AutoWeek articles from December 2004

AutoWeek archives from December 2004

Television - Dec. 10-12.(news)(Calendar)
December 6, 2004... Friday, Dec. 10 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup from Dover, Del., 7 a.m., ESPN Classic 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Dover 500, 9 a.m., ESPN Classic IROC XIV from Talladega, Ala., 11 a.m., ESPN Classic IROC XIV from Brooklyn, Mich., 11:30...

GOING VERTICAL; `Lambo doors' on everything from high-end to Hyundai.(news)(vertical doors)(Column)
December 6, 2004... Byline: MIKE SUTTON Forget wheels, wings and flashy paint jobs. The leading-edge attention-getter among today's up-and-coming car fanatics is something called "Lambo doors.'' Also known as vertical doors or scissors doors, these...

KOREAN CUSTOMS; Kia unveils a wagonload of wild tuners.(news)(Brief Article)(Column)
December 6, 2004... Byline: MARK VAUGHN What was the deal with all those cool tuner cars from Kia at last month's Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas, anyway? "For the last year I've wanted to push the company toward more...

GOOD LOOKS, AND TALENTED TOO; RX-8 refuses to change its excessive ways, but we appreciate it still.(news)(mileage testing)(Column)
December 6, 2004... Byline: JOE KOVACH Despite some complaints, our Mazda RX-8 remains a popular ride. Many staffers like it for its looks, but the long-termer's road talents are most admired. One editor chose the RX-8 to drive through Hell, Michigan, and...

ENGINE TROUBLES; What does Chevy leaving the IRL mean?(Motorsports)
December 6, 2004... Byline: CURT CAVIN The Indy Racing League went through its 2004 season with relatively few engine troubles. Series champion Tony Kanaan completed all 3305 laps. All but one of the league's 22 cars finished the punishing 400-mile race at...

A $590,000 Wild Goose.(column)(Column)
December 6, 2004... Byline: Matt Davis The Fates are keeping me and Koenigsegg apart. As some of you know, the Swedish automotive scene isn't simply all about Volvos and Saabs. Drive south from Goteborg toward Malmo along the E6/E20 and you'll find the...

Beauty of Line.(escape roads)
December 6, 2004... Byline: ERIC TEGLER By the mid-1930s auto designers had discovered the wonder of streamlining. Chrysler's 1934 Airflow first demonstrated the benefits of aerodynamics, but a succession of elegant cars from America and Europe showed the...

Owners say...(Auto File)
December 6, 2004... My major consideration for buying the Ion was its practicality. It's built on the platform of an everyday driver, but with some quickness added. Using GM Performance to enhance the platform and a brand like Recaro to give the interior more...

Drivers Log.(News)(Buyers Guide)
December 6, 2004... 2005 Pontiac G6 Date in fleet: Nov. 17-22 As-tested price: $28,275 Powertrain: 3.5-liter V6; fwd, four-speed automatic Output: 200 hp @ 5400 rpm, 220 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm Curb weight: 3428 pounds RAYNAL: As a Grand Am replacement, this car...

On the Right Track; Saturn's Ion Red Line surprises with its performance.(auto File)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 6, 2004... Nearly two years ago to the day, Saturn delivered to our garage the then-new Ion economy sedan it had touted as a paradigm-shifting example of affordable automotive nirvana. And yet, we weren't impressed: What was up with the exterior shape?...

Flash.(briefs)(Obituary)
December 6, 2004... Boxster coupe coup The coupe version of Porsche's entry-level Boxster roadster is set for launch next year as the Boxster GTS, but the German automaker is already considering a lightweight Clubsport version of the fixed-roof sports car....

Back to the Origins.(column)(International Motor Racing Research Center)(Column)
December 6, 2004... Byline: Kevin A. Wilson Too much car clutter; too many books, credentials, race programs, models, photos, posters. Not enough room. Any collector of automobilia could have predicted this: The International Motor Racing Research Center at...

THEY CALL THIS ONE 'MISTER'; A faster, more civilized Evolution.(news)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 6, 2004... Byline: ANDREW LUU Just before we jumped behind the wheel of the new Mitsubishi Lancer Evo MR, we were told, "In the first 10 feet, you'll know the car is different.'' Now that's not enough distance to gauge any performance gains-we need...

BACK ON TRACK.(competition)(Formula One)
December 6, 2004... Formula One went back to work in Barcelona after a monthlong break since the curtain fell on the 2004 championship. Among the drivers doing their first work for their new 2005 teams were Juan Montoya (McLaren), Mark Webber (Williams), Ralf...

Fast Poll.(news)
December 6, 2004... Byline: Combustion Chamber Although readers do not agree on the styling of Ferrari's new bread-and-butter car, they affirm the F430 is an impressive successor to the 360 Modena. The F430 seems like a massive leap forward for...

Lightning strikes.(news)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... This sketch confirms what we've been suggesting for the past year-that Saturn's version of the Pontiac Solstice roadster will pick up much of the edgy styling of the VX Lightning concept created for the 2003 centennial of General Motors...

SPECS & DATA.(Auto File)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... MANUFACTURER INFO Saturn Corp. 100 Saturn Parkway Spring Hill TN 37174 Customer assistance: (800) 553-6000 Internet address: saturn.com Country of origin: United States Number of dealers: 440 Sticker ...

Rust-Oleum Roots Rods.(Revs)
December 6, 2004... Byline: MARK ELIAS Their owners in some cases are not even old enough to have been gleams in their fathers' eyes when these cars first hit the road. But that is no reason not to adopt the lifestyle of their ancestors. In one fell swoop...

FERRARI SUPERAMERICA: Up with power, down with roof.(News)(Ferrari Automobili)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... Ferrari's latest model combines a specialized drop-top with a higher-output V12 to create a limited-edition Pininfarina-penned convertible dubbed Superamerica. Debuting at the upcoming Los Angeles and Detroit auto shows, Superamerica is based...

AW goings-on.(News)(AutoWeek)
December 6, 2004... * Online: More German spy stuff, Porsche Boxster photos * On the air: AutoWeek on Speed, 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m., Dec. 12 and Dec. 19 * On the town: Design Forum, Jan. 12, Detroit * On deck: Hottest rides for 2005

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
December 6, 2004... Dave Hermance, executive environmental engineer for Toyota, speaking earlier this year about an upcoming Lexus hybrid: "This vehicle has significantly more computing power than the [1960s-era] lunar lander.'' When asked if the car had...

EAST FEAST; Bobby East takes the Turkey Night Grand Prix.(Motorsports)
December 6, 2004... Byline: PATRICK C. PATERNIE As most of the country lounged contented Thanksgiving night before their televisions, tripping on tryptophan, more than 6000 midget racing devotees gathered at Irwindale Speedway for the latest episode in one of...

Flash.(Briefs)
December 6, 2004... BMW moving up? BMW has taken the first step toward a return to top-of-the-line sports car racing with the new, V10-powered M6 coupe (page 22). Officially the German manufacturer has no plans to re-enter a discipline in which it last...

toe to toe; Our intelligence network detects a power build-up in Germany-a clash is inevitable.
December 6, 2004... Byline: GREG KABLE Famed for engineering prowess, the German auto industry is also rife with rivalries and internecine politics. In plainer terms, it's a competitive snake pit, where accomplishment is measured in engineering terms as much...

Command Performance: GM's Kip Wasenko.(News)(General Motors Performance Division)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... In his biography, General Motors Performance Division design director Kip Wasenko mentions he is an "automotive enthusiast and amateur sports car racer.'' Whether he is wowing the crowds at Detroit's Woodward Dream Cruise with his wicked...

Events.(Calendar)(Automobile industry)(Calendar)
December 6, 2004... Feb. 3-6 Mid-America Classic Car Auction Dayton, Ohio Check out kruse.com or call (800) 968-4444 for details on this auction at the Dayton Convention Center. Feb. 4-6 55th Sacramento Autorama Sacramento, Calif. ...

Letters.(Automobile Industry)(Letter to the Editor)
December 6, 2004... A GTO focus group The Ram Air 6 Concept (Cover Story, Nov. 8) is what GM needs to kick GTO sales into high gear. I can live with the '05 production 400-hp engine if the car looks like the one on the cover. If the Ram Air 6 look is only...

FRENCH FRIED; Americans didn't fare too well at the Race of Champions, but it was still a great show.(Motorsports)
December 13, 2004... Byline: CURT CAVIN The annual Race of Champions, a December event for 16 of the world's top drivers, has for years been held in the balmy Canary Islands. This year it switched to Paris, where seasonal wind and chill is comparable to New...

No Small Feat; It doesn't take a lot of car to keep us smiling, just the right one.(News)
December 13, 2004... Byline: NATALIE NEFF Few cars leave our long-term fold to the cries of tearful goodbyes. Fewer still leave permanent hollows in our hearts, palpable, sucking voids that feel impossible to fill. The Nissan 350Z comes immediately to mind, as...

Fast Poll.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Porschephiles welcome the improved interior and the increased performance of the new Boxster, but they are divided on the car's conservative styling update. The redesigned Boxster is pure and simple Porsche: beautiful round headlights,...

Flip your lid.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Come March 2005, Porsche will begin selling the Cabriolet version of the sixth-generation 911 Carrera that bowed in coupe form in late summer '04. The drop-top, to be revealed at the Detroit auto show, adds a range of standard equipment...

AW Spies.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Due to an embargo agreement with Ford, we're not yet allowed to tell you about Ford's next midsizer, the Fusion. But that deal doesn't apply to AutoWeek reader Richard Smith of Chicago who snagged this nice shot of the 2006 model. Send us...

This Good Guy Will Return.(Column)
December 13, 2004... Byline: Dutch Mandel Ask nearly anyone in the car business with a nanometer of sense about Chris Theodore and consensus is he got a corporate leaden parachute. Not that this son of Greek immigrants is without faults, but since his...

10 Hot Cars for '05; AND A FEW OTHERS YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT!(News)
December 13, 2004... Byline: J.P. VETTRAINO It's nasty out there. The mid-November drop in oil prices was short-lived, and it seems $50-plus-per-barrel is not an aberration but the new rule. Cheap gasoline costs $2 a gallon, and we in the United States have it...

OUT OF THE BAG; Internet fanatics uncover the next Corvette Z06, and General Motors is not pleased.
December 13, 2004... Byline: Mac Morrison We have shown you the spy shots (AW, Oct. 18), now look at the above illustration and ask yourself whether the flared fenders, hood scoop and rear brake ducts might possibly represent the production version of...

TV: Dec. 17-19.(News)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
December 13, 2004... Friday, Dec. 17 Dream Car Garage, 7:30 a.m., Speed Chop Cut Rebuild, 8 a.m., Speed Car Crazy, 8:30 a.m., Speed Fifth Gear, 9 a.m., Speed European Touring Car Championship from Spain, noon, Speed CASCAR Super Series...

Our Bookshelf Runneth Over.(Revs)
December 13, 2004... In our annual holiday gift guide last month we gave you six books to put on your wish list, but that was just the tip of an iceberg. Here are a dozen more good reads to help round out your collection. Eleven seasons have passed since Honda...

AutoWeek on Speed: A Look Back.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... On Dec. 19 AutoWeek on Speed ends its eight-year, 391-episode run. But before the curtain falls, we at AutoWeek have one last hurrah-a final episode that highlights our most memorable moments and pays tribute to the people, events, and, of...

BORDERING ON BRAVADO; Frontier brings a truckload of attitude to the midsize segment.(News)
December 13, 2004... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Like the big daddy Titan that blazed the trail ahead of it, Nissan's all-new 2005 Frontier won't please everyone. But buyers looking for a touch more 'tude in a midsize truck will likely find the Frontier right up...

King of Cabs.(Escape Roads)
December 13, 2004... Byline: NICK KURCZEWSKI The Checker cab-an exemplar of four-wheeled Americana-owes its existence to Russian emigrant Morris Markin. Born in Smolensk in 1893, Markin immigrated to the United States in his late teens. He settled in Chicago...

The Galpinizer: Beau Boeckmann.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... For most new car dealers, customizing begins and ends with special wheels and a few pinstripes. Not so at Galpin Motors in California, where vice president Beau Boeckmann creates "Galpinized'' custom-designed vehicles that have garnered...

Audi's road runner: '06 Q7 spied.(News)(sport utility vehicle)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Byline: GREG KABLE Audi's Q7 sport/utility vehicle, spied 10 months before its September 2005 Frankfurt motor show debut, aims for more adept on-road qualities than rugged ability in the rough stuff. The Q7, which replaces Audi's...

Events.(Calendar)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
December 13, 2004... Feb. 11-13 Collector Car Auction Boca Raton, Fla. Log onto rmauctions.com or call (800) 211-4371 for more information on this RM vintage car auction. Feb. 12 Winter Meet Riverview, Fla. Call (813) 244-7713 for...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
December 13, 2004... Nothing canned here Why Cory Farley wasn't a recipient of gold in your bushel of International Automotive Media Association awards, I'll never know. The art of automotive writing married to philosophical musing isn't easy, but Farley pulls...

COULD BERNIE BE DONE?(Competition)
December 13, 2004... Bernie Ecclestone faces an anxious wait before learning whether he will retain autocratic control over Formula One, after the banks that own a majority stake in SLEC (the Ecclestone-founded holding company that owns the sport's commercial...

Flash.(Briefs)
December 13, 2004... BAR tests... BAR-Honda ran nine potential future Formula One drivers in a private, three-day program on a circuit at the U.K.'s Brunting-thorpe airfield. The young men were assessed on their driving, as well as their fitness and...

Drivers Log.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... 2005 FORD MUSTANG GT DATE IN FLEET: Nov. 22-29 AS-TESTED PRICE: $29,120 POWERTRAIN: 4.6-liter V8; rwd, five-speed manual OUTPUT: 300 hp @ 5750 rpm, 320 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm CURB WEIGHT: 3483 pounds OBSERVED MPG: 19.94 PAVIA-RAUCHMAN: Well,...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
December 13, 2004... Premature Capitalization Reports out of Germany say Toyota Formula One driver Ralf Schumacher has scrapped his latest money-making scheme due to media backlash. The investment? $2.6 million with Europe's biggest sex store chain, Germany's...

AW goings-on.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... * Online: Hottest rides of '05. Plus: last-minute holiday shopping ideas from AutoWeek Gift Guides * On the air: AutoWeek on Speed, 10:30 a.m. Dec. 19... the final episode * On the town: AutoWeek Design Forum, Jan. 12, Detroit *...

CRAZIEST SKYLINE YET.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Nissan's Nismo folks are launching the craziest version of the mighty R34 Skyline GT-R, the Z-tune. Z-tune features 500 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque from a totally reworked 2.8-liter race-bred engine (up from a 2.6-liter). Other modifications...

Flash.(Briefs)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
December 13, 2004... M-Class, officially If this photo of the next-gen Mercedes-Benz M-Class looks familiar, it's because we ran spy photos of the 2006 model last month (Nov. 15). Due next spring after its Detroit auto show premiere, the new ML is 5.9 inches...

HEARD ALONG THE STRIP.(Competition)
December 13, 2004... The 2005 NHRA season is still two months away, but already there has been a laundry list of changes, possible changes and unlikely changes that have had the sport on a full-tilt buzz since the 2004 campaign ended last month. Heading the...

RULES RULED; NHRA teams scrambled to cope with changes implemented after the crash that killed Darrell Russell.(News)
December 20, 2004... Byline: BILL STEPHENS The 2004 NHRA POWERADE season was one in which rule books and record books kept running into each other. For the first time in memory, midseason changes in the rule books of all four professional categories helped...

DEEP SIX; Mazda 6 gets the MazdaSpeed treatment, and all the goodies that go with it.
December 20, 2004... Byline: NATALIE NEFF Two years ago we let you in on a secret. We told you about a splendid little automobile that could not only fulfill familial obligations as well as any ol' Toyota Camry, but it would slake an enthusiast thirst nearly...

Flash.(Briefs)
December 20, 2004... Six still standing Drumroll, please. The finalists for 2005 North American Car of the Year honors are Chevrolet C6 Corvette, Chrysler 300/300C and Ford Mustang. North American Truck of the Year finalists: Ford Escape Hybrid, Ford Freestyle...

SPIED! CORVETTE C6-R.(Competition)
December 20, 2004... General Motors will go after the 2005 American Le Mans Series championship with its new Pratt & Miller-built C6-R, seen above during a recent test at Sebring. GM will show both the C6-R and Corvette Z06 production car (AW, Dec. 13) at the North...

RECORD BREAKER; Tony Kanaan just wins, baby.(News)
December 20, 2004... Byline: CURT CAVIN There might not be another season in Indy Racing League history like the one Tony Kanaan had in 2004. The Brazilian's statistics are impressive. On dangerous and unpredictable oval tracks he completed every lap, 3305...

SEASON OF CHANGE; Jack Roush wins his second straight Cup.(News)(Column)
December 20, 2004... Byline: AL PEARCE It took Jack Roush 16 years to win his first major NASCAR championship and 53 weeks to win his second. If you think stock car racing's cat in the hat was surprised at the first, imagine his reaction to the second. "For...

Fashionably Late?(Escape Roads)
December 20, 2004... Byline: ERIC TEGLER A look at the sales numbers for the Alfa Romeo Montreal tells an interesting story. In 1971, its first year, 668 copies were sold. In 1972 sales rose to 2377, but the following year Alfa moved just 302 units. Timing,...

RICH AND FILTHY; Learning to off-road the Land Rover way.(Revs)(Column)
December 20, 2004... Byline: WILLIAM JEANES We're forever telling you about driving schools, most of which are designed to give their students a hint of what high-performance driving and competition are all about. Land Rover Driving Schools, with which you may...

Fast Poll.(News)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... Though they disagree on which car is their favorite, readers have little doubt that several upcoming German sports cars will be world-class performers. Considering Audi's victorious racing efforts in the last few years, the Audi Le Mans...

California design dreams: Chip Foose.(News)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... Chip Foose grew up, literally, amid the car-crazy world of Southern California. By age 12, he had already been tinkering for five years and had already painted his first car, a Porsche 356. On the advice of Tucker designer Alex Tremulus,...

Busch Series, Craftsman Truck.(News)
December 20, 2004... Byline: Al Pearce CUP LITE? From every angle the 2004 Busch Series looked like Nextel Cup Lite rather than the developmental stand-alone series it should be. Cup drivers won 18 of 34 races and full-time Busch drivers from well-heeled...

Letters.(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... Logging fast money On a recent visit to my Mercedes dealer I came upon a CL65 AMG, featured in your Nov. 29 Drivers Log. The car's sticker had a whopping $65,000 dealer adjustment, bringing the total to about $251,000. So to answer Dutch...

Notes from the Road.(Column)
December 20, 2004... Byline: Rich Ceppos "Breezewood, Town of Motels.'' So read the billboard hard by Interstate 70 in south-central Pennsylvania. One could only wonder what possessed the town fathers-there might be quite a few of them, judging by their town's...

AW goings-on.(News)
December 20, 2004... * Online: More VW Passat, MazdaSpeed 6 photos * On the air: AutoWeek on Speed, the final episode, 10:30 a.m. or 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 19 * On deck: Our annual look back at the year behind us

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... STOP THE PRESS! CAR SALESMEN RANK LAST IN TRUST * Car salesmen rank at the bottom of people you trust, according to a new Gallup survey of 1015 adults. The annual study put nurses at the top of the list of trustworthy people. Grade...

A SIMPLY SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE; Once again the Ferraris had it all.(News)
December 20, 2004... Byline: NIGEL ROEBUCK Maybe it wasn't until the Italian Grand Prix in September-the 15th race of the season-that we finally saw the true strength of the Ferrari F2004. Consider: Six laps in, Rubens Barrichello, after briefly leading...

JAG PLANS XJ-LIKE MAKEOVER FOR COUPE, CONVERTIBLE.(News)
December 20, 2004... Byline: JULIAN RENDELL The next generation of Jaguar's bonded-aluminum XJ chassis will underpin the new XK sports car when the V8-powered aluminum-bodied coupe debuts in early 2006. Spied testing near Jaguar's Coventry engineering...

SYNONYMOUS WITH PERFECTION; J.B. Nethercutt, 1913-2004.(Obituary)(Obituary)
December 20, 2004... Byline: MARK VAUGHN The classic car aficionado who transformed the hobby of classic car collection and restoration into the 100-point perfection we now see at Pebble Beach every year, died Dec. 6. J.B. Nethercutt was 91. In his...

Events.(Calendar)(Calendar)
December 20, 2004... Feb. 18-20 Rod and Custom Car Show and Monster Truck Races Tulsa, Okla. Log onto darrylstarbird.com or call (918) 257-8073 for information on this 41st annual event. Feb. 18-20 12th Annual Winter Extravaganza ...

TV: Dec. 24-26.(News)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
December 20, 2004... Friday, Dec. 24 Car Crazy, 8:30 a.m., Speed The Life and Legacy of Dale Earnhardt, noon, ESPN Classic European Touring Car Championship from France, noon, Speed CASCAR Super Series from Bowmanville, Ontario, 1 p.m., Speed ...

Flash.(Briefs)
December 20, 2004... Personnel changes Travis Kvapil, a 28-year-old former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion from Janesville, Wisconsin, will drive for Penske Racing South on the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit in 2005. Kvapil takes the seat vacated by Brendan...

PROMISING Signs; For Champ Car, the future looks like a future.(News)
December 20, 2004... Byline: J.P. VETTRAINO A year can make a big difference... or not much difference at all. In 2003 Paul Tracy ended one era with an emphatic championship run, and fans and participants had fair reason to believe this series could not...

A DIFFERENT KIND OF HYBRID; Mazda's latest concept bows at Detroit.(News)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... Byline: NATALIE NEFF Mazda says its Detroit auto show concept, the MX Crossport, is a "new style crossover'' that blends qualities of a sport/utility vehicle and sports car-though to our eyes it looks every bit a ute. "It transcends...

PRUETT AND PAPIS CLAIM TITLE IN A SQUEAKER.(News)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... Byline: BILL McGUIRE The Grand-Am's Daytona Prototype category picked up a number of shiny new teams this year, including a powerhouse: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. With a world-class organization and two polished veterans,...

A NEW DYNASTY?(News)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... Byline: Curt Cavin Thiago Medeiros had the record-breaking season in the IRL's Menards Infiniti Pro Series in 2004. But fourth-place finisher P.J. Chesson had the break-out year. Driving a car prepared at Morris Nunn's shop, the...

Drivers Log.(News)
December 20, 2004... 2005 Mercury Mariner Date in fleet: Nov. 29-Dec. 13 As-tested price: $29,550 Powertrain: 3.0-liter V6; 4wd, four-speed automatic Output: 200 hp @ 6000 rpm, 193 lb-ft @ 4850 rpm Curb weight: 3520 pounds GRITZINGER: This upscale Ford...

Fogarty Gets His Second Title.(News)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... Byline: BILL McGUIRE Jon Fogarty strung together six wins in a dozen races to claim his second Toyota Atlantic championship in three years. At the season-opener in Long Beach, eventual runner-up Ryan Dalziel got off to a strong start,...

You-Know-Who Won.(News)
December 20, 2004... Byline: BILL McGUIRE For the fifth year in a row, an Audi R8 won the Sebring 12 Hour, the season-opener and marquee event of the American Le Mans Series. The four previous years the race had been won by Joest Racing, but this time the...

YEAR IN REVERSE: Part 2 of 2.(News)
December 27, 2004... JUNE The elite media writes on cars The June 28 issue of the Orange County Register carried this headline: "Darkness Is a Good Reason to Use Headlights." All wet Adventurer and TV star wannabe Richard Branson made good on his...

Obituaries.(Obituary)(Obituary)
December 27, 2004... Umberto Agnelli, 69, Fiat board president Tommy Baldwin Sr., 57, veteran Northeast short-track racer and father of Tommy Baldwin Jr., crew chief for Ray Evernham Racing Thomas W. Barrett III, 75, co-founder of the Barrett-Jackson...

Leveraging the Power of G; Infiniti hopes to build on the success of the G35 with its new M cars.
December 27, 2004... Byline: BILL McGUIRE The original Infiniti M45 was introduced in 2002 to mild fanfare then quickly slipped from sight. Based on the Japan-market Cedric/Gloria but with the brilliant 4.5-liter V8 from the Q45 and sporty driver calibrations,...

Flash.(Briefs)
December 27, 2004... Acura shows `concept' A smaller version of the Acura MDX will debut in concept form at January's North American International Auto Show in Detroit, but like most Honda concepts, Acura's RD-X Concept is pretty close to what we can expect in...