AutoWeek articles from February 2003

AutoWeek archives from February 2003

Turbo Troubles Away; wherein we come to find that Normal aspiration is for mouth-breathers.(Chrysler PT Cruiser GT )
February 3, 2003... Everybody loves the Chrysler PT Cruiser GT, also known as the PT Turbo. That is not to say everybody didn't love the original PT Cruiser. Almost everybody did. It was an inexpensive, utilitarian retro hot rod, so what was not to love? A few...

Results.(News)
February 3, 2003... Rally Monte Carlo Jan. 22-26 1. Sebastien Loeb, Citroen Xsara, 4h 29m 11.4s; 2. Colin McRae, Citroen Xsara, +38.1s; 3. Carlos Sainz, Citroen Xsara, +52.2s; 4. Markko Martin, Ford Focus RS WRC 02, +55.5s; 5. Richard Burns, Peugeot 206...

Results.(News)
February 3, 2003... Sno Drift Rally Jan. 24-25 1. David Higgins, Mitsubishi Evo VIII, 2h 02m 15s; 2. Tapio Laukkanen, Subaru Impreza, +2m 1s; 3. Jonny Milner, Subaru WRX, +6m; 4. Lauchlin O'Sullivan, Mitsubishi Evo VIII, +7m 15s; 5. Mark Utecht, Subaru...

Sensible style.( The Mercury Monterey )
February 3, 2003... Byline: JOHN MATRAS Somebody somewhere flipped a giant page in 1960, closing the chapter on the '50s and opening the '60s. The gaudy, flamboyant decade that ended matured into a more serious era. The Baby Boomers soon would turn the...

2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor.(News brief description of the new vehicle)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... ON SALE: Late February BASE PRICE: $25,597 POWERTRAIN: 3.8-liter, 215-hp, 250-lb-ft V6; fwd, four-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT: 3847 pounds 0 to 60 MPH: 9.4 seconds (mfr.)

Process of Elimination; Europeans dominate podium at 2003 Sno Drift.(Auto racing)
February 3, 2003... Byline: JOHN D. STOLL Three months ago, David Higgins jumped up onto a bar counter in Houghton, Michigan, celebrating his 2002 SCCA ProRally drivers' championship. Higgins might have cause for celebration again, as he kept to his winning...

But Wait, There's More...
February 3, 2003... ]]]]]] Comedian Jeff Foxworthy, left,on why NASCAR fans love to hate Jeff Gordon: ``So many fans hate him because he enunciates. Unlike most of the other drivers, they can actually understand him.'' ]]]]]] From Wolfgang Bernhard, chief...

Where Are You, My Little Bijou?(Drive-in theaters)
February 3, 2003... Byline: Dutch Mandel I don't know if it's the ``good-ol'-boys''-NASCAR-all-the-time policy shift, but I thought about how much I missed Bruce Dern in my Saturday night living room during the former Speedvision Network's The Lost Drive-In...

Events.(Calendar)
February 3, 2003... March 30-April 2 13th Annual Copperstate 1000 Vintage Car Road Rally Phoenix, Ariz. Benefiting the Men's Art Council of the Phoenix Art Museum. For information call (602) 307-2060. April 3-5 56th Annual Hobby Show ...

TV; Feb. 7-9.(News)(Calendar)
February 3, 2003... Friday, Feb. 7 Stock Car Legends, 8 a.m., Speed Channel (T) Dream Car Garage, 8:30 a.m., Speed Channel (T) Car and Track, 9:30 a.m., Speed Channel (T) Men Behind the Wrenches, 1 p.m., Speed Channel (T) NASCAR Past...

OWNERS SAY...(Chruysler PT Cruiser Turbo)
February 3, 2003... I was willing to wait three years for this. I get excited every time I see my PT Turbo in the garage. This is one of the highest quality vehicles I have ever experienced. It needs to sound a little more intimidating and sit just a click lower...

Flash.(Briefs)
February 3, 2003... Get back to us in 2015 Pondering the arrival of fuel-cell vehicles? Probably not, but here's fuel for thought: Take what you've heard, and tack on five years. While General Motors execs expect ``a significant number of fuel-cell vehicles...

A VISION OF SUPERCAR-DOM; M-B SLR gearing up for Frankfurt stage.(Mercedes sports car)
February 3, 2003... Don't look for Mercedes to premiere its $300,000 SLR at the Geneva motor show. Instead, the super sports car will debut at Frankfurt in September. Earlier reports had production of the hand-built two-seater slated for the plant in...

Fast Poll.(News)
February 3, 2003... We picked Caddy's Sixteen as Best in Show, Mustang as Most Significant and the Baby Aston as Most Fun. Ford's 427 was our Best Concept, but readers seemed to like Chevy's SS in that category. The Chevrolet SS sedan, with its neat and clean...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
February 3, 2003... Motown mojo at the Detroit show Your Jan. 20 cover photo is a classic: the ugly Cadillac Sixteen as Best in Show in Detroit. With its disproportionate dimensions and mix of sharp edges with curved A-pillars, I don't see how you can give it...

FIA compromises big time.(Federation Internationale de l'Automobile)
February 3, 2003... The compromises agreed upon by the FIA at the second meeting of the Formula One Tech-nical Working Group, on the timing of driver-aid bans during 2003 (AW, Jan. 27), appear to have satisfied the short-term concerns of the F1 manufacturers. BMW...

MANUFACTURER INFO.(Chrysler PT Cruiser GT)
February 3, 2003... DaimlerChrysler Corp. 1000 Chrysler Drive Auburn Hills MI 48326 Customer assistance: (800) 992-1997 Internet address: www.chrysler.com Country of origin: Mexico Number of dealers: 2802 sticker Base:...

Giovanni "Gianni" Agnelli 1921-2003.(Obituary)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
February 3, 2003... Various obituaries for Fiat patriarch Gianni Agnelli are spiced with words such as ``stylish,'' ``dominating'' and ``end of an era.'' The cliches are warranted for the man credited with turning the company into a global powerhouse. Agnelli...

Your Attention, Please; Midsize Mitsubishi ute endeavors to stand out from the car-based crowd.
February 3, 2003... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER So here we are, just a mile into a sunny morning drive, when our friend from the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department flips on the overheads and directs us into a side street to ask why we made such a mess of driving...

HAPPY FRUSTRATION; Performance stifles the Audi critics.(News)
February 3, 2003... Byline: MATT DAVIS We just got done tearing around Italy's northern Adriatic coast and the Autodromo Santa Monica near Misano in Audi's latest bits of , the new S4 sedan and wagon. Besides a few aesthetic bits and one or two technical...

Drivers Log.(News)
February 3, 2003... 2003 Mitsubishi Montero Limited Date in fleet: Dec. 18-Jan. 3 As-tested price: $38,412 Powertrain: 3.8-liter V6; 4wd, five-speed automatic Hp: 215 @ 5500 rpm Torque: 248 @ 3250 rpm Curb weight: 4784 pounds AW mpg: 11.97 FLOYD: This big...

Flash. Competition.(news briefs from the car racing world)
February 3, 2003... Bentley launches new car Bentley's all-new Le Mans contender broke cover last week. The 2003 LM-GTP coupe, which retains the EXP Speed 8 name, was shaken down in Snetterton near Team Bentley's base at Racing Technology Norfolk and was then...

It could have been 'the salvation of an empire'.(Escape Roads)(Peter Brock, Triumph TR-250K sportscar)
February 10, 2003... Byline: MIKE COVELLO Peter Brock, veteran racer, designer, writer and photographer, is too much the gentleman to trash a former employer. Still, we wonder if Triumph might yet be with us today had Brock's TR-250K unclenched the...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)(industry briefs)
February 10, 2003... ]]]]]] SIGN THE END OF THE AUTO WORLD IS NIGH The periwinkle Neiman Marcus-edition 2004 Cadillac XLR sports car, of which only 99 will be made, went on sale for $85,000. It sold out in 14 minutes. ]]]]]] Living Words Welcome to...

4MATIC 4ALL; Mercedes offers all-wheel drive on everything with four doors.(News)
February 10, 2003... Byline: NATALIE NEFF Mercedes-Benz calls all-wheel-drive technology part of its heritage. We'll grant that the German automaker first dabbled in four-wheel drive on the Unimog farm tractor some 50 years ago, then on the military...

Gearhead reunion.(News)
February 10, 2003... The Michigan Hot Rod Association will present the 51st Autorama at Detroit's Cobo Hall Feb. 21-23. The entry deadline to display your hot rod has passed, but it's not too late to make plans to attend the big Midwest hot rod show. Fifteen cars...

Fast Poll.(News)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... The recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas had electro-gizmos for every inner-car need imaginable. Our readers basically told the gadget-makers to direct their efforts elsewhere. No more gizmos! We do not need anymore limited-use,...

Flash.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... 65 cars signed up for Sebring For Sebring's 51st running on March 15, American Le Mans Series officials have decided to accept all 65 entries submitted before the Jan. 29 deadline. Sebring's pit road can fit 60 cars, but the ALMS has...

Competition.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... ANDRETTI TO CALL IT QUITS And so, it is official. Michael Andretti, one of the few superstar drivers left over from the glory years of Indy car racing, will retire following the Indianapolis 500 on May 25. He made his decision public last...

Super calendar debuts.(Autoweek's autoweek.com Web site provides event calendars)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... Car geeks like us are always on the lookout for car club events, auto show information and concours to attend. Now it's easier than ever to find automotive-related event information at autoweek.com's new web calendar. Share news about your club...

Drivers Log.(product evaluations of Chrysler PT Cruiser GT and Hyundai Tiburon GT)
February 10, 2003... 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser GT Date in fleet: Jan. 13-21 As-tested price: $25,700 Powertrain: 2.4-liter turbocharged I4; fwd, four-speed automatic Hp: 215 @ 5000 rpm Torque: 245 @ 3600 rpm Curb weight: 3182 pounds HART: Finally this thing...

Flash.(automobile reports from Audi, Volvo, and Volkswagen of America)
February 10, 2003... Audi looker When we told you about Audi's plans to show an A8-size 2+2 Touring Coupe in Geneva (AW, Feb. 3), we mentioned that the vehicle codenamed TC would bear a new front-end treatment that would become an integral part of all future...

Results.(race car driver ranking results at Daytona International Speedway)
February 10, 2003... Daytona International Speedway 3.56-mile road course Feb. 1-2 1. Buckler/Schrom/Bernhard/Bergmeister, Porsche GT3-RS, 695 laps at 103.012 mph avg. speed; 2. Kelleners/Lazzaro/Mowlem, Ferrari 360GT, 686; 3. Van...

THE RIGHT STUFF; Mazda's RX-8 provides plenty of driving joy, on the track and on the road.(Mazda Motor Corp.'s RX-8 automobile, evaluation and statistics)
February 10, 2003... Byline: MAC MORRISON It takes less than halfway through your first lap of Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca to gain new respect for those who make a living at the limit around the 2.238-mile circuit. You know an ill-balanced, unpredictable car...

30: A magic number for SoCal's vintage racers.(News)(the Vintage Auto Racing Association holds its pre-season tech inspection and car show)
February 10, 2003... Byline: PATRICK C. PATERNIE There were plenty of grease-stained faces in the crowd when the Vintage Auto Racing Association staged its fourth annual pre-season tech inspection and car show at Irwindale Speed-way last month. Not so unusual...

2004 NISSAN MAXIMA.(News)(statistics for the vehicle)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... On sale: March Base price: $28,000 (est.) Powertrain: 3.5-liter, 265-hp, 255-lb-ft V6; fwd, five-speed automatic Curb weight: 3432 pounds 0 to 60 mph: 6.3 seconds (est.)

NO. IT IS NOT AN ALTIMA! The new Maxima is as much fun to drive, but in a slightly more luxurious way. Is that enough?(News)(an evaluation of the Nissan Maxima)
February 10, 2003... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Attention Maxima performance devotees (and we know there are lots of you): Your car is back. And it's better than ever. Gone is that silly beam rear axle, the floaty Camry feel, the conformist styling. Now you can pull...

Not So Fast!(Column)(children judge parents' views on speeding by how they actually drive)(Editorial)
February 10, 2003... Byline: Rich Ceppos Do we condone speeding? Do I? Do you? Does this magazine? Do enthusiasts? That might sound like a nutball question coming from this quarter. After all, we are all part of this great brotherhood of the car. We are the...

TV; Feb. 14-16.(News)
February 10, 2003... Friday, Feb. 14 NASCAR Busch Series practice from Daytona, Fla., 8:30 a.m., Speed Channel (L) Speed Week, 10:30 a.m., Speed Channel (L) NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series from Daytona, Fla., 12:30 p.m., Speed Channel (L) Speed...

Everyman's kitty.(News)(an evaluation of the Jaguar X-Type)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... Byline: Bob Gritzinger A mere mortal of a Jaguar-that's the general consensus of the staff after six months behind the wheel of our pearlescent green X-Type. Not that there's anything wrong with the simpler things in life-we like a cold...

Events.(Calendar)(automovie industry events)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
February 10, 2003... April 9-13 Kool April Nites Redding, Calif. To be held at the Redding Convention Center, this is the 14th annual classic car show. Call (530) 226-0844 or visit www.koolaprilnites.com for details. April 11-13 Englishtown...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
February 10, 2003... Mustang guts and glory Regarding ``Fast Glory'' (Cover Story, Jan. 27): Sorry Ford, ``retro'' doesn't move a company into the future. Looks like nowadays management desperately attempts to capitalize on past glory to cover up modern...

Three Races You Absolutely Can't Miss.(locations of three automobile races in the UK)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Monaco, June 1: F1's crown jewel is the place to see and be seen as you mingle with the rich and famous in one of the world's truly spectacular towns. Silverstone, July 20: The British Grand Prix will be the first race that bans electronic...

Websites.(of various automobile racing teams)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
February 17, 2003... Formula One: www.fia.com Sauber AG: www.sauber-petronas.com Ferrari SpA: www.ferrari.com BMW WilliamsF1: www.bmw.williamsf1.com McLaren International: www.mclaren.co.uk Jordan Grand Prix: www.f1jordan.com British...

Three Races You Absolutely Can't Miss.(loactions of three different automobile races)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Motegi, April 13: See how the IRL does on foreign turf. Indy 500, May 25: We don't need to explain this one. Texas, June 7: It's under the lights, it's a super-fast track and it's a great show.

Websites.(of various automobile racing teams)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
February 17, 2003... IRL: www.indyracing.com 310 Racing: www.310racing.com Target/Chip Ganassi Racing: www.targetracing.com Dreyer & Reinbold Racing: www.dreyerreinbold.com PDM Racing: www.pdmracing.com Red Bull Cheever Racing:...

Three races You Absolutely Can't Miss.(three geographic locations where large automobile races take place)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Long Beach, April 13: Long Beach is one event every race fan should take in at least once, no matter your favorite series. It is truly America's Monaco. The Milwaukee Mile, May 31: This historic fairground oval predates Indy and celebrates...

Websites.(of various automobile racing companies)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
February 17, 2003... CART: www.cart.com American Spirit Team Johansson: www.johanssonracing.com Dale Coyne Racing: www.dalecoyneracing.com Fernandez Racing: www.fernandezracing.net Herdez Competition: www.herdezcompetitionteam.com.mx/CART/ ...

Three Races You Absolutely Can't Miss.(News)(Calendar)
February 17, 2003... Daytona 500, Feb. 16: Little E might win his first and his family's second Daytona 500, as the DEI team shines at setting up for the speedway. Watkins Glen, Aug. 10: It's fun to watch Cup racers banging away at each other on a road course....

Websites.(of various automobile racing companies)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
February 17, 2003... NASCAR: www.nascar.com Petty Enterprises: www.pettyracing.com Roush Racing: www.roushracing.com Jasper Motorsports: www.jasperengines.com/racing.html Brett Bodine Racing: www.brettbodine.com Bill Davis Racing:...

Three Rallies You Absolutely Can't Miss.(News)(Calendar)
February 17, 2003... Acropolis, June 4-8: With the Safari Rally gone, the Acropolis is the toughest of the lot. Finland, Aug. 6-10: 140 mph, 140-foot jumps. Say no more. Australia, Sept. 3-7: Sun, sea and a really good rally.

Websites.(of various automobile companies)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
February 17, 2003... WRC: www.wrc.com and www.fia.com Peugeot: www.peugeot.com/peugeot_sport Subaru: www.subaru.co.uk CitroEn: http://com.en.sport.citroen.com Ford: www.fordrallyesport.com Skoda: www.skoda-auto.com/sport Hyundai:...

Websites.(listing of various peoples' Web sites)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
February 17, 2003... Bruce Allen: www.ReherMorrison.com Joe Amato: www.amatoracing.com Whit Bazemore: www.whitbazemore.com Bob Benza: www.BobBenzaracing.com Kenny Bernstein: www.kennybernstein.com Scotty Cannon: www.cannonballracing.com ...

Events.(Calendar)
February 17, 2003... April 18 Cruise Night Willow Grove, Pa. Sponsored by the Down the Road Cruisers and open to all vehicles. For more information call (215) 659-8917. April 18-20 Carquest World of Wheels Duluth, Minn. This is the...

BARING ITS FANGS; Dodge uncoils its most potent Vipers, the SRT-10 and Competition Coupe.(News)
February 17, 2003... Byline: LARRY EDSALL Skip Thomas was a Chicago beer distributor who was able to retire at age 45. He tried golf, fishing and other retiree activities, and found fulfillment in none of them. Thomas had raced hydroplanes as a youngster,...

DODGE RACING'S GODFATHER.(News)(John Fernandez is force behind Dodge's motorsports activities)
February 17, 2003... Make no mistake John Fernandez is behind Dodge's motorsports effort. Good thing: He has a history and a sense of what needs to be done to make it right. Fernandez flogged race cars around dirt ovals as a teen in upstate New York. As a...

CTS SPAWNS A WAGON; Whatever it is, Caddy's SRX is a great driver.(News)(Cadillac's SRX is a luxury/utility vehicle)
February 17, 2003... Byline: JOHN D. STOLL If accommodating four full-size adults while at the same time hitting 60 mph in under eight seconds constitutes utility and sport, maybe Cadillac should have stuck with the more apt sport/utility vehicle moniker...

Born Yesterday? Bush Has Your Number.(Column)(Discussion of President Bush's announcement of $1.2 bil investment in hydrogen fuel-cell car development)
February 17, 2003... Byline: Kevin A. Wilson Maybe you heard President Bush's State of the Union address in which he suggested that an American born in 2003 will drive a hydrogen fuel-cell car when that baby turns 16. This was Dubya's way of announcing a $1.2...

2003 DODGE VIPER COMPETITION COUPE.(News)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $118,000 POWERTRAIN: 8.3-liter, 520-hp, 540 lb-ft V10; rwd; six-speed manual CURB WEIGHT: 3000 pounds (est.) 0 TO 60 MPH: 3.7 seconds

WHAT WOULD 'BIG BILL' THINK? As NASCAR enters its 55th season, has the sport peaked?(News)
February 17, 2003... Byline: AL PEARCE Good question, one for which we have no definitive answer. Even so... What Would Big Bill Think of NASCAR as it heads into its 55th season of turning (mostly) left and making ungodly batches of money? ``Big...

2003 RACING SCHEDULES.(News)(Calendar)
February 17, 2003... All TV broadcast dates and times are live; those shown within parenthesis indicate a tape-delay broadcast Formula One Television schedule TBA March 9 Australia March 23 Malaysia April 6 Brazil April 20 San Marino ...

2003 CATERHAM SEVEN SUPERLIGHT R.(News)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $29,950 POWERTRAIN: 2.0-liter, 204-hp, 165-lb-ft I4; rwd, six-speed manual CURB WEIGHT: 1080 pounds 0 to 60 MPH: 3.8 seconds (mfr.)

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)(Automobile racing)
February 17, 2003... ]]]]]] SIGN THE END OF THE AUTO RACING WORLD IS NIGH With about a month until the 2003 American Le Mans Series season gets under way at Florida's Sebring racetrack, the first spectator is already in line-and has been for a while. Perennial...

2004 CADILLAC SRX.(automobile pricing and statistics)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... ON SALE: Summer BASE PRICE: $44,000 (est.) POWERTRAIN: 4.6-liter, 315-hp, 310-lb-ft V8; awd, five-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT: 4430 pounds 0 TO 60 MPH: 6.9 seconds (mfr.)

Fast Poll.(various people comment on FIA's rules in automobile racing)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... The FIA cracked down on Formula One technology in an attempt to cut costs and improve the show, and readers think it's on the right track. I'm in favor of any changes to the F1 rules that put the emphasis back on the drivers' skill and add...

CATERHAM SEVENTH HEAVEN; What Colin Chapman meant when he said `add lightness'.(evaluation of Caterham Steven automobile)
February 17, 2003... Byline: MARK VAUGHN If there is a street car lower and lighter than a Caterham Seven, we haven't driven it. Strapped into the driver's seat you can set your hand palm-first on the ground. The ride height is just over three inches, lower...

Concours d'Elegance and The Boss at Cranbrook.(automobile trade show to be shown at Concours d'Elegance at Cranbrook in Michigan)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... The first classic automobile show at Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, is slated for July 27. ``The Fusion of Art, Science and Education in the History of the Automobile'' will be the theme of the Concours d'Elegance at Cranbrook, with...

Track Websites.(car race track Web sites)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
February 17, 2003... Atlanta Motor Speedway www.atlantamotorspeedway.com Bristol Motor Speedway www.bristolmotorspeedway.com California Speedway www.californiaspeedway.com Charlotte Lowe's Motor Speedway ...

Drivers Log.(evaluation of Honda Accord Coupe EX automobile)
February 17, 2003... 2003 Honda Accord Coupe EX Date in fleet: Dec. 9-23 As-tested price: $26,360 Powertrain: 3.0-liter V6; fwd, six-speed manual Hp: 240 @ 6250 rpm Torque: 212 @ 5000 rpm Curb weight: 3265 pounds HART: Honda screwed up by casting this car...

Flash.(employee reports and organization formations in the U.S. automobile racing industry)
February 17, 2003... VW in F1? The saga continues: Volkswagen's long-rumored Formula One participation has team owner Peter Sauber raising his hand in any plans. He told German newspaper Die Welt, ``We [Sauber and VW] have not been negotiating in detail but we...

More than meets the eye.(various automobiles to be shown at trade show in Chicago, Illinois)
February 17, 2003... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER At first glance, the Chicago Auto Show looks a little lean when it comes to big fat product announcements. Compared with the 61 worldwide introductions at the Detroit show in January, the Chi-town show is no...

RECRUITING THE YOUNG GUNS; SCCA chief Steve Johnson wants the Fast and Furious crowd to try a little road racing.(opinions of Steve Johnson, CEO of Sports Car Club of America)
February 17, 2003... Byline: BILL McGUIRE Through the ups and downs of its nearly 60 years in existence, the Sports Car Club of America has never lacked for detractors and critics. Naturally, president and CEO Steve Johnson isn't one of them. And the SCCA is...

Likes/Dislikes.(Auto File)
February 17, 2003... likes * Stunning styling * Higher-output V8 * Superb automanual * Bank-vault solidity dislikes * Over-electronically nannied * Factory ``under-tired''

THE WINS OF THE FATHER; Brandon Bernstein has big, fireproof shoes to fill.(News)
February 17, 2003... Byline: MARK VAUGHN The most amazing thing about Brandon Bernstein is not that he won a division 7 championship in a Top Alcohol Dragster in his first try, nor that he's now strapping himself into his dad's 6000-hp Top Fuel car for the...

Race Report.(News)(a report of the NHRA season opening races in Pomona, California)
February 17, 2003... Last year in the NHRA there was a new tire everyone had to get used to. In 2001 everyone had to adjust to a less powerful but also less volatile nitro fuel mix. A few seasons before that all the clutch plates melted down. This year, there was...

Results.(News)(automobile race results)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Pomona Raceway 0.25-mile drag strip Feb. 9 TOP FUEL Larry Dixon, ET 4.541, 322.04 mph, over Cory McClenathan, ET 4.597, 309.42 mph FUNNY CAR Tony Pedregon, Ford, ET 4.765, 324.44 mph, over Johnny Gray, Pontiac, ET...

Results.(News)(automobile race results)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Swedish Rally Feb. 5-9 1. Marcus Gronholm, Peugeot 206 WRC, 3h 3m 28.1s; 2. Tommi Makinen, Subaru Impreza WRC, +50.8s; 3. Richard Burns, Peugeot 206 WRC, +1m 17.9s; 4. Markko Martin, Ford Focus RS WRC 02, +1m 45.8s; 5. Colin McRae,...

Crain joins Autorama Circle of Champions.(News)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Keith Crain (left) will join an elite group of car enthusiasts Feb. 22 when he is inducted into the Autorama Circle of Champions during the 51st annual Detroit Autorama car show. Crain is AutoWeek editorial director and chairman of Crain...

EXCLUSIVE! Toyota launches its NASCAR Craftsman Series Tundra.(Competition)
February 17, 2003... At the Chicago Auto Show (page 4), Toyota Motor Sales confirmed its participation in the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (AW, Dec. 20, 2002), and showed its Tundra race truck. The Tundra will run its first race in Daytona in February 2004....

Flash.(Briefs)(automobile industry news briefs)
February 17, 2003... When a 500-hp Mercedes isn't enough Mercedes-Benz's appetite for power remains unfulfilled, according to press reports in Germany. Not content with the 500 hp delivered by the supercharged 5.4-liter V8 engine found in the SL55, the German...

Geneva preview.(News)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... No need to wait for Geneva: Here's an early look at Lamborghini's baby setting out on a recent test drive from the factory. The Italian sports car builder has announced its Ferrari 360 Modena-fighter, codenamed L140, will carry the name...

VW, Audi announce ignition coil fix.(News)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Volkswagen's annoying little ignition coil problem (AW, Nov. 25, 2002, and Jan. 6) is now a full-blown worldwide service action for VW and Audi. The German automaker is voluntarily repairing all 2001 and 2002 VWs and Audis with potentially...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
February 17, 2003... Drive-ins: instant nostalgia Dutch Mandel's Feb. 3 column stirred many drive-in movie memories. I live in New Jersey, where Richard Hollingshead invented the drive-in in 1933 (in Camden). And I went to the last drive-in in the state just...

CART TAKES AIM AT A BRIGHTER TOMORROW; Because yesterday was pretty dim.(News)
February 17, 2003... Byline: BILL McGUIRE Chris Pook's second year at CART's helm is shaping up to be the 24-year-old organization's watershed season. Pook, CART's CEO since December 2001, leads the troubled series into 2003 with a redrawn game plan and...