HarleyEarl

Of course a Cadillac tank is pretty awesome too.

That is one good looking tank!...love it. A 'Buick' tank.

There is sure a trend with deep low down grills on German cars. This is getting a bit whacky. Or is it stunning and our untrained eyes just can't see the wonderment yet?

1969 Chevrolet Impala - A Car In August (Published in "Motor Trend", November 1968) (Top) An infinite prairie of grass accentuates Impala changes for 1969, including flared wheel wells and ventless side glass. Although Impala sports entirely new sheetmetal, subtle body changes are not immediately apparent. (Above) 1969 trunk space is adequate and similar in size to 1968. Spare is still far forward and difficult to reach for women. (Right) Equipment fills floor and bucket seat. Chevy bucket seats are contoured to fit the back firmly and are extremely comfortable; there is little sliding or swaying in even the tightest corners. If you want to test a 1969 Chevrolet in August ... go to Milford, Mich. and the General Motors Proving Ground. That's where the cars are. Accompanied by security guards and engineers, you can take the one-of-a-kind prototype out and drive it for the day on twisting, curving blacktop roads and at ultra high speed on the long, 3-mile, north/south straightaway. A completely new body shell with all-new sheetmetal surrounds a virtually unchanged chassis and suspension. Even though the body shell is new, Chevy's big car lines are quite similar to those of 1968. New, scalloped wheel openings, fender skirts, and a convex rear window present an immediate distinctive change in appearance. Other changes sneak up on you more slowly. Powertrain & Performance A 427-c.i.d. engine - that's where it's at if you want a bomb. Add 4-on-the-floor and it's practically a supercar. Not exactly the abstract concept of what the mass of men leading lives of quiet desperation have parked out in the garage. But, to be fair to Chevrolet, it was the only Impala available before production got started. If you want to test a car in August, you take what you can get. Our test car, in addition to the 427-c.i.d. engine with 4-bbl. carburetion, turning out 390 hp., plus the 4-speed manual transmission, was hooked up to a 3.31:1 rear axle ratio with positraction. Luckily, a low, low rear end hadn't been included with the package, and performance was more of the family type, with good, nominal engine rpm at highway speeds. With 427 inches and a 4-speed, there was little doubt about acceleration performance, which turned out to be, like fast, as was expected. Chevy's 427 ran smoothly and quietly, even when abused repeatedly with missed speed shifts at high rpms. Four-on-the-floor with a Muncie shifter ... not what the average housewife would clamor for to run the kids to school or make several daily hops to the supermarket. But, if you still enjoy driving a car instead of the other way round, the 4-speed is an ideal adaptation in the Impala. The shifter is located conveniently for comfortable, relaxed driving and doesn't necessitate an overly long reach. We're not exactly in love with the operation of most Muncies, and this one was no exception. Finding second in downshifts wasn't always the easiest thing in the world. Handling, Steering & Stopping There's not a hell of a lot you can do to change the basic family car suspension from year to year. Chevrolet does employ a platoon of cunning computers now to determine spring rates on each car, for its specific use, which supposedly keeps every car at its designed ride level and trim angle. Suspension on the test Impala had the usual soft sedan feel, but with Chevrolet's unique, inviolate firmness evident in handling and steering. Handling characteristics are good, similar to 1968. Chevy's slightly contoured, resilient bucket seats hold down driver and front seat passenger slipping, sliding, pitching and rolling to a minimum. That fact and cohesive power steering that allows a substantial road feel, gives a mobile smoothness to handling the Impala. Going through tight corners, is always road hugging business. Steering is neutral in normal corners, but aggressive driving brings on built-in understeer. Controlled oversteer occurs in sharp power drifts coming out of turns of less than 90 degrees. On steep, abrupt rises or similar dips, the test car had a tendency, when pushed hard, to bottom mushily, with a rear fender (or some part of the body) hitting noisily. This only happened when the body was twisted considerably in a turn/dip at high speed, and, as this was a prototype, that problem will probably be eliminated in production models. The Chevy, too, was equipped with wide-tread Polyglas tires, which had a noticeable effect on 'handling, steering, and especially stopping. Chevrolet power front disc brakes and drum rear, which our car had, have been a great combination since they were introduced. Stops were always straight and easy to control. Even after repeated use during high-speed acceleration runs (up to 122 mph), there was no fade or burning with the Impala brakes. Comfort, Convenience & Ride Front bucket seats are firm, yet immensely comfortable. Bench seats might be more practical for a family sedan, but there is no compromise with the Chevy buckets. Leg room and pedal placement are also well planned for comfort. A large ashtray in the redesigned instrument panel is easy to reach and use by both driver and passenger, as is the radio, and a hidden ashtray in the center console is an added benefit for heavy smokers. Easy to see and read, a large speedometer/odometer is centrally located behind the steering wheel. The newly designed steering wheel for 1969 is easy to handle and has horn buttons in each side of a padded center bar. Unfortunately, when the bucket seatback on the driver's side is pushed forward for rear seat entry or exit, the seatback head restraint makes perfect contact with the horn buttons and a rather noisy fanfare announces your intention. A design computer must have goofed. Rear seats are comfortable, although seatbacks seem unusually straight. The convex rear window throws lots of light on the rear seat passengers and could become uncomfortably warm if parked in the sun. The window gives unusually good rear-view mirror visibility though. Rear seat knee room is cramped with front buckets all the way back. Headroom in the rear is unusually good and would be adequate for top hats or bouffant hair. Safety seat push buttons are located in the center of front seatbacks and are difficult to find when getting into the back seat. The Chevrolet-Fisher Body combination continues to exemplify quality craftsmanship and construction. This reflects in the ride, that is softly American, yet at the same time surrounds you with adamantine security. Wide Poly tires unquestionably do their part in the excellent ride qualities. Removal of vent windows on the Impala have also added to the feeling of spaciousness in this car, too. Ride is extremely quiet, with little or no wind and road noise. Plus & Minus Features The bottoming body scrape when the suspension gets an unusual amount of activity and the unfortunate match of the steering wheel horn buttons with the front seat head restraint are probably the most outstanding minus features in an otherwise seemingly ideally designed car. More rear seat knee room is needed for good back seat comfort. Ride and handling are primary among plus features. Bucket seat comfort is a close second. Trunk space is more than adequate and should hold a considerable amount of luggage. The trunk, in fact, is so large that the forward located spare is difficult to reach without actually getting into the trunk. Fisher styling still makes the Impala a bon vivant among the big car set.

Chevrolet Show Car to Have "Zeta Light" Platform Date Posted 11-29-2005 DETROIT — The sports car prototype that Chevrolet will unveil in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit will ride on General Motors' Zeta Light architecture and is almost certain to have a Corvette engine. GM would love to have a rear-wheel-drive coupe or 2+2 vehicle to challenge the Ford Mustang and forthcoming Dodge Challenger, and the prototype will show how GM thinks it should handle the matter. GM would also like its Mustang fighter to arrive as soon as possible. Media are reporting that GM will call the prototype "Camaro," but supplier sources familiar with the automaker's plans say the vehicle might instead resurrect the Chevelle nameplate. "All the magazines are assuming they're going to copy the '69 Camaro, and I think that's highly likely," a well-placed source told Inside Line. "But there's also a chance they could copy the '70 Chevelle, in which case they'll call it Chevelle." Much of the naming issue also depends on the status of GM's agreement with the city of Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec, where the company used to build Camaros and Firebirds. GM agreed not to use the names Camaro and Firebird for a period of time following the discontinuation of those models. But whatever its name, a rear-drive Chevy coupe off the Zeta Light platform is a done deal. Supplier sources say the first two Zeta Light offerings will be a sedan and a coupe, both from Chevrolet. The Zeta Light architecture is a version of GM's Zeta architecture, modified to take out cost and accommodate longer wheelbases. GM would price the Chevy coupe closer to the Mustang than the Corvette, giving it (most likely) a Corvette engine but leaving out the kind of sophisticated performance systems and upscale interior the Vette has.

ASMA Mercedes CLS Shark II Text courtesy ASMA GmbH Photos courtesy www.Rustalk.com edited 11-28-2005 Editor's Note: ASMA words translated by WorldCarFans.com. Photos courtesy www.Rustalk.com The new front of the CLS Shark II provides for sportiness and individuality. After the CLS Shark I provided plenty of sensation in the tuning scene, Asma felt compelled to expand on the concept. With this new aerodynamic package the Asma CLS Shark II achieves a high level of sportiness. The new front, with an extended grill, adjusted to the aggressive body kit transforms the Asma CLS Shark II into a real eye catcher. As if by the hand of Picasso, the air intakes in the tail as well as the extended bumper lend to the Asma CLS Shark II an individual shape in its entirety. The perfection of the Asma CLS Shark II climaxes with the Asma Design rim 1!

Good ol' American muscle, priced for the everyman....that's the ticket. Never did get the sport compact ricer thing. Ahhhh feels so good, a nice big brawny V8. GM show 'em how it's done.

Catching the Next Wave: Will High-Tech Muscle Squeeze Sport Compacts? BOB GRITZINGER and RICHARD S. CHANG Published Date: 11/28/05 Sport compact tuners are taking over the world. That’s the unmistakable conclusion you might reach after gazing upon miles of aisles of tricked-out tuner cars, over-the-top parts and wild accessories at the recent Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas. There’s one problem: People with ears closest to the thrumming ground think you’re wrong. They think the wave of sport compact tuning that washed over America in the past decade may have crested and is receding from its high water mark. Yes, Honda is back. It is reclaiming lost ground with a new Civic that should help Honda secure it as the darling of the tuner world. But Volkswagen is in the mix, showing a full range of concept “R” tuner cars at SEMA, laying claim to its tuner birthright that predates the Japanese imports. Wasn’t the Beetle America’s original tuner import? But the distant—and growing—rumble that is drawing everyone’s attention is nothing less than the resurgence of modernized muscle cars. At SEMA, the wild $427,000 Baldwin-Motion Camaro Super Coupe, above, represented the extreme side of this trend. But one does not make a trend: Plenty of other mainstream examples were on hand, such as the latest Shelby Mustangs from Unique Performance, and manufacturer entries such as the Pontiac GTO and Solstice, Ford Mustang and GT500, and Dodge Charger that signal a return to muscle. “There’s definitely a swing back to ’60s-era muscle cars—with today’s technology,” says Clay Dean, General Motors director of small and midsize car design. A SEMA veteran, Dean has been trend-spotting at the tuner show since 1985 and witnessed the rise of sport trucks, the return of street rods and the upsurge of sport compact tuners. Each trend is marked by a similar search for a brand identity that carries emotion and power, says Dean. The swing to ’60s automotive icons is more of the same, he says. “People want to stand out, and their rediscovery of ’60s muscle is a return to a time when brands were strong—to when people knew what Chevy stood for,” Dean says. The trick, says trend spotter Rob Tregenza of Minneapolis-based Iconoculture, is to convince consumers to catch the wave, instead of pushing them into it. For North American automakers, steeped in selling in volume, cashing in on their natural advantage in muscle cars will depend on how well they emulate the sport compact manufacturers and supporting tuner companies of today. “Consumers want to go to niche—they want a ‘mom and pop’ brand that’s unique,” Tregenza says. Success for big automakers like GM may lie in establishing separate brands for enthusiasts, and giving brands free rein to create what the market demands. Performance-based entities, like GM Performance Division, Ford SVT and Chrysler Street and Racing Technology, may be seen as too cozy with the parent to win the battle for buyers. “The manufacturers are in, but do people buy it—is it authentic?” Iconoculture’s Tregenza asks. Chrysler, with its tuner-friendly and affordable 300C, Dodge Magnum and Dodge Charger, and its wildly successful Hemi engine, may have a leg up on the competition when it comes to latching on to the muscle movement. Ralph Gilles, designer of the 300, returned from SEMA and reported to his boss, Chrysler design chief Trevor Creed, that the show was loaded with tuned 300Cs and Chargers. “And we didn’t pay for any of them,” notes Creed, referring to the common industry practice of financing “dollar cars” for tuners. “The trend is happening on its own,” says Creed. “People are saying, ‘You’ve given us the traditional American car back—and it’s affordable.’” Does the rise of muscle mean the end of sport compacts? Judging by the preponderance of the latter represented in SEMA’s 2055 booths, along with the huge dollars all those tuner parts and accessories represent (a $31 billion industry) it’s more likely sport compacts will run side-by-side with muscle cars for the foreseeable future. Jarod DeAnda, youth marketing manager for Meguiar’s, the voice of Formula Drift, and PR man for Gumball 3000, says we’re living in a “mash-up” culture, where consumers demand creative control over products. The result, notes Tregenza, is a youth culture that can “mix and mash products before they even get into production.” Mash-up can best describe what’s going on in the tuner world right now, says DeAnda. “It’s a mash-up of different global influences, from drifting and JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) styles to California tuning style to motorsports to hip-hop to skateboard culture to graffiti art. It’s really all over the board right now, and young tuners are pulling from all sources.” Need proof? DeAnda’s drift car displayed at SEMA was painted by Kal Kustoms, a company known for airbrushing low riders and drag cars. “What’s funny is [my car] offends the core drift dudes,” says DeAnda, “but if it was a single color like a gray, it would be JDM, which is funny.” ON THE SEMA RADAR > Colored Wheels The days of big, crass chrome wheels are gone, says Ford designer Pat Schiavone. “I have seen a move away from chrome [on wheels] and using it just as an accent. There is also a move toward doing more OE-look [original equipment] wheels with colors. I’m going back to try that on a project.” > Digital Tunes Digital music moves beyond offering consumers an auxiliary port to plug in iPods. Sony makes a removable faceplate radio that provides up to a gigabyte of capacity with which to download tunes straight from your computer via USB port. Next up: to make all cars at any price fully Bluetooth compatible. > What are you smokin’? Kumho Ecsta MX-C tires don’t just screech and spew smoke when you light ’em up—these tires spew red or blue colored smoke. Initially made for use in Formula Drift racing, Kumho now sells the MX-C to the public in four sizes for road use. Pick your color and start smokin’. > Performance Parts ”SEMA used to be about parts to make your car go faster,” says Jack Roush, owner of Roush Racing and Roush Performance. “It evolved to a show for personalization: wheels, tires, [and] stickers. Now it is back to go-fast parts like superchargers and turbos. Personalization is still there, but [go-fast] parts are growing.”

I have always liked the Monte Carlo and now even more...a stunner.

1981....Kentucky

I see Martha on TV again in a new show. I have to say, she has a different persona now...it's very congenial, happy, fun. Before she seemed more rigid in her perfection. ...so, this pairing may be a 'very good thing'.

I so admire these American automobile entrepreneurs, no matter their quirky personalities....I think you have to be a bit off the beaten path even to consider building a car these days...and I'm glad they do. They have made the automotive landscape so much more interesting. Even Malcolm and his Bricklin. And DeLorean and his DeLorean. And Tucker and his Tucker....all good stuff.

lol...no problem..

FOR RELEASE: 2005-11-22 North American Production for Week of November 14, 2005 Total U.S. Passenger Car 23,114 Total U.S. Truck 36,665 Total Canada Passenger Car 15,692 Total Canada Truck 7,116 Total N.A. Car and Truck 95,084

FOR RELEASE: 2005-11-28 Buick and Martha Stewart Join Forces to Introduce 2006 Buick Lucerne to Upscale, Sophisticated Audience Business as usual doesn’t cut it today in marketing’s fiercely competitive arena. Campaigns that create an aura of unique excitement and intelligent suspense are required to garner interest and cut through the clutter. General Motors’ Buick Division will do just that when the all new 2006 Lucerne becomes the featured product on the “The Apprentice: Martha Stewart” reality show. First airing on NBC from 9:00 – 10:00 p.m. EST on November 30, two apprentice teams will design an in-dealership launch showroom display to entice and excite potential Buick Lucerne buyers. The influence of the winning team’s creation, selected by Martha Stewart and Buick executives, will be experienced by prospective customers on December 13, when participating dealerships host a Lucerne V.I.P. Premiere Night. Viewers of the November 30 episode can RSVP for an invitation to a Lucerne V.I.P. Premiere Night party in their area via an online registration process and will be directed to Buick.com during the show. In addition, elements of the Lucerne V.I.P. Premiere Night party will be teased on Martha Stewart’s daytime show on December 1, 2005. Here, the party-planning diva will showcase her influence on the upcoming Lucerne VIP Premiere Parties, from flowers and napkins to punch and hors d’ oeuvres, and will create a scene right out of the “Perfect Party Handbook”– a 20-page guide to entertaining brought to you by Buick and Martha Stewart Living. “Buick’s partnership with Martha Stewart to introduce the luxurious Lucerne reaches those consumers interested in upscale brands who might otherwise be unaware of the Lucerne ’s potential,” said Margaret Brooks, Buick marketing director. “By joining these two powerful brands it gives us a new opportunity to reach this ever-changing customer whose interests and tastes are as diverse as the people who view her programs.” About Lucerne Built “Beyond Precision,” the Lucerne is Buick’s third new vehicle in just over a year, following the LaCrosse midsize sedan and Terraza crossover sport-van. Lucerne offers an array of options, including a V-8 or V-6 power, three trim levels – the well-equipped CX, elegantly appointed CXL or the luxurious, performance-oriented CXS model. Standard on every Lucerne are OnStar, Quiet Tuning – Buick’s exclusive process to eliminate unwanted cabin noise – and a four-year/50,000 mile warranty. The sedan has a base manufacturer’s suggest retail price (MSRPs) ranging from $26,990 to$35,990. Lucerne is engineered to meet a wide variety of customer preferences and compete across a wide range of domestic and import entries in the premium midsize and luxury segments. More information about Lucerne and the entire Buick line-up is available for media at http://media.gm.com and for consumers at www.buick.com.

November 28, 2005 First Drive: 2007 Bugatti Veyron Review and photos by Michael La Fave Canadian Driver For 47 years, Bugatti built race, touring and luxury cars that were, and still are, thought by many to be the finest automobiles of their time. Ettore Bugatti's company went bankrupt in 1956 less than a decade after his death, but not before producing almost 8000 automobiles – some with impressive race provenance. Almost 35 years later, the company re-surfaced under Romano Artioli, a wealthy Italian car distributor who had acquired the rights to Bugatti's famous name, and the hallowed marque set out once again to build the most amazing cars in the world. Artioli introduced the EB110, named for the 110th anniversary of Ettore's birth. It was the fastest and one of the most expensive production cars the world has ever seen. In 1995, after building 126 of the ultra-exotic 550-horsepower EBs, the company once again closed its doors leaving a dozen or so cars in various stages of assembly entombed until creditors decided what to do with them. In 1998, Volkswagen bought the Bugatti name and a new era began amidst speculation that the cursed brand and VW's incredible dream of rebuilding it would again end in tears. In 2001, Bugatti showed the Veyron 16.4 concept car and announced that it would bring it to the market as the fastest and most powerful car in the world. Years passed and the Veyron finally seemed to be ready to enter the public stage as the world's ultimate road car. An embarrassing spin on a demonstration lap at the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance confirmed rumours that the 1001-hp car was un-driveable and that it would require massive re-engineering. Bugatti's new president, Dr. Bscher, was determined to see the Veyron come to market and led the company with the help of head of engineering, Dr. Schreiber, in a massive re-design of over 85 per cent of the Veyron's parts. The result, named after Pierre Veyron who drove a Bugatti Type 57 to victory in the 1939 LeMans, is just as promised: the most powerful, fastest and most expensive production car ever built. Period. It is difficult to describe the experience of driving this car because it is simply without comparison, rival or peer. How is one to convey the experience of piloting a 1001-hp, 407 km/h, 1 Million Euro supercar? For example, the price is a staggering sum of money (about 1.5 million Canadian when this was written) for what is by all accounts a car. The best selling car sold in Canada, which happens to be a Honda Civic, costs almost one one-hundredth what the Veyron does. Even in Vancouver or Toronto, $1.5 million buys a very nice house, boat or retirement in Boca Raton. But to those who can spend $100-million plus on a house, $200-million on a yacht, or $20-million to take what, by all accounts, might be a one way trip to the moon on a Russian space ship - the cost of the Veyron falls well in line with the best of what the world has to offer. Which is, after all, exactly what it is. Many will openly question the necessity for this car's power and astonishing maximum velocity but perhaps they don't understand or appreciate what a technological achievement the Veyron actually is. Humankind has always pushed to travel faster, fly higher, design better, etc, etc. The Veyron takes automobiles to the next level. Even for a company with seemingly limitless resources, the Veyron wasn't easy to develop. Dr. Karl-Heinz Neumann, former president of Bugatti, stated in 2001 that the Veyron, which was but a concept car at the time, would make 1001 horsepower and would top 400 km/h. He really had no basis on which to make this claim especially considering that it wasn't he, as he was replaced not two years ago, who would spend 70 hours a week for the next five years figuring out how to make such an audacious machine comply with environmental, safety and internal VW requirements. Click image to enlarge Dr. Neumann's comments set wheels in motion and the result is a car that topped the un-toppable. In March 2005, the Veyron set the production-car top speed record at 407 km/h, besting the 1998 McLaren F1 supercar (itself $1M at the time) by 17 km/h. The biggest difference between the McLaren and the Veyron (or any other supercar and the Veyron) is that the Bugatti is a real car that you can drive every day. Our driving impressions were in some ways confirmation of what we expected, and in others a true revelation. Obviously the Veyron was going to be fast – 0-100 km/h in 2.5 seconds, 200 km/h in 7.3, 300 km/h in 16.7 and on to its top speed of 407 km in just under a minute! We also knew, however, that it was heavy and wondered, "Would it be ponderous?". Click image to enlarge Our drive route was a combination of winding countryside and long stretches of Italian autostrade. On the tight, undulating, poorly paved roads that crisscross the Sicilian countryside, the Veyron could not be used to 100 per cent of its capability or at least not by us. We find it rather appealing in fact that the car has more power than can be used in 99 per cent of situations. Driven as fast as some of the most capable cars in the world it is barely stressed. Completely uncork it and it will blow every other road car away. There's even a power gauge on the instrument panel that shows how much of the 1001 horsepower you are actually using. It's particularly amusing that although the gauge tracks power usage in 100 horsepower increments it ends at 1001. We were often only tapping 300 to 400 hp and still passing everything in sight, but dropping the car into second gear via the steering-wheel mounted paddles or shifter and flattening the accelerator causes the power meter to flip to 700-800 hp or so producing a rush of speed unlike anything we have experienced before. The shove in your back, which incidentally is but inches from the massive 8-litre, 16-cylinder, four-turbo engine, is akin to the sensation of being in a jumbo jet at take off. The scenery literally blurs past and the next corner approaches like a cinematic car chase on fast-forward. Click image to enlarge Such manoeuvres are often met with a blinking ESP light, letting you know that at least one, if not all of the massive tires are spinning. If you want to impress the crowd from a standing start there is a launch control feature that executes perfect acceleration runs with smoke pouring from all four tires. The engineers are so certain of the powertrain's durability that they unreservedly stated that the clutches (of which there are two wet-clutch-packs in the seven-speed DSG transmission, each with 7 friction plates) would last the life of the vehicle. It helps that the oil in their housings is cooled and that the 150-millisecond gear changes are smooth and seamless. As expressed earlier, we had some reservations about the Veyron's massive 1950-kilogram weight. You could imagine how pleased we were to discover that the Veyron steers like a go-kart. Click image to enlarge Light and direct with a similar feel to a Porsche 911, the steering points the car's nose in quickly and accurately and, though the car will understeer, if you barrel into a corner too fast and are smooth enough to transfer the weight correctly, there is massive grip. Be careful, however: this car needs to be respected and carrying too much brake or getting into the power too soon will snap the rear end loose as we discovered – not entirely on purpose. Driven smoothly with metered inputs rewards the driver with an effortless, secure and nimble companion for country roads. When driven sedately the Veyron is placid and comfortable – your mother could take it to fetch a bag of milk. Next up was a blast down the Italian autostrade, and on the gently curving elevated motorways that arc through the Sicilian countryside, we quickly exceeded 250 km/h. These less than perfect roads often caused the carbon fibre undertray to scrape the ground but the chief electrical engineer (Wolfgang Bäker) in the seat beside me seemed completely unconcerned. For anyone from North America, cornering at 220 km/h should seem daunting – even frightening - but the car's multiple automatic aerodynamic devices (the suspension lowers and the rear wing deploys with switch-blade speed at 220 km/h creating real front and rear downforce) make the car more secure at 300 km/h than most are at 140! This posture – with the car slightly lower, the rear wing fully deployed and a secondary wing elevated as well – is called the ‘handling setting'. It can also be set manually should the driver wish. Click image to enlarge Even with such prodigious power, the Veyron needs a fair amount of space to reach 407 km/h, and on these public roads we couldn't safely reach the top speed. We did hit 307.8 km/h, which is by far the fastest this journalist has ever driven, and we cruised at speeds between 220 km/h and 280 km/h for a while and the car was barely budged by pavement irregularities or expansion joints. The engine is relatively quiet except for its deep baritone under hard acceleration. Often the whirring of the transmissions gears is louder than the intake or exhaust. If we had really wanted to try for V-max, we would have had to come to a complete stop and use the ignition key to set the car into top-speed mode. In this setting, the Veyron drops its body snugly over the wheels (only 65 mm front and 70 mm rear of ground clearance remain), the wing retracts to a low-profile setting just above the rear fenders and various vents are closed to smooth airflow around and under the car. Without these aerodynamic adjustments the car's 1001 hp will push it to only 375 km/h. If at any time the driver jumps out of the throttle, makes a significant steering input or touches the brakes, the car defaults to the handling mode. Photo: Bugatti. Click image to enlarge One of Dr. Shreiber's requirements for the Veyron was that it's capable of stopping faster than it accelerates. Deceleration from 100 km/h takes but 2.3 seconds and from 407 km/h it takes only 13 seconds! The force of the brakes has to be experienced to be believed and at elevated speeds the large rear spoiler tips forward to act as an air brake – thereby doubling the cars aerodynamic drag. The ceramic-reinforced carbon brakes measure 40 mm in diameter up front and are gripped by eight, piston calipers with four pads each. At any speed their awesome bite required mental re-adjustment and you have to hold yourself back in your seat by bracing against the steering wheel if you don't want to be bruised by the seatbelt. Photos: Bugatti. Click image to enlarge After a few corners of the Pergusa racetrack, I decided to amp up the speed a bit and found out just how incredibly fast this car is. In even the fastest car, we would have been travelling at 75 per cent of the speed we were travelling in the Veyron as we approached a right-hander. Under heavy braking and simultaneous turning, the Veyron stepped out to the left approaching the corner, but the lightning-fast steering required but a simple flick of opposite lock, and a bit of ESP intervention had us safely on our way again. On the track's smooth surface, the Veyron felt even more secure than on the road, which is saying a lot. Comparably, it was similar to the cornering forces we experienced at Mosport with Hurley Haywood at the wheel of a Porsche Carrera GT, but with far more urge coming out of corners and blasting down the straights. A big part of what makes a car with 925 lb.-ft. of torque even remotely driveable is the AWD system and that the tires measure a rather large 265 mm in front and a truly massive 365 mm in the rear on wheels that are roughly 20 inches in diameter. We say roughly because the tires are from Michelin's PAX run-flat system and the actual wheel measurements are not comparable to conventional wheels. It's also worth noting that it costs about $8,000 to replace one rear tire. Photo: Bugatti. Click image to enlarge If you study the images, you will notice that the Veyron is essentially a massive engine with four-giant wheels pushing a passenger compartment. And what a passenger compartment it is. Every surface is either leather or metal and the machine-turned centre stack is simply stunning. The driver and passenger sit almost entirely in the front half of the car giving it its plump sensual form. There is in fact a remarkable amount of room inside – the cabin was designed to accommodate six-foot seven-inch drivers. Hey, if you want to sell 300 cars for almost $2M apiece after taxes, you better not alienate anyone. The view straight out the back is okay, but out the sides are massive blind spots. Good thing you don't have to worry about anyone passing you. Photos: Bugatti. Click image to enlarge It seems almost pointless to mention, but as you can imagine fuel consumption is significant. On our drive, the car averaged a staggering 44 L/100 km, which is truly impressive. Admittedly, we were travelling rather, um, briskly, but sedate driving will only return 30-ish anyway. While on the subject of fuel economy, it's amusing to note that at V-max the Veyron's 100 litres of premium fuel will be consumed in about 12 minutes – or 81.4 kilometres. If you don't have a calculator handy that's 125 L/100km! Unlike many AWD systems, the Veyron's is capable of directing up to 100 per cent of the engine's power to either the front or back wheels. Imagine – in some circumstances the Veyron is a 1001-hp front-driver! According to Dr. Schreiber the split varies depending on how hard the car is accelerating and/or cornering with the system constantly working to maximize stability. You can't actually feel the power shift, but if it wasn't working there's no way the Veyron would be as effortless to drive as it is. The saddest thing about driving the Veyron is the fact that it is unlikely we, or any of our colleagues gathered in Sicily, will ever get to do so again. Author, Michael La Fave at the wheel of the 2007 Bugatti Veyron. Click image to enlarge It's almost certain that it will be quite some time before five examples of this impeccable automobile are gathered in one place again. At the end of our test day, the hard-working Veyron team took the five cars around the Pergusa circuit for several parade laps and had them filmed from a helicopter. Though the Veyron is an incredible machine, it begs the question of what will be next for Bugatti. Rumours of VW-based, V6-powered cars are inaccurate. We suspect that the next Bug will be a car that brings back the grand style of the Royale – a luxury limousine to end all luxury limos. It would have to retain the same 1001 hp engine and transmission, but the rest would be entirely new and bespoke. Beyond that, a smaller sedan that you would actually drive every day and a sports car that leverages the Veyron's engineering advancements. We see a market for a three or four model line-up all priced over the $300,000 mark. In all, only 300 Veyrons will be made even if demand is greater. If demand is lower, the final number (of units produced) will be lower as well, but that would be a shame. What will also be a shame is if too many of these cars end up sitting in garages or bolted to den ceilings. The Veyron is an automobile that must be driven. It brings joy to those that see it even if they just got their doors blown off and their front grill sucked out.

Double Take: 2006 Pontiac Solstice VS. 2006 Mazda MX-5 Roadster Rage: Pontiac’s Solstice takes dead aim at Mazda’s MX-5 Miata AUTOWEEK Published Date: 11/28/05 Almost from the minute General Motors unveiled the Pontiac Solstice concept at the 2002 Detroit auto show, comparisons to Mazda’s Miata started being bandied about by the media and in Miata owner forums on the Internet. And why not? The Miata, well into its second decade, has become the benchmark by which all entry-level two-seat sports cars are measured. At our first drive of the Solstice earlier this year, Pontiac engineers readily admitted their car would be closely scrutinized alongside the new MX-5 Miata, and they welcomed the comparison. Because Mazda launched the new version of its two-seater around the same time the Solstice made its debut, no one from Pontiac had a chance to compare the cars against each other. But we had an opportunity to take both roadsters to the test track and have at it. Read on. The results might surprise you. For the money, both the Pontiac and the Mazda bring a lot to the roadster party. Solstice has the now-famous base sticker price of $19,995, while the Miata starts at $23,495. The Miata’s standard equipment list is longer, as its only option is a sports suspension that pushes the sticker to $23,995. The Solstice is loaded, and stickers at $25,000. If all we did was judge a car by its looks, the Solstice would win hands down. The Miata is cute, in a British roadster sort of way, but the Solstice, with its rounded curves and bulging fender flares, is just plain sexy. Plus, it doesn’t look like anything else on the road. GM’s Wilmington, Delaware, assembly plant is ramping up a third shift to meet demand for the Pontiac (and for its Saturn and Opel siblings), but few Solstices are in the hands of owners yet. Driving one causes a stir, as we found out on our way to the test track. Even in car-rich, automobile-jaded Southern California, several vehicles on the freeway slowed to take a good look at our silver car, one driver pacing us for miles to take it all in. When he finally passed us, he saluted the Solstice with a thumbs-up. We began the test with some preconceived notions about these two cars. Building an economical two-seater is fresh territory for General Motors (Corvettes are in a different league, and the less said about Fiero, the better), so we fully expected the Miata to be the front-runner at the track by large margins. Mazda has been building this roadster for 16 years, with three generations under its belt to get things right. Both cars are powered by four-cylinder engines—a 2.4-liter in the Pontiac and a 2.0-liter in the Mazda—but the Solstice weighs 362 pounds more than the Miata. The Pontiac makes a bit more power—177 hp to 170 hp—but would that be enough to compensate for the Solstice’s weight disadvantage? If all we did was judge a car by its looks, the sexy Solstice—with its rounded curves and bulging fender flares—would win hands down. But this is more than a beauty contest. As noted in our introduction story on the Solstice (“What a Concept,” Aug. 29), the newest addition to the Pontiac line has been the hot project within the company since it was given the production green light. Engineers on the project knew they would have but one chance to get the car right; they couldn’t release a half-baked version and hope to improve it in subsequent model years. Following our tests, we would say they succeeded in getting Solstice right. Performance-wise, the two cars are about as closely matched as they come. The Solstice posts a 6.94-second 0-to-60-mph time, while the Miata’s best time is 7.04 seconds. The Miata wins the quarter-mile ET at 15.43 seconds to the Solstice’s 15.50 seconds, but the Solstice runs just a bit faster at the pole, 87.4 mph to 87.2 mph. A driver hiccup could upset those results either way. The Mazda, with its six-speed manual, needs third gear to hit 60 mph, while the Solstice, with a five-speed gearbox, gets to 60 mph in second gear. The Miata might fare better with the available five-speed manual. The Solstice shifter feels quick and precise, while at times the Mazda box requires some hunting to find the right slot. Driving the cars back to back prompts lots of conflicting responses from our testers. The Miata has much more steering feel in the slalom, and its engine responds quicker to throttle inputs. The Miata has more chassis roll than the Solstice, but the Mazda turns in quicker—in fact, going from Solstice to Miata, all of the testers clipped a couple of cones on the first run; its steering is that much quicker. The Miata is faster in our slalom course, 7.11 seconds at 47.0 mph, while the Solstice takes 7.13 seconds at 46.9 mph to go through the cones. The Miata needs 119 feet to stop from 60 mph, while the Solstice needs 123 feet. And with the Miata a known entity for many years, the biggest question we wanted to answer is this: Could the Solstice deliver on its good looks? The short answer: Yes. With 16 years under its belt to get things right, the Miata is the benchmark entry-level roadster. And the car is lighter, which helps give it a performance edge at the track. The Miata exhibits very little understeer on the skidpad, and is easy to steer with the throttle, though the Solstice turns in a better number, 0.90 g to 0.87 g. Adding up all these figures, the Miata scores a slight performance advantage over the Solstice. But our testers came away from the track impressed with the Pontiac, especially with the car’s chassis and suspension. “The Solstice is much nicer than I expected,” said one. “But it does beg the question: Why can’t GM do to its other cars what it has done here?” Driving both the Solstice and the Miata on a 500-mile loop that includes high-speed freeway sections, part of old Route 66, and some twisty roads in the San Gabriel Mountains gave us a more real-world perspective from which to compare the cars. The Solstice’s slightly longer wheelbase and bigger tires (Goodyear Eagle RS-A 245/45R-18s vs. the Mazda’s Michelin Pilot Preceda 205/45R-17s) provide for a more comfortable ride and better tracking through fast corners. The Miata is jumpier, with darty handling. The Miata has more yaw in the corners, and its suspension gets upset bouncing over freeway expansion joints. It is an uncomfortable, jarring ride. The Solstice cockpit is slightly bigger, with more shoulder- and legroom. From a pure comfort standpoint, the Solstice is more welcoming over a variety of road surfaces and conditions. There is a vast difference in the manual top operation of the two roadsters. With the Miata, twist the latch at the header and push the top back and down, latching it into place—a quick and easy, one-person job. The Solstice requires you to pop the trunk via a button on the key fob that releases not only the lid, but the top’s rear wings. You then release the inside latch and fold the top into the trunk, then close the trunk. It, too, is a one-person operation, but there are more steps involved than with the Miata. With tops up, both cars are equally noisy. With the top down and stowed, you lose most of the Solstice’s storage space, while the Miata top folds down into a well in front of the small trunk. The Solstice interior’s lack of storage is annoying, as the only place to put cell phones or other items is an expandable pocket in front of the seat cushion between your legs. On the other hand, the Solstice’s sound system is far superior to the Miata’s. Something we had noted at the Solstice introduction reared its ugly head again in our tests: a nasty driveline noise that got worse throughout testing. The driveline clunk is not a reassuring sound of quality. GM engineers say they are working to correct the problem. Pontiac’s most recent Consumer Satis-faction Index numbers are better than Mazda’s, but we will reserve judgment regarding the Solstice’s build quality for a few years. The Miata feels pretty much bulletproof. Its fit-and-finish is terrific. Picking a winner in this DoubleTake is especially difficult, because the two cars are evenly matched at the track, competitively priced, and are loads of fun to drive. If you want a car to go autocrossing in, the Mazda is a good choice. But with all things considered, three factors weigh heavily in favor of the Solstice: fresh, good looks, better on-road ride and handling, and superior driving comfort. While we would be happy with either in our garage, for this test the Pontiac Solstice is our pick.

'Extra Tall Turbo'...funny.

Thats one tall picture.

Cremazie, I was going crazy here.....it looked like the Eskies were going to take it and then, o crap maybe not, then they did....just fantastic outcome. Congratulations Edmonton Eskimos!!!

bobo, interesting observation about this seeming like a lot of Olds combined.....to me it is what Oldsmobile would have built....it's more Olds then Buick.

I love it in white.

Very interesting....it would be great hearing some of your insight.

Sly....how about this CTS:

I agree Balthazar....I liked the original best....had a hard time finding a good photo. Thanks for that one..