Acura-Te To A T
You could say this "concept" car is identical to the next Acura TL and you'd only be 5 percent wrong, according to the PR guy who leaned over our house salad, grinning like a madman. He had a good reason: This next TL looks amazing compared to the bland roller out today. Someone told the styling guys to look at a BMW 5-Series, and the Concept TL shows it, with a sharp crease running down its side and a wedgy shape that looks perfectly balanced on some hot 19-inch alloys. No word on powertrains, but the production car will have multi-channel DVD Audio, an XM tuner and Bluetooth wireless connectivity to please your inner geek. Take off the big wheel arches, clean up some minor details and this is the TL that's coming this fall.
Win Decent Gear For Once!
It's not that often you get the chance to win free stuff that's worth winning! Well now's your chance. Visit www.winhankooktires.com and enter to win free tires for your ride on a regular basis. Plus, if the tires you win are worth more than that pile you drive don't worry. You can also enter to win a tricked-out 2002 Honda Civic Si compliments of Hankook and Import Tuner!
New York Show: Hot, Hotter, Hottest
The big auto shows of the year are almost over with. But you just can't skip the New York show-not when there's ample time to go supermodel stalking in SoHo, when there are watered-down drinks to be had at the Hudson Bar, and when you too can get snubbed for a seat at Letterman's show. Oh, and then there's the new cars. For some reason, New York's become the second home for the Asian carmakers that can't get the big space to show off elsewhere. And this year was the best we can remember, even if we can't remember a whole lot thanks to aspartame. So, fresh from Manhattan's super-sucky Javits Center, here's what you missed (and what we nearly missed while in the holding cell):
Nissan Lifts Top On The 350Z
Normally, our topless pleasures run to the ladies on the brass pole at Cheetah's, but Nissan's new 350Z Roadster gives a topless twist to one of the phattest sports cars around. The roof folds back at the push of a button, and it has a real glass rear window so you can keep a clear eye on whoever's in pursuit behind you. The two Z models-the Touring Edition and Enthusiast Edition-will cost between $34,000 and $36,000 when they show up in Nissan dealerships this summer.
Solara Comes Wrapped in Flag
Toyota is trumpeting the fact that its new Camry Solara coupe is the most American vehicle it's built to date. It's not exactly all Charlie Daniels and pro wrestling, though: Look really close and you'll see the Solara actually looks a little different from the last generic Japanese luxury two-door. The headlights are nicer, and the 225-hp V6 gets a five-speed automatic transmission so you can sleep even more quietly behind the wheel. XM radio and a nav system will be optional, while front side-impact airbags, four-wheel ABS, and independent rear seat headrests are standard.
Copycat-Proofing The Full-Size SUV
While everyone's making time with the shape of Infinitis, Infiniti itself is staking out new, weird territory with the shape of its new full-size sport-ute. The 2004 Pathfinder Armada has the guts of the new Nissan Titan truck and about two-thirds of its silhouette-and then the rear third of some completely unrelated vehicle. The three-row, eight-passenger rig compensates for its looks with a 300-hp, 5.6-liter V8, a rated towing capacity of 9100 pounds, and fourteen cupholders, which they'll need for the local stuff they doubtless make near the new Armada factory in rural Canton, Mississippi.