AutoWeek articles from May 2005

AutoWeek archives from May 2005

More Views.(News)
May 2, 2005... * So the Odyssey squeaks by the Freestyle with a more family-friendly package, but what about price? That's a big factor when it comes to family budgets, and the difference-almost $7,000 as-tested-is significant. I'd go with the Ford (even...

MIRROR IMAGE; Spied production Jaguar XK is a crisp reflection of Detroit show car.
May 2, 2005... Byline: JULIAN RENDELL The disguise is blown for the next Jaguar XK8 sports coupe after a photo shoot in South Africa was infiltrated by an intrepid spy photographer. These pictures reveal the styling, stance and details of the 2007...

Moving Day: Father Knows Best.(Column)(Column)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Cory Farley I realized the other day-too late, as usual-that I've neglected to teach my children an important automotive skill. Both can correct a skid. Both, male and female, can change a flat. They know how to check their...

Race wheels to Rays wheels.(News)(Rays Engineering)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: DINO DALLE CARBONARE "Racing improves the breed.'' If there's one company that statement perfectly describes, it's Japan's Rays Engineering. When the company was established in 1973 Rays primarily developed and built wheels...

Flash.(Briefs)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 2, 2005... Drop the `concept' As we predicted, that Arnage Drophead Coupe concept Bentley revealed at the Los Angeles auto show in January (Jan. 17) is going into production early next year. The range-topping four-seat convertible, successor to the...

SHANGHAIED! Rolls-Royce knockoff wows Chinese showgoers.(News)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: JULIAN RENDELL Proving nothing is sacred, Hongki-longtime official supplier of cars for Communist Party officials in China-showed a design concept at the Shanghai motor show that most observers doubted they would ever see: a...

Fast Poll.(News)(Letter to the Editor)
May 2, 2005... While the MC12's performance impresses, poll respondents frown on its design and find the car unworthy of its price tag and the Maserati insignia. The proportions are all off. The wing is horrid, and the back would be okay if the tail...

MARKET.(Escape Roads)(Russo and Steele)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: KEITH MARTIN Russo and Steele Scottsdale, Ariz. Jan. 28-29 1963 Shelby Cobra Serial No. CSX2128. 289-cid V8, four Webers. Side pipes, Halibrand mags. Terrific documented race history, driven by Allen Grant, Dan...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
May 2, 2005... Assertive (and skilled) Italian drivers I disagree with Matt Davis' April 18 column on Italian driving manners. I once hammered a Peugeot 206 on the autostrada at 160 mph. I saw every other motorist (averaging 100 mph, I'd estimate) driving...

PERFORMANCE JAGUAR SPIED!(News)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Our spies have taken the wraps off Jaguar's next-generation XK coupe (Cover Story, page 22), but bagging the more elusive performance XKR has proven a bit tougher. The best spy shot so far details the upcoming XKR's quad exhaust and a slight...

FAMILY TRUCKSTERS; Different approaches, same goal; which takes the cake?(News)
May 2, 2005... For some reason, a chunk of the motoring public has deemed the humble minivan a sort of Hester Prynne of automobiledom, the stigma of "mommy-mobile'' pinned to it like a great big scarlet M. Many would prefer a trip to the proctologist's over...

Drivers Log.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Mark Vaughn 2005 Porsche Carrera GT Date in fleet: April 12 As-tested price: $449,000 Powertrain: 5.7-liter V10; rwd, six-speed manual Output: 605 hp @ 8000 rpm, 435 lb-ft @ 5750 rpm Curb weight: 3043 lbs VAUGHN: Now that...

AW Goings-On.(News)
May 2, 2005... Online: Chinese takeout from the Shanghai auto show On deck: When car companies change their stripes... Are they going against who they are, or fulfilling their destiny?

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
May 2, 2005... Captain Obvious takes job at Detroit Free Press, writes first headline: "Automakers urged to promote good health'' Badge Engineering or Cloisonne Envy? General Motors, in an effort to align its products with the company, will...

FACES OF TIME; Exhibit showcases history of car clocks.(Revs)
May 2, 2005... Byline: JOHN F. KATZ The railroad conductor's pocket watch is a familiar icon, but horse-drawn road coaches of the 19th century also carried sturdy clocks to help keep them on schedule. Not surprisingly, then, when the production...

THREE STRAIGHT; The best F1 race this year goes to Alonso, again.(Motorsports)
May 2, 2005... Byline: NIGEL ROEBUCK "As I've said, you don't have to win a race to enjoy it,'' said Michael Schumacher after the San Marino Grand Prix. "I'm happy in one way, excited in fact, because I love to fight, but also disappointed of course.''...

WINNING WAYS; Roush Racing continues its Phoenix dominance.(Motorsports)
May 2, 2005... Byline: AL PEARCE Spring or fall. Sunday afternoon or Saturday night. Sunny and hot or rainy and cool. Nothing seems to matter much when Jack Roush brings his NASCAR teams to Phoenix International Raceway. Roush entered the Subway...

Flash.(Briefs)(British Rollcentre team)
May 2, 2005... No Le Mans for Nasamax The eco-friendly Nasamax team has pulled out of June's Le Mans race. Project founder John McNeil has scratched his Nasamax-Judd DM139 prototype, which is powered by bio-ethanol fuel, from the race. This year's event...

RED BULL GETS FERRARIS.(Competition)(Red Bull Racing)
May 2, 2005... Ferrari announced at Imola it will switch its customer Formula One engine supply from Sauber to Red Bull Racing. Red Bull Racing, which uses Cosworth engines, has a two-year deal for the new 2.4-liter Ferrari V8, covering the 2006 and 2007...

VACATIONING, ENTHUSIAST-STYLE.(Revs)(Jon Wong)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Jon Wong Fishing at the cottage or tanning at a resort is one way to spend your vacation, but how about aiming the turret of a tank? Or exploring the limits of an F1 racer in the south of France? If that has you rethinking your...

Prius: A Free Pass for Sequoias.(Column)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Kevin A. Wilson It came to me at the gas pump. The beneficiary of expense-report largesse was a Toyota Tundra, extended cab, iForce V8, 4x4 and-on this particular tankful-a 14-mpg gas-sucker. So the thought that came to me was,...

Television: May 6-8.(News)(Calendar)
May 2, 2005... Friday, May 6 Legends of Motorsport: 1963 Triumph at Sebring, 7 a.m., Speed Formula One practice from Spain, 8 a.m., Speed (L) USAR Pro Cup Series from Concord, N.C., noon, Speed NASCAR Beyond the Wheel, 2 p.m., Speed ...

MORE POWER TO YA; Want a downright sexy engine bay? Sleeper tuner Hamann of germany is your shop.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 2, 2005... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Ever had a Hamann? Hamann is perhaps the biggest German tuning house you've never heard of-located in Laupheim, it is owned and run by Richard Hamann, who competed in the 1983 German Touring Car Championship in a BMW...

Takin' It to the Street; More manufacturers are making customer desires into reality.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 2, 2005... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Out in the lot behind Street Concepts' Huntington Beach shop in California we found the genesis of the whole shebang. Parked up against a fence, looking mighty original-from the CB radio antenna to the Confederate flag...

TCK YOUR BMW; Anyone can do horsepower, but who can do chassis? TC can.(News)(TC Kline)
May 2, 2005... Byline: MARK VAUGHN "It used to be the racing was all we did, nothing but for about 12 years," said TC Kline by mobile phone while driving an M3 with a TC Kline suspension kit underneath. And they did it well, winning races and...

Events.(Calendar)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
May 2, 2005... June 25-July 9 2005 Great Race Washington, D.C. Go to greatrace.com or call (800) 989-7223 for details on this race from Washington, D.C. to Tacoma, Washington. June 28-July 3 GTOAA Nationals Car Show St. Louis ...

RACING TO SUCCESS; PERFORMANCE MATTERS, BUT SO DOES LOOKING GOOD.(News)
May 2, 2005... Byline: STEVEN COLE SMITH Considering the success Florida's Champion Audi has had in motorsports-including a first and second at the last Sebring 12 Hour in the Team ADT Champion Racing R8s, and 2003 and '04 manufacturers' championships in...

Refined Muscle.(Escape Roads)(Dodge Charger)
May 2, 2005... Byline: BROOKS BRIERLEY When Dodge put its Charger concept car into production for 1966, it may not have realized the staying power this muscle car would have. A good-sized vehicle, with a 203.6-inch length, the Charger's $3,128 price and...

TUNING JAPANESE; A peek inside Gruppe M, Japan's hottest tuner shop.(News)
May 2, 2005... Byline: DINO DALLE CARBONARE We are greeted at Gruppe M's research and development center on the outskirts of Yokohama in Japan by company founder and president Mamoru Ogose. Many entrepreneurs tend to use their last names when it comes to...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
May 2, 2005... Richard S. Chang's April 25 column should have said Toyota introduced the Scion brand in the United States three years ago.

Market.(Escape Roads)(automobile auctions)(Column)
May 9, 2005... Byline: KEITH MARTIN RM Auctions Amelia Island, Fla. March 12 1968 Morris Mini Cooper S White with black roof, black flares. 1275-cc four-cylinder, four-speed. A true Cooper S, not a made-up clone. Aftermarket mags....

Events.(Calendar)(Calendar)
May 9, 2005... July 8-9 Arthritis Foundation Classic Auto Show Dublin, Ohio Go to arthritisautoshow.com or call (614) 876-8200 for event details. July 8-10 Carlisle All-Chrysler Nationals Carlisle, Pa. For more on the show log...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
May 9, 2005... Ramp runners unite In regards to Rich Ceppos' April 25 column, my first thought was, "How can you write a full page about an off-ramp?'' After I finished his column I realized that when I retire in a year and a half, the only thing I'll...

Flash.(Briefs)(Champ Car World Series)(Obituary)
May 9, 2005... Toyota-NASCAR update It seems almost a cinch Toyota will field at least one Busch Series car next year to prepare for its 2007 Nextel Cup entry. NASCAR officials confirmed Toyota hopes to present a car and engine for preliminary approval...

Television: May 13-15.(News)(Calendar)
May 9, 2005... Friday, May 13 NASCAR Nation, 1 a.m., Speed American Chopper, 2 a.m., Discovery American Muscle Car, 2 a.m., Speed Car Crazy, 2:30 a.m., Speed Legends of Motorsport: British Motor Co., 7 a.m., Speed Car Crazy, 8:30...

OVERFLOWING BAR?(Competition)(BMW WilliamsF1)(2005 World Touring Car Championship)(Federation Internationale de l'Automobile )
May 9, 2005... After the San Marino Grand Prix on April 24, the FIA took the extraordinary step of lodging an appeal against the race stewards who confirmed the legality of Jenson Button's third-place BAR-Honda. The stewards-Giuseppe Muscioni of Italy, Paul...

Benz Test Bed; Mercedes ponders a move into the truck biz.(Mercedes-Benz)
May 9, 2005... Byline: GREG KABLE Mercedes-Benz has become somewhat of a master in the art of identifying emerging markets and adjusting its lineup accordingly-look no further than the addition of such models as the A-, B- and M-Class to the traditional...

Crossover Cat? Jag considers a leap outside traditional lineup.
May 9, 2005... Byline: GREG KABLE Not to be left behind by its luxury-car rivals, Jaguar is planning a major shakeup of its lineup. Word out of the United Kingdom has Jaguar decision-makers looking beyond their traditional sedan, coupe and convertible...

BENTLEY'S BIG UTE; Building on the power of a marque.(Bentley Motor Cars)
May 9, 2005... Byline: GREG KABLE Think Bentley, and regal luxury and hugely powerful coupes come to mind, right? That's the way it's been for decades. However, if plans being hatched at parent company Volkswagen come to fruition, you might have to add...

Flash.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... Designer reunion Hot-shot designer Freeman Thomas, who resigned from Chrysler's Pacifica studio in California on April 21 (AW, May 2), is reuniting with former Volkswagen colleague J Mays. Thomas will take over June 1 as director of...

Where Are the Flying Cars? And while we're at it, where are the jet packs and moon hotels?(News)
May 9, 2005... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Paul Moller, Ph.D., has spent the last 40 years of his life perfecting the flying car. Jesse James, biker, built one in five days. Nonetheless, you can't go down to your corner car dealer and buy either one. That may be...

Drivers Log.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 9, 2005... 2005 Volkswagen Jetta Date in fleet: April 4-11 As tested price: $22,080 Powertrain: 2.5-liter I5; fwd, six-speed automatic Output: 150 hp @ 5000 rpm, 170 lb-ft @ 3750 rpm Curb weight: 3285 lbs Mandel: There is no reason why this Jetta...

HOLE TO CHINA; 2005 Shanghai Motor Show reveals products for burgeoning market.(News)(Studio X-Gene)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... Byline: JULIAN RENDELL Not too many years ago China was an automotive backwater, a place where bicycles and old Buicks ruled roadways. Today, despite occasional fits and starts, the Chinese market appears ready to blast off, if all the...

SEEDS OF CHANGE.(automobile trends)
May 9, 2005... Animal rights advocates, ethicists, church leaders and Big Gubment all look at Dolly the Cloned Sheep and say genetic re-engineering is a slope that should be seriously scrutinized before we go tumbling into an abyss. In the car world,...

ONE TRICK TRUCK; Honda's Ridgeline thinks outside the box.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 9, 2005... Byline: WES RAYNAL When Honda first showed its pickup concept at the Detroit auto show in 2004, company boss Tom Elliott looked out over the assembled masses and said, "After telling you for years we have no plans for a truck, now we're...

STRETCHING HIS LEAD; Dan Wheldon plays the fuel game best.(Motorsports)(Twin Ring Motegi)
May 9, 2005... Byline: DINO DALLE CARBONARE Dan Wheldon's lucky streak is alive and well. The British driver, who won his first IRL race at Honda's Twin Ring Motegi last year, had the lead handed to him two laps from the end of the 200-lap Indy Japan...

RECORD ASCENT; German explorer takes a volkswagen to new heights.(Revs)
May 9, 2005... Byline: JON WONG Look out Land Rover, Volkswagen has moved into the off-road record book by reaching the highest elevation ever for a stock vehicle. Last January German adventurer and veteran off-roader Rainer Zietlow set out to...

On the Rise; How else can you describe Hendrick Motorsports' restrictor-plate performance?(Motorsports)
May 9, 2005... Byline: AL PEARCE There was a time not long ago when Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip were almost locks to win the dreaded restrictor-plate races at Daytona Beach and Talladega. Junior has won seven of them and Waltrip four since...

ON A ROLL; Sebastien Loeb wins a tough one, takes the points lead.(Motorsports)(Rally d'Italia-Sardinia)
May 9, 2005... Byline: ANTHONY PEACOCK Citroen's Sebastien Loeb has moved into the World Rally Championship points lead once more, winning Rally d'Italia-Sardinia. But second place for former series leader Petter Solberg means the Subaru driver is just...

'06 EXPLORER GETS NEW FACE AND MUSTANG V8.(News)(Brief Article)(Column)
May 9, 2005... Byline: Bob Gritzinger When you see this new face on the 2006 Ford Explorer this fall, remember to look behind the grille for what's really important: a new, higher-output 4.6-liter V8. Like its Mercury Mountaineer sibling that debuted at...

AW goings-on.(News)
May 9, 2005... * Online: More on those magnificent men and their flying machines * On deck: We flog the BMW M6 and the wild Rinspeed Chopster

WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW; A Hummer buggy.(Interview)
May 9, 2005... Byline: WES RAYNAL Of all the General Motors divisions, Hummer is the one whose DNA is "purest.'' We know what Hummer stands for-big honkin' trucks. So does that make it the most likely candidate-or the least likely-for a new product...

Theory of evolution.(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... In the never-ending search to create The Next Big Thing, carmakers splice genes like Gregor Mendel. Subaru, for example, married a four-wheel-drive wagon and the outdoors to get its Outback. Here are some other Darwinian efforts. ...

LOADED FOR BEAR; Lenco's BearCat is ready for duty.(Revs)(Lenco Armored Vehicles)(Ballistic Engineered Armored Response)
May 9, 2005... Byline: ERIC TEGLER Note to self: Don't tangle with the Lenco BearCat. No amount of road rage is going to overcome seven gun ports and 16,000 pounds of rolling armored vehicle-not to mention a SWAT team. The BearCat (short for...

Flash.(Briefs)(Concours d'Elegance at Cranbrook)
May 9, 2005... * Bugattifest at Saratoga A collection of Bugattis, including the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours Best of Show-winning Type 57SC Atlantic, will be on display June 7 through Oct. 16 at the Saratoga Automobile Museum in Saratoga Springs, New...

ACEMCO no go for Le Mans.(Competition)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... American team ACEMCO Motorsports in Spring Lake, Michigan, withdrew its Saleen S7-R GT1 race car from Le Mans in June, citing safety reasons. ACEMCO owner Jeff Giangrande explained: "The primary reason is the reinterpretation of the ACO rule...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
May 9, 2005... * Instant Messaging? "Schu is a culprit. I think he does an interview with himself, and if someone wants an interview, he just plays them the tape.'' -Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone, on world champ Michael Schumacher and...

Making the Celebrity Rounds.(Escape Roads)(Societe Industrielle de Mecanique et Carrosserie Automobile)
May 9, 2005... Byline: CHRIS JACKSON Famous people everywhere have benefited from manufacturer largess through the years, from Clark Gable and his crazy Duesenbergs to the blinged-out Escalades and Hummers that prowl Hollywood Boulevard today. It's...

Fast Poll.(News)
May 9, 2005... While owning an F430 is little more than a pipe dream for many respondents, readers still lust after the Ferrari's curvaceous sheetmetal and world-class performance. The styling of the 360 did nothing for me, but the F430 revision is...

Dragging the Bull.(Column)(competitions)(Column)
May 9, 2005... Byline: Dutch Mandel Chances are when you fantasize, it is with images of you wearing Nomex for The Big Win, bathing in champagne and soaking up nubile waif adoration. Not me. I'm il patron, the ATM behind the team. I relish wins,...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
May 9, 2005... An April 25 news item should have said Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird ceased production in 2002.

SHANGHAI SURPRISES; More highlights from the recent Shanghai motor show.(News)
May 9, 2005... Byline: JULIAN RENDELL 1. Chevrolet will replace the current Aveo with a restyled four-door later this year. Based on the same Daewoo-derived front-drive platform as today's model, the new car was reworked in Korea by a name familiar...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
May 16, 2005... A May 2 story on a luxury tuner car built by Street Concepts of Huntington Beach, California, should have listed the following company contact information: streetconcepts1.com and (714) 891-9513.

Market.(Escape Roads)
May 16, 2005... Byline: KEITH MARTIN RM Auctions Amelia Island, Fla. March 12 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible conversion Red, with red and silver vinyl interior, black vinyl top. 283-cid V8, two-speed automatic. Claimed chassis...

Flash.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... * Customs at Pebble Custom cars will take their place alongside other classic vehicles on the 18th fairway of the famed Pebble Beach Golf Links on Aug. 21, the focus of the specially judged hot rod category at the Pebble Beach Concours...

Events.(Calendar)(Calendar)
May 16, 2005... July 10 Italian Car Festival Canton, Ohio Call (330) 363-5055 for more information on this Stark County Fairgrounds event. July 10 Kiwanis Klassic Kar Show Dewitt, N.Y. Call (315) 445-0547 for more information...

SPECS & DATA.(Auto File)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... MANUFACTURER INFO Ford Motor Co. The American Road Dearborn MI 48121 Customer assistance: (800) 392-3673 Internet address: fordvehicles.com Country of origin: United States Number of dealers: 3500 (est.) ...

FINE CHOPPED CAYENNE; Not just the next Porsche tuner, Rinspeed Chopster is one thorough overhaul.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 16, 2005... Byline: MATT DAVIS We first saw the wild Rinspeed Chopster, based on an already impressive 444-hp Porsche Cayenne Turbo, on the Internet in 2004, and it was orange then. We saw it at this year's Geneva show in matte silver, and it was time...

TOP PROSPECTS TO WIN.(Motorsports)
May 16, 2005... 1. Dan Wheldon He's on pace to win four of the first five races of the IRL season 2. Tony Kanaan Defending IRL champ was a strong second to Buddy Rice in 2004's 500 3. Helio Castroneves We could be looking at the event's first...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
May 16, 2005... POPEMOBILES Now that Pope Benedict XVI is settled in at the Vatican, he's going to need a new ride. Log on to autoweek.com to vote for your favorite, or send us your own! Take That, Chauvinist Pigs! Karen Rafferty, Cadillac...

Drivers Log.(News)
May 16, 2005... 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid Date in fleet: April 18-May 2 As-tested price: $20,415 Powertrain: 1.3-liter I4; fwd, five-speed manual Output: 93 hp @ 5700 rpm, 116 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm (with IMA) Curb weight: 2732 lbs LUU: Dealing with hybrid...

Is It Over Yet?(Column. Gas prices.)
May 16, 2005... Byline: Rich Ceppos It's a gloomy day in Michigan as I write this. Maybe a gloomy time for car nuts as well. I sense the end is near-the end of the big gasoline-fueled bash we've been having for the last dozen years. My mood is no...

Owners say...(Automobile industry)(Five Hundred)
May 16, 2005... Critics say the Five Hundred is too slow and too boring, but in the real world it is a well-designed car that executes its purpose to near perfection. The interior is as nice as my Mercedes E320, and with its trunk space, the Five Hundred is...

Fast Poll.(News)(Letter to the Editor)
May 16, 2005... Byline: @@Text: The XK8's Aston Martin styling influence and Taurus-like grille disappoint readers, leaving many longing for classic Jaguar designs of the past. The XK8's Aston Martin styling influence and Taurus-like grille disappoint...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
May 16, 2005... The shootout continues In your May 2 DoubleTake, the Honda Odyssey's sticker is $7,000 higher than the Ford Freestyle's. Choosing an Odyssey EX instead of the Touring model would cost only a few hundred dollars more than the Freestyle, and...

There and Back Again.(Column)
May 16, 2005... Byline: Steve Thompson It has been more than a decade since the first At Large column appeared in AutoWeek, and I am more and more frequently asked by readers how I came to be writing the column. It's all because of Leon. Here's why. ...

WRAPPED AROUND A TREE; Automakers give planet Earth a big, green hug.(News)
May 16, 2005... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Round about Earth Day's 35th anniversary on April 22, several car companies made tree-hugging news. General Motors and the National Park Service introduced the first eight of an eventual fleet of 18 hybrid electric...

Flash.(Briefs)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 16, 2005... No 525-hp Z06 When the Z06 version of the new Chevrolet Corvette goes on sale this October, we know a 7.0-liter V8 will be under the hood pumping out a now certified 505 hp (vs. the 500 hp previously reported). What we're also told is...

M&M; The New M6 Is Like The M5, Only Better.
May 16, 2005... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Neighbor been talking smack about his new M5? Want to silence his yappin' pie hole once and for all? Buy yourself an M6 and tell him to meet you at the local road course for some "discussion.'' His lip will...

NOCH EINMAL; Swiss Ingenuity Revisited.
May 16, 2005... Byline: JAN TEGLER Thirty-seven years ago the Enzmann 506 faded into history as production of the Swiss-made sports car came to an end. Few of the slightly more than 100 examples produced survive, a rarity even in their native land, and a...

AutoWeek's Fast Five: Freeman Thomas; After leaving his post at Chrysler's Pacifica design studio Freeman Thomas rejoined his former Volkswagen colleague J Mays at Ford. We caught up with Ford's new director of strategic design en route to his new California gig:.(News)(Interview)
May 16, 2005... AW: So it looks like Ford's investment in your Art Center College scholarship is finally paying off? Thomas: I think it's a way for me to pay them back. It's a long time coming. For me, going to Ford is like wearing cotton-it's all very...

LIKE A SHOT FROM THE NORTH; Koenigsegg satisfies marketing Job One.(Koenigsegg)(Column)
May 16, 2005... Byline: MATT DAVIS This past Feb. 28 the Koenigsegg CCR-Competition Coupe Racing-officially set the record as the world's fastest production car with a top speed of 241.0 mph (387.9 km/h) measured over one kilometer. The hallowed McLaren...

Television: May 20-22.(News)(Calendar)
May 16, 2005... Friday, May 20 Legends of Motorsport: 1955 German Grand Prix for motorcycles, 7 a.m., Speed USAR Pro Cup Series from Altamahaw, N.C., 11 a.m., Speed NASCAR Nextel Cup final practice from Concord, N.C., 1 p.m., Speed (L) ...

CHANGE: IS IT GOOD? Yes or no, the month of May at The Speedway sees plenty of it.(Motorsports)
May 16, 2005... Byline: CURT CAVIN Enter through the tunnel at the south end of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the sights are familiar. The road course, pagoda and Formula One garages that were new for the 2000 season are still there. The oval track...