AutoWeek articles from May 2001

AutoWeek archives from May 2001

All Growed Up; We love Acuras Integra, but its replacement the RSX, is better in every way.
May 7, 2001... Grandpa used to say it's tough growing old. But between his folksy aphorisms and curmudgeonly grumblings, he failed to mention that sometimes just growing up is bittersweet. Perhaps because it's a lesson only experience can teach. ...

FACTS.
May 7, 2001... MANUFACTURER'S DATA Volvo Cars of North America 1 Volvo Drive Rockleigh NJ 07647 Customer assistance: (800) 458-1552 Internet address: www.volvocars.com Country of origin: Belgium Number of dealers: 385...

Perfectly Fine; So nice you almost forget about it.
May 7, 2001... Is the ACURA 3.2TL Type-S an alternative to European sports sedans like the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C320? Acura would like to think so. To that end it added performance to its base TL. Engineers massaged the intake and exhaust...

Forcing the Issue; By turbo, Volvo's got a good start.
May 7, 2001... Certainly easy on the eyes, the Volvo S60's design looks good from any angle with an interior to appeal to anyone who's ever shopped at Ikea (read: all those young professionals tool- ing around in leased BMW 3 Series). But in normally...

Solving for X ; We drive the Jaguar X-Type along th eRiver Wye and do the math.
May 7, 2001... Just about the only unknown variable regarding the upcoming Jaguar X-Type has been what it's like to drive. Jaguar's marketing drum started beating in earnest last November, though the car didn't turn up for its auto show debut until Geneva in...

The Non-Race Report.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... Brave or stupid? Faced with a potential driver revolt, CART CEO Joe Heitzler canceled CART's race at Texas Motor Speedway. But give CART an F for allowing things to get to that point in the first place. Heitzler alienated a new market in...

Nightmare; An 11-car wreck overshadows Ray's impressive win.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... Fairy tale or nightmare? It depended on one's perspective. Yes, Greg Ray delivered yet another spectacular effort at Atlanta Motor Speedway, winning everything the Indy Racing League had to offer last weekend (the pole, the most laps led in the...

Driven.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... ``I have yet to see a really true, great racing film. Maybe once I see Driven in its entirety... I'll reserve judgement for that moment.'' -Mario Andretti That moment has arrived. Driven is out now-and while we're not keeping Mario's...

Chasing customers; BMW and Cadillac take dramatic license.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... In the spirit of Bullitt, BMW and Cadillac are getting into the chase film business. Both automakers are using chase-based sell jobs to woo buyers, but their contrasting approaches to the same concept are as dissimilar as their product...

The Race Report.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... Conservatism; Rusty Wallace says that's what won him the NAPA 500. ``Some guys were running real trick setups, soft springs and stuff, to drop the front end and dial out this push we're getting with these hard tires this year. I decided to play...

Land Rover plays hard to get.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... Land Rover will star on screen and in the showroom with two specially built vehicles that range from impossible to just plain hard to get. A highly modified Defender will debut in the June 15 release of Tomb Raider, a film based on the...

Competition This Week.(International Pages)
May 7, 2001... Michele Alboreto: 1956-2001 A punctured tire caused the high-speed accident in which Audi Le Mans driver Michele Alboreto was killed in Germany last week, according to Audi officials. Alboreto's Joest-run Audi R8 became airborne on a...

Car surfin'.(Internet/Web/Online Service Information)(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... Top-10 used cars purchased online (April 24, 2000 through April 24, 2001) 1. Ford Mustang 2. Chevrolet Corvette 3. Chevrolet Camaro 4. BMW 3 Series 5. Mercedes-Benz 300-Series 6. BMW 5 Series 7. Volkswagen...

Designing Lincoln's future.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... When Lincoln adds an entry-level luxury coupe to its lineup, don't be surprised if it looks a lot like a slimmed-down version of the MK 9 concept Ford's luxury division showed at the New York show. Lincoln officials say the oversized MK 9,...

The News.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 7, 2001... Better navigating Navigators Maybe Lincoln's luxury-liner Blackwood isn't on your radar, but improved steering developed for the 2002 crew-cab pickup due out this summer is destined for a Navigator near you. Seeking more precise...

FACTS.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 7, 2001... MANUFACTURER'S DATA Acura Automobile Division American Honda Motor Co. 1919 Torrance Blvd. Torrance CA 90501-2746 Customer assistance: (800) 382-2238 Internet address: www.acura.com Country of origin:...

Views and Reviews.(Brief Article)(Letter to the Editor)
May 7, 2001... OWNERS LIKES: THIS IS MY FOURTH ACURA, EACH OF which has been bulletproof reliable. I love the sound of the 260-hp V6. Dislikes: This car would be great with a five-speed manual. The auto-stick is finicky on second-to-third upshifts. It is...

2002 Jeep Liberty; A serious player both off-road and on.
May 14, 2001... ``Duality'' was the mantra chanted by everyone who worked the past 29 months on bringing Jeep Liberty to life. Duality meant the SUV, slated to replace Cherokee-the vehicle some say started the whole SUV trend in 1984-had to have wonderful road...

A Wagon for Upscale Volks; The secret is out, so the new Passat cashes in.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... The Volkswagen Passat, once the secret sedan (or wagon) of the driving enthusiast with a family, is the new darling of the set that formerly favored Honda Accords as the standard-setter among mundane-mobiles. The latest Consumer Reports car...

Hockenheim Pro-Am ; Wherein professional fast guy Paul Gentilozzi tests the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car and we get a turn behind the wheel, too.
May 14, 2001... Let's start by taking Porsche's assertion at face value: Porsche Pirelli Supercup is the fastest single-marque racing series anywhere. Okay. Enthusiasts and racers in the United States can now buy the spec race car-a model named the 911...

Ach du Lieber! ; Latest AMG sedan puts the hammer down, but gently.
May 14, 2001... They're almost paranoid, these AMG guys, borderline angst-ridden about comparisons between their fast, new C32 and the mighty BMW M3. They bring it up before we can, even if we had no intention of mentioning it in the first place. ``Sure,...

...But Wait, There's More.
May 14, 2001... Driven to Distraction Hollywood-Prior to the premier of Driven, Paul Tracy piloting his CART car thrilled a crowd gathered outside Mann's Chinese Theatre along Hollywood Boulevard with a pit stop demonstration and a series of...

Rebuilding Year? Not ; Team Ganassi says there's no such thing.
May 14, 2001... Chip Ganassi stands alongside the race hauler in the garage area at Fontana Speedway where teams and media have assembled for CART's ``sneak preview.'' The first scheduled race is still more than a month away. It's cold and windy for Southern...

The News.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Shelby pricing revisited Shelby American has announced a base price of $142,000 for its Shelby Series 1 supercar, and a top price of $215,000 for a model powered by a supercharged version of the Olds-mobile Aurora V8 engine. Prices for the...

Car Board.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Identity: Laying claim to one can be confusing. Ask any 14-year-old. Or any automaker, for that matter. Pontiac AZTEK Price: $29,730 Engine: 3.4-liter V6, 185 hp, 210 lb-ft Curb weight: 4043 lbs Drivetrain: awd,...

Four Laps of Pressure ; The Indy 500's most proficient qualifier tells you exactly What It's Like Out There.
May 14, 2001... Qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 is the most stressful, the most high-pressure situation of anything I've done. Period. Pole day is the most crucial, the most demanding, because of all the build-up leading to it. Remember: Prior to...

Clearing the Air? ; NASCAR says it is attempting to answer some tough questions about Dale Earnhardt's death.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Mike Helton says he has had enough. He's had it up to here with some of the racing media, some of the fans, some of the ``instant experts'' in the mainstream media-even with some competitors in the garages. He's a strong-willed bear of a man...

An open letter to CART stockholders...(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Dear stockholders, I have two figures for you. 1223. $561.50. We drove 1223 miles, and spent $561.50 to attend your CART Firestone Firehawk 600k at Texas Motor Speed-way this weekend. I decided to make it a family outing,...

X5's baby brother.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... With 80,000 of its strong-selling X5s on the road, BMW is developing a smaller X3 sport/utility vehicle. The X3 offers high ground clearance and a wide chassis, seen here testing under the body of a current 3 Series wagon. The smaller version...

Don't be fuelish; Nissan shows its second entry in the fuel-cell fray.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Nissan's latest fuel-cell vehicle is so new that its keepers won't let anyone drive it-and they make all the passengers wear a wrist strap wired to the frame to guard against any sparks of static electricity. ``Just a precaution,'' said...

Out from under; Tom Gale escapes the indoor car show circuit and heads for sunshine.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... The guy who moved concept cars like Viper, Prowler and PT Cruiser out of exhibit halls and onto the streets wants his own personal ride to see more sunshine. Chrysler's Tom Gale says after 34 years in the auto industry, he has had enough of...

Results.
May 21, 2001... A1-Ring 2.686-mile road course May 13 1. David Coulthard, McLaren-Mercedes, 71 laps at 130.376 mph avg. speed; 2. Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 71; 3. Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari, 71; 4. Kimi Raikkonen, Sauber-Petronas, 71; 5. Olivier...

Town Car tail.
May 21, 2001... A redone rear end usually isn't big news, unless the subject is the Lincoln Town Car. Among the changes for 2003 is a larger trunk. That's a key commodity considering limousine drivers have been complaining about lack of luggage capacity since...

Chrysler PT Cruiser.
May 21, 2001... We're not a bunch of overly emotional romantic fools here at AutoWeek, but we've gotten a little mushy in our fawning over the PT Cruiser. Even the toughest guy on board, as much as he hates to admit it, is enamored. There are Cruisers...

Buried treasure; Historic Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe resurfaces after decades in hiding.
May 21, 2001... For 24 years, a historic racer considered by many to be the Holy Grail of collector cars, sat in an Anaheim storage shed gathering dust and mystique with each passing year. The car, the first of six Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupes produced,...

FACTS.
May 21, 2001... MANUFACTURER'S DATA Nissan North America 18501 S. Figueroa St. Gardena CA 90248 Customer assistance: (800) 647-7261 Internet address: www.nissandriven.com Country of origin: United States Number of...

Views and Reviews.
May 21, 2001... OWNERS DOWNSIDE: I DON'T LIKE HAVING to feed it high-test. I don't like the clock and CD changer; the one in the dash of my old 1989 Nissan Pathfinder was better. I'm six-foot-three-inches tall and the '89 model's tilt-wheel was a better...

PRICING.
May 21, 2001... Base: $24,049 As tested: $26,755 IntelliChoice target price: $24,501 Rebates: None Destination charge: $540 What owners paid; average: $26,050 to $26,774; $26,412 Options as tested: Supercharger value...

ROAD TEST DATA.
May 21, 2001... STANDING-START ACCELERATION 0-30 mph: 2.60 sec 0-40 mph: 4.27 sec 0-50 mph: 6.08 sec 0-60 mph: 8.78 sec 0-100 km/h (62.1 mph): 9.39 sec 0-80 mph: 16.57 sec 0-quarter-mile: 80.1 mph, 16.59 sec ...

2002 Chevrolet Avalanche; It's two, two, two trucks in one!
May 21, 2001... Chevy Avalanche brand manager Ed Schoener, who was introduced-we are not making this up-as ``The man who could sell fur to a bear,'' summed up reasons for the Avalanche this way: ``There are 30 million house-holds in America that own both a...

Offside Undo.
May 21, 2001... Are we in the golden era of motorsports or are we on the brink of racing's Armageddon? Take F1. With their NASA-sized budgets F1 cars are bespoke with launch control, a device so thrilling that drivers need just push a button and they shoot off...

Supermodel; Supercharged truck does better on style than substance.(Brief Article)
May 21, 2001... IT'S NOT A NEW CONCEPT, THIS PRACTICE of hot-rodding pickup trucks. As truck sales have grown to now make up fully 50 percent of vehicle purchases, automakers have searched for ways to make trucks more attractive to all segments of the buying...

Car Board.(Brief Article)
May 21, 2001... Oldies but goodies. The classics never go out of style. Acura NSX Price: $88,845 Engine: 3.2-liter V6, 290 hp, 224 lb-ft Curb weight: 3069 lbs Drivetrain: rwd, six-speed manual Take a drive in Acura's NSX, and...

Bentley's future.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 21, 2001... We're beginning to see the future of luxury car builder Bentley under the direction of its new owner, Volkswagen. Part of VW's five-year, $850 million investment in the British automaker is the development of a less expensive (at least by...

Analyzing Alex ; In the most important way, Zanardi has it right.(driver Alex Zanardi)
May 28, 2001... We could write off Alex Zanardi or, God forbid, cast him in the role of a real-life Joe Tanto. If you haven't seen Driven, don't hurry. If you have, you know that Tanto is Sylvester Stallone's character: a former champion who threw his career...

It's no Mirage.(Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 28, 2001... The high-performance Lancer Evo VII is ``still under study.''As Mitsubishi readies to introduce its compact 120-horsepower 2.0-liter Lancer sedan to take on the likes of Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra, Volkswagen Jetta, Mazda...

Strapped for leather; Ostrich alternative waits in the wings.(leather industry in United Kingdom)(Brief Article)
May 28, 2001... Britain's disease-depleted cattle are causing headaches for luxury carmakers that rely on the United Kingdom's carefully managed herds for prime, interior-grade leather. ``Some selections have jumped as much as 50 percent over a year...

Follow your dreams ; To the new Automotive Road of Dreams Museum.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2001... It's always been a dream of mine to create something more from my love of cars,'' said Bob Teller, founder of the Automotive Road of Dreams Museum in Costa Mesa, California. ``Along with providing an educational venue for our younger...

New 'Bird Soars ; Cruising is back and here's the car to do it in.(Evaluation)(Brief Article)
May 28, 2001... The first time we slid into the new Thunderbird the radio was set to AM, which was entirely appropriate for a car like this, since that's what Frank and The Boys would have listened to way back when. It wasn't just any old AM station, though....