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This time on Motor Week car 2003 drivers Choice Awards a majestic museum and new tools for techies to come drive with us. The. Elderly couple whose original automotive magazines. Brought the capital ace economy people. It's on motorway time and it's got cars trucks and it's a great show. That's 30 minutes on television my favorite time of the week. I forgot the popcorn. Oh and by. The. What are you looking for. Your host for Motor Week. John Davis. Well hello and welcome again to motor week we're glad to have you with us. Well it's that time of year again with the motor week staff gathers to choose the winners of our annual drivers

Choice Awards our selection of the best cars trucks an SUV of the year and we have so many great candidates it was tougher than ever. So let's start our 2003 Awards with cars from Compaq's to convertibles. These are our picks of the pack. And leading our 2003 motoring drivers Choice Awards as our best small car the Mini Cooper. A British classic reinvented by BMW the ultra compact Cooper looks very retro but its chassis is super stiff with modern multi-week suspension. 115 or power 1.6 liter four cylinder has one kind of rattle and optional CVT transmission. The ex-model supercharger boost power to one hundred sixty three words. It's a small car as quick and nimble as any we've ever driven.

Get the minis interior is surprisingly roomy super stylish with loads of safety hardware. Add in a bargain base price of sixteen thousand nine hundred seventy five dollars and the mini cooper offers exceptional small car style performance and value. If you need more room check out our best family car Saab 9 3. We love the European makers have found that they too can tilled cars. Q Two American family needs in taste to that point at 9:03 is a departure from SOB's hatchback tradition it's a four door sedan with a generous fourteen point eight giving foot trunk but it then adds a short suspension. Full two liter turbo engine that few rivals can touch. Plus leather upholstery and it's still cost less than twenty seven grand to start the Saab 9 3 is a family car that loves to be driven and one we can't resist. We don't think that anyone can resist our best convertible. The Volkswagen new Beetle convertible. This ribbon that's a little drop top has the bug eyed charm of the beetle coupe with well

insulated manual or power soft tops when folded look like that of the 1049 original but conceal 21st century safety features like Volkswagens automatic rollover supports the new Beetle convertible also includes responsive handling and a choice of either a 150 horsepower two liter were 150 horsepower one point eighteen or turbo charged for. And while its 21000 $25 price is high for a beetle will cost you $50000 less than any other four seat German rag top. It's a combination of sun running performance and price. It can be tough and being seen in this new drama top picture above and beyond the Fun and Free feel of the original already proving to be irresistible to affluent buyers is our best luxury sedan the prestigious Benz E-Class. All new for 2003 the E-Class sister say he's most sophisticated volumes today and yet high tech systems include aromatic air suspension and histrionic

adaptive cruise control which uses sonar to maintain a safe following distance. The sophisticated suspension and powerful V-6 and V-8 drive trains give the E-Class balance and sharpness well above its competition. So does its level of luxury and refinement. The cabinets are perfectly equipped with the best materials and construction in the industry. All forty eight to fifty six thousand dollars a Mercedes Benz E-Class sets a new standard for the luxury middleweight class. Also setting a new standard is the Mazda 6 our best sports sedan a youthful replacement an aging 66. It delivers an energy and dynamic driving field long missing from us the sedan a new double wishbone suspension and instant steering response make the 6 an absolute blast to drive. The Fast and Furious styling also fits perfectly with the brand Zuzu marketing with the 6s energy and motion test provided by an available breeder V-6 engine it pumps out

220 or St.. Get the six still carries a base price of only twenty one thousand six hundred twenty dollars for the six not only sets a new performance standard Mazda but all the portable probe will drive sports sedan. Another machine that has raised the performance bar is our best performance car the Nissan 350 Z. More than just the revival of the 1970 classic The new Z is a completely contemporary performance machine. There's little retro about it from the angular 21st century styling to the powerful 287 horsepower 3.5 leader V-6 and the razor sharp all aluminum fulfilling suspension that has all of the modern amenities buttery taste a slightly rough and always ready character of a true sports car and carries a base price of twenty six thousand eight hundred nine dollars. Make. Time 350 easy not just a great performance car but a great body as well. The Honda Civic has always offered plenty of car for your green. But now it's even greener.

Our choice for best eco friendly. Available with ultra low emission gasoline. Hybrid Yes we like trick or compressed natural gas powered trains. The Civic offers more environmentally friendly choices than any other nation like it does initially cost more with hybrid retailing for nineteen thousand nine hundred ninety dollars. But tax breaks for hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles bring the cost of ownership into line with that of the gasoline powered. And there are even fun to drop delivering usable real world performance with compromises. So we tip our hat to the most environmentally friendly and totally practical car line on the planet. At the other end of the automotive spectrum work our best dream machine. The Lamborghini Mercia Lago and the Mercedes-Benz SL 55 AMG the latest of a long line of supercars Mercia Lago is striking the look at an amazing Diderot. But if you had a six point two leader V12 engine that makes five hundred seventy five horsepower

you'd be an amazing ride too. And that's before you sample the tricky electronic suspension and full time all wheel drive. But despite the sophistication it still has that earthy Italian feel wrong. Heart stopping price of two hundred seventy six thousand eight hundred dollars. Now that's why we call it a dream machine. But Mercedes-Benz can build dreams too. Like SL 55 AMG one of the most of. Mr K. the cars of the world packed with electronic wizardry it features ABC active suspension just trying to conductive cruise control. Park assistant and a ton of tricky audio navigation and telephone systems. Now one of the most luxurious cabins in Mercedes history. But this isn't a car so you get plenty of power to. 5.5 leader super charge be a one hundred ninety three horsepower. And if you can even score one of these rare machines the price is an equally powerful one hundred thirteen thousand nine hundred fifty dollars.

But whether they be simple or super all of these cars are special. Effects and they're packed. And every one a motor with drivers choice with. Coming up Mylanta music and more. Well I wouldn't be motor week without a stop at Goss's garage. Let's see what our favorite tech has for us this week. John modern automobiles bring about modern repair problems cramped engine bays things that are hard to see and reach and so on. Well for every one of those problems there is a new tool to address it. Here's one that's very popular it's a box and ratcheting wrench and it does a good job of getting into tight places. Make sure though that you buy one that is reversible. This crescent wrench uses a button to reverse it. The Snap-On over here uses a little lever. If you don't have a reversible one you'll get it bound up and you won't be able to get it off of the nut or bolt that you're dealing with. Speaking

of nuts and bolts many times you don't pick the right wrench the first time out or it's overly tight and you round the head of the nut or bolt off. Now you've got a real problem. Well not really. This snap on socket is designed specifically for these problems that grants these rounded off nuts and bolts gives you good leverage loosens them up. Very good idea. Now if you're into do it yourself body work or if you're a professional this panel cutter is exceptional. It leaves a very smooth edge and you can turn it in very tight areas. You get really close cuts with it. Oh also holding things in place that goes along with body work emblems body side molding and so on. These little clamps are very clever. They have suction cups you attach that to the car. Then you tighten the wingnut until it holds the emblem or molding or whatever it is in place. Now another big problem is

seeing things. So here is a clever tool. It has this telescoping extension on it it has multiple EMS has this magnifying glass or mirrors and it has a light so that you can illuminate things that you want to read under the hood maybe timing marks or whatever it might be. Or you can use the mirror to see up behind things. Does an excellent job. So these little tools can make your life a lot easier when you're working on your automobile. If you have questions or comments write to me the address is Motor Week Owings Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7. There are car museums and then there are car museums. Some are little more than glorified garages with a half dozen road relics covered with dust while others house the finest of Concord winning classics. We thought we'd seen them all until Jennifer because novice took us to a museum that's much more than just fine old cars. But then the cars alone are worth the trip and it's cars always

turn heads on the street. But here at the other cut museum in Sylmar California over two hundred forty priceless automobiles are on display to make your head spin. It's an endless array of fabulous automotive artifacts and one man's passion for the automobile. Now the museum is a wonderful collection of. Antique classic automobiles that another good story this about 1955. It's grown to some two hundred and forty automobiles and the good of the collection is missed another cuts very first purchase this 1930 Dupont town car. It's price when it was new $6000. Of course today it would just be a little bit more than that when he was dating his wife Dorothy. They would drive around. Say someday I'll have a car like that. He did and he. Finally. Bought. The 1930 Dupont town car which was his first electric car.

It didn't stop there over the past 35 years J.B. never quite has one Apple beat a record six times more than any other collector and every automobile in the collection is fully operational. I think the big thing that separates the other car collection from most museums is the fact that we are such a live museum we have a full restoration crew that is constantly restoring cars and taken to all the great car shows and all the good that the collection has a hardness. Cause of death and except for a few procedures like chrome plating all restoration work is done in house. Presently visitors are able to see the work area but that will soon change. In addition to the two buildings already housing the collection one being a state of the art earthquake resistant structure an additional 50000 square feet will be soon added. Making more room for a more amazing automobiles and a viewing area for the restoration shop the shop is certainly top of the line paying great attention to detail right down to Mr. and Mrs. another cuts of initials painted on the doors.

All of the cars are meticulously prepared and everyone here has their favorites. The 1936 SJ and Susan Berg is a pretty spectacular automobile. Yeah I like that car quite a bit. But the 20 Grand Illusion better just from the ads overall. Beyond Sunday it's a layer of. Style and the color and the significance of it being a one off car built for the 33 Chicago World's Fair it's a pretty significant part other standouts include this 1949 Delahaye type 175 to unrestored classics in one night. 26 granny type 23 brace cabriolet. And the 1911 also be a limited series 27 limousine and we can skip this in my box at Flint and Mark having recently been revived by dime a Chrysler. This 930 Rolls Royce Phantom to Town Car is nothing but spectacular. While the oldest car here is the 1898 I was not runabout. Each automobile is

distinctive and glamorous. I definitely think the flamboyancy of the 30s the late 20s in the 30s era cars tended to coincide with the heyday of the film industry and the roaring 20s and so forth like that so I do think that the car has always been a barometer of people's personalities to a certain degree. The consensus here is that these cars represent more than just plain old transportation. They represent history culture and a life dedicated to the preservation of a dream. Our drivers Choice Awards always highlight the hottest trends in the auto industry. And right now trucks an SUV these are hotter than ever. They're sporty practical enormously popular and even controversy you know. Well let's see which ones are also our winners. Reflecting the popularity of sport utility vehicles this year's Motor Week drivers choice

honors three beginning with our best small sports utility vehicle a Hyundai element. Looking like nothing else in the small SUV class. The CRB based element is one of the most innovative designs of the year. The center opening side cargo doors with no roof over between them allows unprecedented access to the boxy cabin front and rear seats fold into a bed. The rear seats also fold up and out of the way or can be removed for total cargo flexibility. Tall items can stand up through the available rear skylight following rubberized floor makes for easy clean up to your outdoor activities involve lots of mud and snow and the choice of running. All wheel drive. It's the funky helmet. We'll go anywhere capability and all for a very compact starting price of sixteen thousand five hundred sixty dollars. Innovative and affordable. The small Honda Element is a big winner with us. And even more surprising winner is our best midsize sport utility vehicle. The Kindle

Sorento. A real step. Forward for this up and coming Korean brand. The Sorento is an honest to goodness truck frame SUV it feels as top and capable of anything built in America. The engine the strong 190 horsepower 3.5 liter be 6 which drives either the rear wheels or choice of the full or part time school drive system. Its ride and handling are on par with much more expensive domestic and import design while the cabin is roomy well designed and shows big leaps forward in finished work and with prices for this midsize SUV starting in a compact size nineteen thousand nine hundred ninety five dollars. Maybe the Kia Sorento isn't such a surprise winner after all. Up at the top of the SUV heap are the big boys like our best family sport utility vehicle the Ford Expedition the all new 2003 expedition is bigger and more sophisticated than ever before. The smooth outlines conceal numerous mechanical upgrades. Chief among them is a new independent rear suspension that improves

both ride and handling. Following precinct third row seat room. Then there's the third row seat itself. That power folds in just a flick of a switch. Boards on demand control track four wheel drive system with low range. It's an expedition house standing on an off road capability. And thirty two to forty two thousand dollars gets you a strong stylish and cleverly designed full sized SUV. The expedition is an easy winner in our book. As is our best pickup truck. A repeat winner. The Dodge Ram the latest ram looks even more big Bricktop than before and packs it up with the strongest engine lineup in the segment. Chief among them are the new heavy duty models inspired 5.7 leader him he ate with 345 horsepower and a redesigned Cummins turbo diesel that pumps out a stump pulling 555 pound feet of torque. But the Rams story isn't only about brute strength. The redesigned chassis and suspension delivery method. Classified and handling.

All the cabin which is available in both two and four door configurations offers SUV size room with a wide range of comfort and convenience feature. Was the first side curtain airbags ever available at a pick up truck. Prices started nineteen thousand one hundred twenty five dollars for the RAM fifteen hundred a heavy duty twenty five hundred and thirty five hundred models started twenty three thousand eight hundred ten dollars. A lot of big tough drug for the money. And another suburban lineup of this year's finest truck. This should be all very deserving winners of our 2003 Reivers Choice Award. Now let's check in again with Jennifer novice for more of what's hot and all the latest Motor News in the news this week the latest electronics for life on the road from the 2003 Consumer Electronics Show. If you're in the business of electronics whether it be a home theater car audio and video computers or wireless then all roads lead to Las Vegas each January when the industry

showcases hottest new products. It's no wonder the drive in movies in the past when in-car video systems are everywhere. Not only do you have screens that slide out from the basher flip down from the ceiling but now they can be integrated into your living near this unit from Sat mobile multimedia includes a five inch screen that can be hooked to either of your view camera. Or video source. The picture is amazingly clear. But we do worry about drivers keeping their eyes on the road. If you're looking for something to watch while you wander Sirius Satellite Radio can stream live satellite video into your car. There are no plans yet to market the service but it's only a matter of time. Having a cell phone in a car can be a lifesaver if you're ever stranded but only if the battery is charged. That will be a problem if you have besides one your emergency cell phone charger crank it for two minutes and you'll get enough battery power to last. It also includes a flashlight that is small enough to fit in your pocket. One of the problems

with having so many portable electronic products is finding enough outlets in your house to keep them all powered up. The mobile wise wire free electricity basic while still being developed is a promising solution. The Blotter sized pad transmits power through its grid of contact points to any device equipped with a small adapter plate. The smart part is that it gives each device only as much power as it needs. From the populace comes AGP days mapping setup that can provide turn by turn directions on your handheld PDA. Not only is it completely portable and affordable it can be updated instantly to direct traffic jams and construction to help you avoid traffic jams at the repair shop. The car chip is a gizmo that plugs directly into a newer cars are OBD to port it logs and stores data about how your vehicle is performing how it is being driven and has the ability to download the information to your computer. Sounds great for parents of young drivers and sells for under $200.

The technology of mobile electronics is advancing so fast it's so hard to keep pace. But you can bet that will try and that's it for this week's Motor News. While all of our drivers choice winners deliver championship performances there is one vehicle we have driving that just stands head and shoulders above all the rest. That vehicle is our winner as best of the year. It's a reborn classic with too much style and performance to stay gone for good. Our 2003 Motor Week drivers choice says best of the year is the Nissan 350 Z an impressive effort from an impressive company whose excellence goes. Way beyond any single category. Thirty three years ago the original Datsun 240 Z showed us a Japanese brand could master appears sports car with all the heart and soul of the classic European designs but with

contemporary comfort in reliability that legend grew on the streets on the racetrack throughout the 70s 80s and 90s. But dizzy simply priced itself out of the market resulting in a pause in the legend after the 300 C-x in 1996. But with a revived performance car market and a refocused Nissan Bizzy car is back and in the 350 Z we have a machine with the spirit and character of the original 240 Z but with all of today's best performance technology we need the 350 Z slick 21st century line function on the loo. Them 3.5 leaders rule over it campaigning for Bell B6 with 287 horsepower at two hundred seventy four pound feet of torque a real sports car power. Which is best driven through the standard six speed manual gearbox and if you wish a limited slip we're differential and sophisticated PTC vehicle dynamic control system underwear is a stiff chassis and multi link suspension and the like weight aluminum alloy. While the large media yes this breaks are up to the task where the brake assist and electronic brake force

distribution but even with all this modern hardware the 350 zis feel is that of a pure ready to be tossed to the corners sports car. It sharp a nimble was superb talents and bring. Plenty of feedback through both steering wheel and seat this seat talks to the driver always telegraphing exactly where the money. Power delivery is strong especially in the mid range with zero to 60 times. Times in the middle of fun. And running the quarter mile in the low for teens all day long. And if you really want to run you can opt for the performance model which includes VDC tire pressure monitors an 18 inch wheel. For the 350 Z tracks with my board wheels and competition quality Brembo brakes. But while the 350 Z may be a pure sports car and the interior appearance is classically Spartan popular amenities have not been forgotten. These range from leather and seat heaters to audio systems that will rock your world. And it's a tremendous buy for twenty six thousand eight hundred nine dollars and up.

In fact we can't think of any other new car that delivers more performance style and emotion for any price. Well remember one year this C arrived long after other newcomers are distant memories and that's why the Nissan 350 Z is motor with 2003 drivers joy. Best of luck. I hope you'll join us next week for more motorways. When will test BMW is all new American roadster the C4 as well as the hot little Dodge Neon SRT for. I'm John Davis. We'll see you then. To learn more about Motor Week TV's original automotive magazine visit PBS online at PBS dot org or America Online keyword PBS to order a video cassette of this program. Call 1 800 873 6 1 5 4. Motor Week has been brought to you by employees. Their coffee table.

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