Motorweek; 2704

Dog melts the pavement with their venomous 604 Spiker sortied to buckle up and hold on as we push the pedal to the floor. First metal that start. With. Hi I'm Pat Dawson. Tire track this time was his garage. We'll run down all that's new from the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show and Tell us Nissan slick and sassy Ultimo coupe. So come drive with us. Next. Week. TV's original automotive magazine brought to you by cars. Let's say you're looking for a car. Cars dot com can help research locate even contact a dealer find the right car for you. And buy the tire rack. Ever notice how tires are like shoes every day call for seasonally for real performance. The Tire Rack knows

how to help you dress appropriately. You could learn more. Maybe oil and water don't mix. But oil and blood do. Now over. 100 years on with. And by Dunlop tires the search for true performance is part of our heritage. Dunlop is proud to present the Dunlop drivers Cup where amateurs from around the world compete head to head in the on and off road competitions. Information at Dunlop tires dot com. Your host for Motor Week. John Davis. Well hello and welcome again to motor week. We're glad to have you with us back in the 60's muscle cars were everywhere but today true muscle cars are few and far between and the few we do have like this 2008 Dodge wiper SRT 10 must live up to off formidable reputation. Of course the Viper is already renowned as one of the brawny as beast to ever burn rubber. So what do

the folks at Dodge do to make it even more popular. Why add more muscle of course. On a street corner philosopher once stated that vice is nice but excess is best. If so then the two thousand eight Dodge Viper SRT tin can be considered to be a speed junkies Bieber advice one that succeeds because of its excess. And in the Viper whether it's the SRT 10 roadster or coupe. That access is all under the hood. Now boasting a larger 8.4 leader pushrods be 10 these deadlier snakes Funtown 600 horsepower and 560 pound feet of torque. That ninety horse increase comes not just from more displacement. A stronger block is crowned with new heads with bigger valves and variable valve timing all connected to a more efficient intake and exhaust. It all hammers through a beefed up truck makes six speed manual and compact wind this clutch and down to a new speed

syncing limited slip differential. The wheels are still 18 inch front in one thousand it's rear alloys but are now available in three different styles with tire pressure monitoring. They helped launch the viper like a reptilian rocket on a 95 degree day it took us only three point nine seconds to blast past 60 while the quarter mile flashed by an eleven point nine seconds at one hundred twenty three mph. Mind you the Viper takes finesse to launch properly as we did not come by these numbers without a lot of effort. Drop the hammer at 3000 rpm and smoke force from the rear wheels as the big 345 tires for grip. Torque output builds rapidly maxing out at 5000 revs chips are short and precise while the long travel clutch pedal delivers plenty of feel. It's a real kick in the pants accompanied by a Muscle Car rumble that only big American iron can produce. The handling is also impressive. Thanks to a lightweight double A Arm suspension and well over shocks. But this is a

viper. So while it turns in quickly with minimal front plow there are no electronic aids to help you recover from a mistake a hair too much throttle can snap the tail loose without warning. Stay smooth on the gas pedal however and that huge pretense torque rockets the Viper out of tight corners mid corner bumps will upset the stiff chassis suspension combination with a quick rack and pinion steering keeps you well informed of everything that the front tires are doing. Once you get the feel for throttle in suspension You can then easily drive the viper with your right foot sliding the tail to point the car and having the time of your life. And when it's time for the fun day in huge 14 inch brake disc and brim bow calipers hammer the big snake down from 60 and only 109 feet. These are world class brakes that would be perfectly at home on a pure bred race car and for 2008 the Viper looks more like a race car than ever before adding to the Vipers threatening look as a new hood within large more efficient air scoop and cooling

louvers supplement all that with 5 new paint colors and 4 new interior color combinations. And there's now a snake to satisfy any horse power junkie you know. But they better be trim horse power junkies because the simple race inspired cockpit is as tight as a spandex T-shirt with narrow close fitting leather infos suede covers sports seats that hold you fast in hard corners. The Viper pioneered adjustable pedals in a production car and the standard power setup allows for a wide range of driver Heights luxury touches are few though 2008 does see the addition of an optional have a Haitian system and Sirius Satellite Radio. But you don't buy a wiper for luxury and you certainly don't buy one unless you have eighty three thousand nine hundred ninety five dollars for the roadster and eighty four thousand seven hundred forty five dollars for the coupe high mileage vehicles may be in vogue these days but the horsepower wars go on and no

horsepower warrior is more venomous than the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT 10. The Viper is still the baddest muscle car on the American block. It may be rude crude and politically incorrect but taming it is a guaranteed thrill. Coming up. Frank. It's. On. Time now for a stop by Goss's garage. Let's see what tips our top tech has for us this week. On modern tires are amazing but they're also confusing when it comes time for replacements. Now if you drive middle of the road as far as your style or as far as your automobile is concerned well you want a tire like this. This tire is designed to give you the best of both worlds wet traction dry traction good where all of the attributes that you would want out of a tire. Now the way they do that is with a

different tread compound and a different tread design from one side of the tire to the other. That gives you the combination of attributes for that tire. It's also an all season tire. But maybe you want something that is a little more aggressive as far as the handling aspects go. That means you step up to something like this. Now this is a summer only tire but it has special features for handling and that includes this big ribbon in the center which gives you good on center response. The tread is designed for good traction both wet and dry but it is not usable in snow or icy conditions. Also maybe you're real serious about performance. That means you might want to tire like this now. As you notice as we get higher in performance we get less detail in the tread. In this case this is a deal approved tire so you

can use it on the street but it is primarily designed for that track. Drifting in things like that. So if you're into that. This is what you look for and if you live in a part of the country where you get snow. Well here is a dedicated snow tire. Now you notice that this is a very complex tread design with lots of little cuts Sipes there called lots of blocks and so on so the tire grips into the snow and the ice. It also cleans itself so it doesn't pack snow on it and become a giant snowball. Well the downside to these are that you can't use them in the summer because they wear quite rapidly and that's due to the tread compound it's designed to bite into the snow and ice. But if you want best winter traction that's the way to go. And if you have a question or comment write to me the address is motorway in Owings Mills Maryland. 2 1 1 1 7.

It may be hard to believe but it's once again time to kick off the International Auto Show season and this year the festivities start with the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. We were there to witness all the unveilings and now so will you. If the world of automobiles has a Mecca the Frankfurt Motor Show is a prime candidate every other September countless thousands make the pilgrimage to see what's new and hot in the global auto industry. And who better to make their mark in Frankfurt than Mercedes-Benz. Their long bodied f 700 concept was of a mind blower indeed providing ahead of the next S class. The F 700 combines luxury with a high degree of eco friendly mist utilizing bins is efficient these so no drive system which unites gasoline and diesel technology to achieve low greenhouse gas emissions. Mercedes also shocked and awed with a new version of their new C-Class sedan. The

457 horsepower see 63 AMG this firecracker will be available in the US next April. Another speedster from Mercedes was the long anticipated SLR McLaren roadster and European buyers were wooed with the new C-Class wagon. Smart cars put in their two cents on green with 0 for 2 micro hybrid and non-hybrid smart starts US sales early next year. Another German heavyweight BMW also made big news at Frankfurt for the world debut of their small 1 series coupe the top model is the 300 horsepower 135 I with a 3 series twin turbo 6. The one series also arrives stateside next spring. This BMW XXIX crossover concept also turned a lot of heads with its unconventional shape. BMW actually calls it a sports activity coupe based on the X5 S A V the utility market may never look the

same again. This new generation M3 Coupe is poised for both the race track and everyday traffic. It comes on strong with the four leader 420 horse power V-8. And many a fish only unveiled its stretched super hip clubman longer by nine and a half inches it has three side and two rear swing out doors and will be available in the US early on 0 8. Porsche unveiled this latest super performer the 9 11 to its 530 horses allows a top speed of 204 mph. Other news was the cayenne hybrid and the high output Volkswagen returned to its rear engine roots with this tiny three door up concept and the U.S. compact crossover arrived in full production for the Audi division showed their fifth generation A4 a facelift for the twin turbo

charged five hundred eighty horsepower and the new R S six months over it. We found this recharge concept this plug in hybrid with a flex fuel engine is based on the new C 30 hatchback. Ford showed off its new 5 crossover just for Europe. For now it may inspire our next Ford Escape. And this verb concept style is replacement for the popular Fiesta on the other hand Dodge made no secret journey five and seven seat crossover will be sold in both the U.S. and Europe. General Motors major news in Frankfurt was the Opel flex stream diesel electric plug in hybrid. It's GM is the most intriguing hybrid concept yet. Meanwhile GM Saab arm brought forth the turbo X a limited edition version of its new 9 3. From Korea Hyundai arrived with the I blew fuel cell concept and the I-30 crossover wagon at the same time Kiya showed what could be a future

Sport Coupe. The key new styling of the Mazda 6 takes on an even sporty year and more aggressive character. Nissan jumped on the green wagon with their mix some electric car concept while Toyotas try to outsmart the smart car with this tiny 4 seat IQ concept. Soon their eye popping concept as well as their swift based minivan that splash on the high end Jaguar replaces its type with a sinister accent on sale in the spring of 0 8. Even more high end was the unveiling of the Ferrari 430 scooter Rhea but the king of exotic said Frankfurt proved to be the 650 horsepower million dollar plus Lamborghini raping town all part of the latest automotive global vision at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. Now let's see what your lawn the vastus has in store with this week's motor. Europeans have been enjoying high fuel economy from diesel powered cars for

decades and we've seen a few enter the US market over the years. But starting next year clean diesel will become widely available here. So are Americans ready to make room in their driveways for everyday diesels. No one knows for sure but the U.S. Department of Energy continually debates this issue at their annual diesel engine efficiency and emissions research conference. Now in its 13th year the deer conference is the Dio primary channel for the industry wide exchange of State of the art clean diesel research and development things that were just dreams 13 years ago. We're now reply we're now hearing reports of actual success and not only have you ever have these ideas been dreamed they've been done numerous displays and activities allowed participants to consume and digest the latest diesel data. Brad Barton set the tone of this year's event. The diesel engine is here at least 30 percent more efficient than a gasoline engine and with ultra low so

for diesel you really need the new fuel you've won a lot of the Sox issues we've got tons of mission control devices that can eliminate a lot of the NOx issues and we can also get almost the same kind of power in performance of a diesel engine as we can at a gasoline engine and that gets people's interest which is very exciting. The highlight of the dear event was a diesel ride and drive here everyone was encouraged to experience the State of the art diesel vehicles along with current domestic offerings a wide selection of European diesels were on hand as a preview of what's in store for the future. Honda has already announced an accord diesel for the U.S. while longtime diesel promoters evokes wagon and Mercedes-Benz show their diesel cars from the drive it was clear that luxury brands will field many of the diesel offerings as shown by the presence of Audi and BMW with a tiny gasoline powered smart car starting US sales next year. This diesel version drew a lot of interest as did this euro diesel edition of the very American Chrysler

300 sedan. But no matter which model you choose one thing these clean diesels all have in common is the element of surprise. It's running now you can even hear it running it's quiet. You can't smell any exhaust diesel still face significant hurdles before Americans welcome them with open arms but it is clear that clean Diesel's will play an important role in reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil. And that's it for this week's Motor News. While summer is over. Top down weather is giving us a bit more time to truly enjoy our 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse spider GTI convertible. Once the top goes up for the season however the large blind spots and small rear window will take a toll on popularity. The 263 horsepower three point eight leader V-6 is ideal for any driving need be it's walking through traffic or ramping onto a wide open freeway and fuel economy is

taking a welcomed look up to 22 miles per gallon of premium. The front cockpit is wide and comfortable and the back seat while minimal comes in handy for luggage that won't fit into the tiny trunk fall free at 11 months on. Only now are we noticing some tire and suspension noise and vibration. So summer's over but fun with our Mitsubishi Eclipse spider Jiji convertible shines on. While not a rag top a car is fun to drive quotient couldn't be higher than this 2006 Audi A3 3.2 s line Quatro. Sadly after 12 months and 21000 miles are playing with this high performance commuter has run its course throughout four seasons. The 250 horse three point two leader Twin Cam P6 Potro drive train never faltered although the operation of the manual mode DSG trainee still takes getting used to. The economy is 22 miles per gallon of premium. Like the eclipse spider that's barely enough that today's gas prices

inside the eighth raise roomy well-appointed cabin get solid marks as this hatchbacks maximum cargo room rivals a compact SUV. The only things that have tempered our joy are the increasingly loud and thumping ultra low profile 18 inch tires still without our A3 getting to and fro is going to be a real bore. Will bore in on this BMW X5 and our key is that those on the next motor week long term road test update. Once upon a time in America large two door hard tops were very popular these personal luxury coops were favored by older males and empty nesters. But his minivans and SUV became popular big coops faded. Now newer efforts like the Toyota Camry Solara and the Honda Accord Coupe have sold OK but only by aiming for younger buyers. And that's exactly what this new 2008 Nissan Altima coupe intends to do to expand the all time a buyer base

while lowering the brand's demographics. It's a big and tall order for a lean and low car. As it broadens Nissan's mid-size family car line up the 2008 ultimate coupe brings with it a fresh slate spirted presence. Unlike the Toyota Camry Solara and Honda Accord goop that holds this brand and butter a family car series and a sporty or direction the new coupe shares the same basic chassis as the sedan but with a smaller footprint will basis chop 4 inches to 1 0 5 point three and the overall length to seven point one inches shorter and 180 2.5. It's even lower and ride height by two and a half inches very much its own car the coops well-proportioned body panels are also unique sharing only its hood with a four door with a choppy profile that clearly belongs in the same family as the rear drive Nissan 350 Z and infinity G 37. The front drive coops airfoil lines are smooth and seductive.

A rounded nose wears Nissan's Les this honeycomb grille flanked by teardrop headlamps. Finally sculpted wheel arches punctuate our 3.5 SES 17 inch alloys the coupe sport appeals further by its thick set back in large diamond cut tail lights a rear deck spoiler and dual exhaust tips deliver a performance promise promise backed by familiar power train output with a 2.5 mass generates from a 2.5 leader double overhead cam in line 4 with 175 horsepower and 180 pound feet of torque. Our tester came to life from a 3.5 liter Twin Cam P6 with a galloping 270 horsepower and two hundred fifty eight pound feet of torque. Both engines can be joined to either an X tronics CVT automatic or a six speed manual transmission with a V-6 the CVT utilizes an all new performance tune controller. Government fuel economy ratings for our V-6 with a more desirable manual are nine thousand nine hundred twenty seven highway on regular

gas 20 to a normal driving. That's a bit better than rivals as is the energy impact of fifteen point six barrels of oil consumed per year. One barrel equals forty two gallons of fuel and lubricants. As to whether the promise of performance is delivered we were generally impressed with the coops track prowess on a sweltering day it fired from 0 to 60 in 6.4 seconds and through the Quarter Mile End fourteen point eight seconds and ninety nine miles per hour. There's a big hit of torque right off the line as the grippy tires really let you put the power down chips or short throws but the clutch has a less positive feel than we like. The ultimate front strut and rear multi link suspension is tuned to deliver sharper handling but also a stiffer ride than the sedan. The focus here is on nimbleness back by available electronic stability control. Overall the car is solid and well balanced for a front driver feeling smaller than it is. Body roll was minimal and the steering wheel way

to. The fore will dispraise with ABS and brake assist didn't clamp down hard enough for our taste. With the longest 138 foot average stopping distance from 60 you felt the ABS working more than normal although the pedal was nicely firm. Understandably the Coop's Interior has a deep kinship with the Sudan and that's not a bad thing but it's still exude just sportier cockpit feel with our car's metallic trim providing an upscale appearance. The gates cluster is smart looking and controls are well positioned if not always high quality to the touch. Which standard MP 3 player input the upgraded stereo is a 9 Speaker Boehner system. Other extras include dual zone climate control and navigation standard safety features include active head restraints and six airbags. The rear seat is Coop tight and best for children or a cosy couple. However a full bus split seat backs and they do extend the otherwise class tiny

7.4 cubic foot trunk high priced most will gladly pay for the ultimate coupe super slick styling base price for the streamliner is twenty one thousand one hundred fifteen dollars for the 2.5 S while the 3.5 se begins at twenty five thousand five hundred fifteen dollars. Excellent bottom lines for those who don't want to cough up the 35 grand for an infinity. The Altima sedan has proven to be a solid competitor against Camry and Accord and now it has a wing man. But this 2008 ultimate coupe is more than just a variation. It is its own unique car and gives sporty mid-size family coupe bold new definition. But I hope you'll join us next week for more motorways. But will test the all new second generation Cadillac CTX sports sedan and ride in diesel style and Jeep Grand Cherokees see our day. I'm John Davis. We'll see you then.

To learn more about Motor Week TV's original automotive magazine visit PBS or. To order a DVD or VHS copy of this program call 1 800 873 6 1 5 4 Motorway has been brought to you by cars dot com. Let's say your looking for a car. Cars dot com can help research locate even contact a dealer. Cars dot com find the right car for you. And buy the tire rack offering a wide selection of tires wheels and more with professional advice and online shopping tools plus a national network of Tire Rack recommended installers. Some guys like to relax in a leather recliner. But there were others. There is nothing better than cardboard on concrete Valvoline 100 years under the hood. And by Dunlop tires. The search for a true performance is part of our heritage. Dunlop

is proud to present the Dunlop drivers Cup where amateurs from around the world compete head to head in the on and off road competitions. Information at Dunlop tires dot com. This program was produced by American Public Television which is soley responsible for its content. On. PBS.