AutoWeek articles from March 2009

AutoWeek archives from March 2009

- FLASH.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... OPEL ON THE BLOCK General Motors says its European product development will continue even though it has put 25 percent of Opel up for sale. Opel produced GM's global compact and midsize vehicle platforms. The Buick LaCrosse, due this...

Repeat History, or Learn From It?(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: Kevin A. Wilson With government funds to rescue the domestic auto industry, an executive-level automotive "task force to oversee their operations and a reinvigorated focus on energy and environmental policy, can the...

Spec This Out! Super-performance SpecVraises the ante, but is it worth the price of admission?(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: DINO DALLE CARBONARE Since its announcement in early January, this special Nissan supercar has been the talk of GT-R town. We are the first to bring you an exclusive drive of the SpecV, and we can confirm that this is every...

ALVIS LIVES! 1962 ALVIS TD21 DROPHEAD COUPE.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: ERIC TEGLER ALVIS HASN'T BEEN IN business since 1967, but there seem to be Alvises everywhere. If you grew up in Coventry, England, where the company produced rides for the upper middle class for 40 years, and made your way to the...

Automotive SCIENCE FAIR; Locusts, fish, bionic bones- car engineers look to nature.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: PHIL PATTON iN THIS YEAR OF THE BICENtennial of Charles Darwin's birth, evolution is being reappreciated. Among other things, evolution turns out to be a powerful designer and engineer, and automobile designers and engineers are...

2-WHEEL LOWDOWN; 2009 YAMAHA FZ6R.(NEWS)(Brief article)
March 9, 2009... Byline: BARRY WINFIELD COMPETITIVE SET: Suzuki GSX650F, Kawasaki Ninja 650R BASE PRICE: $6,990 ON SALE: Now Aimed primarily at beginners and female riders, the Yamaha FZ6R is a response to research indicating that these buyers...

Info Blizzard! THE FUTURE-AND THE WEATHER REPORT- IS NOW WITH MSN DIRECT.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: MARK VAUGHN It's only a matter of time. Some-day the personal navigation device (PND) on your dashboard will tell you how much dog food is in your pet's bowl, how the Jets will do in the 2011 season and the mood of your girlfriend...

WIN AN AUTOWEEK PRIZE PACK!(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Drop us a line with your latest rant or rave, and if yours is our featured letter in the March 23 issue, we will send you an AutoWeek prize pack: a shirt, a hat, a mug and a 50th-anniversary pin. Dead-line is March 19. Be sure to include "Pack...

2010 Kia Soul:.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $13,995 DRIVETRAIN: 1.6-liter, 122-hp, 115-lb-ft I4; FWD, five-speed manual CURB WEIGHT: 2,560 lb 0-60 MPH: N/A FUEL ECONOMY: 28 mpg (mfr)

2010 ASTON MARTIN DBS VOLANTE Top Down, James; In his DBS coupe, Bond never had it this good.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: JULIAN RENDELL Aston Martin will take the wraps off its fastest-ever production convertible at the Geneva motor show when the muscular 2010 DBS Volante makes its global debut. The soft-top version of Aston's beefy DBS will top...

A Visit to the Riverside Museum.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: JAY JONES Before the legendary Riverside International Raceway met its demise beneath developers' bulldozers, the track brought world-class road racing to a thriving fan base in Southern California. Operating from 1957 to 1989, the...

FIRST QUARTER; 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... AS-TESTED PRICE: $41,515 MILES DRIVEN: 7,941.3 FUEL ECONOMY: 19.6 mpg FUEL COST: $1,650.61 DAYS OUT OF SERVICE: None MAINTENANCE: 5,000-mile scheduled service, including oil change, reprogram key fob ($83.26); replace key...

Third Time's the Charm; Subaru's Forester is fast and bulletproof.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: WES RAYNAL After we drove a 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5XT Limited around Catalina Island off the California coast ("Double Time, AW, March 31, 2008), the Subaru's new boxy design, off-road capability and high functionality sold us on...

DEFINITION OF ECLECTIC; AN INDIANA CAR NUT DRIVES WHAT HE LIKES, AND HE LIKES A LOT.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: PHIL BERG "I have a whole room of trophies, says car collector Tim Durham, "but I don't really know what they're for. I don't know which cars they're for or what the awards are. Durham has about 45 classic and exotic cars in...

FAST FIVE; Frank Williams.(NEWS)(Interview)
March 9, 2009... AutoWeek: How are you coping with the recession? FRANK WILLIAMS: It's hard work, but even in the rich timesif there are such thingsyou have to work hard, because there's never enough money. For the last two or three years, we were spending...

LITTLE BIT O' SOUL; Kia's Gen-Y transporter promises a lot for the money.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: J. P. VETTRAINO It's two-thirds Scion xB and one-third Honda Fit. Or maybe that's one-third Scion xD and two-thirds Honda Element. Think of the Kia Soul either way, and you'll get pretty close to its core mission. The 2010...

Tearjerker in Daytona.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: Denise McCluggage January's Rolex 24 at Day-tona may have been "all about the watches to the broadcast talent. Or so they kept saying and saying. But to me, it was all about connections and cheek-dampening sentiment. It connected...

WE CAN ALL CHANGE.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: GREG MIGLIORE Rinspeed once again surprised us, this time with its futuristic iChange concept, which can be configured to seat one, two or three people with the push of the button that raises the rear end. Instead of conventional...

ITALIAN TECH.(NEWS)(Ferrari S.p.A.)(Brief article)
March 9, 2009... Byline: Jonathan Wong Ferrari brought two new versions of the 599 GTB Fiorano. In addition to the rumored HGTE (Handling GT Evoluzione), it showed off the technology-laden 599XX. Included in the HGTE package are newly designed 20-inch...

ASTON'S SURVIVAL GUIDE.(NEWS)(Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 9, 2009... Byline: Julian Rendell Just six months ago, the prospective launch of the V12 Vantage and the DBS Volanteplus the unveiling of a One-77 concept and the relaunch of the Lagondawould have been reason for Aston Martin honchos to relax and...

OPEN IS BETTER; New Mini convertible might be a bigger step forward than the hardtop.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: J. P. VETTRAINO Call it dedication to the cause, clever marketing or a publicity stunt. Mini's tagline for its all-new convertible is "Always Open, intended to emphasize the little front-drive fun wagon's all-season capability. To...

2011 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS Rebirth of the Gullwing; Mercedes revives its classic two-seater as the SLS.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: GREG KABLE Mercedes-Benz's gorgeous 300SLor Gullwing, as it is affectionately now knownhas been reborn five decades after the iconic two-seater first sent the motoring world into a spin at the New York auto show in 1954. We...

[MORE FROM GENEVA].(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: AUTOWEEK STAFF BENTLEY INTRODUCED the ultimate development of its Continental coupe with the flex-fuel-capable Continental Supersports. For a green spin, engineers reworked the turbo-charged W12's fuel system to cope with corrosive...

SOME BUTS ABOUT IT; Our Evo is fun to drive, and yet . . .(NEWS)(Brief article)
March 9, 2009... Byline: WENDY WARREN KEEBLER The word "but occurs with high frequency in staff notes about our long-term Mitsubishi Lancer Evo MR. As in: "The better-quality interior is welcome, but there is a rattle in the glovecompartment area. Or:...

MCQUEEN'S TEENS; Racer turns tragedy and trauma into a focus on teen-driver safety.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: MARK VAUGHN TEENAGERS DON'T KNOW HOW TO drive, at least not yet. Most adults don't really know, either, but adults at least have a sense of mortality and are more likely to know when slowing down might be a good idea. Teenagers...

RESULTS.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... TRACK: LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY 1.5-MILE OVAL DATE: MARCH 1 TOP 20: 1. Kyle Busch, Toyota, 285 laps at 119.513 mph avg. speed; 2. Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 285; 3. Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 285; 4. David Reutimann, Toyota, 285; 5....

MARKET.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: DAVE KINNEY 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Gooding & Co., Scottsdale, Ariz. Jan. 17, 2009 Inline-six, four-speed manual. Red with black vinyl. Older restoration done only to driver-quality standard. Inferior paint...

TOBACCO ROADS; Race drivers smoking? Not so much today. But the habit once was far more common than we knew.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: GARY WATKINS The thought of modern-day, ultrafit racers kicking back and filling their lungs with smoke between sessions is laughable. After all, it is common for teams to demand that their drivers strive for Olympian fitness...

2010 ASTON MARTIN DBS VOLANTE.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... ON SALE: Fall BASE PRICE: N/A DRIVETRAIN: 6.0-liter, 510-hp, 420-lb-ft V12; RWD, six-speed manual CURB WEIGHT: 3,982 lb 0 TO 62 MPH: 4.3 sec (mfr) FUEL ECONOMY (EPA): 14 mpg

ULTIMATE ASTON.(NEWS)(Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd.)(supercar )(Brief article)
March 9, 2009... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Aston Martin's bid for global supercar supremacy has started at the Geneva motor show with the public premiere of the extremely-limited-edition One-77. Only 77 copies of Aston's $1.75 million flagship will be built,...

SUPER-BAD E63 AMG.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: DALE JEWETT We've seen the redesigned Mercedes-Benz E-class sedan and coupe. Next up: the high-performance E63 AMG version. Prototypes have been spotted on city streets and on Germany's challenging Nurburgring track, packing a...

REMEMBER RIVERSIDE? MOVIE AND RACING FANS WILL GATHER AND REMINISCE.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: Mark Vaughn Everyone who was anyone in racing at River-side likely will be at the Riverside International Automotive Museum for "Legends of Riverside, a racing film festival and gala, March 27-29. There's so much great stuff...

FAST FIVE; Danica Patrick.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... AutoWeek: Peter Windsor said he'd like to speak to you about being one of the USF1 drivers for 2010. Your IndyCar contract with Andretti Green Racing expires after this year. Are you interested in F1? DANICA PATRICK: I haven't heard from...

FIRST QUARTER; 2009 Subaru Forester.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... AS-TESTED PRICE: $31,423 MILES DRIVEN: 4,633.4 FUEL ECONOMY: 20.9 mpg FUEL COST: $914.27 DAYS OUT OF SERVICE: None MAINTENANCE: 3,000-mile scheduled service, including oil and filter change, check and fill fluids, check...

2009 Mini Cooper Convertible.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $24,550 DRIVETRAIN: 1.6-liter, 118-hp, 114-lb-ft I4; FWD, six-speed manual CURB WEIGHT: 2,745 lb 0-60 MPH: 8.9 sec (mfr) FUEL ECONOMY (EPA): 31 mpg

LEATHER BEAUTY.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... To travel in style, you need a good overnight bag to go along with your nav device. Bozeman Watch Co.'s Bannack leather bag is an excellent choice. Bozeman says it uses the best English bridle leather it can get its hands on, then hand-stitches...

2010 Nissan GT-R SpecV.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... ON SALE: Now (Japan) AS-TESTED PRICE: $167,400 DRIVETRAIN: 3.8-liter, 485-hp, 434-lb-ft (448 lb-ft with over- boost) twin-turbo V6, six-speed twin-clutch transmission, AWD CURB WEIGHT: 3,696 lb 0-60 MPH: 3.3 sec (est) ...

TV.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... FRIDAY, MARCH 13 Bullrun marathon, noon, Speed Lucas Oil On the Edge, 4:30 p.m., Speed Pass Time marathon, 7:30 p.m., Speed SATURDAY, MARCH 14 Gearz, 9 a.m., Speed Hot Rod TV marathon, 11 a.m., Speed World...

Car Life.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Why GM Matters: Inside the Race to Transform an American Icon, by William J. Holstein, Walker & Company, www. walkerbooks.com, $27. If you gave up on General Motors a decade or more ago, don't understand why anyone thinks it's worth saving...

BELOW THE LAW.(NEWS)(exceeding the speed limit)(Brief article)
March 9, 2009... The Toronto Sun reports that Ontario Provincial Police detective constable Heidi Fischer was charged with exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h. She was bustedon dutydriving an unmarked car at 165 in a 100-km/h zone . . . for no...

Juris Imprudence.(NEWS)(Prawo Jazdy)(Brief article)
March 9, 2009... From the BBC: Irish authorities have been on the tail of Prawo Jazdy for some time. This scourge of the road has more than 50 moving violations. He was able to continue on his way each time because his license shows a different address, making...

HEROS REVISITED.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... At a fundraiser held by the NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, Calif., drag-racing legend John Force explained how meeting childhood idols leads to disappointment. Years ago, Force said, he saw Funny Car legend Ed "Ace McCulloch "at the door of...

CHAMPION'S RETURN.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Dario Franchitti admits that last year's brief, painful ride through NASCAR humbled him. Driving a Chip Ganassi-owned car that was ill fit to compete at the highest level of the Sprint Cup Series, the former CART standout, 2007...

[HE SAID IT].(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... "I have no idea what to expect with traffic. It must be something like driving in the middle of the night in China. New IndyCar Series driver Robert Doornbos, after his first-ever run on an oval during preseason testing

COMPETITION>CHECKERED FLAG.(NEWS)(Brief article)
March 9, 2009... Greg Biffle (Ford) won the Nationwide Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway ahead of Carl Edwards (Ford) and Brian Vickers (Toyota). Edwards (515) leads the points standings, followed by Vickers (-48) and Biffle (-99). For the record, Kyle...

FAST FIVE; Scott Speed.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... AUTOWEEK: You won the pole for the Nationwide race (and finished 21st in the Cup race) in Las Vegas. Are you becoming more accepted as a NASCAR driver? SCOTT SPEED: It's a boost to my confidence, absolutely. The Nationwide cars are...

EARLY-SEASON ANALYSIS.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... The Daytona 500 is the most historic and biggest event in NASCAR, but in the big picture, it is not as meaningful as some would have you believe. Kevin Harvick, for example, won it in 2007 and hasn't won since. Ryan Newman won in "08 and...

ON THE LIMIT; USF1 MIGHT BE MORE LEGIT THAN YOU THINK.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: Nigel Roebuck When I first heard about plans for a new Formula One team (Competition, Feb. 23), I confess that I was skeptical. This does not seem the most propitious time to enter the most expensive series on earthand this is to...

SMART BET; Kyle Busch wins from the pole and the rear in Vegas.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: AL PEARCE THEY DON'T CALL KYLE BUSCH "Rowdy for nothing. Some fans love him for being among NASCAR's few remaining throwback racers. Others hate him for being arrogant, cocky and in your face. Still others aren't quite sure about...

WRC CARS SABOTAGED?(NEWS)(Brief article)
March 9, 2009... Cars driven by two top local drivers allegedly were tampered with on Rally Norway, Feb. 13-15. One or several people changed the shock settings on Henning Solberg's Ford Focus and Mads Ostberg's Subaru Impreza, making the cars undriveable and...

AUTOWEEK COMES TO THE LITTLE SCREEN!(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Got an iPhone? Are you starving for car stuff when you are away from your computer? You won't miss car or racing news when you visit autoweek.com/iphone for a high-octane info fix. Our site now fits neatly in the palm of your hand.

WHY WE RIDE AND DRIVE; New book studies the psychological and biological reasons.(NEWS)
March 9, 2009... Byline: JOHN L. STEIN Motorcyclists have long been typecast as crazy daredevils and worse. And yet, for a dedicated few, the payoff from the ride is worth all of the insults. Why this is so is the subject of AutoWeek contributing...

Truth&Beauty.
March 9, 2009... SMOKE SIGNAL: Michael Waltrip was just one of the drivers caught up in the chaos at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where a record number of cautions blighted the NASCAR Sprint Cup Shelby 427. Waltrip finished 27th, two laps down. But don't feel...

THE BEAT GOES ON.
March 9, 2009... Byline: JONATHAN WONG Chevrolet finally revealed the production version of the Spark. Initially introduced as the Beat concept at the 2007 New York auto show, the five-door hatchback is expected to go on sale in the United States as a 2011...

WHAT'S IT LIKE TO DRIVE. . . AN NHRA TOPFUEL DRAGSTER?
March 9, 2009... Antron Brown, driver of Mike Ashley Racing's Matco Tools dragster: When the helmet goes on, I become a different person. I'm in a zone, and my mind is blank. The guys strap me in, and the car and I become one. The steering wheel is an artery...

INDYCAR.(automobile racing)
March 9, 2009... WARMING UP Ryan Briscoe (212.156 mph) and Scott Dixon (211.825) paced the field at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Feb. 24-25, in the IndyCar Series' first open test of 2009, but they were not the only drivers in the spotlight. Among the...

HONDA TO BE NAMED BRAWN SPORT?
March 9, 2009... AS of AutoWeek's March 2 deadline, sources said that the former Honda Formula One team is set to be renamed Brawn Sport, and driver Jenson Button could shake down the car in England in the coming weeks. Little firm news has come from the...

FORMULA ONE.
March 9, 2009... FIA WANTS MORE TEAMS The FIA intends to introduce yet more new rules for 2010 in an attempt to encourage two more teams to fill out the grid to the established limit of 12. The rules will be presented to the World Motor Sport Council on...

CHECKERED FLAG.(Larry H. Miller)(Obituary)
March 9, 2009... - LARRY MILLER DIES THE FEB. 20 DEATH OF LARRY H. Miller, from complications of diabetes, was a major blow to the state of Utah. Miller, who was 64, owned a chain of 39 car dealerships as well as the NBA's Utah Jazz and was one of the...

STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... Canadian newspaper the Hamilton Spectator reports that police linked an unnamed 14-year-old to a staggering 98 car thefts since June 2008. The cops think the boy was perpetrating the crimes merely for the sake of joyriding, rather than as part...

DOLLARS & SENSE.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... ORIGINAL LIST PRICE: $16,000 (est) CURRENT MARKET VALUE: $100,000-$125,000 (two headlights), $65,000-$95,000 (four headlights), in very good condition* *Source: Ferrari broker Michael Sheehan

RACE OF THE YEAR; With Acura, Audi and Peugeot, the 12 Hours of Sebring should be a classicBY GARY WATKINS.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... * "This year's Sebring 12 Hours has all of the ingredients to be one of the greatest motor races ever run. So says the man who designed the new Acura LMP1-class prototype that takes on the Audi and Peugeot turbo-diesels in the American Le...

Need to Know.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... Sebringthen what? Never before has the ALMS featured three big-spending manufacturers competing for outright wins in the top prototype division. The series' problem is that, for now, anyway, Sebring is a one-off. The in-house Peugeot Sport...

SERIES AGAIN SET FOR SOLID RACING.(NEWS)(Sports Car Club of America )
March 23, 2009... Byline: SCS * Both the GT and Tour-ing Car championships were decided in the last race of the 2008 SCCA Speed World Challenge series, capping off a competitive season. We expect more of the same in 2009. In TC, Peter Cunningham won his...

2009 Nissan Cube 1.8 S/2010 Kia Soul Sport.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... 2009 Nissan Cube 1.8 S IN FLEET: Feb. 18-25 AS-TESTED PRICE: $16,385 DRIVETRAIN: 1.8-liter I4; FWD, CVT OUTPUT: 122 hp @ 5,200 rpm, 127 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm CURB WEIGHT: 2,829 lb FUEL ECONOMY (AW): 27.4 mpg 2010 Kia...

DIXON HEADS WINNERS AT GATORNATIONALS.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... Byline: ROB GEIGER * Just three races into the NHRA season, Top Fuel veteran Larry Dixon is already a winner for the new Alan Johnson Al-Anabi Racing team after emerging on top at the ACDelco Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. Dixon (206...

2009 Porsche Cayenne Diesel.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... ON SALE: Now in Europe BASE PRICE: e56,436 ($72,115) DRIVETRAIN: 3.0-liter, 240-hp, 405-lb-ft, turbodiesel V6; 4WD, six-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT: 4,928 lb 0-62 MPH: 8.3 sec (mfr) FUEL ECONOMY (EUROPEAN, CONVERTED TO...

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $22,750 DRIVETRAIN: 2.0-liter, 210-hp, 223-lb-ft, turbocharged I4; RWD, six-speed manual CURB WEIGHT: 3,294 lb 0-60 MPH: 5.9 seconds (V6, mfr) FUEL ECONOMY: 25 mpg combined (mfr est)

TV.(NEWS)(National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)(Conference news)(Brief article)(Calendar)
March 23, 2009... FRIDAY, MARCH 27 * NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice from Martinsville, Va., 11 a.m. (L) and 1:30 pm. (L), Speed * NASCAR Sprint Cup practice from Martinsville, Va., noon, Speed (L) * NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying from...

The Strong Survive.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... Byline: STEVEN COLE SMITH * The Series That Refuses to Die, formally known this season as Cooper Tires Presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda, returns for its 36th year, despite struggles that could well have killed a less...

2009 GENEVA MOTOR SHOW.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... BEST IN SHOW Elegant, purposeful and promising sledgehammer performanceyet sensible economyfrom its 600-hp hybrid powertrain, the INFINITI ESSENCE takes AutoWeek's Best in Show honors by a good margin. Other contenders may offer a new...

HEAVY READING; New books on the Daytona 24 and the Brothers Rodriguez are a pair worthy of your home library.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... Byline: ROGER HART The two most recent books from David Bull Publishing are heavyweights literally. The coffee table you display them on will need to be stout to hold the almost 15 pounds. But you should find a place for both in your...

KERS: A power boost.(NEWS)(Kinetic Energy Recovery System )(Brief article)
March 23, 2009... FIA president Max Mosley championed kinetic-energy-recovery systems as a PR measure to force manufacturers to invest in eco-friendly technology that would help convince the world that the sport has some redeeming value. It is almost incidental...

Engines: Eight is enough?(NEWS)(Brief article)
March 23, 2009... * The FIA and teams sought to reduce costs by capping the number of engines required, and the rev limit drops from 19,000 rpm to 18,000 to improve longevity. Each driver receives eight engines for the entire season. Teams will decide how...

AERODYNAMICS: A DIFFERENT LOOK.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... * For years, drivers complained that they could not follow rivals closely through fast corners because they lost downforce in the dirty air. They would then be too far behind to pull off a pass on the ensuing straightaway. The new wide,...

RETURN OF THE ISETTA? BMW "Project i' echoes minicars of the past.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... BMW is finally getting serious about city cars. But contrary to rumors at Munich headquarters, it is not planning a one-size-fits-all model to meet future mobility needs of urban dwellers, as rival Mercedes-Benz has done with its popular...

Porsche's Diesel; We sample the latest oil burner from Europe.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... Byline: GREG KABLE For years, rumors suggested that Porsche would drop a diesel into the Cayenne. It seemed obvious. European Volkswagen Touaregs and Audi Q7s offer diesel, and all three share underpinnings and are assembled at the same...

SPIED!! 2011 JAGUAR XJ PUTS ON XF AIRS.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... Byline: JULIAN RENDELL * Jaguar is putting the finishing touches on its heavily revised 2011 XJ sedan, remaking its flagship sedan in the mold of the XF sedan. Based on a reengineered version of today's all-aluminum XJ chassis...

BADGE & SWITCH; Land Rover LRX to get Range Rover tag.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... Byline: GREG KABLE Land Rover will put its LRX concept car, first displayed at the 2008 Detroit auto show, into production as a Range Rover with the help of a $37 million grant from the British government. The move to the upscale Range...

PDK and the DMV.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... Byline: Steve Thompson * What if the state's department of motor vehicles were a place where you could get a motor vehicle, rather than a place where the state got you? This thought came to me as I was using Porsche's superb...

Slicks return.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... * The FIA mandated grooved tires in 1998 as a way to slow the cars by reducing the amount of rubber on the road. Slicks now return to produce more mechanical grip and to maintain last year's lap times despite the major cut in downforce. It's...

SHAKEUP AT ANDRETTI GREEN.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... Andretti Green Racing has made significant changes behind the scenes. When Marco Andretti negotiated his one-year contract extension with team officials, he requestedand receivedKyle Moyer to work with him as his strategist, and that could be...

Castroneves Trial Under Way.(NEWS)(Brief article)
March 23, 2009... * Helio Castroneves's federal tax-evasion trial in Miami was in its early stages as AutoWeek went to press. The prosecution argues that the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner conspired with his sister and their attorney to illegally evade...

Results.(NEWS)
March 23, 2009... COURSE: RALLY CYPRUS DATE: MARCH 13-15 1. Sebastien Loeb, Citroen C4, 4h 50m 34.7s; 2. Mikko Hirvonen, Ford Focus RS WRC 08, +27.2s; 3. Petter Solberg, Citroen Xsara, +1m 49.4s; 4. Dani Sordo, Citroen C4, +2m 26.3s; 5. Matthew Wilson,...