2012 Nissan Altima Coupe 3.5 SR

The Nissan Altima has established a long history of being a sporty, fun to drive car. The only problem for some was that it was a sedan. As Nissan gradually grew the Altima to the larger end of the mid-sized segment, it stayed on the sidelines and watched Honda and Toyota whose Accord and Camry came in two door versions and sold well. Nissan’s last true grand tourer coupe was the 240SX, a car that had all the moves minus the power. Nissan product planners must have decided that the time had come for a car that was more comfortable than the 240SX, but would not impede on the sales of its other sporty coupe: the 370Z. The resulting Altima coupe seems to have the opposite dilemma of the 240SX: more power than poise when up against its natural rival, the Honda Accord coupe.

In 2006 Nissan showed a Altima branded coupe at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The G35 like shape suggested Infiniti performance at a Nissan price point. A year later it was being offered as a 07 model. It was based on the sedan, but with a shortened wheelbase. First name aside, the only thing the coupe actually shares with the sedan is the hood. True to the concept car from 06’, the actual car’ shape was inspired more by Infiniti as it resembles the more upmarket G35 coupe. The upwardly mobile theme continues inside with a simple, sporty almost elegant interior.

2012 Altima Coupe Interior

Like the sedan, the coupe benefits from upgraded interior materials, but is more driver oriented. The coupe was poised to fulfill the Altimas mission of being a bit sporty and fun while staying practical. The large rear hatch makes the coupe the most versatile Altima. To stay further grounded in Altima’s role as a mid-sized, mid-priced car, the coupe was available in one of two engine choices used elsewhere in Nissan’s product catalog. Base cars would use a rather large 2.5L DOHC 16V four-cylinder that produced 175 hp. Top models like the SR got the larger 270 hp 3.5L V6. Like the four, the six cylinder used a DOHC setup but with 24 valves. Both engines were efficient with the four getting around 30 mpg on the highway. A six speed manual transmission was available as was a CVT.

Most cars came loaded with standard high-end technology like push button starting, Bose stereos and a versatile touch screen navigation system which featured a hard drive based music system with a USB port. When the driver was not being amused with the creature comforts, they were treated to Nissan’s simple but effective control layout that follows the tradition of cars like the 240SX or Z cars. As nice as the new Altima coupe was, Honda’s revamped Accord coupe had become the sales leader. The Accord coupe is perhaps the Altima’s biggest competitor. When it was redesigned a few years back, Nissan found itself needing to refresh the Altima in 09.

The revamp included revised headlights, grille and tail lights. New standard features like Nissan’s Vehicle Dynamic Control system was added to improve handling. 17 inch wheels were standard, but the optional 18’s on SE models looked especially handsome while improving ride and handling. Speaking of handling, the Altima’s performance was a bit lacking when compared directly to the Accord Coupe. It lacked the polish and refinement of the Honda inside and its ride quality. A 2009 test by Edmund’s magazine concluded that the Altima had a busy ride, imprecise handling and poor braking (60 to 0 in 135ft.). Harsh words for a car that promises so much in the way of performance (based on looks). To the Altima’s credit it has improved it’s braking performance and either of its engine choices offers plenty of get up and go when you need it, especially with the seldom ordered six speed manual. A V6 equipped manual can easily do 0 to 60 in 6.2 seconds. The mid-sized coupe field is rapidly changing with a new breed of rear wheel driven competitors. The Altima coupe has outpaced Toyota’s Solara, but the Accord is still its main nemesis.

While the Altima coupe may lack the poise of the Accord, it’s more practical than the Mustang or the Genesis Coupe. Then again those cars are in a different league altogether. The Altima will have to make do with chasing the Accord for now until the next redesign, which was rumored to be rear wheel drive. Like the 240SX before it, the Altima coupe is a comfortable car to drive. It is the semi-soft secretary’s car the 240SX was becoming and in many ways is its spiritual successor. For all its faults, the Altima coupe still comes closest to paying homage to the 91-94 sedan’s performance legacy more than any Altima in recent memory.

2007 Nissan Altima Coupe

1996 Acura 2.5TL

Few realize that the trend of Japanese luxury brands started with Acura. Unfortunately for Honda’s product planners, the first batch of Acura cars were uninspired looking although they were well-engineered. After watching Toyota’s Lexus brand steal away sales and later Infiniti capture the publics imagination, Acura decided to turn things around. It started with names. Cars like the Vigor would be replaced by two letter names that sounded technical and mysterious. The first of these cars would be the TL series of front wheel drive mid-sized sedans. The American TL was similar to some version of the JDM Honda Accord and Inspire.

The TL (Touring Coupe) came in two varieties: sport (2.5TL )and luxury(3.2TL). Oddly the sport version had the smaller less powerful engine. A 2.5L 5 cylinder SOHC engine with 176 hp propelled the sport model while the luxury model had a fancy transversely mounted 3.2 L V6 with significantly more power.  The engine configuration of the 3.2 dictated that all TL would have a long hood, potentially suggesting a powerful performance car. Hotrod hopes faded quickly thanks to the Civic LX like 9 second dash to 60 in the 2.5TL. The 2.5TL was third in a comparison of 4 Japanese near luxury sedans. The 1995 Car and Driver comparison included the Infiniti I30, Lexus ES300 and Mazda Millenia (which the 2.5 finished ahead of). The 2.5TL was neither at the top of its class in luxury or performance and placed near the bottom of the group in sales.  Despite the 3.2TL luxury specs, Acura continued to market the 2.5 as a performance car which was double ironic because the front of the 3.2TL looked sportier with its slat running along the lower air intake vs. the plain front bumper of the 2.5TL.

2.5TL Interior

Acura must have hoped that the new TL would make a splash as a sporty car, then later as a luxury one. Around the time of the 2.5 TL’s launch the US was engaged in a bitter trade dispute with Japan. Cars like the TL with their high build quality and reasonably priced luxury were beginning to turn the tables on domestic American manufacturers and the Europeans. The tensions delayed the launch of the more expensive 3.2, effectively making the “sporty” model the only TL available for a few months. The head start did not help sales for much of the reason Acura’s were slow to catch on in the first place: they were boring to look at. Only slightly bigger than the Accord, the 2.5 TL offered only a marginally improved ride and not much more power. It certainly did not look better, taking the safest road to near luxury as possible. The outgoing Vigor was no design vanguard, but it was at least more interesting to look at.

TL’s are essentially Hondas, so they have nicely done interiors that represent the best thinking in ergonomics at the time. The attention to detail extends to the car’s build quality. Too bad the outside remained as generic as a Japanese car could be. Not a plus when up against the Lexus ES300 or BMW 3 Series. The bland factor combined with the fact that very few changes occurred to a car that needed them did not help matters. There were more standard features and a moon roof added for 97 models, but it may have been too little too late. So in the end it may have been difficult for many potential buyers to justify the 30k+ price tag against a tarted up Accord (not to mention a BMW or Audi). Spending a bit more in the TL line got you better performance, but the same looks. That would change with the second generation TL, as Acura finally got its groove on with a more inspired design and performance.

1997 Acura 2.5TL

2011 Masretta MTX

Think of Mexico and what comes to mind? Not cars, even though many are made there in factories from the US Big three and others. For most, the images are not good and certainly the perception is that Mexico could not produce its own home grown car. All of this is why the founders of a long time bus building company set out to build what would be Mexico’s first real sports car.  The Mastretta MTX would be that car. Mastretta Automotive was founded by two brothers Daniel and Carlos Mastretta would follow in the shoes of Diana and VAM, two south of the border car companies who built cars in Mexico as far back as the 50’s and 60’s.

Unlike those trailblazers, Mastretta’s car would go a step further and be completely designed, engineered and built in Mexico without an outside company supplying major components or pulling marketing strings. The very ideal of a Mexican made sports car forced the question, what does Mexican sports car design look like? The answer would come oddly enough in 2008 at the British International Motor Show.  The Mastretta MTX (MTX for Mexico Transverse Engine) would be a compact car intended to compete with the Lotus Elain. The show car was till a prototype with a 115 hp VW four cylinder engine from the fourth generation Jetta. The overall look was reminiscent of mashup of Nissans Mid-4 concept car of the 80’s with vaguely Lamborghini, Lotus and Ferrari elements. Interesting and unique, the MTX created a great deal of speculation and skepticism. Skeptics were encouraged further by the protracted development cycle that lasted for years until final production and release in 2011.

The few cars released to the media as of the summer of 2010 have been nearly complete prototypes. Some almost dealer ready while others were using stand-in components. For the most part, the most important elements like the aluminum bonded chassis, mid mounted powertrain and 2.0 litre engine was in place. At 240 hp, the turbocharged Ford Duratec engine tuned by Cosworth was capable of moving the lightweight MTX to a top speed of nearly 150 mph with a 0 to 60 time in the low 5 second range. The engine also promises to be as durable as any in a Ford.

2011 Masretta MTX Interior

Inside the cozy two seat quarters was a simple race car inspired interior with a control console that is the model of simplicity. The dashboard design itself resembled a deconstructionist sculpture with its exposed surfaces and odd openings. It’s very stark, but was intended strictly for the business of driving as opposed to entertaining the driver with electronic distractions. Low profile tires on 17” rims fitted topped off with Borla exhaust and Hella Xenon headlights complete the package.  Early information suggests that all MTX cars will be equipped with manual five speed transmissions, combined with the lack of air conditioning and stereo should heighten its serious driver street cred.

Although the reviews based on late prototypes were encouraging in print publications like EVO and Autocar, some reviewers were not so kind. England’s Top Gear Magazine was the source of one of the most scathing reviews, prompting Mastretta to make some running changes. Mr. Clarkson’s mean spirited (but funny) review seemed to ignore the fact that nearly all of what’s left of the English automotive industry worth having is foreign owned.  The fact that Masertta responded with improvements instead of arguments suggests that if the Mexicans were willing to offer solutions instead of excuses. Driven by national pride, the Masertta work ethic suggests that the MTX might become a contender that may one day warrant less bias from the (English) press.

The European market remains as one of the most important to Mastretta, as evidence by their arrival first in Europe vs. Mexico’s own International Autoshow.  The 150 cars expected to be produced are in 2011 are destined mostly for Europe and the United States with only 45 slated for sale in Mexico.

Daniel Masettra summed it up best when he said that “we needed to produce a great car because Mexico had no tradition of producing sophisticated sports cars”. Even with the relatively small numbers, the MTX might become a hit with its target market. For those who might want an occasional track day weekend racer that can be driven every day for the cost of a Ford, the MTX might be the car. At around $60,000 (USD), the price is similar to the Elise, so the MTX will have to do more than offer better performance (a tough challenge). For some the novelty of being the rare “Mexican sports car” might be enough.

2011 Masretta MTX

1972 Chrysler VH Valiant Charger R/T

It’s easy to forget (or not be aware) that the 60’s muscle car revolution in America had counterparts in other parts of the world. Australia’s muscle car era most resembled Americas, down to the cartoon icons that graced some of its Chryslers.  In Australia for instance, the battles between Ford, GM and Chrysler were playing out but with slightly different names like Holden (GM), Valiant (Chrysler) and Ford. Looking back, the similarities to the American horsepower battles were as startling as the differences. Like an alternate universe but one where different market forces shaped familiar, yet alien players.

1973 Valiant VH and VJ Chargers

Today it’s mostly Holden vs. Ford, but Chrysler was once a force to be reckoned with under the name Valiant. The Valiant brand had a reputation for performance and shared many of the technical distinctions Chrysler employed in its famous US MOPAR cars. There were innovations used only in used in Australia that would have made the American cars more competitive during the 70’s if used universally.

The Valiant performance portfolio was dominated by the likes of the Charger. Unlike the US car, the Aussie Charger was a vast family of cars with long and short wheelbase coupes and sedans that were categorized in time by series that go something like this: VH, VJ, VK and CL. The top performance models (R/T and 770) usually featured a three speed automatic or four speed manual gearbox and were sprung much like a traditional 70’s era rear live axle muscle car.

Valiant VH Charger R/T Interior

VH through VK cars are noted most for performance, with a history that nearly paralleled the US Charger. The short wheelbase Charger coupes were the performance leaders with Hemi inline 6 cylinder engines instead of the V8 of American cars. The first VH series Charger was the most popular. It was a sales and critical success with one member of the Australian press declaring the VH Charger “one of the most beautiful cars ever produced in Australia and the most attractive Chrysler ever”. That last point might cause some ruckus with MOPAR fans and collectors. The American cars have certainly been more sought after worldwide, but the Aussie cars are far more interesting technically.

Any comparison between the Dodge and Valiant Charger starts with outward appearance. The American cars were always larger. Their flowing ‘C’ pillars lines looked almost elegant and the long hoods accommodated V8’s that got as big as 7.2 litres. By contrast the Valiant Charger was smaller, more taut looking as if it was ready to pounce in a fit of tension. The lines were not as graceful and at some angles and looked like a characterization of a MOPAR car with compressed dimensions. Similarities aside, the Valiant Charger made due with less in the displacement department. Often the results were just as impressive as the MOPARS with much larger engines.

The vast majority of the Australian Charger’s legacy was made with the high-strung triple Weber carburetor inline 6. Called the Six Pack (just like in America), these Hemi started with 215 hp in 1971 and climbed due to various engine tweaks. In this regard, the Valiant Chargers had an American like image and advertising campaign but were more like Japanese or European cars in that they were constantly pushing the technical envelope of smaller displacement. There would be V8 Chargers for a brief period of time, starting with VJ variants in 1972. They were two and four barrel designs about the size of the smallest US V8 Hemi (3.6 litres) but making up to 275 hp!  With top speeds of 122 mph and 0 to 60 times in the low 7 second range, the Charger was well ahead of any Falcon or Commodores of the period.

1972 VH Valiant Charger R/T

It would not have been a stretch to say that the Australian cars outperformed their emissions strangled American cousins in many respects. This would certainly be true by 1975 as the American (Dodge) Charger had become a 4,000+lbs. whale of a car with only 150 hp coming from a 6.6 litre V8.  By contrast, the top Chrysler Hemi Charger of that year made 230 hp from just 3.6 liters from an inline six cylinder. Emission controls had hit the Australians too. The performance oriented Charger would still out muscle most US Chryslers with the 245 and 265 Hemis.  There were still V8’s to be had, but they were low compression and not tuned for performance (the street racer kind).

The market was clearly changing and Chrysler’s partner Mitsubishi would influence the Charger line as it would in America a few years later with more efficiency. The cars grew softer and more luxury oriented, but retained the overall look, even as the line ended with the CL series in 1978. Chrysler dropped the Valiant brand in Australia and started marketing all of its products under its own name.  The name change was fitting for the transition that Chrysler had made from performance oriented Valiant cars to smaller more efficient import influenced products for the 80’s. Today the Hemi lives in Australia as the Chrysler 300C or the occasional Jeep or Dodge branded SUV, but the hey days of Hemi performance coupes in Australia may be long over.

Chrysler Valiant Charger R/T

1966 Oldsmobile Toronado

Life was good for American car makers during the Seventies. Engines were big, gas was cheap and everything coming out of Detroit was being propelled by the rear wheels. Even as sales and profits were reaching record levels, a small few were planning for the future. A future of expensive gas, looming smog regulations and God forbid, the front wheels having to provide steering and power. Oldsmobile was one of those companies that was thinking about what could be and was not willing to rest on its laurels.

Oldsmobile had been flirting with the development of front wheel drive since the late 50’s and was waiting for the right time to bring the technology to market. The opportunity came in the form of a design, inspired by a random sketch penned by a GM stylist. The sketch eventually became the basis for Oldsmobile’s planned personal luxury flagship, a car intended to go head to head with Ford’s popular Thunderbird. This would be no ordinary car, as it would be large, powerful and be driven by the front wheels. Before the Tornado there had not been an American made car with front wheel drive since the Cord 810 of the 1930’s. In the 60’s a typical front wheel drive car in America was usually a dinky import with lawnmower grade engines compared to the big V8 of the period.

The yet un-named car went through seven years of extensive testing, not because it was a standard procedure, but to insure that all the new technology that would go into the big coupe would be reliable. A name was settled on after considerations included Magnum, Scirocco and Raven. Tornado was chosen probably because it was the name of a Chevrolet concept car from 1963 that had no chance of seeing production.

1966 Interior

The Toronado would share its E body platform with the upcoming Cadillac Eldorado, but would look nothing like it. It was originally intended to be a smaller car, but cost efficiencies ruled out a whole new exclusive platform (that was more likely to be a Cadillac perk anyway). The Tornado was a striking design, probably more impressive due to the decision to go with a larger than originally planned design. Its long hood hid a powerful 7 litre V8 that produced 385 hp. Amazingly, so much power in a front wheel drive car produced surprisingly little torque steer. The press remarked that the Toronado performed much like any big American car of the time. As if to prove the value of front wheel drive, Oldsmobile featured the 68’ Tornado in ads going up Pikes Peak. Customers in cold weather climates already knew the value of the Tornado’s traction in snow as it was drivable while many rear wheel drive cars remained stranded in the harsh winter of 1968/69’.

Traction was assisted by a front weight bias that put force on wheels that in most cars was dead weight. Credit for the front wheel drive packaging of the transmission, steering and propulsion was due to the Unitized Power Package (UPP), Oldsmobile’s name for a compact engine/transmission module that could fit into the space normally allotted for a conventional front engine/rear drive setup. The “no replacement for displacement” motto was in full effect under the long bonnet. The 7.1 litre Super Rocket V8 in the Toronado had more power than those in a typical Ninety-Eight, due to a Quadrajet 4-barrel carburetor. Other innovations including the famous 3 speed Turbo-Hydromatic transmission would debut in the Tornado.

The massive 119in wheel base insured a smooth ride, but underneath the suspension would look much like any other big GM car, but with a twist. The front suspension used a torsion bar (GM’s first application in a car) while the rear used a simple beam axle with leaf springs. Brakes were initially drums all around until overheating problems prompted the addition of standard disc up front in 1967.

Specially designed Firestone tires were developed to handle the traction and weight demands placed on the Toronado that normal ployglass tires were not ready for. The weight alone of the car could approached 5,000 lbs, but did not hinder performance as the Toronado was capable of a 0 to 60 run in as little as 7.5 seconds.  The breakthrough qualities of the Toronado did not go un-noticed by buyers or the media. The list of accolades began to grow as the Toronado was Motor Trend’s “Car of the Year” in 1966.  The big coupe even placed third in the running for “car of the Year” in Europe, where front wheel drive was more commonplace. Sales were very good. The sleek Tornado brought in the growing post-muscle car crowd, while driving traffic to other products.

1970 Oldsmobile Toronado

The overall look of the Toronado changed little except for the front end which received a chrome frame around the grille. The pop up lights remained, but were now concealed in the grille after 1967 and eventually were exposed. The rear had its share of revision also, going from the a big chrome bumper below the tail lights, to a larger chromed lower half that encased slender lights. The look was not as elegant, but was slightly more performance oriented. The inside with its innovative draft free ventilation system stayed very much the same.  The unique instrument arrangement framed by a stylized steering wheel was as distinctive as the car’s exterior.

Today, the first generation Tornado remains one of the most beloved Oldsmobiles in history – right up there with the 442s. And for good reason, as no one car has contributed so much to the modern car standard that we now take for granted from GM. The Toronado started GM’s infatuation with large powerful front wheel drive cars that has continued today.

1966 Oldsmobile Toronado

1987 Zimmer Quicksilver

When I watch rap videos, I’m always amused by the bad taste bestowed on otherwise perfectly good examples of 70′s and 80′s automotive iron. Often the most hard-core performers with smaller worldviews tend to prefer the baroque styled products of GM and Ford from ages past. I tend to see the same four or five old cars in every video, as if the 80′s had no ready-made from the factory  examples of bad or excessive taste. A car that should have been included in the rapper’s old car portfolio is the Zimmer Motors Quicksilver. Depending on who you asked, it was the pinnical of American 80′s luxury style for better or for worse.

Zimmer Classic GS and Quicksilver

The Quicksilver embodied all of what was good (and bad) about American luxury cars from a styling perspective. The Syracuse, NY based Zimmer Motors was well-known mostly for its (hideous) “neo-classic” Golden Spirit, a car you would see in an occasional rap video. The companies other car, the Quicksilver was decidedly more modern and subduded. Designed by a former GM stylist, traces of Cadillac and Oldsmobile influence could be seen in long (engineless) hood, stout greenhouse and heavy chrome bumpers.  From some angles, especially the front, the Quicksilver had all the panache of a Aston Martin Lagonda. Only the view from the side revealed a little car trying to look big.

Despite looking vaguely familiar, the Quicksilver was not a kit car, but was actually based on real production bits that came mostly from the Pontiac Fiero. Built in Florida, it carried over all of the Fiero’s mechanical traits like it’s mid-engined design and 2.8 L V6. The Fiero’s A and B pillars were almost unaltered, down to the rear window treatment. Although the Quicksilver looked big due to its imposing hood, it was not much longer than a mid-sized GM car of the period and weighed under 3,000 lbs.

Quicksilver Interior

The GM connection meant that Zimmer did not have to crash or emissions test its cars because in this case, Pontiac had already done the dirty work for the Fiero. It also meant fort consumers that they could get their Quicksilver serviced at Pontiac dealership (companies flagship car, the Golden Ace was Mustang Based and enjoyed a similar service agreement). The agreement extended to warranties for the various GM components, making the Quicksilver something of a domesticated exotic. Performance was anything but exotic with a 0 to 60 time of 9.7 seconds and a top speed of 121 mph. With the available four speed automatic transmission,
highway fuel economy was firmly in the mid 20′s.

At more than $50,000, the Quicksilver had a steep asking price for what amounted to a 140hp Fiero cover. To Zimmers credit, the low production numbers allowed many personal touches that made the Quicksilver more appealing than any Fiero (on the inside at least). Luxury features like blurled walnut in the dash and console and black suede lined interior roof exemplified the high-end of baroque style American luxury. Quite a few notable celebrities thought so too like Hulk Hogan, Sly Stallone, Frank Sinatra and Liberace. Although these  influential people represented extremes of good and bad taste, their influence was not enough to lift the Quicksilver out of the shadow of the more hideous looking (and popular) Golden Spirit. For all its attempts to alter the Fiero interior, the door panels looked almost the same and the same basic low tunnel dweller seating position persisted.

The Quicksilver was only sold for a few years. Each of the limited build of 50 to 170 or so cars a year was accounted for. The parent companies financial woes and the firm’s leader’s death forced new ownership, just as the Fiero had reached the end of the line. The final year of the Quicksilver should have benefited from the improvements made to the Fiero’s double wishbone front suspension, but it would be too late for both cars. Had a car like the Quicksilver been around during today’s age of media saturation, more than one rapper would have danced around its outlandish lines. Suddenly Impalas and Monte Carlos with 20′ chrome rims look tame by comparison.

1987 Quicksilver Rear

1994 Ford Mustang GT

The 1993 Mustang represented the end of the line for the popular Fox based platform car that debuted in late 1978 as a 79 model. 1994 marked the 30th anniversary of the Mustang and what better way to mark the occasion than with an all new car. Although new, more than 500 components from the old car carried over. Unseen items like the floor pan were carried over, but nearly everything else visible was new. The Mustang design Team was said to be holed up in an old abandoned Montgomery Ward warehouse south of Dearborn Michigan for three years, working on the successor to America’s most popular pony car. In some ways, the guys over at Chevy beat them to the punch by a year when they managed to let their next generation pony car out the gate first. The year wait was worth the difference, as the Mustang was more modern than the Camaro and arguably as much fun. It certainly was less controversial looking.

Mustang GT Interior

The look had been carefully focus grouped and a design was chosen that was firmly in the middle of a trio of proposals ranging from all out aggressive brute to a softer themed car. In a further attempt to connect with Mustangs of the past the new car’s aerodynamic styling took cues from 60′s era cars like the scalloped sides and three slant tail light lenses. The link to the 60′s continued inside with twin pod like dash styling wrapping around a spartan but modern interior. Ford worked with Mustang car clubs to roll out a campaign that linked the two era Mustangs together with the advertising tagline: “It is what it was”.

The model lineup became simplified, while the options list grew significantly. The 94 Mustang was offered in either convertible or coupe, with a small trunk. The hatchback had become a thing of the past. Base Mustangs no longer used the small 4 cylinder engines of previous cars. Now with a 145 hp 3.8L V6, owning a base LX Mustang was not as embarrassing as it once was (but could be dusted by Ford’s own Probe GT). The V8 5.0 liter carried on, but was good for 215 hp. Thanks to tighter emissions controls, the 94 GT had less power than the 93, but still kept 0 to 60 times in the mid six second range.  Unlike the previous generation car, no sleeper versions of the LX with GT power were ever introduced from the factory. With its big wheel wells able to support something much larger, the standard 15′ wheels looked too small on the base and LX cars, making them look cheap and weak. Base cars were often dressed up by dealers with decals and rear spoilers in an effort to pad the profits, but these add-on did nothing to improve performance (or often looks).

1994 Ford Mustang Base

V8s were exclusive to the GT model with its 16 in wheels and dual exhaust. In a nod to the Probe, the standard GT wheels were a three spoke design similar to those on the almost Mustang replacement. GT buyers had the option of moving up to more aggressive looking 17 in wheels and for the first time ever, all Mustangs came standard with four-wheel disc brakes all around. The 94-96 Cobra models offered more power and were the most attractive yet, with distinctive round fog lights and standard 17’ wheels.

The redesign was a success. Sales of the 94 were very good but nowhere near the 65 models, but Ford managed to sell more than 123,000 units. That was better than the Camaro, so that was all that mattered. The V6 Mustang coupe became the most popular version. With many of the body flex problems and crudeness of the third generation car fix, the Mustang was poised to go head to head with the Camaro/Firebird in the modern pony car wars of the 90′s and beyond. Today the Mustang is the longest running continuously produced pony car and judging by sales numbers is no doubt still Americas favorite, even in the wake of reborn Camaros and Challengers.

The last of the Fox platform Mustangs are still quite common and represent a good value as a cheap, easy to maintain and fun to drive car. The 94 through 96 models represent the original “new” design with 97 to 2003 cars representing the less attractive squared angular look. These cars are not as polished or refined as some of the Japanese competition, but Mustangs (and all American pony cars for that matter) were in a class by themselves anyway.

1994 Ford Mustang GT Convertible

2000 Nissan Silvia S15

The New Year brings many exciting prospects for car lovers. One development to look forward to is the re-emergence of affordable rear wheel drives cars. Toyota and Subaru will offer one  soon, while Hyundai has for over a year now. It’s easy for fans of Nissan’s 240sx to feel short-changed. After all the old 240SX offered a lot of promise with it’s tight handling and rear wheel drive. It’s only short coming was its lack of power. The S platform chassis was easily able to handle 50 or more hp. So when the word came that the S14 would be discontinued in America (and the 200SX in Europe), many of the Nissan faithful suddenly found themselves without a mid-priced rear wheel drive coupe to look forward to.  To this day, the void left by the departure of the Silvia S14 (or 240SX) was never quite filled by the likes of front wheel drive Sentras and Altimas.

The Silvia lineage however would continue without missing a beat in Japan and Australia where the new S15 would continue as the Silvia in Japan and the 200XS in Australia and New Zealand. The basic setup was similar to the S14 with rear wheel drive and a proven McPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension. The Silvia S15 would feature revised and updated styling that clearly identified it as a Silvia, but with updated curves that gave way to softened edges.  The new look was elegant, yet had a more aggressive face and could be pushed toward the boy racer look with factory available aero packages that went from wild to silly (large rear wing). From some angles it looked as Nissan’s designers were inspired by the Ferrari 456GT. This generation was perhaps the best at tip toeing the line between sport and elegance when left in stock form. There were two trim levels available; both came with the option of various aero enhancements. Generally the S-Spec was normally aspirated and the Spec-R cars were turbocharged.

The exaggerated looks aside, the Silvia finally had an engine to match its aggressive exterior. With 250 hp, the new 2.0 was a much better match for the chassis as had been in the past. Turbo cars could easily reach 60 mph in the mid five second ranges. Although Nissan may not have published a top speed, Autocar magazine estimated 153 mph for the 1999 Spec-R models. A normally aspirated version of the engine was available with 165 hp, a noticeable improvement over the previous generations 145hp only US market 240SX.

Silvia S15 Interior

The inside remained the simple, stick to the basics layout that S13 and S14 drivers had become accustomed to with essential controls all within easy reach of the driver in the low slung cockpit. Very little is written about the S15 Silvia in mainstream media, but in Japan it had become a drifting sensation for many of the same reasons the S14 did before it.  For this reason many American enthusiasts are familiar with the S15 if only by reputation (and the occasional video game).

In Australia and New Zealand only the turbo version was sold, although they were slightly detuned. Like in Japan the car came in Spec-S and R types, but was called 200SX like they had been in the previous generation.  Nissan decided in the late 90’s to consolidate its many platforms and the S would become a casuality of efficiency. The new rear wheel drive FM platform would be the source for many of Nissans performance products including the Z cars and the Skyline.

Unfortunately for fans of rear wheel drive performance, Nissans grand scheme resulted in only more expensive cars being powered by the rear wheels. The affordable segment vacated by the Silvia would now be the job of the Altima Coupe in many markets. As nice as the Altima was, it was no Silvia. With Toyota and Subaur’s new affordable rear wheel drive coupe just around the corner, it may be time for Nissan to re-introduce the Silvia to a new and receptive market.

1999 Nissan Silvia Spec S

Volvo S60 R-Design

If you follow the Swedish automotive industry, you’ve no doubt heard of all about Saabs financial ills. While Sweden’s second largest auto company has had a difficult time finding (and keeping) a stable owner, it’s up river neighbor Volvo has been quietly remaking its image from the maker of stodgy safety boxes to sleek safety wedges.

The transition of Volvo to sporty is far from complete, but made significant steps in the past with the 850R and S60R. Volvo has always chosen to endow sedans or wagons with its flagship performance banner “R-Type” as if to hold back on being too sporty or appealing to gearheads looking for traditional sports car proportions. A small departure from the norm came in the form of  the promising C30 hatchback coupe.  It was featured in a sporting support role in the first Twilight film. In its continuing role in the affairs of Cullen family,Volvo will reprise its role in the new Breaking Dawn film with an appearance from the S60 R-Design.  Unlike the C30 which sport versions were mostly cosmetic, the S60 R-Design packs some real performance hardware.

Volvo/Breaking Dawn Promo Ad

Volvo has made an attempt to reach out to a new audience. The tweens who will be going to see the adventures of Bella and Edward are not likely to be able to afford the nearly fifty thousand dollar R-Design, but Volvo is hoping it makes an impact that will spread to lesser Volvos like the C30.  Oddly, placing a car in a film featuring people who are by their very nature dead (as vampires tend to be), puts Volvo in new territory.  That being a realm where safety is no longer the primary concern, but plays second fiddle to fun – something alien to most Volvos of the past. Why care about safety when you are already dead? Volvo’s bet is that more fun-loving sandal wearing, Mountain Dew drinking 20/30 somethings will bite (if not saddled with too big a student loan of course). It makes sense considering that a younger Edward drove a C30, now having been married he and his new wife have matured to a S60 R-Design no less.

The design trajectory of the S60 would support an appeal to more youthful buyers. The S60 was new in 2010, replacing the boxier first generation cars from 2000-09. The mid-sized S60 lost some of the angular distinctiveness that made it identifiable as a Volvo. The new shape is very un Volvo like in that its sleek, taunt and very curvy. It’s high tail and ground snorting nose looks more like Buick’s new Regal than anything ever to come out of Gothenburgh.  Volvo’s designers seem to be getting out more and the exposure to global trends looks to be shaping all new Volvo cars (for better or worse). Traditionalist may argue that only Saab is designing truly Swedish looking cars.

UN-traditional looking or not, the S60 covers all the bases and comes in no less than 17 versions around the world with 9 different engines!  Only three flavors are offered in the US with two engine choices, a 5 cylinder in the base T5 and a in-line 6 cylinder in turbo or normally aspirated guise (T6 AWD/R-Design). When turbocharged, the 3.0 makes 325 hp, 25 more than the same non turbo engine in the T6 trim. Both trim levels with the 6 cylinder come standard with AWD and a host of interesting technical features that take the concept of safety to all new levels of nannying.

Volvo being the safety minded company that it is, not only made plenty of safety features available for those inside of the car, but pedestrians as well with two systems that warn the driver of impact with objects or people. Clearly, Volvo makes most other car manufactures look reckless in this regard. The S60 in any form is probably not the car to be used in Death Race 2000, but there are other bits of technology to make the R-Design easier to drive aggressively in all types of road and weather conditions.

2011 Volvo S60 R-Design interior

The benefits of all wheel drive are enhanced by a dynamic stability control system. No manual transmission is available as might be expected, but the autobox does have six gears from which to work with. Like any car that pretends to run with the A4 or 335, the S60 R is loaded with all the cabin entertainments expected in a modern car (Bluetooth/HD Radio/USB Interface etc.). At around $47,000 the S60 R is priced between the A4 and 335i. A typical student load bill might cost the same but can’t transport 5 vampires in total comfort. The smooth quite ride is well damped from exterior elements, yet allows the driver a certain amount of road feel. A recent edition of Motor Trend clocked the S60 R at 5.3 seconds in the dash to 60 mph, making it no slacker at the stop light. The German competition does most of these things better (with somewhat higher resale value), but the S60 R has been said to allow more drivers the ability to operate their cars closer to the limit with a kind of ease not encouraged in a Audi or Lexus. So no loosing control and crashing scenes if you pass on the high performance summer tire option during the winter.

The new S60 is a big step in Volvo’s continuing attempt to alter its image while holding on to that which makes them popular (safety).  Polestar, a performance engineering firm who partners with Volvo often (they created nearly all the R type cars of the past), has been fiddling with a beefed up C30. At 405 hp the AWD Polestar C30 might not make it to market, but certainly it bodes well for some future version of the S60 or its successor to continue Volvos march to the performance flag for Sweden. Volvo will likely always be about safety first. It’s just good that Volvo finally has been adding more style with that equation, even if it means rolling  with vampires to prove it.

2011 Volvo S60 R-Design

1985 Ford Escort GT Turbo

The term pocket rocket conjures up images of quick econoboxes tuned to run with the big boys. Names like Omini GLH, Rabbit GTi and Corolla GTS are dropped by those old enough to remember when the term coined in the 80′s. An often overlooked  canidate for inclusion into this club came from an unlikely source.

Fords homely Escort ‘world car’ was new to the US market in 1979, but despite the family ties implied by the world car title, it was quite different from its European cousin. It would retain the familiar hatchback shape and even have a independent suspension (almost unheard of in small cars at that time). As nice a car as the new Escort was on paper, it was develop a reputation as nothing more than the cheapest rental or starter car.

1983 Mercury Lynx Turbo

Ford’s Mercury division would have its own version of the Escort called the Lynx. The Lynx by virtue of being a Mercury was slightly more upscale and better optioned, but offered no real distinction. They looked so much alike that closer inspection would be the only way to reveal the Lynx verticle grile (vs. Escort’s horizontal) and Mercury logos. The differences in the sporty versions of these cars were not so pronounced either. Introduced in 1983, the Escort GT would be the top performance oriented Escort. Mercury soon followed with the Lynx RS, a car that would feature its own take on the Escorts looks, inside and out, but once again remained almost identical. The look was racy enough, but substance lagged. The boxy shape was aided by aero enhancements that included a chin spoiler and a large flat rear spoiler that assisted in the Escorts shape defying drag coefficient of .38. The Escort GT were the second car from Ford to get the new metric designated tire sizes with a 185/65-14 Michelin TRX.

1983 Mercury Lynx Turbo Interior

The Escort GT and Lynx RS were merely adequate small sporty cars when  introduced. They sported “Euro Inspired” blackout trim and sports stripes, but did have a slightly more powerful 88 hp 1.6 litre engine. Normally aspirated, it produced 88hp thanks to electronic fuel injection and a hemispherical combustion chamber with angled valves. Compared to the base cars with their 68 hp, the Escort GT (and Lynx RS) was a step up in performance but still had the image of basic transportation that the base cars had established due to their enormous popularity. Ford was looking for a way to capitalize on the Escorts popularity with a variation that would surpass even the GT’s standard performance.

The answer would come with turbocharging. The Mustang’s bigger four cylinder got turbocharging in an attempt to bridge the gap left in the wake of emissions regulations. It was a marginal improvement over the V8 in only a few performance categories. When packaged in the smaller lighter Escort, the turbo made for a altogether different and more exciting little car. The turbocharged engine started with the 1.6 litre four from the GT.  A special oil cooler, exhaust manifold and intake would further distinguish the turbo models from the GT. Unlike the European Escort Turbo, the US cars had no intercooler. All the modifications resulted in a healthy increase to 120 hp. The power to weight ratio that was actually better than the 84 Mustang GT equipped with the turbo 2.3 engine (145hp). Like the turbo Mustang, the Escort GT Turbo was only available with a 5 speed manual transmission.

While a manual transmission might have turned off some pretenders, the Turbo represented a serious performance car intended for those who took driving more seriously. When equipped with the TRX handling package, the Escort offered similar performance to the Rabbit GTi, but was much faster. Typical 0 to 60 runs were in the low 9 second range while top speed was 115 mph. We laugh at that now, in a time when even the most pedestrian cars can top 120 mph.

For its day the turbo Escort was an impressive little machine. Sure they were a bit scrappy and fit and finish was not up to the emerging standards being set by Honda and Toyota, but the Escort Turbo was a fun car to drive. By contrast, the base Escort was capable of no more than 90 mph at top speed, so a Escort Turbo was stealthy in its own right. This level of performance did not come at the expense of fuel economy. With highway mileage in the high 30′s the Escort stayed true to its economy car heritage.

The inside was perhaps where the Escorts modest origins would betray its upmarket aspirations. Even with a slightly tarted up exterior, you knew you were in an Escort. Cloth seats were standard, although some had fabric patterns that recall Recaro-like designs.

Subtle inconsistencies in fit and finish quality would haunt all Escorts of this era. The media in general was not so forgiving. The Escort would often rank behind import cars with a similar mission due to the lack of refinement. When compared to cars like Honda’s Civic S, the Escort seemed less fun to drive when the road became curvy. With a starting price of $8,680, sales of the turbo cars were never really all that good to start with. The price premium they demanded over the standard GT was within a thousand dollars of a turbo Mustang. That was too close for most buyers when the Escort GT Turbo was after all still just an Escort. The Escort GT and Mercury Lynx XR3 would have turbo options for only two model years. These would be the best performing Escorts until the Mazda sourced cars arrived in 1991. By that time the ‘old style’ Escort was all but forgotten in the wake of the 90′s cars class leading performance.

1985 Ford Escort GT Turbo