GENESIS CLIP

The Good Car Guy just showed a YouTube clip of an interesting - but partial - debut of an upcoming Opel. Exact GoodCarBadCar words: "Sure, it's a bit geeky; plenty unbelievable; and it's not as if this is the C7 Corvette. But it's well done and 10x cooler than the Hyundai version of the same concept."

Well, ↓ is one and the same.

CAR PCOTY

British car magazine, CAR, whose editors proclaim on the cover that they offer the definitive view, has named their Performance Car of the Year.

If you're looking for consistently sound opinion, CAR may not be the place for you. Once known and perhaps even renowned for a magazine that centred on dynamic peformance, CAR has evolved into what seems to be a car-as-a-conversation-piece style magazine, with none other than Piers Morgan contributing.

Nevertheless, the PCOTY feature is certainly suggested reading. The Audi R8 was joined in the final three by the BMW M3 and Honda's Civic Type R. The Audi overcame some high-strung group members (Caterham 7 R400, Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, Porsche 911 GT3 RS) and the M3 and Civic didn't put up enough of a challenge.

Having already battled the Renault Clio F1 Team R27, Vauxhall Corsa VXR, and a Mini Cooper with Works package, the CTR was relegated in the final round despite obvious credentials. "A great hot hatch.... but not quite torquey or communicative enough to feel really special in this company," said the judges.

And the M3? CAR says: "Because, as good as it is, it doesn't move the M3 game on massively. Yes, it's quicker than the old car, more refined, practical and as sideways as ever, but we expect all those things from the M3."

So the R8 takes the crown. One paragraph by Chris Chilton makes very clear the overall reasoning for Audi's win. "And then I pointed the R8 home and knew we picked the right car..... The icy white markings on the dials glowed back from the dash, the Bang and Olufsen hi-fi murmured quietly, and I tried to figure out how this car costs only £76,000. It's still a lot of money in anyone's reckoning, but not for a car of this calibre. In the context of an M3 that costs £50K, a Lamborghini that shares many of the R8's parts and costs over three times as much, and a Porsche that costs £94K but can't be driven in the rain, the R8 easily cements its place as a worthy winner."

In order of their lap times around the Cadwell Park circuit (as driven by British Touring car great Matt Neal), here are CAR's candidates and a brief summary by CAR and the inevitable GoodCarBadCar take as well.

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PORSCHE 911 GT3 RS: "Even Neal thought it was too hot to handle; naturally we wanted to marry it." GCBC says: "A regular GT3 is enough 911+, the RS adds way too much cost for way too little improvement."

CATERHAM 7 R400: "Like being hardwired into the tarmac; if lapping circuits is your thing, nothing beats it." GCBC says: "Proof that a little less weight will do you good."

LAMBORGHINI SUPERLEGGERA: "Couldn't beat the GT3 on the road but was even more exciting on track." GCBC says: "Amazing that extreme examples of extreme cars can face such competition now, such as the GT3 RS, Ferrari 430 Scuderia, and 911 GT2."

AUDI R8: As happy chasing Lambo's on the track as tailing eVextra's on the M25. Brilliant." GCBC says: "Audi now has more than power, looks, and Quattro on its side; the R8 is a pure driving experience."

BMW M3: "We still don't like the steering but what fun - and what an engine!" GCBC says: "The original M3 had a four fewer cylinders and a lot less luxury....."

SUBARU IMPREZA RB320: "Last of the saloon Impreza's divided opinion. Mighty fast but hard work." GCBC says: "Showcasing passion that may never be revealed on the new WRX's or STi's."

NISSAN 350Z: "Quick, but far from the sideways here at Cadwell its roundabout antics suggest." GCBC says: "The Z, as usual, laps with the big dogs for a substantially smaller cash outlay and looks good doing it."

AUDI S5: "Old style Audi - safe and competent but not fun on track; A5 TDI better on road." GCBC says: "Not fun on track, true. But stinking fast and heart-wrenchingly beautiful."

VAUXHALL VXR8: "Bargain V8 saloon better on road than on track." GCBC says: "What was CAR expecting? I'm expecting the Pontiac G8 to be very good indeed."


HONDA CIVIC TYPE R: "Almost racer-like in its responses but amazing VTEC engine needs another 40 bhp." GCBC says: "Needs a communicative chassis and steering before it needs another 40 horsepower, but it looks sweet."

RENAULT CLIO 197 F1 TEAM R27: "A proper oldschool hot hatch and great at Cadwell; but hardwork on the road." GCBC says: "If the weight remained equal to that of the old Clio, then the long-titled new Clio would be in with a shout."

MINI COOPER S WORKS: "Great to look at but minimal power increase from Works kit and poor under braking." GCBC says: "Pray the Mini brand doesn't go soft. It hasn't... yet."

VAUXHALL CORSA VXR: "Torquey engine and smooth ride great on road but VXR outclassed on circuit." GCBC says: "Have you seen this little sucker go 'round the Nurburgring?"

NEW AUDI LE MANS VIDEO IS HONEST

Audi's latest 35-second clip profiling their Le Mans efforts says quite truthfully that, "You win Indy" and that, "You win Monaco",  but "You survice Le Mans". The gruelling 24 hour race has been owned by Audi in this century and you can't deny that the Volkswagen subsidiary knows what it takes: straight-up perserverance.

Check out the clip below to see Audi's terrifying humour at the end of the video.

CHALLENGER SRT8 PRICED

Dodge has announced the price for the first edition (limited though it will be) of its good-looking Challenger muscle-car. $37,995 puts the very powerful 6.1L Dodge Challenger SRT8 significantly higher than a Ford Mustang GT but significantly lower than a base Chevrolet Corvette.

These $37,995 cars won't be on driveways near you until spring '08. By the way, Dodge lists $40,095 on its website, a fair chunk of change different from the press-released numbers. Expect horsepower figures for the SRT8 version to be no lower than 425 and torque of at least 420 lb-ft. Those are the numbers for the equivalently-engined Dodge Charger SRT8.

RUF/STUDIO TORINO RK

Is the regular Porsche Cayman tired, dated, or dowdy? I hope you've not tired of Porsche's all-rounder, but.... if you want your Islands (or car) a little spicier, Ruf and Studio Torino did one up just for you. Take note, if you were under the impression that the recent Part I and Part II of the mid-engined sports car profiles were a backhanded bash of the formula.... you were wrong.


The RK Coupe is more than just a design masterpiece. Every Cayman driver seems to believe that the mid-engined Boxster coupe could handle a LOT more power. Ruf supplies. The 3.8L motor normally found in the 911 S has been supercharged to 440 horsepower. Only 49 of these cars will be built, and they'll be mighty expensive. Figure 911 Turbo money.

Those 49 owners have a tasteful & classy but also aggressive & distinctive body on top of an even more capable Cayman, tuned by one of the world's most revered Porsche tuners.

OPEL CLIP

GM Europe design is light years ahead of what GM Europe design was just a few years ago. The Vauxhall/Opel Corsa, Astra, Vectra, and Zafira are all - at this time - look much flashier and more expensive than just one generation ago.

The Insignia group of vehicles won't be fully revealed for a number of months. Automakers all enjoy building hype. Hundreds of Pontiac G6's were given away on Oprah Winfrey's show a few years back. The smart fortwo has been touring America ahead of its on-sale date. The faster-than-Z06 Corvette was 'caught' (wink wink), extensively, on video before General Motors wanted to even talk about it. In any case, this very partial Opel Insignia reveal is one of the better hype-builders. Sure, it's a bit geeky; plenty unbelievable; and it's not as if this is the C7 Corvette. But it's well done and 10x cooler than the Hyundai version of the same concept.

MAZDASPEED6 - BYE

The next Mazda 6 built for North America will not be the same as the Mazda 6 seen on other continents. Apparently, this means the future existence of the North American MazdaSpeed 6 has been called into question. And apparently, the answer to that question is......

No more MazdaSpeed 6. Had Mazda done a better job on the first tuned 6 than they'd see there was and is reason to have another try. But the Speed 6 has only a touch more zip than a V6 Honda Accord or V6 Toyota Camry and equivalent power to the six-cylinder Nissan Altima.

Sure, all-wheel drive was a pleasing extra but supplying the consumer with four driven wheels meant added weight thereby slowing the car and worsening fuel efficiency. The front-end styling wasn't exactly 'pretty' and the marketing department seemed to know of only one colour: silver.

Many also found the driving experience relatively uninspiring, an odd result for a car that in regular 4 and 6-cylinder configurations was fun-to-drive. So in an age where fuel economy is becoming more and more important and under constraints that would increase the cost of development, it appears that MazdaSpeed 6 has bid farewell.

That's sad news for a car that only just joined the BMW 328i, Infiniti G, Acura TSX, and Subaru Impreza WRX in an attempt to prove the Honda Civic Mugen Si to be overpriced.

CAR DESIGN PART II

In Car Design Part I (recommended reading), The Good Car guy asked the following questions: Where has design evolved the most? Where has modernity struck heaviest? Who designs with cookie cutters? Which design group resides 'in the box'? Does anybody?

INEXPENSIVE FAMILY VEHICLES

MID-ENGINED SPORTS CARS

From the top: Chevrolet Malibu, Volvo S40, Mazda 5, Audi R8, Ferrari 430 Scuderia, Lotus Europa, Porsche Cayman

CAR DESIGN PART I

So all the AutoCAD has got you down. Car styling ain't what it used to be. I remember when every new model year meant significant changes, say you. They didn't used to explain why it looked good, you just knew when you laid eyes on the car, say others.

Well, I wondered. And I wondered. And I wondered some more. And then I edited some pictures to (mainly) show the profile of a dozen or more vehicles. Plenty of people suggest that a typical midsize sedan, especially those built in Japan or America, or just carbon copies. The designer of the Nissan 350Z said, on that car's debut, that a car's design impact derives from a singular profile line.

I'm going to show you the profiles of multiple "family" cars, all priced under $30,000. Then you can look at the profiles of multiple mid-engined, high-dollar sports cars. Where has design evolved the most? Where has modernity struck heaviest? Who designs with cookie cutters? Which design group resides 'in the box'? Does anybody?

INEXPENSIVE FAMILY VEHICLES

MID-ENGINED SPORTS CARS

From the top: Citroen C5, Nissan Altima, Ford Mondeo, Honda Accord, Saturn Astra, Koenigsegg CCX and Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera.

CAR NEWS BITE

Fluent in German? www.Mercedes-Benz.de showcases the new look of M-B websites that'll be seen across the world. Considering the fact that 50,000,000 people utilized a Benz website last year, reconfiguring the site is a fairly important process. The result seems swell, but the language barrier is keeping me from knowing for sure.

Poor Toyota Motor Corp: the current recall touches the hundreds of thousands. Lexus GS, Lexus IS, and Toyota Crown and Mark X models in Japan may all suffer from potentially faulty fuel pipes. The recall affects 264,000 vehicles in Japan, USA, Canada, and England, and Germany.

'09 SATURN VUE RECALLED FOR BAD KNUCKLE

2,149 Saturn Vues from model year 2009 are being issued a Recall because of incorrect right and/or left front steering knuckles. This means - apparently - that "the tie rod ball stud could pull out of, or fracture, the tie rod housing. This could cause the tie rod to separate from the knuckle". Those are the Circle Y Ranch's NHTSA's words, not mine. 

Drivers might'n't notice the affect immediately because steering inputs in normal circumstances would remain relatively normal. On rougher roads or with more aggressive driving or under braking, however, one wheel could "turn out and skid". Yikes. 

The Vue was also recalled in September because of a power steering issue. 

16,667 '09 GM LAMBDA CROSSOVERS RECALLED - ENCLAVE, TRAVERSE, ACADIA, OUTLOOK

Four General Motors crossovers are being recalled, NHTSA says, for failing to measure up to requirements for safety standard #209.... the one for seat belt assemblies, don't you know? The second or third row seat belt buckle could be missing a rivet.

Model year 2009 examples of the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Saturn Outlook - basically identical vehicles under the skin and inside the seat belt buckles, apparently - will have any deficient seat belt buckle replaced free of charge under this Recall. That could be up to 16,667 CUVs, NHTSA says. The Lambda platform could even be the foundation for the next Cadillac Escalade and/or Chevrolet Suburban if General Motors money remains..... er, tight, and if fuel economy standards make the possibility of a 20+mpg giant SUV impossible.

Lambda crossovers were also involved in a GM Recall in August relating to overheating windshield washer fluid and another recall in August for detaching windshield wiper linkage. If these General Motors vehicles are going to be in the garage continuously free of charge to customers, GM is going to want to keep the issues minor.

'07 MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS RECALL FOR BAD KNUCKLE

A small number of '07 Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedans, the German luxury automakers largest and most luxurious four-door, are being recalled because of a supplier problem that resulted in a radial knuckle of the front strut that isn't up to snuff. As the odometer rolls, NHTSA says, the mileage accumulation and exposure to high stress on rough roads could result in a failed knuckle; making the vehicle very difficult to steer.

Only 1,515 examples of the S-Class Benz fall under the banner of this NHTSA Recall. Before the end of the year Mercedes-Benz will start issuing notice. Dealers will look at the production date to know if the vehicle's radial knuckle could be one of the struts affected and if so, replaced accordingly.

MAZDA BAHRAIN

The MX-5, formerly known as the Miata in parts, was just introduced to the Bahrain public. It is, as the local Mazda man put it, a "warm companion". I would argue that every convertible is a warm companion in Bahrain.

Along with the MX-5 comes the CX-9, defined as "futuristic". Mazda's point man in Bahrain, a certain Mr. Singh, hit the nail on the head this time, though. "Standing out from existing crossover SUVs the CX-9 is the insightful solution not only to the modern family's complex needs but also to the enthusiast driver's desires." It is a rockin' family SUV indeed, chosen by MotorTrend as SUV of the Year.

Expect to see a YouTube clip of young men racing across the desert in Mazda's latest. The CX-9 will use the plenteous straights (like the bridge to Saudi) to keep the roadster in its sights.

26 PICTURES OF THE MINI COOPER S CABRIO

Looking back now, do you not get the very strong impression that BMW was on to something? The Mini brand has been a roaring success. BMW stuck to a style and invested engineering strength to make on-road dynamics a vital selling point. True enough, choosing the convertible points out very clearly that you're not all about on-road dynamics, are you? The speed of this Cooper S convertible is numbed because of additional weight that adds stiffness to the structure while the suspension tuning is softened a bit to stave off shaky rearview mirrors and dashboards. Check out the new Mini Cooper S cabrio in 26 pictures below.

HONDA'S 27th STRAIGHT

Twenty-seven straight months of growth. We're not talking about my nearly 3-year old niece or even the New England Patriots audience, but Honda's sales. October of 2007 saw a 12.5% rise in worldwide output compared with 2006. Honda, though you may not realize it, is considered by many in autodom to be a bit player. Engines... sure. Small cars.... yeah. Worldwide domination, never. So they say.

Truth be told, Honda's October figures were 'just' 363,532 vehicles. Both output and sales were down in Japan but exports were up. North American and overall Asian outputs climbed, but nothing like Honda saw in Europe where growth was measured at 88.9% compared with Oct/06.


Forget those numbers. Just remember 27. 2-7. Twenty-seven. That, my friends, is consistent success.

SAMSUNG - No, not your stereo

Renault's Korean subsidiary, Samsung Motors, will see a doubling in investment in hopes of increasing exports. Renault owns 80% of the company, the other portion belonging to the maker of your stereo or mp3 player.

Here's what you don't know: Samsung will sell around 172,000 vehicles this year, but less than a third are exported. By 2009, Samsung hopes to be selling around 250,000 vehicles. That would still be just a large drop in the bucket compared to sales of affiliated brands like Renault and Nissan. Ironically, this developing brand is better earner (in specific terms) than Renault. The operating profit for Samsung is 5.4% higher than that of its French parent.


Here's what you may know: Samsung's home market is the fourth-largest economy in Asia and there are some big names competing for a slice of the pie; Hyundai and Kia being the two household brands.

Here's what you do know: Fuel prices are rising, small car sales are surging. Samsung is primed to take advantage of its lower operating costs and even build cars in Europe to take advantage of the current auto atmosphere. Current Samsung models include the SM3, SM5, and SM7.

BMW INDIA

About half of all BMW's sold in India this year have been of the 3-series variety. You'd expect it to be so. Nevertheless, as of the first 3/4 of the year, that is just 500 BMW 3's. The 5-series makes up the majority of the remaining sales (with BMW India's chief figuring the 5-series will soon overtake the 3) and the X5 and 7-series selling in small numbers. Peter Kronschanabi expects to see only 50 BMW M3's sold in the first year after its introduction and not a single 1-series.

The lesson you learn from this: In a word, potential. 1.74 million cars were sold in India in 2006, and the market is growing at a rate of 20% per annum. In a nation of a billion people, the 'potential' for sales growth is hindered more by poor infrastructure than personal finances.

GT-R - UK v Japan

With Nissan GT-R prices in Japan starting at the equivalent of about £34,000, Brits are wondering why on earth they'd buy an officially imported example from Nissan. The GT-R will likely cost over £60K in old Blighty, and after importing costs, a Japanese example wouldn't cost you much more than £45,000 or so.

Care for more Nissan GT-R articles?

What does Nissan UK have to say? Well, not only must Britons wait till 2009 for their first GT-R's to arrive; not only will they pay through the nose for the AWD, turbocharged V6 911-competitor, not only will they have but 300 to divide amongst themselves each year, but they must also wait for its high-dollar arrival because of the grey-import's poor radio reception.

Aha. We all knew that each and every buyer of Nissan's ultimate halo car was purchasing for one reason and one reason only: terrific AM/FM stability. Losing out on such a necessary feature (in a car that reaches 60mph in 3.5seconds and tops out on the exciting side of 190mph thanks to 473 horsepower) would be an incalculable loss.

evo STARTS ITS CAR OF THE YEAR TESTING

Every year I realize more and more the stupidity of the premise of Motor Trend's Car of the Year competition. The exhaustive testing is great and trustworthy. I accept their opinions, too. But one car out of all the new models receives recognition? It's not directly compared with older members of its segment even though Motor Trend insists that the comparison isn't with the cars in the test. What's worse, Motor Trend pays no regard to reality and ends up naming the Nissan GT-R (we already knew it was the best car of the year, but we're real people MT) or the Ford Thunderbird or Volkswagen New Beetle. Sometimes MT gets it right, with cars like the Infiniti G35 or Honda Civic. 

I regret, then, that evo magazine's COTY works on a similar premise and is somehow unforgettable and amazing. The difference? evo is rarely in touch with reality and we don't expect them to be. Track cars, rare run-out models of French hatchbacks, insane supercars.... anything goes. Well, anything that has already pleased the evo editors. The British magazine places no emphasis on price - and we know that starting the first page of the feature. Rather, evo wants to find the car that best fulfills their motto, "The Thrill of Driving". It doesn't matter if that car is embarrassingly inexpensive or prohibitively expensive. Part 1 of evo's COTY competition is in video preview below. Watch it.

FORD FOCUS RS WILL TOP 164 MPH, 264 KMH

As if the Ford Focus ST wasn't impressing Europeans enough, Ford's upping of the ante with the Focus RS is manifesting more evidence than ever that the RS will be a high-flyer. 0-60mph will come up in just under six seconds, Ford says. It'll likely be less than 5.5 if traction isn't an issue, The Good Car Guy believes. Also possibleis that on your next trip down the autobahn, a green Focus RS will cruise past at 164 mph, about 264 kmh. This is a Ford Focus, folks. Wow.

Read more about the Focus RS here and check out a full picture gallery

296 horsepower through the front wheels could be considered a problem. Ford hopes that it won't be because of its RevoKnuckle technology that Ford thinks will rule out torque steer. Remember the last Focus RS with substantially less power (in the 212 range) struggled mightily putting the power down. Of course, that must be put in context with the current Focus ST which has over 220 horsepower and negates the effects of large throttle openings and steering wheel motions.

Whether or not the Focus RS handles take-off well, cruising altitude will shove all the restricted 155mph German coupes and sedans down a rung.

evo BOSS TRADES ZONDA FOR CATERHAM WITH EDITOR

Henry Catchpole decides to convince his boss at evo magazine, Harry Metcalfe, that every great garage needs a Caterham. Well, lookie there: Henry has a Caterham long-termer that Harry Metcalfe can try. The side-effect for Catchpole? He gets to drive Metcalfe's Pagani Zonda for the first time. The video from evo is below. Catchpole's facial expressions would make the video worth watching if the driving footage wasn't even as good as it is.

FORD STOPS BUILDING TRUCKS IN WAYNE - PREPS TO BUILD SMALL CARS

Though still smarting from what wasn't the most successful arguing on their behalf at Congress last week, Ford Motor Company had already decided to "do things differently" before senators and congressmen kept asking them to do so. Yesterday the Wayne, Michigan plant that had been partly responsible for the hundreds of thousands of F-150s, Expeditions, and their offspring stopped building vehicles to ready it for small car production.

51 years ago the Wayne plant began building large vehicles for Ford and has gone through the F-Series, Broncos, Expeditions, and Navigators. Another plant that switched from trucks to small cars is the Cuautitlan, Mexico facility that will be building the Ford Fiesta (Scottish car of the year, yippee) by 2010. Ford will invest $75,000,000 in the Wayne plant just for a spectacular body shop. That cost is over and above the cost of basic re-tooling and reorganizing.

BEST WINTER CARS PART II

BusinessWeek's automotive section recently showcased winter's best automobiles. Along with the vehicles brandished ↓ and in Part I, BusinessWeek provided some interesting statistics.


SUBARU OUTBACK: BW says: "The Outback has as much ground clearance as the taller Tribeca SUV (which is based on the same platform), and like all Subarus, the Outback has permanent all-wheel drive as standard equipment." TGCG says: "The Outback is an obvious choice and obviously good."


VOLVO XC70: BW says: "Ground clearance is almost three inches higher than the V70 wagon, and only a fraction of an inch less than the more imposing Volvo XC90 SUV." TGCG says: "The previous XC70 was the most comfortable vehicle I've ever spent a weekend in, a weekend with snow and sun. I expect nothing less from the new Cross Country."

AUDI A6 AVANT: BW says: "Besides Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system, the A6 Avant has headlight washers. Standard equipment includes heated front seats and heated exterior mirrors. A cold-weather package of options ($600) includes heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and a removable ski sack to keep melted snow from dripping in the rear cargo area." TGCG says: "Much as I love the headlight washers, I stick to the imposing appearance and impressive capabilities as reasons for making wintry use of an A6 wagon."

TOYOTA SIENNA: BW says: "The Sienna is rare among minivans in that it has all-wheel drive in its highest trim and equipment levels." TGCG says: "You and your's and their's and their stuff will fit comfortably and possibly unaware of the peril outside."

HONDA RIDGELINE: BW says: "The oddly styled Honda Ridgeline gets good marks for off-road performance in slippery conditions, with a driver-friendly combination of all-wheel drive, traction control, antilock brakes, stability control, and a five-speed automatic transmission that helps take care of most slippery situations automatically." TGCG says: "It may look funny, but the Ridgeline is capability personified."

TOYOTA FJ CRUISER: BW says: "Toyota says the FJ Cruiser is the most capable off-road SUV in the Toyota lineup." TGCG says: "That lineup is freakin' full of SUV's, too. Put a plow on the front and take care of every driveway in the neighbourhood. So cool."

HUMMER H2: BW says: "Features aimed more specifically at Old Man Winter include heated front and rear seats, heated outside mirrors, and remote starting." TGCG says: "Read my review."

RANGE ROVER: BW says: "With a single knob, the driver can select one of five modes, depending on the road (or off-road) surface: general, for everyday pavement; grass/gravel/snow, for slippery conditions; sand; mud and ruts; and "rock crawl." The system governs throttle response, automatic transmission operation, electronic differentials, antilock brakes, the air suspension, traction control, and hill descent control." TGCG says: "It may be the world's most impressive all-around vehicle... the Queen seems to think so."

SATURN VUE: BW says: "The front-drive version, with a four-cylinder engine sitting over the driving wheels, probably provides enough winter traction for most people, coupled with antilock brakes, traction control, and electronic stability control, all standard—plus winter tires, which cost extra." TGCG says: "The Vue is almost cool now, but not if the badge lacks the V6 and AWD alphanumerics."

TOYOTA TUNDRA: BW says: "Something called the Tundra better be able to go (and stop) in the snow, and with optional all-wheel drive this pickup certainly has the right equipment, subject to proper tires." TGCG says: "The Tundra is fast, and will accelerate almost as quickly in slippery conditions when badged 4x4. But be careful, you've many thousands of pounds to slow down."

BEST WINTER CARS PART I

BusinessWeek's automotive section recently showcased winter's best automobiles. Along with the vehicles brandished ↓, BusinessWeek provided some interesting statistics.

Subaru, which equips all of its North American vehicles with all-wheel drive, sees its market share rise from the cross-America total of 1% to 5% in Colorado, 6% in Alaska, and 8% in Vermont. 85% of all vehicles Audi sells in America send power to all four wheels. All-wheel drive won't help when braking begins.

Terrific winter tires are your best friend(s) in emergency stops. Because of all-wheel drive's limitations, BusinessWeek also emphasized vehicles which feature technical equipment that will help you in wintry situations - perhaps in ways that AWD couldn't dream of.

One Land Rover test driver also made clear the importance of practice, in empty parking lots of need be. My personal winter driver training came at the wheel of my future wife's cousin's Nissan pickup. A very old and very rear-wheel drive Nissan pickup. A 5-speed manual Nissan pickup with a lever for an emergency brake hidden just beneath and to the left of the steering wheel. So, let it be clear: despite our apparent lack of winter to this point - I can drift into a snowbank with the best of 'em. Here, then, are BusinessWeek's best winter vehicles, spread across a wide swathe of the marketplace, with their reasons for induction and The Good Car Guy's further reasoning for purchase.

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SUBARU IMPREZA 2.5i: BW says: "Standard all-wheel drive is the Impreza's primary claim to fame when it comes to winter driving" TGCG says: "It ain't pretty nor a terrific value, but you will make it up any snowy hill faster than any Civic in town."


VOLVO C30: BW says: "Traction control and sophisticated antilock brakes are standard, including electronic brake force distribution and brake-assist—features not always found on small cars." TGCG says: "It's a little, pretty, Volvo hatch, so if front-wheel drive, ABS, trac-con, EBD and brake-assist don't save you; you can rest assured the structure will keep you safe."

HONDA ACCORD: BW says: "Like other front-drive cars, the weight of the engine over the front axle makes for better traction in slippery conditions, especially with winter tires instead of standard-equipment "all-season" tires." TGCG says: "It's probably the best mid-size sedan you can buy, so garnish it with winter tires and enjoy whatever season comes."

BUICK LUCERNE: BW says: ".... unlike its competitors, the Lucerne is front drive, with the engine over the drive wheels. Rear drive is supposed to confer sportier handling on dry roads, and in pursuit of a sportier image, most of the competition has evolved to rear drive." TGCG says: "Buy an AWD Buick Enclave instead."

MERCEDES-BENZ C300 4MATIC: BW says: "unlike the previous product generation, the Mercedes 4Matic all-wheel-drive system is now available for the C-Class." TGCG says: "An all-new Benz is cause for paying attention. The advent of the best C-class ever is reason for purchasing, with or without AWD."


MERCEDES-BENZ S550 4MATIC: BW says: "The 4Matic is a competitive advantage for Mercedes, since archrival BMW does not offer AWD in its flagship 7 Series." TGCG says: "You'll be cool enough - in your neighbour's eyes - when your driveway holds the flagship Benz, but when you venture out in a strong winter storm and they're stuck inside.... well, that's cool at another level."

KIA SOUL EXTERIOR LOOKS BIGGER - KIA SOUL EXTERIOR IS SMALL

With a wheelbase of 100.4 inches, the height of a 5ft-3inch human, width similar to that of The Good Car Guy's height, and length of The Good Car Guy plus Yao Ming, the new Kia Soul sounds large. Put another way, the new Kia Soul has a wheelbase just 2.4 inches longer than that of the new Honda Fit. The Soul and the Fit are equally lengthy but the Soul is 3.4 inches taller and more than 3.6 inches wider. 

Thus, the new Kia Soul should be about as easy to park as Honda's small hatchback, a constant GoodCarBadCar.net favourite. More importantly, with a little extra height and a little extra width, the Soul should be able to find more space for people and their stuff inside. 

Why is this important? Well, the Kia Soul will offer more horsepower than the Honda Fit (probably not a direct or terribly indirect competitor, either) in both standard and optional trim but will more than likely weigh more than the Honda, too. Korean cars are typically a smidge heavier than their dimensions would lead us to believe while Hondas are usually a little lighter than their dimensions suggest. With excellent down-the-road dynamics, Honda's hatchback has made a name for itself as the enthusiast's choice in a segment auto enthusiasts avoid with passion. The Kia Soul has ignited some excitement from all parts of the consumer audience with attractive styling and a potentially awesome cargo/fuel economy ratio. 

It was because of this excitement that The Good Car Guy thought it necessary to bring to your attention that the Soul isn't a large vehicle - and that's a very good thing. Kia appears to have hit the proverbial sweet spot in North America right now. Automobile owners still want space but are fearful that gas prices will strike them in their gut again, right where their Ford F-150 resides. If people can have their space with fuel efficiency while looking cool, they'll be excited. 

That's not to say that the Honda Fit doesn't cut muster anymore. After all, The Good Car Guy likes the second-generation even better than the first, and the first generation was one of twelve cars labelled by GoodCarBadCar.net as the cars The Good Car Nation should drive in 2008. Kia seems to have taken the Fit's game up a notch, however. Expect fuel economy to come down slightly from the Fit's impressive 27/33mpg, but not so far as to wish you were back in your lumbering SUV.

THE GOOD 12 WILL BE SUPERSIZED STARTING DECEMBER 20TH

One day after the regular Good 12 finishes, The Good 12 Supersize will introduce the twelve trucks, SUVs, and vans The Good Car Guy believes you should be driving in 2009. Check this space on December 20th, or for The Good 12 v2.0, be here December 8th.

FULL PORSCHE PANAMERA GALLERY HAS JUST 9 PHOTOS

We're all wishing the interior of the Porsche Panamera will make up for the offensive exterior design that Porsche somehow managed to sign off on. Perhaps Porsche knows that its brand name, mixed with sublime driving dynamics and all-weather ability, will sell cars; regardless of exterior design. After all, the Porsche Cayenne has been a roaring success. The Good Car Guy has already laid out the case against the Panamera's exterior (which you can read about here and here), but below are nine pictures in one place.