AutoWeek articles from April 2005

AutoWeek archives from April 2005

ICEBOX; Honda beats the big chill with its fuel cell car.(News)(Honda's new fuel cell stack is assembled with an aromatic electrolytic membrane.)
April 4, 2005... Byline: KEVIN A. WILSON It's not often that awaking to snow and 5-degree weather in the first week of March can be called lucky, but we were fortunate to catch that combination at just the right time with a Honda FCX fuel cell car. ...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
April 4, 2005... In his Offside Undo column in the March 28 issue, Dutch Mandel should have said American Beverage Licensees is the organization behind the "MADD at GM'' campaign. However, public relations for both the American Beverage Licensees and the...

NEW FERRARI MOVED FORWARD.(Competition)(Ferrari has decided to debut its new F2005 race car at the Bahrain Grand Prix on April 3.)
April 4, 2005... Ferrari has decided to debut its new F2005 race car at the Bahrain Grand Prix on April 3. A poor start to the season in a modified version of last year's car, F2004M, and Renault's back-to-back wins spurred Ferrari to speed development of the...

Fast Poll.(News)(Letter to the Editor)
April 4, 2005... Respondents believe the new Lexus IS will be a contender in the entry-level sport sedan market, but most think the BMW 3 Series remains the pinnacle of the class. Quality and reliability are Lexus' claim to fame, but head-turning style is...

Pick an obsession; I finally caught an episode of Overhaulin'.(Column)(for car-heads, more cars mean more happiness)(Column)
April 4, 2005... Byline: RICH CEPPOS That's the Speed Channel show on which a team of top-level hot rod builders-led by designer extraordinaire Chip Foose-perform a one-week dream makeover on a car (dilapidated but full of potential) belonging to a worthy...

HEY, WANNA RACE? You could do worse than Ford's new toy.(Motorsports)(Ford Motor Co.)
April 4, 2005... Byline: STEVEN COLE SMITH There is always a risk when you let a journalist drive your race car, and much to the dismay of Ford and Multimatic Motorsports, their fastest Mustang FR500C-which, less than 24 hours later, had to be loaded onto...

YOU'LL NEVER DRIVE A LIMO IN THIS TOWN AGAIN; We shuttle the rich & famous. Sort of.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: MARK VAUGHN What could be more glamorous than a night at the Oscars? Would a night near the Oscars, and sort of near the celebrities, count? Or would it be cause for yet another restraining order? For the 2005 Academy Awards,...

WIDE-OPEN V; GM pumps up Caddy XLR roadster.(General Motors Corp)
April 4, 2005... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER We probably wouldn't blame General Motors if it axed the Cadillac XLR, given sales of the $76,000 luxury roadster since its introduction 18 months ago haven't come close to expectations. That would be the usual GM...

AW Goings-On.(News)
April 4, 2005... Online: More XLR V-Series, Ford Shelby Cobra GT500, BMW 7 Series photos On deck: How much horsepower is too much?

Full Speed Ahead.(Competition)(Scott Speed continued to show his potential by setting the fastest time overall at a Barcelona test session last week.)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... American F1 hopeful Scott Speed continued to show his potential by setting the fastest time overall at a Barcelona test session last week. In Speed's first drive of an F1 car, he managed not only to outpace his GP2 teammate Neel Jani by nearly...

SHOWSTOPPER; Ford launches the baddest Mustang yet.(News)(Ford Motor Co., Ford Shelby Cobra GT500)
April 4, 2005... Byline: WES RAYNAL Ford celebrated the Mustang's 40th birthday last year by whipping up one of the wildest Mustangs ever, the GT-R concept displayed at New York 2004 (AW, April 19, 2004). At the time, we said we hoped the history-obsessed...

Owners Say...(Auto File)(Dodge Dakota)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Compared to my 2002 R/T, I adore this next-gen Dakota. It rides smoothly and comfortably, and the power is great. The instrument panel and gauges are nicely laid out, as is the interior, and I find the cabin design pleasing. The seats are...

Flash.(Briefs)(automobile industry)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Compass direction Jeep will go ahead with plans to build a production four-wheel-drive Compass crossover based on the 2001 concept vehicle. Positioned below Wrangler, the $20,000 five-seater will compete with the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
April 4, 2005... ROUGHING IT, F1-STYLE "It is true to say that an airplane and a helicopter have transmogrified into a wind tunnel.'' -Patrick Head, BMW-WilliamsF1 director of engineering, on trimming the team's expenses AND THE WINNER IS... ...

SPECS & DATA.(Auto File)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 4, 2005... MANUFACTURER INFO Dodge Division DaimlerChrysler Corp. 1000 Chrysler Drive East Auburn Hills MI 48326 Customer assistance: (800) 992-1997 Internet address: dodge.com Country of origin: United States Number...

FORMULA THREE; Design trio finds happiness on three wheels.(News)(Niki Smart, Nik Mynott, Jay Brett)
April 4, 2005... Byline: MARK VAUGHN The back half is a motorcycle, the front half is an Indy car and in between it's just you, the engine and a tank of gas. The SUB3Wheeler is the ultimate minimalist driving experience-low, small, fast and fun. It's a...

Flash.(Briefs)(automobile racing, Le Mans 24 Hour )
April 4, 2005... Mazda is back Mazda is returning to top-line sports car racing in the American Le Mans Series after eight seasons away. The Japanese manufacturer's U.S. arm has funded development of a normally aspirated three-rotor engine and will supply...

Middle of the Road; Dodge's perennially popular midsize Dakota does one better.(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 4, 2005... When it comes to a preference for "midsize'' pickups, the Dodge Dakota has enjoyed pick-o'-litter status among truck buyers for quite a while-of course, we're talking about a pretty small litter here. Until General Motors replaced its Chevrolet...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
April 4, 2005... Explore Porsche's four-door I never thought I'd be so interested in the design of a Porsche four-door after the indifference I felt toward the Cayenne. I was shocked to see the picture of the Panamera on page 4 of the March 21 issue. My...

Television: April 8-10.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
April 4, 2005... Friday, April 8 NASCAR Fast Forward, noon, Speed NASCAR Live from Martinsville, Va., 2 p.m., Speed (L) Inside Drag Racing, 2:30 p.m., ESPN2 Infiniti Pro Series from St. Petersburg, Fla., 3 p.m., ESPN2 NASCAR Nextel Cup...

Events.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
April 4, 2005... June 3-4 Corvettes at Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach, S.C. Call (843) 650-3475 or visit myrtlebeachcorvetteclub.com for details on this 10th annual event. June 3-5 Carlisle All-Ford Nationals Carlisle, Pa. Go to...

ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT; Living with our long-term Scion demands a youthful frame of mind.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 4, 2005... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Take a deep breath and you can almost detect a faint odor emanating from the interior fabric in our long-term Scion tC. It's not really there-our car remains nearly pristine, despite three months in service and 6090...

Classics, Racers, Small-Block Chevys and a NASCAR Legend.(Concours d'Elegance)(National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)
April 4, 2005... Byline: WILLIAM JEANES The 10th Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance drew to a close late on a sun-spangled Florida Sunday, and before the Moet spray had dried on this year's Best in Show winners, Amelia's organizers were saying, "Wait till...

WHAT'S IN A NAME? Hyundai dubs new 2006 flagship Azera.(Hyundai Motor Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Get past the new name and get a look at Hyundai's XG350 replacement, the 2006 Azera, for yet another surprise from the Korean automaker. Hyundai says its Azera unveiled at the New York show boasts a huge...

REWORKED ROCKET; Mitsubishi ups power in '06 Lancer IX.(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: WES RAYNAL While much of the talk at the New York show centered on high-performance sport/utilities, Mitsubishi showed its latest high-performance sedan, the 2006 Lancer Evolution IX, a car that promises more power and aero...

MARKET.(Escape Roads)(1950 Jaguar XK 120 )(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: KEITH MARTIN Artcurial Paris Feb. 13 1950 Jaguar XK 120 alloy-bodied roadster Right-hand drive. Red-painted wires. Close-ratio Moss gearbox, C-Type head, SU HD8 carbs. Twin windscreens. Period competition history...

AW SPIES.(News)
April 4, 2005... Last month we published the best spy shots so far of the upcoming Porsche Cayman, the 295-hp mid-engine coupe based on the Boxster and the 911 (AW, March 7). Days later, AutoWeek reader Ted Barber of Libertyville, Illinois, came across this...

What the Brits Thought We Wanted.(Escape Roads)(Austin Atlantic )
April 4, 2005... Byline: MIKE COVELLO Can you guess which Austin of England product broke numerous stock car records at Indianapolis? Was it the Mini, which proved so popular it's been resurrected with great success? What about the Marina or the America?...

SCION'S TRUCK2BE; Toyota's youth division preps boxy xB replacement.(News)(Scion t2B)
April 4, 2005... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Toyota's trendy Scion division unveiled something called a Tall Two-Box concept, dubbed t2B, at the New York auto show, but don't get caught up in names and numbers. This is the vehicle that will replace Scion's xB,...

ROAD MACHINERY; New and improved. Really.(News)(BMW 7 Series)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 4, 2005... Byline: WILLIAM JEANES The BMW 7 Series competes on a playing field loftier than Machu Picchu's stickball courts-the no-boundaries, here's my check, hold my calls, ultra-luxury sedan segment. Most 7 Series buyers can afford any car they...

GRAND WAGONING; Magnum fever spreads.(News)(Dodge Magnum R/T)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 4, 2005... Byline: CARRIE ROCA Whoever said station wagons weren't cool? Silly them. Whenever there's a station wagon in AutoWeek's test fleet, the keys get snapped right up. Add performance to the mix and, for those who embrace Vista Cruisers and...

Drivers Log.(News)(Volkswagen Jetta, BMW M3 )(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 4, 2005... 2005 Volkswagen Jetta Date in fleet: March 7-9 As-tested price: $24,040 Powertrain: 2.5-liter I5; fwd, six-speed automatic Output: 150 hp @ 5000 rpm, 170 lb-ft @ 3750 rpm Curb weight: 3285 lbs VAUGHN: The Jetta's six-speed automatic...

THE MISSING LINK.(automobiles)(Iso-Thermo)
April 11, 2005... Byline: JOHN F. KATZ "Many people drive cars,'' read the brochure, "but fastidious people prefer a BMW.'' Though devastated by Germany's War, BMW managed to launch some fairly fastidious cars in the 1950s, notably the "baroque angel''...

Flagship Upgrades.(News)(Land Rover Range Rover's 2006 model)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Roger Hart When Land Rover's current generation Range Rover debuted three years ago, it was powered by a 4.4-liter BMW V8. That is because BMW owned Land Rover when the vehicle was first sketched. When the German company sold Land...

HOME ON THE RANGE & OTHER PLACES; Land Rover gets sporty with two new models.
April 11, 2005... Byline: ROGER HART Americans' voracious appetite for sport/utility vehicles is making car companies do strange things. Take for instance one of England's best-known, stiff-upper-lip-cheerio-mate companies-Land Rover-worrying as much about...

TV: April 15-17.(News)
April 11, 2005... Friday, April 15 NASCAR Live from Fort Worth, Texas, 3 p.m., Speed (L) NASCAR Nextel Cup qualifying from Fort Worth, Texas, 4 p.m., Speed (L) NASCAR Live from Fort Worth, Texas, 5:30 p.m., Speed (L) NASCAR Beyond the Wheel,...

Flash.(Briefs)(Fisker Coachbuild)(Smart Gmbh)
April 11, 2005... Super SL Word from Germany is that Mercedes-Benz is prepping a super-lightweight version of its SL roadster, with a production-car debut slated for this fall's Frankfurt motor show. Unclear at this time is whether the car will be powered...

Fast Poll.(News)(Letter to the Editor)
April 11, 2005... The new styling and power of the next Mazda Miata goes over well with readers, but many still long for more zoom-zoom under the hood. Mazda has gone a long way to change my opinion of the Miata being a chick car. The car looks aggressive....

DROP-TOP DYNAMITE.(News)
April 11, 2005... Close on the heels of the Geneva show world introduction of the M6 (AW, March 14), BMW engineers are already well into testing a drop-top version of the performance coupe. Powered by a 5.0-liter 507-hp V10, the M6 convertible, shown here with...

Gelaendewagen no more; Next-gen Mercedes G-Class loses Brinks truck look.(News)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Back when the first Gelaendewagen rolled off an Austrian assembly line in 1979, the spartan military-styled sport/ute wasn't intended for the kind of country-club duty of today's air-conditioned, airbag-equipped,...

Dinosaur No More; With an all-new M-Class, Mercedes returns to the now-crowded luxo-ute landscape it helped shape.(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: MIKE FLOYD According to recent findings by automotive anthropologists at junkyards across the country, during the SUV Crustaceous period (roughly 1997 or so), a nearly extinct form of vehicle, known as Uteious Brutious, once rode...

Events.(calendar)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
April 11, 2005... June 10-12 Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance Cincinnati Benefits the Arthritis Foundation. Call (800) 383-6843 or visit ohioconcours.com for more information. June 11 Rustbucket Rebels' Summer Sizzle Oak Hill, W.Va. ...

A Brave New Affordable World.(Column)(Column)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Cory Farley It's new car time again, and as I wait for somebody to recognize me as The Famous Automotive Writer and give me a killer deal (the odds are better I'll win the lottery), one of the top five things ever said about...

Market.(auctions)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: KEITH MARTIN RM Auctions Amelia Island, Fla. March 12 1966 Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider Rare but correct-color green with black vinyl interior. 1600-cc twin-cam four-cylinder, dual Webers, five-speed, four-wheel...

NO SUCH THING; When it comes to horsepower, how high is up? We put the question to folks at the top.(Special Report)
April 11, 2005... Byline: AutoWeek staff, Kevin A. Wilson Compiled by the AutoWeek staff, written by Kevin A. Wilson Not since the muscle car era in the late '60s and early '70s has the phrase Horsepower Wars carried so much currency. When the Mustang...

Drivers Log.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 11, 2005... 2005 Dodge Ram Power Wagon Date in fleet: March 21-April 4 As-tested price: $42,635 Powertrain: 5.7-liter V8; 4wd, five-speed automatic Output: 345 hp @ 5400 rpm, 375 lb-ft @ 4200 rpm Curb weight: 6081 lbs MPG (EPA combined/ AW observed):...

Sublime Smoothness, and a Few Bumps.(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Joe Kovach Halfway through our yearlong stewardship of a Volkswagen Phaeton, spring arrived-by the calendar rather than the start of mild weather. Though our long stretch of wintry weather did not faze the stately Phaeton, parts of...

Super sport/ute; Chevrolet rolls out its eighth SS model.(News)(TrailBlazer SS)
April 11, 2005... Byline: NATALIE NEFF If you think an SS-badged sport/ute sounds oxymoronic-or maybe just moronic-we have to admit we felt much the same way when we first heard of Chevrolet's plans to build a TrailBlazer SS. Of course, at that point we...

WILD MUSTANG; Tuner XMP builds Crazy Horse II.(News)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Here's another Mustang tuner with a twist: Eric Cheney (no relation to the U.S. vice president) plans to build 1000 copies of the Boyd Coddington Crazy Horse II, based on the Crazy Horse I made on Coddington's...

NOT SO FAST; McLaren P8 supercar back on track.(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: GREG KABLE McLaren's new 6.3-liter V8-powered mid-engine supercar has been granted a surprise reprieve, despite partner Mercedes-Benz officially severing ties with the project earlier this year. The new two-seater, codenamed P8...

MAX NSX.(News)(race cars)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: DINO DALLE CARBONARE Honda's flagship NSX-R sports car gets a race car treatment and a price tag to match. Due to the considerable changes to this year's Japan Grand Touring Championship GT-500 NSX race car, Honda had to build five...

Flash.(Briefs)(automobile racing)
April 11, 2005... Standing firm The three-man Stock Car Racing Commission refused to soften NASCAR's penalties against team owner Richard Childress. Childress' No. 29 Goodwrench Chevrolet team was caught with less than a full fuel load during inspection and...

Conservative tactic wins in Grand-Am.(Competition)
April 11, 2005... Defending Grand-Am co-champion Scott Pruett held off current Daytona Prototype points co-leader Max Angelelli by 0.096 second to take his first win of the season in the Grand-Am race at California Speedway. The margin of victory is the closest...

THREE FOR THREE; Fernando Alonso adds to Renault's win streak.(Motorsports)
April 11, 2005... Byline: ALAN HENRY Fernando Alonso dramatically extended his world championship points lead with another commanding win from the pole. In the searing dry heat of the Bahrain Grand Prix, where temperatures soared to more than 100 degrees,...

SIMPLE DOMINATION; How else to describe a top-four Andretti Green sweep?(Motorsports)
April 11, 2005... Byline: CURT CAVIN What else would Michael Andretti and his racing buddies like to direct? Another car? Another event? The entire Indy Racing League? What Andretti Green Racing did at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg was...

WORST TO FIRST; Kevin Harvick passes the field to win at Bristol.(Motorsports)
April 11, 2005... Byline: AL PEARCE NASCAR's long national nightmare is over. For the first time since last fall, someone other than Roush Racing or Hendrick Motorsports won a Nextel Cup race. Just when you thought the Carolina-Illinois and the Yankees-Red...

Gentleman, Start Your PlayStations.(Revs)(Ecclestone, Bernie)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 11, 2005... Byline: JON WONG Sony's much-anticipated Gran Turismo 4 is now in stores after a delay of more than a year, and the game's 700-plus cars and more than 50 tracks prove it was worth the wait. With GT4, Polyphony Digital has taken racing...

ALLROAD GOES EVER ON AND ON; Audi shows off the future of its uber-utility wagon, as well as its brand.(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: NATALIE NEFF Even as Audi announced the end of the road for its tough little SUV-fighter, a rugged steel-blue car called the allroad quattro concept commanded center stage at the German automaker's Detroit show stand. It was...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)(brief news)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Buckle Up for CARA One of our favorite charities, Championship Auto Racing Auxiliary, has teamed up with Toyota to create the "Buckle Up Bracelet'' to promote the use of seatbelts and child car seats. All proceeds from the $2 bracelets ($5...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
April 11, 2005... Lexus IS pretty good The Lexus IS (Cover Story, March 21) has what I'm looking for: superior reliability with an inspiring, fun-to-drive character that God intended, through the rear wheels. I can't wait for your first-drive reviews. ...

Em Wye Beef.(Column)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Kevin A. Wilson We wage a constant losing battle at AutoWeek to get people to render our name properly in print. We want it as one word, with a capitalized W. If you seek our approval to quote from the magazine, we even use a...

REACH FOR THE SKY.(Revs)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 11, 2005... Byline: DUTCH MANDEL What must be the hottest ticket at racetrack infields this season, besides Miss Nextel? What will set you apart at hot rod shows, summer soccer tournaments and the beach? The Airstream SkyDeck is an executive retreat...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
April 18, 2005... Rich Ceppos' April 4 column should have said the television program Overhaulin' is on The Learning Channel.

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)(news briefs)(Brief Article)
April 18, 2005... Press Release That Ultimately Proves NASCAR Is Official Series of Bottom Feeders Gentlemen, Start Your Gills, er, Grills! NASCAR tailgating enthusiast and catfish farmer Dean "Butch" Wilson hosts a tailgate [party]... Along with fresh...

DREAM JOB?(Competition)(BAR-Honda Formula One team)(Brief Article)
April 18, 2005... Gil de Ferran finally landed the job he was looking for since retiring from Indy car racing following the 2003 season. The 37-year-old Indianapolis 500 winner is now sporting director for the BAR-Honda Formula One team, a newly created position...

Flash.(Briefs)
April 18, 2005... Speedy Thanks to its American driver Scott Speed, Paul Jackson's iSport International team will race its cars in the new GP2 series with No. 1 and No. 2. Speed lived up to his name when he was the quickest over two track sessions at...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
April 18, 2005... Drinking breeds disagreement I don't always agree with Dutch Mandel's columns, but he nailed it in "Drunk with Stupidity'' (March 28). Drunk driving is a big problem here in New Mexico, and bravado is behind some of it. I've overheard...

SPECS & DATA.(Auto File)(Directory)
April 18, 2005... MANUFACTURER INFO Pontiac Division General Motors Corp. 100 Renaissance Center Detroit MI 48207 Customer assistance: (800) 762-2737 Internet address: pontiac.com Country of origin: United States Number of...

Hot rods in hot water.(Legal)(Boyd Coddington)(Brief Article)
April 18, 2005... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER California hot rod builder Boyd Coddington is the first big name to cop a plea in a wide-ranging title-fraud investigation California prosecutors and Coddington's own attorney say could involve 70,000 illegally...

SUPER CHARGER; Dodge unveils Daytona R/T.(News)(Brief Article)
April 18, 2005... Byline: ANDREW LUU Sure, you'd like the full-dress Dodge Charger SRT-8, with its 6.1-liter, 425-hp Hemi V8, but who wants to wait around until fall to buy the hottest model in the lineup? What's a red-blooded American Dodge boy to do? ...

A FRESH START; Move Aside Grand Am, it's G6 time.(Auto File)
April 18, 2005... There comes a point in a vehicle's life cycle when the plug just needs to be pulled. That time has arrived for the Pontiac Grand Am, a car that made its debut in 1984 but for years now has been sustained on a life-support system of fleet sales...

PHAETON JUNIOR; Upcoming Passat reveals it's ready to step up to the bigs.(News)
April 18, 2005... Byline: GREG KABLE Volkswagen has made little secret it wants the sixth-generation Passat to leapfrog its usual mid-class rivals such as the Nissan Maxima and take on upscale cars like the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. That's one...

FINALLY, A WIN; Sebastien Loeb tightens the championship race.(Motorsports)
April 18, 2005... Byline: ANTHONY PEACOCK Citroen driver Sebastien Loeb admitted he was "very worried'' before the start of Rally New Zealand, having an uncharacteristic run of bad luck in the previous two events-a blown head gasket in Sweden (Feb. 21) and...

BUMP AND GRIND; Jeff Gordon comes from three laps down to win Martinsville.(Motorsports)
April 18, 2005... Byline: AL PEARCE This is how tough stock car racing has become. The Wood Brothers, one of NASCAR's most respected teams since 1948, is happy to be 34th in Nextel Cup points. Not thrilled, mind you. Not delighted and certainly not...

Mixed Emotions; Wrapping up our year with Mazda's RX-8.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 18, 2005... Byline: MAC MORRISON If you've ridden along as your favorite magazine spent a year with Mazda's RX-8, you know that more than one AutoWeek editor expressed mixed emotions about it. Over 12 months our staff has had plenty to say about...

A TURNING POINT.(automobile model)
April 18, 2005... Byline: BROOKS BRIERLEY Cruiser was Studebaker's longtime designation for its top-of-the-line sedans. Its body stretched from a standard sedan, the Cruiser is easily identified by the vent window in the rear door. When the compact Lark...

TV: April 22 - 24.(News)(Calendar)
April 18, 2005... Friday, April 22 Formula One practice from Imola, Italy, 8 a.m., Speed (L) USAR Pro Cup Series from South Boston, Va., noon, Speed Formula One practice from Imola, Italy, 2 p.m., Speed NASCAR Live from Avondale, Ariz., 3:30...

Market.(auctions)(Brief Article)
April 18, 2005... Byline: KEITH MARTIN RM Auctions Amelia Island, Fla. March 12 1976 Ferrari 308 GTB fiberglass Four-cam V8, four Webers, five-speed. 1386 original miles. Yes, you read it right. All black trim excellent, interior as new,...

On Race Cars, Collectibles & Floor Lamps; The Maserati MC12 makes one hell of a road ride, if you can get one.(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 18, 2005... Byline: J.P. VETTRAINO Hard to peg this Maserati MC12. It's assuredly one slick 630-hp fire breather, when it works the way it's supposed to work. It's related by DNA to the Enzo Ferrari supercar, but the MC12 is rarer by a factor of...

Events.(Calendar)(Calendar)
April 18, 2005... June 15-19 Lincolns on the Mountain III Stratton Mountain, Vt. For more information on this Lincoln event log onto lzoc.org or call (301) 601-1855. June 16-19 Rocky Mountain Mustang Roundup Steamboat Springs, Colo....

owners say...(automobile evaluation)
April 18, 2005... I test-drove a G6 and Grand Prix and bought the G6 because of how it drove. The Grand Prix looks and drives just like any old-er Pontiac or GM car. It is similar to my 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo LS. However, the G6 is much livelier. It looks...

Bentley's Flying Leap; VW suggests sport/ute for sports car subsidiary.(News)(Volkswagen AG)(Brief Article)
April 18, 2005... Byline: GREG KABLE Though Bentley execs in Crewe swear they have no such plans, AutoWeek has obtained details of a secret 4wd Bentley SUV that, if approved, could radically alter the status quo at the upper end of the SUV ranks. ...

BOURDAIS WINS THE BATTLE ON THE BEACH; But can Champ Car keep the race?(Motorsports)(Sebastien Bourdais)
April 18, 2005... Byline: BILL McGUIRE The season-opening Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is the Champ Car World Series' marquee event. Newman-Haas Racing is Champ Car's most powerful team, led by series champion Sebastien Bourdais and 2004 championship...

CHANGING TIMES.(National Automotive History Collection)(Detroit Public Library services)
April 18, 2005... Byline: BROOKS BRIERLEY Automotive History collection at the Detroit Public Library sees a transformation Moving from a secluded corner in the vast main library to a gem-like art deco structure in downtown Detroit has transformed the...