TRAINING AT MILFORD

Curious about what happens at General Motors' Milford Proving Grounds when a bunch of bloggers show up for some driver training and test drives? The YouTube clip below ↓ showcases some large cars and trucks as they're put through the ringer at the hands of The Good Car Guy and some others back in September.

To read everything The Good Car Guy wrote about the Milford day so far, click here. You can also watch the Saturn Sky Video Review, the Buick Lucerne under hard braking, and an acceleration run in a new Corvette.

Saab 9-7X Aero Driven

Product detail lists, the specifications of different equipment lines and their respective features, are not the best part of GoodCarBadCar. In fact, they're completely absent. The Good Car Guy believes in supplying you with opinion, based on knowledge of those product details and experience with the product.

It's been a number of weeks since the Saab 9-7X Aero generated surprise amongst a group of bloggers at General Motors' Milford Proving Grounds near Detroit. I perceived it to be a crazy-fast Chevrolet TrailBlazer - and I was right. But just how fun to drive it would be.... I was yet to see.

Read about other sport-utility vehicles The Good Car Guy drove at Milford

Saab.com will tell you everything you need to know about their aging utility vehicle. They won't display the photograph with a GMC Acadia in the background, showcasing where your SUV$ should go if you're intent on spending those $ at a GM-owned store. The Acadia/Enclave/Outlook are superior machines in both feel and ownership enjoyment.


If, however, performance is your main reason for buying a GM sport-ute (why you're looking for performance in an SUV?), the Saab 9-7X Aero and its Corvette-derived powerplant will stir you to your very core. Besides, amongst all the Buick Rainier's and TrailBlazer's and Envoy's and Bravada's and Ascender's, the 9-7X was and is the best-looking member of the platform.

Check out every piece of information The Good Car Guy wrote regarding drives at Milford

The details are lacking. Even on the website. Clicking through the gallery, I notice the 4.2i, the 5.3i, and the Areo. Hmm? Has Saab forgotten how to spell the model nomenclature of its fastest and most expensive SUV? Out of the virtual world and back into the vehicle, you find an interior straight out of 1998 and a skinny steering wheel more suited to an early 90's Oldsmobile. When spending nearly $50K on a vehicle, you expect top-notch design. Considering that the main point of contact is disappointing and totally out-of-character, that high-dollar figure seems misspent.

Saab has been mentioned at GoodCarBadCar before... twice

For $45,750 in the USA, 390 horsepower and 395 lb-ft of torque is very welcome and appreciated. The 9-7X made every other sport-ute on the Black Lake seem timid. It roared when others growled and punched when others pinched. Straight-line speed was only one of its terrific performance attributes. Cornering in the Aero was as fun as the same activity in the Pontiac Torrent GXP, itself a surprisingly impressive handler.

Yet I stepped out of the 9-7X and wanted to drive something I could recommend to friends and readers. If you're yearning for performance and want extra space, the 9-7X is way down the list of potential suitors. Sportwagons and smaller crossovers make plenty more sense.

The 9-7X Aero provides one very good reason for buying an expensive Swedish/American ute. It sounds like a Corvette. The other European SUV that can perform this trick is in Mercedes showrooms and costs twice as much.

Hummer H2 Driven

Having just stepped out of a Ford Excursion, I had an eery feeling. A been-there-before-deja-vu-all-over-again moment. Something was familiar, and it wasn't just the Excursion. No, I went back in time about a month. Ah yes, I've got it. I basically drove the Hummer H2 today, except without the nice and cozy interior.

Read about the Excursion and GoodCarBadCar relationship here

Oh, I sound so positive. I don't mean to. The Excursion is a must-have. It tows a massive trailer and hauls up to nine fishermen. The Hummer? Nice and cozy interior? "Excuse me Good Car Guy - you sound off your rocker", say you. Well, the H2 does indeed feature one of the most stylish and rugged interiors amongst the cars I drove at General Motors Milford Proving Grounds in September. Too bad I couldn't see what was going on outside due to the gun-slit windows. I understand that's part of the design. After all, the H2 is basically a Tahoe/Yukon/Suburban-based replica of the military original. (Keep in mind, the H1 remains available on special order.)


Which begs the question: why do customers wish to appear as though they're driving through the streets of Baghdad? Albeit, the roads Hummer H2's are typically driven on are far smoother than what you might find in the disaster zone of Iraq. By my unofficial count, most H2's are riding on 22" chrome wheels sprayed with some rubber. These things aren't going off-road. They just look like they're going off-Iraq. And that's not cool.

Which begs the question (actually, it begs other different questions, but I thought I'd continue the theme): if it's not off-roading, what's the use? I don't know. Seat a few of your friends uncomfortably, don't take their luggage, and ask for gas money before you take the weekend trip. You'll pay $90 bucks to fill the H2 in Brooklyn today, up to $111 in LA, and about $115 in Toronto.

And you'll do so often. The H2 weighs 6400 pounds, way above the maximum curb weight where official fuel economy figures are mandated. Outside sources average between 9-11 mpg, indicating that the H2 requires a fill-up every 350 miles - if you're lucky and if you stretch it.

GoodCarBadCar won't be complimentary. Earth has moved on. We use CFL's in our lamps and walk to the convenience store if we can and expect a large vehicle to accomplish something for us if it's going to abuse our wallets. The H2 accomplishes little; next to nothing. Even in the driver's seat I felt cramped, not cozy. Certainly not cuddly. Five miles around GM's own proving grounds was regrettable, to say the least. I wish I'd simply steered the H2 around the Black Lake and given myself time to drive the H3. I didn't. I'm sorry. For myself.

Read other articles from The Good Car Guy's trip to Milford

Hummer's first 'mainstream' vehicle starts a chunk over $50,000 in the USA and gives you plenty of power and torque. Plenty, that is, if the engine is in a vehicle weighing less than 5000 pounds. 365 lb-ft of torque is useful. The H2 does, after all, pull away from the line cleanly and smoothly and provides a distant rumble. Suiting.

The H1 Alpha uses an even torquier 6.6L diesel. I could suggest to GM that this diesel be installed in the H2, but for what reason? Limited fuel savings, not even enough to compensate for the extra cost? A nicer feeling in the environmental section of my brain when I drive the obese brute? That feeling wouldn't last long.

The H2 is cumbersome. It is one of only a few vehicles I've ever driven that made me wish I wasn't driving. I've often felt like I shouldn't drive because of fatigue or sickness. But the H2 and Tahoe Hybrid made me wish someone; something, would take over. Just robotize the thing. The driver is totally disconnected from the process anyway.

There is good news. The Hummer has more cargo capacity than the GCBC-crowned Hyundai Santa Fe, 8.4 cubic feet extra in fact. True, the H2 is 19.5 inches longer, 11.3 inches taller, and 6.8 inches wider on a wheelbase 16 inches longer. Who cares? More space than a GoodCarBadCar Top 5 winner - Hummer'll take that anyday.

Saturn Vue Driven

GM's invitation to drive a variety of vehicles at their own proving grounds in Milford was not something I would normally turn down. So I didn't. Buick's Enclave, the Cadillac CTS, Pontiac Torrent GXP, Saturn Sky Red Line, and Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid have already been reviewed here at GoodCarBadCar. Now it's turn for a second Saturn in Part II of Milford's SUV quartet.

Read all of The Good Car Guy's Milford posts here

SATURN VUE: The new Vue looks good. In fact, Saturn's new Vue feels good. Better yet, the new Saturn Vue is good. But I wish it were better.

Ironically, a vehicle I mocked here on GoodCarBadCar was the very vehicle I drove first around the proving grounds: Pontiac's Torrent GXP. The existence of the GXP doesn't draw me to the Pontiact brand, and the overall feel of the Torrent didn't draw me any nearer. However, giving a Torrent GXP it's head around five miles of GM's own tarmac proved that a small, relatively inexpensive, American SUV can really cut the mustard. Check out the GCBC Torrent Driven here .

Read Part I of Milford's SUV Quartet here

Why do I mention the GXP's dynamics, especially in such a praiseworthy tone? Becuase the Vue, a vehicle competing in the very same sector at a similar price point, is so good in so many arenas but fails so miserably in one. That'd be driving dynamics.

6-speed automatic, all-wheel drive, 257 horsepower, quiet interior, pleasant materials. Present and accounted for. $26,950 price tag? Also included. 4,325 pounds. Excuse me, what did I just type?

4-3-2-5. P-o-u-n-d-s. Man, it hurts just to type that. Especially considering the fact that a Torrent GXP hits the scales as a comparative lightweight; a few hundred pounds less.

Build your own version of the Vue at Saturn.com

There is one major factor hindering me from recommending a Vue to you: the weight of the Vue, a vehicle with less length, height, and wheelbase than the Torrent, creates a driving experience that feels more Saturn Outlookish than Saturn Auraish. And if you're in the market for a high-priced cute ute, don't you want a carlike experience? The segment, almost automatically; almost by definition, suggests that car-like is what you get.

Where the Torrent was tied down, Saturn's Vue was not. When the Torrent felt as if on rails (no, really..kinda...sorta), the Vue felt as if on butter. On a straight stretch where the GXP felt strong, the Vue felt breathless. When steering needed sharpness, the Vue gave me, umm.... dullness.

I was excited about the Vue, a similar feeling to what I felt as I approached the Buick Enclave. In both instances the excitement felt wrong, but was exhibited because of two things: the old Vue and the Buick Rendezvous, both banished. Thankfully.

The Enclave proved itself to be worth an increased heart rate. No, not because the driving experience was so exhilarating, but because Buick built a true, desirable Buick. With the Vue, my satisfaction with the interior quality and space as well as the refinement and maturity of the vehicle went downhill as soon as I had to drive the thing.

Give me a Saturn Vue. Yes, please do. But only if it drives like that Pontiac Torrent GXP. I never thought I'd want either one, and I still don't. I just wish I could have the best of both world's.

Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid Driven

Tuning into any automotive website, mainstream or otherwise, only to find out they stand firmly against a specific genre of vehicle, is a true disappointment. If you want an honest representation, it's hard to find that from a person or group whose mind(s) are firmly closed.

The Good Car Guy, therefore, keeps an open mind. Search through more than 250 previous posts at GoodCarBadCar and you'll find that a high percentage of articles are car-based. You'll find truck stuff; yes. Sport-utilities are discussed on GCBC, too. A minivan or two may even garner mentions. Typically, though, cars dominate the talk. In fact, small cars generate genuine GCBC hype.

Thus, at General Motors' Milford Proving Grounds, the vast array of sport-utility vehicles had no great effect on The Good Car Guy. Albeit, two of the previous Driven articles taken from Milford test drives dealt with crossover/sport-ute style vehicles. Of the eight remaining General Motors automobiles yet to be discussed, four would be classified by most folks as SUV's and another is a truck. (That leaves a hybrid, a large sports sedan, and America's sports car.)

Check Chevrolet.com/hybrid for more Tahoe Hybrid info

So what does GoodCarBadCar do? The website built to dethrone the bad car, the boring car, and the frumpy car - in sight of tons (literally) of sport-ute metal and hardly an ounce of small car on Milford's Black Lake - what are we to do? Well, test drive the sport-utes. Take'em on a lap of the exact same loop the Saturn Sky scoured.




CHEVROLET TAHOE HYBRID: Basic Tahoe's range in price from $35-$45,000, but you could watch the numbers quickly roll when options start flying. The hybrid version of Chevy's venerable SUV hasn't yet received pricing, but don't expect it to be pushed too far upmarket. GM/Chevrolet has been pushing this vehicle way too hard to see it priced higher than consumers are willing to pay; and thereby reducing it to the status of "seen only on dealer lots".

GoodCarBadCar loves driving impressions; not just market studies. This vehicle feels heavy. Of course, you say, it's a massive truck-based sport-utility vehicle. I know that, too. GM's large SUV's have been renowned for shrinking around themselves for a couple of generations now; being far more able at performing that trick than Ford's Expedition, or even the Sequoia and Armada from Toyota and Nissan. While that is still relatively true of regular members of this family like Tahoe/Suburban/Yukon/Escalade, this hybrid doesn't pull off the stunt.

Read other Milford Driven articles here

True enough, I'd driven some very capable handlers that day at Milford, and no SUV - certainly not a hybrid Tahoe - was going to perform at the level I desired. Nevertheless, I felt left out. I was a lonely driver piloting an eery, weary, not-so-cheery boat. Sure, the interior was somewhere near the top of any list entitled, "Best GM Interiors Ever", and the fuel economy will be somewhat better than what you'd see in a regular Tahoe, but I regretted every hour GM spent engineering this vehicle. It will be years; maybe decades, before a monster SUV of this size performs adequately at the pump.

Attempting to market your greenness by hybridizing such a vehicle is a relative insult - this vehicle will cost a lot of money to buy and run. I saw mpg ratings on the onboard computer of 99mpg. The engine was off and I was, in fact, using no gasoline whatsoever. I frequently watched the numbers roll down to 7 mpg and struggled to find more than 13 or 17 mpg during normal cruising. A number of my colleagues were disgusted enough to absolutely discount the Tahoe model (unfairly) as a whole, just because the Hybrid seemed so silly.

Tahoe Hybrid's do feature some aero and weight-loss tweaks. Hood and tailgate have switched materials to aluminum and you'd be pressed not to notice the large front air dam. It would be interesting for Chevrolet to perform highway fuel economy tests on a Tahoe with all non-engine related tweaks, then compare them to a vehicle without those adjustments but with the hybrid drivetrain.

Weight loss and aero work would do wonders for large SUV's. Becuase the core of the Tahoe is heavy, a chain reaction begins. Suspension parts are built stronger. Stronger = heavier. The engine must be larger to maintain modern levels of forward propulsion. Larger = heavier. The wheels, tires, brakes.... everything, must be built in accordance with a genuinely heavy vehicle. Subtract weight, whether through the use of added aluminum or a shorter features list, and this vehicle wouldn't need a huge battery to strengthen its greenness.

The Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid is a really nice vehicle. It just happens to feel like a dead weight. Slow, cumbersome, and lifeless. I appreciate GM's efforts to supply me with a trip, a room, food, and plenty of vehicles. But I wish I'd spent more time in vehicles like you'll see in Part II of Milford's SUV quartet.

SATURN SKY - Driven

Negativity towards the Sky has already been revealed by The Good Car Guy on video. There's more to the Sky than its shaking hood and inner door panel; more even than its vibrating rearview mirror and never-still steering rack. Plenty more.

Positive fact numero uno: it's fast. The turbocharged Saturn Sky that I drove uses 260 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque to set its 3,036 pounds into motion. Oh, but wait - here's another negative fact. Three thousand and thirty-six pounds? Fortunately that's just a miniscule weight gain over the standard, non-Red Line Sky in a world where the performance version tends to weigh more than 71 pounds extra. But.... I gotta mention it, Mazda's dominant MX-5 Miata weighs a fair 500 pounds less.



Horses need to be given a run, ya know. Especially when 260 reside in the stable. Tension is building; the legs need stretching; they need to see the great outdoors. Saturn says that, from rest, you can hit 60mph in 5.5 seconds. I believe them. Turbo lag is rarely felt and is never intrusive. Torque seems to be available anywhere and everywhere. In-gear acceleration is phenomenal.

Shifter and steering effort is nice. I'm driving a driver's car, so let me drive it, I say. And the Saturn does. The Sky also expects you to hold down the hood, rest your left elbow in a position that will silence the door panel and forget the windshield mounted rearview mirror. While shifting the snickety-snick 5-speed manual and careening 'round corner after corner at the Milford Proving Grounds. General Motors hosted a group of web-savvy car folks at Milford and supplied a large grouping of Sky's and the Pontiac version named Solstice. I drove only one of these rear-wheel drive roadster, so I'm not qualified to say that all would suffer from the shakes.

Read other Milford articles here.

Perhaps the Sky tries to do too much. And in so doing, becomes too little; less than the sum of its parts. This Saturn grips corners tightly, but doesn't feel at home on the corner or on a straight stretch. Any stretch of road ripples or bumps reveals a chassis unwilling to cooperate with real life; yet, what's worse, the roof is too challenging to operate and luggage capacity is severely lacking.

In the United States, pricing for the Sky begins at $25,595 for 173-bhp and a less aggressive suspension. Pay $30,000 and you'll get that turbocharged engine you want with a little room for an upgraded stereo.

Read other Driven articles here.

Or sacrifice 94 horsepower, gain a retractable hard-top and a more mature driving experience for as little as $25,035. That's called a Mazda MX-5 Miata PRHT. My advice would lead you to this paragraph.

Or, if you prefer the look of a Solstice, take a trip to your Pontiac dealership and save a couple grand. Before you follow the link, check your volume. Especially if you're at work.



Indications were that an official 'positive fact numero dos' would appear at some point: the Sky is the best-looking of this bunch. Handsome, classy, clean, but full of visual impact from any angle. It was General Motors' own styling boss who first suggested that people will buy a car for the way it looks. Saturn's roadster proves Harley Earl right.

CADILLAC CTS - Driven

Once the standard of the world, Cadillac is now in a fight to be considered a worthy alternative to the best of Germany. When it comes to small-to-midsize sports sedans, the BMW 3-series reigns supreme. Audi's A4 and Mercedes-Benz' C-class are major players, and Japan has gotten in on the act, as well, with the Infiniti G35 and Lexus IS.

Parts of the world see a Cadillacized Saab called the BLS. It's a front-wheel drive sedan or wagon; smaller than any American Cadillac. For those of us in North America, the Escalade-SRX-DTS-XLR-STS train ends at the CTS. Up until now, the CTS has been seen only as a 4-door sedan. Its progenitors include the nightmarish Cimarron, the decent-but-dull Catera, and the first-generation CTS.

CTS 1 brought some credibility to Cadillac; the v performance edition even more so. Although not a very small car, this Cadillac competes ably with the small sedans previously mentioned on price and specification, whilst in many cases providing more occupant space.

At one time not so long ago, the minds of young men (such as myself) linked Cadillac with Lincoln as cars for the rich retirees in Boca Raton. To be a Cadillac executive and understand that your cars had become indelibly connected with Floridian communities for the seniors among us - well, that just had to hurt.

The CTS brought change. First generation styling was not to my liking; many other critics used much harsher language. But the CTS was no Catera. There was life inside this car, a little bit of joie de vivre and je ne sais quoi. To be honest, I hated the way it looked. The CTS-v had instant pull and satisfaction, however, with its Corvette engine and BMW M5-baiting performance.

CTS version 2.0 is upon us, and while at GM's Milford Proving Grounds - at their expense - the CTS was one vehicle that truly excited me. Clearly this vehicle is not a Cadillac to be linked with the Boca Raton rich, if I, the representer of a new generation of first-time car buyers, am excited by its potential.

A rear-wheel drive, 6-speed automatic-transmission CTS with direct injection will propel its 3,874 pounds with 304 horsepower. Rough idling apart, this engine is a monster. Its revtastic nature marries well the quick shifting transmission. The 6-speed is abrupt; firm; and immediate, but never - in no wise - in a negative way. To put it simply, forward progress is enjoyable and effortless; the CTS being fun to provoke, knowing that it will always respond and never flounder in gear confusion.




What about the twisties? Our ride & handling loop was furnished with some low-speed cornering opportunities as well as a couple higher-speed sweepers and plenty of nasty bumps, yumps, and holes mid-turn, as well. It was a challenging course for any car. Some failed to generate high ratings on my internal thrill-o-meter, others thrilled but did not succeed in offering an experience. Having driven four General Motors' vehicles in the morning and ten in the afternoon, my five mile journey in the CTS has to rank in the top two drives of the day, right behind the Chevrolet Corvette.

Consider that this is the smallest car in Cadillac's North American fleet and you'll think the CTS is small. It's not - but it does drive small. The tighter the corner, the more nimble the car felt. Stability on the enduring sweepers, one of which would throw the odd bump in for good measure, felt autobahn-inspired.

Cadillac's are not renowned for direct and accurate steering, but the CTS exemplified how fine steering could - if necessary - hide other transgressions. No, I can't say it was particularly feelsome, but in 2007, a communicative wheel is hard to find. There was never a need for readjusting the line in a corner; not because of 17" wheel impacts or lack of driver confidence or an inability to retain speed. Direct the CTS where you want to go, and it'll take you there. Sure, more communication wouldn't go unwanted, but the CTS is a driver's car nevertheless.

Letdowns? Or shall we say letdown, singular? Interior design is pleasant in apperance, but disappointing to touch. It causes genuine consternation in my automotive heart, knowing that the CTS deserves high praise and terrific recognition in almost every area, yet finding that it lets me down in the one area where the driver spends all his/her time.

Cadillac's CTS has a 3.6L V6 that starts at by achieving 263bhp on the dyno. Selecting that engine option would net you a basic savings of $2,300 USD, but you'd be losing a few features as well. If you want full-bore performance and luxury, a $35,290 Cadillac CTS is a decent bet. Waiting for the CTS-v in its second iteration wouldn't be perceived as such a bad idea either.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.