Aviator gives Lincoln a “Mini Me” version of Navigator
The Lincoln Navigator was a hit when it first was unveiled. A large, imposing sport-utility-vehicle hit, but a hit, nonetheless. In fact, the Navigator is simply too big for a lot of people who would otherwise be impressed by its looks and image. So, for 2003, shortly after introducing a new and vastly improved Navigator, Lincoln is also introducing a more compact showroom companion for it – the Lincoln Aviator.
Ford Motor Company might actually have only intended to do a cosmetic facelift on the Ford Expedition when it created the Navigator, but with its distinctive grille and unapologetic size, the classy Navigator immediately carved out something approaching icon status while also helping create the “luxury†SUV segment. The new Navigator is better in almost every way, with a lowered stance, better posture, radically improved suspension, steering and interior. But it’s still huge, and it costs up there around $50,000.
When I attended the introduction of the new Aviator in Hot Springs, Va., I thought at a glance that Lincoln had decided to set out a fleet of Navigators. Then I realized the assembled vehicles were strikingly similar from the front, but they were decidedly shorter when viewed from the side. When parked next to a Navigator, the Aviator truly is smaller in every dimension. Not small, by any means, but reduced in height, length and weight.
That first-glance was my second misconception of the Aviator. I had seen preview information on the Aviator, and I realized that it was a Lincoln version of the Mercury Mountaineer, which is MercuryÂ’s version of the extremely popular Ford Explorer. So my preconceived idea was that the Aviator would be a classier Mountaineer. Then I saw it and thought it was a Navigator.
In reality, it is somewhere between the two — a Mini-Me version of the Navigator.
The Aviator starts out on the chassis of the Ford Explorer/Mercury Mountaineer, which was new for the 2002 model year, and features a patented porthole-design rear axle/frame layout, plus independent rear suspension, creating a lower stance and added interior space to house three rows of seats. After that, Lincoln made sure to move the Aviator upscale from every standpoint. Powering the Aviator is a high-tech revision of the 4.6-liter V8, which delivers 302 horsepower and 300 foot-pounds of torque, and a towing capability of 7,300 pounds.
When I suggested that the Aviator might best be represented as “Mountaineer meets Navigator,†I was stopped by Jim Cain, Lincoln’s manager of product development for the Aviator launch.
“It’s more like ‘Whopper’ and ‘Whopper Jr.,’ “ said Cain.
His impromptu analogy works, because if the Navigator is a whopper, the Aviator is intended to be a whopper junior.
“Our market research showed that as impressed as people are with Navigator, a lot of people donÂ’t need a vehicle that big,†said Cain. “People loved the idea of a smaller Navigator. Now they can come into the showroom and compare the two, and theyÂ’ll see that they can get the same genes as the Navigator, with less size and with more agility and sportiness in the Aviator.Ââ€
The base for the introduction of the Aviator was The Homestead, an enormous resort hotel in the tiny town of Hot Springs, Va. The new SUVs stood in stark contrast to the ageless and immaculately renovated old hotel, which was built in 1766, but the location had a more pragmatic purpose. It allowed automotive journalists to put the Aviator through some spirited driving maneuvers around the twisting roads of the Allegheny Mountain countryside nearby.
Lincoln officials project sales of about 35,000 Aviators in its introductory year in what is a rapidly expanding market segment called midsize-luxury SUVs. Top competition is envisioned as the BMW X5, Mercedes ML-500, Lexus RX300 and Acura MDX, although some of the fancier General Motors SUVs up to the Denali also are within the target market. While Aviator is priced between the upscale and larger Navigator in the luxury SUV bracket, and the more modest Mountaineer, those projections would fill a nice region for LincolnÂ’s marketing strategy. Navigator sales are anticipated to top 30,000 this year, and the Mountaineer is projected to sell between 40,000-50,000 for 2003.
Toby Arnold, advance product marketing manager for Lincoln, explained that the Aviator will come in Luxury and Premium versions, priced from $40,000 to $50,000. That means the top Aviator will overlap just slightly with the lowest-priced 4×2 version of the Navigator, while the least expensive 4×2 Aviator will still be slightly above the most-expensive Mountaineer. “But the Aviator has 60 more horsepower†than the Mountaineer, Arnold added.
In order to take on such luminaries as the BMW X5 and Mercedes ML500 and Lexus RX300, Lincoln had to have a distinctive vehicle. Ford Motor Company paid great attention to differentiating the Mountaineer styling from FordÂ’s Explorer, so Lincoln was not about to merely put a Navigator face on the Mountaineer for its new midsize luxury SUV.
“The only common body panels shared with the Mountaineer are the roof and the doors,†said Cain. “Among the differences, the 4.6-liter V8 with dual-overhead cams and four valves per cylinder is unique to Aviator; the suspension has been modified completely, front and rear, from greater use of aluminum, to larger bushings, different attachment points and new monotube dampers; a new ZF steering system is also unique to Aviator; and the interior is completely different.Ââ€
Driving back and forth on some twisting mountain roadways, the Aviator showed up well against the BMW X5, Mercedes ML500 and Acura MDX. It is subjective whether the Aviator beats the X5 in sportiness, or the ML in luxury or the MDX in utility, but by creating a vehicle that at least challenges all of those for their strongest asset makes the Aviator possibly the best compromise for buyers who like all those attributes.
Exterior styling follows the Navigator look from the trademark grille, surrounded by clear-lens quad headlights and lower foglights, integrated into the lower spoiler, all the way to the rear. The lower molding of the bumper and side sills is charcoal grey, which makes the vehicle look lower, which is appropriate, because it handles less like a typical, top-heavy body-on-frame truck-based SUV.
Just as striking in similarity to the Navigator is the interior of the Aviator, which features the harmonious blend of American walnut burl wood trim, premium leather, and the new satin-nickel finish that dominates the center dash stack and console of the Navigator. Also the same is the light-emitting diode instrument lighting for the symmetric gauges. The look is so impressive, I figured it would remain unique to Navigator, but instead, Lincoln intends to capitalize on that look to establish a “DNA†throughout the Lincoln line.
It would seem that the Aviator might be as big a threat to prospective Navigator buyers as to conquests from competitors. Lincoln officials donÂ’t foresee that.
“About 12-15 percent of luxury SUV buyers will come from people moving up from luxury sedans,†Cain said. “And once buyers move into the big-size SUVs, they usually donÂ’t leave that size and status. We donÂ’t expect to see much cannibalization of the Navigator by the Aviator. We think 10 percent of prospective Navigator buyers might go to Aviator, and maybe 5-10 percent of current Navigator owners might migrate down for their next purchase, but thatÂ’s about all. We donÂ’t expect to see any fall-off in Navigator sales, mainly because the new Navigator is such an improved vehicle.Ââ€
Aviator also represents LincolnÂ’s attempt to attract younger buyers. Mike Crowley, Lincoln marketing manager, said that since the introduction of the Navigator and the Lincoln LS sedan, 70 percent of LS buyers and 60 percent of Navigator buyers were people who had never before bought a Lincoln vehicle.
Navigator buyers average 50 years of age, while LS buyers average 51, which is a significant difference from Town Car buyers, whose average age is 70. Lincoln is aiming the Aviator at age 45, with a more active lifestyle for sports and weekend activities. While 70 percent of Navigator buyers are male, Lincoln anticipates that will drop to 60 percent with the Aviator. Many women seem to like to drive large SUVs, and for those who do, they might well choose the Aviator as being plenty big but more manageable than the larger Navigator.
The engine began as the 4.6-liter modular V8, which has been used in everything from sedans to pickup trucks to Mustangs and SUVs. In the Aviator, that engine is redone of all aluminum, with the dual overhead-cam design, significantly increasing the power output and towing capacity. The 302 horsepower peak at 5,750 RPMs and the 300 foot-pounds of torque peaks at 3,250 but 90 percent of that maximum is available from 2,000 RPMs upward. The RPM red-line limit is 6,300, with electronic control against over-revving.
The transmission is a five-speed automatic with a high stall-speed torque converter. Two-wheel drive is available on base models, but all-wheel-drive is expected to account for 65-70 percent of Aviators. With all-wheel drive, FordÂ’s AdvanceTrac stability system allows the Aviator to move straight ahead even if only one tire has traction by helping correct potential oversteer or understeer skids.
The independent rear suspension makes it easy for the third seat to fold down flat into the floor. The second row can be purchased either as bucket seats with a console or a 40/20/40 split fold-down bench, depending on the choice of either six or seven occupants. The ZF Servotronic II rack-and-pinion steering complements the suspension to upgrade the steering precision. The Aviator corners smoothly and stays stable and flat even around twisty roads, while the steering provides excellent road-feel feedback. Four-wheel disc brakes with antilock and electronic brake-force features, and 17-inch wheels are standard.
Other features include dual-zone climate control, back-up warning beeper, six-way power front buckets on both sides, a premium audio system with in-dash CD and cassette players and secondary controls on the steering wheel, thicker glass to aid sound-deadening, and several Premium model items, such as high-intensity discharge headlights, power moonroof, and a DVD rear-seat entertainment system.
Safety elements start with accident-avoidance capabilities because of the enhanced agility and handling of the tightly coordinated steering and improved suspension systems, the lowered stance because of the rear-axle and suspension design, and the quick-responding steering system. In a crash, the dual-stage front airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, and the Safety Canopy side-curtain airbag system aid survivability.
Ford claims “best in class†achievement in ground clearance at 8.9 inches, first-row shoulder room at 58.3 inches, legroom at 42.4 inches, and third-row headroom at 38.9 inches, and legroom at 34.8 inches, as well as for cargo capacity for load length behind the front seat of 78.1 inches, and cargo volume of 39.9 cubic feet behind the second seat, while the 7,100-pound towing capacity in all-wheel drive and 7,300 in 4×2 are also both best in class.
Fuel economy is estimated by the EPA at 13 miles per gallon city and 18 highway, with a 22.5-gallon fuel tank. That represents a large improvement over the Navigator. More concrete comparisons show that in size, the Navigator is 206 inches long and the Aviator 193.3 inches; the Navigator has a 118.8-inch wheelbase and the Aviator 113.7; the Navigator is 80.2 inches wide and the Aviator 76; the Navigator is 77.8 inches high and the Aviator 71.4; and the Navigator weighs a hefty 6,041 pounds compared to the AviatorÂ’s comparatively svelte 4,975.
Obviously, the Aviator is still plenty big enough, but represents a more reasonable size for a large segment of consumers who want their luxury with some maneuverability, too.
Lincoln Aviator impressive as Navigator “Mini Me” SUV
The Lincoln Navigator was a hit when it first was unveiled. A large, imposing sport-utility-vehicle hit, but a hit, nonetheless. In fact, the Navigator is simply too big for a lot of people who would otherwise be impressed by its looks and image. So, for 2003, shortly after introducing a new and vastly improved Navigator, Lincoln is also introducing a more compact showroom companion for it – the Lincoln Aviator.
Ford Motor Company might actually have only intended to do a cosmetic facelift on the Ford Expedition when it created the Navigator, but with its distinctive grille and unapologetic size, the classy Navigator immediately carved out something approaching icon status while also helping create the “luxury†SUV segment. The new Navigator is better in almost every way, with a lowered stance, better posture, radically improved suspension, steering and interior. But it’s still huge, and it costs up there around $50,000.
When I attended the introduction of the new Aviator in Hot Springs, Va., I thought at a glance that Lincoln had decided to set out a fleet of Navigators. Then I realized the assembled vehicles were strikingly similar from the front, but they were decidedly shorter when viewed from the side. When parked next to a Navigator, the Aviator truly is smaller in every dimension. Not small, by any means, but reduced in height, length and weight.
That first-glance was my second misconception of the Aviator. I had seen preview information on the Aviator, and I realized that it was a Lincoln version of the Mercury Mountaineer, which is MercuryÂ’s version of the extremely popular Ford Explorer. So my preconceived idea was that the Aviator would be a classier Mountaineer. Then I saw it and thought it was a Navigator.
In reality, it is somewhere between the two — a Mini-Me version of the Navigator.
The Aviator starts out on the chassis of the Ford Explorer/Mercury Mountaineer, which was new for the 2002 model year, and features a patented porthole-design rear axle/frame layout, plus independent rear suspension, creating a lower stance and added interior space to house three rows of seats. After that, Lincoln made sure to move the Aviator upscale from every standpoint. Powering the Aviator is a high-tech revision of the 4.6-liter V8, which delivers 302 horsepower and 300 foot-pounds of torque, and a towing capability of 7,300 pounds.
When I suggested that the Aviator might best be represented as “Mountaineer meets Navigator,†I was stopped by Jim Cain, Lincoln’s manager of product development for the Aviator launch.
“It’s more like ‘Whopper’ and ‘Whopper Jr.,’ “ said Cain.
His impromptu analogy works, because if the Navigator is a whopper, the Aviator is intended to be a whopper junior.
“Our market research showed that as impressed as people are with Navigator, a lot of people donÂ’t need a vehicle that big,†said Cain. “People loved the idea of a smaller Navigator. Now they can come into the showroom and compare the two, and theyÂ’ll see that they can get the same genes as the Navigator, with less size and with more agility and sportiness in the Aviator.Ââ€
The base for the introduction of the Aviator was The Homestead, an enormous resort hotel in the tiny town of Hot Springs, Va. The new SUVs stood in stark contrast to the ageless and immaculately renovated old hotel, which was built in 1766, but the location had a more pragmatic purpose. It allowed automotive journalists to put the Aviator through some spirited driving maneuvers around the twisting roads of the Allegheny Mountain countryside nearby.
Lincoln officials project sales of about 35,000 Aviators in its introductory year in what is a rapidly expanding market segment called midsize-luxury SUVs. Top competition is envisioned as the BMW X5, Mercedes ML-500, Lexus RX300 and Acura MDX, although some of the fancier General Motors SUVs up to the Denali also are within the target market. While Aviator is priced between the upscale and larger Navigator in the luxury SUV bracket, and the more modest Mountaineer, those projections would fill a nice region for LincolnÂ’s marketing strategy. Navigator sales are anticipated to top 30,000 this year, and the Mountaineer is projected to sell between 40,000-50,000 for 2003.
Toby Arnold, advance product marketing manager for Lincoln, explained that the Aviator will come in Luxury and Premium versions, priced from $40,000 to $50,000. That means the top Aviator will overlap just slightly with the lowest-priced 4×2 version of the Navigator, while the least expensive 4×2 Aviator will still be slightly above the most-expensive Mountaineer. “But the Aviator has 60 more horsepower†than the Mountaineer, Arnold added.
In order to take on such luminaries as the BMW X5 and Mercedes ML500 and Lexus RX300, Lincoln had to have a distinctive vehicle. Ford Motor Company paid great attention to differentiating the Mountaineer styling from FordÂ’s Explorer, so Lincoln was not about to merely put a Navigator face on the Mountaineer for its new midsize luxury SUV.
“The only common body panels shared with the Mountaineer are the roof and the doors,†said Cain. “Among the differences, the 4.6-liter V8 with dual-overhead cams and four valves per cylinder is unique to Aviator; the suspension has been modified completely, front and rear, from greater use of aluminum, to larger bushings, different attachment points and new monotube dampers; a new ZF steering system is also unique to Aviator; and the interior is completely different.Ââ€
Driving back and forth on some twisting mountain roadways, the Aviator showed up well against the BMW X5, Mercedes ML500 and Acura MDX. It is subjective whether the Aviator beats the X5 in sportiness, or the ML in luxury or the MDX in utility, but by creating a vehicle that at least challenges all of those for their strongest asset makes the Aviator possibly the best compromise for buyers who like all those attributes.
Exterior styling follows the Navigator look from the trademark grille, surrounded by clear-lens quad headlights and lower foglights, integrated into the lower spoiler, all the way to the rear. The lower molding of the bumper and side sills is charcoal grey, which makes the vehicle look lower, which is appropriate, because it handles less like a typical, top-heavy body-on-frame truck-based SUV.
Just as striking in similarity to the Navigator is the interior of the Aviator, which features the harmonious blend of American walnut burl wood trim, premium leather, and the new satin-nickel finish that dominates the center dash stack and console of the Navigator. Also the same is the light-emitting diode instrument lighting for the symmetric gauges. The look is so impressive, I figured it would remain unique to Navigator, but instead, Lincoln intends to capitalize on that look to establish a “DNA†throughout the Lincoln line.
It would seem that the Aviator might be as big a threat to prospective Navigator buyers as to conquests from competitors. Lincoln officials donÂ’t foresee that.
“About 12-15 percent of luxury SUV buyers will come from people moving up from luxury sedans,†Cain said. “And once buyers move into the big-size SUVs, they usually donÂ’t leave that size and status. We donÂ’t expect to see much cannibalization of the Navigator by the Aviator. We think 10 percent of prospective Navigator buyers might go to Aviator, and maybe 5-10 percent of current Navigator owners might migrate down for their next purchase, but thatÂ’s about all. We donÂ’t expect to see any fall-off in Navigator sales, mainly because the new Navigator is such an improved vehicle.Ââ€
Aviator also represents LincolnÂ’s attempt to attract younger buyers. Mike Crowley, Lincoln marketing manager, said that since the introduction of the Navigator and the Lincoln LS sedan, 70 percent of LS buyers and 60 percent of Navigator buyers were people who had never before bought a Lincoln vehicle.
Navigator buyers average 50 years of age, while LS buyers average 51, which is a significant difference from Town Car buyers, whose average age is 70. Lincoln is aiming the Aviator at age 45, with a more active lifestyle for sports and weekend activities. While 70 percent of Navigator buyers are male, Lincoln anticipates that will drop to 60 percent with the Aviator. Many women seem to like to drive large SUVs, and for those who do, they might well choose the Aviator as being plenty big but more manageable than the larger Navigator.
The engine began as the 4.6-liter modular V8, which has been used in everything from sedans to pickup trucks to Mustangs and SUVs. In the Aviator, that engine is redone of all aluminum, with the dual overhead-cam design, significantly increasing the power output and towing capacity. The 302 horsepower peak at 5,750 RPMs and the 300 foot-pounds of torque peaks at 3,250 but 90 percent of that maximum is available from 2,000 RPMs upward. The RPM red-line limit is 6,300, with electronic control against over-revving.
The transmission is a five-speed automatic with a high stall-speed torque converter. Two-wheel drive is available on base models, but all-wheel-drive is expected to account for 65-70 percent of Aviators. With all-wheel drive, FordÂ’s AdvanceTrac stability system allows the Aviator to move straight ahead even if only one tire has traction by helping correct potential oversteer or understeer skids.
The independent rear suspension makes it easy for the third seat to fold down flat into the floor. The second row can be purchased either as bucket seats with a console or a 40/20/40 split fold-down bench, depending on the choice of either six or seven occupants. The ZF Servotronic II rack-and-pinion steering complements the suspension to upgrade the steering precision. The Aviator corners smoothly and stays stable and flat even around twisty roads, while the steering provides excellent road-feel feedback. Four-wheel disc brakes with antilock and electronic brake-force features, and 17-inch wheels are standard.
Other features include dual-zone climate control, back-up warning beeper, six-way power front buckets on both sides, a premium audio system with in-dash CD and cassette players and secondary controls on the steering wheel, thicker glass to aid sound-deadening, and several Premium model items, such as high-intensity discharge headlights, power moonroof, and a DVD rear-seat entertainment system.
Safety elements start with accident-avoidance capabilities because of the enhanced agility and handling of the tightly coordinated steering and improved suspension systems, the lowered stance because of the rear-axle and suspension design, and the quick-responding steering system. In a crash, the dual-stage front airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, and the Safety Canopy side-curtain airbag system aid survivability.
Ford claims “best in class†achievement in ground clearance at 8.9 inches, first-row shoulder room at 58.3 inches, legroom at 42.4 inches, and third-row headroom at 38.9 inches, and legroom at 34.8 inches, as well as for cargo capacity for load length behind the front seat of 78.1 inches, and cargo volume of 39.9 cubic feet behind the second seat, while the 7,100-pound towing capacity in all-wheel drive and 7,300 in 4×2 are also both best in class.
Fuel economy is estimated by the EPA at 13 miles per gallon city and 18 highway, with a 22.5-gallon fuel tank. That represents a large improvement over the Navigator. More concrete comparisons show that in size, the Navigator is 206 inches long and the Aviator 193.3 inches; the Navigator has a 118.8-inch wheelbase and the Aviator 113.7; the Navigator is 80.2 inches wide and the Aviator 76; the Navigator is 77.8 inches high and the Aviator 71.4; and the Navigator weighs a hefty 6,041 pounds compared to the AviatorÂ’s comparatively svelte 4,975.
Obviously, the Aviator is still plenty big enough, but represents a more reasonable size for a large segment of consumers who want their luxury with some maneuverability, too.
Mazda6 aims to capture sporty end of midsize market
Lean, sleek, quick and tight – the all-new Mazda6 puts all of those assets on the line as it stakes a claim as the sportiest entry in the hotly competitive midsize sedan market. When the 2003 Mazda6 hits showrooms in November, it not only will replace two of the numerals in the outgoing Mazda 626’s name, it also replaces two vehicles, both the 626 and the upscale Millenia.
“Back in 1996 and ’97, we probably didn’t have the cars we should have, so in 1998, we did some reflection,†said Jay Amestoy, vice president for public and government affairs for Mazda USA. “We’ve always been an engineering-driven company, and we decided our new vehicle strategy would be aimed at recapturing what we had done before, with cars like the Miata and the RX-7. The Mazda6 is the first car wholly developed under this concept.
“It is the best car we have ever built. It is a terrific sedan. A true sports sedan. We didnÂ’t look at Toyota, Honda or Nissan for guidance; we looked back at our own history, and took it to a new level. I think we have met the objectives of a sports sedan, with the soul of a sports car.Ââ€
After turning introspective to examine its own legacy, the challenge of building a class-leading sports-sedan was formidable, but when the Mazda6 was introduced to automotive journalists in Santa Monica, Calif., where the opportunities to drive along the Pacific Coast Highway branch off on numerous twisting roads through the mountains, the first impression was that the car hits its target dead-center. There will not be a stripped-down base model, just two versions, one with an all-new 4-cylinder and the other with a modified V6, both of which come fairly loaded with equipment.
Performing smoothly on streets and freeways was easy, and the Mazda6 maintained exemplary handling around the twisty mountain roads that had been selected by chief chassis engineer Ruben Archilla, who lives nearby and normally drives his cars, and his Ducati motorcycle, around those roads for fun, and now had reason to do it for work, helping design the new suspension. “We assembled a large group of other brands of cars and drove them on roads that define the phrase ‘fun to drive,Â’ “ said Archilla. “The DNA of the Mazda6 was practically born on these roads, so thatÂ’s why weÂ’re doing this event here. ItÂ’s like having people over to my house.Ââ€
While trying to outperform stalwart competitors such as the Accord, Camry, Altima, Jetta and the other top midsize, $20,000-range cars, Mazda engineers spent a lot of hard-driving time in upscale vehicles like the BMW 3-Series and Audi A4 to set benchmarks beyond the competition. The final test proved the Mazda6s never lost their feel of poise or precision when hurled around a tight autocross course set up at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. We got to compare the Altima 4-cylinder and the 2003 Accord LX, neither of which were the top models, but because both versions of the Mazda6 have the same suspension, they were clearly superior in cornering stability. My only question was whether I might prefer the 4-cylinder version, with its slightly lighter nose, for its feel at the most extreme moments.
In recent years, a trend has developed of taking Japanese compact coupes and using aftermarket engine and suspension tricks to turn them into the current generationÂ’s hot-rods. The Mazda6 design is the best example of how a factory can build the kind of car that such a car that precludes the need for after-market modification, but still retain the graceful appeal of a family sedan. Front-wheel-drive engine, slick-shifting transaxle, innovative suspension with high-mounted front double-wishbone design, and an ergonomically impressive interior are all packaged inside a sensuous exterior design.
Akira Tamatani, lead designer of the Mazda6, also designed the timelessly beautiful Millenia a decade ago. “Some design essenses from the Millenia went into the new design theme,†he said, noting that input was brought in from all corners of the world. “There was a global strategy, because we are aiming the car at Japan and Europe as well as the United States. There are requirements for each market, and each had a design target. Our first challenge was to fit the proportions with the dynamic movement we envisioned. We analyzed the proportion ratios of the top European designs, then we revised our target. When we got the designs from the U.S., Japan and Europe, we put them together and saw where they deviated. Then we visualized and quantified them so that all could share in the final proportions of the program.Ââ€
The final proportions, Tamatani pointed out, include a smooth silhouette with clean shoulders, and special attention was paid to the side, front and rear quarters, and the three-dimensional angles. The Mazda6’s racy looks may well lead to some “sexy†marketing schemes. Among the signature catch-phrases at the introduction were: 6 appeal, 6 sells, the Joy of 6, the Best 6 you’ve ever had, and Safe 6. Only a few design compromises were made for engineering, such as body panel clearances down to 0.5 mm spacing to clear the unique but tall front suspension.
“We wanted an aggressive design, like a well-trained athlete,†Tamatani said. “We wanted the design to capture the moment a sprinter is ready to dash, reflecting the speed, tension and continuity, with a focus on dynamic balance.”
The Mazda6, however, will be a true global vehicle, with the same advanced engines, suspension and features no matter where it is built. Production begins Oct. 21 in Flat Rock, Mich., at the AutoAlliance joint-venture plant operated by Mazda and Ford, its chief shareholder, with the first cars reaching dealerships in mid-November. The car also will be built in Japan, Mexico and Spain for the rest of the world.
Both the V6, a reworked version of FordÂ’s global Duratec 3.0-liter, and an all-new Mazda-built 4-cylinder, have all the latest high-tech elements from aluminum casting, chain-driven dual-overhead camshafts, 4-valve cylinder heads, and variable valve-timing, to sporty transmissions whether manual or automatic. The V6 is built in Cleveland and found, among other vehicles, in the joint-venture Tribute/Escape compact SUVs, where it produces 200 horsepower. Mazda refinements increased the output to 220 horsepower at 6,300 RPMs, with the torque peaking at 192 foot-pounds at 5,000 RPMs, and broadened the torque band so that 90 percent of its maximum is available from 1,700-RPMs on up. The aluminum engine, with iron cylinder liners, has a 10.0 to 1 compression ratio, but still needs only 87 octane regular fuel. Fuel economy figures of 27 miles-per-gallon highway/20 city with the manual transmission and 27/19 with a new 5-speed automatic also qualifies it as an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) by California standards and LEV by federal requirements.
The 2.3-liter 4-cylinder is entirely new and 1.5 million of them will be built at various sites around the world. Special Cosworth casting of the all-aluminum cylinder block, with high-tech valvetrain and balancing techniques assure a smooth-functioning engine with 160 horsepower at 6,000 RPMs, and 155 foot-pounds of torque at 4,000 RPMs – 90 percent of which is attained from 1,750-6,000 revs. It, too, will have ULEV numbers for California, with 32 miles per gallon highway and 25 city with the 5-speed manual, and 29/23 with its 4-speed automatic.
Understandably smaller than the Millenia, the Mazda6 is also slightly shorter, wider and taller than the 626, but with greatly improved packaging, the fractionally reduced headroom and legroom isnÂ’t noticeable. That was a small concession, while remaining focused on becoming the sportiest sedan in its class. The performance definitely keeps pace with the styling, and the suspension keeps it all in place. The new tall front geometry holds the front wheels firmly in place through the wildest steering maneuvers and the latest refinement of MazdaÂ’s patented rear E-link set-up keeps the tail from wagging the dog.
Safety characteristics also were given thorough attention, with a “triple-H†construction surrounding the occupant compartment from the sides, floor and ceiling, interrelated to either absorb or disperse the force of frontal impacts around the perimeter, with similar protection designed against offset or side impacts. Front airbags are supplemented by side airbags and side curtains which reach from front to rear pillars, and the front bucket seats have an anti-whiplash design to drop back in response to any rear impact.
The Mazda6 “i†starts at $19,000 and comes with 4-wheel disc brakes, stainless steel dual exhaust silencers, 16-inch wheels, power windows, locks and mirrors, leather 3-spoke steering wheel and shift and brake knobs, switches for remote secondary audio and cruise-control on the steering wheel, remote keyless entry, projector headlights, and 60-40 fold-down rear seats with a remote control from outside at the trunk. The price could rise to over $23,000, still-reasonable, for the Mazda6 “s†with its Duratec V6, which has all the “i†features plus antilock brakes with emergency braking capability, traction control, climate control instead of manual switches, 5-spoke alloy wheels, 8-way power seats, and an antitheft perimeter alarm.
A premium package can upgrade the Mazda6 “i†features to the special wheels, and heated power seats, and both cars have such stand-alone options as a Bose audio system, leather seats, dual front side airbags and side curtain airbags, power glass moonroof, and the ABS and traction control. A sport package also is available on both cars, and includes 17-inch alloy wheels, an aero kit that features front, side and rear parts, as well as foglights integrated into the 4-bulb headlight unit, and Optitron instrumentation.
Either engine can be had either with a standard 5-speed manual transmission or an automatic. The V6 automatic is a 5-speed, while the 4-cylinderÂ’s automatic is a 4-speed unit, both with ActiveMatic, MazdaÂ’s clutchless-shifting automanual. That was one of only three complaints I could generate after spending most of two days in and around the Mazda6. The ActiveMatic is upshifted by pulling back and downshifted by pushing forward, which seems counter to my instincts. Turns out, the engineers from all around the world didnÂ’t agree either, but the majority ruled because the adopted pattern is the same as in formula race cars and shifter karts.
Another complaint is historical. A favorite Mazda 626 feature of mine for over 20 years was oscillating center dash air/heat vents, which moved back and forth in slow, rhythmic sweeps at the flip of a switch. I’ve been impressed with each new version of the 626, and I always wondered why other companies didn’t immediately – or ever – copy it. I thought the system improved the efficiency of airflow and I found the varying airflow actually was a tiny way to help ward off fatigue on a long trip, compared to being hit with a constant flow of hot or cold air. In the first few years after that feature came out, I often showed it off to my family and other interested people. One time, my younger son, Jeff, who was 5 years old at the time, climbed into the back seat with a friend, and explained to him that this car had “oscillating vents,†and made me turn them on. I’ve never forgotten that. Had to be the first time a 5-year-old ever used the word “oscillating†in a complete sentence, or at all. Now, 20-some years later, Jeff is a fully grown adult, and the new Mazda6 doesn’t have oscillating vents.
My first complaint is more a question about the name, “6.†I don’t challenge attaching it to the word Mazda, or accuse the company of being out of real words or discarded the computer-generated pleasing-syllable concept. But since the Mazda6 comes with either a 4-cylinder or V6, you could create a new Abbott and Costello bit, reminiscent of the legendary “Who’s on First†skit. ( “It’s a Mazda6,†Abbott might say. Costello asks why get the 6 instead of the 4, to which Abbott says it IS the 4, to which Costello says he thought he just said it was a Mazda6, and Abbott says it IS a Mazda6, but it’s a 4. My complaint is it’s the only imprecise thing about the car. So taken is Mazda with the numerical identification that it has patented all the numbers from Mazda1 through Mazda9. So it is likely the Protégé might become the Mazda3 (remember its genesis is the 323), and other Mazdas might be similarly renamed. Maybe we’ll get used to it.
“The Mazda6 is the biggest launch in Mazda history,†said launch manager Jim Sailer, noting the success of recent Mazdas such as the latest Protégé, the Tribute, the MPV van, the continuing popularity of the Miata, and the upcoming RX-8 sports car. “We thought the Tribute was a pretty big launch, but this will be two and a half times bigger than Tribute. A companyÂ’s high-volume vehicle is what creates the image for a whole brand, and the Mazda6 is it, for Mazda.Ââ€
Saturn ION may be long-awaited icon for GM’s aging rebel
The temptation is to say the all new Saturn ION can drive rings around the old one, but that wouldnÂ’t take much. Not that there was anything technically wrong with the old Saturn S, which was the familiar, 12-year-old sedan and coupe being replaced for 2003 by the Saturn ION.
When the first Saturn was introduced , it was the result of some eager rebels within General Motors, who wanted to prove they could build a car to compete with the best imports, and were given their own forum to try it. Trouble was, after introduction and considerable acclaim, the Saturn languished under a lack of refinement and updating. Maybe it was because of envy or resentment among GMÂ’s other divisions, or maybe corporate bean-counters decided that enough was spent on the introduction and the polymer panels. But for whatever reason, Saturn just sort of sat there, getting recycled each year as it evolved from a progressive new car into an outdated, 12-year-old progressive car.
Saturn has been an artistic success to some extent anyhow, with the recent addition of the Saturn L as an upscale cousin, and the VUE as a new sport-utility vehicle, plus total sales figures of 2.4 million vehicles while recently winning the top rank from J.D. Power in both sales satisfaction and customer service. But the brand depends on the S and the S needed replacement. So the ION sedan and Quad Coupe models are entirely new from the ground up, with the rear decklid the only shared exterior panel on the coupe and sedan, and virtually no carryover parts from the previous Saturn S.
The ION is impressive enough to fit into the 12-car list of finalists for International Car of the Year. Just announced in the past few days, the final candidates are the ION, the BMW 7-Series, Honda Accord, Civic Hybrid, Infiniti G35, Mazda 6, Mercedes E-Class, Mini Cooper, Nissan 350Z, Pontiac Vibe, Saab 9-3, and Toyota Matrix. Swift company, indeed, in what should be hotly contested competition for the next three months.
The ION is still built with a steel, one-piece space-frame covered with polymer exterior body panels, and they offer some distinct features, such as a center-mounted instrument cluster, and interchangeable roof-rail panels for the exterior and trim bezels for the interior. The Quad Coupe is a sleek 2-door named for the narrow, rear-hinged back doors that ease access to a surprisingly roomy rear seat. The 4-door ION comes in Sedan 1, Sedan 2 and Sedan 3 levels, are on the assembly line in Spring Hill, Tenn., and will reach showrooms by late October. Preliminary prices range from $11,995 for the Sedan 1 with 5-speed manual up to $16,395 for the Sedan 3 with automatic transmission. Prices remain undetermined for the Quad Coupe, which comes in Coupe 1 and Coupe 2 form, and will be available in February or March of 2003.
Both coupe and sedan ride on the same 103.2-inch wheelbase. The coupe is a half-inch longer than the ION sedan at 185 inches, as well as .7 inches wider at 67.9 inches, 1.4 inches lower at 56 inches, and 59 pounds heavier at 2,751 pounds.
The sedans have only faint resemblance to the previous S series, a glimmer of familiarity to the frontal area. A smoothly arching roofline traces the markedly different side silhouette, and a rakish rear is remindful of the 2002 Nissan Altima. The coupe has a slightly different grille style with slightly larger headlights and a hood that slopes to a lower nose, and a more stretched look from the side because of the “dual-RADs†– rear-access doors – which combine with the wide front doors to leave a pillarless side opening.
Inside, the center-instrument cluster is mounted atop the center dash, angled toward the driver, with a large center speedometer flanked by a tachometer on the right and the fuel and temperature gauges on the left. Center-mounting the cluster will lessen cost if the Saturn is also built in right-hand drive for export, but Steve Mertes of SaturnÂ’s marketing staff said it was done mainly for its unique styling in the ION. Moving the instruments to the center allows use of a comfortably thick but smaller-diameter steering wheel, which can be positioned for each driverÂ’s preference without affecting visibility of the instruments. Optimum road visibility is another virtue, because there is no cowling between the driverÂ’s eyes and the roadway, and the steeply raked hood is completely out of the line of sight.
“WeÂ’re very focused on how important we are to General Motors because of conquest sales,†said Jill Lajdziak, vice president in charge of the ION project Lajdziak said. “Statistically, 82 percent of Saturn S sales are conquests, and 74 percent of Saturn L sales are conquests. Our demographics also show that our S series buyers have had an average age of 44, and we anticipate driving that down to 39. We anticipate a 50-50 split between male and female buyers, and we also anticipate that 30 percent of ION buyers will be first-time new-car buyers.Ââ€
Personalizing the ION models is considered a key to the younger market. Different color roof-rail strips can be clipped onto the outer edges of the standard silver or dark gray roof to provide a choice of contrasting patterns: Leopard, Blue Bubble, Silver Braid, or Brushed Steel. More significant personalizing ideas can affect handling and steering, including the electric, variable-ratio power steering, which can be programmed to give a customized feel of steering wheel pressure.
ION is the first GM car built on the Delta small-car platform, which, Saturn officials say, has segment-leading structural stiffness. All ION models will be powered by the global corporate Ecotec engine, an in-line 2.2-liter 4-cylinder that produces 140 horsepower at 5,800 RPMs and 145 foot-pounds of torque at 4,400, with a redline of 6,500. The aluminum powerplant, which also is used in the VUE sport-utility vehicle and the larger Saturn L sedan, has dual-overhead camshafts and 16 valves, and is fitted with dual counter-balance shafts to aid SaturnÂ’s emphasis on eliminating vibrations in the ION.
The dual-overhead cams are chain-operated, eliminating the required maintenance of belt-driven systems. The engine also features coil-on-plug ignition, and delivers fuel-economy estimates of 26 city/33 highway for the manual transmission sedan and 24 city/32 highway for the automatic, while needing only 87 octane regular fuel. The Ecotec 4-cylinder is destined to appear in some other GM brands, but it was built with the environmentally sound lost-foam casting technique used since the first models by Saturn.
A Getrag 5-speed manual transmission is standard on both coupe and sedan. A 5-speed automatic is the only automatic available on the sedan, while the VTi continuously-variable transmission is the only available automatic on the coupe.
Saturn officials said that the ION sedan is aimed at the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Mazda Protégé and Nissan Sentra as prime competition, while the ION Quad Coupe targets the Civic coupe, Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf. The Volkswagen Jetta was considered in a higher price category than the ION, but the Jetta was closely scrutinized as a target to establish baseline fit and finish, as well as ergonomics.
Chief engineer Michelle Smith said the variations in the three sedans and the two coupes are aimed at different customer preferences. For example, moving from Sedan 1 to Sedan 2 adds air-conditioning, power locks and a CD player with the audio system, and Sedan 3 has all the Sedan 2 upgrades plus keyless remote, power mirrors, cruise control, alloy wheels, and a combined CD and cassette player with the audio system. Coupe 1 is about the level of Sedan 2, while Coupe 2 goes beyond Sedan 3 to be the sportiest, best-handling of the lot, with firmer suspension parts and 17-inch wheels.
Improved body panel fasteners, thicker windshield glass, and hydraulic motor mounts help reduce vibration and improve sound deadening, and improved structural rigidity helps, too. Optional antilock brakes and traction control can help avoid collisions, and design features help prepare for unavoidable ones, with the space-frame designed to absorb impact force and redirect it around the perimeter of the passenger compartment. Energy-absorbing front and rear crumple zones and high-strength engine rails, which absorb the brunt of frontal impacts, are augmented by steel door beams. Dual-stage front seat airbags deploy to the first stage on most frontal impacts, while a Sensing Diagnostic Module instantly calculates whether the impact is severe enough to inflate the secondary stage as well, while also monitoring the need to deploy the side head-curtain airbag.
About the only thing lacking in the ION’s attraction for new and younger buyers may be a high-performance model for enthusiasts. But not for long, apparently. Bob Lutz, the aggressive new CEO of General Motors, let the word slip out that there just might be a “tuner coupe†version of the ION coming in the near future, with ground-effects, extra firm suspension, and a supercharged, 200-plus horsepower version of the Ecotec engine.
So much for the stodgy image.
Civic Si, Mustang convertible make every drive pleasure trip
Too often, as life races by, it seems that we donÂ’t spend as much attention to the fun quotient as we might. Sometimes it takes something as simple as an automobile to point out such a thing, but it is impossible to spend any time with either the Ford Mustang GT convertible, or the Honda Civic Si, and not have fun.
There are vehicles for transportation, for work, for family needs, and for fun. Ideally, you can combine them. Both the Civic Si and the Mustang GT convertible do combine such things, being surprisingly economical, once you get past the initial price.
Both also are 2002 models, which means weÂ’re in a hurry here, with a lot of 2003 model cars already in the showrooms.
HONDA CIVIC Si
The Civic has grown into a full-line variety of cars, with comfortable compact sedans, sporty and sleek coupes, and even hybrid gas/electric versions. For 2002, Honda decided to resurrect the Si, which is its all-out fun model. While you can get a basic Civic for about $13,000, and several other varieties for not much more than that, the Si boosts its sticker all the way to $20,000. But donÂ’t say thatÂ’s too much to pay until you drive one.
Honda loads a heap of its racing technology into the car, with a 2.0-liter engine featuring dual overhead camshafts and 16 valves, with variable valve-timing monitoring the engineÂ’s every move and timing the valvetrain to deliver optimum efficiency. Basic Civics have engines that produce 115 horsepower, with an upgraded version getting 127; the Si engine spews out 160 horsepower, which is more than enough to pull its front-wheel-drive lightweight hatchback-style body through any paces you might have in mind. It is a rakishly styled hatchback, by the way, which will not conjure up many memories of the boxy little cars Civics used to be.
From the steeply raked nose to the contoured side panels and the chopped off rear, the Si stands apart from other Civics. Under the body, it also stands alone with stiffer suspension front and rear. Stabilizer bars on both axles enhance the rear double-wishbone suspension system, and the fronts, while switched to MacPherson struts, donÂ’t seem to suffer any in the handling department.
Low-profile but all-season tires on special 15 x 6 inch alloy wheels enhance the flat-cornering feel of the car.
A 5-speed manual shift gets the maximum out of the strong little engine, right up to its 6,800 RPM redline. While you can really hurl the Si around in tight spots, and marvel at both the firm handling and the quick-responding power, you also can get 30 miles per gallon. I actually got 28.5 miles per gallon, driving the Si hard and pushing the revs – for analytical reasons only, of course (wink-wink).
Four-wheel disc brakes allow the Si to stop as well as it goes, and there are front and side airbags for the two front seats and antilock brakes with electronic brake distribution to help get all the braking power out of it under panic situations.
Inside, the Si makes a pleasant place from which to operate. White-faced gauges and a pleasingly thick steering wheel gain immediate notice, as does the shift lever. Instead of coming out of the floor, the stubby shift lever comes right out of a pod on the center dash panel. Seats are firm and supportive – typical Honda – and there is a power moonroof for semi-open-top driving.
Typical Honda build quality and craftsmanship make the Civic Si a very tight, impressive package. While Honda is a Japanese company, it has been making cars like the Accord in the U.S. in a Marysville, Ohio, plant for years. The Civic Si that I test drove lists 70-percent U.S.-Canadian content and 20-percent Japanese content. The remaining 10 percent is not disclosed, but the vehicle was assembled in a plant located in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. How is that for emphasizing how global weÂ’ve become in our auto world?
MUSTANG GT CONVERTIBLE
FordÂ’s prime competitors in the ponycar market started by the Mustang are the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird, but both those cars are going away, as their plant in Quebec is changed over. While sales of the Camaro and Firebird apparently donÂ’t justify keeping the cars going, the Mustang keeps motoring right along, almost 40 years after its inception.
Most all Mustangs have a fun flair to them, with the top-of-the-line SVT Cobra the pinnacle, with its hand-built engine and racy suspension. As FordÂ’s Special Vehicle Team continues to upgrade the Mustang Cobra, though, it hands down the existing technology to the GT version, which is above the basic but priced well below the top stars.
In convertible form, however, the Mustang GT is not what you’d call economy-car priced. The base price of the GT convertible is $28,790 and the test vehicle stood at $30,710. Maybe the “Zinc Yellow†paint job jacked the price a bit. Not really, but it did jack up the attention-grabbing quotient of the car.
With its black fabric top in place, the glistening yellow car looked good, but getting the top down is the key. Fortunately, we were in the midst of our surprisingly sultry September weather when I had the car, so it spent most of its time with the top, glass rear window and all, folded down into its receptacle. It drops down simply, by unlatching the clips at the top of the windshield, then, with the emergency brake set, pushing a button on the console.
The only option on the test car was a $1,295 Mach 1000 audio system, with huge subwoofers that fill over one-third of the quite restricted trunk. For the inconsiderate types who think their prestige rides on how much ground-shaking bass notes their carÂ’s audio system can generate, this monster, with the top down, could break the windows in the popcorn wagon while cruising Canal Park in Duluth.
The GT is powered by FordÂ’s 4.6-liter V8, not with the CobraÂ’s dual-overhead camshafts, but with the single overhead cam on either bank, and two valves per cylinder. ThatÂ’s plenty, however, churning out 260 horsepower. With a 5-speed manual transmission, the GT performs up to the standards that its visual impact implies. Along with the 260 horses, it develops 302 foot-pounds of torque for plenty of low-end takeoff power, even for a ponycar that is now a full-fledged horse at 3,208 pounds.
As for visual impact, the huge hood scoop may be a throwback to the 1970s, but – please – it’s a phony scoop, without any benefit except to possibly perk up the old guys who used to think fake hood scoops were neat styling touches. To me, it is a cut below being a senseless addition, because it rises about 2 inches, which intrudes to block out about 20 feet of visibility of the road ahead.
Handling is enhanced by a special horizontal axle damper on the rear, along with stabilizer bars front and rear. The MacPherson strut front suspension holds the front wheels down precisely, and the non-independent rear is a four-bar link with coil springs. Four-wheel disc brakes and rack-and-pinion steering keep the low-profile tires down firmly on their 17-inch alloy wheels.
The key element, of course, is for the GT to be fun, and its handling, power and good looks certainly live up to the test. On top of that, the large (15.7 gallon) fuel tank can keep you going for quite awhile. I got 23.5 miles per gallon on one tankful, combining city and freeway driving.
Even if the surprisingly warm September weather may be going away, we can still hold out hope for a lot of beautiful fall days, where cruising around to look at the changing foliage, or the Hawk Ridge migration flight, can fill a pleasant afternoon. And, thanks to cars like the Mustang GT convertible and the Honda Civic Si, we can hold out hope for a lot of fun no matter what the destination.
About the Author
John Gilbert is a lifetime Minnesotan and career journalist, specializing in cars and sports during and since spending 30 years at the Minneapolis Tribune, now the Star Tribune. More recently, he has continued translating the high-tech world of autos and sharing his passionate insights as a freelance writer/photographer/broadcaster. A member of the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year jury since 1993. John can be heard Monday-Friday from 9-11am on 610 KDAL(www.kdal610.com) on the "John Gilbert Show," and writes a column in the Duluth Reader.
For those who want to keep up with John Gilbert's view of sports, mainly hockey with a Minnesota slant, click on the following:
Click here for sports