Coke 600 Recap

It is fantastic to finally see Kasey Kahne showing some success on the track. Since his season began with Hendrick Motorsports, there has been very little to celebrate for the #5 Farmers Insurances Chevy until his win on Sunday night. The win also marks Rick Hendrick's 201st win following Jimmie Johnson's victory two weeks ago at Darlington. Kahne also controlled the race at the end finishing over five seconds ahead of Denny Hamlin in second. Kyle Busch was third and Series points leader, Greg Biffle, finished fourth.

Speaking of Johnson, he had a rough race. Johnson was hurt by a pit road penalty where his jack-man dropped the jack early. This caused Johnson to leave his pit box with the fuel tank (and the pit crew member) attached to the car. For those not familiar with pit cues, it is customary for a dropped jack to signal to the driver that it is good to leave. It seems that there was a mix up regarding the number of tires to take. All in all, it was not the worse race for Johnson as he battled back to finish 11th. This races had all four Hendrick drivers within the top 11 with Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jeff Gordon sixth and seventh, respectively.

Of Note:
- Danica Patrick, who started the race 40th, finished the race in 30th place down five laps. This marks the best showing for Patrick this year. Her next Cup race will be August 25th at Bristol.

- Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart tangled on pit road as Keselowski tried to pull out of his box. He tagged stewart and send the #14 around on pit road almost taking out Stewart's crew and that of Aric Almirola as well as Almirola himself and Carl Edwards. Keselowski frantically called to his spotter to apologize to Stewart.

Results:
1. Kasey Kahne #5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
2. Denny Hamlin #11 Fed Ex Toyota
3. Kyle Busch #18 M&M's Toyota
4. Greg Biffle #16 Fastenal Ford
5. Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Light Dodge
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr #88 National Guard Chevrolet
7. Jeff Gordon #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
8. Kevin Harvick #29 Budweiser Chevrolet
9. Carl Edwards #99 Fastenal Ford
10. Matt Kenseth #17 Fastenal Ford

Standings:
1. Greg Biffle 453
2. Matt Kenseth -10
3. Denny Hamlin -16
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr -18
5. Jimmie Johnson -48

Rumor: Saab To Be Saved By Mystery Swedish Electric Automaker

As the decaying corpse of Saab moves closer to nothingness, there are new reports of a mystery Swedish electric automaker stepping in to save the company. The company is called National Electric Vehicle Sweden and according to recent reports, a deal is close.

Looking at the company, the president is Karl-Erling Trogen. For those of you not familiar with Trogen, he is the former head of Volvo Trucks.

There is no explanation of what the company wants from Saab. As SaabsUnited points out, the company has no infrastructure, employees, dealer network, etc. It would require a great amount of time and funding to rebuild.

Speculation revolves around an interest in the electric rear axle program co-developed with eAAM. Your guess is as good as mine but it would be great to see the brand revived. Who knows, we may see electric or hybrid Saabs in the near future.

BMW Confirms Inline Six-Cylinder Returning to M3 F30

Long live the Inline six! It has been confirmed by Ludwig Willisch, BMW's North American head, on f30post.com that the new F30 derived M3 will be powered by an inline six-cylinder engine ruling out the return of the powerful V8 from the previous M3. Also dead are the prospects for a V6 powered M3 which was planned to be a modified version of the S65 4.0L V8.

It is assumed that the new M3 will use at least two turbochargers to provide greater power than the old V8. There are also rumors of a tri-turbo six power-plant as well. You can expect to see around 450 horsepower on tap in the new model.

The Forza 4 Porsche Car Pack | Complete List And Details

Property of Turn 10. Porsche 911 GT2.

Were you one of the millions disappointed about the lack of Porsche's in the original release of Turn 10's Forza Motorsports 4? If you said yes, you now have the privilege of giving Microsoft and Turn 10 another $20 for the new Porsche Pack and the opportunity to jump into 30 Porsche vehicles and 20 Porsche racing events. The full details of what to expect for tomorrow's release will be discussed at detail below.


For those not familiar with the saga of the missing Porsche's, the issue stemmed from the rights to use the Porsche name, symbol and likeness which was sold to Electronic Arts years ago (that should explain the multiple Need For Speed Porsche-based games). In the past, EA has lent the rights to other companies including Turn 10 for previous Forza Motorsports releases. After rendering all of the vehicles, EA decided to withhold the rights for Porsche preventing Forza from putting them in the game. In some strange turn of events, these cars are now being released (maybe Forza threatened to withhold their Ferrari license). As far as the $20 price, I personally feel they should be free as they were designed to be original content and the "replacement cars" were beyond garbage (who seriously wants a Prius in Forza... or in general for that matter), but what can you do.


Back on topic. As I mentioned the new pack includes 30 Porsche vehicles from the last 57 years with vehicles ranging from high performance SUVs to world famous race cars. Turn 10 studios has been releasing the cars over the past two weeks releasing two cars a day on Facebook and I have compiled a list of the cars below. It may not come as a shock that some historic Porsche models are included in the pack. Examples include the classic 914/6, 550 Spyder, 944, and 959. You also have newer Porsche's making the list including the Panamera Turbo, Cayman, and Boxster. Also, it would not be a Porsche pack without a few 911's (18 in fact). However, I must admit that I am slightly disappointed to see the new 2013 Boxster, 911 and the upcoming 918 hybrid missing from the list. Future car packs perhaps?


The list of cars is broken down into two categories (road and race).
Porsche Pack Road models:
1955 Porsche 550 Spyder
1970 Porsche 914/6
1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS
1982 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3
1987 Porsche 959
1989 Porsche 944 Turbo
1995 Porsche 911 GT2
2003 Porsche Carrera GT
2004 Porsche 911 GT3 (996)
2007 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997)
2007 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997)
2007 Porsche 911 Turbo (997)
2010 Porsche Boxster S
2010 Porsche Panamera Turbo
2010 Porsche 911 Sport Classic
2012 Porsche 911 GT2 RS (shown above on the left)
2012 Porsche Cayenne Turbo
2012 Porsche Cayman R


While there have been many varied racing models throughout Porsche's history, the selection of cars included in this pack mark some of the most successful in company history even is it is mostly 911's (a little variety would be nice).


Porsche Pack Race models:
1987 Porsche #17 Racing Porsche AG 962c
1998 Porsche #26 Porsche AG 911 GT1-98
2005 ALMS GT #31 Petersen-White Lightning 911 GT3-RSR (996)
2005 Porsche #66 AXA Racing 911 GT3 Cup (996)
2007 Porsche #80 Flying Lizard 911 GT3-RSR
2008 Porsche #2 Gruppe Orange Racing 911 GT3 Cup
2008 Porsche #16 Dyson Racing RS Spyder Evo
2008 Porsche #7 Penske Racing RS Spyder Evo
2011 Porsche #54 Black Swan Racing 911 GT3 Cup
2011 Porsche #45 Flying Lizard 911 GT3-RSR
2011 Porsche #17 Team Falken 911 GT3-RSR
2011 911 #23 Alex Job Racing 911 GT3 Cup


Additional Information:  As a result of these new cars, users can expect to see them in a new Porsche dealership and within races driven by AI characters. It is also expected that some Porsche models will appear in the car reward system which provides a selection of cars as you go from level 1 to 50. Though this is frustrating to those who have already passed the level 50 threshold. 


In addition, you can also expect to see 20 new events designed for your new toys from Stuttgart. One would also assume that there will be a 911 series race based on the 18 models in the pack. 


The pack will be available for download tomorrow, May 22, for 1,600 Microsoft Points (or $20 for those who do not like the "Disney Dollar" concept that Xbox has developed). As I mentioned above, I still feel this content should be free but everyone has to make money so here we are. Also, this pack is NOT covered in the season pass as that ended last month and did not even include the Top Gear pack for the beginning of May.

The New Lamborghini Urus

So it is turning out to be an interesting week for the SUV market following the Macan news the other day. For those of you following my Facebook and Twitter feeds, I posted yesterday that Lamborghini was naming its new SUV the Urus. Today we have some advanced pictures that have been leaked about the Urus which will be officially unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show. This car looks similar to many previous renderings but with a sleeker, low slung appearance. The car sort of has a raised Panamera shape to it from the front angle. From the side it almost looks like a fine tuned Range Rover Evoque. Whatever it resembles, I do feel this is a good looking vehicle especially in contrast to the soon to be released Bentley SUV currently named the EXP 9 F (the Bentley also competes in the fax machine market).

It is expected that the Urus will share its platform with the next Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7, and the forthcoming Bentley SUV. However, the Urus is expected to weight in about 200 pounds lighter than any of those. Power expectations are said to be a 5.2L V10 power-plant producing a monstrous 584hp. No word on price just yet but lets just say it will not be competing with the new Rav-4 I posted last week...

Upcoming Porsche Macan getting 370hp Turbo?

The folks at Autocar are reporting that Porsche may produce a performance version of the soon-to-be-released Macan. The supposed Macan Turbo could produce as much as 370hp with a new V6 engine. The article hints at a 3.0L borrowing many parts from the 3.6L out of the Panamera and Cayenne. Rumored torque output would be around 400 lb-ft.

Autocar also speculated that the Macan would be available in both automatic and manual flavors both with seven gears. This means that Porsche may be putting their newly released seven gear box in an SUV which is interesting. I would assume it would be decently modified to work with the all-wheel drive system of the Macan after being taken from the rear drive 911.

It is hard to predict the specs for this car. We barely know what it looks like with only a drawing at the moment. However, look for the Macan to release in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway

This weekend's Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas saw many events and problems for the 43 Sprint Cup drivers. One of the biggest problems for the race were winds topping over 30mph. This cause many drivers to be more cautious with their driving habits. As a result, there were only two cautions during the race. One of those cautions was for debris with the other for a cap blowing around the track. This resulted in the final 234 being run under the green flag (112 laps more than the previous record).

One of the biggest topics from Saturday night was Jimmie Johnson who seemed to be on the edge of capturing Hendrick Motorsports' 200th win. Johnson led 156 of the 334 laps but was run down by Greg Biffle who led seven times for 90 laps. After Biffle passed him for the last time with 30 to go, Johnson tried everything to regain the lead causing him to smack into the wall. Johnson managed to hold on for second.

The win marks the first for Biffle in 49 attempts and also provided Jack Roush with his ninth victory in 23 races at Texas. The win also marked Biffle's 17th victory. His last win came at Kansas (where the series heads next week) in 2010. After a decade since his last championship (in the nationwide series), Biffle seems to be on the track to finally obtaining the trifecta of championships in NASCAR's top three series. He would be the first to do so.

Other notes: Kasey Kahne found his first top ten of the season. He looks to turn around the streak of bad luck he has had lately. Dale Earnhardt Jr continues his impressive season with three top 5's and five top 10's in seven races after finishing 10th at Texas. Matt Kenseth obtained his 14th top 10 finish at Texas with his fifth place finish.

The Sprint Cup Series heads to Kansas next week for the STP 400 on Sunday.

The top 5:
1. Greg Biffle #16 3M Ford
2. Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe's Chevrolet
3. Mark Martin #55 Aaron's Rent A Center Toyota
4. Jeff Gordon #24 DuPont Chevrolet
5. Matt Kenseth #17 Best Buy Ford

Notables:
6. Martin Truex Jr #56 Nappa Toyota
7. Kasey Kahne #5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
8. Carl Edwards #99 Fastenal Ford
9. Kevin Harvick #29 Budweiser Chevrolet
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr #88 Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet
36. Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite Dodge

Standings:
1. Greg Biffle #16 Ford 273 points
2. Matt Kenseth #17 Ford -19
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr #88 Chevrolet -19
4. Martin Truex Jr #56 Toyota -20
5. Kevin Harvick #29 Chevrolet -24

The 2012 Volkswagon Beetle Review

Owned by VW

This past weekend I took the opportunity to visit my local Volkswagon dealership to take a look at the new Passat (which I will review soon) and the new Beetle. The model I tested was a new 200HP 2.0L turbo engine sporting the six speed DSG transmission found in many other VW and Audi automobiles. The car had an as-tested price of over $30,000 dollars ringing it at $30,300 or in other words a Beetle that is more expensive than a decently loaded V6 Mustang or most Toyota models. However, because its German they feel they can charge an obscene amount of money for this car.


The Styling:

This is a much improved section of the car from the last generation. While the "New Beetle" catered mostly to females 40+, this new beetle combines some of the best styling features of the New Beetle with the design of the original Beetle and even some styling cues from elsewhere in the VW AG family (Porsche 911 like roofline anyone?) I must admit that I could not be happier that the flower vase was dumped for the new model. Any chance of targeting the male population in that car was automatically killed off by the flower.

Owned by VW. Shows manual transmission and other features.

On the inside, my tester was well equipped with satellite navigation and sunroof in addition to the DSG gear box. My personal favorite was the lap timer on the dashboard that has no reason for being in his car. It was also disappointing that my VW rep was not even sure what the timer was. This showed great knowledge of the car for someone who has been with VW for many years (and was of German heritage).

There are some negatives with this car. For being a $30,000+ car, it lacked some features such as steering wheel controls and automated climate controls. Also the cheap plastic trim that is designed to match the exterior color looks like it does not fit with the dashboard. The use of cheap hard plastics is heavy on this particular car and make me continue to question the price tag of this car. The Beetle also uses a lot of bin parts from other VW's and older Beetles including a glovebox that looks like its straight out of the 60's Beetle.

The trunk also leaves much to be desired. I figured that the "lets try to copy the 911" roofline might result in increased trunk space. I was dead wrong. Even putting the rear seats down, fitting golf clubs or suitcases will be difficult. I also dislike the trunk latch where you life the VW logo on the back. My main reason for this is because the you can hear it de-latch multiple times before you can open the tailgate enough to let go of the handle. I feel this may be an issue down the line from added wear and tear.

The Drive:

Many may confuse this for a puffy version of the GTI, however, the car has replaced the rear torsion beam for a multilink setup. This new rear end has not improved driving style what-so-ever. The car feels very uncoordinated when driven hard. There is a lot of understeer entering a corner and unsmooth surfaces provide the feeling that the tail will come around on you. Otherwise the ride is smooth and comfortable in a straight line but does not feel as planted as a GTI.

The DSG gearbox, which is fantastic in other cars, is hurt here by a wider spread between the gear ratios. The box constantly searched for higher gears even in the manual shifting mode. Unfortunately there were no manual models available for test but supposedly the row-it-yourself box is a lot smoother. To get from 0-60 the best way is to just mash the gas. this leads to a time of 6.3 seconds which slots in between the GTI and a Jetta GLI (as it should given the weight changes between the three cars).

Conclusion:

While this is an interesting car and has some nice features, you would be better off buying a GTI which would come in a couple hundred dollars cheaper than the Beetle. If you choose to go outside of VW, you could find a well equipped Mustang for about $1500 cheaper. The options elsewhere place this car low in the consideration column even within the VW family.

Are You the New Toyota Rav-4

Photo property of Autoblog.com/AOL Auto.

Since the last significant redesign to the Rav-4 happened in 2006, there is a good chance that this is the new Rav-4. If you are not familiar with the new Toyota styling, this car will follow the latest Camry and Avalon designs in an attempt to retain its control in this increasingly competitive segment.

Look for the new Rav-4 to enter production in fall of 2012 with the possibility of multiple engines including four and six cylinder options and maybe even a hybrid.

2012 Dodge Charger Pentastar V6 Review

Photo Property of Dodge

The 2012 Dodge Charger is a massive leap forward for Dodge. Gone are the Cerebus days of cheap, low quality interiors. The new Charger is an all-new car for 2012 with new retro design queues (yes I know it is an oxymoron), new engines, and a new transmission (for the V6 anyway).

I was presented with the opportunity to drive the new Charger with the fresh Pentastar V6 engine mated to an eight speed gear box. The model was a base SE rear drive V6 with only the additional gears ($1000) and the Uconnect system for Bluetooth connection. This car had a sticker of $28,495.


Features:

This car was limited on the features side. As I mentioned, the only things checked on this tester were the additional gears and the Uconnect system. This did not include navigation. My first complaint with the V6 SE model is the inability to put the bigger 8.4" screen in it. This leaves those looking for more entry level Chargers with the iPhone like 4.3" screen. This can be quite frustrating to some as you are left with this large gap below the screen. It can take some getting use to. Jumping up to the SXT does change the screen option.

Another issue for me are the behind-the-steering-wheel radio control buttons. I felt these could have been placed on the front of the wheel dumping the computer control buttons to maybe a single button on the wiper stalk in a BMW-like fashion.

My last major complaint is the quality of the interior and the use of hard plastics. This is not limited to just Dodge but it is showing up all over the automotive market. In a car like this reaching almost $30,000 in price, you would expect the materials to be more luxurious and of higher quality. What you receive is the exact opposite replicating almost a low end car. Everywhere you look, you will find hard plastics and cheap looking grey trim. Also the knobs and buttons (especially the climate control unit) feel flimsy and close to falling off at the lightest touch. You'd be better off using the touch screen even with its diminutive size.

Dodge Charger Interior. Photo Property of Zach's Auto Review

The Drive:

Getting into this car almost feels like a second home. The cabin is roomy and comfortable but, as I have mentioned, a little too much use of hard plastic for my taste. Starting this car incorporates Dodge's push button start system. My reason for mentioning this is my concern with the range of the key away from the vehicle to start the car. From what I was told, the system runs on Bluetooth and the range to start the vehicle is pretty large. Walking out of the vehicle with the key netted about 20-25 feet before the computer realized the key was leaving. This leaves me concerned about the possibilities this system could compromise car security. The feature only seems helpful if you are playing a practical joke on the owner by moving their car while they sit at a restaurant.

After putting the new eight speed gear box into drive (the model I drove did not have automated manual shifting or paddles), I headed towards the highway to test the acceleration and how the car drove at highway speeds. With the powerful (3.6L, 292hp, and 260 lb-ft torque) Pentastar V6 under the hood, I found myself at 60mph in about 6.7 seconds. One of the first things you notice is the way the new transmission shifts. I had many complaints with the old five speed transmission and this one, which is similar to the transmission out of the Audi A8, shakes some of those complaints. However, only one more ratio is added under 100mph so shifts now happen at 45, 65, and 100. However, on the A8 you find shifts around 35, 55, 85, and 105 which would help with acceleration and fuel economy (the Charger only nets 31mpg highway with this gear set up and could be better). Some might question why I am comparing this to the Audi A8. If you look at the transmission, they are essentially similar. The only main difference is the gearing ratios.

As a result of the new transmission, green light readiness is improved but could be better. One way to solve this would be the option for a manual transmission which is missing from the line-up. To add to the transmission issues, when the car goes to shift with a wide-open throttle, you feel like you are going to fly through the windshield because of the harsh gear changes. I have also heard complaints that the paddle shifts can begin ignoring commands to shift. I did not experience this as my model did not have paddles.

The driving style is rather agile for the size of this car. You do feel like you are driving a larger car (which you are) but it is very agile for its size. However, there is a lot of understeer at speeds over 50mph. On my usual test route, I have no problem hitting this one L-shaped corner at full highway speeds of 70mph (70mph is the limit for this area) and getting through in anything from a Corolla to a full size F-350 without dramatic speed loss. This car, however, had to be slowed down to about 45 or it would have gone straight off into the woods. While I did enjoy the smooth ride, this inability to turn took away my confidence in the car. Now I know some readers will think, "its a muscle car, it is not meant to turn." My response for that, if Dodge wants to target people who otherwise might buy a Taurus or Avalon or even the German competition, they need to have a car that can handle. In addition, this car is used for police fleets nationwide. Imagine, in the middle of a pursuit, that you cannot catch the next OJ because your car understeers into the woods.

Conclusion:

Overall, this is a very nice vehicle minus my stated complaints. It may not be as exciting as the Charger but I enjoy the quality, ride, and overall experience of the Ford Taurus a bit more. If you choose to pick one of these, go with at least the SXT line or higher and opt for the eight speed transmission. While the Hemi is nice, the V6 will suit your needs should you have a heavy foot or choose to avoid a higher insurance cost in addition to the higher sticker. Speaking of sticker, This car starts at $25,495 for the V6 placing it between the full size cars of other brands and entry level luxury cars. If you are looking to pick up the 472HP Hemi, prepare to shell out at least $47,295.

Stay tuned for more car reviews in the near future including the new Porsche 911, the Jaguar XF, and the Camero 2SS.

Ferdinand Alexander Porsche dead at the age of 76

I am very sad to report the death of Ferdinand Alexander Porsche who passed away at the age of 76 from unknown causes. F.A. Porsche is the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche.


For those of you not familiar with F.A. Porsche, he derived his fame from designing the iconic 911. His iconic design, which debuted at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1963, has not evolved much in almost fifty years. This is a testament to F.A. Porsche's ability as a designer. Concerning design, Porsche was once quoted saying, “Design must be functional and functionality must be translated into visual aesthetics, without any reliance on gimmicks that have to be explained."


Although the 911 is his most important design, it was not all he was known for. Porsche was also recognized for designing the iconic 904 Carrera GTS, considered to be one of the most stunning racing cars ever. Porsche also started the Porsche Design Studio in 1972 and ran the Porsche AG Supervisory Board as President from 1990-1993 leading the company through a major economic turnaround. Porsche stepped down from the Board in 2005 passing his seat to his son, Oliver (although he remained the Honorary President of the Supervisory Board).


Full PR Text:




Ferdinand Alexander Porsche Dies

Stuttgart

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is mourning Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. The Honorary President of the Supervisory Board died on 5 April 2012 in Salzburg, aged 76. Matthias Müller, President and Chief Executive Officer of Porsche AG, paid tribute to Ferdinand Alexander Porsche's services to the sports car manufacturer: "We mourn the death of our partner, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. As the creator of the Porsche 911, he established a design culture in our company that has shaped our sports cars to this very day. His philosophy of good design is a legacy to us that we will honour for all time."

Ferdinand Alexander Porsche was born in Stuttgart on 11 December 1935, the oldest son of Dorothea and Ferry Porsche. Even his childhood was shaped by cars, and he spent much of his time in the engineering offices and development workshops of his grandfather Ferdinand Porsche. In 1943 the family accompanied the Porsche company's move to Austria, where he went to school in Zell am See. After returning to Stuttgart in 1950, he attended the private Waldorf school. After leaving school, he enrolled at the prestigious Ulm School of Design.

In 1958, F.A. Porsche, as he was known by his colleagues, joined the engineering office of what was then Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche KG. He soon proved his great talent for design by sculpting the first model of a successor to the 356 model line out of plasticine. In 1962 he took over as head of the Porsche design studio, creating a worldwide furore one year later with the Porsche 901 (or 911). With the Porsche 911, F.A. Porsche created a sports car icon whose timeless and classical form survives to this very day in what is now the seventh 911 generation. However, in addition to passenger cars, F.A. Porsche also concerned himself with designing the sports cars of the 1960s. His best-known designs include the Type 804 Formula One racing car or the Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, now considered to be one of the most beautiful racing cars ever.

In the course of the conversion of Porsche KG into a joint-stock corporation in 1971/72, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, along with all the other family members, stood down from the company's front-line business operations. In 1972 he founded the "Porsche Design Studio" in Stuttgart, the head office of which was relocated to Zell am See in Austria in 1974. In the decades that followed, he designed numerous classic gentlemen's accessories such as watches, spectacles and writing implements that achieved global recognition under the "Porsche Design" brand. In parallel, with his team, he designed a plethora of industrial products, household appliances and consumer durables for internationally renowned clients under the brand "Design by F.A. Porsche". A strong and clear design concept typifies all product designs created in his design studio to date. The credo of his design work was: "Design must be functional and functionality has to be translated visually into aesthetics, without gags that have to be explained first." F.A. Porsche: "A coherently designed product requires no adornment; it should be enhanced by its form alone." The design's appearance should be readily comprehensible and not detract from the product and its function. His conviction was: "Good design should be honest."

Ferdinand Alexander Porsche received numerous honours and awards both for his work as a designer as well as for individual designs. For example, in 1968 the "Comité Internationale de Promotion et de Prestige" honoured him for the outstanding aesthetic design of the Porsche 911 while the Industrial Forum Design Hannover (iF) voted him "Prizewinner of the Year" in 1992. In 1999, the President of Austria bestowed on him the title of Professor.

Ferdinand Alexander Porsche retained a close lifelong association with Porsche AG as a partner and member of the Supervisory Board. For example, even after stepping down from front-line business operations, he contributed to the design of Porsche's sports cars over many decades and repeatedly steered the company in the right direction. This was especially the case for the difficult period Porsche experienced at the beginning of the 1990s. From 1990 to 1993, F.A. Porsche served as President of the company's Supervisory Board, thus playing a major role in Porsche A.G's economic turnaround. In 2005, he stood down from his Supervisory Board role in favour of his son Oliver and assumed the mantle of Honorary President of the Supervisory Board.

Ferdinand Alexander Porsche will be buried in the family grave at Schüttgut in Zell am See, attended by his immediate family. An official funeral service will be held in Stuttgart at a later date.

Recall Round-Up

Sorry for skipping my usual tradition of posting recalls. I have been occupied with school work.

Investigation: NHTSA is looking into the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and 2010 Jeep Wranger for engine fire issues with two complaints for the compact car and eight complaints for the small SUV.

Honda: Yet another recall for the struggling company. This one is for 554,000 2002-2004 CR-V and 2003 Pilot crossovers to repair an issue with the low beam headlights concerning faulty switch wiring that can prevent the headlights from coming on. This is obviously a hazard.  If you are not sure why, you should not be reading this blog.

GM: Recalling select full size SUV's over steering issues. This recall is for one of GM's best selling categories, the large SUV. The recall concerns the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban and Express and the GMC Savana and Yukon XL. The pitman shafts were not hardened properly leading to fracture and loss of steering control. There are a total of 6,159 vehicles in the recall.

BMW: This falls under the category of minor recall as BMW announces a recall of over 1.3 million 5 and 6 series vehicles from 2003-2010. Only about 368,000 are in the United States. The recall is for the cars battery cable covers which could have been improperly mounted. It isa slight error and an easy fix but failure to do so could cause failure to start or fires. Check that one out at your local BMW dealer during your next service.

Porsche: This recall concerns the 2012 911 Carrera S over a possible fuel leak. 1,232 cars are being recalled because the routing of a cooling line which could interfere with the fuel line causing the later to become disconnected. This could lead to stalling or fire so this one is an emergency check.

Hyundai: This recall concerns seatbelts in the December 2, 2010 through March 7, 2012 production span where the rear center seatbelt does not meet safety standards.

Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Wrap-Up

Whenever the Sprint Cup series hits a short track, it seems that tempers become short as well. This weekends race at Martinsville is a perfect example of this short temper rule.

With just two laps to go and a great race brewing for first between Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, David Reutimann in the #10 car decided stop on the front stretch because of a broken tie rod. He was determined to finish to maintain a top 35 position for the #10 which he shares with Danica Patrick. So with the caution out and Jeff Gordon declared the leader, the field behind Gordon and Johnson decided to pit and get some fresh rubber and a splash of fuel. This left Gordon and Johnson as sitting ducks in the front of the pack trying to save fuel and running on old tires with over 100 laps on them.

Come time for the restart, the 24 and 48 both had trouble getting the power to the ground and were slow to the line. The cars behind them, however, were faster and a bottleneck effect began to show. Entering turn one, Newman had a lot of speed and ended up bumping the 15 of Clint Bowyer who slowed to avoid hitting the two Hendrick cars up front. This shot propelled bowyer into Gordon and Johnson who both sustained heavy damage. Boywer and Earnhardt Jr were also involved. Now out of the three cars for Hendrick in the front, all that remained was Earnhardt Jr (after Kasey Kahne blew his motor earlier after starting on the pole).

The damage on Johnson, Bowyer, and Gordon relegated them back to 10th for Bowyer, 12th for Johnson, and 14th for Gordon. In addition, Reutimann, who was trying to stay in the top 35, lost that battle and is not out of the top 35 by just 1 point.

On brighter notes, the late rate caution allowed Ryan Newman to rack up his first win of the year making it three total for Stewart Haas racing this season. Dale Earnhardt also managed to finish third with his damaged race car continuing an impressive run this season.

The top 5:
1. Ryan Newman 39 Outback Chevrolet
2. A. J. Allmendinger #22 Shell Dodge
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Amp Energy Chevrolet
4. Matt Kenseth #17 Tunnel to Towers Foundation Ford
5. Martin Truex Jr. #56 Napa Toyota.

Notable:
7. Tony Stewart #14 Office Depot Chevrolet
10. Clint Bowyer #15 5-Hour Energy Toyota
12. Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe's Chevrolet
14. Jeff Gordon #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
33. Kurt Busch #51 Phoenix Construction Chevrolet
36. Kyle Busch #18 M&M's Toyota
38. Kasey Kahne #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet

Next week we are at Texas for the Samsung Mobile 500.

Auto Club 500 at Fontana Wrap-Up

Tony Stewart is on fire this year. He notched his second win of the season on Sunday at Fontana, CA when rain shortened the race by 71 laps. This marks Stewart's seventh win in the last 15 Sprint Cup races. Stewart's win was the result of choosing to stay out when the caution flag dropped for rain at lap 123 following the strategies of David Reutimann and Joey Logano who both won races in 2009 using the same rain rush strategy. Unlike those two examples, Stewart had the dominant car throughout the race and is deserving of the win.

After starting 10th and moving through the top 10 for during the early part of the race, Stewart took the lead at lap 85 and never looked back.

When the caution dropped, Denny Hamlin (who was running second and catching Stewart) elected to pit losing his second place position. Hamlin ended up 11th.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. also continues his impressive run this year netting a 3rd place finish.

Next week we will find the series at Martinsville for the Goody's Fast Relief 500.

The top 5:
1. Tony Stewart #14 Office Depot Chevrolet
2. Kyle Busch #18 M&M's Toyota
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet
4. Kevin Harvick #29 Budweiser Chevrolet
5. Carl Edwards #99 Subway Ford

Food City 500 at Bristol Wrap-Up

Photo Property of Yahoo! Sports

Just seconds after pulling into victory land, Brad Keselowski posted a picture of his view from the winning race car. Keselowski dominated the race leading 232 of the 500 laps including the most important, final lap en route to his second Bristol victory. He managed to hold off Matt Kenseth even as he seemed to jump the mid race restart without any reaction from NASCAR officials.

Keselowski did manage to avoid a major wreck on lap 25 by just inches after Kasey Kahne (who fell back to 32nd in points) cut in-front of Regan Smith also taking out Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Marcos Ambrose and Kyle Busch.

Besides the win from Keselowski and the #2 Miller Light Dodge, we saw a great race from Michael Waltrip Racing who fielded the 3-4-5 place finishers with Truex Jr, Bowyer, and Vickers respectively. This was a bounce-back race for Brian Vickers with his fifth place finish in his first Sprint Cup race of the year since Red Bull closed its doors following the 2011 season. I look to see Vickers perform well in his remaining five races as he looks to prove he deserves a Sprint Cup ride.

The next race is the Auto Club 400 at Fontana.

Top 5:
1. Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Light Dodge
2. Matt Kenseth #17 Best Buy Ford
3. Martin Truex Jr. #56 Napa Auto Parts Toyota
4. Clint Bowyer #15 Five Hour Energy Toyota
5. Brian Vickers #55 Aarons Rentals Toyota

2012 BMW 328i Review

Photo Property of BMW North America. Photo Shows 2012
BMW 328i in the luxury line.

There are always comments against a new 3-series when there is a change in vehicle size, engine displacement, or cylinder count. This new 328i has all three. Overall length is up by 3.7 inches with a stretch in wheel base of 1.9 inches. In addition, the engine has shrunk to a 4 cylinder 2.0L twin scroll turbo engine putting out 240hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The 335i carries over the same engine, a 3.0L turbo charged straight six engine producing an even 300hp. On top of the engine, the 3 series now gains a no charge ZF eight speed steptronic automatic. 


During my review I had a chance to sample a 328i with the eight speed automatic in mineral white metallic with beige Dakota leather. This car included the optional premium package ($3,600) (auto-dimming mirrors, moonroof, comfort access keyless entry, lumbar support, power front seats, a universal garage door opener and a choice of leather seat options), split fold down rear seat ($475), heated front seats ($500), satellite radio ($350) and alarm system ($400). This brought the total as-tested price to $41,670 including 895 for destination and handling in addition to the $34,900 sticker.


To start with, I was not a fan of the last generation E90 3 series. I found the design to be awkward with bad placement of buttons (especially the window switches) to go along with awkward lines that defined the Chris Bengal era of BMW. I found the transmission to be jerky and harsh to go with an engine lacking pep (in the 328 anyway). With this new BMW, I have found all of my qualms of the previous generation repaired. I find myself falling back in love with the 3 series that I felt died with the production of the E46 line. My concerns about the reduced engine size, the creation of turbo lag and a boost in curb weight to support the increased size were immediately erased (in fact the new 328 is 80 punds lighter even with the increase in length).

Photo is Property of BMW North America. Sport Line
Interior Shown.

Inside the new 328 you will find a new driver oriented cabin that is both comfortable and stylish. The dash is turned slightly towards the driver with all controls in easy reach for the driver. This take the driver back to the E46 feel of control over the cabin. Fit and finish has a feel of quality to it. Seats, as is typical with BMW, are extremely supportive and comfortable even after a long period of time. The seats have plenty of side bolstering and the lumbar feature added from the premium package can make anyone comfortable. In addition, the rear has found an increase in legroom due to the extended overall length and wheelbase. Also trunk space has grown .7 inches bringing it to a total of 17 cubic feet. 

On a technology front, iDrive is now standard with a much improved interface. The car some stock with a 6.5" video screen that increases in size to 8" with the added navigation option. With the much improved interface, I found my iPhone connected quickly and also got the phone set up to play music through the stereo. 


On the exterior, you will find some carried over cues fromt eh previous generation but it is a new design that seems like a baby 5-series. I am a big fan of the connection of the headlights to the grille area, the dipping hood, and the slightly forward angle of the grille. The traditional ultra-short overhangs of earlier 3-series has grown with the increased length by about one inch at both ends. 


One of the most discussed new features were the four lines that would be offered. In addition to the base 3-series, there are now the modern, luxury, and sport lines. Each line features its own tweaks (including different interior and exterior cues) and 18 inch wheels. The M Sport line is not currently released but look for that later this year.


Another addition to the 3-series is start-stop technology. I am typically not a fan of this because I find it to be a frustration to a driver who is often stuck in stop-and-go traffic. This is far from a seamless system and you often find the car stuttering back to life of restarts and often did not even shut off at stops. This even began to annoy my BMW rider who looked to shut off the option shortly after leaving the dealer.


One feature was particularly useless. This is the ability to open the trunk by placing your foot under the rear bumper. This was disappointing to see when even a trained technician took five minutes trying to open the trunk before giving in. 


BMW has also reduced the number of drive modes to four (Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport and Sport+). Eco Pro mode reduces drag on the engine by running systems such as the air conditioning and seat heaters at less than full capacity. This mode, however, kills throttle responsiveness turning your $40,000 BMW into a car capable of losing to a Toyota Yaris in a drag race. While you are in the mode you are constantly receiving dash icons suggesting that you slow down and let off the gas. It did not take long to change to the other modes. All of the modes affect throttle responsiveness, suspension dampening (with the adaptive suspension) and steering effort. The only difference between Sport and Sport+ is that the computer puts the stability control into dynamic mode. Although sterring is a massive improvement over the BMW active steering fromt he E90, the steering often found more lock than you would ask for and a bit more variability that you would like.


The suspension is as great as you would expect it to be in a 3-series with perfect 50-50 weight distribution and a generous stability control system (which was still turned off anyway). The car felt controlled and easy to play with while driving around. It was very hard to notice a suspension difference between Sport and comfort modes, however. 


Overall, this is a great example of what BMW can do. I love the new efficient engine, the quality interior, and the ability to change the car from a quiet luxury car with a smooth ride to a wild beast of a sports car just by modifying the drive mode. I feel that the steering feel (or lack there of) as a result of the change to electronically powered steering assistance is a downside but since you are finding this in most current vehicles (even the new Porsche Boxster), it is not a major negative. I feel that the fantastic textured wood trim that I had in my test model should be more widely available. Finally, I feel that the increase i size was done well but there must be a point where it is too much. This 3-series passes the last generation 5-series in size.


Specs:
Body style: 4-door sedan
Accommodation: 5-passenger
Construction: Steel unibody

Measurements
L x W x H: 182.5 x 71.3 x 56.3 in
Wheelbase: 110.6 in
Track F/R: 60.3/61.9 in
Headroom F/R: 40.3/37.7 in
Legroom F/R: 42.0/35.1 in
Cargo capacity: 13 cu ft
Weight: 3406 lb
Fuel capacity: 15.6 gal

Powertrain
Engine: 16-valve DOHC I-4 turbo
Displacement: 2.0 liters (122 cu in)
Power: 240 hp @ 5000 rpm
Torque: 260 lb-ft @ 1250–4800 rpm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Drive: Rear-wheel
Fuel economy: 23/34 mpg (city/highway, estimated)

Chassis
Steering: Electrically assisted rack and pinion
Turning circle: 37.1 ft
Suspension, front: damper struts, coil springs
Suspension, rear: multi-link, coil springs
Brakes: Ventilated discs, ABS
Wheels: 19-inch aluminum alloy
Tires: Bridgestone Potenza S001
Tire size, front: 225/40R-19
Tire size, rear: 255/35R-19

2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Update

For those looking to pick up the newly designed and rejuvenated Ford Shelby GT500 with a newly packed 650bhp engine can now begin their visual dreams as the online configurator has gone live on www.ford.com. This vehicle follows other configurators from Ford and you can deck out your Mustang in multiple colors, stripes, and accessories.

There are a lot of available options for the vehicle including Sync, voice activated navigation, and a shaker sound system with three subwoofers. Recaro seats are even available for about $1600.

A fully decked out Stang will run you about $66,500 sticker and a base vehicle will start at just over $54,000 but will be the first stock mustang capable of going over 200mph.

Auto Lawsuit Round-Up

This is a long week for automakers who are being sued for their vehicles or their business practices.

Heather Peters vs Honda Motor Corporation (California): Peters, who recently won just under $10,000 in a California small claims court over the argument that her Civic Hybrid did not meet the as advertised mpg rating of the vehicle, is not trying to get the California Supreme Court to cancel the class action suit against Honda because each person in the suit would only receive $100-200 instead of the $9600 she won because of perceived unfairness (lawyers stand to make $8.5 million from the case).

Cobra Landscaping and Construction Inc vs Ford Motor Company (New Jersey): Ford is being sued for allegedly selling F-Series trucks and E-Series vans with defective fuel tank linings over a 10 year period. The complaint states that these vehicles built between 1999 and 2008 can have the fuel tank linings separate or flake off causing the truck to stall. Supposedly Ford issues a "secret" technical service bulletin to dealers about the issue but has not issued a recall. No Comment by Ford at this point.

Battle of the Champions: Las Vegas Recap

With an amazing three wide pass, Tony Stewart passed Jimmie Johnson to take the lead on a late restart to finally win at Las Vegas. Coming back with a new crew chief and hope of finally winning at Vegas, Stewart hoped to overcome hit late race pit road mishap of last year. This year, Stewart took the lead with 34 laps to go and did not look back even with a few late race cautions.

The race also continued the Johnson Daytona comeback even after suffering a wreck in Saturday practice that cause him to go to a back-up car. This cause him to start at the back but soon saw him leading around lap 83. Johnson managed to hold on to second place to bring him back in the top 35 in points after his horrible Daytona race and the point penalty from NASCAR for failing pre-race inspection during speedweeks.

On another note, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was on fire during the beginning of the race as we saw him lead more than 70 laps (more than he led all last season) only to find himself in the back as he took a four tire pit stop putting when others took two. Junior managed to get 10th place out of it as he tried climbing his way back up extending his winless streak.

Delay

Dear Readers:

I apologize about not posting recently. I have spent the last few days driving some cars to post reviews including the 2012 BMW 328i and the 528i. I will also be reviewing the 2012 Mustang GT. those reviews in addition to my Las Vegas race summary will be posted withing the next day or two. Again sorry for the delay.

Subway Fresh Fit 500 Phoenix Wrap-Up

Photo Property of NASCAR

Yesterday's race at the Phoenix International Raceway is the perfect example of a strategy game in real life sports. The race came down to a fuel millage shootout where the last man running was the one going home with the trophy. The race was mostly typical for a track like Phoenix International Raceway where you would see most of the incidents caused by cut tires or someone getting loose.

With 59 laps to go, the race restarted with Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick battling it out for the win. Hamlin was able to hold on and has begun to show promise for the 2012 Season after holding off the closer until he ran out of gas with 1 to go and coasted to a second place finish. This race also shows how a fresh perspective can help a race team with Darian Grubb, the championship winning crew chief who was fired from Stewart Haas Racing, coming on board to replace Mike Ford. Hopefully this showing means that Hamlin is on the way back to his 2010 level where he finished second in the points to Johnson. Hamlin had a miserable underperforming season last year.

The race also saw a bounce back for Jimmie Johnson who clawed his way back to a fourth place finish after a shaking wheel set him back midway through the race. Johnson appeared to be the favorite for the race after leading early on with a fast Chevy Impala. His fourth place finish still leaves him in 37th in the standings after his bad showing at Daytona and his 25 point fine for Chad Knaus' illegal modification which is under review.

The newly paved surface at Phoenix also added some problems with Kasey Kahne and Paul Menard both sliding into the wall and Ryan Newman took a hit after Carl Edward's 99 car slid up into him sending Newman spinning.

Next up is the Kobalt Tools 500 at Las Vegas.

Forza Horizon and Forza4 Porsche Expansion

It has just been announced that we can finally expect to see Porsche's like the 2010 911 Sport Classic and the 2010 Boxster S returning to Forza in two months. The new expansion pack with feature over 30 Porsches left out of the original game because EA would not allow Turn 10 Studios to use the license. This pack will be available for 1600 microsoft points (or $19.99) and will also include 20 Porsche centric events and 10 new Xbox Live achievements totaling 250 Gamerscore points.

In addition we can expect new rivals features for the Porsche pack as well as AI driven Porsches and online access. The pack may even include some new Autovista Porsches.

On to bigger news. It has just been announced that Forza Horizon will hit shelves this fall. This game is a collaboration between Turn 10 Studios and Playground Games (known for working on games such as Grid and DiRT). This game is expected to be an open world type of game equivalent to what people were hoping to receive for Test Drive Unlimited 2. This is rumored in incorporate street racing into the game surrounded by cars from Forza 4.

Not much has been said about this upcomming game but a teaser trailer suggesting the game style has been released which you can see here:

Battle of the Elements: Fire vs. Water. Daytona 500 Wrap-Up

Throughout the history of the Daytona 500, there has never been a race like this. The race weekend started off on Sunday with a long rain delay leading NASCAR to postpone the race until Monday at 12pm. Eventually NASCAR decided to push the race to “7:00pm in the afternoon” as Mike Helton stated. I could explain why that is not afternoon but I will spare my readers. The green flag finally dropped just after 7pm. Never in the history of NASCAR racing have we seen what happened last night. This is the first running of the Daytona 500 starting under the lights and the first time we have ever seen a bizarre accident as weird as the Montoya wreck.

The season started off horribly for the likes of Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, Trevor Bayne, and Danica Patrick who were all swept up when Elliot Sadler became impatient on lap 2 and punted Johnson into the outside wall on the front stretch causing him to get t-boned by David Regan. Danica would continue on to finish the race over 60 laps down and Kurt Busch returned but Regan and Johnson were totaled and went home.

Throughout the race there were a few smaller incidents including Newman cutting a tire and spinning (and his tire fell off during a pit stop causing the #22 of Allmendinger to rear end the US Army Chevy damaging its front end. Also Jeff Gordon blew his motor is what seems to be a gauge failure and there were multiple fuel pressure issues during the race.

The most notable headline of the night is on lap 160 while the race was under caution for David Stremme’s engine blowing, Montoya entered the pits to fix a mechanical issue with his race car. Upon exiting, Montoya rushed around the track trying to reach the pack before the green flag dropped. While going down the backstretch, something failed on his car causing him to lose control and slide into one of the jet dryers on the track. At impact, the jet dryer and its 200 gallons of jet fuel ignited into a massive fireball that continued to burn for a few minutes damaging the track. Montoya and the truck driver are ok but the fire caused the race to be red flagged for over two hours with Dave Blaney holding the lead since he did not pit under caution. You can check out the accident and fire here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC1L4n_4f0E

When the race finally resumed shortly after midnight, we witnessed a great 40 lap shootout to the finish that resulted in two major accidents taking out some of the big names like Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Jamie McMurray, and Carl Edwards among others. Although Edwards did continue on to an 8^th place finish and Stewart, the defending series champion finished 16^th.

The final laps saw a green-white-checker shootout between Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Neither Biffle nor Earnhardt Jr could catch the #17 of Matt Kenseth as he went on to win his second Daytona 500 (the first was in 2009). The race finally ended just before 1am on Tuesday morning in one of the longest speedweeks ever.

Your top ten is as follows:

1. Matt Kenseth #17 Ford

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr #88 Chevrolet

3. Greg Biffle #16 Ford

4. Denny Hamlin #11 Toyota

5. Jeff Burton #31 Chevrolet

6. Paul Menard #27 Chevrolet

7. Kevin Harvick #29 Chevrolet

8. Carl Edwards #99 Ford

9. Joey Logano #20 Toyota

10. Mark Martin #55 Toyota

Notables:

16. Tony Stewart #14 Chevrolet

29. Kasey Kahne #5 Chevrolet

32. Brad Keselowski #2 Dodge

35. Trevor Bayne #21 Ford

38. Danica Patrick #10 Chevrolet

39 Kurt Busch #51 Chevrolet

40. Jeff Gordon #24 Chevrolet

42. Jimmie Johnson #48 Chevrolet.

Recall Roundup Nissan and Infiniti

Two new recalls have been released on February 28 concerning Nissan and its luxury arm, Infiniti.

The recall is for 2011 and 2012 Nissan Juke's, Infiniti M and QX models over concerns of a faulty fuel pressure sensor that was not tightened properly and can lead to the sensor coming loose over time increasing the risk of fire from leaking fuel.

The recall begins on March 19th and Nissan will notify owners who can take their vehicles to the dealer for a free repair.

Danica Patrick's Wild Ride

So for those of you who missed the great dual races and the return of pack racing yesterday at Daytona, you missed an amazingly wicked wreck involving the new publicity focal point of the season, Danica Patrick.

The phrase “rubbin is racin” has officially returned to NASCAR in these dual races which is used to determine the starting line-up for the Daytona 500 this weekend (ofcourse the first two sports were determined during qualifying last Sunday and Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle will lead the field to the green). With only two corners remaining in the race, Patrick was running around 10^th place in a close field. On her outside, Jamie McMurray bumped Aric Almirola down into Patrick who was sent careening into the infield wall going about 200mph.

Amazingly, after this hard hit, Patrick emerged under her own power. Unfortunately her #10 GoDaddy.com car no longer had power and is a total loss leading Patrick into a backup car for the 500. Patrick did everything right including taking her hands off the wheel before impact to prevent injury. Despite the wreck, Patrick ran a solid race and gained respect from fellow drivers even with the massive yellow (rookie) stripes on her rear bumper.

Check out the wreck here: (jump to 1:40) http://www.nascar.com/video/post-race/final-laps/120223/cup-duel1-high-final/index.html

Two New Honda Recalls

In the growing portfolio of cars being recalled by Honda, you can not add the 2012 Pilot and its upscale brother, the 2012 Acura MDX. The NHTSA is saying that the vent shut float valve case in the fuel tank assembly of the vehicle does not meet proper design specifications and this increases fire risk.

In addition the Accord, Odyssey, Ridgeline, and Acura ZDX all share some of the underpinnings witht eh Pilot/MDX but are unaffected.

This is in addition to the previously released recall from Honda this week concerning the 2008-2009 Honda Odyssey minivan due to the lift-gate struts which have improper gas compression and can fail causing the tailgate to crash down. There are over 45,000 minivans in this recall and at least two reported injuries.

Concerned owners can contact Honda directly at 1-888-327-4236

Awkward Proportions Comparison

Segment defying cars are showing up all over these days. From every manufacture there is a car that you feel the need to ask “why would you buy one?” The collection of cars that I am comparing today is a small portion of this group. I have chosen to exclude such cars as the Nissan cube (it ranked outside my top 6 list) the Honda Element (because it doesn’t exist) and a few others. This comparison will feature six cars: The Mini Cooper hardtop, the Honda CRZ, the Fiat 500, the Honda Veloster, the Scion xD and the Kia Soul. I will rank them in order based on practicality, most bang for the buck, fuck economy, and drivability. Generally these cars all start under the $20,000 price range and I tested cars under that range. This means that for comparisons you will be looking at base engines and not many upgrades or packages. The purpose of this test is to help those recent or upcoming high school/college grads who are looking for a stand out car, a sporty ride, and are not interested in your basic Corolla/Civic/Elantra class sedan.

6^th Place: Fiat 500

This is an odd car to figure out. The 500 a car you want to hate but at the same time you cannot. It’s a fun little car but I just cannot justify a position higher than fifth for the little Fiat. Although the style is retro and modern at the same time and an attractive design, it really has no redeeming qualities in terms of power, reliability or value. Lets start with practicality. The trunk is smaller than a backpack and the rear seats would have issues accommodating anyone above 3’ tall. The practicality is none because you cannot carry anything and your limited to only one passenger in the car. Now you would think that because of the size of this little Italian car that it would handle as good or better than the Mini. Its short wheel base and narrow footprint provides a very bumpy ride leading towards an uncomfortable time on the highway and bumpy roads. The car also heavily under steers when your trying to accelerate through a turn. The sticker price of the car I tested was over $18,500 and it only achieved 29mpg in the automatic I drove. These numbers are less than a similarly priced Corolla and the 500 has a higher price. Overall this is a great little car… when it isn’t compared to anything else with a motor and four wheels.

5^th Place: Scion xD

The Scion was a bit revolutionary… back in 2008 when it debuted replacing the older xA that Scion originally offered upon its founding. The car is very well equipped but the xD’s aging design among a constantly growing competitive class. The car is relatively cheap with the model I drove clocking in at just above $16,000 with the automatic transmission. The xD, like all other Scions, is extremely customizable and comes with stock items such as a Pioneer audio system, cruise control, and a roomy rear seat and truck (for this class). The interior does feel cheap and the driving lacks all steering feel combined with an underpowered engine. Also, like most Toyota’s, people above 5’5” will find comfort does not come easily for the driver. For these reasons, the xD was only able to notch 5^th place.

4^th Place: Hyundai Veloster

Now the number of heads that were turned by my Veloster test vehicle in bright yellow could not be tracked in downtown Atlanta. However this is not an important factor for this competition. The reason this car finished so low is because it does not live up to the expectations of those who enter the drivers seat. The looks make it seem like an exciting place to be and displays a sporty look to the car. Then you turn the key. This is one of the most uncomfortable rides I have ever experience. It is harder than you typically sports suspension and you feel every bump like your driving off the Empire State Building and smacking into the pavement below. There is understeer and oversteer and the complete inability to his the apex going through a turn. In addition, the base engine is one of the worse I have ever seen producing only 138hp. This is a good amount of power for this class but the way it is delivered is painstakingly disappointing. There is really no acceleration (0-60 was 8.9 seconds) and this delivered worse than expected economy at 27mpg. The main reason for its fourth place finish is the exciting styling, roomy interior, low cost and its 10 year/100,000 mile warranty. I would wait for the 2.0 turbo which would help bring this car to second or third.

3^rd Place: Honda CRZ

The CRZ is a great little car if your looking for a small sporty hybrid. The problem with this car, first and foremost, is that in order to have any power, to say, climb a hill, you do not have that unless your in sport mode defeating the purpose of a hybrid. People are stepping into the CRZ expecting the sharp handling from a Civic Si only to be extremely disappointed. This car is gears towards a smooth ride not hitting the apex going around a road course. The transmission choices are good with an easy to shift manual and a sporty CVT transmission. The reason for third is the rather ugly styling and the uselessness of the hybrid engine going against the status quo of a sports car.

2^nd place: Mini Cooper

Those who know me know that I am not the biggest fan of the smallest (now second smallest with the new coupe) Mini. This car just does not justify for me and but my opinions have no effect on the way this car delivers. This car is extremely fun to drive even with the base 1.6L 121hp engine. While you may not be flying past people like you would in the turbo Cooper S, the base engine does provide a bit of fun and comfort as you go from A to B. The handling is thrilling and responsive but rather stiff and loud. The interior can take some getting use to with the pizza-sized speedo in the center of the car and the placement of some dials and switches. The main reason for its second place finish is not only the interior layout (either you like it or you hate it) but the base price of the car. As is typical with Mini (a subsidiary of BMW) relatively nothing is standard on this car. Everything is an option and before you know it the $20,200 base sticker can jump to over $30,000 with just a few boxes. This puts the Mini out of the reach of many buyers in this segment and almost drops in it into the 40+ age category.

1^st Place: Kia Soul

Some of my readers may be surprised on the finishing location of “the hamster car” but this car is really an excellent package for an extremely reasonable price. Starting at $13,900 the car is well equipped for the basic price and provides a decent amount of power and driving fun for an economy Kia. The car had a partial redesign for 2012 adding even more stock features and new offerings like revised transmissions and steering all the way up to available navigation systems. The base 1.6 engine producing 138hp and 123 lb-ft of torque is more than enough to power this car along and the transmission options bring the car up to 34 mpg highway. The trunk size is moderate for this class but with the seats down, you can easily fit a lot of stuff in the boot. The car is enjoyable to drive (even more so with the available 2.0L engine) with good responsiveness and firm breaking. With the minor 2012 tweaks the suspension provides a quality ride. The first place podium is well deserved for this car with its standard equipment, low cost sticker price/ownership and a 10 year/100,000 mile warranty.