Automotive Reviews
Three Doors
2003 Nissan 350Z
Oct 12th
It’s hard to say exactly what first draws the eye to the 2003 Nissan 350Z. It might be the grille-less nose, or those big wheels. Maybe it’s the silhouette, which seems to slope away on all sides from a single point in the middle of the roof. It’s certainly not the Nissan badge, because all during our test drive people were asking, “What kind of car is this?” in spite of the prominent nomenclature front and rear.
The new 350Z is an all-out, front-engine, rear-drive sports coupe, intended to take on Corvettes and BMWs, both on and off the track. In fact, Nissan offers a “track” version of the 350Z, with all of the performance goodies in one package. In short, the new Z picks up where the old one left off, adding a healthy dose of return-to-roots flair to entice buyers who fell in love with the original Datsun 240Z back in 1970. It’s also obvious from the shape and performance that the new Z is more closely related to the 300ZX of the late 1990s than it is to Datsun’s long-nosed coupe.
The 350Z combines the taut, pulled-back family look of modern Nissans with the proportions of past Z cars. It’s low and wide, of course, with projector-style headlamps and unusual vertical door handles. The upper body leans in sharply toward the greenhouse along both sides to heighten the impression of speed. Massive 18″ wheels are optional equipment, and they’re pushed out to the corners of the car to lengthen the wheelbase and give the new Z a tenacious grip on the road. Neat triangular taillamps and twin exhaust pipes complete the look. Sharp eyes will note the rear strut tower brace, a suspension component that runs through the luggage compartment. Nissan has decorated it to match, “Z” logo and all.
Inside there are more nods to the 350Z’s forebears. The instrument panel is a simple, no-nonsense unit with three large gauge pods. There are also three ancillary pods in the center of the dash, hooded like those of the original Z. The 350Z is light on non-functional, non-essential equipment (not counting the navigation system’s video display, of course). No 2+2 model, the 350Z is a two-seater only. The rib-hugging seats are comfortable enough for all-day trips, and for weekend getaways there’s space behind the seats for a moderate amount of luggage or even golf bags. There’s next to no storage space in the cockpit, however. Even the 12v outlet for a cell phone is located somewhat awkwardly behind the seats. Got a CD case? An extra bottle of water? A tool kit? Forget it. Items larger than change or a wallet have to be placed in the cargo area, where there’s nothing to stop them from sliding all the way to the back when you stomp on the gas.
Nissan has traditionally powered its Z cars with six-cylinder engines, and the 350Z is no exception. A 3.5 liter DOHC V6 knocks out 287 horsepower, and that’s without the help of a turbocharger or supercharger. The all-aluminum, 24-valve engine uses a continuously variable valve timing system similar to those seen on some smaller-bore sports cars. By changing the engine timing, the 350Z can make the most of the available power under acceleration from a stop, at constant cruising speeds, and in stop-and-go traffic. On the road, it’s a bit twitchy, but our 350Z Touring model was equipped with a five-speed automatic transmission. The six-speed manual would be the better choice; we grew to quickly hate the autobox, whose slow (but smooth) shifts seem to dull the 350Z’s catlike reflexes.
A fully independent multi-link suspension ensures glued-to-the-pavement handling. It’s taut and responsive, just like a track car should be. The downside is that even our “Touring” model, with a more on-road oriented setup, was downright vicious on rutted and potholed roads. The 350Z tracks nicely, without as much of a tendency to follow the crown of the road as some big-tired sportsters, but a long highway trip will still be a bit of an endurance contest for sensitive backsides. For what it’s worth, we found the 350Z to be lacking in the soul department as well. It’s more of a track tool than a back-road buddy.
The 350Z may have the DNA of classic sports cars, but it’s got modern appointments as well. Front, side and curtain airbags are available, as well as traction control and Nissan’s Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) traction control system.
The 350Z’s pricing is refreshing, at least. Available in base, Enthusiast, Performance, Touring and Track models, the base price of $26,269 isn’t too far from what a new 300ZX cost six or seven years ago. Our test car was a Touring model, and added a limited-slip differential, CD changer, leather seats, traction control and xenon headlamps to the base equipment list and about $5000 to the bottom line. With the addition of a navigation system it stickered for $34,454.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Nissan 350Z, which we tested.
Length: 169.7 in.
Width: 71.5 in.
Height: 51.8 in.
Wheelbase: 104.3 in.
Curb weight: 3210 lb.
Base price: $31,589
Price as tested: $34,454
Engine: 3.5 liter DOHC V6
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 287 @ 6200
Torque: 284 @ 4800
Fuel economy: 19/26
2004 Land Rover Freelander FE3
Sep 9th
Land Rover’s Freelander has been a best-seller in Europe since its introduction in 1997, but the British off-road specialist hasn’t chosen to import it until recently. As the smallest Land Rover ever sold in the U.S., the Freelander is playing to a new crowd. Unlike the premium-priced Range Rover, the Freelander is right in the thick of the compact and mid-size sport-ute market. Thanks to the off-road prowess implied by the Land Rover name, the Freelander’s natural enemy is the popular new Jeep Liberty. For 2004, Land Rover is even making overtures into Jeep Wrangler territory, with the three-door, open-top Freelander SE3.
For 2004 the Freelander gets more aggressive front and rear treatment, with body-colored sections on the grille and deeper-set headlamps. The high, smooth front bumper is raised to improve approach angles off-road, and that big, visible skid plate underneath protects the oil pan from rocks. It creates a cool bow wave if you drive through a deep puddle, too. The raised rear section and forward roof rails are reminiscent of the Land Rover Discovery, but apart from those details the high-waisted Freelander has its own identity. 16″ wheels and a full-size spare are standard. The five-door body style is proportioned to within an inch of the Jeep Liberty’s in all directions, except for the Freelander’s three-inch shorter wheelbase. Like the Liberty, the Freelander has a side-hinged rear door, and the rear window can be lowered. The SE3 is a three-door with twin sunroofs and a removable roof at the rear. Brush bars and skidplates are standard equipment on the sporty SE3, as well as a palette of bright colors. In ’04 Land Rover will also start production of a limited-edition Freelander; orange and yellow Freelander G4s commemorate Land Rover’s involvement in the G4 Challenge international adventure race. Only two hundred of each will be produced; special trim and unique cargo rails are part of the package.
The interior leaves little doubt as to the Freelander’s parentage. “Stadium” seating which places the rear seats higher than those in the front, ceiling-mounted cargo nets, and the instrument panel with its large hood are similar to larger Land Rovers. There’s a cool second glovebox under the driver’s knees, and storage cubbies are plentiful like on larger Land Rovers. Power windows and a single-disc CD player are standard equipment. A six-disc changer is optional.
Power is provided by a 2.5 liter, 24-valve V6 engine making 174 horsepower. The Jeep Liberty has a bigger V6 pumping out thirty-five more horses, but that truck’s weight makes it feel sluggish. That’s the curse of hard-core off-road vehicles, because the Freelander suffers the same malady. It’s not slow by a long shot, but the Freelander feels less spry than the 160-hp Honda CR-V and 200-hp Ford Escape. What’s not visible is Land Rover’s obsessive attentiveness to off-roading matters, which dictated a special design for the V6′s equal-length exhaust headers to protect them from off-road dangers. The Freelander comes with a selectable five-speed “Steptronic” automatic transmission. Like similar systems from Chrysler and others, the Steptronic can be shifted manually, or left to work the gears on its own. The transmission is also intelligent, and can recognize situations like trailer towing, steep hill climbing, and other inclement road obstacles. It then selects lower gears, to prevent hunting when more power is needed.
A four-wheel independent suspension is a break from Land Rover’s solid-axle tradition. MacPherson struts at each corner have a lot of wheel travel dialed in–seven inches up front and eight at the rear–to keep the wheels on the ground over rough terrain. Land Rover has tuned the suspension to improve on-road smoothness as well.
The Freelander features full-time four-wheel drive, and four-wheel traction control. Front disc/rear drum brakes have ABS as standard equipment. Other electronic helpers borrowed from larger Land Rovers include electronic brake distribution (EBD), and Hill Descent Control (HDC). HDC uses the anti-lock brakes to supplement the lowest gear ratios when heading down a steep, slippery hill. This offers control a step above the normal ultra-low “creeper” gears found in most off-road vehicles. HDC supplements the Freelander’s creeper gear and prevents the wheels from locking. EBD, traction control, and HDC are all standard equipment.
The Freelander is no less hard-core than any of its stablemates when it comes to off-roading. Although many of them will never leave pavement, the fuel tank and rear differential are nonetheless cradled in the rear subframe and protected by steel skidplates. A polypropylene skid plate protects the underside of the engine. Tow hooks are rated for three tons, to ensure their strength in sticky situations. Although it’s a unibody vehicle, lacking a separate frame, large box sections underneath the truck are similar to those of the ladder-framed Discovery, and increase the Freelander’s stiffness. Land Rover is happy to point out that Freelanders survived three thousand miles on the corporate torture-test track.
With all of this equipment and ability plus a starting price under $26,000, the Freelander and new SE3 are compelling challengers to Jeep’s dominance of the small-SUV market. If you’re looking for a little sport-ute with honest off-road credentials but a less familiar face, the Freelander is a good place to start.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2004 Land Rover Freelander
Length: 175.0 in.
Width: 71.1 in.
Height: 69.2 in.
Wheelbase: 101.0 in.
Cargo space: 19.1 cu.ft (seats up); 46.6 cu.ft (seats folded)
Base price: $25,995
Engine: 2.5 liter 24-valve DOHC V6
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Horsepower: 174 @ 6250
Torque: 177 @ 4000
Fuel capacity: 15.6 gal.
Fuel economy: 17/21
2003 Volkswagen GTI
Aug 25th
For some reason, it seems like every time I get a Volkswagen GTI, I end up at a car show. My drive in the 2003 GTI VR6 was no exception; within hours of picking the car up, I was hanging out in a parking lot with a bunch of Subaru WRX owners, talking shop. It’s a testament to the GTI’s name and ability that this unassuming hatchback was able to draw nods of favor from guys who were used to 300-plus horsepower super-sedans.
Volkswagen’s GTI has been around for a long time, but its “street cred” is as powerful as ever. With a choice of powerful turbocharged four-cylinder or V6 engines packed into a compact, well-built and great-handling body, nobody’s going to point and laugh when you pull up to the show ‘n’ shine in one.
The body has been more or less untouched for several years, but the GTI still looks handsome and modern. It’s boxy, but the edges of the box have been rounded off, the seams and shutlines smoothed out so the GTI radiates an air of quality. The standard 17″ wheels look nice. When we arrived at the show, we found one of VW’s yellow twentieth-anniversary GTIs to park next to. This special edition features unique wheels and badging, and showgoers compared the two GTIs favorably. Both versions sport blacked-out taillights, VW’s signature “stinger” antenna, and dual exhaust outlets.
Inside, there are appointments befitting a $20,000 sports coupe. The seats are chair-height and just right for keeping passengers in place during hard cornering. Volkswagen’s signature violet gauges were popular among our passengers, as were the red LEDs hidden in the back of the rearview mirror to cast ambient light at night. The GTI is comfortable for four, thanks to a relatively high roof and its squared-off body style, but getting into the back seat of this two-door can be difficult. And one last quibble: the dash-mounted cupholders are practically useless.
But who needs to eat or drink when you’ve got V6 torque in a compact car? The autobahn-bred GTI is solid and silent on the freeway, and will accelerate strongly even in sixth gear. The 200 horsepower, 2.8 liter VR6 six-cylinder engine is also notably quiet, even under hard acceleration. The comparatively large displacement allows the GTI to remain calm where other speedy four-cylinders are screaming, and as a result the VR6 feels refined and relaxed at speed. The available 1.8 liter turbocharged four-cylinder produces an impressive 180 horses, but lacks the VR6′ seamless rush of power. Our VR6 test car was equipped with a silky and direct six-speed manual. This transmission will not suffer slam-shifting; the GTI prefers to be treated like the car of the competent driver. Smooth driving inputs are rewarded by speed. The GTI has a way of making you feel like you know what you’re doing, the way some old sports cars used to. It’s a fun car to drive fast.
Compared to some other hot hatchbacks, the suspension is squashy. That just makes the GTI easier to live with, though. It’s not racetrack-sharp, but it’s not race-track harsh. In fact, the GTI acquitted itself very nicely on violently bumpy roads. MacPherson struts up front are coupled with a traditional torsion beam in the rear. Volkswagen has dialed a healthy amount of positive caster into the suspension to keep the wheels level when the GTI is running hard, and torque steer is negligible. Anti-lock brakes and traction control are standard equipment, as are front, side and side-curtain airbags.
The GTI may be the most refined of the small hot rods out there. In addition to the sporty-yet-comfortable ride, standard equipment includes heated mirrors, a CD player and cruise control. With a price starting at just $21,995, you’ll be tempted to show off the window sticker as well, when you find yourself at the inevitable car show.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Volkswagen GTI VR6, which we tested.
Length: 164.9 in.
Width: 68.3 in.
Height: 56.7 in.
Wheelbase: 98.9 in.
Curb weight: 3036 lb.
Cargo space: 18.0 cu.ft.
Base price: $21,995
Price as tested: $24,715
Engine: 2.8 liter DOHC V6
Drivetrain: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 200 @ 6200
Torque: 195 @ 3200
Fuel capacity: 14.5 gal.
Est. mileage: 21/29