Once a year, the Motor Press Guild holds its track days, an opportunity for accredited journalists to sample the next year’s legions of offerings from various auto manufacturers. This year, the event took place the end of October at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Until now, it occurred at Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond, about as far from humanity as possible.
Because I’ve already driven quite a few of these cars on the street, I chose only to take out cars I’d never sampled, primarily on a driving course outside the track’s gates. The reason for this decision was the track itself – a Disneyesque 1.4-mile (or so) configuration within the 2-mile Auto Club oval that incorporated none of the banking on the big track. It was pretty much of a “solo” type of circuit, one I didn’t like much.
I started by taking a street drive in a bright yellow Lotus Elise. Surprised that nobody else was in the car, I finally realized I was one of the few who could actually fit inside. But not quite, as I’m really a bit too short to see over the steering wheel, so had to look to the side of it.
The Elise has zero creature comforts, unless you count its 189-horsepower 1.8-liter Toyota designed power mill. And its lovely, snicky 6-speed, close ratio manual transmission. Now that was comfort, as was the extremely direct steering box. I also loved the combo Lotus/Brembo brakes, especially with the large trucks that roam the area near the racetrack and don’t see small Lotus cars as they dart in and out. Sorry, guys – couldn’t help it!
Once I’d wiped the big-ass grin off my face, it was time to drive the Jetta GLI wagon, equipped with the gasoline 2.5-liter engine. I like it, especially when using the sport shift to power through the on-ramps. Wish they’d put some ballast in the back, though. It didn’t handle the twisties as well as I’d like, but it’s a nice little machine. If I were buying, though, I’d suck it up and get the diesel. Now that thing rocks! VW’s quality control was spot-on with this car. But it sure was a letdown after the Lotus.
General Motors has made some vast improvements to the wonderful Corvette convertible, which I last drove to the top of Pikes Peak in 2006. At that time, I wasn’t terribly impressed with the automatic transmission-equipped ‘Vette, but I sure am now. Just slip it into “S” mode and work the paddles for bug-in-the-teeth fun. The basic Corvette hauls home the bacon now, and it sizzles! Interior comfort is great and build quality is world class.
On to major disappointment. I climbed into the Acura TSX with 6-speed manual, expecting to enjoy it as much as I loved the old Integra and RSX. This four-door front-wheel-drive sedan is fraught with torque steer! Pound the pedal and the steering wheel jerks left – or right – with a mind of its own. The new Acura front grille is hideous and the interior feels cheap, even with the navigation system et al in place. It’s a yawner – at $32,820. What happened to the company that once built a Legend?
Okay, I’ll test a Honda Fit, I thought. With its five-speed manual and no added equipment giving this nicely redrawn 2009 five-door hatch a list of $15,220 including freight, I thought it might make me happier than did the Acura TSX from the same family tree. Even with steel wheels and wheel covers, a plain Jane interior and no options, the Fit just fits. It has minimal torque steer when mashed, goes ‘round corners like it owns them and has fine over-the-road manners, even in 30-mph-plus crosswinds experienced during this blustery, hot day.
By this time, I’d had enough of four-bangers so went with a car I already knew – just to have some fun. There’s nothing BUT fun from the Lexus IS F, the IS-series four-door, rear-wheel-drive sedan on 8-cylinder ‘roids. Tons of power, tons of torque, the ability to stop immediately without a nosebleed, turns corners in the flick of the wheel and, even with a 7-speed automatic transmission, downshifts using paddle or gearshift with a nice double-clutch whine when you’re hauling butt.
The IS F is nasty on the outside with its quadruple pipes and bulges here and there, but it’s so nice and technical on the inside. If you can’t find a comfortable position in this car, you haven’t got what it takes to drive it. Definitely one of my fave rides of the year.
When I first saw the Jaguar XF premium luxury sedan at the LA Auto Show last November, I thought it looked kinda bland. You know, Jag does a Buick? Well, now that I’ve had a chance to wheel this 300-horsepower meanie with its 4.2-liter V8 and 6-speed paddle-shift automatic, I think this new machine is worthy of the cat’s name.
Like most luxury or near-luxury cars these days, the Jaguar XF has a start/stop button. From there, it’s quite different: the gearshift is on the central tunnel is an upside down custard cup, which one just turns to access the necessary gear. Not a problem after the first time you get in the car, and the paddle shifts are crisp and delightful. Steering is excellent, brakes lack nothing and the only problem with this sedan is its cost. Got an extra $61,550 lying around? Spend it here and be happy.
By the time I’d finished with the Jaguar, the day was done, so I climbed into the Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited and went to the hotel for dinner.
The next morning, I was waiting around when I realized the Infiniti FX50 S was available for flogging. I’ve always liked the looks of this vehicle and never had a chance to drive one, so off we went in the crossover. The Infiniti is very comfortable and very fast, but I’d bet you’ll pay at the pump, I’m sure. I still don’t see the rationale for vehicles of this type, but if you want a powerful, comfortable, well equipped crossover that may go off-road, here it is!
If a revived relic from the late 1960s is your cuppa, Dodge has a Challenger SRT8 for you! I just loved this wretched excess machine, from its nasty black exterior with shark-nose front air dam to its hood scoops, those totally identifiable lines that arch over the rear wheels and that very, very small rear window that aids rearward vision not one iota! But hey, it’s modern and this Dodge Challenger SRT8 has power galore, brakes up the wazoo and shitty, loose as a goose power steering. That’s the only thing the folks at SRT missed – the steering absolutely sucks! Even a shorty like me is comfortable in the Challenger SRT8, most certainly with accelerator pedal firmly planted.
Having addressed the urge for adrenaline, it was necessary to take a look at a real car that real people. That urge sent me to the Mazda6 four-door sedan, equipped with four-cylinder engine and six-speed manual transmission. It was the exact opposite of the poor Acura TSX, with no torque steer to speak of, yet sporty road manners. Although I don’t know the exact cost of this vehicle, I do know that Mazda hit the mark with the new 6: it’s handsome, has great acceleration, braking, steering and goes over the dips like a Citroen, which is high praise from me.
I kept glancing at a Hyundai five-door hatchback, like it was trying to rope me in and finally, I just could not resist. The Elantra Touring hatch is a bare-bones car, pretty much like the Fit, and it has cloth interior, sunroof, but also boasts alloy rims. The interior is nice enough, the ride is nice enough, the acceleration is capable.
I had only one problem: to be cool, Hyundai has these different colors for the LED audio display and I couldn’t see a darn thing in that window without stopping under an overpass to change channels. What on earth were they thinking? I like the feisty little 2-liter four-banger and the five-speed transmission. I like just about everything else on the car but the stupid too-cool LEDs. This is a very nice vehicle that will appeal to lots of folks but it’s not available yet! Stay tuned.
On the lot, I noticed a big Mercedes-Benz with all kinds of graphics on it. In this case, M-B is using its flagship S550 to cross the country, “Driven to Beat Cancer”. It’s got hood graphics on the white exterior by one of my favorite fashionistas, Karl Lagerfeld, and that was enough for me to take a spin. The S-class Mercedes-Benz is the pinnacle of excess, but not wretched excess. It’s an extremely comfortable, well detailed luxo-mobile, but you can drive it, and I’m grateful for that.
The interior quiet, calming and fully equipped. The multimedia interface isn’t a pain in the butt to operate – like BMW’s – and it was quick and easy to find the Sirius radio station I wanted to listen to. The S550 is powerful and handles well with its inherent bulk. Even if you’re not a Mercedes-Benz fan, you’ve got to like the fact that they perform all of these charitable endeavors, instead of just taking the money and wasting it on sports, like auto racing (tongue firmly in cheek).
I only drove a few cars on the Mickey Mouse track. One was the Mazda6, which acquitted itself nicely, a second was the Mazdaspeed3, which is one of the most fun cars out there that isn’t named MINI. The Speed3 (for the sake of simplicity) just flat out hauled around the circuit and, although I probably would have liked to have it with sandbags in the back to keep the rear end more stable, this front-wheel-drive, five-door hatchback is one car I’d place in my driveway.
Back to the street, it was time to take a ride in the Audi S5 coupe, which boasts the 4.2-liter engine and 6-speed manual transmission. There’s no real rationale for this car – it’s expensive, gets shitty mileage but man, it is so much fun. Try one, if you’ve got 60 large in your bank account. I sure wish Audi would bring this model with its turbodiesel and their PR guy tells me the smaller cars will get the diesel treatment in 2009 – more, please!
My grand finale was another Audi, but not just another Audi. I took the track drive in the Audi R8, which by any other name would be a Lamborghini, as they’re cut from the same cloth. Of course, the Audi is more refined, lacking Italianate genes for the skinning of its exterior, but it sure hauls butt. I can’t tell you the speeds I reached on the short chute that was intended to be a straightaway, because I was looking down the track at the next turn, like a proper driver.
The magical engine with its throaty roar, the gated shifter and the superb suspension of this Audi R8 make a better driver out of anybody – even me. When I play and win the lottery it’s No. 1 on my list.
Yeah, there were a ton of other cars out there but not enough time. And I had to get back to my home before the idiocy of “rush hour” set in. They closed the street tour at 2:30 and the track time ended at 3PM. Back to the Jeep we went – and got 20+ mpg on the way back. It’s all about that attention to what you’re doing, something that happens when you’re on a racetrack.
© 2008 Anne Proffit
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