General Motors introduces the 2008 CTS Sport-Sedan by Cadillac

General Motors Western Region Manager Susan Docherty, and Lund Cadillac Let Two for the Road USA take it for a spin.

When we had GM’s Manager of the Western Region Susan Docherty on our radio show recently, she was so enthusiastic about the 2008 iteration of the CTS that we decided to ask our friends at Lund Cadillac in Phoenix if we could take one out for a spin to see what all the excitement was all about.

Bill Says:
I have to say that the CTS has always been a bit of an enigma to me because at first blush I really liked the car, but there was something that didn’t quite sit right we me and I really couldn’t put my finger on it, until now. The design changes while subtle have a serious impact aesthetically. The car seems to have, for lack of a better word, bulked up and now sports a much more aggressive stance with bulging, muscular fender flares made possible by a 62-inch wide track, the widest in its class, giving the CTS a much lower more assertive stance.

The previous model seemed not only taller, but narrower, and that was what had been nagging at me. This car has stunning lines that flow beautifully back to the short rear deck-lid that give the CTS a beautiful profile and its fully functional chrome air inlets on the front fender’s let you know in no uncertain terms, that this is a serious performer.

Unfortunately the CTS-V performance car won’t be available for quite some time but when I got behind the wheel of our loaner and settled into the beautiful interior, I was really surprised at the response to my right foot. The surprise was due to the response from all-new, 3.6 liter Direct Injection V6 with Variable Valve Timing engine that propels the CTS from 0-60 in under 6 seconds. That’s the type of performance that will get anyone’s attention and it certainly got mine. Mated to a new 6-speed Hydra-Matic transmission, the shifts in CTS are seamless yet crisp and if you so desire, you can use Driver Shift Control mode for smooth clutchless.

There is an awful lot to talk about with the new CTS but I’m going to have to wait until we have one in the press fleet rotation to really get into what this car is all about. Suffice it to say, if you’re looking for a really nifty sports-sedan, the 2008 CTS has taken a quantum leap and I for one am very impressed with it, and I’m betting you will be too.

The base price on the car is just over $32,000 but with the performance package and other options, the one we drove came in just over $42,000. However, for what you get, there’s no doubt that Cadillac has kicked it up a notch with this car, and it will be very interesting to see how it impacts the Infiniti M-series, the BMW 5-series and the C-Class. I’m betting that I’m not the only one that will be surprised by the 2008 Cadillac CTS.

Cathy Says:
The new 2008 CTS is a beautiful, sporty sedan that has enough sex appeal for both a man and women to agree on the purchase. I personally would choose a black exterior and light beige interior for my signature CTS, despite the upkeep. I am glad to see the faux-mini-spoiler on the 2007 is missing off the new ’08.

The cabin of the redesigned Cadillac is significantly improved over its predecessor. It now has a come-hither-look and feel about it that gently welcomes your derriere into the soft leather seats. The materials used inside are high in quality and the detail of wood and alloy remind you of some of the top luxury imports that begin with the letter “L”.

There’s a new telescoping steering column, giving the driver quite a bit of belly room, along with a thinner front seatback; allowing the rear passengers more leg room. The navigation system (which is optional) has a unique leather over-hang, like the large brim of a baseball cap. It might be there for show or to cut any glare that might cause difficulty in viewing.

The CTS is complete with a 40GB hard drive along with the premium Bose surround sound audio system. It has all the up to date hookups for iPod interface and other technology toys I know nothing about. For instance you can set your AM/FM and satellite radio to be rewound, paused and resumed in a TiVo-like manner. Great! I can’t figure out how to do in on my TV, but leave it to Cadillac to have it in the CTS.

It’s not all about the interior look; I did get to drive the powerful sport sedan once I forced Bill out of the driver’s seat. Besides the quick start at the lights and hugging the corners, I found it doing a sort of quick step up a desert hill. I felt like goldilocks in the three bear’s story; sitting in all three chairs till finally she sat in the one that was “just right.” I felt at home, I could locate the controls easily and the icons were a good size. I was impressed with how the A/C chilled the cabin immediately and including vents that were positioned perfectly.

Even if you were to purchase an entry level CTS, you would have more than you expected and for under $33,000. Cadillac has created a luxury sport sedan both inside and out. This baby lives up to its Cadillac heritage.

It was plain to see that the CTS had female influence; so hats off to Susan Docherty of General Motors, who I’m sure had some input.

For more reviews visit http://www.twofortheroadusa.com/.

Chrysler Visits Phoenix Automotive Press Association

September l8, 2007 – Hermosa Inn – Scottsdale, AZ. Cathy D's take on the all new Jeep Liberty.

Scott Brown, from Chrysler Corporation of the Southwest region, invited 15 top Phoenix press writers to preview three new products from Chrysler. The Town and Country Mini Van ( a movie theater on wheels without a popcorn maker), Dodge Dakota Truck (for the day to day truck lover and urban cowboy) and the 2008 Jeep Liberty (giving a whole new meaning to topless). All three models have some distinct changes in power, appearance and technology, but I was most excited about the 2008 Jeep Liberty.
Over the years my family has had two Jeep Wranglers and two Jeep Cherokees; none of which had any female input for the purchase. We’re not big off road people but before SUV’s became as common as reality shows, it gave me an elevated feeling in traffic and the men in my family felt rugged, cool and able to relate to a scene from the TV show MASH.
The 3.7 liter V-6 (210 horsepower/237 lb-ft torque) hasn’t changed along with its two transmissions but the rest is new and exciting and priced well. Jeep Liberty, no longer Jeep’s entry level model, has a longer wheelbase, width and overall length. It has kind of a Jeep Commander looking style with a little Wrangler-ness butt; less the rear-mounted spare tire on the outside of the cargo door. The spare now stores under the load floor where I would have liked it from the get go.
Okay, here is the cool part… the cloth, roman shade look roof (Sky Slider) opens from front to rear to give that open road look one might imagine on a safari. Chrysler has constructed this jeep continue to appeal to jeep lovers and then added some extras like stain resistant seats, center-stack infotainment, navigation system with MP3 capabilities, touch screen 20 gig hard drive and all the other technology that consumers want in a vehicle along with an off-road experience they can journal.
It is easy to see how you would take this one off road in the mountains or around town for food shopping or transporting kids. I think Chrysler/Jeep has taken the best of all their Jeep models, added a totally open roof, and priced it to make affordable for a younger buyer. The 2008 Jeep Liberty starts at $20,990 for the 4X2 and goes upward from there. The Sky Slider is an optional $1,200.00 but makes the new model attention-grabbing and makes star gazing possible without getting out of your vehicle.

Is Jeep thinking outside the box or did they just make the ’08 jeep look like a box?

In photo
Chrysler VP Steve Bartoli, Mark Kudla/Dodge Dakota, Kim Adams House/Jeep Liberty Bill Zervakos and Cathy Droz, Two for the Road USA in front of the New 2008 Jeep Liberty.

How many people will have to die???

I find it hard to believe that less then a month after hearing about the five young girls killed in New York because the driver was texting while driving, we hear about two more people killed here in Phoenix because allegedly a young lady was texting while driving. Even more disheartening is the fact that we just dedicated an entire radio show to the problem of driving while texting.

Now I know that everyone doesn't listen to the show, but I'm sure you get my drift. There simply isn't enough outcry about this ever growing problem. Clearly it's always a tragedy when anyone dies in a car accident, but when someone dies because another driver was texting is virtually criminal.

It begs the age old question of whether or not there should be stronger limits on teenage driving because of the distractions presented to them with today's hi-tech information systems in cars, as well as the multi-tasking that teens seem to need to do. I have to be quick to point out that I am well aware of the fact that many adults use their blackberry's while driving, dial phone numbers and so on. But the truth is, teens are much more likely to have a problem with it than more experienced drivers.

Another part of the equation is how docile cars are today. I'm sure there are quite of few of us old enough to remember when steering components were linked together by rods and bushings that wore out, making it necessary to move the steering wheel all the time to keep the car in our lane. Today's cars are so well built that they appear to be able to drive themselves and in fact, some almost do. Key word being "almost." Maybe if all vehicles were required to have a lane departure warning system like some high end cars do, who know, maybe the seven people now dead would in fact still be with us.

So, the question is, who is accountable, and what can each of us do to make driving on today's very crowded highways, with vehicles traveling at a pretty high rate speed, safer. I know that I worked with my sons for two to three years teaching them "about" driving as well as driving. I know there are no guarantees, but there has to be a way to cut down on the senseless tragedy of people dieing because someone can't wait to text a friend instead of calling, which in and of itself is dangerous.

Let us hear from you. You can reach us at http://www.twofortheroadusa.com/

News from Chevrolet

What’s coming up for Chevrolet as far as new product goes? Well for starters there is talk about restyling the Malibu for 2008 which finally shows some styling elan. While the new iteration is a very nifty looking car, for me, I can't help but think back to the days when the Malibu morphed into the ultra cool Chevelle line that brought us the likes of the 396 and 454 cubic inch rat motors in the Super Sport Chevelles of the 60’s and very early ‘70’s. While it would be nice to see something like that happen again, I'm not sure I’ll hold my breath on that ever happening again but who knows.

Clearly the big news for Chevy is what I hope will be a 2008 debut of the all new Camaro. Lines are forming as we speak for this renaissance of an icon that has been missing far to long. While Ford owners as well as Ford may not be quaking in their garages, you know they’re fully aware that with this new iteration of the F-Body, and Dodge’s Challenger coming back, the pony car wars will be on full force. For those of us fortunate enough to have been there at the beginning, it can’t happen soon enough.

Other plans for the lineup sometime in ’09 include refreshing the HHR and the Colorado, a new mid-size CUV will be debuted, and an even more potent Corvette will happen. While Pontiac and Buick are in a way trying to reinvent themselves, Chevrolet is not a brand that has that problem. GM is just trying to make their lineup even better. To that end some future improvements, beyond what I’ve already mentioned will include a rear-wheel-drive Impala which I truly hope happens, and a microcar that was introduced at the New York auto show in April, in a 3 and 5 door configuration.

The car is even smaller than the new Mini Cooper and the Aveo, which is the smallest car Chevy offers to date. There have been questions as to whether or not the car would sell in the U.S.
but to my way of thinking, with the Smart Car making such a splash, the Microcar may just work. Don’t expect it before 2010 or 2011 though.

Clearly aimed at the youth market, the models feature very interesting color schemes which to me clearly define not only the demographic but also the psychographic of the target buyer. ‘There is some concern in the upper echelons of the industry that hip young people have no aesthetic sense but when I think back to my youth, what we did with our cars could certainly beg the same question.


Unique color choices range from an electric green for the Beat to a blaze orange for the Trax, and the most understated of the bunch is the dark purple that’s on the Groove. And how about those names, Cath and I keep threatening to do a show devoted to names of cars past and present one of these days.

Truth is though, with the ecology and economy growing ever more important in our lives, this little trio may jump start the American manufacturer’s development of small fuel efficient yet fun cars. All I can tell you is that after spending a full day on an Arizona road trip driving the tiny Smart Car for an article we did in AZ3Sixty’s magazine recently, I found the Smart Car more than capable and not uncomfortable at all. Except for the times an 18-wheeler blazed by us on the highway making us feel very small indeed.

Only time will tell whether or not we’ll embrace the “little” fuel efficient cars. I for one hope we do, at least for buzzing around town in. It would save a lot of money and actually, they're kinda fun to drive.

More info at, http://www.twofortheroadusa.com

Is the interactive technology race in cars going too far?

We just did a radio show about the dangers of driving while texting, after hearing about five teenage girls that were killed because phone records show the driver was texting moments before the crash. We also talked about the fact that in this hi-tech world the problem is hardly limited to youngsters, who generally are much more savvy then boomers when it comes to this kind of technology. We also know that way too many of us are guilty of being distracted while driving whether it's a cell phone, blackberry or even the vehicle itself.

The question is how much of a good thing is too much? It certainly can be said that the technical advances in vehicles today are for the most part a good thing and I must admit for the most part that I am a fan, safety and navigation systems are two prime examples. It's important to point out however, that most Nav systems have a fail safe where no input can happen when the vehicle is in motion. However, with the tremendous demand by consumers for more sophisticated systems, I'm wondering if the manufacturers need to start thinking about just how dangerous technology can be.

Because vehicles are so easy to drive today, they're quieter and so solid on the road that there is a false sense of security for people behind the wheel. That quality lends itself to driving at a much higher rate of speed then in the past when you could actually feel the speed of the car. Also, there is more traffic on the roads and trying to stay a safe distance from the car in front of you is virtually impossible on today's roads.

Now add the fact that most ergonomic controls are to the right of the driver and so complicated that it necessitates taking one's eyes of the road to use, you begin to understand just how dangerous our highways are becoming. Having had the privilege over the last 13 years to drive and review vehicles for the manufacturers, my partner and I have driven the BMW7 Series with its 700 plus idrive system, the Audi's with a similar system that is so complicated that one needs to take a class to learn how to use the system. But this problem is not limited to hi-end luxury models. The most basic cars today have at the least a very sophisticated sound system that even with controls in the steering wheel, changing out CD's, or plugging in an mp3 system can be very distracting.

The dichotomy is that the wireless and interactive technology market is worth some $3.5 billion dollars today and that number is expected to grow to over $15 billion by 2015. That's a pretty big piece of pie for manufacturers, so once again the question is, how much it too much? Should controls be installed that render some of the technology inoperative while the vehicle is in motion or should drivers be left to monitor themselves? I'm not sure I know the answer to that but I'd love to hear your thoughts and maybe even have you address them on our radio show.

For more information or to contact us, visit http://www.twofortheroadusa.com/

What's in a Name?

I know you've heard the old axiom what's in a name many times, and in most cases the answer is not much. Ford on the other hand, is hoping there's a lot in the name Taurus, as my partner and I found out when we were invited to a press conference and test drive of the car that will be replacing the not so successful Ford Five Hundred Sedan.

Like a lot of the other writers at the meeting in Carefree, I was curious as to what exactly Ford had done along with the name change to set the Taurus apart from the Five Hundred. To begin with they upped the horsepower from 200 to 260 with a new 3.5 liter V6 which was a big step in the right direction. The Five Hundred in essence was Ford's version of the S80 but unfortunately it was basically just a boring car that created no driving pleasure at all.

Not so with the new Taurus. Styling cues while somewhat minor, have a major impact on you from the get go. Clearly wanting to capitalize on the success of the Fusion, the grille and tail lights as well as the side vents enhance the Taurus' aesthetics enough to make the car pretty good looking, especially the view over the hood from the drivers seat.

What really sets the new Taurus apart from the Five Hundred goes deeper though. Ford's manager of vehicle dynamics John Heider, told us that the suspension and chassis has been tuned to suppress noise, vibration and harshness or NVH as techy's like to say. A run up through Payson and back to Carefree validated his claim. We started out in the Five Hundred before switching to the Taurus, and the difference was certainly noticeable, with special consideration given to steering and maneuverability making a dramatic change in driving dynamics. The Taurus is a much more fun car to drive.

More fun yes, but Hieder was quick to point out that the Taurus is not a sports sedan by any stretch of the imagination. What it is though is a very solid family sedan that has very nice interior appointments with enough luxury to feel good about driving it. And speaking of driving it, the Taurus is a rear-wheel-drive car but the test vehicles were the optional all-wheel-drive which felt very solid on the twisting and winding roads we drove.

While Ford touts the styling and driveability of the new Taurus, which is all good stuff, the big thing they're emphasizing is the five-star safety rating from NHTSA, in four categories or front and side impacts. Ford crash safety engineer Rob Randolph said that even more prestigious was that Taurus has also earned Top Safety Pick honors from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. Something that only 10 vehicles have achieved, allowing Randolph to say with justified pride, that "Taurus has been rated the safest full-size car in the United States."

Introduced in 1985 the Taurus was wildly successful for over a decade before questionable styling and serious competition took it's toll on sales. Why Ford didn't just do a face lift on the Taurus is beyond me because the Five Hundred was just too bland to make a dent in the "I'm okay with bland" crowd that the Crown Vic and Buick pretty much own.

So what's in a name? As far as Ford's all-new Taurus is concerned, only time will tell. But what do you think? Is there more to a name than meets the eye?

Chevy Volt, Hype or Hyperbole

According to a U.S. Department of Transportation report I read 0n GM's Chevrolet website, seventy-eight percent of commuters drive 40 miles or less back and forth to work.
What the General is trying to do is offer the Volt as an opportunity to save gasoline and money with the use of electricity, E85 and biodiesel along with gasoline fuels.

As you can see in pictures of the prototype, the Chevy Volt is one sexy little car, and Chevrolet is introducing it as a new kind of electric vehicle called, Concept Chevy Volt. What sets the Volt apart from previous electric vehicles, is its innovative rechargeable electric drive system, and range, and extended power source. It can be configured to run on electricity, gasoline, E85 or biodiesel. So, according to the information on the General Motors website, you have at least a couple of options for the most efficient drive possible all due to GM’s innovative E-Flex Propulsion System.

All that sounds wonderful but the question remains, will the Volt in actuality be built? In conversations that we had with GM Vice President Bob Lutz in Phoenix in may of this year, the answer is an emphatic yes. General Motors is very excited about the possibilities that the technology in the Volt offers albeit there is still the ubiquitous problem of battery technology that seems to be lagging.

Because Cathy and I test drive for the manufacturer we are often questioned about the development of alternative fuel technologies and what our thoughts are. I am a fan of hybrid technology today because I feel something is better than nothing. That said, I have to be quick to point out that the cost involved in aquisition of a hybrid vehicle most likely will not be recouped as quickly as the consumer may think, but it is a green car and does in a small way help.

The question of the day is, do you believe that the hype around the Volt is the real deal, or is it just more hyperbole from Detroit?