Lincoln and Audi get “best of year” nods

Lincoln Continental AWD Black Label sedan. (Bud Wells photos)

It’s after catching my breath from a busy 2017 that I offer greetings for the new year.

Nearly 100 new cars, trucks and SUVs were sent my way during the past 12 months. The delivery on Nov. 10 of the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport marked the 2,100th new car or truck I’ve driven and reviewed over the past 40 years.

Two of my favorites for ’17 were the Lincoln Continental and the Audi Q7, and I offer them as my selections for “best of the year.”

Car of the Year – Of the Lincoln Continental AWD Black Label four-door, I said in August, “I’ve  just finished driving the best-looking and most-comfortable new luxury sedan sold in the U.S.” Inside and out, the flagship replacement for the MKS is a standout. Its alpine venetian leather interior is as plush as anything in the luxury field, its seats are inspired by private jets and its twin-turbo, 3.0-liter V-6 engine (with electronic push-button shifter controls) produces 400 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque. Its paddle shifters were effective in a drive toward Allenspark and, particularly, through the twisting narrow lanes of the Raymond community. Sticker price was $74,815.

The Audi Q7 was filled with autonomous safety innovation.

Truck/SUV of the Year – It took Audi 10 years to restyle its seven-passenger Q7 flagship SUV; it took me the better part of an hour and about 50 miles to forget all about that and become actively engaged instead in its high-tech electronic advances, somewhat of a next-generation marvel. Heading into a near-60-degree turn on Colo. 392, I turned loose of the steering wheel and removed my foot from the accelerator. The Audi read the traffic sign and quickly slowed speed to the posted 45 miles per hour, then its active lane assist took control and turned the Q7 inward upon approaching the road-edge stripe and completed the turn before straightening the car’s path down the highway. The refashioned Q7, with a 333-horsepower, supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine and 8-speed automatic transmission, was sticker priced at $68,925.

Here, briefly, are other highs and a few lows of the year:

Italian-built Alfa Romeo Giulia is suited to Colorado.

Best drive – Guiding Alfa Romeo’s new Giulia luxury sport sedan up Poudre Canyon, over Cameron Pass, down to Walden for lunch, northward past Cowdrey to Laramie, Wyo., and back through Fort Collins in July. The Guilia is built in Italy, and, with all-wheel drive, is ready for driving the U.S.’s tougher terrains, such as Colorado.

Best new color – The canyon beige metallic (gold) on the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA250 4Matic subcompact SUV crossover, just a shade better than the chroma elite copper finish of the 2017 Lincoln Continental AWD Black Label sedan.

Best sound – The Bower & Wilkins $3,200 option in the 2018 Volvo XC60, with 15 high-fidelity loudspeakers and 1,100 watts of amplification. The occupants are entertained as though they’re in the center of the Gothenburg Concert Hall.

Priciest – The 2017 Mercedes-Benz SL450, with biturbo power, at $108,385.

Cheapest – The Kia Rio EX sedan, redesigned for 2018, at $19,425.

MPG – Kia’s new Niro Hybrid, with 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine and 43-horsepower electric motor and smooth-shifting 6-speed dual-clutch transmission, averaged 50.1 miles per gallon. The 2018 Camry Hybrid averaged 45, as we observed Toyota’s 60th anniversary of car sales in the U.S.

The Subaru Impreza underwent major restyling for 2017.

 

Low-end – The Ram Power Wagon 4X4, with 410-horsepower, 6.4-liter Hemi V-8, averaged 12.4 mpg in offroad testing, and the Toyota Tundra AWD, with 5.7-liter V-8, averaged 15 on drive to Torrington, Wyo., and back to view the Eclipse.

Comeback – Once referred to as “the ugly duckling,” the restyled Impreza is impressive for 2017, and its improved sales reflect the efforts of Subaru designers in the makeover.

Powerful – 707 horsepower from a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat with 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V-8 linked to an 8-speed automatic transmission (0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds).

Most powerful was the Dodge Challenger Hellcat.

10-speeds – The first, mated to an EcoBoost 3.5-liter V-6, was in a Ford F-150 driven to the Denver Press Club’s annual Hall of Fame dinner, followed shortly by the test of a 2018 Honda Odyssey minivan equipped with the first 10-speed tranny in a front-wheel-drive vehicle.

Cute – The Toyota C-HR. I have never like “cute” in a car’s description, but this one, yeh, it’s kind of cute. Its quirky style and bright iceberg/radiant green finish drew much attention.

Best e-mail – “Are they crushed?,” asked one reader, wondering what happens to all those 500 new cars following the close of the Denver Auto Show. No, they’re returned to the new-car dealer lots and to the manufacturers from where they came.

Quirky means cute in the new Toyota C-HR.

Cinnamon rolls – Those made by Steve and Becky Childs when we showed up in a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Recon at their Glen Haven General Store shortly before the road was closed in early October.

Jan’s favorite – The 2018 Volvo XC60 T6 Inscription, which carried us to DIA in late September for a flight to Phoenix.

Best greeting – Happy New Year!

Buick Enclave redesigned, roomier for 2018

The sleek, 2018 Buick Enclave Premium is finished in white frost exterior. (Bud Wells photos)

With sunnier days and warmer temperatures into the new year, the appearance of the redesigned 2018 Enclave has brightened, too, showrooms of Buick dealerships. The new Enclave is one of the most refined of a strong field of midsize SUVs and crossovers.

With the 2018 model in the showrooms for the final two months of the just-concluded year, the Enclave increased sales from 7,308 units to 11,910, an increase of 63 percent. It is the second-best-selling Buick model, trailing only the Encore, a compact-sized SUV.

The Enclave underwent an attractive exterior remake, is 2 inches longer overall, has a bit more power and added safety. From the waterfall grille and extended wings on the Buick logo up front, to the light on the ground giving “the kicking spot” for the power liftgate at the rear, the Enclave is sleeker and filled with new appeal.

A new 9-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters is mated to the 3.6-liter V-6 engine, for which horsepower has been boosted from 288 to 310, with torque of 266 lb.-ft. The Intelligent All Wheel Drive system monitors and adjusts for improved traction. A somewhat awkward setup for shift sequence on a new electronic shifter requires plenty of practice for shift smoothness.

The Enclave’s wheelbase has also been  lengthened by 2 inches to 120.9 inches. Among big three-row SUVs, the Enclave’s overall  length of 204.3 inches is a bit shorter than the Nissan Armada (208.6) and Toyota Sequoia (205.1), though longer than the Dodge Durango at 202 inches, the Mazda CX-9 at 199.4, the Volkswagen Atlas 198.3, Volvo XC90 194.9 and the Honda Pilot 194.4.

The Enclave carried Jan and me to Denver on a December night to the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association Building, where member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP) gathered in the Bud Wells Board Room for their annual Christmas party.

David Muramoto heads the RMAP as president, with David Beardsley serving as vice president, Angelia McGowan as secretary, Mike Cotsworth as treasurer and Craig Conover and Andrew Ganz as board members at large.

Tim Jackson, head of CADA, welcomed more than 40 RMAP members and guests and discussed sales of new cars and trucks thus far this year in Colorado; “They’re up 7 percent here, while sales nationally are down slightly. Light trucks, crossovers, SUVs and minivans continue to fuel the market for new-vehicle registrations in Colorado.”

My test was aboard the Enclave Premium, one of four trim levels. An 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration is prominent in the roomier interior.

The roomy three-row seating layout for the new Buick Enclave. (Buick)

The Enclave doesn’t offer a second-row bench seat; they’re captain’s chairs with walking space between them for assisting access to the third-row seating. Fewer and fewer buyers have requested second-row benches in recent years, Buick said. The second-row seats slide forward and backward and will recline.

The passenger-side seat will also fold forward to create another opening to the third row. The third-row seats are roomy enough and cushioned enough to accommodate adults.

Cargo space behind the third row is 23.6 cubic feet; fold down the third row and the storage grows to 58 feet. A hands-free power liftgate, opened by a swing of the foot, is standard. A remote-opening sensor shines a Buick shield logo light on the ground as a spotlight for where the “kicker” should aim.

The Buick averaged 21.1 miles per gallon in an even split of highway and city road time. The Enclave rides on Continental 255/55R20 tires.

The base Buick, with front-wheel drive, begins around $42,000; it won’t be a factor in all-wheel-drive-obsessed Colorado dealerships. The three which will, each with all-wheel drive, are the Essence, the Premium and the new upscale Avenir.

The Enclave Premium AWD from a base price of $50,315 climbed to sticker total of $57,055 with an otional dual moonroof, 20-inch aluminum wheels, surround vision, navigation and trailering equipment.

The Enclave is built in Lansing, Mich.; its engine and transmission are put together in Mexico.

 

’78 Buick LeSabre

priced at $7,092.55

1978 Buick LeSabe. (Bud Wells/1978)

(Forty years ago this winter, I reviewed in The Denver Post the 1978 Buick LeSabre four-door sedan, provided by Deane Buick Co., 1080 S. Colorado Blvd. Excerpts follow:)

You can still buy a big car with a big trunk and air conditioning for about $7,000. The car is Buick and the model is the 1978 LeSabre.

Since downsizing a year ago, the LeSabre’s dimensions aren’t what they used to be. Those older LeSabres gave an excellent highway ride. The ’78 models give a good ride and are easy to park, too. The four-door will carry comfortably six adults, and it is easy getting in and out of the rear seat. The roomy trunk has 21 cubic feet of space.

The engine, a 350-cubic-inch V-8 with four-barrel carburetor, seemed sluggish. However, the car showed only 69 miles when John Ramstetter turned it over to me. Gas-mileage checks were on the low side – 11 miles per gallon in town, though some of the miles were under adverse conditions during a snowstorm. The highway test was 15.4 mpg.

Base price of the four-door is $5,458.55, with a destination charge of $435 for $5,893.55. The 350 engine added $313, air conditioning was $581, steel-belted radial tires $46, AM radio $96. Sticker price was $7,092.55.

The LeSabre is 218 inches long on a wheelbase of 115.9 inches. It is Buick’s second largest automobile, smaller only than the Electra.

With a little improvement in gas mileage, the four-door I drove should appeal to many families.

Velar adds midsize to Range Rover line

The 2018 Range Rover Velar in front of Gray Hall on the University of Northern Colorado campus in Greeley. (Bud Wells photo)

When I walked out and saw the 2018 Range Rover Velar in my driveway, it seemed much longer than I had imagined it might be. It is the newest luxury midsize sport-utility vehicle on the U.S. market.

For it to exceed my expectations was of no surprise, for Land Rover, builder of Range Rover products, does nothing in a small way.

Sizewise, the Velar is third in line behind the full-size Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. The Velar at 113 inches is only 2 inches shorter in wheelbase than the others; its overall length of 189 inches compares with 197 for Range Rover and 192 for the RR Sport.

The Velar, larger than the Range Rover Evoque (a compact), has curb weight of around 4,225 pounds.  That’s 500 pounds heavier than the Evoque, and of at least that much lighter than the heavier Sport and Range Rover.

Among competitors for the new model are Lexus RX350, BMW X5, Volvo XC90, Cadillac XT5, Lincoln MKX and others.

It carried Jan and me, along with Dick and Bernice Muller to Sterling for the 60th wedding anniversary party for Duane and Millie Muller at the Logan County Heritage Center. Duane and I are cousins, born three weeks apart at Wray many years ago.

The highway drive along U.S. 34 to Wiggins, then I-76 to Sterling, brought out the best of fuel mileage for the diesel-powered Velar – averaging 30 miles per gallon there and back.

The high-mileage reading from the 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine will decline in stop-and-go maneuvers, and a power-lag pause occurs at lower speeds before the turbo kicks in. The diesel delivers 317 lb.-ft. of torque and 180 horsepower. Two gas-engine options for the Velar are a turbocharged 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder of 247-hp and a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 of 380-hp. All three are tied to an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

Velar name comes from Range Rover prototype of 1970. (Land Rover)

The Velar I drove is the R-Dynamic HSE edition, finished in byron blue exterior and light interior. Velar was the identity used on Range Rover prototypes before Land Rover launched it into actual production in 1970. The Velar is built in Solihull, United Kingdom.

In Range Rover tradition, the Velar rides smoothly and quietly. It is equipped with a coil-spring suspension. Its gloss-black-finished 20-inch spoked wheels are a standout, with Pirelli Scorpion 255/50R20 tires.

Land Rover’s lane-keeping assist gently nudges the SUV back into its driving lane when it wanders near the lane-divider stripe on the highway; it is also equipped with emergency brake assist. The lane-keeping system wasn’t as noticeably effective as was that of the Audi Q7 several months ago.

The Velar shows a clamshell hood and straight body sides, broken by popout door handles which retract when the car is locked or shifted into gear.

Highlighting the interior are white Windsor leather seating and the Touch Pro Duo 10-inch screens for infotainment, climate and driving modes of comfort or dynamic, with terrain choices, too. Previously, a dial shifter (like the automatic transmission shifter) was provided for terrain settings; this new one is selected on one of the two touchscreens. The upper screen offers controls for navigation, phone and media, while the lower screen controls climate, seat functions and the terrain response settings.

The Velar offers a large rear cargo space of 34.4 cubic feet, with adjustable tiedown rails on each side. Its tailgate can be automatically opened by swinging a foot beneath the rear of the vehicle.

From a base price of $69,100, the Velar sticker price jumped to $75,415 with addition of heated windshield and steering wheel, four-zone climate control, surround-camera, remote release for rear seat, Meridian surround sound and ebony black headliner.

Among standard items are rearview camera, park assist, Bluetooth connectivity and streaming, push-button start, heated rear window, automatic headlights and headlight leveling.

 

Mitsubishi pins shine on new Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi’s entry in the midsize crossover market is the 2018 Outlander, in GT trim. (Bud Wells photo)

I’ve driven the 2018 Outlander GT and Outlander Sport, a couple of slow-selling crossovers for Mitsubishi, the Japanese car company hard-pressed in recent years to become the forgotten car company.

The Outlander is a midsize, the Outlander Sport is a compact; their individual sales totals, as well as the overall sales by Mitsubishi, are all near the bottom for the industry in the U.S.

Hope exists, though, as Mitsu officials will unveil what they call a rebound entry at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show. Shining bright in the company’s small space at the extravaganza will be a compact crossover; not only is it red but it is called the Eclipse Cross, reviving an old name from a coupe/roadster last sold in 2012.

The new Eclipse Cross will fit between the Outlander and Outlander Sport, sizewise. While all three models share a 105.1-inch wheelbase, the Outlander is 184.8 inches in overall length, the Eclipse Cross will be 173.4 inches and the Outlander Sport is 171.5.

The Eclipse was a sporty, strong-selling coupe and convertible 20 years ago, when Mitsubishi sold almost 200,000 vehicles a year, and even 10 years ago with company sales at 130,000 in the U.S. Mitsubishi expects to nudge past 100,000 sales by the end of next month.

Whether the Eclipse name can stir appeal as a crossover similar to what it did as a sports model remains to be seen.

Of Mitsubishi’s 86,000 sales over the first 10 months of this year, 55,000 of them, or 63 percent, are from the Outlander and Outlander Sport SUV crossovers. They have an even split between them.

The shorter Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is a compact crossover. (Bud Wells photo)

In driving the two Outlanders, I realized how noticeably short they are of high-tech features. Traveling to Hacienda Colorado, Westminster, for a wedding reception for granddaughter Hannah Zink and Mike Mckenner, I got directions through my iPhone for lack of navigation in the Outlander.

Neither crossover offered an optional turbocharged engine. Acceleration was on the mild side; the ride was decent in the bigger Outlander, a three-row vehicle.

The new Eclipse Cross, when it hits the showrooms, will sport new styling, offer a direct-injection turbocharged engine, head-up display, touchpad controller and rear heated seats.

Performance for the Outlander GT came from a 3.0-liter V-6 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and Super All-Wheel Control. The V-6 delivers 224 horsepower and 215 lb.-ft. of torque, and S-AWC can be moved from Normal to Snow to Economical AWC or locked in all-wheel-control.

The Outlander Sport got by with a 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder, continuously variable transmission and all-wheel-control; it averaged 25.2 miles per gallon, with an EPA estimate of 23/28. The bigger Outlander, with an EPA rating of 20/27, averaged 21.9 mpg.

The addition of forward-collision mitigation, lane-departure warning and adaptive cruise pushed the Outlander’s sticker price to $34,150. The same package, plus Rockford Fosgate premium audio and panorama roof, raised price of the Outlander Sport to $29,110.

Both are built in Okazaki, Japan.

 

Ford Edge Sport is strong performer

The 2017 Ford Edge Sport has roomy rear cargo area. (Bud Wells photo)

The Sport version of the 2017 Edge puts Ford among the top tier of two-row midsize SUV/crossovers.

With a firmed-up suspension tied to 21-inch wheels, EcoBoost under the hood, all-wheel drive and a huge cargo area at the rear, the Edge is attractive as a family hauler.

Among other two-row competitors are Jeep Grand Cherokee, Nissan Murano, Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, GMC Acadia All-Terrain, Volkswagen Touareg.

Only the Jeep Grand Cherokee Hemi V-8 has more power than the Edge Sport. The Ford’s 2.7-liter V-6 EcoBoost V-6 delivers 315 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque, and at midrange would give even the Hemi a run for its money.

In addition to its turbo power, the 2.7 EcoBoost carries an EPA fuel-mileage estimate of 17 to 24. With about three-fourths of my 450 miles of driving on the highway, the Edge averaged 22.5 miles per gallon overall.

The Edge Sport has a relatively wide track of almost 65 inches and rides on Pirelli Scorpion 265/40R21 tires. Its wheelbase is 112.2 inches, overall length 188 inches and curb weight 4,080 pounds.

It perfectly parked itself very rapidly into a parallel spot with its active park assist system. Ford was one of the first to introduce this feature a few years ago and appears to have improved upon it. With my hands off the steering wheel, the system quickly backed the Edge into position along the curb.

A swing of my foot beneath the rear bumper opened the rear liftgate automatically. Its cargo space is one of the roomiest at 39.2 cubic feet; fold the rear seats and the open area expands to 73 cubic feet.

Among its many safety features are inflatable seatbelts for the rear seats, in which, in a crash, a tubular airbag unzips from the seams of the seatbelts across the occupant’s chest.

The beefed-up Edge Sport becomes somewhat pricey; the model I reviewed carried a sticker price of $47,575. It included voice-activated touchscreen navigation, remote start, heated and cooled front seats and heated rear seats, lane-keeping system, rain-sensing wipers and adaptive cruise/collision warning.

1928 Dodge Victory Six sedan. (Jan Wells photo)

The Edge one morning carried Jan and me from out east in Aurora across the metro area as far as U.S. 287, then north to Berthoud, where we joined Don and Nadine Cassata and Ed Hart in looking over a 1928 Dodge Victory Six sedan.

The Dodge belonged to Nadine’s father, the late Maurice Nelson, and the Cassatas have given some thought to selling it. I heard it run; it sounded good and smooth. It is a flathead-6, the engine design long-used by Dodge until 1960, when it introduced the Slant-6.

Toyota celebrates 60-year U.S. auto run

Toyota’s first model in the U.S. was the 1957 Toyopet Crown, a slow seller. (Toyota)

From a funny-looking Toyopet Crown, which got Toyota almost laughed off the U.S. market before it really got started in the late 1950s, to today’s perennial sales-leading Camry sedan, the Japanese firm has established an iconic presence alongside Ford, GM and Chrysler in this country’s automotive scene.

Toyota this fall is celebrating its 60th anniversary in the U.S. It started Oct. 31, 1957, in a 3,000-square-foot, one-time Rambler dealership in Hollywood, Calif.

The 2018 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE sedan. (Bud Wells photo)

In observance of its anniversary, I’ve driven a 2018 Camry Hybrid. Since 2000 and the introduction of the Prius, Toyota has been the leading seller of gas/electric hybrid cars in the U.S.

Toyota operates 10 manufacturing facilities in this country, has nearly 1,500 Toyota and Lexus dealerships and 136,000 direct, dealer and supplier U.S. employees. The company has unified its engineering, sales, marketing, financial services and corporate functions in one location in Plano, Texas.

At its start in California, Toyota offered two models, the Toyopet and the Land Cruiser. The Corolla followed in the early ‘60s, the Celica and Supra in the ‘70s and Camry and 4Runner in the ‘80s.

By the end of 1975, Toyota surpassed Volkswagen to become the No. 1 import brand in the United States.

Among memorable Toyota models I’ve driven and reviewed over the past 40 years are a 1980 Celica USGP (United States Grand Prix), 1981 small diesel pickup which averaged 27 miles per gallon, the extremely quick ’93 Supra Turbo (it went from Franktown to Castle Rock in about five blinks), the new Prius Hybrid in 2000, the tough little Tacoma truck, the recent introduction of the quirky C-HR and many others.

Since that first Prius hybrid showed up in 2000, Toyota has led sales of gas/electric hybrids. The Prius, Ford Fusion hybrid and Toyota RAV4 are top sellers after 10 months of this year, followed by a new entry, the Kia Niro. Following are the top 10 hybrids in sales at the beginning of November:

Toyota Prius Liftback 55,443; Ford Fusion 49,764; Toyota RAV4 41,364; Kia Niro 22,605; Honda Accord 19,262; Toyota Camry 15,369; Toyota Highlander 13,865; Toyota Prius C 10,607; Hyundai Ioniq 8,997; Hyundai Sonata 8,472; Ford C-Max 8,331; Toyota Prius V 8,299; Lexus RX450h 6,848; Lincoln MKZ 4,990; Lexus CT200h 4,673; Lexus ES 4,337; Toyota Avalon 4,215; Chevrolet Malibu 3,799; Kia Optima 3,126; Lexus NX 2,161.

The 2017 Toyota 4Runner at the Wyoming Hereford Ranch early this year. (Bud Wells)

Of the top 20 sellers of hybrid models, 11 of them are either Toyota or Lexus products.

The 2018 Camry Hybrid XLE four-door sports a large, new smiley grille up front and a neat, swept-back look at the rear. The review model was finished in blue crush metallic exterior and brightened on the interior with light-colored leather and a moonroof.

The gas engine is a 176-horsepower, 2.5-liter 4-cylinder mated to a much-improved continuously variable transmission. The electric motor is of 188 horsepower; horsepower rating for the combined system is 208. The XLE’s nickel-metal hydride battery pack is stored under the seat, leaving normal cargo space in the trunk. A lithium-ion battery pack is available in a cheaper, lighter version of the Camry, with resultant fuel mileage sometimes exceeding 50.

The Camry Hybrid XLE averages around 45 miles per gallon, whether driving around the city or cruising on the highway. The only decline from that high figure occurred twice, both times when I pulled onto E470 and increased speed to the 75 to 80 pace from a 65-miles-per-hour pace on U.S. 85. Overall average was 45.1 mpg.

It develops excellent torque with the instant response of the electric motor, and spurts out quickly with a punch of the throttle.

The Camry provides a nice ride, softened some by a new, double-wishbone-style multilink rear suspension with stabilizer bar, sport-tuned shocks and springs. It rides on Hankook Synergy 235/45R18 tires.

This year’s Camry Hybrid’s wheelbase of 111.2 inches is 2 inches longer than last year’s model. It has curb weight of 3,549 pounds, slightly less than a year ago.

Sticker price on the Camry Hybrid XLE is $37,255, including driver assist package and rearview camera for safety, adaptive headlights and an Entune audio and navigation.

 

1978 TOYOTA COROLLA

1978 Toyota Corolla (Bud Wells/1978)

(Following are excerpts from my first review of a Toyota product, the Corolla SR-5 Liftback, in The Denver Post of June 3, 1978:)

A good-running, 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine and an easy-shifting, 5-speed overdrive transmission were most impressive features in a two-week test drive of a bright yellow 1978 Toyota Corolla SR-5 Liftback.

The engine isn’t the quickest 4-cylinder on the road, but it’s a sure-starter and has absolutely no stalling tendency when cold. Gas-mileage checks were 21.2 miles per gallon for town driving and 31.4 for highway.

A fuse for the windshield wiper was blown trying to clear too heavy a load of snow, and I discovered the fuse box can be accessed without leaving the driver’s seat – at the bottom of the dash to the left of the driver.

The car was priced at $5,356.25, including base price of $4,638, $114.25 for freight from Portland, $490 for air conditioner, $75 for rear wiper and washer and $39 for all-weather-guard package.

Wheelbase of the Corolla is 93.3 inches, with overall length at 170 inches.

Jeep Wrangler beats Thompson closure

The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Recon takes a break near the Devil’s Gulch Road. (Bud Wells photos)

The rugged Rubicon Recon edition with the 2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited was perfect for one final run through the Big Thompson Canyon in late September, before the Colorado Department of Transportation shut down the highway for the winter.

It’s not that I did any true offroading in the canyon, but the Jeep Wrangler four-door certainly looked as though it belonged in the tough, tall terrain.

The extended-length Unlimited model has basically the same exterior appearance of other Wranglers. The Rubicon Recon package added a power-dome hood with functioning air vents, side rock rails with tread plates (step pads) for fending off boulders and heavy debris, a winch-capable steel bumper with red tow hooks and a military-inspired, beefed-up Dana front axle for added durability.

The Rubicon Recon is a body-on-frame structure showing off 10-inch ground clearance with half-inch suspension lift, skid plates, and maneuverability with a very tight turning radius.

Tied to the Jeep’s 285-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 engine is a long-used 5-speed automatic transmission. The Wrangler is the last Chrysler/Dodge/Ram/Jeep product using the 5-speed auto, dating back to when the Chrysler brands were part of Mercedes-Benz of Germany from 1998-2007.

. . .and in a more offroad setting.

We climbed into the Jeep (21-inch step-in height) on a Saturday afternoon and headed west through Loveland, past the Dam Store and into the canyon on U.S. 34, which has closed now for a second winter for road and stream reconstruction from damage in a 2013 flood. The road will be closed until Memorial Day weekend 2018.

Repeating a run Jan and I made in a Subaru Outback wagon before closure a year ago, we drove the Jeep to Drake, then turned onto the Devil’s Gulch Road to Glen Haven, where we shared one of Steve and Becky Childs’ homemade cinnamon rolls. The climb on up to Estes included two intense switchbacks, which the Wrangler, with its short turn radius and locked in 1st gear, made the ascent and turns in good shape.

We spent little time in crowded Estes, then in descending the canyon on the main U.S. 34 roadway we used 2nd and 3rd gears in the Jeep to avoid frequent braking. At the I-25/34 intersection at Johnstown, we stopped and joined in the grand opening of the 240,000-square-foot Scheels sporting goods store.

Shy a gear or three it may be, the Wrangler, though, shifted smoothly; for the 110-mile drive, it averaged 18.3 miles per gallon (EPA estimate is 16/20), and rode like a Jeep noted for offroad prowess. It rides on BF Goodrich Mud Terrain LT 255/75R17 tires.

From inside the vehicle, the top over the front seats can be removed by twisting four latches. Tradition reigns, as the windshield can still be folded flat onto the hood. Red accent stitching highlights the leather-trimmed seats. All-weather slush mats are good protection from mud and snow.

The Wrangler Unlimited, built in Toledo, Ohio, like the earliest of Jeeps back in the ‘40s, carries a base price of $37,445. The total tally climbed to $48,870 with the Rubicon Recon options, including the steel bumpers, rock rails with step pad, automatic inside temperature control, GPS navigation, Alpine premium audio, voice command with Bluetooth, heated front seats, red seat belts, remote start, rear window wiper/washer/defroster.

AMG spirit boosts ’18 Mercedes C43 Coupe

A biturbo V-6 engine powers the sleek Mercedes C43. (Bud Wells photo)

While rolling down the road in the sleek 2018 all-wheel-drive coupe, the Mercedes AMG C43, reach to the right and push the switch moving the drive mode from Comfort to Sport, adjust the suspension setting to Sport-tuned also, activate the enhanced exhaust and enjoy the run – it can serve as a restorer of youthful urges.

Thanks to the Benz’s stiffened suspension, the strong acceleration from the C43’s twin-turbocharged and intercooled 3.0-liter V-6 engine is complemented by minimal body roll in cornering.

A great drive it is, made possible through the AMG-boosted 362-horsepower, 384-torque engine and a smooth, responsive 9-speed automatic transmission.

Yes, it’s all-wheel drive, yet the October snowfall led M-B officials to delay by a day its delivery to me, a concession to the coupe’s Pirelli 225/40R19 summer performance tires. I recall a cold, snowy day in downtown Greeley several years ago, when I missed by 6 inches wiping out a power pole while slipping and sliding in a BMW 3 series with summer performance tires.

With a sufficient fill of the spirited sport setting, revert to “comfort” levels for the drive, suspension and steering for a pleasant ride home. Suspension remains fairly stiff even in the softer mode. Large 14.2-inch front discs lend reassurance for braking in either mode.

While the C43’s blocks and heads weren’t hand-built, for which AMG is best-known with other Mercedes products, the coupe received enough performance infusion to make it a worthy competitor to the BMW M3.

The AMG designation means “performance-tuned with precision.” In 1967, automotive engineers Hans-Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher began fine-tuning engines for Mercedes-Benz race cars in an old mill in Bergstall, Germany, and AMG was born. AMG became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Daimler company (Mercedes is a division of Daimler) in 2005.

The 2018 silver Mercedes with red leather seats carried Jan and me on a late afternoon to Loveland, then south on U.S. 287 to Erie, where we joined Keith and Sandy Boggs and Glenn and Ruthie Selch for dinner. The chicken piccata surely is a specialty of Sandy’s.

The Mercedes averaged 21.9 miles per gallon in overall driving; its EPA estimate is 20/27.

Burmester, long a German associate of Mercedes-Benz, lends one of its high-end audio systems to entertain the C43’s interior. A flat-bottomed AMG steering wheel and large sunroof are among highlights in the cabin. Tucked away in a center console cubicle is a working cigarette lighter and small ashtray.

That performance exhaust enhancer, which sings so loud, was among options which boosted the AMG C43’s sticker price to $72,835 from a base of $55,900. Among others were illuminated door sills, head-up display, navigation/traffic/weather, trunk lid spoiler in high-gloss black, park assist, surround view and active lane-keeping assist. The car’s attention-assist system, if it detects drowsiness from the driver, flashes a suggestion to “Take a Break.”

The 2017 Mercedes-Benz Metris passenger van. (Bud Wells photo)

Contrasting the flash and zip of the sporty C43 coupe was a test of the 2017 Metris Pasenger Van 126.

It is so basic, there were few buttons or switches to push on the Metris, with no cruise control, no rearview camera, no power mirrors.

It is a Mercedes-built passenger van, doubling as a cargo hauler, and competes with the Ford Transit Connect, Chevrolet City Express, Ram ProMaster City and Nissan NV200.

A good runner, with plenty of power from a 208-horsepower/258-lb.ft. torque, 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine and 7-speed automatic transmission, the van is of rear-wheel-drive configuration. Its EPA estimate is 20/23 miles per gallon.

Built for sturdiness and hauling, as well as passenger loads of seven or eight, the ride can be rough at times. It rides on Hankook 225/55R17 tires.

The reasonably priced Metris, $35,415, had only two options – a power sliding door on the driver side and the same on the passenger side. Seats are of durable cloth finish.

In an unusual placement, the fuel filler tube is behind a flap at the driver’s door. Its opening at the back is of the “barn-door” type, side-by-side doors..

With all three rows of seats in place, the Metris’ cargo area still measures out to 38 cubic feet.

The midsize van is 202.4 inches in overall length on a wheelbase of 126 inches and curb weight of 4,850 pounds.

Alfa Romeo Stelvio tests luxury midsize

Early snow, cold greeted new Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV at Lake Estes. (Bud Wells photos)

I’ll sprint to great lengths (or heights) in revealing to my readers the workings of a new automotive model.

Stelvio Pass in the Alps of northern Italy reaches 9,045 feet above sea level; move the zero two digits to the right and 9,450 is the altitude for Bear Lake in the Rocky Mountain National Park in northern Colorado.

With elevation numbers tied so tightly, Bear Lake, of course, was an ideal destination for the new 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV, and I drove it there in a light snow on a cold day in late October.

The climbs and twists of the narrow road to Bear Lake are a decent challenge for the great-handling Stelvio, namesake of the Italian mountain pass.

The 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti Sport, with Q4 all-wheel drive, is based on Alfa’s Giulia luxury sport sedan, which I reviewed in July. They’re built at Cassino, a Fiat Chrysler Automobile Group plant in the province of Frosinone, Italy.

Stelvio is the newest midsize SUV on the U.S. market, on a wheelbase of 111 inches, curb weight of 4,050 pounds and suspension of double wishbone with semivirtual steering axle in front and all-aluminum  rear with a vertical rod across.

Introduction of the Alfa Romeo entry followed by a number of months that of the Jaguar F-Pace. The Alfa is a couple inches shorter than the Jag and its cargo space is much smaller; the Stelvio,  though, holds its own in high-country performance against the Jaguar, as well as other competitors Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X3, Volvo XC60, Infiniti QX50 or Land Rover Discovery Sport.

Like most of the others, the Stelvio is driven by a 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and 8-speed automatic transmission with manual mode. It develops 280 horsepower and 306 lb.-ft. of torque, with plenty of kick to go with its handling and cornering capabilities.

Its drive-mode selector system, instead of the ususal eco/comfort/sport choices, lists them as Advanced Efficiency/Natural/Dynamic. As the driver selects one or the other, the system customizes the shift timing, steering feel and braking response. The driver gets even more involved with paddle shifters, tied to the steering column and long enough (6.5 inches) to hinder quick touches of side stalks.

The Stelvio’s low-end acceleration and cornering highlighted the run up to Bear Lake. The descent on the return drive was a paradise of wildlife viewing, including a stop in the road to give 11 wild turkeys an uninterrupted crossing at a slow pace. Farther down, we joined other cars parked along a side road to see more than 100 elk in a meadow in the Hollowell Park area. Numerous deer were along the way, too.

The earlier highway drive to Denver, Boulder, Lyons and up into the park lifted fuel mileage to 25.5. The Alfa’s EPA estimate is 22/28.

An interior slight, in addition to the cramped cargo area, is the unusually small screen for rearview camera and navigation. Good sound emanates from a Harmon Kardon premium system with 14 speakers. Front seats are narrowly bolstered; the overall chocolate interior is accented by a dual-pane sunroof. Rear seats are short on legroom.

Brake discs are 13 inches in front and 12.5 at the rear; visible through the Y-spoked wheels are red Brembo brake calipers. We got an appreciative demonstration of the Alfa Romeo autonomous emergency braking system on 47th Avenue in Greeley, when brakes on the car ahead of us were slammed when cut off by another; I would have stopped the Alfa before it hit the car ahead, but not quite as instantly as did the autonomous emergency brakes.

Sticker price on the Alfa Romeo Stelvio was $53,640, slightly lower than most of the competitive luxury makes.

Back then . . .V-8, floor shift add to Pacer fun

1978 AMC Pacer Wagon. (Bud Wells photo/1978)

Forty years ago this winter, I reviewed in The Denver Post the 1978 AMC Pacer D/L Wagon two-door, provided by George Dupont of the American Motors Denver Zone Office. Excerpts follow:

The V-8 engine is new to the Pacer wagon this year and its peppier performance coupled with the car’s wide windows for excellent all-around vision make it a good one for travel on the busy Valley Highway.

Acceleration hesitation hampered its performance the first couple of days, but a carburetor adjustment by Vic Hebert’s AMC service crew put it in top running form

It’s a relatively heavy car at 3,600 pounds on a wheelbase of only 100 inches. The 304-cubic-inch V-8, automatic floor-shift transmission and rear-wheel-drive configuration produced fuel mileage of 20.1 miles per gallon on a drive to Burlington and back. It handled decent on ice and snow, with suspension of isolated coil springs in front and leaf springs at the rear.

Though base price of the Pacer was only $4,143, the addition of the V-8 $233,  automatic transmission $320, whitewall radial tires $139,  air conditioning and power steering $679, door vent windows $34, AM/FM radio $224, woodgrain sides $111 and other options pushed sticker price to $7,143.

The floor shift added to the fun of driving the sporty wagon with the V-8 power. Standard engine is a 232-cubic-inch inline-6-cylinder.

The wagon has plenty of load space, 50.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The wagon is 77 inches wide, with front tread of 61.5 inches and rear 60 inches.