Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged coupe
2010 Kia Forte Koup
May 31st
You don’t see many entry-level compact coupes these days. They were popular for about fifteen minutes a few years ago, and then the market got all sensible with crossover vehicles and hatchbacks again. High-end two-doors are common enough, and the new muscle car war has plenty of big-engined coupes leaping into the fray. But if you’re looking for a trunk-backed coupe at the sub-$20,000 end of the market, what do you have? There’s the Scion tC, of course, and the Honda Civic coupe. Ford’s Focus will be available as a two-door coupe for the rest of 2010 at least, but it’s gone once the next-generation Focus arrives in early 2011. The Chevrolet Cobalt coupe is going the same way; its replacement, the Cruze, won’t have a two-door model. More >
2003 Infiniti G35 Sport Coupe
Oct 5th
The last time Infiniti built a coupe, it was a nice car. It was also square, stodgy, and, well, boring. The M35, introduced at Infiniti’s inception in 1989, was based on the Japan-only Nissan Leopard. It was a decent but forgettable four-place luxury coupe, and it vanished from Infiniti’s lineup after three years. For 2003, Infiniti is back in the luxury-sport coupe market, and this time it’s much less likely to be forgotten. The G35 Sport Coupe is fast, sexy and far from boring.
Sharp eyes have probably guessed that the G35 Sport Coupe shares some genes with Nissan’s all-new 350Z, and they’re right. The differences are telling ones, however. The G35 Sport Coupe has an eight-inch longer wheelbase than the Z, and it’s just a smidgen taller. Compared to the G35 sedan, the wheelbase is the same, but the Sport Coupe is shorter and wider.
Even though it shares its face with the more conservative G35 sedan, this coupe stands out on the road. The low, wide stance looks great. The car is dominated by smooth, sheer expanses of sheetmetal. The bodysides are free of chrome or rub strips for a simple, purposeful look. Which isn’t to say that the G35 Sport Coupe looks cheap, however. Vertical stacked headlamps under clear covers and a wide family grille leave no doubt that this is an Infiniti. The G35 Sport Coupe’s grille is slightly oval-shaped, in contrast to the sedan’s rectangular unit, and if you’re a big fan of subtle industrial design there’s a pretty compound curve where the headlight and grille meet. Out back, the G35 Sport Coupe has a flat, chopped-off rear end that’s reminiscent of (but not quite) a “Kamm” tail as seen on classic Alfa Romeos. The LED-studded taillights are large and flush with the bodywork. The fastback design looks like it should be a hatchback, but the G35 Sport Coupe features an unusually roomy trunk. Overall it’s got great road presence.
This car has good “interior” presence, too. There’s more and less space inside than you’d expect. Front seat passengers are treated well, with comfortable, well-bolstered chairs and more headroom than the G35 Sport Coupe’s low stance suggests. This is a four-seater, however, in “grand touring” fashion. The back seat is best for slouchers, as headroom is compromised by the drastically sloped backlight, but the stretched wheelbase allows for plenty of rear-seat legroom. The T-shaped dash is shared with the G35 sedan, and standard equipment includes a six-disc in-dash CD changer, side-impact and side-curtain airbags and bright electrofluorescent gauges. We had two complaints; first, the knob-less radio controls are kind of obnoxious and hard to get used to. That’s not a big deal. Our second issue is more significant, because for a sporty car, the G35 Sport Coupe is awfully hard to see out of. It’s especially hard to place the right front corner, which can make for harrowing times on a twisty road or autocross track.
That’s forgivable in your average, dim-witted luxury sedan, but the G35 Sport Coupe is intended to go out and straighten those curvy roads. Visibility aside, it’s a good companion for those sorts of missions, too. The suspension is fully independent, of course. Extensive use of aluminum in the suspension reduces unsprung weight and improves on-road response. Nissan’s Vehicle Dynamic Control stability control is standard.
Nissan’s excellent 3.5 liter V6 provides power. Thanks to rear-wheel drive, the G35 Sport Coupe lives up to the “sport” part of its name. The engine has been tweaked, for twenty more horses than the G35 sedan. That 280 horsepower is controlled by a “drive-by-wire” electronic throttle for quick but efficient response. A choice of six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmissions is available. We drove the automatic, but wish we’d have had a stick. The autobox is somewhat slow-witted, which makes the G35 hard to play with as it’s usually shifting for comfort instead of performance.
G35 Sport Coupe pricing starts at $29,100 for an automatic-equipped, “5A/T Coupe” model. A leather-and-amenities equipped model is $31,400, and the sporty “6M/T Coupe” carries the six-speed manual and larger brakes for $32,050. The options list is short; a Bose sound system, sunroof, 18″ wheels and a fancy satellite navigation system whose 6.5 screen rises out of the dash Buck Rogers-style are highlights. Six-speed-equipped G35 Sport Coupes also get big Brembo brakes.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Infiniti G35 Sport Coupe, which we tested.
Length: 182.2 in.
Width: 71.5 in.
Height: 54.8 in.
Wheelbase: 112.2 in.
Curb weight: 3422 lb.
Cargo space: 7.8 cu.ft.
Base price: $29,100
Price as tested: $33,915
Engine: 3.5 liter 24-valve DOHC V6
Drivetrain: 5-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 280 @ 6400
Torque: 270 @ 4800
Fuel capacity: 20.0 gal
Est. mileage: 19/26
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