HI, I'M JOHN DAVIS AND THIS IS MOTORWEEK .
JOIN US FOR A PEOPLE MOVER REBOOT WITH THE ALL-NEW CHRYSLER PACIFICA!
PAT GOSS HELPS US KEEP THINGS STARTING AND RUNNING SMOOTHLY... LAUREN MORRISON EXPLORES US JUST HOW FAR OUR CARS HAVE COME!
AND WE'LL SEE WHAT LURKS BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE PORSCHE CAYMAN GT4...
SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT.
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION.
* Announcer: THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OF MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY... "IT'S GOT 430 FOOT UNITS OF BEAST!"
TIRERACK WANTS YOU TO BE SMART WITH YOUR CAR.
THEY CAN HELP YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT TIRES FOR YOUR VEHICLE...
"OOPS."
TIRERACK.COM.
ROCKAUTO HAS AUTO PARTS FROM HUNDREDS OF MANUFACTURERS, OFFERING A VARIETY OF BRANDS, PRICES AND SPECIFICATIONS.
ROCKAUTO.COM, ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED.
John: THERE WERE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE THAT WERE EXCITED TO HEAR THAT CHRYSLER WAS BRINGING BACK THE PACIFICA.
UNTIL THEY FOUND OUT THAT FCA WASN'T ACTUALLY BRINGING BACK THE PACIFICA CROSSOVER UTILITY, BUT RATHER PUTTING THE NAME ON AN ALL NEW MINIVAN.
TALK ABOUT BAIT AND SWITCH!
BUT BEFORE YOU SWITCH OFF YOUR INTEREST, THERE'S A LOT TO LOVE ABOUT CHRYSLER'S NEW GENERATION PEOPLE MOVER.
FROM THE FOLKS THAT BROUGHT US THE ORIGINAL FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE MINIVAN, COMES THE 2017 CHRYSLER PACIFICA.
YEP, YOU WON'T HAVE THE TOWN & COUNTRY, OR DODGE GRAND CARAVAN TO KICK AROUND MUCH LONGER.
BUT WHILE, THE SALES HEYDAY OF MINIVANS IS PAST, THERE IS STILL A SIZABLE MARKET FOR THIS MOST USEFUL OF VEHICLE TYPES WITH OVER 500,000 SOLD LAST YEAR.
AND THE PACIFICA'S ALL-NEW PLATFORM COMES WITH ALL THE NEXT GENERATION IMPROVEMENTS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, FROM RIDE AND HANDLING TO ADVANCED USER FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGY.
AS FOR FUEL ECONOMY, NEVER A MINIVAN STRONG SUIT, THE BIG NEWS IS A PACIFICA HYBRID WITH AN 80 MPGE RATING.
IT HAS A 16 KWH LITHIUM-ION BATTERY, WORKING ALONG WITH ALL OF THE NECESSARY HARDWARE, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STANDARD 3.6 LITER V6 ENGINE.
WHICH IS THE LATEST VERSION OF FCA'S PENTASTAR, NOW OUTPUTTING 287 HORSEPOWER AND 262 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE, THROUGH A 9-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
THE HYBRID WON'T BE OFFERED UNTIL LATER THIS YEAR, SO WE SPENT MOST OF OUR EARLY DRIVE TIME AT THE NATIONAL PRESS LAUNCH IN CALIFORNIA ABOARD THE MAINSTREAM, GAS ONLY POWERED PACIFICA.
WE CAN AGREE THAT RIDE, AND HANDLING ARE MUCH IMPROVED, AND PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY, THINGS HAVE GOTTEN A LOT QUIETER INSIDE THE CABIN.
BUT MUCH HIGHER ON THE LIST OF PLEASES FOR MOST FAMILIES WILL BE THE TECHIE GADGETS!
IN ADDITION TO THE 8.4 INCH UCONNECT TOUCHSCREEN FOR MANAGING THINGS UP FRONT, THERE'S UCONNECT THEATER FOR REAR SEAT PASSENGERS, FEATURING DUAL 10 INCH HIGH DEF.
TOUCHSCREEN'S.
AND YOU CAN UPGRADE AUDIO TO 13 SPEAKER ALPINE, OR EVEN 20 SPEAKER HARMON KARDON, TO HEAR THE, THE BEST OF EVERYTHING.
SURROUND VIEW CAMERAS, PARKING ASSISTANCE, AND VARIOUS AUTONOMOUS SAFETY FEATURES ARE OFFERED TOO.
AND SINCE HONDA MADE AN ONBOARD VACUUM A MUST HAVE ACCESSORY, PACIFICA HAS ONE AS WELL.
AND IN AN ATTEMPT TO OUT CLEVER THEM ALL, THE HANDS FREE, FOOT WIGGLE OPENING TREATMENT GETS APPLIED TO THE SIDE SLIDERS AS WELL TO THE REAR LIFT GATE.
AVAILABLE AS EITHER 7 OR 8 PASSENGER, THE SPACE INSIDE IS CAVERNOUS AS YOU WOULD EXPECT.
STOW 'N GO SEATING IS MORE COMFORTABLE PLUS EASIER TO USE, THANKS TO THE ADDITION OF STOW N' GO ASSIST WHICH SLIDES THE FRONT SEAT OUT OF THE WAY WITH THE PUSH OF A BUTTON.
THE 2ND ROW SEATS PIVOT FORWARD TO ALLOW MUCH IMPROVED WALK-IN STYLE ACCESS TO A 3RD ROW SEAT WITH OPTIONAL POWER RECLINE.
IT'S IMPRESSIVELY SUITABLE FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES.
AS FOR THE PARENTS UP FRONT, THEIR SEATING DELIVERS A BIG IMPROVEMENT IN LONG HAUL COMFORT.
DASH DESIGN IS SIMPLE WITH A PACKED CENTRAL CONTROL POD THAT INCLUDES CHRYSLER'S ROTARY GEAR SHIFT.
THIS ALLOWS A SEMI-OPEN FRONT FLOOR PLAN, EVEN WITH A HUGE STORAGE CONSOLE BETWEEN THE SEATS.
ALONG WITH 32.3 CUBIC-FEET OF CARGO CAPACITY, AND THAT'S BEHIND THE 3RD ROW!
FOLDING THOSE SEATS INTO THE FLOOR GETS YOU 87.5 CUBIC-FEET OF SPACE.
STOW THE 2ND ROW FOR 140.5 CUBIC-FEET.
NO CROSSOVER CAN TOUCH THAT, THOUGH IT'S STILL 5-7% LESS THAN SEGMENT RIVALS ODYSSEY AND SIENNA.
BEAUTY IS SUBJECTIVE OF COURSE, BUT AMONG THE CURRENT CROP OF MINIVANS THE PACIFICA IS THE MOST ATTRACTIVE.
STILL, YOU CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH AND MAINTAIN THE TOTAL PRACTICALITY OF A BOX ON WHEELS.
THE FRONT FASCIA CLOSELY RESEMBLES THE CHRYSLER 200 SEDAN, AND FROM THERE THE WEDGE SHAPE WIDENS TO FULL BOX, BEFORE TAPERING DOWN SLIGHTLY AT THE REAR.
SIDE BODY LINES, AND THE UNINTERRUPTED FLOW OF THE GREENHOUSE ARE ELEGANT TOUCHES THAT GO A LONG WAY TO KEEP THINGS INTERESTING, AND AS CLOSELY RESEMBLING A CROSSOVER AS POSSIBLE.
IT'S CERTAINLY TALL LOOKING FROM THE REAR, BUT ALSO FLAT AND SMOOTH.
PRICING UNDERCUTS THE ASIAN COMPETITION JUST A BIT, STARTING $29,590.
WE THINK THE HYBRID WILL START IN THE MID-30s.
IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THE 2017 CHRYSLER PACIFICA HAVING AN EASY TIME OF IT, AS FCA IS NOT ONLY LAUNCHING A NEW VEHICLE INTO A SHRINKING SEGMENT, BUT THEY'RE FORGOING TOWN & COUNTRY, AND DODGE GRAND CARAVAN NAME RECOGNITION.
THEN AGAIN, THE NEW GEN PACIFICA IS AIMED AT A NEW GENERATION OF BUYERS, ONES WHO MIGHT THINK CROSSOVERS ARE YESTERDAY'S NEWS.
IF THAT TURNS OUT TO BE TRUE, THIS OCEAN SIZE PEOPLE MOVER HAS WHAT IT TAKE TO MAKE A VERY PLEASANT VOYAGE.
OUR SUCCESS STORY THIS WEEK TAKES US TO SUNNY SOUTH FLORIDA, WHERE PROPANE POWERED BUSES ARE A HIT WITH PASSENGERS.
IN SERVICE FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, THERE ARE CURRENTLY 138 PROPANE BUSES IN THE BROWARD COUNTY PARA TRANSIT FLEET.
ALREADY THE OPERATING BUDGET HAS BEEN SLASHED BY $800,000, AND THAT'S BEFORE THE FEDERAL ALTERNATIVE TAX REBATE, WHICH WILL BRING IN ANOTHER $600,000!
WORKING WITH THE SOUTHEAST FLORIDA CLEAN CITIES COALITION, AND LOCAL FIRMS, HAS BEEN KEY.
Paul Strobis: PARTNERING WITH OUR LOCAL CLEAN CITIES COALITION, UM, THE BUSINESS PARTNERS THAT THEY INTRODUCED US TO, WERE ABLE TO GIVE US THE KNOWLEDGE AND FACTS THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION TO BENEFIT OUR PROGRAM.
John: BY USING OVER A MILLION GALLONS OF PROPANE LAST YEAR, BROWARD'S CLEAN FLEET ALSO HAD SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER TAILPIPE EMISSIONS, MAKING FOR EVEN BRIGHTER SKIES IN THE SUNSHINE STATE.
IF YOU WANT TO SEE JUST HOW FAR THE AUTOMOBILE HAS COME, YOU ONLY NEED TO VISIT THE REVS INSTITUTE FOR AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH IN NAPLES FLORIDA.
THIS ONE OF A KIND MUSEUM BOASTS SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND RAREST CARS EVER BUILT.
SO, WE ASKED OUR FYI REPORTER LAUREN MORRISON TO CHECK IT OUT FOR ALL OF US.
Lauren Morrison: WHEN YOU THINK FLORIDA, YOU THINK PALM TREES, YOU THINK BEACHES, BUT IF YOU'RE IN NAPLES, AND YOU LOVE CARS, THE PLACE TO BE IS THE REVS INSTITUTE.
Lee McCaskey: I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED A PERSON THAT WALKED OUT THAT WAS BORED.
IT'S JUST AMAZING WHAT'S HERE.
Lauren: WITH 40,000 SQUARE FEET OF GALLERY SPACE.
THE REVS INSTITUTE HOUSES ABOUT 115 CARS, SPANNING THE LAST CENTURY, WITH AN AMAZING TALE BEHIND EACH ONE.
Lee: THERE'S A 115 ANECDOTES AND STORIES WITH EACH CAR OF THE 115 CARS THAT WE HAVE.
Lauren: THE OLDEST IN THE COLLECTION?
AN 1896 PANHARD & LEVASSOR WAGONETTE, WHICH IS IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE YOUNGEST, A 1995 MCLAREN F1.
Scott George: AND IT REALLY BEGINS TO GIVE SOMEONE THE IDEAS OF REALLY THE EVOLUTION OF THE AUTOMOBILE, AND HOW IT HAS TRANSFORMED OUR LIVES, AND HOW ITS' EVOLVED THROUGH TIME AS WELL.
Lauren: PART OF THE "COLLIER COLLECTION" AS ITS' KNOWN TODAY, CAME FROM REVS INSTITUTE FOUNDER MILES COLLIER.
HE WAS ALSO ABLE TO ACQUIRE THE COLLECTION OF FAMILY FRIEND, LEGENDARY ROAD RACING BRIGGS SWIFT CUNNINGHAM, Scott: AND SO, THE CULMINATION OF THOSE TWO COLLECTIONS ARE HERE, WITH PRIMARILY MR. COLLIER'S INVOLVEMENT SINCE 1986.
Lauren: CARS ARE SPLIT INTO FOUR CATEGORIES: AUTOMOBILITY, OR THE CARS OF THE ROADWAY, VITESSE, WHICH DEALS WITH THE RACEWAY, PORSCHE, WHICH IS ALL ABOUT THE AUTOMAKER, AND REVS, AN AREA THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE EVOLUTION OF AUTO SPORT.
THESE AREN'T JUST CARS RANDOMLY PLACED INTO A ROOM, THERE'S A STRATEGY BEHIND IT.
IT'S A WAY OF STORYTELLING.
JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THIS ROW OF PORSCHES.
IT'S LIKE A TIMELINE IN HISTORY.
THIS TIMELINE STARTS HERE, WITH THE VERY FIRST PORSCHE 550 COUPE.
Lee: THIS IS THE VERY FIRST PURPOSE BUILT RACING PORSCHE IN EXISTENCE AND BELIEVE ME, PORSCHE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE IT BACK HOME IN THEIR MUSEUM.
Lauren: THIS ISN'T THE ONLY FIRST IN THE MUSEUM... HOW ABOUT THIS 1948 166 SPYDER CORSA...
THE FIRST FERRARI TO ARRIVE IN THE U.S...
IF RIDING IN STYLE IS MORE YOUR TASTE, CHECK OUT THIS DOOZY OF A DUESENBERG.
Lee: THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL CAR, RIGHT OUT THE "GREAT GATSBY" IF YOU WANT TO PUT IT THAT WAY.
Lauren: THIS IS THE SUPER SHORT VERSION OF THE 1935 SSJ DUESENBERG, ONLY TWO WERE MADE.
ACTOR GARY COOPER OWNED THIS ONE...
BUT THE CAR THAT SEEMS TO GET THE MOST "OOOHS" AND "AHHHS" IS THIS ONE, THE GURNEY EAGLE F1.
Peter Noble: THIS IS MY FAVORITE CAR AND ITS' GOT TO BE THE MOST ICONIC AMERICAN CAR THAT THERE IS... John Meyers: WELL, I KNEW THE EAGLE WAS HERE, AND OF COURSE, THAT MADE THE WHOLE TRIP WORTHWHILE FOR ME.
Lauren: THE THING THAT REALLY STANDS OUT ABOUT ALL THESE CARS IS JUST HOW CLOSE YOU CAN GET TO THEM.
THERE'S NO BARRIER BETWEEN YOU AND THE VEHICLE.
WHILE YOU CAN'T TOUCH, YOU CAN PEER INSIDE, AND GET AN INSIDE LOOK AT ALL THE INTRICATE DETAILS.
Scott: BY ALLOWING THE CARS TO BE SEEN WITHOUT BARRIERS, IT BRINGS A NEW DIMENSION THAT THEY DON'T TYPICALLY GET A CHANCE TO SEE.
Lauren: MOST OF THESE CARS HAVE A FEW MILES UNDER THEIR BELTS, BUT NEARLY EVERYONE IN THE COLLECTION IS IN RUNNING ORDER, AND READY FOR A RIDE.
Scott: IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO BRING THESE CARS TO LIFE FROM TIME, TO TIME, TO LET PEOPLE HEAR THEM, SEE THEM, SMELL THEM, AND SEE THEM GO.
Lauren: THE INSTITUTE ALSO OFFERS A RESEARCH LIBRARY FOR SCHOLARS TO STUDY ANYTHING AUTOMOTIVE.
THE REVS INSTITUTE ALSO HAS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AUTOMOTIVE IMAGES, WHICH THEY'RE WORKING TO DIGITIZE AND PUT ONLINE, WITH THE HELP OF STANFORD UNIVERSITY.
Scott: IT ALLOWS US TO SHARE ALL OF OUR PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTIONS WITH THE WORLD AT LARGE.
AND WE'VE NOW, DIGITIZED OVER 400,000 IMAGES AND WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 600,000 TO GO.
Lauren: THIS IS A PERFECT DISPLAY OF CARS THAT HAVE MADE HISTORY, OR SHAPED IT, AND THE ONLY THING YOU'LL BE WONDERING WHEN YOU WALK OUT, IS WHEN YOU'LL BE BACK.
John: YOU EXPECT A MODERN CAR TO RUN SMOOTHLY AND CLEANLY WHEN IT'S NEW.
BUT, WHAT ABOUT WHEN IT AGES?
THAT'S WHEN LOTS OF THINGS CAN GO WRONG.
WELL, HERE'S PAT GOSS TO TELL YOU HOW TO AVOID ONE OF THEM.
Pat Goss: WOW, THERE'S A LOT OF CHATTER OUT THERE ABOUT A NEW FORM OF DEPOSITS IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLDS OF CARS.
IT SEEMS THAT A LOT OF TECHNICIANS ARE CALLING THESE GDI DEPOSITS.
WELL, GDI IS GASOLINE DIRECT INJECTION, AND THEY'RE BLAMING IT ON THE DIRECT INJECTION.
BUT, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
I THINK THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH LOW TENSION, OR LOW FRICTION PISTON RINGS THAT ARE USED ON VIRTUALLY ALL CARS THESE DAYS.
BECAUSE THE PISTON RINGS DON'T EXPAND AND PUSH AGAINST THE CYLINDER WALLS AS HARD AS OLDER ONES DID, THEY'RE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DEPOSITS FORMING THAT CAUSE THEM TO STICK.
AND WHEN THE PISTON RINGS STICK, YOU GET MORE PRESSURE INSIDE THE CRANKCASE, AND THAT FORCES OIL DEPOSITS BACK THROUGH THE CRANKCASE VENTILATION SYSTEM INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.
WELL, NO MATTER WHAT THEORY YOU BELIEVE, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THE DEPOSITS ARE CAUSED BY OIL GETTING INTO THE INTAKE.
AND THE HARDER YOU DRIVE YOUR CAR, WELL, THE WORSE THOSE DEPOSITS ARE GOING TO BE.
NOW, I DID SOMETHING ON THIS CAR THAT SHOULD DO AWAY WITH THOSE PROBLEMS ALL TOGETHER.
YOU SEE, NORMALLY THE CRANKCASE VENTILATION SYSTEM GOES FROM A PORT BACK THERE, UP HERE THROUGH THE INTAKE, RIGHT IN BEHIND THE THROTTLE BODY, AND THAT'S WHERE THE CRANKCASE FUMES GO.
SO WHAT I DID, I USED WHAT'S CALLED "A CATCH CAN;" IT'S ACTUALLY AN OIL SEPARATOR.
AND INSERTED THAT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE CRANKCASE BREATHER SYSTEM.
SO THIS LINE GOES BACK INTO THE PORT, FROM THE CRANKCASE, AND IT COMES UP HERE, GOES THROUGH THIS OIL SEPARATOR, THIS CATCH CAN, AND THEN OUT AND INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.
AND WHAT THIS DOES, IS IT SEPARATES ANY OIL OUT OF THOSE FUMES, SO THE OIL STAYS IN THE CATCH CAN INSTEAD OF GOING BACK INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.
NOW, IF YOU DRIVE VERY GENTLY, CHANCES ARE YOU'D NEVER GET ANY BENEFIT OUT OF THIS.
BUT IF YOU DRIVE YOUR CAR HARD, THIS COULD SAVE A TON OF MONEY, OVER THE LIFE OF THE CAR.
SOMETHING YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER.
AND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT, DROP ME A LINE RIGHT HERE AT MOTORWEEK .
* John: THE NEW GENERATION CHRYSLER MINIVAN COMES OUT SWINGING FOR '96.
AND LEADS OFF WITH A POTENT COMBINATION OF STYLE AND VERSATILITY.
TRIM, AGGRESSIVE, AND NOW VERY MODERN, OUR TEST DODGE GRAND CARAVAN HITS THE STREET WITH THE STYLE AND PHYSIQUE OF A WELL-TONED WELTERWEIGHT.
FRONT AND REAR OVERHANGS ARE MINIMIZED, BODY LINES ARE FLOWING AND SYMMETRICAL, AND EVERYTHING COMES TOGETHER IN A COHESIVENESS RIVALLING THE SLICKEST CAR DESIGNS.
TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, THE WIDER, TALLER GRAND MODELS ARE ALMOST TWO INCHES SHORTER THAN THE FORD WINDSTAR... WE'VE BEEN ALL OVER, GRABBING QUICKSPINS IN TODAY'S LATEST.
SO HERE'S WHAT WE DROVE, AND WHAT WE THINK!
IF ANYONE KNOWS THE NUMBERS GAME, IT'S BMW.
AND FOR 2016, THE VENERABLE 3 SERIES SEES SOME BIG CHANGES, IN BOTH NOMENCLATURE AND PERFORMANCE.
THIS 340I REPRESENTS WHAT'S NEWEST: THE DEBUT OF A NEW GENERATION 3.0 LITER TURBO INLINE-6.
HORSEPOWER CLIMBS, TO 320, DELIVERED TO THE REAR OR ALL-WHEELS THROUGH THE SAME 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC.
THAT BUMP IN POWER IS MOST REALIZED OFF THE LINE, WHERE THE 340 JUMPS INTO ACTION AND GROWLS ITS WAY TO 60 IN 4.4 SECONDS.
REVS CLIMBS FAST, AND AS THEY DO, SHIFT HAPPENS, OR SHIFTS, RATHER... AND THEY ARE FIRM AND CRISP.
TWEAKS TO SUSPENSION PARTS MAKE THINGS MORE STABLE AT SPEED, AND THIS LATEST GENERATION IS FULLY IN LINE WITH 3 SERIES OF THE PAST; STIFF AND PRECISE, AND DESPITE SIGNIFICANT SIZE GROWTH, IS STILL THE BENCHMARK FOR SPORT SEDANS.
STEERING FEEL, A RECENT DOWNFALL, DOES GET A LITTLE MORE DIALED BACK IN.
Patrick Lucas: THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING TO LOVE IN A 3 SERIES.
NOBODY DOES IT QUITE LIKE BMW, AND THEY'VE DEFINITELY KEPT THAT TRADITION GOING.
THE EXTRA POWER IS IMMEDIATELY APPARENT, AND ALTHOUGH IT'S EXPENSIVE, YOU ARE GETTING A LOT OF PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY FOR THAT MONEY.
THAT'S WHY YOU SEE SO MANY ON THE ROAD!
John: CRUISING AROUND TOWN, AS MOST 3 SERIES ARE DESTINED TO DO, IS MOST ENJOYABLE.
THE INTERIOR DOESN'T SEE TOO MANY CHANGES, SO IT'S THE SAME GREAT MATERIAL QUALITY AND EASY TO USE CONTROL LAYOUT.
EXTERIOR CHANGES INCLUDE NEW HEADLIGHTS, AND A REDESIGNED FRONT FASCIA.
THINGS ARE QUIET INSIDE, BUT OUTSIDE, A PROUD EXHAUST NOTE, WILL TURN MORE THAN A FEW HEADS.
ON SALE NOW, THE 2016 BMW 340I STARTS AT $47,000.
XDRIVE ADDS $2,000 MORE.
WE KNOW 'DENALI' TO BE GMC'S LUXURY SKEWING, RANGE TOPPING BADGE FOR THEIR TRUCKS.
BUT WE'RE NOW IN A WORLD WHERE ALL TRUCKS, ESPECIALLY PICKUPS, HAVE TRIM PACKAGES PUSHING THEM PAST 60 GRAND.
SO WE GRABBED A QUICKSPIN IN THE 2016 SIERRA DENALI TO SEE WHERE IT RANKS TODAY.
AND UPON FIRST CLIMBING IN, THIS REFRESHED SIERRA 1500 RETAINS MUCH OF THE SAME FEEL FROM ITS DEBUT IN 2014: THAT OF A HIGH-END SILVERADO.
MATERIALS ARE SOFTER AND LOOK BETTER, AND THE CABIN ENVIRONMENT IS DEFINITELY MORE UPSCALE.
COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE TAKE BIG STEPS UP OVER A BASE SIERRA AS WELL.
GMC'S INTELLILINK SYSTEM, LIKE CHEVY'S MYLINK, GETS UPDATED FOR EASE OF USE.
APPLE CARPLAY AND ANDROID AUTO ARE BOTH SUPPORTED.
STILL, SIERRA DENALI'S UPSCALE DECORATING CAN'T MASK WORK TRUCK ELEMENTS LIKE BIG CONTROL KNOBS, HARD PLASTICS, AND FUNCTION OVER FORM LAYOUT.
BUT IF YOU'RE DOING SOME LIGHT DUTY HAULING, AND LUXURY AND STYLE ARE AMONG YOUR TOP PRIORITIES, THE DENALI IS A SOLID CHOICE.
WITH SOLID POWERTRAINS.
OUR 4X4 TESTER HOUSED THE OPTIONAL 6.2 LITER V8 WITH 420 HORSEPOWER, MATED TO AN 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC.
NO CHANGES IN PERFORMANCE WERE MADE, AND IT RETAINS ITS MAX TOW CAPACITY OF 11,700 POUNDS.
AS USUAL, OPTING FOR THE DENALI TREATMENT GETS YOU UNIQUE GRILLWORK, NEW FOR 2016, BIGGER WHEELS, AND EXTERIOR TRIM DETAILS.
THESE POWER ARTICULATED SIDE STEPS ARE NEW, TOO.
ON SALE NOW, THE 2016 GMC SIERRA DENALI 1500 STARTS AROUND $55,000.
AND WE'LL BE BACK WITH MORE QUICKSPINS, SOON!
WHILE VERY FEW OF US EVER GET TO ACTUALLY OWN A SUPERCAR, JUST ABOUT EVERYONE CAN APPRECIATE THE OFTEN STRIKING BEAUTY OF THEIR DESIGN.
STUART CODLING CERTAINLY DOES, AND WITH THE HELP OF SOME EXQUISITE PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES MANN, HE BRINGS US THE 20 SUPERCAR'S THAT HE THINKS ARE THE FINEST EVER, IN HIS BOOK FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION: THE ART OF THE SUPERCAR.
FROM CLASSICS TO MODERN, THESE CARS ARE WITHOUT A DOUBT SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AUTOMOTIVE MACHINERY TO EVER HIT THE ROAD.
SO, WHETHER IT'S THE FORM OR THE FUNCTION YOU'RE INTO, YOU'LL FIND PLENTY TO LIKE IN THIS MUST READ.
PORSCHE ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAVE A FEW TRICKS UP THEIR SLEEVE.
THE LATEST IS THIS CAYMAN GT4.
NOW, AT FIRST GLANCE IT APPEARS TO SIMPLY BE A CAYMAN WITH THE 911 CARRERA Ss 3.8 LITER 6 CRAMMED INTO ITS MID-SHIP ENGINE BAY.
BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE GOING ON HERE THAN JUST THAT.
SO LET'S HIT THE TRACK AND FIND OUT JUST HOW MUCH!
THE 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN GT4 DOES INDEED GET ITS POWER FROM THE '16, 911 CARRERA S, BUT THEN IT ALSO GETS ALMOST AN ENTIRELY NEW BODY WRAPPED AROUND IT, AS IT IS 1.3 INCHES LONGER THAN A CAYMAN GTS, AND EVEN ADDS ALMOST HALF AN INCH OF WHEELBASE.
MORE DOWNFORCE IS GENERATED BY THE REENGINEERED FRONT FASCIA WITH NEW FRONT SPLITTER, AS WELL AS FROM THE PROMINENT FIXED REAR WING IN BACK.
SIDE INTAKES USE BLADES FOR DIRECTING ADDITIONAL AIR INTO THE ENGINE.
AND WHILE IT MAY BE THE SAME 3.8 LITER BOXER 6 FOUND IN THE CARRERA S, IT HAS SEEN A FEW TWEAKS, AS IT'S A MID-ENGINE PLACEMENT FOR A REAR-DRIVE ENGINE.
BECAUSE OF THAT, AND PERHAPS TO AVOID DAMAGING BIG BROTHER'S EGO, THE OFFICIAL OUTPUT IS SLIGHTLY LESS AT 385 HORSEPOWER AND 309 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.
THE SPORT EXHAUST SYSTEM EXPELS LEFTOVERS THROUGH TWIN CENTRAL MOUNTED TIPS, AND YES, IT SOUNDS FABULOUS.
AND IN A DEPARTURE FROM THE PATH PORSCHE HAS TROD LATELY, THE GT4 IS FITTED ONLY WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THOUGH IT'S A BEEFED UP 6-SPEED, NOT THE 911s 7-SPEED.
LAUNCHING WITH IT, IS ABOUT AS SIMPLE AS IT GETS, REV TO 3-GRAND, SLIP THE CLUTCH A TINY BIT AND YOU'RE OFF AND RUNNING, AND THERE'S A LOT OF GRIP FOR A REAR WHEEL DRIVE CAR WITH THIS MUCH STEAM.
BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU'VE HIT 60 IN 4.3 SECONDS.
FIRST AND SECOND GEAR GO BY QUICKLY, BUT THINGS SETTLE DOWN ONCE YOU CLICK IT INTO THIRD.
THE QUARTER MILE IS COMPLETED IN 12.6 SECONDS AT 117 MILES PER HOUR.
AFTER HITTING THE HIGH SPEED CORNERS OF ROEBLING ROAD RACEWAY, COMMENTS FROM OUR DRIVERS RAN THE GAMUT FROM THE USUAL "AMAZINGS" TO "I WOULD DRIVE THIS CAR UNTIL THE WHEELS FELL OFF, AND I BET IT WOULD TAKE A WHILE."
SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE'RE ENAMORED.
SO WHAT HAS US GOING ALL FAN-BOY?
WELL, IT STARTS WITH THE IMMENSE GRIP, THE TRACTABLE ENGINE THAT ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAVE PLENTY OF POWER NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE ON THE TRACK, THE WAY IT ROTATES SO BEAUTIFULLY IN CORNERS, AND REALLY JUST THE SHEER COMPETENCY THIS CAR DISPLAYS WITHOUT EVER FEELING LIKE ITS WORKING HARD, OR MAKING YOU DO SO.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLY ENGAGING CAR AS WELL; THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION WORKS WITH SUCH PRECISION IT REQUIRES NO THOUGHT, AND THE ACTIVE REV MATCHING WORKS PERFECTLY.
BRAKES HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO EJECT YOU THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD IF YOU WEREN'T BELTED IN SECURELY AND HUGGED SO WARMLY BY THE SPECTACULAR SPORT SEATS PLUS.
BOTH THOSE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION ARE SLIGHTLY MODIFIED VERSIONS OF THE COMPONENTS FOUND ON THE 911 GT3, AND P-A-S-M NATURALLY GETS RECALIBRATED TO RIGHTFULLY DEAL OUT THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF HELP ONLY WHEN NEEDED.
THE INTERIOR GETS THE LIGHT WEIGHT TREATMENT, BUT NOT AT THE COST OF SACRIFICING COMFORT.
THE MOST NOTICEABLE ELEMENT BEING THE PULL STRAP DOOR HANDLES THAT WORK FINE, AND BECOME AN INSTANT CONVERSATION PIECE FOR EVERY PASSENGER.
GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 18-CITY, 23-HIGHWAY, AND 20-COMBINED.
FOR A JUST BARELY WORSE THAN AVERAGE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE WITH ANNUAL USE OF 16.5 BARRELS OF OIL WITH 7.4 TONS OF CO2 EMISSIONS.
FOR SOME, IT MAY BE HARD TO JUSTIFY THE CAYMAN GT4s $85,595 BASE PRICE WHEN A 911 CAN BE HAD FOR A LITTLE LESS.
IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE DIEHARDS, YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT OF THE 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN GT4, AND PERHAPS OF SPORTS CARS IN GENERAL.
A PURE SPORTS CAR IS NOT ABOUT LOOKING THE COOLEST, COSTING THE MOST, HAVING THE MOST GADGETS, OR EVEN HAVING THE BEST PEDIGREE.
IT'S ABOUT BALANCE, PERFORMANCE, AND GETTING THE MOST YOU CAN OUT OF THE LEAST YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH.
THE GT4 FULLY EMBODIES THIS ETHOS.
WITHOUT A DOUBT, THIS WOULD BE OUR 2-DOOR PORSCHE OF CHOICE!
WELL, THAT'S OUR SHOW, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.
NOW, FOR MORE MOTORWEEK , WHY NOT CHECK OUT OUR PODCAST AS WELL AS COMPLETE EPISODES AT PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.
AND I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME, AS WE CARVE UP OUR FAVORITE ROAD COURSE IN THE LEXUS GS-F. THEN IT'S A ROUND TWO, WITH THE MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS HARDTOP.
TILL THEN I'M JOHN DAVIS.
WE'LL SEE YOU RIGHT HERE, ON MOTORWEEK !
Announcer: TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE, VISIT PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.
MOTORWEEK HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY... "IT'S GOT 430 FOOT UNITS OF BEAST!"
TIRERACK WANTS YOU TO BE SMART WITH YOUR CAR.
THEY CAN HELP YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT TIRES FOR YOUR VEHICLE...
"OOPS."
TIRERACK.COM.
ROCKAUTO HAS AUTO PARTS FROM HUNDREDS OF MANUFACTURERS, OFFERING A VARIETY OF BRANDS, PRICES AND SPECIFICATIONS.
ROCKAUTO.COM, ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED.
Announcer: THIS PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, WHICH IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.
*