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You won’t be seeing any television ads promoting the new Mazda 5 six-seater people mover. Instead, the company is pursuing a careful marketing initiative for this product, aiming squarely at the active-lifestyle youth segment in a co-branding program with sportswear titan Quiksilver.

Mazda reasons that Quiksilver has the credentials necessary to influence a youth market that won’t be told what to buy unless told by opinion leaders it can trust. And who more trustworthy than the purveyors of high-price leisurewear? So this inexpensive six-seater is being introduced in relatively small numbers with modest print and Internet publicity alongside appearances at key outdoor events. Two Mazda 5s have been—how should we say?—

decorated by Quiksilver designers and are displayed at various board-sport contests.

Available as a well-equipped Sport version or a Touring model (which adds automatic climate control, front fog lamps, a rear spoiler, side skirts, an in-dash six-CD changer, and a power sunroof), the Mazda 5 almost defies description. Somewhat similar to a Toyota Corolla Matrix in appearance, it is based on the Mazda 3 platform and powered by that car’s 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine.

Behind two conventional front doors are two sliding rear doors (with 27.5-inch apertures) providing access to the center and rear rows of seat pairs. Although these lightweight sliders are very minivanlike, Mazda strenuously avoids that terminally uncool label.

Let’s accept that the resemblance to a minivan has as much to do with utility as category. There are some well-thought-out aspects to the car. Both the center- and rear-seat rows fold forward to form a large flat load surface, and all seats fold for flexible loading arrangements. Dunno why, but surfboards come to mind.

There are cup holders aplenty and even a karakuri storage box in the base of the right-hand center seat for small items such as—it says here—toys. Put that thought out of your mind. In every other way, the Mazda 5 drives and handles like the sporty Mazda 3 on which it’s based. That, more than anything else, supports the 5′s nonminivan pretensions.

Article source: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/05q4/mazda_5-first_drive_review

Racing diesel-powered Jetta sedans sounds like a business plan for Formula Snooze. Pumping out in the realm of 170 hp, the cars aren’t exactly Top Fuel dragsters. That’s why diesels, in this country, are best known for eking out impressive fuel economy. But on a weekend in June, we discovered that the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup is a terrific racing series, mostly because the cars are identical and the young drivers are ambitious and competitive. This is not a series for gray-sideburned SCCA warriors—it’s set up by VW as a driver-development program for persons 16 to no more than 26 years old. (Of course, the occasional slippery and seasoned automotive writer manages to squeeze in, as you can see.)

The TDI Cup car is a Euro-spec model with 170 hp, 30 more than found in the American

. Torque gets pumped up to 258 lb-ft, from 236, and the final race car weighs in tidily at just under 2900 pounds. The cars burn racing diesel fuel, a blend of 95 percent synthetic diesel and 5 percent biodiesel, and have full exhaust systems with diesel particulate filters. Interestingly, an entrant can drive the entire 10-race season on just two tankfuls of the stuff. That’s about the only bargain.

The twin-clutch DSG automated manual is optimized for racing—meaning it upshifts right at redline. The Jetta’s suspension is stiffened, monster brakes are fitted—14-inch discs up front with four-piston calipers, both components taken from the Audi R8—and the car rolls on 18-inch Pirelli racing slicks. Inside, the VW sedan is stripped out and fitted with a Recaro racing seat, a full safety harness, a fire-extinguisher system, a roll cage, a driver’s-side window net, and an AiM data-logging system with a digital readout and shift lights.

The Equipment Includes a Pretty Damn Good Instructor Entrants undergo four days of evaluations by VW at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma County in northern California. The drivers then have to come up with the $45,000 entry fee for the season. There are other costs—those talented enough to be selected must pay their way to the events and underwrite any crash damage. In return, VW provides preparation, fuel (both tanks’ worth!), and tires, not to mention driver training, data access, fitness programs, and media and PR training. Each race has $5000 in prize money ($1000 to the winner), and the series champ gets a cool $100,000.

The driver training is headed by Jan Heylen, a Belgian who raced go-karts against such luminaries as Formula 1 champions Fernando Alonso and Kimi Rikknen. Heylen is 29, but his dues paying includes winning the prestigious Formula Ford Festival in 2002 and having raced in the Champ Car World Series. For the TDI Cup, he sets a baseline time at each circuit and advises the youngsters on driving and race etiquette, among other tasks.

The 30 drivers in this year’s series, which runs from late April into September, are 17 to 26 in age. They run the gamut from karting brats who view this as a career pit stop to SCCA autocrossers struggling to break into professional racing. So it’s natural that there’s a palpable tension among the guys and girls who are competing on shoestring budgets and bank loans and the kids who come well-heeled. That’s because the poorer crowd can’t afford to use their Jettas as battering rams, whereas the latter are able to launch banzai maneuvers with the knowledge that damage-repayment checks will be arriving later from the home front.

Sure, I’ll Drive Your Tricked-Out German Economy Sedan

I was invited to drive in one of the Jettas at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a top-notch road circuit near Columbus. As an SCCA pro-racing series, the Jetta TDI Cup serves in the undercard role to big-name events such as the American Le Mans Series or the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, the latter of which was the main attraction during our weekend.

I went on a tour of the track the Friday before the June 12 race with Heylen and series organizers and factory drivers Mark Miller and Ryan Arciero. It was more of a track

ride in a golf cart, stopping at appropriate places.

Mid-Ohio 2.25-Mile, 13-Turn Format Track Layout

I tagged along with Canadians Andrew Cordeiro, 25, and Jake Thompson, 23. Cordeiro is a VW nut from Woodbridge, Ontario, who’s in his second year of racing. He started out in autocross, but all his racing experience to date has been in the TDI Cup. He is one of many drivers who are heavily self-funded. Thompson is a former karter from Vancouver who got disillusioned when his attempt to launch a racing career stalled despite the fact that he is a Canadian national karting champ. He then went off to college, got an engineering degree, worked for a couple of years, and took the plunge this season into the Jetta Cup, now in its second season. This was the Cup’s fourth event of the year, and Thompson was leading in points heading into the race.

Over the weekend, I warmed to guys like these two and Andy Lee, 26, another aspiring driver who began his career after his mother sold her home to fund her son’s ambitions. Then there’s Mark Pombo, 26, of Duluth, Georgia, who says he bumped into a guy in Las Vegas who put up 20 grand for him in return for the $100,000 should Pombo win it. After four races, he currently sits in 10th place in the championship. There is also Derek Jones, 25, of Philadelphia, who works 70 hours a week as an executive director at Atelier Art Storage and used to build his own race cars. And A.J. Nealey, 24, another former autocrosser, who “sold a bunch of stuff” to do this series.

Article source: http://www.caranddriver.com/features/09q3/green_and_kinda_mean_we_race_in_the_volkswagen_jetta_tdi_cup-sport

VW Jetta TDI Cup – ESPN SportsCenter

Progressive Insurance tips when you are buying a used car instead of a new one.

(NAPSI)-In today’s unstable economy, you might be in the market for a used car instead of a new one.

But used car shopping isn’t easy-it requires a keen eye and an inquisitive nature. Before you buy a used vehicle, here are a few tips from leading car insurer Progressive to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth:

Ask about previous damage. Has the vehicle ever been in an accident or a flood? Get details on the extent of damage if it has. And inspect the vehicle closely, looking for these “red flags”:

Mismatched vehicle identification numbers (VINs) on the vehicle title, dashboard, driver door panel, hood or trunk;

Mismatched paint on exterior body parts, or paint-over spray on interior parts such as door edges and the engine compartment;

Missing bolts or uneven welding in major areas, such as the front-end core support or the trunk.

Ask for routine maintenance records. The owner should be able to provide information about what service work has been done.

Buy a vehicle history report. Get the vehicle’s VIN, then go to www.carfax.com or www.autocheck.com and purchase a vehicle history report. The history will show past owners of and damage to the car, as well as mileage and title history. Some state motor vehicle departments may also provide some of this information.

Check out the seller. Some unscrupulous sellers may try to sell a poorly repaired salvage vehicle, which means it’s been totaled before and they’ve rebuilt it. If you’re buying from a car dealer, check with the Better Business Bureau. If the seller is an individual, look through the classifieds for other vehicle ads with the same phone number-this is a sign of an unlicensed broker who sells used vehicles by posing as the owner.

Ask a professional to inspect the vehicle. Take the vehicle to a mechanic or body shop you trust. Have them inspect the vehicle inside and out for previous repairs and the quality of any repair work they discover.

Research insurance costs. Before you buy, ask your local independent agent or broker how much your car will cost to insure. And while you’re there, make sure you have the right coverages for your vehicle. For example, if you’re buying an older or more inexpensive car, you might want to consider dropping Comprehensive and Collision coverages.

Following these tips can help you avoid any unwelcome surprises from your new (used) car.

For more information or to find an agent nearby, visit www.progressiveagent.com.

Used car shopping requires a keen eye and an inquisitive nature.

Article source

Used Car Buying Tips

You might not expect that aging hearses, ambulances, and funeral limousines would comprise an emotionally sturdy basis for an enterprising car club. But 1193 dues-paying members of the 25-year-old Professional Car Society (PCS) will smilingly prove you wrong. About half are funeral directors, who come by their vehicular enthusiasm professionally. The remainder are a peculiar but upbeat amalgam of emergency-medical technicians, limo-livery owners, graveside-equipment suppliers, die-hard Cadillac collectors, fast-wrinkling hippies, and introverted dressed-in-black techno-Goths applying makeup to resemble Lily in

The Munsters .

Naturally, this appealed with such unendurable urgency that I immediately borrowed a nine-day-old polar-white $75,475 Sayers & Scovill Cadillac DeVille Masterpiece hearse (see Specialty File that follows this story) in which to make the 1000-mile pilgrimage to the club’s annual convention. The location: Lebanon, Missouri. I had no idea why.

Day One Here’s why: Lebanon is home to our PCS host, Ken Howe, who owns the town’s largest funeral home. Ken is thin, angular, mid-30s, with dark, close-cropped hair. He never stops smiling and walks always on his toes, as if fearful of making noise. He wears a tie and a starched white shirt, which is impressive because it’s 99 degrees in Lebanon. Ken is fond of saying, "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade."

Ken treats the membership to a private tour of his sprawling Holman-Howe funeral home. Parked out front is his own S&S Masterpiece-identical to mine, save its aqua paint-plus an aqua six-door DeVille limo, an aqua DeVille Touring Sedan, and a Chevy Suburban. The latter is Holman-Howe’s "first-call car," for discreetly collecting the freshly deceased at hospitals, airports, and rest homes. It is not uncommon for a funeral home to command a quarter-million-dollar fleet like Ken’s, though it requires the clients to perish at a rate of 200 per annum and to eschew the escalating trend toward cremation.

"I got diabetes, but I think I can make it through the tour," says a club member I’ve already dubbed Carl The Talker.

"I got emphysema, but I think I can make it through the tour," adds The Talker’s wife.

Ken nods, smiles, and continues narrating our walk-through, which presently leads into a tasteful but darkened alcove that, as my eyes adjust, I discover is occupied by a woman who is not a club member. Here’s how I know: She is dead.

"This old girl was just a beautiful person," gushes Ken with earnest affection. "I’m glad we got her into a quality casket."

Nearby, I hear the whir of a video camera. It’s balanced atop the shoulder of a Goth with a full Prince Valiant haircut and a double-breasted black suit. Why he is not prostrate from the heat is a matter for medical professionals to evaluate. Equally peculiar, he’s taping every minute of the PCS proceedings, as if he were some sort of high-tech Secretary at Arms. In truth, he’s creating a two-hour video that will be offered to clubbies at a once-in-a-lifetime price.

"She’s in a better place," observes The Talker of the inert form in Chapel Two.

"Like where?" I ask. "Lufthansa’s first-class lounge?"

Ignoring my impertinence, he continues, "It’s too bad that at funerals it’s disrespectful to pay attention to the cars rather than the service. Course, I still look at ‘em anyway."

"Then that’s disrespectful," informs The Talker’s wife.

"One more word," says Carl in a steaming hiss,

"and it’s right to the car."

Ken smiles, opting to ignore this exchange, and leads us into his bright, ultramodern showroom of caskets, filled with Batesville’s best: nickel, bronze, stainless, chromium, and hardwood boxes, some fetching as much as $8500. Minutes later, we’re in the embalming studio, which resembles your mother’s kitchen except for the hospital gurneys in front of the sinks. Here Carl The Talker points to a canister strung up like a blood-transfusion bottle.

Article source: http://www.caranddriver.com/features/01q4/an_undertaking_of_moribund_fellowship-feature

The letter “x” can signify a negative, like a strike in baseball or the incorrect answer on

Family Feud .

If treasure hunting is your game, then “x” marks the spot. “X” can also represent the sights trained on the BMW 3-series by Infiniti’s excellent

. Now more than ever, the G is hot on the heels of the benchmark 3, thanks in large part to the lineup’s wider adoption of all-wheel drive, which is denoted by—you guessed it—an “x.”

Slushy Box, but Still a Great Powertrain

New for 2009, the all-wheel-drive G37x coupe is only available with a seven-speed automatic transmission equipped with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. We found the gearbox to be smart about selecting gears under normal driving conditions, but when pushed, it can slur shifts a bit and is slow to grab demanded ratios, but we’re really splitting hairs here.

With its 3.7-liter V-6 engine pumping 330 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque, the G37 offers BMW 335i performance for 328i money. The all-wheel-drive coupe weighs roughly 200 more pounds than its rear-drive sibling, but the two cars turn in equal 0-to-60-mph (5.3 seconds) and quarter-mile (13.9 seconds at 102 mph) times. The extra heft is offset by better traction at launch, and the additional poundage doesn’t affect the G’s sharp handling. What it does affect is braking, with the all-wheel-drive car turning in a 175-foot 70-to-0-mph braking distance, 11 feet longer than the rear-drive coupe.

On the skidpad, the G37x pulled a respectable 0.83 g, which is good, considering its optional 18-inch wheels were shod in 225/50 all-season rubber. The rear-drive G37 Sport registered 0.89 g wearing summer performance tires. Perhaps most impressive was that the understeer commonly associated with all-wheel-drive cars was pretty moderate by comparison in the G. Body control also is superbly managed, and the ride is firm but not overly harsh. The steering has a slight touch of on-center numbness but is otherwise, in true G fashion, sharp and communicative.

Not Much for Passengers or Cargo Naturally, the G37x has the same delightful interior we’ve praised in the line’s other variants. The brushed, Japanese-paper-influenced trim on the center stack still impresses, and most surfaces feel quite good to the touch. The front seats are comfy for lengthy journeys, but the rears—as you might expect in a sleek two-door—are tight for real-size people; they really just amount to extra storage space. That’s a good thing, since the oddly shaped trunk can swallow only about seven cubic feet of cargo.

It’s a Bargain The G37 is certainly inching closer to its 3-series rival in terms of dynamics and driving satisfaction but not in cost of entry. With a base price of $39,565, the G37x coupe undercuts a BMW 335i xDrive coupe by a substantial $5269. Optional packages can add up quickly with both cars, but considering the G’s $5200 advantage, you can load up your G37 with the Premium package (a sunroof, an upgraded stereo with iPod interface, Bluetooth, and more) and Navigation package for the cost of a base two-door 335i xDrive. That kind of value combined with the G’s high level of performance makes signing your name near another “x”—the one before a dotted line—an enticing proposition, indeed.

Article source: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09q3/2009_infiniti_g37x_coupe-short_take_road_test

2009 Infiniti G37 Coupe AWD review by cnet.com