The Car of the Day today is a Saab. A very special Saab. The Saab Turbo X is a rare car. Saab will build 2000 of the Turbo X’s and only 600 of those will make it to the US. The Turbo X only comes in black and is a 280hp AWD sports sedan.
I enjoy reading auto reviews and there are several professional write ups on the Saab Turbo X. The only thing better than a good professional write-up on a car is a well written write-up by a passionate owner. And I’ve found such a review for the Saab Turbo X. If you want to learn more about the Saab Turbo X ask Google or you can read the Driving the Saab Turbo X blog.
This car doesn’t have quite the performance of the Evo, but is a fun, sport, rare, and classy option.
Tags: Cars · Saab · Turbo X
June 3rd, 2008 · Comments Off on The Official Car of Funkytown – How Nissan killed their best Altima
For the 2005/2006 model year Nissan created a special Altima. I remember the first time I saw the Nissan Altima SE-R. It was the best looking Altima I had ever seen and with an SE-R badge on it I knew it had to be something special.
I am a sucker for special cars, however when I saw the sticker for the Altima SE-R I was disappointed in the nearly $30,000 price tag. This put the best Altima within a couple grand of its corporate cousin the Infiniti G35.
The Altima SE-R has been simply called a Nissan with a trim package and that can only be said by someone who has never driven the SE-R.
Nissan did a great job of tempting me with this vehicle. It was my legitimate car of the day for several months, after an impressive spin behind the wheel. When I took the driver’s seat of the SE-R I was really skeptical of how well a 260hp FWD Altima would handle. I had the good fortune going on the test drive with a cool saleperson who allowed me really wind out the Nissan.
The Altima SE-R is basically a front-wheel drive 350Z with 4 doors. The SE-R has a lot of the interior cues from the 350Z. It has an upgraded exhaust and suspension bits and some of the coolest wheels to show up on a sedan. Through all that in with a close ratio 6-speed transmission and you have yourself a very special car that is a great sleeper sedan.
Now the SE-R isn’t the perfect car it does have a couple of flaws.
· The first was its original MSRP which put it within $2000 of the G35. However, in 2008, depreciation was little rougher on the Altima and that is good news for you. The current going rate for a 2005/06 SE-R vs a similar G35 may be as much as $6,000.
· The second is it is a front wheel drive. This car steers and drives with the same two wheels. So no matter how good it is you can always say “for a FWD car” at the end of it.
· Third is it is still just an Altima. There a lot of Altimas out there, very few SE-Rs, but a ton of Altimas.
· Fourth was the super lame ad campaign that claimed that the Altima SE-R was the “Official Car of Funkytown.” Somewhere there is a SE-R project manager that is rolling over in his figurative grave because some ad guru made the highest performance 4 door from Nissan the official car of funkytown.
A friend is looking at buying a new sporty sedan and the SE-R has made it on to his short list and it has brought it to top of mind for me. So the Car of the Day is a gently used 2005/2006 Altima SE-R for less than $18k.
Tags: Altima · Nissan · SE-R
Michael Martineck has a great article over at The Truth About Cars. The Cambridge Strategy Center published a study that help defines people like me and their obsession with cars. When I read this article I felt like they had me and my feelings toward cars totally pegged. Apparently I am categorized as an “expressive”.
Expressives perceive their vehicles as [yet another] expression of their personalities. They are what they drive.
Expressives want a car that shows they are smart, rich, hip, practical and/or environmentally conscious. Conversely, in a different form of expression, they might not give two puffs what you think.
Expressives like to drive. All driving is a form of competition, whether it’s racing the wannabe in the Honda Civic or owning the world’s most fuel efficient vehicle. The believe an automobile should do one thing and one thing well. Expressives want the best rock climber or dragster or delivery van.
I think that is why I tend to want a new car every day and cars like the Evo appeal to me. It is an amazing performer and is purpose built to do be a high performance vehicle and the Evo does it very well.
You can read more at http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/the-truth-about-you/.
Tags: Cars · Evolution
The Truth About Cars (TTAC) is a non-biased automotive website that has published one of my articles.
This article is in response to a Car and Driver article where they compared a 911 turbo, GT-R and a M3 and gave the M3 the gold medal.
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/scoop-letter-from-car-and-driver-to-nissan-leaked-to-ttac/
Tags: BMW · Miscellaneous · Nissan
What happens when a Nissan GT-R, Audi R8, Lotus Elise SC, Porsche 911, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR and Subaru WRX STI meet up for a track and mountain road challenge?
That is what the guys at Inside Line set to figure out.
Well my current COTD (the Evo) didn’t win that challenge, but it did perform admirable well against performance cars that cost more than twice as much. The Evo did so well that the author commented that if the Evo had just 75hp more it may seriously upset the pecking order of these cars. As it stands now it finished in front of the Porsche 911, Lotus Elise SC, and the STI. I happen to know where I can get an easy 75hp for the Evo to make that a reality. (read more at Do you Vishnu)
And you can read the full article by Josh Jacquot at Inside Line.
Tags: Audi · Cars · Evolution · Mitsubishi · Reviews
The Car of the Day is simply about what car do I really want to buy today.
The car I want to buy today is once again the Mitsubishi Evolution. I’ve appreciated the Evolution since it came to America. There is something about a simple car that has converted into a super-car beater that appeals to me. I love the technology in an Evo. It is a purpose-built speed machine. Evos share a direct link to their rally car origins.
The Mitsubishi Evolution is a car for enthusiasts who prefer performance over style. The car doesn’t apologize for what it is and what is not. I love the turbo-charged engine that is a simple ECU from hitting nearly 400hp. I love the AWD with the active yaw control. I love the huge front-mount intercooler. The price tag might seem steep if all you see is a Mitsubishi Lancer, but if you can look past the econo-car roots and appreciate the little Evo for what it is in the automotive food chain. It is one of the best all-around performing 4-door sedans on the market. There are cars that may be quicker to 60mph and quicker to finish the quarter mile and quicker around a road course, but not by much. And if they are they probably cost 50% to 100% more than the car that started life as an Evo. And if it a car is faster, it wouldn’t take very much to get tune to Evo make it an even faster vehicle, so the list of cars quicker than it shrinks even smaller.
The Evo X is a has grown up a little from the previous versions. It is actually a little understated compared to the Evo IX. It also is a little softer riding and more livable daily driver. And what a nice daily drive that would be. And much to the chagrin of my wife it is the current COTD, sorry, but it is what I like.
Tags: Cars · Evolution · Mitsubishi · Turbo
May 24th, 2008 · Comments Off on The M3 Sedan Comparison Comparo
It seems everywhere you look there is an article comparing the new 2008 BMW M3 Sedan to the handful of other 4-doors capable of legitimately running with the ultimate Ultimate Driving Machine.
I’ve located 5 reviews comparing the best luxury sports sedans in the world to each other. The requirement for this review of reviews is that one of the cars being tested is the 4-door M3.
I will attempt to determine who has the best review of the best sports sedans in the world. Who has the best review? Can I just read the best review and save all the repetitive reading? Is the M3 really better than sex? (well, not if you do it right)
Inside Line Review
At the end of March Edmunds Inside Line published the first comparison of the M3 sedan vs. the Mercedes-Benz C63. Inside Line does a great job of regularly scooping the automotive rags with their reviews. While most car magazines are putting together next month’s articles Inside Line has already posted the earliest review. Inside Line presents a very technical review of the M3 and the C63. They took the BMW and M-B to the 1.5 mile track of Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch and gave each car a proper wringing out. The BMW lapped the track 1.8 seconds faster than the Benz. The final synopsis had the BMW occupying first place. Inside Line may have had the first comparison, but it places 5th in this review of reviews.
Car and Driver Review
Car and Driver published their review in May and chose to simply compare the M3 to the Lexus IS-F. The writers at C&D cited a former test in which the M3 coupe trumped the C63 and the Audi RS4. Laguna’s 2.2 mile track was the testing ground for their edition of car vs. car. However after a frustrating search, the actual track times aren’t recorded in the actual article. (perhaps if you download and decipher the test data sheets you can glean that information) This review was well written with a bit more personality than I noticed in the Inside Line comparison. Car and Driver does a good job of organizing their comparison test. It is a simple 3 page layout with page one introducing the vehicles and laying the stage and page 2 dedicated to the Lexus and the 3rd page for the M3. The article also had the BMW M3 as the winner of their comparison and is the 4th best comparison featuring a BMW M3 sedan.
Motor Trend Review
Motor Trend also had their version of a M3 comparison test for their May issue following a theme from the motion picture “There Will be Blood”. Motor Trend decided to do a little more work than Inside Line and Car & Driver by adding a third car to their test. This was a M3 vs. C63 vs. IS-F battle royale. Or simply a combination of the previous two reviews. Motor Trend has a frustrating style of organizing their reviews by category and not by car. I prefer a comparison organized by car so I can quickly go back and read about a specific car without having to wade through and entire review to glean the information that I need. It was an entertaining enough review and, surprise, had the BMW in the top spot followed by the C63 and then the IS-F. Motor Trend takes the bronze and lands in third place with their review.
The Truth About Cars Review
The Truth About Cars posted their comparison involving the BMW M3 in the middle of May. They chose the Audi RS4 as the contender to the BMW M3. The TTAC review was well written with wit, opinion, humor and some information. It lacked the hard test numbers of the other comparisons. You had to learn 0-60 times in other places and frankly there are plenty other places to get those simple stats. The opinions and impressions of the cars from the TTAC comparison is really what I am trying to get an understanding from in a comparison. The TTAC article ends with the author preferring the Audi over the BMW. For those of you scoring at home that is first loss for the BMW and a second place finish for the TTAC review.
Road & Track Review
Road & Track came to the “car vs. car” party the latest. However, there is good reason for their tardy arrival. The Road & Track comparison is the uber-test of the uber-sedans. The Audi RS4, the BMW M3, the Lexus IS-F, and the Mercedes C63 AMG made up the field for their test. If you can only read one comparison, this is the one to read and it even has a surprise outcome. The gold medal goes to Road & Track for the best M3 sedan comparison test.
Tags: Audi · BMW · Cars · M3 · Reviews
May 24th, 2008 · Comments Off on The Supercharged Mustang Bullitt is the COTD
Ford’s top of the line Mustang is the GT500 it is the 500hp supercharged 5.4 liter V8. However, this comes with the nearly a 500lb weight penalty. Sure, its the fastest factory Mustang, but there is another Mustang that has pretty close performance numbers, especially when you add the Ford Factory Racing Supercharger to it.
You can’t buy the Bullitt supercharged from the factory, but you can get a Ford supercharger added. And that will add all the performance of the GT500 and then some, without the penalty of the 500lbs that the GT500 gets because of its iron-block engine.
The Bullitt is real muscle car and sleeper at the same time. The Mustang also has a strong after market to support the quest for more power. And there are all the Ford Factory Racing parts that you can add to your Mustang.
Today’s COTD is a supercharged Mustang Bullitt. The Bullitt is special and the supercharger takes it to next level of performance. The level of my former COTD a Mitsubishi Evo with a Vishnu tune.
Tags: Bullitt · Ford · Horsepower · Mustang · Supercharger
May 23rd, 2008 · Comments Off on Secrets of the Car Salesman
If you like cars then you probably find yourself in dealerships looking to buy said cars from time to time.
One of my favorite “inside” articles about car dealerships was written by the guys at Edmunds.
Do yourself a favor and read the “Confessions of a Car Salesman”. It is the story of an automotive journalist who works undercover for 2 different car dealerships and shares the secrets of the car salesmen and the dealerships.
It is a lengthy 9 part essay but very informative and entertaining.
Chandler Phillips does a great job of capturing the inside world of the car dealships. Thanks to him and Edmunds.com.
http://www.edmunds.com/advice/buying/articles/42962/article.html
Tags: Buying Cars · Miscellaneous
May 23rd, 2008 · Comments Off on The Car Hunt
I’m currently assisting a COTD reader identify the best car for his current situation.
A car is a major purchase and I appreciate when people take their time to research what is the best car for them and their current situation.
Here are his parameters:
“I want to buy a 4-door sedan. I don’t want to spend more than 40K, although I would spend 45K if I really like the car. My top three priorities are:
I also want a car that has a sense of style. I don’t want to drive around in a refrigerator.”
So I responded with these thoughts:
“Now realize any of my suggestions will almost always come with a performance bias.
The best option from Japan is the a gently used 2007 Infiniti M45. The M45 has all the technology Infiniti can muster, including one of my favorite options – air cooled seats. It has all of the request features that make that gadget guys happy. http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/infiniti-m45/
From Japan I would also give an honorable mention to the Lexus G430 if the Infiniti is a little too on the sporty side of the scale for you.
A high powered option from America is a new or extremely low mileage (less than 5k) Chrysler 300 SRT-8. The SRT-8 is powered by a 425hp 6.1 liter hemi. It is a brute. There are several other SRT-8 siblings including the Dodge Charger and Jeep Grand Cherokee all with the same 6.1 liter hemi and SRT treatments. http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/chrysler-300c-srt-8/
An American honorable mention goes to the brand new Pontiac G8. If you don’t know about the G8 check it out. It would be a relative deal for you budget, but it is a very impressive offering from GM. http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=124876
From the UK I would look at Jaguar’s supercharged V8 powered S-type R that is good for 400hp. http://www.forbesautos.com/reviews/2006/jaguar/s_type/r/test-drive.html
The only problem with the S-type is that is being replace in 2009 with the already released XF. The XF is an attractive car already getting good press. However, the S-type R is truly a special car and should be timeless choice.
There are the great cars from Germany the AMG E-Class, the Audi S6 and the BMW M5, but we would need to go further back in time to hit our price point. “
The rising price of gas and the desire for a slightly smaller car is causing our reader to think more along the lines of the BMW 3 Series, which is never a bad choice.
A creative option the 3 Series is the ultra-exclusive Saab Turbo X of which only 600 will see American shores.
I will keep you updated as to the Car Hunt Progress.
Tags: BMW · Saab
A car purchase is a public proclamation about how you feel about cars. The guy in the SRT-4 wanted speed above all else and don’t call his ride a neon. The guy driving the mini-van may be a repressed car enthusiast, but his family is more important than his fast and furious tendancies. The guy driving his convertible VW bug is…..well I can’t really explain that one.
A true enthusiast deserves to at least once in their life drive a truly special car. However, sometimes that truly special car isn’t financially an option and the enthusiast is forced to settle for a lesser car. Don’t settle, just go back in time!
I’m imaging it is 2004 and I’m thinking about the cars that interested me a few years ago. The cars had to have at least 300hp and nice degree luxury and certain “special car factor”. The “special car factor” is more than a simple “special edition” badge. It is more than a body colored bumper and a fancy pin stripe. A true special car needs a serious factory tune.
The first special car I remember being cognizant of was the original BMW M3. The M Series of cars from BMW do an excellent job of defining that specialness I’m looking for from a car. Every M engine represents a significant bump in horsepower over the standard top-of-the-line power plant. There are all kinds of suspension goodies, interior bits and exterior treatments to finish out that factory tune treatment.
The last few years have seen a spike in these factory tuned cars. Mercedes-Benz brought AMG in house and are making some Benz’s with power rivaling a freight train. Ford’s SVT and the Audi S cars other veterans in this game. We have also seen some relative newcomers to the world of factory tuning. SRT has long been tuning the Dodge Viper, but now Chrysler has myriad of SRT vehicles for a driver to choose from. Another pair of relative newcomers to the US market in the last several years is the STI and EVO direct descendants from their rally-car roots. There is the VW R32 and even Cadillac has their CTS- V.
Unfortunately, there is a price penalty to step up to these cars that keeps some enthusiasts from being able to enjoy the cars that they were meant to drive.
So if you have a less than $25,000 in your auto budget and you looking at cars like a new VW GTI or a Honda Civic Si you might want to put that plan on hold for a little bit. Now the VW GTI and Civic Si are excellent examples of economic versions of factory tuned hot rods, but there is a way to get more for your hard earned dollar.
How about going back in time and picking up a truly special car? How about rare car that is stealthy, luxurious and quick? I am talking about a car that is regularly available on sites like autotrader and ebay motors.
The car is the Volvo S60R. The S60R is basically an Evo or STI that has been Volvo-ized. (in a good way) For less than $25,000 you can pick up a gently used example of this Swedish speed machine with less than 30,000 miles on it.
The S60R receives some subtle interior and exterior treatments that let the S60R run under the radar of most drivers and local law enforcement. This Volvo brings a turbo-charged, 300hp 5 cylinder engine to the performance party. If you opt for the 6-speed manual version you get a 295lb-ft helping of torque. The R gets its power to pavement via its all wheel drive system.
The S60R isn’t the only hot rod from the Swedish speed freaks; they also have the V70R, which is the choice for the enthusiast who wants a little more space in the form of a wagon.
I am not here to feed you all the details of the 4 year old S60R. I am here to remind you of a special car that may be for sale in your area.
If you want a car with luxury, performance, style, stealth and power then find an S60R for sale in your area and check it out. It is a great performance option from an unlikely source.
All you have to do is hop into your time machine via the miracle of the used car market and find that gently used example and get yourself a truly special car.
Now if the Volvo S60R isn’t your thing, think about other special cars that were made around 2004 and find the car that suits your fancy. Another stealthy luxury option is the 390hp supercharged Jaguar S-Type R, consider it the British S60R.
Tags: S60R · Volvo
I have a small problem. I don’t care for the Toyota Camry. And when I say “I don’t care” I really mean “I wish I had a Spy Hunter style missile launcher to destroy them.”
If there was a Camry Haters Anonymous I would attend the meetings and introduce myself with “Hi, my name is Gary, I’m a Camry Hater.”
Why do I hate the bestselling car in America? It is kind of a long story. I recognize that a Toyota Camry is a well made car. If you own a Camry, I mean no personal offense, but the Camry has no soul.
A Camry wasn’t made for people who like cars. A Camry has no idea of what is fun about driving. A Camry represents what would happen if Consumer Reports ruled the world.
If you have no passion about driving or cars, if you only care about getting from point A to point B, if you think of your car and your dishwasher in the same thought, then the Camry is right for you.
A Dishwasher and a car in the same thought? There isn’t a “The Truth about Dishwashers” website for a reason. A dishwasher is a dishwasher. It is a simple appliance that makes your life easier. People aren’t enthusiastic about their dishwashers. Even the yahoos at MTV don’t have a “Pimp My Dishwasher” show to further help the youth of America’s brain to leak out of their collective ear.
Paul Walker and Vin Diesel won’t be starring in a film entitled the “The Clean and the Cleanliness”, that highlights the underground world of dishwasher racing. We won’t hear cheesy lines like “I clean my dishes in a high speed, no spot cycle, in those ten minutes or less I’m free.” or “Ask any dishwasher, any real dishwasher, it doesn’t matter whether you clean your dishes with a drop or a gallon, clean is clean!”
That is because a dishwasher is a freaking appliance! There is nothing to be passionate about, it is just an appliance.
And that is my problem with the Camry, it is an appliance. It has no sporting soul. It’s not that “fun-to-drive” is low on the Camry’s priority list; it is that “fun-to-drive” isn’t even on the list, or on the list next to the list of good things about a Camry.
This hatred for the Camry is contagious to other cars that are related to the Camry.
Whenever I see a Lexus ES, I don’t see Lexus’ excellent entry level luxury sedan. I don’t see a car that is an amazing combination of value, quality and luxury. I see a tarted up Camry! I see Toyota tricking people in buying “Fancy Camrys”. I’m ticked at Toyota for tricking these people into buying a dressed up Camry.
When I see a Toyota Avalon I simply see a bloated over-sized Camry. The Corolla is simply a mini-Camry wannabe. A Highlander? I don’t see Christopher Lambert on his quest to be “The One.” I see a Camry SUV.
And the worst offender, the worst pretender, the most confusing vehicle of all is the Toyota Solara. I seriously can’t believe that people buy this car. I would rather eat glass than own a Solara.
I just want to grab the Solara owners and ask them “what were you thinking?” Were they even thinking? The Toyota Solara is an automotive oxymoron. It is the sporty Camry. I can’t imagine someone being a the car lot looking at a Camry thinking “this is a fine car and can probably do a fine job of cleaning my dishes, I wonder if there is a bloated coupe version of this car with a lame name?”
Do they even know that they just bought a Camry coupe? Or are they unsuspecting victims thinking they bought the cool Toyota coupe?
Because the Camry appeals to the people who don’t care about the joy of driving it attracts a disproportionate amount of bad drivers. The next time you on the road and there is an obliviot (oblivious idiots) doing a famous job of horrible driving, more often than not it will be a Camry or Camry-base vehicle. I’m talking about cars doing a 14-point turn on a 2 lane road, cars backing up the entrance ramp, cars sitting through green lights and driving 15 miles under the posted speed limit.
So that is my cross to bear. I hate the bestselling car in the country and am forced to see them everywhere. And if you hear of some horrible Camry hate crimes I promise it wasn’t me.
PS – There is one exception to my blanket Camry hate and that is the new V6 SE it has a bit of soul and some respectable performance numbers.
Tags: Camry · Toyota
May 19th, 2008 · Comments Off on BMW tii
Today’s car of the day is one of the greatest COTD’s ever and that is a car that isn’t out yet. When you obsess over cars and it seems like you want a new car every day, the car that has not been released yet is an attractive option.
A former COTD is the BMW 135i. It is the little brother to the BMW 3 Series. It is powered by the same 300hp twin-turbocharged engine that drives the 335i. This engine has a bit of reputation of being underrated, significantly underrated. When the 335i’s first started showing for road tests with the automotive media, car journalists were incredulous at the numbers this “300hp” sedan was putting up. So there were several well documented dyno tests of the 335i and the net results of the tests showed that BMW was underselling the performance of the new engine. It was not uncommon for the cars to show 300hp at the wheels meaning it really had about 350hp at the crank.
Why would BMW under-promise by 50hp? My theory is that the previous generation 333hp M3 was sitting in the showroom at the same time that the BMW 335i hit the floor. This meant that if BMW really advertised the true horsepower rating of the 335i it would have more hp than the almighty M3. Thus they over promised and under delivered.
I said all of that to say this that the BMW 135i has a special edition car coming out soon. The BMW 135i tii, is an homage to the great 2002 tii, in execution and theory. The tii is a lightweight, turbo-charged, small coupe that continues to perpetuate the brand that is the Ultimate Driving Machine.
Tags: BMW · tii · Turbo
May 18th, 2008 · Comments Off on A Car Delivery Vacation
Are you looking at buying a new Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Porsche? Why not visit Germany and actually take delivery of your fine German automobile from the mother country? 
I’ve already discussed the greatness of the new BMW M3 Sedan here. So if you are going to purchase a special car like this why not head to Munich and pick up your car straight from the factory?
Some of the manufacturer’s offer a discount for customers willing to take a European delivery of their car. The discount can well pay for your vacation and it’s not just a vacation it is a chance to drive your new car in its home country. A country where there are roads with no speed limits.
The nice thing about these European delivery programs is they aren’t reserved for the super expensive models; all of their models are eligible for this option. The down side with a European delivery is having to wait for your car to be shipped back home. It can be a bit like meeting your soul mate on an exotic vacation and then having to wait way too long to see her again. It can be a long wait until your new baby gets back to the States.
It makes for a very interesting option for a vacation. The team at AskMen.com has more information on their site.
Tags: Audi · BMW · European Delivery
Audi is currently working on some higly tuned versions of their 2.0 liter TDI engines. The engine in this concept has 221hp and 332lb-ft of torque. This car is the Audi A3 Clubsport.
There are currently no plans to bring this car into production, but is does give us a glimpse of what is possible in the future.
Someday a “Car of the Day” could be a sporty diesel powered car. You can read more about the Audi at Autocar-UK. In Europe the diesel engine and fuel station network is much more common and accepted. There are still a few challenges here in the United States before diesel is seen as anything more as just an “alternative” fuel option. Sporty automotive applications such as this could help the American case for diesels.
Tags: Audi · Gas prices
