Audi’s Former Hot Shot Plays Second Fiddle These Days, But The Music Still Sounds Good.
If you’re a regular reader of these pages then you know cars from top to tailpipe and the fact that the S4 is no longer the baddest boy in the Audi garage isn’t news to you. If you stumbled onto this page courtesy of the geeks at Google then allow us to catch you up.
Audi has made a wonderful entry-level luxury sedan called the A4 (it has also gone by other names) for a long time. Some years back, perhaps after renting American Graffiti, engineers at the four-ring company decided a big ‘ol engine (they actually used turbos for a while) in their itty-bitty sedan would be a lot of fun. Thus began the history of the high-horsepower A4, appropriately renamed S4, presumably for super but possibly for Sweeeeeet! In 2006 the highest-performance Audi remains the 340hp S4, but that is set to change when the 415hp RS4 arrives on our shores in July. Read more…
Serious Zoom-Zoom
There are other turbocharged performance sedans on the market but the two we think of first, the Mitsubishi Evo and Subaru WRX, are considerably more manic than the thoroughly upgraded MazdaSpeed 6 we had the pleasure of driving a few weeks ago. We recently tested the Evo and were—not surprisingly—impressed by the sheer power of the tiny 2-liter and the fierce acceleration it provides. But the Evo is tuned heavily toward hardcore and not everyone wants to sacrifice a decent ride, sound insulation, and luxurious interior accommodations in the name of horsepower. Some will willingly trade a few tenths of a second in the 0-60 mph dash for something that can serve family sedan duty at the drop of a hat. Those people will find such a ride at their Mazda dealer. Read more…
Just Say No To Blurring Lines
Standing tall and proud the Explorer in no way tries to blend into the ranks with the ever increasingly popular crossover vehicle. The Explorer was one of the first SUV’s to define the segment and bring it to its prime. Then gas jumped over $3 per gallon and the weak kneed suddenly lost interest in filling the 25+ gallon fuel tanks these barges carry. Read more…
There was a time when “compact truck” really meant “claustrophobic, micro-sized, knee-crunching truck that should only be bought by anorexic contortionists.”
But today’s compact trucks — well, there’s nothing compact about them. Read more…
Soft-Roading
About mid-April, DaimlerChrysler dropped off a new Grand Cherokee for us to run around in. So, unlike any good soccer mom (more like dad), we loaded up and hit the trails with our V6-powered runabout. Nope, no HEMI in this dude. Someone back at DCX PR headquarters missed the page on the order sheet titled: Options. Read more…
Hey, This Thing Only Seats Five!
A few years ago, when the “XL-7” descriptor first showed up attached to Suzuki vehicles, it represented a special stretched version of the Grand Vitara small SUV. The longer wheelbase made room for a third row of seats that brought the seating capacity to, you guessed it, seven. The ability to seat seven passengers in a vehicle roughly the size of a Grand Cherokee and sell it in the low $20,000 range was a unique strategy that put Suzuki on the forefront of the race to stuff a third row of seats into every SUV larger then a RAV4. Read more…
I’m Getting Too Old For This
“I’m getting too old for this,” I said.
“Good, cause I’m assigning you the Buick,” replied Master Chief Dye.
Yeah, I walked right into that one. Accordingly, I got out my cane, my overcoat, and my bowler hat and strolled out to the garage—at an appropriately adjusted pace. The Cardinal Red Metallic LaCrosse parked there like a mother goose watching the little ones play. I think its BINGO night down at the local VFW hall. Read more…
Not Worthy Of The R/T Moniker But Competent Nonetheless
Maybe I’m just an over-demanding automotive enthusiast but when I am scheduled to drive a vehicle, which has the R/T moniker in the name, I anticipate a vehicle that, as the name implies, can hold its own on the Road as well as the Track. Accordingly, you will understand my disappointment when I discovered a 3.0-liter V6 under the hood of my Indy Red Status rated at 200 just-adequate horses. Perhaps my disappointment does not lie with the Stratus but with Chrysler marketers misusing a storied name. It’s the same case at General Motors where Chevrolet offers an Impala SS with a Un-Super-Sport-like 240hp. But I digress. With that off my chest it’s time to focus on the Stratus Coupe. Read more…
Muscle: German Style
Time and time again Audi/VW has shown us that they can build some pretty sweet cars. As evidenced by the A6 we tested back when the snow was still flying. The S4 is no exception to the rule, placing performance, handling, craftsmanship, and stunning good looks high on the priority list. Before I even twisted the key for the first time I could tell this car was going to be hot. Then that V8 fired and all those German stallions started to whinny; my pulse started to race! Read more…
It seems like only yesterday that Nissan was bragging about its stylish new Altima. Sales were hot when it was introduced in 2002, but they’ve cooled somewhat in the face of new competition, especially the ever-present Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.
But fear not, Nissan fans. An updated Altima is already on the way for 2005. Read more…
