AutoWeek articles from October 2005

AutoWeek archives from October 2005

The New Ford Whiz Kids.(Column)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Dutch Mandel There is no better group of automotive designers, top to bottom, than those at Ford. Do you know where the credit lies for that sea of talent? Dr. J Mays. Now don't jump and say Ford's designs are bland and...

Drivers Log.(News)
October 3, 2005... 2006 Jeep Commander Limited Date in fleet: Sept. 1-8 As-tested price: $42,075 Powertrain: 5.7-liter V8; 4wd, five-speed automatic Output: 330 hp @ 5000 rpm, 375 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm Curb weight: 5169 lbs Fuel mileage (EPA combined/AW...

Flash.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... No Korea? The buzz in the Champ Car paddock at Vegas said the series might be forced to cancel the race scheduled Oct. 16 in South Korea. While the 2.0-mile circuit in the Seoul suburb of Ansan is complete, support facilities such as...

Market.(Escape Roads)
October 3, 2005... Byline: KEITH MARTIN RM Auctions Monterey, Calif. Aug. 19-20 1965 Sunbeam Tiger Blue with black leather interior, black cloth top. 260-cid V8. Minilite mags. Bare-metal respray some years ago as part of a complete...

PENNSYLVANIA'S MOBILE HERITAGE ON DISPLAY; Boyertown museum has everything from cars to sleds.(Revs)
October 3, 2005... Byline: BOB TOMAINE Detroit eclipsed it, but southeastern Pennsylvania's place in automotive history is secure. "Some of the people who were here-certainly Charles Duryea and people who are not too well known, like George Daniels-are...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
October 3, 2005... Embrace the H word It's time for AutoWeek to take the lead and offer a cash prize to the first carmaker who builds a sexy, fun-to-drive hybrid sports car. And how about a Formula Hybrid open-wheel racing series? At $3 a gallon, the H word...

BIGGEST LAUNCH EVER? GM says its 2007 full-size trucks are critical to the company's success.(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: WES RAYNAL They won't be the biggest sport/utility vehicles ever introduced, but General Motors officials concede the company's all-new 2007 full-size SUVs are huge when it comes to GM's future. Officially, GM insists the trucks...

Nismo 350Z: PlayStation for the street.(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: DINO DALLE CARBONARE Want to make your 350Z look like something out of a video game? Nismo, Nissan's tuning and racing arm, will soon offer this new aero kit for both coupe and roadster, featuring an aggressive front bumper...

Neither Rain nor Sleet.(Escape Roads)
October 3, 2005... Byline: BOB TOMAINE This two-tone Ford F-3 van may not be the most striking display at the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles in Boyertown, Pennsylvania (opposite page), but conventional wisdom says collectors and enthusiasts want the...

Flash.(Briefs)
October 3, 2005... Porsche poison pill? Porsche plans to invest some $3.6 billion to buy a 20 percent stake in Volkswagen to prevent a hostile takeover of the fellow German automaker. VW supplies a variety of parts for Porsche, cooperates with Porsche on...

Fast Poll.(News)(Letter to the Editor)
October 3, 2005... Readers predict a turbulent transition back to regular pricing for American automakers, but see greater exposure and possibly better vehicles as upshots. Seeing this short-term promotion has spread throughout the Big Three and is still...

The Desert Changes Everything.(Column)(Column)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Cory Farley You can get used to anything, they say, and it's probably true. Otherwise I wouldn't have been admiring the subtle shades of off-puce in the desert landscape. By subtle, I mean subtle. In photographic terms the...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
October 3, 2005... Hyperventilating Hyperlink www.cummfybanana.com How P.C. of him "I'm trying to get down to a gallon a lap.'' -Anonymous Skip Barber instructor, on recording 3-to-4 mpg while driving the Dodge Ram SRT10 around the 2.238-mile...

Events.(Calendar)
October 3, 2005... Nov. 26 D&D Rockin' Rods Classic Car Show Granbury, Texas Call (817) 797-1197 or go to ddrockinrods.com for show details. Nov. 27 Hi-Performance Swap Meet and Car Show Long Beach, Calif. Call (800) 762-9785 or check out...

TV: Oct. 7-9.(News)
October 3, 2005... Friday, Oct. 7 Formula One practice from Japan, 1 a.m., Speed (L) Racing Across America: NASCAR Busch North Series from Oxford, Maine, 1 p.m., Speed NASCAR Live from Kansas City, Kan., 2:30 p.m., Speed (L) NASCAR Nextel Cup...

WINNERS ALL AROUND; Scott Dixon takes The Glen; Dan Wheldon wraps up IRL title.(Motorsports)(Column)
October 3, 2005... Byline: CURT CAVIN Celebrations are in the eye of the beholder, so excuse us if we turn the attention away from Andretti Green Racing, which has essentially known for a month that Dan Wheldon was going to win the Indy Racing League...

ON TOP; Brazil wins as A1 GP series makes debut.(Motorsports)
October 3, 2005... Byline: QUENTIN SPURRING The self-styled "World Cup of Motorsport'' has kicked off at Brands Hatch in impressive style. In fact, no international motor racing series ever has started stronger: 25 countries were represented and A1 Grand...

NEW TITLE- HOLDER; Fernando Alonso is F1's youngest world champ.(Motorsports)
October 3, 2005... Byline: TONY DODGINS Twenty-four years, one month and 27 days are the figures that will go into the record book. That is the age at which Spaniard Fernando Alonso became Formula One's youngest-ever world champion by finishing third in the...

IT'S A DRY HEAT; Bourdais catches hell in the desert and all but locks up the title.(Motorsports)(Las Vegas Motor Speedway)(Sebastien Bourdais)
October 3, 2005... Byline: J.P. VETTRAINO Whatever happened, give Sebastien Bourdais credit for not taking the easy route to the championship. At Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a safe top-five finish would have gone a long way toward cementing his commanding lead...

BRISCOE ON RECOVERY ROAD.(Competition)(Ryan Briscoe)(2006 Grand American)(Honda Performance Development)
October 3, 2005... IRL driver Ryan Briscoe is expected to return to Europe for his two-month recovery period. His plan is to work with Dr. Ricardo Ceccarelli, founder of Formula Medicine in Viareggio, Italy. Briscoe suffered serious injuries in the Sept. 11...

CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY; Jimmie Johnson takes Dover, jumps to points lead.(Motorsports)
October 3, 2005... Byline: AL PEARCE Pundits have this Chase for the Cup thing all figured out. They've double-checked all the angles, pored over last year's stats and found a trend: The '05 NASCAR champion will have at least one butt-ugly finish and two or...

FORD GT500 CONVERTIBLE.(News)
October 3, 2005... Here's the next pony in the Ford Mustang corral, the 2007 Shelby GT500 convertible, which arrives next summer alongside its stablemate, the GT500 coupe. Set for a Detroit auto show premiere in January, the drop-top GT500 gets the same hardware...

Building a Better Explorer Sport Trac.(News)(Ford Motor Co. introduces Ford Explorer)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Ford chose the trucky Texas State Fair to show off its 2007 Explorer Sport Trac, an all-new design that draws on the Explorer sport/utility vehicle and the F-150 pickup for styling and hardware. The do-everything vehicle, built on an extended...

AW goings-on.(News)
October 3, 2005... * Online: More Shelby drop-top photos * On deck: We drive the Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe; annual truck buyers guide

Cars.: Part 1 of 4.(Special Report)(Buyers Guide)
October 3, 2005... Cars. Cars. No doubt one-or more than one-plays a central role in your life. A trusty steed born of glass, rubber and steel, or aluminum, carbon fiber or plastic on which you rely to safely navigate life. And the array of duties we demand...

Cars.: Part 3 of 4.(Special Report)(Buyers Guide)
October 3, 2005... Lexus Toyota Motor Sales lexus.com ES 330 Highlights: Now available with satellite radio. Base Price: $32,950 What's next: New luxury-heavy ES for 2007. In our opinion: Jazzed-up Camry, heftier price. GS 300/GS...

Cars.: Part 2 of 4.(Special Report)
October 3, 2005... Chevrolet General Motors Corp. chevrolet.com Aveo Highlights: Standard front-side airbags, dual-stage front airbags, 14- and 15-inch wheels. Base Price: $9,455 What's Next: New platform likely in 2008. In our...

Cars.: Part 4 of 4.(Special Report)
October 3, 2005... Pontiac General Motors Corp. pontiac.com G6 Highlights: Coupe or convertible. GTP gets 3.9-liter V6, Stabilitrak, optional six-speed manual. Base Price: $18,865 What's Next: Move to Epsilon 2 platform in 2010. In our...

Corrections.(Correction)(Correction Notice)
October 3, 2005... Our Sept. 5 story on the Corvette Z06 should have said the car's EPA highway rating is 26 mpg and its combined EPA rating is 19.35 mpg. Our Sept. 19 BMW 528i Escape Roads story should have listed 1981 as the last year for the E12 in the...

DuPont's Indy Racer; Family member campaigns race car in vintage events.
October 10, 2005... Byline: LARRY SANATA Seventy-five years ago, a pawpaw yellow duPont was a major contender in the 1930 Indianapolis 500. Equipped with a straight-eight Continental motor, three-speed Borg Warner transmission and streamlined body, it was...

Trucks.: Part 2 of 3.(Special Report)
October 10, 2005... GMC General Motors Corp. gmc.com Canyon Highlights: ZQ8 suspension optional. SLT trim offered on extended cabs and crew cabs. Passenger sensing standard. Base Price: $15,330 What's Next: Redesign in 2009. In our...

Trucks.: Part 1 of 3.(Buyers Guide)
October 10, 2005... Contrasting last week's all-cars Buyers Guide, this week is everything but cars. These are the "people movers," but they can be "people movers" too, just like traditional cars. Even our own Denise McCluggage, who has owned and raced Ferraris,...

Trucks.: Part 3 of 3.(Special Report)
October 10, 2005... Mitsubishi Mitsubishi Motors of America mitsucars.com Endeavor Highlights: New rear fascias; LS gets optional Road Trip Package including DVD entertainment, MP3 player, alarm system, cargo cover, net. Base Price: $27,395...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
October 10, 2005... Kevin Wilson's Sept. 26 Opposite Lock column should have said tar sand deposits are in Canada and shale oil is in the United States.

Market.(1954 Alfa Romeo 1900C SS auction)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... Byline: KEITH MARTIN RM Auctions Monterey, Calif. Aug. 19-20 1954 Alfa Romeo 1900C SS Silver with red leather. All-alloy coachwork by Ghia, one of nine built. 1975-cc four-cylinder, twin downdraft Solexes. Chrome wires....

Television: Oct. 14-16.
October 10, 2005... Friday, Oct. 14 Formula One practice from China, 2 a.m., Speed (L) Legends of Motorsport: Coronation Safari, 7 a.m., Speed USAR Pro Cup Series from Jennerstown, Pa., noon, Speed NASCAR Live from Concord, N.C., 2 p.m., Speed (L)...

Events.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
October 10, 2005... Dec. 2-4 Fun in the Sun Car Show Kissimmee, Fla. Log onto chopanddrop.net or call (407) 908-9654 for more information on this Toys for Tots benefit. Dec. 3 Hot Import Nights Anaheim, Calif. Check out...

Fast Poll.(News)(Letter to the Editor)
October 10, 2005... The Frankfurt motor show's onslaught of concept cars and new vehicles captivated readers, who praise Mitsubishi's Sportback and Peugeot's 20Cup concepts. The Mazda Sassou, Mitsubishi Sportback and Honda Civic five-door are spectacular...

Earliest Ancestor of Escalade?(General Motors Corp. Cadillac Motor Car Div.'s first commercial vehicles)
October 10, 2005... Byline: JOHN F. KATZ Cadillac built its first commercial vehicles-two different delivery vans-in 1904, having produced only a runabout (with optional tonneau) in the marque's debut year of 1903. So what about the 1903 delivery van pictured...

SHARPENED FANGS; Dodge unleashes its 510-hp Viper SRT10 coupe.(DaimlerChrysler AG)
October 10, 2005... Byline: ROGER HART Fans of American muscle cars have reason to rejoice. We're caught in the crossfire of a great horsepower war, and while the superpowers waging battle have a take-no-prisoners attitude, we don't see any customers coming...

CHARGING FORWARD; Dodge Charger SRT8 adds to the SRT line.(News)
October 10, 2005... Byline: Roger Hart Along with the Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe, the latest offering from Chrysler's SRT group is the Dodge Charger SRT8. Powered by a 6.1-liter Hemi making 425 hp and 420 lb-ft, it goes from 0 to 60 mph in a shade more than five...

AW goings-on.(News)
October 10, 2005... Online: Annual Truck Buyers Guide, Viper SRT10 coupe On deck: Everything you want to know about BMW's Z4 coupe (M Coupe too!)

Drivers Log.(News)
October 10, 2005... 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx SS Date in fleet: Sept. 26-Oct. 3 As-tested price: $25,015 Powertrain: 3.9-liter V6; fwd, four-speed automatic Output: 240 hp @ 5800 rpm, 240 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm Curb weight: 3620 lbs Fuel mileage (EPA combined/AW...

Race Report.(car race)
October 10, 2005... Byline: J.P. VETTRAINO Things change and they don't. Yes, a Ford won at Talladega for the first time in seven years, and Dale Jarrett won for the first time in 98 starts, but there was still a big wreck. Two, actually. The first came...

WHERE THE CARS ARE THE STARS; The American Le Mans Series plots its course.
October 10, 2005... Byline: BILL McGUIRE This bears watching: While most of the motorsports world has packed up and marched off on one path, the American Le Mans Series has set its course in the opposite direction. Cost-containment measures, ever more...

THE FUTURE IS NOW; The next Cup car is on-track, whether race teams are ready or not.(Motorsports)
October 10, 2005... Byline: J.P. VETTRAINO Monday morning after the UAW-Ford 500, NASCAR held track tests at Talladega with what research and development honcho Gary Nelson described as "a few teams.'' It's not clear why Nelson chose not to identify the...

Letters.
October 10, 2005... More on British design I couldn't believe your readers' negative comments on the new Jaguar XK (Letters, Sept 26). For one of them to buy an '06 XK after only seeing pictures of the '07 is ridiculous. I'm just back from Frankfurt after...

UNGAR RESIGNS FROM IRL.(Ken Ungar resigns from Indy Racing League)
October 10, 2005... The Indy Racing League's No. 3 official, the one who crafted the controversial 2006 race schedule, resigned last week. The move is effective at season's end. Ken Ungar was the IRL's senior vice president of business affairs, responsible...

Flash.(Briefs)
October 10, 2005... Dodge to the WTCC? Dodge may join the World Touring Car Championship as part of its relaunch in Europe in time for the 2007 season. DaimlerChrysler wants to use the Dodge brand for a major European push and is eyeing the new WTCC as...

The Price of Mobility.(Column)
October 10, 2005... Byline: Rich Ceppos One thirty-five. Remember that number, because it foretells what we will be driving in the future. I'm in Germany for the Frankfurt Motor Show as I write this. Over the course of three long days, a slew of important...

THE BEST BIMMER.(News)(Column)
October 10, 2005... Byline: Matt Davis Despite the vast number of choice motor cars produced during the company's lifetime-and the number of you who will have something to say about it-the 507 sports tourer is the finest car that will ever be produced by BMW....

A ROLLER FOR THE RICH, NOT JUST THE SERIOUSLY WEALTHY; Rolls-Royce wants a piece of former partner Bentley's action.(News)
October 10, 2005... Byline: GREG KABLE Rolls-Royce will go back to its roots with a range of smaller and-gasp!-less-expensive models as the luxury carmaker seeks to lay the financial foundations for a prosperous future. Described as possessing all the...

VEILED X.(News)
October 10, 2005... Byline: DINO DALLE CARBONARE If you liked the Evo-intending Mitsubishi Concept-Sportback we named our Most Fun choice at the Frankfurt show last month (Sept. 26), keep your eyes glued to these pages for more on Concept-X that the Japanese...

NISSAN'S NEXT VERSA.(News)
October 10, 2005... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER What to do when your Sentra small car gets too fancy for an entry-level buyer? If you're Nissan, you bring in a new budget car, the 2007 Versa (alias Tiida in Japan). Arriving in the United States next summer as...

Flash.(Briefs)
October 10, 2005... Nissan and beyond? Take a spin through autoweek.com on Oct. 7 and you'll see a sketch of the 2007 Skyline GT-R, the next-generation super-sports car Nissan will unveil at the upcoming Tokyo motor show. What you won't see is which brand the...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... Don't Drink and Drive Your Supercar First there was the "Aston Martini,'' introduced at the same time as the DB9. Now we hear from those at the opening of dealership Lamborghini Las Vegas that guests sipped "Lambortinis.'' Please, stop the...

FLOOD OF CARS; Insurers hope to stop submerged cars from resurfacing.(News)
October 10, 2005... Byline: ANDREW LUU We've all heard the reports: Hurricane Katrina left an estimated half a million flood-damaged vehicles in her wake-with as many as 250,000 now drying out and headed for the used-car market. To prevent a repeat of the...

TUG OF WAR; While better than the Discovery, Land Rover's LR3 has staffers divided.(News)
October 10, 2005... Byline: ANDREW LUU One week after the Land Rover LR3 joined the AutoWeek long-term family, it was christened with a road trip to Indianapolis for the Formula One race. Soon after that the LR3 found itself en route to Chicago, then to...

Corrections.(Correction)
October 17, 2005... Rich Ceppos' Oct. 10 column should have reported the following prices for German fuel: unleaded gasoline, $6.17 per gallon; super plus, $7.31; and diesel, $5.03. Our Oct. 3 Car Buyers Guide should have listed the base price for the Morgan...

Wind of Change.(Column)(NSX-a revolution)
October 17, 2005... Byline: Richard S. Chang When the Scorpions asked us to follow the Moskva down to Gorky Park from the rubble of the Berlin Wall, it was a strange juxtaposition-the quintessential '80s sap-metal band heralding the dawn of a grudge-filled...

COUPE SCOOP! VW boss pushes return of Scirocco in 2008.(News)
October 17, 2005... Byline: GREG KABLE A rapid 3.2-liter 247-hp V6-powered all-wheel-drive coupe will spearhead Volkswagen boss Wolfgang Bernhard's effort to establish the German carmaker as the purveyor of some of Europe's most desirable yet affordable...

PEDALPOWER; Man + bicycle + energy drink + competition from around the country = too much fun.(News)
October 17, 2005... Byline: ROGER HART By all measures It was full-tilt racing in downtown Detroit. No, there were no Champ Cars snarling between skyscrapers, sucking manhole covers off the streets; effete F1 wankers profiling for cameras were nowhere to...

Flash.(Briefs)
October 17, 2005... Blowing Nitro Dodge has confirmed what we've said since February-the Nitro sport/utility vehicle will join the lineup as a 2007 model. Production likelihood for Nitro has been an open secret since its debut as a "concept'' at the Chicago...

Market.(Chevrolet Blazer K/5)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... Byline: KEITH MARTIN RM Auctions Delhi, Ontario 1970 Chevrolet Blazer K/5 Red, with removable white fiberglass hardtop. V8, three-speed automatic. 82,749 miles showing. Fully restored to a surprisingly high standard....

IT'S ALMOST HERE... Get ready for Japan's Corvette.(News)
October 17, 2005... Nissan unveiled the GT-R Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2001, giving hope the GT-R legend would continue into the 21st century. Then at the 2003 Tokyo show, the company announced the next-generation GT-R would roll out in 2007. Now the...

ELEGANCE ON WHEELS; A6 holds its own against competition.(Auto File)
October 17, 2005... We would never say that as a company Audi has an inferiority complex, but we could understand if it did. Competing against its two backyard luxury car-making archrivals-Mercedes-Benz and BMW-is enough to give any carmaker a complex. And...

PAY, AND PAY SOME MORE.(News)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... Byline: ANDREW LUU You see it on the window stickers of big-engined (and usually high-priced) performance cars: It's an extra few thousand dollars to go with the words "Gas Guzzler Tax.'' Established in 1978 as part of federal energy...

SPECS & DATA.(Audi of America)
October 17, 2005... MANUFACTURER INFO Audi of America 3800 Hamlin Road Auburn Hills MI 48326 Customer assistance: (800) 822-2834 Internet address: audiusa.com Country of origin: Germany Number of dealers: 262 (est.) Sticker ...

Owners say...(Audi A6)
October 17, 2005... The A6 is a superb automobile. I like the sport suspension that all but eliminates roll on my curvy interstate commute. The interior, with satellite radio and Bose sound system, is perfect, but the MMI system took time getting to know. The only...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
October 17, 2005... In fast company Along with other readers, my eyes are bugging (sorry) out over the Bugatti Veyron's performance numbers (Cover story, Oct. 3). I remember an earlier time, when what was considered the first Funny Car, driven by Jack...

GRANATELLI TRIBUTE.(Revs)
October 17, 2005... Want to hear the great Andy Granatelli talk about the time he strapped eight rocket boosters to a 1934 Ford and lit them off on a road outside Chicago? Or about the famous Turbine cars he ran at Indy? Or about Mario's big win in the Indy 500?...

The True Costs of Legacies.(Column)
October 17, 2005... Byline: Kevin A. Wilson I've been steeped in new domestic cars and trucks of late, and have to say that most of it is astonishing. After a few years of "pretty good,'' finally, on the newest models, fit-and-finishes approach and match...

QUESTIONS ABOUND; Kimi Raikkonen wins in Japan as Honda works on its future with the purchase of BAR.(Motorsports)
October 17, 2005... Byline: ALAN HENRY The Japanese Grand Prix provided excitement off and on the track like few other races this season. Honda monopolized the lion's share of media attention over the weekend following last week's announcement it will buy...

CALIFORNIA AUTO SHOW REPORT; 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara.(News)
October 17, 2005... Byline: MAC MORRISON Suzuki's slick Blizzard concept (inset) may arrive later in the form of an option package, but the new, significantly upgraded Grand Vitara is here. The third-generation SUV is larger, more powerful, and boasts a far...

All Roads Lead To This Woody.(Escape Roads)
October 17, 2005... Byline: GEORGE P. BLUMBERG History varies with the teller. Historians chronicle that Charles Nash, who took control of General Motors in 1910 from William Durant, was fired by him when Durant regained control in 1916. The 1946 Nash...

Flash.(Briefs)
October 17, 2005... Foyt IV leaving the IRL A.J. Foyt IV will give up the comforts of home to try his steering hand in NASCAR's Busch Series, where Ray Evernham will be his new mentor. Foyt insisted there are no hidden issues with leaving his family-owned...

Z4 promises kept; Still want that Cayman S?(News)
October 17, 2005... Byline: GREG KABLE Within seconds of BMW boss Helmut Panke removing the veil from the Z4 Coupe concept at the Frankfurt motor show last month, the swoopy two-door was swamped by those eager to get a closer look at Munich's latest driving...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... That's brilliant, Bob "When I first got here and was looking at LaCrosse, [sales, service and marketing vp] Mark LaNeve said, `Doesn't it need portholes?' I was aghast. `Portholes are old-school,' I said. I was absolutely against making...

Drivers Log.(News)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 17, 2005... HART: Few other cars I've driven give you the kind of rush you get from stepping down hard on the Viper's throttle. The thrust is impressive as is the rush of sound, from the exhaust and the wind. Steering is quick, and if there are any...

TV: Oct. 21-23.(News)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
October 17, 2005... Friday, Oct. 21 NASCAR Live from Martins-ville, Va., 2 p.m., Speed (L) NASCAR Nextel Cup qualifying from Martinsville, Va., 3 p.m., Speed (L) NASCAR Live from Martins-ville, Va., 5 p.m., Speed (L) Racing Across America: NASCAR...

BACK IN THE HUNT; Mark Martin wins Kansas, leading a Roush Racing 1-2-3 finish.(Motorsports)(Kansas Speedway)
October 17, 2005... Byline: CURT CAVIN Tony Stewart leads NASCAR's Nextel Cup standings by 75 points, but make no mistake: After the Sunday race at Kansas Speedway this is Jack Roush's title to lose. The methodical hat man saw his team take the first...

CHAMP CAR GETS NEW HARDWARE.(Competition)
October 17, 2005... The Champ Car World Series announced its new chassis and engine package slated to debut in 2007. The big change: The new chassis is more than a foot shorter, 3.5 inches narrower and 165 pounds lighter than the Lolas used since the series froze...

WEATHER REPORT: Part 1 of 2; Car Sales Forecast: Downpour of new products blowing into partly crowded showrooms with a chance of rebates.(News)
October 17, 2005... Byline: KEVIN A. WILSON After record- setting summer heat, cool autumn breezes are blowing into Detroit. That weather report also accurately describes auto industry sales as we cross over from model year 2005 to 2006. Fueled by employee...

Fast Poll.(News)(Letter to the Editor)
October 17, 2005... Supporters of each of the Big Three's brutes-Chevrolet Corvette, Dodge Viper, Ford GT-battled over the top American supercar. The majority went with the Ford. Hard to beat the Z06's performance for the dollar, but make mine the Ford GT. It...