ACROSS THE POND - Proton Satria Neo 1.6 GSX

Skoda, Lexus diesels, Renault - they've all been noticed by GoodCarBadCar's Across The Pond. Now it's Proton's turn, as the Malaysian automaker turns to the Satria Neo for a little more international attention.



North Americans won't be seeing the Satria in showrooms anytime soon. To set eyes on a Proton would require some serious intercontinental travel. Proton had humble beginnings; its origin dating back to 1983 under a Malaysian Prime Minister's direction. By times, their cars have been badge engineered examples of leftover Mitsubishi's, and success was often assured in the home market because of high import fees and surcharges on better vehicles produced elsewhere.

Proton is the majority owner in British sportscar maker Lotus and was once a major stakeholder in motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta. That Lotus connection brings us to the Satria Neo, the second generation of Proton's small hatchback. Check the badging on a Satria Neo 1.6 GSX and you'll see a quaint nod to the late Colin Chapman's firm: "Handling by LOTUS".
And, as evo reported, the Satria is a bit of a diamond in the rough when it comes to on-road dynamics, despite some other not-so-endearing traits.

"The 1.6 sounds slightly thrashy and feels a little down on the quoted outputs - the result, one suspects, if tge hefty kerb weight of 1170kg. The claimed 0-62mph time of 11.5 seconds feels about right. The gearshift is pretty ordinary, and the brakes don't have the bite you'd really like.

Thankfully, the dynamics lift the experience. Initially it feels like handling has been sacrificed for ride quality; the Satria soaks up a bad road, delivering a smooth, quiet, controlled ride. Tack into a decent turn and, although there's roll, the steering proves remarkably direct and accurate.... Keeping the Satria flowing is key. Grip is OK, but get too enthusiastic on turn-in and fine balance falls into scrubby understeer.... But the tail reacts nicely to a bit of lift-off weight transfer, aiding agility, and can be coaxed into a modest slip."

The 1.6L engine produces 111bhp and is only two down on that figure in the torque department. Brits will pay £9595 for the privilege of owning a Malaysian hatch fine-tuned by a former F1 competitor, but evo does suggest that rivals like the Fiat Panda 100HP and Ford SportKa would serve you better.

Malaysia is risin', ain't no use denyin'.

THE DID-NOT-DRIVES FROM MILFORD

Two vehicles not seen on course at my recent trip to General Motors' Milford Proving Grounds were upcoming Chevrolet vehicles. You'll see the next-gen Malibu before long in your neighbour's driveway (or perhaps your own), the Volt is still a long way off. We can only hope that it'll retain bold styling and become a production reality while GM/Chevrolet is still riding a Volt-size wave of hype.

Whether or not Chevrolet's Malibu is a roaring sales success; we can't know for sure. Here's The Good Car guy's expert analysis: Chevrolet will sell plenty of Malibu's in the next year or two, but unless people feel as though the Malibu is a worthy alternative to Accord & Camry, its sales success will be tempered by high incentives and low resale values. If the Malibu is perceived as an even better vehicle than the Accord and Camry, not only will it sell, but it'll sell at its MSRP. Apart from that, year's two or three thru the end of its life cycle will see a good effort put to waste, aided only by the high-value quotient it will provide.

The Volt is a plug-in hybrid. GM would prefer you to title it more accurately, and so we should, as an electric car with a range extender. That extender is an internal combustion engine which can power-up the battery pack when needed. The Volt may be well be future of automotive technology. The Volt and Malibu are both pictured here inside our lunch room. Odd though the Volt may be, it can't be powered by chicken caesar salad, though the photo may indicate that to be the case.

TopSpeed.com has extensive Volt info here.

Chevrolet's HHR (designed by PT Cruiser stylist Bryan Nesbitt) was shown alongside the proving ground's 'Black Lake' in SS form. Should be a pretty quick people-mover. And, another vehicle we weren't asked to drive is the Chevrolet Express you see in the background. Such disappointment. We were, however, driven in Express/Savana's extensively, to and from the Inn at St. John's as well as at MPG. Pick-up was provided at the airport in a Chevrolet Tahoe (plastered in E85 Ethanol decals) and I was delivered back to the airport Wednesday morning in a similarly liveried Avalanche.

AUDI DESIGN - The Wagons

Earlier today, GoodCarBadCar.net allowed Audi to explain the nature of its design. Where it comes from, how it gets here, why they look the way they look. It's the belief of The Good Car Guy that Audi wagons, Avant in Audi's terminology, look terrific. Sure, there's a wagon and hatchback bias at GCBC, but The Good Car Guy is unapologetic. Practicality can look good. At Audi, it really does.

Just for the sake of viewing the exterior of handsome and useful vehicles, have a look below at the Audi A3 Sportback and its S3 Sportback hi-po sibling. Caught somewhere between hatchback and wagon, the A3 is currently Audi's smallest super-practical option. Next up is the A4 Avant and its hi-po sibling, the S4 Avant. Finally, the A6 Avant; S6 Avant; and extreme RS6 Avant at the top of the Audi wagon wing. Curious about the possibility of an A8 Avant? Check out this GoodCarBadCar.net Rendering.

AUDI DESIGN DESCRIBED - by Audi

Only minutes after determining that posting a gallery of current Audi wagon images was a good idea, lo and behold, Audi has released a full rundown of its design process; themes; and raison d'etre. True, Audi's information was geared towards different vehicles, but the German luxury manufacturer insists that these principles apply across the board.

Audi believes that their design is a clothing of its "technical superiority in sporty elegance". Items such as the single-frame grille, the sweeping curve of the roof and the taillight design are all "pivotal elements" seen in every Audi. The company's design studio in Munich is a modern space in a trendy neighbourhood, "a haven for open communication and unconventional ideas". 

Audi's head of design, Stefan Sielaff, says it's all about proportions. What designer suggests anything to the contrary? "It is the proportions, the sculptures of our automobiles which portray the interplay of technology and design."

Wolfgang Egger, another member of the Audi design executive, describes the differences in the ostentatious grille. "The cars in our A family, from the A3 to the A8, exhibit a single-frame grille which is classically wide. As for the models in the Q series, the Audi Q5 and Audi Q7, the single-frame grille appears considerably higher. And on sports cars such as the R8 and the TT, it is particularly flat in execution and takes up a position low in the face.” 

Audi says the wavy outline of the headlight underside on the A4 leaves a lively impression. The Q5's hood line, which cuts just slightly from above into the headlight edge, is invigorating. Audi's use of LEDs as daytime running lights "express bold determination when they traverse, as an arc, the bottom edge of the headlights." Ah, but, "If, however, the diodes are – as on the Audi Q5 – closer to the upper edge, then they result in a more relaxed look."

Air inlets are another part of what makes an Audi face an..... Audi face. "Parallelograms seem more authoritarian than trapezoids. Furthermore, a prominently three-dimensional and sharp-edged rendition of the air inlets’ edges and of the front spoiler intensifies sportiness." Apparently, three-dimensionality "gives the face character and symbolizes the power of the engine."

You probably didn't bother counting, but the side of every current Audi has two light-refracting edges. "The upper edge is the pronounced shoulder, which comes into sharp focus in the tornado line." Meanwhile the dynamic line beneath "rises toward the vehicle's tail end, contrary to the tornado line may go upward (A3), sweep (A5), or be calmly strung horizontally as on the A4 Avant.

Audi believes the body should comprise two-thirds of the height of the vehicle, with the glass area comprising the remainder.

Moving to the rear, Audi makes use of horizontal lines to emphasize width. Generally, a concave surface underneath the taillights enhances this effect. Inside, Audi wants to echo the lines of the exterior with a low-slung cockpit that accentuates horizontal lines. Whether or not you analyze why (or perhaps why not) an Audi looks good each time the four-rings make an appearance, all the reasons above contribute to your opinion. Whether you knew it, know it, or believe it.

CARBON MOTORS RELEASES DATA ON ITS POLICE CAR

She ain't pretty, but in relative comparison with the Dodge Charger and Ford Crown Victoria, pretty doesn't top the list of desirable characteristics. Carbon Motors has attacked this large segment of the automotive marketplace with a completely new approach.

With help from Lotus, says Carbon Motors, "this special purpose vehicle will provide a superior performing product with a much safer and more efficient operating environment for law enforcement officers, and offer a significantly lower total cost-of-ownership. A significant reduction in CO2 emissions is targeted in addition to a 30% - 50% fuel economy improvement."

The Carbon Motors police car should use a diesel engine that makes 300 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. Helped by a six-speed automatic, acceleration to 60mph should be brisk: around 6.5 seconds. Fuel economy of 29mpg would be a big help to every police department on the continent. On the inside, everything will be geared towards absolute usability, perfectly geared toward the clientele. 360-degree surveillance capability, video and audio surveillance of the rear seat area, fully-fitted law enforcement equipment up front, shotgun mounts, head-up display, backup camera - it all sounds great. It sounds terrific when you realize that all of that is integrated; a car designed from the outset to work with these systems.

Carbon Motors Corp. will develope, manufacture, distribute, and service these purpose-built patrol cars. Their mission goes as far as to offer a 24/7 call centre and a predictable end-of-life process. The Carbon Motors vehicle will be geared towards fleets, quite obviously, but most clearly to the public sector.

Find out more at www.carbonmotors.com.

SUBARU RECALLS '09 FORESTER, '08 IMPREZA & '07-'08 LEGACY

Some recent Subarus "may have the cylinder head-side oil supply pipe and turbocharger-side pipe improperly assembled." The vibration that ensues could lead to the cracking of pipe(s), allowing oil to leak in dangerous and very hot places.

The 2009 Subaru Forester, 2008 Subaru Impreza, and 2007 and 2008 Subaru Legacy - 16,715 of them, NHTSA says - fall under this Recall. Subaru's available at 1-800-782-2783 to answer your questions about your Legacy, Impreza, and Forester. 

RENAULT KANGOO BE BOP TRULY... UMM... UNIQUE

One great difference between French and German automobile manufacturers can be described in this'a'way: Renault; Peugeot; and Citroen introduce weird vehicles automatically and think nothing of placing said vehicles in series production while BMW; Mercedes-Benz; Audi; VW and the gang are forced into conceptualizing strange stuff and struggle to consider production. 

The Renault Kangoo isn't a typical vehicle in its own right. Take the strange up a notch and you have the surprisingly desirable Renault Kangoo Be Bop. In Renault terms, it's the Kangoo be bop. Itty-bitty diesels displacing less than two litres and generating a smidge over 100 horsepower - or less - power a vehicle that's significantly less than four metres long. 

Renault says the Kangoo Be Bop has 16-inch wheels and thus, "holds the road with precision". That's funny. One can assume the Kangoo Be Bop will never be linked to the RenaultSport Megane in terms of handling acumen.

Unique elements and features are clearly visible in the gallery below. The regular Kangoo is pictured above.

2018 MAZDA 3 SPY SHOTS

Actually, GoodCarBadCar doesn't have any spyshots of the '18 Mazda3, and my guess is that the car won't be called the 3 by that time anyway, nor will it run a 2.3L 4-cylinder engine with a 4 or 5-speed automatic.

It won't be that different, don't worry. The current 3 is one of the most pleasing small cars to drive and the hope is that Mazda won't lose their zoom-zoom.
It's more than a marketing campaign; Mazda really put a lot of effort into making their cars drivercentric.

So what's all this about 2018? Mazda is asking Facebook members to write 150 words describing the 3 of 2018. In fact, a sketch is simply optional. Ten of these cars will become semifinalists, and then Facebookers will narrow it down to five in a round of voting. (I'll be participating.) Fortunately for these five members, they'll work with Mazda designers to perfect their 3 of the future, after which another round of voting takes place.

The winning design will become a full-scale model for debut at the L.A auto show, with the winner getting $1,000 to spend in Los Angeles and a current 3 to drive in SoCal traffic during their time at the auto show.

Search Mazda at Facebook.com and you should see the design challenge, with 530 members and 27 wall posts as I write.

SKID MONSTERS IN A CHEVY TAHOE

One of four exercises in the Advanced Driving Techniques course General Motors offered to us at the Milford Proving Grounds was Skid Monsters. For those of you who drive in snowy climes and participate in snowstorm-parking-lot-endeavours, this skid exercise would not have taken you totally off guard. For others, spins were a common sight.

Spins are fun, though. No harm was done. Warnings were given regarding loose objects in the car - including cameras - because when that spin starts; it continues. And endures. As you can see in the photos, the rear wheels of this old-style Chevrolet Tahoe have been replaced by casters more akin to that on shopping carts.

Speeds were relatively slow, perhaps the pace you'd be traveling on lightly trafficked city streets. As we drove straight at a row of cones, the instructor would eventually call "right" or "left". We were to drive to that side of the row of cones, but not outside the furthermost pylon. Before this turn happened, the instructor had pressed a button on his own controls to 'loosen' the rear 'wheels'. They just spun around and around and around. The goal was to steer the car toward the end target, the centremost route between the two pylons at the end of the track. Looking through the cones as far as your eye can see and constantly aiming for what you see there (a yellow tree or a grey pole or whatever) regardless of which direction your nose is pointed. If your steering reactions were smooth and you kept your eyes on the target, success ensued.

LIVE IN JAPAN? GET YE TO THE NISSAN STORE

Proceed. You may begin placing your Skyline orders now. If you live in Japan and have about 8.35 million yen. Japan's car enthusiasts have Skyline GT-R emotions equivalent to an American's feelings about the Corvette. For the upcoming Nissan supercar, the name is shortened.

Read about the GT-R anticipation here.

GT-R. Three letters and a hyphen that will soon convey 'serious performance'. Japanese brochures have been seen on the internet revealing that the Japanese consumer can choose between three trim levels and six colours.

He or she will have to let Nissan choose the engine; there are no optional upgrades. That'll be rough with a 3.8L twin-turbo producing somewhere around 550 horsepower. There'll be no transmission 'choices' until a regular manual tranny is offered some time after the first production wave. The sequential manual with paddle shifters will have to suffice.

Nissan tops Porsche at The 'Ring.

You can see the ever-aggressive previous-gen Skyline GT-R in the photo above, with a fellow icon from America, the Corvette Z06, generations of the iconic and European Porsche 911 Turbo also pictured.

SATURN SKY VIDEO REVIEW

The voice of The Good Car Guy is revealed (so is his hair) in the embedded YouTube clip found below. A more thorough Driven article on the turbocharged Sky is upcoming, but spending a minute of your personal time will give you a hint of what to expect when the review comes along.

Saturn's Sky is seen parked on the Milford Proving Ground's Black Lake this past Tuesday afternoon during a bloggers event hosted by General Motors at the massive facility outside Detroit. A vast network of roads surrounds this vehicle dynamics centre. Read about other proving grounds here, or check out the other Milford posts in the label below. Feel free to ignore me and replay the part of the clip when the Corvette fires up. Hallelujah.

HYBRID LEXUS SUV & RECALLS & AUDI SUCCESS

Are American consumers falling out of love with Lexus RX400h? Are they singing, "We don't love you like we used to do"? Quite clearly; the RX hybrid doesn't have the same appeal in 2007 that it did in 2006. Measuring sales from January through August reveals that RX400h sales are down 31% from the same period in 2006. While we're degrading automobiles, here's a list of 2007's recall-rich. This here is an area where you wish you weren't seeing so many zeros.

• Volkswagen recalled over 1 million vehicles (New Beetle) because of a malfunctioning brake light switch. Man, that sucks.
• Some ball joints may experience an incidental deterioration of the internal lubrication on some Toyota trucks and minivans. Vehicles such as the Sequioa. Perhaps 533,124 vehicles in total. Yikes.
• 140,582 Nissan Altima's may have ignitable air filters if they were to come in contact with a very hot object. Touch not.
  
• 149,605 Jeep's; 128,300 Hyundai cute-utes; 75,697 Suzuki small cars; 58,800 Volkswagen Passat's; 17,676 Chevrolet Aveo's; 16,309 Nissan Versa's; 10,061 Ford SUV's & 13,032 GM crossovers. Whoa.
• 50,665 Chrysler products have ABS systems which may cause the rear brakes to lock. Yes, on the antilock braking system control module. Eek.

Seeking better news from somewhere, somebody, anybody? Look at Audi. The R8 supercar is sold out for the rest of this year. And next. Audi's American sales are up 11% thanks mainly to the Q7 SUV. The housing market tanks and fuel prices rise, but Audi's midsize sedan, large sedan, and small hatchback all see lowering sales. The Q7 becomes their second best-seller in the States, following only the A4. Whatever. The R8 is wicked-sweet but there's not enough to go around. That led to one R8 (MSRP of approximately $110,000) selling on eBay for $244,000. Applicable use for the word desirability.

YOUTUBE AUTOMOTIVE

Google says that YouTube videos were viewed 9 billion times in July. 382,000,000 of those 9,000,000,000 were automobile related. D'as right - people love to watch cars. So do you, because you are people. And so here's an opportunity: follow this link to a German-language video on YouTube of one very strong man holding back a Lamborghini Murcielago.

Typically, GoodCarBadCar likes to embed the videos so you don't escape from the GCBC Nation, but today you're allowed to leave if you promise to return. The video isn't short, but as per typical YouTube clips; it ain't long either.

This man isn't pulling a Lamborghini, oh no. That's easy. I mean, anybody can do that. Dude is actually restraining the Murcielago, which, with constant high revs from its high-horsepower engine, eventually roasted the clutch.

Murcielago's never possess anything less than 572 horsepower. Once the clutch on the Murci' dies, its predecessor enters the ring. The Diablo forces the man to let go of his hold. But only after much smoking of tires and revolutions of engine.

BUICK ENCLAVE - Driven

Search... I mean, search, for another automotive blog where a young import-loving guy posts twice in one afternoon; consecutively; where the titles both feature the name Buick. Email goodcarbadcar@gmail.com if, not when; you find one.



And we ain't joking around. Nor does the joke start at the next sentence. The Enclave is good. I apologize to and for those who can't submit to this fact. Don't believe for one minute that The Good Car Guy would ever buy a Buick Enclave. I started writing about cars when the smart fortwo hit Canada. Polar opposites; the smart and Enclave? Not quite, but pretty close.

I wouldn't be skipping the Enclave, however. I'd be skipping the whole class of vehicles. Large, upscale crossovers aren't my thing and the absence of children in our life doesn't seem to bode well for Buick salespeople who want an Enclave parked outside my door. I don't need it, I don't want it.

But I know the Enclave is good. A fellow blogger at GM's Milford Proving Grounds just two days ago told me that he enjoyed driving the Saab 9-7X Aero a whole lot more, but the 9-7X Aero seemed pointless. And although he'd never have previously considered a Buick, this Wired Magazine correspondent's father just bought an Enclave. Hmm? How's that end up happening later in life?

The Enclave will never handle like that Swedish-American muscle SUV (did I already say pointless?) but it shouldn't and won't. The Enclave should possess true Buick characteristics and have a strong sense of desirability and some urban chicness. Nope, I'm not in the market for an upscale utility crossover, but I do know what a Buick needs to be and represent if I am ever to be tempted by any sort of Buick.

When I broke two wrists at once, the doctor asked me which news I wanted first; good or bad. Well, I asked for bad first. (There was no good.) Call me Dr. GoodCar and let me offer suggestions on treatment for Buick's maladies. 1) Build more Enclave-like vehicles. Not crossover/utility/SUV type cars, but beautiful cars. The Lucerne and Allure/Lacrosse are not beautiful, and that actually hurts the Enclave. 2) Learn to make the vehicles as quiet as the Enclave while also putting them on a diet. Don't lose the quiet, but lose some weight. You're too fat, Buick. 3) Ignore loyal buyers. Sorry to sound harsh and uncouth, but the loyal Buick buyer has a life expectancy which ends..... next year. Don't cater to him. A good car is a good car is a good car. If you make it good, old guys and gals'll like'em, and so will I.

To the Enclave, more specifically we go. Prior to my Enclave drive, I was in a Pontiac Torrent GXP for about five miles. It's worth reading about. Talk about two SUV's with different priorities. Actually, don't talk about it right now. Keep reading - I'm trying to hold your attention. The GXP is a performance edition of a somewhat boring vehicle. Enclave's are an exciting new addition to a traditionally boring brand. Buick's were once an aspirational purchase. When Cadillac's were cool and became the obvious choice for a rich dude in Elvis Presley's era, a Buick wasn't just a respectable choice. These were respectable Cadillac alternatives. Give me an early 60's Electra or a first generation Skylark, please.

Now Cadillac is fighting to be taken seriously as a worthy hi-lux player, and Buick is disregarded by a huge percentage of anybody born after 1950. Yikes. (Read about Enclave's success here.)

Now the Enclave is an aspirational purchase. You would feel good owning this vehicle. You'd enjoy living with it and be, at least, comfortable driving it day-to-day. Enclave has all the luxury you'll ever need (luxury = need?) plus the space your family requires. A luxed-up all-wheel drive Enclave does weigh a hair under 5000 pounds, though, and that's a real down side after driving a Torrent GXP.

Granted, these two GM vehicles aren't competing. (Read the Enclave's 3 To Beat here.) The Enclave has to fight off Saturn's Outlook and the GMC Acadia instead. The Torrent proved the performance SUV case, at least as far as driving dynamics go. Buick's Enclave, on the other hand, is no fun to drive. 275 bhp sounds like a lot, but we're talking about 5-0-0-0 pounds here, folks. No biggie, though. I don't seek more power every day at home - I try to conserve. So, I'm not looking to worsen the 3.6L V6's fuel economy ratings of 16/24 US mpg. Power will suffice.

Nonetheless, the power-to-weight deficit, when combined with a bit of pillowiness over yumps and the disconnected feel of the steering... well, then I begin to mind the dynamics of the vehicle. Then again (again), we're intentionally driving aggressively and a Buick crossover isn't going to - and shouldn't - behave like a Saturn Sky. No, I want some pillow-like qualities. Ya know what; I don't want to submit to a writhing steering wheel fighting to maintain the straight-ahead. I want my Enclave to wrap me in a warm cocoon at the end of a 9am-5pm day, serenade me with satellite radio, preserve me and protect me when necessary, and provide me with the space I need for my peoples and their things. Quickly. While looking goooood.

To meet those demands the Enclave gives you: tri-zone automatic climate control, power seats and a tilt and telescopic wheel; six speakers with speed-compensated volume and XM sat-radio; ABS, StabiliTrak, traction control, Xenons, side curtains for all three rows, cruise control, a 50,000mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and tire-pressure monitoring; seven seats; a capable V6 with a 6-speed automatic; 18 or 19-inch wheels and a really wicked front wheelarch. For proof of that just look at it this pic, edited to really show the wheel, arch, and curves. Taken at Milford by The Good Car Guy just two days ago.

BUICK LUCERNE PROVING ABS

Milford Proving Grounds, a General Motors facility, is equipped to do just that.

Prove.

This video shows a Skid Monster-equipped Impala in the distance, but what you want to see is the Buick Lucerne. Charging hard at a narrow lane - cones on either side - the driver was told to maintain the prescribed speed (35, 40, 45, and then 50mph), then brake hard and get out of the way of those cones which started coming at you really stinking fast all of a sudden. But you didn't start the braking-into-turning until the instructor said, calmly, "Now." If you did it too soon, as if trying to predict his call, you failed to trust him as well as the capability of the car.

This test proved a couple of things. Despite the fact that I don't want you to buy a Buick Lucerne, it's not because the car is lacking in ability or quality. It's simply due to more exciting competition. However, the Lucerne proved the merits of ABS (few would doubt those merits these days, hopefully) as well as the directional stability of the car. Plus, dare I say it, the Lucerne's ability to change direction under hard braking. The back end wouldn't truly slide. Just a slight skid-hop-skip. Always under control.





An Impala SS was used at similar speeds and then also at 55mph in a test where the task was similar until it came time to turn. Rather than brake hard at the call, we would have to turn right or left sans braking and then regain enough control to brake in front of a row of cones at turn back. And repeat. The Lucerne's test was left-turn only and more proof of braking than grip.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE NEW, MODERN FIAT 500

In an era when spy shots of upcoming vehicles weren't plastered across Google Image search results and preliminary specifactions failed to grab the attention of blogosphere comment sections, Fiat, the Italian Automobile Factory of Torino, manufactured the 500. Between 1957 and 1975, the diminutive 500 was equipped with similarly diminutive engines. Generally, with capacities under 1 litre, the 500 wasn't fast but was driven on Italian highways and village roads as though it was Ferrari-like in its ability. 

There's a new Fiat 500 now. Fiat calls it "bumper-to-bumper cool". At first glance you will assume the new 500 is a retro imitation of the original, but in size alone, the new 500 clearly diverts. Fiat has extended the length of the modern 500 by nearly two feet, in part to deal with current safety regulations. 

While still inexpensive, the Fiat 500 caters slightly to the premium small-car buying crowd that loves the Mini Cooper. Fiat's Panda, the car on which the 500 is based, is left to mop up the truly economical segment. Times are moving quickly in Turin, however, and even the new 500 is moving on. For a better understanding, take a look at the evolution of the Nuova 500. 

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FIAT TREPIUNO CONCEPT: Technologically advanced in a way that couldn't lead anyone to believe Fiat was aiming for the bargain basement with the modern incarnation of the 500.

FIAT 500: Maximum horsepower sits at 100bhp from a 1.4L, but if you can make it under the bar, one can go as low as a 69bhp 1.2L.

FIAT 500 ABARTH: Bumping horsepower up 35% is nothing to sneeze at, even if 135bhp sounds small. Abarth is now to Fiat what AMG is to Mercedes-Benz.

FIAT 500 ABARTH ESSEESSE: If Abarth is the equivalent of AMG, the esseesse is the equivalent of the AMG Black series. Its kit will hit your dealer in a famous Abarth box with perforated and ventilated front brake discs; lowering springs; and white or titanium wheels. Oh, and 160 horsepower. The Fiat 500 Abarth esseesse should be able to top 130mph.

FIAT 500 ABARTH ASSETTO CORSE: 49 examples of the Assetto Corse will be built for track users. Ultra-light racing wheels are just one of multiple weight-saving measures that stripped away 180kg (396 lbs). Owners also receive their own Assetto Corse overalls, helmets, gloves, and shoes.

PONTIAC TORRENT GXP - Driven

There's plans to inform The Good Car Nation of all Milford Proving Ground activities, but don't we all love to read a good test drive? Isn't that what automotive media really centres on? 'Where the tire hits the road' ought to be especially applicable to people who care about the tire and the road, no?

This story from early August reveals my true feelings towards the purpose and necessity of a vehicle like the Pontiac Torrent GXP. I see numerous points anybody could put forth to show that the Pontiac Torrent GXP (a high-powered small utility attempting to be an inexpensive BMW X3) doesn't need to exist. Nobody needs this kind of performance in a vehicle that fails to live up to the standards we set for 'feel' and refinement. I'd love to see an interior that beckoned me with quality and materials, for instance. Plus, I think it would be great to see a Pontiac crossover that wasn't available at the Chevrolet dealership.

However, there is praise to be showered upon the Torrent GXP. When I first set foot outside the luncheon area at General Motors Milford Proving Ground and walked around the vehicles to see which I needed to drive; wanted to drive; and felt responsible to drive, the Pontiac's Torrent GXP stuck out as a vehicle I should drive based on the responsibility I have to the Good Car Nation. Well, Nation - awaken. The Torrent GXP is ready for takeoff.



For somewhere between $26-28,000 USD, you can have a GM-built SUV with 264 horsepower. And this ain't 264 horsepower from a piece of unfortunate mess of thrashing metal. Old-tech is not found under this hood. Along with the gains under the hood (79 bhp up from the base Torrent), you can also count on an extra gear in the automatic tranny. Steering switches from electric to hydraulic assist. (Take that as a positive sign for GM's future performance vehicles.) Equip with bigger wheels and a true sports suspension and you've got yourself a GXP.

While maintaining a civil ride, the GXP is tied to the tarmac in a way that BMW consumers would enjoy. I'm serious. Reasons to avoid the purchase of a Torrent GXP can't include 'poor driving dynamics'. Direct and weighty steering - admittedly feelless - is just the start. Body roll is not nearly as prevalent in the GXP as it was in, say, the new Saturn Vue. (Build an SUV with the Vue V6 AWD's look and overall feel & refinement & interior with the Torrent GXP's dynamics and you've got yourself a great vehicle.) Problems only arose when cornering quickly on rippled roads. Seriously bumpy, screwed-up, rippled roads. Out of ten vehicles driven on this 5-mile trek, maybe two were calm through that section.

Possessing such levels of horsepower in a vehicle of this type and weight would commonly be useless and unadvisable in my mind. The GXP copes with the power admirably, mostly because it does more than simply power out of corners. It copes with the twists, too. I had the benefit on this first trip around our section of Milford to have a GM engineer alongside directing me. Like the rest of my 46.5 hour Milford trip, he was free of charge.

Even so, the parenthetical sentence two paragraphs above regarding the Vue/Torrent combo all too often replicates the typical GM story. We'll see if the other nine vehicles you'll read about here can sing a different song.

CORVETTE ACCELERATION RUN

Assuming my camera was not capable of full-on video applicable for GoodCarBadCar during the Milford Proving Grounds event where General Motors hosted a group of bloggers, I was actually just taking shots for personal use. Perhaps this clip I took of Philippe from TopSpeed.com is worth a look.




After beginning on Milford's Black Lake, we drove a couple of miles on a handling circuit before arriving back on the Black Lake for two brief spurts of acceleration. The Corvette does alright with acceleration runs, in case you hadn't heard. The clip won't impress with its cinematic style, but it will awaken you to the ferocity with which a "basic" Chevrolet Corvette can rip-snort-churn to highly illegal speeds. I got my turn after Philippe; savouring the opportunity to exercise the Corvette's 430 horsepower on a closed course. We had plenty of time in each vehicle. I drove ten cars in the afternoon, and you'll see a review of each here on GoodCarBadCar really soon, so keep checking back.

UPDATE ON HUSKER BMW RIP-OFF OF M3 BUYER

Back in March of this year, a BMW dealership in Lincoln, Nebraska made trouble for themselves. It became a fairly big consumer rights story and the world wide web became an important player in the quest to get a man his promised BMW M3. 

Unfortunately, the eBay seller (Husker BMW) created two problems that afflict more than just themselves. For skeptics who were frightened by the process of purchasing online - proof was gained. For the countless multitudes who are routinely sickened by automotive dealership practices - yes, more proof was discovered.

However, long after this story died down, The Good Car Guy became an investigative reporter for.... oh, five minutes, and discovered that, quite commonly, Husker BMW is an all-around wonderful eBay user.

This link takes you to their eBay feedback page. Over the last month, they've received two instances of positive feedback; nothing else. Over the span of the last six months, eleven positives are all there is to see. Over the last twelve months, thirty-three positives and one negative instance of feedback are plain to see. Husker has a feedback rating of 97.1% and has been a member since 2004. Not perfect, considering the ease with which you can find perfect ratings on eBay, but pretty stinkin' close.

Was Husker BMW way out line in the March situation? Surely. But are they the most awful, wicked, wretched BMW seller on eBay? It doesn't appear as such.

ALL THE VOLKSWAGEN GTI GENERATIONS - PICTURES AND STATS

Way out in advance of its North American on-sale date, the sixth-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI has been revealed online. The GTI MKVI is no slouch, and for a full rundown of the next GTI, it'd be worth clicking over to the GTI post.

Below you'll find a brief rundown of each and every GTI generation, from MK 1 through to the MK 5 that sits outside your local VW dealership to the MK 6 'concept' introduced today. While special editions may be pictured and specifications may've varied from model year to model year, the brief spec rundown below refers to the original of each GTI.

MK1 VOLKSWAGEN GTI

Introduced in Europe: 1976

Introduced in North America: 1983

Engine: 1.6L, 108 horsepower

U.S. MSRP: $8,000 in 1983

MK2 VOLKSWAGEN GTI

Introduced in Europe: 1983

Introduced in North America: 1985

Engine: 1.8L, 137 horsepower

U.S. MSRP: $11,280 in 1992

MK3 VOLKSWAGEN GTI

Introduced in Europe: 1991

Introduced in North America: 1993

Engine: 2.0L, 115 horsepower & 2.8L V6, 172 horsepower 

U.S. MSRP: $19,375 for VR6 in 1995

MK4 VOLKSWAGEN GTI

Introduced in Europe: 1998

Introduced in North America: 2000

Engine: 2.0L, 115 horsepower &  turbo 1.8L, 150 horsepower & 2.8L V6, 174 horsepower

U.S. MSRP: $19,225 for 1.8T in 2000

MK5 VOLKSWAGEN GTI

Introduced in Europe: 2002

Introduced in North America: 2006

Engine: turbo 2.0L, 197 horsepower

U.S. MSRP: $22,990 today

MK6 VOLKSWAGEN GTI

European Introduction: 2009

North American Introduction: est 2011

Engine: turbo 2.0L, 207 horsepower