It’s All About The MotorWinding Road first drove the 2010 Ford Raptor last Fall. Its performance was genuinely stupefying. Never before had we held the wheel of a produc-tion truck that could fly across the desert like a cruise mis-sile.

While the truck wasn’t per-fect, it was perfectly fun. But

we still longed for the power Ford promised was coming. It’s here now in the form of a 6.2-liter V-8. The bigger engine—a $3000 option—produces 411 horsepower at 5500 rpm, 101 more than the base 5.4-liter. Torque measures at 434 pound-feet at 4500 rpm, up a significant 69 from the old Triton V-8.

Driven: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor 6.2

—Romeo, Michigan

By Rex Roy

For those connecting the dots between the new 6.2-liter in the 2011 Ford Super Duty trucks and the Raptor, the en-gines are nearly identical. The Raptor’s engine does make more power (26 horsepower and 29 pound-feet) thanks to more overlap in the two over-head cams (one per bank), an electrically driven radiator

cooling fan, and a more ag-gressive engine management program that produces maxi-mum thrust with premium un-leaded. Run on regular, horse-power drops to 401.

The additional power pushes this three-ton extend-ed-cab pickup to 60 mph in the mid-seven second range, about a second faster than the base

6.10.10

truck. While this rate of accel-eration won’t win many stop-light sprints on paved roads, the beauty of the Raptor is that it don’t need no stink’n roads. Especially with the bigger mill, the ability with which the truck carries its speed over any ter-rain boggles the mind.

Ford couldn’t have chosen a more different environment

Within this perfectly Midwestern environment, Ford created a brutal off-road course to showcase the truck’s new power. Keying the ignition brought forth a sweet V-8 rumble. The heavier cams added a hint of lumpiness at idle. Lighting off with a firm stomp on the accelerator, the induction system sounds like

something from Detroit circa 1968. A satisfyingly appropri-ate roar filled the forest.

Ford engineers worked with BF Goodrich to develop the huge, 35-inch all-terrain tires that translate rotational energy into linear movement. They seem capable of biting into any surface. Energy is directed to the wheels via a heavy-duty six-speed auto-matic, shift-on-the-fly transfer case, 4.11 gear set, and 9 3/4-inch rear axle.

As the truck rocketed across verdant meadows, the Raptor showed its environ-mental side by having enough dynamic wherewithal to deftly avoid a family of pheasants and several wild turkeys. A full array of electronic controls helps drivers extract the most from the truck’s hardware. The reprogrammed anti-lock

While the truck wasn’t perfect, it was perfectly fun.

to showcase the big-engined Raptor. The lush greenery of Michigan contrasted dramati-cally with the arid and barren Borrego Desert locale where we first drove the truck. Monsoon type rains preceded our drive by a few hours, creating thick mud in nearly every depres-sion. The grass wore a sheen likened unto moose snot.

6.10.10

braking system allows for the wheels to lock on certain sur-faces at speeds under 20 mph, significantly shortening stop-ping distances on plenty of off-road surfaces, including on sand, snow and gravel.

A sport mode for the stability control system and a special off-road setting can be engaged, plus the rear axle features electric-locking that operates in 2WD, 4WD High, and 4WD Low. Hill decent con-trol is standard and works in drive as well as reverse, pro-viding a fully automatic “speed control” for safely descending steep grades. All electronic nannies can be de-powered, leaving control totally in the hands (and feet) of the pilot.

And pilot was the appro-priate noun as we exited an off-camber grassy right-hander and pointed the Raptor toward a purpose-built “table” jump that mimics an event incorpo-rated into the truck’s durabil-ity testing schedule. Hitting the jump at speed sends the truck skyward and leaves the

big BFGs hanging at the end of the truck’s ample suspen-sion travel (11.2 inches front, 12.1 inches rear). After soar-ing some 20 yards, the landing uses every bit of the travel. What energy wasn’t absorbed by the sophisticated Foxx dampers was used to brutalize the front skid plate.

After this enjoyable dis-play of testosterone, the Raptor was equally capable of returning to civilization’s paved roads. Aside from the additional power, the 6.2-liter Raptor is otherwise dynami-cally nearly identical to the base truck. On road the suspen-sion is almost Toyota Avalon-

... the beauty of the Raptor is that it don’t need no stink’n roads.

6.10.10

like in its ability to waft. While the ride is soft, it never feels out of control or unpleasantly vague. While its steering isn’t as direct as a Lotus Elise, it gets the job done with a lightness that belies the truck’s three-ton mass. To make too much of these nicks misses the point of the Raptor’s design intent. The

of the rollout. Now that it’s here, it seems foolish to order the truck with the less power-ful engine. As a matter of fact, the chassis proved so compe-tent, we expect Ford or the af-termarket to come up with an even more powerful version. Ford insiders acknowledged the opportunity then went mute.

What Ford did confirm was that a crew cab Raptor was coming for 2011. The 6.2-liter will be standard. Bring it on, we’ll be waiting.—WR

on-road ride is compromised to enable its off-road capabili-ties, a trade-off some drivers are eager to make.

After a thoroughly enjoy-able romp in the 2010 Raptor, it’s clear why SVT wanted to launch the truck with this motor. Production delays with the 6.2-liter caused staggered cadence

6.10.10

2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor 6.2Engine: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .V-8, 6.2 liter, 16v Output: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .411 hp/434 lb-ft Weight: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6006 lbTowing Capacity:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6000 lbBase Price: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $41,020

6.10.10

Over the past 35 years, BMW has loaned out 17 cars to various art-

ists. Using the Ultimate Driving Machine as a canvas, these art-ists put a new twist on a paint job. The latest artist to join the ranks of Warhol, Stella, and Calder is Jeff Koons.

Koons put brush to metal

on a BMW M3 GT2 that will be participating in the 24 Hours Of Le Mans next weekend. Being driven by Andy Priaulx, Dirk Müller, and Dirk Werner, BMW is hoping to repeat the success of the M3 at the Nurburgring 24 hour race. Even if BMW doesn’t win, the Art Car is going to be one of the best looking cars on

Art Car: BMW M3 GT2 By Jeff KoonsBy Brandon Turkus

the grid.Please scroll down for the

official BMW press release.Paris. At the premiere of

the 17th BMW Art Car Jeff Koons unveiled and signed his car in front of 300 international VIP guests on June 1 in the Centre Pompidou, one of the world’s most prestigious cultural insti-

tutions for modern and contem-porary art. It is the same place where Roy Lichtenstein back in 1977 first presented and signed his Art Car.

In the spirit of Calder, Stella, Lichtenstein, Warhol, BMW announced this year that the 17th Art Car created by Jeff Koons will race where the first

6.10.10

rolling pieces of art by legend-ary artists raced – at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France on June 12-13, 2010. Koons’ canvas is a BMW M3 GT2, which was ho-mologated to compete at this year’s running of the world’s most famous endurance race.

On June 2, between 11 am to 9 pm, the public will have the chance to see the Art Car free of charge in the Forum of the Centre Pompidou. At 5.30 pm Jeff Koons will participate in a book signing at the offi-cial book store of the museum before he will talk about his work in conversation with Alain Seban, President of the Centre Pompidou, at 6 pm at the Forum of the museum.

The Design ProcessAs part of his creative process, the artist collected images of race cars, related graphics, vi-brant colors, speed and explo-sions. The resulting artwork of bright colors conceived by Koons is evocative of power, motion and bursting energy. Its silver interior along with the powerful exterior design, the Art Car will impart a dynamic appearance even when it’s standing still.

“These race cars are like life, they are powerful and there is a lot of energy,” said Koons. “You can participate with it, add to it and let yourself transcend with its energy. There is a lot of power under that hood and I want to let my ideas transcend with the car – it’s really to con-nect with that power”.

Koons has been in an in-tense collaboration with BMW’s team in Munich for months – melding his skill with sophis-

ticated BMW engineering – to ensure that the 17th BMW Art Car will be race-ready for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Traveling back and forth to Germany many times since the February 2 announcement that Koons would create the 17th BMW Art Car, the artist has worked with the BMW en-gineering and design teams to conduct in-depth explorations of materials and application options that will prove crucial

The latest artist to join the ranks of Warhol, Stella, and Calder is Jeff Koons.

6.10.10

to optimizing both the aes-thetic and aerodynamic attri-butes of the race car. Working with actual 3-D computer-aided design (CAD) models of the BMW M3 GT2, Koons could simulate the application of the graphic to the car’s surfaces and evaluate it from all angles.

Koons even donned a helmet and joined BMW’s Rahal Letterman Racing Team for testing in Sebring, Florida, on February 23. Koons was able to experience the M3 GT2 at race speed to further inspire his design. As Koons describes it, he witnessed “the raw unfil-tered performance” of the M3 GT2 from the seat of a historic BMW M1 race car. Koons also drove a BMW M3 Coupe on the circuit to further the dynamic exercise.

Under Koons’ direct guid-ance and supervision, his BMW Art Car was produced in as-sistance with a team of BMW engineers and designers at Schmid Design, (ORT), Bavaria. The challenge to create the

BMW Art Car had to do with using a light material and a design that would not inter-fere with the racecar’s aero-dynamics and weight. Timing was also an issue, as there was only a two month window be-tween the first design sketches and the Paris world premiere. This is why digital print on car wrapping vinyl was used cov-ered by a double clear-coating to bring out the color. To apply hundreds of dynamic lines of Koons’ design onto the car, CAD designs were translated from

3D into 2D for the printing pro-cess and then painstakingly ap-plied to the entire car as well as onto individual spare parts. Koons design incorporates many bright contrasting colors to communicate the aesthetics of power. The concept design was transformed into hard eged lines of color. Graphics of debris were added to the rear sides and back of the car to similute the power of the car. Furthermore, two graphic rings on the rear of the car represent supersonic acceleration.

“These race cars are like life, they are powerful and there is a lot of energy...”

6.10.10

Koons and BMWThe germination of Koons’ col-laboration with BMW began in 2003, when he expressed his desire to create a BMW Art Car. His relationship with BMW started more than two decades ago when he drove a BMW while residing in Munich, home to the BMW Group headquarters. Koons is known for his heartfelt appreciation of cars. Earlier this

year he was even recognized by music icon Bono of U2 as one of the ideal artists to design a car that would make the world fall in love with automobiles again.

Koons’ creative process for the BMW Art Car mirrors tech-niques, some borrowed from transportation design and devel-opment, which he regularly em-ploys for his artistic production. For example, in the creation of

Koons’ monumental sculptures, his studio uses 3-D CAD models to evaluate the surfaces, assem-bles them via methods found in bike chop shops, and paints them in a manner based on so-phisticated automotive painting techniques.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans raceIn April 2010, BMW Motorsport

Director Mario Theissen an-nounced the driver line-up for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Andy Priaulx (GB), Dirk Müller (DE) and Dirk Werner (DE) will race the BMW Art Car #79. Jörg Müller (DE), Augusto Farfus (BR), Uwe Alzen (DE) will drive the BMW Le Mans car #78.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world’s oldest endurance race in all of sports car racing, held annually since 1923 near the town of Le Mans, Sarthe, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance, it is or-ganized by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and runs on a circuit containing closed public roads. The race is designed not only to test a car and driver’s ability to be quick, but also to last over a 24-hour period.

French auctioneer and racing driver Hervé Poulain first had the idea of asking an artist to paint the car he himself would compete with. Taking up this ini-tiative in 1975, American artist Alexander Calder painted a BMW racing car, thus laying the

6.10.10

6.10.10

foundation. The Art Car experi-ment was soon continued: a year later, Calder Art Car co-driver Sam Posey introduced Frank Stella to the idea of BMW Art Cars when the New York-based artist covered a BMW with his typical grid-like pattern. Stella’s work was followed by a series of celebrated pop artists: Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and Robert Rauschenberg. Apart from Rauschenberg’s Art Car, all these took part in the Le Mans 24-hour race, some of them en-joying remarkable success.

The BMW M3 GT2Derived from the BMW M3 high-performance sports car, the BMW M3 GT2 boasts a 4.0-liter V8 engine with a maximum output of 500 bhp, an upgraded chassis, racing-caliber brakes, and extensive use of lightweight materials. Able to reach 100 mph in 3.4 seconds, the BMW M3 GT2 is rapidly emerging as a real first year contender at this year’s event.

For the Comeback at 24 Le

Mans BMW Motorsport is sup-ported by numerous successful partners. This is why the BMW M3 GT2 will be labeled with the logos of Castrol, Crowne Plaza, Dunlop, Randstad, Sympatex, LuK, H&R, BBS and NGK for the race on the “Circuit de la Sarthe”.

BMW Art CarsSince 1975, artists from through-out the world have turned BMW automobiles into art signifying a particular period through the Art Car program. In 2007, the latest installment was revealed with Olafur Eliasson’s “Your mobile expectations: BMW H2R project.” Many of the cars by the likes of Warhol, Lichtenstein, Stella, Rauschenberg, Hockney and Holzer have been exhib-ited in renowned museums throughout the world including the Louvre, the Guggenheim Museums, and the Shanghai Art Museum. They have been displayed at the BMW Museum in Munich, between 2006 and 2010 and many went on a world

tour throughout Asia, Russia, Africa, India, the United States and Mexico. The Koons car number, “79,” pays tribute to the 1979 Andy Warhol car. The Warhol car was assigned the number “76,” an homage to the 1976 Frank Stella car, both of which raced at Le Mans.

The home of all BMW Art Cars is the BMW Museum in Munich. Starting in September, Koons’ 17th BMW Art Car will be presented there together with some of its predecessors.

With over 100 major projects worldwide, BMW Group cultural programs have been an integral part of the company’s contribu-tions to society for almost 40 years. Besides contemporary art, architecture and design, classical music and jazz are key compo-nents of this engagement.

The BMW GroupThe BMW Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcy-cles in the world with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands.

As a global company, the BMW Group operates 24 production facilities in 13 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

The BMW Group achieved a global sales volume of approxi-mately 1.29 million automobiles and over 87,000 motorcycles for the 2009 financial year. The pre-tax profit for 2009 was euro 413 million, revenues totalled euro 50.68 billion. At 31 December 2009, the company employed a global workforce of approxi-mately 96,000 associates. The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore es-tablished ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy. As a result of its ef-forts, the BMW Group has been ranked industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the last five years.—WR

6.10.10

I’ve been a vocal proponent of the natu-rally aspirated BMW sixes, versus the turbo engines, here in the office, so this

328i wagon gave me yet another oppor-tunity to crow about it. Sweeter sounding, more involving power delivery (more peaky than the turbo, but I like that), and with a lighter nose, the 28i engine just feels a bit purer in most public-road situations.

Coming from very recently driving the 550i GT, this 3er wagon does seem pretty small, though it’ll do for most every-day, suburban hauling tasks. A few more

inches would go amiss for functionality though, especially if they were applied to the (very small) rear seating area.

M Sport package is nice—cool wheels and a better steering wheel are appreci-ated—mostly for the sport-tuned suspen-sion. Given my druthers, I’d opt in to the M Sport’s $3750 package, and then opt out of the other $7500 worth of optional equipment that brought our tester from a MSRP of $35,400, up to a sticker price of $47,495.—Seyth Miersma, Editor-In-Chief

“Ah, good, a 3-Series.” This is your initial impression when greeted with the slightly sinister face of

our BMW. Walking around the car, you will notice metal and glass in places metal and glass should not be. It’s a wagon. “Okay, fine, I can handle that.” Fall into the sport driver’s seat, grip the fat, M-spec steering wheel and prepare to have fun. Push in the clutch… there is no clutch, it’s an auto-matic. So we have a BMW 3-Series wagon, with an automatic transmission. “At least it’s the 335i.” Nope, it’s a 328i. 230 horse-

Quick Drive: 2010 BMW 328i Sport WagonBy Winding Road Staff

6.10.10

power instead of 300. If you think any of this is a let down, you are quite wrong.

If anything, the 3-Series is more at-tractive as a wagon; it looks purposeful, elegant, and Euro-cool, especially with the M Sport package on our tester (wheels, aero kit, sport seats, steering wheel). The automatic is still an automatic, but I never felt disappointed by it. Manual mode was responsive, and surprisingly competent. Finally, the engine. It may just be me, but the 328i just feels more balanced than the 335i. It feels more usable in everyday cir-cumstances. Yes, you have to hustle it a bit more to get similar results, but you are rewarded with that sweet, smooth exhaust note that can only come from a BMW I-6. With the exception of the transmission (I’d still rather have a stick), the 328i proved to be an amazingly involving drive.

Our tester was everything I have come to expect from a 3-Series, a nearly perfect blend of balance, tossability, in-

volvement, comfort, and quickness. Now get me a manual.—Brandon Turkus, Fleet Manager

In general, I love driving most BMW products. They’re powerful, they handle great, and they have really well-tuned

suspensions for enthusiastic driving. They have quality interiors that I could practi-cally live in. The 3-Series, in particular, offers a driver’s car that is, for the most part, pretty no-frills, everyday-perfor-mance-focused for the sensible pilot who wants a really fun car to drive every day. A good, responsive, predictable experience all the time, every time.

See where I’m going with this?As much as I love the 328i, particu-

larly in wagon form, the 3-Series feels so generically BMW to me, now. I see it in every other Bimmer I drive. With BMW ex-panding its lineup, making so many niche models, the 3 seems so predictable that it lacks the specialness it one held.

At the same time, the fact that it is so solid, well-rounded, and predictable allow one to really hone one’s driving skills with-out a lot of the variables that come into play in other vehicles. No tricks, no fancy stuff—just driving very near its purest. Only, in a wagon.—WR—John Snyder, Production Editor

...cool wheels and a better steering wheel are appreciated —mostly for the sport-tuned suspension.

6.10.10

There are certain things that a gearhead should experience. One of those

things is a professional motor race. The bigger the race, the better. We can think of no bigger race on American soil, than the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, or the Indy 500. Held Memorial Day weekend, this year marked the 94th running

of what is the crown jewel of motorsport. Winding Road ven-tured down to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of the race and on our trip we spent some time with the 2010 GMC Terrain.

Our Terrain was trimmed out as an SLT-1, with all-wheel drive and a direct-injection,

Road Trip: 2010 GMC Terrain And The Indy 500By Brandon Turkus

—Indianapolis, Indiana

2.4-liter four-cylinder that pro-duced 184 horsepower and 174 foot-pounds of torque. Our tester had an impressive amount of standard equipment, including Bluetooth, heated leather seats, a Pioneer stereo, XM satellite radio, and a rear-view camera. It was fairly light on the options though, with a cargo management system,

sunroof, power liftgate, tow package, and metallic paint.

We set out from Auburn Hills, Michigan, on the Friday night before the race. Once loaded up, we struck out and began dodging construc-tion over a route that took us along Interstate 94, past Ann Arbor and Jackson, until we hit Interstate 69. Travelling

6.10.10

down I-69, we would pass Fort Wayne, Indiana, before hopping on a local highway and entering Indianapolis.

Upon entering the high-way, one thing was apparent, the Terrain is seriously under-powered. This is a 4034-pound, all-wheel-drive SUV that pro-duces 184 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque. To put

that in perspective, Toyota’s Highlander weighs in at 3845 pounds, produces 187 horse-power and 186 pound-feet of torque from a 2.7-liter I-4. Ford’s Edge tips the scales at 4288 pounds, and its 3.5-liter V-6 produces 265 horsepower and 250 pound-feet. The Terrain needs more power (GMC does offer a V-6), or it needs less

weight. We would opt for a diet. The DI 2.4 liter makes a decent amount of power, feels torquey at freeway speeds (where it really matters for most drivers) and under the right conditions should get 30 miles per gallon. There is really nothing wrong with it, it is simply overbur-dened in this application.

The transmission, a six-speed automatic, is a great piece. Stomp on the gas, and the transmission quickly swaps through the cogs, dropping into the most appropriate gear. Running away from a light, the Terrain shifts smoothly and quickly through the gears. When something is working properly it shouldn’t get noticed—that’s exactly the case with this gear-box.

We expected the four-banger/six-speed auto com-bination would be good on gas. According to the EPA, we should have gotten 20 miles per gallon city, and 29 on the high-way. We (driver and one pas-senger) averaged 25 miles per

...the Terrain rides as comfortably as SUVs that cost twice as much.

6.10.10

gallon over 700 mostly-freeway miles. Keep in mind that we got that number while averaging almost 70 miles per hour, with two passengers, assorted stuff, running the air conditioning on full, charging two phones, keep-ing a radar detector plugged in, playing the radio, and keeping the headlights on. Although the Terrain didn’t get the numbers advertised, we hardly made things easy on it.

After the initial annoyance over the lack of power, we set-tled into the highway groove. The Terrain proved to be ex-tremely comfortable. The two-tone Light Titanium leather seats are wide, and shallow, but with just enough bolster-ing to still hold the driver in place. They are heavily padded and feel firm, without feeling uncomfortable. On a six-hour drive, the seats did an excel-

lent job of keeping fatigue at bay. Equally comfortable was the four-spoke steering wheel, which was wrapped in soft leather with just enough pad-ding.

The Terrain has a strange ride for an SUV. It transmits bumps and imperfections in the road, but rarely in a way that will annoy driver or passenger. In many SUVs, a Michigan pot-hole is like a punch in the back

The cabin is sporty while being luxurious, thoughtfully laid out, and easy to adjust to.

6.10.10

of the head, but in the Terrain, its more like a tap on the shoul-der. For a $32,000 car, the Terrain rides as comfortably as SUVs that cost twice as much.

During our nighttime driv-ing, we did wish for bi-xenon lights, as the standard units just didn’t do a good enough job of illuminating the roads ahead. That is a bad thing when

We rolled into Indy at roughly 1:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. Our plans involved camping outside of IMS, along with a group of about 40 friends who travel down annually for the 4-day-long party that is the Indy 500. We were in the Coke Lots, a vast area of ramshackle camp grounds that during the rest of the year make up the front, side, and back lawns of the Coca-Cola Indianapolis Bottling Plant. After catching up with some friends, we turned in for the night.

Race day arrived, and brought with it a 96 degree air temperature, and a 128 degree track temperature. It’s difficult to describe the sound of 33 Indy cars at wide-open throttle. Picture several million hornets, all of which are the size of bald eagles, swarming around your

head. That is what Indy sounds like, and it is arguably the most beautiful sound man has ever created.

The day was capped off by watching Dario Franchitti take the checkered flag, and by Mike Conway’s horrific last-lap crash. Racing is an exception-ally difficult spectator sport, and you will quickly figure out that you don’t go to the race to actually watch the race, you go for the spectacle.

Making the trek to Indy is also just a great excuse to get out on the open road and do some summer road tripping. With the exception of the lack of power, the Terrain was a great companion in this enterprise. It provided levels of comfort, convenience, luxury, and util-ity that are difficult to match in this price point.—WR

travelling through the country, with forests on both sides at 70 miles per hour. In the cabin though, the interior was bathed in red lights, with gauges illu-minated in white. The cabin is sporty while being luxurious, thoughtfully laid out, and easy to adjust to. It is a nice place to spend time.

Making the trek to Indy is also just a great excuse to get out on the open road and do some summer road tripping.

6.10.10

Viewed in isolation, the Grand Vitara comes across positively. It has good room, lots of features and drives

acceptably. Still, I couldn’t help feeling that the Grand Vitara would have been a standout car 5-10 years ago, but is middle-of-the-pack in 2010.

Some of this comes down to little things. The rear seats fold, for example, but they don’t create anything like a flat load floor. This kind of detail engineering has become de rigeure in functional vehi-

cles in the last decade. In addition, I didn’t get the sense that the Grand Vitara exudes the sense of quality going down the road that a typical new car buyer might look for. The interior bits are fine, it is just that the noise signature and mechanical feel-ing are a little off.

Driving dynamics were okay, but one can do better. The engine/transmission combination has enough power. The han-dling is resolutely tilted toward understeer, though roll is nicely controlled. Not bad,

not great.Of course, this is a small SUV, so driv-

ing dynamics will always be compromised to some degree by the high center of grav-ity necessitated by high ground clearance. Still, if you compare the Grand Vitara to, say, the Nissan XTerra, you find that the XTerra seems more refined and more in-volving. That said, you’ll pay more for the Nissan and give up some features, which may or may not be a good tradeoff.—Tom Martin

Quick Drive: Suzuki Grand Vitara XSport V-6By Winding Road Staff

6.10.10

I mostly concur with Tom’s assessment, though my overall outlook on the Grand Vitara is more positive than his. Here’s why: I felt the Suzuki got certain elemen-tal things right in ways that many SUVs do not.

First off, let’s note that the Grand Vitara offers full-time four-wheel drive (much like a Subaru), but also offers the option of selecting either a four-wheel high or four-wheel low range (a handy fea-ture for those who plan to take their SUVs up or down truly gnarly inclines in sketchy weather conditions).

Second, let me observe that the engine/transmission combo not only has “enough power,” as Tom said, but also manages initial acceleration from a dead stop much better than some competing SUVs we’ve tried of late. Many seem to offer either a mileage-oriented engine/transmission profile that feels sluggish off the line, or a well-intended sport mode that’s more aggressive, but still not quite right. The Grand Vitara, however, struck me as finding the happy medium—at lease most of the time.

Third, the Grand Vitara’s steering felt both immediate and accurate in the sense that a given amount of steering wheel ro-tation yielded prompt and consistent turn

in—this in contrast to SUVs that offer old-school, truck-like steering where you feel as if you’re offering “suggestions” that the front wheels may or may not choose to follow. Granted, the Suzuki understeers quite a lot, but don’t many of today’s SUV’s?

Tom is quite right to point out that certain Suzuki design details, such as the irregular load floor surfaces he mentioned, are decidedly wonky. My personal point of perplexity was reached when I discovered the Grand Vitara’s swing-open tailgate was hinged on the right side of the vehicle (the opposite of many I’ve seen) so that curbside access is blocked when the gate is open. Go figure.

Such oddities notwithstanding, how-ever, I came to appreciate the Suzuki’s straightforward goodness and utility value the more that I drove it.—WR—Chris Martens

...I came to appreciate the Suzuki’s straightforward goodness...

6.10.10

Ah yes, the glorious Fiero. Nothing says 1980’s poseur mobile better than a cheap version of the same-era Toyota MR2, and that’s not in-

cluding the countless fiberglass body kits—some of which are truly craptastic—to have graced the pint-sized Pontiac over the years. It seems that even Fiero owners are embar-rassed when sitting behind the wheel; what

other reason would drive a person to shell out substantial coin for a Ferrari F-40 conver-sion kit designed by someone without depth perception? Have we totally lost our minds to call this car a Keeper?

That’s what some of you are thinking. We know, because for years that’s how the Fiero was regarded. Time, however, has been kind to this car, especially the 1988 model

By Christopher Smith

Keepers: Pontiac Fiero GT

6.10.10

year (pictured in our gallery above) which marked the end of Fiero production. We’re not alone in our assessment—Fiero fans are out there in droves, canvassing thousands of miles and spending hundreds thousands of dollars to find just the right car for res-toration and/or motoring thrills. Fiero fans are rabid, defending the car they love (even the rather pitiful 1984 model) to their last breath. Most importantly, Fiero fans are

growing in numbers, and yes, the Winding Road staff is proud to be among them, as should you. After all, we’re talking about a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-seat, lightweight sports car. What’s not to like?

Okay, so the Fiero launched to a pathetic start in 1984 with a tired four banger and underpinnings borrowed from the Chevette. Here’s the thing though—for the 1988 model year, GM actually got the formula right by giving the Fiero its own suspension. We don’t understand why it took four years for GM to realize a mid-engine sports car needs a sports car sus-pension to handle like a sports car, and we can only speculate at how successful this car would’ve been had such a setup been installed from day one. Take note future auto executives—this is what happens when bean counters overrule the people who ac-tually know something about automobiles and driving excitement.

Coupled with the 1986 fastback rede-sign and V-6 power, the 1988 Fiero GT is a fabulously capable and attractive sports car with enough straight-line power to be entertaining. Introduce the 1988 Fiero to corners, and it rewards both driver and passenger with a balanced setup that can only come from a mid-engine machine uti-

lizing a properly calibrated suspension. Yeah, the interior is wanting for space, and the blocky dash is totally 1980s, but this car isn’t meant to be a comfort cruiser. You feel expansion joints through the suspen-sion, you sense cracks in the road through the steering, and though you could opt for an automatic, the only way to fully appre-ciate this car is to row cogs with a manual transmission. It’s elemental, it’s attractive, and it’s a rewarding driver’s car. So once again, what’s not to like?

The looks may resemble that initial 1984 effort, but the 1988 Fiero GT is liter-ally a completely different animal under-neath, and for one fabulous year, it became the car it should’ve been from day one. There will always be the haters who recall the Fiero’s early days, who will point to the cornucopia of ridiculous Fiero-based con-version kit cars and laugh. There are many more people, however, who recognize and appreciate the capabilities of this ma-chine, and because of that, the Fiero has well and truly earned a spot in our Keepers garage.

We’ll help explain the Fiero lineup and the differences in the 1988 model for our next Keepers segment, coming soon.—WR

6.10.10

Ford has announced the discontinuation of its Mercury brand, in the midst of financial reshuffling that will see an increase in funding and new models for its Lincoln brand. Mercury, which, last year, only made up 0.8 per-

cent of Ford’s 16 percent market share will end production in the fourth quarter of this year.

Lincoln, meanwhile, is set to get several new vehicles, in-cluding a new C-segment car that may be based on the 2011 Ford

Focus. Lincoln is also going to be adopting new fuel-saving tech-nologies such as the highly-acclaimed EcoBoost engine system.

As with many brand closings, Ford has announced that it in-tends to honor all warranties and will continue providing replace-ment parts for Mercury vehicles. There will also be special offers coming on Mercury vehicles, in an effort to clear out remaining inventory.

See the next page for the official press release from Ford.

By Brandon Turkus

Ford Kills Mercury, Diverts Resources To Lincoln

6.10.10

DEARBORN, Mich., June 2, 2010 – Ford Motor Company will expand and enhance its Lincoln brand lineup with seven all-new or significantly refreshed vehicles in the next four years as part of an aggressive growth plan focused on standout product design, class-leading technology and new powertrains – all aimed at competing with Cadillac and Lexus in North America.

Ford also will end production of Mercury vehicles in the fourth quarter of this year to fully devote its financial, prod-uct development, production and market-ing, sales and service resources toward further growing its core Ford brand while enhancing the Lincoln brand.

“We have made tremendous prog-ress on profitably growing the Ford brand during the past few years. Now, it is time to do the same for Lincoln,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. “The new Lincoln vehicles will transform luxury for North American premium customers through an unexpected blend of respon-sive driving enjoyment and warm, inviting comfort. We will also offer our customers a world-class retail experience through a vibrant retail network.”

Lincoln’s hallmarks will be refined, modern design, the most fuel-efficient premium powertrains and industry-lead-

ing technology that create a unique driver experience both in the cabin and on the road.

“Profitably growing Lincoln in North America is an important part of our One Ford plan,” said Alan Mulally, Ford presi-dent and CEO. “Our Ford brand is gaining momentum and winning customers around the world. Now, we are going to use the same laser focus to further strengthen Lincoln and deliver even more products luxury customers really want and value.”

Foundation SetThe future of Lincoln is building from a strong base that includes the all-new flag-ship MKS large sedan, the all-new MKT seven-passenger crossover and a signifi-cantly refreshed MKZ mid-size sedan – all now in showrooms. The hybrid version of the MKZ will reach showrooms later this year and is expected to be the most fuel efficient premium sedan on the market.

Lincoln’s product actions continue later this year with the debut of the signif-icantly refreshed 2011 MKX crossover, the first vehicle to feature MyLincoln Touch driver connect technology.

This will be followed by another six all-new or significantly refreshed vehicles within four years developed with Lincoln’s

DNA of standout design, precise and con-fident driving experience, class-leading technology and powertrains delivering top performance and fuel efficiency.

Lincoln will be led by expanded prod-uct development and marketing, sales and service teams to support the brand’s growth plan and ensure it has a strong cadence of distinct products that are well positioned in the market. Plans for Lincoln include:* Lincoln’s first-ever C-segment vehicle* New Lincoln-exclusive powertrains, in-

cluding an all-new V-6 engine and ad-vanced fuel-efficient transmissions

* EcoBoost engines available in all Lincolns – from the Navigator full-size SUV to the new C-segment Lincoln

* Fuel economy leadership with each new vehicle – leading to Lincoln emerging as the most fuel-efficient luxury lineup on the market

* More useful technology and features than any other competitor – with a spe-cial focus on comfort and convenience. New advanced features include: fully re-tractable glass roofs; adaptive comput-er-controlled suspensions; electronic, push-button gear-selectors; active noise control; and exclusive MyLincoln Touch driver connect technology

6.10.10

“Lincoln vehicles will reward drivers with smooth, effortless power comple-mented by agile handling and respon-sive steering,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president, Global Product Development. “The cabin is a sanctuary with segment-leading quietness, genuine materials and intuitive, useful technol-ogy.”

Lincoln has started gaining traction with customers, as evidenced by market share gains during the past five years. Lincoln’s share of the retail U.S. luxury ve-hicle market has grown from 4.5 percent in 2005 to 6.3 percent through the first quarter of 2010.

In addition, Lincoln’s reputation with consumers has risen, with favorable opin-ion and purchase consideration reach-ing its highest level in the past five years. Lincoln’s long-term durability was second only to Porsche’s in the 2010 J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Survey.

MercuryMercury originally was created as a pre-mium offering to Ford and was an impor-tant source of incremental sales. However, the continued strength of the Ford brand – particularly during the past three years

– has accelerated the migration from Mercury to Ford for many customers.

Today, Mercury’s customer profile, pricing and margins are almost identical to Ford, but Mercury’s incremental sales have been declining.

The majority of current Mercury sales are to fleet buyers and customers purchasing through employee, retiree and friends and family discounts, which Ford anticipates largely can be satisfied by Ford brand vehicles.

Of Ford Motor Company’s 16 percent market share in the U.S., Mercury accounts for 0.8 percentage points, a level that has been flat or declining for the past several years. That contrasts with the Ford brand, which has increased market share by 2.2 percentage points so far this year on the strength of new products and improved quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart design and value.

Ford’s strengthening financial posi-tion – including the return to profitability and positive cash flow – allows the com-pany to absorb short-term costs associ-ated with the discontinuation of Mercury and to consolidate future product invest-ments into Lincoln.

Today, there are no stand-alone Mercury dealerships in North America.

Ford is working closely with dealers to maintain properly located stand-alone Lincoln or Ford-Lincoln dealers, which will offer dealers and the company the great-est opportunity for long-term profitable growth.

New operational standards developed with the company’s dealers will facilitate a Lincoln customer experience that exceeds the expectations of North American luxury customers.

Personal AttentionFord will work closely with Mercury dealers and customers during the transition, in-cluding providing existing Mercury owners with continued access to parts and service support at Ford and Lincoln dealers and by honoring current warranties, including Ford’s Extended Service Plans.

“We are 100 percent committed to supporting Mercury owners through Ford and Lincoln dealerships and working hard to keep them as valued customers in the future,” Fields said. “At the same time, we will work closely with our dealers to phase out Mercury franchises and con-tinue to build a healthy, growing Lincoln with strong new products and a profitable dealer network that delivers a world-class customer experience.”

6.10.10

Mercury owners will receive addi-tional details in the coming days explain-ing the transition and assuring them that Ford and its dealers will continue to pro-vide all necessary parts and service sup-port for Mercury products.

Ford has notified Mercury dealers of the decision and provided details of a fi-

nancial package that includes payment in exchange for resigning the franchise.

Ford today also informed dealers of special offers on new Mercury vehicles that will be available through the summer to support the sell down of current Mercury inventory and remaining Mercury vehicle production.

“We are taking decisive action and moving into the future with the right plan to deliver profitable growth for all stakeholders,” Fields said. “These moves position us to continue building momen-tum through strong brands, great prod-ucts and an unwavering focus on the cus-tomer.”—WR

6.10.10

Over the long weekend, our spy pho-tographer was hard at work get-ting these photos of the Hyundai

Sonata Touring.The wagon version will have the

same 198-horsepower, 2.4-liter, direct-in-jection engine as the sedan. Judging by the sporty look of the roofline, the Sonata Touring will hopefully also get optioned with the 274-horsepower 2.0T that has al-ready been announced for the sedan.

Our spy shooter also mentions a hybrid version of the wagon, which will

come to North America before showing up in Europe.

Scroll down for the photographer’s comments.

Today we can show you the very first spyphotos of the upcoming 2011 Hyundai Sonata wagon. In Europe, the new Sonata will adopt the latest naming scheme and will therefore be called i40. The Hyundai i40 will first be available as a sporty wagon and later on a four-door sedan will follow. In the US it will be the other way around. European buyers of the i40 will be able to

choose from a wide selection of both diesel and petrol in four-cylinder shape while the American customers will also have the option of a hybrid version. We expect the hybrid version to make its way to Europe later on as well. As we can see on the spy-photos the i40/Sonata wagon will be more of a sporty looking wagon then a load car-rier.—WR

By John Beltz Snyder

Spy Shots: Hyundai Sonata Touring Looks Good

6.10.10

By John Beltz Snyders

Spy Shots: 2012 Honda Civic Caught

These spy photos of the 2012 Honda Civic just landed on our desk.

The new Civic, seen here test-ing its brakes in the rain, will get some up-dates that haven’t shown up on this test mule. Some of the features that are there, such as the new bumper, are covered in these photos. The fenders, though, are wider, as the shooter points out.

Also, the photographer brings up the distinct possibility of the new Civic sharing a hybrid powertrain with the CR-Z.

Scroll down for more details in the photographer’s comments.

We shot this strange looking Honda Civic today performing brake tests in heavy rain. It looks strange since it’s a mule for the new 2012 Civic still dressed under a current Civic body. The front bumper is already the new one, just hidden under the old one. That’s why the front looks longer. There is also a bulge on the hood to give enough room for a new engine or test equipment. Wheel base seems to be the same but we

notice that the rear fenders are slightly wider. And, we also miss the exhaust pipes that normally come out in the rear bumper. Too bad it was raining so heavily so we couldn’t make out any engine sound, but we suspect that the hybrid engine from the CR-Z will also find its place in the new Civic.—WR

6.10.10

Thrustmaster has released the newest helm for diving sim fans, the Ferrari Wireless GT Cockpit 430 Scuderia Edition for the PC and PlayStation

3. Rather than having multiple pieces, the wheel and pedals are all part of one single adjustable unit.

For $250, the 23-pound wireless cockpit, licensed by Ferrari, sports a metal structure for optimum stabil-ity. The standalone unit requires no clamping, or, what we usually end up doing, resting the wheel clumsily on our lap. When not in use, the programmable wheel de-taches, and the unit folds for easy storage.

We haven’t had the chance to try it out, but the idea of a standalone unit is a great one. Especially for console gamers, it’s difficult to find a surface the proper height and with to mount the steering wheel while still being able to place the pedals in a comfortable posi-tion. This setup from Thrustmaster could eliminate this problem altogether, with its adjustability.

Now, if only Gran Turismo 5 would hurry up and make its debut.—WR

By John Beltz Snyder

Gamer: Thrustmaster Releases Ferrari Wireless Cockpit For PC And PS3

6.10.10