AutoWeek articles from June 2007

AutoWeek archives from June 2007

Taking it to the Streets.(News)
June 4, 2007... In one of the world's most expensive parades, 22 Formula One cars wind their way around Monaco's famed picturesque street circuit during the Monaco Grand Prix. McLaren teammates Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton lead the pack, eventually...

DID YOU KNOW.(competitions of car racing)(Brief article)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Donald Davidson Earlier in the week before the race, Dario Franchitti's father scored his first-ever hole-in-one at the track's golf course. Franchitti's spotter, Dave Reininger, also spotted for Alex Lloyd, winner of the Indy...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
June 4, 2007... Unleash the Hounds! Now that it's free from the Teutonic clutches of Daimler, Chrysler is poised to revive its Pentastar logo. Good thinking? Or should the company create something from scratch? We've got our own ideas; send us yours! Oh,...

SMOKIN' DEALS.(News)
June 4, 2007... Saturn's reigning North American Car of the Year highlights this week's offers, which also include incentives on a couple of sport/utilities and a luxury drop-top. 1. SPORT/UTILITY VEHICLE 2007 Cadillac SRX MSRP: $37,970; $2,000...

AutoWeek.(News)
June 4, 2007... Exclusive Columns Did you know some columns only appear online each week? We've got AW West Coast editor-surfer dude Mark Vaughn and road test editor-lead singer Natalie Neff alternating weeks with exclusive editorial nuggets. Last week,...

THANK THE HEAVENS; Rain, plus a sprinkling of luck, gives Franchitti his first Indy win.(competitions of car racing)
June 4, 2007... Byline: CURT CAVIN The 91st Indianapolis 500 finished so messy that it's a wonder Dario Franchitti knew how to act in the rain-soaked victory lane. The Scotsman and his wife, actress Ashley Judd, are usually neat and tidy, always...

CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF; Foose's first production Hemisfear strikes terror on the runway.
June 4, 2007... Byline: MARK VAUGHN For a good part of the day, all we heard were swallows arguing in the still air, exchanging little cheepity-cheep-cheeps that may or may not mean anything at all in bird language but sounded quite pleasant to human ears...

Drivers Log.(News)(Product/service evaluation)
June 4, 2007... 2008 Dodge Avenger R/T In fleet: May 15-29 As-tested price: $28,895 Drivetrain: 3.5-liter V6; fwd, six-speed automatic Output: 235 hp @ 6400 rpm, 232 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm Curb weight: 3568 lb Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 19/20.1 mpg KOVACH: I...

AGAINST ALL ODDS; Casey Mears breaks through in the Coca-Cola 600.(Motorsports)
June 4, 2007... Byline: AL PEARCE Every smart-money bet on the Coca-Cola 600 should have leaned toward Hendrick Motorsports. Driver Jimmie Johnson has five wins at Lowe's Motor Speedway, including three of the last four 600s. Teammate and points leader...

FANCY FEAST; A year with Jaguar's XKR convertible. It's a good thing.(News)(Jaguar Cars Ltd.)
June 4, 2007... Byline: NATALIE NEFF To appreciate the beauty of Jaguar's big two-door seriously, you must behold it in the flesh. For some reason, the long, flowing lines and commanding presence of the XK lose their impact when printed on cheap stock or...

TWO-WHEEL LOWDOWN.(Revs)(Kawasaki Motors Corp.'s new 2008 Kawasaki KLR650)(Brief article)
June 4, 2007... Byline: GEORGE P. BLUMBERG 2008 KAWASAKI KLR650 This dual sport takes you almost anywhere. 651-cc, 47-hp (est) liquid-cooled single; 386-lb dry weight; quarter-mile in 13.4 sec @ 99 mph (mfr est). COMPETITIVE SET: BMW F650GS,...

CALIFORNIA CHOP; Topless utes arrive just in time for summer.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Newport Convertible Engineering in Placentia, California, has been chopping the tops off perfectly good cars since 1983. Now, as summer looms in the Northern Hemisphere, they've taken to chopping the tops off...

THE MAHARAJAH'S GARAGE.(evaluation of vintage cars)
June 4, 2007... Byline: RONAN MCGRATH The desert state of Rajasthan is today a favorite destination for visitors to India and provides a vivid contrast to the density, pollution and 16 million people of Mumbai, the financial capital an hour's flight away....

A Born-and-Raised Car Guy.(competitions of car racing)(Column)
June 4, 2007... Byline: KC Crain No one can explain how it works. Either you have it or you don't. Is it genetic, or are you actually raised to become a car guy? I was thinking about this as some guys in our car club were talking about shows they...

A TASTE OF THE SPECIAL BREW.(Escape Roads)
June 4, 2007... Byline: LEIGH DORRINGTON David Uihlein was born with more than a silver spoon in his mouth. His grandfather, Joseph Schlitz, brewed "the beer that made Milwaukee famous.'' Throughout his long and productive life, Uihlein, now 86, has...

Tri, Tri Again; The Subaru Tribeca, all-new two years ago, is all-new again.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: MARK VAUGHN It takes a big man to own up to his mistake. And an even bigger one to fix it right away. Once Pontiac let loose the Aztek, it kept it in production for five painful years. The same happened with the AMC Pacer, which...

THE ROADMASTERS OF EUROPE; Here's what Nicola Bulgari thinks of American iron.(Revs)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Phil Berg Although there is a Bentley in Nicola Bulgari's 20,000-square-foot garage in Pennsylvania, "his blood is all-American,'' says longtime advisor Marty Schorr. "He believes America put the world on the road in cars.'' ...

Flash.(Briefs)
June 4, 2007... More voltage Need more proof that General Motors is deadly serious about developing the plug-in hybrid electric-powered Volt future car? Word from GM's design center in Michigan is that Bob Boniface, director of advanced design, has been...

Flash.(Briefs)
June 4, 2007... Nice try Yu Zhifei, general manager of the Shanghai International Circuit that hosts Formula One, was fired for alleged involvement in a corruption scandal. He is implicated in an investigation into the misuse of $390 million of the city's...

Next NSX? Our spies say looks can be deceiving.(News)
June 4, 2007... It might not look like much, but our spies at Germany's Nurburgring say this oddly proportioned Honda S2000 is actually a mule for the Acura NSX replacement due in 2009. The prototype's long hood and considerable overall length and width...

PRODUCTION RUN; Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione spotted.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER The Alfa Romeo supercar that will pave the way for the Italian sports-car maker's return to the United States appears well on the road to production, as these spy photos of the 8C Competizione indicate. The $200,000...

Letters.
June 4, 2007... Driving down memory lane Thank you. What a pleasant surprise to get an issue devoted to collector cars (May 21 cover story). The hot new cars are great, but it's wonderful to walk down memory lane every now and then. I'm glad to see you...

Market.(Escape Roads)
June 4, 2007... Byline: KEITH MARTIN Cox Auctions Branson Collector Car Auction Branson, Mo. April 20 1961 Triumph TR4 convertible 2138-cc, four-cylinder, dual SUs, four-speed. Light blue with blue leather interior. Recent,...

THE UNTOUCHABLES; McLaren dominates Monaco.(competitions of car racing)
June 4, 2007... Byline: NIGEL ROEBUCK Felipe Massa offered no excuses after the Monaco Grand Prix. "The McLaren pace today was incredible,'' he said. "There was nothing to do against them-even if I'd driven at 150 percent all the way.'' As it was, he...

FIXED KITTY; Will refreshing the styling spark Jaguar XJ sales?(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: JULIAN RENDELL Blink, and you'll miss the revised 2008 Jaguar XJ sedan - unless it's blitzing toward your rearview mirror in the left lane of the interstate. And that's how Jaguar wants it. A blingy bumper with a chrome-dripping...

PONTIAC GXP.R SCORES FIRST GRAND-AM WIN.(Competition)
June 4, 2007... Pontiac's GXP.R, new to Grand-Am's Grand Touring class this year, scored its first-ever win at Lime Rock Park. Banner Racing's GXP.R, driven by Leighton Reese and Tim Lewis Jr., led the closing 46 laps of the GT-only event to claim not only...

TV: June 8 - 10.(News)
June 4, 2007... Friday, June 8 NASCAR Nextel Cup practice from Long Pond, Pa., noon, Speed (L) NASCAR Live from Long Pond, Pa., 1:30 p.m., Speed (L) Formula One practice from Montreal, 2 p.m., Speed (L) NASCAR Nextel Cup qualifying from Long...

Let the Big Dog Eat; CL65 AMG is the alpha male.(News)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Mark Vaughn While the Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series was the main point of our drive, the first car we piloted was the much larger, even more powerful CL65 AMG. The car's 6.0-liter V12 makes 604 hp. These cars should come...

Gifts for Dad.(News)
June 11, 2007... If a car country club membership isn't in the cards for Dad this year, maybe you can find something for him here. Ferrari 500 F2 Model This all-metal 1:18-scale model of the world championship Ferrari of 1953 is hand-assembled from...

Here's looking at you, kid.(News)
June 11, 2007... Dario Franchitti, winner of the 91st Indianapolis 500, kisses the Borg-Warner Trophy during the traditional postrace photo session at the Indy Speedway's start/finish line on Monday, May 28. Franchitti will have his likeness added to the trophy...

Just in Time for Father's Day, Country-Club Circuits Offer Living on the Limit: Part 1 of 2.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Pete Lyons Dad might have plenty of ties and golf shirts and grilling implements. He doesn't need a new watch or sunglasses or wrenches. So how about a 30-acre parcel on the grounds of the Phil Hill Motor Sports Complex at...

Just in Time for Father's Day, Country-Club Circuits Offer Living on the Limit: Part 2 of 2.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Pete Lyons CENTRAL Autobahn Country Club, Joliet, Illinois. Three miles from the Chicagoland Speedway, Alan Wilson has laid out 21 turns in a 3.56-mile lap divisible into two subcircuits. There's also a karting course, plus...

Correction.(Correction notice)
June 11, 2007... Our Indianapolis 500 report ("Thank the Heavens,'' June 4) should have said Tony Kanaan has a championship ring, not an Indy 500 ring. Kanaan has never won Indy. CAPTION(S): Tyler Walker * Matt Borland

Letters.(Letter to the editor)
June 11, 2007... Your dream grid My Irish eyes are not smiling without Pat Flaherty included on your all-time Indy 500 grid (May 28). Wearing a green shamrock on his white helmet, he had a magical month of May in 1956, taking the pole at record speed and...

TV: June 15 - 17.(News)
June 11, 2007... Friday, June 15 NHRA from Memphis, Tenn., 11 a.m., ESPN Classic NASCAR Nextel Cup practice from Brooklyn, Mich., 11:30 a.m., Speed (L) Formula One practice from Indianapolis, 1 p.m., Speed (L) NASCAR Nextel Cup qualifying from...

A Lap with King Ludwig; Riding shotgun with Klaus (and we drive, too).(Product/service evaluation)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Mark Vaughn Immediately upon arrival at the Streets of Willow racetrack in the Southern California desert, the AMG organizational professional stepped right up and asked, "You vant drive car?'' There was a bit of a goat-rope...

Flash.(Briefs)
June 11, 2007... Common sense prevails The FIA cleared McLaren-Mercedes of any wrongdoing after it investigated the Formula One team's "team orders'' in Monaco ("Untouchables,'' AW, June 4). According to regulations, "Team orders which interfere with a...

DAD'S Day Out.(Revs)(Editorial)
June 11, 2007... Byline: KEVIN A. WILSON For car-crazed Detroiters, Father's Day has two traditional alternatives: NASCAR at MIS or the EyesOn Design car show. NASCAR dads would never miss the race, but those of any other automotive persuasion will find...

GAS IN THE TANK; One week later, Indy winner Dario Franchitti plans to keep his foot planted.(Motorsports)
June 11, 2007... Byline: CURT CAVIN If anyone questioned Dario Franchitti's determination to continue racing after his first Indianapolis 500 win ("Thank the Heavens,'' AW, June 4), he answered them loud and clear. The 34-year-old Scot has more racing...

BY THE NUMBERS.(Motorsports)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Donald Davidson SIX: The number of wins and second places Ferrari scored-with five 1-2 finishes-in the first seven (2000-2006) United States Grands Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. McLaren-Mercedes, winner of the only first and...

RACE REPORT.(Motorsports)
June 11, 2007... Byline: CURT CAVIN The Indy Racing League has a soap opera on its hands after Danica Patrick scuffled with Dan Wheldon following the race at the Milwaukee Mile. Patrick confronted Wheldon because they'd made contact on lap 89 of 225....

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
June 11, 2007... "Looks like everyone at GM who can spell Buick is here.'' -GM sales and marketing boss Mark LaNeve at a Buick Enclave press program attended by more GM employees than journalists Press Release We Didn't Finish Autobytel Consumer...

BABY BUGATTI; Bulgarian builder takes his Rumen on the road.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: NICK KURCZEWSKI The Four Stroke Design Rumen looks a lot like a classic 1938 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic, just one that was left in the dryer for way too long. At only 137 inches, the duo-tone Rumen is roughly six inches shorter than a...

ACID TEST; It's Make or Break for Formula One at Indy.(Motorsports)
June 11, 2007... Byline: CURT CAVIN In terms of competition, Formula One will arrive in Indianapolis for the U.S. Grand Prix on June 17 in the midst of arguably its most interesting season in years, thanks to its top four drivers. World champion...

INDY IS MORE THAN A RACE.(Motorsports)(Editorial)
June 11, 2007... Drive On Over The Indianapolis area is home to several karting facilities, but here's one that's particularly worth checking out. Mark Dismore, Indy Racing League race winner and seven-time Indy 500 starter, has made most of his living...

NO SVT? NO PROBLEM; Three super F-150s rise to the challenge.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Saleen isn't the only company to leap into the void left by Ford's Special Vehicle Team not producing an SVT Lightning pickup based on the current F-150. Three others have hot F-150 irons in the fire, all based on...

AutoWeek.(News)
June 11, 2007... ASK A BMW F1 EXPERT AutoWeek motorsports editor Mac Morrison is gearing up for another U.S. Grand Prix, where he'll sit down to talk with BMW racing boss Mario Theissen. You can send us your personal questions for this F1 bigwig, and we'll...

SMOKIN' DEALS.(News)
June 11, 2007... It's finally warming up across the country, and this week, we offer up a convertible for top-down fun and a couple of trucks in which you can get out and explore the countryside. Get off the couch, and get out there. 1. CONVERTIBLE ...

SPORTING INTENTIONS II.(News)(Nissan Altima Coupe)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Most of what you need to know about the 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe arrived in your mailbox a few weeks back ("Sporting Intentions,'' AW, May 28). In that report, we found the 2.5-liter, 175-hp, 180-lb-ft...

LE MANS LOWDOWN; The 2007 French enduro looks like another classic.(Peugeot S.A. and Audi AG)
June 11, 2007... Byline: GARY WATKINS Can Peugeot beat Audi in the turbodiesel battle for Le Mans supremacy? Over one lap, probably. Over 24 hours, almost certainly not. Peugeot has modest expectations for its Le Mans return after a 13-year absence....

SALEEN SOLUTION; After decades of Mustangs, Saleen discovers the truck.(product information of Saleen Inc.)
June 11, 2007... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Saleen made its reputation in Mustangs, producing tens of thousands of them in the more than 20 years of the company's existence. Mustangs are fine things to make, since everyone loves to go fast. But when you look at...

BILL FRANCE JR. DIES AT 74.(Motorsports)(Obituary)
June 11, 2007... Byline: AL PEARCE As AutoWeek went to press, NASCAR had just concluded its Nextel Cup race at Dover, delayed from Sunday, June 3, because of rain. Martin Truex Jr. took the win in his Chevrolet over Ryan Newman (Dodge) and Carl Edwards...

Market.(Escape Roads)
June 11, 2007... Byline: KEITH MARTIN Cox Auctions Branson Collector Car Auction Branson, Mo. April 20 1972 Chevrolet C10 Cheyenne pickup 350-cid V8, Quadrajet four-barrel, auto. Teal and white with green and white cloth and vinyl...

NISSAN'S NEW FACES; New styling and V8 Pathfinder for 2008.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Nissan will introduce 11 new products worldwide in 2007, including biggies such as the GT-R set to debut at the Tokyo show this fall. So we have to forgive the Nissan product planners if they didn't make huge...

MAKING THE MOST OF LE MANS.(Motorsports)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Gary Watkins Start Your Engine There's no better place to watch the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans than the spectator enclosure down at Mulsanne Corner. You can see the pack of cars come down the Mulsanne Straight on the...

GRONHOLM WINS AGAIN, STRETCHES LEAD.(Competitions of car racing)
June 11, 2007... Ford driver Marcus Gronholm extended his World Rally Championship points lead to nine by winning the Acropolis Rally in Greece. Gronholm led the event from the afternoon of the first day, despite rough and rocky conditions and extremely...

Endearing and Enduring.(Escape Roads)
June 11, 2007... Byline: BROOKS BRIERLEY When imported cars were the rage here in the 1950s, this cute-as-can-be station wagon made by Ford in England was among them. It is very much an English car-derived from Ford's Anglia two-door sedan of the...

We Have Built It . . .(Column)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Dutch Mandel For years, this magazine has taken the approach that while it's possible to regulate safety into vehicles, a better avenue does not rely only on costly and heavy technology but incorporates rigorously heavy training....

Drivers Log.(News)(Product/service evaluation)
June 11, 2007... 2007 Mazda MX-5 Grand Touring In fleet: May 14-29 As-tested price: $28,670 Drivetrain: 2.0-liter I4; rwd, six-speed manual Output: 166 hp @ 6700 rpm, 140 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm Curb weight: 2573 lb Fuel economy (EPA/AW): 26/24.5 mpg ...

STILL THE KING of coupes; And that's not just because of the new turbos.(product information of BMW AG)
June 11, 2007... Yes, the new BMW 3 Series coupe has a whole bunch more power because of the twin turbochargers underhood, and yes, it still moves around quicker than the competition, but that alone is not what sets it apart. It's the sound engineering that...

Whetting Dad's Automotive Appetite.(personal narratives of George P. Blumberg)(Column)
June 11, 2007... Byline: George P. Blumberg My little head snapped back and forth like those Hawaiian dolls on dashboards. It was 1953, and I was in the back of our faded blue '49 Chevy sedan, my mom at the wheel, my father beside her yelling, "More gas,...

WHAT NEXT FOR NASCAR?(Competition)
June 18, 2007... Do not expect any major changes in NASCAR now that vice chairman William (Bill) C. France has died ("Bill France Jr. Dies at 74,'' AW, June 11). France had been in declining health for several years, and his June 4 death in Daytona Beach,...

HOW ECLECTIC! Latest Venturi electric buggy bears little resemblance to company's Fetish supercar.(News)
June 18, 2007... Byline: NICK KURCZEWSKI Even in the tiny sliver of Mediterranean glitz and glamour known as Monaco, a Venturi automobile still has the attention-grabbing force of a swift smack to the face with a Louis Vuitton handbag. Having bought...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
June 18, 2007... If it's spring in the cornfields, the Official U.S. Grand Prix Poster should be here Here it is: Fernando Alonso smokin' his McLaren's tires. When the Lights Go Out, by Randy Owens, is a 28-by-22-inch piece of art that sells for $30 .... ..

BLING & BANG; Updated STS features tons of chrome, a new face and a potent base engine.(product information of automobiles)
June 18, 2007... Byline: ROGER HART Automakers roll out "mid-cycle enhancements'' to give aging models new sales life a few years before the model is completely replaced. These makeovers typically include sheetmetal changes, a wheel and tire upgrade and...

DROP & GO: 2008 Shelby GT convertible; Hot convertibles are an open invitation to cruise.(News)
June 18, 2007... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER First, they brought us the Ford Shelby GT coupe. Now, Carroll Shelby and the Mustang and Ford Racing folks are getting together to offer their pony-on-steroids in a convertible version for 2008. In addition to...

LONE STAR SPECTACLE; The IRL offered plenty in Texas.(Competitions of car racing)
June 18, 2007... Byline: CURT CAVIN You wonder how Eddie Gossage does it. While other tracks get fire, his gets fireworks. The Texas Motor Speedway president was nearing the bedtime hour June 3 when television replays from the Milwaukee Indy-car race...

EXTRA.(Competition)
June 18, 2007... India gets go-ahead Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone said he is satisfied with the projected New Delhi street circuit and encouraged Vijay Mallya, owner of the Kingfisher airline that sponsors Toyota in F1, and Vicky Chandhok, the former...

GREAT AFFECTATIONS; Does a more over-the-top luxury car exist than the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe? If so, we wouldn't know where to look.
June 18, 2007... Byline: DUTCH MANDEL Really, now. This Rolls-Royce is an ostentatious car. Even the name-Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe (say it like "souffle,'' with accent wandering off, like Brit Prime Minister Tony Blair)-is pretentious. Puhleese....

HISTORY MADE; Lewis Hamilton breaks through in Canada.(Competitions of car racing)
June 18, 2007... Byline: NIGEL ROEBUCK Fernando Alonso's mistake was small and came in qualifying rather than the race, but it cost the world champion dearly. Beforehand, Alonso-as smooth and unflurried as Alain Prost-held sway, able to beat any time...

Unreal License.(Column)
June 18, 2007... Byline: Kevin A. Wilson The federal government recently announced that it has put off implementing the Real ID Act until December 2009 (originally scheduled for spring 2008), and now there are at least 10 states calling for its repeal....

Market.(Revs)
June 18, 2007... Byline: KEITH MARTIN Cox Auctions Branson Collector Car Auction Branson, Mo. April 20 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa 2687-cc fuel-injected six-cylinder, five-speed. Brown and gold with tan leather interior. The 59th...

Extra.(Briefs)
June 18, 2007... HWA gets Gullwing work Mercedes-Benz will tap elite AMG performance spinoff HWA to build the SL Gullwing ("Super Studs Spied,'' AW, Oct. 23, 2006). The project, which began in 2004 as the McLaren-Mercedes P8, now will be overseen by HWA,...

CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE; For one day, at least, U.S. racing eyes are on Eldora Speedway.(Competitions of car racing)
June 18, 2007... Byline: MAC MORRISON Rossburg, Ohio-population 224, according to 2000 census data-is a village in the Ohio countryside, 43 miles north of Dayton as the crow flies, near the Indiana border. You could call it Anytown, U.S.A. You could not...

TOY HAULER; Tundra tows with the best of 'em but doesn't turn domestic heads.(News)
June 18, 2007... Byline: PHIL FLORADAY You've surely seen the war for half-ton-towing bragging rights on dozens of prime-time commercials by now. It all started back at the 2006 Chicago auto show, when Toyota promised a towing capacity of at least 10,000...

DROP & GO: 2008 AUDI RS4 CABRIOLET; Hot convertibles are an open invitation to cruise.(News)
June 18, 2007... Byline: WES RAYNAL Audi of America has done a 180, and if you're an RS4 fan, this will make you very happy: After saying a year ago that the RS4 Cabriolet wouldn't come to the United States, now it will, as a 2008 model arriving this fall....

THE 1 FOR US.(planning of BMW (Schweiz) AG)(Brief article)
June 18, 2007... We've been hearing for years about BMW's plans to bring its entry-level 1 Series to the United States. Now we're able to provide a definitive look at the model that BMW will bring to this market in 2008, the 1 Series coupe. The stylish...

TV: June 22 - 24.(Competition)
June 18, 2007... Friday, June 22 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series practice from West Allis, Wis., 2 p.m., Speed (L) NASCAR Live from Sonoma, Calif., 3 p.m., Speed (L) NASCAR Nextel Cup practice from Sonoma, Calif., 3:30 p.m., Speed (L) NASCAR...

COMMAND PERFORMANCE, SOUTH BEND-STYLE.(product information of studebaker)
June 18, 2007... Byline: JOHN F. KATZ Paul Wichterman's grandfather was a baker in Philadelphia in 1917 when he bought his first car, a Studebaker tourer. Wichterman doesn't know if his grandfather's profession influenced his choice or if he was simply...

Drivers Log.(News)(Product/service evaluation)
June 18, 2007... FLORADAY: Nothing about this Patriot is consistent with the Jeep brand as I understand it. Look past all the spin, and this is a Dodge Caliber, a vaguely station-wagon-looking creature that doesn't add anything to the age-old station-wagon...

BACK ON TRACK; Champ Car refires in Portland.(Competitions of car racing)
June 18, 2007... Byline: STEVEN COLE SMITH The Champ Car World Series was once again in action-finally-after its three-races-in-three-weeks blitz in April, then a momentum-killing lapse that lasted from the April 22 Houston race until the Grand Prix of...

Race report.(Competition)
June 18, 2007... Byline: AL PEARCE The Pocono 500 was less a test of speed and handling than a gamble that rode on strategy, weather and timing. At the end, the lucky horseshoe walked into victory lane with Jeff Gordon, crew chief Steve Letarte and, for...

AHEAD OF THE CURVE; Veteran driver David Green is the key to Hendrick's Car of Tomorrow success.(Competition)
June 18, 2007... Byline: AL PEARCE Hendrick Motorsports' Chevrolets have won five of six Car of Tomorrow races: Kyle Busch won at Bristol, Jimmie Johnson at Martinsville, Jeff Gordon at Phoenix, Johnson at Richmond and Gordon at Darlington. (DEI driver...

HOT TOPICS; A Conversation with Hot Wheels' Larry Wood.(Revs)(Interview)
June 18, 2007... Byline: Roger Hart Larry Wood is the chief designer and innovator of Hot Wheels, a job he has had since the early 1970s and which has made him the most prolific car designer on the planet. More of Wood's cars have been built than any other...