LEWIS, TUNDRA, SOLO MERCURY

McLaren Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, last year's runner-up in Formula 1, was fined about €800 for driving over 120mph (190+km/h) in a 80mph (130km/h) zone. His Mercedes was confiscated and his license suspended.

He will be permitted to test his McLaren racer. In fact, Lewis can drive anywhere except France, where, for one month, Lewis isn't permitted behind the wheel.

Poor fella. Ironically, former F1 champion Michael Schumacher, a man widely considered to be a potential candidate for best driver ever, is under investigation for an exciting taxi ride through Munich last week. Schumi figured he could get his family to the airport faster than cab driver Tuncer Yilmax. So, that's what Schumi did, giving his family and Mr. Yilmax the ride of their lives. They made their flight, but German police don't like the fact that Michael broke the law. You're not allowed to commandeer taxicabs. Whatever.

MotorTrend has named the Toyota Tundra its truck of the year. Don't be too hard on MT for picking a truck that was just named in a recall (a recall that doesn't include any accidents or injuries). Afrer all, what truckmaker hasn't come under a recent recall?

Silly I know, but Mercury was, until recently, selling cars at Mercury-only dealerships. The last such store, Community Motor in Pennsylvania, just closed its doors. Community Motor sold new Mercury's for 57 years, but their best yearly total was way back in 1989.

Also, just minutes ago, the "35mpg by 2020" bill in the United States Congress passed and will head for the ballpoint pen of George W. Read this for more info on the bill.

TOP 5 MERCEDES GIFTS

The service departments at most automotive dealerships now offer at least some form of a 'gift shop', although sometimes it's hidden on one shelf behind the parts counter. You can have your Subaru WRX rally toque or a miniature Porsche 911 with whaletail spoiler.

Or.... you can buy your gifts (for yourself, I might add) before you even leave the business office. After visiting the Mercedes-Benz USA website, I came up with the most interesting - and most interestingly priced - options I could find. Spoil yourself the next time you buy an E-class. Go get yourself somethin' nice. You deserve it. Here's the GoodCarBadCar Top 5.


5- Electronic Trunk Closer: Select this on an E350, Benz's middle sedan, and you'll have a feature that "allows you to electronically close a fully open trunk lid without touching it. Push a button in the cabin or inside the trunk, and the lid closes itself." $530.00, just $520.00 on an SL55 AMG.

4- Sheepskin Wash Mitt: Do you typically buy your home-car goods from the real-estate agent? Mercedes figures you'll trust them to know how to produce the perfect car-washing mitt. It will, as they say, "capture dirt and grime, and reduce paint surface scratches. Large shape and elasticized wrist comfortably accommodates all hand sizes." That good ol' one size fits all definitely makes the $14.00 seem appropriate.


3- P30 Performance Package: The SL55 AMG is quick, but you want fast as well. Upping the limiter to 186mph, while also adding 19" wheels, a new front bumper, retuned Active Body Control, larger brakes, and a limited slip-diff will be useful. I think. It'll cost $14,070. And you will sound so cool when your friend says, "So you picked up an SL55 AMG, huh?" And you reply, "Yeah, I really thought the P30 Performance Package would be a nice addition. The electronic trunk closer, too."

2- Tire Valve Stem Caps: "...these chrome plated ABS valve stem caps dress-up any wheel. Each a set of four. Available in black, silver or AMG." Yes, AMG is a colour. It means the AMG logo on a silver background, don't you know? For $15.00, it's safe to say these valve stem caps are a steal. You'll want them for your ML63 AMG.

1- Illuminated Door Sills: Considering the fact that you just decided to buy Mercedes least expensive sedan, the C300, you better dress it up. "Light up your C-Class in eye catching style every time you open the front doors with these luminous blue-colored "Mercedes-Benz" stainless steel door sills. Available in a set of 2 for the front." They'll charge you $670.00, but you do get the set of two. Quite generous.

WARD'S 10 BEST ENGINES

Ward's has once again named its Ten Best Engines. It seems as though Ward's Auto has staked out a claim on this category of engine ranking and is rather respected and trusted now. 2007's best engines come from four different Japanese manufacturers, the German big three, as well as Ford and GM.

Audi's 2.0L turbocharged inline-four makes 200bhp and 207 lb-ft of torque. BMW's twin-turbocharged 3.0L inline-six produces 300bhp and 300 lb-ft of torque. The 3.0L V6 turbodiesel in Mercedes-Benz's E-class produces 208bhp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Ironically, the three German companies infiltrated Ward's 10 Best list with four turbochargers divided amongst the three engines.

Ford's 4.6L V8 is capable of more than 300bhp in the Bullitt and Shelby GT. The 6.0L V8 in hybridized form that we've seen in the Yukon/Tahoe hybrids and GM's 3.6L V6 from the Cadillac CTS form the American contigent.

Honda's smooth and powerful 3.5L V6 from the new Accord is one of two three-and-a-half litre engines on the list. The V6 from Lexus' IS350 is another formidable powerplant. 3.7 litres equals V8-style power in the Infiniti G37, too. Finally, Mazda's 2.3L turbocharged inline-four ends the list as the fourth turbocharged model, as well as the second with just four-cylinders.

CDN COTY

The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada has named their many cars of the year. AJAC doesn't like to herald the advent of one new vehicle more than another, it seems, and so the awards are split amongst mutliple - specific - categories. The category names do not remain stagnant. For more about the proceedings, visit this link. The various winners are below. Remember, The Good 12 debuts December 20th here at GoodCarBadCar.net and carries through until the end of 2007.

Saturn Astra, Honda Accord EX sedan, Mercedes-Benz C-class, Audi R8, Mini Cooper S, Audi S5, BMW 335i convertible, Hyundai Entourage, Chevrolet Silverado, Nissan Rogue, Saturn Vue, Buick Enclave.

BREAKING NEWS - TOYOTA, LEXUS, AUDI & MERCEDES-BENZ, MINI POSTING RECORD SALES IN CANADA

Ironically, on a day when Canada's figurehead Governor General, Michaelle Jean, will fly home from Europe to deal with a political crisis that was precipitated to some degree by a lack of extra funding to the automotive manufacturing sector, Toyota says that its best ever year (and it's only December 2nd) comes as a result of Canadian-built models. Excuse the long sentence - The Good Car Guy gets excited over irony.

Not only has Toyota already surpassed 2007's record-setting sales total through just eleven months, but Audi has done so, as well. Lexus and Mercedes-Benz both posted their best-ever Novembers, too.

Details will be forthcoming over the next day or so regarding both American auto sales for November as well as Canadian sales figures. For now, consider that Toyota Canada sold more than 200,000 cars in one year for the first time ever and did so in just eleven months. Lexus Canada sold at a record-setting pace for the 8th consecutive month. Audi Canada set an annual record for the third straight year but did so this year in just eleven months. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz's year-to-date growth stands at 27.7% through November.

Toyota's Corolla, Matrix, and RAV4 along with the Lexus RX350 all posted huge sales gains and are all built in Canada.

UPDATE: Mini has joined the flock of best-ever folk with its eighth-consecutive month of record sales and a best-ever November. Chrysler, Honda, Acura BMW, and Volkswagen are all down - some by large margins - but Jetta sales are waaaaaay up because of new Clean Diesel TDI availability

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.

'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.

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."

3 GERMANS

Mercedes-Benz has been building high-powered bruisers for quite a few years, not only through their in-house AMG tuner, but in the main part of their showrooms, too. Even run-of-the-mill E-classes are sometimes more powerful than recent AMG products.

Watch the C63 AMG in action

Audi has been declared by many the builder of terrific automobiles that lack a satisfactory connection with the driver. Too much weight on the nose; too much assist for steering and brakes. The RS4 and R8 sing a different song.

Watch the RS4 in action

BMW builds famous fast cars. Their followers know the cars not by model designation but by internal code name - E36, E46, E92. M, as in Motorsport, BMW's have long been regarded as the cream of the crop; in addition to their standing as the driver's choice.

Watch the M3 in action

Car&Driver compared the three latest small supersedans (the BMW is a 2-door but offers the space you need and will be available in 4-door fashion) a short time ago and came away with unsurprising end results. Audi finished third, Mercedes filled the middle, and BMW took the prize. But there's more than just the surface to see. GoodCarBadCar offers you the numbers.

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163, 161, 153: The governed top speeds for the RS4, M3, and C63, respectively. The German gentlemen's agreement to shutter top speed at 155 isn't completely working, but it's close.

3.9: Seconds required for the Mercedes to reach 60mph. This is exoticar fast, folks, and you can utilize this speed on an interstate on-ramp with your family aboard.

6: Speeds in the transmission's of both the Audi and BMW, all 6 of which must be found by you, the driver.

7: Gears in the automatic-equipped Mercedes.

451: Horsepower produced by the 6.2L AMG V8, 31 more than its closest competitor, the Audi, which is 6 stronger than the BMW.

8.6: Pounds which each BMW horse must tote, the best ratio in the test despite its comparably low power rating.

295: Pound-feet of torque at your disposal in the BMW M3's high-revving V8, 148 less than the AMG V8.

10: Miles traveled for each gallon consumed by C/D's test driver's in the Mercedes, four fewer miles than the Audi or BMW would journey.

85: Decibels produced by the M3 at full-throttle, 6 more than both the Audi and Benz. Beautiful. 4034: Pounds of metal, plastic, and cowhide needed to construct one Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, 220 more than the Audi which is 243 pounds heavier than the BMW.


51: Cubic feet of interior volume available to front passengers in the Audi and BMW, 2 more than Mercedes provides.

39: Cubic feet of interior volume available to rear passengers in the Audi and Mercedes, 2 more than the BMW provides.

17: Cubic feet of trunk volume available to Mafia victims in the Mercedes, 4 more than the Audi provides; 6 more than the BMW.

15: Inches of front discs Audi offers for your braking pleasure, the size of a base Honda Civic's wheels.

40: Profile of BMW's tires, the tallest available in the trio, although the Benz's front tires are equal.

59.5: Percentage of total vehicle weight the Audi rests on its front axle, 7.6 percentage points more than the BMW.

BAD VALUE #1

Be wary of exposure to frightening figures. The Good Car Guy noticed that some cars feature pricing schemes that lends to similarly badged models displaying wildly different MSRP's.

Value is a subjective characteristic. One car may cost a little more money than a competitor; but it may also supply you with substantially more power and luxury. On the other hand, one vehicle may cost substantially more than its sister car while providing the buyer with just a few more horses and a smattering of added features.

Value does not equate with cheapness. In fact, the very makeup of the word "value" protects it from cheapness. $5.00 mp3 players may sound good value, but not when the music stops within a week. That's 'cheap', not value.

Value, oh Good Car Nation, is the device that holds 30x the songs for 15x the price. Here, below, is a vehicle which, in light of similar offerings from the same dealership, can't be called a good value. On this day, November 8th of 2007, the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG.

Friends, it's a spectacular automobile. Mercedes-Benz brought hardtop convertibles (SLK) back to the relatively wealthy... and they also delivered the same concept to the stinking, filthy rich, while the merely crazy rich (CLK) must toil with a soft top. Sounds good so far. Pay $187,975 USD and your coupe becomes a convertible. That coupe/convertible is shoved along by 604 horses. Torque is limited to just 738 lb-ft.


Needest thou context? The new and very powerful Honda Accord V6 utilizes one-third the torque and substantially less than half the horsepower. Yet, the SL65 AMG still sounds like a good deal. Yeah, it's a lot of money - but it's one of the most powerful vehicles on the road. And though there are more sporting vehicles available for a similar price - with names like Ferrari and Lamborghini - and though there are more handsome vehicles available for the price - with names like Bentley and Aston Martin - the vehicles which show the SL65 to be overpriced are its own stablemates.

For around half the price, Mercedes-Benz USA will sell you an SL550 with... yes, more than half the power. For a savings of $57,900, M-B USA sells the SL55 AMG, losing 'just' 94 horsepower but, in reality, gaining a more enjoyable driving experience.

For slightly more money than you'd spent on the SL55 AMG, you can have the V12 experience of the SL65 in the SL600. If luxury, status, and image are your main concerns, the SL600 gives you that (and 612 lb-ft torque plateau) for $133,975.

Is the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG a bad car? Not at all. It likely reigns as one of The Good Car Guy's favourites. It must be admitted, nonetheless, that Mercedes itself sells better all-around vehicles that would save you enough money to add a 268 horsepower, all-wheel drive E350 wagon for all your family hauling while still catapulting yourself out of reality in a 510 horsepower SL55 AMG.

All for the price of today's first Bad Value: the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG.

OTHER EXOTIC POLICE CARS

Don't take any of these as a serious part of your local police force's method for tracking you down next time you crack 100 in a 60. The Caparo T1 police-edition inspired me to find some other great "paint-and-lights" jobs, most of which are publicity stunts to one degree or another.

500+ bhp Lamborghini Gallardo's do a fantastic job of transporting kidneys and livers down the autostrada. All-wheel drive helps the driver ignore the rain, too.


High horsepower numbers is not a part of the Lotus Exige game. Granted, the S version isn't exactly a weakling. But for crossing the Yorkshire Moors behind too-fast Mitsu Evo's and Subie STi's, nothing will work as well as Lotus' racer for the road.



Brabus is a renowned Mercedes-Benz tuner, probably the most famous aftermarket Benz manufacturer now that AMG is in-house. The Brabus Rocket truly shares characteristics with a high-powered space machine - humanity has never moved so fast (730 horsepower, 360km/h) in a sedan before. Oh... forgot, Mercedes calls it a coupe. Sorry, Benz. It ranked #1 in yesterday's Top 5 Cars Bought for Beauty. You won't see Brabus CLS Rocket's cruising by your 330d on the autobahn but you will see it used as a German tool (like the Techart 911 below) to encourage safe tuning of automobiles.


More than the CLS or Exige - but perhaps less than the Gallardo or Caparo - this 911 really handles the polizei livery quite nicely. I'm not a 911 drooler; but I am a Porsche respecter. And this 911 looks about as good as any.

I'm curious to know why the car enthusiast world gets so enthusiastic over a fast police car, whether it reaches your local constabulary or not. Drop a line to goodcarbadcar@gmail.com or share your thoughts with the GCBC Nation by clicking the Comments button below.

MERCEDES-BENZ 90-DEGREE TEST TRACK IN STUTTGART

Pictures don't do it justice. Comparing Daimler's vertical test track in Stuttgart to a NASCAR banked oval reveal stark differences. For instance, Mercedes-Benz likes it 90-degrees - unclimbable. Bristol Motor Speedway only reaches 36-degrees. 

Since pictures don't do it justice, The Good Car Guy waited for Angus Mackenzie's MotorTrend video of the Dodge Challenger SRT8 taking on the wild and very puke-inducing test track in Germany. Have a look for yourself at this MT link or wait for the third portion of this YouTube clip below.

BREAKING NEWS - TOYOTA, LEXUS, SUBARU & MERCEDES-BENZ POST BEST EVER OCTOBER SALES IN CANADA

Toyota's sales figures for the month of October in the True North Strong and Free stand up as the world's best-selling automotive manufacturer's best ever month in Canada. Toyota sold 14,539 vehicles; Lexus sold another 1,304 marking its best ever October.

Also setting "personal bests": Subaru, with 1,784 vehicles sold, and Mercedes-Benz, just ten vehicles under 2K. Diesels were under the hood of 51.7% of all Mercedes-Benz vehicles sold. 72.7% of all Mercedes-Benz cars and SUVs were kitted out with all-wheel drive. Click here for Honda info and check back soon for full rundowns of the Canadian and American October sales statistics.

LEWIS HAMILTON'S RACING BIOGRAPHY IN 3 MINUTES OF CNN VIDEO

Yesterday Lewis Hamilton became the first Englishman to win the Formula 1 championship since 1996. He is the youngest ever title holder. The race was available right here on GoodCarBadCar.net, but for the racing background of this McLaren-Mercedes superstar, check out CNN's 'Hamilton's Fast Rise' below. 

NOT TO BE OUTDONE - Hamann tinkers with already-bad SLR to make Hamann X6 look pretty

Great for interviews, more difficult in life. "I like a challenge", they say. Apparently that's why Hamann, a somewhat respected German tuner/manufacturer, chose the McLaren SLR as its next project. Apparently, some stylist was given the task of making the Hamann X6 look good. As a result, said stylist chose as his or her subject the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, a really awful-looking transportation device of the superbly fast variety.

More white and black, just like the X6 recently covered here. More Hot Wheels craziness; but only in the sense of Hot Wheels models you never actually buy your kids. It's 14 km/h faster than the regular SLR, a car that wasn't exactly crying out for more speed.

Yup, it doth appear as though Hamann made their X6 look good. But only if it's parked next to this beast.

JAPAN TRIO vs GERMAN TRIO: Altima, Camry, Accord battle A4, 3-Series, C-Class

For Canadian consumers seeking luxury and speed in one roomy package, the ability to hit up mainstream Japanese manufacturer dealerships doesn't necessarily strike you as obvious. Isn't this German territory, or at least a place where premium Japanese brands contend?

The Honda Accord, a Good 12 winner, Toyota Camry, and Nissan Altima can likely offer you more features than you know what to do with. Moreoever, their high horsepower levels (Accord 271; Camry 268; Altima 270) produce quite a spark underfoot when pressed, preferrably without two booster seats in the rear and a trunk full of groceries. Is the Japanese trio a partnership of sport sedans? Not at all, but that's not to say they won't shock you with their dynamic capability.

From Germany come lesser-powered alternatives with less space for your people and smaller cargo areas for your stuff. But sport sedans? Oh yes. The 230-bhp BMW 328i with a six-speed manual will light your fire on the backroad commute. Audi's recently renewed A4, in turbocharged form with 211 horsepower, is a better steed than ever before, and the Mercedes-Benz C300 with 228-bhp is a new dynamic force. In fact, BMW and Mercedes-Benz could provide you with 200 and 201 horsepower, respectively, and save you plenty of money in the process. But saving money in this climate? Who needs it? The Japanese trio below is loaded to the gunnels with equipment and flies high into a price spectrum you won't believe.

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Nissan ALtima 3.5SE: $39,938 or (est.) $44,520 with tax

BMW 328i: $39,900 or (est.) $45,087 with tax

Audi A4 2.0 TFSI: $41,200 or (est.) $46,556 with tax

Mercedes-Benz C300: $41,200 or (est.) $46,556 with tax

Toyota Camry XLE V6: $42,629 or $49,849 with tax

Honda Accord: $47,368 or $55,265 with tax

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Imagine heading to the Audi, M-B, or BMW dealership to save money when Honda and Toyota wanted to charge too much. Let's be honest, though. For the Germans to meet the equipment makeup of the three Japanese sedans, their MSRPs would skyrocket. The Accord, with every possible accessory, a back-up camera and the best wheels possible, would drive by looking like.... an Accord. Meanwhile, its occupants would be basking in amazing luxury. Meanwhile, the 3-Series on its tiny (and ugly) 16" wheels looks impoverished and awkward, but does have a blue and white propeller. 

Oh, and if you want to actually enjoy driving the car rather than being driven in the car, you know only the Germans will do the trick.

VOLVO XC60 GROUND CLEARANCE DOESN'T HURT?

In its first drive/review of the Volvo XC60, a soon-coming competitor for the BMW X3, Land Rover LR2, Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLK, and Infiniti EX35, Motor Trend surprised me with the following statements (read the whole piece here):

"Canyon-carving sessions are surprisingly rewarding given Volvo's priority on safety...... Clearly its engineers took a different tack with the XC60 and gave on-road performance a high position on the agenda...... the XC60 doesn't feel tall or unstable. Credit its firm and responsive MacPherson-strut front and multilink rear suspension that minimizes body roll through corners...... Volvo's traction and stability-control systems (DTSC, RSC) don't kill the fun too quickly...."

Why is this so surprising? Does The Good Car Guy, an admitted Volvo fan, not believe Volvo to be capable of turning a compact SUV into a bit of a dynamic dynamo? No, no, no. See, Motor Trend also brought to my attention another aspect of the XC60 - it's height. The XC60 T6 AWD possesses 9.1 inches of ground clearance. Height off the ground inherently produces tipsy-topsy vehicles, and the 4000+ pound Volvo with that much ground clearance led me to believe that this, of all Volvos, would be the softy in the corners. For context, have a look at competitor clearance below.

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Volvo XC60: 9.0 inches

Mercedes-Benz GLK350: 7.9 inches

Audi Q5: 7.87 inches

BMW X3: 8.0 inches

Infiniti EX35: 5.4 inches

Land Rover LR2: 8.3 inches

Volvo XC90: 8.6 inches

HOW CONSUMER REPORTS RELIABILITY RANKINGS RELATE TO GCBC AWARDS

Late last year and in early 2008, The Good Car Guy handed out twenty awards. Well, let's be honest: eight of them were shameful awards. The Good 12 and The Bad 8  place significance on vehicles that can be purchased by people you and I know - no Ferraris, Lamborghinis, or Bentleys. Of the hundreds and hundreds of different models available to the North American consumer, The Good 12 tells you which you should buy if at all possible in 2008 and The Bad 8 makes very clear which cars you should not buy if at all avoidable.

Of course, those vehicles are in the running for 2009's Good 12 and Bad 8. If they're still the best, they ought to be recognized that way. But before that comes, it appears that Consumer Reports has released its reliability rankings, pieces of news in which many consumers (how ironic) place a great amount of trust.

So, how do those rankings compare with The Good 12 and The Bad 8? Have a look below.

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Small Cars: Consumer Reports says the Scion xD and Mini Cooper Clubman are at or near the top while the Nissan Versa sedan is the worst. The Good 12 holds fast on the regular Mini Cooper while the Versa sedan resides in The Bad 8.

Family Cars: Consumer Reports puts the Toyota Prius and Kia Optima at or near the top with the Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger platform-mates at the bottom. GoodCarBadCar.net is silent on the topic.

Sporty, Coupes, & Convertibles: Consumer Reports places the Lexus SC430 and Volco C30 at the top with the Chrysler Sebring convertible and Saturn Sky at the bottom. The Bad 8 has both the Sebring and Lexus SC in its grasp.

Luxury Cars: Infiniti's M35 and Lexus IS250 are CR's most reliable; the V8-powered Cadillac STS and V8-powered Mercedes-Benz E-Class are at the bottom. GoodCarBadCar.net speaks neither well or ill of all four.

Minivans/Wagons: The Toyota Matrix and Scion xB are the best of the bunch in CR's rankings, the Chrysler twins (Town & Country, Grand Caravan) are the worst. GoodCarBadCar.net is silent.

In the SUV/truck arena, the Toyota Tundra; Honda Ridgeline; Toyota Sequoia; Honda Pilot; Lexus RX400h; Honda Element, and Toyota FJ Cruiser are all leaders of their respective packs. Conversely, the Ford F-250; Land Rover LR2; Saturn Vue in V6 all-wheel drive form; Land Rover Range Rover; Volkswagen Touareg; V8-powered and diesel-fired Mercedes-Benz GL-Class; and the Dodge Dakota 4x4 are all unreliable by Consumer Reports' standards.

One more thing: Consumer Reports also said the Honda Fit; smart fortwo; and Infiniti G35 are "also very reliable". Those cars are in The Good 12.

MERCEDES-BENZ GLK IN MOTION

Static images are one thing, motion is another story. Then again, the real live drive-by can tell another story. After only a couple posts where the Mercedes-Benz GLK was pictured (including today's Lowdown), it seemed a good idea to show how the GLK impresses with movement. Of course, videos can be shot using good angles exclusively, as well. However, the advent of YouTube and other online video sources has often shown a vehicle for what it truly is before it hits the dealer lot. Here you go then, the Mercedes-Benz GLK in motion.

OLDER MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS RECALLED FOR POWER STEERING PROBLEM

The first-generation of Mercedes-Benz M-Class wasn't exactly renowned for its quality feel. It's no surprise to see the 1998-2003 M-Class called up to the front by NHTSA for power steering problems more than a decade after it was introduced.

102,954 Mercedes MLs could have problems with a hose clamp that's used to secure the power steering fluid cooling hose to the fluid cooler. Without sufficient clamping for this connection, there could be a loss of fluid and, over time or quite suddenly, a degrading power steering pump.

Suddenly losing power steering on a beast of this size is no joy. The fact that it could result in an ML320 or ML500 crash won't surprise you. All vehicles previously repaired for this issue on an earlier Recall should be brought in again because the first repair might not've cut it. Confusion as to whether or not your M-Class Benz is included can be cleared up with this M-B number: 1-800-367-6372.