Audi TT, Ford Focus, Lincoln LS named finalists
Before it’s time to say: “The envelope…please…” we first must open the bigger envelope, to look over the three finalists for North American Car of the Year.
The three finalists, alphabetically, are: Audi TT Coupe, Ford Focus, and Lincoln LS. It is a divergent threesome this time around, which may be appropriate for the end of the millenium. You’ve got your stunning sports car in the Audi TT, a new-technology entry level — which is to say “affordable” — compact in the Focus, and a breakthrough sedan that can be either luxurious or surprisingly sporty in the Lincoln LS.
Truck of the Year finalists are equally as spread out: Dodge Dakota Quad Cab, Nissan Xterra, and Toyota Tundra. The Dakota is a mid-size pickup that has gone beyond the jump-seat extended-cab concept to add a full rear seat with full 4-door cabin, and still has the pickup box. The Xterra is a no-compromise fun Sport-Utility Vehicle with serious off-road capabilities instead of luxury touches and a modest price tag. The Tundra is Toyota’s first attempt at a full-size pickup and it undoubtedly will challenge the Big Three of Ford F150, Chevy Silverado and Dodge Ram in the marketplace.
The votes are in, and now we all must wait three weeks for the start of the most significant U.S. auto show, the North American International Auto Show at Detroit, to see who wins the award. I am privileged to be on the jury of 48 men and women selected from among the nation’s automotive journalists to vote on the award.
The award is the top one in the country, although you may be excused for being confused about such awards. There are, after all, so many of these things, done by magazines, independent groups and virtually every organization that wants to call attention to itself. The organizing committee for the North American COY board claims there are 674 such awards in North America alone, although these guys are veteran journalists who can be excused if they dabble in occasional sarcasm about the competition.
The award started in 1994 because this small group of automotive journalists, some of whom had once worked for operations where advertising and marketing prevailed over objectivity, realized that the ad-marketing side had taken over so much of the impact of new cars that it was time for a totally objective car of the year deal. So they came up with this unique concept: By assembling a group of diverse automotive journalists, linked by an intense desire to get inside and personal with automobiles, they could compile the group’s subjective votes into an objective total.
The concept is to provide the cross-referenced benefit to consumers, rather than to advertisers or marketing wizards. Among the jurors, some may like sports cars best, some may like luxury barges, and others might prefer SUVs. But all can appreciate the best points of each category, and no matter how subjective their vote is, the overview of 48 voters comes out with validity. Last year, the winner was the Volkswagen New Beetle for cars, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee among trucks. Pretty hard to argue with those choices. And, for the first time, both were my top choices.
As it turns out, these two awards, for car and truck, are the only two in North America that are done solely by an independent group of automotive journalists. The membership has changed over the years, and there are rules to follow. The key is to first include only those cars that have been significantly redone or introduced for the new year. Simply reskinning a car or putting a different grille or interior on a vehicle doesn’t cut it.
The standards are to examine the candidates for their assets and how they might have an impact on the industry. Technical innovation, safety, attractiveness, performance, economy and pleasure are among the criteria, and in more recent years the board urged us all to stress affordability more, because we had been somewhat consumed by a trend toward costly luxury and sports cars; if money is no object our choices are easier, but we lose the real-worldliness of our selections.
We make a preliminary vote to cut the new cars down to a workable list of candidates, trying for 10, but settling this year for 14 cars and 10 trucks. We had until Dec. 10 to get our votes in, and the tricky part is you get 25 points to be awarded separately for both cars and trucks. You can give one vehicle in either category a maximum of 10 points, and you can spread out the 25 points to include as many as you want.
The tricky part is that virtually every car on the list deserves some merit, so it gets pretty tough to hand out the points. This year, more than any, there were some very worthy contenders that didn’t even get named among the final candidates, let alone the three finalists.
Here are the nominated candidates this year: Cars–Audi TT, BMW X5, Cadillac Deville, Ford Focus, Ford Taurus, Honda S2000, Jaguar S-Type, Lincoln LS, Mercedes S-Class, Nissan Maxima, Saturn L Series, Toyota Echo, Volkswagen Golf and Volvo S40/V40. Trucks–Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, Dodge Dakota Quad Cab, Ford Excursion, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Isuzu Vehicross, Nissan Frontier Crew Cab, Nissan Xterra, Toyota Tundra.
The winners will be announced on Monday, January 10, at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. As of now, only one person knows the winners, and that is the vice chairman of the outfit that is contracted to compile the votes.
My votes were spread out among these cars: The Audi TT, Honda S2000, Volvo S40, Ford Focus, Lincoln LS, Mercedes S-Class, and the BMW X5.
We’ll deal with the trucks next week, but my votes went to the Toyota Tundra, Nissan Xterra, Dodge Quad Cab, Nissan Frontier Crew Cab, and Ford Excursion.
My reasoning in the car competition was a difficult blend. The Audi TT is spectacular from every standpoint, and is reasonably priced as well; the Honda S2000 with its incredible 9,000-RPM redline engine and great look and feel, as well as price, made it worthy despite its strict sports-car aim; the Volvo S40 looks, operates and feels like a $35,000 car but is amazingly priced at more like $25,000; the Focus is a high-tech economy car that also is fun to drive for under $13,000; the LS breaks away from Lincoln’s image of plush, luxury cars to add technology and the flair of European sports sedans; the Mercedes is priced very high, from $70,000-$90,000, but it may be that the most impressive car in the world requires a money-is-no-object analysis; the BMW X5 is that company’s made-in-the-USA attempt at an SUV.
Here’s a closer look at the three finalists.
AUDI TT
Audi has made tremendous strides in the last decade, coming back from the point where it almost withdrew its cars from the U.S. The A4 is a sedan that turned the German company around, and it hasn’t stopped coming up with higher and higher technology at reasonable prices, and with traditiona German style and durability.
The TT, however, went from a far-out concept car to reality in three years, and it is the focal point to show that this strong, staunch German company can, indeed, produce a pleasurable car that maintains all of its company traditions while going back for a retro version of race cars from decades past. There is nothing current about the TT, it is rather an amazing blend of retro and futuristic, and it starts at $30,000.
It comes with a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine, with five valves per cylinder, dual overhead camshafts and a low-pressure turbocharger that gives it full torque at barely above idle RPMs and maintains it well beyond normal shift points. It was first available as front-wheel drive, then Audi’s fabulous quattro system of all-wheel drive was added, and the next upgrade will be to offer a roadster (convertible) and a 225-horsepower engine.
The key, however, is its visual appeal. Inside, all sorts of brushed aluminum items come in geometric shapes, such as cylinders and circles. The seats are excellent, and the instrumentation is all well placed, plus it comes on with a stunning blue glow at night. From the outside, the TT is amazing. You can look at it from any angle — I particularly like the view from the rear — and it stops you in your tracks. If you like the look, it rivets your attention, but even if you find the look odd, you simply cannot stop looking at it.
LINCOLN LS
Lincoln’s always have had this floaty, traditional U.S. bigger-is-better so softer-is-better ride, and they have tended to be barge-like. For 2000, Lincoln has caught us by surprise with the LS sedan, because it is much more like European touring sedans, with taut, firm suspension, firmly supportive seats, and firm-enough suspension so that you can corner and steer with precision instead of wallow.
The tightness of the body adds to the classiness rather than detracting from it. Nobody would say a BMW sedan lacks luxurious class, and the LS is a reasonably priced ($34,690) challenger for that style of driving.
The LS is a product of Ford’s takeover of Jaguar, and the LS shares the platform and engines with the new Jaguar sedan. That means it gets the U.S.-built Duratec V6, which is surprisingly peppy in such a large sedan, or it gets the Jaguar-designed 3.9-liter V8, with 252 horsepower. Both are dual-overhead cam engines with four valves per cylinder.
Most startling, is that the LS comes with either the normal or sports package. The sports package has firmed suspension, which helps quicken the steering for sporty driving, and you can get the car with a 5-speed manual transmission. A Lincoln with a stick!
Impressed as I was with the LS handling when I drove the V6 with the manual shift, I was disappointed at first when I drove the fully loaded V8 without the sports package. However, it appears to be clever marketing by Lincoln. It means the car appeals to both the traditional luxury-seeker who wants a softer, spongier ride, and to the contemporary younger businessman who wants his luxury in a form that also can be driven hard and with enjoyment.
The styling is equally a departure for Lincoln, and the LS is priced over $10,000 under its Jaguar counterpart.
FORD FOCUS
This car could well win the award, because it is an attempt to rein in the high cost of driving a car these days. With a base price down near $10,000, the entry-level Focus will range from around $11,000 in modest form to around $13,000 in the sportiest trim.
I had the chance to drive both, starting with the basic 4-door (5-door, if you count the hatchback), to the sporty 3-door in bright red with alloy wheels. That’s the one that would look good with a ribbon and a bow this morning, and it’s almost compact enough to fit under your Christmas tree.
The sedan handled well and was impressive, much in the way the new Toyota Echo is, as a new-generation affordable car. They are pleasant breaks from all the monster SUVs and trucks that seem to fill the roadways these days, and they may get us back to efficient, inexpensive, front-wheel-drive driving and owning. In fact, pickup, SUV and van owners should have a car like this as their alternative vehicle.
Both Focus models come with Ford’s Zetec 4-cylinder engine, but in two forms. The Focus 4-door came with the 115-horsepower single-overhead cam version, and it had adequate pep and power, even with its automatic transmission.
The little red Focus was the prize, however. It had the upgraded 130-horse version of the Zetec, with dual-overhead cams. It was much more fun to drive, undoubtedly aided by the larger wheels with more aggressive tires. With the instrumentation, comfort and other interior amenities all in place, the Focus fits its niche well — which is slightly larger than the Escort and slightly smaller than the Contour.
The Escort and Contour are still around, but are about to be phased out in the U.S., with the Focus being sold worldwide and replacing both in the U.S. market. Sleek as it looks, the Focus is a little taller than you realize, which gives it excellent interior headroom, and signals a new dimension in form-follows-function design, where the form looks as good as the function functions.
The TT, Focus and LS all would be worthy winners. My vote total gave the award to the Audi TT, but my guess at this point is that the winner might well be the Focus. Now we just have to wait until Jan. 10 to find out.
Dakota Quad Cab challenges for Truck of Year
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The Dodge Dakota Quad Cab is a compromise between a pickup with a full 4-door interior and an SUV with a pickup box at the rear.
The Toyota Tundra is a smooth-running near-full-size pickup with a jewel-like V8 that will make it hard to beat in Truck of the Year competition.
Nissan has revised the SUV stable to provide the Xterra as a real-world off-road vehicle that replaces woodgrain and luxury touches with tough but usable features.
Since this country’s runaway love affair with trucks continues unabated, it is only fitting that the International Truck of the Year competition among the 2000 models is easily as diverse and intriguing as the Car of the Year finalists.
With the Audi TT, Ford Focus and Lincoln LS the car finalists, providing a sporty car, an economy car and a luxury sedan, the truck finalists are the Toyota Tundra, the Nissan Xterra, and the Dodge Dakota Quad Cab.
We have covered the Tundra, Toyota’s first full-sized pickup truck, and the Xterra, which is Nissan’s catchy Sport Utility Vehicle that genuinely is designed for sport, or at least rugged usage. But the Dakota Quad Cab is something new, and you haven’t seen many, if any, around yet.
Unlike normal extended-cab pickups, the Dakota Quad Cab takes the extended cab to extremes, with a full-size back seat, instead of one of those trucks that makes rear passengers sit bolt upright, back-to-the-wall. It has four full doors, opening forward almost to 90 degrees, just like the front doors.
The result is you can have your pickup, and a near-SUV as well.
I gave my votes to the Tundra, Xterra, Quad Cab, Nissan Frontier Crew Cab, and the Ford Excursion.
The Tundra is a strong challenger to the full-size Ford F150 and Chevrolet Silverado, it also is a smooth-running truck with a superb 4.7-liter dual-overhead camshaft V8. The test vehicle I wrote about a few months back had an extended cab and was stunningly sophisticated for a first-year venture, although Toyota certainly is a veteran company when it comes to building compact pickup trucks and SUVs of all sizes.
Nissan’s Xterra is a neat, eccentric new concept in an SUV — a worker (or player) instead of a luxury to-the-shopping-center vehicle. It is a truck, and it wants to go off road, or at least it makes no pretense at luxury, offering simpler interiors and such amenities as an aluminum roof rack that includes a wet-clothes cubicle. The secret to the Xterra’s success is that it is simplified just enough to be less expensive, and you can get a fairly well loaded version for$25,000, complete with a 3.3-liter V6, also with overhead-cams.
The winner will be announced in two weeks at the Detroit International Auto Show. Personally, I think the Tundra is going to be hard to beat. But there is no mistake that the newest trend in truckin’ is to full, four-door pickups, and on that count, the Dakota Quad Cab is an impressive entry.
WORKABLE SIZE
While the big Ford, Chevy and Dodge Ram dominate the full-size pickup segment, and are girding to take on the new Toyota Tundra, the Dakota is a popular alternative, coming in right between the full-size and the smaller compacts, such as the Ford Ranger.
Since being redesigned, I think the Dakota makes a striking impression, with the bold, macho Ram look, but on a smaller frame that actually is less massive and possibly more user-friendly. With every company seeing the trend coming, they raced to be first out with the full-four-door pickups.
Ford is coming out with a couple of them, both an Explorer with the rear seat converted to a box, and an F150 with a large cab. Nissan, with a couple of stunning auto show concept vehicles during last winter’s show circuit, brought out the Frontier as its new pickup, and then came back out first with the four-door version of the Frontier, considerably larger inside than the extended-cab version.
But when the votes were tabulated, the Dakota Quad Cab outpointed the Nissan Frontier Crew Cab and made it into the final threesome.
Chrysler Corporation has been having fun with the Dakota, boasting of its J.D. Powers rating as the most desirable midsize truck, and stuffing big V8 engines under the hood. Chrysler claims that the Dakota is the only midsize with a V8, and it offers two of them with the Quad Cab, for 2000.
The base engine is a strong 3.9-liter V6, with 175 horsepower and 225 foot-pounds of torque. The test vehicle I drove had the 5.9-liter Magnum V8, with 245 horses and 335 foot-pounds. The prize catch of the batch, however, is the 4.7-liter V8. That one came out a year ago only in the newly revised Jeep Grand Cherokee, and it has a single overhead-camshaft on each bank. That engine is lighter and higher-revving, and churns out 235 horsepower — only 10 less than the pushrod 5.9, which is 1.2 liters larger. Torque rating on the 4.7 is 295 foot-pounds, which is less than the larger 5.9, but certainly adequate to tow anything within a range of 3,450 to 6,100 pounds.
Dodge liked the overall size of the Dakota, so it retained the 215-inch overall length and 131-inch wheelbase, but stretched the cab itself almost 15 inches. That makes the beauty of the Quad Cab in the interior.
GREAT COMPROMISE
Those who buy pickup trucks or SUVs fall into a couple of distinct categories. Some like the privacy a two-seat pickup offers, and they simply don’t care if nobody can ride in the back. Extended-cab versions offer a slight compromise.
SUV buyers, meanwhile, might make their purchase with the idea that they’re going to fill it up with kids, neighbors, groceries, building supplies, etc., but they usually wind up just driving to the store and using the SUV as a contemporary minivan or station wagon. And, more often than not, the rearmost seat goes unused, or is folded down to increase storage capacity.
From both of those sides, the Dakota Quad Cab offers a great alternative.
The Dodge Durango has been a huge success as a shapely, work-oriented SUV, and the Dakota pickup, on which the Durango is based, has had great success. So — Presto! — the Dakota Quad Cab offers the best of both worlds.
If you took the Durango and carved the third row of seats off, replacing it with a pickup box, you would have a Quad Cab. Or, coming from the other end, if you took an extended-cab Dakota and simply extended the cab some more, you also would have a Quad Cab.
Not only does the full rear seat offer great head and leg room for passengers, it easily will seat three in comfortable roominess. The rear seat cushions also fold up vertically to stow against the rear wall of the cabin for storing things inside. One of the major drawbacks of pickup trucks is that it’s handy to toss stuff into the pickup box, but in Up North winters, you don’t always want things deep-frozen on the way home, and the full double cab takes care of that.
The front seats on the test vehicle had the fold-down center console, which was a large bin that proved handy. You could, however, fold it up and it turned into a backrest, so you could sit three across the front as well.
A pickup truck that seats six comfortably, or two-thirds of an SUV with the flexibility of a pickup box on the back, both make interesting concepts.
A manual transmission or a driver-adaptive 4-speed automatic make the Quad Cab go, and the optional 4-wheel-drive can be engaged from 2-wheel to 4-wheel without stopping, on any terrain. On top of that, the Dakota Quad Cab has revised suspension and steering that definitely improve the handling and agility.
Retuned front shocks, staggered rear shocks, and rear springs that have undergone renovation are a good start. A lighter but stronger stabilizer bar up front helps stabilize things, and rack and pinion steering is the best for precision.
In addition, Chrysler has spared nothing in improving the insulation against noise and vibration, with foam inserted in each side of the body and all around the windows, and rubber isolators used for engine mounts and damping between the frame and the chassis.
Top engines all boast futuristic technology
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#1— BMW’s tendency to build super-smooth and high-performing engines has expanded to include the in-line 6 obtainable in the Z3 sports car.
#2— The 1.9-liter 4-cylinder from Audi has 5 valves per cylinder with low-pressure turbocharging that provides maximum torque from just-over idle speed up to near the redline, making it perfect for sedans and the TT sports coupe alike.
#3— Ford’s 4.6-liter V8 does a commendable job in single-overhead-cam versions for cars and pickups, but the gem of the batch is the hand-built, dual-OHC aluminum version hand-built for the Mustang Cobra.
#4— GM’s 3.5-liter V6 has all the high-tech touches, from dual-overhead cams and 4 valves per cylinder, but is only available in Oldsmobile models for its second year of existence.
In the next week, the United States will be filled with innovative concepts and featurized reports pouring out of Detroit, where the International Auto Show will captivate the nation’s auto-lovers and media folks alike.
One of the features of the auto show is the naming of the top 10 auto engines in the world by Ward’s Automotive. I used to wait anxiously for that information, and relay it eagerly to readers. Last year, I attended the little gathering at the Detroit show, at which the announcement was made. It was a festive affair, with hors d’ouvres, cocktails and all the trimmings. I realized with some dismay that the gathering was a set-up in some ways, with certain manufacturers prepared for all-out sensory assaults to back up their being selected, and some engines that I had tested and decided were considerably mediocre were named ahead of certain engines I knew to be extremely high-tech.
So, it’s not a comlaint. But I realized it was simply a selection of the Ward’s Auto World editors — their favorites, with plenty of subjective stuff in the decision-making. Meanwhile, it being the end of the millennium and everyone naming this list and that list, I considered naming my choices as the top 10 cars of the century. However, all cars are only of the 20th century, and the newest ones, with the newest technology, invariably are the best.
So, on the eve of yet another International Auto Show spectacle, what the heck? Because the top 10 cars seem too expansive to be realistic, and before anybody else can name their awards, let’s compromise, and name a top 10 list of, simply, naming my favorite engines.
10. Nissan 3.0 liter V6. Nissan has far more trouble selling sufficient numbers of cars in the U.S. than it has building highly sophisticated engines, and the 3.0 is its gem. It powers the Maxima, and a slightly upgraded version powers the companion Infiniti I30. The engine came out as an entirely new replacement for an already very good 3.0 V6 made by Nissan, and the new one is improved from every direction, with thinnger walls, lighter weight, extremely close tolerances and fabulous smoothness of operation. It comes with 222 horsepower in the Maxima, which is more than sufficient to make that midsize sedan run up and scream with supposed higher-performance vehicles. In the Infiniti application, it has 227 horsepower and 217 foot-pounds of torque. This is one engine that the Ward’s Automotive folks and I agree on.
9. BMW 2.8-liter in-line 6. These German engineers built an awesome series of in-line engines and continued to upgrade them in size and performance. While the world was switching to V6 configuration, BMW persisted with it’s in-line family, and, after adding the latest technical improvements such as variable valve timing and other upgrades, the current 2.8 engine — which powers the 3-series sedan, the Z3 sports car, and the larger 5-series sedans — is about as near perfection as you can imagine. Smooth, silky, and seamless in acceleration and cruising, it turns out a standard 193 horsepower through its dual-overhead camshaft, 4-valve per cylinder configuration. This engine makes the 3-series sedan perform with cars costing twice as much, and stuffing it into the light and agile Z3 sports car turned a very good sports car into a world-beater.
8. Oldsmobile 3.5-liter V6. This engine proves what General Motors can do when it sets aside strict adherence to bottom-line profit and turns its technicians loose to build a modern engine. This engine is a distant relative to Cadillac’s fabulous Northstar System V8 — and it allows us a copout to not name the Northstar engine on this list. The Northstar V8 is Cadillac’s dual-overhead-cam V8, which has stubbornly been kept for Cadillac-only application. Oldsmobile was desperate to use it, and Cadillac finally relented, allowing Olds to use a smaller version (4.0 liters) in the Aurora. Almost as payback, when GM built the new 3.5 V6, it lopped off the end two engines of the revised Northstar design and came up with the 3.5, with dual overhead cams and 4 valves per cylinder, producing 215 horsepower right out of the box. Because the rest of the GM classes all depend heavily on the aging but constantly refined 3800 V6, and because GM maybe felt it owed one to Olds, it said that for 1999, Oldsmobile would be the only brand in GM to have access to the 3.5. Now it is 2000, and while the 3.5 V6 again is available in the Olds Intrigue, it also will become the base engine for the all-new Aurora. The engine accelerates immediately and revs freely and impressively, rivaling some of the best import engines. It makes the Intrigue a special car, while similarly high-tech cars like the Pontiac Grand Prix, Chev Impala and Buick Century all must stick with the good-but-outmoded pushrod 3800.
7. Audi 2.7-liter V6. There’s a subtle little difference between Audi’s old, reliable 2.8-liter V6 and the new 2.7. It is, essentially, the same engine, slightly altered and reduced in displacement while adding twin turbochargers, one on each bank of cylinders. The venerable 2.8 was the mainstay of the original Audi A4 and A6, and while it was strong and dependable, it was a tad less than exciting. In Germany, Audi worked hard to prove its dependability and engineering excellence to the automotive world, and it stayed conservative to do it. When the new A6 sedan came out, it was beautifully designed, but the basic 2.8 couldn’t run with the powerful BMW 540 V8, or even the 2.8-liter BMW 6s. For 2000, Audi is now intent on shedding its conservative image, so after first adding 5 valves per cylinder (three intake, two exhaust), it has now put together a twin-turbo version of the 2.7. That engine produces 250 horsepower, which is more than enough to make the A6 run with (or away from) the BMW and Mercedes competition, but it also offers its peak of 258 foot-pounds of torque at a mere 1,850 RPMs, thanks to clever engine management with the turbos. On top of bringing the A6 to full life, the same 2.7 twin turbo can be had in the S4 — a tricked out high-performance version of the A4 with all sorts of special handling, interior and design features. In either form, it can be driven through a 6-speed manual shifter or a Tiptronic automatic with manual-shift capabilities. It proves, also, what a company can do by taking a proven commodity and refining it with futuristic technology.
6. Ford 4.6-liter V8. Like Cadillac with its Northstar V8, Ford came out with the 4.6 as a high-tech exercise in V8 engines several years ago. Unlike its GM rival, though, Ford put the 4.6 to expansive use as the mainstay of its engine family — going to sedans, into the ubiquitous F-150 pickup trucks, and into the Mustang coupes. My favorite version is the Cobra, which is put together by the Special Vehicle Team engineers, who take the basic single-overhead-cam with 16 valves, and they build it anew, out of aluminum, with dual-overhead cams and 32 valves. In that form, it has 320 horsepower, and they are extremely refined horses at that, and 317 foot-pounds of torque. Even in base form, the 4.6 pulls smoothly and steadily to higher revs than pushrod competitors, and is so smooth that some truck buyers must get accustomed to the capabilities against the low-end grunt and limited top end of the old pushrod V8s. But in Cobra form, the handbuilt upgrade is a jewel to be driven hard and savored, at the same time.
5. BMW 4.4-liter V8. Here we go again, with German engineering and some surprising applications. The 4.4 is an enlarged version of the 4.0 V8 that BMW built to make the large 740 series go, and wound up making the midsize 540 an absolute freeway (or autobahn) cruiser/screamer. BMW has, for 2000, shocked the marketplace with the X5, a new SUV that is all BMW. It, too, gets to use the 4.4 V8, which means you can have your SUV and break every speed limit known to man at the same time. The 4.4 is as smooth as any engine ever built by BMW — or anyone else, for that matter. It has 282 horsepower, and the refinement of dual-overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder, and the latest in valve-timing management. Cost is prohibitive for any vehicle that BMW sells with this engine, but the engineering makes it universally a bargain, regardless of price.
4. Chrysler 2.7-liter V6. This engine is the biggest mystery in the automotive industry. Chrysler continues to promote and push the very good 3.2 and 3.5 liter V6 engines, with their single-overhead-cam layouts and responsive and efficient outlay of power. But the 2.7 is virtually a secret, as the base engine in both the Dodge Intrepid and Chrysler Concorde. The 2.7 was a fabulous design, carried off after 1,500 versions were done and refined on computers. But for some incomprehensible reason — cost, perhaps? — Chrysler is doing its best to not promote the 2.7. For one thing, it is the closest thing to blueprint-perfect of any engine made for standard issue by any U.S. manufacturer. Unlike its slightly larger cousins, the 2.7 has chain (not belt) driven dual-overhead camshafts directing its 4 valves per cylinder. With aluminum block and heads, coil-on-plug wireless ignition, and a forged crankshaft with cross-bolted main bearings — like the legendary old Hemi racing engines — the 2.7 is a jewel of precision. Incredibly, the higher-winding capabilities of the 2.7 are not exploited, yet, because Chrysler doesn’t even provide the AutoStick transmission, which can be had with the 3.2 or 3.5, with the 2.7. And Chrysler has yet to make what seems such an obvious move — to install the 2.7 into the Avenger and/or Stratus. So to appreciate the 2.7, you have to buy the base Intrepid or Concorde, then hand-hold the shifter and stnd on the gas to run the revs up and enjoy the wonderful high-tech sound and full efficiency.
3. Toyota Celica 1.8-liter 4-cylinder. This one is a surprise, coming out new for 2000 with limited fanfare. The new Celica is entirely redesigned, and Toyota worked with Yamaha’s high-performance motorcycle engineers to develop the heads for this one. It has a 7,800-RPM redline, and the kind of 6-speed transmission that is perfect for real-world usage, with close-ratio 1-5 gearing, then a wide-spaced gap to sixth, for optimum freeway cruising. The engine itself is a prize, with dual-overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder, and variable valve timing on a continuous basis, turning out 180 horsepower that makes the new Celica perform with much costlier sporty cars. The Celica always had been a popular sports coupe, but the new one goes right off the scale, thanks to the innovative new engine.
2. Audi 1.9-liter 4-cylinder, with low-pressure turbocharger. This engine originally came out as a low-priced alternative to the 2.8 V6 in the Audi A4 sedan. It is highly technical, with 5 valves per cylinder and dual overhead cams, and the whole engine management system and the low-pressure turbo figure into the concept. The turbocharger comes on smoothly at low RPMs and allows the 180 horsepower to build up to high RPMs. The big surprise is that the low-pressure turbo coaxes maximum torque at 1,850 RPMs — barely above idle speed — and then it doesn’t drop off but stays at its peak all the way up into the mid-5,000 RPM range. So while small in displacement in comparatively low in outright power, the engine delivers optimum power all the way up from idle to redline. The engine is so impressive, and it comes as the base engine in the least-expensive A4, it is the perfect choice in that sedan. When Audi came out with the flashy new TT Coupe sports car, the 1.9 turbo was the ideal choice, running either as front-wheel-drive or in Audi’s incomparable quattro all-wheel-drive system. While 180 horsepower is certainly sufficient, this spring Audi expects to have it up to around 225 horsepower.
1. Honda S2000. Nobody has a handle on technology better than Honda, which has used it to first win in Formula 1 racing, then to dominate CART racing. And Honda always takes its technical advancements back to production. For a true top-10 list, it would be easy to name Honda’s VTEC (variable valve timing) 4-cylinder engines out of the Civic Si, the Accord and the Acura Integra. But while all of those deserve to be rated, Honda has outdone itself with its new 2-seat sports car, the S2000. This thing comes loaded with a 2-liter 4-cylinder engine that turns out an incredible 240 horsepower at 8,300 RPMs. No competitor comes close to 8,300 RPMs, but the S2000 is redlined at 9,000 RPMs. Word is that the S2000 engine is so impressive, Honda may use its concept to replace all its exceptional existing engines to go with the new, highest-tech design.
Not a bad list. It’ll be interesting to see how it stacks up alongside Ward’s in about a week or so. There were some other very good candidates, namely the Northstar V8 (although we list a derivative), and the Mercedes 3.2-liter V6 (as well as some costlier V8s), and the tiny but innovative new engine in the Toyota Echo.
The Lexus 4.7-liter V8 is my first runner-up, because it is used not only in the top vehicles such as the LX470 SUV, but also is the optional engine for the new Tundra pickup truck. It will turn out 230 horsepower and 320 foot-pounds of torque, and will allow the Tundra to make serious inroads in the U.S. pickup market, proving that dual-overhead-cams and 4 valves per cylinder offer the kind of technology that can work with trucks as well as with cars.
Technology, however, is an ever-increasing spiral, and competitors must not only use it to design and build new engines, but to refine them in a constantly improving rise to stay ahead of others in the marketplace. Maybe you can name an engine that could be on this list, but it’s virtually impossible to bump one off it.
Technology intensifies top engine competition
(((((Cutline stuff:
#1— BMW’s tendency to build super-smooth and high-performing engines has expanded to include the in-line 6 obtainable in the Z3 sports car.
#2— The 1.9-liter 4-cylinder from Audi has 5 valves per cylinder with low-pressure turbocharging that provides maximum torque from just-over idle speed up to near the redline, making it perfect for sedans and the TT sports coupe alike.
#3— Ford’s 4.6-liter V8 does a commendable job in single-overhead-cam versions for cars and pickups, but the gem of the batch is the hand-built, dual-OHC aluminum version hand-built for the Mustang Cobra.
#4— GM’s 3.5-liter V6 has all the high-tech touches, from dual-overhead cams and 4 valves per cylinder, but is only available in Oldsmobile models for its second year of existence.
In the next week, the United States will be filled with innovative concepts and featurized reports pouring out of Detroit, where the International Auto Show will captivate the nation’s auto-lovers and media folks alike.
One of the features of the auto show is the naming of the top 10 auto engines in the world by Ward’s Automotive. I used to wait anxiously for that information, and relay it eagerly to readers. Last year, I attended the little gathering at the Detroit show, at which the announcement was made. It was a festive affair, with hors d’ouvres, cocktails and all the trimmings. I realized with some dismay that the gathering was a set-up in some ways, with certain manufacturers prepared for all-out sensory assaults to back up their being selected, and some engines that I had tested and decided were considerably mediocre were named ahead of certain engines I knew to be extremely high-tech.
So, it’s not a comlaint. But I realized it was simply a selection of the Ward’s Auto World editors — their favorites, with plenty of subjective stuff in the decision-making. Meanwhile, it being the end of the millennium and everyone naming this list and that list, I considered naming my choices as the top 10 cars of the century. However, all cars are only of the 20th century, and the newest ones, with the newest technology, invariably are the best.
So, on the eve of yet another International Auto Show spectacle, what the heck? Because the top 10 cars seem too expansive to be realistic, and before anybody else can name their awards, let’s compromise, and name a top 10 list of, simply, naming my favorite engines.
10. Nissan 3.0 liter V6. Nissan has far more trouble selling sufficient numbers of cars in the U.S. than it has building highly sophisticated engines, and the 3.0 is its gem. It powers the Maxima, and a slightly upgraded version powers the companion Infiniti I30. The engine came out as an entirely new replacement for an already very good 3.0 V6 made by Nissan, and the new one is improved from every direction, with thinnger walls, lighter weight, extremely close tolerances and fabulous smoothness of operation. It comes with 222 horsepower in the Maxima, which is more than sufficient to make that midsize sedan run up and scream with supposed higher-performance vehicles. In the Infiniti application, it has 227 horsepower and 217 foot-pounds of torque. This is one engine that the Ward’s Automotive folks and I agree on.
9. BMW 2.8-liter in-line 6. These German engineers built an awesome series of in-line engines and continued to upgrade them in size and performance. While the world was switching to V6 configuration, BMW persisted with it’s in-line family, and, after adding the latest technical improvements such as variable valve timing and other upgrades, the current 2.8 engine — which powers the 3-series sedan, the Z3 sports car, and the larger 5-series sedans — is about as near perfection as you can imagine. Smooth, silky, and seamless in acceleration and cruising, it turns out a standard 193 horsepower through its dual-overhead camshaft, 4-valve per cylinder configuration. This engine makes the 3-series sedan perform with cars costing twice as much, and stuffing it into the light and agile Z3 sports car turned a very good sports car into a world-beater.
8. Oldsmobile 3.5-liter V6. This engine proves what General Motors can do when it sets aside strict adherence to bottom-line profit and turns its technicians loose to build a modern engine. This engine is a distant relative to Cadillac’s fabulous Northstar System V8 — and it allows us a copout to not name the Northstar engine on this list. The Northstar V8 is Cadillac’s dual-overhead-cam V8, which has stubbornly been kept for Cadillac-only application. Oldsmobile was desperate to use it, and Cadillac finally relented, allowing Olds to use a smaller version (4.0 liters) in the Aurora. Almost as payback, when GM built the new 3.5 V6, it lopped off the end two engines of the revised Northstar design and came up with the 3.5, with dual overhead cams and 4 valves per cylinder, producing 215 horsepower right out of the box. Because the rest of the GM classes all depend heavily on the aging but constantly refined 3800 V6, and because GM maybe felt it owed one to Olds, it said that for 1999, Oldsmobile would be the only brand in GM to have access to the 3.5. Now it is 2000, and while the 3.5 V6 again is available in the Olds Intrigue, it also will become the base engine for the all-new Aurora. The engine accelerates immediately and revs freely and impressively, rivaling some of the best import engines. It makes the Intrigue a special car, while similarly high-tech cars like the Pontiac Grand Prix, Chev Impala and Buick Century all must stick with the good-but-outmoded pushrod 3800.
7. Audi 2.7-liter V6. There’s a subtle little difference between Audi’s old, reliable 2.8-liter V6 and the new 2.7. It is, essentially, the same engine, slightly altered and reduced in displacement while adding twin turbochargers, one on each bank of cylinders. The venerable 2.8 was the mainstay of the original Audi A4 and A6, and while it was strong and dependable, it was a tad less than exciting. In Germany, Audi worked hard to prove its dependability and engineering excellence to the automotive world, and it stayed conservative to do it. When the new A6 sedan came out, it was beautifully designed, but the basic 2.8 couldn’t run with the powerful BMW 540 V8, or even the 2.8-liter BMW 6s. For 2000, Audi is now intent on shedding its conservative image, so after first adding 5 valves per cylinder (three intake, two exhaust), it has now put together a twin-turbo version of the 2.7. That engine produces 250 horsepower, which is more than enough to make the A6 run with (or away from) the BMW and Mercedes competition, but it also offers its peak of 258 foot-pounds of torque at a mere 1,850 RPMs, thanks to clever engine management with the turbos. On top of bringing the A6 to full life, the same 2.7 twin turbo can be had in the S4 — a tricked out high-performance version of the A4 with all sorts of special handling, interior and design features. In either form, it can be driven through a 6-speed manual shifter or a Tiptronic automatic with manual-shift capabilities. It proves, also, what a company can do by taking a proven commodity and refining it with futuristic technology.
6. Ford 4.6-liter V8. Like Cadillac with its Northstar V8, Ford came out with the 4.6 as a high-tech exercise in V8 engines several years ago. Unlike its GM rival, though, Ford put the 4.6 to expansive use as the mainstay of its engine family — going to sedans, into the ubiquitous F-150 pickup trucks, and into the Mustang coupes. My favorite version is the Cobra, which is put together by the Special Vehicle Team engineers, who take the basic single-overhead-cam with 16 valves, and they build it anew, out of aluminum, with dual-overhead cams and 32 valves. In that form, it has 320 horsepower, and they are extremely refined horses at that, and 317 foot-pounds of torque. Even in base form, the 4.6 pulls smoothly and steadily to higher revs than pushrod competitors, and is so smooth that some truck buyers must get accustomed to the capabilities against the low-end grunt and limited top end of the old pushrod V8s. But in Cobra form, the handbuilt upgrade is a jewel to be driven hard and savored, at the same time.
5. BMW 4.4-liter V8. Here we go again, with German engineering and some surprising applications. The 4.4 is an enlarged version of the 4.0 V8 that BMW built to make the large 740 series go, and wound up making the midsize 540 an absolute freeway (or autobahn) cruiser/screamer. BMW has, for 2000, shocked the marketplace with the X5, a new SUV that is all BMW. It, too, gets to use the 4.4 V8, which means you can have your SUV and break every speed limit known to man at the same time. The 4.4 is as smooth as any engine ever built by BMW — or anyone else, for that matter. It has 282 horsepower, and the refinement of dual-overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder, and the latest in valve-timing management. Cost is prohibitive for any vehicle that BMW sells with this engine, but the engineering makes it universally a bargain, regardless of price.
4. Chrysler 2.7-liter V6. This engine is the biggest mystery in the automotive industry. Chrysler continues to promote and push the very good 3.2 and 3.5 liter V6 engines, with their single-overhead-cam layouts and responsive and efficient outlay of power. But the 2.7 is virtually a secret, as the base engine in both the Dodge Intrepid and Chrysler Concorde. The 2.7 was a fabulous design, carried off after 1,500 versions were done and refined on computers. But for some incomprehensible reason — cost, perhaps? — Chrysler is doing its best to not promote the 2.7. For one thing, it is the closest thing to blueprint-perfect of any engine made for standard issue by any U.S. manufacturer. Unlike its slightly larger cousins, the 2.7 has chain (not belt) driven dual-overhead camshafts directing its 4 valves per cylinder. With aluminum block and heads, coil-on-plug wireless ignition, and a forged crankshaft with cross-bolted main bearings — like the legendary old Hemi racing engines — the 2.7 is a jewel of precision. Incredibly, the higher-winding capabilities of the 2.7 are not exploited, yet, because Chrysler doesn’t even provide the AutoStick transmission, which can be had with the 3.2 or 3.5, with the 2.7. And Chrysler has yet to make what seems such an obvious move — to install the 2.7 into the Avenger and/or Stratus. So to appreciate the 2.7, you have to buy the base Intrepid or Concorde, then hand-hold the shifter and stnd on the gas to run the revs up and enjoy the wonderful high-tech sound and full efficiency.
3. Toyota Celica 1.8-liter 4-cylinder. This one is a surprise, coming out new for 2000 with limited fanfare. The new Celica is entirely redesigned, and Toyota worked with Yamaha’s high-performance motorcycle engineers to develop the heads for this one. It has a 7,800-RPM redline, and the kind of 6-speed transmission that is perfect for real-world usage, with close-ratio 1-5 gearing, then a wide-spaced gap to sixth, for optimum freeway cruising. The engine itself is a prize, with dual-overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder, and variable valve timing on a continuous basis, turning out 180 horsepower that makes the new Celica perform with much costlier sporty cars. The Celica always had been a popular sports coupe, but the new one goes right off the scale, thanks to the innovative new engine.
2. Audi 1.9-liter 4-cylinder, with low-pressure turbocharger. This engine originally came out as a low-priced alternative to the 2.8 V6 in the Audi A4 sedan. It is highly technical, with 5 valves per cylinder and dual overhead cams, and the whole engine management system and the low-pressure turbo figure into the concept. The turbocharger comes on smoothly at low RPMs and allows the 180 horsepower to build up to high RPMs. The big surprise is that the low-pressure turbo coaxes maximum torque at 1,850 RPMs — barely above idle speed — and then it doesn’t drop off but stays at its peak all the way up into the mid-5,000 RPM range. So while small in displacement in comparatively low in outright power, the engine delivers optimum power all the way up from idle to redline. The engine is so impressive, and it comes as the base engine in the least-expensive A4, it is the perfect choice in that sedan. When Audi came out with the flashy new TT Coupe sports car, the 1.9 turbo was the ideal choice, running either as front-wheel-drive or in Audi’s incomparable quattro all-wheel-drive system. While 180 horsepower is certainly sufficient, this spring Audi expects to have it up to around 225 horsepower.
1. Honda S2000. Nobody has a handle on technology better than Honda, which has used it to first win in Formula 1 racing, then to dominate CART racing. And Honda always takes its technical advancements back to production. For a true top-10 list, it would be easy to name Honda’s VTEC (variable valve timing) 4-cylinder engines out of the Civic Si, the Accord and the Acura Integra. But while all of those deserve to be rated, Honda has outdone itself with its new 2-seat sports car, the S2000. This thing comes loaded with a 2-liter 4-cylinder engine that turns out an incredible 240 horsepower at 8,300 RPMs. No competitor comes close to 8,300 RPMs, but the S2000 is redlined at 9,000 RPMs. Word is that the S2000 engine is so impressive, Honda may use its concept to replace all its exceptional existing engines to go with the new, highest-tech design.
Not a bad list. It’ll be interesting to see how it stacks up alongside Ward’s in about a week or so. There were some other very good candidates, namely the Northstar V8 (although we list a derivative), and the Mercedes 3.2-liter V6 (as well as some costlier V8s), and the tiny but innovative new engine in the Toyota Echo.
The Lexus 4.7-liter V8 is my first runner-up, because it is used not only in the top vehicles such as the LX470 SUV, but also is the optional engine for the new Tundra pickup truck. It will turn out 230 horsepower and 320 foot-pounds of torque, and will allow the Tundra to make serious inroads in the U.S. pickup market, proving that dual-overhead-cams and 4 valves per cylinder offer the kind of technology that can work with trucks as well as with cars.
Technology, however, is an ever-increasing spiral, and competitors must not only use it to design and build new engines, but to refine them in a constantly improving rise to stay ahead of others in the marketplace. Maybe you can name an engine that could be on this list, but it’s virtually impossible to bump one off it.
Ford Focus, Nissan Xterra win car, truck awards
DETROIT, MICH. — The Ford Focus was named North American International Car of the Year Monday at a dawn news conference that officially kicked off the 2000 Detroit International Auto Show.
The victory was a significant one for the grassroots auto buyer because the new Focus, previously introduced in Europe, is a new world-car concept that is a return to compact, efficient and inexpensive transportation. The new Focus is priced from $11,000-$14,000 and can be purchased as a 2-door coupe or 4-door sedan, both with hatchbacks, and with a sporty option for upgraded engine power and suspension.
Sharing the podium with the Focus was the new Nissan Xterra as International Truck of the Year. The Xterra is also aimed at being inexpensive and efficient, an under-$25,000 Sport Utility Vehicle targeting active lifestyles. The Xterra has a no-nonsense interior, with practical features more than luxury woodgrain amenities. It includes a standard roof-rack with a bin to hold wet gear, and a built-in first-aid kit.
Competition for the awards was done by a jury of 49 journalists, making it the only independently selected award not influenced by advertising or sales promotions. After selecting from a preliminary list of vehicles with anticipated annual sales of at least 5,000 units per yer (2,000 for trucks), and with significant renovation or newly introduced vehicles, the voters came up with a list of 14 finalists among cars and 10 trucks.
From that, the jury deliberated while test-driving the new candidates. The three finalists for car of the year were the Focus, the Audi TT sports car, and the Lincoln LS sedan. Truck of the year finalists included the Xterra, the Toyota Tundra and the 4-door Dodge Dakota Quad Cab.
The Focus beat out the innovative Audi sports car by presenting a wide-scope of attractiveness, from basic economy subcompact to sporty, fun-to-drive vehicle.
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.
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