Improvements in the 2015 Dodge Challenger R/T surfaced among the curves and tight twists on a stretch of Colo. 119 from Rollinsville to Blackhawk last week.

Even with all its size and heft, the rear-wheel-drive Challenger has become a very capable, sure-footed handler.

Jan and I spent three days in the mountains with the new Challenger. Its sportier suspension is slightly lower, and includes short/long-arm front with a high upper “A” arm, coil springs and stabilizer bar. Its five-link independent rear suspension works with coil springs, gas-charged monotube shocks, stabilizer bar and an isolated suspension cradle. Most body lean has been eliminated in cornering.

The refinement, featuring Bilstein high-performance shock absorbers, has created a decent balance between hard-charging grip and turn security, and a fairly pleasant ride for driver and passenger.

The R/T Plus model we drove was finished in granite crystal metallic paint with dual red R/T side stripes.

The strong 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 and smooth 8-speed automatic transmission beneath the hood are an outstanding combination. The Hemi generates 375 horsepower and torque of 410 lb.-ft.

The ultimate Challenger for ’15 is the Hellcat with an all-new supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi producing 707 horsepower, the most powerful V-8 ever for Chrysler Group. Pricing begins at around $60,000 for the Hellcat; the Challenger R/T we drove was sticker-priced at $44,255.

Other engines available in the new Challenger are a 485-hp, 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 and a 305-hp, 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6.

The original Dodge Challenger made its debut in the fall of 1969 as a ’70 model, and was built until April 1974. Almost 190,000 were sold. It shared its platform with the Plymouth Barracuda. The Challenger was offered in two-door hardtop and convertible style, and, back then like today, also boasted a wide choice of engines, including the 426-cubic-inch Hemi V-8, a 440 V-8, 383 V-8, 340 V-8, 318 V-8 and Slant-6.

Inside the ’15 Challenger, the center console is shaped some like the original, with a ridge on the far side. This year’s automatic shifter is a T-shaped handle. A large 8.4-inch touchscreen media center offers access to navigation, Uconnect and Harman/Kardon premium sound with SiriusXM satellite radio. Seats are covered in suede/nappa leather.

Fore of the driver are Dodge Performance Pages display, which can be used to adjust throttle, steering and transmission sensitivity, as well as activate “launch control” for the brutish engine. Individual trials and performances can be recorded in the display,

A total of 16.2 cubic feet of trunk space makes the Challenger roomiest in its class for cargo.

The Challenger R/T rides on Goodyear Eagle F1 245/45R20-inch tires; big four-piston Brembo brakes (14.2-inch rotors in front, 13.8 in the rear) lend secure stopping power.

The 5.7 Hemi/8-speed automatic combination earned an EPA fuel-mileage estimate of 16/25 miles per gallon. My driving time resulted in an overall average of 22.6.

Among options not already mentioned, which helped push price from a base of $29,995 to $44,255, are remote start, adaptive speed control, automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot and rear cross-path detection, heated steering wheel, paddle shifters and power sunroof.

Here are the specifications for the ’15 Dodge Challenger R/T Plus:

• Wheelbase 116 inches
• Length 197.7 inches
• Width 75.7 inches
• Height 57.1 inches
• Curb Weight 4,082 pounds
• Track 63 inches front, 63.1 rear
• Ground Clearance 5 inches
• Turn Circle 38.1 feet
• Drivetrain Rear-wheel-drive
• Engine 5.7 Hemi V-8
• Horsepower/Torque 375/410
• Transmission 8-speed automatic
• Steering electronic power
• Fuel mileage estimate 16/25
• Fuel mileage average 22.6
• Fuel Tank 18.5 gallons
• Wheels 20-inch
• Cargo Volume 16.2 cubic feet
• Warranty 3 years/36,000 miles basic, 5/100,000 powertrain

Competitors Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang, Nissan 370Z

Assembly Plant Brampton, Ontario, Canada

Parts Content U.S./Canadian 61%, Mexico 27%

Base Price of Lowest Model $26,995; Base Price of Review Model $29,995; Destination Charge $995; Sticker Price $44,255.

The little Mini Cooper showed a bit of growth this year, having been stretched 4 inches in overall length on an inch-longer wheelbase, and it is 1.7 inches wider.

Some performance pop, too, has been added to the 2014 Mini Cooper S hardtop – not enough to call it a Super Duper Cooper, though sufficient for a more fun drive. Under hood is a new 189-horsepower, 2.0-liter TwinPower Turbo 4-cylinder engine with a 6-speed Getrag automatic transmission.

For the coming model year the really big news, effective following the Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays, will be the arrival of the 2015 Mini Cooper Hardtop Four-Door, a hatchback that goes on sale in January.

It will be the first four-door for the Cooper hardtop. Pricing will begin just below $22,000, about $1,000 higher than the standard two-door Cooper.

The four doors will make the new Mini more accessible for four-passenger use than is the original. The wheelbase will be expanded by 2.9 inches and the overall length by 6.3 inches.

Engine choices will be a 134-hp, 1.5-liter, 3-cylinder or the 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder. Both are turbocharged. Standard transmission will be a 6-speed manual, with a 6-speed Steptronic automatic optional.

The Cooper four-door will be a competitor of the Honda Fit, Kia Rio, Ford Fiesta and Chevrolet Sonic.

A choice of three driving modes – Sport, Green and Normal – enhanced the driver control of the ’14 Cooper S hardtop I drove. Shift points were more pronounced and suspension stiffened in the Sport setting, while the eco-minded Green set tamed the performance and upped the fuel mileage. Overall fuel mileage average was 31.3 miles per gallon, right in the middle of its EPA estimate of 26/35.

Pricey options such as the sport transmission, navigation, panoramic moonroof, leather seats (heated) and harman/kardon premium sound pushed the Cooper’s price from MSRP of $23,600 to a sticker of $37,395.

Among other options were racing green metallic exterior finish, power folding mirrors, automatic climate control, 18-inch cone-spoke silver wheels, LED headlights, head-up display, satellite radio and anthracite headliner.

The Mini Cooper, built in England, was reintroduced into the U.S. in 2002 by its parent company, Germany luxury-car maker BMW, after an absence of 35 years. A convertible was soon added, and, later, two larger models, the Clubman and Countryman.

Here are the specifications for the ’14 Mini Cooper S Hardtop:

• Wheelbase 98.2 inches
• Length 151.9 inches
• Width 68 inches
• Height 55.7 inches
• Curb Weight 2,760 pounds
• Track 58.5 inches front, rear
• Ground Clearance 4.9 inches
• Turn Circle 35.4 feet
• Drivetrain Front-wheel-drive
• Engine 2.0-liter twinpower turbo 4-cylinder
• Horsepower/Torque 189/207
• Transmission 6-speed automatic
• Steering electric power
• Fuel mileage estimate 27/38
• Fuel mileage average 31.6
• Fuel Tank 11.6 gallons, premium
• Wheels 18-inch
• Cargo Volume 8.7 cubic feet
• Warranty 4 years/50,000 miles basic, 4/50,000 powertrain

Competitors Ford Focus ST, Volkswagen Golf R, Kia Soul, Nissan Juke, VW Beetle, Mazda 3

Assembly Plant Oxford, England

Parts Content Germany 35%, England 25%, U.S./Canadian 5%

Base Price of Lowest Model $20,745; Base Price of Review Model $23,600; Destination Charge $795; Sticker Price $37,395.

For 2015, an engineering feat by Acura has combined two models into one in a midsize makeover.

The result is the pleasantly styled ’15 TLX sedan, which delivered us smoothly to Vail and back.

The two 2014 models which met their maker to create the new one are the TL and its sportier stablemate, the TSX.

The new TLX is of much sleeker design than the two old bodies; it’s a bit longer than the TSX, though 3.8 inches shorter than the TL.

Fashioned so elegantly, and with a 9-speed automatic transmission, push-button shifts and all-wheel drive, the TLX made a hit with me.

A question for Acura, though, is whether one model can sell at the same pace or faster than the two models of the past. It’s the same query tossed at Sergio Marchionne, head of FiatChrysler, in his intention to do away with the Dodge Grand Caravan minivan in favor of its near-twin, Chrysler Town & Country. Will he sell as many minivans under the Chrysler nameplate as he has under combined Dodge/Chrysler names? I doubt it.

Regardless of level of future sales, the ’15 TLX luxury midsize four-door is a pleasure to drive.

A 290-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 is tied to the 9-speed automatic; it kept pace, often on the inside fast lane, with no problem on the I-70 climb up the mountains. With all the gearing available, a slight tendency at times to remain in higher gear with lessened performance, can be overcome with use of Sport mode in Acura’s Integrated Dynamics System. Using paddles at hand, shifts are quickened, throttle is more responsive and steering is stiffened. Upshifts are delayed.

There is no shifter in sight; it’s a matter of pushing buttons for P (park), D (drive) and N (neutral) and pulling a small lever for R (reverse). Push-button transmissions were popular 50 to 60 years ago, used by Chrysler, Mercury and Rambler, with some frustrating moments when a button would slip out of place. Those were mechanical; Acura’s is electronic, it won’t fail.

Only on either side of the Eisenhower Tunnel and over Vail Pass did we see any snow or feel wet roads. In more adverse conditions the Acura’s drive system, Super Handling All Wheel Drive, distributes torque between the front and rear axles, as well as between the rear wheels. Torque vectoring (distributing power to each wheel independently) has been enhanced in the new TLX.

The new Acura is a good handler, with a quiet cabin. It has a wide turn circle, almost 40 feet.

Its interior, with leather, is comfortably finished and roomy enough for five adults. Spacewise, the only lack is in headroom in the rear seating area; trunk space is 14.3 cubic feet. A deep dash juts sharply toward the front seats, putting center stack controls within easy reach of both driver and front-seat passenger, though cutting down on legroom, particularly for the passenger. The center stack features dual display screens, a lower touch-screen for audio and climate control, the upper controlled by knobs and buttons also for audio and navigation. It can lead to confusion.

Aided by the return drive from Vail, overall fuel-mileage average for the TLX was 29.4 miles per gallon; EPA estimate is 21-31.

The TLX sticker price of $45,595 was boosted by two packages:

Technical – Navigation with voice recognition and multiview rear camera, real-time traffic, ELS studio premium audio with 10 speakers, perforated leather seats, blind-spot information, forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, rain-sensing wipers and rear-cross traffic monitor.

Advance – Collision-mitigation braking system, adaptive cruise control, ventilated front seats, exterior puddle lamps, remote engine start, front and rear parking sensors, LED foglights and road-departure warning.

A lesser-priced version of the new TLX can be bought in the $35,000 to $38,000 range with front-wheel drive, a 206-hp, 4-cylinder engine and 8-speed automatic transmission. It is rated at 35 mpg on the highway. It is equipped with an all-wheel-steering system, not available with the V-6 engine.

Here are the specifications for the ’15 Acura TLX SH-AWD:

• Wheelbase 109.3 inches
• Length 190.3 inches
• Width 73 inches
• Height 57 inches
• Curb Weight 3,774 pounds
• Track 62.8 inches front, 63.1 rear
• Ground Clearance 5.9 inches
• Turn Circle 39.6 feet
• Drivetrain All-wheel-drive
• Engine 3.5-liter V-6
• Horsepower/Torque 290/267
• Transmission 9-speed automatic
• Steering electronic power
• Fuel mileage estimate 21/31
• Fuel mileage average 29.4
• Fuel Tank 17.2 gallons
• Wheels 18-inch
• Cargo Volume 14.3 cubic feet
• Warranty 4 years/50,000 miles basic, 6/70,000 powertrain

Competitors Lincoln MKZ, Audi A4, BMW 3 series, Lexus IS

Assembly Plant Marysville, Ohio

Parts Content U.S./Canadian 65%

Base Price of Lowest Model $31,890; Base Price of Review Model $44,700; Destination Charge $895; Sticker Price $45,595.

Eighteen months after the new Jag roadster stole the spotlight at the Denver Auto Show, the hardtop version, the 2015 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe, came my way.

What a tough, robust two-seater sports car it is, with a 550-horsepower, 5-liter supercharged V-8 twisting out 502 lb.-ft. of torque.

A simple pull of a small switch beside the shifter activates dynamic drive mode for the Jag; the performance enhancement is felt about as quickly as the extreme roar is heard from the quad exhausts. The response is tremendous, with tightened steering. The coupe will do the 0-to-60 sprint in 4 seconds and boasts a top speed of 188 miles per hour.

Shifts are almost imperceptible with an 8-speed automatic transmission, though control can be quickened with use of orange paddle shifters at either side of the steering wheel.

The R-package’s retuned dampers boost the level of superb handling. The cornering grip mixes a sense of security with the fun of the drive.

Complementing the coupe’s large power capability are extra big brakes, with tremendous stopping strength. They’re 15-inch rotors in front and 14.8 at the rear. Red calipers draw attention to the sizable rotors in the 20-inch wheels. They run on Pirelli 255/35ZR20 tires.

The sleek Jaguar looked right at home outside Elway’s at Cherry Creek one noon last week when we joined Ted King for a birthday lunch for his wife, Shirley.

With its long, sloping hood and big nose out front, the low-slung F-Type exudes appeal to streetgoers throughout downtown Denver. It stands only 52 inches in height and is of medium overall length; at 176 inches it is almost half-a-foot shorter than a Mercedes-Benz SL550.

The ivory-colored interior is luxuriant and bright. Finished in premium leather, it features touchscreen navigation, Bluetooth connectivity and a 770-watt, 12-speaker Meridian sound system.

A small rear window and wide C pillars limit view out the rear, and, on the highway, when a rear panel lifts for downforce at higher speeds, there’s even less vision. And, up front, the sun visors are the smallest (shallowest) I remember, measuring less than 3 inches. They barely fall into the top of the windshield area.

When the Jaguar is locked, door handles retract flush into the body panel for a neat look at the side, especially for the fact the side mirrors also fold in. The handles, very plain in appearance, lend an awkward look when they’re unlocked, jutting out at an odd angle.

The R Coupe comes in at a staggering price of $102,825. A standard F-Type coupe, with power from a 3.0-liter V-6, can be bought in the $70,000 to $75,000 range.

With the F-Type earning accolades for the British-built Jaguar, the company intends to drop its XK grand touring coupe and convertible after the ’15 model run.

Here are the specifications for the ’15 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe:

• Wheelbase 103.2 inches
• Length 176 inches
• Width 75.7 inches
• Height 52 inches
• Curb Weight 3,638 pounds
• Track 62.4 inches front, 64.1 rear
• Ground Clearance 4.8 inches
• Turn Circle 35 feet
• Drivetrain Rear-wheel-drive
• Engine 5.0-liter supercharged V-8
• Horsepower/Torque 550/502
• Transmission 8-speed automatic
• Steering rack-and-pinion
• Fuel mileage estimate 16/23
• Fuel mileage average 18.3
• Fuel Tank 18.5 gallons
• Wheels 20-inch
• Cargo Volume 11 cubic feet
• Warranty 4 years/50,000 miles basic, 4/50,000 powertrain

Competitors Porsche Cayman, Porsche 911, Mercedes-Benz SL550, Chevrolet Corvette, BMW M4, Dodge Viper

Assembly Plant Castle Bromwich, England

Parts Content Germany 53%, England 41%, U.S./Canadian 2%

Base Price of Lowest Model $65,925; Base Price of Review Model $99,000; Destination Charge $925; Sticker Price $102,825.

The climb to 11,670-foot Guanella Pass from Georgetown (elevation 8,530 feet) in little more than 10 miles was a nice drive on a warm, bright, late-September afternoon and an excellent test for the 2015 Cadillac Escalade ESV.

Performance was impressive from the Escalade’s new 420-horsepower, direct-injected 6.2-liter V-8 engine, and even atop its extended-length 130-inch wheelbase, it handled the rise and the hairpin curves with a nimbleness not normally enjoyed in that size SUV.

Plush accommodations and high-tech features pushed the Escalade’s price to $90,985, a far cry from the previously highest-priced Cadillac I’ve driven, the 2010 CTS-V sedan at $68,445 four years ago.

The high price was a first step toward more luxurious offerings from Cadillac. Company officials announced, during the time I was driving the Escalade, they would soon build a new prestige sedan with advanced technology to compete more directly with Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi.

Cadillac also announced it will in 2015 expand its Detroit-based organization to New York, creating a new global headquarters there.

The new premium sedan, though, will remain tied to Detroit. It is to be known as the CT6 and will be built in the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant. It will go into production in the fourth quarter of 2015 and will be a new top-of-the-line Cadillac.

“The objective for this upcoming model is to lift the Cadillac range by entering the elite class of top-level luxury cars,” said Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen.

The big Cadillac Escalade ESV, which is longer by 14 inches in wheelbase and 22 inches overall than the regular Escalade, easily kept pace with other motorists in the I-70 fast lane to Georgetown. The mountain climb above Georgetown took us near Mt. Bierstadt and gave me an opportunity to use the Escalade’s manual-mode shifter. It is more awkward than most, as, rather than paddle shifters, it is engaged from a button on the column shifter. It locked into 2^nd and 3^rd gears with no hesitation, however. Overall fuel-mileage average was 18.2 miles per gallon.

Walk up to the ESV, open the driver’s door, and wide, retractable running boards (a $1,700 option) slide out into place for easy access into plush interior surroundings with kona brown perforated heated and cooled front seats. Somewhat distracting is a dashboard of many parts, which angle away in various directions.

Standard on this premium ESV is the touch-sensitive Cadillac User Experience (CUE) navigation system. Tied to a 16-speaker Bose Cabin surround-sound system are MP3, Bluetooth and SiriusXM, with Blu-Ray DVD rear-entertainment screens for second- and third-row passengers. A head-up display provides driving information out front of the driver.

The ESV offers a segment-first front-seat center airbag, not to protect a center-seat passenger, for a center console prevents use there as a seat. It is engineered, Cadillac said, to provide additional protection to drivers and front passengers in far-side impact crashes, where the affected occupant is on the opposite, non-struck side of the SUV.

The added length of the vehicle creates a large cargo area, 38.7 cubic feet, behind the third row of seats. With the power liftgate open, rear-positioned controls can be used to fold-flat and raise the third-row of seats, along with flip-folding the second-row seats to allow passengers to climb into the third-row seats. A highlight at the rear are distinctive, vertical, 3-feet-long LED taillights.

Seat vibrations to alert the driver to non-signaled lane departure are among standard technology, helping to push the ESV’s price above $90,000. Others are adaptive cruise control with excellent braking control, blind-zone and cross-traffic alerts and forward-collision alert.

Cadillac’s magnetic ride control is one of the most instantaneously reacting suspension systems. The Escalade’s 22-inch wheels are shod with Bridgestone Dueler P285/45R22 tires.

Here are the specifications for the ’15 Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD:

• Wheelbase 130 inches
• Length 224.3 inches
• Width 80.5 inches
• Height 74 inches
• Curb Weight 6,096 pounds
• Track 68.7 inches front and rear
• Ground Clearance 7.9 inches
• Turn Circle 43 feet
• Drivetrain Four-wheel-drive
• Engine 6.2-liter V-8
• Horsepower/Torque 420/460
• Transmission 6-speed automatic
• Steering electrically variable power-assisted
• Fuel mileage estimate 14/20
• Fuel mileage average 18.27
• Fuel Tank 26 gallons
• Wheels 22-inch
• Cargo Volume 38.7 cubic feet
• Warranty 4 years/50,000 miles basic, 6/70,000 powertrain

Competitors Range Rover, Lincoln Navigator, Infiniti QX80, Lexus LX470

Assembly Plant Arlington, Texas

Parts Content U.S./Canadian 60%, Mexico 28%

Base Price Lowest Model $74,295; Base Price of Review Model $85,795; Destination Charge $995; Sticker Price $90,985.

Riders on bike brands such as Trek, Specialized, Giant, Felt and others rolled into Wiggins Sunday morning, concluding the three-day Pedal the Plains in northeastern Colorado.

My ride was the 2014 Volkswagen CC R-Line, a sleek, low-slung midsize sport sedan. It carried Jan and me to downtown Wiggins in time to see some of the early finishers in the bike festivities.

Fred Citta of Gering, Neb., on his Specialized Roubaix, covered the 66-mile route from Sterling to Wiggins in just over 4 hours. The weather was breezy and cooler on Sunday; he said he preferred to ride in the hotter 85 to 90-degree weather which the bicyclists experienced on Friday and Saturday.

Citta was among 1,000 riders from 26 states who participated in the three-day, 175-mile course. It began in Wiggins on Friday with stopover that night in Fort Morgan, then to Brush Saturday morning and on to Sterling, where the annual Sugar Beet Days drew large crowds to Logan County Courthouse Square.

The Volkswagen we were driving carries a price tag of $33,890, not bad for a well-equipped midsize model. Under its hood is a 200-horsepower, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine and a 6-speed manual transmission. It is a smooth handler, of front-wheel-drive configuration. Engine refinement has overcome most turbo lag of the 4-cylinder.

The stylish CC originated six years ago as part of the VW Passat line. It is so coupelike that VW calls it a Comfort Coupe, from which the CC designation comes. It’s not a coupe, though, for it has four doors. Its overall height of only 55.8 inches is almost 3 inches lower than that of the Passat.

The CC is considered a separate model from the Passat. Though it retains the same platform, the Passat two years ago moved to a large architecture and is 3 inches longer in overall length than the CC.

A CC delight is its two-tone interior, highlighted by a desert beige finish, much brighter than the more-often-used dark interiors of German products. The contoured seats are cushioned very comfortably in leatherette.

The car’s center stack screen for navigation, audio and backup camera is far too small for comprehension-at-a-glance.

A sport bumper is part of the R-Line trim package, along with large lower air intake, projector-style foglights, side skirts, door sill logos and 18-inch alloy wheels.

The CC’s little turbocharged engine and manual transmission earned an EPA estimate of 32 miles per gallon in highway driving; premium fuel is recommended. I posted an overall average of 28.7 with it, benefited by a Friday night drive to the impressive, old Grant-Humphreys Mansion in Denver for a wedding ceremony for Kyle Lock and David Ruygrok, and the trip out northeast to view the Pedal the Plains finish.

Included in addition to the aforementioned amenities for the $33,000 CC are Bluetooth connectivity, bi-xenon headlights and LED daytime running lights, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, cruise control, trip computer, automatic headlights and intermittent wipers with rain sense.

Few changes or upgrades will be made to the 2015 version of the VW CC.

Here are the ’14 Volkswagen CC R-Line specifications:

• Wheelbase 106.7 inches
• Length 188.9 inches
• Width 73 inches
• Height 55.8 inches
• Curb Weight 3,358 pounds
• Track 61.1 inches front, 61.4 rear
• Ground Clearance 5 inches
• Turn Circle 37.4 feet
• Drivetrain Front-wheel-drive
• Engine 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder
• Horsepower/Torque 200/207
• Transmission 6-speed manual
• Steering electromechanical power
• Fuel mileage estimate 21/32
• Fuel mileage average 28.7
• Fuel Tank 18.5 gallons
• Wheels 18-inch
• Cargo Volume 13.2 cubic feet
• Warranty 3 years/36,000 miles basic, 5/60,000 powertrain

Competitors Nissan Maxima, Toyota Avalon, Volvo S60, Ford Fusion, Chrysler 200

Assembly Plant Emden, Germany

Parts Content Germany 62%, U.S./Canadian 1%

Base Price of Lowest Model $31,795; Base Pice of Review Model $33,025; Destination Charge $865; Sticker Price $33,890.