Magnum SRT8 takes quantum leap with 425 horsepower
You know those little inscriptions they put on outside convex mirrors, the ones that say: “Caution, objects might be closer than they appear?†Well, maybe Dodge should consider paraphrasing those on the new Magnum SRT8. On the driverÂ’s side of the windshield, an inscription should read: “Caution, stepping on the gas can cause objects ahead to get closer sooner than seems possible.Ââ€
When the Dodge Magnum was introduced, its captivating shape – letÂ’s call it a “custom-chopped wagon” look – was impressive in a startling sort of a way. The long, low wagon had the three-barreled power approach, too, with a small 2.7-liter V6, a larger 3.5-liter V6, and a Hemi V8, and if rear-wheel drive bothered you in wintertime, you could even get all-wheel drive on the 3.5 version.
The Magnum finished runner-up to the Chrysler 300, its formal-sedan sibling, for a 1-2 finish in North American Car of the Year voting. After driving all three versions of the first Magnum, and being impressed by the capabilities of all of them, the question remained, what could Dodge do to bolster the Magnum for 2006? It seemed that nothing was necessary, because the new model would work for several years, but Dodge turned the Magnum over to its Street and Racing Technology (SRT) team.
The answer is the Magnum SRT8, and when I got a chance to road-test what might have been the first one to hit Minnesota, I have to admit I was startled all over again.
True, it has the same long, low, sloping roof, as if a California custom shop had knocked out part of the side pillars to lower the roofline. But sitting there, glistening metallic silver, it looked considerably more imposing. For one, the signature Dodge nose, rounded off aerodynamically around the bold crosshairs grille, is rounded off no more, but has sharply chiseled grooves defining the headlights and the grille, with the lower front fascia housing projector foglights in a ground-hugging posture that is impressive to look at, although it might be less impressive if you pulled too close to a curb in front of you.
But mostly, it’s the wheels. Bright, chrome wheels, with five glossy spokes, and they are enormous – 20 inch monsters, shod with low-profile, high-performance tires. They fill up the wheelwells, but in a good way.
I really like the headlights, too. Obviously influenced by Mercedes stylists, the Magnum has a slim crescent around the upper edge of the main headlight housing for the parking light and directional signal in amber. They look great when just the parking lights are on, and they add a sinister eyebrow to the headlights shining through those clear lenses with all the lights on.
None of the appearance tricks can match what’s inside the SRT8 Magnum, however. The venerable pushrod Hemi, with which DaimlerChrysler proves General Motors isn’t the only corporation that knows how to wrench inexpensive power out of a large-block engine, was very impressive in its initial form – 5.7 liters and 340 horsepower. That’s a significant increase over the 250 horses of the 3.5 V6, or the 190 horsepower from the high-tech but small 2.7.
But the SRT gang had a little fun with the 5.7, boosting the displacement to 6.1 liters with a whopping 425 horsepower, and 420 foot-pounds of torque.
Believe me, when you hammered the gas pedal on last year’s Hemi, the Magnum jumped up and took off. But in the SRT8, when you hit the gas there is a momentary stirring audibly as your ears fill with the building rumble, and instantly you are launched – fast and hard. It makes you careful, very careful, about stepping on it too hard or too often, because the response is sudden and forceful. That’s why the suggested windshield disclaimer might be useful. A casual or mind-wandering driver could find quick trouble without devoted focus on driving fundamentals.
The SRT guys are sharp, and they not only tweak maximum power out of that Hemi, but they also install high-performance suspension, and what they call “performance-tuned†suspension. Aided by the big tires on those huge wheels, the Magnum SRT8 whips around corners flat as you please, belying the fact that it’s a big and hefty wagon. The five-speed automatic transmission also is beefed up for what SRT engineers assume – and intend – to be foot-heavy driving.
The charcoal/slate leather bucket seats, with a neat suede-like insert, clutches your body to also help stabilize things. Other special touches for the SRT8 include white-faced gauges, and set apart further the SRT driving experience.
Dodge lucks out on one thing. The craze for power that dominated the industry three or four years ago, and led to such power-monsters as the SRT8, could find showroom disaster when it crosses paths with real-world gasoline prices of $3 a gallon, and threatening more. But DaimlerChrysler came out with the first cylinder-deactivation system – General Motors is following suit – on a domestic car. Honda already has it out on V6 engines.
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What that does is allow the engines to cut out power to four of the eight cylinders when cruising, because it doesn’t take any more than moderate power to hold, say, 70 miles per hour – even if you attained it in 5 seconds. So you cut out half the cylinders and get decent gas mileage. The EPA highway estimate is 20 miles per gallon, and I got 21 on the highway and just under 20 if you combine city and highway.
That’s not great, against high gas prices. But it sure beats the 11 or so of the big SUVs, and the anticipated 15 you might peak at without cylinder deactivation in a 425-horse ground-thumper. Still, I was driving from Duluth to Minneapolis, and with a quarter of a tank, I thought I’d try to get closer to the Twin Cities in hopes of better gas prices, so I put in “only†$10-worth. I had to stop and put in another $10-worth before making it. While that says more about the price of gas than the SRT8’s sketchy mileage, it’s still a major factor in real-world decision making.
Electronic stability control and all-speed traction control help keep the SRT8 going in a straight line, or at least where you aim it, and huge four-wheel disc brakes help haul it down when you go fast.
A navigation system, Sirius satellite radio, heated seats, and air filtration on the dual climate control system are among options. They carried the base price of a stripped SRT8 from $37,320 to a sticker of $42,150 for the test car.
For that, we can be pretty certain weÂ’re seeing the ultimate, optimum Dodge Magnum high-performance wagon. At least until the SRT gang spends another year coming up with new ideas. Come to think of it, a second warning to the driver could flash onto the windshield whenever the gas pedal is stepped on firmly, reading: “Caution, stepping too hard, too often, on gas pedal could cause fuel gauge to reach ‘E’ faster than seems possible.”
New Audi A4 features revised look, engines, interior
TUCSON, ARIZ. — The A4 has been more than just a well-designed intermediate-sized sedan for Audi. It is the vehicle that transported the company from the brink of withdrawing from the United States marketplace 10 years ago to an upward spiral of success. Audi not only rivals German counterparts BMW and Mercedes for refined motoring in all categories, its quattro all-wheel-drive system and advanced engine technology make it one of the worldÂ’s standards of technical innovation.
So the timing seemed both perfect and curious that Audi introduced an entirely new A4 to North American automotive media this past week in the cactus-covered hilly region around Tucson. The timing is perfect because not only 10 years have passed since the A4 was introduced to the U.S., and Audi is about to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its quattro system, which spreads out the power to all four wheels all the time.
It is curious, however, because the A4 introduction comes just three months after Audi unveiled an entirely redesigned A6 sedan, and it seems like quite a challenge for a small company from Ingolstadt, Germany, to launch and promote the stunning new larger A6 and the new A4 almost simultaneously. While the A4 will be hitting showrooms immediately, it would seem like an early 2006, but it must be designated as a 2005 model because production started last November.
The new A4 has a new look, a new interior, more power, improved suspension, and, simply, is more fun to drive. From the new trapezoidal corporate grille to the oddly shaped taillights, the A4 is more than just a reskinning of the company’s golden egg. An entirely new interior – with workable cupholders, even – puts you in command of two new engines that both are cutting-edge in technical advances. Even the proven excellence of the quattro has been altered.
At the technical session before we drove the new cars, a video showed an A4 being driven in swift little circles on an icy surface. The driver had kinked the wheel enough to hang out the rear end just a bit, and held that tail-out attitude. I happened to be sitting next to Marc Trahan, Audi’s technical guru. “You wouldn’t have been able to do that with the old quattro, would you?†I asked. He shook his head.
ItÂ’s true. The quattro always has had 50/50 power distribution through its Torsen all-wheel-drive unit, because it was originally designed for performance, giving more power to the outside wheels in tight cornering, although it also was always able to shift a greater percentage of torque to the front or rear axle if it detected slippage at either end. The new quattro system on the A4Â’s Torsen can still shift the torque provide optimum traction if slippage is detected, but it will do so from a 40/60 front/rear basis rather than 50/50.
The previous A4 quattro always traced such a precise arc that it almost felt more like it was on rails than that it was responding to steering input, while the new one feels even more precise because you can make it go just a bit over the line by inducing the proper doses of steering and throttle.
“We built the A4 to be more agile and offer more driving fun,†said Armin Ruscheinsky, the man in charge of developing the new suspension on the car. Ruscheinsky explained that the new suspension is borrowed from the larger A6 or high-performance specialty S4 vehicles, with the front double-wishbone unit improving the grip and steering feedback, and the rear trapezoidal system improving on preventing any tendency to oversteer and staying planted whether accelerating, swerving or braking.
“The handling limits are very high, with limited body roll,†Ruscheinsky said. “It has the safety of German high-speed cars, but with a high-degree of comfort. In testing, we were able to do laps below nine minutes at Nurburgring. I hope you can feel the spirit and character of this car.Ââ€
We didnÂ’t have Nurburgring, but we did have some rural highways outside of Tucson, one with about a dozen steeply undulating dips and hills. Ruscheinsky was in the back seat when we went out on our first drive, definitely feeling the spirit and character of the A4 as I stayed on the power, somewhere beyond the speed limit to feel like we might go airborne at the crest of each hill, then settling back down on the suspension with surprising grace for the dips. Ruscheinsky altered the road feel with shock absorber settings to absorb almost all the energy on its first flex, but staying up firm after one flex, rather than continuing to bounce. It was fun to push the A4, and Ruscheinsky seemed to enjoy the fact that I found it fun.
Fun seems to be the focal point of various car-makers these days, but when German car-makers say it, they mean it at another dimension, because of their unlimited-speed autobahn environment. Johan de Nysschen, the new executive vice president of Audi of America, talked about how Audi had caught its German counterparts in three-year residual value ratings, with Audi retaining 52 percent, BMW 54 percent and Mercedes 51 percent of original value, and that Audi was named as the best premium brand among German cars up to three years old.
The 2004 A4 is powered by two very good engines, a 1.8-liter four cylinder engine with five valves per cylinder and low-pressure turbocharging, and a 3.0-liter V6, also with five valves. For almost any other company, those two engines would be over the top for technical advancements, but the new A4 goes beyond both of them.
A 2.0-liter four TSI becomes the first regular-production engine available in any car with both direct injection and turbocharging. With direct injection, a high-pressure fuel-air mixture is injected into the combustion chamber rather than an intake port, which gives us a much denser and cooler mixture,†Trahan said. That allows it to run at a high 10.5-to-1 compression ratio, with 200 horsepower and 207 foot-pounds of torque – figures that represent a 30-horsepower and 41-foot-pound increase over the 1.8, and lowers 0-60 times from 7.8 to 7.1 seconds.
AudiÂ’s engineers have ingeniously coordinated the turbocharger and the electronic controls so that the horsepower peak occurs at 5,100 RPMs and holds that peak to 5,500, while the torque peaks at 1,800 RPMs and remains at that peak all the way to 5,000 RPMs. While torque is mainly responsible for the low-end power, it is best when the torque curve gets close to overlapping with the horsepower peak, and with this engine, the torque peak runs all the way into the middle of the peak horsepower band.
The upgraded engine is the 3.2-liter V6 that is the base engine of the larger A6. It, too, is a four-valve gem with direct injection, with 12.5-to-1 compression ratio, producing 255 horsepower and 243 foot-pounds of torque, which is an increase of 35 horsepower and 22 foot-pounds, and it lowers the 0-60 acceleration time from 6.9 to 6.6 seconds. The 3.2 is not turbocharged, and its torque peak is 3,250 while its horsepower peaks at 6,500 revs.
The six-speed manual transmission with the 2.0 four-cylinder and the Sport Package suspension – set to S4 specifications – was the most fun to drive. Truly a sports car in sedan clothing. And fancy clothes, at that.
We also drove the Avant, which is the wagon version of the A4, and we tried that with the 3.2 V6 and the six-speed automatic, which is a Tiptronic unit that you can shift manually, if you choose. Even with more power, and an efficient automatic being hand-shifted, the four with the stick felt quicker. The normal suspension is firm enough, although the Sport setting is firmer without being uncomfortable.
We got a surprise when we tried the 2.0 four with the CVT – constantly variable transmission. When we pulled onto the road, we were behind an elderly pair driving very slowly. For a mile or so. When I finally got a clear space to pass, I pulled out and hammered it, and the A4 took off like a scalded cat. I had to double check to assure that it was the four, but it was extra impressive because it was the front-wheel-drive version, not the heavier quattro.
One of the biggest features of the new A4 is the price list. The base 2.0 front-wheel drive sedan with the six-speed manual has a base of $27,350. The same car with the CVT is $28,550. Moving up to the 2.0 with quattro and the stick boosts the base price to $29,450, while the Avant version of that car is $30,450. The sedan with quattro and six-speed Tiptronic is $30,650, and the Avant is $31,650. If you want the 3.2 V6 quattro, the base sedan comes with the six-speed Tiptronic for $35,400, and the Avant is $36,400 A $720 desdtination cost must be added to those base prices, as well as all sorts of tempting options, such as DVD navigation, headlight washers, and the ability to play MP3 music.
As usual, Audi loaded up the A4 with two-stage airbags and air curtains, and structurally is is both lighter and stronger because 45 percent of the car is built of high-strength steel. The interior is all new, similar to the A6, which I think is a large improvement over the previously very good interior. In the A4, you can choose your type of real wood trim from the option list, and thereÂ’s some brushed aluminum and leather wherever you look.
U.S. customers finally have gotten through to Audi about cupholders, too. The last time I drove an A4, with the neat little slot that popped out of the dash and turned into a spindly cupholder, I plunked my tall, Nissan insulated coffee mug into the holder and pulled out of my driveway. I looked both ways, then pulled out onto the road. Suddenly I felt intense heat in my crotch area. The mug had flipped out of the holder, and, after a full end-over-end flight, had landed upside down in my lap.
The new A4 has receptacles sunk simply into the console, with spring clips to secure any coffee mug or water bottle you might choose to put in there. Simple, and it works superbly. That leaves, as the only complaint, the control knob that is used to alter the audio or the heat-air. It is a simplified version of the all-controlling knob BMW and other Audis have used before, and it still is needlessly complicated. A simple round knob and push-button system would be much preferred, much like the cupholders. But at least complex audio tuners donÂ’t threaten you with getting scalded by yout own coffee.
(John Gilbert writes weekly auto reviews, and can be contacted at cars@jwgilbert.com.)
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?
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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