Motorweek; 2904

We engage one of the most talked about cars of the year for Sudan from Russia. And America. Go deep inside the cars of porches groundbreaking effort next on motorways. That cost drinks and electronics this time glosses derived. A lot of baskets in this week when Southern Maryland will tell you about a useful communication tool between law enforcement officials and driver. And will take the full measure of three urban boxes. A week TV's original automotive magazine brought to you by cars dot com. Let's say you're looking for a car. Cars dot com can help research locate even contact a dealer cause dot com and. Your host from over a week. John Davis.

Well-known welcome again to motor week. We're glad to have you with us. It seems like the rumors of a Ford or Porsche car have been dribbling out of Stuttgart for almost as long as motor weeks been on the air certainly over the last three years we've been fixated on every head about the first sedan to where the Porsche name in the firm 78 year history. Well Porsches new flagship is no longer a rumor. This is the Panamera Fastback sedan longer than a Cayenne SUV. It's also the biggest Porsche ever. So can any car this large perform like a true Porsche. Well now's our time to find out. The 2010 Porsche Panamera takes its name from the legendary career of PanAmericana race of the 1950s. Well for sure it calls its first grand jury's Mo a four door sedan. It actually has a rear hatch that makes fun.

But that's only part of why Panamera styling is so polarizing. While unmistakably Porsche it's on the conservative side which should fit well heeled sedan buyers. Frankly it also reminds us of a C6 Corvette at the headlights bulge and even the side scoops with its long 159 Tweel bays and one hundred ninety five point six inch overall link. The profile does start off coupe like but it becomes more teardrop towards the rear to allow for adult sized back seat leg and head room. Something the rival Mercedes Benz C LS lacks. The back view is wide as if through a fish eye lids the hatch is well concealed as is the retractable spoiler with uniquely styled one exhaust wheels or 18 inch standard with optional 19 as the Panamera is also the first front engine for sure car since the nine twenty eight driven by a pair of direct injected VH from the kayak. Panamera S and for s use the

normally aspirated 4.8 leader with 400 horsepower and three hundred sixty nine pound feet of torque. The Panamera Turbo twin turbo chargers for 500 horses and a massive five hundred sixteen pound feet of torque. Gear changes Porsche's latest 7 speed clutch PDK automatic with manual paddle shift mode if the rear wheels of the Panamera or all four wheels of the four Essen turbo models. Panamera forest blaze from zero to 60 in 4.9 seconds and shot through the quarter mile and thirteen point five seconds at 105 mph with the launch control on our car leapt out of the hole where the beastly Rouer PDK gearbox isn't as quick as in the 911 but it smoother the Panamera chassis is defined by a front double wishbone and a rear multi link set up all governed by porches active suspension management. The adjustable dampers can be set of normal support and suspension lowering support plus and support plus we

slice through the cones in a razor sharp manner steering response is perfect. The Panamera is a big 40 100 pound car but that size seems to disappear the harder you push it. Our forests also benefited from optional Porsche dynamic chassis control with its two active roll bars even at ridiculous speeds cornering is flat. Superb stopping power comes from four wheel vented disc armed with six piston calipers up front and four piston in the rear stops averaged a very short 160 feet from 60 to zero. The Panamera just squats to a stop while the Panamera is exterior may be controversial the interior is a feast for the beautifully trimmed and wood uneven carbon fiber. There's plenty of space for it for adult seats. Your focus is drawn to two areas the cascading 5 gauge cluster and a center console Master Control Panel. There's a lot of switches here but they're logically grouped. Navigation is viewed on a

large screen and inside one of the gauges optional is a 17 speaker 1001 burgomaster stereo Rear Vision is mostly blind spot so both the available camera and front rear parking sensors are recommended. The rear seats require little contortions to get to and as we mentioned before adults will find a generous space with headroom boosted further bioscope headliner amenities include adjustable vents arm rest with cup holders and an available twin screen DVD system. Impressively practical drop the 40 20 40 rear seats to expand luggage space from fifteen point seven cubic feet to a crossover like forty four point six. Government fuel economy ratings for the forests are 16 city 24 highway on premium gas. We managed only sixteen point seven in makes driving the Panamera uses a mild hybrid like start stop system to shut down the engine a traffic lights.

I mean I'm going to start at ninety thousand seven hundred fifty dollars for the FS ninety four thousand seven hundred fifty dollars for the four S and one hundred thirty three thousand five hundred fifty dollars for the turbo. There's no gas guzzler tax. That's a notch above an S class but comparable to an Audi S8. Naysayers can have a seat because Porsche has done it. The 2010 Panamera is a primo luxury sedan and sports car for 4 all rolled into one. Styling aside this unique saloon delivers everything it promises plus a lot more. Now last drop by Goss's garage and see what mess our top tech is cleaning up this week. And John you say you like to live dangerously. Well here's a great way to do it. Buy yourself some syrupy drink like we have here put it in one of these flimsy cup

holders and then find a backroad with lots of bumps or railroad track or a couple of speed bumps or maybe a couple of kids in the car holding on to the drink and you are courting disaster. How so. Well you know these drinks get spilled and when they do. Many times it's going to be in the console or around the shifter and on a modern car the console is full of switches and all kinds of electronics and that can spell a big repair bill. You see if we take a look at this shifter over here this one has various components in it including circuit boards full of electronic components. Well that's for the special type of shifter it has and things like that but spill a drink into this and you're going to spend several hundred dollars fixing your Heinlein car. But you say well I've got a basic car and I don't have anything like that is just plain cloth seats and basic just

basic everything. Well don't kid yourself because here we have a very basic seat out of a very basic automobile. And you look on here there are wires under this seat. And that's because in most seats these days there are sensors to tell when the seat is occupied and that will trigger the seat belt warning light or the air bag for that particular seat. So you spill something into this it gets into the sensor. Another big repairs. So no matter what you hand if it's on the seat in the console or even on the floor well you see on the floor lots of times there are sensors and modules built under the seats that control various safety devices on the car no matter where it's spilled. Get someplace immediately and use a wet or drive back or compressed air to completely get rid of that spilled drink that can save you hundreds of dollars in future repairs.

And it means you'll be driving a safer car. And if you have a question or comment write to me your address is Motor Week Owings Mills Maryland. 2 1. 1. 1 7. Being confronted by the police for a traffic violation or in the aftermath of an accident is always nerve racking. That's why clear communications are vital for a swift and respectful resolution. But if you're deaf and is not obvious to the officer or emergency personnel there could be serious problems. R f y our reporter Yolanda vastus explores the deaf driving community to get a better understanding of how they cope in a hearing world. These are just a few of the noises. We hear on the road every day. But for Robbie Carmichael this is what she hears. While driving. Well I can explain it for you. I mean my life is a

silent world. With the help of an interpreter Carmichael tells us she was born deaf to hearing parents both of whom had no idea how to raise her. They never met other deaf people until I was born. They didn't know what to do with me. And both of my parents are educators. But what do you do with this deaf baby come Michael had a similar experience when she first learned how to drive. The instructor knew she was deaf but treated her like a hearing person. No one was signing. I was having to try to pay attention to what they were saying and what the road said and I couldn't look at the instructor. I was looking at the road. So if he told me what to do I didn't know I had to have my hands on the whale and focus was straight ahead. Carmichael survived that awkward outing and has been driving ever since. She maintains a sharp focus behind the wheel using her heightened sense of sight to navigate the road. You know I look in the mirrors I look in the rearview mirror I look behind me. I look ahead of me. You know I'm always aware of what's all around me including

law enforcement officials who may pull her over. For the occasional traffic stop. Manal pored over Spain he likes the restoration place. Sheriff Rex coffee of Charles County Maryland says his officers are trained to deal with deaf drivers who probably have more people in our community deaf than we really we really think about to help bridge the communication gap the Maryland Sheriff's Association developed a specially designed card stating that the driver is deaf. It's placed in the windshield visor for easy access. So what they're supposed to do is produce the card and hold it up to the windshield to. So the officer be the first thing he sees or display it to the officer so he knows exactly what he's dealing with. The driver also has the option of calling in a qualified interpreter to assist him or simply use handwritten notes to communicate with the officer. It's uncomfortable when you can't communicate with someone for whatever reason. So immediately we're able to really understand that we have a problem here and it didn't if we didn't find a problem we can address it.

Carmichael says the visor card eliminates any potential misunderstandings and since I've had the visor card. It makes a big difference between not just me but the police officer as well. He knows what to expect. And he knows that I am deaf so he knows what the next thing is. The Deaf driver advisor card program began right here in Charles County back in 2000. Since then Robbie has become a big advocate of the program handing these cards out to everyone in the deaf community. She says they've been a big help for motorists here in Maryland but she hopes the program expands nation. There are a lot of deaf people that aren't even aware of this card. And. Sometimes there are deaf people that are way out there that don't live near. A city like this. More than 20000 visor cards are available at local sheriff's offices throughout Maryland similar ones can be found at various agencies in other states.

And it's just a benefit for everyone so hopefully some people will buy into what we're doing here in Maryland a workout for everyone. Carmichael is thankful she lives in an area that embraces the deaf community and provides them with the tools they need to live fulfilling lives. Deaf people are great. We can do anything. We can do everything except here. We're always look forward to checking our clearing. So let's see what showed up this way to grab our first impressions. Yes Pontiac takes its last breath. The American performance car brand reinforced its two seat solstice roadster with a new Porsche with a nod to old T-top Firebirds the solstice coupe includes a removable target like roof section but it's too big to fit through the hatch or even slide behind the seats. Fortunately a make do folding fabric panel is available besides the top physical changes to the soles to store minimal muscular shoulders and curvy lines

remain. It just looks better with the fast back. To power trains are the same as the roadster. A base 2.4 leader eco tech IFOR good for 173 horsepower. RG XP runs on a turbo charged direct injected 2 liter with two hundred sixty horsepower. Both engines fitted manual and automatic transmission. Keeping their souls to us stuck to the ground is a VS a limited slip differential and stability. All of which are now standard across the line up. Putting it through its paces the extra body stiffness provided by the hard top is clearly noticeable. Whistles as hard as just a great fun to drive car handle sharper than it looks and it quickly becomes more a tool of expression than just transportation. And it doesn't hurt that it turns heads on every block too. The biggest change to the familiar solstice cockpit is the bit more luggage space behind the seats. The price however is tunnel like Rear Vision backing up can be treacherous and if you want to soles to scoop act quickly.

Less than 12 hundred were made before the plant closed so dealer stock is all that remains. Sticker prices start just under $27000. In late summer Cadillac a far healthier GM brand added a sport wagon as the second member of its widely acclaimed midsize CCS lineup. Like the sedan all wheel drive is optional but handsome shooting brake looks come standard. The ctx is now familiar art and science angular design Jets rearward into an extended but low slung greenhouse and ends with Cadillac signature vertical lights stacked set into beefy deep pillars. Open the extra architecture with a standard power liftgate defined 25 cubic feet of luggage capacity almost double the space in the CTA sedans trunk folding the 60 40 rear seats more than doubles and 54 cubes of wide long stowing go with adjustable tie downs blended into the floor which itself hides a shallow but wide cargo bay along with a nearly concealed

roof rail system. There's little this wagon can't carry swiftly. The heavier sport wagon shares the same power trains as the sedan standard is a new 3 liter V-6 with 270 horsepower and highway fuel economy of 28 mpg with our cars optional 304 horsepower three point six liter V-6 the sport wagon filled athletic and composed when we put it through its paces and the summary shade of New York's Lower Hudson River Valley. Rear wheel drive sport wagons can be had with GMC optional high performance at the three suspension which includes a limited slip differential. 1980 alloy wheels shroud larger brake rotor the five passenger space of the CTF sport wagon is carried over intact from the sedan. Good thing since it's among the most handsome and stylish in the industry are attracting navigation is optional. Available now the CTA wagon sticker starts in the high 30s. Join us next time for more new sets of Corkey.

Back. In 1999 four men purchased three hundred twenty acres of Indiana farmland for $500. Beat out a loop of hard packed and called it the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Since then it has become the most recognizable venue in motor racing in anticipation of the Speedway's 100th anniversary. Ralph Kramer penned and the Annapolis Motor Speedway 100 years are praising a book of pictures to commemorate the track's fascinating history. Kramer is quick to acknowledge that this is not a definitive history of the racetrack but that doesn't detract anything from this handsome hardcover from the evolution of the trackside pagoda to the faces on the Borg Warner trophy. Kramer doesn't miss a beat. With the forward written beautifully by Mary Alondra the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 100 years of racing is destined to become a classic. And for 30 dollars it's a good deal to do with. Calling a car a boxy used to be a negative. But then along came the minivan the

SUV and that changed after all the box even on wheels is the most efficient package. But starting with the PSI Onyx be boxy also became urban cool. And since carmakers know a trend when they see one. There are now two new edgy contenders. The key is Seoul and the Nissan Cube. So let's see which street geometry best. Q big front wheel drive city cars have become a common sight in metropolitan areas. And while the new Nissan Cube and POS Sol are slowly adding to the mix the original shoe box on wheels the saw on XP remains the most common street color. Even in its second generation. The XP has right angle shaved flat panels and Poni face still turns heads funky interior styling is another key

to the X BS appeal headlined by four round center gauges. The Expedia cabin is very roomy almost lounge like and feel there's enough space for three young adults to sit comfortably in the rear folding the 60:40 rear seat makes way for a huge sixty nine point nine cubic feet of cargo behind a rear hatch. Under the Hood is the Camry's 2.4 lieder four cylinder the largest engine of our trio with 158 horsepower. With the optional four speed automatic this box pulls from zero to 60 in 8.9 seconds. Also the group's fastest. However that big engine does produce underwhelming government fuel economy ratings of 22 City 28 highway we saw twenty six point one in very driving like each of our group the XP simple suspension user struts up front in a solid torsion beam in the rear right is quiet and potholes are served up with refinement turning diameter is a small thirty four point eight feet curved a curve. That aids the XP when parking but its one hundred

sixty seven point three inch link the longest of our group can be an issue in really tight situations. Also this cult classic has a base sticker of sixteen thousand four hundred twenty dollars the trio's highest. Our second cube is the Nissan Cube. More cartoony than the x b the cube has curvy or lines puffy wheel flares and as symmetrical rear glass like the XP the passenger cabin of the cube is deceivingly large artful details like the ripple ceiling design and shaggy dash rug. Give it a whimsical feel the wide 60:40 rear seat slides reclines and folds for an adequate fifty eight point one cubic feet of space cargo loading is by way of a curbside opening rear door. We prefer a hatch but city dwellers living with a low roofed garage will love it under the hood is the first 1.8 leader in line for producing one hundred twenty two horsepower with optional CVT automatic straight line 0 to

60 takes 9.4 seconds. There's good spunk here and the queue feels faster than the numbers say. But the cube shines brightest in tight traffic and parking settings with light touch electric steering. It's one of the fifty six point seven inch sling and thirty three point four foot turning diameter are both the smallest of our trio. In normal traffic. The cube's ride is fine though not as pothole friendly as the XP. Being our tallest box. It had the most trouble with highway cross wind fire cube CVT had government fuel economy ratings of 28 city 30 highway. But we beat that with a fine thirty one point one mpg in mixed driving. Pricing for the Nissan queue begins at fourteen thousand seven hundred ten dollars with a low in stereo that's about fifteen hundred dollars less than the XP. Our third cubic solution is the key a sole at one hundred sixty one point six inches its lines between the XP and q.

The soul is the most soulful of our trio in design. Angular lines fast moving creases and an athletic stance give this Urban Cruiser a true sporty appeal. The soles interior also shows a more techno flair than rival case in point the light pulsating speaker finishing materials are also a notch above the x b and q the wide 60:40 rear seat has the most leg room of our group. Slightly more than the XP font with the seats down. It's fifty three point four cubic feet cargo capacity is the group small rear access is by hatch there are two four cylinder power sources for the sole one hundred twenty two horse power one point six leader for one hundred forty two or so our two leaders are sole sports 2.0 with optional four speed automatic took nine point nine seconds from zero to 60. The slowest in our head to head run. The soul is fine city style right in handling the turning diameter is also tidy at thirty four point three feet but on open

roads the sole is easily the most fun to draw on. However road noise rises faster than speed. Government fuel economy ratings are 24 city 30 highway for our two liter souls Test week was a disappointing 25 mpg. But the soul is the trickiest to buy in our new big comparison. They sticker starts at just thirteen thousand nine hundred ninety five dollars. So there you have three boxes that are well suited for today's urbanites. Put one on the Nissan Cube with the shortest length super tight turning diameter and rear cargo door shines brightest as the purest city car plus it deliver the trio's best fuel economy by far. The key a soul however is our favorite box to drive in city and Alf. It's funky techie design delivers fine practicality and it's the least expensive to buy. But fuel economy was low. The original block sign on XP is a good compromise between the soul and

Qs. It takes up the most pavement but it stops and power passenger and cargo space. Plus it had better fuel economy than the soul. You're in the market for a car. Make sure you test drive all three. One of them will surely win you over but none will disappoint. I hope you'll join us here next week for more motorway when diesel meets high performance and a pair of BMW. Then it's a cat like no other than Jaguar XFL. I'm John David. Well see a man. To learn more about motor week. TV's original automotive magazine. This is PBS dot org. To order a DVD of this program call 1 800 873 6 1 5 4 Motorway has been brought to you by cars dot com. Let's say you're looking for a car. Cars dot com can help research locate even contact your dealer

cause. This program was produced by American Public Television which is so me responsible for its content. PBS.