Magnum R/T, 300C are twin winners with attitudes
Competition for 2005 Car of the Year is the most ferocious in the awardÂ’s history. Consider logical favorites such as U.S. icons Corvette and Mustang, both of which have been entirely redesigned, as well as some superb new vehicles that include the Volvo S40/V50, the sleek and sinewy Acura RL, Ford Five Hundred, Cadillac STS, and even the Honda Odyssey, andÂ…well, you get the idea.
So where does DaimlerChrysler fit into that group with its new and remarkably successful twins, the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum?
Right up there at the top, that’s where. In fact, the biggest problem the cars face in the competition is that they are submitted separately. Both will attract some heavy consideration from the 50 jurors, if my part of the process is any indication. Had the two been submitted as one entry – sedan and wagon rising off the same basic platform – their combined total might have outpointed everything else.
But the company wants to differentiate between them, and indeed it has, with both their exteriors and interiors. But they do ride on the same platform, and share the same three engine/transmission packages. I drove a “Midnight Blue Pearl†Chrysler 300C – a deep, dark color that made all its chrome touches stand out. Earlier, I drove a “Cool Vanilla†Dodge Magnum R/T – a remarkable color that was a pearly compromise between white and cream.
Both were top-of-the-line models, with the 5.7-liter “Hemi†V8 engine and startling power for acceleration and smooth performance. Both have five-speed automatic transmissions, and neither had the available all-wheel-drive system that may relieve some of the anxieties the normal rear-drive presents in snow-country winters, trusting instead to traction-control sophistication.
If the 300C and Magnum are twins, they definitely are not identical twins, and they use distinctly different tones even as they both scream out “Look at me!Ââ€
Critics at first hinted that such styling departures would be the weakness of both vehicles. Instead, it has been their strength. The styling is not for everybody, but sales, which have been stronger than anyone anticipated, indicate that provoking a strong response, either positive or negative, is preferable to being boring. It helps, of course, if the “positive†side is in the majority, as are both the 300 and Magnum.
The 300 is a boldly different sedan, with a distinctive, hulking front appearance that may be blunt, but is laced with chrome highlights and a large, vertical grille. The bluntly chiseled demeanor follows all the way back along the high door sills, but with classy touches all the way to the angular rear. If you want to think retro, squint a little and imagine this car delivering Al Capone from his last heist directly to some high-society affair. In top form, with bright chrome, 18-inch wheels, the 300C is the perfect family sedan, or business executive cruiser. It definitely makes a statement wherever it goes, although IÂ’m not sure what statements are made by the several IÂ’ve seen with mesh grilles and (gasp!) spinner wheels as aftermarket add-ons.
The Dodge Magnum has a little less classic look and a little more outlaw than the 300. It comes as a wagon only, but not just a wagon. In silhouette, the Magnum has high side sills and a low, tapering roofline, which, when combined, leaves only a little room for the side windows, less and less as you go toward the tapering rear. But that’s the secret of the design – making it look as though some street-rodder chopped off the side pillars, lowering the roofline dramatically. Up front, the Magnum has Dodge’s signature cross-hairs grille making it look as though it truly might be a descendant of the big and bad Ram truck. Think of it as a powerful alternative to a minivan, SUV, or normal sedan for a city, suburban or rural fellow – or family – that is bold enough to think outside the box.
While the pushrod Hemi has tremendous power – 340-horsepower and 390 foot-pounds of torque, good for 6.3-second 0-60 dashes – it also has a smooth method to gain surprisingly good fuel economy. The system causes four of the V8’s pistons to completely shut down when cruising ease doesn’t require full power. The front and rear cylinders on the left and the middle two on the right bank cut out without notice, and stepping on the gas provides instant acceleration, also seamlessly. It sounded good when vehicle development manager Jack Broomall explained it to me, and it worked well enough to allow me to get 27 miles per gallon, better than the 25-mpg highway estimate.
I was impressed with both cars when I drove them at their introduction earlier this year, and the chance to spend a week of normal city and freeway driving with both amplifies ChryslerÂ’s initial claims. Loaded as the cars were with options, they both topped $30,000, running up closer to $35,000 as tested. If you stayed with the other models you could keep the price well under $30,000. The Magnum starts at $22,495 with a 190-horsepower 2.7-liter V6, moving upward to the SXT with a 250-horse 3.5-liter V6, before rising to R/T form. The 300 has a base of $23,595 with the 2.7, scaling upwards to the Touring and Limited models with the 3.5, and on up to the 300C, which trades the overhead-cam V6es for the big V8.
In the top models, the driving experience is similar, naturally, starting with a tall seating position that is 2.5 inches higher than in the Intrepid/300M models the cars replace. The suspension is taut and firm without being harsh, so you maintain level stature in hard cornering. Power is good, and the various traction and braking features make the cars feel sure-footed in all circumstances, although snow is still a future challenge.
For going, the traction-control system combines electronic throttle control with electronic braking to prevent wheelspin when accelerating, and electronic stability program (ESP) goes a further step to maintain directional stability by controlling oversteer and understeer. Stopping the near-4,000-pound twins is aided by antilock brakes on the four-wheel discs and bolstered by a brake-assist feature to provide maximum braking when you step down hard.
Instrumentation makes the Magnum sportier and the 300 classier, further stressing the difference in purpose of the two cars. The 300C has a big trunk, while the Magnum has a rear cargo area both on and under its floor, and folding the rear seats forward makes an enormous and flat stowage space. A really neat feature is the tailgate, which is hinged several inches into the rear roof, creating a yawning expanse when opened for easier loading.
When the cars first came out, I preferred the MagnumÂ’s sleekness to the more brick-like bluntness of the 300. After driving the mystical-off-white Magnum R/T, that thought was reinforced. But last week, when I drove the 300C that was so dark its rich blue looked almost black, I like both of them about the same. Either one is a valid Car of the Year contestant. Together, they might have been a cinch.
(John Gilbert writes weekly auto reviews, votes on the Car of the Year jury, and can be reached at cars@jwgilbert.com.)
New Eclipse Spyder high in style, needs more ‘evolution’
When Mitsubishi recreated its Eclipse with a brand new model for 2006, I had a few mixed feelings about it. Now Mitsubishi has completely redone the Eclipse Spyder for 2007, and I still have a few mixed feelings. In self-examination, I don’t think it’s me – the Eclipse and its convertible Spyder brother seem to be caught between the old traditional Mitsubishi and an attempt to remake the company’s automotive arm into a trendy, youthfully popular element.
The Eclipse is stunning in its looks, and Mitsubishi did well to stick to the very popular concept car that it had previously shown around on the major auto show circuit. So the Spyder, which is the third generation of turning the Eclipse into a convertible, shares the same front-wheel-drive handling and performance as the Eclipse coupe.
Front-wheel drive is a curious thing these days. Around the winterless areas of the country, and including the offices of all the major car magazines, the tradition is to criticize any car with front-wheel drive as being incapable of high-performance or a fun-to-drive quotient. We here in the Great White North know better.
People who risk occasionally getting caught in snowstorms from November until April are aware that front-wheel drive has tremendous benefits in icy driving conditions. When rear-drive advocates say traction control systems make rear drive equally good in winter, they betray an ignorance to the fact that sophisticated traction control also can be installed on front-wheel-drive vehicles, thus making them even more advantageous. Winter drivers among us will accept the fact that you canÂ’t hang the rear end out when you corner too hard, and trade it for great foul-weather traction, supplemented by making a FWD car handle as good as possible.
So the Eclipse handles well, and so does the Spyder. You feel the front-wheel drive through the steering wheel, which means you can get an early tip-off if you happen to over-drive it into a turn, or you can stay on the power and simply steer through a turn where youÂ’d have to lift off with rear-wheel drive.
The Eclipse Spyder, like its coupe predecessor, comes with a very strong 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, or a very strong 3.8-liter V6. Both are dual-overhead-camshaft, multiple-valve engines, both with excellent power. The four has 162 horsepower at 6,000 RPMs, and an equal 162 foot-pounds of torque at 4,000 RPMs, and comes with a five-speed manual or a four-speed optional automatic with Sportronic manual control.
The V6 has 260 horsepower at 5,750 RPMs, and 258 foot-pounds of torque at 4,500 RPMs, with a standard six-speed stick, or an optional five-speed Sportronic automatic, and drive-by-wire electronic throttle control.
Lots of power, and Mitsubishi’s MIVEC – which stands for Mitsubishi Innovative Variable Valve Timing Electronic Control, and we can only be thankful they skipped a few initials – propel the Spyder with either the four or the six with plenty of quickness. MIVEC can adjust valve timing and lift as if the engine was changing camshafts as you rev up the single-overhead cam engines past 4,000 revs in the V6 or 4,300 in the four.
Personally, I prefer my Mitsubishi performance cars to have small engines that over-achieve, whether by turbocharger or tightly refined technology. That is not to say that the 2.4 or 3.8 engines are inferior in any way. They seem very strong and very good in brief introduction in the Spyder. But there are historic and current reasons for my preference.
The management and promotion arms of Mitsubishi are fairly new, since the Japanese company has undergone some major alterations in recent years. And maybe I have more of a historical perspective on Mitsubishi vehicles than some of them do.
At the introduction, held in San Diego a couple of months ago, Dave Schembri, the executive vice president of sales and marketing for Mitsubishi Motors of North America, traced the EclipseÂ’s roots from the old Cordia, to the Starion, then the 3000 GT, then the VR-4 Galant, and up to the first Eclipse.
“Unique and purposeful design,†Schembri calls it. “At the Detroit Auto Show introduction, the new Eclipse looked like a work of art. It looks great from every angle, and every line. As a representative of the manufacturer, I say that, but just being a car guy from Detroit, I also can say it.Ââ€
Schembri also said Mitsubishi is using different marketing. Instead of targeting young singles and first-time buyers, the way every other manufacturer is doing these days, Mitsubishi is going after “Generation E – meaning everyone,†he said. “Our target is attitude and lifestyle more than age and income. We hope to attract anyone with an active lifestyle, an extroverted personality, and who might want to reward themselves with the right car. This is a car that is love at first sight and fun to drive. We call it the ‘attainable exotic.Â’ Ââ€
Priced at $25,889 for the Eclipse Spyder GS, and $28,769 for the GT, the Spyder offers a four-door convertible, although the back seat is strictly for small people and/or short hops.
Product manager Mike Evanoff said that the Spyder is a “move forward, with a link back†to the Eclipse’s history.
That was about where I raised my hand. I once raced a Dodge Colt, made by Mitsubishi, in a couple of Showroom Stock road races, and I owned a high-revving Colt wagon, and later owned a 1979 Colt GT, which was a wild little thing that could screech the tires in the first three gears even while delivering 41 miles per gallon – all with outstanding 1.6-liter Mitsubishi four-cylinder engines. My son owned a Cordia, and our whole family lusted after the 3000 GT/Dodge Stealth.
The first Eclipse used that 1.6-liter engine, and the upgraded models, whether Eclipses, Plymouth Lasers, or Eagle Talons, used turbocharged versions of that little engine, and all-wheel drive. Since the new Spyder is trying to be loyal to the tradition of the first Eclipses, I asked, why the transition away from the strong little engines, of 2.0 liters or smaller, to comparatively large, boulevardiering type 2.4 and 3.8?
An answer was that American buyers want more torque, and instantaneous power at low end, so larger displacement handles that as an evolution up from the smaller engines of the predecessors.
Aha! The magic word was “evolution.†So my next question is that since Mitsubishi makes a world-class compact sedan, named the Evolution, and it has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four with all-wheel drive, why not simply intall that drivetrain in the Eclipse and Eclipse Spyder? When you think about it, the Evolution is a winged model of the Lancer, which is a competent but unexciting compact sedan – the most unassuming of Mitusbishi vehicles. Successful as that is, would the same drivetrain, placed under the most exotic, most stylish, and most…assuming of vehicles be an instant worldwide classic?
Hmmm, said Mitsubishi officials. Not a bad idea, a couple of them said. Now, I canÂ’t believe Mitsubishi executives and engineers honestly hadnÂ’t even thought of or considered such a combination. But we will take them at face value, and keep an eye on their unspoken future products.
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As it is, the Spyder is a strong and stylish car. The Spyder is only 200 pounds heavier than the coupe, which is remarkable, considering that the body required considerable reinforcement, with new floor and rear cross-members to increase rigidity without the coupeÂ’s roof structure. The car is 55 percent stiffer in torsional rigidity than the previous generation Spyder.
The top is a three-layer cloth deal, with a rear window and defogger. Built by American Specialties and delivered intact to the Normal, Ill., Mitsubishi plant, the top stows under a flip-up tonneau cover at the rear, and it goes down in under 7 seconds, then that cover snaps shut tightly to make a seamlessly neat convertible.
Nice features include an instrument pod that was inspired by road-racing motorcycles, and a standard Rockford Fosgate audio system with 650 watts, and nine speakers including a subwoofer, and capability for playing six CDs, or MP3. The subwoofer is centrally mounted in the backrest of the rear seat, aiming forward like a huge, sonic cannon. It has the capability of digitally changing sound styles for different types of music, which can be programmed among six choices, and it has a good sound equalization system to compensate for having the top down.
Mitsubishi anticipates that Spyders will account for 25 percent of all Eclipses, and that 75 percent of Spyders will be picked with automatic transmissions. Stylish, exotic-looking, a lot of neat features and benefits…All in all, it’s a very strong and moderately priced convertible that is the perfect stopgap. At least until we can find a little turbo all-wheel-drive as the perfect “evolution†of the breed.
Audi adds sporty, compact flair with A3 five-door
How appropriate that the first car I got for a weekÂ’s test-drive after returning from a trip to Germany was a 2006 Audi A3. Not only did our tour of Germany include two days at the Frankfurt Auto Show, but we also stopped in Ingolstadt and went on a tour of the Audi factory, where we watched both the A4 and the A3 being built in one of the most high-tech plants in the business.
The A3 is a car that seems to be everywhere we went in Germany, whether in Frankfurt, on the autobahn to Heidelberg, or in and around Munich, on down into the Alps at Garmisch. Smaller than the A4, but larger than the European A2 commuter car, the A3 now seems destined to proliferate on U.S. roadways.
There is a difference between the A3 we get and the Germany variety, and that difference was the subject of some good-natured heckling with my Saturday morning WCCO radio program host Charlie Boone every time we saw one. Charlie thought the five-door was perfectly proportioned, while I thought the three-door was sportier. He countered that the doors on the three-door were so wide that theyÂ’d smack cars in parking lots; I suggested the extra width would make it easier to get in and out of the driverÂ’s seat.
We both liked both versions, but we made it a point to single out our preferred version every time we saw one – which was often. The whole debate ends now that we’re back home., however, because the five-door is the only A3 coming to the U.S. this year.
A compact-wagon-style four-door with a hatchback, the A3 is available on both sides of the Atlantic with AudiÂ’s superb new 2.0-liter four-cylinder, a direct-injection jewel with dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, and a turbocharger to perfectly inject the proper amount of air-fuel for the driverÂ’s needs. In Germany, the A3 also comes with a smaller 1.6 four-cylinder, and either a 1.9 or 2.0 turbo-diesel. Not that weÂ’re suffering. The 2.0 is an exceptional engine.
Back home, the test-fleet A3 was in light silver metallic, with the option-package black leather interior. It also came with Audi’s direct-shift gearbox (DSG), which allows you to drive normally in “D†or to switch it to manual and hand-shift the car from first through sixth gear.
As a unit, that works. If you floor the gas pedal at a stop, there is a slight hesitation – almost as if in its own Germanic way it is asking if you really want to launch that hard – and then it takes off swiftly. If you’re a little more careful, you can ease onto the gas pedal just a bit, and as soon as the A3 moves, hammer it. Do that, and you get instant launch, complete with tire-screeching from the FrontTrak front-wheel-drive system.
The direct-injection engine lifts Audi to the upper edge of German engine technology. IÂ’ve written about its excellence on the 3.2-liter V6 in the Audi 6, and on both the 3.2 and the 2.0-liter four in the Audi A4. In both cases, the smaller engine, benefiting by direct injection, feels like it must be at least twice its size. IÂ’ve always been appreciative of smaller engines that overachieve, and the new 2.0 moves to the head of the class with a full 200 horsepower.
The beauty of the 2.0 is not only that it goes fast, but that it keeps on going, right past those gas stations with their $3 per gallon signs hanging there. I was guilty of driving the A3 too hard, too often, perhaps, but I still got 30 miles per gallon. I recently drove a larger A4 with the same engine and the same FrontTrak front-wheel-drive scheme, but with AudiÂ’s continuously variable transmission (CVT) and got an honest 34.7 miles per gallon on a tankful. So a bit less enthusiastic driving with the lighter A3 obviously could have risen to that level.
From the outside, the A3 resembles the A4 Avant wagon, but if you park them side by side you realize how much smaller the A3 is. You also realize it when you approach it to climb aboard, but then youÂ’re in for a surprise, because once in the front bucket seats, you are pleasantly surprised at the roominess. Naturally, the squared rear roofline does the same thing for rear seat headroom.
Where technology is concerned, German rivals like BMW, Mercedes and Porsche have been in the spotlight, but the new engines push Audi to the equal or beyond any of those rivals for efficiency. And the A3 doesnÂ’t stop there. Consider other prime features:
Electronic stabilization program (ESP) is standard, as is antilock braking with brake assist to put full force into emergency braking; dual zone climate control with dust and pollen filter ( the better to not sneeze, during ragweed season); 60/40 split rear seat that folds down to turn luggage capacity from impressive to enormous; state-of-the-art airbag systems front, rear and side, with added sideguard air curtains; and 17-inch wheels with 225-45 all-season tires.
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The base price for the A3 so equipped is $26,140. That is a bargain, considering the complete package it purchases. It also slides in nicely under the A4, which has climbed closer to $30,000 in base form for 2006.
Naturally, you can load up the A3 with more goodies from the option list. The test car’s high-metallic silver was a $450 item from the option list. The premium package cost $2,025, and includes the alloy wheels, trip computer, auto-dimming rearview mirror, light sensor and rain sensor – both of which activate their devices at the onset of darkness or rain – leather seats and interior trim, foglights, and power driver’s seat adjustments. Another $700 buys the cold weather package, with heated front seats, a through-the seat ski sack, and heated exterior mirrors and windshield washer nozzles.
Adding it all up, plus destination, and the test car came out $30,085.
Proof of the carÂ’s value is in driving, and the smooth precision that is typical of the larger Audis is present every mile of the way in the A3, with the addition of a sporty lightness that brings out the best in the potent 2.0. The six-speed automatic shifter is also noteworthy, in a world where some companies are still just getting up to four-speeds automatics. Obviously, having more gears allows you to be in a better ratio at all times, and also gives a car the ability to cruise with effortless revs for better highway mileage.
If, that is, you can keep your foot out of it.
The A3 has been available for several years in Europe, but the 2006 is entirely redesigned, so while we didnÂ’t get the impressive old one, we are getting the more impressive new A3. Next objective: How can we get the three-door, too?
Downsizing to Mazda 3 means upsizing fun quotient
Despite the rising tide of larger and costlier cars and trucks, a quiet movement toward significant improvement in the small-car class also has been rippling through the automotive industry, and no car is a better example of how good small cars can be than the Mazda 3.
Over the past decade, the Mazda Protégé battled quite evenly against the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla in competition for compact superiority. The Mazda 3 replaces the Protégé, and truly revises the standards of the whole segment. From the overall design, where either a sleek four-door sedan or a five-door hatchback is available, a quick once-over to check such simple details as headlights, taillights, and even the lenses covering both, indicate that the Mazda 3 is something special.
If those elements boost the Mazda 3 into classy new territory against such stalwarts as the Civic and Corolla, the Mazda 3 also holds its own against such fun-to-drive specialty compacts as the Lancer Ralliart, Subaru WRX, Golf GTI, and even the Mini Cooper. Unless you move up to the turbocharged $30,000 versions of the Lancer and WRX, or the supercharged Mini, and are willing to spend closer to $30,000, the Mazda 3 competes well with its upgraded 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission while staying under $20,000.
And there are no tuning eccentricities with the Mazda 3 – it is a solid, durable, everyday driver that can serve as a small family car or a fun-filled sporty car alternative.
The base 2.0-liter four is adequate for normal duty, but the 2.3 is a technological gem, made of all aluminum, with dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and variable valve timing. That engine is also brought in by Ford for use as the basic powerplant in the Ford Escape SUV, and for the Escape HybridÂ’s gasoline engine, and it is the upgraded engine for the Focus.
The benefit of FordÂ’s status as primary investor has paid richly for Mazda, which always has been a technically advanced company. On the heels of the outstanding midsize Mazda 6 and the unique four-door RX-8 Mazda sports car, the Mazda 3 breaks more new ground. Ford also owns Volvo, and Volvo built an exceptionally strong compact sedan in the S40, so Ford put its two affiliates together, and Mazda took the S40 platform as the basis for the Mazda 3.
That gave the car a structural advantage in stiffness and safety, and freed Mazda to go to work to install the 2.3-liter four, which does a good job of moving the bigger Mazda 6, and, when its 160-horsepower force is installed into the smaller Mazda 3, it turns into a sports car in sedan or hatchback sheetmetal. Independent rear suspension and four-wheel disc brakes come standard on the hatchback model I drove, which was well-timed, because I got to drive it in the middle of winter, after driving the Mazda 3 sedan before the snow flew.
The vehicles are comparable, and choosing between them is merely a matter of need. The hatchback provides the flexibility of a small wagon with greater rear storage, but the sedan has a surprisingly large trunk. Both cars are fun to drive, with the 160-horse peak coming at 6,500 RPMs – which is the redline. That implies it’s a conservative redline, but that’s still high enough to unleash considerable pleasure. The torque peaks at 150 foot-pounds, at 4,500 revs, so the last 2,000 RPMs send the car zipping along, whatever your gear choice.
I drove the bright red sedan leisurely in city and rural traffic, and on a short trip to Northern Minnesota, and I got an actual 30.1 miles per gallon. In early February, the burnt orange hatchback – called “lava orange†— delivered 26 miles per gallon, including a trip from Minneapolis to Chicago. That 400-mile jaunt proved how good the inside of the Mazda 3 is, because its firmly supportive seats never gave me a hint of fatigue while driving straight through. The instrumentation is well laid out and attractive to look at, particularly at night, when the numbers come alive in bright orange.
Completely loaded, the Mazda 3 S five-door, with the larger engine, 17-inch alloy wheels, halogen headlights and built-in foglights, a 60-40 split fold-down rear seat, audio controls on the steering wheel, keyless entry, antitheft engine-immobilizer, and a driverÂ’s seat with height and lumbar adjustments, lists for $17,105.
The test car added leather seats, antilock brakes, a power moonroof, side-impact airbags and air curtains, and an audio upgrade that goes from a single CD to six CD dash changer, put the sticker price at $19,930.
While itÂ’s true that the loaded Mazda 3 runs right into the bargain pricing of the larger Mazda 6, both cars have distinctly different personalities and intentions.
The Mazda 6 makes a sporty-car alternative to midsize sedans such as the Accord, Camry, Altima and others, while the Mazda 3 is clearly the compact of the family. It just performs like a sporty car, with its hot engine, 17-inch wheels, and independent, suspension, which is adapted from the superb Mazda 6 design.
When Mazda redesigned the Mazda 6 for 2003, it apologized for having lost its way and vowed that the new 6 was a return to Mazda’s corporate desire to build the “zoom-zoom†emotion of motion – PR-speak for fun to drive. The Mazda 6 clearly fulfills that aim with exceptional suspension, so adapting that to the Mazda 3 only makes sense, and on the lighter, more compact car it is even sportier.
The rear hatch sets the five-door Mazda 3 apart from the sedan, and with the rear seat folded down, it will serve the purpose filled usually by only larger vehicles.
My latest road-test only amplifies what I had thought on first contact at the Mazda 3Â’s introduction. The car actually was introduced just before the end of 2003, as a 2004 model, but the cars didnÂ’t actually hit the showrooms, or the press fleets, before 2004. So when the expansive array of 2005 car-of-the-year candidates was announced, I tried my hardest to get the Mazda 3 included. My argument was that if it was out too late to be considered fairly for 2004 car of the year, then it should get a chance to compete for 2005 car of the year. I lost that battle, so the Mazda 3 didnÂ’t get a chance to compete against the Chrysler 300, Mustang, Corvette, and others.
Too bad. Even in that exalted company, the Mazda 3 might be the best example of a new car that makes a direct hit on its target.
SRT8 puts Grand Cherokee onto SUV fast track
When the venerable Jeep brand came under Chrysler Corporation, and then DaimlerChrysler, many skeptics thought it might be the demise of the popular off-roading icon. Instead, the brand has flourished and expanded to the point where 2007 promises to offer the widest variety of Jeep vehicles ever, with quality and diversity that Jeep lovers never could have anticipated.
Amid the crop of Wranglers, Grand Cherokees, and Commanders, Jeep is adding compact twins Compass and Patriot for 2007. But the Grand Cherokee by itself has gone beyond the recently upgraded and renovated family hauler with two extreme models. On one hand, you will be able to buy the Grand Cherokee with an optional Mercedes turbodiesel that should push it up among the leaders in SUV fuel economy. On the other, you can find the Grand Cherokee SRT8.
The SRT8 includes an enlarged, fire-breathing Hemi V8 massaged by Chrysler GroupÂ’s Street and Racing Technology team, and suspension, handling and styling tweaks. It is guaranteed to NOT be among the leaders in fuel economy. But hey, at least Jeep offers the high-mileage alternative of the world’s cleanest diesel, unlike some competitors who boast of high EPA estimates but rarely reach 15 miles per gallon.
In the dog days of a 100-degree 2006 summertime, letÂ’s deal with the SRT8, just for fun, because fun is what it’s all about, and the fun is measurable several ways — audible, spinal, sensual, and visual.
Visually, the SRT8 has flares and bulges and contours and side sills and spoiler edges exclusive to the model, and its meaningful front end says “Jeep†with its vertical-bar grille, but it says it with a shout that has never before been heard by the brand. Same with the rear, where two giant tailpipes stick out right in the middle of the rear bumper – right where a tow hitch might normally be. Don’t worry, a tow hitch can still be affixed, for those who want to tow things in a hurry, but we aren’t going to complain about the flashy appearance of the bright chrome twin pipes.
The test-vehicleÂ’s pearlescent silver-white paint, which fairly glowed, added to the visible impact by accentuating all the contours more subtly than some of the more dramatic colors IÂ’ve seen on it. If the looks contribute to the sensual impact of the Grand Cherokee SRT8, other elements run the sensual part of it right on up to overload.
The “spinal†measure is involved when you happen to be in one of the well-bolstered leather bucket seats, and you find out exactly how well-bolstered they are when you, or someone else, stomps on the gas and shoves your back hard against the backrest.
The “audible†portion adds to the overall sensual pleasure whenever someone stomps on the gas. ItÂ’s best, of course, when you do it yourself. Even then, it should be mandatory that you have the audio system — and the windows — cranked down. The sound of that big Hemi is that sweet, a blast of rumbling, low-throated thunder that smooths out as its pitch rises at just about the same rate as the speedometer needle climbs, although your perception is that your velocity will soon outdistance the sound.
Of course, others sharing the road with you will also be able to capture the audible part of the SRT8’s assets, because – trust me on this – you will have left them behind, where the business end of those chrome exhaust pipes will be blowing sweet music at them.
The looks are good, but the main sensual impact of the SRT8 is the vehicle’s response to the input of your right foot on the gas pedal. True, it also handles well, corners hard, stays flat and shows a curvy-road agility that can’t be anticipated, even by Jeep fans familiar with the rock-crawling mountain-goatness of the vehicleÂ’s Wrangler cousins. But the rate of “go” is still startling.
You already could get a Hemi in the Grand Cherokee, a 5.7-liter garden variety, if any Hemi can be so described. It converts the Grand Cherokee from a utilitarian vehicle into a potential hot rod, and obviously must have been what caught the fertile imagination of those white-smocked fellows who pretend to be working while having such fun as SRT engineers.
The SRT8Â’s Hemi is, instead, a 6.1-liter expansion of the 5.7, carefully crafted to push the performance envelope upward and outward, to 420 horsepower and 420 foot-pounds of torque. You have to be precise to extract maximum horsepower, because it peaks at 6,200 RPMs, which just happens to coincide with the redline limit of engine revs. The torqueÂ’s prodigious peak comes at 4,800 RPMs, so you can run the revs up swiftly, then try to keep the revs between 4,800 and 6,200 between shift points.
You will only do that a couple of times, of course, before you will be attracting plenty of attention, and unless you are on a dragstrip, a closed course, a German autobahn, or the Bonneville Salt Flats, you will run completely out of “legal†in a few seconds.
While your sports-car-powered friends have been spending a ton to try to find cars that will go 0-60 in less than 6 seconds, the SRT8 will go 0-60 in 4.5 seconds. It has been tested over quarter-mile runs at 104 miles per hour, in a mere 13.2, which is modified Super Stock drag-racing territory. The Grand Cherokee SRT8 needs more than a quarter-mile to show all its stuff, though, because it also will hit a top speed of 155 mph. Large disc brakes at all four corners will promptly haul you back down to zero, without a parachute.
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The Grand Cherokee itself was vastly improved a year ago, transformed into the tightest, best-looking and best-built Grand Cherokee ever. Loading up the Grand Cherokee with options can put it up there in price with other mid-size SUVs, but those other SUVs are nowhere near as special as the SRT8. It starts at $39,995 – or, “under $40,000†as the marketing folks like to say. If you dip liberally into the option bin, you can find enough interesting additions to get the sticker up to $45,000 or so, but no matter how much you want to spend for it, you’re still getting a genuinely unique member of the SUV cult.
The metamorphosis of a Jeep model into such racy territory is intriguing, because Jeeps were hauling troops across impassable terrain in World War II and Korea before kids in the U.S. started souping up cars to racing trim. The SRT8 shows that Jeep has not only kept track of where the automotive trends have brought us, it has decided to join the fun.
All that power is controlled by a beefed-up 5-speed automatic, with Autostick, which lets you switch into a manual gate and click right to upshift, left to downshift. Being a Jeep, the SRT8Â’s main concession to Jeepdom to make sure all four wheels get to join in. Jeep has several 4-wheel-drive systems, with the test vehicle having the Quadra-Trac Active on-demand system. A clutch in the center differential alters the split of torque, varying how much power is sent to the front when you attempt a burnout with the rears.
The high-performance suspension, plus stability bars fore and aft, are complemented by ESP – the Electronic Stability Program – and quicker-tuned steering improves the SRT8 Cherokee’s swervability, and 4-wheel traction control further keeps it on the ground. Standard 20-inch, chrome plated 5-point alloy wheels further improve stability. Goodyear Eagle RS-A EMT tires – 255/45R on 9-inch wide wheels in front and 285/40R on 10-inch width rears – also grip the corners well enough to make the SRT8 feel far more agile than its 4,794 pounds would indicate.
The Cherokee SRT8 is firm enough to let road irregularities be transmitted to your steering feel, which is altogether fitting and proper for a vehicle that intends to focus on performance. Towing capacity is still 3,500 pounds, and you still have room to haul the neighbor’s daughter, with her dogs in the rear. Folding the second seats down, you can slide large sheets of plywood into the rear. It is safe to say that no other piece of plywood ever had as much fun being hauled home from MenardÂ’s. Or made it there as swiftly.
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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