Hummer could crush Corollas, or invade Canada
Step on the gas pedal and the Hummer H1 lurches into action, its turbodiesel engine roaring menacingly for an instant before the big beast moves, but when it moves, it does so in a forceful and dramatic manner. As you start to turn a corner, the thought persists that you might be about to crush a Corolla, because the Hummer is so big and wide, you might not see a compact car in its path.
All that is lacking is the placement of a .50 caliber machine gun on the roof. If random use of a couple of July Fourth firecrackers were legal, you could toss them out the window and the reaction would be predictable: Hide your women and children! Pull your compacts and subcompacts off the street!
IÂ’ve driven a couple of different Hummer models recently, and the timing is perfect. What could be more fitting, on Fourth of July weekend than to be driving a Hummer H2 SUT? Before you can say flying an F-16 over your neighborhood fireworks display, or sailing an aircraft carrier up the Mississippi River, the easy answer is that the only thing more fitting to drive than an H2 on July Fourth weekend would be driving the Hummer H1.
General Motors has been working with AM General to create some variations of the military Humvee for street use. The Hummer H1 is the most direct variant, but GM has also collaborated with AM General to build a couple of mellower versions, the H2 and H3. They basically consist of Chevy Tahoe platforms and engines, with Hummer bodies. Nearly as bold, almost as outrageous, but much more compatible with street traffic.
The H2 SUT I recently test-drove is the model with a small pickup-like box on the rear, which is handy for hauling stuff. The H2 Hummer is much more reasonable to drive on the streets than the hard-core H1. The Hummer H1 is close to what our country is sending to Iraq for the troops to drive over hill, over dale, and most importantly over the sand-dune trails. No, the street version of the H1 does not have armor plating, but, based on criticism about some of the vehicles weÂ’ve been sending to Iraq, that may make it more similar.
Driving any Hummer is a better method for calculating which passers-by are left-leaning and which are right-leaning than any political poll. As you cruise along, every pedestrian and passing motorist with whom you allegedly are sharing the road have one of two reactions. About half smile, wave, give you a thumbs-up for driving such an intimidating vehicle, or yell “Nice truck.†The other half frowns or looks away with some degree of scorn, as if to say, “How could anyone drive such a thing?Ââ€
That seat-of-the-pants survey excludes young males, under, say, 15, because they all love the Hummers – any Hummers – the way young kids used to play war. And there never has been such obvious over-the-top vehicles. Over-the-top works any way you’d like, because the off-road capability of the Hummer is to go anywhere, with enormous ground clearance underneath and suspension travel that would be the envy of mountain goats.
Comparing the H1 and the H2 SUT – for Sport Utility Truck – is indeed like comparing apples to oranges, but only if either apples or oranges cost well over twice as much as the other.
The Hummer H1 has a “standard vehicle price†of $139,771, and with the Off-Road Adventure Package, which includes a 12,000-pound electric winch coiled on the front (think about that), and electrically locking axles with two-piece aluminum wheels, you lift the sticker to $146,622.
In comparison, the Hummer H2 SUT lists for $52,485, and even adding the luxury series package of chromed appearance items, a step bar to reduce the high-jump quality entry, upgraded interior package, XM Satellite radio, integrated navigation system, air suspension with compressor, and a chromed roof rack and guards for the lights, you still are only at $62,735. Only.
Driving the two vehicles is even more dramatic than the price difference.
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Basically, GM figured that the macho look of the Hummer was just fine, but the vehicleÂ’s compatibility with everyday traffic was a little much. So it basically submitted the Tahoe SUV for AM General to cover with a Hummer body, and the interior is very livable and pleasant for a family. A third row seat still leaves some cargo room, and easily folds out of the way to increase it if needed.
The H2 (and H3) get GMÂ’s 6-liter V8 engine, and in the test vehicle it 316 horsepower and 360 foot-pounds of torque. It is agile and maneuverable, much like any Tahoe, which is to say much like any full-size SUV. No, it wonÂ’t win the neighborhood autocross, but it does go anywhere a standard SUV will go. Just expect to get the liberal-conservative reaction test every time you drive it.
With the ladder frame and heavy duty suspension components, plus an electronic transfer case and electrically locking rear differential, the H2 SUT is prepared for any off-road duty you might dream up. That includes going through rugged terrain on the way to some remote fishing spot. Uncharacteristic for the Hummer image, the H2 SUT also has eight-way power driverÂ’s seat, dual zone front heat/air controls, rear audio controls, a Bose premium speaker system, power sliding sunroof, and remote lock, as well as Onstar.
In other words, the Hummer H2 SUT has most of the amenities of any premium, luxury level SUV, and as such, the price of $62,735 is pretty much in line with what luxury SUV-buyers have to spend. The SUT version has a handy pickup-like box with a locking top. Unlock the top, undo the little complex rear assembly to swing the spare tire free, then open the tailgate. It’s a lot of work, but a versatile use of space.
But if you want military, flag-waving, jingoistic parallels, move gingerly up to the H1. The standard logo for AM General shows an H1 parked at a jaunty angle, while a black-silhouetted companion vehicle is parked behind it, with someone manning a machine gun on the roof.
The 6.5-liter Duramax V8 Turbodiesel has 205 horsepower – despite the fact sheet’s suggestion it has 300 horsepower—at 3,200 RPMs. But horses matter less than torque in a diesel, and this one spews out 440 foot-pounds of torque at only 1,800 RPMs.
The H1 got about 10 miles per gallon. I got a scare because I thought I was running low on fuel at one point, and after I filled it, for $46, I realized there is a reserve tank. Actually, there are two 30-gallon tanks for your diesel fuel. Just so you can have a chance to make it home after youÂ’ve ventured out to terrorize the neighborhood.
Getting into the H1 is no small accomplishment. I found it best to throw one leg up as if high-jumping, at a trajectory that carries your foot up and into the cockpit. Then you can find an assortment of handles and lunges that can carry the rest of your body up in there to join your leading foot. One reason it’s so high is that the H1 has a 16-inch gap between any body parts and the ground – the better to clear any and all obstacles on the way to the ol’ fishing hole. The ground clearance is enhanced by the angular undercarriage, which is not only armor-plated against rocks, but tapered to allow entering at a 72-degree approach angle and departing at a 37.5-degree angle.
Once inside, you realize that the improvements to the interior for 2004 have made a big difference, both in the quality of the materials and in the features. One thing that is no different is the incredible lack of useful room inside. This is a vehicle that measures 130 inches in length, with a track (between front wheels) of 72 inches, and yet there are only four bucket seats inside, and without any chance of increasing tdhat number. When you sit in the driverÂ’s seat, the right side front seat occupant is 40 inches away, across the high intrusion of the center console. Same in the rear. It would take a contortionist to climb from the left rear seat to the right, and the chance of the driver hopping across to the right is even less feasible.
Because some of the controls and numerous switches have been added on in an attempt to make the Hummer more civilized, they arenÂ’t all in what you would call logical, ergonomic locations. On your first turn behind the wheel, for example, you will grope for a while to find the power window switches. They are on a four-switch grouping, located at about a 45-degree angle, on the western slope of that massive center console.
When you turn the key, that roar you hear tells you that the diesel under the hood means business. It doesn’t matter what the horsepower and torque numbers say, or that the curb weight of the monster is 7,500 pounds – the equivalent of three Mazda Miatas, or two of virtually any sedans – when you stomp on the gas, the big Hummer H1 moves on out. The H2, for what it’s worth, weighs in at 6,500 pounds, so it’s not as if it is the Weight Watcher’s poster vehicle either.
But the H1 surprised me. I had driven one of the first models ever offered to the public, and it filled the highway lane so thoroughly I felt nervous wondering whether any adjustment in vector would mean I was going to cross the dotted line, or put a wheel off on the shoulder. With the latest H1, I felt quite comfortable after only a few drives.
I did learn that you have to adopt an attitude when driving the H1. You are going to get the reactions anticipated – adulation or scorn, with no stops in between – so you might as well drive it boldly and with some aggressiveness. My wife, Joan, drove it across town and said she found people cutting her off every block. When I asked her, I realized she had driven hesitantly, being overly cautious, and that gave others the spirit to cut her off.
Instead, if you drive a little bit boldly, as if you don’t really want to crush those Corollas – unless one ventures into your lane – then you’ll find people will stay out of your way. Cutting a wide swath around a corner in city traffic, I felt as though other drivers might consider pulling onto the sidewalk to give me room.
When I arrived at a ballgame a little closer to starting time than I had wanted, because of traffic congestion, I simply told my teammates: “IÂ’d have made it earlier, but it took me longer because I kept having this compelling urge to invade Canada.Ââ€
(John Gilbert writes weekly reviews of new vehicles. Reach him at cars@jwgilbert.com.)
Larger Jetta expands into compact/midsize segment
SAN DIEGO, CALIF. — It is the stuff of automotive legend how the United States adopted the old Volkswagen Beetle, as well as the new Volkswagen Beetle. But so did the entire automotive world. In fact, they kept making the old Beetle for South America sales right up until the new one took over. Far more subtle, but possibly more significant, has been the U.S. acceptance of the Volkswagen Jetta.
The compact Jetta sedan has done OK around the rest of the world, but not as well as the hatchback Golf on which itÂ’s based. In the U.S., however, 2.2 million Jettas have been sold during its 25-year lifespan. So, what can VW do for an encore?
Just in time to celebrate both the 25th anniversary of the Jetta and the 50th anniversary of the creation of Volkswagen of America, Volkswagen is introducing a new 2005 Jetta that may be the most comprehensively changed Jetta in the carÂ’s five-generation history.
There is no resemblance between the 2004 Jetta, which is a surprise in itself. The 2004 is a neatly styled, very well-proportioned compact sedan, with an adequate rear seat, trunk, and roomy front buckets, and variations that can range from mundane to super-economical, to startlingly fun to drive. The new 2005 model. While surprisingly different, the new car retains the family value benefits of the car it replaces, and adds to those assets considerably, having grown by seven inches in length, to 179.3 inches, and by three inches to 101.5 inches in wheelbase, and by one inch, to 69.3 inches in width. The extra room pays off with a 16-cubic-foot trunk and a roomy, 60-40 split rear seat.
We were limited to the basic Jetta with automatic transmissions at our press introduction, which might have been a good idea. When there are a variety of models, itÂ’s too tempting to try to latch onto the sportiest model and drive it the most. This way, the sporty models are still to come. The base Jetta comes with a 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine with four valves per cylinder, developing 150 horsepower at 5,000 RPMs, and 170 foot-pounds of torque at 3,750 RPMs, with 90 percent of that torque available from 900 revs on up. Those numbers represent a 30-percent improvement over the old carÂ’s 115 horsepower, and 39 percent more torque than the old four-cylinder.
I asked if the five-cylinder was a derivative from the Audi five-cylinder that used to power the Audi 90 a dozen years ago, but it is not. It has an impressive heritage, however. Audi and VW own Lamborghini, the Italian exotic sports car builder, and the first model built under AudiÂ’s auspices was the Gallardo, powered by a 5.0-liter V10 engine. The 2.5 five-cylinder engine in the Jetta is one bank of the Lamborghini V10.
A stick shift will perk up performance, presumably, because good as the automatic is, it kept us from extracting full power, which always felt adequate, but never left me thinking we were going half as swiftly as a Lamborghini. All the time we spent driving in the mountains east of San Diego, I not only was eager for a manual transmission, but for the upcoming models.
Next out will be the Jetta TDI, with a 1.9-liter turbocharged diesel that has low horsepower but high torque and fuel-economy that can reach into the 40s. After that will come the GLI model – one former designation the new Jetta won’t eliminate. That’s the sporty model, and it will come with Audi’s new and fantastic direct-injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder, which has no resemblance to the outgoing VW 2.0-liter, and has shown dazzling power in the bigger Audi A4. It should make the Jetta get up and howl.
Jetta’s new grille is what VW vice president Len Hunt calls “our corporate grille,†and completely different lines that make the car look quite a bit larger. That’s another surprise. The new Jetta IS quite a bit larger. Hunt, we must recall, used to be a top executive of Audi, and now has ascended to the top job at VW of America, but his lineage might be showing. The so-called “corporate grille†of the Jetta bears a strong resemblance to the new “corporate grille†of Audi, as shown on the A6 and A4, and I wondered if it wasn’t an overall VW-Group corporate grille, but Hunt frowned and said he didn’t see the resemblance.
To me, the resemblance remains quite obvious, since both are inverted trapezoid shapes, with the wide part at the top, and a bold horizontal bar across the middle of the opening. On the Audi, that grille is large and obvious; on the Jetta, when itÂ’s made of bright chrome, itÂ’s even more obvious.
The new Jetta takes Volkswagen into new territory. The first Jetta was basically a Golf with a trunk. The car evolved, through renovations, to become a premium subcompact – maybe the premium road car of all subcompacts, and then competed against premium compacts. The new version of the Jetta will spread that competition further, challenging in both the huge premium midsize segment, against Accords, Camrys, Mazda 6es, Altimas and Legacy models. Because fluctuating sizes can blur the parameters, Volkswagen officials also have designs on taking customers away from the entry luxury class, which includes the Acura TSX, Volvo S40, and others.
In normal flat-land driving, I found the new Jetta to be quite responsive and adequately powered. While pushing it hard through some mountain ranges and valleys, the taut, predictable steering and handling was impressively precise on the twistiest switchbacks. I tried both leaving the transmission in automatic mode, as well as hand-shifting it with the Tiptronic to hold third gear for many of the tighter curves in the mountains.
Every new Jetta for the worldÂ’s market will be built in the Puebla, Mexico, plant, which is located 60 miles southeast of Mexico City, and which has undergone an $800 million transformation — $200 million of which went toward an engine assembly line, and another $200 million of which has gone to install 360 robotic devices to include such things as body-assembly welding lasers. The plant employs 13,000 workers.
A lot of attention has gone to reducing wind noise and quality control, and less noticeable but far more significant is the attention to strengthening and stiffening the platform. The new Jetta is 60 percent stiffer in static rigidity, and 30 percent improved in both dynamic rigidity and against dynamic flexing. The stiffer car makes the handling of the revised but familiar front suspension and the new fully independent four-link rear suspension feel firmly secure.
There will be four trim versions of the Jetta by summertime, and Hunt, a pleasant fellow of British heritage, said that Volkswagen had “gotten rid of the old names, like GL, and GLX…†although his celebratory tone might have been what they call “understated British humor,†because he then told us what the new models would be called. The base trim level is – are you ready for this? – the “Value†model. Next will come the “2.5†model, although the 2.5 is available in all models, and later on the Jetta also will be available in “Package 1,†and then “Package 2.Ââ€
The names might sound funny, and maybe they’re flashier in German, or in Mexico, but we wonÂ’t complain about the pricing. The “Value†starts at $17,900, pretty well equipped with the 2.5 engine, four-wheel antilock disc brakes, electromechanical steering, side-curtain airbags, and five-speed manual. Add $1,000 for a six-speed automatic with Tiptronic manual-shift feature. The “2.5†is named after the engine, although the same engine is in all four levels of the initial version, and it starts at $20,390 by adding dual-zone climate control, heated seats, rain-sensing wipers, stability control, and a six-CD changer. The “Package 1†model is $22,350, and includes sunroof, premium sound system, and 16-inch wheels instead of 15. “Package 2†starts at $25,050, and comes with leather seats, wood-trimmed interior, and 12-way power driver seat.
Not bad, for what you get. I felt that a stick shift would have made the five-cylinder feel quite a lot livelier than the automatic, and would make the base models at each level perform admirably. Safety characteristics include side-curtain and thorax airbags, crash-active head restraints, and, most prominently, the four-wheel disc brakes are 11 percent larger in the front and 23 percent larger at the rear.
The old Jetta is gone; long live the new Jetta. But get those other models out!
(John Gilbert writes weekly auto reviews, and can be reached at cars@jwgilbert.com.)
Tucson shines despite drizzly Portland weather
PORTLAND, OR. — Korean automaker Hyundai has made impressive strides in the last few years, and its new Tucson compact SUV pretty well assures that it will keep moving – onward and upward, and over all sorts of terrain.
The Tucson is new from the tires up, and is more compact in size, and price, than the Santa Fe, HyundaiÂ’s first venture into anything other than cars. While aimed primarily as a versatile family hauler of five, the Tucson does appear to have some off-road capabilities. It comes in front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, and the 4WD versions have a lockable differential, which is usually the key element to distinguish more serious off-roaders.
Hyundai officials say the Tucson is aimed at that elusive “younger†market, with what sounds like a pretty good motto: “Live more, yawn less, for under $20,000.†If it is a little more vibrant and more sporty, the Tucson would allow Hyundai to move the Santa Fe more upscale, which is another plan, once an all-new $1.1 billion plant opens in Alabama, where the new Sonata sedan and Santa Fe will be built for 2006.
The Tucson is slightly longer, at 170.3 inches, than a Toyota RAV4, and a few inches shorter than the Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute, or the Honda CR-V. The Tucson has a 103.5-inch wheelbase, slightly longer than all of those, and claims interior room that is equal or better. With two front, two side-curtain and two seat-mounted airbags, Hyundai claims the Tucson is the lowest priced vehicle with six airbags and a stability control system.
Price is a major factor in what is sure to be the popularity of the Tucson. The GL, with front-wheel drive and a four-cylinder engine starts at $17,499, with four-wheel drive adding $1,500. The GLS comes with the 2.7-liter V6 only, and comes in at $19,900 and some change – just enough to stay under $20,000. The LX model, with leather interior and an audio upgrade added to all the GLS features, is priced at $21,249, with everything but an optional sunroof standard.
As an inexpensive alternative to minivans, station wagons, or expensive and gas-hungry larger SUVs, the Tucson is a neatly styled vehicle that performed very well on our introductory test runs through the Oregon countryside, and I like the fact that the Tucson is free of the little curves and unnecessary bulges that make the Santa Fe distinctive, but can also grow wearisome.
It seems Hyundai has a fixation on Southwestern U.S. cities for names, but when it was raining hard in Portland, and points due west out to the Pacific Ocean, when Hyundai gathered the nationÂ’s motoring journalists for the introduction of the Tucson, making me wonder why they didnÂ’t they hold the introduction in, sayÂ…Tucson? Of course, the same could be said for the Toyota Tacoma, which was introduced in Detroit; the Dodge Dakota, which was introduced in Nashville (at the Tennessee football stadium, no less, where the background for an on-field intro was a huge sign that said “TitansÂâ€); or the Chrysler Sebring, which was introduced in Seattle.
Hyundai hasnÂ’t misfired very often in recent years. The upwardly mobile company has increased total U.S. vehicle sales from 100,000 to 400,000 since 1998. In U.S. sales by an import manufacturer, Hyundai rose to rank fourth by the end of the 2003 model year with 400,221 sales, behind 1-2 leaders Toyota (1.6 million) and Honda (1.17 million), and Nissan (675,000), and ahead of Volkswagen (302,686). Globally, General Motors ranks first with 8.2 million sales, Toyota second (6.8 million), Ford third (6.7 million), Volkswagen fourth (5.0 million), DaimlerChrysler fifth (4.3 million), Peugeot/Citroen fifth (3.2 million) and Hyundai sixth (3.04 million).
Hyundai also listed JD Power and other market research statistics to show that Hyundai ranks fifth behind only Chevrolet, Toyota, Ford and Honda for brand loyalty among U.S. buyers, and ranks second behind only Suzuki’s super-inexpensive models for conquest sales – those who buy after previously buying another brand. Those, Hyundai claims, include what is called “captive resentfuls†– those who didn’t particularly want a Hyundai but couldn’t afford anything more expensive.
Those days when the 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty were required to lure customers have long since passed. Cars like the Sonata and Accent have ranked first or second in initial quality for their segments, even though Hyundai also has taken over Kia, the struggling Korean manufacturer, and upgrading everything in the Kia line. Hyundai now turns its attention to its own brands, with seven new ones planned in the next two years. The Elantra will be redone in the fall of 2006, a minivan in the spring of Â’06, the Santa Fe in early spring of Â’06, the XG luxury sedan in late 2005, the Accent in the coming summer, and the Sonata in the coming spring.
But for now, the Tucson takes center stage. The Tucson starts out on a modified Elantra platform, with four-wheel independent rear suspension, and front approach-angle clearance of 28.2 degrees, plus 7.8-inches of front axle clearance. The ability to lock the differential means you might venture off-road, although the introductory drive’s off-road excursion was a little-used gravel road with a couple of puddles – nothing worse than a lot of rural driveways you might encounter.
On the road, the Tucson felt quick and agile with the 2.7-liter V6, and the switchgear had a simple and solid-feeling touch to operate. I dislike the gimmicky oval ring around the gauges, looking almost like paying homage to Korean designs from a previous – thankfully – era of Korean cars. But I like the brushed silver outlines of the audio and heat-air controls on the center panel, and the rugged, washable rear stowage floor.
The 2.0-liter four-cylinder is a dual-overhead-camshaft unit with 140 horsepower at 6,000 RPMs and 136 foot-pounds of torque at 4,500 RPMs, and it gets gas mileage ratings of 22 city/27 highway for two-wheel drive and 21/26 for four-wheel drive. The 2.7 V6 has 173 horses at 6,000 revs, and 178 foot-pounds of torque at 4,000, with fuel economy of 20/26 for front-drive and 19/24 for four-wheel drive.
Hyundai’s ESC, for electronic stability control, added to the secure feeling on the drizzle-slicked highways we took to the ocean. It works through sensors front and rear and measuring lateral and steering forces. When you head into a sharp curve, the sensors know where you are trying to go, and if the vehicle understeers – tending to continue straight rather than following the projected steering path – it brakes the inside wheel. If the vehicle oversteers – trying to turn more sharply than your steering input calls for – it brakes the outside wheel.
On our drive, out to Tillamook, then northward along the coast to Cannon Beach, the front-wheel-drive Tucson with the 2.7 performed very well. Quick turns, and flat, stable cornering, were a breeze. The four-speed automatic was controlled by a floorshifter, with a manual shift gate. When we switched to the four-wheel-drive version, the slightly heavier Tucson felt even more stable, although the FWD seemed more agile.
Switching back and forth between driver and passenger, I discovered an unusual floor on the passenger side. My size 11s didnÂ’t seem to fit flat on the floor of the passenger side, and while nobody else seemed to notice, it bothered me a bit to have my toe and heel touching without being able to rest my whole foot on the flat surface.
Hyundai has a hybrid fleet of cars currently operating its own technology on an experimental basis in Korea, and it wonÂ’t be long before something like that shows up. With the new Ford Escape Hybrid so impressive, the Tucson seems like a good possibility.
Hyundai officials say they now are setting out to differentiate more between models of Hyundai and Kia, although they may share some engines and platforms. A few weeks later, at the California Auto Show in Anaheim, Kia unveiled a new vehicle that will be the return of the Sportage. The once-tiny but neat SUV has grown more shapely, and – sure enough – it is a Tucson with a few modifications.
When you build a winner, why not make maximum use of it?
(John Gilbert writes weekly auto reviews. He can be reached at cars@jwgilbert.com.)
New sedan gives Saturn line a whole different Aura
SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. — You could say that Saturn is taking on an entirely new Aura for 2007, and youÂ’d be correct, although you also might be arrested by the Bad Pun Police. The Aura is the name of SaturnÂ’s newest vehicle, a no-nonsense sedan that could indeed change the way consumers perceive the Saturn brand in particular, and General Motors in, ah, general.
Saturn started up when a group of loyal workers who believed General Motors could compete with the innovative technology of the Japanese companies was sent off almost as outcasts to defy corporate logic and prove their point. They did it, featuring advanced vehicles, attentive customer care and no-hassle pricing. They also aroused the envy of the other corporate branches, which demanded enough attention to detract from needed upgrades to Saturn models.
Before the proud Oldsmobile branch was discontinued, one Olds official – explained plans to me for upgrading the brand, and he repeatedly used the phrase “Saturnization of Oldsmobile.†Then he made me promise not to quote him using that phrase. Meanwhile, Saturn and its loyal customer base wound up languishing on the back burner for the next decade, as its products became dull and dated.
In its current corporate restructuring, GM has rejuvenated Saturn. The Sky roadster is the boldest new car, and it will have a high-powered version with a turbocharged engine as well, and new crossover SUVs will bolster the brand. But the Aura could become the focal point for all of Saturn, and it just might be the best sedan GM is building, this side of Cadillac, at least.
It is a front-wheel-drive sedan with spacious room in the rear seat and the trunk, and it is good-looking enough to take a real competitive run at Honda Accord and Toyota Camry buyers – which also includes those considering Mazda6, Nissan Altima, Volkswagen Passat, and other prime import sedans.
While GM is not without other sedans, its dependence on large truck-based SUVs has left its sedan fleet in the background. One of its latest advances involves the “epsilon†platform, which underpins the Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6, Opel Vectra from Germany, and Saab 9-3 from Sweden. Opels don’t come to the U.S., and the Malibu and G6 are nice cars without high-tech engine choices, so I’ve said that the Saab 9-3 might be the best of that batch, because it gets a turbocharged 2.8-liter version of the Cadillac “high-feature†V6.
The Aura shares that epsilon platform, and if you choose the XR upgrade, you get the Cadilla engine – not turbocharged, but also not reduced from that full-size 3.6 displacement.
The introductory press drive was through the mountains adjacent to Santa Barbara, where we got a chance to wring out the new models pretty thoroughly. The base XE Aura comes with a 3.5-liter V6 with 12 valves from the pushrod family of corporate V6es. The XR comes from a whole ’nother branch, much higher on the GM family tree – the Cadillac-built dual overhead camshaft “high-feature†3.6-liter V6 with 24 valves.
The 3.5 has 224 horsepower with 220 foot-pounds of torque, and for those consumers who donÂ’t care about being high-tech, it will be fully adequate. For those who do care about having a high-tech engine (and why wouldnÂ’t you?) the 3.6 has variable cam timing on both intake and exhaust valves, and it puts out 262 horsepower and 251 foot-pounds of torque. ThatÂ’s enough to send the Aura winging from 0-60 in less than 7 seconds.
In addition, the base XE gets the old 4-speed automatic, while the XR gets the new 6-speed auto, with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. It is the first use of the 6-speed with a front-wheel-drive car. The stiffened chassis has struts up front and a four-link rear suspension, and it definitely feels more Saab-ish than Chevy or Pontiac-like. If it falls a bit short of an all-out sport sedan in handling, the Aura is a 3,600-pound vehicle.
The EPA estimates are 20 city and 29 highway miles per gallon for the 3.5 XE model, and the 3.6 is only a tick behind, at 20/28. My guess, however, is that GM is exceptional at coaxing big figures out of the EPA calculations, and after a few break-in miles, the 6-speed 3.6 might get better real-life fuel economy with the overhead-cam efficiency.
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As impressive as the Aura is, the price tag is remarkable. The XE starts at $20,595, and the XR at $24,595. The 3.6 engine is worth the difference, and beyond the standard 4-wheel disc brakes, the XR has bigger wheels (17-inch instead of 16), advanced audio, and StabiliTrak on top of the conventional traction-control.
A large, bold, silver insignia bar runs across the top of the grille, flanked by very large headlight enclosures that offer a distinct European (Opel Vectra?) appearance; the side silhouette has a sweeping roofline that is almost BMW-like; the rear has a high-rise trunklid with large angular taillights, not unlike the G6. The Aura rides on the elongated, 112-inch wheelbase of the Malibu Maxx, with very little front overhang.
While the Aura performs well, a significant effort has gone into the interior, where sound-deadening has been impressively executed from engine and suspension bushings, to double-walled acoustic glass, and even the decklid. All the latest safety inclusions enwrap the occupants, and Saturn designers insist that despite similarities to the attractiveness of the Opel Vectra, they were able to design the Aura from a clean sheet of paper.
One neat feature is the use of the six-section sunroof that tilts or slides to create an enormous opening. With it wide open, the Aura was still quiet enough to exchange conversation. With it closed, and the windows up tight, the car is almost eerily silent.
During my driving phase of the introductory test, I repeatedly rolled down the window, just so I could hear the powerful strains of that V6 engine revving toward its 7,000-RPM redline. We were, of course, driving the XR. Inside, we also had one stint in the optional Moroccan brown leather interior, which would be my choice of interiors. The Aura also comes with a choice of fake woodgrain or a brushed silver trim. IÂ’ll take the silver, because clean sheet or not, give me real wood or keep it out of my car.
Because the customer satisfaction and no-hassle pricing remain, there is plenty for the traditional Saturn buyer to appreciate. However, after walking in and seeing the Sky , customers might wonder what showroom theyÂ’ve entered when they get their first glimpse of the Aura. SaturnÂ’s brand new Aura, as they say.
BMW 650i makes you try to live up to ‘cool’ image
MILWAUKEE, WIS. — Among the good reasons to be driving a BMW 650i from Minneapolis to Milwaukee a couple weeks back was that the national collegiate hockey tournament was going on there at the time. Another is that there was so much construction going on downtown that the sheer beauty of the car stood out even more dramatically against the rugged geometric bits of rubble where buildings once stood.
Another good reason is that it gave me time to get to know the “Nav Lady” voice, and learn to coexist with the outrageous iDrive control system on the console that she was trying to interpret for me. But perhaps the best reason of all was to be able to spend a full five hours behind the wheel of a BMW 650 with no interruptions. Just me, and one of the worldÂ’s great cars, collaborating while switching the Sirius satellite radio back and forth from the comedy stations to Margaritaville, with various stops between them.
When it comes to engineering excellence, any BMW vehicle deserves scrutiny. When it comes to styling, some BMWs run the gamut from exotic to controversial. But when it comes to sheer, stunning beauty, the BMW 650i leaves no room for controversy.
There are Mercedes and Cadillac competitors on the market now for the 6-Series coupe and convertible, and they are excellent in their own way, and meet specific objectives known best to each company. But the BMW 645i is sleek and classy, and also fierce-looking and aggressive. And it is loaded up for power to put either extreme on display.
The BMW 7-Series sedans drew criticism for the tacky, add-on look of the trunklid and its spoiler. The 5-Series midsize sedans did it much better, and the 7s have been altered by now. But the 6-Series came out later, and got it right from the start, at the 645i. With a rear end that looks built for speed in a smooth swath wrapping from side to side and encompassing the taillights, that sleek silhouette, and a front end that looks like a little like a crazed raptor about to pounce on the rest of traffic as if it were nothing more than a collection of wayward rodents.
One of my favorite touches is the outer ring around the quad headlights, which glow as the parking lights, and left me finding all sorts of reasons to turn on my parking lights.
The 650i might throw you off for a bit. I kept calling it a 645, because that’s what it used to be. It also used to be that every digit in a BMW’s numerical name meant something – the 530 was a 5-Series sedan with a 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine, for example. Well, the 645 has moved up to become the 650i, and the V8 engine displacement is measured at 4.8 liters. For some reason, BMW chose to round it off to 50, rather than stay precise with a 648.
The engine has dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, with BMWÂ’s Double Vanos variable valve-timing. The smooth-running V8 delivers 360 horsepower at 6,300 RPMs, and 360 foot-pounds of torque at 3,400 RPMs. ThatÂ’s enough oomph to cover 0-60 sprints in about 5.3 seconds, which is not bad for a 3,814-pound vehicle.
That weight, incidentally, is a surprise, because its look and its feel indicate light and lean, rather than hefty. ItÂ’s possible that having a six-speed manual transmission further added to the light-on-your-wheels feeling, but the car was pretty much a pleasure to drive in every moment of the trip down and back on I94.
With a coefficient of drag of a mere 0.30, the wind-cheating 650i attained 22-24 miles per gallon, although the EPA estimates are only 16 city and 22 highway.
Naturally, the technology and exotic image are costly. Base price is $72,495, with sport suspension and the six-speed stick, and such subtle upgrades as aluminum front end structure, hood and doors. Add in Active Roll Stabilization, 18-inch wheels, active cruise, heads-up display, the audio upgrade with satellite radio,and you’re up to $76,695, and you could go higher with the splendid active steering option.
Cruising along the freeway, a couple of the newest features on the feature-laden car made the trip more pleasurable. A heads-up display allows you to keep track of your speed, other vitals, and an arrow indicating any upcoming turns you might need to prepare for, all transposed unobtrusively on the windshield. ItÂ’s easy to look right past it, or through it, but itÂ’s also simple to train your consciousness to pay attention to your speed and other important items.
Naturally, I never advocate speeding, but sometimes on a freeway trip it might be safer to blend with the traffic flow, even if it’s a tad over the limit. I found a nice rhythm at 75 miles per hour for certain stretches, letting the car’s active cruise control maintain a preset interval. I tried several different intervals, and all worked very well – slowing the car when a slower car was directly ahead in order to maintain the increasing speed to reestablish the proper interval summoned.
The iDrive is brought to life by a knob on the console. You tip it in any of four directions and you engage navigation, audio, climate-control and information, refining it with subsequent clicks to operate everything. The readouts come onto the navigation screen. You also can induce a voice-control system, whereby a pleasant feminine voice gives you little tips about upcoming turns necessary to reach your pre-established destination.
John Drewitz, an old friend in the auto biz who sells BMWs and Mercedes products at Sears Imports in Wayzata, has prompted me often enough that the iDrive is to be considered a tool to be programmed, rather than a nuisance to be resisted – and/or detested. So I thought I’d coexist, and overlook the fact that you have to continue to glance at the navigation screen repeatedly whenever you wanted to change radio stations. I found that if you programmed it right, you could then switch to your preset favorites by merely rocking a switch on the steering wheel. And the pleasing and soothing voice of the Nav Lady prodded me if I was going to miss a turn.
There is one odd thing about BMWs. ItÂ’s not that you feel superior driving one, but there seems to be a prevailing attitude among other drivers that you must be a smug son of a gun because you have such a fine car. So you find other drivers speeding up, maybe stealing a glance at your ride, and then acting almost rude, as if they are achieving something by getting ahead of a Beemer. So you have to take on a bit of an attitude yourself. You may not be better than those in the other cars, but the BMW may make you a better driver, so youÂ’d better pay attention.
With everything in place, I cruised in on 94 to reach Milwaukee, and a few signs tipped me off to impending difficulties. Road construction ahead, the signs said. I wasnÂ’t worried, although I had left just barely enough time to cruise on in and get to Bradley Center for the drop of the first semifinal puck. Once I got to Milwaukee, however, I had more reason to be concerned.
It appears that the kind of nuisance road construction I’m used to in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area was not in force. What was in force was an all-out assault on every exit that might allow you to get off I94 anywhere remotely close to downtown Milwaukee. The Nav Lady said, “Take the next exit.†Hmmmm, the next exit was also closed. “…Take the next exit,’ the Nav Lady said again, and then again, and again. If I wasn’t sure, I thought I detected some frustration, if not impatience, from that sweet computerized voice.
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But there was nothing I could do. The Nav Lady was giving me good advice, but the only vehicle I could think of that could take the “next exit†was a helicopter, and I didn’t have one handy. Pretty soon, I was through town, past the tall buildings near Lake Michigan, and heading north, as if I was headed for Sheboygan, or Green Bay.
Finally, amid the gathering rubble, I found an exit, and veered off the freeway. As soon as I got up to the stop sign, the Nav Lady got busy saving me. “Take the first left,†she said, and as I did, she added, hastilyÂ…Ââ€prepare to take the next left turn.Ââ€
Soon I was headed back down a quite messy street that was something of a frontage road that led to 6th Street, and on the navigation screen, I could see a group of buildings that included Bradley Center. I kept heading toward it, and when I got close, I pulled over and parked, locking up the car and walking six blocks to the arena.
Good game, too, although North Dakota lost to Boston College 6-5, and I wanted the Fighting Sioux to win. Two days later, Wisconsin beat Boston College 2-1 for the NCAA title. I had predicted beforehand that Wisconsin would win both the menÂ’s and womenÂ’s NCAA titles, and that final made my hunch look prophetic.
I gave a friend a ride further downtown to catch a quick and late dinner on the night between games, and later dropped him at his hotel. The next day he mentioned that the group of cool-looking folks inside waited until I was driving away, then went, “Wow! Did you see that BMW?’†It is that special, although passers-by prefer to withhold such impressions if you might witness them. As a driver, I am reminded of Gene Wilder in the movie Silver Streak, where he blackens his face and tries to strut with his buddy, Richard Pryor, but has a bit of a problem walking cool. Naturally, he overplays his part to hilarity, but in a way, you have to drive cool in a BMW.
Sunday morning, time to hit I94 westbound, cruising effortlessly. Of course, I wasnÂ’t alone. The Nav Lady was with me, and she was the perfect companion. She didnÂ’t ever complain about my choice of satellite radio music or humor, as I cruise-controlled my way across Wisconsin. The miles melted away, and I was sure to drive cool, all the way. In a BMW 650i, it would be impossible to NOT drive cool.
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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