Archives for August 2012

Monterey Car Week 2012

August 31, 2012 by Maxim Stensel 1 Comment

Can-Am and Le Mans legends take to the track at Laguna Seca.

Every August, the small seaside town of Monterey, California, briefly becomes the center of the automotive world. With the historic races, now officially known as the “Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion”, at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the legendary Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and a multitude of auctions selling collector cars of all kinds, there’s something for everyone. It feels like every corner you turn on the Monterey peninsula reveals another “once in a lifetime” sighting of a car you never expected to see outside a museum.

Charles Wegner’s 1959 Ferrari 250LWB.

The Rolex Reunion has a featured marque every year, and this time it was the Shelby Cobra. 2012 marked the 50th anniversary of Caroll Shelby’s iconic car, and in the aftermath of his sad passing, this year’s events in Monterey became a celebration of the great racer and builder’s life, as well as of his cars. At Laguna Seca, 45 original competition Cobras took to the track in their own dedicated class, including one of the six original Daytona Coupes, several others appeared in other classes, and hundreds of Cobras were on show in the pits, paddock, and camping areas. Quite a few significant Cobras were on show across town at Pebble Beach, as well.

The Cobra class pace lap passes through Turn 6.

Just a few of the many historic Cobras on display.

Classes at Laguna Seca represented almost every period of auto racing before the current generation. From the dawn of motorsports in the early 1900s, to the peak of performance at Le Mans and in IMSA in the 1980s and 1990s, and with everything from Mille Miglia-style GTs to historic NASCAR stock cars, just about every form and era of road racing was on track.

1950s and ’60s sports cars and GTs dive into Laguna Seca’s infamous “Corkscrew.”

The Ford GT40 probably needs no introduction! This 1966 example is from the Collier Collection at The Revs Institute.

James Alter’s 1952 Jaguar XK120.

1991 Mazda RX7 GTO IMSA car. One of the most modern machines of the weekend.

This BMW E9 3.0 CSL was driven by BMW North America’s chairman, Ludwig Willisch.

Above and below: Dick Deluna in his 1917 Hall-Scott “The Four”.

Above: Rob Fisher’s 1957 AC ACECA.

Ranson Webster’s 1976 Porsche 956.

Above: This Porsche 935 was recently “rescued” from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum and restored by renowned collector Bruce Canepa.

On Sunday, the Pebble Beach country club, a few minutes away from Laguna Seca, hosted their famous Concours d’Elegance. This is one of the most prominent events in the classic car concours world, and the event was filled with owners, fans, manufacturers, and celebrities. In addition to the Pebble Beach show proper, several manufacturers of high-end cars showed off their newest concepts, and some had stands displaying their current models.

Above: A beautiful Ferrari 250GT LWB Scaglietti Berlinetta. This car belongs to David Cottingham, in England.

Cars of the Maharajas were featured at Pebble Beach, and 1910 Brooke 25/30HP “Swan Car” was a crowd favorite…

…especially since it was accompanied by this companion car! Both can be found in the Louwman Museum, in The Netherlands.

Dodge’s new Viper GT-S.

Lamborghini’s “Sesto Elemento” prototype. This carbon fiber trackday monster weighs less than 2300lb, and will make around 600HP in production form. Too bad it won’t be street-legal!

Infiniti was the title sponsor of Pebble Beach this year, and their EMERG-E electric supercar concept attracted quite a bit of attention. Infiniti hasn’t confirmed production, but there are two fully-functional “mules” being tested, and it would certainly make an impressive rival to Lexus’s LF-A and LF-LC.

Auctions are also a major part of the Monterey scene. Gooding, RM, and Mecum are just some of the events held during the week. Gooding’s auctions, held at Pebble Beach on Saturday and Sunday, set a new record for total sales at an event auction.

This 1957 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Prototype crossed the block for $6,000,000, at the lower end of the estimate.

British Classics Found in Coastal New Hampshire

August 27, 2012 by Tom Williams 1 Comment

What state has the shortest coastline of any in the US? That would be New Hampshire, with a tiny 13 mile strip of exposure to the Atlantic Ocean to call its own. On a picture perfect summer evening, we snaked our way from cheesy Hampton, boasting gorgeous beaches and surf (think New Jersey Shore, but it’s in New England) to our digs in Portsmouth, a chic small city which many affectionately call a ‘Boston in miniature’. I might disagree, as I find Portsmouth has a character unique to itself. She’s an old port city loaded with charm and charisma.

But I digress. Our car for the trip was an Infiniti G37S four door, bestowed with a six-speed manual. On our trip back to Portsmouth, ocean on our right, with mansions costing millions of dollars on our left, the sights were breathtaking. With windows down, and sunroof open, the music of Jimmy Buffet reflecting our relaxed demeanor, the Infiniti proved to be a fantastic end of summer vacation car.

Yet, soon our road diverged from the coast, where we came upon Brit Bits, a seller and restorer of British cars in Rye, New Hampshire. If I see a row of British sports cars, I must stop, and I did. What a treasure trove of Brit cars. Plenty of MGB’s, Midgets (one had a hardtop with portholes, ala T-Bird), a well worn Jag E-Type, a Morris Minor my wife was smitten with, in addition to other beloved cars in various states of repair. Readers, I hope you enjoy the photo gallery as much I did admiring these cars.

[nggallery id=494]

Fiat Announces 500 Turbo

August 22, 2012 by Tom Williams Leave a Comment

Instead of a convention center at an international auto show, Fiat chose Concorso Italiano, a huge Italian car show in gorgeous Monterey, California during the week of the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’elegance to take the wraps off of the newest member of the 500 family, the Fiat 500 Turbo. The 500 Turbo essentially bridges the gap between the 500 Sport and the more intense 500 Abarth.

The heart of the 500 Turbo is in the engine bay, of course, where you will find a 1.4L turbocharged, intercooled four cylinder rated at 135hp, paired to a five-speed manual. Despite the extra oomph, Fiat predicts 34MPG on the highway. Visually, the 500 Turbo makes itself known with a unique front fascia, side skirts, blacked out headlight and parking light bezels, spoiler and rear diffuser. A sport tuned exhaust and beefed up suspension round out the package. The 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo goes on sale this Fall with a starting price of $19,500USD.

Watch a kid crash his Mom’s M3 in the desert

August 22, 2012 by Gary Grant 1 Comment

It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that handing the keys to an M3 and sending him out on a twisty desert road will not end well. Add in a GoPro and you have a recipe for a record of the impending disaster as the kid attempts to prove just how fast he really is. In this teaser clip from an upcoming episode of Mischief TV, we see just how badly this scenario can play out on a road in rural Arizona.

NASCAR – Biffle Takes the Checkered and the Points Lead at MIS – Hendrick Motor Failures Cause Concern

August 21, 2012 by Jay Tomchuk 1 Comment

Greg Biffle performs his celebration burnout at MIS after winning the Pure Michigan 400

Ford has not seen the checkered flag at MIS in 7 consecutive races. In real life terms that means 3 and a half years. The last time a Ford had been to winners circle was back in 2008, in the Michigan race after Dale Jr. started his winless streak. Greg Biffle decided that it was time for change. Running int he top 10 for most of the day the #16 Roush Ford car looked strong. As the final laps wore down it was beginning to look like another good day for the Chevy crowd. Then on lap 195 Jimmie Johnson lost his engine in spectacular fashion in a cloud of smoke. The restart had a Dodge (Kesolowski) , 2 Chevy’s (Dale Jr and Kasey Kahne) and a lone Ford filling the front 2 rows. All 4 cars had been fast all day, Kahne had recovered from an early spin in the Mark Martin wreck and everyone was itching for the win. When the checkered flag dropped and the cars roared across the line, the crowd actually fell silent for a moment as they waited for the outcome. It was the Ford of Biffle that took off into the clean air and no one could catch him. Biffle may not have led the most laps throughout the day, but he led the one that means the most as he crossed the line taking the checkered flag in the Pure Michigan 400, and ending the drought for Ford in their own back yard.

Biffle credits the jump he got on the restart to Dale Earnhardt Jr who started behind him in row 2 on the final restart that allowed him to earn his 18th career win.

“Junior gave me a huge push for that win,” Biffle said. “I have to thank him for that. I saw Brad laying back [on the restart] like always, and he got a little jump on me.”

“We’re going to make a run at the title,” Biffle promised. “I know they don’t talk about us a lot, but they will when we get to Vegas.”

Brad Kesolowski gave it everything he had but just could not catch the 16, especially since he was in a heated battle for 2nd with a hard charging Kasey Kahne. Finishing .417 seconds behind the leader Kesolowski was disappointed with his result at his home track.

“This is my home track,” said Keselowski, who has finished second in two consecutive Cup races. “I want to win here just as bad as I want to win a race in the Chase — probably more. There was a stretch where I felt like we were going to win it. I had some goosebumps going on.

“But it wasn’t meant to be, and I’m still very proud of the effort. … I just want to get that one more spot. I want to win races, and we’ve been running solid — and I’m proud of that — but we want that one more spot, too.”

Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Marcos Ambrose rounded out the top 5.

———————————————————————————————————————

Jimmie Johnson looking concerned after his engine failure in the final laps of the Pure Michigan 400

Hendrick Motorsport engine builders will be doing a lot of head scratching this week as they try to figure out how they lost 4 engines over the weekend. Two of those engines belonged to Jimmie Johnson in the #48. Having issues on Saturday they opted to swap their engine out and start from the rear of the field for Sunday’s start. They looked fast as they moved through the field and were in the top 10 by lap 97.

Then early in the race the #14 Stewart Haas entry driven by Tony Stewart started sounding rough, later to be determined that he lost a cylinder due to a valve spring breaking. With 4 of the Hendrick engine builders looking at the engine they patched it up and sent him back out for points but he was no longer a contender.

45 laps later it was the #24 car that suffered the same issue ending Jeff Gordon’s chances for a win and continuing the 4 time champion’s streak of bad luck that has been following him around throughout the season.

The last and final straw was right at the end of the race as the #48 lost their second engine of the weekend with only 5 laps to go in the race. In a cloud of smoke the 48 fell back through the field before pulling behind the wall in a rare DNF for their team.

“[I was] just running along there and, all of a sudden, dropped a cylinder,” Gordon said. “The No. 14 [Stewart] had that same issue. This is a tough place on engines. We rarely have these issues. … When you come to Michigan and you turn these kinds of sustained RPMs on this fast of a track, it’s always of concern here.”

“It’s just a bad day, not the norm, for sure,” said Stewart, who radioed that it felt like his car was running on seven cylinders early in the race. “We have the best engine department in the world, in my opinion. We had three engine tuners down there [in the garage] trying to get it fixed for us. [Sunday’s result] wasn’t for lack of effort.”

The failures were also a cause for concern in the 88 camp of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Crew chief Steve Letarte waited patiently for word on what the cause of the failure was as he watched his driver moving forward through the field.

“Without a doubt [I was worried],” Letarte said. “One doesn’t bother you. That’s part of racing. But when the 24 had their issue, the concern went up.

“I’m disappointed for the motor guys. I know they work tremendously hard. This is one of those places where, as fast as we’re running, it’s just hard on equipment. We’ll get back to the shop, look into them all, and I’m sure we’ll have good direction coming to the Chase.”

Review: 2012 Nissan Armada

August 20, 2012 by Tom Williams Leave a Comment

When I was asked what car I was currently reviewing, I replied it was the Nissan Armada. The question that followed was “Oh, what do you think of it?” As someone who talks about cars in paragraphs, not short sentences, I paused, and replied “Well, it’s like a Chevy Tahoe, except made by Nissan.” That may upset fans of the Bowtie, or perhaps maybe even Nissan. But the reality is the Armada and Tahoe compete head to head in a shrinking market for full-size, truck-based SUVs, so the comparison is inevitable. After living with a Tahoe for a week last December and an Armada this past July, the similarities and differences became clear.

The Nissan Armada as we know it is no spring chicken. Introduced as a 2004 model, in today’s automotive arena the Armada is ancient. In its favor, the styling of full-size SUVs moves at a glacial pace, so in spite of its eight year old design, it still manages to look current. In spite of its size, the Armada is quite understated compared to the stern, serious face of the Tahoe. Chunky 20″ alloys and enough, but not excessive use of chrome trim lent just enough elegance to justify the price of admission. Our test car, finished in Galaxy Black did an excellent job of masking the Armada’s most glaring design flaw. From the side profile, the roof of the passenger cabin rises and swoops downward, where it is met by the cargo area, where the roof is flat. In brighter colors, it looks like two different design committees designed the Armada, and never met to compare notes for a cohesive design.

Inside, the Armada offers the level of quality and ease of use we’ve come to expect from Nissan. All controls are simple to use and easy to understand. Seats front and rear offered plenty of room and were quite comfortable. Our Armada was capable of seating up to eight, although the top-spec model with second row captain’s chairs drops that number to seven. What I appreciated about the Armada was the amount of interior storage and cubbies available, whereas the Tahoe seemed lacking. While some complain the Armada offers less cargo room, I’ll counter with this. If you to want access that extra cargo space in the Tahoe, you’ll have to physically remove the third row seat to get to all of it. The Armada? Press a button, and the third row seat simply folds flat. I’ll take the latter option, thank you. To sum, the cabin of the Armada seems far more family friendly.

Just as the Tahoe is based on the Silverado pick-up truck, the Armada is based upon Nissan’s top-dog truck, the Titan. All Armada’s are powered by a 5.6L V-8 pumping out 317hp, mated to a five-speed automatic. Buyers have the choice between rear wheel and all-wheel drive. Our test car was a 4×2, with EPA fuel economy estimated at 13/19 MPG city/highway. In mixed driving, our Armada’s trip computer was showing an average of 14 MPG, so she is one thirsty girl. In a 4×4 Armada, expect about a 1 MPG drop. Towing capacity in our Armada is an impressive 8,200 lbs, while a 4×4 can tow up to 9,100 lbs. Acceleration from the V-8 is strong, and makes the right sounds, and is without doubt more refined than the Tahoe’s mill. Despite its size and weight, the Armada is very easy to drive and wiggle your way through town or highway traffic. Yes, it handles like a truck, because, well, it is, but that is not to say it lacks refinement or is at all crude. If you expect the creaminess of a Nissan Murano, you’re missing the point.

The Armada is available in three trim levels: SV, SL, and Platinum. Our test car was the mid-level SL. While I was thankful for being spared the bling of the chrome 20’s on the Platinum, I was incredulous that if you want navigation on your Armada, you must choose the top-spec car. Standard on our SL was a leather interior, power, heated front seats, 11 speaker Bose audio, XM Radio, Bluetooth, rear sonar, rear view monitor, dual zone and rear auto climate controls, and power rear liftgate. Options on our Armada included a rear DVD entertainment system, replete with wireless headphones, remote control and 8″ screen, and power moonroof. Including destination, our Armada carried an MSRP of $48,965USD. Hardly cheap, but the price is on par for full-size, well equipped SUVs. Still, the lack of navigation, even at this price just seemed wrong.

So when asked about the Armada, equating it to the Tahoe was the simple answer, but as you’ve seen, it is far more complex. Appearance is subjective, but I’d have the say the Tahoe is by far more handsome. It epitomizes the look you want from an SUV of this size. On the other hand, the interior of the Armada was much more family friendly. Comparing how they drive, the Armada felt more nimble. But as always is the case in the car business, it’s the sales that matter. By the end of July, 2012, for every Armada Nissan sold, Chevy sold nearly four Tahoes. In spite of this, I would say these two trucks are evenly matched enough they merit comparison shopping. So before you drop that check off at your Chevy dealer, you may want to make a detour to Nissan first.

If you do, to quote the Rolling Stones, just ‘Paint It Black”.

[nggallery id=493]

NASCAR – Mark Martin Takes The Pole for the Pure Michigan 400- Late Practice Troubles for Hendrick Cars

August 19, 2012 by Jay Tomchuk 1 Comment

Mark Martin signs autographs as he walks the red carpet at MIS before the June race

At 5’6″ and 135 lbs Mark Martin does not strike an imposing figure. But when you listen to the drivers in the garage talk about him you would think he was 8 feet tall and had wings. With the years of experience behind him, the reverence you see in the eyes of the drivers when they talk about him is well earned. Mark Martin may be the oldest active driver on the track, but yesterday he was also the fastest. Carl Edwards said that he thought he had left maybe a little bit of speed out there, well he did, and Mark Martin found it.

“The one thing that you’ll get from me is every ounce that I can find,” Martin said. “You get that no matter what the result may be.”

It’s the experience that counts, and Martin has earned more than anyone else in the garage.

“Gosh, I’ve had a few years of practice,” Martin said. “I don’t need a whole bunch of practice. I just need a race car like what I drove [Friday]. I need fast race cars, and that’s what [crew chief] Rodney Childers is giving me.

“All it is is driving the car — I’ve been doing that since I was 15.”

With a speed of 199.706 MPH Martin came close to breaking the 200mph mark that was seen here at MIS back in June.

“It was obscene. It was crazy,” he said. “To be able to get that lap is a nice thing [but] the fastest car does not always win the race.”

“I believe this race team is up to the challenge of contending and winning a race somewhere along the way,” he says. “I can’t know if it could possibly be this one. All I know is we’re probably not going to have to take a middle-of-the-pack race car and try to win with it. That is a feather in our cap.”

Carl Edwards will start on the outside of Martin in the 2nd position with his qualifying effort of 198.626 MPH. Edwards was all smiles as he talked about seeing his time fall to Martin right at the end of the knockout qualifying session.

“There are generations of people who have all had little Mark Martin toys,” Edwards said. “Who knows? My kids some day might be racing against the guy. … And they will probably be just as frustrated.”

“He is living the dream,” Edwards said. “He has had a successful career and [now] he’s able to pick and choose which races he’s going to run — and he performs well at them. I think that is pretty amazing, especially at his age. … He can probably bench press more than all of us.”

_______________________________________________________________________________

Dale Earnhardt return to the track where he earned his last 2 wins, 4 years apart. In June he dominated here and although he had handling issues in the early stages of the race he made his way to the front and led the field to the checkered flag with ease. He may have a little bit more of a struggle this time. The car he won with in June was what he was prepared to run until a late crash in the 3rd and final practice. Although the backup car he will be using has never turned a racing lap at MIS it has been here before for testing.

Carl Edwards, Dale Jr., and Matt Kenseth answer questions in a Q&A session Friday after qualifying.

“We tested it here when we first came, so we know a lot about the car here at this particular track, where in most cases you don’t,” said Earnhardt. “We have that going for us. We have a lot of information, and I feel like we should be able to put a car out there that’s relatively in the ballpark. … Other than just starting at the back, I don’t think it’s hurt our chances too much. I mean, you hate to wreck the primary car, but the consequences and the situation really couldn’t be more favorable with the backup than it is here for us.”

“We were making some changes on the car, and got the car too loose, and it just came out from under me in the corner,” he said. “A little bit of being too free, and probably running harder than I should have been in practice.”

Jr. is confident that chances can be taken early in the race to move forward, and if not he is prepared to drive his way to the front.

“We can take no tires, two tires, whatever, and gain a lot of track position throughout the first part of the race if we get the opportunity under yellows,” he said. “If we don’t have yellows, we’re going to have our work cut out for us.”

“When we won here in [June], we fell all the way to the back having some trouble with the balance of the car, and made some changes. So we’ve come out of a hole before here and won the race, so I feel pretty good about our chances still. We’ve just got to make sure we do all our homework up in the front of the hauler here, and when they put it out on the starting grid, it’s close. It needs to be close. We don’t want to have to deal with the car being way off balance-wise at the start of the race. Because that could make it tough for us to finish well.”

Jr. will not be alone starting from the rear of the field as his teammate Jimmie Johnson replaced an engine Saturday, a change which requires vacating his 3rd place qualifying position on the grid and move to the rear of the field.

Review: 2012 Kia Rio

August 15, 2012 by Tom Williams Leave a Comment

The first Kia Rio was dropped on these shores back in 2000 as the Korean automaker’s entry-level car. Short on refinement with forgettable looks and little more to brag about than a cheap price, the Rio had little going for it. The Rio has finally grown up and is fully prepared to take on all comers. Now in its third generation, the 2012 Rio is a complete redesign, and just from looking at the pic above, the Rio is no wallflower. But it takes more than good looks to stand out in this competitive market. Read on to see if the Rio is a true, well-rounded car.

The first thing you notice are the striking looks of the Rio. If the Rio has a European accent, that is not by accident, as a former Audi designer heads up Kia’s design department. But it works, and the Rio has a fresh, contemporary, upscale look that belies its low starting price. Our test car was the SX model which added smartly styled 17″ alloys, twin chrome exhaust tips, fog lights and LED lighting front and rear. Our Rio looked decidedly upmarket, and far classier than any other car at this price point.

Inside, the Rio is also a car that confirms the days of economy car cabins as dreary penalty boxes are behind us. And again, the cabin carries the theme of the exterior-smart, clean, and classy. Yes, there are hard plastics to be found, but the general look and feel of the interior does not shout bargain basement. I appreciated thoughtful touches like the chrome ringed gauges, metallic trim and aluminum pedals, which added some brightness and personality to our test car’s all black interior. The seats were comfortable, and overall the interior offered plenty of room. The trunk offered enough room that should suit any small family.

The Rio is offered with one engine, a 1.6L direct injected four developing 138hp. A six-speed manual transmission is offered only in the base LX model, while other trim levels come standard with a six-speed automatic. I find it a little odd that our SX test car is the considered the ‘sporty’ Rio, yet the buyer has no choice but to get an automatic. Not that I had any complaints about it, as our car banged off smooth, crisp shifts. Our Rio zipped through local traffic easily. While not at all harsh, Kia has not quite yet reached the level of refinement seen in Honda and Toyota four cylinders. Especially admirable are the Rio’s EPA fuel economy rating of 30/40 MPG city/highway. Our Rio has a tightly buttoned down, firm ride, which I appreciated. Our SX had a sport-tuned suspension, so lesser Rio’s will no doubt has a softer ride.

From the start, the Rio has always been offered in both four door sedan and hatchback body styles. A base Rio LX sedan with a manual transmission starts at $13,600USD, with EX and SX trims filling out the line. Our test car was the top-spec SX sedan. All Rios come well equipped, but in addition the features already mentioned, our SX came standard with Sirius satellite radio, Bluetooth, UVO in-vehicle infotainment center with a rear view camera, steering wheel controls, and power folding heated exterior mirrors. Our test car included the Premium Package, which added GPS Navigation with Sirius Traffic, power sunroof, push button start with smart key, leather seats, and heated front seats. Including destination charges, our Rio had an MSRP of $20,545. For that price, that is quite reasonable for a car packed with premium features that were once the domain of luxury marques with prices triple that of our little Rio.

For 2012 Kia has reinvented the Rio from a forgettable als0-ran to a top-flight contender. With the choice of sedan or hatchback, basic transportation to a car packed with the latest in technology features, Kia has the field covered, while doing so at a very reasonable price, regardless of your preference. My sole fault was with its dashing, sporty good looks that the SX cannot be had with a manual transmission. Add that and you’ll look and feel like you’re driving a smaller sized Euro sport sedan. To sum, Kia has knocked this one out of the ballpark. This once forgettable car now stands at the head of its class, and is a must-see for anyone in the market for a small four door car that gives up nothing for style and features while delivering the value and economy buyers demand.

[nggallery id=492]

Interview with Team Falken Racing

August 13, 2012 by Gary Grant 2 Comments

Recently I’ve been helping out my friends at Performance Racing News with some video content. In that role, I sat down with the guys from Team Falken Racing at the recent Grand Prix of Mosport at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Wolf Henzler and Bryan Sellers talked about racing, fitness and Mexican food!

Video after the break.
[Read more…]

Review: 2012 Nissan Versa

August 9, 2012 by Tom Williams 2 Comments

Bank. Money. If you have ever tuned into Food Network’s ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives’ in the US, this is how host Guy Fieri describes a successful recipe he’s sampled. It’s good, and as a restaurateur himself, he knows it’s profitable. Rewind the clock back to April of 2011, where yours truly, along with our Founding Editor Gary Grant stood for the global reveal of the all-new 2012 Nissan Versa sedan. It’s no secret the automotive press has been excited about the new interest in sub-compacts, but the sort of plain Jane image of the Versa has left us a little cold. And Nissan is fine with that. Why? The Versa is the best-selling car in its class, that’s why.

Even with a light show and pounding techno beats from the 2011 New York International Auto Show as the Versa was shown to us, it was tough to muster up any excitement. Now off the stage and in the real world, it was time to sample, and live with the Versa for a week. The Versa comes off as sort of narrow and top-heavy, and the skinny, high sidewall tires do nothing to add here. Thankfully our test car was the top-spec SL, which at least added chrome trim, body colored side-view mirrors, fog lights and 15″ alloys. Finished in a subdued Sandstone metallic, our Versa may have looked slightly oddly proportioned, but did not look at all out of place on Main Street in the wealthy town of Litchfield, CT among the chic shops and restaurants.

If the exterior of the Versa is a tad less graceful than the competition, there is a reason. The interior. Inside, the Versa offers an incredible amount of space. Other subcompacts like the Mazda2 and Ford Fiesta have nothing on the Versa for interior room, especially in the rear seat. The amount of room in the rear has no peer in this class of car. Up front, there was more than enough room as well. Seats were cushy with little in the way of lateral support. All controls were intuitive to use, and easy to read. Icing on the cake was a positively enormous trunk.

The 2012 Nissan Versa sedan is powered by a 1.6L four cylinder rated at 109hp. Only the base model is offered with a five-speed manual, while all other trim levels come with a Continuously Variable Transmission. As an automotive enthusiast, I despise CVTs, but Nissan is fully committed to the CVT, and as awful as they are, I concede that Nissan builds the best of the lot. No, the Versa is not quick, and as we toured the curvy roads of Litchfield County the Versa was struggling a bit. At highway speeds the Versa was completely comfortable, but passing takes some planning. With EPA fuel economy figures of 30/38 MPG city/highway, it is fuel economy that matters most over performance.

Yet even sticking to country back roads with tight corners and elevation changes, the Versa kept its cool. The steering was numb, the suspension soft, but the car never felt sloppy, and while not going slow, my wife and son never complained.

The Nissan Versa is one of the cheapest cars for sale in the US, with a base MSRP of $10,990. Our top-spec SL added the previously described features, as well as Bluetooth, audio steering wheel controls, iPod controls, trip computer, full power accessories, remote keyless entry, and cruise control. Options on our test car included floor and trunk mats, and the Tech Package, which added GPS Navigation, a 5″ color touch screen and XM Satellite Radio. Including destination charges, our Versa came in at a reasonable $17,190USD. That’s a good amount of of kit for what Nissan is charging.

It may not be sexy or most fun to drive in its segment, but Nissan owns the subcompact car segment in America. And to quote the blonde-bleached spiked hair Food Network persona Guy Fieri, that is money.

[nggallery id=491]

Archives for August 2012

Related posts:

Related posts:

Related posts:

Related posts:

Related posts:

Related posts:

Related posts:

Related posts:

Related posts:

Related posts: