Automotive Reviews
Two Doors
2003 Maserati Spyder
Aug 31st
The Maserati name is so legendary and recognized, even among non-car people, that you wouldn’t know they hadn’t sold any cars in the United States in over a decade. The Italian sports car maker’s claim to fame is its long history of racing success, dating to the 1930s. Grand Prix heroes like the A6GCM and the 250F were followed by road-going sports cars like the Mistral and unforgettable Ghibli of 1966. These quintessentially Italian cars were memorable enough to firmly entrench the name “Maserati” in the ranks of the automotive elite. Even a string of less-than-memorable cars in the Eighties and a quiet withdrawal from the US market (not counting an ill-advised, Chrysler-based bit of badge-engineering) couldn’t sully the great name.
Of course, that’s all changed for 2003. The Maserati trident is once again prowling American freeways, with the introduction of the 2003 Maserati Coupe and Spyder. These cars are grand tourers in the traditional sense, combining athletic maneuverability with long-legged freeway manners and luxurious appointments. Of course, plenty of cars offer that these days, as Mercedes’ SL-class convertible and Lexus’ SC430 will quickly assert. That means there’s just one question to be answered: does the new Maserati live up to its famous name?
The Spyder is the better looking of the two. Compared to the Jaguar and Mercedes, the Maserati Spyder looks a bit stubbier and taller, and the Spyder’s topless aspect minimizes that. The car is proportioned like a miniature speedboat, with a classic long hood, short-deck car, with perhaps a hint of Ferrari in the glass-covered headlamps and wide, low grille. The chrome trim gives the Spyder a distinctly Italian look. 18″ wheels dominate the side view. Exposed rollbars ride behind the seats and are painted body-color, enhancing the sporty look. The rear end is a bit abrupt, and the wedge-shaped taillights lack the elegance of the Spyder’s face.
Unlike Maseratis of yore, the Spyder is no stripped-down road racer inside. The interior is much prettier than the exterior, in fact, with a gullwing-shaped dash and elegant instrumentation. A “Maserati Information Center” with a 5.8-inch display carries controls for the stereo, climate control and trip computer. GPS satellite navigation is also available. Interiors are endlessly customizable, with ten different leather colors available to choose from. Even the color of the stitching can be selected.
High-speed cruising should be no problem with a 4.2 liter V8 under the hood. The Maserati Spyder’s 390-horsepower powerplant compares favorably with the Lexus SC430 (300 horses) and the Jaguar XKR (390 also). Maserati claims a 176-mph top speed. It’s not obvious from the outside, but the transmission is at the back of the car. It’s integrated with the rear differential for improved weight distribution. Maserati offers a six-speed manual and a six-speed, Formula One-style clutchless “Cambiocorsa” transmission borrowed similar to that used by corporate partner Ferrari.
A fully independent suspension uses double wishbones at all four corners. Large Brembo brakes with ABS are standard equipment, and coupled with those big wheels the Spyder will be a tenacious roadholder.
The Maserati is on sale now, with a starting price of $83,865. Maserati offers two models; the GT and Cambiocorsa; the primary difference is the Cambiocorsa clutchless transmission. The Maserati Spyder looks like it’ll be a worthy bearer of the proud Maserati name.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Maserati Spyder.
Length: 169.4 in.
Width: 71.7 in.
Height: 51.4 in.
Wheelbase: 96.1 in.
Curb weight: 3792 lb.
Cargo space: 10.6 cu.ft.
Engine: 4.2 liter V8
Drivetrain: six-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 390 @ 7000
Torque: 330 @ 4500
Fuel capacity: 23 gal.
2003 Mercedes CLK500
Aug 26th
Good news! The traffic-stopping looks and technological wizardry of the $92,000 Mercedes CL500 coupe are now available in a smaller, more convenient package!
That is in no way hyperbole, either. Last year’s CLK was an excellent car, a perfect wallflower that would take you to the most expensive restaurant in town in style and then beat the pants off of a Ford Mustang GT on the way home. That car’s still here, under the surface, but now it’s drop-dead gorgeous. We think the new CLK500 is one of the best-looking cars on the road today, in fact. If nothing else, the redesign makes you wonder less where your $60,000 went.
The new CLK looks every bit its price tag. The now-familiar four-oval face has been raked sharply back, in the style of Mercedes’ show cars and the SL. The windshield and rear window are also steeply raked, and if you look close you’ll see that the new CLK500 is a true pillarless hardtop. Once a vital part of any automaker’s lineup, this B-pillarless body style all but disappeared in the 1970s. Its return is a welcome thing. With front and rear windows open, the CLK500′s cockpit is airy and cheerful, a perfect setting for a four-person cruise. Accenting the wide-open interior is a slight rise in the car’s beltline. The CLK500 is distinguished from the smaller-engined CLK320 by its black and chrome grill, a unique lower front fascia, and AMG-style wheels. Overall it’s much more striking than the coupes from BMW and Acura that it competes with.
Inside, the CLK exudes relentless luxury. It’s also bigger than its predecessor, especially for rear-seat passengers. You’re treated to a laid-back driving position, and a wonderful color-keyed interior in Mercedes style. The CLK does everything dramatically; even the cupholder emerges regally from the dash out of a hidden slot. The CLK features a cool “outer-ring” analog speedometer, which has a needle that pivots around the outer edge of the gauge. This frees up the center of the round gauge for a driver information display, as well as a cool, video-game style cruise control display. Poring over the car with an engineer friend revealed many of the behind-the-scenes perks Mercedes includes that make the CLK500 seem so effortlessly cool. You’ll probably never notice that the rear-seat heat vents have their own separate blower fan, for instance, or the seatbelt support which “presents” the belt forward to easy arm’s reach when you enter the car, then retracts when the engine is started. The owner’s manual is required if you intend to wade through the car’s many, many functions (especially the radio), but if you read the directions, the car can do just about anything. It’s equipped as well as any full-zoot luxury sedan, with rain-sensing wipers, “theater” lights that dim instead of just going off when the door is closed, and optional high-intensity discharge headlamps.
On the road, the CLK500 is about as wonderful as coupes get when it comes to high-speed cruising. BMW’s monster M3 is faster, of course, but the Mercedes is arguably more fun to hang out with. The 5.0-liter V8 is shared with the CL500 coupe, and puts out 302 horsepower. We’re big fans of Mercedes selectable five-speed automatic transmission, too. Unlike other “manumatics” which require the driver to choose a mode with the gearstick before being able to change gears, Mercedes uses an always-on, bang-up/bang-down system that’s a lot more useful in the real world. That said, we still wish the CLK500 was available with a true manual tranny. The TouchShift is silky smooth on the freeway, but when it comes to serious automotive playing, it just isn’t the same without a clutch pedal.
What the CLK500 excels at is eating long stretches of freeway. It uses twin-link struts in the front and a five-link setup in the rear. The ride combines the poise of a sports car with the smoothness of a luxury car. It’s less communicative than the ultra-responsive M3, but driving the CLK500 fast is still rewarding. A “staggered” wheel setup puts wider tires on the rear and makes the rear-drive CLK less inclined to break loose in fast turns.
The concern that sent the pillarless hardtop away in the first place was safety. Obviously, without a center pillar, side-impact protection is a grave concern. Mercedes has addressed this issue with a thick tubular “halfway” pillar that stops below window height. Front, side and side-curtain airbags are standard. To prevent accidents, Mercedes’ usual array of active safety equipment is along for the ride also: anti-lock brackes, traction control and stability control, and Brake Assist. Mercedes’ Tele Aid emergency service system is also included.
Now for the bad news. Like every other wonderful Mercedes product out there, you get what you pay for. CLK500 pricing starts at $52,865, and the options stack up quickly. Our test car was equipped with a sunroof and rear sunshade, six-disc CD changer, a hands-free Mercedes telephone, heated seats and rear parking assist. That bumped the bottom line up to $61,125. The six-cylinder CLK320 offers most of the same luxury as the CLK500 with less powerful performance, and starts at about $45,000.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Mercedes CLK500, which we tested.
Length: 182.6 in.
Width: 68.5 in.
Height: 55.4 in.
Wheelbase: 106.9 in.
Curb weight: 3585 lb.
Cargo space: 10.4 cu.ft.
Base price: $52,865
Price as tested: $61,125
Engine: 5.0 liter 24-valve V8
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 302 @ 5600
Torque: 339 @ 2700-4250
Fuel capacity: 16.4 gal.
Est. mileage: 16/23
2004 GMC Canyon
Aug 26th
You’d be forgiven for mistaking the 2004 GMC Canyon for its larger brother the Sierra. The all-new compact pickup borrows the familiar styling of GMC’s full-size trucks. It borrows the “premium pickup” mission in life as well. The Canyon, which replaces the Sonoma in the lineup, features a more powerful engine team, a larger interior, and some features you might not expect in a relatively inexpensive truck.
Like the Chevrolet Colorado, which it’s built alongside, the Canyon is new from the ground up. In the past, the GMC Sonoma played second fiddle to its twin the Chevrolet S-10, but the Canyon gains greater distinction from its Chevrolet stablemate in addition to a new-from-the-ground-up chassis and powertrain. GMC’s motto these days is “Professional Grade,” and the Canyon lives up to that function nicely.
It’s not very large, but that doesn’t stop the Canyon from looking tough. The front-end styling is distinctly GMC, with an open grille and red “GMC” badging to link it visually to the tough Sierra full-size pickup. Regular, extended and crew cab versions are available, as well as a “high stance” off-roading package that can be had for two- or four-wheel drive models. The four-door crew cab version is large enough to carry a whole work crew, if need be. Toward the rear, the Canyon loses some distinction compared to the Chevy Colorado; the trucks share taillights and beds. They also share an innovative dual-position tailgate, which allows long objects to be carried without leaving the bed open.
The Canyon’s interior goes heavy on the low-grade plastic at first blush, but the watchword here is “durable,” not “cheap.” GMC’s smallest pickup looks like it’s ready to work, with businesslike cloth seats in base models. In the extended cab, the jumpseats face forward, and there is storage underneath the floor for tools. The seats are comfortable, and crew cab versions have enough room to carry real human beings in back. GM’s OnStar emergency call service and XM satellite radio are available, as they are in nearly all GM products these days. Even when prettied up with heated leather seats, we wouldn’t be afraid to get the Canyon dirty.
The engines and transmissions are all new, and in what seems like a counterintuitive move, GMC has reduced the Canyon’s work capacity slightly. It’s not a mistake or poor planning, though; GMC is positioning the Canyon in the “sweet spot” for the compact pickup market, and being careful not to overlap abilities with the larger Sierra pickups. The new four- and five-cylinder engines in the Canyon are based on the straight six found in the GMC Envoy, and they’re perfectly suited to compact-pickup jobs. The four-banger is a 2.8 liter unit, and produces 175 horsepower. The larger 3.5 liter five-cylinder ups the ante to 220. Both engines have electronic throttles for smoother driving and variable valve timing for improved efficiency. Around town, both motors are torquey and powerful; on the freeway they get kind of noisy but don’t lack for passing power. We liked the combination of the five-speed manual transmission and 3.5 liter five-cylinder engine best. The all-new five-speed manual is smoother than the four-speed automatic. The Canyon also offers a choice of rear end gearing, and can tow up to 4000 pounds.
Suspension underpinnings are standard for compact pickups, with a ladder frame, independent front suspension and a semi-floating rear axle. The “high stance” models will scramble happily over formidable obstacles without sacrificing on-road comfort. Unusual for a small truck is the availability of a traction control system for two-wheel drive trucks, a valuable bit of safety equipment that’s usually reserved for the big luxury trucks. Four-wheel anti-lock brakes are standard. Also on the safety front, the Canyon can be had with head-curtain side airbags for front passengers.
We drove a variety of Canyons in all of the available body styles and it wasn’t hard to pronounce GMC’s new minitruck a one hundred percent improvement over the Sonoma. Better yet, dealers will offer a variety of cool accessories for the truck, from bed rails and side steps to tonneau covers. Pricing for the Canyon starts at $15,550 for a regular cab, two-wheel drive truck. A crew cab 4×4 like the one we spent most of our time in starts at $23,725, depending on trim levels. With many of the compact trucks out there pushing $30,000 when fully equipped, GMC has priced its impressive “premium grade” mini-pickup well.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2004 GMC Canyon Crew Cab 4wd.
Length: 207 in.
Width: 67.6 in.
Height: 64.8 in.
Wheelbase: 125.9 in.
Curb weight: 4150 lb.
Payload: 1304 lb.
Towing capacity: 4000 lb.
Base price: $23,725
Engine: 3.5 liter inline five-cylinder
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Horsepower: 220 @ 5600
Torque: 225 @ 2800
Fuel capacity: 19.6 gal.