AutoWeek articles from March 2003

AutoWeek archives from March 2003

STYLE AND SUBSTANCE; Pontiac's Grand Prix gets a healthy dose of good looks-and power.(News)
March 3, 2003... Byline: NATALIE NEFF We may have to wait a few more years for a truly all-new Grand Prix, but at least Pontiac is moving in the right direction with the 2004 model. With its cleaner body and swoopier shape, this Grand Prix moves away from...

Anything but neutral.(Geneva Automobile Show)(News)
March 3, 2003... Byline: JOHN D. STOLL Geneva Salon demonstrates definite performance bias It's been awhile since Geneva looked so good. Take last year. We walked away from the annual Swiss auto shindig less than satisfied with a handful of glossy photos...

Flash.(Briefs)
March 3, 2003... Herbert crashes a Bentley The second of Bentley's brand-new Le Mans contenders has been seriously damaged in testing. Brit Johnny Herbert crashed the EXP Speed 8 at Jerez, Spain on the fourth day of testing at the venue. The damage was...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
March 3, 2003... BWTM couldn't help but try on these hip new duds from daddyos.com-the place where we get all our retro bowling shirts. Brit tattoo artist Vince Ray has designed a brace of great-looking clothes that we will wear at the next Goodwood Festival of...

Specs & Data.(Honda Accord)(Auto File)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... MANUFACTURER INFO American Honda Motor Co. 1919 Torrance Blvd. Torrance CA 90501 Customer assistance: (800) 999-1009 Internet address: www.hondacars.com Country of origin: United States Number of dealers: 1000...

Likes/Dislikes.(Auto File)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... Likes * Ample low-end torque * Best-in-class quality * Euro styling cues Dislikes * Graphics display-based controls * Slightly sloppy shifter * Some rattles over bumps

Winter Semester: Grading on the Curve.(News)(a discussion of the Bridgestone Winter Driving School)
March 3, 2003... Byline: John d. Stoll Anticipate. That's the lesson you'll cart away from the Steamboat Springs, Colorado-based Bridgestone Winter Driving School, which offers a two-day performance program and half- or one-day safety programs, in...

SUBIE'S NEW THREADS.(News)(Subaru is showing off its new design direction)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... After spending much of 2002 revamping its Japan-based design hierarchy-most notably hiring former Fiat/Alfa Romeo designer Andreas Zapatinas as head designer-Subaru's design direction is ready for a Geneva debut in the form of a sporty,...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
March 3, 2003... Less time in the fast lane Regarding Rich Ceppos' Feb. 10 column (``Not So Fast!'') that asked if we condone speeding: I pondered this question on a personal level after our daughter was born. Until then I would often exceed the speed...

Change of Heart; Familiar-looking MDX adds more power, stability and by-wire acceleration.(News)(Honda expects to sell 3000 fewer Acura MDX luxo-sport/utilities)
March 3, 2003... Byline: JOHN D. STOLL If Honda predicting it will sell 3000 fewer Acura MDX luxo-sport/utilities than the 53,000 units sold here last year has you scratching cranium, rub no longer. The challenge comes because it is built exclusively...

Flash.(automotive industry news briefs)
March 3, 2003... The taxman cometh A rare 1993 Ferrari F-40 fetched $409,000 at a federal auction in Orlando, Florida, in mid-February, selling to a buyer representing an unidentified group of investors. The car, the last of 19 special Le Mans-edition race...

Stand Alone; Accord coupe leaves little room for Camry comparisons.(Auto File)(an evaluation of Honda's 2003 Accord)
March 3, 2003... Think twice before grouping Honda's 2003 Accord with the family car fray. For starters, it's hard to push a family car from 0 to 60 mph in just a fraction over six seconds. Yes, we were testing the $28,000 coupe version with a manual and...

Owners say...(Auto File)(Accord owners discuss their purchase)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... The decision to buy a new Accord was easy; it's hard to beat the quality and content for the $23,300 price. My first tank of gas yielded 26.4 mpg. I especially like the headroom, even with the sunroof. The only glitch encountered is a balky...

Next-generation Vette on schedule to debut at Detroit show next year.(News)(work is continuing in secret on the next version of the Corvette sports car)
March 3, 2003... Byline: WES RAYNAL Does the Italdesign-Giugiaro Corvette Moray give U.S. sports car fans any hints to what the coming Corvette might be like? Not really. Dave Hill, vehicle line executive for GM Performance Cars and Corvette chief...

Revolutionary Acts, Circular Reasoning.(the push for bigger wheels can be an expensive process)(Column)
March 3, 2003... Byline: Rich Ceppos Hey, man, you can't floss in those shoes. You heard me. I said... you can't floss in those shoes. Now, are you down with that? You hip? Do you understand the language? Well, then let me break it down for you, friend....

TV; March 7-9.(News)
March 3, 2003... Friday, March 7 Formula One qualifying from Melbourne, Australia, 2 a.m., Speed Channel (T) Xtreme Dirtcar Series from Tampa, Fla., 3 a.m., Speed Channel (T) Totally NASCAR, 6 a.m., Fox Sports Net (T) Hi-Rev Tuners, 7 a.m.,...

Events.(Calendar)(upcoming automotive related events)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
March 3, 2003... May 1-4 Corvette Show & Cruise Wildwood, N.J. For information call (609) 517-5800. May 1-4 20th Annual Imperial Owners State Meet & Show Monterey, Calif. Sponsored by the Imperial Owners Association of...

Drivers Log.(News)(a discussion of the 2003 Mercedes-Benz S500 4Matic)
March 3, 2003... 2003 Mercedes-Benz S500 4Matic Date in fleet: Feb. 10-24 As-tested price: $86,265 Powertrain: 5.0-liter V8; awd, five-speed automatic Hp: 302 @ 5600 rpm Torque: 339 @ 2700-4250 rpm Curb weight: 4390 pounds MPG (AW observed/EPA combined):...

Corvette started out as a dream car at the 1953 Motorama.(News)
March 3, 2003... Corvette started out as a dream car at the 1953 Motorama, and the idea of an American two-seat sports car with Chevy power has inspired designers ever since. Moray seems to reflect some knowledge of the '59 Sting Ray, 1961 Mako Shark, 1965 Mako...

YES, FOR U.S. SALE; The U.S.-spec Acura TSX is not only as tight as the European and Japanese versions, it's tighter.(News)
March 3, 2003... Byline: MARK VAUGHN The grass is always greener on the other side of the Armco. We in North America sit here and look longingly at car magazines from Europe and Japan and see the cars those guys over there get, then we look at the...

2004 ACURA TSX.(News)
March 3, 2003... On sale: April Base price: $25,000 (mfr.) Powertrain: 2.4-liter, 200-hp, 166-lb-ft I4; fwd, six-speed manual Curb weight: 3230 pounds 0 to 60 mph: 7.0 seconds (est.)

Race Report.(News)
March 3, 2003... The Champ Car season opener for 2003 also marked the series' inaugural appearance in St. Petersburg, Florida, on a 1.806-mile, 14-turn course along the downtown waterfront and an adjoining airport. Sharing attributes of two of CART's best...

THE NEXT BIG THING? In Champ Cars, Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais could be it.(News)
March 3, 2003... Byline: BILL McGUIRE Nineteen cars answered the bell for the Champ Car World Series season opener at St. Petersburg this past week. What with the recent upheaval in the series, rookies piloted nine of the 19 cars. While talent needs to...

Jarrett Wins at The Rock; Will it be the last spring race held there?(News)
March 3, 2003... Byline: AL PEARCE Word in the pits was, this was the last spring race at The Rock-NASCAR will shift its '04 date to Fontana or Kansas City, although not necessarily on the same weekend. If true, at least the Subway 400 gave 'em something...

WILL BARNHART GIVE GM A BREAK?(Indy Racing League competition boss Brian Barnhart )
March 3, 2003... Indy Racing League competition boss Brian Barnhart said he will not help a lagging engine manufacturer with rule changes-can you say NASCAR?-but he will let the afflicted help itself (AW, Feb. 24). ``We would allow a resubmission of designs...

Geneva auto show.(News)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... We've crammed the Geneva highlights into these pages, but for complete, daily coverage direct from the Swiss spring fling March 4-6, see our web pages at autoweek.com.

Results.(News)(auto racing)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... St. Petersburg 1.806-mile street circuit Feb. 23 1. Paul Tracy, Lola, 105 laps at 91.401 mph avg. speed; 2. Michel Jourdain Jr., Lola, 105; 3. Bruno Junqueira, Lola, 105; 4. Mario Haberfeld, Reynard, 105; 5. Roberto Moreno, Lola,...

Results.(News)
March 3, 2003... North Carolina Speedway 1.017-mile oval Feb. 23 1. Dale Jarrett, Ford, 393 laps at 117.852 mph avg. speed; 2. Kurt Busch, Ford, 393; 3. Matt Kenseth, Ford, 393; 4. Ricky Craven, Pontiac, 393; 5. Jamie McMurray, Dodge, 393; 6....

BOWLING GREEN MEETS TURIN; Italdesign-Giugiaro hits Geneva with the wild Corvette Moray.(Cover Story)(Alfa Romeo Brera)
March 3, 2003... Byline: MATT DAVIS How do you follow a smash hit? Last year's Italdesign-Giugiaro Geneva show star, the award-hogging sex bomb Alfa Romeo Brera by papa Giorgio Giugiaro, has officially been tapped by Alfa's boss Daniele Bandiera to be the...

Lambo lovers unite!(News)(Lamborghini Registry)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... To mark the House of Bull's 40th anniversary in May, the sports car manufacturer is creating the Lamborghini Registry. The registry's goal is to identify-from some 10,000 Lamborghinis manufactured and still in circulation-the best maintained...

Fast Poll.(News)(racing)
March 3, 2003... The season is here and readers face myriad racing options from which to choose. I'll be watching F1 to see how the changes impact the series. WRC, because there is nothing like race cars sideways so fast. Nader Mohasesi, Mission Viejo,...

2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Comp G.(News)(powertrain prices)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... On sale: March Base price: $27,890 Powertrain: 3.8-liter, 260-hp, 280-lb-ft supercharged V6; fwd, four-speed automatic Curb weight: 3583 pounds 0 to 60 mph: 6.5 seconds

A Melange of Movie Remakes, Special Effects and Bob and Carroll.(Column)
March 10, 2003... Byline: Dutch Mandel Now and again enough stuff crosses this desk and mind that it has to be put on paper. So, herewith, some disparate nuggets on which to gnaw: I wait patiently for the redo of that hip '60s car flick, The Italian...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
March 10, 2003... ]]]]]] Just ANOTHER CELEB SAVING THE PLANET Word out of London has it that American actress and singer Jennifer Lopez used no fewer than six limousines to travel from one luxury hotel to another equally lavish one-a distance of about 100...

2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA.(Cover Story)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $32,980 (awd), $31,230 (fwd) POWERTRAIN: 3.5-liter, 250-hp, 250-lb-ft V6; awd/fwd, four-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT: 4675 pounds (awd), 4482 (fwd) 0 to 60 MPH: 9.6 seconds (mfr.)

Drivers Log.(2003 Acura 3.2TL Type-S)
March 10, 2003... 2003 Acura 3.2TL Type-S w/nav Date in fleet: Feb. 18-March 3 As-tested price: $33,960 Powertrain: 3.2-liter V6; fwd, five-speed automatic Hp: 260 @ 6100 rpm Torque: 232 @ 3500-5500 rpm Curb weight: 3554 pounds ROCA: This...

Letters.
March 10, 2003... True car guy Regarding Dutch Mandel's Feb. 24 ``Car Guy Defined'' column: A car guy is always looking for driving perfection, trying to improve his driving skills, flowing through traffic as fast and smooth as possible without endangering...

The Understated American.(The Lincoln LS )
March 10, 2003... Byline: KEVIN A. WILSON Here's confidence for you: Not content with the gutsy move of showing us the Lincoln LS at Waterford Hills road racing circuit, Lincoln also lined up prime competitors including the Cadillac CTS, BMW 530i and Lexus...

2004 SMART ROADSTER.(News)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... On sale: April in Europe Base price: $17,000 (est.) Powertrain: 698-cc, 81-hp, 81-lb-ft I3; fwd, six-speed automanual transmission Curb weight: 1742 pounds 0-60 mph: 10.9 seconds (mfr.)

2003 LINCOLN LS.(News)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $40,695 POWERTRAIN: 3.9 liter, 280-hp, 286-lb-ft V8; rwd, five-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT: 3755 pounds 0 to 60 MPH: 6.4 seconds (mfr.)

Flash.(Briefs)
March 10, 2003... `Concept' A8 coupe Audi's Geneva show concept, the Nuvolari, is close to what we'll see in an A8-based 2+2 luxury coupe going into production in 2006. Unlike the Volkswagen Touareg-based Pikes Peak sport/utility vehicle concept seen at...

A ROCKY DEBUT; The inaugural Turkish rally was all about avoiding trouble.(News)
March 10, 2003... Byline: JEREMY HART The old adage in motorsport is ``To finish first, first you have to finish.'' Visiting Turkey last weekend for the first time on the World Rally Championship, no one knew what to expect from the mountain stages above...

Results.(Homestead-Miami Speedway)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Homestead-Miami Speedway 1.5-mile oval March 2 1. Scott Dixon, G Force-Toyota, 200 laps at 153.710 mph avg. speed; 2. Gil de Ferran, Dallara-Toyota, 200; 3. Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Toyota, 200; 4. Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Honda,...

Results.(News)(of the Rally of Turkey automotive race)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Rally of Turkey Feb. 26-March 2 1. Carlos Sainz, Citroen Xsara, 4h 32m 14.1s; 2. Richard Burns, Peugeot 206 WRC, +47.9s; 3. Francois Duval, Ford Focus RS WRC 02, +1m 46.5s; 4. Colin McRae, Citroen Xsara, +2m 9.1s; 5. Gilles Panizzi,...

Results.(Las Vegas Motor Speedway)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Las Vegas Motor Speedway 1.5-mile tri-oval March 2 1. Matt Kenseth, Ford, 267 laps at 132.934 mph avg. speed; 2. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 267; 3. Michael Waltrip, Chevrolet, 267; 4. Bobby Labonte, Chevrolet, 267; 5. Tony...

Max headroom Mini.(The 2004 Mini convertible)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Just as BMW/Mini is debuting its John Cooper Works 200-hp upgrade kit for the Mini Cooper S at the Geneva motor show (AW, Feb. 17) comes word (and this photo) of the 2004 Mini convertible caught recently during cold-weather testing in...

A getaway car for the middle class.(The Citroen 11)
March 10, 2003... Byline: ERIC TEGLER When French crime novelist Georges Simenon put his famous protagonist, Chief Inspector Maigret, in a Citroen 11, he knew what he was doing. Popular with the police, criminals, and members of the French Resistance...

Breaking the code: A trio of Codemasters games sends parts flying and plot lines racing.
March 10, 2003... Byline: MIKE FLOYD, MAC MORRISON Ask 10 professional drivers how they made it to the big time, and you'll likely get 10 different answers. Chances are they toiled in lesser series-sometimes racing for peanuts, or less-before the major...

Big looks, small bucks; Cross Lander mixes Romanian design, Brazilian car building and American marketing.(Romanian company ARO )(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER So you say you're hankering for an uncommon sport/utility vehicle, one that you won't see every time you change lanes on the freeway. And as much as a $50,000 Hummer H2 or an $80,000 Range Rover might fit the bill,...

Flash.(auto racing news briefs)
March 10, 2003... Some teams in, others out The IRL's non-participating teams are going different directions in their bids to join the fray. Among them: Access Motorsports has signed to have Greg Ray drive a G Force-Honda. Hemelgarn Racing tried in vain to...

LITIGATION ALLEY.(Championship Auto Racing Teams plagued by lawsuits)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... CART'S season got off to a better start than some anticipated with a successful inaugural race in St. Petersburg, Florida (AW, March 3). Yet as the series tries to build on that momentum and quell doubts about its long-term viability, a number...

Fast Poll.(Who is a car guy?)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Do you find hand washing your car strangely sensuous? Got a large stack of car magazines collecting dust in the basement? If so, readers say you're a car guy. My wife will kill me if I leave her out of this. What defines a car couple? When...

AN OCEAN APART; Pacifica narrows the gulf between Chrysler and Mercedes.(Cover Story)
March 10, 2003... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Toss a Pacifica into a narrow, undulating bend of wet pavement, feel the agile suspension at work, and you'll know that Chrysler's much-ballyhooed merger with Daimler-Benz is finally beginning to pay dividends on the...

Race Report.(News)
March 10, 2003... Byline: CURT CAVIN Scott Dixon barely drew attention in testing for the 2003 IRL season. His switch to Tony George's league was something of an afterthought in light of the similar moves Michael Andretti, Dario Franchitti, Kenny Brack and...

Masters of Ancient Technology; NASCAR keeps the clock turned back.(News)
March 10, 2003... Byline: BILL McGUIRE One can call NASCAR Winston Cup many things-exciting, wildly popular, carefully managed, perhaps even contrived at times. But one thing no one will ever call it is motorsports' technology leader. And despite a subtle...

Race Report.(News)(a discussion of the results of an automobile race)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... When Las Vegas Motor Speedway made its first appearance on the Winston Cup schedule in 1997, it was a quirky one-groove track. Thankfully, that's changed. The surface has seasoned and settled in on the 1.5-mile tri-oval, opening up two,...

SMART AND SMARTER; We probably won't get these fun cars, but we'll likely get a four-door version.(Smart City Coupe)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Byline: MATT DAVIS There's been an ongoing conversation about whether or not North America will ever get the cute little Smart City Coupe, Coupe Cabriolet or Crossblade. Well, take it from the Smart side of the Atlantic, you won't. They...

TV; March 14-18.(News)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Friday, March 14 NASCAR Winston Cup qualifying from Darlington, S.C., 2:30 p.m., Fox Sports Net (L) NASCAR Trucks from Darlington, S.C., 4 p.m., Speed Channel (L) Totally NASCAR, 6:30 p.m., Speed Channel (L) Trackside at...

Events.(Calendar)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... May 9 Merchant's Cruise Fort Recovery, Ohio Call (419) 375-4908 for details on this biannual event. May 9-10 Swap Meet & Car Corral Wichita, Kan. Benefiting the Midian Shrine. Call (316) 650-3397 for more...

And coming soon...(Video games featuring auto racing)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Indycar series: How do you know when a racing series has finally reached the big time? When it gets its own video game, of course. IndyCar Series is the first ever game to feature the IRL's official tracks and drivers. The Brickyard will be...

Now you see them, now you don't; Most of these Geneva cars won't see the light of day in the United States.(News)
March 17, 2003... Lest you miss out on any of the odds and ends assembled on the Swiss show floor, check out these extras from our team in Geneva. But just don't get your hopes up for buying any of them here anytime soon. * LARAKI FULGURA Geneva is nothing...

THINK YOU MAY HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?(Mazda's driving school)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2003... Byline: MAC MORRISON Mazda has a deal for you. The company's Rev It Up performance driving school tour begins March 29 in San Francisco and continues at 14 nationwide locations throughout the summer. For less than the cost of most video...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
March 17, 2003... ``I've got brothers I'd like to get back at just as much as anyone else.'' -Funny Car pilot Frank Pedregon, who will compete this year against brothers Cruz and Tony ``I worked with the guys all through the off-season because that's...

Specs & Data.(Infiniti automobile statistics)(Illustration)
March 17, 2003... MANUFACTURER INFO Nissan North America Infiniti Division P.O. Box 191 Gardena CA 90248 Customer assistance: (800) 662-6200 Internet address: www.infiniti.com Country of origin: Japan Number of dealers: 162...

TEACH A ROBOT TO DRIVE, WIN A MILLION BUCKS! government will pay big money for robotic vehicles.(News)
March 17, 2003... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Imagine R2-D2 and C-3PO piloting a desert truck in an off-road race from Los Angeles to Las Vegas with a $1 million first prize dangling in front of them. No, this is not the latest reality television show plot or...

TV; March 21-23.(car racing schedule)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2003... Friday, March 21 Formula One qualifying from Malaysia, 1 a.m., Speed Channel (L) NASCAR Busch Series qualifying from Bristol, Tenn., 1:30 p.m., Speed Channel (L) NASCAR Winston Cup qualifying from Bristol, Tenn., 3 p.m., Fox...

Events.(car shows and auctions)(Calendar)
March 17, 2003... May 16-18 Chrysler Classic Columbus, Ohio Car show, swap meet, drag race and car corral. Call (614) 268-1181 or visit www.chryslerclassic.com. May 16-18 Spring Swap Meet Syracuse, N.Y. Held at the New York State...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
March 17, 2003... No hurray for Moray Regarding the March 3 Giugiaro Corvette Moray cover story: Blah! Giugiaro has been responsible for some of the best designs that I can remember. They've ruined their reputation with me for cutting-edge styling. ...

SOLID GOLD; Except for the blue trim stuff.(Corvette news)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 17, 2003... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Dick Guldstrand is dapper. Make that dashing. And not just dashing for being 75 years old, either. He looks now, as he always has, like a movie star pirate from a 1930s film, the kind with real swashbuckling. ...

YEEE-HA! Kenny Brown's 450-horsepower Marauder S brings all the fun to the party.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 17, 2003... Byline: DUTCH MANDEL All crossed up on the commute home in Kenny Brown's obscenely potent Mercury Marauder S, hunkered down in its black leather seats, grabbing hold of a big American steering wheel, spinning tires and grinning wildly, a...

Muscle Head; Infiniti's M45 delivers pumped-up thrills in a luxury package.(Infiniti Q45 automobile information)
March 17, 2003... If we think of Infiniti's flagship Q45 as fictional weightlifter Franz, then the M45 must be Hans: a little smaller and lighter, with the same steroid-affected heart. Judging by responses to our AutoFile survey, it certainly possesses enough...

OWNERs say...(Auto File)(Letter to the Editor)
March 17, 2003... This is a great car. It is comfortable, well appointed, powerful, and I like the styling as well. With the softly squared-off body and large wheels, it looks like a classy muscle car. Ride, handling and acceleration are superb. It's a pleasure...

Heated Controversy about the Climate.(Column)(Column)
March 17, 2003... Byline: Kevin A. Wilson Having generated angry e-mail from all points of the political compass, I suspect this column may be fulfilling my mission as a representative of ``the media,'' which is, of course, giving everyone else a handy...

BMW DINAN S2-M5.(News)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2003... ON SALE: Now AS-TESTED PRICE: $110,000 (est.) POWERTRAIN: 5.0-liter, 470-hp, 419-lb-ft v8; rwd, six-speed manual CURB WEIGHT: 3965 pounds 0 to 60 MPH: 4.6 seconds (mfr.)

GULDSTRAND SIGNATURE EDITION ANNIVERSARY CORVETTE.(automobiles for sale)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2003... ON SALE: Now AS-TESTED PRICE: $101,135 POWERTRAIN: 5.7-liter, 500-hp, 520-lb-ft V8; rwd, six-speed manual CURB WEIGHT: 3118 pounds (est.) 0 to 60 MPH: 4.2 seconds (mfr.)

JRD PANOZ ESPERANTE RSr COUPE.(News)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2003... On sale: Now as-tested price: $169,400 Powertrain: 5.2-liter, 600-hp, 510-lb-ft supercharged V8; rwd, six-speed manual Curb weight: 3450 pounds 0 to 60 mph: 4.1 seconds (mfr.)

Precision Movement: Part 1 of 2; Watch the Swiss for well-meshed gears and stylish statements.(News)
March 17, 2003... Byline: MARK VAUGHN, DUTCH MANDEL, ROGER HART, MATT DAVIS, MIKE FLOYD Sure, sure there were the cars. There were supercars waiting to be made into posters to go on the walls of preteen car enthusiasts, like the Lamborghini Gallardo (a...

Bookmark.(Web site for car parts information)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2003... Find a veritable A-to-Z of tuner and parts catalogs listed at www.roadcatalogs.com.

Flash.(car racing briefs)
March 17, 2003... CART cancels Road America race As it increasingly touts itself as a road-racing series, CART officials have pulled the plug on one of its road-racing crown jewels: The August Road America date. In February CART filed suit against Road...

WITH OR WITHOUT FORD.(Competition)
March 17, 2003... CART CEO Chris Pook says it will be several months before CART decides whether to take Ford racing boss Dan Davis' offer to extend Ford-Cosworth's exclusive engine supply agreement beyond 2004. Nonetheless, it sounds as if Pook already...

QUICK STUDY; Casey Mears' Winston Cup arrival is open-wheel racing's loss.(News)
March 17, 2003... Byline: AL PEARCE Casey Mears arrived in Winston Cup with a pretty skimpy stock car resume: one ARCA start in 2001 and a mediocre 2002 season in the Busch Series. How mediocre? One top-five, two top-10s, 21st in points and fifth in...

Race Report.(News)
March 17, 2003... Of course Bobby Labonte doesn't want Atlanta Motor Speedway to lose its spring Winston Cup race: Six of his 20 Cup wins have come at the 1.5-mile track near Hampton, where he has five other top-fives and an eighth in 21 starts. But someone...

Results.(Australia results)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2003... Australia 3.295-mile street circuit March 9 1. David Coulthard, McLaren-Mercedes, 58 laps at 121.085 mph avg. speed; 2. Juan Pablo Montoya, Williams-BMW, 58; 3. Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren-Mercedes, 58; 4. Michael Schumacher, Ferrari,...

Results.(Atlanta Motor Speedway )
March 17, 2003... Atlanta Motor Speedway 1.54-mile oval March 9 1. Bobby Labonte, Chevrolet, 325 laps at 146.048 mph avg. speed; 2. Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 325; 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 325; 4. Matt Kenseth, Ford, 325; 5. Tony Stewart,...