2010 Dodge Charger SRT8

The new SRT8 Dodge Charger is certainly in a class by itself in the sense that it is a true performance sedan that’s a throw back to the heyday of muscle cars. The 6.1 liter HEMI engine was worked over by Dodge's in-house Street and Racing Technology (SRT) division to generate 425 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of pavement pounding torque but, and it’s a big but, the SRT8 weighs in at a whopping 4160 lbs and that unfortunately negates a lot of the zip off the line and more importantly, the fuel economy, or lack thereof is reflected with a rating at 13 miles per gallon on the city cycle and 19 on the highway.

That’s the bad news. The good news is the Charger is a good looking sedan that I for sure would have liked to have had back in the day I had kids at the house and needed 4 doors. It has a somewhat belligerent look from the front view and over all I like the styling. The test car came with 20-inch alloy wheels and performance tires, a sport suspension, dual chrome exhaust pipes, plus aerodynamic body kit with hood scoop and rear spoiler. Badges denoting Charger, SRT8 and Hemi are sprinkled about to show the world just what this performance machine is all about and give the SRT8 iteration a pretty nifty look. The Charger also comes equipped with brake assist, an Electronic Stability Program, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes and fog lights.

Inside is where I really think Dodge has dropped the ball. It pretty much looks like every other interior in the line up and I would have liked to see a little more retro look to it. I will admit that comfort and convenience items are well represented, with leather seats, a six-speaker Boston Acoustics audio system, cruise control, air conditioning, plus full power amenities for windows, door locks and front seats. Other features include a back-seat SIRIUS satellite video system, 20-gigabyte MyGIG infotainment system, plus illuminated cupholders and map pockets.

As far as driving the Charger goes, I liked it and enjoyed my week in it quite a bit. There’s a pretty decent rumble from the exhaust and handling, while not exactly lively, was solid. The Charger is well balanced and corners okay but you definitely feel the weight of the car as you wend your way through twisties, it’s much better suited for straight line racing or driving and to that end, it’s a great road car.

The SRT8 bases at $38,180 and with the SRT Option Group II for $1890, and group III adding the Media Center with Nav and SIRIUS for $995 and $950 sunroof, $695 HID headlamps and $1480 for the Rear Seat Video System along with a few other odds and ends, the price on the test car came to $46,860. Not inexpensive but you do get a pretty fair amount of bang for your buck.

Bottom line, if you need 4 doors but don’t want a staid sedan, and in fact want a performance car, check out the Dodge Charger. Like I said, it isn’t perfect but if you have a need for speed but have to have a family sedan, it’s a pretty good trade off.

2010 Mercedes Benz GLK350

I have to admit that when I first saw the GLK sitting in my driveway I wasn’t particularly overwhelmed by it. It seemed a bit spartan in design, small and just not very exciting. That said, once I got inside the GLK350 I was actually amazed at just how nice a vehicle it is.

The GLK is all-new for the 2010 model year with two trim levels, the GLK350 and the GLK350 4MATIC, the latter utilizing Mercedes' proven full-time all-wheel drive system which is what our test car was. The only engine available is the 3.5 liter 268 horsepower V6 engine mated to an advanced 7-speed automatic. As expected from Mercedes, the GLK is well equipped with the latest safety equipment as well as an array of luxury features and as one would expect, the interior is pure Mercedes Benz.

The use of available space inside is well thought out with plenty of room for cargo and room for three passengers in the back seat. Folding down the seats provide an unbroken flat surface for easy loading and unloading of cargo. Power comes from a 3.5-liter 268-horsepower V6 engine mated to an advanced seven-speed automatic transmission. Towing capacity is rated at 3,500 lbs and the GLK350 is estimated to achieve 23 mpg on the highway.

The GLK has a very affordable base price at $34,600, but adding the Premium Package for $3150, and the Multimedia Package, which includes navigation, pushed the price of the tester to $42,925. That may seem like a lot of money for a small crossover, but it does have the world famous Mercedes Benz emblem in the grille.

With very adequate power out of the engine and a suppleness I didn’t expect, the GLK is actually quite fun to drive, handling corners more like a sporty crossover than an SUV. That and the revered V6 engine made the GLK a pleasure to drive. It is smooth and strong off the line and has plenty of punch to pass slower vehicles. I found it interesting that my wife really liked the GLK350, and this is a woman that drives a small roadster and isn’t into big vehicles at all but when we were hauling our grandkids around, she was very impressed with the room and comfort of the SUV.

There seems to be no shortage of small to midsized SUV’s making the competition very stiff in this class of vehicle. I think the name and history of Mercedes Benz gives it just a bit of an edge but the truth is the GLK350 can make it on its own merit. It’s neat, roomy, efficient and almost fun to drive. So if you’ve been thinking about making a change or replacing your SUV, the Mercedes Benz GLK350 should definitely be on your shopping list.

2010 F-150 4X4 SVT Raptor

I’d heard a lot about the new Raptor and was pretty jazzed about getting one for a week. I do have to admit that when I saw it in my driveway, my first instinct was to think that I was a bit old to be cruising around in a bright orange lifted pickup with extreme graphics all over it. Once inside the truck and on the road, it was easy to forget about all things extraneous and just enjoy the ride.

The $38,995 Raptor is based on the 4X4 F-150 Super Cab with a 5.5-foot bed which means that there are several components that are shared with the base F-150. My tester came with the optional 400-hp 6.2-liter V8 that pumps out 400 lb-ft of torque and adds $3000 to the price. Power gets to the ground via a six-speed automatic transmission. An electronic locking rear differential is standard as is 4.10:1 gearing. Other options included $1950 for the luxury package, $1075 for the aforementioned graphics package and $2430 for the Nav/radio package and with a few other goodies, the total on the test truck came to a hefty $48,420.

You’ll definitely see bigger tires on some trucks but on the Raptor 315/70R17 BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A tires are big enough to improve off-road ground clearance but not so big as to interfere with suspension deflection which is 11.2 inches up front and 13.4 inches in the rear. The suspension is the key to the Raptor's capability. The F-150's track is widened by 7-inches and there are new upper and lower control arms. The lower control arms are chamfered like a skidplate, so rocks can slide underneath without hanging the truck up. The front half-shafts are longer, and sturdier than standard issue. 

Though the Raptor's 4WD system is similar the base F-150, the SVT team incorporated advanced electronics to increase the Raptors capabilities. The stability control system has a sport mode that shuts off the traction control, and a full off road mode, that turns off all stability control functions and switches the ABS to an off-road setting. In full off-road mode, the electronic locking rear differential will remain locked at higher speeds. The Raptor has a hill descent control system that can match the speed you choose with the throttle, from just under 2 mph up to around 18 mph.

All the incredible technical stuff aside, it always comes down to driving a vehicle and I have to say, driving the Raptor was a lot of fun. It has plenty of punch, especially with the 6.2 liter V8, and it is very agile for in town driving. What most surprised me is just how comfortable the truck is. On city streets it’s pretty smooth, it is a truck after all, and an off-road monster to be sure but the suspension technology allows the Raptor to soak up road imperfections with ease without unsettling the driver or passengers.

 

I didn’t have an opportunity to take the Raptor off road, and even if I had, I don’t have the experience to get anywhere close to it’s capabilities so suffice it to say, if you’re into off-roading in a serious way but want to have a vehicle for everyday use, Ford’s Raptor can certainly fill the bill. I enjoyed it a lot and I’m sure you will too. 

2010 RAM 3500 LARAMIE MEGA CAB

I have to say, when I first saw the Dodge 3500 Mega Cab taking up most of my drive way, the first word that popped into my head was leviathan. There are big trucks and then there’s the Dodge 3500 Mega Cab. At nearly 20 feet long and weighing over three and a half tons it is in fact one big truck. Driving this behemoth around town is interesting to say the least but parking, well that was adventure to say the least.

The 2010 Dodge Ram 3500 is all-new for 2010 and is available in three trim levels: ST, SLT and Laramie which is what the tester was. The Ram Heavy Duty features a new suspension with what Dodge calls hydra mounts that contribute to an improved ride. When equipped with the 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel engine, the Ram Heavy Duty offers the only standard exhaust brake in the segment.

Once inside the Laramie trim sheathed us in an almost luxurious interior. Options included leather seating surfaces, dual-mode automatic climate control, adjustable pedals, navigation, Bluetooth, trailer brake controls and heated and cooled seats. Soft-touch leather and higher grade plastic was used and attractive double-stitching was used on the dash and center console contributing to a feel of luxury. Passenger room is abundant in the front seat with a center console that can act as an office with room to stow a lap top and manage files if you work in the field. If you have to haul people around, there’s a pretty fair amount of room for rear seat passengers in the mega cab.

Nice as it is on the inside, this truck is all about working and powered by 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel, there isn’t too much this truck can’t do. While 350 horsepower doesn’t seem like a lot, just focus on the 650 lb-feet of mountain moving torque this engine puts out and you know the Dodge 3500 is all about the job. Properly equipped this truck can pull up to 17,000 lbs with a payload rating over 5,000 lbs. Mega is the right adjective for this truck.

As far as driving the truck goes, emergency stopping is about the only time you really sense the size and weight of the truck. On the highway it’s hard to beat. It’s big and comfortable and has plenty of oomph to pass when necessary and cruises down the highway on a pretty compliant suspension with very little of the bouncing around one might expect from a heavy duty truck.

All this luxury and muscle doesn’t come inexpensively though. The tester based at $50.645 the added goodies priced out at a lofty $56,355. Make no mistake, you get a serious amount of bang for your buck including a 5 year 100,000 mile limited power train warranty as well as a 5 year 100,000 mile limited warranty on the Cummins diesel engine components and of course the base 3 year 36,000 mile warranty.

There are a lot of choices in the big truck market but after driving the Dodge 3500 Mega Cab for a week, I know this truck can just about do it all. So if you’re looking for something that will provide a serious amount of muscle and want it in a nifty package this truck will definitely fill the bill. It’s the Budweiser Clydesdale of pickups.

Toyota unveils the all-new 2011 Scion tC

Las Vegas Nevada August 27, 2010

Two for the Road was invited to a press preview and test drive of the new Scion tC with other journalists from across the country and while the car itself is good news, one of the more interesting things we found was the marketing campaign planned by Toyota.

We listened as Dawn Ahmed, Corporate Manager of Scion who talked to us about the tC being a very strong performer for the Brand, but that it was time to up the ante with an all new car that would give both owners and new customers to the Brand exactly what they’ve been looking for.

She talked about how Scion has appealed to a new generation of automotive enthusiasts, allowing Toyota to use the model as an innovation lab to try new products and ways of building relationships with owners. It apparently has succeeded, as they’ve sold over 800,000 Scions with over 70% as first time buyers of the Toyota brand. Scion also boasts being the most ethnically diverse non-luxury brand in the industry.

Part of that success, according to Ahmed, is that Scion is a non-traditional underground brand that is a big supporter of up-and-coming artists. Scion hosts over 1500 events a year including Scion Space, a permanent installation in LA. They also recently hosted 2500 Scion owners and three of their friends as guests at Knott’s Berry Farm. Just a sample of the marketing campaign they’ve initiated.

Designed by Calty in California, the new tC boasts a more edgy style that is a bit more macho than its predecessor. It shares some design elements from the FUSE concept car that debuted at 2007 New Your auto show. The stance is aggressive and confident and under the hood there’s a bigger 2.5 liter engine putting out more horsepower and torque than the current model. There are two transmissions, a six-speed automatic and a six-speed manual and surprisingly to us, they both have a rating of 23/31 mpg.

There will naturally be tuners that want to dress up their Scion and for them Scion offers some pretty nice accessories including a rear spoiler, illuminated door sills, carbon fiber B-pillars and a nifty interior lighting kit and very cool body graphics. On the performance side TRD performance parts include 19-inch wheels, a big-brake kit, sway bars, a short throw shifter and an upgraded exhaust system.

We didn’t get a lot of wheel time but the tC was fun to drive through the twisties during our run thru Red Rock Canyon National Park and I’ll look forward to spending a week in the car when it comes to Phoenix. 

2010 Honda Crosstour 4WD EX-L

By:  Bill Z. and Cathy D. – Two for the Road USA

Cathy & Bill:  The 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour is an all-new 5-door hatchback from Honda based on the Accord platform. It’s definitely a change from the rather staid history of the Accord and its usual pursuit of function as the Crosstour sports a bold, muscular appearance highlighted by a higher beltline that sweeps upward towards the rear hatch.

Bill:  The Crosstour shares the same V6 engine and 110-inch-wheelbase as the Accord however the Crosstour EX, and more luxurious EX-L are 5-door, 5-passenger vehicles. The base Crosstour EX is equipped dual-zone climate control, a moonroof, a 7-speaker 360-watt sound system, and niceties to give the appearance of luxury.

Cathy:  The test car was the 4WD EX-L which the NavSystem, leather seating and leather wrapped steering, and Bluetooth are just some of the added features that are standard on the EX-L. The pricing range on the Crosstour is $39,670 up to around $36,220 and the test car was $36,930 with the $710 destination charge.

Bill:  Both the EX and EX-L interiors are similar inside, with a touch of wood trim highlighting the curving dash and soft materials on the armrests. Legroom is especially generous in the large cabin for both front- and rear seat passengers, but the sloping rear roofline makes headroom in the rear seats a bit tight for over six footers.

Cathy:  The rear hatch opening allowed easy access to the carpeted 

cargo area. It offers a good 25.7 cubic feet of storage with the rear seats up and 51.3 cubic feet with the seats folded. The rear section of the floor flips up in three pieces, reversing to an easy to clean plastic deck for “Doc’s” muddy paws and “Slim” the English bulldog’s constant drool. Under the floor, a cargo hold features a large, lift-out tray for easy toting of dog food, pet toys and Slims skateboard. At the sides, nicely detailed handles release the rear 60/40 split-folding seatbacks, which then automatically flip forward to make a large, flat loading floor. Four tie-down points and a 12-volt outlet complete this large, adaptable cargo space.  I thought it was cool and safe for both the grandchildren and the dogs.

Bill:  The Crosstour is powered by a 24-valve 3.5-liter V6 engine with 271 horsepower and 254 lb-ft of torque. The Single-Overhead-Cam engine benefits from Honda's Variable Cylinder Management system which allows the V6 to operate on six, four or three cylinders as appropriate for increased fuel economy. The Crosstour gets an EPA estimate of 18 mpg city/27 mpg highway in FWD trim and 17/25 mpg as an AWD vehicle.

Cathy:  The Accord Crosstour's 5-speed automatic transmission has several features engineered specifically to match its performance requirements, including extra-wide gear ratios for good low-end response and comfortable highway cruising. The transmission also features Honda’s Grade Logic Control technology is designed to hold the vehicle in a lower gear when climbing or descending a steep grade for improved performance and for manual gear operation using the gear selector, the Accord Crosstour exclusively features automatic RPM rev-matching when downshifting. The system uses the Drive-by-Wire throttle control's ability to "blip" the throttle and more closely match the engine's RPM to the transmission.

 

Cathy & Bill: Honda’s Crosstour tries to be a lot of things to a lot of people. It's practical in town and has a touch of élan, and it offers comfort with the option of exploring dirt roads while carrying more than an average carload of gear. I am intrigued by the fact that Accord is intended to be the flagship of the Accord line so it will be interesting to see how that works out for Honda.

New From Honda:  You’ve seen crash test dummies but never one like Honda’s new dummy.  The pedestrian test dummy is the most sophisticated in the world.  It has instruments that measure the level of injury in eight regions of the body.  This helps us identify the areas of the vehicle closely associated with injuries.  They then design the vehicle to help minimize injuries to pedestrians and dogs.

2011 Shelby GT500

The Boss is Back Better Than Ever

Every so often I have to pinch myself when I find out a certain test vehicle is heading my way for a week, and such was the case with news the 2011 Shelby GT500 was coming. The Special Vehicle Team, SVT, kicked the high performance bar a bit higher with this car, due in no small part, to an all-new aluminum-block engine, better driving and handling characteristics, with more horsepower and believe it or not, better fuel economy and wicked good looks. The Shelby sports a stance that embodies muscle accentuated by the SVT performance package that came on my tester which includes a lowered ride height and all-new lightweight 19-inch forged-aluminum wheels in the front and 20-inch wheels at the rear.

The look of the Shelby GT500 harkens back to the glory days of the 1969 Boss 429 Mustang, one of the coolest pure muscle cars ever built. Due to smog equipment requirements and other restrictions that were imposed, the Boss 429 wasn’t the fastest car on the street but it was definitely one of the coolest. Any doubt about that was eliminated once you opened the hood and saw the massive wall to wall engine. Once you slid inside and fired it up and heard to the sweet sounds emanating from the exhaust it was all over. The Boss was indeed the Boss. I got exactly the same feeling when I popped the hood to check out the engine, then slipped into the cockpit and fired up the 2011 Shelby GT500. It was a very cool step back in time for me.

 

The new all-aluminum engine is 102 pounds lighter than the previous cast-iron engine, for a better power-to-weight ratio, and uses Ford-patented plasma-coating technology. According to Ford, the process applies a 150-micron composite coating made of nanoparticles on the internal surfaces of engine cylinder bores instead of the usual cast-iron sleeves you’ll find in aluminum engine blocks."

The 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 powerplant produces 550 horsepower and 510 ft.-lb. of torque and the crème de la crème is that Ford’s Special Vehicle Team delivers the new Shelby GT500, not only with a 10 horsepower increase, but the 2011 model will be the first modern Shelby without a gas guzzler tax thanks to the EPA-projected 23 mpg highway and 15 mpg city it’s said to deliver.

For those that want their Shelby to be all it can be, the SVT package provides racetrack ready driving dynamics and handling along with unique styling, lighter wheels, a higher rear axle ratio and stiffer springs, and yes, the SVT package is available on both the convertible and coupe. To control the horsepower and maximize handling, Ford worked directly with Goodyear to develop an all-new Goodyear Eagle tire for the SVT Performance Package. The SVT Performance package moves the 2011 Shelby around a 2.3 mile test track a full 3 seconds faster than the 2010 model.

Ford’s Special Vehicle Team has improved the Electric Power Assisted Steering for a dramatic contribution to the GT500 driving dynamics, with improved torque build-up and road feel that delivers quicker and more precise steering, with increased effort on the racetrack or winding roads, and reduced effort in low-speed parking maneuvers.

Driving the Shelby GT500 was pure joy. I loved the raucous exhaust note that bellows from the 2.75-inch exhaust so much so that I rarely had the 500 watt Shaker Audio System turned on and in truth, that was part of the plan from Ford. They clearly understand that anyone wanting 550 horsepower wants to hear the power so Ford reduced road noise by some 20 percent and tuned the exhaust to perfection.

I could go on for days about being behind the wheel of the GT500 but nothing can replace the exhilaration one feels behind the wheel of this car. Unfortunately having to keep the car on city streets, I couldn’t put the car through it’s paces but knowing the beast that lurked just below the surface and toying with it once in a while was a whole lot of fun. This was one of the very few vehicles I’ve driven over the nearly 2 decades of reviewing cars that I absolutely hated to give back.

There is a whole lot more to the Shelby GT500 than just raw power. Some of the niceties include leather in all seating areas with Alcantara inserts in the seats and steering wheel. Another cool feature that I appreciated was the classic white shift-knob with the iconic “H” pattern; very cool indeed. Other standard features include High-Intensity-Discharge headlights, the MyKey programmable key, fold down rear headrests, Ford’s popular Sync System, Sirius Satellite radio and for those that want the sun streaming in, an optional glass top roof is available.

Pricing on the Shelby GT500 starts at $48,645 and with options and delivery charges on the test car, the sticker came to $55,300. That may seem like a lot of money at first blush, but there is an awful lot of bang for the buck. And I can promise you, if you’re like me and love the grunt of pure muscle and miss the aforementioned glory days, try and build a 69 Boss today and you’ll quickly see that the 2011 Shelby GT500 is a steal.

For an old gear head like me, it’s great to have the pony car wars going full on again without sacrificing fuel economy, and the original pony car has once again set the bar. So if you’ve been waiting for Ford to finally catch up in the horsepower war wait no more. The Shelby GT500 is one bad motor scooter and whether you’re looking to take to the strip and have some fun, or just cruise the streets in extreme coolness, the Shelby GT500 will satisfy the most discriminating performance driving enthusiasts. For more on the Shelby, visit www.ford.com.