1982 Mercury LN7 sport coupe. (Bud Wells photo/1982)(Thirty-five years ago, I wrote this automotive review of the 1982 Mercury LN7 sport coupe for The Denver Post. It was borrowed by Kumpf Lincoln-Mercury, 5000 S. Broadway, for testing. Excerpts:)
A rear bubbleback door gives Mercury’s new LN7 sport coupe one of the more distinct appearances among today’s two-door automobiles. The little 2,100-pound car has sold very well since being introduced several months ago.
Front-wheel drive and independent rear suspension put it up there with the good ones in handling. Steering is extra quick, but with no oversteer tendency. The test model was equipped with power steering.
The LN7 even sounds sporty. It has been fitted with a “tuned” exhaust system, which makes it sound “throaty” and also improves performance at highway speeds.
Mercury says the two-seater has the lowest drag coefficient or wind resistance of any American car. It is only 50 inches high and has a low, sloping hood, wedge front and “fast” windshield.
The car averaged 32.6 miles per gallon in use about Denver, with lots of stop-and-go movement. EPA ratings are 29 in city driving and an amazing 46 on the highway.
The powertrain is a1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, two-barrel carburetor and four-speed manual transmission. A high-altitude emission system was added to the test car. The engine is fairly quick to 30 miles per hour, then sets a slower pace. Its 0 to 50 time is average. It works at just over 2,500 rpm at 55 miles per hour in fourth (overdrive) gear.
Base price of $7,750 swelled to a sticker price of $9,638 with the addition of air conditioning, leather trim, power steering, fingertip speed control, AM/FM cassette stereo, performance suspension with 13-inch aluminum wheels. Power brakes and steel-belted radial tires are among standard equipment.
Wheelbase of the Mercury is 94.2 inches, with overall length of 170.3 inches and with of 66.
Sales of the BMW i3 battery electric vehicle totaled 7,625 in 2016. (Bud Wells photo)
Sales of gas/electric hybrids, battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in the past year barely surpassed their 2015 totals in the U.S. market, accounting for approximately 2.9 percent of total new car, SUV and light truck sales for 2016.
Sales of the alternatives went from 498,718 in 2015 to 504,210 in the past year. Seventy-five models recorded sales during the year.
Big gains in ’16 over the previous year were by the Ford Fusion among hybrids, the Tesla S and
X among battery electrics and Chevrolet Volt and Ford Fusion Energi among plug-in hybrids.
The Toyota Prius Liftback, runaway leader in hybrid sales since its introduction in 2000, saw its total for 2016 slip by 13 percent, from 113,829 sales in 2015 to 98,863 the past year. Still, the Prius was more than 50,000 sales ahead of the second strongest seller of hybrids, the Toyota RAV4.
Sales of light-duty diesel models took a sharp drop in 2016, after popular Volkswagen TDIs were taken off the market over an emissions-cheating scandal in September of 2015. Biggest sellers of light-duty diesels the past year were by the Ram 1500 pickup and Ford Transit van.
Top sellers of alternative-fueled vehicles in the U.S. in 2016:
HYBRIDS
Toyota Prius Liftback 98,863; Toyota RAV4 45,070; Ford Fusion 33,648; Toyota Camry 22,227; Toyota Prius C 20,452; Hyundai Sonata 18,961; Toyota Prius V 14,840; Ford C-Max 11,877; Honda Accord 9,179; Lexus CT200h 8,903; Lexus RX400 8,561; Toyota Avalon 8,451; Lexus ES 7,645; Lincoln MKZ 7,219; Kia Optima 6,142; Toyota Highlander 5,976; Chevrolet Malibu 4,335; Lexus NX 2,842; Honda CR-Z 2,338; Subaru XV Crosstrek 2,173.
PLUG-IN HYBRIDS
Chevrolet Volt 24,739; Ford Fusion Energi 15,938; Ford C-Max Energi 7,957; BMW X5 5,995; Audi A3 4,280; Hyundai Sonata 3,000; Toyota Prius Prime 2,474; Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid 2,111; Volvo XC90 2,020; BMW i8 1,594.
BATTERY ELECTRICS
Tesla S 29,156; Tesla X 18,028; Nissan Leaf 14,006; BMW i3 7,625; Volkswagen e-Golf 3,937; Fiat 500e 3,897; Kia Soul EV 1,728; Ford Focus EV 872; Smart for Two EV 657; Mercedes B-Class electric 632.
LIGHT-DUTY DIESELS
Ram pickup 55,209; Ford Transit 50,137; Chevrolet Colorado 8,595; Jeep Grand Cherokee 4,253; GMC Canyon 3,936; Range Rover Sport 3,282; Range Rover 2,515; BMW X5 1,725; BMW 3-series 1,462; Jaguar F-Pace 1,044.
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.
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.
Hitting the streets of Denver recently is the new luxury contender, the 2017 Genesis G90. (Bud Wells photo)
Opportunity fell my way one day recently to drive all over the Denver metro area the first new luxury sedan introduced into this country in more than 10 years.
It’s the 2017 (Hyundai) Genesis G90, which is aimed at those German giants Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi. Full-size luxury, no less.
Is it possible Hyundai, the Korean builder of small, economical cars, can compete in the exclusive, high-end world of automobiles?
“It’s all about value,” said Vince Armijo, general manager of McDonald Hyundai, as he handed me the keys to a caspian black G90 all-wheel-drive four-door, showing only a couple hundred miles on its odometer.
Up front on the long, sleek sedan is a large grille that resembles that of an Audi. The G90 stretches to 204.9 inches in overall length, only an inch and a half shorter than the BMW 740xi and Mercedes S550 4Matic.
“Our new one measures up in every way to those two $100,000-plus automobiles,” said Armijo. Look at our sticker. I did ‑ $71,550.
That indicates the G90 can compete not only with the top-level luxuries, also those a step down, such as the Lexus LS460, Mercedes E Class, BMW 5 series and the Jaguars.
Under the hood of the Genesis is a twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V-6 engine developing 365 horsepower and 376 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s strong in performance, not instantly, but at midrange, when the power comes on with a rush. An 8-speed automatic transmission is quick and smooth in shifts and can be more closely controlled with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Responses of the transmission, throttle, suspension, steering and stability control can be altered with Hyundai’s Intelligent Drive Mode between Eco, Smart, Sport and Individual settings.
Also available is a 5.0-liter, direct-injected V-8 producing 420 horsepower.
The V-6, though, handled the 4,800-pound four-door in impressive fashion, as I drove it all over the area, from Brighton at the north to the Denver Dumb Friends League at the south. It averaged 21 miles per gallon of premium fuel.
The new Genesis G90 sedan offers plush interior. (Hyundai)
The interior is plush, with finely stitched nappa leather and a headliner of suede. Power sunscreens add comfort at the rear window and rear side windows. Put the car’s shifter in reverse with the back-window screen in place, and the screen automatically lowers to open up the reverse view. Move shifter back to drive and the back screen moves up into place again.
Among safety innovation for the G90 are automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, smart blind-spot detection, lane-departure warning and driver-attention alert.
A wide display screen for navigation and audio is a Genesis interior highlight. (Hyundai)
Also included in the $71,550 sticker price are heated and cooled front seats, navigation and Lexicon 17-speaker surround-sound with 12.3-inch display screen, multiview camera front and rear, head-up display, power door closures, three-zone automatic climate control.
The creation of the Genesis G90 for the luxury division came after Hyundai a year ago halted production of two large standard autos, the original Genesis and Equus.
Added to the Genesis line also is a G80 midsize sedan, smaller than the G90.
The G90 will be sold only by Genesis dealers, of which McDonald’s is one of two in Denver awarded the honor.
McDonald Automotive Group dates back more than 50 years in Denver, when Doug McDonald came to town and opened a Volkswagen dealership. Added since are stores for Audi, Volvo, Mazda and Hyundai.
Doug McDonald was chosen Colorado Time Dealer of the Year in 1991.
The 2017 Buick LaCrosse Premium AWD sedan is longer, lower, wider and lighter in weight than a year ago. (Bud Wells photos)
In days long gone, majority of sales successes in the automotive market of the U.S. were spurred by new models of the Big Three – General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.
A few of those standouts remain, such as the Mustang/Camaro/Challenger competition.
And, of course, the intense domination of the full-size truck market by Ford/GM/Ram.
Another has emerged, this one close to home right here in Colorado.
The arrival of the third-generation 2017 Buick LaCrosse Premium all-wheel-drive sedan gave me pause to celebrate it.
To this point into 2017, it is a true Big Three battle aimed almost specifically at our state’s wintertime drives; it’s the full-size, all-wheel-drive-sedan comparison of the Buick LaCrosse, Ford Taurus and Chrysler 300 (and stablemate Dodge Charger).
For much of the rest of the country where there is less demand for AWD vehicles, the full-size market is a scramble with addition of Toyota Avalon, Chevy Impala, Kia Cadenza, Nissan Maxima, Volkswagen Passat, models which offer no AWD option.
While driving skill is primary, the addition of an all-wheel-drive option to large sedans is a secondary edge that increases security in this tough-driving part of the country. An example of the importance placed on the AWD security is that of Chrysler 300 sales nationally last year, 27 percent were equipped with the four-wheel mode; of Chrysler 300 sales in the Denver/Colorado region, 77 percent were with AWD.
Buick dealers in the Denver metro area have seen increased showroom attention drawn by the newest LaCrosse with AWD.
The new LaCrosse has grown by 3 inches in wheelbase and an inch overall, yet has shed pounds to a svelte curb weight of 3,840 in its AWD form, 300 lighter than a year ago. It sits lower and is a bit wider.
The Buick is equipped with a new five-link rear suspension, sharing a platform with the Cadillac XT5 I reviewed two weeks ago as my 2,000th new vehicle driven in the past 40 years. Also like the XT5, the LaCrosse uses a 310-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 engine tied to an 8-speed automatic transmission with a small electronic shifter and stop/start technology
A roomy, beautifully finished interior is very quiet and its head-up display is one of the most colorful I’ve viewed. The switch to the electronic by-wire shifter creates a floating console with good-sized storage space beneath.
The Buick, on a 10-degree night with snow and ice on the ground, carried Jan and me to Denver for the annual Christmas party of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP) in the Bud Wells Board Room of the Colorado Automobile Dealers’ Bill Barrow Building at Speer and Grant.
David Muramoto and Tim Jackson at Rocky Mountain Automotive Press party.
David Muramoto has begun his second year as president of RMAP and shared the podium with Tim Jackson, head of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association. Jackson referred to a 26 percent jump in new-car sales in Colorado in October, then appeared to be looking forward to a “possible wild ride ahead” with many new products, continued pent-up demand among consumers and change in political climate.
The high-end Acura NSX hybrid sports car and powerful Ram Rebel 4-by-4 pickup earned recognition from Muramoto for being voted “best onroad vehicle” and “best offroad vehicle”, respectively, selected by RMAP members in a driving extravaganza at Devil’s Thumb Ranch near Tabernash in September.
The Buick, built in Detroit, did well in the snow, with little slipping or sliding in its AWD setup. It averaged 23.6 miles per gallon during a cold, snowy week. It has no fuel-filler cap beneath the fender flap, thus it has joined Ford and Chrysler in that offering. A small button for engaging the heated steering wheel is positioned in the mix of controls for the active cruise and is, while driving in the dark, easy to be pushed unknowingly until the wheel begins to heat. The LaCrosse rode on Continental ProContact 235/50R18 tires.
With such additions as front automatic braking, pedestrian-detection, 4G LTE in-car wi-fi, navigation and Bose audio, the LaCrosse’s sticker price reached $48,970.
KIA CADENZA
An 8-speed automatic transmission has been added to the Kia Cadenza for ’17.
The Kia Cadenza, a full-size, front-wheel-drive sedan built in Seoul, South Korea, was introduced to the U.S. market for the 2014 model year.
The Cadenza is 2 inches shorter than the Buick, both in wheelbase and overall length.
Like the Buick, the Cadenza has acquired a new 8-speed automatic transmission, replacing its former 6-speed. With its 290-horsepower, 3.3-liter V-6 engine, the Kia is not particularly strong on takeoff, then moves very responsively in midrange torque.
Nicely quilted and perforated nappa leather seats, finished in white, are comfortable and bright. A 14-speaker harmon/kardon audio system is a highlight.
Though the concave grille has stirred remarks, both favorable and unfavorable, the exterior finish is sleek and smooth from that point rearward. The “intaglio” grille is of faceted blades vertically across the front and curved toward the engine compartment.
The Cadenza weighs approximately 3,700 pounds on a wheelbase of 112.4 inches. It averaged 23.4 miles per gallon (EPA estimate 20/28). It rides on Michelin 245/40R19 tires.
Pricing for the Cadenza begins at $32,890 for the base model and $39,890 for the Technology edition.
Sticker price on the review model, the SX-L, was $46,240, including intelligent cruise control, surround-view camera, blind-spot monitoring, head-up display, power trunk lid and heated outboard rear seats.
The beefed-up 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro 4X4 Double Cab is at home in the brush. (Bud Wells photos)
One of the many outstanding models unveiled at the LA Auto Show is the Chevy Colorado ZR2 offroad compact pickup, expected to go on sale in early 2017.
Already down the road in these parts, though, waiting for arrival of competition such as the ZR2, is Toyota’s new entry into that rugged category, the 2017 Tacoma TRD Pro 4X4 Double Cab.
The TRD Pro showed up this fall, an enhanced package upgraded from the Tacoma TRD Off-Road unit.
An internal bypass coil-over-shock setup, with dampers featuring 2.5-inch aluminum housings, lends a 1-inch suspension lift. Adding to the increased ride height are beefed-up rear leaf springs.
Its exterior finish in a color called “cement” drew comments split evenly between favorable/unfavorable. Accenting the light color is a prominent Toyota heritage-inspired front grille, blacked-out hood scoop, black fender flares, TRD black alloy wheels with Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure 265/70R16 tires.
Toyota’s old 4.0-liter V-6 has been replaced with the new Atkinson-cycle 3.5 V-6 which adds direct-injection when more revs are needed to deliver more power. Horsepower has increased to 278 from 236, and torque is rated at 265 lb.-ft. A 6-speed automatic transmission offers quicker and smoother shifts than the former 5-speed. The TRD Pro is also available with a 6-speed manual transmission.
The review model delivered to me was equipped with the automatic, which teamed well with the V-6 in two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive and four-wheel low range. The transfer case and automatic limited-slip differential are electronically controlled. The push of a “crawl” button in 4Lo allowed me to guide the Tacoma downslope in tough terrain at about 3 miles per hour without braking. A Multi-Terrain Select system offers a five-mode regulation of wheelspin.
Interesting is an integrated inclinometer or tilt gauge showing angles of slopes in side roll and front and rear pitch while offroading in uneven terrain.
My offroading venture lowered the Tacoma’s overall fuel mileage average to 17.6; its EPA estimate is 18/23.
Built at the Toyota truck plant in San Antonio, the Tacoma TRD Pro is a heavyweight at 4,450 pounds on a wheelbase of 127.4 inches.
Driver and passenger enjoy fairly roomy front-seat area, though rear-seat legroom is tight. Leather-trimmed front seats are heated. TRD Pro logos decorate the headrests. Highlighting interior accommodations are Entune Pemium Audio with integrated navigation and Bluetooth. The pickup’s 5-foot bed is accessed readily with an easy-drop tailgate.
An easy-drop tailgate lends access to a 5-foot bed.
The tougher build of the TRD Pro comes with a price jump. Optional items such as glass-breaking sensor, paint-protection film, mudguards and bed mat added to the base price of $42,760 lifted the sticker total to $45,087.
Eleven months ago, in December, with outdoor temp at 20 degrees and snow on the ground, I drove a 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4X4 Sport Double Cab to the Terry Bison Ranch just across the state line into Wyoming.
That Tacoma, fairly well-equipped, was $10,000 cheaper at $35,280, than this week’s TRD Pro. With the same 3.5 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission, it performed more briskly than the beefed-up TRD Pro. The ’16 model averaged 20.2 miles per gallon.
The 2017 Cadillac XT5 3.6L Platinum crossover. (Bud Wells photo)
The approach of December found me at the wheel of the new 2017 Cadillac XT5, the high-end Platinum edition finished in stellar black metallic – seemingly sparkling for the occasion.
It is the 2,000th new car, truck or SUV I’ve driven and reviewed, dating back into the 1970s.
Thirty-nine years ago this month, it was Christmas Eve 1977, I drove away from Jim McDonough and the long-since-gone Griffith Chrysler Plymouth in Northglenn in a new Chrysler Cordoba. That started it.
When Todd Maul, managing partner of John Elway Dealerships, in a recent discussion offered the loan of a new Cadillac for pick up on Monday at John Elway Cadillac of Park Meadows, the vehicle was No. 2,000 for me, falling right after a BMW i3 electric and just before a Nissan Pathfinder.
The SRX (first-generation photo) has been replaced by the new XT5 in the Cadillac lineup. (Bud Wells)
The XT5, which was my choice of several possibilities in the Cadillac line, is a new midsize crossover, succeeding the SRX of the past 12 years. It is of 112.5-inch wheelbase, 2 inches longer than that of the SRX. The XT5’s overall length is a bit shorter than the old model, yet it is roomier in both rear-seat and cargo space. The ’17 model is 100 pounds lighter than the SRX.
Gavin Pierce, general manager/partner of Elway Cadillac, selected the loaded Platinum edition for me, and Stefan Hachey, sales consultant, got a kick out of showing me some of the new features; push a button and the rearview mirror becomes an absolute live video of what’s behind, of far greater distinction than the rearview camera on the navigation display screen.
With push of button, rearview mirror becomes live video of what’s behind. (Cadillac)
While at Elway’s, I renewed friendship with Ron Goodman, the dealership’s new-car sales manager who for 25 years operated a Buick GMC store on South Broadway.
The Cadillac’s 3.6-liter, direct-injected V-6 engine is rated at 310 horsepower and 271 lb.-ft. of torque and tied to an 8-speed automatic transmission with a small electronic by-wire shifter. The engine is equipped with cylinder-deactivation, which on smooth cruising or deceleration will operate on V4 cylinders rather than the full V6. This is a fuel-saver; the XT5 averaged 23 miles per gallon in overall driving, about par for the midsize segment. On a return drive from Greeley to Denver, though, the model reached 29 mpg. Its EPA estimate is 18/26. I would say, even with the 310 hp, the engine defaults to smoothness over power.
The electronic shifter in the new XT5. (Cadillac)
he all-wheel-drive system can be set to modes for Touring, with 60 percent of torque relayed to the front wheels; to AWD with 50/50 split of torque and capability of routing up to 100 percent to front or rear axles and to either side; and to Sport, with 80 percent of torque devoted to the rear wheels.
The Cadillac’s overall length of 189.5 inches is a half-inch shorter than that of the Lincoln MKX. Accenting the black-finished XT5 are a large, bright grille and 20-inch, fully polished multispoke aluminum wheels.
The XT5’s interior is plush and stylish and comfortable, as fine as any in the luxury midsize class, which includes Lexus RX350, Lincoln MKX, Audi Q5, Mercedes GLE and Infiniti QX60, among others. For the driver, the head-up display is unusually bright and colorful.
In addition to heated and ventilated leather seats and heated steering wheel, the cabin features leather-wrapped instrument panel and door panels, with micro-suede headliner. Rear seats slide fore and aft and recline, and the cargo area offers 30 cubic feet of space, about average for midsizers. The hands-free power liftgate can be opened with a wave of the foot. A highlight of the CUE audio/navigation infotainment setup is a 14-speaker Bose surround-sound; Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are compatible.
The XT5 Platinum’s sticker price totaled $65,835 with the many options, including adaptive cruise and automatic front and rear collision braking. Pricing for a more basically equipped XT5 with all-wheel drive begins in the low to mid- $40,000s.
The ’78 Cadillac Seville was reviewed in the Denver Post in March 1978. (Bud Wells photo)
The new XT5 is the 49th Cadillac I’ve driven over the years. The first was a 1978 Seville sedan in which I drove Jan and her parents, Lyle and Ruth Davis, downtown to the Auditorium Theatre for a performance of “Hello, Dolly!” with Carol Channing. I parked in a lot across from the theatre, closed the driver door and set off one of the earliest theft-deterrent alarm systems in an automobile. With all those “bells and whistles,” the Seville’s price was $17,174.
A total of 132 Fords is the most of any one make I’ve driven among the 2,000. Second most is the Chevrolet, of course, with 120.
In my early years of reviewing the new cars, most were borrowed from Denver metro dealers; some came directly from the manufacturers. In the past 30 years, manufacturers have assumed responsibility of supplying most of the products to the automotive press. Today, they’re provided and distributed through three agencies in this area – Automotive Media Solutions, Drive Shop and Rocky Mountain Redline.
Bill Hellman Jr., whose family has been involved in the new-car business in Delta for 60 years, has been named Colorado Time Dealer of the Year for 2017.
Nominated by Tim Jackson, president of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association (CADA), Hellman will be one of 49 dealers from around the country honored at the National Automobile Dealers Association Convention & Expo in New Orleans on Jan. 27. One of the 49 will be named national Time Dealer of the Year.
“Bill will be a good and worthy representative for CADA among the Time dealer nominations,” said Jackson. The Time Dealer of the Year Award is sponsored by Ally.
Hellman’s father, Bill Sr., came from Dodge City, Kan., to Delta in 1955 to purchase the Ford dealership. The Mercury line was added and in 1970 a new Ford/Mercury facility was opened a mile east of town. The Chrysler, Plymouth and Dodge lines were added in 1981 and in 1988 the Toyota franchise was acquired.
Bill Jr., after graduating from Western State College in Gunnison, worked his way up through the departments of the dealerships, and with brother Matt in 1988 assumed head of operations on Bill Sr.’s semi-retirement.
Bill Hellman Jr. is a former president of the Rotary Club of Delta, a past director of the local Chamber of Commerece and a 41-year member of the Delta Elks Lodge. He currently serves boards of Uncompahgre Development Co. and Delta County Memorial Hospital. He served as chairman of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association in 2014.
He and wife, Jeanie, are parents of Holly, who handles his store’s website and advertising, and Patrick, who works for his uncle, Mark, at the Chevy dealership.
Hellman succeeds Bob Penkhus of Colorado Springs as Colorado Time Dealer of the Year. First winner of the award was Russ Lyon of Boulder in 1970.
The new Volvo S90 is the star in a blue-and-gold setting. (Bud Wells photo)
No need, to this point, to fear the consequences of the Chinese ownership of Volvo.
Right out of Gothenberg, Sweden, comes Volvo’s newest product, the S90 sedan rolling smoothly into the luxury territory dominated by the German automakers. Watch out Mercedes, BMW and Audi.
The new one is filled with Volvo style and quality; no hint of diminishment from Zhejiang Geely holding company, the Chinese firm which has owned Volvo since 2010.
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, perhaps, the finest four-door sedan I’ve driven this year.
The 2017 S90 T6 Inscription with all-wheel drive was the review model, powered by a 4-cylinder engine both turbocharged and supercharged, with 316 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. torque.
We drove it to Parker for the second birthday celebration of Tessa, daughter of Daniel and Kara Hansen. Before departing the party, the new S90 drew the attention of sons Kurt and Dale Wells. Kurt drives a Lincoln MKS, an American competitor of the Volvo. The S90, though 3 inches longer in wheelbase than the Lincoln, is 10 inches shorter in overall length, 195.4 to 205.6. Trunk space is considerably smaller in the Volvo; its fuel-mileage rating is higher, 22/31 for the Volvo and 17/24 for the Lincoln. The Lincoln is 150 pounds heavier.
Highlighting the S90’s sleek exterior are T-shaped accent headlights, referred to by Volvo as Thor’s Hammer, bookends to a waterfall grille somewhat similar to that used on the 1972 Volvo P1800. The hood is long, the top is low and the rear deck is short, finished in mussel blue.
The Volvo offers luxurious interior. (Volvo)
Dressing up the interior are perforated leather seating and woodgrain trim on the dash and doors. Added pleasure from the Inscription trim level are the 13-speaker sound system of Bowers & Wilkins, navigation, digital instrument cluster and chilled glove box.
The 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine delivers adequate power to the 4,000-pound sedan with both instant boost and midrange thrust from the supercharger/turbocharger combination. The AWD will split power 50/50 front to rear as necessary in adverse conditions. The smaller powerplant and 8-speed automatic transmission lift the Volvo’s highway fuel-mileage estimate to 31 miles per gallon. My overall average was 27.9. The S90 rides on very-low-profile tires from Pirelli (255/35R20).
A Pilot Assist semi-autonomous drive system aids the S90’s operator with adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping for maintaining proper road position in highway travel.
The S90, with sticker price of $66,105, will compete with the Audi A6 and A7, the BMW 5 series and 6 series and Mercedes-Benz E Class.
In addition to the all-wheel-drive T6, Volvo offers an S90 T5 with front-wheel drive. A T8 plug-in hybrid is expected to be introduced in the near future.