars in our long-term fleet. Though its sedan practicality was limited by the small gas tank, puny .-cubic-foot trunk, and fixed rear seats (no hauling skis inside this all-wheeldriver), it was a great choice for a weekend getaway or a long summer evening when only a fun drive was in the cards. ■

■ Nate Martinez from the logbook

X2WALKERWILLIAMLAPALMEJULIA (long-term test) verdict 126 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM

“The Evo MR comes down to one word: business. It’s what I thought when hugged by the Evo’s Recaros during my extended stay in the car. Everything from the exterior styling and rev-happy turbo-four, to the sparse, less than attractive interior and obvious Brembos, is down to it.”

“This car is hilariously thirsty. Drive around with the trip computer on, and you can get real-time fuel economy along with a continuously adjusting average. It seems whenever the car is consuming less than 10 mpg, the readout goes blank, so as not to disturb the driver—roughly akin to a mother covering her child’s eyes during a violent movie scene: The kid knows it’s happening; he can hear it, but he just can’t see it.”

■ Rory Jurnecka

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2008 mitsubishi lancer evolution mr DrivetrainPOWERTRAIN/CHASSISlayout Front engine, AWD Engine type Turbocharged I-4, aluminum block/heads Valvetrain DOHC, 4 valves/cyl Displacement 121.9 cu in/1998 cc Compression ratio 9.0:1 Power (SAE net) 291 hp @ 6500 rpm Torque (SAE net) 300 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm Redline 7000 rpm Weight to power 12.6 lb/hp Transmission 6-speed twin-cl auto Axle/ﬁnal-drive ratios 4.06:1/3.15:1 Suspension, front; rear Struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar Steering ratio 13.3:1 Turns lock-to-lock 2.3 Brakes, f/r 13.8-in vented disc/ 13.0-in vented disc, ABS Wheels 8.5 x 18-in, cast aluminum Tires 245/40R18 93Y Yokohama ADVAN A13 WheelbaseDIMENSIONS 104.3 in Track, f/r 60.8/60.8 in Length x width x height 177.0 x 71.3 x 58.3 in Turning circle 38.7 ft Curb weight 3656 lb Weight dist, f/r 57/43% Seating capacity 5 Headroom, f/r 40.6/36.9 in Legroom, f/r 42.5/33.3 in Shoulder room, f/r 54.7/54.3 in Cargo volume 6.9 cu ft TEST AccelerationDATA to mph 0-30 1.9 sec 0-40 2.8 0-50 3.9 0-60 5.3 0-70 6.9 0-80 8.9 0-90 11.2 0-100 14.1 Passing, 45-65 mph 2.7 sec Quarter mile 13.9 sec @ 99.4 mph Braking, 60-0 mph 112 ft Lateral acceleration 0.95 g (avg) MT ﬁgure eight 25.6 sec @ 0.72 g (avg) Top-gear revs @ 60 mph 2600 rpm CONSUMER Stability/tractionINFO control Yes/no Airbags Dual front, front side, f/r curtain, driver knee Basic warranty 3 yrs/36,000 miles Powertrain warranty 5 yrs/60,000 miles Roadside assistance 5 yrs/unlimited Fuel capacity 14.5 gal EPA city/hwy econ 17/22 mpg CO2 emissions 1.02 lb/mile Recommended fuel Unleaded premium Guaranteed

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134 FEBRUARY 2010 MOTOR TREND.COM

ALONG WITH cars like the Duesenberg SJ and Ferrari  GTO, MercedesBenz’ seminal SL Gullwing has rightly been called an automotive high watermark. Produced from  through , the SL coupe (Gullwing is a nickname not oﬃcially recognized at the time) was the roadgoing version of the similar-looking W race car of . The original SL racer cleaned up at Le Mans and in the Carrera Panamericana that year and placed second in the Mille Miglia. Most street Gullwings wear steel body panels over a tubular frame, but  of them are dressed in lighter alloy coachwork. Another breakthrough was mechanical direct fuel injection, one of the keys to the SL’s -horsepower rating, a lot at the time from a .-liter straight-six. The Gullwing is one of the most highly sought collector cars of all time and is, of course, the inspiration for the new SLS AMG that graces this month’s cover, more than  years after the original’s intro. ■

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MOTOR TREND (ISSN 0027-2094) February 2010, Vol. 62, No. 2 Copyright 2010 by Source Interlink Magazines, LLC. All rights reserved. Published monthly by Source Interlink Media, LLC, 261 Madison Avenue, Fifth Floor, New York, NY 10016. Periodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y. and additional mailing ofﬁces. Subscription rates for one year (12 issues): U.S., APO, FPO, and U.S. possessions $18. Canada $31 (price includes surface mail postage to Canada and GST—reg. no. 872093125RT0001). All other countries $33. For address changes and subscription assistance: Motor Trend, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235, 800/800-6848 (U.S.), 386/447-6383 (intl.); motortrend@emailcustomerservice.com. Please include name, address, telephone number on any inquiries. To order back issues, log onto www.simbackissues.com, or write to Source Interlink Media Back Issues, 2900 Amber Lane, Corona, CA 92882. Cost: $7 each, plus $3 shipping and handling. Please specify which magazine and issue date. If this is not speciﬁed, your check/money order will be returned to you. Allow three-to-four weeks for delivery.

Just as with the AV--poweredwesupernewestFerrari,theItalia,wereblownawaywiththetwin-turboFoftwodecadesago.fantasy amalgamation of aluminum, carbon fiber, wings, and speed, the F was scary fast at the time and can still get the job done today. Had the F’s development continued unabated during the subsequent  years, it’s likely the result would resemble the new . coverage july 1988 BENZMERCEDES-

THE ALL-NEW 2010 SRXCADILLAC.COM/2010SRX

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.†

Motor trend February 2010

Articles inside

Archive

Gullwing Roars

Maximum Reset

The Big Picture

Variety Show

The Winner

Technologue

Why God Created Envy