zoomvroom New car info

The Most Expensive Eco-Friendly Car Ever!

Croatia has never made cars that wealthy people want.  Why?  Usually, they are cars that are popular in Russia and Eastern Europe.  Now, there is a Croatian inventor who just might be an exception to that rule.

The $980,000 Rimac Automobili Concept_One electric car has FOUR electric motors (one per wheel).  This means that the car is extremely powerful and fast.  The Concept_One can reach 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds.  With a top speed of 189 mph, the ultra-light Rimac is a strong contendor for those who don’t want their noggin smashed on the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Drive.  The Concept_One tips the scales at just over 2400 pounds.   Only 88 Concept_One’s have been built and sold, each at $980,000.  The Concept_One is also a very exotic-looking car.  It’s very sleek, and looks like nothing out on the road.  Inside, a sumptuous leather interior greets the owner (at this price it should…).  The 1,088 horsepower and 2,800 lb-ft of torque are on tap at zero rpm.  Plus, the car is possible of taking you on long interstate lopes (range is 375 miles).

Something that’s also very cool is the four brushless electric motors (one per wheel!) that can accelerate or decelerate at hundreds of times per second, according to road conditions.  It’s similar to Porsche’s torque vectoring system, but it is much more sophisticated than the Porsche system.  Because the transmission only has one gear (instead of seven or eight, like it’s competitors), there are no power blips due to transmission blips.  This driving experience will blow owners out of the water because the car delivers a totally different driving experience than a gasoline-powered car (no howling engine, no gears to worry about shifting), and the gigantic display on the center console is larger and higher-resolution than an iPad 3.  That massive display will entertain the owner with it’s touch-screen display, and also let the driver know just about everything the car is doing at any given moment.

So what do you say Prius drivers – want an upgrade?

http://www.rimac-automobili.com/

zoomvroom Car Reviews, New car info, World News

The Ferocious New Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Attacks Yet Again!

Ford and Carroll Shelby both shared one awesome wish:  to build a production Mustang that would reach at least 200 mph, yet be tame enough to drive around town.  Their wish finally came true, and Carroll Shelby lived to see it happen!

The all-new, epic-cool Mustang GT500 weighs almost 3850 pounds (down by almost 50 from last year’s model), can do burnouts 24/7, reach 205 mph in 5th gear (as Ford claims), have almost as much torque as a Dodge Ram 2500 with the optional Cummins Turbodiesel, and get 18 mpg.  That’s gonna be kinda hard for Chevy and Dodge to beat.  It has more horsepower than the 638-horsepower Chevy Corvette ZR1, and makes ten MORE horsepower than the new Dodge Viper!  Plus, it gets pretty much the same gas mileage as a Challenger R/T.

To handle all that ludicrous power, Ford had to beef up the Tremec TR60 transmission to a 3.31:1 final drive ratio.  Because of all that power pounding the ground, Ford has HUGE brakes that have a 14 INCH diameter on the front.  The brakes are Brembo vented disc brakes with a six-piston caliper.  The back is almost as scary, with 11.8 inch vented discs with one piston calipers.  That’s what you’ll need when you need to stop from 205 mph on the Interstate 5…

The massive supercharged 5.8 liter engine was first fired up in late December.  It took almost two months of constant tuning to get the engine power consistent in power delivery.  The supercharger is the same one that GM uses on their blown LS9 Corvette engine.  That supercharger is an Eaton TVS Series 2300 supercharger.  Ford’s SVT (Special Vehicle Team) engineers went a bit crazy (in a very, very good way!) by cross-drilling the block and heads.  The camshaft profiles were updated, along with many other changes including making the block all-aluminum and carbon fiber.  They also added a larger cooling fan, a higher-flowing intercooler pump, and a much larger intercooler heat exchanger.  All of this contributes to the 200+ mph top speed (UNGOVERNED) of the GT500!

Ford states that the new GT500’s engine is the most powerful production V8 in the world.  Of course, the ridiculously fast Koenigsegg Agera R and SSC Aero TT both best 650 horsepower, delivering well over 1000 horsepower EACH!  But, if you define production as mass production, Ford’s strong statement DOES ring true.  The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is faster, lighter, seats two, has only 638 horsepower, yet 604 lb-ft of torque (four more than the GT500).

Just about anybody who has driven the previous GT500 will tell you that it had WAY too much power for the tranny to put down at one time.  Ford apparently realized this large problem and ditched the ancient 3.55:1 final drive ratio in favor of a better 3.31:1 final drive ratio.  The 0-60 times of the old GT500 were often electronically limited, and were not much faster than the less powerful GT.  SVT also optimized every gear except fourth to get maximum power down to the ground as quickly as possible.  To keep the transmission from burning out too quickly, SVT added a dual-disc clutch and a carbon-fiber driveshaft.

For those interested in beating a Camaro ZL1 on a road course should get the optional Performance Package, which adds a Torsen limited-slip differential, and an SVT-designed Bilstein suspension system.  The suspension has electronically adjustable dampers with two driver-selectable modes:  Normal and Sport.  Normal will allow more comfort on the underfunded roads of the U.S., while Sport tightens up the suspension, basically eliminating body roll in corners at track days.

The Track Package is also available when you click the Performance Package option.  The Track Package further adds onto the Performance Package by adding an:  external engine cooler, rear differential cooler, and a transmission cooler to fight heat soak at track days.  The seemingly chubby 3850 pound GT500 rides on second Generation Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar tires that are positioned on 19-inch front and 20-inch rear forged aluminum wheels.

Because of an all-new Mustang coming out for the Mustang’s 50th anniversary in 2015, this will most likely be the last major update for this amazingly successful pony.  Here’s to hoping that there will be an AMAZING 2018 Mustang GT500 (as 2018 will be the 50th birthday of the GT500)!  See ya suckas!  VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Here’s the link to the Ford website (which does have the Mustang GT500).

http://www.ford.com/cars/mustang/

zoomvroom Car Reviews, New car info

Lots of Cute, Tons of Fun, and a Gigantic Smile in the New Morgan 3 Wheeler!

It has two cylinders.  No doors.  No frills.  A curb weight about 1200 pounds.  Lots of zoom, and some vroom.  But, is three wheels taking weight reduction a bit too far?  Nope.  From 1919 to 1950, the British automaker, Morgan produced over 9 MILLION units.  About ten or eleven years ago, Pete Larsen, who works at Liberty Motors in Seattle, basically designed a three wheeler by himself.  Charles Morgan, who is the grandson of Morgan’s founder, HFS Morgan, heard of Pete’s creation, bought one, and took it to the factory.  Ten years later, the iconic Morgan 3 Wheeler is back.

This car is not meant to be a track day warrior.  Nay, it is meant to be a car where the driver is involved, mesmerized, and captured (dare I say it, captivated) by the charm of the car at sane speeds on normal roads.  The 80 horsepower and 103 lb-ft of torque are sent to the rear wheel by a five-speed manual transmission taken from a Mazda Miata.

Getting into the car itself deserves a paragraph of its own, so read up…To get into the car while it is running, I recommend the driver enter the car by getting into the passenger seat (on the left side), climbing over the unnaturally high center console (while avoiding the gearshift lever – ouch), and plunking oneself into the drivers seat.  It’s as simple as that…

The one thing that may surprise you is the lack of electronic nannies.  This car is old school.  And proud of it.  Going down a road at 60 mph will feel like you are going 100.  With the smell of hot oil, rubber screeching on pavement (the back end LOVES to swing out), and the wind in your face, life couldn’t be better.  The steering is rack-and-pinion, and to turn the wheel, you must keep your right elbow hanging out of the car.  However, it is a lot of fun!

The car only costs a mere $50,000.  Can I buy one, Mom?…

zoomvroom Car Reviews, New car info

All Looks, No Power in the 2013 BMW 640i Gran Coupe.

The Edmund’s Senior Editor, Erin Riches has a bit of a funny story to tell:  “Hey, that’s a beautiful BMW.  It’s new, isn’t it?” asks a man in a Pujols jersey getting out of a Range Rover.

“Yes, it’s a 2013 BMW 640i Gran Coupe.  Goes on sale in a few weeks.”

“Looks great,” he says before taking his wife’s hand as they stroll toward Angel Stadium.  Fifty feet later, we hear him say, “Honey, look, that’s the Porsche I was telling you about –  the Panorama.”

That’s where Erin’s story ends.  I’m sure you’re dying to know why I’ve included this story.  I’ll tell you.  The PANAMERA is NOT called the Panorama!  Oops!

But, back to the BMW.  Some people can get confused about the bulbous Panamera, but this is the first time in a long time that somebody has called a BMW beautiful. Erin is relieved that he didn’t ask about the way it drives.  Why?  There really isn’t a set-in-stone answer to that. Erin likes the smooth, powerful, and rev-happy turbocharged six-cylinder engines that are found throughout the BMW line (except for the new 3 Series).  But, the 315 horsepower, 330 lb-ft of torque 3.0 liter turbocharged inline six cylinder engine feels very unresponsive unless you keep the car in Sport Mode all the time (recommended).  Even with Sport Mode on, the car doesn’t have very much low-end grunt.  You’d think it would be the opposite, with those 330 lb-ft of torque coming into full play at 1,400 rpm.  If you want a Gran Coupe, wait until the 650i Gran Coupe comes out, as it will have the bigger and more powerful 4.4 liter, twin turbocharged V8 that cranks out a beefy 400 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque.  That bigger engine may give the chunky Gran Coupe some more VROOM!

If you already have a Gran Coupe, I’m sure that you are all too aware of the sluggish acceleration.  60 mph comes up in an extremely slow 5.7 seconds (5.4 if you allow one foot of rollout on the dragstrip).  The quarter mile isn’t any better, coming up in an unremarkable 14.2 seconds at 95 mph.  The smaller BMW 535i is as fast, and is smaller by at least 500 pounds.  The V6 Porsche Panamera gets to 60 in 5.8 seconds, but is faster in the quarter mile, at 14 seconds flat at 98.4 mph.  All the other competitors beat it to 60 and the quarter, but don’t look as nice…  But, the 640i Gran Coupe is best in braking, taking a mere 110 feet to get to a complete halt from 70 mph.

I have some words of wisdom for potential buyers and the folks over at BMW:  Retune the chassis, so it doesn’t make the car drive as oddly as it does, and bring the 650i Gran Coupe over ASAP!  Potential buyers should most definitely wait until the 650i Gran Coupe comes out.  I guess I’ll wait.  I only have a year and a bit.

zoomvroom Car Reviews, New car info, World News

The Otherworldly Tesla Model S Blows Away the Competition (in Terms of Pricing and Performance…)!

Elon Musk’s Space-X commerical rocket just successfully docked with the International Space Station earlier this month.  This means that (hopefully) we will be able to go into space and see the wonders of the Universe right before our eyes.  Back here on Earth, there is a car that will make us feel like astronauts of our own – the Tesla Model S.

The Model S (should stand for Model Superb) starts at just under $97,000, and will take you all the way up to $110,000 before you start clicking option boxes!  But, it’s worth it.  The car will catapult you to 60 mph in a seemingly slow 5.6 seconds , and take you an amazing 300 MILES per charge!  That makes the 100-mile range of the Nissan LEAF seem like absolutely NOTHING (which it is…)!

As of December 2012, Tesla will be finished installing “Supercharger” charging units by the roadside for the Model S, upcoming Model X, and current Roadster.  These Superchargers will put 150 miles of charge into the depleted batteries in just 1/2 an hour!  But, they’ll only be between key cities.  The Model S will accelerate a ’69 Pontiac GTO Judge with the Ram Air IV package from 60 mph to 80 mph.  That’s really fast.  “Luxury” models stop going any faster than 110 mph, but a “Performance” model will take you all the way to 130 blistering mph!

The Tesla Model S may have some bad rear seat lateral support, comfort and space, but sometimes stuff like that just can’t be helped.  But, the slingshot-like performance, standard equipment levels, and styling that should send Fisker Automotive (the one and only competitor to the Model S as of now) back to the drawing board.  If you have the money, want to look cool drag racing a Ford Mustang GT (which you should beat), and have four (or six with the optional rear-facing seat for kids) slack-jawed passengers, I suggest buying this car while it lasts.  If you don’t have $96,500, go for the Fisker Karma, which goes for just a tad over $83,000.  But, you won’t look as cool as you would in a Model S, would you?

Now, I’ve got to answer possibly the hardest question that I’ve ever faced:  IS the Tesla Model S the best car in the world?  My answer:  No.  That honor goes to the Pagani Huayra.   However, the Tesla Model S is probably the third or fourth best.  But, it is the best ELECTRIC car built.  Now I’ve REALLY got to start getting PAID for all the yard work I do, Mom!

zoomvroom New car info, World News

At Least Three Reasons Why YOU Need a New Car!

The 2012 new (and used) car market has picked up 10% since February.  Auto industry bigwigs are (correctly) thinking that you’ll need a new car pretty soon.  Pent up demand and all.  Though the economy may not be allowing you to get a new Lamborghini Gallardo, it hopefully does allow you to get a brand-new car that fits your needs and budget.

Because of so much demand that had been held back for a few years, Honda has redesigned their Civic compact, added a natural gas-burning engine to it, and introduced a redesigned Civic Hybrid and put out a new Civic model called the HF.  Toyota has redesigned their hum-drum Yaris subcompact to a point where it actually GIVES buyers at least one legitimate reason to buy it.  They have also introduced a new Pruis subcompact.  But, those pale in comparison to the fact that Detroit is making green, fun-to-drive, and dead-on reliable iron.

Anybody needing a new set of swanky wheels who wants to travel to Chicago in September should check out the various automakers’ vehicles.  Some good examples include the most fuel-efficient, lightest Cadillac ever; the ATS, the swanky 2013 Dodge Dart which has aggressive pricing starting at an amazing $16,000, and also happens to have a glove box designed to hold an iPad (any generation…), and the diesel VW Beetle convertible!

Though GM may be the largest U.S. automaker, Ford is generating enough buzz to give a bee a sore throat.  Why all the buzz, you might ask?  Well, the 2013 Fusion is going to be a sleek, midsize family sedan that would make Captain Kirk abandon ship in favor of it!  It comes in a conventional gas engine, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid versions.  Yet, with all the green-machines, there’s still room for a timeless muscle car:  The Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 will debut there with an all-new supercharged 5.8 liter V8 pumping out 650 horsepower, and close to 700 lb-ft of torque.  Oh, and did I mention that it has a speed of over 200 MPH?!!  VROOM!  That should be just enough to get all the other American automakers getting serious…

So start shopping!

zoomvroom Car Reviews, New car info, The History of Autos

The Viper Strikes Again!

You know the saying, “you never know what goes on behind closed doors.”  Well, it really worked out well for Ralph Gilles and a team of designers.  While behind closed (and locked) doors, Gilles and Russ Ruedisueli did some serious designing.  Ruedisueli is Chrysler’s head of engineering for SRT and Motorsports,.  If that’s not enough, maybe being vehicle line executive for the fifth-generation Dodge Viper is.  But, it’s not a Viper anymore.  Chrysler management decided that the Dodge name wasn’t worthy enough for something that will cost up to $120,000 (before ANY options in the classier SRT Viper GTS!), so they decided to make SRT a division of Chrysler LLC.

When the last of the Dodge Viper ACR-X’s rolled off the assembly line at Chrysler’s Conner Avenue factory in the summer of 2010, Chrysler was madly plugging leaks with whatever they could find.  Chrysler decided that the Viper brand was going to be given to the highest bidder (ANY bidder, mind you!), but some Viper fans at Chrysler management were able to let themselves be heard, and the Viper brand was shoved to the bottom of the skillet for about a year.  Or so they thought.

Ralph Gilles said, “I knew that the very last thing Chrysler needed during our bankruptcy was a 600-hp sports car.  But I’m an optimist.  I wanted to fight for a chance.  We discussed it for a year.  I got Sergio [Marchionne, Chrysler CEO] to drive one of the last Vipers.  He jumped in and disappeared G-d knows where.  He came back 15 minutes later and said, ‘Ralph, that’s a lot of work.’  He meant it was a brutal car.  But he didn’t say ‘Good riddance’ or anything.  Then in late ’09, I showed him a video of a Viper breaking the Nürburgring record.  He watched all of it and was impressed.  I gave him a list of all the supercars that the Viper had put away.  It’s against the rules here, but we started sketching on the project.  We never asked for permission, we just did it.  Then, in mid-2010, I had a full-size model put together.  We took it to the styling dome and had the place dimly lit like a nightclub, and I got the Chrysler management team sitting almost campfire-style.  So we unveiled the car-with its 32-coat candy-apple paint-and you could have heard a pin drop.  When people started talking, Sergio said, ‘Be quiet! Let’s just take this in.”  Gilles also remembers, “Eventually we got tired of [Chrysler] execs telling us what the car should be, so we staged a research clinic with supercar owners-Audi R8 owners, Nissan GT-R owners, Porsche and Ferrari folks.  They said, ‘The Viper doesn’t handle, it’s only a straight-line wonder, it’s hot inside, it’s badly made, it doesn’t have cruise control.’  It hurt my feelings, but we vowed that the new car would retain its signature rawness and purity, yet we’d bring it into the 21st century.”

Now, the 2012 Viper is the fastest, safest, and most expensive production Viper.  Ever.  VROOM!  Plus, it’s the most fuel-efficient Viper ever thanks to it’s all-aluminum 8.4 liter V10 churning out enough torque to make a Ford F550 jealous (600 lb-ft).  But, we can’t go on without mentioning the 640 horsepower.  Plus, the engine weighs 25 pounds less than before.  The Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission has tighter gear ratios than before.  This makes it a lot of fun on freeway on-ramps.  Instead of having to go from whatever gear you are from to second gear, now you can shift around a few gears.  The old final-drive ratio was 3.07, but it’s been retuned to be 3.55.  A 3.73 would be nice, but that would force them to have a 9-inch rear end which would be much too wide for the frame rails.  The car spent much of it’s development time in a wind tunnel.  Ruedisueli said that the car is currently a 0.364 Cd.  At least two-thirds of that are on the underbody to let the car go over 200 mph.  The data currently points to 206 mph!  VROOM!

Plus, Chrysler recently announced that they will (finally) return to racing.  Ruedisueli said, “We’re getting our arms around that right now.  The ALMS (American Le Mans Series) and Grand-Am are the obvious places.  It’s important that we build on the Viper’s racing heritage.  Our customers expect that, too.”  Dodge recently started work on three prototype 2012 Vipers that have been converted to ALMS specs.  Here’s what one looks like.

For some interesting facts on the Viper’s history, I will go generation by generation until 2009.  The 1992 Dodge Viper RT/10 sounded like a UPS truck, and Car & Driver’s Brock Yates called it the “world’s largest Fat Boy Harley!”  The 1996 Viper RT/10 was a bit better, but not by much – the Viper handled more like a high-performance race-car than a motorcycle with four wheels.  At least it had ABS. . .The 1997 Viper GTS evoked the 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe so strongly that there was something of an outrage in the automotive world until Carroll Shelby came out and said that he had personally helped with the design.  It was true.  Just six years later, the first Viper SRT-10 came out.  It had a couple of creature comforts that one might call standard: a heated backrest and remote  door locks.  The 2006 Viper SRT10 was quite literally a car that could drive around a time bomb.  It stopped from 70 mph in only 159 feet (what it takes a Ford F150 Lariat to stop!) and flew around the skidpad with 0.98 g’s of grip.  The 2009 Viper SRT10 is one of the most memorable rides of the 21st century: the cabin was still hot (nice in winter, torture otherwise), the torque-sensing differential that made the car more stable and forgiving (carried over), and it had variable valve timing (still there) that helped boost power to 600 horsepower.  Plus, it took 3.6 seconds to get to 60 mph.  I have absolutely NO idea how fast the new car can go (however fast, it’s gonna be scary fast!).

You can check out the new Viper in showrooms around the beginning of November, or look at it on the SRT website at http://www.drivesrt.com/

See ya sucka!

zoomvroom Car Reviews, New car info, World News

What’s Fiat Times 500?

About twenty years ago, Fiat pulled out of the U.S. market because of the chintzy Fiat 500.  Let it be chintzy no more!  Zippy around town, the peppy Fiat 500 is making a comeback that should make you forget any memories of working under the tiny hood of the previous 500.  The 500 has an all-new (to us) 1.4 liter MultiAir engine that pumps out a meager-yet-peppy 101 horsepower (up to 160 in the sporty Abarth version) and a skimpy 98 lb-ft of torque.  It may not sound like a lot, but it’s definitely enough to “meet” with an officer of the law (read CHP…)!  All the reviews rave about the peppy engine and amazing five-speed manual (just add an extra speed, Fiat!).  Fiat recently brought over the amazing Fiat 500 Abarth, which has a 1.4 liter MultiAir engine pumping out a mighty 160 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque.  Mated to a smooth, quick-shifting five-speed manual.  Oh, and did I mention 0-60 mph in 6.87 seconds!  VROOM!  The engine has an extremely wide rev band (fuel cutoff is at a screaming 8200 RPM!) that, when in Sport mode, will give max torque at 6500 RPM.  The Abarth has a lower, beefier suspension than the normal 500, which makes it a lot of fun in the twisties.  Plus, it has a new muffler that makes the tiny four-banger sound like a Nissan 370Z V6, not a weedwacker!  The Detroit Bureau saw the Abarth go all the way up to a steady 153 mph at Spring Mountain Motorsports Park’s 2-mile dragstrip.  The normal 500 can barely manage 117.  If you want a peppy car for under $30,000, and you’re only planning on having two people in the car at all times, than the Fiat 500 Abarth might just be for you.  Plus, there’s a $2,500 engine upgrade that boosts power to 200.  And the Abarth is a great car for the daily commute and a weekend warrior.  How about it? I even “built” an Abarth for you on Fiat’s website that will only make you pay $25,950!  http://www.fiatusa.com/hostc/bmo/CUX201203FFFX24A/2DX/summary.do

Fiat has worked really hard to erase any bad feelings about their owning the Chrysler Corporation.  They recently redesigned the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 (awesome job, guys!), plus they redesigned the Dodge Durango and they also freshened the Chrysler Sebring (now Chrysler 200) and the Dodge Avenger.  Just to top that off, they redesigned the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and freshened the rest of the Jeep line.  If that wasn’t enough, they just brought back the SRT (previously Dodge) Viper.  Nice!

I almost forgot to mention that Fiat is health-conscious!  They’ve got a Fiat 500 Pink Ribbon Edition, to promote breast cancer awareness!  I’ve attached the link for the main Fiat USA website below.

http://www.fiatusa.com/en/

zoomvroom Car Reviews, Field Trips, New car info

I Caught Three Whoppers (NOT the candy…)

So, the reason that I was playing hooky Friday is because my dad got an invitation from Maserati of San Francisco, CA to drive their full line of cars!  I guess they made a mistake!  Apparently, we have $240,000 to throw at a Gran Turismo MC. . .One can only hope. . .Anyway, we went to the beautiful property of Raymond Winery in St. Helena, and started out in a smokin’ Royal Blue Maserati Gran Turismo.  Our driving route consisted of going pretty far up Sage Canyon from the Silverado Trail to Lake Hennessey, a local lake on the way up to Lake Berryessa.  On the first (of many) blind curves on the canyon, we almost hit some random guy in a Nissan Altima rental car dropping his girlfriend off (on a busy 2 lane road, on a blind curve).  I was in the front seat while my little sister, and the driving instructor were in the back (with next to no room).  My dad hit the brakes, downshifted with the paddle shifter and swerved.  All while hitting the horn.  Nice multi-tasking, dad!  As soon as we saw a good stretch of straight road, Jeff, our personal race driving instructor had my dad put the Gran Turismo in “Sport” mode.  Immediately, the car got much, much louder as a result of the exhaust opening up.  Then, we felt a tremendous power rush of both horsepower and torque.  We shot up to about 70 mph in about three seconds.  Then, there was a curve.  Even though the suspension of the Gran Turismo is mildly hard, the Gran Turismo MC is harder, yet rides as smooth, just with more road feel.

When we got back, we decided to take the Gran Turismo MC for a spin.  The MC is the fastest, most expensive, most powerful, and coolest stock Maserati to have ever been built.  The body is the same body used for the GT3 Racing Series.  This means that it has a LOT of carbon fiber.  The hood is hand-formed by a little old Italian guy singing an old opera (it’s true!).  The MC has a smooth, controlled ride, yet it has a track-tuned suspension.  Of course, if you own an MC, you can change the suspension setting with a screwdriver.  The MC makes 433 horsepower when it’s not in sport mode.  When it is in sport mode, it makes 444 horsepower, 357 lb-ft of torque, and gets loud enough to shatter an eardrum.  That’s the type of car the neighbors hate. . .When you get up to about 4500 RPMs, you feel a quite noticeable horsepower surge.  Once you get to that level of horsepower, it goes all the way up to 6,500 RPMs, before it downshifts.  When in manual mode, any gear will bring you up to redline and the fuel cutoff before the rev limiter brings the revs down, and upshifts.  On this drive, there were no crazy Nissan drivers, and we were able to go way, way past the speed limit.  We got to 90 mph before we slowed down for a turn.  Also, one cool feature that all the Maserati’s have is when you open or close a door, the window opens about an inch, so there is no vacuum as you open the door.  It’s automatically closes when you close the door.  Pretty cool, huh?

When we got back from our drive in the MC, we decided to take a ride in the Quattroporte GTS.  This has the 433 horsepower, 4.7 liter V8.  I was the one who convinced my dad to drive it, as my little sister’s and the driving instructor’s legs were most likely wanting some room for themselves.  So, I got in the front seat and got myself comfortable.  Then, my butt started hurting a bit.  I thought “I’ll just recline the seat back about an inch or so.”  The moment I put my hand on the little hand joystick thing, my seat started moving up and down, forward and backward, and reclining and other wacky things.  I, of course, freaked out.  I started hearing wild laughter from the back.  I looked back, and there were the driving instructor and my sister playing around with their own controls for MY seat!  The reason that there are controls for the shotgun seat is, when you’re being chauffeured, you can move the shotgun seat forward so your legs have more room.  Anyway, we had a lot of fun on the drive in the Quattroporte GTS and the other Maserati’s.

Here’s some pictures of the cars we drove.  The black sedan is the Quattroporte GTS, the Royal Blue coupe is the Gran Turismo, and the white car that looks like it’s ready to race is the Gran Turismo MC.  The Burgundy Red convertible is the Gran Turismo convertible.  My personal favorite, the Gran Turismo MC.  Why? It’s lovely lines that wouldn’t be out of place in a Rembrandt, it’s 187 mph top speed, and room for four adults.  Who couldn’t love it?

Here’s some words of wisdom from Dad:

“The first thing I realized when driving these awesome cars is that my son would be telling the world of my exploits – but, oh well!  Let’s just hope no Highway Patrol officers are reading this post.

After walking around the vehicle and admiring it’s beautiful craftsmanship, I settled into it’s luxurious seat and familiarized myself with the cockpit layout (very nicely designed, with everything easily readable).  After adjusting my seat,  steering wheel and mirrors, I fired up the sweet sounding engine.  After making sure everyone was buckled (and had said their prayers) I took off for the scenic rolling hills of Napa Valley.  Just to be sure I had a feel for the car’s performance (yeah, that must be the reason) I gunned it out of the driveway, accelerating to 70 mph in a few seconds.  Once everyone was breathing again, I crossed a narrow bridge with an oncoming truck (Jeff wasn’t too sure about that maneuver).  When we hit the Silverado Trail I opened it up a bit and then turned onto Sage Canyon (a road I’ve driven many times before).  Deciding to let the car open up may have been premature, as we immediately came upon the Nissan half off the road – no problem with the magnificent stopping power of 4 wheel Brembo brakes.  I used my time in the GT to get a feel for the road, knowing the best was yet to come.

The next ride was definitely the best.  Driving the Gran Turismo MC was incredible.  This car is perfectly balanced and transmits every piece of the road into your body without any sense of harshness.  After opening it up in sport mode, with it’s perfectly tuned exhaust, I reached Lake Hennessey in what felt like no time at all.  After turning around, I began shooting down the canyon.  Coming upon a steep downhill left-hand curve which immediately switches to a right-hand sharp curve, I noticed a series of long skid marks! Not to be deterred, I simply downshifted and used the engine to steer through in a smooth continuation of power – this car’s amazing!  What my son didn’t know was that Jeff later pulled me aside and admitted he was concerned when I entered that maneuver at 80 mph.  Definitely an amazing vehicle – I’ll take 2!

The Quattroporte GT S was all luxury.  My daughter enjoyed the limo like ride in the back (and messing with her brother’s seat).  For a sedan, there’s nice power, though you definitely feel the weight difference having just driven the GT MC.  Coming back down Sage Canyon, I noticed a glimmer from behind a tree in the distance ahead.  Fearing the worst (read CHP), I downshifted and slowed, only to discover a frightened gentleman checking his mailbox on the side of the road.  The glimmer was sunlight reflecting off his new catalog.  We all had a great laugh at his expense.”

Thanks, Dad! You’re a great guest blogger.

I’d like to give a special thank you to the amazing Raymond Winery staff and property.  Also, Maserati/Ferrari of San Francisco, CA deserves a HUGE thank you for letting my dad drive.  Plus, they do deserve an extremely large thank you from me and my sister for letting us come along.  I’d also like to give a personal thank you to Jeff for his patience and kindness to us.  Thank You!

zoomvroom Car Reviews, New car info

The Prius’ New Bigger (much younger) Brother is in Town!

Just the other day, I was trying to convince my dad to put the truck up on eBay, forget the  Kia Optima, and look into the Prius v.  I repeatedly told him that the Prius was a studly “man-car.”  So, just to show him that maybe trucks aren’t as cool as they seem on the surface, the Prius v has a spot on my blog.  Forever.  I was hoping to tell him that the “v” isn’t a Roman numeral, but actually the first letter of a word starting with “v.”  I was hoping (along with other writers) that the “v” stood for vigilant, vicious, voyager, or vivacious , or some cool big word like that.  But, no.  It HAS to stand for versatility.  But, while we’re on this topic, why not forget the word versatility for a while, and think of it as virtuous.  Let’s talk about it’s virtues, shall we?

In 2003, the second generation of the Prius came out.  There were enough armies of doubters to fight WWIII to the death.  And then some.  I think they doubted it because it seemed to deliver the impossible: comfort, safety, well equipped, cheap price, and 50-mpg.  The critics could not be dissuaded from their beliefs that: the batteries would leave owners stranded in cold weather.  The battery replacements would cost a fortune, and the discarded battery packs would end up in landfills, leaching toxic materials that would send HAZMAT running for the next 5,000 years.  Some grumped that the technology was too complex.  Statisticians argued with economists about Toyota selling it at a loss.  Detroit said it was homely and slow.  Sucks for all those grumpies.  All right, I’ll let them have that last one…

But, now, all of those people must sit at home and stew in their epic wrongness.  Nine years later, the Prius, in it’s third generation, is the best-selling hybrid in the world, let alone one of the best-selling cars IN the world.  Toyota has sold more than two MILLION Prii (the plural of Prius!  It’s even true!) globally.  more than half of those sales are in the U.S.  According to Toyota, only 3% of all the Prii sold since 2003 aren’t on the road (mostly because of accidents…).  The “far-too-complex-technology” gag hasn’t been made fun of by South Park yet (at least, not that I’m aware of…), but Saturday Night Live “talked” about it.  That technology, Hybrid Synergy Drive, has proven to be more reliable than the old Dodge Slant Sixes.  The nickel-metal hydride batteries have outlasted even the most optimistic estimates by a few years.  Besides, when the cars are torn apart, the battery packs are 100% recycled for all of their valuable metals.

As Dan Neil of the Wall Street Journal said, “To this day, if you want a five-passenger, five-door car under $30,000 that gets 50 mpg or more and doesn’t require a plug, your shopping list is one car long.”  Through almost any pair of eyes, the Prius is one of the most significant automobiles in the long history of the automobile.

To make customers (namely Americans) happier, Toyota is basically making the Prius a brand of it’s own, adding the Prius v station wagon (close to it, so I’ll call it a station wagon [sorry Volvo and VW!]) first, and the Prius v will soon be followed by the Prius c; a smaller, five-door “coupe.”  Someday in the near future, Toyota hopes to have and sell more Prii variants than the very popular Corolla and Camry.  What’s after the Prius c, Toyota, a Prius f, a Ferrari competitor (if so, I’ll be customer number 1!…)?

Behind the relatively spacious second-row seat (which is almost as large as a 2012 Chrysler 300’s rear seat), there is a max cargo space of 34.3 cubic feet behind the 60/40 seats.  When you fold down the seats, it increases to 67.3 cubic feet, which is almost exactly the amount that a VW Jetta Sportwagen has (with it’s seats folded down, of course).  So, flamethrower holders rejoice!  Why not buy a Jetta Sportwagen TDI diesel, which costs about the same as a Prius v (about $25,000 before options come in), is immeasurably more fun to drive, and a bladder-busting range of almost 600 miles.  Just thinking about it makes my bladder feel like a water balloon…The Prius v has a couple of good defenses that those Germans forgot to add: amazing rear-seat access, especially for child seats; an amazing in-cabin infotainment system (which is basically the available Internet enabled Entune infotainment system); and better in-city fuel economy, which may be the sort of driving you do.  The EPA says that the Prius v averages 44 mpg in the city, which makes the VW drivers pale, with their noisy diesels only returning 30 mpg in the city.  Haha!  FYI, the v’s combined highway/city mpg is 8 mpg lower than the “normal” Prius hatchback’s 50 mpg, at 42 mpg.  That’s because of  extra aerodynamics drag and 232 extra pounds of flab (without driver or any human stuff in it).

The now quite-familiar Prii gas-electric drivetrain is under the hood, but the CVT’s (continuously variable transmission) gearing has been made lower to help compensate for the extra weight when you start.  Call 0-60 mph about 11 seconds.  The normal Prius does it in about 9 seconds.  Also, the Prius v struggles a bit going up hills, or starting from a stoplight or stop sign (so, cut those moms and dads some slack!).

I wouldn’t call the Prius v a Ferrari or Maserati in terms of driving pleasure.  It’s basically just an EKG flatline in terms of driving pleasure.  It’s not meant to be speedy, agile, or anything related to going fast.  But, it does get around town and the highway with enough vibe for an officer of the law to give a hello.  But, there is one cool trick that very few cars nowadays have.  It’s a piece of programming that can sense undulations and random oscillations in the road surface and due to our processing speeds, the traction motor’s torque output imperceptibly pulses.  That’s kind of cool, isn’t it?  I think it is pretty cool, especially for the rough roads of Sonoma County.

Dan Neil of the WSJ basically took care of my closing paragraph.  “I don’t care how iron-headed you like to think you are – it’s your problem.  If you can’t acknowledge the pure genius of the Toyota Prius, you just don’t like cars, engineering, or technology.  This thing is, in its way, simply amazing.  True, the Prius is not for everybody.  But, with the v, the c, and whatever other letters are coming our way, it’s getting there.” Once we run out of alphabet letters, let’s brace ourselves for the Egyptian hieroglyphs that’ll be coming our way.  After all, Toyota did say that there would be more variants than the Corolla and Camry.  I’m guessing that Toyota meant Corolla and Camry variants combined.  Besides, that number is at least 35…

Here’s some more info on the Prius v, dad…http://www.toyota.com/priusv/