Toyota’s luxury arm rounds out its roundel-sniping lineup.
BY JENS MEINERS, ILLUSTRATION BY YOSHI G
July 2009
On the heels of Lexus’s freshly launched IS C convertible, inside sources have told us that an IS F version is in the works for a launch in early 2011.
While the retractable hardtop IS convertible is comfortable, luxurious, and a good value against its German competition, it isn’t the most thrilling drive. Toting around some 400 pounds more than the sedan on which it’s based, the entry-level IS250C’s 2.5-liter V-6 has to be revved hard to achieve anything resembling quickness. The IS350C offers a decent amount of gusto, but in a segment populated by high-performance convertibles from BMW, Audi, and others, even that higher-spec IS droptop lags behind in terms of driving enjoyment.
The IS F version will hope to rectify that. Powered by the IS F sedan’s formidable 5.0-liter V-8 and equipped with a fast-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, the IS F convertible will aim straight for the BMW M3 cabriolet, and it may give Mercedes reason to consider an AMG version of its new E-class coupe (which is actually based on the C-class, an IS competitor).
As to other Lexus droptops, the IS and IS F convertibles will not replace the SC430. That retractable hardtop convertible is now nearing the end of its life cycle, and it has been on the market so long that Lexus executives tell us the company has started with a “clean sheet of paper” for its replacement, which will likely switch to a cloth top. A roadster version of the will-they-or-won’t-they-build-it, hyper-expensive LF-A supercar, on the other hand, is increasingly unlikely, according to our sources.
The littlest Lexus turns on the ultraviolet.
BY AARON ROBINSON, PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID DEWHURST
July 2009
Sales charts spawned this baby. About a third of BMW 3-series sales are coupes and convertibles, and Lexus wants a seat at that buffet. Impulsive? Hardly. Introduced nine years ago and well into its second generation, the entry-level IS sedan finally gives birth to a convertible two-door kitten.
In dealerships now, the IS250C and IS350C feature an aluminum hardtop roof that, in 20 seconds, marshals 15 electric motors and 37 sensors to split it into two panels, which seamlessly belly-flop into the waiting trunk. Ultraviolet bliss ensues.
Weary eyes could reasonably mistake the IS C for a sedan that lost a debate with a hacksaw, yet every exterior panel and molding except the hood is unique to the convertible. The IS C is 2.2 inches longer than the four-door, and the rear decklid hunchbacks upward, so there’s room for four adults, plus space for flat luggage under the pancaked roof.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door convertible
BASE PRICE: $39,365–$44,815
ENGINES: 24-valve 2.5-liter V-6, 204 hp, 185 lb-ft; DOHC 24-valve 3.5-liter V-6, 306 hp, 277 lb-ft
TRANSMISSIONS: 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting, 6-speed manual
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 107.5 in Length: 182.5 in Width: 70.9 in Height: 55.7–55.9 in Curb weight: 3850–3900 lb
PERFORMANCE (MFR’S EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 5.8–8.4 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.1–16.5 sec
Top speed (governor limited): 131–141 mph
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city driving: 18–21 mpg EPA highway driving: 25–29 mpg
The engine choices are identical to the IS sedan’s: a 204-hp, 2.5-liter V-6 and a 306-hp, 3.5-liter V-6. So are the transmission choices, which means a six-speed manual is only available in the IS250C, and a six-speed automatic is offered in both models.
Curb weight swells by roughly 400 pounds to about 3850 in the base IS250C because of structural reinforcements. Acceleration in the IS350C still feels manly, though the open-air exhaust note is just a humdrum hum; figure 5.8 seconds to 60 mph, says Lexus.
Top up, the cabin is quiet; top down, the body is fairly stiff for an easygoing ramble on good pavement, but even then, we could still feel some steering-column shudder. Softer springs, shocks, and bushings sponge up more bumps than in the sedan, though this weighty ship rolls and porpoises a bit more.
The base IS250C starts at $39,365 with various amenities standard, including leather, making it about $6000 less than the base BMW 328i convertible. The IS350C begins at $44,815. Judging from the tranquilized dynamics, the IS C wants to chase BMWs without becoming a BMW. That will likely not trouble any Lexus loyalists craving a tan.
The Prius of Lexuses proves how tough it is to have your luxury and your mileage, too.
BY STEVE SILER
May 2009
There are luxurious cars, and there are fuel-efficient cars. There are even some that offer moderate levels of both characteristics. But no vehicle has managed—or even attempted—to take luxury and fuel economy simultaneously to such high levels as has the 2010 Lexus HS250h, the industry’s first dedicated luxury hybrid. Think of it as the Prius of Lexuses or the Lexus of Priuses—your choice—and you won’t be far off.
If any company can pull it off, it’s Lexus. But by Lexus’s own admission, the HS250h is not one of the brand’s so-called no-compromises hybrids—such as the RX450h, the GS450h, and the LS600h—which supplement well-endowed engines with electric power for a driving experience that feels befitting of their luxurious trappings while still delivering better fuel economy and lower emissions. By inference, then, is Lexus suggesting that the HS250h is perhaps a “compromised” hybrid? After our first drive in one on the roads around Newport Beach, California, it became clearly evident that that’s what it is.
“Mooing” Motor and Un-Lexus-y Loudness
So what happens when Toyota takes the small-car chassis on which it also bases the Prius and adds hundreds of pounds’ worth of Euro-market Toyota Avensis–based sheetmetal and luxo gewgaws? Well, for one thing, it gets slower—which is why Lexus deemed the Prius’s 98-hp, 1.8-liter four-cylinder inadequate and replaced it with the Camry hybrid’s Atkinson-cycle, 2.4-liter unit with 147 hp and 138 lb-ft of torque. The nickel-metal hydride battery pack and electric motor conspire with the engine for a system output of 187 hp (the 3050-pound Prius makes only 134 combined horsepower). Hustling the 3740-pound HS250h to 60 mph takes 8.4 seconds, which is 1.4 seconds faster than the last Prius we tested. The HS pays the piper in fuel economy, though, as its EPA city/highway ratings of 35/34 mpg doesn’t even come close to the Prius’s 51/48 figures.
In spite of the HS250h’s alleged acceleration advantage, the Prius and the HS250h feel virtually identical from behind the electrically assisted steering wheel (which, in the HS250h, unlike in the Prius, is thankfully not ovoid). Road feel is pretty much zero, even with the optional 18-inch wheels and 225/45-series tires. However, the steering response is direct and reasonably quick. At the same time, the interior sound quality isn’t exactly up to the traditional Lexus-isolationist level. We wish it were, for as much as we like to hear and feel what’s going on beneath us, what we hear and feel inside the HS250h are the droning “mooOOOOooo” of the engine-and-CVT combination during acceleration, along with a fair amount of tire noise and low-level reverberations from road impacts. We understand that less weight is important for any hybrid in the interest of fuel economy—and indeed for any vehicle—but even we would like a few more pounds of sound-deadening material in the HS250h so we don’t have to hear the powertrain’s pitiful drone. We suspect anyone who’s ever owned a whisper-quiet Lexus would agree.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
ESTIMATED BASE PRICE: $33,000
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, 147 hp, 138 lb-ft; AC permanent-magnet electric-motor assist, 141 hp, 199 lb-ft; combined power rating, 187 hp
TRANSMISSION: continuously variable automatic
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 106.3 in Length: 184.8 in Width: 70.3 in Height: 59.3 in
Curb weight: 3740 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 8.4 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 16.5 sec @ 87 mph
FUEL ECONOMY (MFR’S EST):
EPA city/highway driving: 35/34 mpg
Think you can creep around in EV mode to shut things up? Technically, you can for up to two or three miles, so long as the battery remains above a 50-percent state of charge. This requires the tenderest of right feet (which we admit we don’t have) and only works when not accelerating at speeds higher than 20 mph. Otherwise, the engine fires up.
The HS250h subscribes to the latest craze in hybrids in offering selectable “eco” and “power” settings in addition to a normal mode. Eco mode accelerates battery recharging and retards throttle response to maximize efficiency; power mode does the opposite. Putzing around Newport Beach in the HS250h, we noticed a canyon of difference between the two modes and a commensurate difference between the resulting fuel economy, as well. Employing our best hypermiling techniques in eco mode for many miles, we eked the HS250 to over 42 mpg—although we assure you we made few friends among our fellow drivers along the way. In power mode, we enjoyed crisper acceleration, of course, but had a hard time getting mileage anywhere above the high 20s.
A Little More Luxury, a Little Less Practicality
Okay, so dynamically, the HS250h leaves a lot to be desired. But what about luxury? The good news is that the HS250h offers many more luxury fitments than we usually associate with hybrids. Problem is, so does the 2010 Prius. The list of features that come standard on the HS is long, but not much longer than that of a reasonably well-optioned Prius. And there are many options—such as the odd-but-effective “lane keep assist” feature, adaptive cruise control with collision mitigation, and swiveling headlamps—that can also be added to the Prius. Exclusive to the HS250h, however, are such options as Lexus’s nifty “remote touch” controller, a wide-view front monitor, a head-up display, and a Mark Levinson surround-sound audio system. The HS250h debuts Lexus’s new OnStar-like Enform system, which makes real live people available to beam directions to your navigation system, displays sports and stock information, and allows owners to input up to 100 destinations into the car from their computer rather than from the driver’s seat.
What you won’t find are the roof-mounted solar panels that are available on the lower-priced Prius. There are other compromises, too. The base textured leather upholstery feels more like leatherette and makes the upgraded semi-aniline leather a worthwhile upgrade. Color combos are slick, especially the high-contrast cream leather with black carpeting, but there remains a certain sense of thin-skinned cheapness to the materials that reveal the car’s light-weight-over-substance priority set. And with the batteries located between the rear seatback and trunk, the cargo area is surprisingly small and lacks the accessibility of the Prius’s hatchback. (To be fair, the HS has the largest access slot of any Lexus sedan.)
We’d Rather Have a Prius (There, We Said It)
Lexus claims that a not-insignificant 60 percent of entry-luxury customers would consider a hybrid if it were available. If that is the truth, this car should sell reasonably well. Still, it’s hard to say that the HS250h does the hybrid thing—i.e., get great mileage and make splashy green statements—as well as the Prius. Nor does the HS250h do the luxury thing as well as other Lexuses. It is less practical than the Prius while returning exactly as much driving satisfaction—which is to say very little—all without the green halo effect that has made the Prius the favorite of the environmentally inclined. Indeed, if the HS250h isn’t going to drive any better than the Prius, we’d rather have the mileage—and the lower monthly payment—of a Prius instead.
So, the HS250h is a “compromises hybrid” that strikes a compromise between good mileage and a fair amount of high-brow comfort features. We can think of other vehicles—the Mercedes-Benz E-class diesel or even a loaded Ford Fusion hybrid—that strike that balance just as well, and drive better in the process.
SHO got big: At a gathering of Taurus owners, the new SHO impresses with its prodigiousness.
By TONY QUIROGA, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY G. RUSSELL
September 2009
Owners of the original Ford Taurus SHO, gathered at a Taurus Car Club of America track day at GingerMan Raceway in South Haven, Michigan, are slightly startled as they approached the massively high greenhouse and roofline of the latest 2010 Taurus SHO. “It’s big, seems bigger than the last,” one of them says while closely examining the VIN of our early-build test Car.
The reaction seems about right to us as the new Taurus is a massive, 8/7ths-scale car that’s more than half a foot taller than Ford’s first super-high-output version of its Taurus family sedan. This latest SHO, which returns after a 10-year hiatus, has the same awkward proportions of the weird Outback sport-utility/sedan model that Subaru used to make, except that Ford’s tasteful design tries to hide the SUV-like size and succeeds.
It’s a new world out there, SHO faithful, but we imagine you already know that. Twenty years ago, your 220-hp SHO was the third-quickest sedan in the country, outrun only by the BMW M5 and 750iL. But today, most family sedans equipped with V-6 engines make more than 250 horsepower and are quicker than that first SHO. We almost feel bad for first-gen SHO owners because watching a V-6 Camry—with an Elmo sun blocker and a baby seat—pull away from what was once the American sports sedan must play hell on memories of what used to pass for speed.
What happened to the SHO? Arguably, the disarmament campaign began in ’92, just four years after its debut. That second SHO suspiciously offered, for the first time, an automatic transmission. The 1996 Taurus SHO that followed was yet another attempt to capture more sales in the calmer waters of the mainstream. Speaking of water, that SHO was the one that looked like an automotive tribute to the noble lungfish. Weak, heavy, bulge-eyed, and—in that iteration—sold only with an automatic transmission, that last SHO before the hiatus seemed like little more than a cynical attempt to mine the scrap of credibility the letters S-H-O had acquired.
Even true believers have to admit the third generation didn’t quite live up: “I bought one of the last ’99 SHO models, thinking it might be a collector’s item one day,” a Taurus clubber recalls. “I kept it until I was beaten by a Pontiac Grand Am GT in a drag race.”
Now, more than a decade later, a new Taurus SHO has arrived, and it’s large, but is it in charge? And why is this new SHO so big? Possible explanation: After the Fusion came along to compete with the Taurus’s previous rivals, the Camry and the Accord, the pressure was off the Taurus to compete for mainstream family-sedan sales, and as a result, it bloated into obesity. And racked by the news that its big brother, the Crown Victoria, had become fleet-sales only, the Taurus continued to expand, to its current length of 202.9 inches. What we now have is a Taurus SHO that weighs 4346 pounds—998 pounds more than the original.
Fortunately, Ford has added some super-high output to mitigate the super-high mass. For the first time, a Yamaha-built engine is not under the hood of a SHO. Not to worry: Ford’s 3.5-liter “EcoBoost” V-6 makes 365 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 350 pound-feet of torque at 3500 rpm. The engine features direct fuel injection, variable intake-valve timing, and two small turbochargers that put out a maximum of 12 psi of boost. Power delivery is impressively immediate and like a small-block V-8’s; a high static compression ratio of 10.0:1 helps eliminate any feeling of turbo lag. The engine gives no hints that it’s turbocharged—there’s no whistling, no waiting, no signs that intake-air molecules are being forced together like veal calves except perhaps our as-tested fuel economy of 16 mpg. Even at a steady 80 mph, our Taurus had trouble topping 20 mpg.
Throughout the day at GingerMan, we repeatedly hear “Do a burnout!” and “Light ’em up!” yelled at us. But the standard all-wheel-drive system of the SHO allows only a brief shriek of the front wheels before the power is sent rearward. The Performance package on our test car includes a shorter final-drive ratio, which helps the SHO surge forward with more authority from a stop. Launching it is easy: Hold your foot on the brake, raise the revs, and release the brake. It rips to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, 0.2 second quicker than the V-10–powered Audi S6. From U.S. highway speeds, the SHO accelerates into triple digits as if it were raised in Germany. But the 133-mph governed top speed—that’s 10 mph lower than the 1989 original’s—is a major clue that this car wasn’t designed with the autobahn in mind.
While the engine’s ability to move the SHO through space is hard to fault, the intake and exhaust tracts seem to have taken the credo, “silence is golden,” too seriously. Even when revved toward the 6200-rpm redline, the intake and exhaust systems emit only the briefest of snarls, indistinguishable from the naturally aspirated V-6 in the base Taurus. Few noises of any kind permeate the SHO’s double-pane front glass and acoustically treated windshield glass. If it weren’t for the constantly changing scenery, you’d almost never know the SHO was in motion. Suspension noise is almost nonexistent, and the sturdy structure is imperturbable. The measured 70 decibels at 70 mph was a surprise, as the SHO seems dead silent. Trust us, there isn’t enough ambient noise to hide even the daintiest flatulence.
Directed in a straight line, the mighty turbocharged V-6 does help one forget about the car’s two-ton weight. A turn of the power-assisted electric steering reveals a safe and obedient chassis. Steering effort is higher than in the regular Taurus (and is recalibrated in Performance-package cars), but the feel is one of numbness. Grip from the 20-inch Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires (part of the Performance package) is reasonably respectable at 0.84 g, and the SHO is willing to put up with track-inspired shenanigans until the smallish brakes start pouring out enough white smoke for Catholics to take notice. Though the SHO has 102 more horses than the family model, it gets the same brakes (Performance-package models get heavier-duty pads, but they can’t overcome the overtaxed regular-Taurus-size rotors). The 174-foot braking distance from 70 mph is 17 feet shorter than that of the base Taurus, but we credit the improvement to the aggressive summer tires on the Performance-package SHO.
With 59.5 percent of the weight over the front wheels, the SHO has the balance and stress-free understeer of a front-driver but powers out of corners with all-wheel-drive ease. No one would call this a playful chassis but, considering the curb weight, it doesn’t have any egregious faults. Body roll is well controlled, and the suspension strikes an excellent ride-and-handling compromise.
“Since I can’t drive it, can I push down on the body?” asks one of the Taurus club members, wanting to see how stiffly the SHO is sprung, “I couldn’t shake it at the auto show. Wow. It’s pretty stiff.”
For those who get a kick out of removing chunks of rubber from their tires, the stability control has a sport mode that backs off the point of intervention; Performance-package models allow the stability control to be shut off completely, and that makes for even quicker tire destruction.
If you’re interested in being in the right gear for a corner, the automatic transmission does have steering-wheel paddle shifters. Ford’s system isn’t our preferred right-hand upshift/left-hand downshift setup. Instead, both paddles can perform upshifts and downshifts. We can’t imagine owners will have much use for this, but at least Ford salesmen will have some way to show off the SHO’s sporty nature.
The SHO’s interior is differentiated from the standard Taurus’s via black trim along the center console, metallic-looking trim instead of wood, leather-trimmed seats with fake-suede inserts, and a steering wheel wrapped in perforated leather. The SHO has easy-to-use controls, Ford’s voice-command Sync system, and an excellent navigation system (a $1995 option). Our complaints involve a restricted view out back, annoying headrests, and the lack of turn signals that give three clicks when tapped. The faithful have no complaints: “Looks as nice as the [Lincoln] MKS in there.” We’d have to agree, which makes us wonder who would buy the pricier MKS.
On the outside, the SHO looks almost exactly like its lesser brethren. Subtle SHO badges appear on the trunklid and C-pillars, and the LEDs in the front bumper have a silver bezel instead of a black one. “Why couldn’t they black out that chrome and maybe add some cladding with SHO on it?” we’re asked.
Riding on base 19-inch wheels, the SHO is nearly indistinguishable from the SEL trim level. We like stealthy performance cars, but we have to agree with the Taurus clubbers who would like the SHO to have something special to set it apart from the herd. And cladding is never the solution.
Judging by the car’s looks, SHO owners won’t be showing off much, and that’s okay. The letters S-H-O are still about power, but this one is mature enough not to advertise its speedy nature. Our office, sometimes referred to as an island of lost boys, is filled with editors who are psychologically 17 years old. Crippled by an unwillingness to mature, many of us liked the SHO but just couldn’t shake the feeling that we were driving dad’s car. Its performance and especially the excellent twin-turbo V-6 command respect, but its size, quiet character, overall refinement—and its $37,995 base price—put the SHO firmly in the adult world. That first SHO was a youthful car, slightly uncouth but fun in a way that appealed to enthusiasts both young and old and to buyers who had never considered a Ford.
The Ford loyalists we talked to were smitten with the latest SHO, but we wonder how interested the rest of the car-buying public will be. It seems unlikely that this SHO has the cachet to steal sales from the import brands, although it could find a place in the hearts of domestic car shoppers, especially with 300C owners looking to move away from Chrysler.
How about this, Ford? Give the Fusion the SHO’s drivetrain. A Fusion SHO might just become the must-have performance sedan for less than $30,000. A Fusion SHO would likely be a bit less serious, more fun, and more like the original SHO.
DAVE VANDERWERP
Ford’s effective advertising for EcoBoost is leading some to believe that its turbocharging strategy is practically liberating the planet one car at a time. I heard a fellow recently suggest that the much stricter fuel-economy regulations will be a breeze for Ford, largely because of EcoBoost. Sure, this twin-turbo V-6 is impressively responsive and whips up a meaty shove. But there’s simply nothing “eco” about endowing a two-ton Taurus with V-8 Mustang performance. We averaged 16 mpg.
DAVID GLUCKMAN
Few will take their SHO to a track day, but that didn’t stop us. It drove smaller than its 4346 pounds would suggest, and there’s plenty of passing power, which I tested on GingerMan’s back straight before dive-bombing a 2005 Taurus SEL into a corner (Quiroga made me do it). That excitement aside, the all-wheel-drive system kept things drama-free, with the only non-track-ready items being the brakes. They were given ample time to cool when we were black-flagged for our on-track transgressions.
European sensibility, only less sexy: Ford’s little box on wheels could revolutionize the mobile service industry.
By STEVE SILER
August 2009
In case you haven’t noticed, Americans are downsizing. Proof is everywhere. McDonalds has banished its supersize option. “McMansions” are out, “live/work” lofts are in. Hummers and Navigators are sitting like boat anchors on dealer lots while Minis and Smarts are moving like mad (well, moving, anyway). Whether or not we want to admit it, our buying habits are starting to reflect those of consumers in Europe and other regions of the globe where prudence is valued over pretense, as evidenced by small cars, sleek furniture, and simple foodstuffs.
Our social resemblance to Europe becomes even stronger now with the arrival of the little Ford Transit Connect, the Turkish-built mini-mover that first went on sale—or perhaps more fittingly, went into service—some seven years ago pretty much everywhere in the world but here. During that time, the thing has proven quite popular, with more than 600,000 units sold in no fewer than 58 countries.
A Focus Wagon, Only Taller
Ford brought the Transit Connect across the pond after “taking advantage” of the Transit Connect’s mid-cycle refresh, which allowed it to meet U.S. emissions and safety requirements. It is based on the
first-gen Ford Focus (yeah, the same one that underpins the current U.S. Focus) and is still powered by a wimpy little 2.0-liter four-banger. As such, the front-wheel-drive-only Transit Connect is quite unbeautiful and unfun to drive and therefore somewhat hard to get too excited about.
Unless, that is, you happen to own, run, or work for a business that delivers, plumbs, builds, services, repairs, designs, or landscapes things, which more than a few Americans do. For them, the Transit Connect may be the most beautiful thing next to a tax loophole. With 135 cubic feet of cargo space, it is nearly as capacious as the Chevrolet Suburban (and far more flexible) and more than twice as roomy in back as that other little panel vanlet, the Chevrolet HHR Panel.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 2-, 4-, or 5-passenger, 6-door van
BASE PRICE: $21,475
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 121 cu in, 1999cc
Power (SAE net): 136 bhp @ 6300 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 128 lb-ft @ 4750 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 4-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 114.6 in Length: 180.6 in Width: 70.7 in Height: 79.3 in Curb weight (C/D est): 3500 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 10.0 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 17.6 sec
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 22/25 mpg
Accessing the space in back couldn’t be easier, thanks to sliding side doors and double-jointed rear doors that swing out and around the side of the vehicle. Nice. There is even a handy shelf spanning the header area above the driver and front passenger, but we would dissuade the average plumber from storing loose wrenches and pliers up there, as a serious headache (or worse) is only a speed bump away.
Slow Connection
You’ll otherwise have a hard time dislodging anything without the help of a good bounce. The accelerative force of the Focus’s four-cylinder, which squeezes out 136 hp at 6300 rpm and 128 lb-ft of torque at 4750 rpm, would hardly be able to knock over a Jenga stack. The four-speed automatic is slow and lazy. The steering and the brakes are as rubbery as the 205/65R-15 tires themselves, which, by the way, would be quick to screech loudly in protest should the Transit Connect driver be late with the bridal bouquet. The ride, however, is rather calm in spite of its solid-axle, leaf-spring rear suspension, and overall, it feels like the tall Focus it is from behind the wheel, which is to say very carlike compared with its tippy, trucky full-size competition. ABS is standard, and stability control is available for $545.
So our admittedly low expectations were easily met, but it is worth noting that with virtually no power at one’s disposal, changing lanes in a windowless Transit Connect loaded by up to 1600 pounds of cargo is a faith-based proposition. Ditto backing out of a parking space (a reverse sensing system is offered on XLT models and is $280 well spent in our book). Forward momentum, however, is far less stressful—as long as you’re not in a hurry—with excellent front and side vision, thanks to the huge windows. At least fuel economy is strong at 22 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.
Clever Solutions
Then again, none of that really matters with the Transit Connect. What matters more is the way customers will use the space behind the passengers. Most, we figure, will go for a two-seat configuration (second-row seating is an option), and more than a few will opt for Ford’s $1395 in-dash computer system, which allows internet access to office computers, complemented by a navigation system and a full Bluetooth-enabled keyboard and printer. Still more will select from the Ford Work Solutions offerings that make available all sorts of accessories that go way beyond rubber floor mats: Shelving possibilities include sliding drawers, cages, and even a $1220 electronic tool-tracking system.
Significantly, the vehicle’s engineering age prevented Ford from incorporating certain features—such as power doors, a fold-flat passenger seat, or fold-into-the-floor rear seats—that have advanced the art of, say, the minivan by leaps and bounds in the past decade. Until a complete redo happens sometime in the future, the Transit Connect comes with seating for two, four, or five occupants and can be had with a choice of windowed or windowless side or rear doors or both, depending on your desired balance of advertising space and outward visibility. Given that it is bound to be a short-trip kind of vehicle, no one will likely care about the oceans of gray plastic or the old-school Focus steering wheel, although we wouldn’t want to be riding shotgun with Biff the welder when one of the chintzy turn signal stalks snaps off in his hand.
Could Be Better, but Still a Winner
So, however rudimentary the new Transit Connect looks and feels, we predict it will nonetheless be a sure-fire success. Its dimensions and 1600-pound payload are certain to find favor among small-job companies for which the HHR Panel is too small, and paneled mini- and full-size vans fall short on maneuverability, configurability, and fuel economy. Base prices for the Transit Connect start at $21,475 for the stripper model and rise to $22,535 for the XLT wagon.
The bull redux: The Taurus moves upscale, if not completely back into our hearts.
By TONY SWAN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY AARON KILEY
August 2009
It’s no secret that the automotive world has changed since 1985. That’s when the original Taurus rolled onto center stage, provoking observations such as these from C/D’s test staff:
“This is easily the most agile and capable sedan Detroit has ever produced” [October 1985].
“For the person who enjoys driving, American sedans don’t come any better” [April 1986].
A quarter-century later, here’s the newest Taurus, a thoroughly refined large family sedan embodying the latest in contemporary safety technology. Attractive inside and out. Roomy. Solid. Quiet. Exemplary fit and finish. A better car than the original in almost any category you care to cite.
So why don’t we love it as much as we loved its mid-Eighties ancestor?
Back to that in a minute. First, let’s review what’s new about this newest Taurus. This is more than a simple reskin of the previous name bearer, which in fact began life in 2004 as the Ford Five Hundred. The 112.9-inch wheelbase is unchanged, but length (202.9 inches, up 1.1), width (76.2 inches, up 1.7), and height (60.7 inches, down 0.8) have all been altered. There’s more character in the body sides, an attractive evolution of Ford’s corporate three-bar grille up front, and a graceful swoop to the roofline.
If the greenhouse seems a little restricted—the ratio of side glass to the height of the door panels yields a gun-slit look—well, that’s the way mainstream buyers seem to like it. It makes them feel more secure. In any case, forward sightlines are good (thanks to the fall-away design of the dashboard), and rear-quarter views are augmented by the radar-based “blind-spot information system” (BLIS), which flashes a light in the side mirror when another car lurks in your blind zone. Though not technically new—Volvo was first with it—BLIS is a welcome and helpful safety touch.
By today’s standards, this is a big car—a member of the EPA’s full-size fraternity. It’s smaller than the Mercury Grand Marquis (as well as the fleet-sales-only Crown Vic), Ford’s rear-drive old guard. But it’s bigger than the Honda Accord sedan, which edged into the full-size category in its latest makeover. As befits a big sedan, there’s plenty of room inside, front and rear, though thanks to a lowered H-point and small compromises in knee- and legroom, the new car feels a little tighter in back. Nevertheless, the updated Taurus is one of those rare cars in which the center rear seat is actually adult-habitable for more than five blocks. And the trunk is vast: more than 20 cubic feet, which can be augmented by folding the rear seatbacks.
Inevitably, big adds up at the scales. The basic front-drive Taurus weighs in at more than two tons—4097 for this upscale Limited model—and, of course, all-wheel-drive versions are heavier still. Mass is never an asset in the 0-to-60-mph game, but Ford’s corporate 3.5-liter, DOHC 24-valve V-6 (263 horsepower, 249 pound-feet of torque) and six-speed automatic conspire to get the Taurus moving respectably: to 60 mph in 7.0 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 15.4 seconds at 92 mph. There are hotter rides in this market segment—an Accord V-6, for example, is significantly quicker. But this Taurus doesn’t seem to us to have been conceived as a thrill ride; viewed as abuilt-for-family-comfort-and-not-for-frolic sedan, the company need not apologize.
In view of its character, we found the paddle shifters in our Taurus test car to be something of an anomaly. Function is good; selected gears hold to the 6700-rpm redline (not indicated on the tach), and the shifts are reasonably prompt. But this feature feels out of place in a car that otherwise keeps any sporty pretensions well concealed.
The latest Taurus occupies a different position in the Ford product panoply than the original. It’s bigger and more luxurious, even in base trim; the Fusion is the corporate mid-size standard-bearer today. And with a price ladder that starts at $25,995 (our Limited test car opens at $31,995), you’d expect a fair amount of pampering, in this or any car, as well as a solid inventory of standard safety features: traction and stability control, anti-lock brakes, airbags galore.
Several Taurus goodies merit mention here. There’s a capless fuel filler (standard), first introduced on the ’05 Ford GT. No more lost gas caps or caps flapping in the wind. Then there’s Sync, the voice-activated communications-and-entertainment system (also standard), which debuted with the current Focus. A breathless Detroit Free Press writer thought Sync was as significant in the advance of the automobile as the Ford Model T, which is hyperbole, though the system is excellent. We’ve already mentioned the BLIS option. Ford has also added adaptive cruise control, an optional upgrade on the basic cruise that includes collision warning and preloads the brake system for quicker response. When the system decides collision potential is high, it beeps and flashes a row of red lights atop the dash. For anyone given to dissecting the bovine plodding of commute traffic, this can be irritating.
The new key fob no longer includes a key. It just needs to be in the car; then the driver pushes a button to provoke combustion. Nothing new there, but micromanaging owners can program the car to restrict maximum audio volume and top speed and also to sound speed-alert chimes (when a specified key fob is present)—useful functions in a car that may be shared by impetuous young drivers and senile old ones.
Ah, yes, the drivers. We don’t regard ourselves as impetuous—and some of us are no longer young—but with any given set of cars, we’re going to favor the ones that deliver driver gratification: athletic responses, tactile steering, powerful braking. The original Taurus had the agility and steering parts of the checklist covered and led us to equate it with an Audi 5000S and a BMW 528e—pretty heady company for a mainstream American sedan.
The latest Taurus doesn’t inspire comparisons with any Eurosedans. Its rack-and-pinion power-steering system is numb on-center and rubbery as the driver cranks in more lock; there’s no real certainty about where the front wheels are pointed. Similarly, the trade-offs for exceptionally smooth ride quality are what’s-your-hurry responses and progressive understeer. And though the braking performance—191 feet from 70 mph—is an improvement on our ’86 Taurus test, it’s not by much (three feet), nor is it respectable.
Most of what Ford has achieved here is laudable, particularly in terms of materials, quality, and styling. For those who don’t care about driver involvement, it may just be the ideal full-size family sedan. We’re on record about where we stand regarding this trait. So let’s just say that when assessed as a car for the discerning driver, the latest Taurus doesn’t invite comparisons with Bimmers, Audis, or even the Honda Accord.
MARK GILLIES
No matter how beautifully styled and luxurious this new Taurus is, I still can’t get my head past the fact that it’s based on Volvo architecture that’s seemingly as old as the ark. The Taurus rides nicely on the highway and is very refined, but it’s a plodder on any winding road. More significantly for the target audience, which isn’t comprised of mental-nutter-bastards like me, there’s no headroom for anyone over 5 feet 10 inches tall, and that’s a travesty in such a big car.
TONY QUIROGA
A confession: I’m a fan of the previous Five Hundred/Taurus. Why? It was a big, solid sedan that blended quiet refinement with unobtrusiveness. Sounds backhanded? Don’t underestimate unobtrusiveness. Not being irritated and actually being soothed by your car is how Lexus built its brand. For 2010, the Taurus truly enters the 21st century (finally), with a new design and its manners intact. Gripes? Headroom is fine, but the headrests will poke your occiput; maybe that’s what Gillies thought was the ceiling.
Taking the loooong view.
BY MARK GILLIES, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY DWORIN AND AARON KILEY
July 2009
Current Mileage/Months in Fleet: 14,853 miles/6 months
Average Fuel Economy/Range: 21 mpg/428 miles
Service: $448
Normal Wear: $4
Repair: $0
The Hyundai Genesis represents a real stretch in brand coverage for Hyundai, one that could almost be seen as on par with Toyota’s launch of Lexus in 1989. Even though Hyundais are competitive—and best in class in some cases, such as interior quality—the automaker is still synonymous with value at the volume end of the market. It was the same for Toyota when it launched its Lexus luxury brand. Now, of course, Toyota has a cast-iron rep for quality and is perceived by many people as making the best family vehicles. The Lexus brand is astutely distanced from Toyota but has an equally stellar image.
When Hyundai set out to make the first true Korean luxury car for the U.S. market, it didn’t start a new brand, with all the associated dealer and marketing costs, but instead chose to launch the Genesis under the Hyundai umbrella. The Genesis is the company’s first rear-wheel-drive product offered to U.S. buyers, and it signals Hyundai’s intent to move upmarket in the long term, which is where the profits are in the auto business. (Indeed, it intends to bring its even more luxurious Equus sedan to the U.S., too.)
When the 1989 Lexus LS400 debuted, we decided to extend our normal long-term test from a then 30,000 miles to 60,000 to see if the car was as solid as Lexus was claiming. With Hyundai, we decided to go even farther: a 100,000-mile test, the length of Hyundai’s powertrain warranty and more than double our now-standard 40,000-mile interval. The thinking is this: Most modern cars stand up well to 40,000 miles of routine abuse in our hands. But how well does a car cope with the equivalent of eight years of driving compressed into a time period of less than 25 percent of that?
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED: $42,050 (base price: $38,050)
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 282 cu in, 4627cc
Power (SAE net): 375 bhp @ 6500 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 333 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 115.6 in Length: 195.9 in Width: 74.4 in Height: 58.3 in Curb weight: 4119 lb
PERFORMANCE: NEW
Zero to 60 mph: 5.3 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 12.7 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 22.5 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 5.7 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.8 sec @ 104 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 154 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 164 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad*: 0.84 g
EPA fuel economy, city/highway driving: 17/25 mpg
C/D-observed fuel economy: 21 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions: 0.5 qt
*Stability-control-inhibited.
WARRANTY:
5 years/60,000 miles bumper to bumper;
10 years/100,000 miles powertrain;
7 years/unlimited miles corrosion protection;
5 years/unlimited miles roadside assistance
We ordered a V-8–engined Genesis, which comes with the 375-hp, 4.6-liter engine and a full flotilla of luxury features, from the leather-wrapped dash and door trim to the power rear sunshade. We added the $4000 Technology package that includes a rear backup camera, HID headlights, a cooled driver seat, navigation, and a 17-speaker surround sound system that’s upgraded from the standard 14-speaker affair. Fully loaded, the Genesis costs $42,050, which seems like a bargain for such a large, powerful car that has so many luxury features. A Lexus LS460 has five more horsepower but less interior space and starts at $64,700. A Lincoln MKS with the EcoBoost V-6 has 20 fewer ponies, less interior volume, and starts at $48,585. In short, you’re getting Mercedes S-class space for C-class money.
To say that the Genesis is a real rival to an S-class would be a bit like saying that our favorite local bar’s nine-dollar burger is as good as Daniel Boulud’s $120 double-truffle delicacy. But much like that nine-buck burger, the Genesis is still plenty satisfying, and its relative lack of sticker shock is a fine thing in these recessionary times. The styling, although derivative, looks substantial and classy. The interior is rich, inviting, and spacious. The car drives pretty decently, although the ride can be harsh over expansion strips. The engine provides good passing power and is nicely hushed at cruising speeds. Opinion is divided over exactly how luxurious this car is. The car snobs in the office dismiss the steering wheel and window switches as déclassé and out of place on a $42,000 vehicle with luxury pretensions. Others among us are amazed how Hyundai can bring us this much car for this little money, just as we were when the LS400 debuted.
So far, the Genesis has averaged a reasonable 21 mpg in our hands and cost $344 for its first two routine services, at 7500 and 15,000 miles. We were charged $104 for remounting summer tires in place of the car’s winter footwear, and had to put a half-quart of Mobil 1 into the oil pan at just over the 2000-mile mark.
As for that 100,000-mile goal, we’re off to a slow start: fewer than 15,000 miles in the car’s first six months with us, although we’re about to drive it across the country to attend the Monterey Historics at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in northern California. If it can transport four of us across the country without too many back-seat complaints, it will have passed its first real test.
Oriental drifter: It turns, drifts, and stops on not too many dimes.
BY AARON ROBINSON, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ALLEN
May 2009
C’mon, really? Hyundai? No pedigree. No racing history. No factory museum filled with dusty glory machines. Yet here’s what Hyundai dares—dares!—to call the phosphorescent-Slurpee spill of paint on our Genesis coupe: Lime Rock Green.
Puh-leeze! Weren’t these jokers riding around on donkeys when Bob Sharp was running 240Zs at Lime Rock? There’s also Nordschleife Gray and Interlagos Yellow. On a Hyundai? They can’t be serious!
Uh, they’re serious. On sale since March, the Genesis coupe is a revelation, no pun intended. It’s a genuine yardage gain for the yin-yang team and a serious kink in the law dictating that rear-drive hoots must cost big bucks.
Is it HUN-dye, hi-WON-dye, or hi-YOON-day? (Around the factory, at least, it’s the latter). If we can’t concur on a pronunciation, let’s agree that Hyundai has come a long way. Lately, the workmanship has stood with that of the Japanese masters. The designs are fresh, and the dynamics have firmed up and flattened out.
Still, Korean culture works against a Hyundai sports car. Car guys are scarce in a homeland-come-lately to the auto age. Almost everyone drives thrift cubes—often white, always slow—and Korea only built its first racetrack, Everland Speedway about 35 miles south of Seoul, in 1993. In contrast, Japan has a high-performance heritage going back to the A6M5 Zero.
With Hyundai, it has always been about the price, and so it goes with the Genesis twins. The syrupy $33,000 sedan upon which the coupe is based dives for Lexus’s knees. The four-seat coupe also aims below the waist at competitors, with a 210-hp, 2.0-liter turbo four starting at $22,750 and a 306-hp V-6 at $25,750. The standard-equipment list is decent and includes a six-speed manual, power locks and windows, cruise control, stability control, a trip computer, and stereo auxiliary jacks.
The 2.0-liter turbo Premium and V-6 Grand Touring are the middle models, with leather, sunroof, and hot stereo, while the loaded Track version comes with all that, plus a stiffer suspension, Brembo brakes, limited-slip diff, and trunk spoiler. The V-6 Track runs $30,250, right where the foreign rivals start.
The base Nissan 370Z opens at $30,625, a poverty-trim BMW 128i, at $30,225. Only a strip-o Mazda RX-8 swings lower, at $27,105. The Genesis coupe is the first Asian to move into the neighborhood ruled by Mustangs, Camaros, and Challengers. As in the movie Gran Torino, we’re expecting fireworks.
Considering the price—always considering the price—Hyundai has bull’s-eyed the target, starting with specs that are right for enthusiasts. Firstly, it’s rear drive, the ne-plus-ultra credential for a sporty car. Also, the base 2.0-liter turbo offers wiggle room for tuners, the V-6 enough horsepower to satisfy if not electrify with its 5.7-second runs to 60 mph (all on regular gas!).
And there’s no shell game with the performance options. Six-speed manuals can be had with both engines, as can the Track equipment group. The V-6 gets a name-brand ZF six-speed automatic with paddle shifters (turbos get a five-speed auto made by . . . somebody). A harder-core R-Spec model is coming as basically a Track version cleansed of luxury bits. As you see, Hyundai is working to get this right.
Even after cutting 4.6 inches from the Genesis sedan’s wheelbase, Hyundai still had a plus-size form to clothe. The wheelbase is 10.6 inches longer than the new Z’s, and the body is 15.1 inches longer. There’s enough capsule space for a pair of folding back seats with decent legroom, though Hyundai opted—wisely, we think—to favor a foxy roofline over adult-rated rear headroom. Quarter glass that sags down for extra visibility also gives the coupe some graphic identity, as do the two scimitars for headlights. The fenders bulge alluringly with their big Bridgestones. However, Hyundai couldn’t resist pasting on a corporate Sonata grille that does little for cooling and even less for the coupe’s cunning visage.
About two years into the sedan’s five-year gestation, Hyundai started work on the coupe. Perhaps an inherited emphasis on cabin space explains why the coupe’s engine sits a little forward, straddling the front suspension. The best-handling cars aren’t nose heavy, and the coupe’s 55-percent front weight imbalance isn’t ideal—even though it’s very similar to the Z’s—especially when it’s 55 percent of 3480 pounds. Also, struts in the coupe replace the sedan’s pricier four-link front suspension.
All things considered, the coupe threatens to fumble the whole mission with la-di-da handling. But it doesn’t. Hyundai aces one of the critical tests: steering feel. Cornering forces load the wheel naturally, bumps twitch it, and a ratio tuned for snap-to quickness sharpens your aim.
Fitted with the firmer springs and shocks of the Track package, rolling and pitching is tamped down, but there’s just barely enough bounce to allow the suspension to work a rough patch without skittering. No, we’re not going to bemoan the rigid highway ride. This is the Track version, after all. Go for the base or the Grand Touring if you need more commuting cushiness.
Drifting glamour boy Rhys Millen demonstrates in the TV ads the stability control’s most interesting mode: off. The 3.8 has torque enough to whipsaw the coupe sideways—at least, with some provocation to overcome the inherent understeer. The other stability mode is “on,” which ends playtime PDQ. Hyundai either lacked the budget or the chops to program an intermediate stability setting. Perhaps on the next one.
Was it tactile authenticity the engineers sought in giving the clutch a Viking heaviness? Maybe. The stubby, short-throw shifter glides in a satisfying tight path from gear to gear. We’re told shift smoothness is thanks to triple-cone synchronizers on the lower ratios. The RS3800 V-6 (RS stands for “rear-drive sport”) doesn’t rank with the great voices of our age, but it punches back when stepped on and with a high-protein burble not unlike a Z’s.
Our 3.8 V-6 Track’s stats are healthy, but they are stomped on by the 370Z’s: 5.7 seconds to 60 mph against the Z’s 4.8 seconds. Skidpad pulls of 0.87 g to the Z’s 0.98. Braking distances are much closer, at about 160 feet, the coupe’s Brembos supplying solid, repeatable braking but with a flaccid pedal. We suspect flexing in the master cylinder causes the pedal softness.
Both the Genesis coupe and the 370Z are shod in summer rubber from Bridgestone, though the 332-hp Z wears them wider all around. And the Z weighs about a hundred fewer pounds. And comparing test cars, the Z costs about five grand more. Remember, with Hyundai it’s always about the price.
When it came to deciding between luxury accoutrements or go-faster parts, Hyundai says it always opted for the latter. A BMW-stiff body, a cross-tower strut brace in front, a Torsen limited-slip differential on Track versions, 18-inch standard alloy wheels, and the like were paid for with some glaring austerity. Soviet-era hard plastics adorn the seatbacks, dash, doors, and rear-quarter trim. The Track’s driver’s seat is powered; the passenger’s is not, though, oddly, the trunk and fuel-door releases are electric.
There’s no sci-fi engine cover to hide the ugly wiring conduits and click-fit connectors underhood, and simple gooseneck arms instead of multilinks support the trunk. Hey, we’re merely pointing out that lunch continues to not be free. One item we wish Hyundai hadn’t cut is the telescoping steering column. Longer-legged drivers must reach for the wheel and shifter.
The low dash opens up forward vision. Despite the coupe’s bigness, the interior feels hand-in-glove cozy if lacking in luxury or gee-whiz design theatrics. Folding rear seats help make the 10-cubic-foot trunk more useful, even if there’s no hatchback to widen the narrow entry hole.
The Tiburon notwithstanding, Hyundai is an interloper in the sports-coupe arena. Its bloodline is defined by transport cubes and rent-me sedans and long warranties, the latter for reassuring newcomers lured by the low prices. Hyundai’s performance pedigree starts here, now, with this engaging, well-orchestrated Genesis coupe. And as at Lime Rock, a good start is critical.
BARRY WINFIELD
When I read that the Hyundai Genesis coupe was based on the fine Genesis sedan, I assumed it would share much of that car’s refinement and isolation. Then I drove the V-6 model, fast. Whoa, this thing is unexpectedly hard core. There’s vigorous throttle response, a husky V-6 exhaust note, and giddy acceleration. In the canyons, the steering turns in with a vengeance, the car tracks through corners like a race car, and the brakes are from Brembo. One small downside: It gets jumpy when it gets bumpy.
JONATHON R. RAMSEY
Compare this car to the biblical book of Genesis, and it’s as if Hyundai—playing The Omnipotent—had only reached day four. The coupe possesses intense looks, excellent dynamics, superb braking, and braceable seats. Yet the exhaust note is soggy, the trunk aperture is a mail slot, highway refinement . . . isn’t, and the car badly needs a rear-window wiper. Still, it’s an achievement: Where there was once a void, there exists an exemplary sports car. Hyundai has earned some rest—a half-day at least.
Turbo tactics.
BY AARON ROBINSON
May 2009
Hyundai knows 210 horsepower in a 3380-pound car won’t astound anyone. It imagines the base Genesis coupe with its 2.0-liter turbocharged four as a blank canvas for tuners and speed-widget makers chasing the young buyers who will be hooked by the turbo’s $22,750 starting price.
One thing is certain: There will be lots of zoom parts available. The 1998cc four is the same basic engine as in the 291-hp Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, both engines being byproducts of the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance, a joint venture among Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and Chrysler.
Similarities outweigh the differences, we’re told, between the Evo’s motor and Hyundai’s all-aluminum Theta four with its twin-cam variable valve timing and Mitsubishi TD04H turbo making 15.0 psi. Core components such as pistons and rods should move freely between them, for example. Hyundai’s engine uses a different computer, from Siemens. The software wasn’t intentionally made easy to crack, “but it’s not very tough,” says one Hyundai exec with a wink. That means up to 300 horsepower should be possible without major surgery.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE AS TESTED: $27,500 (base price: $22,750)
ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 122 cu in, 1998cc
Power (SAE net): 210 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 223 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 111.0 in Length: 182.3 in Width: 73.4 in Height: 54.5 in
Curb weight: 3380 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.0 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 18 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 39.5 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 7.7 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.3 sec @ 92 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 161 ft
Roadholding, 200-ft-dia skidpad: 0.88 g
FUEL ECONOMY (MFR’S EST):
EPA city/highway driving: 21 / 30 mpg
Leave it alone, and the 2.0T with a six-speed manual makes 60 mph in 7.0 seconds and turns the quarter-mile in 15.3 at 92 mph. The throttle calibrations were still rough during our brief drive, so Hyundai decided to withhold full testing until later. The turbo trails the V-6 into the market by a month. Eventually, it’s expected to represent half of coupe sales.
Three trim levels include base, Premium, and Track. All are well equipped, though Premium brings a power driver’s seat, an Infinity stereo, a sunroof, and keyless start. As with the V-6 Track, the 2.0T Track version features a stiffer suspension, 19-inch wheels, Brembo brakes, a limited-slip diff, aluminum pedals, xenon headlamps, fog lights, and rear spoiler. One item available only on the 2.0T Track: red cloth inserts for the black seats.
Driving a 510-hp Jag XFR on a dirt track is just wrong. So how come it feels so right?
BY MARK GILLIES, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARC URBANO
August 2009
Appearances can be deceiving. Jaguars are for old geezers, aren’t they? And they definitely shouldn’t be spending time on a dirt oval, that most down-home of American automotive playgrounds, should they? But the new XFR most certainly isn’t for the AARP set, and all that it offers can’t be exploited fully on a paved public road.
On the surface, it’s elegant and refined. Yet it also has 510 horsepower capable of tearing the tail loose at a twitch of the stability-control button. It’s a lugubrious Jamaican fast bowler who’s your best friend until he takes to the field and tries to knock your head off.
To test our theory that the XFR is really an old-style muscle car at heart, we decided to take it to Butler Motor Speedway, a three-eighths-mile drifting nirvana near Quincy, Michigan. As a playground for large, overpowered V-8 stock cars, it’s the perfect place—no cops, only one concrete wall to hit—to wring out another overpowered V-8 sedan.
Now, it might seem that taking this $80,000 sports sedan to an oval in the wilds of Michigan isn’t exactly cricket, but then, that game is deceiving, too. To the outsider, cricket is a screwy English game with impenetrable rules, played in bucolic settings by persons dressed in white street clothing. Between jack-rabbit bursts of activity, there’s no action aside from the eating of crustless cucumber sandwiches and the sipping of tea.
But under this veneer of gentility, cricket is a vicious game in which bowlers (they’re called pitchers in baseball) try to maim batsmen with 5.5-ounce balls made of compressed leather and cork and wool that are hurled at up to 90 mph. It’s also a game in which “sledging” is an art form. (Example: A bowler yells at a batsman: “Why are you so fat?” Retort: “Because every time I make love to your wife, she gives me a biscuit.”) And the spectators on the sidelines who are clapping and providing vocal footnotes (but not too loudly) such as “Good show!”—well, they’re drunk. Why else would they turn out for days on end, except as an excuse to go boozing?
We were already partial to the XF, which won a spot on Car and Driver’s 10Best list for 2009. Thus the R model of this Jaguar, which has more power, more brake, and more grip, is an appealing concept. To turn it into a competitor for unhinged sedans such as the Cadillac CTS-V, Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, and BMW M5, Jaguar started with the engine. Although the 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 shares the same AJ V-8 nomenclature as the 4.2-liter engine that carries over in the base XF, the only components that are shared are the valve tappets and the head bolts. The new block is made of high-pressure die-cast aluminum and is 0.9 inch shorter than that of the old 4.2 because the oil pump is now located inside the engine rather than mounted externally.
Like the old V-8, it has aluminum heads and four valves per cylinder. The new supercharger is an Eaton TVS (Twin Vortices Series) Roots-type unit that feeds through twin intercoolers and runs a maximum of 11.6 pounds of boost. The engine’s most significant new technology is the use of direct fuel injection, which allows the compression ratio to jump from 9.1:1 to 9.5:1. The numbers this engine produces are big: 510 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 461 pound-feet of torque at 2500 rpm.
Perhaps the most important driveline change is an electronically controlled differential that uses an electric motor and a ball-ramp assembly acting on a multiplate clutch pack. To best deliver the power to the ground, the diff can be varied from fully open to locked, depending on a variety of parameters.The chassis gets a raft of changes. Jag claims the spring rates are stiffer by 30 percent and the anti-roll bars by about 25 percent. The R gets a steering rack that’s about 10 percent quicker than the stock car’s, plus Bilstein continuously variable shocks. They progressively alter damping according to vertical movement, pitch, and roll rate. There’s also a dynamic mode that further stiffens the damping and holds the transmission in gear, even at redline, when shifting manually.
Sublime-looking 20-inch wheels are shod with wide, low-profile Dunlop SP Sport Maxx rubber, 255/35 in front and 285/30 out back, the same sizes as the outgoing XF Supercharged model’s. Peeking from behind the aluminum wheels are 15.0-inch-diameter front and 14.8-inch rear vented disc brakes, an inch larger up front than on the XF Supercharged and two inches bigger at the back. To demonstrate intent, the bodywork gets a suitably muscular upgrade, with a mesh grille, quad exhaust tips, a trunklid spoiler, and sculpted side skirts, but the overall effect is quite understated.
The interior décor—leather and wood and wool, as English as bad teeth—is freshened with tasteful aluminum mesh trim and an Alcantara headliner. The R gets model-specific sport seats with electrically adjustable side bolsters that are much more supportive than the buckets in the regular XF. Soft-grain leather is standard.
Otherwise, the interior is virtually identical to the standard XF’s. Lanky rear-seat riders aren’t going to be happy with their allotment of space, but there’s decent head- and legroom for anyone shorter than 5-foot-10. The infuriating multifunction central touch-screen display remains: One needs to go back and forth through submenus to change the settings, and that grows wearisome quickly.
The XFR certainly sounds like it belongs at Butler speedway, where the music on a Saturday night is all-American V-8. At least it makes the right kind of noise from the outside, where the engine has the same hard-edged growl as a highly tuned stock car’s. In the cabin, there’s a mild snarling sound as the pedal is pushed hard, but it’s relatively serene even under hard acceleration.
And, boy, does this thing accelerate, even though it’s not quite as quick as the lighter and even more powerful Cadillac CTS-V automatic or the last BMW M5 or Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG we tested. Zero to 60 mph comes in 4.4 seconds, 0 to 100 takes 9.8, and the standing quarter is breached in 12.7 seconds at 114 mph. (With an automatic transmission, the Caddy hits these marks in 3.9, 8.7, and 12.2 seconds, respectively.) We’d have turned quicker acceleration times if the car had hooked up better, but most launches ended up frying the Dunlops. Passing performance is sensational, as are the smooth, instant shifts, whether you let the gearbox do the work or choose to use the steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters to change gears “manually.”
At Butler, where the XFR proved quite the drifter, the 510 horses easily overwhelmed the rear tires once we’d switched off the stability system. The steering is a little numb, but the chassis is wonderfully progressive and communicative, which is important on damp clay: The grip levels change through a turn, forcing the driver to react to the car’s ever-changing attitude. On blacktop, which is where we expect 99.99999 percent of owners will spend their time, the XFR is nicely balanced and grippy, with impressive body control and a ride quality that’s nothing short of miraculous considering the giant wheels and super-stiff tire sidewalls. The brakes have great feel and bite, with a 70-to-0-mph stopping distance of 158 feet, four feet more than that of the CTS-V. The XFR’s skidpad figure of 0.89 g is comparable with the performance of both the M5 and the CTS-V.
The XFR is a mighty fine machine, as it should be for a base price of 80 large. It’s a compelling blend of sophisticated highway cruiser and ferocious back-road bruiser, wrapped in a handsome set of clothes. Arguably, it’s the best-looking car in its class, i.e., that group of sedans with more horsepower than you’d ever really need. Perhaps the days are numbered for cars such as the XFR, but we’ll be remembering them fondly in the future in the same way old-timers today harken back to muscle cars from the 1960s.
AARON ROBINSON
Is Jaguar back? With almost as much horsepower as that belly-dragging catfish of a supercar, the XJ220, the XFR is way prettier, too. The throttle is correctly calibrated for refined comportment rather than whiplash, and the electronic differential is a marvel at distributing power. Just look at those drag-strip times! Meticulously integrated and artfully executed, the XFR elevates Jaguar closer to its aspirations than the motherboard-murdered M5 polishes BMW’s rep. Message to Tata: more like this, please.
K.C. COLWELL
A 510-hp sedan might pass for par in some SoCal social circles, but in Hoovervillesque Michigan, this Jag is an eye magnet. Just ask the state trooper who pulled me out of 85-mph traffic just to say hi. If he had been in the car with me, the trooper would have realized that the XFR might have the best ride of any car in its class—effectively cloaking velocity from the driver. I had hopes the interior’s unique aluminum trim would distract him from his laser gun’s 92-mph reading, but, sadly, it didn’t.
A new 510-hp V-8 makes this cat an M5-eater.
BY AARON ROBINSON
May 2009
Known lately for its sleepy, leaping cats, Jaguar has taken its fangs off the nightstand and stuck them back in. The sporty “R” designation gets pinned to the tail of the pretty and still-pretty-new $52,000 XF, the mid-size sedan below the big XJ. The result: 510 tech-infused horsepower and a price hike to $80,000. The driving sophistication is high, and some test numbers we managed to quickly extract during the XFR’s introduction are 10 degrees north of wow: 4.3 seconds to 60 mph, a quarter-mile pierced in 12.7 seconds at 115 mph. The M5 flinches.
Jaguar likes to talk about root icons such as the shark-finned Le Mans D-types and the blaze of XK120 headlights on the rain-swept Italian roads of the Mille Miglia. Ah, cracking good stuff—buried under a manure pile of more recent mediocrity. Arriving in late June, the 2010 XFR, like the aluminum-bodied XKR coupe, which also receives the supercharged, 5.0-liter direct-injection V-8, is a solid start at redemption.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
BASE PRICE: $80,000
ENGINE TYPE: supercharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 305 cu in, 5000cc
Power (SAE net): 510 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 461 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 114.5 in Length: 195.3 in Width: 73.9 in Height: 57.5 in Curb weight: 4350 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 4.3 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 9.6 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 13.6 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 4.6 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 12.7 sec @ 115 mph
Top speed (governor limited, mfr’s claim): 155 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 155 ft
FUEL ECONOMY (MFR’S EST):
EPA city/highway driving: 15/23 mpg
Jaguar calls its smooth new roar maker the AJ-V8 R Gen III. The head bolts and valve tappets of the 5.0 are all that carry over from the previous 4.2-liter (which remains the XF’s base U.S. engine; a naturally aspirated, 385-hp 5.0-liter is in the middle model; the supercharged 4.2 is gone). The more compact aluminum block and heads are new, as is the eerily whine-free Eaton Gen 6 supercharger also found in the Corvette ZR1. The injector takes the spark plug’s usual position at top center, spraying down into a cupped piston that partially reflects the charge back toward the plug, just to the injector’s side. Minimized emissions and better volumetric efficiency—which means power—are the motivation, says Jag.
Downstream, Jaguar redesigned the steel rear subframe and spread wider the differential mounts in anticipation of 461 pound-feet of torque. A name-brand transmission favored by BMW is locked and loaded. In sport mode or under manual paddle control, the ZF six-speed ticks off nearly instant upshifts with barely a stutter.
Cementing the traction is an electronic differential that shuttles between open and full lock by varying electric motor torque on a ball-ramp assembly that squeezes clutch plates. Besides the big muscle, extra-sticky launch traction gets the credit for the XFR’s blazing quarter-miles.
The spring rates stiffen by a third, and with Bilstein electronically varying shocks and larger anti-roll bars, the body is locked in rigid horizontalness through the switchbacks. Does Jaguar suddenly best BMW’s best?
With its 20-inch wheels, the XFR is a hot number, its squarer jaw and extra mesh-screened ducts setting it apart. The progressive throttle tune is a triumph, and the grip from fat, Y-rated Dunlop SportMaxx tires makes it reliable. However, old thinking remains in the insulated steering and a nervous stability control. An intermediate “Trac DSC” mode allows more wiggle and screech, but it cuts in early and takes too long to butt out again. Drivers can shut it off, but any safety net goes with it.
M5 owners blog about such stuff. Do Jaguar buyers care? Jaguar needs the XFR to be unimpeachable—it’s tantalizingly close—if it hopes to leap to the next page.
An athletic, persuasive luxury sedan.
BY DAVE VANDERWERP, PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICH CHENET AND THE MANUFACTURER
February 2009
Is it surprising that the XF has landed Jaguar on our 2009 10Best Cars list, the first time in the award’s 27-year history? Absolutely. That is, until about five minutes into driving this new S-type replacement.
Sure it looks sleek and sinuous, particularly in black, but what really won us over is how the XF strafes back roads with an agility that escapes nearly all its competition. Light and accurate steering and a quick-acting transmission add to the sense of engagement. Considering the optional 35-series 20-inch tires, the XF’s unflinching structure and limber ride quality are nothing short of incredible. A balanced 0.88 g on the skidpad and 155-foot stops from 70 mph—that’s Corvette territory—are at the top of the segment.
Only V-8s are available in the XF, but the base 4.2-liter produces just 300 horsepower, which is what the V-6s of many automakers make these days. Indeed, the 290-hp Hyundai Genesis V-6 outsprints the smaller but heavier Jag by a couple 10ths. The V-8 doesn’t help fuel economy in the 4055-pound sedan, either. We averaged 18 mpg.
Starting at $49,975, the XF is at least priced closer to six-cylinder competition, such stalwarts as the Acura RL, the BMW 535i, and the Mercedes E350. Our $61,550 test car included almost every option from the 420-hp XF Supercharged, and with a sticker within three grand of that model’s, it should.
To allow the stylist’s flowing roofline, perhaps a touch too much headroom was removed from the otherwise ample back-seat area. And gimmicky details, such as a start button that mimics a heartbeat by flickering in a thump-thump manner and the power dash vents, didn’t do much for us. However, the touch-sensitive glove-box release and interior lights are chic details. And be careful with that newfangled rotating gearshift knob as it won’t prevent the driver from inadvertently twirling it into neutral, reverse, or park at speed. Hey, we sometimes get fidgety, and our XF was not amused.
But these are mostly frivolities. This is a persuasive luxury sedan with the sort of athleticism and involvement that make driving exciting. If Jaguar keeps this up, Ford execs are going to be kicking themselves, wishing that they’d sold Lincoln instead.
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED: $61,550 (base price: $49,975)
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 256 cu in, 4196cc
Power (SAE net): 300 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 310 lb-ft @ 4100 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 114.5 in Length: 195.3 in Width: 73.9 in Height: 57.5 in Curb weight: 4055 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 6.2 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 15.4 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 23.5 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 6.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.8 sec @ 98 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 123 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 155 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.88 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 16/25 mpg
C/D observed: 18 mpg
This new Berlinetta is the latest stallion in the stable.
BY JON YANCA, PHOTOGRAPHY BY KGP PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE MANUFACTURER
July 2009
While we knew that the Ferrari F430 was on its way out—myriad spy shots were captured of its replacement—we didn’t yet know all the details of its successor. Until now.
The stunning new Ferrari 458 Italia will succeed the famed F430, and is completely new according to the company. The numeric part of the name is derived from the engine displacement (4.5 liters) and number of cylinders (eight), while the Italia name was chosen because Ferrari feels the car exemplifies the flair and passion of its homeland. Of course, it wouldn’t be a new Ferrari without input from legendary F1 champ Michael Schumacher, who aided in the 458’s development since the inception of the project.
570 Horsepower!
The 458 will use a new, 4.5-liter direct-injected V-8 producing 570 hp at 9000 rpm and 398 lb-ft of torque at 6000 rpm, and over 80 percent of the latter is available from 3250 rpm. That’s a hefty increase of 87 hp and 55 lb-ft of torque over the already-potent F430. The wheels are 20 inches in diameter—one more than the F430’s—and the rubber grows, too, measuring 235/35 up front and 295/35 in back. This should add grip that will no doubt aid the Italia in reaching Ferrari’s estimated 0-to-62-mph time of “under 3.4 seconds.” Top speed is a claimed 202 mph. The exhaust will exit through three tips at the back, and prototype photos show what appear to be active flaps integrated into the two outboard tailpipes. A high-performance ABS braking system is said to halt the 458 from 62 mph in just 107 ft with help from a function that lays the brake pads against the standard carbon-ceramic discs once the driver lifts off the throttle. Power will be delivered through a paddle-shifted, seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission that has been geared to take advantage of the new engine’s superior low-end grunt.
The chassis of the 458 Italia is constructed of aluminum and suspended by control arms up front and multilinks in the rear. Ferrari promises an even more direct steering ratio, which should help maintain the fantastic turn-in we know from the F430 despite nearly two extra inches of wheelbase and 0.6 inch of additional length (the Italia’s wheels sit 104.3 inches apart). The 458 Italia is 178.2 inches long, 76.3 inches wide, and 47.8 inches tall, which represent increases of 0.6 inch, 0.6 inch, and nothing, respectively. The 458 will boast essentially the same weight distribution as the F430, with 42 percent of its heft over the front axle and 58 percent over the rear.
Futuristic Ferrari
The Pininfarina-designed shell is sure to spark controversy among those particularly fond of classic Ferrari styling: the company calls it a “complete departure from the past.” The futuristic look is sculpted, according to the company, to aerodynamic requirements. The 458’s flat underbody helps airflow, while the overall shape can generate a claimed 309 pounds of downforce at 124 mph. As with similar devices of dubious legality found on Ferrari’s F1 cars, tiny, trick winglets in the nose add downforce and then deform as speed increases. Here, they reduce the area of the radiator inlets and cut drag. The rear of the 458 Italia is a bit reminiscent of the California’s bulbous posterior, but it’s more artfully executed, with myriad details over which your eyes can crawl.
We have thus far just one image of the interior, captured from Ferrari’s own introductory video, but it’s clear that the focus is all on the driver. Ferrari says the new steering wheel and dash layout come directly from racing practice. We’re sure that once you’re behind the wheel, any personal feelings about the styling will be forgotten, as the 458’s triple-tip exhaust—à la Ferrari F40—blares its 570-horse symphony.
Look for more information and full photography when the 458 Italia officially debuts at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
Earplugs not included.
BY K.C. COLWELL
July 2009
Sixteen may be how many ounces are in a pint, or the number on Joe Montana’s jersey. But to a Ferrari Formula 1 fan, it’s the number of world constructors’ championships that have been won by the legendary Italian team.
Now, Ferrari has built a limited-edition 16M Scuderia Spider—499 total—to honor this achievement. It’s an F430 Spider with all the go-fast parts of the 430 Scuderia. Those bits include a higher-compression version of the F430’s 4.3-liter V-8 that makes 503 horsepower (20 more than in the F430) and 347 pound-feet of torque. It has a retuned suspension, serving-platter-size carbon-ceramic brakes, Ferrari’s F1 SuperFast2 automated manual transmission (60 milliseconds for shifts), and quite possibly the loudest exhaust note of any road car we have ever driven (our LeMons Fiero included).
The 16M weighs about 3300 pounds, or roughly 200 more than its coupe counterpart; in both cars, the interior is stripped of all comfort features. Carbon fiber and aluminum trim line the cabin. There is no carpeting or leather. The only nod to sybarites is on the dash, where a horizontally docked iPod Touch functions as the stereo, sans radio tuner.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door roadster
BASE PRICE: $313,350
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 263 cu in, 4308cc
Power (SAE net): 503 bhp @ 8500 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 347 lb-ft @ 5250 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automated manual
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 102.4 in Length: 177.6 in Width: 75.7 in Height: 47.9 in Curb weight: 3300 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 3.4 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 11.5 sec
Top speed (redline limited): 196 mph
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway: 11/16 mpg
According to Ferrari, the 16M posts the fastest time ever around its Fiorano circuit for one of its open-top road cars.
We drove the Spider in the hills surrounding Ferrari’s Maranello factory, where the 16M devoured switchbacks. Even in extreme transitional states, the chassis never feels unsettled or spooky. Driving a $313,350 exotic—particularly one you don’t own—near the limit on a country road is a riot, but it can be a bit on the stressful side. Fortunately, this car inspires as much confidence as respect and awe. That’s why the F430, in any form, is undefeated in C/D comparison tests.
Expect the 16M to reach 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. The all-wheel-drive Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder will likely win a drag race (0 to 60 for the Gallardo coupe is 3.2 seconds; we haven’t yet tested the Spyder) and perhaps even a beauty contest. But the 16M dominates the Lambo when it comes to chassis performance. We’re betting the Ferrari will remain undefeated when it goes toe-to-toe in a comparo.
Now, a word of caution: Don’t hang around thinking you’ll be first in line for a 17M. Through the sixth race of the Grand Prix season, Ferrari’s hope of a repeat is as good as Manny’s chances of winning MVP—the big F is 69 points behind rookie underdog Brawn-Mercedes.
Ferrari further blurs the line between GT and sports car with this stunningly capable 599.
BY K.C. COLWELL
May 2009
So, your stock portfolio is in the crapper, your spouse has found a younger flame, and your standard $326,730 Ferrari 599GTB Fiorano isn’t doing it for you anymore. Might we suggest that you order a new 599? This time, however, check the box for the $30,095 Handling GTE, or HGTE, package. With it comes a retuned suspension consisting of stiffer springs (17 percent in front and 15 percent in the rear), a thicker rear anti-roll bar (1.0 inch versus 0.9 for the standard 599), retuned adjustable shocks, and slightly wider front wheels. The 599 HGTE also sits 0.4 inch lower than the regular version, has a retuned exhaust note, and is fitted with stickier Pirelli P Zero rubber. Inside, each HGTE-equipped 599 includes every possible carbon-fiber option.
The twin-cam, 6.0-liter V-12’s power is unchanged at 612 hp and 448 lb-ft of torque. There are two options for the transmission, both of which offer six speeds: a traditional three-pedal manual or Ferrari’s F1-Superfast automated manual. The latter is the primary choice for buyers, evidenced by a quick jaunt past the company’s assembly line, where none of the partly assembled 599s were fitted with a manual gearbox.
Improving One of Our Favorites
We have praised the 599 before for its neutral handling, fade-free carbon-ceramic brakes, and grown-up manners over broken pavement. Yet a few hot laps around Ferrari’s Fiorano circuit left us star struck all over again. Brakes? They haul you down from speed with ease and remarkable precision. Power? There’s plenty of it all the way to the 8400-rpm redline. (Indeed, while on an orientation lap, Maserati MC12 racing pilot Andrea Bertolini was so entertained by the engine power, he blurted, “The torque of this engine is amazing!”) Steering? It’s a hair on the overboosted side, but it loads up nicely and communicates the tires’ distress level well. A 599 with the HGTE package is as neutral as the standard car, if not more so, thanks to the lower center of gravity and slightly wider contact patch in the front.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
BASE PRICE: $356,825 (standard 599GTB plus HGTE package)
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 48-valve V-12, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 366 cu in, 5999cc
Power (SAE net): 612 bhp @ 7600 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 448 lb-ft @ 5600 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual with automated shifting and clutch
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 108.3 in Length: 183.7 in Width: 77.2 in Height: 52.2 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 4000 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 3.3 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 11.2 sec @ 131 mph
Top speed (redline limited): 206 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 145 ft
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 11/15 mpg
The ride is slightly compromised, although it isn’t a deal breaker. The car still has magnetorheological shocks that adjust their damping on command with a twist of the manettino—the steering-wheel-mounted switch that also varies stability-control intervention thresholds and transmission shift speed. It is not until the manettino is set to “Race” that the new bits come to life—and pound the life out of you if the road turns from glass to chop. It is in this mode that the suspension is at its firmest and the gearshifts shrink to a bang-it-home 85 milliseconds versus a still-astounding 100 milliseconds for the standard 599.
Still, the HGTE package, available on 2010 599s in the U.S., will not make the car any quicker in a straight line. The best times we have seen in a 599 are downright scary, as quick as a Ferrari Enzo. Sixty mph comes in 3.3 seconds, and the quarter-mile is traversed in 11.2 seconds at an astonishing 131 mph—fast enough to require a roll cage for runs down the local drag strip. However, the package likely will improve on the 0.98 g skidpad performance. We did not have a chance to strap our test gear to an HGTE car, but we wouldn’t be surprised if lateral grip ends up eclipsing 1.00 g. (Ferrari says it will be happy to upgrade your existing 599 to HGTE specs, but expect to pay a serious premium over the package itself.)
There’s no carpet inside the cabin, and plastic is used only for the ashtray and air vents. Alcantara, however, has been rolled out by the yard: The headliner, the center sections of the bucket seats, and the floor are lined with the synthetic suede. There are airbags in front and on the side, but if you wreck your 599, you’ll be crying more about the looming repair bill than any possible bump on your head.
A Formidable Package
Front-engine, grand-touring machines have a fairly specific pecking order, and the 599 is already on top, trumping most of its competitors in power or handling, if not both. The Aston Martin DBS uses the same front-mounted V-12 format, but it already has lost a head-to-head comparison test to the Ferrari. The V-8–powered Maserati GranTurismo S suffers from a 178-hp handicap. The large-and-in-charge Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG loses in switchback agility, even if it only has eight fewer hp than the 599. As such, there’s not a soul in this office who would turn away a 599—or the opportunity to drive one—for something from any other marque. There are some here who would opt for the 599’s mid-engined stablemate, the F430, a sports car that’s arguably a bit better on back roads and racetracks.
A 599 with the HGTE package, however, makes that decision harder. The enhanced 599 moves ever closer to all-around handling mastery while retaining the sizable trunk and better rearward visibility of a front-engine grand tourer. (Of course, if Ferrari would just cut loose an example of each car for our long-term fleet, we’d certainly be able to give you a definitive answer.) Suffice it to say that if you’re in the enviable position of shopping for a 599, the HGTE will have you forgetting your stock losses and cradle-robbing ex. Buy now—if you can.
