AutoWeek articles from October 2004

AutoWeek archives from October 2004

Strategic Buying Guide, Part III: Part 2 of 3.(Special Report)(Buyers Guide)
October 4, 2004... Byline: AUTOWEEK STAFF * Ford Ford Motor Co. ford.com Five Hundred Along with a couple of other variants, Ford seeks to regain dominance in the huge midsize sedan segment with this practi-cruiser. Larger and less clunky...

Strategic Buying Guide, Part III: Part 3 of 3.(Special Report)(Buyers Guide)
October 4, 2004... Byline: AUTOWEEK STAFF * Pontiac General Motors Corp. pontiac.com G6 The Grand Am replacement arrives on the same midsize front-drive chassis that underpins the Chevrolet Malibu and Saab 9-3. The new G6 gets a 3.5-liter,...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
October 4, 2004... Our Scooters for America! story (Sept. 27) should have said the entry-level Vespa ET2 scooter's displacement is 50 cc.

MANE Street USA; With a new skin, chassis and lease on life, the original pony car gallops into the 21st century.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 4, 2004... Byline: NATALIE NEFF The Mustang lives. After 40 years-25 of them with no big changes- the original pony car gets its long-awaited redo. No, the 2005 Mustang is not a perfect car. We'd change a few things if we could, and we'll tell you...

FIGHT TO THE FINISH; Champ Car imitates the IRL in NASCAR country.(Motorsports)(Indy Racing League)(Las Vegas Motor Speedway)
October 4, 2004... Byline: J.P. VETTRAINO The inaugural Champ Car race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway featured clumps of cars going three- and four-wide into Turn One and a tense, 20-lap duel to the finish between Newman-Haas teammates (and championship rivals)...

NO DRAMA; Ryan Newman dominates Dover.(Motorsports)(Dover International Speedway)
October 4, 2004... Byline: AL PEARCE Most series watchers figure this year's NASCAR champion can afford one poor finish during the 10-race Chase for the Championship playoff. Two bad finishes will likely eliminate a driver, and three will absolutely,...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... ** This week's sign the automotive apocalypse is nigh Actual eBay item listing: "Gravel from Silverstone racetrack where Shoe'y [the seller's spelling, not ours] crashed!!!'' The one and only bidder paid 50 British pounds for the...

Strategic Buying Guide, Part III: Part 1 of 3.(Special Report)(Buyers Guide)
October 4, 2004... Byline: AUTOWEEK STAFF We call this category People Movers, but it could also be described as an automotive potpourri. We consider People Movers as coupes, hatchbacks, sedans, crossovers, wagons and minivans. The one thing they all have in...

So What's New?(Column)
October 4, 2004... Byline: Kevin A. Wilson With new-car season upon us, let's take a moment to appreciate the real value of "new.'' More particularly, the pursuit of new experiences that keep a person engaged in life. Certainly driving or working on a car...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
October 4, 2004... Drifting meets other sports Richard S. Chang's column (Sept. 20) on drifting recalls my first encounter with the sport. The Baldwin Hills golf course in Los Angeles had been sold to a land developer, and it was abandoned. As I drove by one...

Flash.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... Q ship for Audi Audi's Pikes Peak quattro SUV concept that debuted at the 2003 Detroit show will be known as the Q7 when it reaches dealerships in 2006. The five-door seven-seater will be fully off-road capable, according to Martin...

Fast Poll.(News)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... There are plenty of new sports cars on the market for 2005, and readers are all over the map on which they would choose for their garage. I wouldn't trade my Lotus Elise for all the tea in China. The Elise is a street-legal race car that...

FERRARIS AT LIME ROCK.(Revs)(Shell Historic Challenge)
October 4, 2004... Byline: MIKE COVELLO ** Earlier in the summer the verdant hills surrounding Lime Rock Park echoed with the battle cries of Maranello's finest. For fans of modern Ferrari hardware, nearly a dozen 360 Modenas ran two heats of the Ferrari 360...

Paris Gems.(News)
October 4, 2004... ** The Ultimate Hydrogen Machine In Paris BMW sufficiently boggled our minds with the hydrogen-powered H2R. It is powered by a 6.0-liter 282-hp V12, and by liquid hydrogen held in a 45-gallon double-walled tank. BMW says the car will go...

Events.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
October 4, 2004... Dec. 2 Hot Import Nights San Mateo, Calif. Visit hotimportnights.com or call (949) 789-7439 for event details. Dec. 3 KC Dream Classic Auction and Expo Kansas City, Mo. A Mecum collector car auction. For more...

NO RETREAT; Pioneering Pathfinder stakes a new claim in the midsize SUV segment.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 4, 2004... Byline: CARRIE ROCA Nissan says its new Pathfinder is a more rugged, athletic SUV that has returned to its roots as a true off-road machine. So it somehow seemed fitting that our first drive of this third-generation Pathfinder would...

AN AUDIENCE WITH ENZO.(Escape Roads)
October 4, 2004... Byline: LARRY EDSALL Ferrari's 275 Berlinetta coupe and open Spider made their debut at the Paris show in fall 1964 and remained in production until 1968, when they were replaced by one of the least-ordinary Ferrari models ever conceived,...

VA, VA, VROOM! Chrysler's all-American 300C wows with panache and power.(Auto File)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 4, 2004... Return with us to THOSE thrilling days of yesteryear, when American V8s drove the rear wheels and roamed the stoplights of the nation looking for races. At some point we lost our way, straying to front-drive, V6s and plastic bumpers. It's...

Flash.(Briefs)
October 4, 2004... Enge lands ride Czech racer Tomas Enge has brought sponsorship to Patrick Racing with which to replace Jaques Lazier in the cockpit of the team's Dallara-Chevrolet. Enge will run the final two IRL races, at California Speedway and Texas....

SPECS & DATA.(Auto File)(specifications)
October 4, 2004... MANUFACTURER INFO DaimlerChrysler Corp. 1000 Chrysler Drive Auburn Hills MI 48326-2776 Customer assistance: (800) 992-1997 Internet address: chrysler.com Country of origin: United States Number of dealers: 2924...

Owners say...(Auto File)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... The power, handling and bold styling are as good as you're going to find from a sedan under 70K. With the adjustable pedals, power seats and steering column, it is impossible not to find a perfect driving position. This flagship does, however,...

MOD SQUAD; This Time, It's Digital.(News)
October 4, 2004... Byline: RICHARD S. CHANG Like filmmaking and music recording, import tuning has entered the digital age. A new generation of young, computer-savvy car enthusiasts is customizing virtual vehicles on the computer desktop, using the graphics...

FORD HAS A DEAL FOR YOU.(Competition)(Ford Motor Co.)
October 4, 2004... If you plan to get into racing any time soon, Ford would like you to consider the new Mustang (page 16). Even as the new production car hits showrooms, Ford is getting ready to launch a race version, and is studying running it in Grand-Am as a...

Drivers Log.(News)
October 4, 2004... 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera Date in fleet: Sept. 16-30 As-tested price: $74,565 Powertrain: 3.6-liter H6; rwd, six-speed manual Output: 325 hp @ 6800 rpm, 273 lb-ft @ 4250 rpm Curb weight: 3075 pounds RAYNAL: No day can be so bad that a...

TV: Oct. 8-10.(News)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
October 4, 2004... Friday, Oct. 8 Formula One practice from Japan, 1 a.m., Speed (L) NASCAR Live from Kansas City, Kan., 2 p.m., Speed (L) NASCAR Busch Series qualifying from Kansas City, Kan., 2:30 p.m., Speed (L) NASCAR Nextel Cup qualifying...

SHAKE, RATTLE AND WOW; DaimlerChrysler adds a diesel to the Jeep Liberty lineup.(News)
October 11, 2004... Byline: TOM TRACE It's hard not to scratch at the imaginary scabs when word comes of another diesel-powered vehicle on the horizon. Will it be old school-loud, dog-slow and stinky; or will it be new and improved-shattering preconceived...

ART & FASHION: Part 2 of 2; Concept cars take a back seat at Paris as real cars steal the show.(News)
October 11, 2004... Byline: DUTCH MANDEL, ROGER HART, MIKE FLOYD, BOB GRITZINGER, MATT DAVIS * Chevrolet S3X Concept Don't be fooled: This small sport/ute concept is aimed at the European market and has style, panache and exceptional fit-and-finish. It...

STRATEGIC BUYING GUIDE, PART IV: Part 2 of 2.(Special Report)(Buyers Guide)
October 11, 2004... Byline: AUTOWEEK STAFF * Lexus Toyota Motor Sales lexus.com ES 330 Highlights: A slight facelift with a new steering wheel with audio and vehicle system controls, voice activated navigation system, and satellite radio...

Land Lord.(Escape Roads)
October 11, 2004... Byline: ERIC TEGLER "It gets you around,'' Robert Raffensperger says dryly of his 1964 Series II Land Rover. "We drove 10,000 miles in it last year, to and from Alaska.'' Like its Rover counterparts, Raffensperger's long-wheelbase...

Drivers Log.(News)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera S Date in fleet: Sept. 23-Oct. 7 As-tested price: $85,795 Powertrain: 3.8-liter H6; rwd, six-speed manual Output: 355 hp @ 6600 rpm, 295 lb-ft @ 4600 rpm Curb weight: 3131 pounds MORRISON: Porsche deserves...

STRATEGIC BUYING GUIDE, PART IV: Part 1 of 2.(Special Report)(Buyers Guide)
October 11, 2004... Byline: AUTOWEEK STAFF ** We all dream of owning a Ferrari Enzo or a Porsche 911 or a Chevrolet C6 Corvette-and all three would be nice, thanks. But the reality is that not everyone can be so fortunate. Sometimes a utilitarian sedan must...

SPORTS CAR NATION; The SCCA Runoffs is a Tribal Happening.(Motorsports)(Sports Car Club of America)
October 11, 2004... Byline: BILL McGUIRE The Sports Car Club of America likes to call the Runoffs "the Olympics of motorsports.'' Amateur road racers come from all over America to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course to compete in their national championship races....

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
October 11, 2004... More on the new Fords The continuously variable transmission, not the styling, will make or break the new Ford Five Hundred. Putting a new transmission in a high-volume model is a gutsy move. I generally like the Chrysler 300's...

THE MAN OUT FRONT; Dale Earnhardt Jr. again rules Talladega to take the NASCAR championship lead.(Motorsports)
October 11, 2004... Byline: AL PEARCE With apologies to English poet Robert Browning: God's in his heaven, Junior's back in victory lane, and all's right with the world. Well, at least in this far outpost of the world. Bear with us once more, because Dale...

TITAN JR. Nissan draws on full-size truck for midsize Frontier.(News)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Nissan, one of the last holdouts to offer a pickup in the compact segment it created in 1959, sheds all pretense of offering a little truck with its first all-new Frontier in 16 years. Not only does the 2005 Frontier...

Flash.(Briefs)
October 11, 2004... Road warriors The Indy Racing League's Infiniti Pro Series will feature 14 races in 2005, including three events on road courses and one street course. The Infiniti cars will be the first series to race twice in the same season at...

THE ULTIMATE MACHINE; BMW redefines the driving experience-again-with its fourth- generation M5, but have we evolved too far?(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 11, 2004... Byline: NATALIE NEFF Knuckles white in anticipation, he clenches the shifter and pushes it forward, the picture of a would-be drag racer engaging a trans brake before the Christmas tree flashes. His left hand grips the steering wheel as he...

Events.(Calendar)(Calendar)
October 11, 2004... Dec. 9 Cruise Night Prince Frederick, Md. Call (410) 535-1933 for more on this Calvert Cruisers Street Rods-sponsored event. Dec. 10-12 Arizona Truck and Off-Road Expo Phoenix Call (480) 899-6458 or visit...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
October 11, 2004... We'll always have Paris, but lest we forget, here are some highlights to remember from this year's show: "I thought it was the new Peugeot GTO.'' -Anonymous Ford executive on the Peugeot 907 We were tempted to give it best in show:...

CHARGING TOWARD NEXTEL CUP.(Competition)
October 11, 2004... Dodge has confirmed with this sketch that it aims to re-create some of the company's early muscle-car magic conjured by the Charger name. The 2005 Charger, a stout and robust sedan, carries a rakish roofline and the company's large,...

CHAMPIONSHIP RUN; A second-place finish at California gives Kanaan his first IRL drivers' title.(Motorsports)
October 11, 2004... Byline: CURT CAVIN To no one's surprise, Tony Kanaan became the Indy Racing League's champion Sunday at California Speedway. But how he did it was remarkable. Kanaan rallied from a last-place starting spot (due to an engine problem in...

Flash.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Best of Paris, delayed Due to major demand for its new F430 (page 24), Ferrari says buyers in the United States won't take delivery of the 360 Modena replacement until as late as early next summer. The original U.S. delivery plan was for...

MITSU'S ME TOO: '06 RAIDER.(News)(Mitsubishi)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Tough times call for... tough trucks. Not content to be left out of a market segment, Mitsubishi will get the Raider, its own version of the Dodge Dakota midsize pickup, beginning in fall 2005. Like the Dakota, Raider gets V6 and V8 engines and...

Pfzzzt! Show Biz Lights Dim.(Column)
October 11, 2004... Byline: Dutch Mandel When a car guy goes to Gay Paree for the biennial show, there are a few things he expects to see, like flagons of breakfast wine and emaciated runway models donning berets and strutting on bony hips and aiming sallow...

ACTIVELY SEEKING AMERICA; ZF Sachs wants to offer GM customers its new suspension system.(News)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Byline: ANDREW LUU The Ferrari 575M, Maserati Coupe and Audi A8 all have something in common with General Motors' compact Opel Astra: Each rides on ZF Sachs' Continuous Damping Control suspension. The Astra represents CDC's first...

A New Mercedes Off-Roader.(Column)
October 11, 2004... Byline: Matt Davis As I sat there in my Mercedes CLS500, looking up at the cloudy Italian sky through the front passenger window, I reflected. Thank goodness there had been no oncoming three-wheeled, two-stroke Piaggio utility van. And...

Shiny new hammer.(News)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER If you glance at our Paris show coverage (starting on page 24), you'll see the Mercedes-Benz CLS55 AMG garnered serious consideration for our Best in Show Editors' Choice award. With good reason, considering AMG boss...

Super SLK.(News)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Not to be overlooked-who could miss that Formula One safety-car trim and SLR-inspired nose?-but the SLK55 did seem to fall into the shadow of the new big brother CLS at Paris. On the road, that might not be true as...

ART & FASHION: Part 1 of 2; Concept cars take a back seat at Paris as real cars steal the show.(News)
October 11, 2004... Byline: DUTCH MANDEL, ROGER HART, MIKE FLOYD, BOB GRITZINGER, MATT DAVIS For two days every other year Paris plays host to an international automotive convergence of art and fashion known as Mondial de L'Automobile. But Paris has always...

SO LOW; Solo makes for living in interesting times.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 11, 2004... Byline: LARRY EDSALL Remember the first time you drove a Japanese car back in the early 1970s? Or a Korean car in the '80s? Or, for that matter, that Saturn you drove last week? They were rudimentary transportation devices proving that...

BIG IN THE MIDDLE; Grand Am replacement should be a player in midsize segment.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 11, 2004... Byline: ROGER HART For Pontiac, the G6 is special. Because it will replace the General Motors division's high-volume-selling Grand Am, the G6 has got some big shoes to fill. The Grand Am started selling when Ronald Reagan was president in...

Fast Poll.(News)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Readers say Toyota has a winner on its hands with the new 2005 Tacoma, but that the truck suffers the company's trademark conservative styling. People buy Toyota trucks for durability and reliability, and I am sure the new Tacoma will not...

BOON COMPANION.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 11, 2004... Byline: KEVIN A. WILSON The Chrysler Crossfire SRT-6 Roadster switches personalities to suit the driver's mood so well that it mimics companionship. With SRT (Street and Racing Technology) director Dan Knott navigating, we left the top up...

TV: Oct. 15-17.(News)(Calendar)
October 11, 2004... Friday, Oct. 15 USAR Pro Cup from Mansfield, Ohio, noon, Speed NASCAR Live from Concord, N.C., 5 p.m., Speed (L) NASCAR Nextel Cup final practice from Concord, N.C., 6 p.m., Speed (L) Trackside at Concord, N.C., 7 p.m., Speed...

No go for Lambo.(Competition)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... ALMS team Krohn-Barbour Racing has acrimoniously ended its relationship with Automobili Lamborghini ahead of the series' season finale at Laguna Seca. The team withdrew the two Murcielago R-GT race cars driven by David Brabham, Peter Kox, Tracy...

Flash.(Briefs)
October 18, 2004... Wolfie joins VW Former DaimlerChrysler exec Wolfgang Bernhard is back in the car business with Volkswagen, just six months after he was unceremoniously dumped as he was about to take over the reins of the Mercedes-Benz car group. Bernhard,...

Presidential Drive-By.(Column)(Column)
October 18, 2004... Byline: Rich Ceppos As a member in good standing of a special interest group, I want you to know how the upcoming election will affect what you hold dear. The subject is cars. And you're in good standing by association: You're reading this...

...Say what?(Duesenberg)
October 18, 2004... Byline: BILL McGUIRE Okay, you got us. There is no such thing as a 1959 Duesenberg. Such a car was simply the conceit of the late Mike Kollins of Detroit, and now we've bought into it, too. The last real Duesenberg had been built more...

The Baddest Coupe in the World; First drive of AMG's championship-inspired, limited-edition CLK-DTM street car.(News)
October 18, 2004... Byline: MATT DAVIS The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (or German Touring Car Masters) racing series is central Europe's NASCAR, routinely drawing crowds in excess of 100,000. Mercedes-Benz screamed its way to the 2003 DTM championship with a...

SHUTOUT; Non-chase contenders finish 1-2-3 at Kansas.(Motorsports)
October 18, 2004... Byline: BILL McGUIRE When NASCAR announced its new Chase for the Championship points scheme for the Nextel Cup this year, there were some criticisms. One of the beefs, you will recall, was the 10-player playoff format would render the rest...

WAGON MASTER; Dodge revives Power Wagon moniker for heavy-duty off-road package.(Dodge)(Ram Power Wagon)
October 18, 2004... Byline: MAC MORRISON From the Ram 1500's Hemi revival to the Viper V10-powered SRT-10's world-record-breaking speed (AW, Feb. 9), Dodge's latest truck lineup has made a lot of noise over the past year. The chorus of enthusiast approval...

Events.(Calendar)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
October 18, 2004... Dec. 13-19 A Century of Buicks Exhibit Sacramento, Calif. Go to toweautomuseum.org or call (916) 442-6802 for information on this classic Buicks exhibit. Dec. 13-19 Carroll Shelby Exhibit Saratoga Springs, N.Y. ...

Bondurant goes karting.(Revs)(Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving)(Brief Article)
October 18, 2004... Byline: LARRY EDSALL Sore hands and aching forearms were the morning-after wakeup call for many who took part in the debut of the SuperKart track at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. Designed by veteran kart racer...

GREENMACHINE; Toyota's Prius saves gas and cuts emissions, but there is a price.(News)
October 18, 2004... Byline: ANDREW LUU Immediately after the first drives in our long-term Prius, the car's interior garnered praise for its spacious design and comfortable accom- modations. We also lauded the hatchback design that makes cargo hauling a...

TERRA COTTA GLIMPSES OF THE PAST.(Revs)
October 18, 2004... Byline: BOB TOMAINE Take away the signs and Scranton's Casey Parkway might be a downtown office building, but look closely, and the details reveal something else. Look quickly, too, as the 78-year-old parking garage is being razed,...

EXAM TIME; End of the marking period, and Cadillac gets an "A''.(Auto File)
October 18, 2004... Like teachers preparing report cards, we pored over our logbook, tallied up the track test results, and boiled down all the owners' opinions to determine if the Cadillac XLR passes muster. From its hardtop-convertible operation to its true...

WHY ASK WHY? Any Viper-powered vehicle is okay with us, and this one really hauls.(News)
October 18, 2004... Byline: MIKE FLOYD Fast cars-and trucks, SUVs, golf carts, whatever- get two thumbs-up around here, so when an outfit like Chrysler's SRT performance tuning firm works its magic, it gets attention. One favorite SRT creation is Dodge's...

DEAD, SOLID, PERFECT; Fifth-generation GTI redefines the hot hatch.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 18, 2004... Byline: ROGER HART Funny how plans change in the car business. When Volkswagen introduced the high-performance GTI version of its compact Golf hatchback, only 5000 cars were made in what was termed a "limited edition.'' But those 5000...

Television: Oct. 22-24.(News)(Calendar)
October 18, 2004... Friday, Oct. 22 Dream Car Garage, 7:30 a.m., Speed Chop Cut Rebuild, 8 a.m., Speed Car Crazy, 8:30 a.m., Speed Tuner Transformation, 10 a.m., Speed Formula One practice from Brazil, noon, Speed (L) Autorotica: World's...

SUPERCAR SPY SHOOTOUT! Our snappers catch Chevy C6 Z06, Toyota Supra and Ferrari F430 Spider.(News)(Brief Article)
October 18, 2004... A trifecta of hot spy shots arrived this week, including the much-anticipated C6- based Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Toyota's next Supra super sports car, and the drop-top version of Ferrari's latest, the F430. Though spy shots of the Z06...

THE GRAND PLAN; Power and refinement define Jeep's new flagship.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 18, 2004... Byline: TOM TRACE After driving the new jeep Grand Cherokee, it is easy to say the third-generation SUV is as comfortable cruising the slums of tony suburbia as it is surfing the dirt. Company executives want to make sure you understand...

Fast Poll.(News)(Brief Article)
October 18, 2004... With more power and a fresh design, readers think the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder has what it takes to do well in the increasingly competitive midsize SUV market. This new Pathfinder will be a big success because it seems to have an edge on its...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
October 18, 2004... Buying a Ferrari and an underdog Regarding the Sept. 27 "Scuderia You'' story: The 2002 Ferrari F1 cars for sale at $1.7 million each are among the best bargains in the world. Yes, you could buy an Enzo, but good luck finding one for less...

Allard Rides Again; First drive of the roadster that revives this legendary marque.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 18, 2004... Byline: Kevin A. Wilson Watkins Glen on its fall vintage festival weekend was the perfect setting. The Allard marque has been revived in the form of a J2X roadster faithful to the original's appearance, updated with modern technology, and...

Drivers Log.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 18, 2004... 2004 Audi TT Roadster DSG6 Date in fleet: Sept. 27-Oct. 4 As-tested price: $49,220 Powertrain: 3.2-liter V6; awd, six-speed dual-clutch sequential manual Output: 250 hp @ 6300 rpm, 236 lb-ft @ 2800-3200 rpm Curb weight: 3472 pounds MPG...

Flash.(competitions)
October 18, 2004... Beretta lands Caddy ride General Motors' Cadillac CTS-V Speed World Challenge team is fielding a third car for Olivier Beretta at Laguna Seca on Oct. 17. Beretta will join Max Angelelli and Andy Pilgrim in the other two Caddy racers. GM...

Leitzinger, Forbes-Robinson Win Grand-Am Race.(Butch Leitzinger)(Elliott Forbes-Robinson)(Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series race)
October 18, 2004... Butch Leitzinger and Elliott Forbes-Robinson won the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series race at Barber Motorsports Park, becoming the sixth different set of co-drivers to earn an overall victory in 2004. After taking over the controls from...

SEMA PEEK!(News)(Brief Article)
October 18, 2004... Here's the latest from California tuner 5 Axis: a Scion tC-cum-Formula One car (imagine the front-end downforce!). We'll hunt it down, along with other wild creations Nov. 2-5 at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas.

SPECS & DATA.(Auto File)(Brief Article)
October 18, 2004... MANUFACTURER INFO Cadillac Motor Car Division General Motors Corp. 100 Renaissance Center Detroit MI 48207 Customer assistance: (800) 333-4223 Internet address: cadillac.com Country of origin: United States ...

One Louder.(Column)
October 18, 2004... Byline: Richard S. Chang There's a classic scene in the mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, where the band's lead guitar player, Nigel Tufnel, is showing off his amp. He points out that all of the knobs go up to 11, instead of the usual 10....

THE HIDDEN HYBRID; This is for folks who don't want you to know they're driving a hybrid.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 18, 2004... Byline: LARRY EDSALL Honda's Accord Hybrid sedan does not display spaceship styling or leafy badges to announce its driver is environmentally conscientious. Okay, so the sharp-eyed Accord watcher may notice the discreet rear spoiler,...

Going on at AW.(News)
October 18, 2004... * Online: Extended Buyers Guide Parts I through IV, 2006 Volkswagen GTI photos, online events calendar * On the air: AutoWeek on Speed, 11:30 a.m. Oct. 24, 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. Oct. 31 * On the town: AutoWeek/Automotive News...

Owners say...(Auto File)
October 18, 2004... I have my pick of many fine autos, but I find myself wanting to drive the XLR more. The Northstar engine is smooth and sufficient, but I would like to see a V-Series with the Z06 engine. The ride quality is excellent and is a nice balance...

CRASH-A-RAMA; More bang for the bus.(News)
October 18, 2004... Byline: STEVEN COLE SMITH Chuck Rush sits in the center of the Orlando Speed World racetrack, astride an idling motor scooter, surrounded by drivers for the Crash-A-Rama. Rush is in charge. Rules are simple. "Rubbin' is racing,'' he says....