Here at Top Speed we are about more than just stripped down high performance racers, despite the name we too are suckers for a little luxury, especially when it comes at a reasonable price. It turns out that our Verdigris Mica Lexus GS 350 was one of the best sedans we have driven in a long time. This Lexus sports coupe is equipped with a level of performance and comfort that is currently unmatched by any other automaker offering a product in the same price category.
At just over $45,000, the Lexus GS 350 is a lot of car for the money, being both luxurious and stylish inside and out. The body is adorned with an attractive fast back roof line and comes with upscale details like HID headlamps and chrome accents on the exterior while rolling around on a set of fashionable 17 inch rims. On the inside, the Lexus features elegant wood trim and soft leather wrapped seats, shifter and steering wheel as well as a very forward thinking 7 inch touch screen display.
Our GS 350 is powered by a 3.5 Liter V6 that sends 303 HP straight to the rear wheels through a fuel efficient electronically controlled transmission that when combined with direct gasoline injection and continuously variable valve timing with intelligence gets 19 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway. Either way you look at it, the GS 350 provides its owners with a very complete luxury vehicle experience.
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The term crossover is one of those dirty words that advertising agencies came up with when SUVs could no longer cut it and automakers needed to figure out a way to move more units. While we tend to frown upon that kind of labeling because it leads to less than capable vehicles built upon a car’s chassis with rather boring styling and even worse performance. However one reliable Japanese automaker has made us eat our own words with the Toyota Venza.
Overall it looks like someone stepped on a Lexus RX and then pulled the e-brake so hard that all the torque from the VVT-i equipped 3.5 Liter V6 stretched it a couple of inches in the midsection. The Venza is smaller than the traditional truck and offers loads of luxury and performance, in short, Toyota has produced the quintessential crossover and is guaranteed to sell a lot of them.
Loaded with options like 20 inch rims, HID headlamps, multi screen displays, comfortable leather upholstery and wood grain trim; this multi passenger vehicle is perfect for any new car shopper who needs the space and practicality of a minivan, but wants the attitude and style traditionally associated with a fun to drive vehicle.
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We have just received an all new 2010 Chevrolet Equinox into our Top Speed test fleet and it will certainly be interesting to try out the crossover that started the trend at GM. Crossovers are interesting vehicles, they utilize many of the same construction techniques as smaller cars, like unit body construction, transverse mounted engines and independent rear suspensions that allows owners to have the practicality of a truck while paying the gas bill of a car. That is mainly in part to our Equinox’s direct injected 3.0 Liter V6 engine that makes 264 HP and 222 lb-ft of torque and is connected to a fuel efficient six speed automatic transmission. Our car was an all wheel drive model, so it gets an EPA estimated 17 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highway, not bad for almost 100 cubic feet of passenger room. However, this particular Equinox is not the most efficient of the bunch, a front wheel drive 2.4 Liter direct injected four cylinder making 182 HP will get as much as 32 MPG on the highway, that is not far off from the government mandated 35 MPG Corporate Average Fuel Economy regulations.
Don’t let the numbers fool you, the Equinox is more than just a boring old gas sipper, it is also a very fun people mover full of high tech creature comforts on the inside and a couple of stylish touches on the outside. Our Equinox rides on optional 18 inch ten spoke machined aluminum wheels that give the CUV a much more rugged look, everything from 17 to 19 inch rims are available. Chevrolet’s design team also took great care in applying just the right amount of shiny chrome trim around the grill opening, fog light surround and window frames. The interior is dressed up with two tone leather chairs held together by red stitching, a theme that continues onto the door cards and steering wheel. Just like the seats, the dash features contrasting tones that really make it an attractive interior.
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The Ford Motor Company was gracious enough to invite the Top Speed staff to beautiful Boulder Colorado to try out the all new, more powerful FLEX with ECOBOOST in the perfect driving environment. This new vehicle combines the retro boxcar that started appearing on streets last year with the American automaker’s latest innovation in gas saving technology, the best part is, it hauls butt. By utilizing a turbocharged and direct injected V6 engine, Ford’s marketing department is claiming to get V8 power with six cylinder fuel economy, they were right. The FLEX with ECOBOOST that we drove through the mountain roads made 350 HP and made the crossover feel like a proper sports car at times.
The roads were outstanding, the view was incredible and the car was awesome. The FLEX is nothing but fun. From the powerful engine to the retro styling and 20 inch wheels this FLEX has a personality that is all its own, something that is very refreshing in this world of homogenous fuel efficient teardrop shaped econoboxes. The only thing better than how it looks is how the car drove, not only was the ECOBOOST V6 quick off the line but it handled amazingly well, and that is something that we were very happy of being constantly faced with 300 foot drops on the side of the mountain roads.
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The Nissan Cube may be new to the U.S. market, but the miniature box shaped people mover has been on sale in Japan for over a decade. For 2009 Nissan has redesigned the Cube and decided that they can compete with other space conscious small cars like the Scion xB and the new Kia Soul. Our car came with a 122 HP 1.8 Liter four cylinder engine connected to a fuel efficient Xtronic CVT, continuously variable transmission.
Our $22,780 Cube Mobile Device came complete with the optional Ginormous Kit that adds some bulging bodywork and a healthy dose of personality to Nissan’s boxcar. The interior was equally as interesting with a few carbon fiber trim pieces and a piece of funky looking shag carpet smack dab in the middle of the dash. The only thing better than the spacious interior of our Cube was the way it drove. The Cube was softly sprung and extremely comfortable. The 2009 Cube is all new for the U.S. and it might take some getting used to for domestic consumers, however one quick fix for any hesitant new car buyer would be a test drive.
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Jay Leno isn’t the only one lucky enough to get behind the wheel of the 510 HP Jaguar XF-R, thanks to our local Jaguar fleet service Top Speed has just received a brand new Indigo Blue version of the now Indian automaker’s high performance four door. The crown jewel of the XF-R is the new 5.0 Liter supercharged V8 that makes over 500 ground pounding horses and takes the XF from 0 to 60 MPH in as little as 4.7 seconds and can complete the standing quarter mile in just over 13.0 seconds.
The XF-R sets itself apart from lesser XF models thanks to Jaguar’s aero performance design that includes a new lower hanging front bumper with a larger mesh grille and functional cutouts in the hood to allow a little hot air to vent. The sides of the car sit lower to the ground thanks to a set of restyled side skirts and out back the XF-R receives a subtle trunk mounted spoiler to go along with the distinctive R badge. One of the nicest touches included by the Jaguar design team are the 20 inch Nevis alloy wheels that clearly spell out that this XF is something special.
On the inside our XF-R is a step up from the standard model. There is the same familiar wood grain, but this time the seats are much more bolstered and are covered in a combination of London Tan and Charcoal leather that makes a set of seats that are as nice to look at as they are to sit in. Jaguar has kept the familiar dial style gear selector, but we have a hard time imagining it in any other setting aside from Sport. If you have ever been inside of an XF you know just how plush and luxurious the cabin can be, the XF-R takes it a step further and adds in a little taste of sport.
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We have just received a real gem into our Top Speed test fleet. The once endangered and now recently saved Pontiac G8 is an excellent performance sedan. The stylish sedan came from the land down under where the Australians prefer their race cars with a V8 up front and four doors all around. It was this rear wheel drive formula that made the G8 such a hit when it originally debuted with either V6 or V8 power. However this is no ordinary G8, this is the high performance GXP version, a model that combines the fun of rear wheel drive, the power of an LS3 and the control of a six speed manual and is said to compete with much higher priced sports cars like the BMW M5.
Our Sport Red Metallic car rides on a set of stylish 19 inch polished aluminum rims that when combined with the oversized Brembo brake calipers, bears a striking resemblance to the Cadillac CTS-V. Aside from the impressive rolling stock the exterior of our G8 GXP looks just like any other of the four door imports from Queensland. The only other features that hint at the outstanding performance under the bonnet are the pair of sport inspired hood scoops and a set of reasonably flared fenders. Apart from the cleared out taillight lenses and the aforementioned details, there is no other way to tell this hot rod G8 apart from any other of Pontiac’s rear wheel drive grocery getters.
The Onyx interior is about the same as a base Pontiac G8 except that the aluminum sport pedals and GXP logos embroidered into the backrests of the leather wrapped front sport buckets hint at something special. That sensation is further reinforced by the Corvette-like shifter. The grip is connected to a six speed manual that sends 402 HP and 402 lb-ft of torque from the 6.2 Liter V8 through a limited slip differential directly to the rear wheels. The G8 GXP should be good for a 0 to 60 MPH time of about 4.7 seconds and a quarter mile time of 13.0 seconds flat.
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The automaker from Hiroshima dropped a bomb on the automotive market when they came up with the new Mazda3, styled heavily with Nagare inspired lines and bulges this was truly an economy car that you would aspire to own. The exterior of the Mazda3 is interesting to say the least, made up of a multitude of complex curves and detailed lines evidence that the Japanese design team put a good amount of their own blood, sweat and tears into the economy car car’s design. Starting at just under $16,000 for a sedan and closer to $20,000 for the hatchback, the Mazda3 packs a whole lot of car into an affordable package. If you upgrade the sadden to the touring model, not only do you get wave mesh grills, Bi-Xenon headlamps and sporty front and rear bumpers complete with a lip spoiler, but you also get the wonderful 2.5 Liter four cylinder that makes 167 HP and 168 lb-ft of torque to go along with your beautifully sculpted people mover.
The exterior is highlighted by a sense of depth added by the hollow emblem on the front bumper and our car’s Crystal White Pearl Mica paint covered the wide wheel arches that housed a set of stylish 17 inch rims. The Mazda screams style, filled with playful bodylines. When compared to another automobile that we recently tested based on the same platform. We liked the Focus Coupe, and it reminded us of a serious Ford of the past, but the Focus is as plain Jane as sporty can try to be, but the Ford’s exterior was just flat. There was no depth like the Mazda, whereas the Focus is definitely for the person who wants the most car for their buck, while the 3 screams fun for a few dollars more.
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The 2009 Ford Focus Coupe is an excellent economy car that features attractive fastback styling that will make you think twice about this car’s role as an econobox. Our Focus gives the impression of being a sports car with its Sangria Red metallic paint, large rear wing and rally inspired 17 inch premium dark painted wheels. However the exterior is only the beginning of the story, it was the interior of our $20,000 Ford Focus Coupe that made us fans of the well finished affordable method of transportation. It’s not the gauges or the synthetic door panels, but the Medium Stone leather seats and Ford’s voice commanded Sync audio system that earned our affection. These are two luxuries that you won’t find in many other $20,000 new cars.
Our Focus is powered by a 2.0 Liter Duratec 16 valve four cylinder engine that makes 143 HP when connected to a 5 speed manual transmission. The blue oval guys claim that the Coupe comes with a sport tuned exhaust as well as a sport tuned suspension, two things we thoroughly enjoyed listening to and putting through its paces. Despite the sporty nature of the Focus Coupe, Ford is already ready for the future CAFÉ standards because our car gets an EPA estimated 35 MPG.
However, no matter how good the Focus is, for some reason U.S. consumers have never been able to focus on the car’s highlights. You have to travel all of the way to Europe where the Ford Focus has earned multiple Car of the Year awards where these automobiles stand for value, sport and convenience. If only Ford could convince domestic consumers how good this car really is, perhaps next year wouldn’t be a Europe only model.
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We recently had the opportunity to sit in the lap of Luxury when Lexus loaned us one of their GS350 models for the Top Speed test fleet. From the outside the GS looks like a world class sports sedan, if the trunk were any shorter we would have to claim the GS as the original four door coupe, with its fastback like roofline. Although our GS350 only rode on a set of 17 inch wheels, the rollers looked to be at least one or two inches bigger. The Lexus design team was not afraid to bring back a few tasteful chrome touches like the grill, mirrors and window surrounds.
The interior was as nicely finished and as comfortable as any automobile we have driven lately. The seats were covered in soft leather, the gauges lights up brightly in front of your face and in the middle of the wood trimmed center stack lies an oversized touch screen LCD display that replaces all the knobs and buttons that it would normally take to control radio and climate functions.
The GS seems like a bargain, and is appropriately priced at $45,000 for our V6 equipped version. We are anxious to get it on the road and see ho well the six cylinder stacks up against the V8 we experienced with the LS we previously had in our test fleet. We are confident in Lexus’s efforts to create a solid sports inspired sedan that will be as fun to drive as it is to look at.
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