Nissan Xterra to Be Killed Off?

The Nissan Xterra is, overall, an excellent vehicle.  It doesn't pretend to be anything other than a rugged, tough, body-on-frame SUV that can actually survive a venture off road.  For the longest time, these virtues made it very popular.  Motor Trend twice awarded SUV of the Year.  But consumer tastes have made an about face, and what were once considered virtues are now drawbacks.

According to a Wards Auto, Nissan is seriously considering dropping the Xterra in the US market.  The numbers speak for themselves: nearly 90,000 Xterras found owners in 2000.  But through July 2010, only about 12,000 have been sold.

What's the problem?  The recession, combined with a spike in fuel prices, scared off Americans from burly gas hogs like the Xterra.  People are opting more and more for crossovers, which still provide the space, all-wheel-drive, and cool factor of a conventional SUV, but with better on-road manners and mileage. 

Nissan also has to consider upcoming federal fuel economy regulations.  The Xterra, which gets only 15 MPG around town, makes meeting these regs all the more difficult.

[WardsAuto]

Inside Line Tests the Mercury Grand Marquis

In a rather humorous bit of automotive journalism, Inside Line took a Grand Marquis for a full road test to say goodbye for the soon-to-die Mercury brand.

As expected, the Grand Marquis, as a car, is quite terrible.  It's basically a twenty year old car that was just assembled.  It's laughably crude, slow, inefficient, and backwards.  And only $31,000!

Considering livery services and Floridians love these things, it's no wonder that Ford never bothered to update it.  The wheezy V-8 makes 224 horses, gets the car to 60 in a snoozy 9.3 seconds, yet only gets 16 MPG in town.  Oy.

It's a bit sad that these things are going away.  They've always been there, and their awfulness is kinda funny.  But kitsch factor alone can't save this dinosaur. 

[Inside Line] [Photo: Flickr]

Cars you Can't Have - Suzuki Jimny

There are interesting cars throughout the world that, for some reason or another, you can't buy in the US.  Some just wouldn't sell (station wagons), and others don't pass safety regulations.  But that doesn't at all mean that they're inferior.

Journey to Central America, Southeast Asia, or anywhere else with unpaved roads, and there's a good chance you'll be renting one of these quirky little SUVs.  The Suzuki Jimny, in production since 1968, was actually available in the US, briefly, as the Samurai.  It's very much the Japanese version of the Jeep Wrangler: simple and rugged as hell, but smaller and lighter. 

The interior is about what you'd expect: A wheel, seats, and some pedals.  Power?  A robust 80 horses from a tiny four cylinder.  But make no mistake, the Jimny performs as advertised.  It can handle some seriously rough terrain, all the while blasting frosty cold from the A/C.  It'd be terrifying to drive down the Jersey Turnpike, but when you never get a chance to get above 40 MPH,  it suits the bill just fine.

To drive such a car is a breath of fresh air.  It's a reminder of just how basic cars used to be, and that wheels, seats, and some pedals is all you really need.

Ford Offers Supercharger for Mustang 5.0

The new 5.0 V-8 in the 2011 Mustang is one hell of a motor.  With 412 horses, it's thoroughly modern and makes more power than some similar motors from high-end makers like Jaguar and Mercedes.  It also seems to be able to accept a modification with ease:  The recently unveiled Boss 302 Mustang makes 440 horses.  Yeesh.

And for you gluttons out there, Ford has just announced a warranty-backed supercharger kit for the 5.0.  Well, sort of.  If you accept the lower level of tune, good for 525 horses and 470 ft. lbs. of torque, you get a one year warranty.  But, if you turn it up to eleven and opt for the higher tune, good for 624 horses, Ford will not back it with a warranty.  Decisions, decisions.

Regardless, these kits cost about $7k - $8k, which really isn't that bad considering.  And if you've just purchased a rather impractical V-8-powered coupe for $35,000, another few thousand clams seems reasonable.  If it were me, I'd have some sleepless nights deciding whether or not to pony up the dough.

Good to see Ford Racing is offering plenty of options for loyal Mustang fans.

[Ford Racing via Autoblog]

New Lancia Stratos!

Lancia is a great car maker.  Or, well, it used to be.  They made some fantastic cars.  The Delta Integrale, never sold in the States, might be the coolest hot hatch ever.  And the greatest Lancia of all, the Stratos, was king of the rally course.

It's good to have rich fans.  Michael Stoschek, a German businessman who loves rallying, commissioned Pininfarina to create a one-off re-imagining of the Stratos.  Built on the bones of a Ferrari F430, it most certainly stays true to the original: the iconic short wheelbase, wedge shape, and curved windshield are all there.  It looks amazing.

Rumors abound that 25 might be produced.  Hurry up and buy!

Click here for the dedicated website.

Wrangler Updated for 2011

The venerable Jeep Wrangler, with us since dubya-dubya-two, is getting some updates for 2011.  On the exterior, the removable hard-top is now body color, and several new paint colors are available.  The biggest changes are on the inside, with a new dash, steering wheel, center console, and door panels.  It's still a woefully crude thing, but that's part of the charm.  It can also go just about anywhere on God's green earth.

Like the 911, this car can never really change.  Otherwise it would stop being a Wrangler.  It's certainly come a long way in terms of refinement, but you can still rip off the roof, the doors, and drop the windshield.

Unfortunately, that which requires the most updating, the powertrain, remains unchanged.  I was hoping Chrysler would be dropping in the new Pentastar V-6, good for 290 horses.  But no, Jeep is sticking with the dreaded 3.8 liter pushrod six which has been around for twenty years.  With only 205 horses, it's almost a wonder why they didn't just keep the old 4.0 liter inline six, beloved by all Jeep fans.

[Jeep]

Do You Care About Dead Brands?

Over the past year or so we've witnessed the demise of a number of American car brands.  Over at GM, they eliminated Pontiac and Saturn.  Just recently, Ford announced they were axing the long-suffering Mercury brand.  Although it's a little sad to see labels with some great history fade away, I have to ask: does it really matter at all?

It's a different story when an entire company goes under.  The last great American car maker to be broken up was AMC in the eighties.  No more Gremlins, AMXs, Matadors, or Eagles.  They're gone forever.  And for the AMC fans out there that's sad.

But what's been happening recently is the termination of badges and nothing more.  While I'm greatly saddened that I can't buy a Pontiac G8 anymore, the truth is that the rest of the Pontiac lineup was little more than rebadged Chevys.  Same goes for the dead Oldsmobile, the still living GMC, and the soon to be dead Mercury. 

So does it matter these badges are dying?  Not really.  If anything it's a good move to cut the dead weight.  Without having to prop up all these other makes, GM and Ford can focus on making their core products better while not having spend millions to advertise their doppelgangers.  The result is a leaner and stronger company.

[Photo: Flickr]

Cool Car File - '76 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible

With the arrival of the Cadillac CTS Coupe and rumors of a Cadillac flagship on the horizon, I've been thinking about the history of the brand quite a bit.  There were some interesting cars (Allante), some very bad cars (Cimarron), and perhaps the single greatest car every to ply America's roads.  That car is the '71-'78 Cadillac Eldorado.

When you take this car in, it doesn't take long until you're wondering what the hell people were thinking in the seventies.  This is a two door coupe, and, at 224 inches, is LONGER than a modern Chevy Suburban.  It's weight crested 5,000 lbs. at times. 

It was powered by an optional 500 cube V-8 (8.2 liters!) which, thanks to smog regulations, made a staggering 190 horses.  The engine was attached to a 3 speed automatic, which, for some ungodly reason, powered the front wheels. 

So what makes this car great?  The absolute sheer ridiculousness of it all.  It's a gigantic clown car which puts a huge smile on my face every time I see one.  It's totally ludicrous, wasteful, and very badly made, and that's what makes it great.

Only in America.

[Photo: Flickr]

GM - Bit Of A Weight Problem

It took decades and a goverment bailout, but General Motors finally, finally, is offering products that are truly competitive in the marketplace.  Materials, build quality, and sophistication are much improved, and some of these new vehicles trounce the competition in style and refinement.  However, there is still one area that the General is trailing:  weight.  Like many Americans, the General's post-bankrupcty cars are a bit flabby.

Let's examine four new GM offerings and compare them to the competition.

Chevy Equinox 4-cyl AWD: 3,935 lbs.
Toyota Rav4 4-cly AWD:    3,494  lbs.
                                                441  lbs.

Chevy Camaro SS: 3,860 lbs.
Ford Mustang GT:  3,603 lbs.
                                  257 lbs.

Buick Lacrosse: 4,085 lbs.
Lexus ES 350:    3,605 lbs.
                              480 lbs.

Buick Regal: 3,681 lbs.
Acura TSX:  3,380 lbs.
                        301 lbs.

Needless to say, weight is the enemy of efficiency and performance.  There's no apparent culprit as to why this is happeneing.  It's possible GM is adding refinement and content, at the cost of added mass, to make their vehicles stand out. 

It seems to be working.  Despite the added pork, all these cars are selling well and/or have been well received by the public.

[Car & Driver, Edmunds.com]

Cadillac Flagship Authorized by CEO Whitacre?

If you like cars, and you're American, at some point in your life, you must own a Cadillac.  It's the definition of American luxury.  The Escalade really has become America's luxury car;  they're all over the place.  And the CTS is a truly respectable sport sedan with styling all its own. 

But as a luxury mark, Cadillac has long ignored an important segment:  the flagship sedan.  Such a Cadillac was in the works for quite some time, based on the excellent Zeta platformed Holden Caprice.  Codenamed DT7, it would have been a fantastic flagship for the brand; alas, it was killed due to the tanking economy and GM bankruptcy.

The recently unveiled XTS, thought to replace the cancelled DT7, is in no way a flagship.  It will replace the ancient, front drive DTS / Deville, a classic American land barge that retirees still buy in the thousands.

Cadillac XTS - front drive land barge, but not a flagship

Now, though, CEO Ed Whitacre has apparently green lighted the flagship Cadillac has long needed.  Designed to compete with the German uber sedans (S-Class, 7 Series, A8), expect rear wheel drive, V-6, V-8, and/or hybrid power, and all the luxury doo-dads you can think of.  It's the Cadillac I've always wanted.

They won't get $100k for it, but it'll be one helluva car.

[Automotive News via Autoblog]

One Car to Rule Them All....

If you're a car geek, you've probably asked yourself "If I can only have one car the rest of my life, what would it be?"  That's a very difficult question, one that I couldn't answer for a long time.  But now, after seeing this car, I have a definite answer.

Although Ferrari's are the better driver's car, Lamborghini is the essence of the Italian supercar:  fast, loud, beautiful, and a bit lewd.  Lately though, with the takeover by Audi, Lambos have gotten a bit more....German.  What's left are cars that retain their Italian flair, combined with German sensibility and engineering.

So how can you improve on such an excellent combination?  With good old-fashioned American excess, that's how.  Heffner Performance of Sarasota, FL has done just that, bolting on two turbochargers to the Gallardo's V-10.  Output goes from an already outstanding 552 horses to a maniacal 850.

The video above displays the sound and sheer lunacy of this car.  And if you look closely at the dashboard, you'll see that through all this hard charging it's 100 degrees outside.

Check out this Car and Driver article, in which the reviewers are equally stupefied.

Rally Driver Rights Flipped Car, Wins Race

I find it difficult to watch or even simply keep up with the racing world.  I just don't have the time.  And watching any race, whether it's F1 or NASCAR can get a bit boring for me. 

Rally might be the exception.  Its seems that no other motorsport has as many exciting, bizarre, and shocking moments.  In the video below, rally driver Patrick Richard flips his Subaru at Canada's 2010 Rallye Baie Chaleurs.  With the help of some spectators, he rights the car (with the co-pilot still strapped in), gets back in, and drives to victory. 

Now that's some damned fine racing.



[youtube via Jalopnik]

The Corvette: Past, Present, Future

I'd say the Corvette is equally liked and disliked by American car enthusiasts.  There are those that trash the car as out dated and out of touch, while others scream that it's the iconic American sports car that's true to its roots.  Whichever camp you're in, the feelings run deep.  Probably because, like it or not, the Corvette is the iconic American sports car, and its out there representing the stars and stripes every day.

My feelings are thus:  I don't like the current Corvette, but I like the idea of the Corvette.  And I think a lot of nasayers feel the same way.  They want the Corvette to succeed and be as well respected as an M3 or 911.  Is it?  Well....no.  Sure, it has performance figures second to none,  but there's more to a great car than 0-60 times and lateral grip.  How about style?  Panache? Taste?  Let's just say today's Corvette is a tad lacking in these areas. 

This was not always the case.  I am nuts for old C2 Corvettes.  Small, fast, and great looking, there's definitely space for a split window in my dream garage.

C2 Corvette [Flickr]

Things started to go down hill with the C4 Corvette in the eighties.  Its had boxy, bland styling, and the C5 and C6 don't look all that much different.  And, with all this heritage, the Corvette of today is somewhat stuck in the past.  It still has a bizarre, leaf spring suspension and plastic body panels.  Some folks were even upset that it was losing its pop-up headlights.  C'mon guys, get with the times.  And don't even get me started with those seats.  You can find vastly superior thrones on a GTI.

C4: Yuck [Flickr]

As for the future?  We could see another conservative update, retaining the plastic body, suspension and layout.  But in a bizarre twist, a Saab engineer has been quoted discussing a transmission developed for a mid-engine Corvette. 

A mid-engine Corvette?  It would be a seriously radical departure, one that is sure to upset Corvette purists.  But this is just the sort of shake-up that Corvette, as a brand, needs right now.  It may alienate the die-hards, but it could open the door for a larger, younger generation of fans.

As for me?  I'm skeptical that GM would take such a drastic step, but an affordable, American, mid-engined sports car is a Corvette I can get on board with.

Hyundai Sonata Turbo - An Enthusiast Compromise

As a class of car, mid-size family sedans don't exactly stir the soul.  Their purpose is to provide affordable, safe, and reliable transportation to work or soccer practice.  Consequently, car fanatics usually dismiss them as passionless appliances for those disinterested in driving.

This wouldn't be a problem if everyone had sixty grand sitting around to buy an M3. But I'd bet a lot a car geeks are forced to drive around in Accords, Camrys, and Altimas out of sheer necessity.  Think about it.  There aren't  many affordable sport sedans out there for less that $30k.  You could perhaps try a hot hatch, like a GTI or Mazdaspeed3, but for that money, you could step into a efficient, spacious family car with lots of equipment.

Hyundai may have a bit of a compromise.  The new Sonata has all the left-side-of-the-brain stuff you'd want: low price, efficiency, space, and safety.  But it's also quite nice looking.  And now, borrowing a page from the hot hatch playbook, they've installed a powerful 2.0 liter turbo making 274 horses.  That's 74 more than a GTI and 11 more than the Mazda.  All this for about $25k. 

That's also more horsepower and torque that any V-6 competitor.  Hyundai's taken a bit of gamble not offering a six, but take rates for sixes is very low, and leaving it off the menu means Hyundai could engineer the Sonata to be lighter.  Another plus for the enthusiasts.

Make no mistake, you'll never have as much fun in a Sonata Turbo as you will in a hot hatch.  I also doubt you'll see many Sonata fan clubs popping up.  But for the first time in recent memory, a mid-size family sedan may offer some enthusiast fun along with all that boring stuff.

Charger / 300 To Debut With ZF Eight-Speed?

A recent spy photo of the 2011 Charger's interior, available at Inside Line, hints that the new car may debut with ZF's new eight speed auto tranny.

In the photo, we see the gearshift is not the standard PRND affair, but more in the vein of snazzy auto shifters from BMW and Mercedes.  Meanwhile, the new Grand Cherokee and upcoming Durango / Magnum retain the old style shifter, as they have the old five speed that Chrysler's been using for some time.

This should be quite a coup for wobbly Chrysler, as this will allow them to leapfrog GM and Ford transmission tech, at least with their RWD / truck / SUV offerings.  And this is no plebian transmission - it can be found in BMWs, Audis, as well as the New Rolls Royce Ghost and the new Bentley Mulsanne.

Having eight gears should also maximize performance and fuel economy. Just look at Car and Driver's recent review of the new Audi A8.  With the help of the same ZF eight speed, the big Audi hustled to 60 in only 5.1 seconds.  Keep in mind that this is a 4,400 lb. car with a smallish V-8.