November 07, 2006, 11:30 AM PST
SEMA selects the most aftermarket-friendly cars
Posted by: Wayne Cunningham

Putting a new stereo in some cars requires cutting large holes in the dashboard, while on others it's a simple process of sliding the previous stereo out and dropping a new one in. That's the difference between cars that follow standards, such as DIN slots in the dashboard, and cars with extensively factory-customized controls. SEMA, a show devoted to all the neat things you can add to your car, has a vested interest in automakers taking the standardized approach, and gives awards every year for the cars that are most friendly to aftermarket customization.

This year, SEMA gave the awards to the Ford Shelby GT 500 won in the Car category, the Jeep Wrangler won in the SUV category, the Chevrolet Silverado Classic in the new Hybrid vehicle category, and the Toyota Tundra in the Truck category. So if you're looking for a car to customize, you'll just have to settle for a Ford Shelby GT 500.

(Photo: Ford Motor Company)

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November 06, 2006, 10:02 AM PST
Your future fuel tank
Posted by: Wayne Cunningham

We reported earlier on GM's new Equinox fuel cell car that it plans to put on the road next year. Green Car Congress has a story about GM signing up Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide as its hydrogen fuel tank supplier. GM's 100 planned Equinoxes will get Quantum's tanks, which are made of lightweight materials and can hold 10,000 psi of pressure. The tanks come with valves that monitor pressure and have safety cut-offs, which would be activated if a crash is detected. Each Equinox will have three tanks, holding nine and a quarter lbs. of hydrogen. That's right, in the future we'll be measuring our fuel by the pound, not by the gallon.

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October 30, 2006, 10:42 AM PST
VW steering wheel suggests countersteer
Posted by: Wayne Cunningham

Roadholding technologies such as traction control and stability programs are becoming standard on many cars, but VW takes a further step with its steering-impulse system. When your car's tires are slipping and the car is thinking a little countersteer (turning toward a sideways skid) is called for, VWs with steering impulse give the steering wheel a little tug in the right direction. VW points out that the car is not steering for the driver, just making an almost subliminal suggestion about which way you should be moving the wheel. VW claims that stopping distance can be decreased by up to 10 percent with the right amount of countersteer. VW makes the system standard on its Golf, Jetta, Eos, and Passat.

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October 24, 2006, 2:54 PM PDT
Audi gets odder
Posted by: Wayne Cunningham

Audi's numbering scheme for U.S. models used to be exclusively even, with the A4, the A6, and the A8 (not to mention the S versions of the same cars). But after the A3 and the Q7, we should expect more oddness from the German carmaker. The Winding Road obtained spy shots of the Audi A5 being tested in Germany. This car looks more sporty than the even-numbered sedans that have come before. The Winding Road reports that the car will be available late next year as a 2008 model.

Source: The Winding Road

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October 24, 2006, 2:51 PM PDT
Dino resurrected
Posted by: Wayne Cunningham

No, Dean Martin is not coming back from the dead (as nice as that would be). Inside Line has a story about Ferrari reviving the Dino, the curvy model Ferrari built from 1968 to 1974 and named after Enzo Ferrari's son. According to the story, Ferrari needs an entry-level model. The new Dino will be a front-engine car powered by a 4.0-liter V-8.

Source: Edmunds.com Inside Line

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October 16, 2006, 11:26 AM PDT
New battery tech drives cars for 100 miles
Posted by: Wayne Cunningham

A new kind of battery made primarily from carbon and plastic could extend the range of electric cars, increase the mileage of hybrid cars, and make plug-in hybrids more prevalent. Technology Research Laboratories (TRL) announced the new battery technology, claiming that it has been tested beyond 100,000 cycles and handles full discharge without damage. TRL also claims less than 1,000 pounds of the new batteries will power an electric car for 75 to 100 miles. Nickel-metal-hydride battery packs in the current generation of Toyota Priuses weigh well under 200 pounds, so the TRL technology would need refinement to be a practical competitor. TRL is seeking manufacturing partners to produce the new batteries.

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October 11, 2006, 5:58 PM PDT
Ford makes MP3 jack standard
Posted by: Wayne Cunningham

Taking a cue from a J.D. Power and Associates study that found more than half of today's drivers want MP3 player integration in their cars, Ford announced today that it would make auxiliary audio input jacks standard on its 2007 Edge, Explorer, Expedition, Mustang, Fusion, Sport Trac, Ranger, and F-150. The auxiliary jacks will also be standard on the 2007 Mercury Milan and Mountaineer, along with the 2007 Lincoln MKX, MKZ, Navigator, and Mark LT.

iPod users can opt for a dealer-installed kit from Ford called TripTunes, which offers real integration between iPods and the car's stereo. TripTunes keeps the iPod charged and lets the driver select songs from the car stereo interface. TripTunes will be available early next year.

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October 09, 2006, 11:10 AM PDT
One fewer pedal for Chrysler
Posted by: Wayne Cunningham

According to Automotive News (subscription required), Chrysler intends to advance its transmission technology by equipping its cars with dual-clutch transmissions for the 2010 model year. Dual-clutch transmissions, such as Volkswagen's Direct Shift Gearbox, let the driver shift without pushing a clutch pedal. Instead, two computer-controlled clutches, one for odd gears and one for even, engage and disengage as needed. The clutches let shifts occur faster than in a traditional manual gearbox. Gear changes feel more precise, and the car uses less gas than with an automatic transmission. Chrysler would most likely use the new transmissions in its 2010 Dodge Avenger and in its line of minivans.

Source: Automotive News

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October 06, 2006, 11:38 AM PDT
Mercury Mariner Hybrid gets tech upgrade
Posted by: Wayne Cunningham

In our reviews of the 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid and its slightly rougher twin, the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid, we criticized the poorly implemented cabin tech. The unveiling of the 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid this week shows that Ford seriously upgraded the cabin. The press release about the new Mariner Hybrid mentions only the standard iPod/MP3 player jack in the cabin, visible at the bottom of the stack in this photo. Also obvious from the picture is that the CD changer moves from under the seat into the dash, making it much more accessible. The CD control buttons look humongous in this picture, but easy to use, especially while tooling down the freeway.

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October 05, 2006, 6:25 PM PDT
Mazda CX-7 first take
Posted by: Wayne Cunningham

Mazda's contribution to the crossover trend arrived in our garage today, so we took it out for a quick spin to get some initial impressions (full review to come next week). One of our staff immediately scoffed at the notion of a crossover, insisting on labeling the CX-7 as an SUV. And when I got in the driver's seat, I felt like I was in an SUV, because the CX-7 feels pretty big. Although the hood slants down, the front fenders are big and trucklike. Maybe it's not an SUV because of the wacky upholstery, which has a strip of brown alligator suede running up the middle of each seat. You don't see that in a truck. But it does have a rearview camera, a gadget more common on SUVs than cars.

The power train is modest in the CX-7, with a transversely mounted 2.3-liter four-cylinder enhanced by a turbocharger. That's all mated to a six-speed automatic turning all four tires in our all-wheel-drive version. Although the car didn't push me back into the seat when I punched the accelerator, the power is satisfactory enough to move the car up to freeway speeds pretty quickly. And even better, the turbo isn't overwhelming--it does its part quietly, adding power without any unexpected rushes of acceleration.

For tech, the car has a navigation system with voice control and a Bose stereo with an in-dash six-CD changer. No cell phone integration. The LCD is big and bright, and it does a good job displaying maps or ID3 information from MP3 CDs, which the changer can read. The CD slot is actually behind the LCD, and loading or ejecting CDs causes a motor to tip up the LCD. The CX-7 has Bose speakers that sounded pretty good on our initial run, but we'll get deeper into that in the full review. The LCD is a touch screen, but the technology behind it seems little different from a standard touch screen. You have to really tap the onscreen buttons, as if there's a mechanical connection that has to take place.

The points-of-interest database doesn't include retail stores, so I won't be able to find Home Depot in this car, but it does have restaurants. The touch screen can be problematic, as I frequently ended up tapping the map as opposed to the button that starts route guidance, which has the effect of resetting my destination to some random point in the city. The MP3 CD display on the LCD is really good, with full song, artist, and album all displayed on the same screen.

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• See product information for 2007 Mazda CX-7 Grand Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.3L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
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