Friday, November 16, 2007

Full Test: 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 - Counterpoint

COUNTERPOINT

LARRY WEBSTER
Theoretically, the SRT4 is my kind of machine—plenty of power, a good price, and a body style that can almost carry a couch. It’s got the goodies but, sadly, not the soul. There’s not enough friskiness in the chassis, too little joy to be had blipping the throttle, and a good amount of torque steer. I loved the Neon-based SRT4 and hoped the Caliber would be a hatchback version. It’s not, which goes to show that no amount of polishing can put a shine on the Caliber.

CSABA CSERE
Some hot cars get faster when they graduate to the next generation. Others, such as this Caliber SRT4, develop a refined maturity. This ’08 model has a tightness of construction and dynamic stability that are light-years beyond its rorty predecessor. But these virtues come with greater size and weight and the loss of that on-the-edge-of-control tossability that made the previous SRT4 occasionally irritating but always engaging.

Full Test: 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 - The Verdict

Regular readers will recall that the Neon-based SRT4 we tested in April 2004 posted better numbers: 5.3 seconds to 60, the quarter in 13.9 at 103. You’ll also recall that a Mazdaspeed 3 [“Power Toys,” May 2007] ran to 60 mph in 5.4 and through the quarter in 14 flat at 101. We should note here that at 3233 pounds the Caliber is 249 pounds heavier than that Neon-based SRT4 and 48 pounds heavier than the Mazdaspeed. Mass is never a plus for acceleration, nor does it help braking. The SRT4’s brakes don’t fade, but 175-foot stops from 70 mph can’t be called impressive.

Handling: It didn’t take many circuits at Putnam Park near Greencastle, Indiana, to convince us that the SRT4 isn’t happy on a racetrack. Understeer in this environment ranges from mulish to absolute, the limited suspension travel provokes some unpleasant wallowing, and the actions of the traction control produce some strange sensations, although the engineers insist it’s more effective than a conventional limited-slip diff, which they tried initially.

On public roads, the story improves. The car still doesn’t thrive on bumpy corners, but it inspires confidence nevertheless, with decent grip (0.84 g on the skidpad), sports-car steering, and surprisingly brisk responses in rapid transitions—surprisingly, because the SRT4 has a high center of gravity and hard cornering does entail a fair amount of body roll. But it hangs in there anyway.

The rest of the car: SRT cosmetic and aero enhancements include a deeper front air dam, rocker-panel extensions, a king-size spoiler extending over the rear hatch, a row of vertical diffuser strakes at the bottom of the rear end, and a four-inch echo-can exhaust tip.

Inside, there’s a set of excellent bucket seats with leather outers, red stitching, and grippy cloth centers providing plenty of lateral support, particularly for the torso; a leather-clad steering wheel; the obligatory aluminum pedal pads; and white-face SRT instruments. A nifty instrument option is the “performance pages” reconfigurable display that can give the driver acceleration times, lateral g, braking distance, and more.

As with previous SRT hot rods, the latest rates as a performance bargain, with prices starting from $22,995. Amazingly, that’s similar to the base price for a Mazdaspeed 3. Coincidence? And which is preferable? Maybe we should get the two cars side by side and head-to-head? Ya think?

Full Test: 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 - Under the Hood

More on that later. First, let’s take a look under the hood, which is distinguished by one real hood scoop and two fake breather vents. The starting point for the SRT4 engine was the same 2.4-liter Chrysler/Hyundai/Mitsubishi DOHC 16-valve aluminum four you can get with a Caliber, except the Caliber version generates 172 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque. This one, as you already know, generates a helluva lot more. Here’s how. The pistons are cast aluminum, running in iron liners, with forged con rods and trimetal bearings. SRT was confident the standard forged-steel production crank could take the extra heat and power. Oil squirters help keep the pistons cool, and an external cooler keeps temps of the Mobil 1 synthetic oil uniform.

At the top end, there’s variable valve timing on both cam banks, with bucket tappets punching the valves, which are made of Inconel (a high-temp alloy) on the exhaust side. And, of course, there’s that most essential of ingredients—boost, 12-psi max at sea level, but it can rise to 15 psi at high altitudes, provided by a Mi­tsubishi TD04 turbocharger via a big (11-row) Valeo air-to-air intercooler. Like the previous SRT4 engine, this 2.4 is a long-stroke design and not a high-revver. The power peaks are more like lofty plateaus. Max torque is available from 2000 to 5600 rpm, max horsepower is on tap from 5700 to 6400, and the small-scroll turbo spools up quickly.

The engine feeds its output into a six-speed Getrag manual gearbox via a dual-mass flywheel. Like the gearbox in the garden-variety Caliber, it’s a cable shifter, but the throws are shorter and the engagements are far more decisive.

There are cosmetic elements to the SRT package, too, but we think you’d rather hear about the dynamic payoff first. Okay. Let’s start with the what’ll-she-do department. Getting an effective launch is tricky, something that’s true of most front-drive turbo cars. The SRT people predict 0-to-60 mph in a little over six seconds. We clocked 5.9. The quarter-mile ate up 14.4 seconds, showing a 103-mph trap speed. Top speed is officially listed as 155 mph, although one of the SRT development guys says he ran a prototype to as high as 161.

Full Test: 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 - Suspension and Braking

As you’d expect, the suspension has undergone a general stiffening, with ZF Sachs twin-tube dampers all around, higher spring rates fore-and-aft, and a stiffer (by 0.71 inch) rear anti-roll bar. Given the car’s speed potential, the SRT team decided it was best to be conservative with rear roll stiffness. However, for hard-core autocrossers, Mopar plans to offer a track kit with much higher spring rates and firmer dampers.

The brakes are formidable: 13.4-by-1.1-inch vented front rotors squeezed by twin-piston calipers and cooled by vents molded into the front fascia, 11.9-inch solid rear rotors, and standard anti-lock. Not only does this system provide fade-free braking, but the heavy-duty dimensions of the front rotors allowed the engineers to be aggressive with the so-called brake-lock differential. The brake-lock diff is an alternative to a conventional mechanical limited-slip differential and relies on the traction-control system. Operating on info from the ABS sensors, it limits wheelspin by squeezing the rotor of the wheel that has lost traction, which sends power to the opposite wheel. This is not a new strategy—Audi, BMW, and Mercedes use this technique—but the SRT4 system operates up to 85 mph, much higher than any other, according to Dodge. The system tends to chew the rotors pretty hard, but the SRT engineers figure their robust setup can handle it.

Braking power gets onto the pavement via 225/45R-19 tires (optional Goodyear Eagle F1s on our test car). Other elements of the chassis inventory include power rack-and-pinion steering, traction control, and stability control. The latter can’t be entirely shut down, although its threshold is high. But it does add to the challenge of achieving optimal drag-racing holeshots.

Full Test: 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 - Hardware

However, we’re getting ahead of our narrative. What you really want to know is the hardware story, what the hardware adds up to in terms of performance, what it costs, and how all of this stacks up versus the other pocket-rocket players. So let’s address those power points in that order.

Mechanically and cosmetically, the not-so-blank canvas on which the SRT troops were invited to exercise their go-faster artistry represented a much bigger challenge than did the Neon. Tall (59.7 inches), brickish, and ungainly, the Caliber isn’t the kind of car that activates the salivary glands of street racers. But you play the cards you’re dealt, and considering the nature of the base car, the SRT achievement is impressive.

The first order of business was the suspension. Although there were no concerns with chassis rigidity—the front-shock-tower connecting brace common to so many factory hot-rod packages is conspicuous by its absence here—the team had to figure out how to make a big reduction in ride height and still retain acceptable ride and handling. There were two reasons for the lowering job. One—minor—was cosmetic. Getting the car a little closer to the ground, and filling the wheel wells with 7.5-by-19-inch cast aluminum wheels, makes it easier to sell the idea that this Caliber has attitude. Second, reducing the ride height—1.1 inches front, 0.8 inch rear—helped to reduce torque steer by making the half-shaft angles essentially flat between the differential and the wheels.

Full Test: 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 - Road Tests

A Higher Caliber: Dodge reloads its budget bullet.
BY TONY SWAN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL DELANEY November 2007


The basic recipe has been a Chrysler cookbook favorite through several management regimes, foreign and domestic. It goes like this: Take one small basic-transportation appliance. Add boost. Cook to taste.

Chrysler’s tradition of pressure-cooker pocket rockets began in 1985 with the Dodge Omni GLH Turbo (it stood for “Goes Like Hell”), created at a time when the corporation was still edging back from the lip of an economic abyss and had little in the way of engine resources. The solution was turbocharging, a cheap route to extracting big power from small displacements.

Fast-forward to now, and the much-anticipated resurrection of the Dodge SRT4, known in this incarnation as the Caliber SRT4—just in case there might be some confusion with the previous Neon-based SRT4 (which is likely only if you’re Stevie Wonder).

Standards have changed since the GLH. For example, it is no longer acceptable for the car to try to snatch the steering wheel from the driver’s hands. Our GLH road test [May 1985] warned the world that if an unwary driver should “apply full throttle in first or second gear with the front wheels cocked a bit to port or starboard, the GLH Turbo is going to go where it’s pointed—into that ditch, up that snowbank, or around that tree.” It’s called torque steer, a phenomenon that is still not uncommon in small front-drive cars with lots of power. With 285 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque, the Caliber clearly fits that description. We’re happy to report that the SRT guys have largely tamed that particular demon, at least compared with a couple other cars in this class.

Tested: 2008 Honda Accord EX Sedan - Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE AS TESTED: $23,695 (base price: $23,695)

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 144 cu in, 2354cc
Power (SAE net): 190 bhp @ 7000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 162 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 110.2 in Length: 194.1 in Width: 72.7 in Height: 58.1 in
Curb weight: 3263 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.9 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 20.8 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 35.3 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 8.4 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 16.1 sec @ 88 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 130 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 185 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.81 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 22/31 mpg

Tested: 2008 Honda Accord EX Sedan - Fun and Efficient

If only size translated into grandeur. When the Accord EX sedan rolled into our lot in Ann Arbor, its squared-off front fascia and upward-sweeping body sides were not met with universal praise. Some of us see it as a pleasant departure from the butter-knife-dull styling of the past two Accords, but others found it a bit too derivative. At one point, we actually parked it next to a new BMW 535i to see if the similarities in the rear quarters were real or imaginary (they’re real). Whatever. In typical Honda fashion, the styling of Honda’s bread butterer should stir few but offend even fewer. Want to add spice? Go to SEMA—the aftermarket tends to love anything with a block “H” on the hood.

The interior, on the other hand, is modern, fresh, and, yes, huge. Three six-and-a-half-footers fit comfortably in the back seat behind two such creatures in the front buckets. The multicontoured dash sweeps around like a mix of Acura TL and Honda Civic, dominated by a zillion-button center stack atop which a display is perched. The size of that readout depends on whether it is equipped with the optional voice-activated navigation system, but in either case, the graphics are almost clear enough for Grandma to understand. Well, almost. Although some of us thought the interior was just as risk-free as the sheetmetal, others of us thought the opposite: Especially in darker colors, the environment is rather cold and geometric, and we can imagine its starkness scaring mature buyers right back into their Avalons.
The Right Balance

Make no mistake: the Honda Accord is a terrific automobile no matter how it comes, but it also compels us to consider something we don’t think about often: At what point does horsepower become truly superfluous? Especially as fuel efficiency and low emissions, both longstanding hallmarks of the Honda brand, become more important than ever before, we are looking for cars that are fun to drive and easy on the earth.

We just found one.

Tested: 2008 Honda Accord EX Sedan - Bigger Than before

Drives Smaller Than It Is

As expected, the Accord’s steering is splendid, if a bit light. With just 2.6 turns lock-to-lock, response is immediate yet predictable. The chassis is strong and the suspension comfortably firm, fostering a feeling of complete composure at all speeds. Part of this, frankly, comes from the four-cylinder engine’s modest torque, which rarely challenges front-axle grip even as it rushes the sedan to 60 mph in a surprisingly swift 7.9 seconds. However, that’s not quite as quick as the less powerful previous-gen Accord four-cylinder, which did the 60-mph deed in 7.5.

However, our Accord didn’t want much to do with any spirited driving, its Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 tires howling in protest at any attempts at enthusiasm, so a middling 0.81 g on the skidpad (we’ve gotten the same performance out of a Honda Ridgeline pickup) wasn’t a surprise. Neither was its longish 185-foot stopping distance from 70 mph. But, all told, it drives much smaller than it is.
Big on the Inside, Big on the Outside

Which brings up another point: The Accord is now officially big, so much so that it squeaks into the EPA’s “large car” category, mixin’ it up with the Toyota Avalon, the Chrysler 300, the Hyundai Azera, and the Buick Lucerne—all pricier proposals than the Accord. In fact, with a starting price of $20,995, the Accord is the least expensive full-size automobile available today. We’re sure that’s no accident, as size matters in America as it does in no other country in the world.

Tested: 2008 Honda Accord EX Sedan - Two Fours in One

The Accord four-cylinder, on the other hand, is more casual and correct, reminding us what’s so great about Accords in general: It’s not that they offer an extraordinary amount of any one thing; it’s that what they offer goes a long way to satisfy their drivers.

The Accord’s 2.4-liter DOHC four-cylinder with i-VTEC actually comes in two calibrations. Accord LX models produce 177 horsepower and 161 pound-feet of torque. Our Accord EX tester came with a five-speed manual transmission—a rarity in this class anymore—and the more powerful of the 2.4s, capable of 190 horsepower and 162 pound-feet, with a 7100-rpm redline (300 higher than that of the LX four-cylinder or any Accord V-6), not to mention the same 22 city/31 highway fuel-economy rating as the LX. We were in love. Silky smooth throughout the rev range, just audible enough to arouse, and sufficiently powerful to invoke thoughts of the Acura TSX (powered by a slightly more potent version of this same engine, in fact), it made us rethink our power-hungry sensibilities.

Indeed, more than one of us preferred this engine to the big six, which not only crowds an extra 78 horses into the stable but also brings an additional 300-plus pounds along for the ride (an estimated 3600 pounds versus our test car’s 3263 pounds). Some 60 pounds of that is due to the V-6’s mandatory five-speed automatic, which is also available with the four but is something we’re happy to live without since the manual tranny has delightful precision complemented by light clutch effort.

Tested: 2008 Honda Accord EX Sedan - Short Take Road Tests

Leave it to Honda to show us how to do more with less.
BY STEVE SILER, October 2007

Here we go again. Honda’s mega-selling Accord has undergone a ground-up redo after its usual four short model years, at no point during which it fell off our annual 10Best list. And as usually happens when Honda redesigns a car, there is more good news than bad, including more space, greater efficiency, more features, and more power for both four-cylinder and V-6 models, the latter now making a whopping 268 horsepower.

You know how this is going to end.

But what of this power thing? In any given car company’s quest to keep its products ahead of the pack in horsepower and torque, if only for bragging rights, is there not a point at which a car ends up with too much power? Moreover, in the case where a car offers a less potent, more efficient alternative powertrain, is there not a point at which that smaller motor makes not only enough to please modest drivers but also enough to please enthusiasts? On both counts, we think so. And for proof, we submit the Honda Accord EX.
Four Is Enough

Now, this is not to say that the 3.5-liter V-6 Accord has too much of anything, really, but it’s certainly way more powerful than any front-wheel-drive family sedan needs to be, especially since, at this level, it’s hard to get that kind of power to the ground without the traction-control nannies beeping, blinking, and wrist-slapping during bursts of enthusiasm. Besides, to some of us, the six-pot’s character is a touch too mature—almost luxury-car-like. Indeed, after driving several Accords with the hyper-potent six, our prevailing thought is that Acura dealers must be pissed; their base TL makes less horsepower than its much cheaper corporate cousin.

Tested: 2008 Suzuki SX4 Sport - Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE AS TESTED: $16,895 (base price: $15,395)

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 122 cu in, 1995cc
Power (SAE net): 143 bhp @ 5800 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 136 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 98.4 in Length: 177.6 in Width: 68.1 in Height: 60.8 in
Curb weight: 2762 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS: Zero to 60 mph 9.2 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 28.4 sec
Street start, 5-60 mph: 9.8 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 16.9 sec @ 82 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 174 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad 0.83 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city driving XX [t/k] mpg
C/D observed 25 mpg

Tested: 2008 Suzuki SX4 Sport - Sport Only

The four-speed auto transmission is $1000, and a Touring package with stability control, upgraded stereo, spoiler, and keyless ignition is also $1000.

The SX4 Sport comes sporty only. It's solid-feeling on the road and notably refined inside, the low-gloss plastics and metal-like trim giving a deluxe feel. Aside from owing its shape to a British bowler hat (and supplying enough headroom for a Texan 10-gallon hat), the SX4 has only one potentially deal-busting flaw: The back seats don't fold. Suzuki opted to plug the tunnel with chassis braces for body rigidity. At least the trunk gets 15 big cubic feet, and the inert rear seatback is pitched at a comfortable 27 degrees with lots of knee- and legroom.

The SX4 ran the skidpad at 0.83 g and stopped from 70 mph in 174 feet. It pulled five successive stops without breaking 180 feet, better than decent performance in this dollar class. Acceleration takes slightly more patience, the 143 horsepower of the 2.0-liter twin-cam four carrying this Sport's 2762 pounds to 60 mph in 9.2 seconds. The lighter Honda Fit does it quicker, but with no more driving satisfaction.

A leap forward for the brand, the SX4 Sport upgrades Suzuki to well above the water line.

Tested: 2008 Suzuki SX4 Sport - Short Take Road Tests

Smart handling, comfy back seat, the cure for the common Corolla.
BY AARON ROBINSON, November 2007

2008 Suzuki SX4 Sport

The Highs: Smart handling, comfy back seat, the cure for the common Corolla.

The Lows: No folding rear seats, looks like a bowler hat on roller skates.

Steerage class has suffered a bad rep ever since the Titanic sailed. But if you're prowling the lower decks of the new-car market, at least one company thinks you shouldn't have to curb your enthusiasm.

Neither tinny, tippy, nor asthmatic, the 2008 Suzuki SX4 Sport starts undoing expectations at a base price of $15,395. Corollas, Civics, and Mazda 3s are strippers at this price. Hyundais and Kias are no match for the SX4's firmer suspension tune, quicker steering, tighter shifter, and more abundant fun.

The front-drive SX4 Sport, a sedan spin-off of the SX4 all-wheel-drive hatchback, is a true Suzuki, not a Korean-made pretender like the Daewoo-sourced Forenza and Reno. The genetic ties are to the plucky Swift hatchback, a hit in hot-hatch-crazy Europe. The SX4's standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels inside 205/50 V-rated Dunlop SP7000 Sport tires. A/C, ABS, curtain airbags, power windows, and remote entry are also baked into the base price. The SX4's options include a $500 convenience pack of cruise, auto climate control, and leather-wrapped wheel.

Full Test: 2008 Audi S5 - Counterpoint

COUNTERPOINT

STEVE SPENCE
Is it overstatement to say this is the first Audi that’s as rock solid and heavy—a sense of buttoned-down mass—as a Mercedes? It’s slick and low slung, resulting in close quarters inside, but the sense of luxury is winning, as is the delivery of its considerable power, which comes without any turbo roughhousing. A peek-in suggests no rear legroom, but a five-foot-four adult fits nicely in back. It’s a wonderment in every way save its sticker, which will likely add to its exclusivity.

TONY SWAN
This car is likely to suffer versus an all-out road warrior such as the ’08 BMW M3. The clash is inevitable; Audi cites the brashest of Bimmers as the S5’s key competitor, and I’d be surprised if the M3 didn’t trump the S5 in every objective test category. But so what? The S5 may not be as quick on its feet as the M3, but it’s gorgeous inside and out, makes lovely noises, and seems almost incapable of making a misstep in fancy dancing. For many, that will be more than enough.

Full Test: 2008 Audi S5 - The VerdictFull Test: 2008 Audi S5 - The Verdict

But even those figures don’t reveal the silkiness and captivating appeal of the S5’s powertrain. When you drive with the windows down around town, you hear a terrific V-8 burble from the quad exhaust pipes. When feeling lazy, you can almost forget about shifting because the engine will take full throttle at 1000 rpm in sixth gear perfectly smoothly. And at any speed, the V-8 spins with an eager and refined hum.

Despite its speed and sexy looks, this coupe is always well-behaved and surprisingly practical. The driving position benefits from a highly adjustable seat and a tilting-and-telescoping steering wheel with an unusually broad range of adjustment. The S5’s beltline is high, and you feel a little buried in the car, but it’s hard for us to imagine a driver who couldn’t get comfortable behind the wheel.

The back seat is also fairly roomy for a coupe, although a six-footer will be touching knees and head when sitting behind another six-footer. Getting in and out is easy, thanks to conveniently located seatback-mounted switches to move the power seats fore-and-aft. The trunk has impressive space, too, a prodigious 16 cubic feet of usable volume.

For its price niche, the S5 offers the usual posh options, including keyless start, a rearview camera, and a navigation system. Ours also had a fine-sounding Bang & Olufsen stereo. But one odd feature is a sunroof that can’t slide and only tilts open. Why bother?

The Audi coupe’s competitors are the BMW 3-series coupes and the Mercedes CLKs. In price, the S5 splits the difference between its German rivals, given that a loaded 335i doesn’t quite reach 54 grand and a loaded CLK550 is pushing $70,000. There’s not much to differentiate these three cars in pure speed, refinement, or practicality, although the BMW, being the lightest and most balanced of the trio, feels the sportiest.

What the Audi brings to the party is a real sense of style—a combination of sculpted metal and striking interior design that makes driving it a special experience. Isn’t that what coupes are all about?

Full Test: 2008 Audi S5 - On the Road

Moving the front wheels forward not only makes the S5’s styling possible but also yields a large improvement in weight distribution. The last S4 we tested had 61.9 percent of its weight on the front wheels. This S5 is only 57.7 percent front-heavy. Combined with the 40/60 front-to-rear torque split in the standard Quattro drive system, this reduction in nose heaviness provides the S5 with balanced handling and a natural steering feel when driven swiftly.

The improvement over the old S4 is not, however, as pronounced as we would have expected from the four-percentage-point improvement in weight balance—although that reflects how well the S4 performed. In driving an S4 and the S5 back-to-back, the coupe turns in a bit more sharply and accurately, but even the S4 has decent cornering balance. It likely requires the elevated speeds of a visit to the racetrack to find the benefits of the new architecture.

What is immediately apparent is the tighter structure of the S5. It’s rock solid, and even on our fractured Michigan roads, the suspension keeps body motions under control and the tires tightly pressed to the pavement at triple-digit speeds. We would prefer that the steering didn’t become unnaturally stiff above 80 mph, and the 35-series, 19-inch tires don’t have much compliance on rough roads. But the S5 is so refined and effortless that it’s easy to lose sight of just how fast it is.

Motivated by the latest version of Audi’s 4.2-liter direct-injection V-8, rated at 354 horsepower in this application, the S5 is a rocket, hitting 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and ripping through the quarter-mile in 13.4 seconds at 105 mph. That performance is a testament to the power of the V-8, the short gearing of the powertrain (75 mph in sixth gear has the engine spinning at 3000 rpm), and the quick shifting of the six-speed manual transmission.

Full Test: 2008 Audi S5 - Styling

The S5’s exterior appeal is more than skin-deep. The keen observer will notice that the front wheels seem closer to the car’s nose than on most other Audis. This reduced overhang not only enhances the S5’s looks but also reflects some major changes under the coupe’s sexy skin.

The S5 is the first Audi to arise from the company’s B8 architecture, which will also underpin the next-gen A4—scheduled to appear at the Frankfurt auto show in September—as well as future A6 and even A8 models. Besides the usual improvements in structural stiffness and crashworthiness, there are two major areas where the B8 differs from the current A4/A6 platform. That reduced overhang at the nose reflects a transaxle whose front differential is about six inches farther forward than in other Audis. The engine is still completely ahead of the axle, but only just. The front differential is now adjacent to the transmission bell housing (on the right), and the cross-shaft that feeds the left half-shaft barely clears the flywheel. In fact, the clutch is attached to a second flywheel behind this cross-shaft.

The second key change is the migration of the steering rack from behind the engine to a more conventional position below it, which helps lower the car’s center of gravity. Otherwise, the front suspension is a sophisticated aluminum control-arm layout with two separate links forming the arms to achieve superior geometry. The rear wheels are attached to a multilink suspension that’s similar to what is used on current A4s and A6s.

Full Test: 2008 Audi S5 - Road Tests

High-Zoot Coupe: A luscious bit of auto erotic arrives in a boisterous V-8 package.
BY CSABA CSERE, PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM DREW October 2007


You can picture the Audi product planners checking off the boxes as they continue their run against BMW and Mercedes. Small, medium, and large sedans: A4, A6, A8. Check. Sporting versions of same: S4, S6, S8. Check. Super-sporty sedan: RS 4. Check. Mid-priced sports car, medium SUV, attention-grabbing flagship, convertibles, stations wagons. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check.

The only missing model is a big coupe, something to compete with the likes of the BMW 3- and 6-series and the Mercedes CLK- and CL-classes. Presto: With the 2008 S5—Audi’s first coupe with adult-size rear seats since the demise of the Coupe Quattro in 1991—that hole in its lineup has now been plugged.

And it has been plugged by a machine that delivers the sex appeal that is a coupe’s major reason for being. The S5’s combination of big grille, rakish roofline, and artfully sculpted character lines will turn heads with regularity. And inside, the S5 provides perhaps the most engaging experience since the original TT.

Our test car was finished in black and deep-red leather and brushed aluminum, and in the current world of mostly monochromatic interiors, the effect is striking and luxurious. A new dashboard arrays all the controls and displays toward the driver, enhancing comfort and usability. Details like the metallic vents and the subtle red stitching on the black leather shift boot and steering wheel enhance the posh atmosphere. Even Audi’s control-everything MMI knob falls readily to hand and eye.

Full Test: 2008 Nissan Rogue SL AWD - Counterpoint

COUNTERPOINT
DAVE VANDERWERP
It’s hard to argue with Nissan’s launching an entry into this bestselling SUV segment, and the spacious Rogue drives as well as its top two or three competitors. But I have a question: How have we arrived at a place where Nissan employs a ratioless CVT for efficiency but then electronically fakes ratios that are controlled by paddle shifters? Not only does this exactly contradict the CVT’s reason for being but also seems terrifically contrived on an SUV.

MARK GILLIES
The Rogue is going to do well for Nissan. The small-SUV segment is hot at the moment, and this vehicle ticks all the right boxes. It will probably steal some sales from the Murano but will still increase Nissan’s overall volumes. However, I’m down on small SUVs because no matter how well they handle or how dramatically they are styled, they still look and drive like tall wagons. Everyone tells you Americans don’t buy wagons anymore, but that’s not true. They just buy the inferior, taller variety.

Full Test: 2008 Nissan Rogue SL AWD - The Verdict

When the conversation turns to fuel-economy measures, Nissan points to its Xtronic CVT (continuously variable transmission). We aren’t crazy about the CVT in this new vehicle, or in any other for that matter, nor have we been convinced yet of its claim to dramatically improve gas mileage, but the wide spread of gear ratios and the smooth power delivery do seem to be a better idea than the four- or five-speed conventional automatics of the competition. A downside of the CVT is the inevitable engine drone that occurs under most acceleration rates. In many CVT-equipped vehicles, the monotone engine note is obnoxious to the point of inferring mechanical cheapness. Fortunately, the Rogue keeps the noise to a murmur (a luxury-carlike 74 decibels at full throttle), which should stave off CVT buyer’s remorse.

Highway cruising is where the Rogue and its transmission work best. Secure on-center steering feel, a firm but compliant ride, and a quiet cabin combine to effortlessly count down highway miles. At 70 mph the Rogue is turning a fuel-efficient and hushed 2200 rpm. Were this car equipped with a conventional automatic, such tall gearing would likely result in the annoying habit of constantly downshifting (or upshifting) between the two top gears. In the Rogue, the CVT seamlessly raises engine revs as the transmission moves imperceptibly through its ratios. Highway passing is a smooth experience. Still, if you’re old-fashioned and must have a conventional shifting sense, the Rogue offers six preset ratios that mimic the gears of a conventional transmission.

At the track, the CVT makes the most of the Rogue’s power-to-weight ratio and delivers a 0-to-60 time of 8.8 seconds. As noted earlier, we haven’t tested any of the Rogue’s four-cylinder peers, but we expect this SUV’s acceleration to be class competitive. Keeping wheelspin in check at takeoff is Nissan’s clutch-based all-wheel drive, set to send 50 percent of the engine’s power to the rear wheels at launch; then, once rolling, the power split shifts to the front wheels until slip is detected. Stability and traction control are standard if you find yourself exceeding the Rogue’s nearly carlike 0.77 g of skidpad grip. Keep pushing, and you’ll find that the Rogue comes standard with side airbags for the front seats and curtain airbags all around.

Our leather-lined, Bose-stereo-equipped Rogue with all-wheel drive came in at an estimated $27,000. Base versions are expected to start at roughly $20,000.

On its first try, Nissan has produced a good-looking and spirited small SUV. It doesn’t have a third row or optional V-6 power, but there are plenty of small-SUV buyers who desire neither feature. The Rogue has the rest of the small-sport-ute checklist covered. Perhaps the name is a tad theatrical, but calling it the Nissan Competent just didn’t have the ring to it the company was looking for.