6/25/2009

Scrutinize the redesigned Mazda3 Sport and it's clear that somebody at corporate HQ feels that small details merit attention. After dark for instance, upon entry the upper door panels are bathed in soft blue light. No fumbling for the door pulls. The cruise control icon in the cluster glows green when the system is active with a speed selected, amber when it's on standby and it's extinguished when cruise is shut off. Status can be identified by color alone. Switching on the headlights illuminates pale blue rings around the outside of the tach and speedo dials. The audible seat belt warning is a Cadillac-clone two-note chime. The wheel adjusts for rake and reach; it also has controls for cruise, audio and Bluetooth. Unremarkable items in a high-end ride, but surprising to find in a car with an entry tariff of less than 18 large.

6/22/2009

Much as we like the advantage of all-wheel-drive, adding it to a spritely rear-drive performance sedan like the Infiniti M35 can risk eviscerating the car's fun-to-drive quality. It's all in the way the system is set up. Get it right and the AWD adds to the fun or at minimum, it doesn't detract. Get it wrong and the car may end up more capable on wet roads and arguably safer—but it's profoundly boring to drive. We kept that in mind while testing the 2009 Infiniti M35x, whose suffix denotes its AWD. The rear-drive M35 we've driven several times in the past and liked.

4/12/2009

The Mazda MX-5 greets 2009 with a happy face. If not exactly happy, at least the aggressive new lower front fascia is more in harmony with the revised headlights and triangular faux-air intakes. The latter house the fog lights and flare outward slightly at their bottom edges. Rocker panel aero cladding carries the design cue to the rear where a new rear bumper and new taillights round out the bodywork changes. Seats receive improved side bolsters to better anchor the driver and a padded console armrest is provided for the right elbow when off-duty. The seats are both supportive and comfortable; on Grand Touring models they're also heated. The MX-5's soft top is a paragon of user-friendly operation. The first step is to reach into a small storage compartment at the back of the center console and yank a handle. This unlatches the tonneau cover. Next, twist open the windshield header latch and throw the top back over your shoulder, letting it disappear into its storage area behind the seats. Snap shut the flush-fitting cover, flip up the very effective mesh windblocker and it's time to roll.

4/8/2009

Manufacturers of most all-wheel-drive near-luxury sedans offer AWD simply for enhanced all-weather capability. Very dull. Infiniti, on the other hand, touts AWD as a way to expand the performance envelope of its new G37x. Perhaps, but superior performance isn't something to be quantified from a spec sheet. For that matter, some Cliff's Notes could be helpful in making a correct ID of the 2009 Infiniti G-Series sedan versus last year's G35

3/25/2009

On paper at least, in comparison with other luxury SUVs the Infiniti QX56 would seem a bit lacking. Newer designs all sport six-speed automatics while the Infiniti transmission makes do with only five. It also trails in horsepower; Cadillac's entry boasts 403 hp and the Audi Q7 has up to 350 hp, compared to the QX56's 320 hp.

2/12/2009

Developing from scratch a new pickup and a suitably powerful engine costs billions. For its entry into the midsized pickup truck segment Suzuki wisely chose an alternate plan common to the industry: Borrow a proven platform from another manufacturer and tailor it to fit. The result is called the Equator. Based on the Nissan Frontier, the new Suzuki is distinguished by a corporate capital S badge in the center of a blacked-out grille, flanked by artfully designed headlights. Other Suzuki-specific touches include front fenders, hood, tailgate and bumpers. Our test vehicle, a crew cab 4X4 Sport model fitted with the six-foot bed (a 5-footer is available), sits on a 125.9-inch-long wheelbase and is just under 18 feet, 4 inches in overall length. Big fender flares and meaty 265/65-17 BFGs hint at off-road capability and, despite the long wheelbase, the Equator offers a better-than-average ability to handle trackless terrain. Off-road enthusiasts can opt for the RMZ-4 package that supplies Bilstein shocks, skid plates, more-aggressive tires and sturdy Dana 44 diffs, the rear with electric locking.

1/31/2009

It appears that someone slipped a growth-enhancement pill to Mazda's flagship mid-sized sedan, the Mazda6. For 2009 it has expanded in every direction: 7.1 inches overall, to 193.7; another 2.3 inches in width; 4.5 more inches of wheelbase and a track wider by 2.6 inches. The payoff is in extra passenger volume, which gains 5.8 cubic feet to a best-in-class 101.9 cubic feet. Rear seat passengers enjoy an extra 1.5 inches of legroom and there's an additional 1.4 cubic feet of cargo room as well. The package is wrapped in crisp new sheetmetal that arguably elevates Mazda6 styling to head of the intermediate-sedan class. Panel gaps are uniformly close and the paintwork is quite good. Time spent in the wind tunnel helped lower aerodynamic drag to a commendable 0.27 Cd, very low for a sedan. The interior is suitably upgraded with the center stack and dash finished in rich-looking black plastic and trimmed in brushed aluminum. Controls are well-placed and operate with satisfying precision. It's also an ergonomic success: the HVAC controls are big rotary switches that are easy to find and operate. Sound system controls are located up high, for the same reason. Sat nav-equipped cars, like our test car, have a large LCD touch screen and the system can be operated by voice commands. The same Bluetooth technology links cellphones with the audio system, allowing voice activation as well. This iteration of the Bluetooth system seems to work better than earlier editions, usually recognizing voice commands on the first attempt.

11/29/2008

Although many shoppers abandoned the SUV market in panic this year, some found that at least one mid-sized sport-ute was well prepared to offer relief from high fuel prices. The Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with the optional 3.0-liter turbo-diesel ($1,655) is EPA-rated at 17/22 mpg. Despite the stellar fuel economy, diesel power in this instance doesn't equate to feeble acceleration, engine clatter and clouds of particulate-laden exhaust. The Jeep Grand Cherokee uses the Mercedes V-6 diesel, to date one of the high water marks in engine technology. It's exceptionally civilized, emitting barely a hint of the startup clatter traditionally found in compression-ignition engines. Effective NVH isolation and passenger compartment sound deadening keep the interior so tranquil that few passengers notice that they're being conveyed in a diesel.

11/21/2008

Congressional critics of GM's business acumen probably haven't driven the Chevrolet Cobalt SS. If they had, they might have cut the General a little slack. The first-generation Cobalt SS was a breakthrough model for Chevrolet, a world-class entry and the first small Chevy in memory with the balanced performance to compete with in this class. That car was quick, handled spritely and was clearly tailored for the enthusiast driver. And the 2009 model builds on those talents, taking its capabilities to the next level. This year the Cobalt SS adds a new body style while getting an infusion of power and a revised suspension. For 2009 it can be had with four-door bodywork and its pressurized 2.0-liter engine gains direct-injection fuel delivery while shedding its Eaton supercharger in favor of an intercooled turbocharger. Maximum horsepower leaps from 205 to 260 at 5300 rpm; peak torque of 260 lb-ft arrives at a low 2000 rpm. Even for a boosted engine, 130 hp from two liters is a noteworthy specific-power output, as witnessed by the turbo Volkswagen GTI's unremarkable 205 hp from the same displacement. The force-fed Subaru WRX and Mazdaspeed 3 both top the Cobalt's power figure by 5 hp and 3 hp, respectively, but they need more displacement to achieve this. The hard-working little four-cylinder is backed by a Getrag 5-speed box that helps it launch with authority and maintain the rush of acceleration well into the triple digits. Nicely spaced gear ratios see it knocking on 135 mph before a shift into fifth is in order. The Cobalt SS burdens its 260 horses with a comparatively light 3,001 pounds of curb weight, giving it performance equivalent to a mid-nineties Z28 Camaro whose V-8 required 285 percent greater displacement to produce just 15 more horsepower. And the Cobalt SS will run away and hide from that iconic Camaro on a road course. In the process it also soundly trumps the V-8 in fuel economy.

11/17/2008

East of Phoenix is a lightly-traveled county road we use as a handling course. As it descends into a broad valley, this sinuous ribbon of tarmac nips at the meandering Salt River for a dozen miles. Then it wriggles through narrow gaps in a low range of mountains and climbs back up to the desert floor. Marked by plunging, off-camber and decreasing-radius turns, its mix of big elevation changes and wavy surfaces places a premium on a well-sorted suspension. The road is good enough at testing suspension setups that engineering vehicles from the nearby GM Desert Proving Grounds can regularly be found there. We use the road only to probe the handling limits of performance cars. It's pointless trying to evaluate other vehicle types there, particularly crossovers and SUVs. Within the first mile they're crashing onto their bump stops and plowing off-road. But we had a hunch about the Volkswagen Tiguan and made an exception, taking it directly to this venue for testing.

Good move. Despite tall bodywork and its 3,631-pound heft, the VW Tiguan reveled in the experience.

11/15/2008

Get a taste of Cristal before your first taste of Pabst Blue Ribbon and there's always the chance you'll like champagne better. Following that logic, in theory, those shopping for stylish coupes run that risk should they drive the very desirable S5 before sampling the less-expensive A5. The hotrod S5 comes with 340 hp worth of V-8 muscle, a 6-speed manual and a pumped-up suspension. So it's fair to wonder whether the 265 hp V-6-powered A5 coupe, base-priced over 10 grand lower, can possibly be as good. The short answer is: Yes, at least when the S-Line Sports Package ($2,900) is specified. The extra bucks deliver a sports suspension, bigger wheels shod with more athletic footwear, plus a set of sports seats. Aside from the S5's multi-function steering wheel, the rest of the package includes cosmetic items—bumpers, grille and badges similar to the S5's—and a few bits of upscale interior trim.

11/15/2008

In far southern California, I-8 clings to the spine of the Vallecito Mountains for 50 miles before it abruptly sags almost to the Mexican border and spills out onto the desert floor. The narrow channels between mountain peaks act as venturis, taking already-frisky air currents and amplifying them into gale-force velocity.

11/1/2008

Behind the wheel of a 2009 Cadillac Escalade, I gently depressed the accelerator and we rolled forward. But our progress was marked by silence; only the muted whisper of the climate control system was audible. Judging from the eery silence, we could have been parked, but the speedometer needle crept resolutely toward 30 mph. Electrons, not hydrocarbons, were providing the motive power, and the Escalade Hybrid was strutting its stuff. Electric power comes from a 60 kW motor linked to a 300-volt battery pack nestled under the second-row seat. The battery is charged by regenerative braking and it also supplies juice for the power steering and A/C compressor. Driven gently, it can accelerate to about 30 mph on electricity alone and will continue for about 1.5 miles before the battery is discharged enough to crank up the 6.0-liter V-8. Come to a stop and the engine switches off, instantly restarting when it's time to go.

10/22/2008

Hammering down the wispy blacktop byway, threading our way among the sheer rock walls and thousand-foot dropoffs through California’s Vallecito Mountains, we saw the built-in G-meter in the Z06 Corvette peak at 1.22 lateral Gs. The occasion was marked only by a growing howl from the steamroller rear Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires, letting us know they’d reached the limit of adhesion and were beginning to slide. Yet there was no lurid broadslide, no snap-oversteer with a need for huge steering corrections to avoid disaster. The Z06 was clearly in its element. This year the Z06 is sandwiched between the base car and the ZR1, both in performance and price. While the base car sports the 400 hp LS2 engine from the last generation ZO6, the Z06 continues with its unique 427-cubic-inch LS7 engine. Its 7.0 liters produce a rousing 505 hp and 470 pound-feet of torque. New sibling ZR1, motivated by a 6.0-liter, 638-horsepower supercharged V-8, now is top dog. But much of its performance advantage is largely transparent below 100 mph, and it also costs $105,000, thirty large more than the Z06.

10/17/2008

The only route west through the Pinal Mountains into Phoenix is via two-lane U.S. 60, which passes through the old mining town of Superior. I arrived to find weekend traffic backed up for miles due to an accident. This called for a decision. Option One: endure a possible hours-long wait for the road to reopen. Option Two: make a 180-mile detour south over narrow twisting roads through the Mescal Mountains and almost into Tucson. Then reverse course, heading northwest across the desert and into Apache Junction, to rejoin Highway 60 there. I was driving a Pontiac Solstice, making this one an easy call.

10/1/2008

The Pinal Mountains east of Phoenix serve as a choke point. Even a small accident can close the narrow strip of tarmac for hours. And heading home from a romp in the Pontiac Solstice, that's exactly what had happened. This called for a decision. Option One: endure a possible hours-long wait for the road to reopen. Option Two: make a 180-mile detour south over narrow twisting roads through the Mescal Mountains and almost into Tucson. Then reverse course, heading northwest across the desert and into Apache Junction, to rejoin Highway 60 there. I was driving a Pontiac Solstice, making this one an easy call.

3/6/2008

For years I’ve written that nearly all radar detectors priced under $250 have lousy Ka-band performance. And since the majority of new radar guns operates on this band, cutting corners on sensitivity can easily lead to trouble. a moderately-Cobra Electronics and Whistler.

3/6/2008

2/25/2008

2/20/2008

10/23/2007

Infiniti’s luxury SUV, the QX56, isn’t due to be replaced for a while, so they did what every manufacturer does during the wait: gave it a makeover. For 2008 there are just enough updates to set it apart from the outgoing model. The exterior makes do with revised front and rear fascias, new fog lights and chromed 20-inch alloys. There’s more new chrome around the wheel arches, on the mirrors, roof rack and the side moldings. You’ll need to check out the interior to catch the big news. There’s extensive use of wood, aluminum and stainless steel along with leather-clad surfaces and high-quality vinyl and plastics. The center-stack surround is brushed aluminum with more around the shifter gate and steering wheel spokes. Seating surfaces and steering wheel rim are leather-clad and the interior as a whole is both attractive and tasteful. It also looks expensive, as it should on this class of vehicle.

10/22/2007

The Mazda3 Sport is a testament to the notion that inexpensive transportation doesn’t necessarily have to be a crushing bore to drive. Scan the spec list and you’ll find the essentials for a driver’s car: four-wheel independent suspension, front and rear anti-roll bars, low-profile rubber on 17-inch alloys, big brakes, a rev-happy engine and even a proper driver’s seat.

More important, the engineers managed to integrate the various pieces to arrive at a harmonious package that’s both fuel-efficient, practical and fun to drive, a task that seems to elude many manufacturers.

10/1/2007

The Mazda 3 Sport is a testament to the notion that inexpensive transportation doesn’t necessarily have to be a crushing bore to drive. Scan the spec list and you’ll find the essentials for a driver’s car: four-wheel independent suspension, front and rear anti-roll bars, low-profile rubber on 17-inch alloys, big brakes, a rev-happy engine and even a proper driver’s seat. More important, the engineers managed to integrate the various pieces to arrive at a harmonious package that’s both fuel-efficient, practical and fun to drive, a task that seems to elude many manufacturers.

10/1/2007

The late Ford Freestyle was a well-kept secret. There was nothing terribly wrong with the concept or execution--it was built on the excellent Volvo XC90 platform--but it was mind-numbingly boring to drive, dramatically underpowered and taken as a whole, entirely unexceptional. In the fiercely competitive CUV market that was more than enough to make buyers stay away in droves. For the 2008 model Ford has addressed the chief complaints—gutless performance chief among them—and rolled out a nicely updated, improved version called the Taurus X. Sharing its platform with the Taurus sedan, it’s available in either front-wheel drive or AWD.

10/1/2007

At the press launch of the new Ford Taurus, a dissected body-in-white sat on a pedestal outside the catering tent. Its purpose was soon clear as PR types opened their presentation by waxing enthusiastic about the car’s robust structure and best-in-class safety rating. No question that the Taurus body is exceptionally rigid--there’s even a reinforcing brace that links the strut towers to the cowl, infrequently seen on cars in this class. The Taurus also comes standard with an extensive airbag system, not to mention Ford’s sophisticated AdvanceTrac stability-control system. The focus on safety tells a lot about this car’s mission in life: to provide stolid, reliable and, of course, safe transportation for those who rank those virtues highly. They’re also keen on class-competitive features and good value. This appeals to the targeted 50-year-old buyer, many of whom will also be checking out the Toyota Avalon, Chevrolet Impala and Chrysler 300 SXT.

10/1/2007

Alone among the domestics, Chrysler seems to take delight in producing some low-volume, highly-focused products. Vehicles wearing the Street and Racing Technology team (SRT) badge include the wildly over-the-top Viper V-10-powered, 154 mph Dodge Ram pickup and high-performance versions of all three LX-platform cars--the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Magnum and Charger. A 285 hp turbocharged Dodge Caliber arrived this fall. And if you’ve a pressing need for a six-second 4x4 sport-ute, an SRT Jeep Grand Cherokee is also available. These are all niche vehicles, none intended to grab more than a few thousand sales per annum. With little profit in factory tuners, no cares to compete, leaving Chrysler free rein to unleash yet more limited-production vehicles, each with a very special mission in life.

9/13/2007

I had just traversed the lush Imperial Valley in southeastern California and to the west could see the first jagged escarpments of the Vallecito Mountains looming ahead. After enduring hundreds of miles of mind-numbing desert Interstate through Arizona, it was a relief to know the road would soon offer the opportunity to learn if the Dodge Magnum SRT8 test car had the handling to match its substantial straight-line performance. In a few miles I-8 would begin the long climb up from sea level as it snaked through arid canyons and over a 4,100-foot summit before dropping down to the coastal plains and into San Diego.

8/20/2007

If the mention of a topless Volkswagen conjures up visions of the wobbly old Rabbit convertible, better get a grip. The latest iteration of that theme is a far better car. It rides on the Golf/Rabbit platform and most of its parts come from the same bin. But the Eos bodywork is unique and quite fetching, more so with top up than down, in my opinion. Its 174.5-inch overall length makes it about 6 inches shorter than a Jetta.

8/8/2007

I drive about 125 new vehicles each year, some so forgettable that I lose them in shopping mall parking lots. So I wasn't unduly excited about climbing behind the wheel of the new Mitsubishi Outlander. I'm pretty sure I didn't lose one of the outgoing models in a parking lot, but neither could I remember the slightest detail from my week spent driving it.

2/7/2007

By joining the crossover utility vehicle (CUV) craze a bit late, the Ford Edge had to exit the starting gate in a hurry. Screw up and the consequences could be unpleasant. Fortunately for Ford, they pretty much nailed it.

2/4/2007

Truth is, street vehicles all perform the same task: schlepping people and their stuff from point A to B. And to those who purchase cars like they buy refrigerators, there's little to consider except color, price and financing. But you can't drive a refrigerator and if you could, it's a cinch there'd be differences between models. Same with cars. All provide transportation but a special few have that extra bling factor that'll have you grinning within the first few miles. That's the difference between a car that's an appliance and a car that's fun. Okay, so what are the top 10 fun cars? Although it's a short list, some market segments have multiple contenders. So we winnowed them down, selecting one entry for each segment. No apologies for omitting your favorite ride. With only ten spots to fill, all we can promise is that after spending months flogging dozens of vehicles, these are the ten that still elicit smiles and warm fuzzies.

1/27/2007

In Hollywood you're only as good as your last film. It's the same in the hyper-competitive car business. So Chevrolet can be forgiven for the palpable sense of nervous anticipation that wafted over the press introduction of the next-generation Tahoe. Industry sales leader in full-size SUVs since 2001, the stakes are huge for GM. Fortunately for them, it's clear that they've gotten it right. Nearly every niggling complaint I had about the previous platform has been addressed.

1/27/2007

At 130 mph I thumbed the paddle-shifter to grab fifth gear. The Jaguar XK8 coupe continued its steady climb toward maximum velocity. As I reached 156 mph, the electronic limiter gently intervened, allowing that speed to be sustained but permitting no more. The crude fuel-cutoff limiters used by many manufacturers make the car seem like you've just driven into a peat bog. But the Jag's system allows maximum speed to be sustained while acting as if the engine is completely wound-out and has nothing more to offer. The sensation is no different than having the cruise control set to 156 mph, and the car willingly maintains that speed without protest.

1/27/2007

I have never encountered a Range Rover on a mountain trail. Yet I've driven one of these 85-grand sport-utes to the summit of Colorado's 14,000-foot Argentine Pass. The upper portion of the trail is hacked out of the mountainside. Too narrow for more than one vehicle, it's boulder-strewn, crossed by rushing water from the melting snowpack and marked by thousand-foot dropoffs. I reached the summit without once bottoming out or losing traction.

1/27/2007

For the press launch of several new models General Motors chose a remote area east of San Diego. Headquarters for the event was a luxury resort on the desert floor, surrounded by a network of twisting county roads and to the west, the Vallecito Mountains. The speed limits in this bucolic area are generally a sedate 50 mph, as little as half that in the surrounding mountains. We were there to drive vehicles ranging from ZO6 Corvettes to four-cylinder HHRs and one-ton diesel duallys.

1/23/2007

Slide behind the wheel of the new Audi S4 Cabriolet and it's clear that you're in a car meant for serious driving. One tip-off is the meaty three-spoke wheel. It's leather-wrapped and the lower sections, between the 10 o'clock to the 2 o'clock positions, are perforated. Non-drivers won't appreciate this. But enthusiasts will. The perforations allow air to circulate under sweaty palms, keeping them in solid contact with the wheel but without requiring a death grip. The rest of the car is similarly tailored to enhance the driving experience.

1/5/2007

Some 16 years after abandoning the law enforcement market, Chrysler again offers rear-wheel-drive police cars, the Dodge Magnum and Charger.

1/12/2006

Hammering down the wispy blacktop by way threading its way among the sheer rock walls and thousand-foot dropoffs through California's Vallecito Mountains, I saw the built-in G-meter in the Z06 Corvette peak at 1.22 lateral Gs. The occasion was marked only by a growing howl from the steamroller Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar rear tires, letting me know they'd reached the limit of adhesion and were gently beginning to slide. Yet there was no lurid broadslide, no need for frantic steering corrections,very little drama. Can any $65-grand sports car be this good? In a word, yes.

1/9/2006

Crusing at a steady 75 on I-17 just north of the Mexican border, shortly after I'd passed a battered pickup it accelerated hard and blew past. Then it fell back, letting me by. This was repeated three times, eliciting some concern. The area is rife with drug smugglers, many of them armed to the teeth.

The pickup made a fourth run, this time pulling up alongside. The tinted driver's window slid down, and a smiling, thirtyish woman made eye contact, then slowly mouthed the words: "I...love... you."

It's a safe bet this wouldn't have occurred if I'd been driving, say, a Ford Expedition. But when you're behind the wheel of a RangeRover Sport, this sort of thing can happen.

1/9/2006

We're always suckers for a vehicle that has no real purpose in life other than to make us smile. Witness the Dodge Ram SRT-10 pickup. Like any standard-cab it's hardly more practical as a daily work ride than a Vespa.

On the other hand, name another truck that offers a V-10 with 500 bhp and 525 lb-ft of torque. Plus the ability to tow 7500 pounds. There's only one, the Ram SRT-10. Its sole competitor is the Ford F-150 Lightning, powered by a supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 with 380 bhp and 450 foot-pounds. But the Ford offers negligible payload and towing capacity.

7/24/2005

Occasionally we're reminded that all-wheel drive isn't just for getting up a snowy driveway in wintertime.

Testing the new Audi A4 Quattro, we were passing a long line of traffic bottled up behind a truck on a two-lane highway. No worries until we came abreast of an SUV shuffling along immediately behind the 18-wheeler. As we drew alongside, without warning the driver simply yanked his vehicle into the left lane to pass. Accelerating hard, we flicked the Audi far onto the left shoulder, the two right wheels barely remaining on the pavement, and simply drove around the sport-ute, completing the pass without drama. Apart from solid whacks as the left wheels hit deep craters on the dirt shoulder and a shot-gun blast of gravel peppering the floorpan, the episode was over in moments-and barely noticeable.

1/12/2004

Much as they may lust after the whiplash-inducing acceleration capability and race car-like handling qualities of a Corvette, a two-seater isn't the answer to everyone's transportation needs. Sometimes only four doors will do.

But the tiny pool of candidates offering mid-sized proportions, supercar handling and V-8 power decreased by one for model year 2005. BMW's redesigned 5-Series won't appear in hotrod M5 trim until next year, as a 2006 model.

Fortunately for those in serious need of speed, a contender from a most unlikely source has filled the void, the Cadillac CTS-V. Remember your father's Cadillac? This isn't it.

Volvo's new XC90 sport-utility vehicle will likely confound the SUV-bashers for it neither looks nor performs like one. Not that it lacks an SUV's fortitude: with its vault-like construction and advanced safety features, you could probably drive it off the side of Pikes Peak without suffering more than a mild headache.

Dawn found us at slumbering Divide's only traffic light, waiting to turn left toward Cripple Creek. We'd left Denver in the wee hours, expecting to find Highway 67 traffic-free. An open road would be helpful for we were there to probe the limits of the 2002 Mercedes C32 AMG, reputedly one of the world's quickest, best-handling sedans.

Need to reach Grand Junction from Denver in barely more time than a commuter aircraft? No problem. With factory-built hotrods all the rage today, even Jaguar has weighed in with an entry to the small but high-profile market niche of the super sedan. Like its primary competitors, the BMW M5 and Mercedes E55 AMG, also rear-drive platforms, the excellent S-Type receives substantial upgrades to suspension, brakes and powertrain and receives a discreet R badge on the trunklid to denote its transformation into one of the world's quickest four-doors.

The sign said: “Rough road next 15 miles.� It wasn't kidding. Without warning the road dropped away and the Mercedes SL500 went up on tiptoes. With the top down, only the seat belts kept us from being launched skyward. Instantly there was an unnerving metallic crack as a massive steel rollbar sprang up from its hiding place behind our heads. We were in no danger, but mindful of our warp-level speed and with the car going unnaturally light, the computer sensed potential disaster and whisked up the protective bar to shield us from harm. That's Mercedes for you, planning ahead for emergencies and acting on your behalf without having to be asked.