Motorweek; 2410

This time on motorways from Grand-Am to G 6. Are these the people's diesels and on rattling fuel economy. So come drive with us next. Little. TV's original automotive magazine you wrote you bought this to make yourself a professional. Great sentiment too. Stanley proper support public talk. Stanley thinks it's relational belittling the MWW don't stick. To. Your host for Motor Week. JOHN DAVIS Well and welcome again to motor week. We're glad to have you with us. Great public city is critical when you're launching a new car and few new cars have received more than the 2005 Pontiac G-6 talk show host Oprah Winfrey recently gave away 276 of the new midsize to dance to her audience. It was the public relations coup of the year and instantly thrust the G-6 into the spotlight. But can this sharp new replacement for the

Grand-Am live up to all the hype. It has to. After all who would risk that kind of mass exposure. Not to mention an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars on an undeserving candidate. Indeed the 2005 Pontiac G-6 has all the components worthy of the hype. It also didn't arrive too soon. The grandam sedan in Cooper way long in the tooth most often found in rental lots rather than suburban garages. That's why its replacement is all new including the name it or the Pontiac G-6. Initially there is just a G-6 sedan as the Granddad will continue in coupe form until a new G-6 coupe and a hard top convertible are ready next year. This all new midsize sedan is available now in two flavors. Standard G-6 and G 6 G T. Both are formed from GM as new Epsilon platform the same one we raved about in the

new Saab 9 3 and Chevrolet Malibu. Indeed the G-6 shares basic mechanics with the versatile Chevrolet Malibu Max that includes the long for its class one hundred twelve point three inch wheelbase with tire spread to the corners and short overhangs. That's a longer wheelbase than the larger Grand Prix. Yeah six overall length is nine point three inches shorter at the top one hundred eighty nine inches. Style wise the G-6 is a totally modern mix of sporty American good looks and refined European style. Think of it as boy racer goes to Paris. Dead on you know it's a Pontiac with its signature twin port grill. But then follow its expressive wedge shaped profile over a very fast cabin to the up swept rear where oversized taillights like a prominent trunk Pontiac has often tried to apply a swift coupe roofline to a sedan and the G-6 is the fastest and best effort yet. The G-6 pulled along by the Malibu's 3.5

liter pushrod 6 output is 200 horsepower and 220 pound feet of torque while sounding a bit unrefined at full throttle. It is willing with a wide flat torque her. Due next year are two more engines. A high performance will debut with an all new 3.9 leader V-6 and for 2006 the G-6 will also add a 170 horsepower two point four leader four cylinder as the base engine. Current power flows through the front wheels through a four speed automatic with manual shift mode on the G-6 GTI. A real manual arrives for the GTP. Still the current combo provide strong traction for a car that grips both the road and test track in an impressive manner by the numbers 0 to 60 takes eight point two seconds. And the quarter mile is dispatched in sixteen point one seconds and eighty seven miles per hour. Not a rocket but not a slug either. Plus ships are smooth and confident the G-6 is solid and nimble it

turns quickly with only mild front drive understeer and fast corners compared to the Malibu the all independent suspension is firmer but not harsh. Struts in the front and poor wings person in the rear with stabilizer bars all around. Variable assist electric power steering is standard but it delivers a nice heavier feel and more feedback than on the Malibu braking is by way of 4 wheel disc made free stuff from 60 to zero were a tad long at 135 feet on average anti lock and traction control are standard on the GTI and optional on the base G-6 16 and 60 series touring tires are standard with performance rated 17 enters on 5 spoke alloys on the inside the G-6 is a well-equipped driver oriented semi serious sports car cockpit with a thoughtful control layout. There's a sprinkling of brushed metal accents in chrome trim and the front are high side bolstered buckets that are both firm and comfortable. The tilt and telescoping

wheel is standard while adjustable pedals are a welcomed option. Other standards include air conditioning cruise control power windows and locks and CD stereo with available XM Satellite Radio. Notable options include. Remote starting. An a panoramic sunroof that opens in four sections. Safety options include front side airbags and side curtain airbags front and rear rear interest tight due to the sloped roof. But once their sitting room is generous due to the long wheelbase the 60 40 seat backs fold for cargo flexibility the trunk itself measures 14 cubic feet on par with the benchmark Honda Accord with high gas prices fuel economy is more important than ever. The G-6 has fine numbers for a midsize car 22 city and 32 highway. We manage Twenty six in every day driving pricing for the new G 6 sedan starts at twenty one thousand three hundred dollars. That's about sixteen hundred dollars less than a comparable grandam coupe the G-6 model

adds a manual shift gait firmer suspension and 17 inch wheels for twenty three thousand nine hundred twenty five dollars. Very competitive prices sparked by its 15 minutes of fame on Oprah the Pontiac G-6 is having an introduction that Pontiac fans won't soon forget. But it also has the great looks performance and value to have a long and successful run. Coming up where fuel economy numbers come from. Time now to shift from what's new and well oiled machines to how to keep them that way. Let's check in with Motor Week Number one car care authority Pat Goss under isn't a reason in the world of a garage has to be Dall and boring. Well we went on the internet to find some things that we could use to

make the garage more appealing place to be. First thing we came up with is to cool kids. Now this is one of them. Notice the filling station pump nozzle and hose and everything. Here we have the replica of the numbers on a pump. How would you like to have gas prices like that anyway. This simply fits onto a refrigerator and it converts it into something that is very appealing. Now they come in various styles like here we have one that's done in flames. And over here we have another on a smaller refrigerator that's done to look like a tool box. I think these are pretty neat. They come with everything that you need to do the conversion including the applications which are magnetic you stick on to the metal of the refrigerator. They also have all of the stuff that you need to do the conversion. They have the paint. They have rollers that are

designed specifically for the paint. And in this case we have one of the nozzles and so on. Now what we elected to do on one of these the silver and black one is that we spray painted that one. We found that that did an excellent job as well. So use the paint that comes with the kit or spray paint it doesn't make any difference to cool kits. License plates are always a good way to dress up a garage license plates dot tv. I did these for us. They will do just about anything that you might want as far as a license plate goes. It can be domestic It can be foreign any state. Most any year and they'll make it up for you and they've got some stock items as well. Speaking of customs stuff they did this one for us in our Goss's garage logo. So some pretty neat things there. Also they do license plate frames and those can be custom. Like our motor week frame right here. Another thing that

really works well to dress up the garage if you're into antiques. Well you can go on the Internet and you can find authentic antique license plates. These are the real thing. They're very inexpensive and they really dress up the grudge so you can take the whole thing and make it a pleasant place to be. If you have a question or comment write to me the address is Motor Week Owings Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7. A few of us will ever own the Ford GTI super car but we can all get an inside look at its history and development in Ford GTI the legend comes to life. Author Larry Edsel takes us step by step through the design and construction of the GTI starting with a short history of its almost unbeatable ancestor. The original GTI 40 with the forward by the legendary Carol Shelby superb color photography

and sharp concise copy. This is a great book for fans of a great car with. We've all seen fuel economy numbers quoted in advertising and listed on window stickers like this one. But how are those numbers determined. And more importantly where can you get that information for all of the vehicles on your shopping list. Well it's right here in the 2005 fuel economy guy. This contains the official fuel economy data gathered by the EPA and compiled into a user friendly format by the U.S. Department of Energy. While free printed versions are available at local libraries and car dealers today's car shoppers are looking online for this information so they enter active fuel economy guide is now the first place to look for smart car advice. For 30 years the guy has been the best way to compare the fuel economy of vehicles of the same type all large cars are listed together.

Likewise minivans SUV and so on and the most efficient vehicle in each class is highlighted. The fuel economy guide lists the city and highway economy figures an estimated annual fuel cost for virtually every light duty passenger vehicle on the road including the various engine and transmission combinations of a lable for each model. For the EPA alone to test all of the thousands of vehicle combinations would be impossible. So in reality the car manufacturers perform these tests according to a strict procedure developed by the way and to make the test equal and repeatable for all vehicles. It is actually performed on a dynamometer the technician drives each vehicle on the following A prescribe pattern of stops and starts. That mimics a typical city or highway journey here at the EPA s national vehicle and fuel emissions laboratory economy testing is conducted daily to verify the manufacturer's data. The actual test results are then

adjusted downward to produce numbers that are closer to real world driving conditions. We believe that both the car companies and the Environmental Protection Agency has the same. Isthmus ability to provide the consumers. With as accurate information as possible and could credible information when it comes to feed the fuel economy. Facto said since aggressive driving. High speeds. And using excessive air conditioning. Or other accessories into vehicle. Cold weather. Idling will affect. Fuel economy. That's precisely why no test can accurately predict everyone's mileage and certain vehicles like gasoline electric hybrids demand a very disciplined driving style to achieve peak efficiency. But as a baseline for comparing vehicles within a particular class the EPA fuel economy guide just can't be beat.

After all when you figure in the cost of premium versus regular gas a 5 mile per gallon difference in fuel economy can mean hundreds of dollars in savings over a year well that's good for you. The savings in fuel used is actually good for everyone. But remember fuel economy is not a fixed number like tire size or curb oil. A lot depends on the condition of your vehicle and how you drive it. So the fuel economy website includes information on how to maintain your car for optimal efficiency and tips on efficient driving techniques. This site also provides greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions ratings for new vehicles and loads of information on alternative fuels tax incentives and the latest green car technology. Now more and more people are shopping for used cars these days and that info is here to archived all the way back to the 1985 model year. It's all aimed at helping buyers make an informed decision.

After all the vehicle you purchase impacts. All of us. Reducing America's dependence on foreign oil and cleaning up the air are not just trendy causes for environmentalist. It's a responsibility that we all must share. Using the fuel economy and other tools available online are not only important in selecting the best new car or truck for your specific needs but it is important in the largest sense. Use that information wisely and you make America's economy stronger and help all of us breathe a little easier. Despite high gas prices and press reports about the guzzling SUV they remain strong sellers in the case of the 2004 Nissan Armada about 3000 a month are eager owner. And based on our long term test they will not be disappointed. In the nine months since we took our MA to deliberate our SE off road edition has traveled over twenty

one thousand three hundred three miles mostly on road. It's a passenger capacity easily converts for a variety of chores and it is that versatility that makes the only modest fuel economy of fourteen point three miles per gallon. So much more acceptable. While recent weather has not been a challenge for the Armada the advanced on demand for will drive system with low range is seamlessly there when needed. Other High points include the robust five point six leader 305 horsepower V-8 the tow haul mode transmission a separate opening hatch glass and the ability to plug an auxillary audio sources. If we fix one thing it's the noisy climate control fan. Still if you need a full size hauler for your full size family the new the Nissan Armada delivers like a better one. General Motors is rapidly turning to its Korean Daewoo arm for value priced vehicles for a wide variety of brands. Suzuki is a case in

point. Our long term for own a midsize sedan is built by day room. You may have heard a lot about the rise in quality of Korean made cars and we certainly can back that up. After 12 months and fifteen thousand three hundred miles we've had no major problems except some minor hesitation when cold where some of our staff expected plenty of squeaks and rattles by now. There are none. Fuel economy remains constant if not exceptional at twenty two point three miles per gallon. Still the willing 2.5 leader 155 horsepower inline six and four speed automatic transmission are a mostly smooth combo with only the occasional gear clunk and issue. Our staff finds the Verona to be a very capable four door sedan and with its 100000 mile power train warranty it is a fine value. Next up this Chrysler Pacifica and this Pontiac Grand Prix come up g on motor weeks long term road test update.

The all new 2005 Chevrolet Corvette has barely hit the road but Chevy engineers are already busy preparing an even more exciting version of America's premier sports car. This is the 2006 Corvette 0 6 the new version of Chevy is hottest that will boast a more powerful version of the standard six liter V8 engine that makes it rumored 500 horsepower. The news iOS 6 will wear larger wheel arches to cover a new light weight two piece style wheels with extra wide high performance rubber. The most intriguing feature of this test mule is a removable fiber top panel similar to that of the first Dodge Viper. The 0 6 will hit Chevy dealers late next year with a price of about fifty two thousand dollars. Not to be outdone in the high performance sports car Rena Toyota is preparing a new top line performance car of its own built in an all new rear drive chassis. This Asian Corvette fighter may be powered by a 500 horsepower v 10 engine

drive from Toyotas Formula 1 racing engine but there is also speculation that the car will be offered with a new high performance gasoline electric hybrid drive train. This would greatly improve public perception of hybrid technology and be a huge public relations feat for Toyota. The new sports car which may wear a Lexus badge in the US market is expected to arrive in dealer showrooms for the 2007 model year. And you're up nearly 70 percent of new cars and light trucks are diesels and America is less than 5 percent and only one brand Volkswagen maintains diesels as a significant part of its U.S. lineup. Moreover VW fans are fiercely loyal and egging B.W. on to offer even more of them and they are. Enter the new plus side TV I enter. But what do these two new diesels mean for the rest of us. The Europeans have a long history with diesels. It's been 110 years since Germany's

Rudolph diesel built the first compression ignition engine and 70 years since the first diesel passenger car. The Mercedes Benz 260 Di hit the road. But these olds have had a rough ride in the US due in part to the poor reliability of General Motors block cracking crank eating these all engines of the late 1970s and early 80s. And because diesel tailpipe emissions are not as clean as gasoline engines but that is not kept bokes wagon from being a champion for diesels in America with the biggest number and variety of models and the VW diesel getting the most attention these days is the 2004 tour Reg TV on. A high efficiency version of boats wagons of mid-sized luxury sports the Touareg TVI is powered by a 5 liter twin turbo v 10 direct injection diesel. It fairly quietly pumps out 310 horsepower with a stop pulling 550 three pound feet of torque with maximum torque available at only 2000 rpm power feeds to standard for motion all wheel drive through a

68 automatic transmission with manual shift mode which propels this almost 3 ton SUV from 0 to 60 in only six point three seconds. And blast through the Quarter Mile End fourteen point eight seconds at ninety two miles per hour. Performace said leaves most petrol powered SUV is in the dust. Yet the V 10 diesel still delivers EPA fuel economy ratings of 17 city and 23 highway expect 21 in normal driving. That's better than some compact SUV as they weigh a full time less with diesel fuel averaging over $2 a gallon. The 20 percent mileage gain over the less powerful gas V8 means substantial savings savings that soon will be gained with minimal added environmental cost. New high efficiency particulate filters and soon to arrive low sulfur fuel mean that diesel tailpipe emissions may be clean enough to meet stringent California emission rules rules that currently prevent light duty diesels from being sold there as well

as in the northeast. But diesel power doesn't mean that you have to give up any of the passenger and cargo room nor the luxury that buyers of high end sport demand. The leather and wood line offers top luxury amenities for fine including satellite navigation OnStar and killer audio. Of course you will have to come up with fifty eight thousand four hundred fifteen dollars to own the TV on and that's the only rug these will power cost $15000 more than a gas V8. But there are a number of luxury SUV. They cost a lot more that we like a lot less. Fortunately both wagon offers a wide array of more affordable diesels with the newest being the mid size 2004 facade TVI sedan and wagon. Two liter turbo charged four cylinder generates a meager 130 240 seven pound feet of torque is 20 percent higher than the

six peak torque is reached at only 900 RPM. Not in line for your pump deuce high efficiency injection technology. The high pressure system precisely meters fuel delivery directly into the combustion chamber for better atomization more power yet less pollution. Power that translates into a zero to 60 time of nine point eight seconds with the standard speed manual mode automatic and a quarter mile run of seventeen point seventy nine miles per hour. The little four banger lacks the. Thrust and. Feel of a beaten relative but like all diesels deliver strong midrange cool. But EPA fuel mileage ratings up 27 city and 38 highway more than make up for the leisurely performance. That's 40 percent better than the gas B6 we average to find 32 mpg in typical urban driving. Plus with a long list of standard features from full power and AC to CD

stereo to siding curtain airbags it's easy to understand why we are so endeared to the design. All for a TVI sedan base price of twenty three thousand six hundred thirty five dollars NGL tram car twenty five thousand two hundred thirty five dollars for the geologists. The facade TVI wagon begins at only twenty four thousand six hundred thirty five dollars. Amazingly those prices are only $200 more than comparable four cylinder gas powered croissants. Now that's the kind of pricing that's needed to make diesels popular in America. In fact no other car combines the perception of German design refinement and technology. With true family size room and high mileage efficiency like the Volkswagen TVI. And both the 2004 Volkswagen enteric are proof that you don't have to give up performance comfort or utility to gain serious fuel economy. That's why Europeans buy so many diesel vehicles and why Americans

may soon be buying a whole lot more diesels as well. Well I hope you'll join us next week for more motorways. Well task forces all new 911 Corera and some contact with the Toyota Corolla Xers checks out the eco immobile pet buckles up for child safety. Another long term road test update and all the latest motor names. I'm John Davis. Well CNN. To learn more about Motor Week TV's original automotive magazine music PBS not org. Motorway has been brought to you by this one. Makers of professional grade mechanics and automotive tools Stanley proud to support public television stand make some information available like WW dogs. To order a video cassette of this program call 1 800 807 3 6 1

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