SRX gives Cadillac surprisingly strong mid-SUV entry

PHOENIX, AZ.—Quite possibly the biggest problem the new Cadillac SRX will have in its lifetime is its timing. First introduced at the Detroit Auto Show in January of this year, the SRX was turned out swiftly, but it was introduced to the media simultaneously with the flashy Cadillac XLR sports car, which dominated the early-summer sessions in the Arizona mountains and on the assorted courses at GM’s desert proving grounds just outside Phoenix.
The XLR justified the attention, but it is a limited-production two-seater at $75,000, while the SRX may well become a mainstream midsize SUV challenger for the BMW X5, the Mercedes ML500, as well as the Acura MDX and Lexus RX 330. And it may outperform all of them.
There are probably a hundred trucks on the market, if you count pickups, sport-utility vehicles, minivans and the numerous crossover vehicles of all sizes and shapes. Cadillac engineers were well aware of that when they decided to build the SRX, and they used it to their advantage, testing them and establishing their benchmarks in all different categories.
Project coordinator Peter Kosak said that Cadillac had two priorities in building the SRX. “No. 1, we had to have breakthrough design, in style, including details from the lights to the wheels, but mostly in overall proportion. And No. 2, we wanted the best dynamic performance – performance without punishment.”
The result is eye-catching style, with the SRX wearing the new-trademark wedgy Cadillac face now shared by the new XLR sports car, the CTS sedan and all those giant Cadillac SUV Escalades rebadged from the Suburban/Tahoe/Avalanche corporate cousins at Chevrolet.
The new SRX is priced starting at $37,995 for the V6 model and $46,300 for the V8. While it is hard to imagine Cadillac buyers taking the SRX off-road, but when called upon, it handled rugged terrain with the same poise as it sweeps around corners on freeways.
The SRX is as tall as the Lexus RX330 or the Chrysler Pacifica, but longer, and inside, refinements include 5 inches more rear legroom than the BMW X5. A full 32 cubic feet of volume includes a third-row seat, with a second row that slides forward for easy access. The power-stowed third seat folds flat into the floor, or, if you prefer, you can choose a partitioned cargo-management area under trap-doors back there.
A low center of gravity, a long wheelbase at 116.5 inches, and a stiff, light structure allowed engineers to make the SRX handle with quick, sporty precision. For power, the Northstar V8, with 320 horsepower and 310 foot-pounds of torque, is almost too much. I prefer the all-new, aluminum, dual-overhead-camshaft V6, which has 260 horsepower and 252 foot-pounds of torque.
The SRX is being built at the Lansing Grand River plant in Michigan alongside the CTS midsize sedan. Both share the Sigma platform, which is General MotorsÂ’ global basis for various cars, including the Saturn Ion, and GM subsidiaries such as Saab and Opel in Europe. In the SRX, the refinement started with the frame, which has octagonal front rails with foam-filled beams and braces to be light, strong and quiet. High-strength steel is used above the B-pillar, and engineers used computer-aided techniques to evaluate any areas where stress might want to make the body bend or break, then they reinforced those areas.
Cadillac, like Chrysler and other manufacturers, seems intent on going back to rear-wheel drive for increased power and the traditional feeling of hang-out-the-rear handling – and with little regard to those of us who must also confront winter driving conditions, it must be added – but the SRX offers all-wheel drive along with rear-wheel drive.
GM always has been at the forefront of transmission development, and its manufacturing facility in Strasbourg, France, produces transmissions strong enough that they are sold to BMW for its vehicles. That same “5L40” automatic transmission goes into the SRX with the new V6, while an all-new “5L50” automatic has been designed to handle the excessive torque of the V8. Both transmissions are 5-speeds.
The Northstar V8 needs little introduction, although in the SRX it is the new version, with variable valve-timing, as redesigned for the Cadillac XLR sports car. The new and exciting news is what GM is calling the “High-Feature” V6 – as opposed to the “High Value” V6, which, loosely translated, means inexpensive to build and therefore very profitable for the corporation.
GM engineers simply call the new engine the “Premium V6,” and it has all the trick technology that has been applied to German and Japanese engines as they took a head start of a decade or more in technical application and refinement. The new V6 should make up much of that lost ground in a hurry.
It measures 3.6 liters of displacement, with dual-overhead camshafts replacing the aging pushrods of other GM V6es. GM had made a high-tech V6 of 3.5 liters for the Oldsmobile Intrigue, but while it was clearly the best V6 GM had ever made, the corporation allowed it to die when it killed Oldsmobile off as a brand. By the way, if you can find an Intrigue at a dealer, either new or with low miles, and itÂ’s got the 3.5, take advantage of discounted prices and know that youÂ’re getting a great engine that will be meticulously backed by GM dealers.
The new 3.6 is even better. Bob Jacques, design system engineer overseeing the 3.6 V6 project, had been valvetrain specialist on the Northstar V8 previously, so he knew what the objectives and requirements were. When he started on the V6 project on Feb. 18, 1999, he examined all top competitors’ engines – Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Mercedes, Audi, Mitsubishi.
“We took every engine and examined the priorities, pro and con,” said Jacques. “We could go any direction, so we looked at everything, from 2.8 liters, 3.2, 3.6, to turbocharging, gasoline direct injection, rear-drive, front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive. There are unique challenges and common manufacturing systems and everybody has a unique set of ideas that solve some problems while they are living with other problems. The middle ground is to decide what’s negotiable.
“We were given a clean sheet of paper, and we designed a 60-degree V6 [the Olds 3.5 was 90-degrees with a balanced shaft] and we designed the block to be flexible for use with front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and with multiple transmissions and multiple induction systems.”
Taking full advantage of the latest electronic techniques, Jacques and his gang created electronic throttle control for instant response without any mechanical linkage, and designed four phasers to advance or delay the intake and exhaust valve timing electronically.
The traditional problem for engine-builders is that when you achieve more power, you usually lose fuel economy. More recently, emission laws have caused a new dilemma – the tradeoff of cutting down hydrocarbon emissions at the risk of increasing nitrous-oxides, or vice versa.
“With cam-phasing, you can make both hydrocarbons and nitrous oxides go down simultaneously,” said Jacques.
Such technology is impossible on pushrod engines, which is why competitors all turned to overhead-cams years ago. On the PV6, the cam-phasers provide continuously variable valve timing for optimum performance at all RPM levels. The phasers even eliminate the need for exhaust-gas recirculation valves. Cam-phasing also allows both power and fuel-efficiency to increase even while emissions come down.
“We’re getting 18 to 27 miles per gallon, and that’s with an increase of 35 horsepower,” said Jacques. When asked about the former Oldsmobile 3.5 V6, he added: “It’s a very nice engine, but where it got 215 horsepower, we’re getting 255. And at midrange, we have more power than the 4.0 Aurora V8 engine.”
The same engine will be used in the 2004 Cadillac CTS midsize sedan, where the cam-phasers have been set to give the CTS 90 percent of its full torque all the way from 2,150 to 5,600 RPMs.
Driving the SRX is smooth and enjoyable, unlike larger truck-based SUVs, and more coordinated than most crossover SUVs, plus with that performance burst. In addition, active suspension control with StabiliTrak, traction control, four-channel antilock brakes and speed-sensitive steering, plus the magnetic ride control suspension that will be shared with the XLR and the newest Corvettes, make handling flat and precise.
An enormous sunroof opens up 5.6 square feet to the sky, uniquely serving both the front and second-row seats. ThatÂ’s appropriate, too, because Cadillac wants to attract new customers, and with the SRX, the sky is the limit.

(John Gilbert writes weekly automotive columns. He can be reached via e-mail at cars@jwgilbert.com.)

Ford centennial opens with new GT and F150 pickup

DETROIT, MICH. — Ford wrapped up a lot with its celebration of 100 years in the auto-building business, and timed a week-long public centennial with a sneak preview of its new 2004 models for the media, as well as the introduction of its highly successful F150 full-size pickup trucks in Texas.

A nationwide tour of Model T cars got to Dearborn just in time to kick off the gala week that included historical themes, concerts and factory tours, plus a peek into the future. Previewing its 2004 models for the world’s automotive media was a major part of the show, and its theme might have been “trucks today, sports cars tomorrow,” because it started with a parade featuring the first three Ford GT sports-racing cars that will go on into limited production in the next year, and dovetailed with introduction of the new F150, the world’s most-sold vehicle.

Between those two impressive extremes, Ford showed a lot of other cars, trucks and worldwide affiliates, whose success all helps the expanding success of the corporation. But it also was an interesting time to go back to FordÂ’s roots.

In June, 1896, Henry Ford tried driving a basket mounted on four skinny wheels, called the Quadricycle. It was his first vehicle, and it happened in Detroit, so it was less than coincidence that seven years later, Henry Ford and 11 other investors signed incorporation papers, and Detroit was destined to become “Motor City.”

Following that June 16, 1903 birth of Ford Motor Company, some industry legends followed: the Model T, the Model A, assembly line manufacturing, a $5-per-hour minimum wage for workers, and the first V8 engine – all accomplished in Ford’s first 30 years. The future included such icons as the Mustang and the ubiquitous Ford pickup truck, which bridge the gap into the future.

“After all the vehicles we’ve built, we are at the threshold of the largest wave of new vehicles we’ve ever introduced,” said Jim Padilla, executive vice president of Ford. “Over the next five years, Ford and Lincoln-Mercury will be introducing 65 new vehicles, starting with the Ford F150 pickup truck.”

The F150 full-size pickup is entirely new, from chassis to engine, suspension, body shape and interior. Since the F150 was introduced in 1948, 27.5 million of them have been sold. For the last 26 years, the Ford F150 has been the best-selling truck in the United States, and for the last 21 years, it has been the best-selling vehicle of any kind in the U.S.

Revising such an overwhelmingly successful vehicle is a challenge – particularly in the face of unprecedented competition. Chevrolet always has been the top rival, and represents the No. 2 selling vehicle in the U.S. Last year, several magazines rated the new Dodge Ram the best full-size pickup, while Toyota’s Tundra gained new market share. In January, Nissan announced that it would build the new Titan full-size truck for 2004.

Ford designers were somewhat conservative, because the new truck looks quite similar to the existing model. Design director Patrick Schiavone said he thinks the new truck has altered the rounder softness of its predecessor for a tougher look, with the grille and headlights changed, and the leading edge of the hood raised by 2 inches to give drivers a better perspective for parking.

The new F150 has a much stiffer frame, twice as strong as the outgoing model, with a 5.4-liter Triton V8 engine now boasting three valves per cylinder, with single overhead cams on either bank, and variable camshaft timing on the valvetrain, with electronic “drive by wire” throttle control. Horsepower has increased from 260 to 300, and the torque, increased from 350 to 365 foot-pounds, builds on a constant rise from 1,000-3,500 RPMs and stays strong to higher revs.

Ford points out that it beats the competition, even matching matching the output of larger engines from General Motors and Chrysler, while running on regular gas. Ford also promises the best payload, cargo volume and towing capability.

Ford’s recent move to make sweeping changes to the interior of all its vehicles – starting with the Navigator – pays dividends in the F150. Still efficiently straightforward and ergonomically sound, great attention was paid to making the instruments, dashboard and overall environment a place where every truck-driving soul will enjoy spending time.

The F150 is currently being introduced through the rolling hill country near San Antonio, Texas, so driving reports are prohibited until next month.

The other spotlight presentation at the preview was the Ford GT, the retro production model of the sensational LeMans-winning sports cars of the 1960s. Chris Theodore, vice president for advanced product creation under CEO Bill Ford, provided a brief history lesson.

“Forty years ago, Henry Ford [II] tried to buy Ferrari,” said Theodore. “At the last moment, Enzo backed out. So Henry said, ‘We’ll beat ’em.’ In 1966, the Ford GT-40 won the 24 Hours of LeMans. That turned out to be the first of four years in a row that the Ford GT-40 won LeMans, even finishing 1-2-3 one year. “In March of 1999, we were on a plane to Sweden, working on the Volvo deal,” said Theodore. “Bill Ford said ‘It’s time to bring back the GT-40.’ It was my job to put together a team that could create a modern, detailed version of the car.”

With such legendary drivers as A.J. Foyt and Dan Gurney among its drivers, the low-slung look and flowing lines have remained an attraction through the years, and various replica models were a cinch in the modern era of retro flashbacks.

An auto show display of the GT-40 at the Detroit Auto Show in 2002 further led to the project becoming reality, and Theodore rounded up a sterling cast of characters to be involved, including John Coletti, the director of FordÂ’s Special Vehicle Team, and Neil Hannemann, a veteran endurance race driver, and was the perfect in-house chief program engineer.

“It’s one of the most exciting things I’ve ever been involved with,” said Hannemann, who has prepared LeMans race-winning Dodge Viper cars. “The frame has good stiffness and light weight, made out of hydroformed aluminum. The floor is actually two thin sheets of aluminum, with a sheet of graphite pressed between them. The fuel tank is center mounted, and while we wanted to keep it as close as possible to the actual race car, times have changed. So the production car is 3.5 inches taller, at 43.9 inches.”

Theodore spelled out the objectives. “It had to look right, go fast and handle like it was on rails,” said Theodore. “It would be a lightning rod for the corporation. It had to meet all the child safety and bumper standards, but also had to have that race-car character. And it had an impossible deadline.”

Renamed the “Ford GT” because a replica-builder had secured the rights to the name “GT-40” and wanted millions to give it up, the project’s main barrier was timing. The official OK came in May of 2002, and the car had to be rolling out in production by 2004, but the first three GTs had to be ready for June 12, 2003 – for the opening ceremonies of Ford’s centennial.

“I first drove one on Nov. 12,” said Theodore, beaming. “And we drove the three cars in to start the centennial celebration.”

Ford officials, however, are quick to add that the full force of the limited production GT will be a year from now, and the big news right now is the F150 pickup, with all the other new products coming out from Ford falling between those spectacular bookends.

Ford is eliminating the Windstar minivan and replacing it with the Freestar, an all-new minivan. Mercury, which once had the Quest, a Nissan minivan built and badged by Mercury, will now get the Monterey, its own version of the Freestar. Lincoln adds the LSE as a racier version of the LS, complete with ground-effects fascia.

Ford is installing the global 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine in the refreshed Focus, which should make that subcompact more fun to drive. Ford also is promising a hybrid version of the Escape, which will boost that compact SUV from just over 20 miles per gallon to 40-mpg fuel efficiency. The Escape also will get use of the 2.3 global four-cylinder, an outstanding new engine designed by Mazda and built in Dearborn, as well as in Mexico, Japan and Spain. It will come in sizes ranging from 1.8 to 2.3 liters of displacement.

That engine indicates the true strength of Ford Motor Company in the 21st century. The Mazda 6 is an exceptional midsize sedan, winning car of the year awards in several countries, although it wasnÂ’t introduced promptly enough to contend in the U.S. (I do know of one ballot that rated it first in the North American International car of the year competition, however.) That engine, a model of efficiency, is a dual-overhead-camshaft, variable-valve-timing gem that will be used in the European Mondeo as well as other Mazda and Ford products, and will also be the basis for the hybrid application of gas-engine/electric power due out for 2004 in the Escape.

FordÂ’s other recent acquisitions have been similarly successful, with Volvo turning out a series of exceptional vehicles, including the XC90 that won North American truck of the year. Jaguar, also, has just introduced a new XJ as the flagship of a strong luxury car fleet. And the Land Rover Range Rover has won accolades as the best luxury SUV.

With such successful new products from Mazda, Jaguar, Range Rover and Volvo, Ford Motor Company has plenty of incentive – to say nothing of pressure – to make its own domestic products more successful. Based on advance looks at the F150 and the Ford GT, it seems Henry Ford’s company is headed in the right direction of a new century.

(John Gilbert writes a weekly auto column. He can be reached by email at cars@jwgilbert.com.)

XLR turns a far corner in Cadillac’s rejuvenation

PHOENIX, AZ. — When the Cadillac Evoq first showed up on the auto show circuit three or four years ago, it looked like another dreamy General Motors concept car that was built to attract attention only. When word came that Cadillac was going to build the car as the 2004 XLR, anticipation started to build.

“We have had over 100,000 requests for information,” said chief engineer Dave Leone. “And over 15,000 of those were from kids who were too young to have driver’s licenses.”

The younger generation may not be able to buy cars right now, but their interest is an enormous breakthrough for Cadillac, because while Cadillac has been the icon for ultimate luxury among United State automakers and consumers, its customer base has been thinning out by the aging process. The rejuvenated Cadillac image may have been sparked by the return of Bob Lutz to a position of influence at General Motors, because Lutz is a “car guy,” unwilling to concede everything to the decision-making bean-counters, and he wants Cadillac to rise to a world peak of technology.

Nobody realized how significant the styling change would be at Cadillac when the CTS sedan was introduced last year, with its wedgy look overall, and to the nose in particular, where sharp creases replaced rounded, soft lines. The new-edge look quickly carried over to the newly acquired Cadillac trucks, Escalade and alpha-numeric spinoffs, the EST and ESV, setting them off from being rebadged Chevrolets.

That look also dominates the new SRX mid-size SUV, a polished and impressive vehicle that should be a huge success in that segment, and may cut into the Suburban-Tahoe-Envoy-Escalade market, for all except those who need all-out heft for towing or hauling massive quantities. The SRX is unique, for anyone looking for a wagon/van/SUV-type vehicle, and willing to pay a little extra for some dazzling features and unexcelled technology – starting with either it all-new, high-tech 3.6-liter V6, or the Cadillac Northstar V8.

The biggest problem the SRX had is that it was introduced at the same time as the XLR, which commands the spotlight wherever it appears. The media introduction for both occurred in Phoenix, where it was 106 degrees a week ago, and at the General Motors Desert Proving Grounds nearby, where it was something hotter than that.

The XLR should start appearing in dealer showrooms by the end of June, and while its price is steep, it is certain to be a major success as the ultimate U.S. two-seater. Yes, that includes Corvettes – the standard-bearer when it comes to American sports cars. There are those of us who wish the Corvette – especially the 50th anniversary ’Vette – would be given the highest-technology engine. Instead, Chevy engineers did a magnificent job of coming up with a revision of the old 5.7-liter pushrod V8, a wonderful old engine that has been around as long as the Corvette itself. With enormous amounts of torque and horsepower, an eager public will gobble up every Corvette.

Aha, but the Cadillac XLR is being built at the same Bowling Green, Ky., plant, on a new platform that it will share with the upcoming C6 Corvette. Where the Corvette is long and lanky, with its long-overhanging needle nose, the XLR is short and abrupt, with those now-familiar wedgy and edgy creased lines setting apart the nose, silhouette and rear end. So itÂ’s shorter and more blunt than the Corvette is, and will be, although the top Â’Vette will cost about $20,000 less.

That sticker price of $76,000 thrusts the XLR up, up and away, beyond the Corvette, and also indicates its technology and the plan that Cadillac wants to make the XLR a special, limited-edition model. It directly challenge the Mercedes SL500, which is considered the gold-standard of luxury sports cars. At 105.7 inches, the XLR has a longer wheelbase, but at 177.7 inches, the XLR is shorter in overall length, compared to the Mercedes flagship SL500.

Like the SL500, the XLR has a power-operated disappearing roof that folds and ducks under the rear deck in 30 seconds. It is similarly impressive, and it should be, because Cadillac went to the same German manufacturer to get the best roof, although the SL500Â’s roof disappears or comes back up in about half the time. It also shares price tag range.

American buyers will compare the XLR to the Corvette, although GM executives insist otherwise. For those of us who canÂ’t resist such a comparison, we start under the hood. The most sophisticated engine in the General Motors arsenal for the last decade has been CadillacÂ’s Northstar V8, measuring more than a whole liter less than the Corvette engine at 4.6 liters, but with dual-overhead camshafts instead of pushrods, and four valves per cylinder instead of just one intake and one exhaust valve on each cylinder. Refinements have been few, but basically unneeded to keep the Northstar at the GM pinnacle. The XLR gets a new version of that engine.

In the XLR, the Northstar V8 is greatly refined. It is mounted transversely in the Seville and DeVille sedans, but longitudinally in the XLR, with a new five-speed automatic transmission at the rear axle. Yes, it is front-engine, rear-drive, but it has near-perfect balance with 50-50 weight distribution on the axles. The 4.6-liter V8 is all aluminum, with a forged steel crankshaft, and all four cams are controlled by phasers, guiding variable valve-timing adjustments to both intake and exhaust sides for optimum efficiency.

Horsepower is 320 at 6,400 RPMs and torque peaks at 310 foot-pounds at 4,400 RPMs, with the automatic transmission willingly running up to the 6,700-RPM redline, and providing driver control for manual override. Cadillac engineers insist that the XLR wonÂ’t ever challenge the Corvette for maximum performance. But their top engineers had to admit that the potential for the Northstar V8 is unlimited, while the CorvetteÂ’s V8 has nearly exhausted all its potential. I thought the very idea that Cadillac engineers could discuss such things shows how far Cadillac has come to be GMÂ’s technology leader.

There is a lot more to the XLR than its potent powerplant. The suspension has been refined, with double-wishbone architecture on all four wheels, and magnetic ride control, the “MR” shock absorbers the XLR will share with the new Corvette. In the revolutionary new system, little metal particles swim around in the usually-pristine fluid that surrounds the piston inside the shock absorber, and a coil is wrapped around the middle on the outside of each one. An electronic system reads steering, acceleration, stopping and road feedback at a constant rate of every inch at 60 miles per hour. And it reacts even quicker, in a millisecond, to any heave, pitch or roll, constantly adjust the electrical impulses to those coils. They, in turn, electromagnetically snap the metal particles into formation, inhibiting the flow of internal fluid to firm up the shocks by varying degrees.

Obviously, it takes longer to describe the action than for it to occur, with response to swerving that is five times faster than a normally responsive system, engineers say.

James Danahy, who worked on the C5 Corvette before coming to CadillacÂ’s team as LeoneÂ’s assistant on the XLR project, explained that Cadillac evaluated various competitors and decided the SL500 suspension was the benchmark, so they tried to duplicate the feel, then soften theirs just a bit from the all-out sportiness of the SL500. They also made sure occupants could hear the melodious engine sound and tuned the exhaust note from that Northstar.

Like the SL500, the XLR takes the keyless-entry concept to extremes. You can unlock the door by putting your finger on the button, and you can start the car at finger touch, too, because the car knows youÂ’ve got the key. In effect, if you have the key in your pocket, you neednÂ’t use it.

After driving the XLR through the Arizona mountains, then out at the General Motors Desert Proving Grounds just outside Phoenix, I was able to compare it to the SL500 and the Lexus SC430. The XLR clearly outperformed the Lexus in every category, and on various types of road surfaces at the test track. The XLR also did very well against the Mercedes, in all situations, although some might prefer the more darting feel of the SL500.

My only criticism was that the XLR suspension system is extremely sophisticated, but it doesnÂ’t give the driver the ability to adjust to a firmer, sportier setting, or to soften it when he knows heÂ’s going onto a rougher stretch of pavement. It was discussed by engineers, but the feeling was that Cadillac buyers might expect the car to choose, and that the driver shouldnÂ’t have to. But wait a minute! The driver gets to choose for the manual-override on the transmission, which holds each gear until the driver chooses to shift. And buyers are making a bold choice to consider the XLR against a car as spectacular as the Mercedes SL500. Adding a push-button suspension setting is just another weapon in such an impressive arsenal.

(John Gilbert writes a weekly column and can be reached by e-mail at: cars@jwgilbert.com.)

Minivan world rejuvenated by Nissan’s revitalized Quest

Nissan has been about the busiest automotive manufacturer in the world for the past couple of years, filling just about every possible niche of sedans, sports cars, sport-utility vehicles and trucks, to say nothing of a fleet of upscale vehicles stretching from here to Infiniti. But when it seems Nissan has exhausted its output of new vehicles, as well as its plant capacity in Smyrna, Tenn., the Japanese company has come up with a new Quest. Literally.

Nissan introduced its 2004 Quest, a completely redone version of the former minivan, which was similar in name only, in Jackson, Miss., and included a tour of Nissan’s new, $1.4-billion manufacturing plant in nearby Canton, Miss. From there we drove west, then turned south on U.S. Hwy. 61 – yes, that Hwy. 61 – and cruised to Natchez for a little lunchtime crawfish gumbo at the historic setting of the 1818 Monmouth Plantation.

Combining old with ultranew was fitting, because not many auto manufacturers have been as busy as Nissan to rewrite its own history the past couple of years, from battling for its own existence until being bailed out by an alliance with French auto giant Renault.

Nobody has strung together such a succession of major hits as Nissan Altima, 350Z, Maxima, Murano, Frontier Crew Cab, Xterra, and the upcoming Titan full-size pickup, plus the G35 coupe and sedan, M45, FX-35 and FX-45 on the Infiniti side. The Xterra was North American Truck of the Year for 2000, Altima was North American Car of the Year for 2002, and 350Z has become the largest-selling sports car in the world in just one year.

The Quest intends to rewrite more history, the part that suggests the apparent demise of minivans in the face of trendier SUVs. Nothing is more efficient as a family hauler than a minivan, and consumers have quietly been buying more than a million of them a year ever since 1992.

Quest joins the new Sienna from arch-rival Toyota, they revised MPV from Mazda, and the Odyssey from Honda, a vehicle so impressive that Nissan considered it the benchmark for its Quest. The suddenly-congested minivan segment is still led by Chrysler GroupÂ’s Caravan/Voyager/Town and Country, with worthy competition from General Motors, Ford and Volkswagen.

NissanÂ’s previous Quest led to a joint venture with Ford, on the Mercury Villager. Ford insisted the Quest/Villager stay small, so as not to get in the way of big plans for FordÂ’s own Windstar, then the deal ended with Ford about to introduce the new Freestar, with a version for Mercury. Unshackled, Nissan took the new Quest to new heights, a daring styling exercise close to the concept minivan that dazzled viewers at last yearÂ’s the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The word came from project coordinator Pete Nakatsuji in Japan to Nissan Design America, the company’s cozy, 10-person studio in San Diego, where Alfonso Albaisa took over. Renault gives Nissan a French connection, and so does the free-spirited Albaisa, who spent his design-student days with a fixation on Napoleon, although he’s well past the point of dressing like the former French emperor. Albaisa, who would really rather be sailing up and down the California coast on an exotic yacht of his own design, gathered with some engineers for brainstorming sessions on how to “chip away at the box” to escape from boring minivan tradition. He drew a body shape that arches from the rear, then drops dramatically to the front compartment, tapering from flared wheelwells to lines that converge on an inset hood.

The wheels are pushed out to the corners for an elongated 124-inch wheelbase, 204.1-inch overall length and wider (77.6-inch) stance maximum interior room. The Quest is 9.5-inches longer, 3 inches wider and four inches taller than its predecessor. Albaisa said the Quest had to have a “great stance,” and the combination of interior and exterior design cues and dramatic angles were “very big issues” in setting it apart.

The interior is dominated by a center-mounted instrument cluster, with gauges and a navigation screen, while below it, a cylinder-shaped center-stack rises up from the floor at an angle that leaves the shift lever and the heat/air and audio controls on a round, nearly horizontal plane. The lower part of the cylinder houses various storage drawers and compartments.

While minivan buyers have practically had to go underground to escape the dreaded “soccer mom” criticism that drove many to SUVs, Nissan unabashedly says it is aiming the Quest at women. While men will enjoy the power and sporty handling of the vehicle, it is intended to be a family truckster. So women, predominately 35-40, college educated, balancing a career with family obligations, which includes hauling kids to various events, will look at the Quest for stylish and sophisticated transportation.

A brief road-test showed off the QuestÂ’s virtues. The lowered front beltline and the open dash creates vast forward visibility. The bucket seats are firmly supportive up front, and the same in the second rowÂ’s captainÂ’s chair buckets, which slide fore and aft, recline, and, importantly, flip forward and tumble ahead to combine with the widest-opening sliding doors in the industry to make access to the third-row bench seat easy.

The third-row bench tumbles into a rear storage receptacle so similar to the OdysseyÂ’s that a Nissan official admitted it was more efficient to simply pay Honda for the rights to copy it than to try to devise a new plan.

There are two DVD screens mounted on the ceiling of the top SE model, amid the Skyview roof that features five – count ’em, five! – sunroofs. The normal tilt and power opening front sunroof is augmented by two more sunroofs fixed longitudinally on either side of a center ceiling console, letting light through to brighten the second and third row seats. They don’t open, they just let in light, filtering out 100 percent of ultraviolet rays, and offering sliding shades if it gets too bright. The DVD screens fold down in “I-formation” out of the center roof panel, one for the second row and the other for the third.

I tried sitting back there on part of the introductory drive. We didnÂ’t have a DVD, but the wireless headphones offering independent listening to CDs promise great harmony on trips.

But the best spot to be is in the driverÂ’s seat. The 3.5-liter V6 engine is the same dual-overhead-camshaft gem that powers everything from the 350Z to the Maxima, Altima, Murano and assorted Infiniti models. In the Quest, it delivers 240 horsepower and 242 foot-pounds of torque. The top SE gets a five-speed automatic transmission upgrade from the standard four-speed, as well as 17-inch alloy wheels compared to 16-inch on the S and SL.

The only two things I found worth criticizing is the lack of a “dead pedal” for the driver’s left foot. The angled floor over the left front wheel well means your foot is at an awkward angle, unless you plant it flat on the floor or stretch it out almost under the brake pedal. The other item is the neatly designed shift lever has a button on the left side to deactivate overdrive on the five-speed. That’s beneficial for coming off a freeway, where fourth gear promises less hunting in residential traffic, but the button is right where your fingertips hit when you grip the lever, and several times we inadvertently deactivated the overdrive.

The loaded SE also has power sliding doors on both sides, activated by pulling the handle to get it started, or touching a button on the pillar. A a 265-watt Bose audio system with 10 speakers is there, too, in case the standard 150-watt/8-speaker unit isnÂ’t enough.
The Quest S – which starts out well-equipped with features – will be priced between $24,600 and $27,000; the SL at $27,000-$33,000; and the SE from $33,000-$37,000. Nissan estimates 75 percent of Quests will be under $30,000, when the new minivan hits showrooms in early July.

(John Gilbert writes a weekly auto column. He can be reached at www.jgilbert@duluth.com.)

Sporty Silverado model gains Chevy’s SS designation

One of those fleeting memories of the “good ol’ days” of buying a vehicle is of a young fellow gazing lustfully at the red convertible in the dealership window, which was brightly lighted even hours after closing time. Then he trudged away, knowing he couldn’t come close to affording the sleek car he’d been looking at. He could, however, muster enough cash and credit to buy a pickup truck, which was dependable and personal transportation, and it cost only about half of a normal car’s sticker.

Young men all over the country grew up loving the freedom and personality of that pickup truck mentality, and it held a place of endearment even long years after theyÂ’d grown, gotten married and gone through a half dozen cars.

Ah, yes, the good olÂ’ days.

Pickup trucks are the most totally United States vehicles, and have been called the true American Sports Car. That pickup mentality still remains with a lot of guys, and as women have emerged as the decision-makers in many vehicle purchases, they, too, have seen the attraction. If that’s a change in the buying scheme of the American public, it is nothing like the sophistication – and sticker prices – of contemporary pickup trucks. In case you haven’t noticed, you now pay more for a fully loaded pickup truck than for most midsize or full-size cars, although huge profits on pickup trucks, haven’t stopped the public from feeding its demand.

Today’s case in point: the 2003 Chevrolet Silverado SS, an all-wheel-drive pickup designed to battle with the raciest and best that Ford and Dodge have to offer, and geared – so to speak – to also take on any challenges from Toyota and now Nissan.

The “SS” term is not something Chevrolet throws around easily. It used to come only on the hottest, best-performing cars in the Chevy arsenal, like the Impalas, Chevelles and Camaros of the 1960s and ’70s. The SS tag is making a comeback as Chevy fights to maintain market share, and, in fact, an all-new car/pickup similar to the old Nomad is coming back this fall, and will be called the SSR.

But weÂ’re talking pickups here. The Silverado is ChevyÂ’s full-size pickup, and it has battled FordÂ’s F150 to a virtual standoff in sales, standing second only to the F150 for about a decade now, while the Dodge Ram has moved up strongly among the top five.

To properly arm the Silverado, Chevy has taken to stuffing the Corvette V8, that venerable 5.7-liter, high-torque, pushrod engine that began life 50-some years ago and became the standard of the industryÂ’s U.S. V8 powerplants. General Motors has spent long hours modernizing and upgrading that V8 through the years, and itÂ’s nearly miraculous how well it has continued to thrive in the face of high-tech, overhead-camshaft competition from everywhere.

While Ford has shown off a concept Lightning for its all-new F150, and Dodge has previewed the 500-horsepower Ram, both as 2004 models, Chevrolet stayed pretty mainstream with the Silverado SS. It comes in extended-cab style, which gives you rear-opening back doors to access a fairly roomy temporary rear seat – less than the crew-cab models, but welcome if you have a couple of passengers, and roomy if those passengers are youngsters.

The Silverado SS also gives you style and flash. The test vehicle was called “Arrival Blue,” which is a bright, piercing color that is sure to be an eye-catcher. The SS badging is evident, and from the front, the otherwise monochromatic “ground effects” flares are highlighted by silver intake tube housings, low on the outside below the bumper.

Under the hood, there is the 6.0-liter V8, which pumps out 345 horsepower and 380 foot-pounds of torque – impressive numbers for the real world, even if they fall short of the hottest Ford and Dodge show trucks for next year. For right now, that lets the SS haul a payload of 1,490 pounds, with a 6,400 pound gross-vehicle weight rating. The 20-inch alloy wheels are specially designed and add to the big-truck image, and four-wheel disc brakes with antilock help haul it down.

Inside, it has white-backed instruments, and the usually excellent Chevy truck interior with creature comforts, with cupholders and an audio system with both cassette and CD players. A switch operates the locking rear differential, with all-wheel drive standard.

There is a price to pay, however, for the style and flash. The good news is that the Silverado SS décor package costs nothing; the sticker-shock comes because you order the fully-loaded LT 1500 when you get the SS version, which means its base price is $39,205. The only options on the test vehicle were off-road skid plates and a lock for the 16-inch spare tire. (A 16-inch spare, for 20-inch wheels? Hmmm.) That puts the total to $40,105.

While men love their trucks, the interior accommodations are something that impresses both genders. And with more women driving SUVs these days, it may be only a matter of time until they also swing to the more personalized pickup concept. As a test of that theory, for one day I turned the Silverado SS over to my wife, Joan, for a departure from her preferred, low-slung and racier sedans and coupes. HereÂ’s her report after a drive from Minneapolis to Duluth:
“That’s quite a hot-rod truck you got there, lady,” said the man at the freeway rest stop. “I was looking at one of those, but I bought a Corvette instead.”

I’ve also always considered myself a sports-car fan – preferring the small, classy quick and maneuverable type of vehicle. However, this day, I was climbing up into a behemoth blue Silverado SS extended-cab truck, wishing I had a ladder. Once I reached the summit, I found the cab luxurious and the leather seats well-designed. And, this thing gets up and goes. It felt stable at freeway speed and looking out over the tops of cars, minivans and SUVs created a superior, if not conspicuous, attitude.

The hang-drop exit at the end of the ride convinced me to remain a fan of sporty cars, however, and leave the hot-rod truck to the testosterone crowd.

(John Gilbert writes a weekly automotive column. He can be reached by e-mail at jgilbert@duluth.com).

• About the Author

  John Gilbert is a lifetime Minnesotan and career journalist, specializing in cars and sports during and since spending 30 years at the Minneapolis Tribune, now the Star Tribune. More recently, he has continued translating the high-tech world of autos and sharing his passionate insights as a freelance writer/photographer/broadcaster. A member of the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year jury since 1993. John can be heard Monday-Friday from 9-11am on 610 KDAL(www.kdal610.com) on the "John Gilbert Show," and writes a column in the Duluth Reader.
  
  For those who want to keep up with John Gilbert's view of sports, mainly hockey with a Minnesota slant, click on the following:
  
  Click here for sports
  
  

• Exhaust Notes:

  PADDLING
  More and more cars are offering steering-wheel paddles to allow drivers manual control over automatic or CVT transmissions. A good idea might be to standardize them. Most allow upshifting by pulling on the right-side paddle and downshifting with the left. But a recent road-test of the new Porsche Panamera, the paddles for the slick PDK direct-sequential gearbox were counter-intuitive -- both the right or left thumb paddles could upshift or downshift, but pushing on either one would upshift, and pulling back on either paddle downshifted. I enjoy using paddles, but I spent the full week trying not to downshift when I wanted to upshift. A little simple standardization would alleviate the problem.
  
  

  SPEAKING OF PADDLES
  The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution has the best paddle system, and Infiniti has made the best mainstream copy of that system for the new Q50, and other sporty models. And why not? It's simply the best. In both, the paddles are long, slender magnesium strips, affixed to the steering column rather than the steering wheel. Pull on the right paddle and upshift, pull on the left and downshift. The beauty is that while needing to upshift in a tight curve might cause a driver to lose the steering wheel paddle for an instant, but having the paddles long, and fixed, means no matter how hard the steering wheel is cranked, reaching anywhere on the right puts the upshift paddle on your fingertips.
  
  

  TIRES MAKE CONTACT
  Even in snow-country, a few stubborn old-school drivers want to stick with rear-wheel drive, but the vast majority realize the clear superiority of front-wheel drive. Going to all-wheel drive, naturally, is the all-out best. But the majority of drivers facing icy roadways complain about traction for going, stopping and steering with all configurations. They overlook the simple but total influence of having the right tires can make. There are several companies that make good all-season or snow tires, but there are precious few that are exceptional. The Bridgestone Blizzak continues to be the best=known and most popular, but in places like Duluth, MN., where scaling 10-12 blocks of 20-30 degree hills is a daily challenge, my favorite is the Nokian WR. Made without compromising tread compound, the Nokians maintain their flexibility no matter how cold it gets, so they stick, even on icy streets, and can turn a skittish car into a winter-beater.