Men Free Blog

Trevor Creed resigned from the position of Chrysler’s head of design, and as of today is succeeded by Ralph Gilles, the man who designed the 300C. Since every change at the top comes with a “new sheriff in town” speech — or at least one-liner — this is what Gilles had to say: “It’s definitely time for a new aesthetic at Chrysler. … We’re done with the ‘edge’ look.”

Gilles says he wants the Pentastar’s cars to look more “organic.” This being art, however, that could really mean anything. For concrete examples and practical considerations he mentioned the Dodge Zeo and Chrysler Ecovoyager, and said that he wants to design “sexy” cars that will appeal around the world. Intriguing statements from the gent known for a car that epitomizes the American muscle sedan, but we are all in favor, and we say “aye.” The only question is how soon will they start the redesign, and what will organic look like?

So far the only video footage we’ve seen of the new Ferrari California has been either computer animated or sitting still with a giant chin talking. But the fellas over at Autocar magazine in the UK made their way down to Maranello with video cameras in tow for an up-close-and-personal with the newest Prancing Stallion. After the jump you’ll find some focus-changing fun angles of the new California, as well as a brief interview with product development director Roberto Corradi, who amusingly informs us that the car was made easier to drive and more softly styled to accommodate female customers. Seriously. Check it out after the jump… it’s good for a laugh.

The ruthless pruning continues, with GM Inside News reporting that the rear-wheel-drive Kappa II platform has gone to heaven before ever touching this mortal coil. Back in 2004, a vehicle line executive said “The Kappa architecture is a great platform for sporty, driver-oriented applications around the globe.” Apparently, not one for which GM could make enough different models to actually earn some money.Reasons for the sequel platform’s demise are allegedly that the first hydra-formed Kappa is just too expensive to fabricate; the cars based on it use expensive, hydra-formed parts; assembly requires inordinate amounts of human labor; and GM didn’t make its money back fast enough to justify the investment in a new RWD – read: thirstier – platform.

The current Kappa’s suspension and design geometry aren’t shared with any other car;, the platform was created to accept one engine, the Ecotec 4-cylinder; and it served under only four varieties of the same car: the Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky, Daewoo G2X and Opel GT. It was a lot to ask such a limited platform to achieve the volume’s GM needed with cars on expensive underpinnings that didn’t demand expensive prices. And if the rumors are true, then your Solstice GXP could be worth more than you expected, and sooner than you expected.

Wald International has never been one to offer subtle styling. Whether it’s the Lexus IS-F or the Mercedes-Benz CL, the Japanese tuner loves to create a bold look with vents, wings and wheels. The tuner recently turned its attention to the Nissan GT-R, and while we don’t have official information on the car, the photos offer a good look at what the package will include. A vented front fascia and splitter, side skirts, rear fender flares, a rear diffuser, carbon fiber rear spoiler and 22-inch wheels all lend to the more aggressive look. We actually like the majority of the body kit, although we’d prefer the rear fender flares to be the same color as the body, and the larger wheels probably don’t do much for the performance of the car. In the end, though, we’d probably spend our hard earned money on some of the Club Sport components from NISMO. Thanks for the tip, James!

After decades of decay, Cadillac began a transformation in the waning years of the last century that would allow the brand to compete against modern luxury brands. Decrepit beasts like the late Eldorado and Seville were euthanized and, while the decision to switch mostly to alpha-numeric naming was dubious, Cadillac finally started creating cars that could compete directly with the best from Europe and Japan, and the first generation CTS was one of them.

In spite of this progress, the Germans still had something Cadillac lacked, namely AMG, M and RS models. So Cadillac devised the V-Series, the first of which was the 2004 CTS-V. Just as BMW does with the M3 and M5, Audi with the RS4 and RS6 and Mercedes with innumerable AMGs, the CTS-V had a bigger, more powerful engine; beefier brakes and tires; a suspension to match and an upgraded interior. This, however, is an arms race that has yet to subsie in spite of ever higher fuel prices. With BMW, Mercedes and Audi now offering even more powerful engines, Cadillac has stepped up to the plate with an all-new CTS-V and we had a chance to drive it at the even newer Monticello Motor Club in New York. With a new supercharged LSA engine closely related to the LS9 in the Corvette ZR1, the CTS-V makes some big promises.

American automakers started trying to create what they called Euro-sedans way back in the mid-’80s. At the time, they thought a European sedan was nothing more than a de-chromed version of a regular sedan that was stiffly suspended with a little more tire. The result of this thinking was cars like the Chevy Celebrity EuroSport and Pontiac 6000 STE. Needless to say, none of these were competitive with Audi or BMW were offering. Cadillac didn’t even try to compete at back then since it was still selling big Fleetwoods and De Villes. Fast forward two decades and GM has well and truly learned how to build cars that can attack the heart of the German sport sedan segment, as the regular 2008 CTS, which has drawn largely rave reviews since its debut last year, has demonstrated.

We got a close look at the CTS-V in June at the Milford Proving Ground and went for a ride in one so we already knew the car was fast. With 556 horsepower and 551 lb-ft of torque, how could it not be? But many past GM efforts performed well on the controlled surfaces of a proving ground environment but fell flat on their faces in the real world. So before we hit Monticello, we embarked on a 90-minute route from White Plains, NY that took us through a mix of urban stop-and-go, freeways, small towns and some twisty mountain roads.

The driving environment of the CTS-V is largely the same as the standard CTS, but with some upgraded trim like micro-fiber inserts in the seats and around steering wheel that feel rich to the touch and look great. The standard seats are based on those in the standard CTS, but unless you have an extra-wide girth, we recommend opting for the 14-way Recaros – you won’t be sorry. The standard seats are reasonably supportive and comfortable, but the lower cushions are too short. The Recaros have adjustable thigh supports, as well as adjustable everything else.

The CTS-V does transmit more of the road surface to your back-side than the regular sedan. You will not mistake it for one of those floaty, ’80s-era Fleetwoods. Nor is it anything like an early C4 vintage Z51 Corvette. The magnetic ride damping system does a great job of filtering out the unpleasantness while still letting you be aware of what’s passing underneath. Similarly, the audible feedback of the tires and exhaust are louder than a base CTS but far less than a typical aftermarket exhaust system. It’s a nice balance that lets you know you’re driving a serious automobile with very serious sporting pretensions, but that it doesn’t mind getting up and going to work each morning.



Visually, the CTS-V stands out in a crowd more than either its lesser siblings or its predecessor. The big mesh grille now has twice the open area of the previous V, a necessity to flow enough air for the up to seven heat exchangers. The CTS-V is also the first GM car to be equipped with an electric park brake. The base CTS has one of those old school foot operated jobs, but Cadillac engineers wanted more foot room for the manual transmission CTS-V.

The EPB leaves extra room for the dead pedal on which you can rest your left foot when not using the clutch. With 551 lb-ft of twisting force, the clutch needs a lot clamping force. Fortunately, the use of a dual plate clutch like the one in the ZR1 means that your left leg won’t end up being twice the size of your right. The clutch effort is nicely weighted and the travel is well matched to the accelerator and brake.



Once we got to Monticello, there was a briefing from CTS-V lead performance integration engineer Chris Berube. Along with all the technical details about the engine, he gave us a warning about shift points. Showing us the power and torque curves, he noted that most engines reach a power peak somewhere below their maximum rpm. Even without looking at the tach, you can feel the loss of acceleration as you approach the red-line. Such is not the case with the LSA power-curve. It has no peak, rather it just ends at the red-line. If the valve-train and other components could withstand higher sustained speeds, it could make even more than its advertised 556 horsepower. Thus, it’s very easy to hit the CTS-V’s rev-limiter before you know what’s happening. The speedometer and tach have red tracer LEDs that follow the needles as they arc around the dial, and as you approach red-line they start to flash.

This new Monticello track is absolutely astounding. It’s a 4.1-mile, 22-turn natural terrain circuit designed by veteran road racer Brian Redman and track architect Bruce Hawkins. We’ll tell you more about the Monticello Motor Club in a separate post later, but suffice it to say that this was a perfect locale for the debut of the CTS-V. It took some getting used to since none of us had seen the track before, especially since it’s so long, and with 500 feet of elevation change, there are many different types of turns. It’s challenging for drivers of any skill level, especially driving a monster like the CTS-V.

Like the team responsible for the ZR1, the CTS-V crew strove to build a car with immense performance that was at the same time very usable on both the street and track. A driver with less skill can thrash it without getting bitten back at every wrong move. For those with a higher degree of skill, the CTS-V offers a higher ceiling for exploring even greater limits. Switching the stability control system to Competitive mode raises all the thresholds before the system will intervene, which allows you to hang the tail out in a controlled drift before reeling it back in.



Switching the magnetic ride control from Touring to Sport will noticeably reduce body roll. Sport mode is probably a bit too harsh for use every day, unless you live somewhere with really smooth pavement. Ride quality wasn’t an issue on the perfectly contoured pavement of the Monticello track and the stiffer damping allowed the car to respond to our inputs much quicker than in Touring mode.

With a mass nearly 900 lbs more than the ZR1 and considerably less Michelin rubber wrapped around its wheels, the CTS-V could never be expected to be as nimble as the two-seat Chevy. However, any car with this much power that can put it to the ground with no hint of wheel hop or axle tramp is clearly doing something right. Cadillac uses an asymmetric half-shaft setup that has different natural frequencies on each side of the rear axle, which prevents the two wheels from getting into a race condition. Combined with the traction control system that uses signals from the stability control to vector the torque and help turn-in, driving the CTS-V extremely fast comes naturally.

Production of the new CTS-V starts in October and Cadillac hasn’t finalized pricing yet. We’re told to expect a base price of about $60,000 with only a handful of options, but the only option you really need are those Recaro seats. That’s more than $20,000 less than a BMW M5 or a Mercedes-Benz AMG E63 – and the Cadillac is faster than both. For those who crave the supercharged grunt of a ZR1 but regularly need space for more than one passenger, the 2009 CTS-V will get you shockingly close in a remarkably sophisticated package that’s a bargain in this segment.

After decades of decay, Cadillac began a transformation in the waning years of the last century that would allow the brand to compete against modern luxury brands. Decrepit beasts like the late Eldorado and Seville were euthanized and, while the decision to switch mostly to alpha-numeric naming was dubious, Cadillac finally started creating cars that could compete directly with the best from Europe and Japan, and the first generation CTS was one of them.

In spite of this progress, the Germans still had something Cadillac lacked, namely AMG, M and RS models. So Cadillac devised the V-Series, the first of which was the 2004 CTS-V. Just as BMW does with the M3 and M5, Audi with the RS4 and RS6 and Mercedes with innumerable AMGs, the CTS-V had a bigger, more powerful engine; beefier brakes and tires; a suspension to match and an upgraded interior. This, however, is an arms race that has yet to subsie in spite of ever higher fuel prices. With BMW, Mercedes and Audi now offering even more powerful engines, Cadillac has stepped up to the plate with an all-new CTS-V and we had a chance to drive it at the even newer Monticello Motor Club in New York. With a new supercharged LSA engine closely related to the LS9 in the Corvette ZR1, the CTS-V makes some big promises. Read on after the jump to see if it delivers.

Despite the fact that capping the cost of gas didn’t work out so well for Chrysler in the U.S., General Motors’ Australian arm, Holden, is launching a new incentive that guarantees gas will be 99¢/liter for two years after your vehicle’s original date of purchase. The system works much like the one Chrysler used: buyers get a debit card that they use when filling up their tanks. That debit card will be tied to the purchasers bank account, which will be debited a few days later for the reduced rate, regardless of how much the fuel had actually cost. If all of this sounds a bit confusing, click here for the details from Holden. We’ve also pasted GM’s official press release after the break.

As we mentioned, a similar promotion wasn’t too successful for Chrysler. There are a few differences, though. Chrysler’s vehicles aren’t quite class-competitive while Holden’s generally are. There were also more fuel efficient vehicles to choose from in the U.S., thereby making the gas card savings a bit irrelevant. In Australia where the V8 is still king, that’s not really the case. Will this new scheme make Holden’s V8-powered, rear-wheel-drive vehicles sell quicker? We don’t know… but we’re positive that a similar deal could go a long way towards putting an Pontiac G8 GT in our own personal garages.

In the lead up to the Kia Soul’s production debut at the Paris Motor Show, we’ve seen dozens of images, a trio of concepts and a spy shot or two, but today we finally get a taste of what Kia’s answer to the Scion xB will be packing underhood.

When the Soul goes on sale in Europe this February, Kia’s targeted demographic of hip, urban youths will be able to choose from either a 1.6-liter inline-four putting out 124 hp and 115 lb.-ft. of torque or a 1.6-liter turbodiesel producing the same amount of horsepower and 188 lb.-ft. of torque. Those of us in the States will have only one engine to choose from — a 140-hp, 2.0-liter four – when sales begin early next year. All three engines will be available with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

Remember when Superman chose to relinquish his super powers for love in the Man of Steel’s first sequel? Without that ‘S’ on his chest, Clark Kent quickly got the crap kicked out of him by a truck driver. If the 2009 Acura RL (right) with its giant shield grille is Superman, then the Euro-only 2009 Honda Legend is surely Clark Kent. So many people have decried the new shield grille that we thought it’d be interesting to gauge reaction to the new Legend, which is basically the same car as the RL without the Acura overtones. To our eyes the Legend’s new face is as boring and uninteresting as Acura’s new grille is obnoxious, which truly does it make it the Clark Kent of cars.

If you’ve ever had the need to raise one side of your car, truck, RV or trailer a couple feet off the ground, the Titan Exhaust Air Jack is there to give you a lift. Quite simply, the jack is nothing more than a heavy-duty balloon inflated by the exhaust gas of your own vehicle. Once the deflated bag is placed under the vehicle, the Air Jack’s inflation hose is connected to the vehicle’s exhaust pipe. The engine is started and hot gasses are forced into the bag until the woven PVC-coated polyester bag lifts a vehicle a full 30 inches off the ground, which is plenty of height to get the wheels off the ground for most vehicles. With prices starting around $120, the device offers several advantages over traditional jacks. First, it can be used on soft surfaces (mud, sand, or snow) where other jacks just don’t work. Second, it easily lifts one whole side of the vehicle at once, saving tons of time. Best of all, the low pressure bag doesn’t require placement on normal jacking points so you more freedom to lift where you want and then place jack stands exactly where you need them. The military and emergency services have apparently been using jacks of this type for years, so the idea isn’t just full of hot air.