Car Trends Magazine

This production Cadillac CTS Coupe looks very much like the concept car…

It does indeed look like the concept, right down to the twin central exhausts and hidden touch-pad door handles. Yes, there have been some minor tweaks to the front and rear lights and bumpers since we saw the show car at Detroit in 2008, but the overall appearance is pretty similar.

The two-door sits on the same wheelbase as the CTS saloon but it’s 51mm lower and 51mm shorter, meaning the five-seat arrangement is reduced to a 2+2 configuration. Externally only the headlights, front bumper and grille are carried over from the saloon.

Cadillac has yet to release any interior shots, but inside the CTS Coupe will share its instrument panel and centre console with the saloon and estate, giving it one of the best-built and impressive American interiors ever. We also suggest speccing the 14-way adjustable Recaro seats, previously only available as an option on the CTS-V.

What’s under the bonnet?

Initially there’ll only be one powerplant, a direct-injection 3.6-litre V6 producing 304bhp and 273lb ft. A six-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive is standard, but both a six-speed auto and four-wheel drive are both optional - choose the lot and the CTS Coupe will weigh in at a portly 1874kg.

But towards the back end of 2010 Caddy will also release a V-Series version of the CTS Coupe, packing the same 556bhp supercharged 6.2-litre V8 that’s found in the CTS-V saloon, and putting all its power through the rear wheels.

The Cadillac CTS Coupe will be unveiled at the LA auto show at the start of December, with US sales starting in spring 2010. UK sales have yet to be confirmed.

(By Ben Pulman,First official pictures)

So what’s new for the sixth-generation BMW 5-series?

Let’s start with the tech: BMW claims the new 5-series is the first car in its class to feature start-stop tech, an eight-speed automatic transmission and double wishbone front suspension.

The new 5-series is also the first BMW to get the company's new Park Assist tech, slotting the car into a space by twiddling the wheel, leaving the driver to operate on the accelerator and brake pedals. A bit like a VW Touran, then.

Will the new 2010 Five still be the sporty choice of exec?

The double wishbone front suspension is mated to a rear multilink set-up, and BMW's optional Drive Dynamic Control chassis system offers Comfort, Sport and Sport+ damper settings. Four-wheel active steering can also be specced, along with a Surround View camera system, a head-up display, night vision with pedestrian recognition, lane departure and lane change warning systems, plus speed limit detection.

Unfortunately, start-stop tech is only available on the manual 520d, and won't be available on the new eight-speed auto until later. Although the electric power steering will reduce fuel consumption, we don't expect it to endow the new 5-series' steering with exceptional feel.

And whereas the current-gen Five features an aluminium front end mated to a steel rear, the new car is all steel. Nevertheless, BMW still claims the new car achieves a 50:50 weight distribution.

(By Ben Pulman,First official pictures)

It looks familiar…

Evolution’s certainly the name of the game here, the new car looking much like the one that’s been around since 2003. Headline changes for spotters include a bigger front bumper with integral fog lamps, a new grille with vertical bars, revised headlights and rear LED taillights, plus more aggressively flared wheelarches.

The dimensions remain much the same, partly because there was always plenty of interior room, partly because Toyota didn’t want to swell the exterior dimensions for fear of reducing off-road manoeuvrability. So, it’s 45mm longer and 10mm wider than its predecessor while maintaining the same wheelbase and rear overhang. If you’re serious about your off-roading, you might be interested to know that the approach angle is 32 degrees, the ramp breakover angle 22 degrees, the departure angle 25 degrees.

The V8 Land Cruiser (introduced in 2008) continues to be offered here, but Britain will only take this bodystyle in five door, 3.0-litre TD trim – a seriously big four cylinder.

If it’s so similar, what’s the point?

Toyota’s aim has been to build on the Land Cruiser’s rugged, go-anywhere DNA, while also making it a far nicer drive on the road.

So, body-on-frame construction remains – it’s tougher, and, says Toyota, the separate body better resists the twisting forces exerted by serious off-roading than a monocoque does – and there’s all manner of acronyms to bail you out when the going gets tough: an LSD for the centre diff, A-TRC (Acitve traction control) MTS (Multi-terrain select), multi-terrain ABS.

However, there’s also extra sound insulation in the A, B, C and D pillars, plus the door sill and roof. There’s extra sound deadening inside too, an acoustic windscreen (a layer of film between the glass helps refinement) and extra attention has been paid to keep wind noise down. And it works. Once you’re up to speed and making only small adjustments to the throttle you’ll notice precious little wind-, tyre- or road noise.

I sense a ‘but’ coming on…

I prefer the word caveat, but yes. Accelerate hard and the engine becomes far more vocal, and it’s not particularly quick off the mark either. The Land Cruiser also rides with a lolloping gait, has very light and slow-witted steering and, while it’s generally composed, there’s too much thumping about over ripples and pockmarks for our liking.

However, the standard five-speed automatic shifts smoothly and, if you spec the top LC5 trim level, you’ll get three-way adjustable dampers that help to quell the roll and better absorb the bumps – although the sub-30mph ride still fails to impress.

What’s this business about specs?

You can choose from LC3, LC4 and LC5, the former being the bare bones poverty spec, the latter offering both the most luxurious interior appointments –rear seat entertainment system, sunroof, electric seat memory – and the really serious off-road kit – multi-terrain select, crawl control, locking rear diff, steering angle display and active height control for the rear suspension. You can’t, sadly, spec the most basic car with the best off-road kit.

Whatever the spec, it’s more Mitsubishi Outlander in here than Land Rover Discovery. The plastics and controls are pretty cheap and everything just looks a bit dated, even if it is comfortable (another caveat – the Lexus RX seats are far more comfortable) and easy to see out of and place on the road thanks to its chunky square corners.

And what the big Toyota lacks in quality it makes up for in practicality. It has seven seats, and six-feet-tall adults can easily sit one-behind-the-other in rows one, two and three. Yes, the third row is a bit more compromised – you sit higher so your view out of the windscreen is marginal and headroom is much tighter – but it’s not a squash for full-sizers.

You can also lay all of rows two and three flat in all sorts of different configurations for when you’re lugging big loads around. Got something long and narrow plus four passengers? Drop one seat in row two and another in row three and away you go. And with all the seats up there’s still room out back for a couple of suitcases.

What’s it like off-road?

Absolutely amazing. Truth be told, this writer hasn’t much in the way of off-road experience, but I drove down a river, up steep, chalky hills clogged with mud and bordered by trees, and teetered down hillsides I probably couldn’t have walked down, and all without incident. The Hansel and Gretel sat-nav that keeps track of where you’ve gone even when you’re off-road, and the central screen that shows what you see through the windscreen plus the trajectory of your front wheels (LC5 only) – it’s so easy to lose track of where you’re pointing in really slippery conditions – deserve particular praise.

In an hour I reckon I did more than what 99% of 4x4 owners would do in a lifetime, and did it all while relying entirely on Toyota’s technology, not my skill.

Verdict

We were impressed by the Land Cruiser, but it’s easy to understand why we see so few in the UK – the Land Rover Discovery is just the better bet. We can’t really verify which car is better off-road, but we have driven the Landie and Toyota on off-road courses and both 4x4s simply shrugged everything off, and so will be equally adept at dealing with everything a UK owner will throw at them – even those who do regularly stray off-road.

Perhaps the Land Cruiser’s body-on-frame ruggedness would come into its own in the Outback or the Middle East, and I know which name I’d rather trust in a life-or-death situation, but this excellence is largely wasted in the UK.

What you’re left with is a 4x4 that doesn’t look or feel as plumply, premiumly, safely special as the Discovery either inside or out, isn’t as nice to drive and costs similar money.

Long-term test hello – 28 October 2009

A few months ago Mazda gave its evergreen MX-5 the subtlest of refreshes, which in turn gave us an excuse to get one on to our long-term fleet for six months. Like the rest of the motoring world we love Mazda’s perky little roadster. Over 20 years and three generations – think of this latest iteration as Mk3.5 – the MX-5 has remained unerringly true to its front-engined rear-drive roots. At 1098kg it’s still light, with just 158bhp on hand it’s still about momentum rather than big speeds, and with perfect balance and impeccable poise, it’s still about driver engagement rather than posing performance.

So what has changed? Well, below the intricate headlamps sits Mazda’s new five-point grille (the folding metal-roofed versions, like ours, get theirs framed in chrome) and below that sits a pair of redesigned foglamps. At the back there are new taillights and bumpers front and rear are new, too. Minor changes, but collectively they inject a dash of athleticism into Moray Callum’s excellent design work.

The cabin gets a set of smarter dials, grippier sports seats, a punchier Bose sound system recalibrated for roof-down driving, and the kneecap-killing cup holders in the door panels have been ditched.

Mechanical changes are just as minor - the frisky 2.0-litre engine delivers an unchanged 158bhp, but fitted with a new forged crankshaft and an advanced valvetrain means it now revs even higher - the redline jumps by 500rpm to a wailing 7500rpm. The intake and exhaust acoustics have also been enhanced for an even more engaging open-air soundtrack. Modifying the ball joints in the front knuckles has lowered the suspension’s roll centre by 26mm for enhanced steering feel and agility. The six-speed manual transmission has also been revised for even shorter and more precise throws.

We ran a ragtop version a while back, and this time we’ve opted for the folding hardtop variant in range-topping 2.0-litre Sport Tech guise. It’s priced at £21,570 but before you start getting all shirty about affordability, have a look at what this includes. Lovely 10-spoke 17-inch alloys, snickety six-speed box, Bluetooth connectivity with voice activation, DSC stability control, a limited slip diff, front and side airbags, a superb Bose stereo, uprated suspension with Bilstein dampers, cruise and climate controls, a front strut brace and heated leather seats. What more could you want? All we added was gorgeous £375 Copper Red metallic paint

First impressions are superb. We’ve had a few weeks of sunshine down here in the sunny south and I’ve put on almost 1000 miles, enjoying every single one. I’ll tell you more in a week or so…

(By Ben Whitworth)

This Mercedes SLS AMG is most famous for its doors, which is a little weird. First up, do those gullwings work?

They do – though there is no benefit to ingress and egress compared with usual front-hinged doors. These roof-hinged doors are commendably light – as with the rest of the car’s skin, they are made from aluminium – so they’re easy to open and close. The only trick is to grab the door handle on the way in. The door is too high to grab once you’re seated.

They could have fitted electric doors, but that would have added weight in the very place you don’t want it – up in the roof, where the electronic actuation would have been sited. Weight paring was a priority, which is right and proper for a sports car.

OK enough about doors. Is it supercar fast?

You bet. Top speed is electronically governed to 197mph (you wonder what’s the point of stopping the fun at almost 200mph?) and 0-62 is dispatched in only 3.8 seconds. The big 6.2 V8 revs hard, woofles pleasingly when touring, bellows like a bull elephant under hard acceleration, and all the time the soundtrack is backed by that lovely V8 rumble. When it’s on full song, an SLS sounds like a NASCAR stocker at full chat on the banks of Darlington. It’s marvellous music.

The only slight surprise is the lack of big punch at low revs – you need to get the engine spinning before it really delivers.

Gearchange is by a seven-speed dual clutch paddleshift box, which changes fast and smooth. If you fancy lazy-man motoring, it will happily and smoothly drift along in automatic.

So this is Mitsubishi's new mini-SUV?

Yes, but while the front end remains quite faithful to the original concept, with just slightly less hooded headlights and a more conventional bonnet shut line, the back has been completely revised. Adding rear quarter windows and extending the bodywork significantly to add some reasonable luggage space means it's no longer quite so sharp or compact, and the concept's all-glass tailgate has also made way for an unremarkable conventional arrangement.

The sweeping swage line along the CX's side, a key visual cue of the concept, is arguably even more pronounced on the production version, though we see hints of mundane Mercedes A- or B-class in the flanks.

What's under the skin?

The platform is based on the latest Lancer, with the optional four-wheel drive system derived from the same. The firm's new lightweight aluminium 4N13 16v DOHC turbodiesel engine with around 135bhp - which was first shown in the Concept-CX - is expected to be the popular choice in Europe. Mitsu has also developed a 190bhp version, which could slot in if needed, and there'll be petrol options too. While the concept used Mitsubishi's twin-clutch SST gearbox, conventional manuals and autos are more likely to be standard on the CX.

Anything else?

Just as Mitsubishi's bigger Outlander SUV spawned two European derivatives – the Citroen C-Crosser and Peugeot 4007 – the company's new design also looks set to be shared with PSA.

The design patents are clearly marked to show that the nose and tail of the Mitsubishi are unique, with red highlighting to show the areas covered by the patent. The clear implication is that other front and rear designs mounted to the same centre section are on the way – and presumably those will be the Peugeot and Citroen versions.

Sales of Mitsubishi's new SUV start in Japan next February, before the car makes its European debut at the Geneva motor show in March 2010, ahead of a summer on-sale date on this side of the world.

(By Ben Purvis, Spyshots)

We weren't expecting to see a new BMW 3-series for a while yet, why now?

The new 3-series family – internally codenamed F30 – has been moved forward because of a slump in sales of the current model. CAR understands sales nosedived by 40% in the first six months of 2009, a cataclysmic drop which sparked change in Bavaria.

Hence the new Three project has been fast-tracked by a year, with a launch pencilled in for the 2011 Frankfurt motor show.

Our spies in Germany caught this early car being towed on a trailer, revealing a little about the next 3-series styling. Strip away the swirly-whirly disguise, and we're told it will look quite different – despite being signed off by former design chief Chris Bangle before he retired. Also expect influences from new styling boss Adrian van Hooydonk’s 2007 CS concept.

So this is a cooking 3-series, not the M3?

You got it! We have, however, learned a fair bit about the new sporting saloon of choice. Gone is the 4.0-litre V8 from today's M3, replaced with a straight six twin-turbocharged unit with direct injection. The engine swap not only cuts emissions, but saves weight too. Power remains unchanged at 414bhp, but even sharper acceleration is promised thanks to an upgraded dual-clutch gearbox available only to M3 customers.

What about the rest of the F30 3-series line-up?

Further down the model range, the 3.0-litre inline six powerplant features a couple more times. The 335i makes a comeback, although it loses a turbo and power drops to around 280bhp to make room for a completely new car, the 340i. This one will have a pair of blowers, which help to muster 360bhp.

The other petrol engines will be four-cylinder turbocharged units displacing either 1.6 or 2.0 litres. High-performance diesels will also feature, with a 204bhp 323d and a 306bhp 335d appearing in the new 2011 F30 family line-up. BMW expects most models to be fitted with the optional eight-speed automatic transmission complete with stop-start technology.

How about a 3-series GT version, like the 5-series Gran Turismo?

We are expecting BMW to produce a 3GT, akin to the 5GT. There will also be another 3-series convertible, but not with a folding hardtop like the current car. In an effort to save valuable kilograms, a canvas roof will make a comeback for the new topless 3-series.

Other technology that may appear in the range includes optional four-wheel drive, mild hybrid power and maybe even a plug-in hybrid.

So, a strong line-up for the top-selling BMW. We'll look forward to seeing the lines under that disguise over the coming months...

(By Georg Kacher and Gareth Evans, Spyshots)

Puh-leeze! Weren’t these jokers riding around on donkeys when Bob Sharp was running 240Zs at Lime Rock? There’s also Nordschleife Gray and Interlagos Yellow. On a Hyundai? They can’t be serious!

Uh, they’re serious. On sale since March, the Genesis coupe is a revelation, no pun intended. It’s a genuine yardage gain for the yin-yang team and a serious kink in the law dictating that rear-drive hoots must cost big bucks.

Is it HUN-dye, hi-WON-dye, or hi-YOON-day? (Around the factory, at least, it’s the latter). If we can’t concur on a pronunciation, let’s agree that Hyundai has come a long way. Lately, the workmanship has stood with that of the Japanese masters. The designs are fresh, and the dynamics have firmed up and flattened out.

Still, Korean culture works against a Hyundai sports car. Car guys are scarce in a homeland-come-lately to the auto age. Almost everyone drives thrift cubes—often white, always slow—and Korea only built its first racetrack, Everland Speedway about 35 miles south of Seoul, in 1993. In contrast, Japan has a high-performance heritage going back to the A6M5 Zero.

With Hyundai, it has always been about the price, and so it goes with the Genesis twins. The syrupy $33,000 sedan upon which the coupe is based dives for Lexus’s knees. The four-seat coupe also aims below the waist at competitors, with a 210-hp, 2.0-liter turbo four starting at $22,750 and a 306-hp V-6 at $25,750. The standard-equipment list is decent and includes a six-speed manual, power locks and windows, cruise control, stability control, a trip computer, and stereo auxiliary jacks.

Despite the fact the Mitsubishi Outlander is a decently equipped affordable vehicle, it could get lost in the car lot due to the fact its just another compact crossover. It must be carefully compared, and I couldn't help thinking during my week-long test drive the best vehicle to do a side-by-side study would be the Subaru Forester.

A 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander with a 220-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 ULEV (Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) engine, a 6-speed auto transmission with 2WD, the high-end XLS trim (standards include roof rails, fog lights, stowable 3rd-row seating, steering wheel mounted paddle shifting), the Luxury Package ($1,650 with xenon headlights, leather seating, heated seats) and Sun & Sound package ($1,600 for Rockford Fosgate 9-speaker audio system and power glass sunroof) totals to $28,355.

In retrospect, a 2009 Forester with the 170-horsepower, 2.5-liter 4-cylindar PZEC (Partial Zero Emissions) engine ($451), a 4-speed auto transmission with Sport Shift ($1,000), the All-Weather Package ($400) and a standard premium package that comes with a large, power moonroof, roof rails and steering wheel mounted controls totals to $25,623. Remember, no leather or power seating unlike the Outlander. Both do not have navigation.

The Forester PZEV and the Outlander ULEV engine is basically the same thing; although these vehicles use gasoline, they produce extremely clean (or practically zero) evaporative emissions.

HEELS ON WHEELS REVIEW CRITERIA

Stylish But Comfortable Results: The Forester did drop its nerdy look and adapted an SUV sex appeal; the Outlander hasn't really changed its looks since 2005 (it doesn't need to). My Forester model didn't have power seating; the Outlander did (at an extra cost) and leather really makes a difference. The climate controls on the Forester were very basic with only four settings, making it more difficult to maintain the right temperature. The Outlander, on the other hand, had two flexible dials. The panoramic moonroof is a real standout on the Forester.

Reliability & Safety Factor: There is a helpful longer-than-most delayed dome light that comes on during leaving with the Forester; and when the unlocking button is pressed on the key fob, a bluish light casts away any dark shadows under the car. The Outlander needs larger side mirrors for better clearance. The Forester has the honor of being awarded Motor Trend's 2009 Sport/Utility Car of the Year; also it's Consumer Report's top-rated small SUV.

Cost Issues: In a nutshell, a $25,623 Forester gets you cloth seats, a great moonroof, all-wheel drive and roof rails – step up to a limited trim and make it just like the Outlander, adding much-missed leather seats, power seating and a turbo engine, and you'll pay around $28,860 – but the Outlander has a V6 at this price.

Activity & Performance Ability: I had a hard time believing the Outlander had a V6 under the hood (performed on the scale of a 4-cylinder). The Forester's 4-cylinder not loud and whiny. The Outlander has a pull-up or stowable 3rd row; although it's not comfortable, it's convenient.

The Green Concern: Gas estimations for the Outlander are 17-mpg city and 24-mpg highway with the V6; the Forester's 4-cylindar gets 20-mpg city and 26-mpg highway. So go with the Outlander's 168-horsepower 2.4-liter engine instead which will net you the same.

FINAL PARTING WORDS
Essentially, you are staring at the same car. I suppose the Forester's panoramic moonroof lends edge; but the Outlander offers a V6 at the same price of a Forester's 4-cylinder (if interior features were equal) and stowable 3rd-row seating. Both vehicles pull at your purse strings by using modesty about being very capable and affordable.

(By Katrina Ramser
San Francisco Bureau
The Auto Channel )

Taking cue from Honda's Ridgeline idea – to create a car that can carry more brand-specific product in the form of ATVs and dirt bikes – comes Suzuki's all-new smaller pickup, the Equator. Trucks offer functions not available in a crossover or SUV and are great for the outdoorsy types, like myself.

I drove a four-door 2009 Suzuki Equator with the crew cab, the 261-horsepower 4.0-liter V6 engine and the RMZ-4 (4WD off-road package). Starting price is $28,550, but price gets easily bumped up to mid-$30k when you add all the wonderful features that made this truck standout, like a moonroof, Bluetooth capability, a Rocksford Fosgate 6-disc CD audio system or the Suzuki TRIP Navi System. Seating is for five.

Other Suzuki vehicles I have driven recently include the Suzuki Grand Vitara and the SX4 crossover. I have been pleasantly surprised and satisfied with the capability of all three vehicles.

HEELS ON WHEELS REVIEW CRITERIA

Stylish But Comfortable Results: Air quality control is very precise; no need for constant extreme dial turning. Suzuki's TRIP or touch-screen navigation system can be removed from the vehicle. A Rocksford Fosgate stereo is one of the best audio systems you can get. The Equator offers a nicely designed flexible synthetic covering – it looks great, it feels great and it's a sensible alternative to leather.

Reliability & Safety Factor: Suzuki offers an outstanding 100,000-mile/7-year warranty. The Equator does have the LATCH System (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) along with lots of modern safety features such as Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), Hill Descent Control (HDC), and Hill Start Assist (HSA).

Cost Issues: $28,550 seems affordable until you add on the necessary extras in order to love and appreciate your car. You'll experience the same pricing dilemma with both the Nissan Frontier and Dodge Dakota (the Frontier and Equator have a nicer bed).

Activity & Performance Ability: The Equator is essentially the Nissan Frontier, providing strong passing acceleration and an even, smooth ride. Editor Fred Williams at Peterson's 4Wheel & Off-Road Magazine named it the "4x4 of the Year," beating out many big-named competitors. The bed features a textured spray-on bedliner with four in-bed tie-down cleats for cargo; we fit an oak table, leaf and four chairs comfortably with room for more (and no scratch or scoff marks). Tailgate can be removed. My truck bed was rather short; the extended bed offers better space off-road vehicle owners. I noticed a rattling sound in the front and concluded it was from the front fascia or bumper (another reviewer also cited this sound).

The Green Concern: With 15-mpg city and 20-mpg city, you're getting what a larger truck gets. You can choose the smaller 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine for 19-mpg city and 23-mpg highway, but don't expect to tow as much bed weight.

FINAL PARTING WORDS
When an esteemed off-road editor like Fred Williams tests, compares and endorses a vehicle above all else, the truck is excellent. After a week of driving, I was as comfortable as I am inside a crossover – the truck bed bringing additional benefits, of course.

(By Katrina Ramser
San Francisco Bureau
The Auto Channel )

The slim series of car stereo subwoofer from Sony gives out powerful low frequency performance whereas their compact profile lets you add bass to the confines of smaller vehicles. The Sony XS-L10S component subwoofer would only require you to find a suitable box or create a custom enclosure that would fit your needs, and just let the advanced technology of Sony turn on those areas under or behind your seats to provide premium bass outputs. The Sony XS-L10S 10 inch car stereo subwoofer includes the superior rigidity of polypropylene in its unique five sided cone design. This five sided design also helps in reducing the standing waves which are found in round subwoofers as it would eliminate potential distortion which can harm your bass output. The subwoofer also includes a tough rubber surround that lets the subwoofer stay under control.

The slim series of subwoofer from Sony are exclusively designed to provide wider installation options for a broad range of vehicles. The Sony XS-L10S component subwoofer can be easily mounted under or behind the seat of most vehicles. This subwoofer includes five sided polypropylene cap-less and one piece cone. The unique pentagonal cone design of the subwoofer stiffens the cone and increases the rigidity that results in higher power handling and lower distortion. The five sided cone design also eliminates the standing waves on its surface as none of the five sides are parallel to each other. The Sony XS-L10S subwoofer includes stroke stabilizer rubber surround. This rubber surround offers improved cone control and flexibility and offers long durability. The harsh marks in the surround offer enhanced stability. The golf plated binding ports of the Sony XS-L10S are designed to accept any bare wire like 10 gauge, spade lugs, pin connectors and banana plugs. Sony recommends that this subwoofer should be mounted in sealed enclosure to enjoy its excellent sound performance.

Now I know why.

World class? Yes, world class within the very competitive category of midsize vehicles and that’s a rather big category with big name brands. The Kizashi (pronounce it “Kee-Zah-Shee”), has good looking exterior styling with flowing design cues, an interior – front and rear – that says first-class comfort and quality, and the Kizashi was totally engineered by Suzuki including platform, powertrain and driveline which certainly adds considerable value.

This is not a cushy and sluggish transportation appliance; it is a true sport sedan that rides, drives and handles like a sports vehicle. This Kizashi was benchmarked against the Acura TSX, VW Passat and Alfa Romeo 159.

Journalists were told the powerplant is a 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder, 16-valve DOHC engine which pumps out 185 hp @ 6,500 rpm with 170 lb.-foot torque @ 4,000 rpm. Two transmissions are available, a six-speed manual transmission with a gear box that is smoother than silk and an automatic continuously variable transmission. I drove both and prefer the stick version.

The driving experience in North Carolina and throughout the U.S. had been tested and validated by Suzuki engineers determined to make the car road ready and worthy on Germany’s Autobahn, Switzerland’s Alpine corners, the cobblestone roads of rural England and the legendary Nürburgring. (Watch the video!)

Kizashi’s unibody construction of embedded aluminum with reinforced front and rear suspension makes for a very stable ride and agile handing with almost no roll or noise. The ride itself is very quiet. The Akebono brakes provided great stopping power when tested at 60 mph to full stop.

For potential owners who are climatically challenged – as in snow country dwellers – the all wheel drive and special underbody panels will ease the pain of winter driving. And the Kizashi has three-stage heated seats, heated mirrors, rain-sensing windshield wipers and a rear seat pass-thru for skis.

Gas mileage numbers vary slightly depending on the wheel size of the model selected, ranging fro 21/31 manual FWD with 16-inch wheels to 23/30 CVT FWD with 17/18-inch wheels.

Three trim levels are available with MSRPs starting under $20,000 and will be in dealer showrooms later this year. This is one to thoroughly check-out. The tag line for the Suzuki Kizashi’s advertising will be, ‘premium without the premium’ -- this not hype or ad-speak superlative, from my perspective it is fact.

( By Marty Bernstein, The Auto Channel, Detroit Bureau )

Now I know why.

World class? Yes, world class within the very competitive category of midsize vehicles and that’s a rather big category with big name brands. The Kizashi (pronounce it “Kee-Zah-Shee”), has good looking exterior styling with flowing design cues, an interior – front and rear – that says first-class comfort and quality, and the Kizashi was totally engineered by Suzuki including platform, powertrain and driveline which certainly adds considerable value.

This is not a cushy and sluggish transportation appliance; it is a true sport sedan that rides, drives and handles like a sports vehicle. This Kizashi was benchmarked against the Acura TSX, VW Passat and Alfa Romeo 159.

Journalists were told the powerplant is a 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder, 16-valve DOHC engine which pumps out 185 hp @ 6,500 rpm with 170 lb.-foot torque @ 4,000 rpm. Two transmissions are available, a six-speed manual transmission with a gear box that is smoother than silk and an automatic continuously variable transmission. I drove both and prefer the stick version.

The driving experience in North Carolina and throughout the U.S. had been tested and validated by Suzuki engineers determined to make the car road ready and worthy on Germany’s Autobahn, Switzerland’s Alpine corners, the cobblestone roads of rural England and the legendary Nürburgring. (Watch the video!)

Kizashi’s unibody construction of embedded aluminum with reinforced front and rear suspension makes for a very stable ride and agile handing with almost no roll or noise. The ride itself is very quiet. The Akebono brakes provided great stopping power when tested at 60 mph to full stop.

For potential owners who are climatically challenged – as in snow country dwellers – the all wheel drive and special underbody panels will ease the pain of winter driving. And the Kizashi has three-stage heated seats, heated mirrors, rain-sensing windshield wipers and a rear seat pass-thru for skis.

Gas mileage numbers vary slightly depending on the wheel size of the model selected, ranging fro 21/31 manual FWD with 16-inch wheels to 23/30 CVT FWD with 17/18-inch wheels.

Three trim levels are available with MSRPs starting under $20,000 and will be in dealer showrooms later this year. This is one to thoroughly check-out. The tag line for the Suzuki Kizashi’s advertising will be, ‘premium without the premium’ -- this not hype or ad-speak superlative, from my perspective it is fact.

( By Marty Bernstein, The Auto Channel, Detroit Bureau )

Except he couldn't wait until he got his car. He purchased subs and an amp at age 15, before he had a driver's license or a car to put them in. Matney's car audio dreams became reality before he'd ever turned a key in the ignition.

When Matney started building up his '99 Acura CL, he wanted a simple daily driver. "Coming from a Corvette and a winter beater, I wanted a sport coupe for a daily driver to get rid of the two-car hassle."

After a few simple mods and a mild system install, the competition bug bit him hard. "Needless to say, the idea for a daily driver went out the window." The bodywork and neon orange paint job were done at M&B Auto Body, which was also responsible for the fiberglass audio parts. Xtreme Car Audio in Mt. Prospect, Ill., completed the audio install over a three-month period.

Matney says he chose a Kenwood DDX7017 head unit "because of its flexibility and the good crossover and equalizer options Kenwood builds into their source units."

His front speakers are two Diamond Audio D6 three-way components installed in custom fiberglass door panels. "I chose [the Diamond's] for their clean, crisp sound. It's not a product line you see in most installs." Matney likes the sound so much that he chose Diamond Audio D6 6.500s for his rear speakers, too. The speakers are connected with Stinger Pro 12-gauge wires.

To recreate the booming bass that captivated him as a kid, Matney selected three 12-inch Diamond Audio D6 dual 4-ohm subwoofers. The trio share 3 cubic feet of airspace within the 3/4-inch-thick sealed fiberglass enclosure. The custom fiberglass trunk lid houses three Icon- TV MT743's, plus an Icon camera equipped with night vision.

It takes more than dreams to power a system like Matney's, so he chose Xtant amplifiers for their "insane sound quality." The Diamond Audio components run on a single Xtant X604e amplifier. An Xtant X1001e powers the three subs. The amps are stacked in Matney's trunk because of their 24-inch length requirements. He also used Stinger Roadkill Expert & Overkill sound dampening in the doors, trunk, floor, and roof.

Matney competes in the National Custom Car Association Wild Class and is affiliated with Team EST. What are his plans for the future? "More bodywork and new wheels for 2009. I also want to start promoting the car more at sound events." Sweet dreams, Johnny. (By Alex Cadalso)

Driver Profile
Brian Harder hails from West Allis Wisconsin, where he is the director of a local funeral home. He was fortunate enough to acquire his Mustang from his wife, who had deemed it as too small. Once she had her new SUV, Brian reclaimed the Mustang and embarked what would be a three-year buildup into the vehicle’s current status. He is an active competitor at local car shows in and around his hometown where he has already scooped up several first place trophies. There are very few things left on the Mustang that can be customized, so for now Harder’s plans are to continue on the show circuit, and of course to enjoy every minute of it.

It's a good thing that Brian Harder is not one to leave well enough alone. Proof of this is his 2001 Mustang GT convertible featured on these pages. Right off the showroom floor, the Mustang is already a slick ride, especially the GT models with the added thrill of a V8. Roughly three years ago, however, Harder turned to Project Two Customs of Waukesha, WI, to step it up a bit with a few upgrades to the box stock pony car. As you can see, one thing led to another; and after several different stages, Harder's Mustang has evolved into a one-of-a-kind show car. Practically every element of the vehicle has been customized, enhanced or replaced with an aftermarket upgrade. The extensive list of additional mods is proof of that. While an attempt to describe every custom element of the Mustang would be futile at best, a complete description of the multimedia installation and interior transformation is well deserved.

A custom set of door panels...

read full caption

A custom set of door panels houses the MB Quart PCE 216 component set for the front stage. The panels were wrapped in factory Ford vinyl and feature matching aluminum grilles to protect the mid and tweeter. An illuminated Mustang emblem made of clear acrylic is recessed in a painted fiberglass insert near the center of each door.

Slamming Doors
For the front stage, the Project Two crew fabricated a set of custom door panels to house the MB Quart PCE 216 component set. The baffles used to mount the 6 1/2" drivers firmly to the door's frame were integrated into the custom panels, while the 1" tweeters were mounted in the factory tweeter pod at the top of each door. To protect the mids, a set of custom CNC-machined aluminum grilles were fabricated to complement the aftermarket billet tweeter grilles. The finished panels were wrapped in factory Ford vinyl with suede and painted inserts. Billet switches and door handles replaced their factory counterparts, and for the finishing touch, the Mustang emblems in each panel were molded in clear acrylic and illuminated for accent lighting.

Multiple Drivers
In comparison to the elaborate front doors, the installation of the rear drivers is quite simple. Rear fill is provided by an MB Quart PCE 213 component set in the factory speaker locations on either side of the rear seating area. Both the 5 1/4" mid and 1" tweeter are concealed by the factory speaker grilles, but have been carefully positioned for optimal imaging.

An additional PCE 213 component set was chosen for the center channel that has been incorporated into the custom-built dashboard. Both 5 1/4" midrange drivers were used, but only a single 1" tweeter was installed due to the reflective properties of the Mustang's windshield. The center channel drivers are protected by a custom grille that is also home to the array of vehicle status indicators that have been extracted from the gauge cluster.

Rehash The Dash
The elaborate center channel sits atop a completely redesigned dash and center console that features a hand-built gauge cluster that situates the assortment of Auto Meter gauges in the center of the vehicle. Like the door panels, the dash and center console were wrapped in Ford vinyl with painted fiberglass inserts. Nestled below the gauge cluster is the Eclipse AVX2404 double-DIN source unit with built-in DVD/CD/MP3 player and DTS surround processor. For CD audio while the source unit's DVD player is in use, an Eclipse 8-disc changer was flushed into the area of the floor beneath the sub enclosure. A Sony Playstation 2 was also incorporated into the passenger side of the dash for additional mobile entertainment and uses wireless controllers for a cleaner look. Both video sources supply all six screens in the vehicle, while switching duties are handled by a Pioneer three-way switcher in the center console.

Screening Room
In addition to the 5.8-inch monitor built into the Eclipse source unit, an additional five monitors were installed in the Mustang. A Directed 5.8-inch screen was molded into each custom-made sun visor, while a 7-inch Directed screen is tucked into each headrest. The fifth and final monitor is an Eigervision 10.4-inch mounted on the custom chrome strut bar that spans the width of the trunk for demo purposes.

Juice Bar
Below the monitor and strut bar in the trunk is a molded white fiberglass insert that conceals the amp rack and Air Ride components. A 1" boxed steel frame secures the three amplifiers that power the system to the vehicle. A Memphis Belle 5-channel amplifier powers the front and rear stage and a pair of the subwoofers, while a Memphis 16-MCD1000 mono amplifier powers the remaining two subs. The third amplifier is a Rockford Fosgate P2002 that powers the center channel drivers. For aesthetic reasons, only the two Memphis amplifiers are displayed in the trunk. The bottom covers were removed and the amps were inverted to display their inner components beneath the two clear lexan windows molded into the fiberglass trim panel. The trunk lid also received a dose of custom treatment with a custom fiberglass panel molded to the underside that features a lighted Project Two logo.

In The Details
Rounding out the modifications to the Mustang's interior is a set of Roush Racing leather seats, a Classic Design Concepts roll/light bar, suede-wrapped Momo steering wheel and hand-sewn Wilton Wool carpeting and floor mats. One of the more noteworthy mods is the 1" layer of poured-in rubber beneath the carpet that helps with sound deadening, flattens the floor and provides a more cushioned feel. The highly customized interior looks right at home in Harder's Mustang and complements the numerous other modifications to the rest of the vehicle. Yet again Project Two delivers a remarkable showpiece that exemplifies the level of creativity and quality of craftsmanship they put forth in every vehicle they build.

The Mustang's dash was completely... read full caption The Mustang's dash was completely hand built to relocate the custom gauge cluster and Eclipse double-DIN source unit to the center of the vehicle. The Eclipse unit features DVD/CD/MP3 playback, built-in DTS surround processor and a 5.8-inch LCD screen.

Tech
Wheels/Suspension
20" Davin Revolution 5.1 rims
Continental Tires: 255/30/20 front, 305/25/20 fear
Roush Racing 14" slotted brake kit front and rear
Air Ride Technologies 4-way air ride system with Big Red valves and Dakota Digital gauges
QA1 adjustable shocks
BBK upper and lower control arms

To eliminate the possibility of inadequate bass response in the convertible, the rear seat was yanked and an MDF and fiberglass enclosure was constructed in its place to house four Diamond Audio D6 Series 12" subwoofers. The massive enclosure was bolted to the vehicle and designed to fire the subs directly at the driver and passenger. To complement the rest of the install, the finished enclosure was smoothed and painted white to match.

The back seat was removed... read full caption The back seat was removed to accommodate the large MDF/fiberglass sub enclosure that has been molded to fit into the former rear seating location. Four 12" Diamond Audio D6 Series subs crank out substantial bottom end from the smooth enclosure that was color matched to the exterior.

Lifting the trunk lid reveals... read full caption Lifting the trunk lid reveals the custom chrome strut bar that also serves as the mounting point for the 10.4-inch Eigervision monitor used for demo purposes. The trunk itself is trimmed with a fiberglass insert that features lexan windows to display the two Memphis amplifiers that power the system. The amplifiers are mounted upside down without their bottom covers to display their inner components.

Body
Classic Design Concepts billet upper grille
Grillcraft painted lower grille
Classic Design Concepts sequential taillights, quad fog lamps and signal mirrors
Mach 1 chin spoiler
Street Glow White
Neon Underbody neon kit
Shaved antenna

Performance
Trueflow chromed intake plenum
BBK 74mm throttle body
BBK cold air intake
Ignition Solutions plasma booster
Optima/Tsunami Yellow Top battery
200-amp chromed alternator
NGK Denso Iridium spark plugs
Fluidyne radiator
JBA Shorty headers
Chrome and polished stainless accents
Smoothed and painted under hood with mirrored inserts
Ford Racing 3:73 rear end gears with Roush Racing differential cover
Flowmaster American Thunder stainless steel exhaust