Monthly Archives: June 2017

Mercedes adds AMG fix to new GLE43 SUV

The 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE43 AMG outside Wray High School. (Bud Wells photo)

A special new model, the 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE43 AMG, was the SUV of choice for my annual Memorial weekend circle drive to Wray and Sterling and back to our Front Range home, which was in Denver for many years and more recently in Greeley.

For the Mercedes to show up for the drive was fitting, for its AMG dvision is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The new GLE, an all-new successor to the former ML, is part of the newly launched 43AMG series featuring a powerful 6-cylinder engine and a shorter-shift-timed 9-speed automatic transmission.

An early AMG road-race winner for Mercedes, the 1971 300 SEL 6.8. (Mercedes-Benz)

AMG, founded in Germany in 1967 by Hans-Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher as a sports car and performance brand, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Daimler AG, producers of Mercedes-Benz automobiles.

The GLE43 AMG I drove is equipped with a 3.0-liter biturbo V-6 engine of 362 horsepower and 384 lb.-ft. of torque. Its sport suspension, all-wheel-drive system, braking and dynamic select-shift were enhanced along with the engine/tranny by AMG.

Most of my driving time with the GLE was split between Comfort and Sport in the select-shift feature; other choices are Sport-plus, Snow and Individual modes. The upgraded suspension of double-wishbone front and multilink rear, both with air springs and torsion bars, is of firm response in lateral movements.

It was quiet in the pretty little town of Wray; most everyone apparently attending the high school graduation ceremonies Saturday morning. Bonanza Ford was closed; the building originated 74 years ago as Dale Wells Ford Garage, where I tagged my dad around. The Wray Gazette was closed, as was the Upstairs Downtown restaurant. So, Jan and I drove out to the north edge of town for lunch at the Sandhiller, where Julie Koch, who with husband Duane has run the restaurant and motel since 1990, sat down for a nice visit.

A fun discovery among all the high-tech innovation in the Mercedes was a working cigarette (or cigar) lighter in the center console; I’ve not seen that in several years (save your e-mails, I’m not a smoker).

The midsize GLE, with large, comfortable front seats, is a five-passenger SUV crossover boasting 38 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. On a wheelbase of 114.8 inches, it is 189.6 inches in length and weighs in at a heavy 4,987 pounds. Tow rating is 7,200 pounds. It rides on 21-inch wheels with Continental CrossContact 265/40R21 tires. Running boards are attached so tightly into the GLE’s underside, they’re almost too narrow for use.

The Saturday drive of 350 miles lifted the Mercedes’ overall fuel mileage to 22.7; its EPA estimate is 17/23.

With AMG and safety options, sticker price climbed to $83,745 for the GLE. Included were multicontour front seats, power panorama roof, the 21-inch wheels, saddle brown leather interior and harman/kardon surround-sound. Among safety additions were distance pilot, active brake assist, lane-keeping, surround view, adaptive high beams.

The 2013 Mercedes SL63 AMG Roadster. (Bud Wells photos)

The finest M-B AMG model I’ve driven was four years ago, the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG Roadster of 557 horsepower and an astounding 664 lbs.-ft. of torque, with price tag of $171,225.

V90 wagon completes Volvo flagship line

V90 wagon completes Volvo flagship line

Following the splash of the Volvo S90, my selection for Car of the Year at the Denver Auto Show, along comes the wagon version – the 2017 V90 Cross Country T6 all-wheel-drive model.

Like the S90, the big V90 performs impressively with the double-barreled (both supercharged and turbocharged) 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder direct-injection engine of 316  horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque.

The new V90 is 4 inches longer in overall length than the long-used XC70 Cross Country wagon, though, like the XC70, it is a five-passenger with two rows of seats. For a seven-passenger, three-row, a Volvo client must buy the XC90 SUV.

The wagon is 194.4 inches long on a wheelbase of 115.8 inches and curb weight of 4,221 pounds. It has a bold look up front and, like the S90 sedan, features sweeping headlights with T-shaped LEDs which Volvo has christened Thor’s Hammer.

The supercharge/turbocharge pair kick in early and gain strength through midrange, depending on the driver’s choice of modes among eco, comfort, offroad, dynamic and individual. Overall fuel mileage average was 24.4; EPA estimate is 22/30.

The Volvo’s stop/start system, which shuts down at stoplights, restarts in different manner than most others. Normally the engine restarts instantly upon the slightest easing of pressure on the brake. For the Volvo, the driver may fully remove foot from the brake pedal, the engine won’t restart until the accelerator is engaged.

A 360-degree camera lends a bird’s-eye view of the area surrounding the wagon, and among added safety innovations are blind-spot warnings and steering assistance, and park-assist pilot which can guide the V90 into parking space. The V90 rivals the 2017 Audi Q7 for ability to guide the car back into the driving lane when it wanders toward roadway edge.

Bowers and Wilkins premium sound is an interior highlight. Rear-seat outboard positions feature built-in integrated booster cushions for child seating.

Sticker price on the V90 Cross Country, built in Gothenberg, Sweden, is $64,640.

Hellcat quick to quieter ground

The 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat in destroyer gray exterior. (Bud Wells photos)

Showing up in my neighborhood recently was Dodge’s Hellcat, America’s most powerful muscle car.

The 2017 Challenger SRT Hellcat coupe, which performs with 707 horsepower, highlighted the weekend.

Seeking a relatively quiet roadway for the ‘Cat, Jan and I drove out to Stoneham on a Saturday evening for dinner at Dewey’s Bar and Grill. That was the only direction that would steer us away from the busy, congested traffic of the Front Range.

From the time we hit Colo. 14 at Briggsdale and along the 40 miles eastward to Stoneham, few cars were traveling either direction. We passe

The hemispherical combustion chamber in the SRT Hellcat engine.

d only four cars, and no one passed us.

In custom, sport or track mode, tested on our run to Stoneham, the Dodge with a full accelerator depression will jump from 65 miles per hour to 100 in barely more than a blink or two of an eye.

These performance capabilities are countered with the largest front brakes ever offered in a vehicle produced by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles – 15.4-inch Brembo rotors and six-piston calipers (red in color). Stopping power from high speeds is impressively secure.

To reach the 707-hp level, the 6.2-liter Hemi Hellcat V-8 is supercharged and linked to a TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic transmission with manual mode and paddle shifters.

In a return to more heavily traveled highways, Jan and I drove to Parker Sunday morning to meet our newest great-grandson, Brooks, born to Kara and Daniel Hansen.

The 2015 Dodge Charger Hellcat four-door.

The rear-wheel-drive Challenger coupe is the second Hellcat I’ve driven. Two years ago, it was the 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, a four-door sedan, that came my way. It boasted the same 707-hp engine, while offering smoother ride, more comfort and roominess.

The Challenger Hellcat isn’t sold for comfort, though, and it is a blast to drive. The Challenger’s performance-tuned suspension, lending outstanding handling at higher speeds, includes SLA (short-long arm) front setup, upper A arm, coil springs, stabilizer bar and lateral and diagonal lower links. At the rear are five-link independent suspension, with coil springs, gas-charged monotube shocks (like the front), stabilizer bar and isolated suspension cradle. It rides on Pirelli PZero 275/40ZR20 tires.

The Hellcat came with two key pods, one red and the other black. The red key allows use of full power in the Dodge, including tuned steering, shifting and suspension. It permits launch-control starts from rpm levels of 1800 to 3500. The SRT Hellcat will clip off the 0 to 60 sprint in 3.5 seconds, and is rated at top speed of 184 miles per hour.

With the black key, the Challenger operates only in Eco mode, which means rpm level is lowered and starts are in 2nd gear. Even at that lower output, though, the Hellcat performs with amazing power. The lowered rpm cuts horsepower to something around 500.

The Hellcat, even in its destroyer gray exterior finish, draws attention wherever it is driven. On startup, the roar is muscle-car-level at its greatest.

A $62,495 base price for the Challenger SRT Hellcat jumps to $71,790 with the supercharged package, the transmission upgrades, a power sunroof and dual carbon stripes on the hood. It also includes UConnect navigation, integrated voice command with Bluetooth, 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with subwoofer in trunk, Apple CarPlay capability, backup camera, heated and cooled leather seats, blind-spot and rear cross-path detection.

And when the power runs are concluded, SRT individual performance pages will be displayed at the push of a button.

The Challenger Hellcat weighs in around 4,500 pounds on a wheelbase of 116 inches; it is larger than its chief rivals, the Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang.

1st turbo adds kick to larger Honda CR-V

The 2017 Honda CR-V Touring model at Barker Reservoir near Nederland. (Bud Wells photos)

As well-mannered as ever, the 2017 Honda CR-V has grown a bit and, for the first time, has embraced a turbocharged power source.

A bigger stance and wraparound grille/headlights assembly lends a more aggressive look to the new CR-V. The ’17 redesign is 1 ½ inches longer, wider and taller than last year’s model, yet the new one has shed 100 pounds of heft. A wider track lends improved handling.

Complementing the lighter weight is a new, direct-injection turbocharged engine with a continuously variable transmission generating 190 horsepower. The small, 1.5-liter power source produces an EPA estimate of 27/33 miles per gallon for the compact SUV crossover.

The all-wheel-drive review model’s dark olive metallic finish looks almost black in a shaded parking position; in the bright sunlight, though, it takes on an interesting tint of green.

The CR-V carried Jan and me through Lyons and over Colo. 7’s twists and turns to Colo. 72 at Raymond and Peaceful Valley and on to Nederland. The roadway was more lightly traveled than we would have imagined for a Sunday holiday.

Mother’s Day dinner was German fare at the Black Forest restaurant in Nederland, where longtime owners and operators Bill and Kay Lorenz were busy, not only helping to serve but mingling and visiting with the diners. Jan and I have enjoyed their friendliness on a number of occasions in the 17 years of their operation there.

My style of descent from Nederland to Boulder through Boulder Canyon is best served by a traditional transmission with manual mode and paddle shifters; dropping into 4th or 3rd or 2nd gear and maintaining safe speed and secure cornering without touching the brakes. This, of course, isn’t accommodated with Honda’s CVT transmission, so brake use was more prevalent.

The continuously variable transmission is all in the name of improved miles per gallon, and the CR-V delivered an average of 29 for the Sunday drive and some stop-and-go in-town driving.

The redesign for ’17 included the CR-V’s interior, which is more upscale, with softer materials trimmed with imitation wood. High-tech features have been added to the 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system.

The roomy compact crossover offers plenty of rear-seat legroom and 39 cubic feet of cargo space, served by a power liftgate. It’s a hands-free operation at the rear, and by swinging a foot beneath the rear bumper, access is gained.

The new CR-V Touring review model, assembled in Alliston, Ontario, Canada, carries a sticker price of $34,595, including leather seats, premium audio with nine speakers and subwoofer, navigation, Bluetooth and Pandora, adaptive cruise and power moonroof.

Lane-keeping assist, which nudges the vehicles back toward its driving lane, is among new safety features for the CR-V.

CR-V pricing for a base LX model with AWD begins about $26,300. Base engine is a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder.

The CR-V is locked in a tight sales race this year with the Nissan Rogue compact crossover. The only vehicles outselling the CR-V and Rogue thus far this year are the Ford F150, Chevy Silverado and Ram pickups.

Miata turns racy with RF edition

Rear C pillars offer interesting look for 2017 Mazda Miata RF. (Bud Wells photo)

Recently off the assembly line in Hiroshima, Japan, the RF launch edition of the 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata hit town recently.

It’s like no other Miata. Only 1,000 were built for the U.S., and all are sold.

Finished in machine gray metallic paint, its racy lines rival those of European sports cars.

Most prominent among changes are rear pillars which remain in place with the top up or down.

Unlike the regular Miata in which the entire soft top folds out of sight, the RF’s rear pillars lift while the metal targa-type top is dropped, then they all lower into place. The upright C pillars lend a new look to the Miata RF, whether the top is open or closed.

The retractable performance is precise and show-worthy, as the rear lifts while the middle of the roof and rear window slip backward beneath the pillars, then the layers drop into place, all this consuming 13 seconds. The top opens or closes at the touch of a switch.

Of course, the pillars block rearward vision and there is no backup camera for the Miata, so the sideview mirrors are important in backing and for blind-spot situations.

Mazda’s SkyActiv 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed manual transmission provide the get-up-and-go for the RF. Horsepower and torque are rated at a mild level of 155 and 148 lb.-ft., respectively; yet, the little sports car weighs in at a light 2,445 pounds. The low-slung car is nimble and sporty. As the revs go high, stay a notch lower with the gears, ignore the noisy engine output and enjoy the drive.

The RF performed very impressively through some rural roadways west of Greeley, before Jan and I rolled into Windsor from the west. I parked outside the new Robin’s Nest at House of Windsor on Main Street, and we joined Keith Brumley inside for coffee. Robin Netzel was formerly associated with Rocky Mountain Redline, one of three agencies which provide new cars from U.S. manufacturers to me and others for review. During our stop on Wednesday, we visited with Robin’s mother, Nancy, and her mother-in-law, Lisa, both of whom work with Robin in the business.

Most of my driving with the RF was down the highway and over rural roadways; the result was a high fuel-mileage average of 32.5. EPA estimate for the little car is 26 in town and 33 on the highway. The two-door rode on Bridgestone Potenza 205/45R17 tires.

The driver sits secure and comfortable in the leather-trimmed sport seats. Space is so tight, the cupholders are positioned far back between the seatbacks. To reach one, I stretched my left arm around my body and beneath my right arm. Trunk space is only 4 ½ cubic feet.

Wheelbase for the Miata is a short 90.9 inches, with overall length of 154.1 inches.

Sticker price on the Miata RF, including a Bose audio system with nine speakers, Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio, navigation and 7-inch color touchscreen display, is $33,885.

With the gray launch edition models sold out, a regular RF is being produced and sold in a variety of colors – red, white, white pearl, ceramic, blue and black, in addition to gray.

The popular, little Miata has been part of the U.S. automotive scene since 1990.