AutoWeek articles from January 2005

AutoWeek archives from January 2005

Fast Poll; Readers approve of the new MazdaSpeed 6 but say its portly curb weight may hamper its ability to compete with other well-established performance sedans.(News)
January 3, 2005... The MazdaSpeed 6 looks downright menacing from the front, but if I were going to unload $30K on a 3600-pound hunk of rolling steel, it would be for an Infiniti G35. Dan Manes, San Diego Mazda is definitely on the right track with the...

Six Working Tailpipes.(Escape Roads)(Preston Tucker is developing a technically innovative sedan with the help of leading car designers)
January 3, 2005... Byline: BROOKS BRIERLEY Preston Tucker had great ambitions for his new automobile. A stock sale in mid-1947 raised nearly $20 million; 2000 dealer franchises brought in another $8 million. A vast aviation engine plant in Chicago-by some...

XM NAVTRAFFIC: NO-WAIT UPDATES.(News)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... Byline: ROGER HART Most news-talk radio stations around the country broadcast traffic reports every 10 minutes or so. But as many a commuter can attest, in those 10 minutes you can find yourself hopelessly stuck in traffic while waiting...

Euro Bling Needs To Get Blung.(Column)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Matt Davis As an early Christmas gift, I recently took myself to Germany's industrial heartland for the Essen motor show. For years now, Euro colleagues and car execs have been telling me Essen is the Euro SEMA: the continent's...

A New Old Way To See the World.(Column)(conferences)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Dutch Mandel Nearly 10,000 of the passionate walked the convention center and talked horsepower and torque, spring rates and chassis mods. Some ogled a new BMW design as others pored over an iconic all-American model whose shape is...

Letters.
January 3, 2005... End of an era I still remember my reaction when I first watched Dutch Mandel on AutoWeek on Speed-"Get that guy some coffee!'' But I soon came to enjoy his subtle, monotone delivery. It's a shame to see the show end. At least we still have...

Television: Jan. 7-9.(News)
January 3, 2005... Friday, Jan. 7 Jimmie Johnson: Common Thread, 1:30 a.m., Speed Autorotica: Driving Force, 2:30 a.m., Speed WRC Rally Magazine: Japan, 3 a.m., Speed FIA World Rally from Japan, 3:30 a.m., Speed NBS 24/7, 7 a.m., Speed ...

Events.(Calendar)(Calendar)
January 3, 2005... March 2-3 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Grounds Tours Indianapolis Log onto www.brickyard.com or call (317) 492-6747 for details and additional tour dates. March 4-6 Portland Roadster Show Portland, Ore. Visit...

Less Roof, No Goof; Ford builds a better Mustang.
January 3, 2005... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Why is the new Mustang convertible better than the old Mustang convertible, better in fact, than any Mustang convertible ever? There are a lot of answers to that, but it all comes down to architecture. "This is the...

AND BABY MAKES 5; Teeny Mazda minivan to join MPV in lineup.(News)
January 3, 2005... Byline: NATALIE NEFF The folks at Mazda have been busy. Under what it calls the Mazda Millennium Plan, the company says that between 2000 and 2004 it "rebalanced'' production capacity, reorganized its subsidiaries, slashed costs by 25...

AW goings-on.(News)
January 3, 2005... * Online: Complete Detroit and Los Angeles auto show photos and news; more Subie B9X shots * On the town: AutoWeek Design Forum, Jan. 12, Detroit * On deck: Special report on minorities in racing, Z06 (for real this time), Mustang vs....

Cadillac inks Papis.(Competition)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... General Motors' Cadillac division announced Max Papis, the 2004 Grand American Daytona Prototype champion, will join the CTS-V race team full time this year in the SCCA Speed World Challenge GT class. Papis will drive the No. 16 CTS-V...

WHAT'S NEXT?(Competition)
January 3, 2005... NASCAR fans and competitors probably won't see any immediate major changes from the impending merger of telecom giants Sprint and Nextel. The $35 billion deal-likely to be completed by midsummer-will create Sprint Nextel Inc. With 35 million...

SNAGGED ON LOCATION: 2006 Subaru B9X.(News)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Subaru will officially take the wraps off the luxury crossover sport/ute it has been teasing us with for the past few months (AW, Nov. 15, 2004). Thanks to AutoWeek reader Mike...

12th Annual AutoWeek Design Forum.(News)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... From the creative genius behind Pixar Animation Studios to the woman trying to make a name for Scion, this year's AutoWeek Design Forum, Jan. 12 in Detroit, covers the field when it comes to leading-edge design. Speakers this year include...

MORE FORD; Mustang convertible is just one fun ride.(News)
January 3, 2005... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Sure, Ford makes very practical sedans, minivans, trucks and SUVs. But Ford also knows how to have fun-screaming-good fun. The day we drove the new Mustang convertible was actually a veritable Festival of Fun Fords....

TIMES TWO EQUALS FUN; Historic cars and bikes take to the track.(Automobile racing)(Motorcycle racing)
January 3, 2005... Byline: JOHN L. STEIN Grand noises. Great times. And gorgeous classic shapes whirling past in the sun. That's the allure of vintage racing. But lately, on the West Coast, the frenetic buzz of motorcycles has added to the feast at Historic...

Flash.(Briefs)
January 3, 2005... Smart decisions? McLaren supercar also faces the ax While we might bemoan the decision by Mercedes-Benz to delay development of the U.S.-bound Smart ForMore mini-sport/utility vehicle pending a review of costs, we find it even more...

Cup champs to Rolex Ford will enter three of its NASCAR stars in Grand-Am's Daytona 24 Hour Feb. 5-6.(Briefs)(National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)
January 3, 2005... Cup champs to Rolex Ford will enter three of its NASCAR stars in Grand-Am's Daytona 24 Hour Feb. 5-6. 2004 Cup champ Kurt Busch will partner with Roush teammates Matt Kenseth, the 2003 Cup champion, and Greg Biffle in a Crown...

GRADUATION DAYS OF THUNDER; NASCAR upstarts get road-racing pointers from the pros.(Motorsports)
January 3, 2005... Byline: TOM TRACE Dale Earnhardt Inc. is trying to stay a step ahead of the competition. With the 2005 racing season rapidly approaching and a new road race in Mexico City slated for the NASCAR Busch Series schedule, DEI recently enrolled...

Market.(Escape Roads)
January 3, 2005... Byline: KEITH MARTIN McCormick Exotic Car Auction Palm Springs, Calif. Nov. 20-21 1965 Ford Mustang convertible 225-hp V8, three-speed automatic. Loaded, with power top, air, pony interior, power brakes and steering....

Drivers Log.(News)
January 3, 2005... 2005 Mazda 6 Sport Wagon Date in fleet: Dec. 1-15 As-tested price: $28,095 Powertrain: 3.0-liter V6; fwd, six-speed automatic Output: 220 hp @ 6300 rpm, 192 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm Curb weight: 3472 lbs RAYNAL: This is a good, solid wagon. No...

Here Today, Ghosn Tomorrow: part 1 of 2.(News)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Dutch Mandel Every discipline has The One. The One displays exceptional talent, pushes beyond peers, is driven by an unseen force to succeed. Mere achievers become scientists and lawyers; The One earns Nobel Prizes and Supreme...

Here Today, Ghosn Tomorrow: part 2 of 2.(News)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Dutch Mandel 6:10 p.m., Day 1, Marina del Rey: This evening he meets with business analysts, an event organized by Merrill Lynch in a Ritz-Carlton conference room overlooking Southern California's tony harbor community. It is an...

Correction.
January 3, 2005... Our list of 2004 obituaries in the Dec. 27 issue should have included Dix Erickson, 65, former manager of American Honda's Service Technical, Special Projects department.

Attentionknow-it-alls.(Motorsports)
January 3, 2005... Byline: DONALD DAVIDSON It's time once again for you to prove how much you really know about racing by answering the following questions correctly. A quiz by any other magazine wouldn't be as profitable-for you the reader. That's because...

Fast, Black, Expensive; Subtle elegance costs money; how fast do you wanna go?(News)
January 3, 2005... Byline: PATRICK C. PATERNIE Scissor doors, spinner rims and other things that go bling in the night may do it for the pimp-my-riders gathered at SEMA, but we're not in Vegas anymore. Bottrop, Germany, is a long way from the Strip, which is...

Flash.(Briefs)(Obituary)
January 3, 2005... Cup champs to Rolex Ford will enter three of its NASCAR stars in Grand-Am's Daytona 24 Hour Feb. 5-6. 2004 Cup champ Kurt Busch will partner with Roush teammates Matt Kenseth, the 2003 Cup champion, and Greg Biffle in a Crown...

MINORITY REPORT: Part 1 of 3; Where did all the progress go?(News)
January 10, 2005... Byline: KEVIN A. WILSON You probably didn't notice when Miller Racing Group driver Morty Buckles drove a Dr. Pepper-sponsored Pontiac Grand Prix to win a NASCAR Late Model Weekly Series race at Coastal Plains Speedway in Jacksonville,...

ARIZONA AUCTION ACTION.(Revs)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
January 10, 2005... Jan. 21-24 Silver Collector Car Auctions, Fort McDowell Casino More than 500 vehicles will be available. silverauctions.com Jan. 21-25 Kruse International 34th Annual Scottsdale Auction, Phoenix International Raceway ...

MINORITY REPORT: Part 2 of 3; Where did all the progress go?(News)
January 10, 2005... Byline: KEVIN A. WILSON "There are only three ways a minority can break through the barriers of prejudice,'' claims Miller. "You can perform at a superhuman level, such that no one can ignore your ability, or you can have a white angel who...

MINORITY REPORT: Part 3 of 3; Where did all the progress go?(News)
January 10, 2005... Byline: KEVIN A. WILSON NASCAR created its diversity program in 1999, at least partially in response to critics, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson. Miller, clearly no Jackson fan, says the $250,000 NASCAR gave to Jackson "didn't get one...

Do it now.(News)
January 10, 2005... If you're in Detroit on Jan. 12, there's still a chance you can get a seat at the AutoWeek Design Forum. Register starting at 8 a.m. that day at Cobo Center. It takes place in the Riverview Ballroom, $325 for the full day, $225 for dinner only...

What Lies Beneath; What you see in the 2006 Corvette Z06 ain't half of what you'll get.(News)
January 10, 2005... Byline: KEVIN A. WILSON General Motors may have had trouble keeping a lid on the styling of its 2006 Corvette Z06 (AW, Dec. 13, 2004) until its official public debut this week at the Detroit show, but little matter in the end. As important...

Fast Poll.(News)
January 10, 2005... Readers approve of Infiniti's new M cars and believe they will offer plenty of competition for the well-established players in the luxury sport sedan segment. The new Infiniti M45 is a masterpiece and is the obvious choice for luxury sport...

A European Woodie.(Escape Roads)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 10, 2005... Byline: BOB TOMAINE Names such as Capri and Cortina are what you'd typically associate with European Fords. Only later might V8 Pilot come up. V8 Pilot production began in 1947 at Ford's Dagenham, Essex, plant, which opened in 1932...

The Man behind the Monster.(Column)(Thom Beer)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Rich Ceppos Thom Beers' office is a monument to high school metal-shop class. The furniture is welded together from scrap car parts and unpainted steel tubing. His desk is a small airplane wing. There are wall hangings-not your...

WHOLE LOTTA LOVE; Cadillac Rocks Our World with STS-V.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 10, 2005... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER For those who may have sneered at Cadillac's efforts to join the elite luxury-performance ranks with its CTS V-Series sedan, consider these numbers for the next V car, the STS: * 0 to 60 mph in under 5.0 seconds....

Return of the Viper Coupe.(News)
January 10, 2005... Byline: KEVIN A. WILSON With the Detroit show unveiling of the Viper-challenging Corvette Z06, the worst-kept secret in town, DaimlerChrysler is rushing to head 'em off at the pass. Unveiled at the Los Angeles show is the 2006 Dodge Viper...

Hello, Again.(Column)(retro-futurism)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Richard S. Chang When the new Mustang made its assault on car magazine covers of America recently, it revived my private internal debate on retro-futurism. Actually, it's more of a personal complex that goes beyond simply love and...

Flash.(Briefs)(Obituary)
January 10, 2005... Byrne will hang it up Rory Byrne, the South African-born engineer who has been the chief chassis designer at Ferrari since Michael Schumacher lured him from retirement in 1996, has confirmed he will retire at the end of the 2006 season....

HAPPY NEW YEAR - Now get to Los Angeles! West Coast show offers more than a dozen world debuts.(News)
January 10, 2005... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER, KEVIN A. WILSON The New Year typically arrives amid a clatter of car stories from Detroit as the auto world gears up for the Motor City's annual early-January auto show/lovefest. This time around there's a distinct...

Nissan tones down second-gen Xterra ute.(News)
January 10, 2005... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER "Yellow.'' That was the first response Nissan exec Eric Martin elicited from a group of California college students when he asked what one word came to mind when he said "Xterra.'' The college kids also said...

AW goings-on.(News)
January 10, 2005... * Online: More Mustang convertible photos, complete Los Angeles and Detroit show coverage * On the town: AutoWeek Design Forum (see box) * On deck: Lexus supercar!

ASTONS FOR SALE.(Competition)
January 10, 2005... The first factory Aston Martin race car since 1989, which is being developed by Prodrive in the U.K., is proving a hit with customers: Nine DBR9 GT1 racers have been sold. Aston Martin Racing, the name under which Prodrive is managing the...

MORE VIEWS.(News)
January 10, 2005... * For me there is no debate, I'll take the Mustang, thanks. Sure, the GTO has more raw power, but I prefer the Mustang's handling, and its 300 hp isn't anything to scoff at. Factor in the Ford's far more captivating design and lower price, and...

A brawny new V6 engine and sharp sports package make the E-Class more engaging.(News)
January 10, 2005... Byline: GREG KABLE We don't recall thinking the two-year-old Mercedes-Benz E320 was falling off the pace in any way, but clearly the decision-makers in Stuttgart are a hard bunch to please. They just axed the popular E320, with its...

SPEED TO RED BULL?(Competition)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... American Scott Speed says he will get a Formula One test with Red Bull Racing later this year. Speed is part of the Red Bull Driver Search program, which is designed to help get an American to F1. He turned heads in Europe last summer when...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
January 10, 2005... "I was 15 and was growing. I needed food. You guys didn't feed me enough. You did give me vodka and Squirt. I've never touched Squirt since!'' -Vic Edelbrock Jr. to NHRA founder Wally Parks and fellow hot rod legend Alex Xydias, at the...

Television: Jan. 14-16.(News)
January 10, 2005... Friday, Jan. 14 NBS 24/7, 7 a.m., Speed The Legend of Richard Petty, 7:30 a.m., ESPN Classic Car Crazy, 8:30 a.m., Speed Fifth Gear, 9 a.m., Speed European Touring Car Championship from Derby, England, noon, Speed ...

Letters.
January 10, 2005... Nostalgia vs. reliability As in Cory Farley's Dec. 27 "Many Hot New Trends Aren't'' column, I, too, lament many recent automotive developments. I'll use my Wrangler with a five-speed and inline six to teach my son what engines used to...

Events.(Calendar)
January 10, 2005... March 11-12 Back to the Beach 2005 Carolina Beach, N.C. Log onto suncoastcruisers.com or call (910) 383-6824 for information on this car show and cruise. March 11-12 Fredericksburg Spring 2005 Auction Fredericksburg,...

Flash.(Briefs)(automobile industry)
January 10, 2005... Range Rover's Brit engines Land Rover's flagship Range Rover gets some exterior updates for 2006, but the big news is under the hood where two Brit-built Jaguar engines replace the German BMW V8. Gone is the 282-hp BMW engine, replaced by...

BRING ON THE DANCING HORSES; The first real muscle car showdown since the demise of the Chevrolet Camaro pits the new Ford Mustang GT against the newly freshened Pontiac GTO.
January 10, 2005... Byline: Natalie Neff Pontiac likes to lay claim to the title of original muscle car with its GTO, and while that first 1964 model was more a big-engined Tempest than a pure Goat, we're hardly one to quibble over the finer points. What is...

Drivers Log.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 10, 2005... 2005 Lotus Elise Date in fleet: Nov. 5-12 As-tested price: $43,665 Powertrain: 1.8-liter I4; rwd, six-speed manual Output: 190 hp @ 7800 rpm, 138 lb-ft @ 6800 rpm Curb weight: 1975 lbs HART: I've never had a more uncomfortable commute,...

Can you say 'resto mods'? These new creations to go on the block at Arizona auctions.(Revs)
January 10, 2005... Byline: LARRY EDSALL Been doing your homework in preparation for the collector car auctions in Arizona later this month? Well, car boys and girls, Craig Jackson says you'll need to add some new words to your vocabulary. Say "resto mods''...

Market.(Escape Roads)
January 10, 2005... Byline: KEITH MARTIN McCormick Exotic Car Auction Palm Springs, Calif. Nov. 20-21, 2004 1959 Ford Edsel Ranger four-door sedan 292-cid, 200-hp V8. Automatic. Repainted over body rust. Bumpers rechromed, not too many...

A SPORTY DISCOVERY; LR3 variant aims at Porsche Cayenne and BMW X5.(News)
January 17, 2005... Byline: JULIAN RENDELL "Understatement'' ought to be the first word in a car company test engineer's lexicon. "It's pretty much sorting itself out,'' says Mike Cross, Land Rover's chief test engineer, as he calmly zips through another...

SURPRISE! Lexus does a sports car.
January 17, 2005... Byline: WES RAYNAL if you're like us, you have wondered just what benefit Toyota gets from spending hundreds of millions of dollars to be smacked around by Ferrari, Williams, McLaren and Renault in Formula One. Sell more Priuses perhaps?...

Letters.
January 17, 2005... M challenges BMW As a satisfied Infiniti G35 owner, I read the Dec. 27 cover story of the fine new M45 and M35. It's plain that few other carmakers strive to improve their breed and still maintain affordability. The article was followed by...

ASSEMBLEZ VOUS! The 13th ICCCR lands at Interlaken.(Revs)(13th International Citroen Car Club Rallye)(Column)
January 17, 2005... Byline: JAN TEGLER Excusez moi, car guys. You had fun this past summer, non? Maybe you made it to the Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance, ran from event to event during the Monterey Weekend, or cruised L'Avenue de Woodward, eh? Bon. But my...

AW goings-on.(News)
January 17, 2005... * Online: Complete L.A. and Detroit show coverage and photos * On deck: Dodge Charger, Volkswagen Jetta

Rule No. 2.(Column)(Column)
January 17, 2005... Byline: Steve Thompson Sandra had never heard of carmaking's Rule No. 2, but her concern about buying a new Jaguar was the finest example of the rule's reason for being I had ever run into by 1992. That was when Sandra closeted me at a...

Fast Poll.(News)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2005... Respondents agree the new Ford Mustang's firm chassis, strong powertrain and fresh design should make the convertible model as successful as the coupe. No other car has as much to offer for the price as the new Mustang. The ragtop looks...

A NEW HOPE; Forget exotic supercar, think luxury GT.(News)(Chrysler Firepower)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2005... Byline: KEVIN A. WILSON Chrysler spiked the year-old ME Four-Twelve supercar project during the Los Angeles show press preview, declaring it had learned much from the prototype program but couldn't make a business case to build it, only to...

THE FINALISTS.(News)(top american cars)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2005... 2005 North American Car of the Year FORD MUSTANG Base Price: $19,410 Powertrains: 4.0-liter, 210-hp, 240-lb-ft V6/4.6-liter, 300-hp, 320-lb-ft V8; rwd, five-speed manual/five-speed automatic CHEVROLET CORVETTE Base Price:...

Chevy launches C6-R.(Competition)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2005... General Motors' new Corvette C6-R race car, launched at the Detroit show, will debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March. GM will again run a two-car team, competing in the GT1 class (formerly GTS). The same drivers who piloted the C5-R to...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
January 17, 2005... LUTZ LOSES IT At the Los Angeles auto show, GM vice chairman Bob Lutz wouldn't put up with any criticism of the retro-styled 2006 Chevy HHR. Speaking to a small group of scribes, Lutz said, "I read [a news story] today that is the height...

Television: Jan. 21-23.(News)
January 17, 2005... Friday, Jan. 21 Australian V8 Supercar Series from Sydney, Australia, 3 a.m., Speed CASCAR Super Series from Calgary, Alberta, 1 p.m., Speed NASCAR Fast Forward, 2:30 p.m., Speed IHRA from Martin, Mich., 5 p.m., Speed ...

REALLY FULL FIELD; The 2005 edition of the Rolex 24 is shaping up to be one of the best.(Motorsports)
January 17, 2005... Byline: STEVEN COLE SMITH Arguably the most-heard comment during the three days of testing for the Rolex 24 at Daytona-aside from, "Man, if Paul Newman gets any shorter, he won't be able to see over the steering wheel''-was, "Can you...

Flash.(Briefs)(Red Bull Racing is appointing Gunther Steiner as new technical director)
January 17, 2005... Speed inks deal American Scott Speed has signed to race the 2005 GP2 season (formerly FIA F3000) with the iSport International team (AW, Jan. 10). Speed says in addition to the season in GP2, he will test a Red Bull Formula One car later...

L.A. REPORT; Fetish for the greenies.(News)
January 17, 2005... Byline: MARK VAUGHN, BOB GRITZINGER We expect to see eco-friendly green-mobiles at the Los Angeles auto show as carmakers roll out their cleanest, world-saving wonders to show the all-powerful California Air Resources Board how sensitive...

DODGE CHARGES AHEAD.(Competition)
January 17, 2005... After being gone for nearly 30 years, the Dodge Charger nameplate will be back in NASCAR this year. A new Dodge Charger race car will make its NASCAR Nextel Cup Series debut in the Daytona 500 on Feb. 20. Four factory teams will run the...

Events.(Calendar)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2005... March 18-20 Mustang and All-Ford Car Show Pensacola, Fla. Sponsored by the Gulf Coast Regional Mustang Club. Visit gcrmc.com or call (251) 961-1411 for details. March 19-20 All American Get-Together Pleasanton,...

elemental; Cobalt is just the element Chevy needs.(News)(Chevrolet Cobalt SS )(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 17, 2005... Byline: MARK VAUGHN So there we were, driving along in a Chevy Cobalt SS with road racer John Heinricy sitting in the passenger seat, when it occurred to us, "Why is road racer John Heinricy sitting over there and an amateur, apex-missing...

Powerful and Exotic.(Escape Roads)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 17, 2005... Byline: JAN TEGLER In the late 1950s Citroen's Bureau Des Etudes began a design study called Project S (also known as the DS Sport program). Several prototypes based on the DS were produced to explore styling and performance enhancements...

KEEPING OUR FOOT IN IT; Still having a blast with Mazda's rotary-powered RX-8.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 17, 2005... Byline: ROGER HART The love-hate relationship with our long-term Mazda RX-8 continues through its nine months in our fleet. You don't need to search the logbook to read glowing comments about the car's fresh styling and responsive...

Drivers Log.(News)(LaCrosse is the sports vehicle in the market)
January 17, 2005... Date in fleet: Nov. 22-29 As-tested price: $33,650 Powertrain: 3.6-liter V6; fwd, four-speed automatic Output: 240 hp @ 6000 rpm, 225 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm Curb weight: 3568 lbs RAYNAL: This is a perfectly acceptable $26,000 car. Trouble is, it...

Controversies of Long Standing.(automobile history)(Column)
January 17, 2005... Byline: Kevin A. Wilson Some of the most divisive topics on today's automotive scene trace their historic roots to the publication date on this issue. The History Channel's This Day in History feature reminds us that Jan. 17, 1949, was the...

Hemi, Hybrid Take Top Car and Truck Honors.(News)
January 17, 2005... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Jurors skipped over the latest takes on two of America's favorite sports cars and chose Chrysler's in-your-face 300/300C sedan for 2005 North American Car of the Year. The 300/300C, Chrysler's return to large...

Market.(Escape Roads)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2005... Byline: KEITH MARTIN McCormick Exotic Car Auction Palm Springs, Calif. Nov. 20-21, 2004 1975 MG Midget convertible Green with black vinyl interior. Factory alloy wheels. Four-speed. First year for ugly rubber front bumper...

UP NEXT: 2005 WORLD CAR OF THE YEAR.(News)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2005... Kudos to the 300C, but can Chrysler's North American Car of the Year winner take it to the next level? We'll find out Feb. 16 when the inaugural World Car of the Year, chosen by a panel of 48 international automotive journalists, is announced...

Flash.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2005... Audi concept churn We thought it odd that Audi revealed an allroad concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, especially considering the allroad is still in production through the end of the 2005 model year. Here's...

Television: Jan. 28-30.(News)
January 24, 2005... Friday, Jan. 28 NBS 24/7, 7 a.m., Speed Car Crazy, 8:30 a.m., Speed Fifth Gear, 9 a.m., Speed European Touring Car Championship from Imola, Italy, noon, Speed CASCAR Super Series from Bowmanville, Ontario, 1 p.m., Speed...