Bridgestone Winter Driving School alters icy instincts

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLO. — If anyone has thoughts of adding one more holiday gift – for a son, daughter, spouse, or the whole family – a trip to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, might be perfect. True, there is a wonderful setting for skiing, snowboarding, or resort-hanging, but Steamboat also is where the Bridgestone Winter Driving School is located, and attendance guarantees an unforgettable experience.

Driving on ice or hard-packed snow is always an adventure, sometimes exciting because you survived a treacherous challenge, sometimes exciting because you didnÂ’t. Did you analyze what you did to make it around that slippery curve, or to avoid crashing into that parked vehicle? Did your instincts work, or did you just get lucky? If you got lucky, do you feel secure trusting to luck, or would you prefer to sharpen your winter-driving skills so that such lucky escapes become instinctive?

I feel pretty confident in my winter driving skills, because I learned to drive on the cliffs of Duluth, sometimes without snow tires, and IÂ’ve learned how to adjust to varying handling of a variety of cars and trucks while test-driving different vehicles every week. But there is plenty of learning to be done, regardless.

IÂ’ve always been impressed at the way Bridgestone Blizzak tires stuck stubbornly to ice where most tires would spin freely, although my enthusiasm was tempered because the Blizzaks were a little clunky to drive on, and wore out quite swiftly, on dry pavement. Frankly, IÂ’ve been advocating Nokian tires, made by the same Finnish company that started the Nokia cell phone industry.

But that doesn’t mean Blizzaks aren’t exceptional at what they’re aimed at – getting you safely and securely through the worst winter snow and ice that winter can throw at us. The Winter Driving School, meanwhile, is a great idea, and I was flattered to be one of a dozen journalists invited to go through the school, which is conducted near the legendary Steamboat Springs ski resorts.

Morgan Kavanaugh, one of the schoolÂ’s instructors, offered a lot of common-sense items that are worth storing away.

• If you find your tires spinning, release the accelerator.
• If you find that you’ve locked up your brakes, release your brakes.
• If your car has transferred its weight balance to the rear, take steps to get more weight to shift back to the front by letting up on the gas or lightly braking.
• If you have antilock brakes, don’t assume you will stop in a shorter distance – ABS can’t do that, but it can allow you to keep some steering control on ice while slowing down.
• If you don’t have ABS, you can learn to control your stopping by pumping the brakes, but it requires some attitude adjustments: For example, pump the brakes hard enough to lock up, then release, and don’t pump again until you are sure the wheels are rolling, not skidding, then pump them again. As you go slower, you can pump more, but be sure to leave enough gap between pumps to let the wheels begin to roll again.
• If you end up in a skid, pumping your brakes will virtually assure that your car will continue to skid sideways.
• The ability of four tires to grip those small patches of pavement they are on lessens when it gets cold enough to freeze, but traction can be worse right at 32 degrees than at 0. At 32, the ice surface can melt and form a thin film of water on top of the ice, which is more hazardous than normal ice.
• Don’t always trust your natural instincts, unless you know your natural instincts are correct.

As Kavanaugh explained, some instincts are completely incorrect. For example, understeer (the car doesnÂ’t turn in as much as your steering input calls for), and oversteer (the tendency of the car to turn in more abruptly than your steering input), are both problems, but must be dealt with differently.

With understeer, you turn the wheel for a curve, but the car keep heading forward, or “plowing,” is most common in front-wheel-drive vehicles. Your natural instinct is to turn the steering wheel more, and more, and if it still won’t turn enough, to hit the brakes. “Those two things are the worst two things you can do when you’re understeering on ice,” said Kavanaugh.

“The problem is too much speed for the tires to keep gripping, so you need to restore the tires’ grip. If you turn the wheel more, the skid is likely to continue or worsen, and if you hit the brakes too hard, you could lock them up, also causing you to skid straight ahead. You need to let up on the brake, as you straighten the steering a bit. Those two things seem opposite of your instincts, but letting up on the brake and straightening the steering a little will allow the skidding wheels to rotate, which will allow them to start gripping again. Once they start to grip again, you can steer more, and apply the brakes more.”

Oversteer occurs when the front of the car turns in too sharply, which is often accompanied by the rear end swinging out, and is common in a rear-wheel-drive car. Hitting the brakes and turning the steering wheel more can worsen oversteer. “In oversteering situations, you steer in the direction of the skid, and instead of braking, you should accelerate smoothly, as you regain traction.”

Those comments were made during a classroom session on car control and techniques for countering problems that occur. Afterwards, we headed out onto the track, driving front-wheel-drive Toyota Camrys and four-wheel-drive 4Runners. Cavanaugh said that the school doesnÂ’t use rear-wheel drive cars, because the spinout problems and lack of traction would be too easy to induce.

While high performance drivers, dry-weather drivers, and auto magazine writers who enjoy pushing powerful vehicles through race-track maneuvers, all might prefer front-engine/rear-drive, those vehicles tend to lose traction easily. Serious winter drivers – even those who have always driven rear-drive vehicles – know the advantages of front-wheel or all-wheel drive on snow or ice, because the majority of weight is over the front wheels, which both steer and drive the car, while the rear wheels simply follow along without trying to overtake the front unless the driver makes a serious mistake by steering and braking too much.

So front-drive or all-wheel drive are the choices for test-vehicles for the Winter Driving School, because there is a serious difference in driving techniques for front or all-wheel drive vehicles, which may be opposite to many common-sense instincts.

Kavanaugh and former Minnesotan Bob Ames (from Afton) were our primary instructors. We went out to the Bridgestone facility, which has an oval skid pad, and a multi-turn road course with hills and varying degrees of curves. It was repeated to all of us to look far enough ahead to evaluate the terrain, the conditions, and where the road goes next. But also, always be aware of what the car is trying to tell the driver.

“If a car begins to spin or skid, there is a reason for it, and a way to recover,” said Kavanaugh, who noted that a car gives a lot of feedback, but the driver must be receptive to read them and anticipate what’s coming. The primary theme is to adjust speed for existing conditions. “Remember,” Kavanaugh said, “go into a turn slower than you thought you should, and you’ll come out faster than you thought you could.”

To heighten the learning process, the Camrys and 4Runners all had switches to deactivate the antilock brakes and traction control. Those devices can make life on snow and ice less stressful, but in learning how to regain control of a car in such situations, eliminating those tools increases the amount of individual control required, and heightens the appreciation of the techniques.

We took turns driving down a hill at a sustained 30 miles per hour, until an instructor on a two-way radio yelled, “Brake.” At that point, hit the brakes with antilock, letting the vehicle chatter to a stop just an inch or two short of a wall of cones. Later, with ABS turned off, we practiced cadence braking – hard stab to lock up, complete release to assure the wheels begin turning, then another hard stab, in repeatedly quickened cadence. After a couple of tries of instinctively braking just short of the lock-up threshhold, I finally got it right and stopped the same Camry about 10 feet short of the cone barricade.

That proved conclusively that proper pump-braking can stop you in a shorter distance than a good ABS system. Kavanaugh agreed with me, however, that in real-world driving, it might be good to make sure the first pump is short of lock-up, just to see how slippery the surface is.

On the road-course, the emphasis was on approaching a curve by trying to stay wide until late, then cutting in so that your apex point is well beyond the actual apex at the middle of the curve. ThatÂ’s the same as “late-apex” race-driving technique. Most safe-driving schools might distance themselves from racing, but Kavanaugh stressed the beneficial similarities.

The Blizzaks gripped impressively, and allowed us to zoom around curves and up or down icy slopes much better than seemed feasible. The school offers no hard-sell on the Blizzaks, which have an outer compound made of open-cell design, with microscopic cells that open to expose tiny biting edges as the tires wear.

I got into a quite spirited debate with a Bridgestone engineer over Nokian tires, because my personal experience in Duluth winter driving disproves the shortcomings he suggested of Nokians. I find that Blizzaks are absolutely unexcelled on sheer ice or hard-packed snow, but that Nokians are quite good in those circumstances, while also functioning better on dry pavement an in long-wear circumstances. Apparently, Bridgestone’s parent company agrees with my take. A Bridgestone public relations official responded to my mention of “Nokian” tires by fetching an email she had received that morning. It was an internal message saying that Bridgestone’s European arm had just acquired 18.9 percent of the Nokian tire company, becoming the argest shareholder, but that Nokian will retain its autonomy, while the two companies work together on future technology for winter tires. The debate is settled, because Bridgestone will benefit from both in the near future.

There is no debate about the benefits of the Bridgestone Winter Driving School. All sessions include classroom and driving course instruction, and range from a half day at $245, a full day for $445-$795, or two full days for $1,550. For what you learn – and what you may learn to survive – it’s a bargain with real-winter benefits. Northwest Airlines has one nonstop flight into and out of Steamboat Springs from Minneapolis every day, and the usual lure of spectacular skiing or snowboarding becomes even better when you incorporate learning to improve your winter driving instincts. Those interested for themselves, their spouses, or their sons or daughters, can call (800) 949-7543 for more information, or email the Bridgestone Winter Driving School at info@drivingsciences.com.

Games in hand scramble WCHA race at midpoint

If any WCHA series could rank as a microcosm for the whole first half of the season it might have been when defending NCAA champion Denver played at preseason coachesÂ’ favorite Minnesota-Duluth in the final series before holiday tournament break. It could hardly have been a closer duel, as the teams played to a 4-4 tie in the first game, then did the same in the rematch, before Denver escaped from the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center with a 5-4 victory in overtime.

Denver coach George Gwozdecky expressed some relief after taking three points out of the DECC series, and remarked about how typical both of the games were in the recent history of DU-UMD matches.
Then Gwozdecky said: “At times it was hard-fought, and at times it was helter-skelter.”

There. That says it all about the fast-paced and crazy series between the two teams, but it also best-describes the first half of the WCHA race, where, if anything, the amazing momentum swings leave a title race looks more wide-open than it was at the start of the season.
Wisconsin stands in first place at 10-4, for 20 points, and North Dakota second at 9-6-1, for 19 points. Impressive as those two teams have been, however, there is reason to suspect that the next three teams in order rank as the primary threats – Colorado College and Minnesota – tied at 18 points – and Denver with 17 points.

Minnesota-Duluth, after zooming to a 4-0 for first place in the league, 5-0-1 overall, and the No. 1 rank in the nation, went into an incredible 1-6 tailspin to and stand 6-7-1 in league play, for 13 points, but nobody doubts the BulldogsÂ’ chances for getting everything back in order for the second half.

The reason Minnesota, CC and Denver all look like such title threats, however, is the all-important loss column. When the number of games varies among teams on the way to final equality, the most victories capture the headlines, but the fewest losses generally win championships. In addition, when teams make up the game disparity they have a chance to add victories, while those with more victories cannot deduct losses.

Wisconsin has only four losses, and the Badgers first-place points were accrued over 14 games, while North Dakota has played 16 WCHA games, with six losses. CC, Minnesota and Denver, however, have played only 12 WCHA games. At identical 9-3 records, either Colorado College or Minnesota could vault into first place simply by winning the two “games in hand” they have compared to Wisconsin.

When it was suggested to Minnesota coach Don Lucia that his Gophers and CC, having split a crucial series at Colorado Springs, might be favorites, said, simply: “Watch out for Denver.”

The Pioneers, who sputtered and struggled through most of last season, then came alive at NCAA tournament time and rose to capture the big trophy, also have only three losses, at 8-3-1.

UMD, meanwhile, never scored fewer than four goals and averaged 5.75 goals per game in running to its 4-0 league start, then never scored as many as four in a game while averaging a paltry 1.7 goals per game during their 1-6 league reversal. The Bulldogs’ inability to score climaxed in a 5-1 loss to North Dakota at the DECC, when they trailed the Sioux 5-0 before Marco Peluso scored something of a fluke goal on a two-man power play for a 5-1 loss. The next night, trailing 2-0, finally reached that “4” plateau for a 4-3 victory.

That game ended a string where UMD had won only two of 11 games overall (2-8-1), and that was when Denver came to Duluth.

Fast-paced as the first game was, it was odd because it never was racehorse, back and forth. Instead, one team dominated, then the other. Jon Foster and Luke Fulghum gave Denver a 2-0 lead in the first period, when Denver outshot the Â’Dogs 11-7. UMD then took over for goals by Brett Hammond, Todd Smith and Tim Hambly in the second period, and Luke StauffacherÂ’s power-play goal gave UMD its fourth straight goal and a 4-2 lead. But Fulghum scored shorthanded for Denver, and the Pioneers reclaimed the momentum when Gabe Gauthier scored a power-play goal a minute later for a 4-4 tie that withstood the final 13 minutes and overtime.

With coach Scott Sandelin off coaching the U..S. team in the World Junior tournament, assistant Steve Rohlik coached UMD. “I told our guys before the game that I wished I could play just one shift, to get rid of the jitters,” said Rohlik, a former star whose last college game was when he helped lead Wisconsin to the 1990 NCAA title, and whose last previous game as head coach was in the 1997 Minnesota state high school tournament, when Rohlik’s Hill-Murray lost to Edina in three overtimes.

The next night, it was more of the same – again, typifying both UMD and Denver, and the whole WCHA tangle. Ryan Helgason staked Denver to a 1-0 lead in the first period, which established a startling record that best-explains UMD’s struggles: It was the 16th game out of 20 this season’s first 20 games that the Bulldogs yielded the first goal.
UMD came battling back, as usual, this time with Peluso, Steve Czech and Stauffacher scoring second-period goals for a 3-1 Bulldog lead. The third period caused a similar reversal, as Matt Carle scored on a power play and Mike Handza tied it 4-4 at 6:54. Rohlik pulled starting goalie Josh Johnson at that point, but Isaac Reichmuth was greeted by FulghamÂ’s third goal of the weekend just 28 seconds later, and Denver led 4-3.

That led to a dramatic finish to the third period, when Evan Schwabe scored a one-timer from the right edge with 3:53 remaining for a 4-4 tie that duplicated FridayÂ’s ebb-and-flow battle. This time, however, the puck dropped for overtime and Jeff Drummond went to the crease to score at 0:15, and Denver had its 5-4 victory.

So preseason favorite UMD seemed to get healthy – scoring four goals for three straight games, even if they only went 1-1-1 – and the Bulldogs could take extra satisfaction in knowing that their seven league losses include five on the road, and they are 4-2 at home, where they open the second half with four straight at the DECC. And Denver stayed in hot contention with the three points on the road, a perfect launching pad for the second half.

Hot Mustang sizzles with added convertibles

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. — The suspense was growing by the minute, before the naming of the 2005 North American International Truck of the Year at the Detroit Auto Show. Would the jury of 48 automotive journalists pick a Ford, a Ford, or a Ford affiliate? The three finalists – the top three vote-getters – were the Ford Freestyle, the Ford Escape Hybrid, and the Land Rover LR3. All three deserved their status, and had to make Ford executives smile.

FordÂ’s chances were reduced to one in three for International Car of the Year, with the 2005 Mustang in an all-domestic showdown against the Chevrolet Corvette and the Chrysler 300. Of those three, the Mustang was my top vote-getter, and has been a rousing success since it hit the marketplace. While the Mustang may not need a boost so soon after being launched as an all-new model, Ford gave it a boost anyway, by introducing a convertible version as a public relations coup to kick off the opening of the major domestic auto show circuit this past week.

Car and Truck of the Year awards – free of the influence of advertising that accompanies all similar magazine awards – are announced at Detroit’s auto show, which starts this week as the nation’s most significant automotive extravaganza. The Los Angeles show started a few days earlier in its puzzling quest to be the country’s first major show, so Ford invited selected journalists for a first drive of the Mustang convertible last Tuesday in Los Angeles, the day before the first press day at the Los Angeles show. Because every media outlet were seeking a flashy way to preview the opening of the show, this gave them the chance to feature live shots of the Mustang convertible zooming along highways in and around Santa Monica.

Beyond the hustle, the Mustang convertible is an impressively tight version of the Mustang, free of the usual shuddering cowl shake that plagues virtually every coupe that tries to become a convertible. In the Mustang’s case, chief engineer Hau Thai Tang said, “From the start, we designed the Mustang to be both a coupe and convertible. In that way, it already was stiff enough so it didn’t need extra reinforcement to become a convertible.”

One compromise Ford made with the convertible was to soften the suspension just a bit. But that worked, too, because in making the all-new platform, the coupeÂ’s stiffness was so improved against flexing, Ford could actually soften the spring rates and still have a firm but comfortable cornering attitude.

The power-operated soft top, with a full glass rear window, drops down behind the rear seat in only 16 seconds after you unlatch it. The carÂ’s aerodynamics include a special taper to the top of the steeply-raked windshield to make it surprisingly quiet instead of the anticipated wind-buffeting noise when the top is down. Yet the convertible is a mere 120 pounds heavier than the coupe.

I did, by the way, put the top down immediately, although some left the top up as they braced against the “severe” cold of 50-something temperature. That is cold for Southern California, but having flown to Los Angeles from Minnesota, where I had just been shoveling a nine-inch snowfall in minus-15-degree weather, 50-something was, indeed, convertible weather. OK, we turned the heat up a bit, but my driving partner hailed from more-tropical Toronto.

I was able to zoom around the mountain roads above Santa Monica in a variety of Mustangs. Most impressive was the GT, with its 4.6-liter V8, and a five-speed stick, which best put the 300 horsepower and 320 foot-pounds of torque down on the road. It will be priced at $29,995, a few thousand more than the coupe. The 4.0-liter V6 Mustang also can be had in convertible form, with the price rising from just under $20,000 to $24,495, with 210 horsepower and a fully adequate 240 foot-pounds of torque. Ford officials anticipate a 30-percent boost in Mustang sales with the convertible.

After the Mustang GT V8, I also drove the V6 version of the convertible, with FordÂ’s five-speed automatic. It displayed proper flair both in sound and acceleration, although it would be spunkier with the five-speed, which is the same one as in the V8.

Later, I also took a turn in one of several flashy Mustangs that had undergone after-market modifications. Some had more power, some were louder, some had flashy graphics, some had huge wheels. All of the modified Mustangs were impressive, but none matched the silky-smooth coordination of the stock Mustang. The body, chassis, engines, suspension, brakes, and even the tires, are all coordinated to make the Mustang a complete package. So maybe the best an after-market company can do is to not screw up the stock MustangÂ’s harmonious balance.

Even in styling, the Mustang, which IÂ’ve covered in previous columns, is extremely polished as it conjures up the best memories of the 1970 Mustang, the last and best version of the first batch of Mustangs. From that standpoint, the V6 version is even more similar, because it has the large open grille, without the GTÂ’s large, inset foglights.

The Los Angeles show is big enough to command star billing – Hollywood style – along with the Detroit, Chicago and New York shows as the big four of North American auto shows. But compared to maybe a half-dozen new vehicles unveiled at Los Angeles, there will probably be about 20 such introductions at Detroit in the coming week. To me, it would seem Los Angeles organizers would be smart to put their show off for a couple of weeks, and by letting Detroit be first, L.A. would get their half-dozen introductions, plus get 20 or so vehicles shown first in Detroit.

Back to the Car of the Year voting, this was the most competitive year in the history of the North American event, which is the only such award not conducted by a magazine or other outlet that might be accused of being dependent upon advertising money. Jury members on the North American Car of the Year jury have 25 points to split up among different picks. In some years, IÂ’ve given the maximum 10 points to one car, and split up the remaining 15 points among a selected few. The Volkswagen New Beetle, which won in its introductory year, was one of those that deserved the maximum, and the Mazda6, which didnÂ’t win, was another. But never in my 11 years on the jury have I had to split up my votes among so many worthy cars.

In my personal vote, I ranked the three finalists:1. Mustang, 2. Chrysler 300, and 3. Corvette. My ballot, however, reflects a responsibility to driving requirements in the Upper Midwest, so I gave the ultra-safe yet fun to drive Volvo S40 sedan and V50 wagon, as an entry, one point more than the rear-drive Mustang, which I tied with the Dodge Magnum, the wagon half of Chrysler GroupÂ’s dynamic duo. One point behind those two, I gave equal shares to the Chrysler 300, Acura RL and the Audi A6, a notch ahead of the Corvette, which is impressive enough to win in a different year.

In that company, the Mustang is not so much retro as an attempt to design a progressive extension of the car from when it established itself as a passionate icon. Hau Thai Tang, in fact, has been promoted from chief engineer on the car and will now supervise FordÂ’s upcoming performance cars, including the SVT (Special Vehicle Team) operation.
Ford added to the festive occasion by following up the Mustang convertible drive with a trip to Leno’s Garage, Jay Leno’s private playpen. It houses the night-show star’s own collection of dream cars, vintage cars and motorcycles, ranging from ancient historic cars, some old Packards and Hudsons, up through such exotic cars as the new McLaren, and a new Ford GT parked alongside a vintage Cobra. Jay Leno was there to pay tribute to John Colletti, who just retired as head of SVT. I got the chance to congratulate Leno on remaining a true “car guy” underneath all the show-biz glitter.

On top of the dozens of fantastic vehicles, a car-fanaticÂ’s ultimate hat trick mingled as well, giving me the opportunity to renew acquaintances with Carroll Shelby, Parnelli Jones and Dan Gurney.

The Mustang convertible may have stolen the spotlight of the Los Angeles Auto Show, but there were some impressive unveilings of some 2006 models. My favorites were Audi’s dynamic new compact A3, and the completely rebuilt A4, while Volkswagen brought out its entirely redone Jetta, and Chevrolet introduced the HHR – a modern interpretation of a compact and retro 1949 Suburban. Dodge, which brought out a new coupe version of the V10 Viper sports car, and a beefed-up Magnum sport-wagon, was holding back a week to display the anticipated new Charger in Detroit.

Chevrolet compared the HHR to the PT Cruiser, although it failed to mention that shortly after Chrysler introduced the PT Cruiser, General Motors hired young designer Bryan Nesbitt away, and put him to work designing the HHR. If you like the Suburban/Tahoe trucks, and if you remember the first Suburban, you will be stopped in your tracks by the HHR, which is big enough to be versatile, and small enough to be powered by either a 145 or 170 horsepower Ecotec four-cylinder engine.

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

Domestics raise power to face clever imports at Detroit show

DETROIT, MI. — Chrysler Group is known for its “show biz” schemes at new-product introductions, and it certainly didnÂ’t disappoint during media previewing the Detroit International Auto Show. Bristling with pride after winning the Chrysler 300 won the 2005 North American Car of the Year award, had three directions to go and charged down all three to display the Chrysler Firepower sports car, the new Dodge Charger, and a wild, two-HEMI Jeep Hurricane.

Ford introduced some impressive real-world cars, but stressed its gleaming silver Shelby GR-1 Concept. General Motors introduced the Z-06 high-powered, or higher-powered, model of its new C6 Corvette, and a supercharged Cadillac SVT-V aimed at luxury-high-performance.

Power, more power and supercharged power are the norm from testosterone-driven dream cars that dominate most of the pedestals, and stand diametrically opposed to the clean-burning, high-mileage models tucked around corners at other displays. If that twain shall ever meet, it probably wonÂ’t be at the Detroit International Auto Show.

The top U.S. auto extravaganza runs through Sunday, January 23, making Cobo Hall the site that stresses extremes during media preview days. Something old, something new, some realistic, some far too fanciful to ever happen, some worthy of “Car of the Year” and others wishing they could be – and even some officially declared “missing” – that’s the news from Detroit.

American hunger for excessive muscle made it predictable that the domestic Big Three – General Motors, Ford and Chrysler Group – all promoted racy, high-powered specialty vehicles, while the top Asian manufacturers and European brands aimed more at environmentally-friendly new cars. Is there a trend there?

First, let’s look at the flash of the domestics. General Motors brought out its top corporate spokesmen to talk about future technology with hybrid vehicles and hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicles. GM and Chrysler are working together to “advance” the state of hybrid technology, GM reported, while it experiments on hybrid power for a bus fleet. At the show, GM’s Sequel fuel-cell vehicle, and Graphyte SUV, are both concepts only, and GM’s alternative energy plans are all for future products. That made for unfortunate timing, last Sunday, because it immediately followed the disclosure that Ford, GM’s top rival, had just won the Truck of the Year with the Escape Hybrid, an impressive use of alternative technology already out there on the street attracting rave reviews.

The Z-06 Corvette is, chief engineer Tom Stephens said, “the fastest production car we’ve ever made.” With 500 horsepower and 475 foot-pounds of torque from a hand-built pushrod V8, it will go 0-60 in “under” four seconds, with a top speed of 190 miles per hour plus. Look for it as a dominant theme of high-performance magazines everywhere, although real rush-hour rushers won’t have the same access to race tracks or autobahns.

The Cadillac STS, like the Corvette, was completely redone for 2005. Unlike the Corvette, the STS has the 4.6-liter Northstar V8 with multiple valves and dual-overhead-camshaft sophistication. For 2006, a reduced size version of the high-tech Northstar V8 gets a supercharger boost to 440 horsepower and 430 foot-pounds of torque to turn the STS into the STS-V.

GM vice president Bob Lutz drove out in the STS-V, and was refreshing in this era of electronic-script-reading introductions by extemporaneously describing the cars, and about his task of preparing a potential successor for himself. With that, Lutz introduced “Bob,” who got out of the passenger seat of the same STS-V, wearing an identical suit, with similar white hair, and mimicking all of Lutz’s gestures. It was a good laugh – Bob Lutz and “Mini-Me.”

Lutz talked about GM’s great heritage, and added a chillingly incisive statement. “You know what all that tradition means in the marketplace?” Lutz said. “Not a darn thing. It doesn’t mean squat.” He said that GM had to keep working hard, every day, to stay atop the marketing battle, and he was later quoted saying it might be inevitable that Toyota will someday pass GM as the world’s largest vehicle manufacturer.

Later, at GM’s third press conference of the three media days, Saturn introduced its new Sky roadster, and Aura sedan – a pair of vehicles that may lack the over-$50,000/over-400-horsepower panache of the Z-06 or STS-V, but could be significant real-world participants.

Ford had its sports car and concept vehicles ranging from the Fairlane SUV to the SYN wagon that resembles a compact armored car with a vault-like tailgate with a rear window that is actually a huge flat-screen LCD video monitor to provide rear-view images – or movie viewing. But Ford’s most impressive items were introduction of the new Ford Fusion, an attractively sleek midsize sedan that starts with a stretched Mazda6 platform, and the 2006 Lincoln Zephyr sedan and Mercury Meta One concept.

Mary Ann Wright, chief engineer of the Escape Hybrid, complimented “some of the brightest and most passionate engineers I’ve ever worked with,” as she accepted the Truck of the Year award, and added that she considered it the “truck of the century.” She also said Ford would install similar hybrid systems in the Mazda Tribute and four other Ford and Mercury vehicles in the next couple of years, which will thrust Ford right up there with Honda and Toyota at the forefront of hybrid technology.

When it comes to auto-show-biz, however, nobody touches Chrysler. The Firepower, with its Viper-chassis and Hemi V8, is a visual hit and more reasonable as a future product than last yearÂ’s show-stopping ME-Four-Twelve. Also, the Jeep Gladiator was a neat pickup.
Chrysler Group CEO Dieter Zetsche said: “One of the best things about working for Chrysler Group is that you can build what you imagine.”

With that, he introduced an imagination-blowing Jeep Hurricane. This spindly-looking creation has Hemi power, with two monster V8s, one on the front axle and one on the rear. Each engine has 335 horsepower and 370 foot-pounds of torque, so the Hurricane has 670 and 740 power totals. In case anyone doubts that it is the most agile off-road vehicle ever built, consider that the four wheels can turn in at both ends, allowing the Hurricane to have a “zero” turning radius, because it will pivot around its own axis. Undoubtedly, it would pivot fast with all that power. Maybe it should have been the Tornado, instead of the Hurricane.

In the fast-moving video introducing the Hurricane, Chrysler came up with a clever bit. At one point, the vehicle and the camera flashed past a bus stop bench, on which sat two men wearing full Detroit Red Wings uniforms, skates, helmets and all. They were holding a sign that said, “Will skate for food.” Great play on the NHL lockout season.

But ChryslerÂ’s most clever bit was still to come. Dieter Zetsche said Dodge was returning to Nascar racing with its to-be-introduced Dodge Charger, a notched sedan off the Magnum wagon. With that, a fully lettered red Charger race car rumbled onto the stage. After the introduction, Zetzche said that a race car is only good with a strong production car behind it, and the curtains parted and a pit crew ran out, changing tires and scurrying around to do all sorts of things. Suddenly, a small crane started lifting, the Charger. The race car was just a shell over the actual car, so as it was lifted, the actual Dodge Charger sedan remained center stage.

“There is nothing retro about this car,” Zetsche said. “It is what might be designed if the Charger never left the market 28 years ago. The front end sneers at you, as only a Dodge can.”

As for the missing-in-action element, I liked the Chevrolet HHR more than a lot of other media types I talked to. The HHR resembles a compact and modern version of the original bulging-fender 1949 Suburban, powered by a couple of four-cylinder engines. I saw it, introduced in the flesh (metal?), at the Los Angeles Auto Show four days before DetroitÂ’s opening.

I wondered why it wasnÂ’t at the Detroit showÂ’s media days, and I was informed that there is only one HHR currently in existence. So, even though Cobo Hall is virtually in the shadows of GM headquarters at the Renaissance Center, only three blocks upstream, GM chose to place the only HHR at the Los Angeles show. Near Hollywood. ThatÂ’s show biz.

(John Gilbert writes weekly auto reviews. Contact him at cars@jwgilbert.com.)

Detroit Auto Show offers feast of gourmet appetizers

DETROIT, MI. — Auto show time for an automotive journalist is a lot like a food fanatic looking over the menu at a gourmet restaurant. We havenÂ’t eaten anything here yet, but there are a lot of delectable candidates for upcoming meals.

The Detroit International Auto Show, which runs through Sunday, January 23, didn’t really have a main entree – no single vehicle that grabbed attention as best in show. But 20 very good menu choices can make a better gourmet menu than one with one special and the rest not-so-special.

The North American Car and Truck of the Year awards were issued at the Detroit show, with the Chrysler 300 beating out the Mustang for top car, and the Ford Hybrid Escape beating the Land Rover LR-3 for top truck. But after that hard news appetizer, it was time for the main courses at the Detroit show. So with the Los Angeles and Detroit shows tempting us, and the Chicago and New York shows still to come on the major U.S. tour, here is a menu of 20 automotive delicacies that I am anxious to taste – make that test – in the coming months:

* Acura RD-X: Compact SUV is a smaller MD-X with the Acura RL sedanÂ’s superb all-wheel-drive system, a sporty exterior, and sensational interior, it will be produced for 2006.
* Ford Fusion: Good-looking midsize sedan Ford is plunking onto a lengthened Mazda6 platform, with weather-beating front-wheel drive. MercuryÂ’s Milan will be a corporate twin.

* Volkswagen Jetta: Fifth-generation Jetta is all-new, stretching from compact into midsize with a more potent 5-cylinder engine and a 6-speed automatic, for under $20,000.

* Mazda MX Crossport: Who needs sedan-SUV crossovers with a sports car-SUV crossover coming? Compact, tight, sporty but also roomy, the Crossport is a concept that we need.

* Audi A3: The A3 has been a big hit for years in Europe, and the redesigned new one is coming to the U.S. A compact four door hatchback, it lends Audi class to small-car segment.

* Chevrolet HHR: Seen in Los Angeles, conspicuously absent in Detroit, it turns out there is only one HHR, and Chevy went Hollywood with this retro compact based on the 1949 Suburban.

* Honda Ridgerunner: Honda vowed it would never make a truck, but here it is, a Honda four-door pickup truck with a unique in-bed trunk and all sorts of innovations, with a futuristic look.

* Saturn Sky: The Sky is the limit as a Saturn drop-top roadster, based on the coming Pontiac Solstice. It should regenerate interest in the comeback of GMÂ’s forgotten brand.

* Hyundai Sonata: Recent improvements brought the Sonata up to solid stature, and the all-new rebuild is taking aim at outdoing the Accord and Camry with great value at a bargain price.

* Mercedes M-Class: The first thorough overhaul of the potent off-road-capable Mercedes SUV, and the company is hoping this one will silence critics who lost interest in its predecessor.

* Dodge Charger: The Chrysler 300 won Car of the Year, and its Dodge Magnum wagon brother came in fourth. Now the Magnum gets a sedan sibling, which carries Dodge into Nascar.

* Mitsubishi Eclipse: As its earlier success faded, last yearÂ’s concept Eclipse was a stunning success, triggering an all-new sporty coupe that brings the concept car to life.

* Lincoln Zephyr: Ford resurrects another worthy old name, but nothing is retro about this contemporary sedan, a luxury take on the Mercury Milan, with all-wheel drive to come.

* Infiniti M35/45: The refined midsize Infiniti puts either the solid V6 or the Q45Â’s V8 into a solid challenger making a solid run at the growing sports sedan segment.

* Audi A4: The sedan that raised Audi from serious trouble a decade ago is entirely renovated as a 2006 model, with the new corporate grille, with high-tech stuff like direct-injection power.

* Range Rover Sport: A sporty model to wedge in between the new LR-3 and the big Range Rover, the Sport has a unique grille and a more-unique supercharged V8.

* Subaru B9 Tribeca: Coming this spring, the B9 sports the new grille reflecting SubaruÂ’s aircraft heritage, with sporty, 250-horsepower, all-wheel-drive flexibility and a flashy interior.

* Jaguar Advanced Lightweight Coupe: They may be running out of names, but this sleek sports coupe is intended to foretell the styling direction Jaguar will make on its new models.

* Mercedes Smart: A whole fleet of tiny-but-tough Smart congestion-beaters are popular in Europe’s big cities, and it’s small enough to be a golf cart. The “fortwo” model comes to the U.S.

* Jeep Hurricane: This one may never be built, but with two 335-horse HEMI V8s, one on each axle, and wheels that can angle to pivot in a circle, itÂ’s a fantasy we can hope comes to life.

The list excludes some very impressive concept vehicles, especially sports cars like the Chrysler Firepower, Ford Shelby GR-1, and Lexus LF-A, but there is no indication they will actually become production vehicles. Still, auto show time is a good time to sample the whole menu, and let your imagination run as wild as the car-designers do.

(John Gilbert writes weekly auto reviews. Contact him at cars@jwgilbert.com.)

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• 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:
  
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• 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.