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Unlike the BMW’s 3.0 liter, the Benz’s 3.5… has the low-end grunt to pin your ears off the line as well as the high-rpm horsepower to pin your grin as you chase the horizon. As Walton noted about the Teutonic sixes, “The BMW I-6 is, indeed, smoother than the M-B V-6; however, it takes what feels like twice as long to reach the redline and only begins to make power above 4000rpm.” The Lexus 3.5, similar to the Mercedes’, has power on hand throughout the rev range – just a lot more of it. source: Motor Trend, 02.06

(One could argue that rivals focus on their engines to make up for BMW’s clear lead in chassis feel, but this torque deficit is another reason BMW inline sixes tend to be better when paired with manual transmissions while competitors do just fine with an auto).

most improved product line: Hyundai

most improved interior quality: GM’s new full Size SUVs, Hyundai Azera

most disappointing interior materials: Mazda, Ford

most comfortable third row: Land Rover LR3

most accessible third row: Mercedes R-class

most likely to be mistaken for a VW Passat: Buick Lucerne

most obsessive observation: the Civic Sedan has small windows ahead of the rearview mirrors, the Civic coupe does not

most disappointing brand area: BMW

most intelligent packaging: Ford-owned British companies’ products – e.g. XJ, LR3, RR sport

most promising entry level vehicle: Honda Fit

most product-savvy staff: Hyundai, VW

most glaring omission: leather wrapped steering wheels

most confidence inspiring driving position: RR sport

most impressive concept: Volvo 3CC

most important concept: Eclipse Ralliart

most improved vehicle: GM fullsize SUVs

most worthy of being on a turntable: Jaguar’s new XK

most likey to make an A4 convertible owner jealous: VW’s Eos

most likely to make a Honda Element owner jealous: Toyota’s FJ cruiser

most imitated styling cue: the 7 series’ trunk bustle (see new S class, Hyundai Azera, Toyota Camry)

most overheard statement that indicates a complete lack of automotive understanding: “It has xxx horsepower!”

“[The TL] would be the best midsize, midlux, midpriced sedan on the market… were it rear-drive”

source: Motor Trend 10/05

Earlier this week someone asked me to explain how I could not lust after a BMW 6 series. My explanation was too long to repeat here and included words like “domestic”, “clausterphobic”, and “bloated”...

Today I saw a rant that sums up my indifference to the 6series/5series/M6/M5 rather well:

it’s hard to escape the conclusion that despite all this performance potential, the 6-series is simply not a car that encourages you to hustle it in the first place. If you consider the raw ingredients – that mighty V8 engine, the rear-wheel drive and the BMW pedigree – it should result in a truly compelling driving machine, but somehow it doesn’t. It’s hard to fathom why. Perhaps it’s because the 6-series has morphed into BMW’s flagship techno-wagon, to the point where that vital spark of driver appeal that has kept BMW owners coming back for more has been overlooked. If BMW is serious about creating the ultimate driving machines, perhaps its engineers would be better put to use developing a traction-enhancing slippy diff or tactile paddle-shifts behind the wheel for the auto gearbox instead of programming endless new screen updates for the infuriating iDrive. source: evo

(And let’s not forget the 6 is based on the 5 – itself based on the 7 – you can’t make a sport coupe from a luxo barge).

One of the less heralded but more significant (and surprising) cars at the Detroit show is the Lincoln MKS, said to be a good indicator of what their upcoming production sedan should be.

It packs a 315hp 4.4 litre V8, all wheel drive and a ‘preemptive traction control system’ that aims to avoid the onset of wheelspin rather than cut power once they’re already spinning…

When Dunlop set out to turn its ‘three season’ Sport 3000 into it’s ‘all-season’ Sport 5000, it added sipes (good for winter traction but bad for wear under hard cornering) and changed the hardness of the rubber (ditto).

(Little known fact: to be called an all season, tires don’t have to demonstrate competence in winter conditions but rather have less than 75% of their tread area be rubber. If you’re concerned with winter traction, click here).

Fact: Mercedes Benz sold just 70 Maybachs in 2005.

(Yes the new 57S is faster and more nimble, but people don’t buy Maybachs based on the way the car drives).

Domestic manufacturers have long operated under a different model, placing sticker prices on their cars that are close to foreign competitors but designing the car so its cheaper to produce. This makes dealers happy because the margins are larger and customers happy because they are often offered ‘cash back’ or are able to negotiate thosands off the sticker price.

Anyone in sales can tell you that convincing the customer they ‘got a good deal’ is more important than anything else, so this formula has worked for the company so far despite the fact that it devalues the car from a resale standpoint (the more heavily a car is discounted at the dealership the more it tends to cost an owner over its service life).

Automotive News reports GM is adjusting its pricing to become less reliant on incentives. The Cobalt’s sticker is slashed by $1,500 for example…

As promising as that may sound, the V.P. of North American Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing was quoted as saying incentives are “...part of what makes this business fun.” He obviously hasn’t had to buy a car and spend time haggling with a salesperson at one of his dealerships in a number of years…

Dynamically they feel so close to identical that, apart from the M6’s lower seating position and sharper steering responses (due to the ultra aggressive Pirelli PZero Corsa tires), we really couldn’t tell a difference. We don’t doubt BMW’s claim that the M6 is slightly faster than the M5. But that’s in the same way that the North Pole is slightly colder than the chillier bits of Siberia – not enough to make a difference. source: MPH Magazine

...read this excerpt from Autocar:

...the MX-5 isn’t about speed, it’s about ability and agility and that’s what makes it quick. The steering (which thankfully isn’t electrically assisted) is refreshingly direct and quick, although it doesn’t have quite as much feel as the old MX-5’s. Compact dimensions and excellent visibility mean town driving is stress-free, and country roads are immensely fun. And the gearchange must be one of the most accurate (and delightful to use) ever built. The rear tyres will happily give up their grip unless the road surface has been towel-dried, but it’s always benign and easy to control. Should [you] buy one? Obviously. These days there are few cars that trade power and speed for entertainment, but the MX-5 is one of them. It’s also a more practical proposition than the old MX-5, although you’ll still struggle to fit more than a single suitcase in the boot. That’s not a reason not to buy one, and there are many reasons why you should.