Kickstart this winter with a free battery test at Tiger Wheel & Tyre

The days are getting shorter, temperatures are dropping, and according to Tiger Wheel & Tyre it’;s time to give your car battery the old pre-winter once over.

“Much like humans, car batteries aren’;t especially enthusiastic about getting started in the cold. The exercise is often accompanied by much groaning and if you’;re lucky, after a few failed attempts you might enjoy success. But if you’;ve ever been stranded in the cold with a dead car battery, you’;ll need no encouragement to bring your vehicle to Tiger Wheel & Tyre and have your battery tested,” said Group Marketing Executive Joe du Plooy.

It bears mentioning that even a relatively new car battery can die prematurely if you don’;t actively take measures to extend its life. Here are some guidelines from Tiger Wheel & Tyre to extend your battery’;s life this winter:

• If you go away for any length of time, disconnect the battery and attach it to a trickle charger or arrange to have someone come over regularly to start and run your car for several minutes at a time.
• Keep in mind certain vehicle tracking devices draw power from your car battery and will drain it completely if the battery isn’;t allowed to recharge.
• Cut down on short trips. Frequent trips of less than 20 minutes don’;t give your battery enough time to charge and drain it faster.
• Park inside the garage where it’;s warmer, to protect the battery from extreme cold which shortens its lifespan.

Kickstart winter with a free battery test from Tiger Wheel & Tyre, because you know that if it is going to die it will happen on a Sunday morning at 2 AM,” concluded du Plooy.

Tiger Wheel & Tyre stock a range of superior quality, maintenance-free automotive batteries from leading brands ATLASBX and Duracell. Visit the website www.twt.to to locate the store nearest to you, then stop in for your free battery test and to get sound advice on the best battery for your vehicle.

Also view:

Safe Driving in Winter /Driving in Snow and Ice

Kickstart this winter with a free battery test at Tiger Wheel & Tyre

Kickstart this winter with a free battery test at Tiger Wheel & Tyre

The days are getting shorter, temperatures are dropping, and according to Tiger Wheel & Tyre it’;s time to give your car battery the old pre-winter once over.

“Much like humans, car batteries aren’;t especially enthusiastic about getting started in the cold. The exercise is often accompanied by much groaning and if you’;re lucky, after a few failed attempts you might enjoy success. But if you’;ve ever been stranded in the cold with a dead car battery, you’;ll need no encouragement to bring your vehicle to Tiger Wheel & Tyre and have your battery tested,” said Group Marketing Executive Joe du Plooy.

It bears mentioning that even a relatively new car battery can die prematurely if you don’;t actively take measures to extend its life. Here are some guidelines from Tiger Wheel & Tyre to extend your battery’;s life this winter:

• If you go away for any length of time, disconnect the battery and attach it to a trickle charger or arrange to have someone come over regularly to start and run your car for several minutes at a time.
• Keep in mind certain vehicle tracking devices draw power from your car battery and will drain it completely if the battery isn’;t allowed to recharge.
• Cut down on short trips. Frequent trips of less than 20 minutes don’;t give your battery enough time to charge and drain it faster.
• Park inside the garage where it’;s warmer, to protect the battery from extreme cold which shortens its lifespan.

Kickstart winter with a free battery test from Tiger Wheel & Tyre, because you know that if it is going to die it will happen on a Sunday morning at 2 AM,” concluded du Plooy.

Tiger Wheel & Tyre stock a range of superior quality, maintenance-free automotive batteries from leading brands ATLASBX and Duracell. Visit the website www.twt.to to locate the store nearest to you, then stop in for your free battery test and to get sound advice on the best battery for your vehicle.

Also view:

Safe Driving in Winter /Driving in Snow and Ice

Kickstart this winter with a free battery test at Tiger Wheel & Tyre

Kickstart this winter with a free battery test at Tiger Wheel & Tyre

The days are getting shorter, temperatures are dropping, and according to Tiger Wheel & Tyre it’;s time to give your car battery the old pre-winter once over.

“Much like humans, car batteries aren’;t especially enthusiastic about getting started in the cold. The exercise is often accompanied by much groaning and if you’;re lucky, after a few failed attempts you might enjoy success. But if you’;ve ever been stranded in the cold with a dead car battery, you’;ll need no encouragement to bring your vehicle to Tiger Wheel & Tyre and have your battery tested,” said Group Marketing Executive Joe du Plooy.

It bears mentioning that even a relatively new car battery can die prematurely if you don’;t actively take measures to extend its life. Here are some guidelines from Tiger Wheel & Tyre to extend your battery’;s life this winter:

• If you go away for any length of time, disconnect the battery and attach it to a trickle charger or arrange to have someone come over regularly to start and run your car for several minutes at a time.
• Keep in mind certain vehicle tracking devices draw power from your car battery and will drain it completely if the battery isn’;t allowed to recharge.
• Cut down on short trips. Frequent trips of less than 20 minutes don’;t give your battery enough time to charge and drain it faster.
• Park inside the garage where it’;s warmer, to protect the battery from extreme cold which shortens its lifespan.

Kickstart winter with a free battery test from Tiger Wheel & Tyre, because you know that if it is going to die it will happen on a Sunday morning at 2 AM,” concluded du Plooy.

Tiger Wheel & Tyre stock a range of superior quality, maintenance-free automotive batteries from leading brands ATLASBX and Duracell. Visit the website www.twt.to to locate the store nearest to you, then stop in for your free battery test and to get sound advice on the best battery for your vehicle.

Also view:

Safe Driving in Winter /Driving in Snow and Ice

Kickstart this winter with a free battery test at Tiger Wheel & Tyre

Kickstart this winter with a free battery test at Tiger Wheel & Tyre

The days are getting shorter, temperatures are dropping, and according to Tiger Wheel & Tyre it’;s time to give your car battery the old pre-winter once over.

“Much like humans, car batteries aren’;t especially enthusiastic about getting started in the cold. The exercise is often accompanied by much groaning and if you’;re lucky, after a few failed attempts you might enjoy success. But if you’;ve ever been stranded in the cold with a dead car battery, you’;ll need no encouragement to bring your vehicle to Tiger Wheel & Tyre and have your battery tested,” said Group Marketing Executive Joe du Plooy.

It bears mentioning that even a relatively new car battery can die prematurely if you don’;t actively take measures to extend its life. Here are some guidelines from Tiger Wheel & Tyre to extend your battery’;s life this winter:

• If you go away for any length of time, disconnect the battery and attach it to a trickle charger or arrange to have someone come over regularly to start and run your car for several minutes at a time.
• Keep in mind certain vehicle tracking devices draw power from your car battery and will drain it completely if the battery isn’;t allowed to recharge.
• Cut down on short trips. Frequent trips of less than 20 minutes don’;t give your battery enough time to charge and drain it faster.
• Park inside the garage where it’;s warmer, to protect the battery from extreme cold which shortens its lifespan.

Kickstart winter with a free battery test from Tiger Wheel & Tyre, because you know that if it is going to die it will happen on a Sunday morning at 2 AM,” concluded du Plooy.

Tiger Wheel & Tyre stock a range of superior quality, maintenance-free automotive batteries from leading brands ATLASBX and Duracell. Visit the website www.twt.to to locate the store nearest to you, then stop in for your free battery test and to get sound advice on the best battery for your vehicle.

Also view:

Safe Driving in Winter /Driving in Snow and Ice

Kickstart this winter with a free battery test at Tiger Wheel & Tyre

Kickstart this winter with a free battery test at Tiger Wheel & Tyre

The days are getting shorter, temperatures are dropping, and according to Tiger Wheel & Tyre it’;s time to give your car battery the old pre-winter once over.

“Much like humans, car batteries aren’;t especially enthusiastic about getting started in the cold. The exercise is often accompanied by much groaning and if you’;re lucky, after a few failed attempts you might enjoy success. But if you’;ve ever been stranded in the cold with a dead car battery, you’;ll need no encouragement to bring your vehicle to Tiger Wheel & Tyre and have your battery tested,” said Group Marketing Executive Joe du Plooy.

It bears mentioning that even a relatively new car battery can die prematurely if you don’;t actively take measures to extend its life. Here are some guidelines from Tiger Wheel & Tyre to extend your battery’;s life this winter:

• If you go away for any length of time, disconnect the battery and attach it to a trickle charger or arrange to have someone come over regularly to start and run your car for several minutes at a time.
• Keep in mind certain vehicle tracking devices draw power from your car battery and will drain it completely if the battery isn’;t allowed to recharge.
• Cut down on short trips. Frequent trips of less than 20 minutes don’;t give your battery enough time to charge and drain it faster.
• Park inside the garage where it’;s warmer, to protect the battery from extreme cold which shortens its lifespan.

Kickstart winter with a free battery test from Tiger Wheel & Tyre, because you know that if it is going to die it will happen on a Sunday morning at 2 AM,” concluded du Plooy.

Tiger Wheel & Tyre stock a range of superior quality, maintenance-free automotive batteries from leading brands ATLASBX and Duracell. Visit the website www.twt.to to locate the store nearest to you, then stop in for your free battery test and to get sound advice on the best battery for your vehicle.

Also view:

Safe Driving in Winter /Driving in Snow and Ice

Kickstart this winter with a free battery test at Tiger Wheel & Tyre

2015 Mercedes-Benz ML250 BlueTec 4MATIC – Instrumented Test

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2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 4MATIC Coupe Test: A Sublime Auto for the Solo Pilot

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We’;re browsing for superlatives.

As the technological leader of the Mercedes-Benz brand, the large coupes have sent us browsing for superlatives for decades. The new S-class coupe is awesomer than ever. See? We’re nonetheless searching.

Built on a shortened version of the all-singing, self-driving S550’s bones, the S550 coupe is a stunner in individual. There’s genuine presence here, from the lack of a B-pillar, to the chrome ring around the greenhouse, to the little chrome dots on the grille that appear like the knobs on a dresser drawer. The S-class-primarily based coupes have often drawn envious stares from males old sufficient to keep in mind when personal luxury denoted 2-doors with names like Toronado and Eldorado, but this Benz’s new styling had strangers of all ages eyeing it.

We couldn’t quit staring at the leather-lined interior. Most cabin pieces are shared with the S-class sedan, but the coupe receives a special upper instrument panel. It’s a much more playful design, as if Italians had been asked to redo the S-class’s interior. Our test car arrived with the optional Designo package ($ 3250) that wraps even a lot more surfaces in leather. Add the Premium package’s massaging front seats and the Warmth and Comfort bundle’s heated seats, steering wheel, and armrests and you will not want to get out. You’re putty in the S550 coupe. Just sit back and melt into the heat whilst the $ 6400 Burmester audio program plays whale sounds. Driving? You must most likely park if you are that relaxed, but the $ 2800 Driver Help gadgets mean the S550 coupe can virtually drive itself. Back-seat riders may possibly want to get out, though. There’s sufficient space for 2 adults back there, but rear legroom is restricted despite a lengthy 115.9-inch wheelbase.

Private luxury is just that—it’s personal. And, to that finish, the S550 is a sublime automobile for the solo pilot. The structure is created up of welded stampings, just like other cars’, but the silence and solidity suggests forging. Not significantly disturbs the cabin. Wind noise is eerily absent. A slight hum from the wide tires is the only audible indication of motion. Only below intense use does the 4.7-liter twin-turbo V-8 raise its voice. Even then, it emits only a 79-decibel snarl.

Not a lot upsets the serenity, even if you start treating the 4761-pound Benz like a Mazda Miata. Cornering grip is excellent for one thing this big, at .92 g, and the handling is safe. The steering does not serve up sports-automobile really feel, but it is correct even at triple-digit speeds. Acceleration is robust, but there is slight delay just before the wick lights the 449-hp charge. Sprints to 60 mph take 4.5 seconds, 4-tenths quicker than the rear-wheel-drive S550 sedan. Common 4-wheel drive tends to make for repeatable runs. Leading speed is governed at 130 mph for U.S. versions, despite the Y-rated Goodyear Eagle F1 tires.

Mercedes-Benz certainly charges complete value for its individual-luxury experience. Rates start off at $ 120,825, but our test car cost $ 149,575. We’d suggest avoiding some of the far more expensive choices on our example, but if you can afford this automobile in the 1st place, we wouldn’t dream of denying you of your individual luxury.

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2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 4MATIC Coupe Test: A Sublime Auto for the Solo Pilot

2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 4MATIC Coupe Test: A Sublime Vehicle for the Solo Pilot

Instrumented Test

arrow

We’;re looking for superlatives.

As the technological leader of the Mercedes-Benz brand, the large coupes have sent us looking for superlatives for decades. The new S-class coupe is awesomer than ever. See? We’re nevertheless browsing.

Constructed on a shortened version of the all-singing, self-driving S550’s bones, the S550 coupe is a stunner in individual. There’s genuine presence here, from the lack of a B-pillar, to the chrome ring around the greenhouse, to the tiny chrome dots on the grille that look like the knobs on a dresser drawer. The S-class-based coupes have usually drawn envious stares from men old enough to don’;t forget when personal luxury denoted 2-doors with names like Toronado and Eldorado, but this Benz’s new styling had strangers of all ages eyeing it.

We couldn’t stop staring at the leather-lined interior. Most cabin pieces are shared with the S-class sedan, but the coupe receives a unique upper instrument panel. It is a much more playful design, as if Italians had been asked to redo the S-class’s interior. Our test car arrived with the optional Designo package ($ 3250) that wraps even more surfaces in leather. Add the Premium package’s massaging front seats and the Warmth and Comfort bundle’s heated seats, steering wheel, and armrests and you won’t want to get out. You’re putty in the S550 coupe. Just sit back and melt into the heat while the $ 6400 Burmester audio method plays whale sounds. Driving? You should most likely park if you’re that relaxed, but the $ 2800 Driver Help gadgets imply the S550 coupe can virtually drive itself. Back-seat riders may possibly want to get out, although. There’s sufficient space for 2 adults back there, but rear legroom is limited in spite of a lengthy 115.9-inch wheelbase.

Individual luxury is just that—it’s individual. And, to that finish, the S550 is a sublime auto for the solo pilot. The structure is produced up of welded stampings, just like other cars’, but the silence and solidity suggests forging. Not significantly disturbs the cabin. Wind noise is eerily absent. A slight hum from the wide tires is the only audible indication of motion. Only below extreme use does the 4.7-liter twin-turbo V-8 raise its voice. Even then, it emits only a 79-decibel snarl.

Not significantly upsets the serenity, even if you begin treating the 4761-pound Benz like a Mazda Miata. Cornering grip is good for something this huge, at .92 g, and the handling is secure. The steering does not serve up sports-vehicle really feel, but it is accurate even at triple-digit speeds. Acceleration is powerful, but there is slight delay prior to the wick lights the 449-hp charge. Sprints to 60 mph take 4.5 seconds, 4-tenths faster than the rear-wheel-drive S550 sedan. Normal 4-wheel drive tends to make for repeatable runs. Top speed is governed at 130 mph for U.S. versions, despite the Y-rated Goodyear Eagle F1 tires.

Mercedes-Benz undoubtedly charges full price for its individual-luxury knowledge. Costs start off at $ 120,825, but our test car price $ 149,575. We’d suggest avoiding some of the a lot more high-priced possibilities on our instance, but if you can afford this car in the first place, we wouldn’t dream of denying you of your private luxury.

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2015 Fiat 500C Abarth Automatic Test: A Self-Shifting Droptop Mini-Exotic

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An automatic alfresco ankle-biter.

Appear what followed us home. The tiny fella is noisy, a flashy dresser, and, at $ 32,095 out the door, pricey by the pound. Subtlety is not a single of the Fiat 500C Abarth’s virtues. When we tested a manual-transmission coupe version final year, it was sent to the showers by the Ford Fiesta ST and the new Mini Cooper S hardtop. So why is it shadowing our driveway?

Even though we’re staunch supporters of human-shifted cogs, this Abarth cabrio’s 6-speed automatic transmission gives an exciting contrast to the floppy shifter and mushy clutch of the 5-speed manual in the Fiat 500C Abarth we tested in 2013. It turns out that the Aisin 6-speed automatic—a $ 1350 option—is well matched to the 1.4-liter turbo’s energy curve. Fiat tunes the MultiAir 4-cylinder differently for the automatic application: Compared with the manual version, energy is down 3 horsepower to 157 but torque jumps by 13 lb-ft to 183. The added grunt, peaking 25-rpm lower in the rev range, makes this engine way much less boggy under 3000 rpm than we’ve experienced, for instance, in the 2013 Dodge Dart. In truth, the automatic Abarth outdragged the stick-shift 500C, hitting 60 mph in 6.9 seconds versus the manual’s 7.3 seconds.

Italians are Excellent Dancers, Appropriate?

As with the stick-shift version, the auto-equipped 500C Abarth’s chassis is bolstered with efficiency-tuned anti-roll bars and dampers, oversize brakes, and large wheels and tires. The electrically boosted steering is rapid and manages to provide modest rivulets of tactility transmitted through the meaty, leather-wrapped steering wheel. At speed, the 500C feels stable and as planted as anything with just 90.6 inches amongst the front and rear axles can. The tiny fella does, nevertheless, bound enthusiastically over bumps, frost heaves, and expansion strips, so hang onto that double-half-decaf cappuccino.

A thick blanket of cold white stuff prevented us from performing our full testing regimen with the 500C Abarth, so no leading-speed or skidpad testing was attainable. But in the patch of tarmac we were able to scrape clean, brake testing had the 500C coming to a halt from 70 mph in 170 feet—similar to the 2013 Abarth cabrio’s 167 feet.

Amazingly, considering the minuscule Fiat’s huge tires and stiff suspension, not to mention the clear lack of steel in the roof, structural rigidity isn’t that bad. A single issue this schnauzer of a subcompact does not have is a undesirable case of the shakes.

The 500C’s revised-for-2015 interior is a riot of shapes and functions, and virtually no switchgear or buttons are positioned where you’d anticipate them to be if this have been, say, a Toyota. But it’s not a Toyota, and part of the exciting is peeling back the onion a tiny with each subsequent drive oh, there’s that switch I was searching for last month! Even though the rear seats are pooch perches at greatest, the fronts handle to be each comfy and supportive. Nonetheless, the tilt steering column can not telescope, which does not help extended-legged North Americans get dialed in behind the wheel. With no clutch pedal to deal with here, even though, that’s significantly less of a concern. The Fiat 500’s new, 6-inch color infotainment display assists clean up some of the dash clutter, but it sadly doesn’t consist of navigation. To get maps, you should opt for a tacked-on $ 600 TomTom unit with a tiny screen that sits atop the dash.

Ideas for Tops

In contrast, the ease of opening the “convertible” best is merely brilliant. It’s really just a rather large fabric sunroof, one that operates with surprising precision. When totally retracted to within a handful of inches of the trunk lid, it exposes nearly as considerably skin as a Hollywood ingénue on a red carpet. Press the roof button (you will do that twice going down and 3 occasions coming back up) and the canvaslike material accordions neatly as it rolls back in channels along the door tops—very slick and, at least for the duration of our watch, free of charge of wind noise and water leaks.

The only downside to opening the best is the ever-present exhaust sound—enhanced by Abarth to homeowner-association-demerit status—which drones on like a leaf-blowing lawn crew in your neighbor’s yard. It is the growl of the dog that does not bite.

But the almost inappropriate level of enthusiasm doesn’t matter. The 500C Abarth, even in slushbox kind, zips in and out of targeted traffic, is buckets of enjoyable around town, maneuvers like a border collie tending a herd of sheep, and parks wherever you want it to. Not only does the cabrio version let far more of the outside planet in, it also radiates far more of the Abarth attitude to the ionosphere.

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2015 Fiat 500C Abarth Automatic Test: A Self-Shifting Droptop Mini-Exotic

2015 Volkswagen Golf 1.8T TSI Automatic – Long-Term Road Test Intro

2015 Volkswagen Golf 1.8T TSI Automatic – Long-Term Road Test Intro

2015 Volkswagen Golf 1.8T TSI Automatic Lengthy-Term Test Intro: The Newest Golf Enters Our 40,000-mile Gantlet

Lengthy-Term Road Test Intro

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More than a worldwide ideal-seller, this is one particular of the greatest cars on sale these days.

The Volkswagen Golf ranks up there with the Toyota Corolla and Ford’s F-series as one of the best-promoting nameplates of all time, but you probably see a lot more Corollas and F-150s dotting the American landscape. That’s simply because the little Volkswagen has racked up most of its sales in Europe, the citizens of which appreciate the car’s polish and sophistication, attributes that Americans have only lately began warming to in compact vehicles. A new Golf arrived for 2015, and VW is hoping it will make a real play at American buyers much more concerned with cost and fuel economy than Audi-like solidity and comfort at triple-digit speeds.

To make the 6th-generation Golf much more palatable to American and European buyers alike, Volkswagen stripped out some weight, replaced the earlier model’s normal 2.5-liter 5-cylinder lump with a fresh 4-cylinder turbo, and beefed up the hatchback’s list of driver-help characteristics. Oh, and to preserve fees down, VW is constructing North American Golf models in Mexico. The car’s 10Best award this year proves that assimilation didn’t require severance from what made it so wonderful prior to.

A 10Best award is explanation adequate to sign a car up for a extended-term test, but this Golf evaluation is particular. Recall how much of a mixed bag Volkswagen’s comparable American-centric play with the most current Passat was? In addition to increasing in size to meet Americans’ concept of a mid-size sedan, the Passat was for the first time split from the European model, cheapened, and then assembled in Tennessee. Sales shot up but then plateaued more worrisome is that our long-term 2013 Passat TDI test vehicle suffered a range of glitches and maladies familiar to owners of German luxury automobiles, difficulties that just will not do for mainstream purchasers hooked on reliability surveys and the like. Will the new Golf be the same? We took delivery of an automatic-equipped gasoline-fueled Golf 4-door to find out.

More Doors, Far more SEL, Far more Automatic!

The 2015 Golf lineup consists of 2 physique types (2- and 4-door hatchbacks), 2 engines (a gas turbo 4 and a TDI diesel), and 2 transmission alternatives (a 5-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic). The Golf’s trim-level structure gives the option of S, S with Sunroof, SE, and SEL possibilities on gas-powered models, while the diesel TDI provides the exact same lineup save for the S with Sunroof. We settled on the 4-door SEL with the gas-fed turbocharged 1.8-liter “TSI” 4 and a 6-speed automatic.

We’d choose a manual, and we know from our encounter with an entry-level model that the Golf’s stick shift is a very good a single. But most Americans will choose the turbo/automatic powertrain combination, and we dig nicely equipped vehicles, so the $ 27,815 SEL was an simple decision. It’s loaded with 18-inch wheels, navigation, automatic climate handle, keyless entry with push-button ignition, a 12-way energy driver’s seat, heated front seats, ambient cabin lighting, a sunroof, rain-sensing windshield wipers, fog lights, a backup camera, and Fender audio. Our choices were restricted to color—Tornado Red is spicy, and it looks excellent on the angular Golf—and 2 packages: Lighting ($ 995) and Driver Assistance ($ 695). We skipped the latter due to the fact we saw no require for parking sensors in a vehicle as compact and straightforward to see out of as the Golf, but we grabbed the former for its adaptive bixenon headlights and distinctive LED operating lamps.

Light on Fuel, Big on Praise

Early impressions have been positive, as you might expect. Quite significantly every single editor who has wrapped his or her hands about the Golf’s padded, leather-wrapped steering-wheel rim has come away impressed by the car’s stiff structure, comfy ride, and sure handling. The handling bit was confirmed at the track, exactly where the Golf’s inaugural skidpad run resulted in an excellent .88 g. Our VW’s other overall performance metrics weren’t practically as sparkling, with a 7.5-second sprint to 60 mph and a so-so 173-foot stop from 70 mph. Nevertheless, they are consistent with a similar Golf TSI automatic we tested last year, which recorded a 7.7-second zero-to-60 time and an identical stopping distance. Like other Volkswagens, the Golf’s brake pedal is somewhat soft and lacks bite through the initial inch or 2 of its travel it is the only dynamic trait we don’t like.

So far the hatchback has left the higher Detroit location only once, for a rapid trip to Chicago. Given that the Golf has racked up nearly all of its 5600-plus miles locally on the streets and freeways around Car and Driver’s Ann Arbor headquarters, its 27-mpg fuel economy is both surprising and commendable. Our recorded efficiency beats the EPA’s 25-mpg city rating and nudges against the 29-mpg combined figure. As Michigan’s deep freeze thaws, you can bet the Golf will begin venturing farther afield, as staffers take advantage of its eminently sensible, 22.8-cubic-foot cargo hold and serene highway demeanor. Longer trips will likely push our fuel-economy figure even greater.

Months in Fleet: 2 months
Present Mileage: 5635 miles Average Fuel Economy: 27 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 13.2 gal Fuel Variety: 360 miles
Service: $ Regular Wear: $ Repair: $
Harm and Destruction: $

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2014 Porsche 911 Targa 4S Test: Laughing in the Face of Compromise

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Porsche’;s newest Targa demands tiny in the way of compromise.

It was in no way Porsche’s first selection to construct the original 911 Targa. Porsche planned to develop an open-air 911, but back in the 1960s, the future of the convertible was under threat by impending U.S. regulations, so the business came out with the Targa, an almost-convertible with a permanent roll bar.

With no droptop to compete with in the 911 lineup, the Targa gained a following regardless of its slightly awkward appears. A glass rear window soon replaced the original, zip-out plastic version. The stainless-steel roll hoop was eventually painted black. Even after Porsche released a genuine convertible 911 in 1983, Targa sales continued.

It wasn’t until September of 1993 that Porsche stopped developing the basket-deal with Targa with the lift-off best. The name continued, but subsequent versions had what was primarily a giant glass sunroof. These glass-topped Targas are now gone—and the new Targa looks a lot like the old Targa.

Retro Appears, Modern Mechanicals

Primarily based on the newest 911, known among Porsche-philes as the 991, the new Targa is a clear homage to the original design and style, with a brushed-aluminum roll bar and that distinctive, curved-glass rear window. The roof’s operation, however, is thoroughly modern. With the push of a button, the rear glass lifts and glides backward along with what appears to be the whole rear end of the car. The trim at the top of the bar opens, the black-fabric-covered roof panel moves up and then back, nestling behind the rear seats, and the rear window whirs back into location. This automated metamorphosis requires 19 seconds. In the original Targa, this method essential tools to release the best, acquiring out of the vehicle, lifting the vinyl-covered top off the auto, and then awkwardly folding the accordion-like roof to get it to fit in the front trunk. With a bit of practice, you might get it carried out in much less than 2 minutes. For very first-timers, it was closer to 5.

The new Targa comes standard with 4-wheel drive and can be had with either a 3.4-liter flat-6 with 350 horsepower or the 4S’s 3.8-liter flat-6 with 400 ponies. There’s no 2-wheel-drive Targa, which tends to make us believe that the Targa is the “convertible” for folks whose pants are stained with salt for 5 months of the year.

Testing the Targa

Although removing the leading may not take as extended as ahead of, in 4S guise, the Targa proved to be a bit slower than the Carrera 4S. Our Targa 4S, which was equipped with the 6-speed dual-clutch automatic, hit 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and 25 mph in 9.7 The quarter-mile comes up in 12.6 seconds at 113 mph. As noted, these numbers are a couple of ticks behind those of a PDK-equipped Carrera 4S we previously tested. We’d surmise that the distinction is largely due to the added 144 pounds the Targa carries. The rear glass and its integral lid weighs 55 pounds, and Targas also start life with the additional bracing discovered in the convertible 911. At 3630 pounds, the Targa 4S is the heaviest 991 we’ve tested it is even 42 pounds heavier than the Turbo S. On the plus side, we didn’t notice any structural quivers.

Despite carrying the equivalent of an added passenger, the Targa 4S nonetheless grips to the tune of .99 g and stops from 70 mph in a very powerful 148 feet. When pressed, it is extremely stable and secure. There’s virtually no physique roll, and Porsche’s optional Dynamic Chassis Handle ($ 3160) keeps the eventual loss of grip neutral and safe. It’s tough to think that 61 % of the mass presses on the rear wheels. Now, a fast whine about the continued growth of the 911 species: Some of the toylike character and liveliness we’ve come to really like in 911s is gone in the most current version. That mentioned, the 991 nonetheless feels smaller than its rivals such as the Nissan GT-R and the Chevrolet Corvette.

With the prime in place, the Targa acts considerably like the coupe. There’s no further wind noise and the sound-level meter registers 71 decibels at 70 mph—actually quieter than the aforementioned 4S coupe. In our earlier initial drive of the Targa, we noticed some squeaks exactly where the roof seals meet the windshield frame. Porsche have to have addressed the difficulty, as our test automobile didn’t utter a peep. Opening the top brings in the wind and noise, but at reduce speeds the raspy sound of the flat-6 playing via the $ 2950 Sport exhaust is all you will don’;t forget.

That louder exhaust was but a single of the several choices on our test automobile. Costs start at $ 117,195, but our car came equipped with $ 29,815 in extras. How is that feasible? The biggies are the 2-tone leather interior that adds $ 4120, the dual-clutch automatic fees $ 4080, LED headlights are $ 3110, the Premium Package Plus commands $ 2330, 14-way Sport seats with memory are $ 2120, and the Sport Chrono Package boosts the cost by $ 2370. If those numbers sound ridiculous, bear in mind that, like the look of the new Targa, the higher cost of the 911 is also a tradition at Porsche.

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2014 Porsche 911 Targa 4S Test: Laughing in the Face of Compromise

2014 Porsche 911 Targa 4S Test: Laughing in the Face of Compromise

Instrumented Test

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Porsche’;s newest Targa demands little in the way of compromise.

It was never Porsche’s initial selection to construct the original 911 Targa. Porsche planned to create an open-air 911, but back in the 1960s, the future of the convertible was below threat by impending U.S. regulations, so the business came out with the Targa, an virtually-convertible with a permanent roll bar.

With no droptop to compete with in the 911 lineup, the Targa gained a following regardless of its slightly awkward appears. A glass rear window soon replaced the original, zip-out plastic version. The stainless-steel roll hoop was sooner or later painted black. Even after Porsche released a true convertible 911 in 1983, Targa sales continued.

It wasn’t till September of 1993 that Porsche stopped developing the basket-handle Targa with the lift-off prime. The name continued, but subsequent versions had what was basically a giant glass sunroof. These glass-topped Targas are now gone—and the new Targa appears a lot like the old Targa.

Retro Appears, Contemporary Mechanicals

Primarily based on the latest 911, recognized amongst Porsche-philes as the 991, the new Targa is a clear homage to the original design and style, with a brushed-aluminum roll bar and that distinctive, curved-glass rear window. The roof’s operation, nevertheless, is completely modern. With the push of a button, the rear glass lifts and glides backward along with what appears to be the whole rear finish of the vehicle. The trim at the leading of the bar opens, the black-fabric-covered roof panel moves up and then back, nestling behind the rear seats, and the rear window whirs back into location. This automated metamorphosis takes 19 seconds. In the original Targa, this process required tools to release the best, obtaining out of the car, lifting the vinyl-covered best off the auto, and then awkwardly folding the accordion-like roof to get it to match in the front trunk. With a bit of practice, you might get it accomplished in significantly less than 2 minutes. For very first-timers, it was closer to 5.

The new Targa comes normal with 4-wheel drive and can be had with either a 3.4-liter flat-6 with 350 horsepower or the 4S’s 3.8-liter flat-6 with 400 ponies. There’s no 2-wheel-drive Targa, which makes us believe that the Targa is the “convertible” for folks whose pants are stained with salt for 5 months of the year.

Testing the Targa

Despite the fact that removing the best might not take as long as ahead of, in 4S guise, the Targa proved to be a bit slower than the Carrera 4S. Our Targa 4S, which was equipped with the 6-speed dual-clutch automatic, hit 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and 25 mph in 9.7 The quarter-mile comes up in 12.6 seconds at 113 mph. As noted, these numbers are a couple of ticks behind those of a PDK-equipped Carrera 4S we previously tested. We’d surmise that the difference is largely due to the further 144 pounds the Targa carries. The rear glass and its integral lid weighs 55 pounds, and Targas also start life with the additional bracing identified in the convertible 911. At 3630 pounds, the Targa 4S is the heaviest 991 we’ve tested it’s even 42 pounds heavier than the Turbo S. On the plus side, we didn’t notice any structural quivers.

In spite of carrying the equivalent of an additional passenger, the Targa 4S nevertheless grips to the tune of .99 g and stops from 70 mph in a extremely sturdy 148 feet. When pressed, it’s extremely steady and secure. There’s virtually no physique roll, and Porsche’s optional Dynamic Chassis Control ($ 3160) keeps the eventual loss of grip neutral and secure. It is tough to think that 61 % of the mass presses on the rear wheels. Now, a fast whine about the continued development of the 911 species: Some of the toylike character and liveliness we’ve come to enjoy in 911s is gone in the newest version. That said, the 991 nonetheless feels smaller sized than its rivals such as the Nissan GT-R and the Chevrolet Corvette.

With the top in location, the Targa acts much like the coupe. There’s no extra wind noise and the sound-level meter registers 71 decibels at 70 mph—actually quieter than the aforementioned 4S coupe. In our earlier first drive of the Targa, we noticed some squeaks exactly where the roof seals meet the windshield frame. Porsche must have addressed the difficulty, as our test car didn’t utter a peep. Opening the best brings in the wind and noise, but at decrease speeds the raspy sound of the flat-6 playing via the $ 2950 Sport exhaust is all you will remember.

That louder exhaust was but one particular of the several choices on our test automobile. Costs start at $ 117,195, but our car came equipped with $ 29,815 in extras. How is that attainable? The biggies are the 2-tone leather interior that adds $ 4120, the dual-clutch automatic charges $ 4080, LED headlights are $ 3110, the Premium Package Plus commands $ 2330, 14-way Sport seats with memory are $ 2120, and the Sport Chrono Package boosts the value by $ 2370. If these numbers sound ridiculous, bear in mind that, like the appear of the new Targa, the high value of the 911 is also a tradition at Porsche.

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2015 Subaru WRX Extended-Term Test Update: Entertaining and So Far Faultless

Specifications &gt

Car Variety: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

Cost AS TESTED: $ 31,290 (base cost: $ 29,290)

ENGINE Kind: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 122 cu in, 1998 cc
Energy: 268 hp @ 5600 rpm
Torque: 258 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 104.3 in
Length: 180.9 in
Width: 70.7 in Height: 58.1 in
Curb weight: 3339 lb

Overall performance: NEW
Zero to 60 mph: 5. sec
Zero to 25 mph: 13.4 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 26.5 sec
Rolling start off, 5-60 mph: 6.4 sec
Leading gear, 30-50 mph: 11.1 sec
Prime gear, 50-70 mph: 7.8 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.7 sec @ 101 mph
Leading speed (governor limited): 144 mph
Braking, 70- mph: 157 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: .91g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway: 21/28 mpg
C/D observed: 24 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions: qt

WARRANTY:
3 years/36,000 miles bumper to bumper
5 years/60,000 miles powertrain
5 years/60,000 miles corrosion protection
3 years/36,000 miles roadside assistance

2015 Subaru WRX Extended-Term Test Update: Entertaining and So Far Faultless

UM, HOLY CRAP: 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 1st TEST!

Instrumented Test

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Stingray? The new Z06 is a stun ray.

A few years ago, for the duration of the darkest hours of the GM bankruptcy, Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter identified himself on a conference contact with business execs and government overseers. A conversation on the bolts and screws of bailing out GM all of a sudden halted when one particular of the federales, a Corvette fan, wanted to know the strategy for the C7. “At the time, there was no program,” recalled Juechter as we stood trackside at Road Atlanta this previous October. “We had been at complete stop.”

So much has occurred because then. Flash-forward to 2014 and the scene of our own technical director, Don Sherman, banging on the door of Juechter’s home like some marauding zombie early one particular summer Saturday, intent on hand-delivering our October issue, which featured an exposé on the C8 Corvette. (Juechter neither confirms nor denies our story.) And to our later meeting at Road Atlanta, where the new Z06 sat freshly unwrapped and awaiting its ritual molestation by vehicle writers. Whatever satisfaction an engineer derives from his or her ideas becoming realized, from seeing mere talk and drawings evolve into a finished item, have to boost tenfold in the Corvette system, once an idle afterthought in the mayhem of a bankruptcy and now a full line of very acclaimed cars.

Nothing to see here. Just the shortest-stopping, most tenaciously gripping production car we’;ve ever tested. Oh, it has a kind of powerful engine, too.

A line that consists of a 650-hp thunder wagon with the sophistication and poise of the world’s ideal sports vehicles. There, we mentioned it. The Z06 must be ranked amongst the world’s ideal. You know that we right here at Car and Driver are not idle flatterers, our job becoming to find the faults for you in haste, prior to you have to live with them at leisure more than 72 months of payments. Nevertheless, the Z06 completely fulfills its mission to be a super Corvette. It is an accessible American fantasy intended to inject joy and fascination and, let’s face it, a healthy dose of awe into the driving encounter, such that there’s not considerably left to shout about except specifics.

Specifics such as a 60-mph nuking of 3 seconds flat, set by a Z06 equipped with the Z07 Efficiency package and an automatic. This auto tore the quarter-mile a new one at 11.1 seconds at 127 mph, scorched the skidpad with 1.19 g’s of grip, and stopped from 70 in an astonishing 128 feet, the latter 2 figures setting C/D records for a production vehicle. We also tested a slightly less potent manual-trans Z06 [see bottom of page 2].

Please pause right here for an crucial message about tires. If you have followed our preview coverage, you currently know that there are now a lot of Z06s to pick from. There are coupe and convertible body types. There are 2 transmissions, a 6-speed manual with automatic rev matching and an 8-speed automatic. And there are 3 trim levels, dozens of options, and 3 separate aero packages. Then there’s the mega Z07 Efficiency package that further weaponizes the car with carbon-ceramic brakes, a carbon-fiber aero package, a slightly revised suspension tune, and distinct tires. The Z07’s run-flat Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 summer time virtually-slicks replace the base run-flat Michelin Pilot Super Sports and are, to borrow from Mark Twain, the distinction among the lightning bug and the lightning.

Back to the test numbers: Um, holy crap. Riding a Z06 by means of the initial 4 gears feels like placing a saddle on Superman, although the Z06 is 200 pounds heavier than the old ZR1. Clearly, there’s a squidge far more power, but this is down to the race tires and the fact that today’s automatics are usually more rapidly than manuals in a straight line. We didn’t even use launch manage, a simple flat-foot drop in complete auto mode getting all that was needed to produce these fireworks from the test gear.

The Z06 we photographed was fully loaded with the Z07 package, Stage 3 carbon aero trim kit, and optional carbon-kablooey interior. As you can see, there’s a Z06 for, effectively, if not specifically every person, then a wider swath of humanity’s more impatient ­drivers, all of whom will be swamped by admirers at parties. Prepare for the eager smiles of your audience to droop slightly when you say you purchased the automatic, as up to 70 percent of Z06 buyers are anticipated to do. This is a natural, instinctual disappointment, conditioned by the expectation that true sports automobiles have sticks, mounting proof to the contrary notwithstanding.

We drove each the manual and the automatic Z06 and feel that the stick, with its notably soft and seamless clutch takeup, is nevertheless the best option. Rev matching sounds like a hateful automation of the heel-and-toe ability until you get utilized to it. Then you wonder why all manuals don’t have it. Or just turn it off. Or use it to learn suitable rev matching and then turn it off.

Continued…

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UM, HOLY CRAP: 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 1st TEST!

Raging parents fail the driving anxiety test

There are times when we all find driving stressful. But throw children into the mix and a bad situation can quickly escalate and push even the most patient of parents over the edge into full-blown road rage.

Picture the following scenario…

You’ve been stuck in traffic for hours. You’re late, hungry and uncomfortable. And just as you switch lanes so you can cover a bit of ground, someone cuts you up and causes you to swerve, almost causing an accident.

This is stressful.

Now add in someone repeatedly kicking the back of your seat and voices screeching “Mummmy, mummy, MUMMY, I need a wee/ snack/ drink/ toy/ my brother/sister is hitting me in the face!” (delete as applicable).

This is REALLY stressful.

So this is when you snap, wind down the window, scream like a banshee (using what is politely termed ‘industrial’ language), and make an appropriate hand gesture at the offending driver.

Understandable. Inevitable, maybe. But what kind of message are you giving your little darlings?

Under pressure

Research from the Goodyear Driving Academy has found one-in-5 mums admits to road rage in front of their children.

As a mother myself, who has had more than one journey where my blood pressure has exceeded healthy levels, this doesn’t come as a huge surprise.

At least it’s reassuring to know I’m not alone!

Oliver’s travails

Mum-of-2 Jaime Oliver, 35, from Nottingham, admits that road rage has become a big issue for her.

She said: “I drive with my children almost every day, dropping them at nursery and school, taking them to after-school classes or on general family trips.

“I know I’ve got a few bad driving habits, mainly road rage, and I do sometimes lose my rag with other drivers in front of the children.

“When it happens they look a bit shocked because it’s just not the way I usually behave in front of them, and I feel awful afterwards. It’s definitely something I need to control.”

Habitual problems

But road rage isn’t the only bad driving habit to which mums and dads confess. The research found that 14% of parents say they drive through red lights, while one in 3 dads and a quarter of mums have read text messages while on the road.

A further one-in-10 mums and dads has tried to read a map, while nearly half of parents have eaten food, while driving.

Sins of the fathers (and mothers)

Despite our bad behaviour behind the wheel over a third of us don’t believe out driving has any effect on our children’s future attitudes and likely driving habits.

Children, however, pick up on everything their parents do, so even if you think your behaviour won’t have an impact on them, it most definitely will.

Having muttered under my breath several times about the driving skills of fellow motorists, I have already noticed my 5 and 6-year-old sons shouting “IDIOT!” if someone is blocking our way.

Fortunately neither nor I have resorted to expletives just yet, but I’m well aware that if I didn’t exercise restraint, they would certainly pick up on any I might use.

Generation games

Psychotherapist Christine Webber, who collaborated on the Goodyear study, said:

“With driving, as with many other life skills, we absorb information and skills and habits from parents. When we are young, we accept what Mum and Dad do in a very uncritical way and what Mum or Dad do is often considered the norm, if not absolutely perfect.

“So if parents want their children to grow up to be safe drivers, they really need to take a long hard look at their own driving behaviour – because their offspring is soaking up what they do like a sponge, and from a surprisingly young age.”

Are you prone to road rage in the family car? Has something you’ve said while driving subsequently been quoted back to you by an innocent little child – much to your embarrassment and the wrath of your spouse? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the box below 

Raging parents fail the driving anxiety test