Have Wheels Will Travel

Very Busy…No Time…

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:49:00 +0000

So we closed on the new house and in the process of packing/painting/moving/everything else that comes with a new house.

It seems there has been some traffic to this site and I really do appreciate it! Please leave a comment or message or suggestion. It’d be great to hear from you!

So since we’re moving and all, there won’t be much going on here for the next month or so. I’ll try to post updates from the DROID since I think I found a decent blog program.

And now for some news: Saab has been given new life from a deal in which exotic car maker Spyker will purchase the previous GM holding. Read all about it on MarketWatch.

And now, today’s Retro Review!

2002 Ford Explorer

Finally Launched and Well Worth the Wait

by James E. Bryson

The new-for-2002 Ford Explorer has finally been launched to the general public, and might we say, it is well worth the wait.

The company has pushed back the launch, from last fall, of this first ground-up redesign since it's inception 10 years ago, and pushed it back again. Mostly because FoMoCo wanted to make sure the '02 Explorer was perfect from the get-go.

This, from a Ford press release, explains their stance best: In order to ensure extremely high quality, the rollout of the new Explorer included extraordinary rigorous testing …Ford took a strategic approach to this important launch in order to ensure quality and to sustain customer enthusiasm and anticipation for the newest best-selling SUV.

The new vehicle is wider and the wheelbase has been extended to give more room to passengers and cargo, though the overall length and height is unchanged.
Interior room is greatly improved compared to previous iterations of the four-door Explorer. This change is most noticeable in the width of the footwells up front. In the old model, the space was never tight but there could have been more room to move around. In the '02, there's plenty of room to sit any way you choose, even cross-legged!

Another feature now offered on Explorer is a third-row seat, made possible by the expanded interior volume and lower floor height than in previous years. And, believe it or not, an adult can actually fit back there. Yours truly was coerced by Ford Communications Manager Harold Allen to get in the third row seat and it was actually bearable to a 5' 10'' adult with poor flexibility.

The newly redesigned rear hatch is a marvel at ease of use. The load-in height is quite low, just above knee level, and it is very easy to open and close. The glass portion, a full piece of glass with an appliqué of plastic trim, opens lower than last year's model and is also very easy to operate. The lower bumper height is also an added safety feature, according to Doug Scott, Ford SUV marketing manager.

"Safety and security were differentiating factors for this redesign," Scott said at a Ford sponsored ride and drive recently. "We are offering an optional side-curtain airbag in the new Explorer as well as bumpers that are two inches lower for better car-friendliness."

Other safety features on the '02 Explorer include AdvancTrac, a stability control system that will be introduced later in the model year; the ControlSlip rear driveshaft that collapses rather than buckling; Ford's Personal Safety System, which includes dual-stage airbags for front passenger and driver and seat belt pretensioners; standard four-wheel ABS; and the Safety Canopy, which is a rollover protection system created by the side-curtain airbags and a bevy of sensors that measure indicators like vehicle tilt and lean-angle changes.

The grill on the '02 Explorer definitely has a family resemblance: Can you say mini-Expedition? There are new jeweled headlamps, following the current trend, that look very nice in the daylight. We didn't get a chance to drive the vehicle at night but, rest assured, Ford's truck headlights are among the brightest of any automakers.

Explorer owners get to choose between two distinct engines, a 4.0-liter SOHC V6 with 210 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque, along with a 4.6-liter SOHC V8 with 240 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. Both engines meet Low Emission Vehicle standards and can operate on either gasoline or the gasoline/ethanol blend E85. A V6 powered Explorer 4X4 should see 15 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway. The V8 should see 14 and 19 mpg city and highway, according to EPA ratings.

Both manual and automatic transmissions are now five-speeds and both are all new for '02. Both feature revised gearing to better use the engines flatter torque curves and higher horsepower. Towing for the Explorer is handled by a standard Class II hitch that's capable of hauling 3500 pounds, depending on engine and drivetrain. An upgraded towing package, which includes a limited-slip rear differential, can handle up to 7300 pounds.

On the road, the new Explorer inspires confidence over bumps, potholes, railroad tracks…almost anything that would have upset the old version's live axle. Handling through corners is equally calming. The new independent rear suspension keeps axle hop down to a minimum when that unseen undulation literally pops up, threatening to spoil any good time the driver is trying to have.

The only real odd thing to driving the '02 Explorer, at least with the test vehicle, was a GM-like brake pedal feel. It was mushy to a point, and then there was decent feedback to what was happening on the road. The vehicle stopped fine; there was just a touch of confidence lost in pedal performance.

Believe it or not, three out of the four Explorer models will have a lower base price, comparing '01 to '02. The only model to actually go up in price is the Eddie Bauer edition; it will be $65 more than the current model. The other three models, XLS, XLT and Limited, will feature lower prices by $95, $230 and $190, respectively.

Base prices for the '02 Explorer (including $600.00 for destination and delivery) begin at $24,620 for the XLS, $28,380 for the XLT, and $32,690 for the Eddie Bauer and Limited. The volume truck, an XLT 4X4 equipped with the standard 4.0-liter V-6 engine and optional electronic AM/FM stereo/clock/single CD player, will carry a base price of $30, 475.

The Explorer will face some very tough competition in the coming months, with the newly redesigned GM trio and a flurry of new SUV models, but should remain king of the SUV mountain with new safety features, a totally new design and more customer-friendly amenities.

Today’s Car of the Day is…

The Hyundai i-Mode concept, shown here at the 2009 North American International Auto Show. It’s a crossover that features a twin-turbo diesel engine that promises great mileage.

Inside, there’s organic shapes and eco-friendly-looking materials.

The look is rather bean-like but quite pleasant. I see this as a Korean alternative to the Prius or Insight…without the extra battery mass and complexity of a hybrid.

Thanks again for stopping by!

2010 NAIAS…What I’m Missing!!!

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 15:01:00 +0000

While perusing one of my conveniently received Cnet emails, I found a link showcasing the GMC Granite Concept at the 2010 North American International Auto Show and it reminded me how I am really going to miss something special with this particular show.

What with the financial troubles the world has seen over the last two years, especially here in the States, this show could be considered a turning point for the American automotive industry.

From everything I’ve read so far, and deduced from my own worldly observations, small is the new big and fuel efficiency is king now more than ever.

So anyway, I love Cnet and how they cover all things Tech, including cars and the tech that’s in ‘em. And with the link I mentioned earlier, I was taken to the video page with all the interesting new cars and concepts, covered by the inimitable Brian Cooley, with all his wit and bourbon-drinking banter…gotta love the guy!

So of the 10 or so vids I watched, I think the most intriguing would be a pair of General Motors concepts and a Chrysler concept:

The Chevy Aveo is a very small car with good mileage numbers and decent build quality, with decent accoutrements but not much power. Well, in concept form at least, that may be changing. The Chevy Aveo RS is a totally tricked out Aveo with a turbo-powered engine, “performance-tuned” suspension and Boy Racer good looks (and an awesome shade of blue!).

I hope that Chevy will build the RS so that us enthusiasts who value small cars and the efficiencies they afford, have something to drive and really enjoy. Having driven an Aveo a time or two, I can attest that it really does need some suspension tuning and a lot more power under hood.

The other GM concept I gravitated toward is the Buick Regal GS. Yes, a Buick…I’ve always liked how Buick married performance, luxury and design and was glad to see how the new LaCrosse was a great looking design with more luxury aspirations, take that Lexus!

So the Regal GS Concept features a turbo-four and a six-speed transmission, either automatic or (are you sitting?) manual!!! Wow!!! It’s based on the same Opel that the Saturn Aura was, so the Regal should be as stellar as the Aura was but even better!

It’s cars like this that will help GM stay healthy in the future.

On the Chrysler front, there’s not much to talk about. However, I understand that there is a Chrysler concept that’s basically a Chrysler-badged Lancia Delta. It’s near the end of the video and it’s a great looking car that they should really bring here.

Just a few interesting tidbits form this year’s North American International Auto Show. How I wish I was there but I got a lot of house to still pack before the big move!

Thanks for stopping by!

More Testing With Droid...

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 02:57:00 +0000

So I've been looking for a good blogger app for my Droid.

2010 North American International Auto Show Preview, parte due

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 15:14:00 +0000

So I got a slew of emails this week from the NAIAS show organizers. Here’s a sampling of what to expect!

The first one is regarding the charity preview on the Friday evening before the show officially starts. This year that day is January 15th:

"The Romantics" Set to Rock Charity Preview at 2010 North American International Auto Show - National Recording Artists Coming Home to Help Out

Detroit, MI - January 5, 2010 - The home-grown masters of infectious upbeat, three-chord rock are coming back to Detroit for an exclusive show at the 2010 Charity Preview at Cobo Center, Friday, January 15, 2010.

The annual Charity Preview gala event is once again scheduled for the Friday prior to public days, January 15 from 6-9 p.m. The annual event benefits 12 local children's charities and has raised more then $79 million since its inception in 1976, with the money raised by ticket sales going to provide medical treatment, clothing and support services for local kids. Tickets for Charity Preview are currently available and can be purchased by calling 888-838-7500, or by visiting www.charitypreview.com. Tickets are $250 each.

"Entertainment for Charity Preview is great because it provides value for a ticket that does so much good for so many in our tri-county area. But to have The Romantics here to play for the home crowd is beyond our expectations," said Doug Fox, chairman, 2010 NAIAS. "These guys earned their stripes playing for America's toughest audiences in the Midwest and specifically Detroit. They understand how to deliver a show that is sure to not only provide an uplifting party, but to draw a crowd to help those in dire need when times are the most difficult - the children of our cities."

With a driving E-A-D-A chord progression and a raucous refrain of "HEY.uh huh," of "What I Like About You," The Romantics blazed onto airwaves in 1980 and firmly established themselves in the power pop movement. Hits like "Talkin' in Your Sleep," "Rock You Up" and "One in a Million" broke to national channels to make the band a staple on the touring circuit to take the Detroit legacy of Iggy Pop melded with The Ramones energy to the masses.

"We are proud to take part in this charitable event. It's always exciting when we play Detroit, but doing it to help the community in our hometown takes this to another level for us," said Romantics guitarist/vocalist Wally Palmar. "We know this will be a great show for the Detroit crowd and I know they won't disappoint in benefiting what's important to all of us - the children of the Motor City."

Along with repeats I posted last week was this gem of an announcement:

U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood to Attend 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will hold a press conference at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan at 7:00 AM on Monday, January 11, 2010. The North American International Auto Show in Detroit is the largest automotive showcase in America.

Following the press conference, Secretary LaHood will attend the opening ceremony and unveilings for Ford, GM and Toyota, then tour the show floor.

WHO: U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood

WHAT: Press Conference at the North American International Auto Show, Detroit, MI

WHEN: 7:00 AM - Monday, January 11, 2010

WHERE: Cobo Center, Michigan Hall Stage
1 Washington Boulevard
Detroit, MI 48226

Now I’m really feeling the pain of not going to the press preview this year! I’d love to hear what Mr. LaHood will say about our current transportation needs and what, if anything, the federal government is planning for the future.

Remember, the public show runs January 16 through January 23, 2010. Go here for more info.

And here’s today's Retro Review, one of my all-time favorite trucks!:

2003 GMC Sierra w/Quadrasteer

A Big Truck with Maneuvers to Spare

By James E. Bryson

Innovation is nothing new for automakers. It's how they get people to buy more of their product and it grants the innovator bragging rights for at least a few years. Enter what GM is calling Quadrasteer: just like it sounds, it's four-wheel steering for a pickup truck…pretty neat.

In the light truck category, those that are smaller than a semi and work just as hard, innovation has been slow for the last few years because there's only so much you can do with a pickup, until the competition bring their version to market.

Other manufacturers have tried this type of thing before, most notably the Nissan 300ZX with HICAS (High Capacity Actively Controlled Suspension) rear steering. But where Nissan failed to attract buyers to a high performance sports car that could corner better, this new iteration from The General is actually useful to a larger percentage of the truck populace.

We tested Quadrasteer on a 2003 GMC Sierra Heavy Duty crew cab with four full-sized doors and a standard bed. It was pretty long and sat really high…what a great truck should be.

For the price of a decent used car ($5,525) you get the four-wheel steering package: Quadrasteer, roof marker lamps (like a semi), heavy duty trailering equipment, manually selected ride control, a limited slip differential and a 145-amp alternator. All of this must be accompanied by the heavy-duty package as well. Hopefully it won't be long before this option will be available on regular trucks so that more of the population can take advantage of this class-leading feature.

The funny thing is…Quadrasteer is well worth the money. We found that we were able to run circles around some family sedans and we even made a few u-turns that no other truck could conceivably accomplish without two or three tries doing the old three-point maneuver.

This new system is supposed to be great for towing (the rear wheels turn with the fronts on the road so the trailer will follow more easily). Unfortunately for us we didn't get a chance to test the Sierra's towing ability but we're sure that with the ride control, big engine and Quadrasteer we could have towed anything including a fifth-wheel trailer with ease (mostly because the truck sits really high).

Inside the Sierra HD is just like any other GM truck, which isn't as bad as you might think. On the contrary, it's a very livable, useable place. Our tester was equipped with many neat options that would make travel a delight. For the kids, there was a DVD entertainment system with connections for gaming systems. For the adults, there was an upgraded radio with CD, Bose speakers and XM satellite radio.

The real distinguishing factor to tell the Quadrasteer vehicle from more plebian Sierras is the rear fender bulges and semi-like lights adorning the top of the cab and bulged fenders. One thing we really missed with this truck was running boards. It's a fairly tall vehicle and we ended up having to practically jump into it every time. While not an issue to keep us from buying, this was getting old by the end of our visit with the Sierra.

One startling thing we found with our tester was the bouncy ride this truck affords. We had to keep telling ourselves that this is a work truck and not something designed for daily commuting, unless your commute takes you onto a construction site or you haul a trailer as part of your occupation. With that in mind we found it a bit easier to swallow the as-tested price of $45,095, which included a $745 destination charge.

Options on our tester, which ended up bumping the test vehicles price by 12-large, included the $1600 SLT décor group (front leather seats, air and dual-zone climate controls, cruise control, CD radio, power windows and locks, transfer case and steering wheel controls for almost everything); the aforementioned Quadrasteer package; rear-seat DVD entertainment system ($1295); front reclining buckets with power driver seat ($1135); $595 for the totally awesome Bose CD stereo; $325 for an equally awesome XM satellite receiver; polished aluminum wheels ($150); LT245/75R16 tires ($55); and a 4.10 rear axle ($50).

Funny thing is, without all the frilly stuff and Quadrasteer, a heavy-duty GMC bases at $33,620.00. For the price you get basic necessities like 6.0-liter V8, four-wheel ABS, rear heat ducts and a 60/40 split rear seat, full gauges with tachometer, trailer wire harness and tilt wheel.

Our bottom line comes down to this: even if this Sierra came without Quadrasteer and the XM Radio package it would still be a great vehicle, albeit a much less expensive one.

Today’s Car of the Day:

Here’s the Cadillac Converj electric vehicle concept from the 2009 NAIAS. It’s basically an electric-powered CTS coupe.

This is one of those concepts that I really wish the company would build…unadulterated and unchanged form concept form. Too bad that rarely happens.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Dead of Winter

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:30:00 +0000

Let it snow!

"Heavy" snowfall predicted for The Lou. More like an annoyance!

2010 North American International Auto Show Preview

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:12:00 +0000

The auto show season is in full swing and we’ve got a little preview from emails we received from show organizers.

Here’s an interesting one for the greenies out there:

Detroit, MI - December 18, 2009 - Media, government officials, the global auto industry and the public will see fresh exhibits highlighting "green" technology at the 2010 NAIAS. The show marks the debut of Electric Avenue presented by The Dow Chemical Company on the main show floor, a 37,000 square-foot area dedicated to showcasing the latest in electronic vehicles and technology.

"NAIAS is proud of the history we have in bringing innovative ideas to a world-wide audience, and the all-new Electric Avenue is going to show visitors from around the globe where the future of automotive technology is headed," said Doug Fox, chairman, 2010 NAIAS. "This effort allows for more than doing what is trendy by addressing a necessary think-tank of discussion that will dictate where the global auto industry will go in 2010 and beyond. The NAIAS is proud to have a sponsor such as The Dow Chemical Company that understands the value of these efforts. Its endorsements of this activity allow the show to continue to be a thought-provoking leader to an industry with significant worldwide and economic impact."

This new feature is set to dovetail perfectly with the returning Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) EcoXperience in Michigan Hall that will once again feature a quarter-mile track winding through a landscape designed after Michigan's natural beauty.

Scheduled vehicles appearing in Electric Avenue include: BYD Auto e6; BYD Auto F3DM-hybrid; Commuter Cars - Tango 600; CT&T United eZone; CT&T United cZone; Edison2 (X Prize); EV Innovations - Wave 2 (X Prize); Green Vehicles Triac; Harvey Coachworks BugE; Li Shi Guang Ming LI'S; Mitsubishi I MiEV; Nissan LEAF; Saba Motors - SABA "Carbon Zero" Roadster (X Prize); SSI Racing - 2SSIC-65 (X Prize); Michelin - Venturi Volage; Michelin - Nissan Mixim; ZAP - Alias (X Prize)

Of course, this list is subject to change…

So my trepidation about all these electric vehicles is their claim that the are zero emission vehicles. The problem with that statement is the way we create electricity: mostly from BURNING coal and natural gas. And as we all should know by now, the burning of fossil fuels is where the theory of global warming gets it fuel. Therefore, I think they should not be able to call these things zero emission vehicles because form most accounts I’ve read or heard, creating enough electricity to power an electric car is just about as bad for the environment as if that car burned gasoline. The only true zero emission vehicle is those powered by people (bicycles) or powered by electricity made not form fossil fuels but from the sun, or possibly nuclear power.

I’ll get down off my soapbox now…

Here’s another interesting email form show organizers outlining more goodies in store:

Detroit, MI - December 24, 2009 - More than 40 glitzy cars and concepts, technology of the future, thousands of journalists and top governmental officials are only the front fender to the vehicle that is going to motor the world's economy starting Jan. 11, 2010 when the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) opens its doors. While the place to learn about what the international automakers have planned for the future, the NAIAS is ready to once again be a forum on the industry for top leaders.

As proof, a series of symposiums await the world that will feature a look at the past, present and future of technologies designed to move the industry and a global economy forward.

Initial symposiums planned for Thursday, January 14 at NAIAS on the Detroit Hall Stage (main floor) include:

9:30 am - TARDEC presents "Driving Solutions - Commercial Military"

11:00 am - The Henry Ford presents "Electric Cars - Past & Future"

2:00 pm - Center for Automotive Research presents "Vehicle Electrification - From Oil to the Grid"

All, with more updates to come, are part of the aggressive "green presence" at the 2010 NAIAS. Exhibits and features providing the necessary backdrop to emerging technology trends include:

Electric Avenue, a 37,000 square-foot area, on the main show floor, presented by The Dow Chemical Company, is dedicated to showcasing the latest in electric vehicles and technology by both traditional automakers and innovative entrepreneurs. The all-new exhibit area will feature nearly 20 vehicles as well as symposiums and special events on an adjacent NAIAS stage.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) has returned with EcoXperience, which will once again be featured in Michigan Hall, offering a quarter-mile track through a Michigan-designed landscape, where journalists will be able to drive low emission vehicles indoors, while the public can experience the same track by taking rides during public days. The display will feature more than 200 evergreen and deciduous trees; over 600 evergreen and flowering shrubs; over 5,000 flowering tulips, daffodils and hyacinths; approximately 650,000 pounds of stone; and over 130,000 gallons of water flowing through two water features, both with waterfalls.

"To say we are 'charged up' about the 2010 NAIAS, isn't just a pun based on the electric vehicle technology that will be on hand this year," said Doug Fox, chairman, 2010 NAIAS. "NAIAS is always about providing the insight and forum for progressive discussion on where the automotive industry is going. It provides exhibitors an opportunity to showcase what they are doing about the future and to educate and inform thousands of journalists, government leaders and the public about technologies that will be available to all of us."

So not only is there a bevy of cool cars and technology on display at the 2010 NAIAS, but there’s symposiums, meetings, balloting and much more! It’s a veritable cornucopia of events all rolled into one!

Today’s Retro Review (which you should find to be totally opposite of eco-friendly):

2006 HUMMER H1 Alpha

Alpha Indeed

by James E. Bryson

Monsters come in all shapes and sizes. Figuratively and literally. There are the imaginary ones under the bed (they aren't really there, right?). Then you have the cute ones recently featured in myriad animated movies.

Then there are the monsters of the road; the tractor-trailers traveling the highways of America and the land yachts of this generation, the SUV.

It was that last bit that got us going on this tangent: we got to spend a quasimodo-esque week with a more-powerful 2006 Hummer H1 Alpha wagon. And for anyone even remotely familiar with the HUMMER brand, you know that these vehicles were first conceived as a civilian-use military truck. And we can honestly say that it's still not far off the military family tree.

"Alpha represents HUMMER performance taken to its ultimate extension," according to HUMMER general manager Susan Docherty. "That means improving HUMMERs already-unmatched off-road capability, along with enhancements to fuel efficiency and driving comfort on the road. As the original HUMMER, the H1 is the perfect vehicle to mark the start of the Alpha series."

Here, here!

And let us tell you that the big dog Alpha lives up to its name in every way, shape and form. It is the king of whatever road it travels, or makes as the case may be, and it commands all in its vicinity to come closer an ogle its righteousness…or maybe that was just our perception.
It seemed that everyone out in the world could do nothing but stare at the H1. A few brave souls came by and asked questions or made comments but no one commented on the gas guzzling nature of the Beast, as we eventually referred to it.

It's just as well they didn't, since the H1 we drove came equipped with the new-to-HUMMER-for-2006 6.6-liter Duramax turbo diesel that makes a chest-thumping 300 horsepower and foundation-rocking 520 lb.-ft. of torque, about 95 and 94 more than the previous 6.5-liter turbo diesel, respectively. We're talking enough power to tow almost anything this side of a fifth-wheel or to pull that stubborn old stump on your back 40 out of its resting place and drag it into the pond for the fishies to enjoy.

The only drawback to the gobs of power is the fuel mileage…let's just say that if you need to ask then maybe you shouldn't. Or, to put it another way, the H1 doesn't list its mileage numbers on the vehicle sticker, like any other heavy-duty truck. What we can sya about the mileage is the we got about 500 miles between both tanks…and with about 50 total gallons used, you could say the Beast got around 10 miles per gallon of diesel fuel. But that is mere conjecture and not necessarily based on any real events (names will be changed to protect the innocent!).

Inside, the Beast was decked out in fashionable (for taking over third world dictatorships) leather in a stylish two-tone treatment. We liked the feel and comfort of the driver's seat as well; once we figured out how to get it adjusted to our dimensions. And once we got used to our left arm rubbing the door; it is that close in there.

To give you a better idea how tight the driving quarters are in an H1, there are no airbags, and if there were, they might take your head off because you practically sit on top of the steering wheel. Don't get us wrong, though. The driving position was comfy and all controls were well at hand, especially the radio controls, which weren't even in the same hemisphere as the front passenger…Can you say "I have the Power" over the radio?! (he he)

But then, between the seats, there is a great expanse, not unlike Siberia in its vastness. This great space in the passenger area has a lot to do with the running gear and other vehicle systems tucked high into the frame for Mt. Everest-like ground clearance.
For even better protection out on the trail, our test truck was fitted with an off-road package that included a tubular-steel ladder to protect the already hidden running gear…talk about some serious off-road attributes!

And, so as not to let you forget you're driving a Beast of a machine, setting the parking brake was akin to curling 15 pounds; too bad it worked on just one arm.

And let us also not forget all the other nifty features a vehicle like this provides for your driving and pillaging pleasure: Of note was the cool door stays on the rear of the Beast. These handy little rubber booties accepted the male counterpart form the doors so that there were immobilized in the open position, leaving the doors out of mind for loading or unloading your gear or those spare parts your buddy needed to get his Jeep unstuck.

Another fine feature that came with the Beast was the Central Tire Inflation System. The CTIS allows the driver (since no one else can really reach the controls) to adjust, front or rear, the air pressure in the tires to maximize traction, no matter what situation you might find yourself in (see the Jeep comment above).

And now, about that price…Again, if you really need to ask, then maybe the Beast is not for you.

Our black diamond tester started at $139,771, which includes the Duramax diesel; Allison automatic; Goodyear GSAs; dual tanks; CTIS; heated front seats; Monsoon sound with six-disc changer; trailer towing package; heated windshield and mirrors; power locks/windows and keyless entry; two-speed lockable transfer case and a rearview mirror with compass, temp readout and map light.

Add to that our vehicles off road package (12,000-pound winch; front and rear electronically locking axels and 17-inch two-piece aluminum wheels) at $5,726.00, a tire upgrade for $100 and a $1,025 destination charge and you get a total as-tested price of $146,622.00. Or, something no mere mortal can hope to afford without winning the lottery.

The bottom line is, if you want people to stare and have that macho, he-man feeling, and need to haul a lot of stuff or like to fell trees, the H1 Alpha is your ride.

Today’s Car of the Day:

It’s the Fisker Karma, first shown at the 2008 NAIAS:

The Karma is a plug-in hybrid that uses a gas generator to extend its range to a reported 300 miles. The manufacturer claims 0-60 times of less than six seconds and all of this in a very luxurious cockpit that coddles its occupants.

Lead The Future indeed!

For more info, check out Fisker.com

That time...Again!

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:09:00 +0000

Merry Christmas to all!

Winter Returns To The Lou

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:23:00 +0000

With temps in the teens more than a week before it's officially Winter, life in The Lou just got cold. though it will never be as cold as it is in The D!

Luckily, they got the roof on our new house and should have all the shingles done by now as well!

I'll post some pics when I'm at a real computer!

Just A Nice Sunday Drive

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:58:00 +0000

The wife has taken to working some overtime so I drove her in this morning, like a good husband should!

On the way back, I decided to stop by the local classic/antique/luxury car dealership, Daniel Schmitt & Co. and found quite a few gems in the rough of usual older, luxury and classic cars.

To follow my last couple of posts, the following pictures were taken with the 5 megapixel camera on the Droid. Pretty good pics from a phone, eh?

The first car that caught my eye was this 1980 slope-nose Porsche. I always liked the look and thought this was one of the coolest iterations of the 911.

The next “thing” that caught my eye…was this 1973 VW Thing. You have to love it when there’s a sticker on the dash that tell you to turn off the heater before you pump gas!

The gem of the day was this 1974 Jensen Interceptor. With an Italian-styled body and American V8, this British import was probably a whole lot of fun to drive…and practical too with that big hatch in back!With the light package on this one, it’s easy to imagine this as a rally car or maybe a 24-hour endurance racer.

Schmitt usually has quite a few older American cars, including many muscle cars and usually a big ‘ol bunch of Mercedes SLs. But today, they had three different pickups from a bygone era. First up is a 1950 Ford in a really nice red. I dig this truck because of the face…it looks like it came right out of the Cars movie!

There were also two Studebakers! One was hidden away form the rest of the vehicles for some repair work. But this 1962 Champ was right next to the Thing and looks ready for some work.

On another part of the property, I found this American Automotive icon…made famous last decade from its work in the movie Wayne’s World. It’s a a 1975 AMC Pacer wagon and, thankfully, when my dad worked for American Motors, he never brought one of these home. At least not that I remember. We did have a Gremlin and an Ambassador but that’s it. Now if I can only figure out a way to convince the wife that we need this…

Lastly, There was this 1966 Mustang convertible. There were quite a few Mustangs on the lot but this one stood out because it’s got the 289 V8 and a really cool interior. The best part? It has factory air! From 1966! But, at $33k, it’s a toss up between this and a brand new one with Sync, no miles and better reliability…Let me know which you’d choose!

Now for the “But wait there’s more” car. It’s a 1977 Oldsmobile Barris 70-X Toronado, made by world-renowned car customizer George Barris (Who created the original 60s Batmobile, KITT from Knight Rider, the Moneymobile form the series, the General Lee, … the list goes on!!!!). I couldn’t get a real good picture since it was in the middle of a closed showroom, so go here for more views. It’s the gold one in the pics below…and hurry in because this one is $20k off as of this writing…for the low, low price of $230k!!!!

I always love window shopping at Schmitt’s. Especially when they have such great gems! Stop by their home on the web and look around. You never know what kind of gem you’ll find!

And now, today’s Retro Review:

2002 Chevy Trailblazer

Chevy's New SUV is Ready to Rumble

by James E. Bryson

As the SUV war heats up, with at least 20 new models waiting to be introduced over the next year, automakers are trying to outdo each other with each new launch by making their respective vehicles bigger, better, stronger and safer than the other guys' products.

At General Motors, that mantra holds especially true for their all-new mid-size SUVs: the Chevy TrailBlazer, the GMC Envoy and the soon-to-be-defunct Oldsmobile Bravada. We had a chance to drive a two-wheel-drive TrailBlazer LT at a recent junket to Branson, Missouri, and we were quite impressed with the entire vehicle.

Inside, TrailBlazer is larger than the Blazer it replaces by leaps and bounds in every area. We found the seats to be comfortable, with plenty of leg and shoulder room for all passengers. The controls were stock GM, while not bad, we were hoping for a change in the GM corporate paradigm.

During our stay in Branson, we were treated to a couple of presentations on the new vehicle and some of the goodies the designers and engineers had put in to it:

The engine in the TrailBlazer is worth a note of praise. GM engineers have resurrected the domestic inline six-cylinder and have made it fuel efficient, quiet and powerful. The engine has 90 percent of its peak toque available from 1600 to 5600 rpm, it uses variable valve timing and throttle-by-wire to help achieve national LEV standards and it is extremely quiet. The idle is so smooth that even senior engineers tried to restart it. Because of this, there is a starter lock on the production model to prevent damage to the starter and flywheel.

The 4.2-liter inline-six in the TrailBlazer delivers 270 horsepower and 275 lb.-ft. of torque. For comparison, the 2002 Explorer V8 makes 240 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of torque; a difference of 30 horsepower and 5 lb.-ft. in Chevy's favor. The TrailBlazer should beat the Explorer at mileage as well. The estimated mpg for the TrailBlazer is 16 city and 20 highway, whereas the Explorer V8 is rated at 14 city and 19 highway. Not a really big difference but it's enough of one for Chevy to proclaim superiority.

The maximum oil change interval for the new engine has been extended to about 15,000 miles or just about double what every other manufacturer specifies. The engineering team was able to do this by using new oil temperature control technology. Another instance where Chevy can claim the upper hand against the competition.

Innovations abound with these new SUVs. Engineers decided to mount the engine lower in the engine bay for a lower center of gravity and better stability. To do this, a pass-through was made in the oil pan for the front drive shaft to go through, and at no cost to drivability.

The good thing about a straight engine configuration is that one side is hot (exhaust) and one side is cool (intake), making packaging decisions easy. They put all the electronics and temperature sensitive equipment on the cool side and everything else was positioned on the hot side. This extends the life of the components and aides in accuracy of the computer equipment, which is extremely sensitive to heat.

The hood on the TrailBlazer is made of bake-hardened steel. The hood hardens in the paint booth under the baking lights to help in crash worthiness and durability. The newest rallying cry at GM is the use of hydroforming on structural pieces and frame rails. This process produces superior integrity and strength to the molded pieces and helps suspension engineers by giving them a stronger structure on which to mount the suspension pieces.

To make the frame rails, a piece of steel is put into a die and water, compressed to 50,000 psi, is shot at the steel to force it into the shape of the die. The end product comes out of the die better than with any other technology. Hydroformed rails can be found on newer GM cars and trucks, including the Corvette and the recently redesigned Silverado and Sierra trucks. The engineers claim that the entire TrailBlazer structure is as strong as a European sedan because of this new technology.

The 4X2 TrailBlazer LT performed flawlessly on a drive through the hills and valleys of the Ozark Mountains, which is probably why the staff picked those roads for us. We were quite impressed with the comfort level and drivability of this new vehicle. We were even impressed with the off road ruggedness of the two-wheel-drive model we were driving. The staff led us onto an old logging road just before lunch. The terrain led us up and down through the hills and the rocky road gave us an appreciation of the new chassis and suspension. Not once were we afraid of getting stuck; though one group just ahead of us got caught on a tree limb. Luckily, they were in a 4X4 and were able to clear the obstacle and warn the rest of us about it.

As you read this, GM will be offering an optional DVD player with a 7 in. drop-down screen for those long rides with the kiddies…or those times you need peace and quiet and have to go out to your vehicle to find it. It is the first DVD in a mid-size SUV offered as original equipment.

You can get a two-wheel-drive TrailBlazer LS for just $25,155.00, while the top-of-the-line four-wheel-drive LTZ will start at $33,730.00. Expect a large amount of standard items on the base models and high-end bits like the aforementioned DVD player to be available for you to customize the vehicle as you see fit.

Since the TrailBlazer and its cousins are such new models, there have been no crash tests performed by the regular agencies. In an interesting turn of events, the Blazer, which the TrailBlazer will eventually replace, will be sold through the 2003 model year, because of strong sales, according to GM press materials.

The 2002 Chevy TrailBlazer is an exciting entry in the SUV market because it is one of the most capable, comfortable and powerful vehicles in its category. GMC can be proud of itself for finally having a competitor worthy enough to take on the Explorer. We can't wait to see how the battle unfolds.

Once again, thanks for stopping by!

Another Sunday In "The Lou"

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Testing this blog program I got for Droid. I'm not sure I'll post from it too much as typing with only two digits (god-given opposable thumbs) is not nearly as fast and easy as using a real keyboard. And I don't think there's a way to upload pictures or even spell check!

On a lighter note, we had a great dinner the Sandra Lee would be proud of! (look her up if you don't get it) And, much to Vikki's surprise, we had mixed veggies with snap peas potato wedges and red pepper chunks and it was delicious!

So there!

Mom would be so proud!

More next time!!!

This IS The Droid I’ve Been Looking For!

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:40:00 +0000

If you’re not living under a rock, or in an Afghani cave, then you may have heard about the newest “smart” phone offered by Verizon; The Motorola Droid (name use officially licensed by Lucas himself…or, at least, his company.)

For the last 18 months, I’ve had a pretty decent experience with the LG EnV, eve though I’m currently on handset numero three! You see, these EnVs have a problem with the connection through the hinge and the screens sometimes don’t come on and the phone locks up badly at other times. Number three, though, has been really good…until a couple days ago when the interior screen stopped working and I had to power it off then back on. No too terrible, but there was also a problem with the outside lights coming on when you grab it from an off angle.

So it was time for a new phone. And luckily for me, the stars aligned: The Droid came out and I was able to get permission from the boss!

Some of the standout features of the Droid are a 3.7 in. (diagonal) touch screen with 440X854 pixels, compared with 320X480 for the iPhone. It has a slide out qwerty keyboard that has some convenient keys like “@” and “?” that you don’t need to hit “alt.'” for, which is really nice.The Droid has built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, along with an included(!) 16 Gb micro SD card and a very easy to use voice search feature that works really well! Find full reviews here and here.

After a few days with Droid, I can say it’s pretty awesome! The phone works great! I called my buddy in Michigan and he said it sounded like I was on a landline. And the other “smart” stuff is totally awesome!

Since this phone is based on the Android operating system made by Google, the Droid seamlessly syncs with all my gmail contacts and is another way to see my Google Calendar, read through Google Docs and basically not have a reason to not keep in touch!

There are also apps you can get through the Android Marketplace for everything from Facebook and MySpace to Amazon and so much more. I got an app for my bank, a barcode scanner for easy price comparison shopping on the fly and even a level!!! I know what you’re saying now, though, “but it doesn’t have nearly as many apps as the Apple App Store”. My answer to that?? It’s been practically proven that 95% of the apps in the Apple App Store are worthless and just a waste of time. ‘Nuff said!!

Is the Droid worth the money? That’s up to you. Once I found out my corporate discount applied to the data plan for “smart” phones, I was there! And the Droid, with the rebate and my new every two credit, came out to be about $50 more than the Samsung Rogue I was looking at. And for the greater functionality and paying about the same per month, the Droid it was!

Hopefully I will be this enchanted with Droid in another six months…

And now for today’s Retro Review:

2003 Mercury Marauder

Ford's Answer to the Impala SS…A Few Years Too Late

by James E. Bryson

It's the adrenaline rush of knowing the officer is behind you. That is the reality hitting us square in the head when we're out on the open road. That rush can make you feel cranky, agitated, or worse. The relief comes when the officer passes you and goes on to someone else.

Now imagine having that power all to yourself.

This is not what Mercury engineers were thinking, at least not that we know of, when the made a few changes to the venerable Grand Marquis that transformed it into the ultimate cop car look-alike. Or, maybe they wanted to make a new Bluesmobile. Whatever the case, the 2003 Mercury Marauder is one bad machine that, with a bit more oomph down low, could be the ultimate sleeper car for late night street racers.

The Marauder is a blacked-out Grand Marquis with little chrome, except for the wheels and a few trim pieces, and not much flash. But that's the point. Stealth performance could be the tagline for the Marauder ad campaign. Even the grill is all black, with an elegant chrome Mercury moniker in its center.

Inside, the Marauder is all business with comfortable, supportive seats covered in fine gray "Nudo" leather, a legible gauge cluster with satellite gauges in the full-length center console and a fitting floor-mounted shifter that belies the performance attributes of the Marauder more than the monochromatic color scheme (take your proof in some of GM's offerings of late). The totally fake carbon fiber treatment on the doors and dash are forgivable in this car because of its sporty nature, though wood accents would have lent a more luxurious air to the vehicle.

We really liked the seats, front and rear. The nice aspect of such a large car is the room it affords to all passengers. We also found the driver's seat to be comfy and somewhat suited to spirited driving. These weren't Mustang quality, mind you, but they performed better in most ways than the standard Grand Marquis seats would have.

One small complaint about the front seats, for this price range at least, was the lack of seat heaters. It's a small complaint, but for a car that can be beaten by a Honda Civic to 60 mph, a warm tush might give us a little solace.

The rest of the interior is packaged well. The instruments are easy to read and have a sporty flair to them. We also liked the bright "Marauder" that lights up at night in the speedometer.
In the trunk, we found a nice little surprise: a plastic trunk organizer that was functional, if a bit bulky. The bulk comes from the organizer taking up the depth of the trunk. Thankfully, the spare tire was placed on a shelf and out of the way for most of what you'd put in there. When we needed a little extra space, the organizer came out easily and freed up the deeper part of the trunk entirely.

Under the hood is Ford's potent 4.6-liter V8 making 302 horsepower and 318 pound-feet of torque. While this seems like a lot on paper, the reality of the Merc's high weight and the lack of low-end grunt (peak torque comes at a high 4300 rpm) means slow straight-line acceleration, for a muscle-bound brute. But don't get the message wrong, the Marauder will hit 60 in a respectable time, just not what we were expecting.

Mid-range traipses to passing speed are adequate, but there is always that want for more power.

And, the lack of low-end torque severely limits burnouts because they are nearly impossible without some water on the road to loosen grip.

Speaking of which, cornering traction and ride control are excellent in the Marauder. Mercury's engineers should pat themselves on the back for a job well done with the suspension settings and the amount of control the Marauder commands. Compared with the old-person ride of the Grand Marquis, the Marauder is a powerful European sedan looking for its next victim.

We found ourselves hitting corners faster than in other "family" sedans and a few more sporty cars. The Marauder should be the benchmark for Ford performance sedans in the future.

The only time the suspension was not appreciated was over particularly harsh bumps and imperfections in the road. Though, those experiences were not overly bad, just reminders that this is a performance-oriented cruiser, not your daddy's Grand Marquis.

By now, you're probably asking yourself, "What's it cost?" Well, get ready for this one: Our test Marauder, with only $550 in options, stickered at $35,045.00, including the obligatory destination charge (which was $705 for this Merc).

The real question then becomes, "Is it worth it?"

Well, we'll leave that up to you. Just remember that for similar money , there are plenty of little rockets out there, though they won't give the people around you on the highway a scare thinking you're Smokey on the prowl for his next revenue raising interlude.

With what this car represents, it's a shame that it couldn't directly compete with the old Chevy Impala SS. Lord Vader, you could have had two choices.

And today’s Car Of The Day:

Say hello to the Aluminum bodied Ford Shelby GR1 concept shown at the 2005 North American International Auto Show. The GR1 had a 6.4-liter V10 with over 600 horsepower and over 500 pound-feet of torque feeding the rear wheels and was reportedly good for 0-60 in under four seconds. The jury is still out if this was better than the GT…but the GT didn’t have a sleek aluminum body!

A Labor/Labour Day to Remember

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:38:00 +0000

There’s nothing like taking that end-of-summer road trip. Hitting the highways in search of the last grasp of Summer and the last fun before the reality of Fall and Winter hit.

It was with a little trepidation that the Wife and I set out for adventure, fun, good food, good friends and good relatives. Yes, we made the trek to the north. The little town known as “The D”, thanks to T-Baby and her hit single, “It’s so Cold In The D”. After you sit through the song, go here to see a response…

So out we set with not much of an itinerary and a lot of road before us. Our first stop was our favorite little winery in the sleepy Southwestern Michigan town of Coloma, Karma Vista. We were inside, tasting the new wines, when it hit me that we’ve been patronizing Karma Vista for the last 5 years. It was here that we spent a glorious afternoon on our honeymoon tour of Michigan wine country. What makes Karma Vista so special, besides the great wine, wonderful location and great owners in Joe and Sue Herman, is the titles of the wines themselves: Gunzan Rose, Pink Side of the Moon, Starry Starry White, Moondance Merlot, Watusi Red…are you seeing the pattern?? So yes, we bought a case but it’s not all for us: We gave two bottles to E & M for boarding us, two bottles are for C & J for watching the girls and two bottles are for A & S for a housewarming gift. Generous, no?

Another cultural schooling came Friday when we crossed the border into Canada to visit the wineries of Pelee Island and Mastronardi. Each had a great selection of great-tasting wines and beautiful surroundings. The interesting thing about the Ontario wineries was the extra step undertaken to ensure the wines are of the utmost quality and use only grapes grown in Southern Ontario. Here’s an excerpt from the Canada South Wine Tours explaining their system:

In 1989, Canada adopted a designation system known as the VQA system (Vintners Quality Alliance) which was initiated by the winemakers of Ontario in recognition of the importance of having standards against which Canadian wines could be measured against the wines of other countries. The system was modeled after the French system which is based on origin and identifies specific geographic areas that have been singled out as having characteristics favorable to the cultivation of grapes. Essex County was officially identified as having two of Ontario’s three Designated Viticultural Areas. The two areas were named Lake Erie North Shore (mainland) and Pelee Island (Island). The third area in Ontario is Niagara, there are also 4 DVA’s in British Columbia. Since then, a growing number of vintners have been reclaiming the soil and the region’s reputation by producing some of Canada’s best wines. Today there are approximately 1,000 acres of grapes in the Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island Designated Viticultural Areas.

So we didn’t exactly buy a case in Canada but that’s OK since we were worried about the duty tax we might pay for any extra bottles over the 9 we purchased. Thankfully, we sailed through the border!

Our next big even came Saturday night when we went to see Jack Scott and his band perform at the annual Hamtramck Polish Festival. The band performed admirably, playing some of Jack’s greatest hits including “Burning Bridges”, “Leroy/Greaseball” and “Geraldine”.

Yes, my friends, life is good…

And here’s today’s Retro Review!!

2002 BMW 330xi

Ultimate Driving Machine Indeed

by James E. Bryson

There are times when you have to ask yourself what you did to deserve such wonderful treatment…driving any BMW will get such a response. Us auto reviewers get to drive a lot of nice cars and trucks but when we get something like a new BMW, it makes us giddy. Why, you ask? Because, when BMW calls its cars the "Ultimate Driving Machines", they aren't kidding. From the Mini up to the new 7-Series, BMW makes the most driver-oriented, fun-to-drive, best handling cars this side of the racetrack.

The only downside is paying out the wazoo for the privilege…but we digress.

The last 3-Series Bimmer we tested was the new-for-'99 328i sedan. It was a remarkable car with excellent road manners and good looks to boot. This time around, we got a chance to sample the all-wheel-drive machine called 330xi.

From its tight steering and quick responses to the way it coddles you in any of the seats to its striking lines and muscular haunches, the BMW 3-Series is more a piece of art than mere automobile.
Topping out at over $43-large, our tester was well appointed and never left us with anything less than a huge grin every time we got out after a drive. Nothing less than a spectacular car can produce such emotion and vigor.

BMW is a favorite of many enthusiasts and for good reason: The company builds the best road-going cars available. As an example of this, we were driving about one wet day and went to take a corner, which the Camaro SS we recently drove coerced us to slow down through. The Bimmer begged us to go faster than we thought possible through this particular corner and got us in and out with no drama and had us wanting to drive all the really twisty roads Greater St. Louis has to offer.

Inside, BMW made a comfortable, luxurious cockpit into a thing of beauty. The leather on our test car was perfect without so much as a stitch out of place. The seats were European comfortable (read firm) and were infinitely adjustable. The rear seat was a bit small and wouldn't be very comfortable for those over 5' 10" or so.
The quality of the materials and switchgear was impeccable; as well it should have been for the price and for the reputation. For, you do not purchase a Bimmer for its price. You purchase a Bimmer for its status and pedigree. Or, you purchase one because it makes the seat of the pants a happy place.

The seats were European firm, but with a softness that made long drives comfortable. All switches were easily reachable and felt substantial to the touch. You really feel the luxurious quality of this car in every facet.
In normal, everyday driving, the 330xi is docile except for lurching from a complete stop, despite every effort. Talk about a touchy throttle! We did find, after spending a few days behind the wheel, that if you wait a second or two after releasing the brake that you can control this lurching a bit better, but it didn't clear up totally.

German engineering has been celebrated for many, many years and the 3.0-liter in-line six-cylinder engine in our tester was one of the best in the world. It's silky smooth and produces plenty of power to move this one-and-one-half-ton car to 60 mph in less than 7 seconds (according to manufacturer specs). It sure felt that fast and there was plenty of power on tap to pass on tight two-lanes or to hurry out of any corner.

Needless to say, we drove our test loop twice in this car, just for the grin-factor.

Our 2002 BMW 330xi tester topped out at $43,035.00, which included $645 for the destination charge.
Base price for the 330xi is $35,740.00. For that much money, you get a whole lot, including the sweet engine; four wheel ventilated and ABS-equipped disc brakes; Dynamic Brake Control, which intervenes during emergency braking to help achieve the shortest stopping distance; all-wheel drive; Dynamic Stability Control, which helps the driver maintain control of the car when he or she gets a little out of hand in the corners; 17-inch alloy wheels; and all the luxury appointments you can stomach.

If you need more stuff and have the money to burn, we'd suggest starting with the option our tester was equipped with: For starters, we had Topaz Blue Metallic paint (a beautiful shade, to say the least) for $475; a cold weather package that includes heated front seats; headlight washers, a split fold-down rear seats, a ski bag and a rear arm rest ($1000); and the premium package that includes leather upholstery, power glass moonroof, "Myrtle" wood trim, auto-dimming interior mirror, rain-sensing wipers and automatic headlights ($2900). The automatic transmission (sans manumatic control since BMW doesn't offer it) was an extra $1275, along with $300 for run-flat, all-season tires, $700 for xenon headlights, which we highly recommend.

For what you pay, the BMW 3-series is the best thing going. There are a lot of new, and some old, competitors out there, but they never really seem to hit the mark in quality materials, solid engineering or fun-to-drive factor.

The 330xi is one amazing machine that truly adds flavor and grace to the 3-series lineup. Now, if we could only get them to put a manumatic in it…

And here’s the Car of the Day: It’s the Chrysler Crossfire, first seen at the 2003 NAIAS.

It’s shape is interesting and how can any self-respecting car-lover not love the boat-tail effect on the rear end?

Based on the Mercedes-Benz SLK mechanicals, the Crossfire is well=appointed and comes with a potent V6. The convertible was even sexier…too bad it’s now out of production.

Driving Miss Vikki

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:37:00 +0000

In my last post I told you about our trip to the great mitten state and a little about our adventures up there. Well, what I didn’t mention was the car we drove.

As with other long trips, we rented from the locally-owned rental fleet (look it up if you don’t know) and to my surprise, they only had a few cars available…on a Wednesday night! Well, since we were heading up to the Detroit area, home of the UAW and the domestic auto industry, I asked for an American-made car but all they had was a couple of pickup trucks. I don’t mind driving a full-size truck but I wasn’t really interested in getting 15 miles per gallon on a 1500-mile trip.

So my choices were either a Honda Accord, Nissan Altima or Toyota Camry. Not a big fan of the continuously variable transmission found in the Altima, so that was out. And Camry’s to me are the blandest of the Japanese sedans, so that was out. So the Accord it was.

We actually liked it. We found the trunk to be spacious, if not a bit oddly shaped…we thought we were missing something since we filled the trunk and had room to spare…and we had almost nothing in the back seat!

Since it was a rental, we didn’t expect much in the way of options and we weren’t disappointed. When we get a car from the manufacturers press fleet, they’re usually the top of the line, heavily optioned and with the highest trim level and biggest engine. Not so with a rental.

Our car had the four-cylinder engine, wheel covers rather than alloys, and cloth seats. It also had the base radio with CD player and no automatic climate control. It was a basic car, but one that did it’s job very well.

The Accord handled quite nicely and was well-composed on the highway, with little to no bobbing and weaving over expansion joints or minor undulations. Cornering was good as well, which was a nice surprise and made the trip that much more fun.

One of the nicest surprises was getting 31 miles per gallon over the course of 1500 miles. If we had a V6 and more upscale trim, that number would have been a bit lower. However, with the vehicle optioned as it was, we made out really well. Of course, that number was bolstered with us driving over 1000 miles solely on the highway.

So yes, the Accord is a well-built, American-assembled car and is a good value for the money.

And now, today’s Retro Review:

2002 Mazda MPV ES

Cargo Ergo Zoom Zoom

by James E. Bryson

There seems to be a feeling that when you get older and start your family that you need to make certain sacrifices like quitting the bowling league or not going to your favorite sporting events as often. Another sacrifice, made mostly by men, is the purchase of the "family" vehicle, be it a wagon, SUV or minivan.

In its most recent media blitz, Ford-owned Mazda has been working diligently to transform its image from Japanese also-ran to first-rate car company. To do this, they have added more sportiness into all vehicles, including the staid-but-venerable MPV minivan.

We spent a week with a top-'O-the-line MPV ES and found it to be capable, comfortable and worth its price. We also found that it is indeed a sporty little van with a fairly high "Zoom Zoom" factor.

Inside, we found comfortable seats with good side bolsters to keep you planted in tight corners…at least the tightest corners you might want to venture into with an almost-two-ton van. On the flip side to the seats, we found the seat belts a pain to use at times; they seemed to get in the way and were difficult to reach without turning around.

The two-tone dash is opulent, but the darker tone on top flows onto the doors…seems like a bad decision because of the large gaps between dash and door. We did find all important controls well placed and easy to use. The last little niggle we have with the interior was carbon fiber accents which are sharp but seem out of place in a mommy-mobile

We have nothing but kudos for the engine, transmission and ride characteristics of this van. We were pleasantly surprised at the plentiful power and smooth operation of both engine and transmission, the former a high-tech V6 and an electronically controlled five-speed automatic for the latter.

We felt like this combination should be put into a Miata or something where the broad power curve and correct shift points, mated to a competent suspension, would be more sporty, and possibly more fun. (Really, who are we kidding? This van was a blast to drive and has the capability to haul all your stuff and some people to wherever you need to go with style, class and sportiness.)

Many nice features:
· Regular windows in both rear sliding doors.
· Power sliding doors.
· And the 3rd row of seats folds flat.

Competent, good design? Yes. Strong performer, good handling? For the most part. Would we suggest it to people? Definitely. Top of its class? Quite possibly.

We found the MPV to be a nice little van on the whole.

And the car of the day is…

Say hello to the Chevy Nomad. This concept was based on the same platform that gave us the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky.

It’s an attractive vehicle that GM dropped the ball on. Instead of following the market studies to the “T”, the General could have been building cars like this that people really want and want to drive.

The Nomad was gorgeous from all angles and was infinitely more practical then either the Solstice or Sky, though it’s no convertible.

Check out the pics and you be the judge…Should GM have built the Nomad alongside the Solstice/Sky? Do you think if General Motors built more interesting products like this that they wouldn’t be in the predicament they are in now?

Enquiring minds want to know…

Windows Makes A Comeback!

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:29:00 +0000

So, finally, Windows7 has come out. It’s been a long, arduous process but well worth the wait.

I bought two prerelease copies, the price was too good to pass up - $50 a piece – one for me and one for the wife. I’ve ported all my stuff over to the newer computer and am using it to write this post. I really dig Windows7 and can’t wait to get more familiar with it and the many new features it promises.

The install process went really smoothly and I had no problems doing a “clean” install with the upgrade discs I bought. The real issues started with the second computer…I had to switch the CD and DVD drives around and have had a couple problems – one with the computer seemingly frozen while copying data form the archive and another when it rebooted and didn’t find one of the hard drives, which caused it to error out…at least no BSOD’s yet!!

Now we have two fully functional, works better than ever PC’s in the house. Next step it to show the wife some of the new features that should make her world a little easier place to live.

I’ll keep you updated as living with Windows7 becomes more normalized.

And now, today’s Retro Review:

2002 Mercedes-Benz SLK

Yes, I know a little German

by James E. Bryson

I always like going home to Detroit. I get to see my favorite friends, close family and other special people in my life.

Back in early May, I was chatting with my friend Steve and told him I'd be coming for a visit before Memorial Day and he said, "Great, I should have THE car by then!"

Let me give you a little background. Steve, who is well over 6-feet tall, has been looking for an exciting, well-handling car for over a year with little consideration to budget. He had ordered a Honda S2000 and decided that it was too small. He then looked at the BMW Z3 (too small again) the Porsche Boxster (you guessed right if you said it was too small), and the Mercedes-Benz SLK.

As a former automotive journalist-turned-regular-laborer, I though it would be interesting to get an owner's side of things. So I asked him to send a message with some of his thoughts and they will be peppered throughout this review.

"I've always wanted to own a convertible," he said is his message. "I've planned and saved for it for years. I didn't plan on owning an Mercedes-Benz, it just worked out that way."

After a lot of time hemming and hawing over this monumental decision, Steve took and chance and settled for what he thought was the best car for him.

"I finally settled on the Mercedes-Benz SLK320, V6 power, touchshift semi-manual transmission and just enough room for my big ass," Steve said. "As a journalist I absolutely loved this car calling it the 'perfect car for a weekend getaway.' Today, my opinion remains the same but the car has been improved."

"My time as a journalist taught me that happiness was a very important factor in my purchase. I looked at everything on the market eliminating them all for one reason or another," Steve said in an e-mail afterward.

Fortunately for you and me, Steve is the generous type and we went out on a clear, warm Friday afternoon for a little bit of what we in the industry call "ride & drive".

The SLK is quite the comfortable car. With the top down and the wind in our hair, we had a chance to really get a look at the interior: Nice leather seats and leather wrapped steering wheel and shift lever. The seats were more of a European-style (read: firm) with myriad adjustments and the recently restyled dash is now more user friendly and looks better than on previous models.

But the best part of the SLK's design has to be the ever-so-clever retractable hardtop, which balances coupe-like silence, security and rigidity with open-aired driving in half-a-minute.

Though the two-tone interior treatment has been kept, it is more toned down than previous models and is actually quite nice.

The center stack of controls, HVAC and radio dominate, has been upgraded to allow for more ease of use and looks much better than previous SLKs. We applaud MB for modernizing their interiors over the last few years.

Power from the normally aspirated V6 comes on soon and strong for this heavy little car. With 215 horsepower on tap, we had some fun trying to stay out of trouble with the local law enforcement agencies.

Yours truly was quite impressed with the neutral handling of the V6 SLK. We were able to take tight corners with ease and just a hint of understeer towards the tire's adhesion limits.

The suspension, while on the sporty side, didn't treat us as harshly as we would have thought on Michigan's weather-beaten roads.

"It doesn't bottom out on every pothole like it would if I got the sport suspension," Steve said at a local eatery before our drive.

Dislikes for the car were few, to say the least, but they were fairly major to the owner.

"It does have flaws," Steve said. "Right knee room could be more plentiful; my knee is sandwiched tightly between the steering wheel and center console tunnel. The steering wheel only telescopes, no tilt! And the trunk is too small limiting luggage to a couple of small bags at best."

Our only other real complaint was the lack of any lumbar support in the seats.

"The seats themselves are stiff, but are slowly breaking in," Steve mused. "You sit very low in the SLK which means elbows on the windowsill is not comfortable."

The sticker price for our tester was $48,345.00, which included a base price of $44,800.00; the automatic transmission with/touch shift ($1300); K4 Value Added Package which included xenon headlamps, headlamp washers and heated seats ($1580); and destination charges ($665). The only other option, which was dealer installed to boot, was a trunk-mounted CD changer (no in-dash unit is available) that cost more trunk space but was a worthwhile entertainment-oriented investment.

With these specific options and no sport package, which Steve opted not to get because he thought it diminished the ride, the SLK320 turns out to be a fine grand touring car for those weekend getaways and for cruising main street on a warm summer night.

The Car of the Day is:

The Volvo 3CC concept from the 2005 North American International Auto Show.

If you look closely, you can see the resemblance to the C30 coupe that went on sale a couple years ago. Obviously, Volvo didn’t keep all the styling of this show car, but it’s easy to see the development.

Too bad they put normal doors on the C30!

Again, thanks for stopping by!!!

I’m baaaaack!

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:16:00 +0000

Boy how time flies! Sorry about the break but it’s difficult taking an 8-week Master’s level course in statistics…when you’ve never had it before!

I understood the many concepts and actually liked doing some of the formulas and getting the correct results(sometimes!) but whoa boy, talk about a rough time trying to remeber all that and trying to apply it to real life examples.

Anyhow, after all the time and effort put in I was able to squeek by with a B-. Not my best performance, but for never having a stats class in my life, I think that’s OK.

On to other business…

It’s time again for the Tokyo Motor Show and here’s an email I got from Mitsubishi PR:

Subject:
Mitsubishi Media Alert 10.22.09 - AutoWeek Editors Honor the Best of the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show

Date:
Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:34 AM

AutoWeek Editors Honor the Best of the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show

The AutoWeek Editors' Choice Awards recognize Best in Show, Best Concept, Most Significant and Most Fun

DETROIT. October 22, 2009 -- The AutoWeek editorial staff announced today its 2009 Tokyo motor show Editors' Choice Award winners.

For more than a decade, the AutoWeek editors have walked the show floors in Detroit, Geneva, Paris, Frankfurt and Tokyo, selecting winners in four categories: Best in Show, Best Concept, Most Significant and Most Fun.

The 2009 AutoWeek Editors' Choice Award winners for the Best of Tokyo are:

BEST IN SHOW: Honda CR-Z Concept 2009
AutoWeek editors made their decision on Best in Show in less than two minutes of discussion, in part because the pickings at this year's show were fairly slim. Yes, we've seen the CR-Z before, when it was first announced at this show two years ago. And we loved it then, too. Now that it's closer to production (this was labeled a concept as the production two-seat version we get in the states next year will be shown in Detroit in January), we love it even more. With a 1.5-liter gasoline engine fitted with Honda's Integrated Motor Assist hybrid technology, CR-Z will be the first hybrid with a six-speed manual gearbox.

"We hope that makes CR-Z a different kind of hybrid, one that returns as sporting of a driving experience as the CR-Z's design promises," said AutoWeek Editor and Associate Publisher Dutch Mandel. "Even though this is a concept, we'd love to drive this car just as it sat on the stand, cool wheels and all."

BEST CONCEPT: Toyota FT-86
Gone are the Supras, Altezzas and MR-S models of the past, but the FT-68 Concept could be their spiritual successor if Toyota president Akio Toyoda has his way. This promising concept sports car is a two-door four-seater powered by a 2.0-liter Subaru flat four driving the rear wheels, all for less than $30,000, if and when it comes to market.

"Precious few 'sports' cars offer this combination of powertrain and price, so we can't wait for the production version to deliver on this concept's promise," said Mandel.

MOST SIGNIFICANT: Mitsubishi PX-MIEV Concept
In a show bereft of exciting world introductions, most companies at Tokyo attached a lot of significance to their work on electric vehicles and hybrids. Out of that field, we picked the PX-MIEV not just for the fact that most of what you see will appear as the next-gen Outlander, or that the PX-MIEV is essentially Mitsubishi's Chevy Volt-like range-extender hybrid that will be on sale by 2013. More important is that the hybrid gasoline-electric powertrain telegraphed by this concept will also find its way into all future Mitsubishis, including the Lancer.

"This is the first building block to a future hybrid Evolution," said Mandel, "and that's a highly significant development for enthusiasts."

MOST FUN: Yamaha EC-f
Yes, it's a motorcycle. It's also the first time we've ever selected a motorcycle as best of anything at a car show.

"The pickings were slim at Tokyo, but this thing just looks fun," said Mandel. The colorful little Yamaha is an electric commuter bike made for easy riding, accessible to anyone of any age. Technical data was scarce, since the bike is mostly a styling exercise. But the idea of a stylish electric scooter has us thinking there must be a worldwide market for this kind of fun.

For more information on the Editors' Choice Awards, past winners and extensive Tokyo motor show coverage, visit www.autoweek.com or be sure to pick up the Nov. 16 issue of AutoWeek.

AutoWeek magazine is a fortnightly automotive-enthusiast publication based out of Detroit, Michigan, and is one of nearly 30 titles published by Crain Communications Inc. Through its print and online products, the AutoWeek brand is symbolic of core automotive passion and is a must read for those living the automotive lifestyle. AutoWeek delivers by-the-minute news and updates on www.autoweek.com while taking an in-depth look at all the latest happenings in the primarily subscription-based publication. AutoWeek provides readers with more information more often, giving readers their fix before the other guys even start their engines.

Images

Mitsubishi PX-MiEV Concept

© 2009 Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.

I find this email totally interesting since it showcased different manufacturers, not just Mitsubishi. Cool!

Thanks for keeping up and I’ll get back to the regular format next time!

Driving Miss Vikki

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:52:00 +0000

In my last post I told you about our trip to the great mitten state and a little about our adventures up there. Well, what I didn’t mention was the car we drove.

So yes, the Accord is a well-built, American-assembled car and is a good value for the money.

And now, today’s Retro Review:

2002 Mazda MPV ES

Cargo Ergo Zoom Zoom

by James E. Bryson

We spent a week with a top-'O-the-line MPV ES and found it to be capable, comfortable and worth its price. We also found that it is indeed a sporty little van with a fairly high "Zoom Zoom" factor.

Many nice features:
· Regular windows in both rear sliding doors.
· Power sliding doors.
· And the 3rd row of seats folds flat.

Competent, good design? Yes. Strong performer, good handling? For the most part. Would we suggest it to people? Definitely. Top of its class? Quite possibly.

We found the MPV to be a nice little van on the whole.

And the car of the day is…

Say hello to the Chevy Nomad. This concept was based on the same platform that gave us the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky.

The Nomad was gorgeous from all angles and was infinitely more practical then either the Solstice or Sky, though it’s no convertible.

Enquiring minds want to know…

A Labor/Labour Day to Remember

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 02:53:00 +0000

There’s nothing like taking that end-of-summer road trip. Hitting the highways in search of the last grasp of Summer and the last fun before the reality of Fall and Winter hit.

In 1989, Canada adopted a designation system known as the VQA system (Vintners Quality Alliance) which was initiated by the winemakers of Ontario in recognition of the importance of having standards against which Canadian wines could be measured against the wines of other countries. The system was modeled after the French system which is based on origin and identifies specific geographic areas that have been singled out as having characteristics favorable to the cultivation of grapes. Essex County was officially identified as having two of Ontario’s three Designated Viticultural Areas. The two areas were named Lake Erie North Shore (mainland) and Pelee Island (Island). The third area in Ontario is Niagara, there are also 4 DVA’s in British Columbia. Since then, a growing number of vintners have been reclaiming the soil and the region’s reputation by producing some of Canada’s best wines. Today there are approximately 1,000 acres of grapes in the Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island Designated Viticultural Areas.

Yes, my friends, life is good…

And here’s today’s Retro Review!!

2002 BMW 330xi

Ultimate Driving Machine Indeed

by James E. Bryson

The only downside is paying out the wazoo for the privilege…but we digress.

Needless to say, we drove our test loop twice in this car, just for the grin-factor.

The 330xi is one amazing machine that truly adds flavor and grace to the 3-series lineup. Now, if we could only get them to put a manumatic in it…

And here’s the Car of the Day: It’s the Chrysler Crossfire, first seen at the 2003 NAIAS.

It’s shape is interesting and how can any self-respecting car-lover not love the boat-tail effect on the rear end?

Based on the Mercedes-Benz SLK mechanicals, the Crossfire is well=appointed and comes with a potent V6. The convertible was even sexier…too bad it’s now out of production.

I Sense A Theme…

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 14:22:00 +0000

So in my last post, we talked about how The Wife and I went out on a limb and tried something new for us…Thai food at the Thai Cafe…and we loved it!

Well that was Saturday night. Fast forward a few hours, like Sunday afternoon, and we were all set to make a really nice Italian pasta dish. Then the phone rings…It was our friend Jen and she and her husband Chris were going to sign some papers on the house they are buying and wanted to know if we were busy afterwards because they wanted to meet us at a new place in town, HuHot Mongolian Grill.

Well let me tell you, it was almost a carbon copy of BD’s Mongolian Grill, also mentioned in the last post. What was really nice was that it was late afternoon and we were the only people in the restaurant for quite a while.

Like BD’s, at HuHot, it’s all-you-can-eat with a twist: You get soup or a salad with your dinner! I had the hot and sour soup and it was delicious. It was very tasty, with not much of a bite…that is, until I added some of the pepper sauce at the table.

The rest of the meal was awesome! They had great meat choices (beef, pork, chicken, and three or four different types of fish), great vegetable choices and sauce heaven!

There were 10 to 12 premade sauces and all the ingredient sauces to make your own. I like a good amount of spice (I want to sweat but not profusely) but even though I used a good amount of the more hot sauces, I found my first combination to be quite tame. On the second go, I added a few more ladles of the hotter sauces and got a better result. Moral of the story? Take the heat number as a guide and make sure your first plate is a small one so you can go back and experiment to find what combination you like.

Another small difference between HuHot and BD’s is that you have to ask for rice…and HuHot does not have the soft tortillas that makes BD’s more unique.

So yes, HuHot was good, great really, and it will make a great substitute for BD’s here in the Lou.

Here is this week’s Retro Review:

2002 Acura 3.2 TL

Putting Sport and Luxury Together Like No Other

by James E. Bryson

Luxury in cars means different things to different people. Some like their luxury to be American-esque, a la Cadillac and Lincoln. Some like the European stylings of Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, et al. Still others are more prone to the offerings of the burgeoning Japanese luxury marques. Welcome to the 2002 Acura 3.2 TL and 3.2 TL Type-S.

Though luxury tastes take many forms, the most enticing from an enthusiast's perspective is the teaming of luxury and sport cars. Acura has been putting more sport into the sport/luxury segment since its inception, over a decade ago, with vehicles like the NSX and Integra GS-R. For 2002, Acura ups the luxo-sport ante to better compete with the Europeans and Americans at the game they joined in mid-play.

The TL is the sedan counterpart to the CL coupe that was updated for 2001 and looks as good, if not better than the coupe (if that can actually happen!) and gives Acura a real player for the "mid-luxury" segment, in Acura's own words. Changes to the TL include, but are not limited to, freshened front and rear fascias (with integrated fog lights on all models), more insulation in the doors and improved door seals to lessen noise, vibration and harshness levels, an in-dash six-disc CD changer and engine and transmission improvements.

As a real player in the sport/luxury segment, the Type-S model is motivated by a 3.2-liter SOHC 24-valve V6 that features Honda's VTEC valve timing gadgetry, an all-new, dual-stage induction system and numerous other performance enhancements, which is good for 260 horsepower and 232 lb.-ft. of torque. The base model is packaged with a not-too-shabby 225 horsepower/216 lb-ft. motor. Both models meet Low Emission Vehicle standards, while California bound TLs are rated as Ultra Low Emission Vehicles

All that power goes through a five-speed automatic with Acura's answer to the "manumatic" craze, Sequential SportShift, along with Grade Logic Control, which enhances shifting smoothness and reduces gear "hunting" when ascending or descending steep grades. The transmission was top-notch perfect; the shifts were Cadillac smooth and power delivery was instant-on in every situation.

The only gripe about the transmission was the manual shift mode. The gear changes were not in concert with the movement of the stick and the computer brain controlled the one-two shift no matter what input was received from the driver. We found that it was more satisfying to leave it in drive (D5, each gear had its own detent) and let the computer choose the gears while driving on tight, twisty roads. It just goes to show that transmissions like this are little solace for those of us that want a real manual in such a powerful, well-handling car.

To help get the vehicle around tight corners in a stately manner, Acura has outfitted the Type-S with a sport-tuned double wishbone suspension (with front and rear stabilizer bars), V-rated, all-season rubber on 17 inch alloy wheels and Acura's Vehicle Stability Assist, all as standard equipment.

There's a lengthy list of standard features that come with the 3.2 TL Type-S too. Some features of note include remote keyless entry; DVD navigation system; automatic climate control; an Acura/Bose six-disc in-dash CD player; heated seats with six-way power for the driver and four-way power for the passenger; Driver's seat and outside mirror memory (the mirrors are also heated); automatic down and up for the driver's window; automatic day/night rearview mirror; power moonroof; xenon high intensity discharge headlights; speed-sensing intermittent wipers and the Homelink system.

We had a lot of fun with the DVD navigation system in the short time we had the car. It was quite interesting punching in a destination and then letting the system guide you there. It has a computerized female voice to command you and a host of graphical representations to assist further. Even if you turn the wrong way, the system recalculates its route and helps you get to where you want to go.

Safety features include driver and front passenger dual stage airbags, driver and front passenger side airbags; four-wheel ABS; front seatbelt pre-tensioners; a theft deterrent system with electronic immoblizer; emergency trunk release; Acura's Vehicle Stability Assist; front and rear crumple zones and side-impact door beams.

The total as-tested price, with no options to speak of, topped out at $33,710.00, including the obligatory destination charge, which is a great deal considering all the safety, comfort and convenience features this car offers. We loved driving this car. It handled well in all situations we threw at it and was more comfortable than we expected. The other luxury makes must be laying awake at night, trying to think up the next best thing that might compete with the new 2002 Acura 3.2 TL and 3.2 TL Type-S. These cars are already winners in the 2002 sport/luxury class.

The Car of the Day is keeping with the current and is the Acura HSC concept from the 2004 NAIAS. It was rumored that this was going to be the next NSX. Unfortunately that never happened…

There’s a little bit of Ferrari in the nose and the rear.

But the side view is all Acura, with maybe a little Lambo for added punch!

The Best Thing In Life Is To Discover Something New …

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 14:45:00 +0000

I love to discover new things. Whether a new restaurant or a new magazine or new music. If I’ve never seen it before, then it’s quite new to me and I usually have to find out what it is and what makes it tick.

As an automotive enthusiast I’m always looking for a different perspective or new or different information outside of my usual avenues (Car and Driver, Road & Track, et al). Well, the wife and I were at the local library and I happened to spy a DVD set of the British car show Top Gear. Called “Top Gear 10”, it is the complete tenth season and let me tell you … these guys are awesome! The three hosts (Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and the mysterious Stig, the tame race car driver, who does not speak on the show) are witty, funny and have that dry British humor that I grew up with from my Dad’s parents, who grew up in Scotland.

The show revolves around testing high-power, sexy, great-handling cars along with some crazy stunts and cool reviews of more pedestrian autos. One of my favourite(!) spots is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car, where the Stig trains a celebrity to run on Top Gera’s own race track and we get to see how well that celeb does. In season 10, Simon Cowell was king! Of all people!

Part of Top Gear’s charm for me is the English colloquialisms like Bonnet and Boot (we say hood and trunk), Saloon and Coupe (pronounced coo-pay) (we say sedan and coupe or two-door). Another great one is nicked … as in “they nicked my car stereo last night. Bloody blokes!”

It’s good, irreverent fun and I will definitely keep my eyes open for more seasons and what they have available online.

Another discovery came Saturday night. The wife and I were in an adventurous mood, ever since we ate at Utsav in New York City, we’ve been talking about trying new foods and doing some experimentation. And since the Wife isn’t a big fan of Chinese food, it’s been rough going…

That is, until we sampled Thai Cafe at the eastern end of the Delmar Loop in The Lou. We started with the Thai Tempura (# 10 on the menu) which was vegetable bits battered and deep fried and served with a totally delicious sweet and sour sauce. The veggies were baby corn, carrots, onion, broccoli and red and green peppers. The batter was light and very tasty and the combination of the veggies, batter and sweet and sour made for one of the best appetizers we’ve had in a long time.

The most interesting aspect of the menu is the choices of “meat”, from beef and pork to seafood and tofu, all of which cost extra! It is a grand departure from most American restaurants where the “meat” is included so if you’re a vegetarian, then you’ll still pay for the meat. It is totally refreshing to have that much choice in a meal out and it would be great if more American restaurants would follow suit.

For entrées, the Wife had the Pad Manora; flat rice noodle stir-fried with meat, onion, pepper, bamboo shoot, basil leaves and red curry paste with coconut milk. It’s flavor reminded me of my favorite stir fry place, BD’s Mongolian Grill, where you create your own stir fry and have a ton of choices to flavor the vegetables and meats you choose. The Pad Manora was slightly spicy and had a great curry flavor.

I had the Pad Ped, which included red curry stir fried with meat, bamboo shoots, pepper, and basil leaves, all on a bed of white rice. For my meat, I decided on chicken and it was sensational! The spice built the more I ate and by the end I was sweating quite a bit, but it was never hot and not once did i feel the heat in my mouth. To me, it was the perfect amount of spice and savory flavors.

Bottom line? We’ll definitely return and we definitely have a new genre of food to consider the next time we eat out!

Today’s review is of the 2001 redesigned Honda Civic:

2001 Honda Civic EX

A New, Civilized Civic

By James E. Bryson

In the hilly outreaches of suburban St. Louis, there are many twisty, curvy roads that beg to be driven. Hard. The car of choice might be a Corvette or one of the many expensive sports cars on the market today. But if you, like many of us, can't afford one of these, then a drive in the new-for-2001 Honda Civic EX will give you a taste of what else is out there. Honestly, the only thing smoking during this road test was nothing but tires.

The EX Sedan is a pure pleasure to drive, plain and simple. The test vehicle came with the standard five-speed manual and the peppy 1.7l VTEC inline-four cylinder. It's amazing how quick 127 hp and 107 lb.-ft. can feel, especially in a car that is designated as an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle.

And, given that this seventh-generation iteration has moved from a double-wishbone to a MacPherson strut front suspension, it handles like a more expensive car. Taking the twisties in the Civic is as fun as after-hours trading, the main difference being the instant return on your driving investment.

The shift lever is almost as precise as that of the Mazda Miata or BMW Z3. It's a pleasure to work, back and forth, in small increments, never feeling like you're going to miss a gear because it seems to know where you want it to go, and it takes you there. No other car in this class can match this precision. Honda's engineers have taken a normal economy car and given us something to remember.

On that front, the whole drive train works extremely well together. Honda's venerable VTEC technology (variable valve timing) works wonders in keeping torque high throughout the rev range. That, coupled with a 6700 rpm redline, gives the Civic plenty of oomph to get around without much fuss. And fuss it does not. It tantalizes and taunts, causing you to push harder and farther towards redline, pulling every inch of the way. The best aspect of the VTEC engine is the lack of buzz as the revs reach higher ground.

The 2001 Civic EX has definitely moved upscale too. No longer is it a sub-compact econocar. The EPA rating puts it in the compact class for the first time. If you need proof of this, get a '01 Civic, park it next to an older Accord (the older models give a better indication of the newfound size) and compare length and width. You'll find the Civic to be almost as much car as an old Accord. This overall vehicle growth is becoming an increasing trend at Honda these days.

The upscale near-luxury treatment continues on the inside, where the two-tone dash treatment lends an air of sophistication. The plastics on the dash and the carpeting on the doors have a quality feel that should last for the 150,000 to 200,000 miles some Honda owners put on their cars.

More neo-luxury fair can be found with the shifter itself. The lever is covered in soft leather with a bezel and accent that hold the boot in place. The bezel and accent are done in an aluminum-looking material that almost looks like it belongs in an aforementioned Acura. Though, more such trim pieces would have given the Civic a much more grandiose feel.

On the ergonomic front, where Honda engineers seem to spend a lot of time, the switches are easy to reach and operate and feel like they were taken from an Acura. For instance, you can feel the fan detents when you turn the dial, but they never hinder movement. The transitions are smooth, making the dials feel more expensive. A nice touch for a vehicle that costs under $18,000.

As for price, the top-of-the-line new Civic EX stickered at only $17,160.00. On this model, standard equipment encompasses air (with Micron filter), CD stereo, cruise control, power windows and locks, keyless entry, a myriad of storage cubbyholes, front and side airbags for driver and passenger, ABS, rear seat anchors and tethers for child safety seats, an emergency trunk opener, anti-theft system, 5 mph bumpers and a bevy of other equipment. The only optional piece on the tester was floor mats at $89.00. That plus the destination charge brought the grand total of the tester to $17,689.00. Not a bad deal considering that the average new car leaves the showroom at the mid-$20,000 level.

There aren't many dislikes with the new Civic, thought it can be quite noisy at highway speeds, depending on the road surface. There are a number of factors that could cause this, not least of which is the fact that the Civic is still an "economy" car. It is not an Acura, nor does it claim to be, but a little more padding in the right places might drop the noise levels.

After 336 miles of tortuous driving, the Civic returned 31.1 miles per gallon of gasoline. And, no, there will be no recount. This figure is less than the EPA City estimate for the EX, but the mostly around-town driving was up and down and around the hills of St. Louis, therefore garnering a bit less in the mileage column.

As for crash test data, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives the 2001 Civic five stars for frontal crash worthiness and four stars for side crash worthiness. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has not tested a 2001 Civic yet.

The new Civic is a good buy and a great car for young 20-somethings, older Honda enthusiasts or anyone in the market for a highly contented car for not a lot of money. And with Honda's stellar quality and durability, the 2001 Civic could be the new sales leader in its class.

And now, the car of the day:

This is the Mitsubishi Tarmac Spider concept from the 2003 NAIAS. It’s a cool little car that might could make a big impression today with it’s diminutive size and cute looks.

It does look like the current Eclipse Spider, at least it has some similar styling cues like the complex rear lights and well defined wheel arches.

Hope you had a good read!

AMF!

Always Up For A Little Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 21:05:00 +0000

So we went out last night to Onesto Pizza & Trattoria in the South Hampton neighborhood of St. Louis proper before Vikki had some dental work done today. What a great little place!

It’s the only commercial entity on the whole block but looks like it definitely belongs to the neighborhood. The decor was outstanding and was unlike any strip mall location can hope to offer. The coolest things were the tin roof (painted red!) and the Star Wars figures all over the dining room we were seated in. It was a little hot out so we didn’t sit on the patio, which was large enough to almost double the inside seating capacity.

We started with the Mozzarella Impanata, which was basically a couple chunks of cheese, battered and fried. The batter was light and the cheese was perfectly done, making for one of the best appetizers we’ve recently had, outside of Mexican cheese dip…

Vikki got a calzone for her entre and it came out perfect. The crust was light and tasty and the filling was chock full of the veggies and such Vikki had ordered.

I ordered a small pizza with pepperoni as the only topping. The crust was tasty and, at first, I thought there was too little cheese and sauce. Turns out it was that first piece. The rest of the pizza was almost perfect!

Again, Onesto’s is part of St. Louis Originals, which means we have a bigger stake in going there as we know the restaurant is locally owned and operated. This is from the St. Louis Originals homepage:

“The St. Louis Originals exists to promote dining in local independent area restaurants, to provide diners with a unique local flavor and to raise awareness of independent restaurants both locally and nationally.”

So yes, we will definitely go back to Onesto’s to try more of their Italian fare and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere. And hopefully I won’t have a ginormous lunch that afternoon!

Continuing on with the old reviews, here’s the second Ford Ranger review I have done:

2001 Ford Ranger

Ford Updates Its Ranger Line

by James E. Bryson

Once upon a time, there was a big car company that wanted to make a better truck for the masses. That company worked hard and kept its loyal following up to date with the most current features, and fed the public's hunger for good-looking, well handling small trucks.

The princely Ranger pickup line has given Ford Motor Company plenty of reason to beam with pleasure whenever they mention its name, as it is the best-selling small tuck. It also is a popular vehicle for fleets and small-business people.

For 2001, the Ranger line has been updated with new features and a slightly different look. The interior, which was a friendly and comfortable place before, gets a new 60/40-split bench seat and a six-disc in-dash CD changer. Ranger interiors always have been filled with nice materials, comfy seats with good cloth and, on XLT models at least, good instrumentation.

The cloth-covered seats of our tester were comfortable and the fabric clung when the corners came hard and strong.

The front fascia has changed for 2001: The grill is more subdued than last year's (it doesn't bulge out so far) and there's a body-colored surround rather than chrome. The headlights also have been revamped. They are now jeweled units with an integral turn signal in the same space as last year's lights. It all looks more upscale and expensive. Overall, the new look is a refreshing departure from past iterations.

There are many new features worth mentioning across the whole 2001 Ranger line, here are just a few:

First off, Ford is offering more standard equipment on Rangers, with fewer options packages. They have reduced the total from 330,00 possible build combinations to just 184 and are calling this approach “targeted product offering.”

Second is the Edge model, which is slated between the XL and XLT trim packages. This monochromatic-colored version was designed to appeal to “young, active-lifestyle customers who want a vehicle with a distinctive appearance at an affordable price.” The Edge comes with a washable textured vinyl floor for those young active people to be able to hose out the mess they might make out in the woods or on the trail. It harkens back to the old days when all you could get for flooring was vinyl mats.

Our red tester, an extended-cab XLT 4X2 with the big 4.0-liter SOHC V6, came well equipped and nicely appointed.

We were impressed with the power of the SOHC V6, which replaces the OHV 4.0-liter. The difference is the lack of pushrods in the new motor, making actuating the valves more precise for better control of the combustion process.

In two-wheel-drive trim, though, it was easy to spin the wheels and make a lot of racket with this much power at hand. This new engine to the Ranger line generates 207 horsepower and 238 lb.-ft. of torque. Traction seemed decent on dry pavement, but on wet roads we had our hands full trying to motivate.

The five-speed automatic transmission shifted smooth and sure, especially under hard acceleration. Under normal driving conditions, it shifted more smoothly, making you almost forget its even there. Ford has done a good job on this transmission; it puts power to the pavement in a smooth, seamless fashion.

Stopping is another good point for Ranger. With standard four-wheel ABS and electronic brake force distribution (this system adjusts rear brake pressure to optimize stopping distances depending n vehicle load), we stopped on a dime every time and never felt any fade after repeated stops from highway speeds.

The structure of the four-door extended cab seemed to have been beefed up for 2001. Compared with last year's truck, this one definitely flexed less, making us feel safer because the body felt stronger.

This is also the quietest Ranger we've driven. According to a press release, Ford has employed the gentleman responsible for quieting the Lincoln Town Car to perform the same magic on the Ranger. He has done a good job at quelling noise, vibration and harshness in the 2001 Ranger.

Interior materials were top-notch. We really liked the interior color Ford calls Prairie Tan. It was a shade of brown that looked like sandstone and had a rich hue that gave the interior a welcoming feel. It was a nice departure from the standard gray or black. The seat cloth was nice to the touch but gripped well when we took corners quickly.

One interesting detail of note from the 2001 Ranger press kit: Ranger will be at least 90 percent recyclable by weight. Approximately 10.5 percent of its plastic parts and about four percent of its non-rubber content will be made from post-consumer recycled material. This includes the accelerator pedal, snow shields and engine fan shrouds. The air cleaner cover and tray contain 30 percent post-consumer recycled material, up from 25 percent in the previous model.

All this, coupled with low-emission vehicle status for all Ranger engines, means Ranger is one Earth-friendly ride.

In XLT trim, like our tester, Ranger comes with many standard items, including power windows, locks and mirrors; remote keyless entry; tachometer; driver and passenger airbags; SecuriLock anti-theft; power rack and pinion steering; short-long arm front suspension; and 15-inch chrome wheels with P225/70RX 15 tires.

If we were to purchase our tester, we would pay $21,450.00. this includes the six-disc in-dash CD changer ($270), tubular aluminum bed extender ($195) and a destination charge of $585.

For the price, Ranger still is one of the most popular trucks in the nation. And with the features, look and price that Ranger customers demand, Ford is sure to have the best selling compact truck for many years to come.

And now, the car of the day:

This is the Dodge Kahuna and it was first shown at the 2003 NAIAS.

It’s a “woodie” and is something they really should have built as it’s another in a long line of great design exercises that have never hit market.

‘Till we meet again…

Saludos Mis Amigos

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:42:00 +0000

As I reflect on 10 years in The Lou, I find myself reflecting on my life before and after that monumental move. One of the things I miss most is going to hear live music. With the smoke-filled rooms, my age and the early hours I keep, it’s not as easy as it used to be…that, and I’m not sure where in The Lou to go to find the local musicians who play the kind of music I might be in the mood for.

I was reminded of this last weekend when I went to Pop’s Nightclub with my parts of my lunch crowd.

It seams Savannah’s sister loves this band, Final Drive, and their chance to play at Pointfest on the Pop’s side-stage was hanging in the balance as they were in a battle with seven other bands who all wanted that same stage. This night at Pop’s would crown the winner, through votes cast by the bar patrons

Never one to miss a chance to hangout with the lunch crowd, I was in!

Now, I like a wide variety of music, as attested to on my iPod, but hard-core gangsta rap and death metal (where there’s more screaming than singing) have never been my favorites, and even if I knew going in that the night would prominently feature such acts I still would have gone.

There were eight bands that played and each had about 20-30 minute sets. The was made possible by two separate stages set up in Pop's, which was a great idea and worked well since there was plenty of room for it.

We ended up arriving during the first band’s set, which is sad as Centerpointe was probably the most subdued and pop-like of all the bands. And in my eyes would make a great addition to Pointfest as I thought they were the most marketable.

Other bands of note included From Mars To Venus, who had this Flyleaf-like vibe. I say this as the singer tried to sound like Lacey Mosley but without the full-on attitude and great vocal range. Their music was OK but not a hit at our table.

My favorite of the night was Floodline. They were bluesy, ballsy and well-polished. The bass player looked like he could play with Lynyrd Skynyrd or The Doobie Brothers…and he could sing! Floodline’s music was energetic and well-written. Unfortunately, I don’t think they were a good fit for Pointfest. The kids going there won’t be looking for heavy blues…they want to mosh.

The last band of the night was, of course, Final Drive. They were actually quite good; tight, loud and heavy. Like I said, I’m not a fan of the scream/singing but there were plenty of people at Pop’s who really got into Final Drive's music and really seemed to enjoy their set. I was left with ringing ears (forgot my earplugs) and a newfound appreciation for the local metal scene in The Lou.

As an aside, outside of Sirius/XM’s Liquid Metal, this music doesn’t get much airplay, which means that unless they tour heavily, scream/sing bands like Final Drive have a tough row to sow to make a living out of the music industry.

Here’s the full lineup from Pop’s Pointfest battle from Saturday, July 25th:

Centerpointe
Metal Sanity
From Mars To Venus
Barrel Proof
Floodline
Lesser Key
Emptyset
Final Drive

Here’s an old review of a car outside the ordinary:

2002 Mazda Protegé5

A Way-Cool Approach to the "H" Word

by James E. Bryson

Hatchbacks have never been too popular in the United States. Most people seem to prefer large wagons, an SUV, or a minivan, over smallish economy cars with an increased carrying capacity, compared to a sedan. Enter the new for 2002 Mazda Protegé5.

If you look around there are some new vehicles on our shores that could be considered hatchbacks, depending on how you look at things, and whether or not the manufacturer sees it as one. Mazda, on an upswing these days with many new and interesting products, has designed a "youth-oriented" vehicle that, they say, has exceptional seating and cargo capacity and flexibility and a distinctive, sporty style that reaches out to a diverse group of consumers. Can you say Hatchback?

Introduced as the Sport Wagon at the 2001 Los Angeles Auto Show, the Protegé5 is Mazda's newest product to come from the Protegé platform, and is leading the industry in the new "five-door" niche with great looks and decent performance for an economically minded car.

Unlike the more pedestrian and useful station wagon of yore, the Protegé5 has a very small cargo area concealed by a rigid privacy cover. Most of us recognize this layout as the aforementioned "H" word. But, since doom and gloom come to carmakers that use the "H" word, most have decided to change the image of these runabouts by calling them something else, like a five-door "what-have-you". We have been very impressed with the arrival of these vehicles because the five-door is useful and stylish all at once, unlike a lot of the frumpy hatchbacks we had to buy in the 70s and 80s.

All of these new vehicles, including Chrysler's PT Cruiser, the Suzuki Aerio, the Pontiac Vibe and the Ford Focus ZX5, to name a few, are attractive and offer more cargo hauling choices than their sedan counterparts. The flexibility of the rear hatch to swallow large loads when the rear seats are folded is the best point of these vehicles. While they cannot carry as much cargo as the traditional station wagon, they are a compelling alternative to an SUV, stylish and utilitarian in one compact package. Another point in favor of the sedan-based five-door is better fuel economy and much better handling than any SUV could hope for.

On the flip side, directly comparing the Protegé5 with the best selling small SUV and the newest five-door, cargo capacity is at a premium for the Mazda. With the rear seats folded, a good measure of true cargo capacity, the Ford Escape has 64.8 cubic feet of space to stow your stuff. The new-for-2003 Pontiac Vibe has 57.2 cubic feet available for your mountain bikes or whatnot. Consequently, the Protégé5 has only 24.4 cubic feet to carry what-have-you.

At the least the "Zoom, Zoom" factor of the Mazda outweighs the apparent cargo-carrying deficiency.

When driving the Protegé5, you notice the crisp and quick handling within a few minutes on the road. The slightest movement of the steering wheel makes course changes instantly, while not being too twitchy. Cornering is above par on most surfaces, and traffic lines are cut as quick as the Fed has cut interest rates this year.

We really liked the full gauge cluster and ergonomic layout of the controls. We also liked the positive pedal feel and tight clutch. What was stellar was the shifter. It was the nicest front-drive gear selector we've driven lately and felt almost as good as its sibling's, the MX-5 Miata.

Interior accoutrements are on pace with other vehicles of the sub-$20,000 class. We liked the cloth covering the seats; it's texture and pattern suited the sportiness and utility of the vehicle. Controls were well placed and easy to use. We definitely like the separate stalk with windshield wiper controls.

And we were very impressed with the Protegé5's engine. Torque and horsepower in this engine merge to form a formidable line that propels this vehicle to speed faster than you might expect. With 130 horsepower and 135 lb.-ft. of torque, this little wagon gets going pretty well. One passenger, though, commented that the ride felt rough and the car jerked around quite a bit. While we really don't disagree, we at least can attribute the jerkiness to a touchy clutch and taut suspension.

The styling of the Protegé5 is boy-racer cool, with ground effects all around and a monochromatic color scheme that could make any adolescent drool. As part of the Protegé5 package, you get 16-inch alloy wheels, P195/50R16 all-season tires, large front fog lights, an adjustable roof rack, rear roof-end spoiler, front and rear air dams and side sills, and body-colored power mirrors, bumpers, side moldings and door handles.

Our Protegé5 tester topped out at $18,395 that included a base price of $16,335 plus a small list of options and the obligatory destination charge ($480). The options on our tester, of the few that are offered, were carpeted floor mats ($80), ABS with side airbags ($800) and a power sliding glass moonroof ($700), the last two had to be chosen together to get either.

The Mazda Protegé5 is a veritable bargain in its price class: You get superior handling coupled with enough power to make the most of the handling in an attractively stylish automobile. Long live the hatchback!

And now, the car of the day:

This is the Mercury Cougar Concept from the 2003 North American International Auto Show.

It never saw production but we can always hope, right?

This is one sharp car with great lines and that sporty look a lot of manufacturers are going for these days.

This is just another example of Ford teasing us with a great design that never sees the light of production, but I’m not bitter ;O)

It’s Good To Get Away, But Nicer To Be Back Home

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:06:00 +0000

A weekend in and around New York City is enough to either drive you crazy, or leave you wanting more. I am in the latter category as I love New York!

We saw a ton of sights, including Chinatown, Little Italy, SoHo, Times Square, Fifth Avenue, the MOMA, and more!

The worst part of flying out to the East Coast is the high air traffic. Our flight out on Thursday was delayed about an hour but we miraculously made it to Newark on time. Our flight back was delayed more than a hour…

Without giving you all the boring details, I’ll just talk about some highlights…

Our first foray into The City took us to the Staten Island Ferry to get a close look at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Then we went into Chinatown , Little Italy and SoHo, which is where we found The Cupping Room Cafe. There were a lot of eating choices in the area but we decided on the Cupping Room because their menu looked like it had the best choices. The nest item, according to Vikki and Rick was the pesto mayonnaise. I enjoyed my burger and their fries were out of this world: cut in-house and fried to a nice crisp…not too dry and tons of flavor. A little like Cobo fries if you’ve ever had them in Detroit…or like Penn Station fries.

The second day, Saturday, we headed for The City and walked around Times Square until showtime (more on that later)!

If you’ve ever been to NYC and Times Square, you know how many people there can be walking around. For a little respite and peace and quiet, our group stopped in Colony Music and had a good look around. They specialize in sheet music but also had a lot of CDs, DVDs, commemorative plaques and even karaoke discs! LIke any other place that specializes in all things music, there was plenty of Michael Jackson memorabilia and such.

The real reason we were in Times Square that day was to see “Rock of Ages”, the new-ish Broadway show that features the music I grew up with…Hair Metal!!!! Songs form Poison, Bon Jovi, Whitesnake and more. The story is one of love, urban decay, eminent domain and, of course, everyone learns their life lesson by the end of the show. It was campy and didn’t take itself too seriously, which can’t be said of other Broadway shows.

After the show, we headed for the upscale Utsav, which serves Indian cuisine in a bright, comfy space not too far from Rockefeller Center. Our food was awesome and the six of us shared and delighted in trying each other’s dishes and feasting on bread and desert. What a great place!

On Sunday we ventured out into the foothills west of NYC and found the highest point in New Jersey, marked by a Washington Monument-like obelisk. Built in the early 1900s, the monument features a wide patio for viewing three different states and two distinct mountain ranges.

You can see New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and the Poconos and Catskills mountain ranges. And what a view…

Here’s the wife and me, with a view of nearby Port Jervis, New York.

Our last day in The City was spent at the Museum of Modern Art, where we fond some very interesting displays and kitschy artwork. The most prominent display was of a Chinese artists take on the packrat; his mother kept everything, from food containers to rusted out car parts and even the wood frame from her old house.

We had a a lot of fun hanging out in NYC and can’t wait to go back. Next time, we’re thinking we need to hit some of the other boroughs to get a better feeling of the vibe in the rest of The City.

My cousin’s husband, Rick, had a Honda Ridgeline which reminded me of the Cadillac Escalade, without the luxury and with a lockable trunk not found in the GM products:

2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT

What a $50k luxury truck should be

by James E. Bryson

If you are someone who is a little short on stature (altitudinally-challenged?), then almost any 4X4 can be considered a monster truck. But trucks come in many shapes and sizes, as well as configurations; short and long beds, extra/king/extended cabs with or without four doors, quarter-, half-, and three-quarter-ton and towing options for anything from a small flatbed trailer to a mobile home. And, of course, many different variations on which wheels are driven: 4X2, 4X4, full- or part-time all-wheel-drive and a few variations in between.

As most large SUVs go, they don't get much bigger than the Chevy Suburban/GMC Yukon XL. Sure, Ford has Excursion, but the Excursion doesn't have the history or heritage of the General's twins, which dates back over half a century.

There's nothing like piling all your gear into the cargo hold of one of these beasts of burden and heading out of town to the campsite or a week's worth of travel. And don't forget that boat or camper 'cause you got to have some fun while you're out and about.

While we smile at the fun we could have with the Suburban/Yukon twins, we are reminded that they are but one example of the ingenuity of the General's engineers.

As a matter of principal, the design prowess of GM engineers is what drove us to a frothy mouth over GM's more recent big, bad truck; the Avalanche.

Once Chevrolet let the Avalanche out of its cage, it became the baddest of the bad: The mid-gate design is a world-leader; a tonneau cover that can support up to 250 pounds is worth its weight in gold; and clever packaging ideas like using the rear fenders as a storage area is pure genius.

Chevy had the coolest, most domineering truck in America...until Cadillac decided to enter the foray with its own version: the 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT.

The EXT is a luxurious vehicle by anyone's standards. It coddles its passengers like no other SUV (outside of GM) can. With many of the same features as the Avalanche (including the near-famous Mid-Gate) the EXT offers more luxury and bigger bragging rights derived from the Cadillac emblem on the grill.

Our first impression of the EXT was one of awe. We loved the stance and lack of body cladding on the EXT. The black on black paint job was exceptional and intimidating all at once.

The EXT's clean exterior flowed into the interior as well, with comfortable seats all around, luxurious appointments and an air of class that the Avalanche could only dream of.

Our few minor complaints centered around the exquisite interior accoutrements; no person in their right mind is going to open up the cargo hold to load anything dirty for fear of getting the nice leather and carpeting dirty as well.

There is also no convenient bumper step set on the rear corners like that Avalanche. This deletion says volumes about the EXT's target customers, who will most likely not need to hop up onto the tonneau cover to secure cargo or what have you. Also, speaking of the rear of the Escalade EXT, we seemed to have trouble getting the tailgate closed on a few occasions. On one particular ride, the darn thing actually fell open, startling us into thinking we ran over a VW Beetle or something.

In the engine compartment sits a muscularly tuned 6.0-liter V8 with 345 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. That bests the 285 horses found with the 5.3-liter in the Avalanche and the 300 horses found in the Lincoln Blackwood. This is Corvette territory, folks!

And, unfortunately, this large engine sucks the gas like there's no tomorrow. But, if you're part of the target group for this truck, that probably won't matter much to you. (But 12 city and 15 highway miles per gallon really strikes a sour chord, don't it?)

By now, you're asking yourself "why is the Escalade EXT $15,000 more than the Avalanche?" Well, we're pretty sure a lot of the extra cost has gone into noise deadening material and to making all the doors and tailgate close with a reassuringly quiet 'thunk'. Also, noise from the engine and road are discretely subdued, only coming into play at highway speeds and full-throttle applications. The interior is filled with rich, supple leather, Zebrano wood trim and nice touches for everything from the many storage cubbies to the heated seats, which are almost mandatory with the leather seating surfaces.

It is the Cadillac of trucks and it will not let you forget that easily.

Our Escalade came with no options to speak of; everything was standard from the six-disc in-dash CD changer to the ultrasonic rear park assist. This thing was fully loaded with not much room to spare. The as-tested price of this vehicular behemoth came to $49,990.00, including a rather large destination charge of $745. The only thing we could have wanted in this truck was a DVD player, but that could always be added on later, which Cadillac engineers might have had in mind since our truck had two sets of headphones in the rear center armrest.

As Cadillac's go, this is one bad mama-jama that should help keep the Cadillac brand alive with the possibility of attracting a younger clientele. As trucks go, the Escalade EXT is king of the ranch; a title the EXT will likely hold on to for a long time.

And the car of the day:

The Pontiac Solstice Coupe!

Take away the convertible top and add a distinctive superstructure behind the seats and you get an attractive, well-designed small car.

One of the coolest features is the removable “targa” top. The biggest drawback of the “targa”top? No way to stow it in the car!

“Vacation, all I ever wanted…”

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:07:00 +0000

So today has been fun. Just hanging with the misses getting ready for the flight tomorrow that will take us to the East coast of our great country. I’ve been really looking forward to this trip for a while now.

It’s been too long since I’ve traveled east of the Ohio River and into the Big Apple. The most exciting part is going to my first Broadway show! It’s called “Rock of Ages” and it’s a love story set in 1987 on the Sunset Strip in LA. What’s not to love?? I’ll let you know how it is once we actually see it.

The rest of the time will be spent with my cousin Nancy, her husband Rick and his daughter and son-in-law and their kids…and anyone else who wants to hang!

In other news, GM is out of bankruptcy and is leaner and meaner…I think. It’s hard to get excited about Buick…but the rest should bring GM many happy quarterly earnings; Cadillac and Chevy and GMC truck. It will be very interesting to see how Chevy and GMC get along, and how many models overlap now throughout the whole company.Hopefully the days of making five “different” vehicles out of one are over for the General.

I truly am sad to see Saturn and Pontiac go. They had some of the most interesting cars the past few years from GM. Who will sell the Solstice/Sky now? I suppose they could make it a Chevy…maybe a new Corsair or Monza? Or maybe Cadillac can make it more luxurious and call it a Brough-ham Roadster or something.

Then there’s the G8; which is the best sedan GM put out this century, this side of the CTS. Road-rippin’, gas guzzlin’ V8s aren’t in vogue these days but boy are they a hoot!

For nostalgia’s sake, here’s a review of another long-lost GM orphan:

2002 Oldsmobile Bravada

Oldsmobile's Swan Song

by James E. Bryson

No matter who it is, whether teacher, professor, parent or boss, they always say the most important thing is the first impression. A good first impression can get you in the door. A bad first impression might ruin a relationship for its duration. Our first impression of the redesigned for 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada was mixed to say the least.

Its shape is not unlike its cousins, the Chevy TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy, but it is not as distinctive or striking as the other two. The Bravada is more rounded on the edges and is cleaner but its Olds derived nose and plain tail keep it out of the running for beauty queen. The front end treatment follows the current, and last, Olds styling theme that bears a familial resemblance to the Aurora, Intrigue and Alero. The new Olds logo at the center with the head and turn signal lights to either side with no traditional grill, just a lot of plastic covering the front bumper.

Comfort for a vehicle in this class is an important attribute. The Bravada is comfortable, but you have to work for it. It took about three days before we found a really comfortable driving position, and the jury is still out on that one. We found the seats to be more bench than bucket in feel; we thought more than once that we were sitting "on" the seat rather than "in" it.

In the rear folding the back seat down is a two-step process. First, you pull up on the tab at the rear of the bottom seat cushion then lift the lever on the side of the seat and pull it forward. This causes the headrest to fold back, resulting in a neat and tidy appearance and no storage issues for the headrests.

Opening the rear liftgate is an easy affair as well. Lift up on the handle and it opens effortlessly, with the help of gas-filled struts. The glass opens separately with a push button just below the handle. The button will not work if the vehicle is locked, and there is no keyhole in or near the button, making it necessary to unlock the vehicle either from the inside or a hit to the key fob.

The best rear seat feature is the combination audio and climate controls. When you hit the power button for the radio control back there, the rear speakers cut off for better listening with headphones. The unit gives freedom to the rear seat passengers to listen to what they want, as long as it isn't what the front seat passengers are listening to. For example, if the front seat wants to listen to a CD then the rear seat has to listen to the radio or vice versa.

The rear seat climate control unit is like a "mini-me" version of the main controls. Fan speed, direction and temperature setting are chosen by pushbutton, an intuitive design that makes life a bit easier to cope with in the back seat.

There are two cup holders and one power point in the center console geared toward rear seat occupants. Appointments in the rear seat are well thought out and make the rear as comfortable as the front, as long as no one sitting in front is over 6-feet-tall. The rear door openings are on the small side but seating space is more than adequate for mid-size adults.

There is nothing brash or harsh in driving the Bravada. The transmission shifts smoothly and there's never any bad vibrations coming from the new engine. The only strange thing we encountered was a big-truck-like whine coming from the engine when the air conditioning was on full blast. The strange thing about this noise was that its pitch lowered as engine speed increased and then cut out after a few minutes. Since the air coming out was cold and this didn't adversely affect performance too much so we didn't think much else about it.

For those that have an "active" lifestyle, Olds put an air pump in the rear cargo area. As well as serving as the pump for the load leveling rear suspension, it comes with attachments for blowing up inflatable rafts, sporting equipment and car tires, to name a few uses. We didn't get a chance to use this neat little feature but appreciated it being there.

We averaged 16.3 miles per gallon with the Bravada, which isn't very good for this class, considering that full-size 'Utes are comparable in this department and the new engine has been touted as a gas-sipper.

Our onyx black Bravada had no options, which means our as-tested price of $34,767.00, including $600.00 for getting the truck to the dealer, is at the upper end of the mid-size SUV category. We're not sure this vehicle is really worth the price when there are many great SUVs available today for much less money.

In a few more years, Oldsmobile will be going the way of Plymouth and cease to exist. From what we've seen with this Bravada, bland products like this will not stay the execution. We can wholly understand why GM is sending the oldest carmaker out to pasture.

And now, the car of the day:

Here’s the 2010 Buick LaCrosse. It’s actually quite a nice looking car with crisp lines and chiseled features.

It’s very sharp, indeed. Where was this car 10 years ago??

The rear looks a bit like a Lexus…which might not be a bad thing for a Buick!

In case I haven’t said it before…Thanks for stopping by!

The Monsoon Season Hits St. Louis…

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:29:00 +0000

Yes, the rains have come to the “Lou”. It sure beats mid-90s heat with high humidity…though I’m prepared, now that the air in my truck got a recharge and is blowing cool again.

So last week, the wife and I had some trouble figuring out what to do for breakfast. It was so nice Sunday morning we thought it’d be great to go out, but where was the problem.

The last time we were in Maplewood, we decided to try out a new coffee shop, Foundation Grounds, but since we’d never been, and yours truly was quite hungry, we decided to start off at Schlafly Bottleworks for a breakfast made from local ingredients, including Match meat alternatives, local produce, and even locally grown, free-range bison!

After a most-satisfying breakfast (I had the biscuits and sausage gravy made with Match sausage) we decided to head to Foundation Grounds and are we ever glad we did!

As a coffee shop, Foundation Grounds has a lot to offer coffee-wise, including cappuccino, espresso and other coffee-based drinks, as well as free wi-fi, live music and even a few books lying around.

We were happily surprised with their menu of in-house baked goods and sandwiches, including paninis, quesadillas, salads and much more. We each had a “little” bite…I had a quite large Russian tea cake and the wife had a coconut chocolate cookie thing. Both were scrumpdili-icious!

They also had a good choice of infused tea and lemonade. The wife had the mango-infused tea, which was superior to the one served at Schlafly (sorry Schlafly peeps…). I had the honey/lavender-infused lemonade which was delicious and truly quenched my thirst.

The most interesting thing about our drinks, aside from their deliciousness, was the cups. They were corn cups…biodegradable and even compostable! Too cool!!

So, yes, we will definitely be back to Foundation Grounds. It was a great place with a great atmosphere and friendly, knowledgeable staffers. What more could you ask for?? (Except maybe joining St. Louis Originals…)

To keep the original intent of this blog intact…here’s a “classic” review:

2001 Ford F150 King Ranch

King Of The (Luxury Pickup) Hill

by James E. Bryson

Over the years, the automotive industry has worked closely with designers in different industries to define new ways of presenting the automobile. In fact, before World War II, most luxury brands were one-off autos with signature names from the people that helped design them.

Today, those signature vehicles are almost a thing of the past. In the 1970s, fashion designers like Bill Blass and Cartier had the privilege to help make something different with a few cars but with the oil crises during that time, the automakers had to invest in other areas.

Ford Motor Company is continuing a long tradition of making specialty models with famous names like Eddie Bauer and more recently Harley Davidson. The company has now paired up with the largest livestock ranch in the U.S. to bring us the 2001 King Ranch F150 SuperCrew.

Ford produces the most trucks of any other automaker. In fact, the top selling vehicle of any sort is the F150.

With the freedom to create something special, without the constraints of high volume sales looming over the designer's heads, Ford has made the King Ranch a stand-alone product, with many features not found on other Ford trucks.

The King Ranch is based on the F150 SuperCrew, which is a light duty pickup with four full-size doors and a full back seat. The truck has a shortened bed to accommodate the extra cabin space and keep within the length of an extended cab truck. To make the most of this space, Ford has designed a bed extender for these trucks. It is a u-shaped device that pivots on two points placed on either side of the bed walls. With the tubular steel extender in place, the King Ranch is still capable of easily handling most chores.

We were definitely impressed with the height of this rig. It's not as big as a three-quarter-ton dually, but its got an attitude, replete with honeycomb grill that has a touch of snarl and the large tires that make it look able to run over most cars. Using the running boards to get in is almost mandatory for any rider. And standing tall is easy for this 4X4 because it is shod with P265/60R all-terrain tires mounted on 17-inch chromed steel wheels with body-colored inserts, which are exclusive to the King Ranch.

The interior is swathed in natural-looking leather and cream-colored carpeting and plastics. It is a very soothing, comfortable place. Perhaps because the King Ranch has been making saddles longer than Ford has been making trucks.

There is intricate stitching and embroidery in the seating surfaces, with the King Ranch symbol, two offsetting squiggly lines that resemble a bull's horns, or a long snake, in the headrests.

The rear seat in a carbon copy of the front: two captain's chairs and large center console. They are large and supportive and coddle the sitter. The seats are comfortable enough for long drives without worry of a sore back. The only difference between the front and rear seats is the lack of power adjustment on the rears.

The only thing really missing from the interior is wood trim, which would have really set this truck apart and would have made more sense with the whole upscale western theme.

The basic SuperCrew cabin is quite large and lends a comfortable, airy atmosphere to the King Ranch. The power moonroof was a welcome addition. That, coupled with the four large windows and the sliding rear window, allowed a large amount of air to enter the cabin. It is the closest thing to a convertible truck Ford has. Is you don't like the heat that much, the air conditioning worked well, cooling us off in the 90-plus degree heat we've seen in the St. Louis area this year.

The only cabin detail we would we would have changed would be a power option for the sliding rear window. It was impossible to reach form the front seats unless you got up out of the seat and turned around to reach the catch.

A little history about the King Ranch: It sprawls over 1300 square miles of south Texas and is generally regarded as the birthplace of American ranching. It was founded in 1853 by a steamboat captain named Richard King. He found the land traveling north to Corpus Christi to attend the Lone Star Fair. He discovered an oasis of lush trees and fresh water at Santa Gertrudis Creek and decided he should establish a livestock operation there. Over the next seven generations, the ranch has grown and adapted to the technology of the time as well as weathered many droughts, floods, hurricanes, disease and predators to become the leader of the ranching industry.

The story of Ford and his car company is not much different, though there haven't been many hurricanes in Michigan reported in the last few centuries. Henry Ford started producing cars in the early 1900s and automated the assembly line in the teens, making it possible for his workers to own the product they were making because automation helped lower the cost of that first car: the Model T.

Ford has been a pioneer in the auto industry and, with the teaming of these two powerhouses, we are seeing a substantial new idiom in the pickup truck world.

With luxury and comfort, amenities previously not thought of for trucks, Ford has placed itself at the forefront of a new genre of luxury vehicles and has taken the lead against its closest competitors, namely GMS and Cadillac. The King Ranch F150 SuperCrew is the king of the luxury pickup hill...for now.

The King Ranch package is still being offered, and you can even get it on Super Duty’s as well!

And let’s not forget the car of the day:

This is the 2010 Ford Taurus.

Ford is definitely making great-looking cars.

The best part is they are bringing back the SHO.

Taurus should be available now.

Windows 7 Presale!

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Bryson) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:56:00 +0000

So here I sit, typing on the Windows 7 box I’m setting up. Finally got around to adding the Windows Live suite of programs, of which includes Live Writer…the program I use to write and publish my blog entries (I say finally because I’m in no hurry to get this thing running like my old XP machine since it will all have to be redone in October, when Windows 7 will actually ship).

I must say that Microsoft has a lot going for it right now. Which brings me to this blog post. I just purchased 2, yes 2, copies of Windows 7 Home Premium from Best Buy. If you don’t listen to all the tech podcasts that I do, then you can be forgiven for not knowing of this pre sale, which was leaked to the tech press a couple weeks ago.

What makes this significant for me is that I usually don’t care that much. I bought a laptop for my Master’s program back in September and that had Vista on it…the first time I actually used a Vista computer and I was hooked.

I’ve always liked tinkering with computers and have had many chances to do so with computers from my father in law’s reseal shop; which is how I got a computer to put Windows 7 on in the first place. So not long after I first started using Windows 7, I decided that I need to keep using it!

Anyhow, Best Buy, and possibly others, are selling Windows 7 now…you can get the Home Premium upgrade for $49! That’s incredible! You can get the Professional upgrade for $99 which is even more incredible, but a bit of a waste unless you need the extra “business” functionality, which I don’t. One copy is for the computer i”m writing this on. The other is for my old XP box, which is moving across the room for the wife, since it’s a much better computer than her current one…especially after I put a new video card in it so it can use the Aero Glass functionality.

So there you have it. Microsoft is finally putting out something I’m totally excited for and am willing to upgrade to! Pretty amazing, if you ask me.

And now, the car of the day:

Say Hello to the first ever Pontiac G3…and probably the last ever.

It’s a copy of the Chevy Aveo…this is why GM is in bankruptcy…too many “badge” jobs.

It’s a cute car but I’m not sure exactly how exciting you can make an econobox…