AutoWeek articles from April 2006

AutoWeek archives from April 2006

Correction.(Correction notice)
April 3, 2006... Our Sebring 12 Hour race report ("What a Gas,'' March 27) should have said the LMP2 Porsche RS Spyder ground to a halt with a broken driveshaft soon after it passed the Inter-sport Lola. The Lola did not break, but finished second overall and...

Correction.(Correction notice)
April 3, 2006... Our March 27 story on the Hartge H1 V8 5.0 should have said the company uses an M5 5.0-liter V8 as the engine in its tuned BMW 1 Series.

Once a Racer, Always a Racer.(Column)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Cory Farley I set up for the corner, easing inside and carrying my speed longer than I felt I should, which I know from experience is nowhere near as long as almost everybody else carries their speed. I thought I had her. Then she...

Champ Car schedule.(Motorsports)
April 3, 2006... * April 9, Long Beach, Calif., 4 p.m., NBC * May 13, Houston, 9 p.m., Speed * May 21, Monterrey, Mexico, 2 p.m., Speed * June 4, Milwaukee, 2 p.m., Speed * June 18, Portland, Ore., 3:30 p.m., CBS * June 25, Cleveland, 2:30...

All-Around Oldster.(Escape Roads)
April 3, 2006... Byline: BOB TOMAINE A Porsche in 1959 was an easily recognized car, but it was not just the look that had become a constant. The first 356 won its class in the 1948 Innsbruck race, Austria's initial postwar competition. The surviving...

The best non-German wagon; The five-door Alfa 159 is better than the four-door and practically German. So what's the problem?(News)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Matt Davis STATION WAGONS are huge business in Europe. In the large C and D segments, wagons make up around 55 percent of sales. And now the moment has arrived to drive this Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon, replacement for the 156 wagon....

Events.(Calendar)
April 3, 2006... May 26-28 Hampton Roads Studebaker Meet Yorktown, Va. Orphan cars pre-1970s invited. For more on this meet, car show and tour call (757) 868-9717. May 31-June 4 Ferrari Club of America International Meet Washington,...

SHOW ME THE MONEY; Bottom line: no problems.(News)
April 3, 2006... Byline: CAROLYN PAVIA-RAUCHMAN A word or a phrase can be overused. In our culture, in entertainment... in our magazine. And apparently our logbook notes for the Hyundai Sonata LX have become redundant, as one editor recently admonished....

Everyman's Escalade.(News)(Brief article)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Bob Gritzinger Not everyone wants-or needs-General Motors' bejeweled top-of-the-line Cadillac Escalade full-size sport/utility vehicle. At the denim end of the scale is the value-oriented 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe (and sister GMC...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
April 3, 2006... START IT UP! To commemorate its A Bigger Bang tour, the Rolling Stones and Mercedes-Benz teamed up to create this R-Class signed by the band. The R gets custom trim work, a sound system powerful enough to jumpstart Keith Richards and...

THE CHAMPS CLIMB BACK; The once almost dead series has new life.(Motorsports)
April 3, 2006... Byline: BILL McGUIRE Now entering its third year with owners Gerald Forsythe, Paul Gentilozzi and Kevin Kalkhoven, the Champ Car World Series seems to have shed nearly all of its bad old ways, and has taken several strategic steps the...

Brand-New Atlantic; New chassis+new engines=new day.(Motorsports)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Bill McGuire The most important development for Champ Car this year might not be in Champ Car at all but in its support series, now officially titled Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. The...

Champ Car's Must-See Races.(car race events)
April 3, 2006... Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 9, Long Beach, California The Beach is the queen of Champ Car events, with an urban buzz and glamour unmatched in American motorsports. Period. Southern California's sun, ocean breezes, girls... are...

Champ Car preview; food, lodging.(Motorsports)
April 3, 2006... Long Beach Hotel Queen Mary 1126 Queens Highway Long Beach, CA 90802 (562) 435-3511 queenmary.com For marvelous accommodations at the Grand Prix of Long Beach, book a room on The Queen Mary, conveniently docked right...

DARK Day; Dan Wheldon wins the season-opening IRL event, a race scarred by the death of a rookie-and friend.(Indy Racing League)(Obituary)
April 3, 2006... Byline: CURT CAVIN The sport showed its cruel side Sunday. At the Indy Racing League season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Indy car rookie Paul Dana died of injuries suffered in a crash prior to the Toyota Indy 300. No...

DUELING OVER DEUCES; Companies behind popular '32 roadster knockoff part ways.(News)
April 3, 2006... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER As you read this, a nearly three-year relationship is over between Michigan-based automotive supplier American Specialty Cars and Connecticut-based Hot Rods & Horsepower. The fruit of the partnership was the...

BLING & Bang; Taking the road less traveled to sample glitz and guns in a 2007 Cadillac Escalade.
April 3, 2006... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Cadillac's Super Bowl television advertising featured a chrome-on-black 2007 Escalade, glittering center stage on a haute couture runway. It was hardly subtle in its appeal to the bling set: The fashionistas in this...

Letters.(Letter to the editor)
April 3, 2006... Bond car shaken Re: the March 20 Aston Martin DB9 AutoFile: Doesn't anybody else find it unusual that heated seats, a decent stereo and even cruise control are options on a $160,000 automobile? Isn't everything included with these things?...

TV: April 7-9.(News)(Sports television programs guide)
April 3, 2006... Friday, April 7 NASCAR Beyond the Wheel, 8 a.m., Speed 7 Days, 8:30 a.m., Speed Car Crazy, 9:30 a.m., Speed Barrett-Jackson 2006: The Auctions, 10 a.m., Speed USAR Pro Cup from South Boston, Va., noon, Speed Racing...

Drivers Log.(News)
April 3, 2006... 2006 BMW M3 convertible Date in fleet: March 8-22 As-tested price: $64,490 (est.) Powertrain: 3.2-liter I6; rwd, six-speed sequential manual Output: 333 hp @ 7900 rpm, 262 lb-ft @ 4900 rpm Curb weight: 3781 lbs Fuel Economy (EPA...

CLEAR REACTION; Few negatives found in Ford Fusion.(Product/service evaluation)
April 3, 2006... Dismissing the Ford Fusion's performance potential out of hand is just too easy given the less-than-sporting intentions of its predecessor, the Taurus, as well as its larger stablemate, the Five Hundred. The humble do-everything family sedan...

Legends of the Can-Am.(Column)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Rich Ceppos We were walking along in 2006 but looking back at 1966. A handful of us, strolling down a line of cars at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance-which took place about two weeks ago-were attempting to judge a pack of 22...

LOEB TAKES SECOND WIN OF WRC SEASON.(Citroen star Sebastien Loeb wins)
April 3, 2006... Citroen star Sebastien Loeb extended his championship lead with another win on the asphalt Catalunya Rally-though this time Loeb was not the quickest man behind the wheel. Ford's Marcus Gronholm led the first four stages before a detached turbo...

Market.(Escape Roads)
April 3, 2006... Byline: KEITH MARTIN Christie's Paris Feb. 11 1927 Cadillac Series 314 dual-cowl sport phaeton Dark gray with tan canvas top and black leather. Red painted wires. 314-cid, 95-hp V8, three-speed manual. Built for the New...

Flash.(Briefs)
April 3, 2006... NASCAR fines crew chiefs Nextel Cup crew chiefs Rodney Childers and Larry Hyder were fined for rules violations during the Atlanta weekend. Childers, crew chief for Scott Riggs, was fined $10,000 for improperly attached weight. Hyder,...

BACK TO WORK; Suspended crew chief Chad Knaus returns.(Motorsports)(Chad Knaus to return to work at Bristol Cars Ltd.)
April 3, 2006... Byline: AL PEARCE Chad Knaus returned to work at Bristol, hat in hand and tail emotionally between his legs. Busted in February for cheating in Daytona 500 qualifying, the crew chief of Jimmie Johnson's car was quickly suspended from the...

WEB WATCH: AUTOWEEK.COM.(News)
April 3, 2006... * Escalade makes the grade The blinged-out, powerful Cadillac Escalade is getting lots of attention and kudos. Check out more photos of the new Caddy ute getting dirty and looking fancy. autoweek.com/latestphotos * Super sedans spied...

Flash.(Briefs)
April 3, 2006... Scirocco resurrected As we reported last year ("Coupe Scoop!'' Oct. 17, 2005), Volkswagen is on target to introduce the next Scirocco/Corrado in the form of an all-wheel-drive Jetta-based coupe by 2008. A source says VW also is preparing...

RACE REPORT.(Motorsports)
April 3, 2006... They've conjured up a new nickname for 500 laps around Bristol Motor Speedway: It's a punt, pass and kick contest. You punt someone aside and pass, then kick up a fuss when he punts back. That was the scenario throughout much of the bitterly...

SPY VS. SPY: V8-POWERED BMW M3 REVEALED.(News)
April 3, 2006... BMW's M3, scheduled for launch next year, will feature V8 power for the first time, derived from the same powerplant propelling its road-rocket siblings, the M5 and M6. The 4.0-liter engine should deliver 415 hp via a seven-speed sequential...

SPY VS. SPY: CADILLAC'S SUPER CTS SURFACES.(News)
April 3, 2006... Though we'd hardly consider the Cadillac CTS V-Series ordinary, it's clear this version is well beyond that performance CTS. We last encountered the CTS Super V in testing at the Nurburgring ("Spied: Super V!, May 31, 2004), but this...

SHORT SHELF LIFE; New VW Golf to be replaced by 2008.(News)
April 3, 2006... Byline: GREG KABLE Volkswagen's new Golf-scheduled for introduction later this year in the North American market-is headed for one of the shortest product lifecycles in history if VW boss Wolfgang Bernhard gets his way. Word out of...

COOL ROAD TRIP GEAR & GADGETS.(Revs)(Brief article)
April 3, 2006... Though the calendar says it's spring, the northern weather is far from balmy and we've got an itch to make a road trip to a warmer climate. To make the experience a little more fun, along with sunscreen and cold beverages, we packed these...

Correction.(Correction notice)
April 10, 2006... An April 3 story on the future of the Hot Rods & Horsepower '32 Ford roadster should have said production is shifting to Special Projects Inc. of Plymouth, Michigan. Our April 3 Formula Atlantic preview should have said the series'...

ROAD TO RECOVERY; One week after Paul Dana's death, the IRL rolls on.(Motorsports)(Paul Dana died in car racing accident)(Indy Racing League)
April 10, 2006... Byline: CURT CAVIN A week after the tragic death of Paul Dana, the sun came out for the Indy Racing League. Everyone felt it at the downtown circuit in St. Petersburg. Large crowds gathered for the three-day street-course event, the...

RACE REPORT.(Motorsports)
April 10, 2006... Tony Stewart treasures every win. The famous and the obscure, the sprints and the marathons, the easy ones and the hard ones. But Stewart's first Martinsville win in 2000 remains sweeter than most. Why? "Because the guy who ran second was...

LIKE A GLOVE; THE FIT, HONDA'S NEW LITTLE BIG CAR.(News)
April 10, 2006... Byline: NATALIE NEFF The Honda Fit is called the Jazz in other parts of the world, where it has been drowning out the competition since 2001. So as the Fit sets to debut on these shores, already an almost five-year-old car, why does it...

WILD ONE; Fernando Alonso takes the dramatic Australian GP.(Motorsports)
April 10, 2006... Byline: ALAN HENRY Fernando Alonso delivered yet another dominating performance in the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne's Albert Park circuit, extending his championship lead in the Renault R26. Alonso fought off a McLaren-Mercedes...

Pre-Muscle Muscle.(Escape Roads)
April 10, 2006... Byline: NICK KURCZEWSKI You're looking at a racing champion and maybe one of the original muscle cars, an American performance machine built a decade before the era of scoops, stripes and garish graphics. The Lincoln Capri won't challenge...

Are the Pettys Back? Signs point to a better future for NASCAR's oldest team.(Motorsports)
April 10, 2006... Byline: AL PEARCE It was the end of a long weekend and almost nothing had gone right. But being the pro he is, Paul Andrews smiled and spoke glowingly about the upturn at Petty Enterprises. His sparkling clean white T-shirt said it all:...

Letters.
April 10, 2006... Thoughts on a one-off, $4 million Ferrari I couldn't believe the March 27 cover car is a Ferrari 612 P4/5. It looks like my 1991 Acura NSX, black canopy and all. The designers at Acura should feel proud. The new P4/5 is a wonderful car,...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)(Cora Schumacher to take part in Seat Leon Supercup)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... This Week's Sign the Automotive Apocalypse Is Nigh Cora Schumacher, wife of F1 driver Ralf, will race in the SEAT Leon Supercup series in Germany. Bild magazine reports she will earn just more than $600,000, less than brother-in-law...

AUDI ENTERS SUPERCAR FRAY WITH R8; Prototype previews Ingolstadt's bullish Porsche 911 challenger.
April 10, 2006... Byline: GREG KABLE Look out Porsche-and for that matter, look out Lamborghini, Ferrari and Mercedes, too-there's a new German super-sports car maker in the mix and its name is Audi. Ingolstadt's spectacular two-seat mid-engined R8...

AUDI'S FUTURE.(News)(Audi AG plans to develop automobiles)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Audi chairman Martin Winterkorn plans a 40-model lineup by 2015. Here are some of what's in store: A2: Small hatchback to take on the Mini Cooper due in 2010 A3: Three-door Golf-based hatchback gets S treatment for fall 2006 A3...

TV: April 14-16.(News)(Calendar)
April 10, 2006... Friday, April 14 7 Days, 8:30 a.m., Speed Car Crazy, 9:30 a.m., Speed Barrett-Jackson 2006: The Auctions, 10 a.m., Speed USAR Pro Cup from Jefferson, Ga., noon, Speed Champ Car from Long Beach, Calif., 2 p.m., Speed ...

Drivers Log.(News)
April 10, 2006... 2007 Toyota Yaris Sedan Date in fleet: March 20-27 As-tested price: $14,000 (est.) Powertrain: 1.5-liter I4; fwd, five-speed manual Output: 106 hp @ 6000 rpm, 103 lb-ft @ 4200 rpm Curb weight: 2293 lbs Fuel economy (EPA combined/AW...

Market.(Jaguar XK120)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Byline: KEITH MARTIN Christie's Paris Feb. 11 1949 Jaguar XK120 aluminum-bodied roadster Silver with black canvas top, red leather. 3.4-liter six, four-speed manual. No. 56 of 182 left-hand-drive aluminum 120s. Recent...

Rally Time.(The Ferrari Challenge Rally)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Byline: Mike Floyd So you finally got that Ferrari you always wanted, and now you're looking for a way to have some fun, run your car, and bond with other Ferrari folk. The Ferrari Challenge Rally may be just what you're looking for. ...

WEE, BUT WELL-VERSED.
April 10, 2006... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Nissan says its 2007 Versa subcompact has nearly the same cabin space as the company's high-end Infiniti Q45 sedan. But Nissan might want to keep that little ditty under its corporate hat, because interior room isn't...

ITALIAN SPORTSMAN; Maserati offers up a Sport GT option for its Quattroporte.(News)
April 10, 2006... Byline: Roger Hart Few car companies can get away with inviting journalists to fly halfway around the world to spend a couple of days driving what is essentially a tarted-up two-year-old model. But when the car company's name ends in "i''...

CHALLENGE MET; Surviving several laps around the famed Fiorano test track in the Ferrari F430 Challenge.(F430 Challenge new car by Ferrari)
April 10, 2006... Byline: MIKE FLOYD On the twisty, pothole-strewn road of life, there are unforgettable moments, like getting behind the wheel of a first car (Plymouth Satellite), or walking down the matrimonial aisle. And driving a Ferrari. At...

Flying with Per.(Aero SportCombi)(Column)
April 10, 2006... Byline: Matt Davis Arrival in Copenhagen and right into a Saab 9-3 Aero SportCombi with a V6 and manual six-speed. Feel that turbo thrust me forward and the slight torque steer tug me along. Thick snow squalls over the Oresundsbron that...

TINY TOY; Legroom and power put the bad old days in the shade.(Tyota lends prototypes sedan car)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Byline: KEVIN A. WILSON Toyota lent us prototypes of its upcoming B-segment anti-Fit, the Yaris. We first sampled a stripped-down five-speed-manual Liftback expected to sell for about $11,500. If you remember small hatches from the...

SATURN RESURGENCE; Product-starved brand shows four new models at New York.(News)
April 10, 2006... The famine may finally be over for General Motors' most product-starved division. At the upcoming New York auto show Saturn will lead GM's product offensive with a revamped lineup in tow. Production versions of the new 2007 Aura midsize...

SPLASH OF CHROME; Telltale signs suggest XKR is nearing production.(News)
April 10, 2006... Note the slight bit of chrome accenting this Jaguar's gill-that's the first clue that this is Jag's performance-oriented XKR, shown here in spy photos of both coupe and convertible prototypes undergoing testing. Jaguar launched its new...

Flash.(Briefs)
April 10, 2006... Bugatti buzz Just as Bugatti is increasing Veyron output from 50 to 70 cars annually at its plant in Molsheim, France, word is the Volkswagen-owned marque is already planning an even higher-performance version of the expensive two-seater....

Ridgeline Is As Ridgeline Does; A trouble-free first quarter with Honda's truck.(News)
April 10, 2006... Byline: MAC MORRISON As Old Man Winter sputters his last gasp, the AutoWeek staff has gone soft and giddy in anticipation of warmer days. That might explain the change of heart that compelled one editor to say, "As alarming as this will no...

EXPERIENCE THIS DRIVE.(Revs)(training motor vehicle drivers to control and drive a Ferrari safely )(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Byline: MIKE FLOYD Clearly anyone with a fat sack of Ben Franklins can buy a Ferrari and prance around town with a Prancing Horse. But not everyone who buys a Ferrari can really drive one. The folks at Ferrari are keenly aware of this...

Events.(Revs)
April 10, 2006... June 3-4 VW Funfest Effingham, Ill. To find out more about one of the country's largest Volkswagen gatherings call (800) 500-1500 or visit mamotorworks.com. June 4 Original British Car Day Buckeystown, Md. Call...

We're saddened, but proud.(Column)
April 10, 2006... Byline: Dutch Mandel Mourners at the memorial service for race driver Paul Dana last week couldn't help but think these rituals are an awful way to say goodbye. The service was an appropriate mix of celebration and maudlin;...

IRL: 'NO MALFUNCTIONS'.(Indy Racing League)
April 10, 2006... Paul Dana struck a large piece of debris before colliding with Ed Carpenter during the warm-up for the Indy Racing League season-opener March 26 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, likely damaging his car's front brakes and steering. That does not...

Flash.(Briefs)
April 10, 2006... Shove costs Gordon NASCAR fined Jeff Gordon $10,000 and placed him on probation until Aug. 30 for his post-race shove of Matt Kenseth following the Food City 500 at Bristol on March 26. Other than equipment-related penalties, it is the...

WEB WATCH: AUTOWEEK.COM.(News)
April 10, 2006... R8 report Can't get enough of Audi's sexy R8 supercar caught streaking around test tracks? Then head online for more photos and a longer report on what to expect when the car officially hits the streets. autoweek.com/spyphotos Take...

Correction.(Correction notice)
April 17, 2006... Our Formula Atlantic season preview (April 3) should have said Swift Engineering met its goal and delivered 40 race cars to Atlantic teams March 8, and that Forsythe Racing fields four full-time entries in the series.

Long, Lean Swede; What does Aero-X mean for a beleaguered scandinavian second fiddle?(News)
April 17, 2006... Byline: MATT DAVIS When we caught word of the Aero-X in the pre-Geneva show shuffle, we assumed it was Saab's Kappa architecture effort. A Pontiac Solstice/Opel GT/Saturn Sky with a Saab-ish face, rear end and ignition keyhole for which...

Piling on the Treasures.(Revs)
April 17, 2006... Byline: BROOKS BRIERLEY At first blush the AACA Library and Research Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, suggests much of the same-a collection of automotive history including sales literature, old photographs and vintage books and...

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST; A high-performance luxury car you can bond with.(News)(Daimler-Benz AG)
April 17, 2006... Byline: PATRICK C. PATERNIE Building a car able to make fast getaways in a cloud of smoke is not an unusual request for Mercedes-Benz tuner Brabus. Depending on the size of your Merc's engine bay and your budget, you can choose from a full...

ISLAND TIME OUT; Amelia Concours takes us back to Steamers, `Big Bangers' and Lone Star J.R.(News)(Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance )
April 17, 2006... Byline: PETE LYONS Wreathed in lace and steam, ladies with parasols ride in softly chuffing Stanleys and Dobles over the genteel greens. Barely cracking their Can-Am throttles, small boys of all ages try to refrain from burning out the...

On the Wrong Road.(Escape Roads)(Pan Motor Company)
April 17, 2006... Byline: BROOKS BRIERLEY This obscure make of car has charisma-the Pan's simple lines and compact dimensions (on a 108-inch-wheelbase chassis) give it a presence. The first thing you notice is its identification. When the sun is shining,...

Big time in the Big Apple; SATURN ROLLS OUT A FLOOD OF NEW MODELS AT NEW YORK.(News)
April 17, 2006... Byline: WES RAYNAL For General Motors, the New York show will be all Saturn all the time. The GM division will display a concept car and three new production models, the most Saturns ever revealed at a single show. The idea is to...

GLOBAL TEAMWORK; A hit? a token effort? something in between? the next chapter in Cadillac's worldwide dream launches.(News)
April 17, 2006... Byline: MATT DAVIS 2005 WAS CADILLAC'S best year in Europe, with sales up 73 percent. Cadillac sold just 2145 CLS, STS, SRX and XLR models, but still, that's something to crow about. The BLS-B Luxury Sedan to most, "Bob Lutz Special''...

Market.(Escape Roads)
April 17, 2006... Byline: KEITH MARTIN RM Auctions Amelia Island, Fla. March 11 1931 Bentley 8-Liter Sportsman Coupe Gurney Nutting bodywork, 8.0-liter I6, four-speed, right-hand drive. Blue with black fenders, black top, blue leather....

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
April 17, 2006... Quote of the Week "I forgot my razor and I needed to shave, and I said, `Marco, can I borrow a razor?' He just looked at me... I had to borrow one from TK.'' -Andretti Green Racing driver Bryan Herta, on spending the night-along with...

FRESH OUTLOOK.(Buildings and facilities of Opel AG)(Brief article)
April 17, 2006... Byline: Wes Raynal Not all future Saturns will be Opel derivatives, and the Outlook crossover is an example. It's all 'merican. The eight-seat Outlook will be built on GM's Lambda architecture, as will the Buick Enclave ("Groovy,...

SKY SEES RED.(product introduction of Saturn)(Brief article)
April 17, 2006... Byline: Wes Raynal The Red Line version of Saturn's two-seat roadster gets its performance boost by turbocharging the 2.0-liter Ecotec engine, which also sees GM's first direct-injection use in North America. The engine produces 260 hp and...

GLOWING AURA.(News)
April 17, 2006... Byline: Wes Raynal Another contributor to what GM hopes will be a Saturn renaissance is the 2007 Aura midsize sedan, aimed at the Honda Accord. The Aura was first shown as a concept at the 2005 Detroit show. New York will be the world's...

Sedan Deliveries.(News)
April 17, 2006... A benchseat worth of sedans are at the New York show, including: * 2007 Chrysler 300 LWB. We thought the Chrysler 300 offered ample interior room already, but apparently Chrysler thinks people need more. To satisfy those who shop the Big 'N...

AUTOWEEK DOWNLOAD: SHIGENORI MAEDA.(News)
April 17, 2006... Byline: RICHARD S. CHANG Last year Ferrari called on students at four prestigious design schools to render their impressions of Ferrari's future. Now the Italian supercar company is taking 1:4-scale models of the 20 finalists around the...

Drivers Log.(News)
April 17, 2006... 2006 Hyundai Azera Date in fleet: March 13-27 As-tested price: $30,015 Powertrain: 3.8-liter V6; fwd, five-speed automatic Output: 263 hp @ 6000 rpm, 255 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm Curb weight: 3629 lbs Fuel economy (EPA combined/AW observed):...

SHELBY, HERTZ TEAM UP ON THROWBACK MUSTANG.(News)
April 17, 2006... Forty years ago the only way to get behind the wheel of a 1966 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350H special-edition was to visit your local Hertz car rental store, sign on the dotted line (this would have been a great time to pay extra for the rental...

TT: THE SEQUEL; Audi's style icon reborn.(News)
April 17, 2006... Byline: GREG KABLE Here's a sports car that might just make BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK, Nissan 350Z and even Porsche Cayman owners sit up and take notice: Audi's second-generation TT adopts lightweight aluminum construction, new engines and...

LIGHT THE FUSE.(News)
April 17, 2006... Scion says the Fuse is only a styling exercise, but we hope the car gets built because it does pretty much everything. We like the 2.4-liter engine that appears designed for bolting on a turbo to take advantage of the wide front air intake....

Jeeps Big and Small.(News)
April 17, 2006... For the Wrangler lover who wants just a bit more, Jeep rolls out the first four-door Unlimited model, with five-passenger seating, actual rear-seat legroom, and cargo space Jeep says tops competitors like Hummer H3, Toyota FJ Cruiser and Nissan...

Flash.(Briefs)(Toyota Motorsport GmbH)(Rahal Letterman Racing appoints Jeff Simmons)(National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Inc. appoints Elton Sawyer )
April 17, 2006... Gascoyne gone "A fundamental difference of opinion,'' apparently with Yoshiaki Kinoshita, executive vice president of Toyota Motorsport, resulted in the departure of Mike Gascoyne, the Formula One team's chassis technical director....