AutoWeek articles from June 2004

AutoWeek archives from June 2004

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE DRIVE; The Copperstate: a transforming experience for this pro racer.(Revs)(Lyn St. James)
June 7, 2004... Byline: LARRY EDSALL Since she stopped teaching piano and became a professional racer, cars have been competitive tools and other drivers her fierce rivals. Like the handful of women who have driven their way to success in a...

Flash.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... More R on the way? With the success of the R32 in the United States, Volkswagen of America is looking at bringing a line of other R cars to the States. Volkswagen Individual GmbH, a Wolfsburg-based company owned by VW but with its own...

FIRST LOOK: 2006 Audi A3 Sportback.(News)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Next summer Audi makes good on its promise to bring its five-door A3 Sportback to the United States. For now, we'll have to make due with these first pictures of the German company's entry-level performance car. The...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)(Carrol Shelby, Dennis Miller, John Force, Napkin Rings, Eurocup Formula Renault racers)
June 7, 2004... Press release we didn't finish: "Honey, cancel that appointment at the fertility clinic!'' The press release for The Quail 2004, A Motorsports Gathering, notes that, "Children under 12 are complimentary.'' Usually you just get a...

Television: June 11 - 13.(News; listings)(Calendar)
June 7, 2004... Friday, June 11 Dream Car Garage, 7:30 a.m., Speed Chop Cut Rebuild, 8 a.m., Speed Car Crazy, 8:30 a.m., Speed Tuner Transformation, 10 a.m., Speed Sports Car Revolution, 10:30 a.m., Speed USAR Pro Cup from Lakeland,...

BEST FOR LAST; The GT3 is the ultimate driver's 911.(Auto File)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 7, 2004... Six years have passed since Porsche launched its 996 series 911 to a chorus of purist discontent. Some labeled the new water-cooled engine an abomination, others condemned the car as too soft, too big and-perhaps worst of all-too easy to drive....

** FILL IN THE BLANKS.(Revs)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... As Rolls-Royce celebrates its centennial this year, Derek Allan seeks to compile the history of one 1920 Silver Ghost that is near and dear to his heart. Allan, of Hampshire, England, acquired this Salamanca Cabriolet in December 2001 and while...

Drivers Log.(News)
June 7, 2004... 2004 Infiniti M45 Date in fleet: May 10-24 As-tested price: $46,455 Powertrain: 4.5-liter V8; rwd, five-speed automatic Output: 340 hp @ 6400 rpm, 333 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm Curb weight: 3851 pounds GRITZINGER: Sleeper extraordinaire. As...

Competition.
June 7, 2004... Changes at Indy? Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials are again about to review two time elements of the Indianapolis 500. The first is the race's starting time; a more likely change is shortening the month-of-May activities. The...

AW Spies.(News)
June 7, 2004... Send us your spy shots. If we publish them, you'll get a yearlong subscription to AutoWeek (or a 12-month extension of your current subscription). Send to SpyPix@crain.com or by mail to AutoWeek, 1155 Gratiot Ave., Detroit MI 48207-2997...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NISMO; Nissan 350Z S-Tune GT.(News)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: DINO DALLE CARBONARE What better way to celebrate NISMO's 20th anniversary than with a run of special cars from Nissan's racing department? Leading the pack is the 350Z S-tune GT sporting unique front and rear facsias inspired by...

Results.(Motorsports)(Nurburgring)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Nurburgring 3.199-mile road course May 30 1. Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 60 laps at 124.373 mph avg. speed; 2. Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari, 60; 3. Jenson Button, BAR-Honda, 60; 4. Jarno Trulli, Renault, 60; 5. Fernando Alonso,...

You PICK 'EM!(News)
June 7, 2004... The polls are open at autoweek.com, so get clicking and picking your favorite cars, trucks and sport/utility vehicles in our annual America's Best reader survey. Voting ends June 18 and we'll publish the results in our July 5 issue.

Letters.
June 7, 2004... Pleasure and pain at the pump I'm happy to own the Toyota Prius, and as a retired locomotive engineer I'm fascinated by its smooth operation. My mileage runs from a 47-mpg low to 57 mpg. My license plate says "56 MPG.'' And my new favorite...

Fast Poll.(News; opinions on new Audi A6)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... The new Audi A6 will do well against other German and Japanese sedans, but concerns about its styling and initial quality may keep it from being embraced as the leader in affordable luxury. The A6 may rival the Japanese, but it's a step...

Events.(Calendar)(Calendar)
June 7, 2004... Aug. 5-8 NSRA Street Rod Nationals Louisville, Ky. Call (901) 452-4030 or visit nsra-usa.com for event details. Aug. 7 British Car Day Dayton, Ohio Go to www.mgcars.org.uk for details on this Eastwood Metropark...

Results.(Motorsports)(Lowe's Motor Speedway)
June 7, 2004... Lowe's Motor Speedway 1.5-mile oval May 30 1. Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 400 laps at 142.763 mph avg. speed; 2. Michael Waltrip, Chevrolet, 400; 3. Matt Kenseth, Ford, 400; 4. Jamie McMurray, Dodge, 400; 5. Elliott Sadler, Ford,...

SMARTER THAN SMART? Importer says two-seat fortwo is just what America needs.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: MARK VAUGHN The Smart car could be coming to the United States sooner than you think, and earlier than parent company DaimlerChrysler had planned. When is not exactly certain, but importer Thomas Heidemann is working on it 24/7....

STORMY WIN; First-time winner Buddy Rice leads a Honda sweep at Indy.(Motorsports)
June 7, 2004... Byline: CURT CAVIN Buddy Rice has heard enough of the rags-to-riches, hooray-for-Americans talk coming out of his first Indy 500 win Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. What he wants to talk about is winning an Indy Racing League...

NEVER SATISFIED; Does NASCAR want even more control?(Motorsports)
June 7, 2004... Byline: AL PEARCE The top line of the business card reads, "BRETT BODINE.'' Then, in smaller letters below, the title, "Director of Cost Research.'' Nowhere, Bodine quickly says, does his job description say anything about helping NASCAR...

Race Report.(Motorsports)(Coca-Cola 600)
June 7, 2004... In this case, the numbers lie. They show Jimmie Johnson leading the Coca-Cola 600 eight times for 334 laps, almost 501 miles of NASCAR's longest race. They show him leading 53, 5, 69, 17, 54, 64, 65 and the last 16 laps around Lowe's Motor...

Results.(Motorsports)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Heartland Park Topeka 0.25-mile drag strip May 30 TOP FUEL Brandon Bernstein, ET 4.729, 294.43 mph, over Doug Kalitta, ET 4.874, 291.95 mph FUNNY CAR Whit Bazemore, Dodge, ET 5.168, 269.94 mph, over Eric Medlen,...

Results.(Motorsports)
June 7, 2004... Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.5-mile oval May 30 1. Buddy Rice, G Force-Honda, 180 laps at 138.518 mph avg. speed; 2. Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Honda, 180; 3. Dan Wheldon, Dallara-Honda, 180; 4. Bryan Herta, Dallara-Honda, 180; 5....

Big Sedan Marks Last of the First Hemis.(Escape Roads)
June 7, 2004... Byline: LARRY EDSALL In many ways 1958 was the beginning of the end of an automotive era, though it surely went out in style in the form of the Chrysler 300D. Chrysler's 300 letter-series cars earned their badges as the first American...

Flash.(Briefs)
June 7, 2004... Peugeots disqualified The FIA has disqualified the Peugeot 307 WRC race cars of Marcus Gronholm and Harri Rovanpera from the Cyprus Rally (AW, May 24) for illegal water pumps. Gronholm won the rally and Rovanpera finished fifth. Sebastien...

Specs & Data.(Auto File)
June 7, 2004... MANUFACTURER INFO Porsche Cars North America 980 Hammond Drive Suite 1000 Atlanta GA 30328 Customer assistance: (800) 545-8039 Internet address: porsche.com Country of origin: Germany Number of dealers: 193...

Owners say...(Auto File)
June 7, 2004... The sound alone is worth the price of admission. Leaving it in second as it winds to well over 60 mph is intoxicating. This car is all about rewarding a skilled driver. I am eagerly awaiting a full break-in so that I can exercise it on the...

(ANOTHER) ONE FOR THE KIDS; Toyota's youth division adds a third model.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: WES RAYNAL First, a refresher: Toyota launched the Scion division two years ago, wanting to bring young buyers into the fold. Scion offers two inexpensive cars aimed at the youth market, the xA and xB (AW, April 28, 2003). Then...

Tune This: A Real-Life Drama.(Column)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Dutch Mandel America's automotive taste masters and power brokers gathered in the Ford Conference and Exhibition Center the other day to conjure up some love. They are members of the Specialty Equipment Market Association, who...

Long time gone: Part 1 of 2; THE HARD-CORE ENTHUSIAST'S DREAM CAR HAS ARRIVED. HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL CARE ENOUGH TO BUY ONE?(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: J.P. VETTRAINO If you've paid attention the last several years, you know the Lotus Elise. Perhaps you've lusted for one. We have now touched, smelled and driven the federalized Elise on U.S. soil. The first new Lotus in the United...

Long time gone: Part 2 of 2; THE HARD-CORE ENTHUSIAST'S DREAM CAR HAS ARRIVED. HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL CARE ENOUGH TO BUY ONE?(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: J.P. VETTRAINO FEDERALIZATION Group Lotus directors approved Elise for U.S. sale in November 2002, six years after its launch in Europe. Roger Becker and his staff in Hethel immediately went to work on the car, which had...

More Summer Gatherings.(News)(Calendar)
June 14, 2004... July 9-11 Portland Historic Races Portland, Ore. Call (503) 274-0019 or log onto portlandhistorics.com for details on this historic Trans-Am race car gathering. July 10-18 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Pittsburgh ...

MOMENTS WITH MIKE; Six-time world driving champion Michael Schumacher opens up about Montoya (a menace), oval racing (dangerous), and stray dogs.(Motorsports)(Interview)
June 14, 2004... Byline: MIKE DUFF You no more fall into an exclusive Michael Schumacher interview than the man himself fell into the six world championships that have made him the paddock's most wanted personality. To get this close to the German...

BOAT TRIP; $1.2 million puts you in the lap of amphibious luxury.(News)(Cool Amphibious Manufacturers International)
June 14, 2004... Byline: STEVEN COLE SMITH Moments before we drive off the boat ramp and into the water in a 31,000-pound motor home is probably not the best time for Julie Giljam to mention that her husband-who designed and built the amphibious Terra Wind...

Drivers Log.(News; 2004 Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 14, 2004... 2004 Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible Date in fleet: May 19-26 As-tested price: $47,640 Powertrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged I4; fwd, five-speed automatic Output: 210 hp @ 5500 rpm, 221 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm Curb weight: 3550 pounds RAYNAL: A good...

NO TRAILER QUEENS ALLOWED; A celebration of driving, no matter how rare or delicate your ride.(News)
June 14, 2004... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Not too long ago, critics of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance said that while the cars were beautiful, the darned things couldn't drive as far as the door of the restoration shop. Concours organizers, stung by such...

Television: June 18-20.(News)(Calendar)
June 14, 2004... AutoWeek: 2004 BMW 645i, 2004 Buick Rainier, 1967 Ferrari 330 2+2 series II Sunday 10:30 a.m. & 11:30 p.m. Speed Channel Friday, June 18 Dream Car Garage, 7:30 a.m., Speed Chop Cut Rebuild, 8 a.m., Speed Car...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
June 14, 2004... He couldn't possibly mean us... "The best thing that ever happened to the xB is that the older, traditional journalists said they hated it.'' -Scion vice president Jim Farley The fifth U.S. Grand Prix at Indy is almost here, and...

The Other Side of Sticker Shock.(Column)
June 14, 2004... Byline: Rich Ceppos I learned to drive in a 1967 Pontiac GTO. But this isn't about the rubber I burned or the street racing I did or the tickets I got. It's about the cost. The window sticker. That GTO belonged to my mother, but even...

Flash.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Nissan hybrid-come-lately Several years behind rivals Toyota and Honda, Nissan will enter the hybrid race in 2006 with an '07-model gas-electric Altima. The hybrid will use the base Altima's 2.5-liter, 175-hp four-cylinder gasoline engine...

Flash.(Briefs)
June 14, 2004... Fellows back to Trans-Am Two-time Le Mans winner Ron Fellows will make his return to the Trans-Am series July 30 at Trois-Rivieres. Fellows will drive a Chevrolet Corvette fielded by Derhaag Motorsports, teaming with longtime Trans-Am...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
June 14, 2004... Classic is ageless If the classic, "aging'' design of the 2005 911 is so boring (Letters, May 31), why did Nissan use so much of its shape in the design of its new Z? It brings to mind a couple of old adages: "Imitation is the sincerest...

AN AUCTIONEER'S KILLING FIELD; What you should expect from the changes this year to the Monterey auctions.(News)(Calendar)
June 14, 2004... Byline: LARRY EDSALL With new events and new locations, you will need more than catalogs to follow the auction action at Monterey. You'll need a significantly revised schedule and a map with all the shortcuts across the Peninsula. ...

EUROPE'S PEBBLE BEACH.(Revs)
June 14, 2004... Byline: MATT DAVIS At this year's Villa d'Este Concorso d'Eleganza, anniversaries and sun-drenched curved metal abounded. Picture this killer duo coming at you on a crystal-clear Italian spring day: one impeccably restored 1955 Ferrari...

Bain de Soleil; Mini. Convertible. Cote d'Azur. C'est si bon.(News)
June 14, 2004... Byline: NATALIE NEFF This is a story about whimsy. An hour after stepping off the plane, a cadre of black golf shirts direct us to drive through the Provencal countryside across foothills of the Alps and back along the French Riviera into...

FREE FOR ALL; If you want to see everything and anything automotive, this is the place to be.(News)
June 14, 2004... Byline: MAC MORRISON So you are planning the summer's ultimate automotive pilgrimage and-unless you are a CEO with two months vacation or a pro athlete biding your time until the season begins-you need to make a choice. Which single...

The P.I.'s Prancing Horse.(Escape Roads)
June 14, 2004... Byline: ERIC TEGLER A quarter-century ago Magnum P.I. introduced millions of Americans to Ferrari. With each episode Thomas Magnum would look to the camera then nail the throttle of his Ferrari 308, plowing two furrows in the soft...

STILL THE ONE; This could be your best bang for the buck of the whole weekend.(News)
June 14, 2004... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Steve Earle was worried there for a little while. His marquee event, the Monterey Historic Automobile Races, was featuring Ferrari again for the first time since the 50th anniversary 10 years ago. Since then, a lot of...

MONTEREY, ITALIAN-STYLE; The Black Horse show is the anti-Pebble, and hooray, no more buses.(News)
June 14, 2004... Byline: MARK VAUGHN With Ferrari the featured marque at the Monterey Historics, and with Ferrari clubs from across the country making the pilgrimage to the peninsula, this should be a particularly good year for the Concorso Italiano....

CONCORSO WHO? There are still cool cars at the Quail on Friday.(News)
June 14, 2004... Byline: MARK VAUGHN When the wild party that is Concorso Italiano moved from the Quail Lodge last year, many wondered if that would be the end of fun car stuff at this quaint and sprawling hotel. We're here to say, "No way, paesano.'' ...

LAST MAN STANDING; That's Mark Martin's story at Dover.(Motorsports)
June 14, 2004... Byline: AL PEARCE Someone at NASCAR should padlock the videotape of its MBNA 400 at Dover International Speedway in a file called "How Not To Race,'' and then for good measure, dump it the Atlantic, hopefully lost and forgotten for all...

THE AUGUST DILEMMA; So many places, so little time.(News)
June 14, 2004... Byline: WILLIAM JEANES Because August brings with it so many car-related events, adherents of the automotive faith consider it a holy month. But for those of us without a private jet, August also presents hard choices: Pebble Beach or the...

SCHEDULE.(Motorsports)(Calendar)
June 14, 2004... (All times are Central) Thursday, June 17 8 a.m. to noon: Public pit walkabout Friday, June 18 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.: Formula BMW practice 11 a.m. to noon: Formula One practice 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.: F1 practice 3:30 p.m....

Events.(Calendar)(Calendar)
June 14, 2004... Aug. 9 Rock 'n' Rollin' Block Party Ann Arbor, Mich. Go to mainstreetannarbor.org or call (734) 668-7112 ext. 32 for details on this classic automobile celebration. Aug. 11-15 Encounter 2004 Car Show & Rally Visit...

Fast Poll.(News)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... The Cadillac CTS-V can rival the German tuners, especially with mavens like Mallett on board. But it will take more than numbers to equal the leaders in luxury performance. The Mallett CTS-V has the performance to compete with the Germans,...

THE BEST OF THE BEST; There's no better collection of cars anywhere, and you can wear goofy hats.(News)
June 14, 2004... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Pebble Beach is the best concours d'elegance in the history of concours d'elegance. The cars you will see here are the best ever built in more than 100 years of the automobile, and every year there is a whole new...

SOLBERG BOUNCES BACK.(Competition)
June 14, 2004... Petter Solberg (Subaru) took his second FIA World Rally victory of the season, beating Sebastien Loeb (Citroen) and Harri Rovanpera (Peugeot) to win the Acropolis rally, round six of the championship. Loeb leads Solberg 43 to 38 in the points...

THE ONLY OVAL; An American wins on the oldest oval, but Champ Car fans should probably not get comfortable with the concept.(Motorsports)
June 14, 2004... Byline: J.P. VETTRAINO Ryan Hunter-Reay marked his turf at Wisconsin State Fair Park as emphatically as the alpha male timber wolf marks his pack's corner of the Yukon. Hunter-Reay led all 250 laps. Had it not been for seven caution...

The story of Schumacher's dog.(Motorsports)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Automaton, winning machine, race-bagging terminator droid? Say what you like about Michael Schumacher, but he does have a compassionate side. Not only is he a devoted family man, determined to protect his wife and kids from the pressures...

Corrections.(Correction)(Correction Notice)
June 14, 2004... In the June 7 issue, our AutoFile specification chart should have listed the Porsche GT3 wheelbase at 92.7 inches. Our May 31 story on the Bondurant drifting school should have listed the phone number as (800) 842-7223.

OWNERS SAY...(Auto File)(Letter to the Editor)
June 21, 2004... Even at triple-digit speeds the Lamborghini Gallardo's composure is rock solid and the brakes have no problem slowing the car down. High-speed stability is better than that of any car I have driven. But this stability comes at the cost of ride...

SPECS & DATA.(Auto File)(Brief Article)
June 21, 2004... MANUFACTURER INFO Automobili Lamborghini S.P.A. Via Modena 12 1-40019 Sant'Agata Bolognese Italy Customer assistance: n/a Internet address: www.lamborghini.com Country of origin: Italy Number of dealers: 19...

A Swabian Reverie.(Column)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Matt Davis It had already been a surreal two weeks running madly and willingly from Italy to the United Kingdom to Austria and then to Germany for various ungodly good-drive experiences. My eyelids were feeling pasty due to lack of...

NOT COOL, BUT EFFICIENT; Volvo's XC90 carefully leads us from winter into spring.(News)
June 21, 2004... Byline: JOE KOVACH Our yearlong Volvo XC90 test SUV started its third quarter doing its duties diligently if not excitingly. The XC90 isn't nimble enough for our curvy-road lovers; it isn't quick enough for those who are heavier of foot;...

AUTOWEEK'S FAST FIVE: INGRID SKOGSMO; As director of the Volvo Cars Safety Center in Sweden, Skogsmo gets to smash up cars-some 400 per year-all in the name of science. How cool is that?(News)
June 21, 2004... Byline: MIKE DUFF AW: Safety is increasingly important in both Europe and America. Presumably Volvo is pretty proud of its pioneering role in this? Skogsmo: Yes, definitely. We're very proud-in fact we always say there is a little bit...

Flash.(Briefs)
June 21, 2004... Posey wins first Bob Akin award Former race driver Sam Posey was presented the inaugural Bob Akin Motorsports Award (AW, April 12) by the Road Racing Drivers Club at Watkins Glen. Posey, 60, is known for his versatility as a driver,...

STEWART AN IRL TEAM OWNER?(Competition)
June 21, 2004... Tony Stewart says he has been approached about forming an IRL team, and will consider it if the right package of people and equipment can be assembled. Further, he would like to see joint NASCAR-IRL dates at Daytona and elsewhere. Stewart...

Good Car, No Bull; Gallardo brings Lamborghini supercar-dom closer to you.(Auto File)
June 21, 2004... With the introduction of the Gallardo (guy-ARRR-doh), Automobili Lamborghini moves a giant step up from its traditional boutique supercar ultra-niche and closer to real carmaker status. It helps that Audi now owns Lamborghini and seems to be...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)(Brief Article)
June 21, 2004... C'mon, mon, stand on it! Usually at press introductions, the car companies must worry about speeders from foreign countries rousting the local constables. Not so for one journalist on the Nissan 360 event held in San Francisco, where the...

NEXT PROJECT: CASTLE LUTZ; GM builds a mini-Nordschleife.(Revs)
June 21, 2004... Byline: MAC MORRISON ** Situated in Germany's Eifel Mountains, the 14.1-mile, 170-plus turn Nurburgring Nordschleife (North Loop) hosted 20 Formula One races between 1951 and 1976. After Niki Lauda's Ferrari crashed and caught fire there...

Flinty-Eyed Players at GM.(Column)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Kevin A. Wilson Driving a Cadillac CTS-V to Flint, Michigan, to act as a judge at the Kettering University Firebirds Car Club show put me in a General Motors frame of mind. Two weeks later, driving a new Pontiac GTO to Ypsilanti to...

HUG TREES ON SUNDAY, SELL CARS ON MONDAY; The Escape Hybrid shows how green Ford's future is.(News)
June 21, 2004... Byline: MARK VAUGHN ** The guy at valet said that to get to the Ford event we should go down the stairs and to the right. So we went downstairs and to the right and wound up in a hallway packed with Hacky Sack-playing, hemp-wearing,...

Drivers Log.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 21, 2004... 2005 Saab 9-2x Date in fleet: April 16-22 As-tested price: $30,195 Powertrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged H4; awd, five-speed manual Output: 227 hp @ 6000 rpm, 217 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm Curb weight: 3100 pounds MORRISON: I thought this would...

Letters.
June 21, 2004... Don't hold back Regarding your Drivers Log on the 2004 Infiniti M45 (June 7): Floyd says its looks are polarizing? It's a new Chevy Impala that has been hit by an ugly stick! And tell him that with tax, license and anything done to make...

Fast Poll.(News)
June 21, 2004... The Lotus Elise is attractive to U.S. enthusiasts, but the car's limited practicality, British heritage and minimal dealer network may keep it from being widely accepted. Poor reliability drove off the last generation of British roadsters...

THE SELLING OF SMOKEY; Best Damned Garage sale in its final phase, but the legend lives on.(News)
June 21, 2004... Byline: STEVEN COLE SMITH Ray Evernham is now a Nextel Cup team owner, but back in the mid-'90s he was a hands-on crew chief for Jeff Gordon's Dupont Chevrolet. "It was when Jeff and I were in our heyday,'' Evernham says. That's when...

Events.(Calendar)(Calendar)
June 21, 2004... Aug. 16-22 International Thunderbird Club Convention Lancaster, Pa. Fore more information call (410) 653-3108 or visit intltbirdclub.com. Aug. 20-22 Great Northwest Nationals Spokane, Wash. Check out...

HOCUS FOCUS.(News)(Brief Article)
June 21, 2004... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Beijing was ground zero during the recent Auto China 2004 show, with much of the news centering on warmed-over previous-generation products global automakers have in the pipeline for the suddenly car-crazed country....

MARCHING ORDERS.(News)
June 21, 2004... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Nissan has already announced plans to bring its cute, cuddly little Cube to the U.S. market to do battle with the slightly edgier Scion xB and the coming Honda Fit. Small is beautiful now. Though no official arrival...

SMOOTH OPERATOR; Our long-term XJ8 shines on-for the most part.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 21, 2004... Byline: MAC MORRISON When last we reported our experiences with Jaguar's new XJ8 (March 29), nearly our entire staff praised Coventry's flagship. From the seamless drivetrain to the massage-on-wheels air suspension, our editors waxed...

Television: June 25-27.(News)
June 21, 2004... Friday, June 25 NHRA Sportsman Series from Columbus, Ohio, 2 a.m., ESPN2 Speed Racer: Crash in the Jungle Part Two, 7 a.m., Speed Dream Car Garage, 7:30 a.m., Speed Chop Cut Rebuild, 8 a.m., Speed Car Crazy, 8:30 a.m.,...

TYCOON; Michael Andretti finds his niche outside the cockpit.(Motorsports)
June 21, 2004... Byline: BILL McGUIRE Grace: Behind the wheel the great race drivers all have it. Few have thrilled audiences with a display of grace like Michael Andretti has. In a career spanning two decades he danced race cars to a CART championship and...

Race Report.(Motorsports)
June 21, 2004... When the Indy cars come to Texas Motor Speedway, you can count on a wild show, with long, tight packs running two or more wide all the way around the 1.5-mile oval. The June race is a genuine spectacle, run under the lights on Saturday night....

UGLY, AGAIN.(Motorsports)
June 21, 2004... Byline: AL PEARCE After a nasty Dover round, NASCAR's Pocono show was anything but pretty A week after its ugliest show in years, NASCAR came close to an encore in the Pocono 500. Close, in this case, means only somewhat ugly. Unlike...