Fuel Infection
Automotive Reviews
2005 Ford GT
Nov 7th
Many people will recognize the GT, Ford’s new supercar. It would be hard to imagine a finer homage to Ford’s LeMans-winning, Ferrari-beating GT40 race car of the 1960s than this thoroughly modern remake. Like most supercars, the face recognition goes hand-in-hand with the understanding that few people will actually get to take the wheel, thanks to low production numbers. When the chance arose to spend a few minutes with a GT, we seized it with both hands, of course.
It didn’t matter that most of the drive was spent following a big, slow SUV with a local TV cameraman hanging out the back to get running footage. The opportunity to pilot a 550-horsepower, mid-engined race car for the street does not come along frequently, and we’re happy to report that the Ford GT is not only a superfluous performer, but it’s easy to live with as well. More >
2006 Dodge Charger SXT
Nov 7th
The Mustang has gone retro, and Pontiac’s GTO is back. Big horsepower is big news once again. Now the last member of the Big Three has gotten into the game, and with the return of the Dodge Charger, the muscle car days are officially back, right?
Charger R/T pictured
Well, yes and no. You see, the 2006 Charger is rear-wheel drive, unlike the last attempt to resurrect the nameplate, and you can get a Hemi V8 under the hood for blistering straight-line performance. There’s just one catch, however. Muscle-car purists, avert your eyes: the new Charger is a four-door sedan. More >
2005 Ford Escape Hybrid
Nov 7th
This SUV can, arguably, get you closer to nature than any other. Want to go for a drive through the woods? Steer the Ford Escape Hybrid off of the beaten path, roll down the windows to let the air in, and wait for a few seconds for the engine to shut itself off. Once that happens, you can cruise slowly along on electric power, with only the crunch of the tires to disturb the serenity of nature.
Beating Toyota to the punch by just weeks, the Escape hybrid is the first hybrid SUV on the market. It’s a full hybrid, unlike GMC’s Sierra hybrid pickup that can’t run on full-electric power. The Escape hybrid operates on the same theory as Toyota’s successful Prius; a small gasoline engine is assisted by an electric motor, and the electric motor’s batteries are charged with the help of regenerative brakes. By reducing the load on the gasoline engine when it’s at its least efficient, the Escape hybrid is able to minimize fuel consumption. More >