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Turbocharged: Where will the horsepower race end?

8/27/2014

 
"Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death . . . " -- Hunter S. Thompson
PicturePhoto: Chrysler
"Horsepower" is still the sexiest word in the automotive industry.  That's clear from Chrysler's recent  announcement of the 707-horsepower family-sedan-turned-race-car, known as the 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat.  But where will the horsepower race end?

In a recent post, we talked about average cars becoming so good that it was getting harder to differentiate them from the luxury brands.  Well, the high-end makers are finding a way out . . . and it is horsepower.  Says The Wall Street Journal's Joe White: "
In an era when a car’s appeal seems largely defined by greener-than-thou engines and cooler-than-thou infotainment apps, luxury auto makers are looking for buyers who value a decidedly more old-fashioned attribute: hard-driving horsepower."

But while those gilt-edged ponies, usually somewhere in the 400-600 range, are out of reach for many people, the price is clearly coming down with the debut of the
Hellcat at around $60,000 for a 0-100-0 time under 13 seconds and a 204-mph top speed. The question is where all of this power will be used, save for the track.  In our congested suburb, it's not all that unusual to see a 500+ horsepower Mercedes AMG or Bentley Continental GT toodling along at 30 mph.  Even our weekend sports car -- never tracked -- has trouble breaking its average of 32 in the 'burbs.

Where will it all end?  U.S. government fuel mileage regs are becoming more stringent as greater efforts are underway to address climate change.  Speed-related fatalities still represent a third of all annual U.S. highway traffic deaths.  Owners are usually not trained to deal with these amounts of speed.  And yet, the horsepower still keeps coming.  The question now is whether GM and Ford will sit on their hands or challenge Chrysler's supremacy by fielding a mega-Camaro and ultra-Mustang.


Bench racing:  Bragging more about your car's horsepower than actually using it.
Our guess is that most of these cars, other than those which are tracked, will be used for good ol' bench racing, and there's nothing wrong with that.  But to the Hellcat owner who decides to push the limit on public roads:  please, not on our street.

Do you really need that Audi when a Subaru will do?

8/25/2014

 
PicturePhotos: Audi, Subaru
Are luxury cars really necessary?  Do you really need to buy a $35,000 Audi A4 when a $22,000 Subaru Legacy will do? 

With everyday cars becoming so good, the luxury marques are finding it tough to add enough amenities and gizmos that differentiate their rides from the average Honda, Toyota or Mazda.  Today, you can get all sorts of technology in the $16,000-$40,000 range that used to be available only in Mercedes or Lexus territory.  You can even put Nappa leather on the seats of a Kia.  Or, vice versa, you can find some pretty cheesy pieces inside a Mercedes CLA.

Picture
Yes, luxury cars such as the newest Mercedes S-Class take ride, feel and atmosphere all to new levels that still separate those vehicles from the rest of the pack.  And we all know that the plusher rides are pacesetters for the engineering that ultimately reaches most average cars.  But not long ago, we stepped inside the new 2015 Hyundai Sonata and found it lavish enough that we thought it was their upmarket Azera.  Their Genesis delivered so much smooth power with the base V-6 that we had to double-check with the PR rep to make sure there wasn't a V-8 under the hood.  In a recent post, we felt we could extract more fun from the cheaper Chevrolet Camaro 1SS than a Corvette Stingray.

Sidebar: See what happens when Car and Driver slices into the wood trim of three different cars.
-- "Into the Woods," p. 22, Sept. 2014 issue
So, with that said, let's take a look at seven higher-end models (with base MSRPs in parentheses) and see if you could really survive with the less costly or more plebeian alternatives: 

Do you really need a . . .                                                    or can you survive just fine with a . . . ?
Mini Cooper S hardtop ($24.1K)                                                                                Ford Focus ($16.8K)
Audi S3 ($41.1)                                                                                                              Subaru WRX ($26.3)
Mercedes GLA ($33.3)                                                                                                   Ford Escape($22.6)
Audi
A4 ($35.5)                                                                                                          Subaru Legacy ($21.7)
Mercedes CLA ($29.9)                                                                                                    Kia Optima ($21.7)
Lexus ES ($36.6)                                                                                                             Buick Regal ($29.7)
Range Rover standard wheelbase ($84.2)                                Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit ($48.2)


We understand that the addition of comparable options might bring the prices closer.  Let us know if you feel strongly about the choices or if you'd like to add some of your own alternative picks to the list.  Are these apples vs. oranges, or do we spend unnecessary dollars on prestige badges? 

Tell us what you think.

Kia Reveals First Photos of 2016 Sorento

8/13/2014

 
PicturePhoto: Kia
Kia has released the first photos of its all-new 2016 Sorento with this third generation of the popular SUV featuring a new look, including bold, swept-back styling and sophisticated surface detailing.

Longer, lower and wider, with an extended wheelbase, the new Sorento builds on the outgoing model, delivering a more premium look and feel, with more space and numerous innovative features. The new look is an evolution of the current vehicle, incorporating fresh visual elements inspired by the Kia Cross GT concept that debuted at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show, carrying over the long hood and the distinctive treatment of the wide D-pillars from the previous generation.

This larger SUV will likely put even more competitive pressure on its rivals from Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chrysler and GM, and may even pull some buyers away from the lower-end German models
.


Ford Focus ST: The 'Pocket Rocket' Name is Well-Deserved

8/8/2014

 
PicturePhoto: Ford
After our capsule review of the Mazda3, we thought we'd kick it up a notch by "focusing" on the Ford Focus ST.  Our "Race Red" example certainly fit the bill as a "Pocket Rocket" or "Hot Hatch" or whatever you want to nickname today's extraordinary performance small cars. 

With 252 horsepower, 23/32 city/highway miles per gallon and a well-equipped version going for under $24,000 MSRP, this car is a barrel of fun for budget-minded enthusiasts.  The six-speed manual transmission is smooth, the handling is European-tight on the back roads and comfortable for daily commutes, and the sport seats fit like a glove. We were occasionally reminded that we were in an econobox and there was ample torque steer through the shifts, but that didn't keep us from craving this little bruiser.

If we were still single, in our 20s and looking for a car to make the commute more exciting and dates more plentiful, this hatch would be one of our favorite picks.  A new Focus ST is expected in Ford showrooms early next year and we can't wait.  It appears the coming Mazdaspeed3 will have even stiffer competition, but we're not complaining.


BY THE NUMBERS
Price: $23,625
Horsepower: 252
0-60: 5.9 secs (TopSpeed)
Curb weight: 3,223 lbs

TO LEARN MORE

Ford

Car and Driver

Motor Trend


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    David Fluhrer has been a classic car columnist for Newsday since 2008, as well as a new car reviewer for the auto section and a feature writer for Newsday's glossy magazines, Luxury Living and Long Island Living. 

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