Monthly Archives: January 2017

Greetings from open-top Vette Grand Sport

The Grand Sport edition of the 2017 Chevy Corvette is a standout in yellow. (Bud Wells photos)

“Merry Christmas!,” I shouted the morning of Christmas Eve from the bolstered, low-slung seat of the 2017 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport convertible, finished in Corvette racing yellow.

I’ve made these annual holiday greetings to readers for many years, from inside sport utes, sedans (some with all-wheel drive) and coupes – never, though, from a Vette.

This one, the new Grand Sport edition, boasts unbelievable grip, on dry pavement.

On our snow, though? Well, I drove out of my neighborhood’s icy streets, somewhat carefully, in 2nd gear.

While the Corvette, a rear-drive icon, isn’t a snow-buster, I’d accept opportunity to pilot one under absolutely any weather conditions.

The 2017 review model brought my way is only the fourth Grand Sport edition in more than 50 years. In 1963, five Grand Sport race cars were built under direction of Corvette’s first chief engineer, Zora Arkus-Duntov. That program was canceled and not another showed up until 1996; the third Grand Sport arrived in 2010, an LS3-equipped Z06 with a steel frame instead of aluminum.

The 2010 was the third-generation Corvette Grand Sport.

I drove one of the ’10 GS’s into Rist Canyon, west of Fort Collins, an area filled  with tight curves, ascents and descents in which I had tested a Porsche Carrera and Chrysler 300 SRT8 earlier. The Vette GS, in 3rd and 4th gears and responding to the terrain with constant downshifts and accelerations, beat both for flat cornering.

The 2017 Corvette Grand Sport showed up with a 7-speed manual transmission control for a 460-horsepower/465 lb.-ft. torque, 6.2-liter V-8 engine with direct injection and cylinder deactivation.

Sport-tuned suspension and magnetic ride control, in which the shock absorbers react to the road and adjust much faster than regular absorbers, are a highlight of the Grand Sport performance package. It also includes slotted brake rotors, electronic limited-slip differential, rear differential cooler.

Its GS black aluminum wheels are lined with Michelin Pilot Super Sport P285/30ZR19 front and P335/25ZR20 rear summer performance tires. Contrasting the yellow exterior finish is a satin black hood stinger stripe. The convertible top is also black.

Inside, the snug-fitting seats, dash and console are black. Push a button and the electronic drop-top lowers automatically; no latch to release. Weather is among five selectable drive modes, along with Tour, Sport, Eco and Track.

A $1,795 option, helping to push the Vette’s sticker price to $79,480, is a performance data recorder which logs video of your drives along with driving data on an SD memory card.

Wide fenders add to sporty stance for the Corvette GS

Among specs for the new Vette are wheelbase 106.7 inches; overall length 176.9; width 77.4; height 48.6; front track 62.5 inches and rear track 62.5; curb weight 3,487 pounds; cargo space 10 cubic feet. The Corvette is built at Bowling Green, Ky. Wide fenders are part of the GS style.

While 75 percent of Corvettes come equipped with an 8-speed automatic transmission, the 7-speed manual adds to driving capabilities. With the manual, the Vette will run 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds.

“Most American males, at one time or another, have yearned for a Corvette,” onetime Denver megadealer Marshall Chesrown said to me as I sat in the office of his Chevrolet dealership almost 25 years ago. He was right on, and the yearning continues today.

The first Corvette came off the assembly line more than 60 years ago, in late June 1953, unveiled by famed GM designer Harley Earl. It was a white convertible with a Blue-Flame 235-cubic-inch 6-cylinder engine with three carburetors and a Powerglide 2-speed automatic transmission. Due to the late start for a ’53 model, only 300 were built.

The following year, after production was moved from Flint, Mich., to St. Louis, only 3,600 ‘54s were built, and many sat unsold on dealer lots by year’s end. For all its racy looks, the Vette had little under the hood; that changed when a V-8 was installed in 1955 and Chevrolet was on its way to creating an iconic sports car for America.

Volvo S90, Nissan Titan XD are top car, truck

Fall colors enhance beautifully styled 2017 Volvo S90. (Bud Wells photos)

The year 2016 was one in which the auto industry continued its strong movement toward turbocharged, 4-cylinder engines with 8-speed and 9-speed automatic transmissions and innovative safety devices.

In emphasizing the smaller powerplants, none was more effective than the 2017 Volvo S90 luxury sedan, my choice for car of the year. The S90 replaces the S80 as flagship in Volvo’s lineup; it is 4 inches longer and noticeably wider. Its stylish exterior, luxurious interior and highway performance make it one of the finest four-door sedans I’ve driven this year.

Its new 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine is both supercharged and turbocharged with 316 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque and all-wheel drive. With products of this magnitude, there is no need, to this point, to fear the consequences of the Chinese ownership of Volvo.

Nissan Titan turbodiesel challenges snow in February.

Nissan earns “truck of the year” honors with its resized Titan, larger than a half-ton, not yet as big, though, as a three-quarter ton. It is for those seeking stronger tow capacity without stepping up into the heavy-duty 2500 field. The first one I tested was with a 310-horsepower, 5.0-liter Cummins V-8 turbodiesel mated to a 6-speed Aisin automatic transmission and developing 555 lb.-ft. of torque and four-wheel drive. The big bruiser requires a turn circle of almost 54 feet.

A gathering of members of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press at Devil’s Thumb Ranch near Tabernash in September gave me opportunity to drive the new Acura NSX Hybrid, which, at $189,000, was the year’s highest-priced model. Among other high-enders during the year were the BMW 750i xDrive sedan at $129,245 and the Mercedes-Benz GLS550 4Matic SUV at $110,565.

Cheapest – The 2016 Scion iA sedan at $16,470, shortly before production ended for all Scions which have been rebadged Toyotas under the parent company in Japan.

MPG – 57.5 miles per gallon with the 2016 Toyota Prius Two gas/electric hybrid for 330 miles; 37.5 by ’16 Scion  iA; 35.0 by ’17 Hyundai Elantra, and 40.1 by ’17 Jaguar XE diesel sport sedan.

Best drive – 1,300 miles to Newport Beach, Calif., with Jan in a Fiat 500X for unveiling of the new Chrysler Pacifica minivan at the luxurious Pelican Hill Resort. While enjoying dinner with automotive journalists from around the country the second night in Newport Beach, I met Don Buffamanti, a photographer who produces Autospies.com, based in San Diego. Mention of my Denver Post connection brought this enthusiastic response from him, “I was a placekicker for Coach Chuck Fairbanks on the Colorado Buffalo football team in 1979.” Buffamanti is fairly well regarded in the automotive photo world; those many long runbacks of his kickoffs in Boulder did no lasting harm.

BMW silences AM – Audio systems in two BMW hybrid/electric models, the X5 40e plug-in and i3 electric, lacked AM band access. “The electric drivetrain can create negative influences on AM performance,” said Rebecca Kiehne, BMW product spokesperson, “and we don’t intend to offer any product that does not meet our high standards.”

Press release – “We’re (Toyota) excited to mention AMCI automotive testing announced the new 2016 Prius has better overall driving performance than the BMW 528i sedan. The Prius also proved to have a better overall ride quality than the Mercedes-Benz CLA250,” according to AMCI.” Wow.

Popular return – It’s bigger, fancier and pricier; the Honda Ridgeline pickup, which returns to market after a two-year absence.

On Outback track – A new challenger for the long-popular Subaru Outback in Colorado is the Volkswagen Golf SportWagen Alltrack, dressed for the outdoors.

Barn doors on the Mini Cooper Clubman.

 ‘Bigness’ is relative – It’s the biggest Mini Cooper I’ve ever seen; still small, though. The Clubman has been stretched 10 inches, mesuires only 168.3 inches, same as the little  Fiat 500X. Old-fashioned split rear doors are referred to as barn doors.

Style prevails – The most conservatively styled SUV through the years might have been the Lexus RX350. The highly regarded RX350 F Sport has gone stylish for ’17 with a larger spindle grille and a floating rear-pillar glass band that flows from the side windows to the rear windows. Its blandness is gone.

BMW M2 Coupe offers “rev match” opportunity.

Best blipper – 2016 BMW M2 Coupe; downshifting and enjoying the feel and sound of “blipping the throttle” as the M2 neatly slips into the lower gear.

2,000th drive – My review earlier this month of the 2017 Cadillac XT5 AWD, borrowed from John Elway Cadillac, was the 2,000th dating back to Christmastime 1977. I’ve driven 132 Fords, most of any brand.

Jan’s favorite – The 2017 Volvo S90 luxury sedan. It would have been the BMW X5 40e plug-in until she uncovered the missing AM radio band; she’s big on listening to Rockies baseball while driving, as well as KOA news.

Best greeting – Happy New Year!