Used & Classic

Winding Road Issue 52 Is Now Available!

NextAutos Staff — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:47:21 -0600

These four hatchbacks are up to something, and we aim to find out what. See how these four fiery hatches behave when we bring them together to see who is the hottest. Plus, don’t miss all the other great content in this issue of Winding Road, including:

- 2010 BMW 5-Series GT
- 2010 Aston Martin Rapide
- Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
- Honda Fit vs. Smart ForTwo
- Living History: BMW M5 at the Nürburgring
- $40K Alternatives: Hyundai Genesis vs. Acura TL SH-AWD vs. Ford Taurus SHO
- SEMA 2009

This issue is packed with much, much more, so check it out in one of our two formats.

CLICK HERE to read this issue in our online viewer.
CLICK HERE to download an ad-free PDF from NextNewsStand.

And don't forget, you can buy a full subscription to Winding Road by clicking here. One year of ad-free, downloadable PDFs can be yours for the low, low price of only $4.99.

Keepers: Volkswagen Golf GTI Mark II

Christopher Smith — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:44:43 -0600

Browse through the pages of just about any history book on performance vehicles, and the term “hot hatch” will inevitably show up, usually in close proximity to the letters GTI. The formula is a familiar one—take a rather unassuming, practical car, add performance goodness, and simmer until frothy and delicious. Volkswagen followed this recipe back in 1976 with the Rabbit, turning the small, three-door hatchback into a pocket-rocket GTI. It wasn’t a terribly fast car, but it made all the right noises while offering ballet-dancer balance and super-glue grip. The term “hot hatch” was born, though six years would pass before that first-generation, Mark I GTI (renamed Golf for the domestic market) would hit U.S. shores. It was replaced just two years later by its slightly larger, slightly more powerful successor, the Golf GTI Mark II.

Produced from 1985 through 1992 and available in either 8-valve or 16-valve flavor, the Mark II GTI took everything from the Mark I car and made it better. Anyone who’s ever rowed through a close-ratio GTI gearbox or three-wheeled around a tight autocross course will attest to just how much fun these cars are to drive. Having comfortable accommodations with supportive seats, tastefully-aggressive exterior cues, and the trademark Volkswagen three-note warning chime only adds to the driving experience. Straight-line performance figures for the GTI aren’t terribly impressive—generally hovering around 8.5 seconds for 0-60 runs—but the Mark II is a classic example of how a car can still be a fun, bona-fide performance vehicle without necessarily being fast. It has just enough punch to keep the fun moving, and once it’s wound up, there are few cars that can dance better.

Many Volkswagen enthusiasts look to the Mark II GTI as the last “true” GTI. The introduction of the Mark III cars in 1993 brought more cushion, more luxury, and as a consequence, more weight. Of course, the newer cars also gained significantly more horsepower, but whereas the original GTI showed how cars could be fun without being fast, the latter examples showed why fast doesn’t automatically equal fun.

Or, are we smoking something illegal in most states? Is there a better GTI in the VeeDub lineup outside the Mark II family? Drop by the NextAutos forums and air your opinion, then check back soon for GTI shopping tips.

+ NextAutos Forums: Mark II GTI

+ Keepers: Mustang SVT Cobra

Keepers: Mustang SVT Cobra—Community

Christopher Smith — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:14:52 -0500

Mustang clubs are about as common as all-you-can-eat Chinese buffets. There are clubs for old Mustangs, new Mustangs, convertibles, specific models, specific colors (yes colors), and of course, clubs for the SVT faithful. The good news here is that yes, there is a Mustang club in your neck of the woods, wherever your woods happen to be. If, however, you want to associate only with the Cobra crowd, that may be a bit tougher unless you stick to internet chatting only. Most Mustang clubs—even the ones specializing in a particular Mustang genre—welcome all breeds of the horse, and that’s okay because Mustang fans generally love other Mustang fans, whether behind the wheel of a V-6, GT, or Cobra. There is a dark side however; drop an SVT badge on anything other than a bona-fide Cobra, and true Cobra owners will strike with great vengeance and furious anger. For these folks, the SVT badge is a sacred item, so if you’re thinking of sprucing up a V-6 or even a GT with Cobra badging, think again. At least if you want to be part of the Mustang crowd and have two working legs.

SVTPerformance.com is the number one online home for pretty much all things SVT-related. With nearly 100,000 registered members, this place has absolutely everything an SVT gearhead could want or need in an online club, including a bazillion individual chat forums, merchandise, a video forum, and since we’re talking Mustangs, a time slip database. Corral.net and its 125,000 forum members deliver information and general discussion on all late model Mustangs, and Stangnet.com covers everything Mustang, with a focus on the newer models. Stangnet.com is the largest online Mustang home, with over 150,000 members chatting up their online forums.

If internet camaraderie isn’t quite your cup of tea, SVT Cobra owners do have a couple traditional clubs to consider. The SVT Cobra Mustang Club (SCMC) was founded in 1999, and for a $20 annual membership fee you get a quarterly newsletter, numerous vendor discounts, and access to a club that is exclusively Cobra and GT500 owners. The SVT Owners Association (SVTOA) came about in 2000 as a Ford-official, SVT-exclusive organization for all SVT owners. The club went private in 2006 when Ford “restructured” SVT, and though it’s no longer an official Ford club, ties between the SVTOA and the Blue Oval remain extremely close. The SVTOA is now open to anyone, and for a yearly membership of $45, members receive quarterly issues of SVT Enthusiast magazine, a nifty new-member kit, and discounts on things like certificates of authenticity through the Ford Performance Group. Considering many folks on the SVTOA staff are either current or former Ford employees, it's about as close as one can get to a factory-official SVT club.

Regardless of the club, organization, or online forum, all SVT Cobra owners—and all Mustang owners for that matter—descend annually on Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for Mustang Week. This year’s festivities ran from July 19-25 and included car shows, drag racing, autocrossing, burnout contests, and a whole bunch of crazy car antics only Mustang owners can attest to. And as seen in the video up top, sometimes those antics can be a bit on the wild side. Yeah, Mustang events take place practically every weekend in practically every town, but if you’re even a little bit of a Mustang fan, Myrtle Beach isn’t just a car convention, it’s a pilgrimage.

Share Cobra war stories in the NextAutos Forums, and while you’re there, check out the video links of Mustangs that didn’t stop just in the nick of time.

+ NextAutos Forums: 99 / 01 SVT Cobra

+ Keepers: Mustang SVT Cobra

+ Keepers: Audi S4

Keepers: Mustang SVT Cobra—Shopping

Christopher Smith — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:20:48 -0500

“The fix” are two words perpetually connected with the 1999 SVT Cobra. To make a somewhat confusing story very simple, it goes like this: Design flaws in the intake and exhaust caused the car to make less than the 320 horsepower advertised by Ford. Average losses were in the 30 horsepower range, but some folks claimed as many as 50 ponies were missing from their Cobra. The fallout caused Ford to stop Cobra production, issue a recall, and “fix” the cars already in circulation so they actually produced all 320 horsepower. All Cobra owners were notified of the problem and asked to deliver their cars to the nearest SVT dealer for service, which consisted of a new upper and lower intake manifold, new exhaust system, and a PCM reflash.

Of course, there’s no way to know if every car actually got the repair. A small green/blue dot on the driver’s side of the intake manifold should indicate that a dealer performed the recall, or any Ford dealer can look up the VIN to view the car’s service history. Ford’s old SVT hotline (1-800-FORD-SVT) still works as well, though these days they’re called the Ford Performance Group. They can access the repair history of any SVT vehicle, so long as the work was done by a Ford dealer. Ultimately, healthy 1999 Cobras should make between 270 and 280 rear-wheel horsepower, so if the intake dots are missing or the Ford guys can’t find a service date, a trip to the local dyno can settle the issue once and for all.

Or, you can just skip the 1999 Cobra and go for a 2001 model, which never had the power-loss problems of the 1999. Nor did it have the weaker T-45 transmission or the 28-spline axles, both of which have a reputation for breaking in the 1999 Cobra. You’ll also pay a bit more for 2001 Cobras—$13,000 to $14,000 on average versus $10,000 to $11,000 for the 1999 models. Be very wary of cheap Cobras, for while they’re a tempting purchase, most are either abused beyond belief, or worse yet, a 260-horsepower Mustang GT wearing Cobra cladding and an SVT badge. At least parts are relatively cheap to find, and being a Mustang, the performance aftermarket is a never-ending roller coaster of bolt-on items, from mild cold air kits to wild supercharger packages.

We’ll look at the stupendous SVT Cobra community—and offer some advice on navigating this overwhelming enthusiast arena—in the next Keepers diddy. In the meantime, spy this 2001 Cobra on eBay (and featured in the image gallery above) for $11,900.

+ NextAutos Forums: Mustang SVT Cobra

+ Keepers: Mustang SVT Cobra

+ Keepers: Audi S4

Keepers: Mustang SVT Cobra

Christopher Smith — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:05:55 -0500

When the concept of Keepers was bouncing around the NextAutos office, there was a tinge of trepidation about discussing Mustangs and Camaros. Aside from the fanatical, insanely-large following enjoyed by both cars, they’ve been covered, featured, mentioned, compared, discussed, reviewed, and otherwise overblown by just about every publication on the planet. As such, you’ll ~~never~~ likely never see a Mustang GT or Camaro Z28 in this neck of NextAutos cyberspace, but some of the specialty models do stand a chance, such as the 1999 and 2001 Mustang SVT Cobra.

Most people recall the 1999 Cobra as the Mustang that didn’t meet its advertised 320-horsepower quota. Restrictions in the intake manifold and exhaust were the culprits, and according to Ford, all 1999 Cobra owners were contacted to get “the fix” free of charge. Cobra production was halted, and the issue became such a red-faced debacle for Ford that production didn’t return until the 2001 model year, save for 300 limited-edition Cobra R race cars that came out in 2000. Lost in all that negative publicity was the fact that the 1999 Cobra ditched its live rear axle in favor of a fully-independent rear suspension, elevating the aging pony car to something more akin to an honest sports car. Once the horsepower issues were solved, the Cobra’s DOHC 4.6 liter V-8 offered equal power—and performance—to Chevrolet’s Camaro SS despite being over a liter smaller in size. That translated to 0-60 times in the high four-second range, mid-13 second quarter-mile times, and a suspension setup that helped the Mustang to be more than just a—wait for it—one-trick pony. The new edge styling treatment of the Mustang lineup didn’t hurt either, and the manual-trans-only interface kept the Cobra primarily in the hands of enthusiasts.

So then, why cover these Cobras when the supercharged “Terminator” models from 2003 and 2004 are so much faster? Aside from being the last naturally-aspirated super ‘stangs to roll out of Flat Rock, Michigan, the 1999 and 2001 Cobras are a performance bargain, due in part to the whole power-loss issue but mostly because everyone wants a Terminator. As such, finding a naturally-aspirated 1999 or 2001 Cobra—in either coupe or convertible trim—for under $10,000 is relatively easy, and with 320 horsepower on tap, it’s not exactly slow. Terminators on the other hand still command double or even triple that price for what amounts to an extra 70 or so horsepower. Add in the low production figures, old-fashioned American V-8 grunt, a fully-independent suspension, and a transmission that requires the driver to manually swap cogs, and you have a solid case for calling this particular Mustang a Keeper.

Want to buy a 1999 Cobra but not sure if “the fix” was done? Talk about it in the NextAutos Forums , and return soon for details on Cobra shopping in the next segment of Keepers.

+ NextAutos Forums: Mustang SVT Cobra

+ Keepers: Audi S4

Winding Road Special BMW Issue Is Now Available!

Winding Road Staff — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:20:23 -0500

Winding Road presents its second Special Edition, the BMW Issue. Full to the brim with Munich’s finest, this issue includes our best coverage of the Ultimate Driving Machine, along with buyer’s guides and previews of some Bimmers yet to come.

This special issue is available only in downloadable PDF format from NextNewsStand. It’s yours for the super low price of $3.99.

CLICK HERE to download this issue.

Keepers: Audi S4 B5-series—Community

Christopher Smith — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:24:07 -0500

Here’s where the frustration of dealing with recurring S4 mechanical maladies all but disappears. YouTube is full videos that feature turbo S4s committing various acts of horsepower heroics (like the Nurburgring vid posted above), and that’s due to the devout following of Audi owners on the whole. The unassuming styling of the S4 however, combined with the Biturbo’s ease of tuning make it an Audi favorite despite the car’s relatively short North American lifespan. As such, S4 owners have an extremely broad enthusiast community when it comes to technical help, aftermarket tuning, spare parts, or just friendly camaraderie. In fact, there are so many web sites in cyber land devoted to all things Audi that we could never hope to list them all, but we can offer a few suggestions on groups both big and small.

With a membership base approaching 500,000, fourtitude.com is by far the largest web-based Audi forum, though it also includes all the manufacturers under the Audi umbrella, such as Seat and Lamborghini. AudiWorld.com offers news, technical resources, project cars, and a forum of nearly 170,000 members, making it the largest Audi-specific site on the internet. Audizine.com and Audiforums.com also offer impressively-large online memberships, while enthusiasts looking for a quieter, S4-specific outlet can visit s4forum.com , which caters to approximately 3000 registered members. If online chatting and forum hashing isn’t your thing, S4 drivers should at least bookmark s4biturbo.com . Filled with links, technical information, aftermarket suggestions and enough info to tackle any B5 S4 project, this web site is a bible for anyone sporting a turbocharged S4.

Traditional club goers will find their needs met at audiclubna.org , online home of the Audi Club of North America (ACNA.) This official organization maintains a strong membership base and delivers a quarterly newsletter, numerous membership perks, and regular driving events hosted through ACNA chapters across the country, all available for a nominal membership fee.

Watch the video up top to take a hot lap around our favorite German race track behind the wheel of an S4, then drop into the NextAutos Forums to plug your local Audi club, or to share personal stories of S4-related sports-car humiliation.

+ NextAutos Forums: Audi S4

+ Keepers: Audi S4 B5-series

Keepers: Audi S4 B5-Series—Shopping

Christopher Smith — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:38:11 -0500

Most performance enthusiasts—and especially the fans of Q-ship performance—are well aware that the much-loved Biturbo S4 does have a dark side. Yes, Audi was pumping out some cool cars back in the day, but questionable quality, poor reliability, and astronomical repair costs have become a trademark characteristic for Audis of this era. Talk to just about any S4 driver and you’ll get a similar story of mechanical maladies that either total thousands of dollars, or take the car off the road for weeks or months at a time while the owner gathers parts for the repair. As such, the best S4 purchasing advice is to have extra money set aside for repair work. You’ll need it.

The biggest concern—or rather concerns—with the twin-turbo S4 are in fact the twin turbos, which are prone to early failure for a number of reasons. A proper repair will kick you in the groin to the tune of $6000, but that includes upgraded turbos and all the necessary hardware to handle the higher horsepower of the improved setup. Yes, money can be saved by sticking with factory stock turbos, but either way, the engine must be yanked to handle the repair. Most Audi experts agree that, if such an effort is taking place, it’s best to replace all the so-so parts with goods that will actually last. S4 drivers can then focus on flimsy half-shafts, loose seats, and notchy six-speed manual gearboxes, especially in the first two cogs.

Those are just some of the S4-specific concerns. Other issues such as sensor failures, noisy wheel bearings, and occasional electrical gremlins are common pitfalls among many Audis from this generation—including the S4. At least parts are still relatively easy to come across, but like the turbos, be prepared to shell out big bucks for most items, and even bigger bucks for labor.

This maintenance-heavy regimen is certainly one of the reasons why the Biturbo S4s are a relatively affordable purchase, despite their rarity. Even seldom-seen S4 Avant station wagons like this eBay find are available without breaking the bank. Okay, so that Avant has a salvage title, but this non-salvage eBay S4 sedan with 71,000 miles (pictured above, along with the Avant) is quite a bargain as well. Quality B5 S4s should fall in the $10,000 to $15,000 price bracket, with project cars coming in well south of that. Of course, even the good cars could require a major maintenance investment, so once again, the word on S4 shopping is to have spare cash on standby when the repair fairy visits your garage.

Despite the finicky nature of these cars, S4 enthusiasts continue to invest hours of time and vaults of greenbacks to keep these super sedans on the road. They also pitch in to help form a dedicated enthusiast community ready to not just talk the talk, but to help other S4 owners keep their rides near the top of the sport sedan food chain. We examine that community in our final Keepers segment on the S4, coming very soon. Until then, hook up with other enthusiasts and offer more advice to future S4 owners in the NextAutos Forums.

+ NextAutos Forums: Audi S4

+ eBay find: Audi S4 Avant station wagon

+ eBay find: Audi S4 Sedan

+ Keepers: Audi S4 B5-Series

+ Keepers: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

Keepers: Audi S4 B5-series

Christopher Smith — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:27:20 -0500

In lieu of Audi’s all-new unveilings at the Frankfurt Motor Show , the timing couldn’t be better for a flashback to one of the company’s defining performance offerings. We’re speaking of course about the Audi S4 sedan that first appeared on Yankee soil way back in 1992. The formula hasn’t changed much over the years, but when it comes down to a specific S4 genre, we look to the second-generation B5-series S4 as the version that roundhouse kicked the sport sedan segment of the day, becoming a performance legend in the process.

Originally based on the slightly larger Audi 100, the B5-series S4 actually debuted on the smaller A4 platform in 1997. The original S4 concept of turbocharged power with all-wheel drive grip made the transition to the smaller car, though the first-generation, single-turbo five-cylinder engine evolved to a twin-turbo (or Biturbo in Audi speak) V-6 making 261 horsepower. Unfortunately, it would be another three years before American shoppers could partake in this new S4, as Audi didn’t begin importing the car until the new millennium. The U.S. spec S4 also lost a few ponies in the process, dropping the boosted output of the tiny 2.7-liter, 30-valve engine to an even 250. It was still enough to power S4s to 60 miles per hour in well under six seconds, and the choice of a six-speed manual or a five-speed Tiptronic transmission gave enthusiasts a proper interface for gear selection. All-wheel drive grip allowed the S4 to launch like a scalded pig, and though that same system added a significant amount of heft, the car was poised enough to be a welcome companion in the turns, regardless of weather conditions. And lest we leave out the S4 Avant wagon; few things tickle our funny bones like unassuming sleepers, and while the sedan is plenty sedate to go unnoticed, a 150 mile-per-hour station wagon is just…neat.

A significant injustice would be served, however, if we didn’t mention the tuning capability of this machine. The S4 as it stands is a great car, but in reality, its legendary status is owed to the aftermarket, which embraced the turbocharged German like a rabid pack of wolves descending on Red Riding Hood’s unlocked condo. Bounce around the S4 community (which we’ll cover more in-depth a couple segments from now) and you’ll find more S4 tuners than clothing boutiques at the Mall of America. Of course, this excitement wouldn’t exist if the S4 didn’t respond so well to modification. 50-horsepower gains are just a performance chip away, and 11-second daily drivers aren’t uncommon. For these reasons, the B5-series S4 is still extremely popular among the tuner crowd despite a decade of S4 evolution, and with a majority of these cars now available for under $15,000, the price-per-performance factor is huge.

Whether it’s a stock sedan, modified wagon, or some variation in between, the S4 is a machine that every auto enthusiast should experience at least once before death. Yes, Audis of this era can be a bit finicky, but in our next segment of Keepers we’ll help you navigate the minefield of S4 shopping to ensure your bank account lives on.

+ NextAutos Forums: Audi S4

+ Keepers: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

+ Keepers: Subaru Impreza WRX

Keepers: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe—Community

Christopher Smith — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:38:31 -0500

As one might expect with a lesser-known performance car, the Turbo Coupe community is a lesser-known group of individuals who not only love the Turbo Coupe, but all iterations of the Fox-Body based, “aero birds” that graced the FoMoCo lineup from 1983-1988. They also love and embrace the same-era Mercury Cougar, which mirrored the Turbo Coupe’s development through 1986 by offering the 2.3 turbo with a five-speed on the rare XR-7 model. Of course, given the heritage and variety of Thunderbird flavors over the years (and specifically classic 1955-1957 two-seaters), Thunderbird clubs exist near and far, playing second fiddle only to the Ford Mustang as far as Blue Oval auto enthusiasts are concerned. Because the ‘birds were so different through the years, most clubs tend to focus on a specific Thunderbird generation, though one—the International Thunderbird Club—caters to them all.

Founded in 1993, the International Thunderbird Club (ITC) is truly international, with members in over 10 countries. It’s also an official organization with its own magazine, club merchandise, car shows that offer concours-style judging, a yearly convention, and chapters all across the United States. One of those chapters is affectionately called NATO—the North American Turbocoupe Association —and aside from having the most comprehensive TC-specific resource page on the internet (and one of the best online-based resource pages of any performance car), its forum of over 5000 members is one of the best resources for anyone looking to enter the Turbo Coupe realm. Another outstanding organization for the Turbo Coupe faithful, as well as Cougars (the cars, that is) and all iterations of ‘birds and cats from 1983-1997 is the Thunderbird and Cougar Club of America , or TCCoA for short. Like the ITC, the TCCoA offers a paid membership that features a member’s only section to the TCCoA website as well as special discounts with select vendors. The TCCoA forums are open to anyone however, and with 14,000 registered uses, odd are you’ll be able to find whatever it is you need to satisfy your Thunderbird cravings.

Speical thanks to the numerous Turbo Coupe enthusiasts who sent us truckloads of great Thunderbird photos. Though we didn't have room for them all, make sure you revisit the galleries of this segment to appreciate some of the finest Turbo Coupes on the road today.

If you’re not already registered for our NextAutos Forums , sign up (it’s free) and let us know about other Turbo Coupe organizations or special events that ‘bird and cat lovers like to attend.

+ NextAutos Forums: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

+ International Thunderbird Club (ITC)

+ North American Turbocoupe Association (NATO)

+ Thunderbird Cougar Club of America (TCCoA)

+ Keepers: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

Keepers: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe—Shopping

Christopher Smith — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:41:01 -0500

Folks who’ve been considering a Turbo Coupe purchase—especially those with some mechanical know-how—will find prices are surprisingly affordable, with fixer-uppers generally available for under $1000. Be warned though; while these cars have longevity and reliability on their side (more than a few TC owners attest to topping 200,000 miles with just basic maintenance), bringing one back from the dead can become a pricey endeavor. Typical used car shopping guidelines apply, but also be acutely aware of items unique to the 1987-1988 Turbo Coupe, such as hoods, front clips, rear brake calipers, red-trimmed molding, and the like. The rear calipers especially can be a bit finicky, and replacing these items is an experience more akin to restoring a classic car than fixing up an older, used one. Even small TC-specific sensors can cost a bundle, so don’t automatically sign on to a cheap sale without first checking some of the restoration costs.

Or, you can just dig around for a car that’s already in good shape. They’re not exactly common, but a patient shopper will have options and the pricing still won’t break the bank, such as this good looking eBay ‘bird with just over 100,000 miles (pictured above in our gallery.) Whether purchasing a restored example or a fixer-upper, learn about the vehicle history if at all possible. Following cool-down procedures such as letting the car idle for a minute or so before shutting it off are vital to the health of the turbo, and a compression check can help determine whether or not a previous owner upped the boost enough to pop the head gasket, both of which occur more often than not. Should you come across a perfect, turn-key Turbo Coupe, it may be possible to drive it home for just $5000, making these cars one of the best kept, inexpensive motoring secrets around. In fact, now may be the time for TC fans to snatch these cars up, because there’s at least a decent possibility that prices will go up in a hurry in the next few years, as 1987-1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupes inch ever closer to the magic 25-year mark; the official age at which a vehicle becomes a classic.

The Turbo Coupe community is next on the roster, and the NextAutos Forums—as always—are open for discussion.

+ NextAutos Forums: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

+ eBay Find: 1987 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

+ Keepers: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

+ Keepers: Subaru Impreza WRX

Keepers: Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

Christopher Smith — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:08:51 -0500

Now that Ford is getting all excited about turbocharged engines, we thought it might be nice to revisit its original turbo effort from the 1980s. Long before Dearborn coined the term EcoBoost there was just plain boost, force-feeding Ford’s venerable 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine. Enthusiasts will recognize this engine as the force behind other Blue Oval 80s creations like the Mustang SVO and Merkur XR4Ti, but the unmistakably-aero appearance of the 1987-1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe holds a place in our enthusiast heart as having the best combination of performance, styling, sportiness, comfort, and gadgetry.

It’s that last bit that sometimes catches people off guard, for while most car nuts are at least somewhat familiar with the Turbo Coupe, few actually realize just how technically advanced this car was back in the day. Sure, drivers could get the turbo/intercooled engine making 190 horsepower, funneled to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox (automatics only had 150 horsepower), but that was only part of the Turbo Coupe experience. A fully-optioned Turbo Coupe also included full power equipment, a factory moonroof, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, and an active suspension system with firm and soft ride settings. Those last two bits may not seem terribly impressive by 2009 standards, but twenty years ago those items were cutting edge in the automotive realm. As a result, the ‘Bird was quite an entertaining drive in either the back country or as a long-distance cruiser, and at full trot this Eighties icon could grab 140 miles per hour. It may not have been the straight-line performance beast that the Buick Grand National was, but it offered undeniable sex appeal in a luxurious package, with options that were years ahead of the competition. More importantly, it was also the only luxury performance coupe in its class to offer a manual transmission in a proper north-south configuration, and as far as we’re concerned, that’s what elevates the Thunderbird Turbo Coupe from a cool car to a Keeper. Tell us more Thunderbird stories in the NextAutos Forums and come back soon for TC shopping tips.

+ NextAutos Forums: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

+ Keepers: Subaru Impreza WRX

+ Keepers: GMC Syclone/Typhoon

Video: Classic JDM Chase Scene

Seyth Miersma — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 09:51:43 -0500

Though our favorite car chase scenes tend to run toward the Hollywood variety, this JDM spec clip proves that the genre is heralded across the globe. Those whose hearts beat faster at the sight of classic Japanese metal (author raises hand) should especially love this long-play chase between a Toyota TE71 Corolla Levin and an S30 Fairlady Z (movie is unknown, sadly, but feel free to wise us up in comments). Just some good old fashioned cops and robbers here boy, strap in.

+ YouTube

List: Our Ten Favorite Women On Cars

John Beltz Snyder — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:47:29 -0500

Since the birth of the automobile, women have been posing on cars. Often, it’s in order to sell something. Spokesperson + product = advertisement. Sometimes, the car and the woman placed together highlight the aesthetic qualities of one another, making a good photograph great. Occasionally, there’s no good reason for anyone to be on top of a vehicle (sometimes accompanied by us yelling, “Hey, that’s my car!”).

The above gallery, without veering off into the arena of the wholly distasteful (*cough*lowriders*cough*), runs the gamut of these types of woman-and-car matchups. Click through, and enjoy.

Recent List:

+ Ten Cars We Wish Were Still Sold Here

Keepers: Subaru WRX—Community

Christopher Smith — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:35:49 -0500

Subaru enthusiasts share a broad enjoyment of just about everything Subaru, with various meets and events happening on almost a daily basis. Given the go-anywhere, all-wheel drive nature of the Subie lineup, back-woods barbeques and off-road events go hand-in-hand with traditional pavement-bound activities—year round. Nowhere is this array of activity seen better than with the scores of Subaru fans who flock to various stages of the Rally America series; the U.S. equivalent to the World Rally Championship that made the WRX famous. Sponsored by Subaru and scattered about the countryside in a nine-event season, every stop turns into a Subaru extravaganza, and it’s not uncommon to see the more die-hard WRX owners show up with gigantic light bars and stage maps, ready to follow competitors from stage to stage be it on tarmac, gravel, or even snow.

Should the rally life not be your cup of tea, an online visit to NASIOC (pronounced NAS-ee-ock) will deliver you to the welcome hands of nearly a quarter-million Subaru devotees ready to show you Impreza nirvana. Standing for the North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club, NASIOC isn’t just the number one WRX club in America, it’s one of the most active enthusiast communities, period. NASIOC is truly a one-stop organization for WRX followers, featuring everything from current Subaru news, to a very specific parts/product database, and of course a massive online forum community that’s home to some of the top WRX experts in the world. NASIOC chapters span the country, and unless you live north of the Arctic Circle, NASIOC members most likely already populate your neighborhood. Best of all, the club is supported by an A-list of vendors ready to deliver any Subie add-on you could desire. Joining up with NASIOC also happens to be absolutely free.

Of course, what would the WRX community be without the antics of Subaru Rally America driver and extreme sport guru Ken Block, throwing his race-prepped WRX through more sideways action than a crooked stockbroker? We prefer Block’s first Gymkhana video to his more recent offering, and though it doesn’t feature the round-eye Rex we hate to love, it’s still the best WRX pornography available today. Feel free to post links to other cool WRX videos in the NextAutos forums.

+ NextAutos Forums: Subaru WRX

+ Rally-America.com

+ NASIOC.com

+ Keepers: Subaru Impreza WRX

Keepers: Subaru WRX—Shopping

Christopher Smith — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:01:34 -0500

Turbocharged power funneled through an all-wheel drive platform is often a recipe for a reliability nightmare, but in keeping with its rugged rally-bred existence, the 2002-03 WRX is quite the stout performance machine that takes spirited driving in stride. In fact, the issues most prevalent to would-be WRX owners are actually previous WRX owners, or more accurately, previous owner abuse. General used car shopping guidelines are definitely in effect here, but given the WRX’s youthful and often exuberant audience, extra attention to detail could save you from purchasing someone else’s thrashed-out ragdoll. Tracing the history of the car should be a top priority, all the way back to the original owner if possible. 5000 rpm clutch drops are a favored pastime of abuse-happy enthusiasts seeking maximum acceleration runs, and with the Subie’s all-wheel drive grip, the strain from such aggressive launches is sent right to the tranny. Be wary of anything in the driveline such as vibrations, rattles, excessive noise, extreme notchiness in the shifter, or difficult clutch operation, as you don’t want to get involved with serious driveline repairs. On the flip side, a modified WRX shouldn’t automatically throw a red flag. This car enjoys one of the most comprehensive automotive aftermarkets in the motoring world, so much so that even the most fastidious WRX owner will likely have some sort of bolt-on goodie gracing the beast within. This could be the one car even seasoned shadetree mechanics elect to seek a professional opinion on, as a detailed, experienced eye could mean the difference between supercar-like performance, or a supercar-like repair bill.

The only real factory issue to note is a leaking fuel rail that occasionally rears itself on the 2002 cars, and it’s prevalent enough that Subaru issued a service bulletin outlining the problem and how to fix it. The leak generally surfaces in cold weather, with drivers getting a strong fuel smell in the cabin thanks to raw fuel sitting on top of the block. Since an official recall was never issued, owners are expected to foot the $500 repair bill, though some persistent WRX drivers have convinced the manufacturer to step up and pay the piper.

Finding the right WRX shouldn’t be terribly difficult, though they’re not quite as common as one would expect. Owner satisfaction gets the credit for that shortage, as WRX owners generally want to stay WRX owners. Such loyalty also contributes to the impressive resale figures the 2002-03 cars still demand. Figure on squirreling away $10,000 for an average bug-eyed WRX sedan or wagon with less than 100,000 miles, such as the 2002 eBay find pictured above and linked below. Modifications generally don’t make a difference on these cars, though the more radical cars may command a few extra bucks, such as this slick looking WRX also parked on eBay and also pictured above. Be wary of the low-dollar bargain Subies, for while they could be a tempting purchase, odds are they’re on the brink of a major meltdown. Once again, a detailed inspection is vital, whether it’s a high-mile road warrior or a low-mile garage queen.

As one might expect of a car popularized through the internet, WRX enthusiasts could well be the largest, most active auto community in the world. We’ll dare to step into that realm for our next WRX segment, and because this community is so widespread, feel free to plug your individual WRX connections in our NextAutos.com Forums.

+ NextAutos Forums: Subaru WRX

+ eBay Find: 2002 WRX Sedan stock

+ eBay Find: 2002 WRX Sedan modified

+ Keepers: Subaru WRX

+ Keepers: GMC Syclone/Typhoon

Keepers: Subaru Impreza WRX

Christopher Smith — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:29:20 -0500

Every once in a while a car comes along that transcends the motoring world to become an icon for a generation. Cars like the 1957 Chevy Bel Air and 1965 Ford Mustang may spring to mind as previous icons, and as we enter the final months of the 21st-century’s premier decade, we find there’s a new car to grace that exclusive list: the 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX.

Before the cries of sacrilege come streaming in, consider that the WRX—aside from being an outstanding driver’s car—is the first automobile whose popularity in this country is directly linked to the worldwide digital revolution, and that’s a big deal. Subaru never intended to send us the little-turbo-that-could; the original WRX was born in Japan a full nine years before it finally made a U.S. landfall in 2001. During that time it became a bit of a performance legend everywhere else but here, thanks to a dominating presence in the World Rally Championship where the WRX’s small size, all-wheel drive grip, and big-time horsepower gave Subaru the manufacturer’s title for three straight years during the latter half of the 1990s. Of course, the World Rally Championship never entered the U.S. market, and that lack of visibility—combined with the American penchant for V-8 performance—left Subaru executives cool to the idea of importing the car into what appeared to be an uninformed, unfriendly market.

Meanwhile, a little thing called the internet was happening, and young Americans were discovering videos of Subaru-badged cars with big wings, throwing thirty-foot dirt rooster tails while negotiating hairpin corners at full opposite lock. A curious video game called Gran Turismo on the original Sony Playstation soon followed, in which players could “drive” about 100,000 different variations of the WRX. By the end of the century, Subaru’s street-legal rally car had built a sizable U.S. enthusiast base, and Subie bosses took notice. Not bad for a car most Americans hadn’t even driven.

As such, when the Impreza WRX finally went on sale in the states as a 2002 model, Subaru couldn’t keep up with demand. Never mind that the freshly-redesigned car had a bug-eyed, gaping mouth look Jeremy Clarkson once described as “having a stick shoved up its backside.” Or that its interior was often criticized for being too bargain basement. Or that Americans had to make due with the 227-horsepower version while the rest of the world could opt for the 300-horsepower STi edition. The Volkswagen Beetle isn’t regarded as an iconic car because of how great it was, and the WRX attains this status for a similar reason. The growl of the horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine, the rush of power as the turbo comes on boost, the snickery shifter and supportive seats, the all-wheel drive platform that begs to be driven sideways; combine these performance bits with the oddball looks, boy-racer trim, and a relatively inexpensive as-new price tag, and you have a positively-thrilling vehicle that offers a driving experience as rewarding—and unique—as its character. Other cars may go faster, handle better, or look less cartoon-ish, but for a new generation of driving enthusiasts seeking a fresh identity, it was the perfect performance car at the perfect time.

WRX Shopping is next on the agenda, and of course we have the NextAutos Forums open for discussion. Is there a more iconic car to usher in the 21st century than the WRX?

+ NextAutos Forums: Subaru WRX

+ Keepers: GMC Syclone/Typhoon

+ Keepers: Mazda RX-7

Keepers: GMC Syclone/Typhoon—Community

Christopher Smith — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:02:41 -0500

Every hardcore performance ride has an enthusiast following, and while the same kind of race-inspired pedigree may not surround the Syclone/Typhoon, a small but faithful group of gearheads congregate to www.syty.org , online home to the International Syclone Typhoon Owners Association (ISTA and yes, they opt to go O-less for the acronym). International is no typo either; despite a limited production run, Syclones and Typhoons have found homes in such faraway lands as England, Sweden, Germany, and Austria. SyTy.org also lists club chapters for Brazil and Japan, though a visit to both websites suggests activity in those areas might be waning.

Wherever the location, most of the enthusiast activity takes place online at www.SyTy.net , the official Syclone/Typhoon discussion forums. Upwards of 7500 owners and enthusiasts chat daily about SyTy maintenance issues, modifications, and the ever popular racing kill story, and let’s be honest—there’s a huge grin factor whenever an unsuspecting sports car driver gets spanked by baby pickup truck. Horseplay aside, both SyTy.net and SyTy.org contain such valuable information as a Syclone/Typhoon buyer’s guide, SyTy history, registry information, a nifty member locator tool, and the resources needed to keep these turbo trucks on the road.

While not a terribly active group, SyTy faithful do have their own annual convention, which actually just took place in Bowling Green, Kentucky this past weekend. Called the SyTy Nationals, this year’s event ran from August 7-9 and drew over 100 trucks for a weekend of turbo tomfoolery, including tech sessions, poker runs, drag racing, and autocrossing. The website for the event is www.SyTynats.com .

For a blast from the past, check out the original MotorWeek review of the 1992 GMC Typhoon posted above. As always, our forums are open for discussions on the Syclone/Typhoon phenomena as well as performance talk in general, and look out for the next installment of Keepers as we continue the all-wheel drive theme with a well-known Japanese rally star.

+ NextAutos Forums: GMC Syclone_Typhoon

+ SyTy.org

+ SyTy.net

+ SyTynats.com

+ Keepers: GMC Syclone/Typhoon

Keepers: GMC Syclone/Typhoon—Shopping

Christopher Smith — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:30:43 -0500

The Syclone/Typhoon (often referred to as SyTy by owners and enthusiasts) super trucks were always intended to be niche, limited-production vehicles. Save for a few outlier units in 1992, Syclones were exclusive to the 1991 model year and exclusively black, while Typhoons offered more color and less exclusivity thanks to a production run that spanned 1992 and 1993. As one would expect, the Typhoon is a bit easier to find; nearly 5000 came off the assembly line during its two-year run as opposed to 3000 Syclones, so while these trucks are rather rare, they’re not impossible to find.

If you do find one, chances are it has lived a difficult life, and that likely means some TLC will be required. Even if the specimen in question is without fault, consider that the Syclone/Typhoon program was essentially a budget-constrained side project, rushed into production using mostly off-the-shelf parts that weren’t necessarily engineered to cope with the high horsepower and torque levels of the turbo V-6. Transmissions and driveline components are common problem areas, with rebuilds being a question of when as opposed to if. Like the RX-7 in the previous Keepers segment, the SyTy’s engine can be quite finicky when it comes to tweaking, tuning, or even basic maintenance, requiring a specialist familiar with the powerplant to ensure issues are taken care of correctly. If these trucks are driven to their potential on an even semi-regular basis, be prepared to spend plenty of time—and cash—with that specialist, because SyTys don’t take well to big-boost launches or similar abuse. Then there are the typical GM issues of the era such as rusting body panels and faulty electronics, and they affect the duo just the same as any other 17-year old GMC Sonoma or S-15 Jimmy. In other words, while these trucks have performance comparable to many exotic Italian supercars of their era, they also can be just as fickle, fragile, and maintenance-intensive.

Unlike many Italian supercars however, SyTys can be found quite cheap despite their rarity, especially in the current recession-dominated vehicle market. Moderately-used examples can dip well under the $10,000 range, leaving you plenty of cash left over to build or rebuild the truck as you see fit. Low-mile stockers generally stay in the $10,000 to $15,000 range, though some of the truly low-mile (less than 10,000) examples may creep higher, such as this showroom-new Syclone currently on eBay. And though you probably won’t find one for sale in your neighborhood, odds are there’s a SyTy within a day’s drive of wherever you’re at.

The enthusiast community for the Syclone/Typhoon isn’t quite as large or robust as many other niche segments, but the SyTy faithful do have resources to help feed their addiction. We’ll sample some of that in our next round of Keepers, but in the meantime chat up these turbo trucks in our forms and spy some of the eBay finds currently on the auction block.

+ NextAutos Forums: GMC Syclone_Typhoon

+ eBay Find: GMC Syclone (2400 miles)

+ eBay Find: GMC Syclone

+ eBay Find: GMC Typhoon

+ Keepers: GMC Syclone/Typhoon

Keepers: GMC Syclone/Typhoon

Christopher Smith — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:05:58 -0500

Nothing seems to polarize motoring enthusiasts more than the concept of a performance truck, and the NextAutos office is no exception. What kind of absurd mentality could ever conceive such an abomination as a utilitarian vehicle that aspires to be something other than utilitarian? After all, you could bolt plywood to a shopping cart, tie it to a boat, and go water ~~skiing~~ carting if you really wanted to, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to have a blast jumping the wake or cracking the whip into the beach.

Or does it?

While we don’t recommend any such activity with a shopping cart, this does raise a very important point. When it comes to having fun, sometimes the absurd can deliver an experience that transcends normal definitions, and that’s really what this week’s Keepers segment is all about. Before the Ram SRT-10 or Cherokee SRT-8, before the likes of the Infiniti FX45 or even the F-150 SVT Lightning, there was the 1991 GMC Syclone pickup and its slightly-beefier brother, the 1992-1993 GMC Typhoon SUV. Absurd? Possibly. A driver’s machine? Maybe. Quicker than whisky on an empty stomach?

Definitely.

Obvious pun notwithstanding, this duo took the world by storm thanks to straight-line performance that equaled many bona-fide supercars of the day. General Motors saw fit to grace the pair with a turbocharged and intercooled 4.3-liter V-6, ultimately making 280 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, though many folks suggest these figures were actually a bit conservative. A four-speed automatic was the only transmission offering, and a rear-biased, all-wheel drive system sent the power to all four wheels all the time. As a result, Syclones could nip sixty miles per hour in the mid-to-high four second range, with the heavier Typhoon running just a few ticks slower. Those are impressive figures for dedicated performance cars of today, never mind trucks from almost two decades ago. In addition to the massive thrust, both vehicles received four-wheel anti-lock brakes (a pickup-truck first) and suspension tweaks to the point where they were at least mildly entertaining to drive. Don't be lulled into thinking these are road racing maniacs however; the handling is best summed up by the term less truck-ish as opposed to more car-like, with the Typhoon and its self-adjusting rear air suspension generally getting the nod as the more livable of the two. Unique body kits and badging set the twins apart from the plebian GMC models, and while each did receive some special interior treatment, anyone familiar with General Motors interior truck design of the early 90s will never the less throw up in their mouths a little at the thought. Those who aren’t familiar, well, consider yourselves fortunate.

Whether you’re for or against the concept of a performance truck, there’s no denying that a whole bunch of people get all tingly over the likes of the Syclone and Typhoon, and that alone says something about their place in the performance halls of history. Can these vehicles be proper enthusiast driving machines? Can amazing straight line performance compensate enough for mediocre handling? Can a shopping cart on plywood be a suitable substitute for a pair of fiberglass skis? Tell us how wrong (or right) we are in the NextAutos Forums, and revisit us in a few days for Syclone/Typhoon shopping tips.

+ NextAutos Forums: GMC Syclone_Typhoon

+ Keepers: Mazda RX-7

+ Keepers: BMW M3 E46