Volkswagen Golf GTI W12-650

We've seen some pretty wildly modified Volkswagen GTIs in our day. From potent street weapons to track day toys, the GTI is one of the ultimate tuner cars of the last 30 years. But what happens when Volkswagen itself decides to modify a GTI? Crazy happens.

Meet the Golf GTI W12-650. That's W12-650 as in "this GTI has a 650 horsepower, biturbo, 6.0-liter, 12-cylinder engine." You might be doubtful that such a powerplant could even fit in a GTI, and you'd be reasonable to be less than confident. But as it turns out, the engineers were able to find plenty of room after they'd widened the body 160 mm and removed the rear seats. That's right, this GTI is mid-engined and rear-wheel drive. The end result is a 0-62 mph sprint in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph.

According to Volkswagen, one of the biggest challenges was getting enough airflow to the engine, a problem solved by designing the C-pillars and rear windows to feed air to the W12. Attention was also paid to aerodynamics, with the carbon fiber roof acting as a large integrated diffuser. Virtually every other component on the car is upgraded to near-race spec as well, from suspension components to brakes. Even the wheels were specially engineered for the Golf GTI W12.

So let's recap: Volkswagen GTI; 650 horsepower; mid-mounted W12 engine; rear-wheel drive; 202 mph. When can you buy one? Well that's the catch: you can't. Volkswagen says this is a strictly a show car to show the world what the GTI is capable of.

Chrysler's old logo's back

Now that Chrysler is no longer a subsidiary of Daimler, word is that the company will revive its Pentastar logo, dropped in 1998 after the DaimlerChrysler merger - according to a recent Detroit Free Press report.

The tip-off apparently stemmed from an internal Chrysler email sent to employees by one of the automaker's executives. Said executive was present for the Monday meeting where news of Chrysler's sale to Cerberus Capital Management was given to various high-ranking execs.

The news comes not long after that of Buick updating its classic tri-shield badge to give a more contemporary appearance. Like Buick, Chrysler is likely to be introducing a touch of modern design to the iconic Pentastar, lest it be judged as dated.

So now that Chrysler is bringing back icons from its pre-Daimler heritage, how about treating the Sebring to some fake wood paneling and renaming it LeBaron? Hmmm? Hmmmmm?? Come on, it'll be fun!

2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster

First off, your humble servant is not James Bond. That's no Jaeger-Le Coultre Reverso (the watch from which the V8 Vantage Roadster draws its design inspiration) on the left wrist. There's no defibrillator in the glovebox. The drive isn't along the scorched-earth landscape of Iceland or to Casino Royale (though Provence's twisty roads to Mount Ventoux are no slouch).

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster most certainly isn't any manner of Ford Motor Company product nor a jazzed-up Jag or Porsche 911. You slice the iconic top off a 911, even if you're Porsche, and the car looks like an aftermarket conversion. When Aston slices the lid off the V8 Vantage, you get something that looks like its own piece of art. It's as masculine looking as the Coupe (though a couple hundred pounds heavier), the lines enhanced without the fastback roof, making this Roadster look equally at home cruising Beverly Hills or Miami Beach.

In fact, the Roadster has one clear advantage over the Coupe: its soundtrack. No need for a high-end hi-fi in the dash; the raspy WOOFLE! of the exhaust fills your ears with stereophonic sound when you've lowered the top. At speed and especially when exhaust-note-strafing a stone or cement wall alongside a two-lane in Provence, the Roadster's 380-horsepower 4.3 rumbles like a musclecar V-8 with whine added for a British accent. You'll work the gear change extra hard just to make your own music.

Speaking of gear changes, the three-pedal six-speed manual rules. Most Americans will choose the automated manual six-speed, with paddle shifters affixed to the column, just as more Americans will take the Roadster over the Coupe. Aston's automated manual is better than BMW's sequential manual gearbox, but it's not as good as Audi's DSG. Even with this tranny's built-in downshift throttle blips, it's not as smooth or as satisfying as when you row your own. The traditional six-speed manual is one of the best gearboxes extant. The clutch takeup is smooth and even, the gearshift smooth and positive.

No complaints about the engine or chassis, either. The V-8 actually feels stronger than its 302 pound-feet would indicate. With either gearbox, it pulls hard even in upper gears and gives you the confidence to fill any traffic hole with quick application of the right foot. All road imperfections make themselves known through the seat of your pants, and that translates into high cornering ability, but the chassis is at the same time silky smooth and rock steady. It informs you of the imperfections without making you uncomfortable. Steering is inspiring and quick, yet light to the touch. The Roadster is as tactile as the Alcantara placed inside the interior door pulls. Top up or down, the car is quiet until you lay into the V-8. You can keep wind roar to a minimum with the top down and the windblocker in place. Doing the nerdy thing and winding up the windows helps.

Biggest complaints concern the interior. It's snug for larger passengers. The bottom of the super-rakish A-pillar results in a front blind spot at intersections. The center stack is busy with buttons, making it hard to find such rudimentary items as the tripmeter reset. And, really now, a $127,000 car should have automatic-up power windows.

2008 Saturn Vue

Buyers never plan on driving their shiny new car-payments into an offset barrier, in front of a runaway side-impact sled, or dirty-side up. But the fatalistic ones know it's statistically likely, and these folks will be encouraged to learn that Saturn has armored the new Vue's body structure and armed it with six airbags, active head restraints, seatbelt pretensioners, and collapsing pedals so dummies emerge unscathed (or at least undead) from the worst crashes conceived by any world government. Standard stability control with trailer-sway mitigation (a class exclusive) might even help intelligent dummies avoid a crash-and if not, standard OnStar will summon help.

In between catastrophes, occupants enjoy a superbly trimmed cabin, with supportive seats, soft-touch materials, and quasi-convincing wood or metal-mesh trim. The rear-seat cushion is higher than before, so kids can see out, and road and wind noise is very low. All passenger seats fold flat for hauling long items, and there's loads of cargo crannies, nets, and tie-downs.

There are three engines to from which to choose: Entry XE models get a 2.4-liter Ecotec four, teamed with a four-speed automatic spinning the front tires or a 3.5-liter pushrod six with all-wheel drive. XR or Red Line buyers get GM's 3.6-liter quad-cam six with front or all-wheel drive. Both V-6s get a new six-speed automatic, and all models can be flat-towed behind an RV. A Green-Line hybrid arrives this fall. Suspension tuning is identical to that of the Vue's Euro sibling, the Opel Antara.

So how's it feel? The loaded XR AWD Vue sampled here represents a quantum leap in refinement, but tips the scales at over 4300 pounds. That makes it feel sluggish off the line (blame tall economy-minded gearing) and less than nimble at the helm, though body control and overall performance are admirable. Our tester weighs almost 600 pounds more than a RAV4 Sport V6 4WD and 100 pounds more than a Hyundai Santa Fe Limited AWD-two competitors that offer third-row seating and carry 16-20 cubes more cargo. Another unflattering fact: Most dimensions measure larger outside but smaller inside than the key rivals'-of course, that's when measured before hitting the wall.

How is it safe to flat-tow a Saturn?

It's definitely not safe to flat-tow all automatic transmission cars for long distance (like on vacation behind an RV). The vulnerable component is the transmission, the end of which is connected to the wheels, and so is spinning at road speeds without benefit of lubrication that is usually supplied by the engine-driven transmission oil pump. In some case, by accident or by design, some of the big rotating masses splash enough lubricant from the sump up onto the key bushings and bearings to keep things running smoothly (as happens with the Vue's four-speed automatic). This, along with the use of Teflon-impregnated ultra-low friction bushings, protects these transmissions during extended engine-off operation. The six-speed required a bit more engineering. A special lubrication pan was placed in an area that receives a lot of splash oil, and gravity then feeds that lubrication down to some remote bearings that wouldn't have otherwise been lubricated sufficiently. Hence, all Vues can be flat-towed - as can any other GM products using the 6T80/75 series transmissions. Or you can use a Vue to flat-tow an Ion (max towing capacity on the Vue is a class-leading 3500 pounds), and entrust the StabiliTrak system to apply brakes selectively if the tail starts trying to wag the dog.

2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

The Chrysler Sebring convertible took a break for a year and came back toned, sculpted, and stiffer, based on a new platform shared with the sedan. While it resembles the four-door, 3.1 inches more overall length and two fewer doors have certainly cleaned up the exterior. It also now offers a choice of three roofs: vinyl, cloth, and a retractable hard top. All three raise and lower at the push of a button (and can be lowered with the keyfob), use a glass rear window with defroster, and take about 30 seconds to drop. All will accommodate four sets of golf bags (or 11.3 cubic feet of luggage), top up or down, except the hardtop convertibles, which still fit two sets of clubs, top down.


The Chrysler Sebring convertible uses the sedan's engines and transmissions: a 173-horsepower four-cylinder and a 2.7-liter, 189-horse V-6, both backed by a four-speed automatic or a 3.5-liter V-6 with a six-speed automatic. The four-cylinder is coarse and doesn't have enough gusto to get this 3750-pound car going with any alacrity. It may be great in a smaller vehicle, but it's not the right fit here. Combine that with a hesitant four-speed automatic, and you have a Thrifty car rental weekend special. The smaller V-6 is certainly a better engine choice for the Chrysler Sebring. While it has only a bit more horsepower than the four, its 25 pound-feet additional torque makes a noticeable difference. Unfortunately, Chrysler didn't back this engine with the six-speed automatic, a move that keeps the MSRP lower, but also keeps the driver from getting a bite out of the 2.7. The 3.5-liter combined with the six-speed is the most entertaining. Off-the-line acceleration is smooth and shifts are quick, but neither the Sebring's steering nor handling is going to make BMW shake in its boots.


Chrysler Sebring pricing starts at just over $26,000-lower than in 2006-but goes up quickly as you add features, which we realized upon learning of our Limited's $38,000 as-tested price. The base model isn't available with the hard top-for that, the midlevel Touring package is required, and the metal roof adds $1995 to the bottom line.