First Drive: Nissan Leaf

In 2010, Nissan started production on an electric car, called the Nissan Leaf. In 2010, the Leaf went on sale. The Leaf is a front-engine, front-wheel drive, five-door hatchback that is powered by electricity. The Leaf is powered by a 80 kW synchronous motor that produces 107 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. The Leaf has a single speed transmission. The Leaf also has a 24 kWh lithium ion battery.It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 10 seconds and reaches a top speed of 92 mph. I test drove the Leaf SL, which includes a rear view camera that is not available for the Leaf SV. The Leaf SL also has a quick charge port that is not present in the Leaf SV. The price for the Leaf I drove is $37,250, but you also get a $7,500 instant tax credit when you buy or lease the Leaf.

The Leaf has a great interior, but it has a bad exterior. The Leaf looks weird. The headlights are not flushed with the front bumper and the hood. The Leaf looks like an egg on wheels. The interior is another story. I love how informative the navigation system is. I also like how the on board computer tells you the actual range you have and where you can go to charge up the Leaf. The emergency break is integrated flawlessly within the center console. The Leaf has a cool design when it comes to changing gears. There is a button that puts the car in park when pushed. To get the car in reverse, pull the transmission knob towards you and push up. To get the car in drive, pull the transmission knob towards you, then pull down on the knob. It works perfectly. Since the car is electric and hardly makes a sound, there is a beeping noise to alert that the car is in reverse. There is plenty head and leg room in the rear. The seats are very comfortable. I had no issues with the push start feature. The touch screen was easy to use.

While the car was comfortable to drive, it lacks in performance. Right away, if you have the air conditioner or heater on, you lose 22 miles in range. When I turned on the car, the range was 98 miles. When the air conditioner was turned on, the range dropped to 76 miles. The Leaf got up to 45 mph with little effort, but it took a lot more just to get the Leaf from 45 mph to 60 mph. That is not good. For driving in cities with crazy drivers, you need a car that can get from 0 to 60 mph in 8 seconds or less. One thing about electric cars, you get instantaneous torque. Still, it did not feel that quick accelerating to highway speeds.

To sum up the Leaf, great interior with bad exterior and bad performance. The Leaf has a great interior. Instruments, the emergency brake, and the gear change are integrated very well. I have never been in a car with an interior like the Leaf. Good job Nissan on the interior With that said, the car weighs 3,354 pounds and the motor produces only 107 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. That gives the Leaf a horrendous power-to-weight ratio of 63.9 hp/ton. To put that into perspective, the Ford Focus has a power-to-weight ratio of 114.3 hp/ton. The rival Chevrolet Volt has a power-to-weight ratio of 78.8 hp/ton. The Leaf needs more power and torque. 107 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque is not enough to get the Leaf up to speed. Also, the range on one charge drops by 22 miles when the air conditioner or heater is on. The Leaf is not a car to use for road trips. At best, the Leaf will do 98 miles on one charge. Also, the Leaf has an ugly exterior. Why would anyone want to design a hatchback that has the bottom extend far out. That is a very unnecessary design. Also, the headlights are not flush with the hood and front bumper. The headlights stick out like a sore thumb. Since this is a pure electric car, you need to make sure you are able to charge the car. The Leaf is not a buy since there are still flaws with electric car and the electric car is still evolving. If you want a Leaf, lease the car. The Leaf is for those who want an electric car with plenty of room, comfortable quite ride, have a place to charge the car, and wants a car with a great interior despite poor performance and exterior design. If you are not capable of charging the car either at work, shopping, or at home, pass on all plug-in cars. For those who was decent exterior styling and moderate performance, look elsewhere for a car. Still, I would take the Leaf over the Chevrolet Volt because the interior and the ride quality of the Volt does not match up to the interior and ride quality of the Leaf.

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Classic Car: Plymouth Belvedere Fury

Happy Halloween. For Halloween  I decided to write about the car that was used as the killer car in "Christine," the Plymouth Belvedere Fury.

From 1954 to 1970, Plymouth produced the Belvedere. From 1956 to 1958, Plymouth came out with a sub-series of the Belvedere, called the Plymouth Belvedere Fury. Starting in 1959, the Fury became the flagship car for the Plymouth brand. The Belvedere Fury is best known as the car used as the titular car in "Christine."

The Belvedere Fury had some features. The Belvedere Fury only came with as a two-door coupe with an off-white hardtop, gold-anodized aluminum, a special interior, and bumper wing-guards. I have seen the Belvedere at the 2012 Houston Classy Chassis, 2012 Houston Construction Industry Auto Show and at a few Houston Cars and Coffee events. The guy who displayed the car played music from "Christine," and had the Stephen King novel and movie poster on display as well.

The Belvedere Fury was available with three V8 engines. The 1956 Belvedere Fury comes with a 303 cubic inch V8 engine, paired with either a three-speed manual or a two-speed automatic transmission, that produces 240 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 9.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 114.8 mph. The original price for the 1956 Belvedere Fury was $2,866. The 1957 and 1958 Belvedere Fury came with a 318 cubic inch V8 engine, paired with either a three-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission, that produces 290 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. These Furies can go from 0 to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 120 mph. The original price for a Fury that came with the 318 cubic inch engine was $2,925. The 1958 Fury had an optional 350 cubic inch V8 engine, paired with either a three-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission, that produced 305 hp and 370 lb-ft of torque. This fury can go from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 122 mph. The original price for the Fury with the 350 cubic inch engine was $3,067. By 1950's standards, the Belvedere Fury had good performance.

The Plymouth Belvedere Fury was featured as the titular car in "Christine." It was also featured in The Lineup, Company Man, Grand Theft Auto, Futurama, True Blood, and Arne Dahl: Europa Blues. The Belvedere Fury is playable in Carmageddon, Ignition, and Fallout 2.

The Belvedere Fury is a classic movie car. The car had good performance by 1950s standards. I really like the style of the Belvedere Fury. Today, the Belvedere Fury goes between $19,00 and $44,000, depending on condition and options. The Belvedere Fury can serve as an everyday driver. It is also a good addition to a Mopar car collection, a Plymouth car collection, or a movie car collection. Try to get one around $25,000.

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Unlocking The Car: Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe

Welcome to Unlocking the Car, where I tell you how to unlock a certain car in different video games. The first car I will tell you how to unlock is the legendary Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe. Winning races to unlock the car do not count.

The Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe is one of the most successful cars to compete as it led Shelby to be the first American automotive manufacture to win the FIA World Sportscar Championship in 1965. The Daytona Coupe is a two seater grand tourer with a chassis and drive-train loosely based on the Shelby Cobra Roadster. The Daytona Coupe was built specifically to compete with Ferrari. The Daytona could reach a top speed of 190 mph, where as the Shelby Cobra could only reach a top speed of 157 mph. The rival Ferrari 250 GTO could hit 186 mph. Between 1965 and 1965, 6 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupes were built. The one that captured the 1965 championship went for $7.25 million dollars at the 2009 Mecum Monterrey auction. The Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe is playable in 13 games. The car is available from the start in netKar pro, Need For Speed: The Run, Vigilante 8 (Rattler), Gran Turismo 2, TORCS, Forza Motorsport 4, GT Legends, and Need For Speed: World.

The Daytona Coupe part of DLC packs for two games. The Daytona Coupe is part of the Motorsport Legends Car Pack for Forza Motorsport 3, which will cost the player 400 Microsoft Points, or $5.00. The Daytona Coupe is part of the Legends Pack for Shift 2: Unleashed, which will cost the player 800 Microsoft Points for XBOX 360 owners or $10.00 for Playstation 3 owners. For three video games, the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe must be unlocked.

In Forza Horizon, the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe is one of nine cars that has to be unlocked via barn finds. As with the all the barn find cars, you have to first get notified of the barn find location. While driving in free roam, you will hear over the radio a rumor that there is a car hidden in a barn in Carson. Once you hear the rumor, hit X and a circle on the map will show you the area where the barn is located. Drive to Carson and on a dirt road in the northwest section of Carson, there is the barn. Drive up to the open doors of the barn and a cut scene will begin. After the cut scene, you will get a message that you found the Shelby Daytona Coupe and Dak is fixing up the car. Once Dak is done working on the car, he will notify you. Head over to the garage and pick up the car. You have now unlocked the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe. The video below shows you where the barn is. Video is from Super GT, not me.

The Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe is unlockable in both Test Drive Unlimited and Test Drive Unlimited 2. For Test Drive Unlimited, it is a two part process to unlock the Daytona Coupe. First, obtain three Ford cars. There are six ford cars available in the game. The Ford GT, Mustang coupe, and Mustang convertibles can be bought at the dealership. The other three Ford cars have to be unlocked: Ford Mustang GT-R Concept (complete all vehicle transport driving missions), Ford Shelby Cobra Concept (finish all top model driving missions), and Ford Shelby GR-1 Concept (win gold on all speed challenges). Once you have obtained 3 Ford cars, earn $1,000,000 and head to the US Muscle Car dealership. Buy (or reserve if not in stock) the Sehlby Cobra Daytona Coupe. This is the best car for G-class competitions. Once I got this car, all G-class challenges were a breeze. In Test Drive Unlimited 2, there are six cars that are unlocked through wreckage discoveries. In each of the six zones (Ibiza 1 &2 and Hawaii 1, 2, 3, &4), there are 10 wreck car locations. In Hawaii 2, there are 10 wrecked Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupes. As you approach a wrecked car, you will see a blinking car puzzle piece on your screen. As you get closer to the wrecked car, the piece will blink faster and faster. Once you find all 10 wrecked Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupes, you will be informed that you have unlocked the car and the car is available at the used car dealership.For all 10 locations, watch the video below. Video is from MotogamesTV, not me.

Now go out and enjoy driving the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe in the virtual world.

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First Impression: Toyota Prius C

The Toyota Prius came out in 1997 as a hybrid compact sedan. The Prius is currently on its third generation and Toyota has created a Prius family. There is the standard Prius, the plug-in Prius, the extended hatchback Prius V, and the subcompact hatchback Prius C. The Prius C is known as the Toyota Aqua in Japan, which was first revealed at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. The U.S. got its first look at the Prius C in January 2012 in Detroit at the 2012 North American International Auto Show. The Prius C is a five-door. front-engine, front-wheel drive subcompact hatchback.

I first saw the Prius C at the 2012 Houston Auto Show. I am not impressed. The car is ugly. I prefer cars with an aggressive profile or sleek body lines. The Prius C lacks in both departments. The front grill and bumper extends too far forward, making the car look awkward.

The Prius C is powered by a 1.5L I4 engine that produces 73 hp and 84 lb-ft of torque and permanent magnet AC synchronous electric motor that produces 60 hp and 125 lb-ft of torque. The combined power output is 99 hp.The Prius C also comes with a 0.9 kWh nickel-metal hydride battery pack and a continuously variable timing automatic transmission. The Prius C can go from 0 to 60 mph in a range from 10.6 seconds to11.0 seconds and reaches a top speed of 105 hp. The estimated EPA fuel economy is 53 mph city and 46 mph highway. Prices for the Prius C start at $19,710. That is a quite a bit of money for a car with horrendous performance.

The Prius C has been featured on Motorweek, Go On, and Auto Esporte.

Final Thoughts: I know Toyota wants to expand the Prius family due to the popularity of the Prius. But the Prius is seen as a family sedan. The problem with creating a subcompact car is that subcompacts are not known for being very spacious. The Prius C is ugly, slow, underpowered, and overpriced. I really do not like to buy a car based on EPA estimated mpg ratings because mpg is affected by driving habits and driving conditions. The Prius C may be ideal for short distance city driving, but that is about it. It is not for highway or long distance driving, especially with 0 to 60 mph time over 10.5 seconds. That is just too slow. There are better cars out there for under $19,000. While they do not have the estimated EPA mpg stats, which can be misleading, that the Prius C has, they are quicker and are better suited for everyday driving. Pass on the Prius C.

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First Drive: Toyota Prius

Hybrids have been around since 1899 with the production of the Lohner-Porsche Mixte Hybrid. In 1997, Toyota came out with its own hybrid, the Toyota Prius. The Prius is currently on its third generation. I have test driven the Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid, and the Nissan Leaf, an all electric car. The Prius is powered by a 1.8L I4 engine that produces 98 hp and 105 lb-ft of torque and a permanent-magnet electric motor that produces 80 hp and 153 lb-ft of torque that has a total combined power output of 134 hp. The Prius will go from 0 to 60 mph in 9.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 112 mph. The Prius comes with a continuously variable timing automatic transmission. The base price for the Prius is $24,000. The Prius I test drove came with a rear spoiler, and was fully loaded. It had navigation, a back-up camera, push start, a heads-up display speedometer, and remote keyless entry. The price for the tested Prius is $35,997, but it is fully loaded.

The Prius is not the best looking car on the roads. It does not have the aggressive styling or the sleek lines I prefer that other cars have. The interior is nothing special. There is no head room for adults sitting in the rear. I am 5' 9" and I was banging my head while sitting in the back. One thing I liked the gear level. To put the car in park, just press the park button on the center console. However, I prefer to have the gear lever between the driver and the passenger seats. I do not like having to reach up on the center console and switch from reverse to drive.

The Prius has a good ride quality, but it is lacking in performance. The car drove smoothly on the road. The cabin was very quiet. The car made no noise until the gas engine kicked in. Steering was responsive. However, the car accelerated slowly. I went on the highway and the Prius took a while just to reach highway speeds.

After driving the car, I do not understand why the Prius is so popular. The car is too slow for highway driving. The car is ugly, the interior is nothing special, there is not much room for rear passengers, it has poor performance, and is very slow. The Prius is overrated. There is nothing special about the Prius. After driving the Prius, I recommend passing on the Prius.

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First Drive: Mitsubishi Lancer ES

The Mitsubishi Lancer has been around since 1973, serving as the sub-compact sedan/coupe until 2000. In 2000, the Lancer became a compact car. In 2007, the fourth generation went into production. There were also five generations of Mirage-based Lancers. I recently test drove a Mitsubishi Lancer ES. The ES is a front-engine, front-wheel drive, four-door sedan. The ES comes with a 2.0L I4 engine that produces 148 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque, paired with either a five-speed manual transmission or a CVT automatic transmission. The Lancer ES goes from 0 to 60 mph in 8.0 seconds and reaches a top speed of 124 mph. The car I test drove came with the CVT transmission, alloy wheels, and a rear spoiler. The MSRP for the Lancer ES is $17,095. The price for the car I test drove is $19,685.

The Lancer ES was comfortable to sit in. There is adequate leg room for rear passengers. There is plenty of head room is fine for people under 6'. I found the rear spoiler to hinder visibility through the rear view mirror. The interior is nothing special. The alloy wheels, rear spoiler, and front grill and body kit gives the Lancer ES a sporty styling.

The Lancer ES drove smoothly along the roads and freeway. The Lancer ES has some zip to it. Steering was responsive. The accelerator and braking pedals were responsive. I no issues passing other vehicles on the freeway. The cabin is quiet. I did not feel any bumps in the roads. The car was not jerky when accelerating.

The Lancer ES is a good car. I felt comfortable behind the wheel. I could do without the rear spoiler. One thing I would add to the Lancer ES would be paddle shifters, which is available as an option. I feel that paddle shifters allow the driver to be more engaged in the driving experience. The car has some zip to it. The Lancer ES is good for city and highway driving. If you want a better performing Lancer, there is the Lancer GT, Lancer Evolution, and Lancer Evolution. But if you want a four-door sedan for under $20,000 and has decent performance, give the Lancer ES 

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First Drive: Mitsubishi Lancer GT

The current generation Mitsubishi Lancer has been out since 2007. The base Lancer ES comes with a 2.0L I4 engine that produces 148 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. There is also a high performing version of the Lancer, called the Lancer Evolution X, which comes with a turbocharged 2.0L I4 engine that produces 291 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. There is a version of the Lancer that is between the Lancer ES and Lancer Evolution, called the Lancer GT. The Lancer GT comes with a 2.4L I4 engine that produces 168 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque. The Lancer GT comes with either a five-speed manual transmission or a CVT automatic transmission. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 124 mph. The Lancer GT is available as a front-wheel drive, four-door sedan. Prices for the Lancer GT start at $19,995 and a fully loaded Lancer GT goes for around $27,000. The car I test drove had paddle shifters, a sunroof, navigation with a rear view camera, leather seats, and a CVT transmission. It was fully loaded and cost around $27,000.

There is a slight difference between the Lancer ES styling and Lancer GT styling. The GT comes with a taller grill with a silver outline. This gives the Lancer GT a more aggressive look. There is also a small rear spoiler available for the Lancer GT. The Lancer GT I drove had a sunroof, which decreases the head room by 1". I barely had any head room. The electric-powered leather seats add luxury to the sporty four-door sedan.

The Lancer GT as a good ride quality. The car drove smoothly along the roads and freeway. I was comfortable behind the wheel of the Lancer GT. The paddle shifters are easy to use. I felt more engaged in the driving experience with the Lancer GT than with the Lancer ES due to the paddle shifters. Steering was very responsive. I had no issues with brake and acceleration pedals. The car has some zip to it. Most of all, the Lancer GT was fun to drive.

The Lancer GT is a nice step up from the Lancer ES. Unfortunately, the Lancer Evolutions were not available for test drives. If you want to drive the Evo, you have to buy it first for around $37,000. The Lancer GT is a good four-door sedan. It has some zip to it. It also has a sporty exterior and interior. The Lancer's main competition is the Subaru Impreza. Both are good compact four-door sedans. Both also have high performance versions. Both cars have similar performance. Both cars cost around the same. I felt that there was slightly more room in the Impreza than in the Lancer. But the Lancer is more stylish. The difference between the cars is the drivetrain. The Impreza is all-wheel drive and the Lancer is front-wheel drive. Both cars were fun to drive and I have no problems recommending either the Lancer or the Impreza. With both cars, you get performance and practicality.

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First Impression: Ferrari FXX

To date, I have done 99 First Impression . I have also done 19 articles about Ferraris. The 100th First Impression Review need to cover a special car. This is First Impression: Ferrari FXX. The FXX is such an amazing car that it is not even street legal.

From 2002 to 2004, Ferrari made 400 Enzos, the fastest street legal car Ferrari has ever made. In 2005, Ferrari started production on a high performance race car prototype for track day usage that is based on the Enzo. This car is known as the Ferrari FXX. From 2005 to 2007, 29 Ferrari FXXs were produced. This car is not street legal, yet customers have to pay $1.8 million and the customers do not even get to keep the car. Instead, the customers are paying for a program that includes driving the FXX on Ferrari approved track days. As part of the FXX program, customers also get to participate in Ferrari's testing and developmental programs. The FXX program allows customers access to Ferrari's most up-to-date technology and Ferrari uses the customers' input in future development of future models. Also, Ferrari maintains all FXX. All services for the FXX are provided by Ferrari.

I have seen the Ferrari FXX on two occasions. The Ferrari FXX attracted a lot of attention at the June 2012 Houston Cars and Coffee event. The FXX had its  own roped of area at the 2012 Houston Ferrari Festival. The FXX has a similar styling to the Enzo. The FXX has exhaust tips located where the Enzo rear lights are located. The FXX has a rear wing. The FXX has an engine that based on the Enzo. The FXX uses a 6.3L V12. The Enzo uses a 6.0L V12 that produces 651 hp and 485 lb-ft of torque.

The FXX is powered by a 6.3L V12 engine, paired with six-speed sequential transmission that shifts in less than 100 ms, that produces 790 hp and 506 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 243 mph. That is incredible performance. This is hypercar performance. The car costs $1.8 million and can only be driven on Ferrari approved track days. This car is so good that it is not even street legal.

The Ferrari FXX was featured on Top Gear during Series 13, Episode 1. Michael Schumacher, disguised as the Stig, drove the FXX around the Top Gear test track in 1 minute and 10.7 seconds. However, the time was taken off the power lap board because the lap was done with slick racing tires, which are not road legal, and the FXX is not street legal. The FXX has also been featured in Mischief: Joyride and Fatal. The FXX is playable in Ridge Racer, Ferrari GT 3: World Track, Ferrari Challenge, Trofeo Pirelli, Forza Motorsport 2, Project Gotham Racing 4, Test Drive Unlimited 2, Supercar Challenge, Forza Motorsport 3, Need For Speed: Shift, Cargasm, Ferrari: The Race Experience, Forza Motorsport 4, Space Highway, Asphalt 7: Heat, Forza Horizon, Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legend, GT Racing: Motor Academy, vDream Racing, and Car Town.

Final Thoughts: The Ferrari FXX is an amazing car, even if it is not street legal or the fact that Ferrari will not let you park the car in your own garage. $1.8 million is a steep price to pay for a car that you can only drive on Ferrari approved track days. But the services included in the FXX package. FXX customers get to participate in testing and developmental programs. Ferrari will use the feedback for development of future cars. FXX customers get the chance to influence future Ferrari models, like the Ferrari F70. I really like the Enzo. The FXX is an Enzo on steroids. The FXX is a fast and rare hypercar.

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Top Gear "Middle East Special"

On this 2010 Top Gear Christmas special, the guys re-enact the journey of the Three Wise Men by driving from Iraq to Bethlehem.

This review includes Sacrilegious Spoilers. You have been warned.

Segment 1: Three Wise Men Introduction

For this episode, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May will be playing the role of the Three Wise Men. The guys will be traveling to the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem. The guys would each have to pick a car that costs less than 3,500 pounds and is a two seat convertible. The guys have another issue. Due to political reasons, the guys cannot buy a car from any of the surrounding nations. The guys would have to buy their cars from Georgia and then fly them over to the starting point using a Russian transport plane. The guys did not know where the starting point would be.

Fiat Barchetta

Mazda MX-5

BMW Z3

Richard Hammond picked at Fiat Barchetta Riviera Special. Richard says he is brave for picking the Fiat, but Jeremy says he is stupid for picking the Fiat. Jeremy says he is a wise man for picking a Mazda MX-5. James chose a BWM Z3. James May paid 3,966 pounds for the Z3, which is more than what the guys are allowed to spend. Jeremy says that they are not three wise men. Jeremy says he is a wise man, Richard is an idiot, and James is a cheat. As the plane approaches the starting point, the door opens and Richard is screaming. After the plane has landed, Jeremy is handed an envelope and all three guys are given bullet-proof vests and helmets. Jeremy opens the envelope and finds out that they are in Iraq. For the special, the guys would be travelling 1200 miles to Bethlehem. They are to pickup gold, frankincense, and myrrh along the way. There is a helicopter flying above the plane. Richard is closest to the door. Jeremy is in the middle, and James is the farthest from the plane door. Richard does not want to be the shield for the other two. They decide to count 3, 2, 1, then get as fast as possible off the plane. Richard counts down and leaves the plane and gets to a shed as fast as possible. Richard is mad because Jeremy did not leave. Jeremy says his car "stalled." Jeremy counts down and he and James quickly leave the plane and make it to the shed. The guys take out a map to plan the route. The guys would be travelling from Arbil, Iraq into Iran, then Turkey, Syria, Jordan, and then Israel. The guys are avoiding Mosul, Iraq. The guys set off.

Segment 2: Iraq

While driving in Iraq, James thinks it is a mistake to drive in the front. The guys play leapfrog with the goal of being in the middle so that they have a smaller chance of being shot at. The guys are so busy with playing leapfrog that they are not looking where they are going. The guys are lost. The guys are driving in an area with tall buildings, a perfect place for an ambush. Jeremy stops at a corner. Richard pushes Jeremy, asking him to see what is around the corner. The guys make it back to the highway, but The Z3 has problems. Smoke is coming from the engine and fluid is leaking from the Z3. Richard and Jeremy are giving James a hard time. Richard and Jeremy realize how normal the surroundings are and that it takes just one person for things to be not normal. As James is looking at his Z3 while he is blocking traffic, the guys find out that the producers have got a back-up car, an Opel Astra Convertible.

Opel Astra Convertible

Richard and Jeremy head off, leaving James behind. Meanwhile, James is attracting a lot of unwanted attention. James got his Z3 back up running and is off. 20 minutes later, the Z3 issues returned. James makes it to a shop and discovers the problem. There is water in the cylinders. A new gasket will be installed on the engine. The guys are off the next day and it is revealed that James is not in the Astra. His Z3 is up and running. The Astra is stalking James. The guys are going through several military checkpoints on their way to Iran. It starts raining, the roads become slippery, and Jeremy spins off the road. The guys are driving on mountain terrain, a good place for an ambush. They decide to put the roofs up. The guys pull over to a market when Jeremy has an idea. He suggests taking the door linings out, fill the doors with sand, and put the door linings back on. Jeremy buys Richard a cigarette lighter made from a bullet (this is an important for a later incident). The guys stop and Jeremy fills his door with sand. A guy fires a 9mm bullet at Jeremy's door and it goes right through the car. Jeremy experiment fails. The guys make it to the Iran border, only to find out that members of the BBC are forbidden from entering Iran due to political reasons. The guys stop at a place for the night. When they wake up, they discover they stayed at an Iraqi amusement park. While enjoying the amusement park, the guys discover they have been in Iraq for two days and are never shot at. They decide to take their protection off. They are in the Kurd region of Iraq. The guys are enjoying the mountain roads of Iraq and their cars. The guys arrive at the Turkish border. At the border, the guards ask Richard to step out of the car and discover the lighter made from a bullet. Richard's lighter gets confiscated. The guys enter Turkey and pull over for instructions.

Segment 3: Turkey

In the instructions, the producers call the guys idiots for leaving a region where the is no war and into a region where there is war. The Kurds are fighting for independence from Turkey. The guys have to get to their hotel in the safe zone in Sanliurfa by nightfall, which is 363 kilometer, or about 220 miles from the border. The guys put on the bulletproof vests and helmets and set off. They have 4 and a half hours until nightfall. The guys speed while driving on bumpy roads. Jeremy tries to speed off and his MX-5 has problems. A sparkplug came loose in the MX-5. The Astra crept in as Jeremy is working on the MX-5. Richard and James are working on Jeremy's car and Jeremy points out that Richard's feet are not even on the ground while he is working on Jeremy's car. The guys reach smoother roads and increase their speeds. The guys reach the safety zone well after dark. Richard is bragging that his car never broke down. To get payback on Richard, James and Jeremy unwire Richard's stereo, install a hidden stereo, and wire the hidden stereo to the car. Then they put in a CD containing music that annoys Richard. The next day, they get in their cars. Richard starts his car and music from Genesis, a band that Richard Hammond dislikes, starts playing. Richard is just miserable. While approaching the Syrian border, James has issues with the Z3's alarm. The alarm disabled the car. Richard drives through the border first. Jeremy pushes the Z3 past the border. The guys stop at customs. Richard bolts for the restrooms as James is trying to get his Z3 back up and running. Jeremy puts a X made from red tape on the doors of Richard's Fiat, signifying that Richard has "the plague." The Z3 is back up and running and the guys enter Syria.

Segment 4: Syria

The guys drive into Syria and pull over to plan their route into Israel. For political reasons, they cannot go from Syria to Israel or from Lebanon to Israel. They plan to go from Syria to Jordan and from Jordan to Israel. Another issue, if the Israelis know that the guys have been in Syria, they would not allow the guys into Israel. The guys think that no one in Syria watches Top Gear. When they reach a town, they are surrounded by fans. The Syrians are taking pictures with the three presenters. The guys enter a hookah bar and come up with a way to avoid their fans. The hookah bar is showing an episode of Top Gear on the television. Jeremy comes up with an idea to avoid the roads. He proposes to sneak through the desert. That night, the guys modify their cars to handle the desert. It is the next day and the guys explain what they did to their cars.

Mazda MX-5

Fiat Barchetta

BMW Z3

Richard is the first to show off his modifications. He put a Bedouin tent on the Fiat. He also covered the front of the Fiat with sand from the desert to help the car blend in. He did the modifications so that surrounding people would not notice him. The would think that it is a Bedouin tent. Jeremy painted his MX-5 with many colors, to represent Joseph's coat of many colors. Jeremy also added two rear wheels, making his roadster a dually, and larger wheel arches to accomidate the additional rear wheels. He also added a spoiler for added traction. James made "biblical" modifications to the Z3. James added lights on top of the windshield, including a "light of the world" lamp. He also added side storage to hold "enough provisions for forty days and forty nights in the desert. While driving in the desert, both of Jeremy's rear wheel arches fall off. Jeremy collects them and says " I just keep collecting them. I don't know where the came from." Jeremy leads the guys through a ditchy path and says, "Follow me." He gets stuck and says, "Don't follow me." Richard starts backing up and his tent starts falling apart. To make up for his mistake, Jeremy decides to cook lunch on his spoiler, which is made from a pan. Jeremy tries to cook eggs  on his spoiler, but the angle of the spoiler causes the eggs to slip to the bottom of the pan. While driving some more, the radiator bracket on the Fiat breaks. Richard's radiator is hanging on by a thread. As per Top Gear Tradition, James and Jeremy leave Richard behind. Richard struggles to fix his Fiat. As the sun sets, Richard sets off in the Fiat. Richard is driving carefully because he knows that if the radiator falls off, that is it for the Fiat and he would have to finish the journey in the Astra. Richard meets up with the other two and they enjoy hookah by the campfire. The guys wake up to the sounds of the BMW alarm. James is able to get the Z3 up and running and the guys set off. The three cars struggle with the sandy terrain. The cars are constantly getting stuck. While the Fiat is trying to get the MX-5 over a hill, James falls while holding the rope. James starts bleeding from the head. James could not remember where he is and is taken to a hospital. Jeremy and Richard reach a road. However, Richard brings up that if they go on the road, they will be noticed. They decide to drive through the town and pick up James while wearing a disguise. James walks out of the hospital with a bandage wrapped around his head and sees his two fellow presenters wearing burqas. James calls Jeremy a "big cock" and Richard " an irritating little sod." James goes along with the plan and wears a burqa. The guys speed off and drive until they have to pull over because the MX-5 is having engine problems. Richard takes the tent of the Fiat. Jeremy removes the extra rear wheels from the MX-5 and the guys gather around the MX-5's  engine.Jeremy decides not to fix the engine and the guys set off. Jeremy was driving slowly behind the other two. Richard has to pull over due to a flat tire. James helps Richard replace the flat tire with a spare and Jeremy catches up to them. The guys arrive in Damascus. The guys arrive at the hotel without being noticed. The see a sign that says, "Welcome Top Gear." The guys appear on television in drag for nothing. The guys go to the market to find presents. The guys meet up at a restaurant and order food that makes Richard very uncomfortable, including a lamb's head, brains, and testicles. The guys show want they bought. Richard bought a gold relief of Jesus' own head. James got frankincense, but it is really hotel shampoo. Jeremy could not find any myrrh, so he got a Nintendo DS. The guys head off and the MX-5's engine is fixed, with Jeremy taking all the credit. The guys reach the Jordan border.


Segment 5: Jordan

The guys enter Jordan and James is giving random facts about Jordan. While driving in Jordan, the guys find a race track in the shape of an oval. The guys decide to have a race. The guys finish racing and decide that the Fiat is the fastest. The guys return to the road and head for Israel. The guys reach the Israel border and have to use a different passport that does not show that they were in Syria. The guys enter Israel.


Segment 6: Israel and Episode Finale

The guys enter Israel and are advised not to head towards the disputed West Bank. Jeremy convinces the other two to head to the Sea of Galilee. The guys drive through the curvy roads of the Golan Heights. While enjoying the roads of the Golan Heights, they enjoy the sunset over the Sea of Galilee. The guys pull over by the Sea of Galilee and Jeremy says that he is JC. Jeremy takes James' bandage off and says, "I have healed you." Jeremy takes of the bandage around his arm and Richard notices that there are no marks that show that Jeremy was pricked there. Jeremy pulls out a bag. He says that that he used to have one sweet, but now there are many. He even tries to walk on the water, but he fails and falls in. When he is in the water, he says, "I have invented swimming." The guys drive on towards Bethlehem and reflect on their journey and their cars.  The guys pull over into a car park at the Mountain of Olives to decide which car is the best. James says his Z3 is rubbish and that there is a place in hell for the man who built the gearbox for the Z3. James says that he coveted his neighbor's Fiat. Jeremy also picks the Fiat. The Fiat was surprisingly the most reliable on the journey. At nightfall, the guys reach Bethlehem. The guys are guided by a light in the sky. The guys reach the Nativity scene and present their gifts of gold, frankincense (hotel shampoo), and a Nintendo DS. The guys look into the crib to see this newly born child. There is the Baby Stig in the crib. The guys look surprise and on that bombshell, the show ends.

Baby Stig

Overall, this is a very entertaining episode. I still laugh every time I see the ending. This Christmas special occurs at the beginning of Series 16 and the chemistry among the three presenters is nearly perfect. As part of its reputation, Fiat stands for "Fix It Again Tony." To see the Fiat as the most reliable was very surprising. The funniest part is that the guys travel through the desert and even wore burqas to stay hidden from their Top Gear fans in Syria only to arrive at the hotel with a sign that says "Welcome Top Gear." This episode aired around Christmas time in 2010. I was in Israel during the summer of 2010 and I visited some of the the places shown in the episode. I hiked in the Golan Heights, went pass the Sea of Galilee a few times, and spent a few days in Jerusalem. I knew that some of the roads in Israel were ideal for driving in a two-door convertible. The surprise is just how Top Gear and the BBC were able to make this episode possible. The guys were not allow into Iran. Israel will not allow people who are coming from Syria in. This is a must watch episode of Top Gear.

Final Score: 100 Stigs out of 100. This is one of my favorite episodes of Top Gear. I can watch this episode over and over again. It was very entertaining, The chemistry is nearly perfect. Jeremy Clarkson trying to prove that he is JC and failing at it was fun to watch. The Baby Stig in the crib might anger some people.

CarJunkie
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Auto Countdown: Worst Cars that I drove in 2012

2012 was an interesting year for me. In addition to covering cars that I have seen at the various car shows, I have also done test drives. In 2012, I started a series of cars that I have driven, First Drive Reviews. In 2012, I have driven sports cars, compact cars, midsize sedans, muscle cars, hybrids, a turbocharged sports sedan, and an electric car. With 2012 coming to an end, I think it is time to reflect on the cars that put a smile on my face during the test drive and cars that were pleasant surprises. While I enjoyed driving some of these cars, there were a three that did not impress me. These are the three cars I never want to drive again.

3. Toyota Prius

I find the Toyota Prius overrated. I just do not get why this car is popular. I does not have the aggressive or sporty styling I like. I slammed on the accelerator pedal, but it slowly accelerated. The interior is nothing. I hit my head while sitting in the back of the car. One thing I do not like is that the gear shifter is located on the dashboard, not on the center console. To me, having the gear shifter on the dashboard makes the Prius feel like I am driving a minivan. I drove the Prius on the highway and was afraid that I was going to get in an accident due to the Prius' poor acceleration. You can say that I am picking on the Prius because it is popular, but I was just not impressed with the Prius. I found it boring to drive. The main way to improve the Prius is to add a more powerful hybrid engine that can greatly improve the acceleration of the Prius, to make it safer for highway driving. 

2. Chevrolet Volt

At the 2012 Houston Auto, certain cars were available for test drives. I went with my dad. He sat in the back while I drove the cars. The Chevrolet Camaro and Chevrolet Volt were available for test drives, but you had to drive another non-Cadillac GM car. I drove three Buicks. There was a line for the Camaro, but no line for the Volt. I wished I waited in the Camaro line because the Volt was very unimpressive. The car has poor acceleration, underwhelming power, and a bland interior. The car has a 0-60 mph time of 9.0 seconds, which is slow in my books. For a car that costs $41,000, not including the $7,500 tax refund incentive, this was just boring and unimpressive. If I am going to spend over $40,000 on any car, the car must be comfortable and fun to drive. The Chevrolet Volt was neither. At least this car did not try to destroy my back when I drove it.


1. Buick Regal 2.0T

While the Volt and Prius are unimpressive, those two cars were not trying to destroy my back. Just one minute in the Regal and my back was already sore. I also drove the Buick LaCrosse and Buick Verano, but those cars were very comfortable to drive and my dad had plenty of room in back of both cars. My dad is 5' 5" and he was hitting his head on the ceiling of the car. The 2.0L turbocharged engine produces 220 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The Regal was the most powerful car I drove at the 2012 Houston Auto Show, but it was the least comfortable car to drive. The suspension was too stiff. One way to improve the rough drive is to have a way for the driver to adjust the suspension. The driver can make the softer for everyday driving. When the driver wants to take this car to track days or want to have fun while driving on curvy roads, the driver can make the suspension stiffer. GM could have used the magnetic ride suspension found on the Cadillac CTS-V and Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1. I did not do a First Drive Review on the Regal Turbo because my back hurts just trying to remember the test drive. I can handle substandard performance if I am very comfortable in the car. But if the car causes me pain, then I could care less about the performance of the car. The Buick Regal Turbo is the worst car I drove in 2012 since it was very painful to drive.


Next up on my 2012 reflection, I am going to cover the cars that were pleasant surprises.

CarJunkie

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Auto Countdown: Cars That Were A Pleasant Surprise To Drive

In 2012, I test drove several cars. Some were just awful to drive, which I have already covered. There were cars that put a smile on my face when I was behind the wheel. And then there are the cars that come out of nowhere and just are a pleasant surprise to drive. These are the five cars that were a pleasant surprise.


5. Nissan Leaf

Last year, I did an Auto Countdown of the Worst Cars of 2011. The Nissan Leaf was on the list for its exterior design, range, and performance. The car gets 98 miles on one charge, but it loses 22 miles if the heater or air conditioner is on. It has an unofficial 0-60 mph time of 9.9 seconds, but it felt slightly quicker than that.The Leaf has a top speed of 93 mph, which is low. What is pleasantly surprising about the Nissan Leaf  is the interior. The Leaf has one of the best design interiors I have ever seen in any cars. The car is comfortable to drive with plenty of space in rear for adult passengers. The car has a unique gear shifter located on the center console instead of the dashboard, which I prefer. The hand brake is integrated nicely into the center console. The Leaf's interior and drive quality put this car on the pleasant surprise list, but it is low due to low range and slow acceleration. It still felt quicker than the Toyota Prius and the Chevrolet Volt.

4. Ford Focus.

I went to the Ford dealership to test drive the Ford Mustang since I test drove the Chevrolet Camaro during the previous weekend. While at the Ford dealership, I also drove the Ford Focus. This was a pleasant surprise to drive. The Focus has better styling than the Chevrolet Cruze and Subaru Impreza. The car was smooth on the road. I did not feel any vibrations or roughness while going over speed bumps. The Focus has some zip to it. I felt comfortable behind the wheel. I was not planning on driving the Focus, but I am glad I did. This car is a pleasant surprise.

3. Dodge Dart

My family had some issues with the Chrysler products in the past. My dad had a Chrysler LeBaron, and that car was nothing but problems. I was at an event at a local Subaru dealership. Next door is a Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram dealership.I decided to test drive the Dodge Dart. This was a pleasant surprise. The car has great styling. I drove one with the basic 2.0L I4 engine that produces 160 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque.   The Dart has some zip to it. If you need desire more power and performance, the Dart come with a turbocharged 1.4L I4 engine and a 2.4L I4 engine. There is speculation that there could be an SRT version of the Dart coming out sometime in the near future. The car has a sporty interior. For a sports compact sedan, the car drove smoothly on the road. What holds this car back is the lack of head room and leg room in the back. I am 5'9" and I felt cramped in the rear. I hit my head on the ceiling. 

2. Scion FR-S

Toyota created car that is fun to drive? From the car company that produces the Prius comes one of the best sports coupe of 2012, the Toyota F T86. In America, it is called the Scion FR-S FT-86/FR-S is a joint effort Toyota did with Subaru, which has its own version called the Subaru BR-Z. The car has a 2.0L flat 4 engine that produces 200 hp. This is a quick car. It has a sporty sound to it. Most of all, the FR-S is fun to drive. The car has a great sporty styling and a sporty interior. The FR-S comes with racing seats, which take some time to get use to. The car has a sporty suspension, so it is not as smooth as some of the other cars. At least the FR-S did not try to destroy my back like the Buick Regal Turbo. The FR-S is a great sports car to have for under $30,000. There is still one car that is a bigger pleasant surprise than the sporty FR-S. Great job Toyota and Subaru on creating a fun sports coupe.

1. Buick Verano

What a pleasant surprise from Buick, a brand that is associated with older drivers. This is a compact car, yet there is plenty of room for adult passengers in the rear. I drove the Verano at the 2012 Houston Auto Show and my dad was sitting in the rear. He says that he has more room in the Verano than in a BMW 3-Series. The Verano has a smooth drive quality. I had good head room and leg room behind the wheel. The car was very responsive when I pressed the brake and accelerator pedals or when I turned the steering wheel. There are some issues with the Verano. The Verano also has a nice styling profile. It is not as quick as some of the other compact sedans. There is speculation that Buick is going to make a turbocharged engine available for the Verano.  But what it has is comfort and room. Most compact cars lack head room or leg room, especially for adult passengers sitting in the rear. For its surprisingly comfortable ride quality, its luxurious interior, and just the amount of head and leg room for adult passengers in the rear, the Buick Verano is the most pleasantly surprising car I drove in 2012. Great job Buick and GM.

Next time, I countdown the cars that are good, but are not a pleasant surprise.

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Auto Countdown: 2012 Cars That Were Good Drives

In 2012, I drove a few cars that I felt that they were good, but not great cars. These cars were decent to drive. They were not pleasantly surprised or the worst cars that I drove in 2012. These three cars were decent and should be taken on test drives.

3. Mazda 3 SkyActiv-G 2.0

The Mazda 3 is not a bad car. When I drove it, I drove a Mazda 3 five-door hatchback with a 2.0L I4 engine with Skyactiv technology. Mazda says that Skyactiv technology increases fuel economy and engine output. The 2.0L I4 engine with Skyactiv technology produces 155 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque. The end results is an average driving experience. The was not much excitement when I pressed the accelerator pedal. The Mazda 3 skyactiv has a 0-60 mph time of 8.9 seconds, which is not that quick. The did not feel that quick. There is adequate room for the driver and passenger. It is a compact hatchback, so there is a little bit of leg room and good head room. The Mazda 3 is also available with a 2.5L I4 engine that produces 167 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque. For those who want more power, there is a Mazda SPEED3, which has a turbocharged 2.3L I4 engine that produces 263 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, but it is only available was a manual transmission. The Mazda 3 SkyActiv-G 2.0 is a decent car. But go with the 2.5L engine if you want a Mazda 3.


2. Chrysler 200 Limited with V6

The Chrysler 200 is the successor  to the Chrysler Sebring as Chrysler's entry in the mid-size car segment. The 200 comes with two different engines. It is available with either a 2.4L I4 engine that produces 173 hp and 166 lb-ft of torque and a 3.6L V6 engine that produces 283 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. Mid-size cars have more room and tend to be more luxurious than compact car. Compact cars are weigh less and get away with I4 engines that produce 165 hp or more. Mid-size cars need more power since they weigh more. There is a significant difference in acceleration between the 2.4L 200 and the 3.6L 200. The 2.4L 200 has a 0-60 mph time of 9.3 seconds. The 3.6L 200 has a 0-60 mph time of 6.2 seconds. I drove the 200 Limited that was very luxurious and roomy. I had leather seats, navigation, and a rear-view camera. The car was very comfortable to sit in and it was drove smoothly along the roads. With the V6 engine, the 200 has great acceleration for a midsize car. Without the V6 engine, the 200 would be a comfortable car with a dull driving experience. The Chrysler 200 is a good car, but not as big of a pleasant surprise as the Dodge Dart.

1. Mitsubishi Lancer ES

The Lancer ES was one of two Lancers. The other Lancer was the Lancer GT. The Lancer ES comes with 152 hp 2.0L I4 engine and can come with either a five-speed manual transmission or a CVT automatic transmission. I drove the CVT version and I wished the Lancer ES came with paddle shiftesrs that were available on the Lancer GT. Paddle shifters add some excitement and driver interaction for cars with automatic transmissions. The Lancer ES has some zip to it and it was fun to drive on the roads and highway. The Lancer has a sporty styling, but I found the rear spoiler to be obstructive when I glanced at the rear-view mirror. I felt cramped in the Lancer. There is not much head room for the driver.  The Lancer ES is a good car, but that is what I expect from a very popular car.


Next time for my 2012 reflections, I look at the cars that put a smile on my face when I was behind the wheel.


CarJunkie
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Auto Countdown: Best Cars I Drove In 2012

In 2012, I test drove sixteen cars, resulting in First Drive Reviews. As 2012 comes to an end, I am doing four lists dedicated to the cars that were horrible to drive, cars that were good but not great to drive, and cars that were pleasantly surprising to drive. Now, it is time to reflect on the cars that put a smile on my face when I was behind the wheel. These are the five best cars I drove in 2012.

5. Buick LaCrosse 2.4L with eAssist

 

I drove a Buick LaCrosse equipped GM's eAssist. The eAssist consists of a 115-volt lithium-ion battery pack and a 15 kW electric motor capable of adding 15 hp and 79 lb-ft of torque while the car is accelerating. The LaCrosse I drove has a 2.4L I4 engine that produces 182 hp and 172 lb-ft of torque. The LaCrosse also came with regenerative brakes and a start-stop engine operations when the car is at rest. The LaCrosse is considered a mild hybrid. The eAssist system is integrated well in the LaCrosse. It ran very smoothly. The engine started right up from a complete stop. The car has plenty of room in the rear for adult passengers. My dad was in the back when I drove the LaCrosse at the 2012 Houston Auto Show. He says he feels like he was in the back of a limo. I felt very comfortable behind the wheel. Buick had a reputation for being a brand for older drivers, just like Cadillac. Both Cadillac and Buick have made great strides to attract younger drivers. Both have done well in reaching that goal. The LaCrosse is an excellent luxury mid-size sedan. There is also a 3.6L V6 engine available for the LaCrosse. If you want a comfortable mid-size sedan with good fuel economy, go with LaCrosse with eAssist. If you want a comfortable mid-size sedan and are willing to sacrifice fuel economy for performance, go with the LaCrosse with the V6 engine. The LaCrosse with eAssist is a great car.

4. Chevrolet Camaro RS

The Chevrolet Camaro made its return in 2010. The first Transformers movie was a 2 hour commercial for the Camaro. I drove the Camaro RS, which is powered by a 323 hp 3.6L V6 engine. The Camaro I drove came with a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The paddle shifters add fun and driver interaction. The paddle shifters work well in the Camaro. The car drove smoothly along bumpy roads. I had plenty of leg room behind the wheel. This is a two-door pony car with a low cut roof. I had some head room, but people over 6' 0", head room might be an issue. There is minimum leg room in the back for adult passengers to ride comfortably. The Camaro also has a decent interior. The Camaro has a retro sporty styling and just looks great. The Camaro RS may only have a V6 engine, but it is quick and fun to drive. I test drove the Camaro the same day I test drove the Dodge Dart and the Chrysler 200, and the Camaro is more fun to drive than either the Dart or the 200. Getting behind the wheel of a Camaro will put a smile on your face. It is a great pony car. It is a shame that I was not allowed to get on the freeway when I was driving the Camaro. Thank you local Chevrolet dealership.


3. Ford Mustang V6

The Ford Mustang is a great sports car. The Mustang and Camaro are very similar in performance, comfort, and styling. Both are fun to drive, even with V6 engines. But the Mustang edges out the Camaro because I was allowed to do more on my test drive with the Mustang than I was allowed to do with the Camaro. I went over speed bumps, which the Mustang handled very well. I also test the turning radius of the Mustang, which it is a plus for the Mustang. The car accelerator well on the freeway. There was no jerky motion while accelerating. The Mustang has a 3.7L V6 that outputs 205 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. The Mustang I drove has a six-speed automatic transmission, but sadly Ford does not include paddle shifters in its cars. The V6 Mustang is an excellent pony car. It was fun to drive.


2. Mitsubishi Lancer GT

The Lancer GT was the second of two Lancers I drove at the local Mitsubishi dealership. The Lancer GT is a major step up from the Lancer ES. The Lancer GT has a 2.4L I4 engine that produces 168 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque. The Lancer GT I test drove also included a CVT automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The car I test drove also included a sunroof, which decreased head room by 1", and a rear view mirror. Also, The Lancer GT also has a different grill that is taller, giving the Lancer GT a more aggressive appearance than the Lancer ES. The Lancer GT also had a rear view camera. The Lancer GT is not the more roomy car I drove in 2012, but it is one of the most fun cars I drove. It was very responsive and has zip to it. It drove smoothly on the highway and was not jerky every time I upshifted or downshifted. The Lancer GT is a great car and is one I recommend test driving if you are looking for a sporty compact car for under $30,000.


1. Subaru Impreza

 

No car put a bigger smile on my face this year than the Subaru Impreza. I test drove it at the 2012 Houston Auto Show right after I test drove the underwhelming Chevrolet Volt. The Impreza I drove came with a 2.5L H4 engine that produces 170 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. The Impreza that I drove came with a five-speed automatic transmission. This was the first car that I drove with paddle shifters. It takes some time to get use to. The car was comfortable to sit in. My dad had plenty of room while sitting in the rear. The Impreza also has a good interior. The car drove very smoothly and the steering was very responsive. What makes the Impreza stands out is that it gives you the best of both worlds. It has good performance while still being practical. Most of all, the Impreza is fun to drive. The Subaru Impreza is the best car I drove in 2012.

For the final part of my 2012 reflections, I cover the best cars I saw, but I was not able to drive.

CarJunkie
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Auto Countdown: Top Ten Cars I Saw in 2012

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In 2012, I went to 18 car events in the greater Houston area. From the monthly Houston Cars and Coffee events to the 2012 Houston Auto Show to 2012 Houston Classy Chassis to Lamborghini and Ferrari Festivals, I saw a variety of cars. Only at the Houston Auto Show was I allowed to test drive cars. To reflect on the variety of cars I saw in 2012, these are the top ten cars I saw. Only one car per brand. Both classic and current cars are included on this list. I have to have seen it in 2012 only. I regret not doing a list like this for 2010, which would include the Gumpert Apollo, or 2011, which would include the Bugatti Veyron Supersport. Also, cars that I have driven will not be on this list since I have already covered them in my four lists consisting of the cars I have driven in 2012. I also left cars of that I know I will see several times in 2013. So you will not see the Camaro ZL1 on this list.

10. 1958 Plymouth Belvedere Fury

Starting of this list is the 1958 Plymouth Belvedere Fury, the car used as the titular car in the 1983 Christine. This car was involved in one of the most iconic murder scenes in cinema, where Christine ran over a guy while on fire. I first saw Christine at March 2012 and May 2012 editions of Houston Cars and Coffee, the 2012 Houston Construction Industry Auto Show, and the 2012 Houston Classy Chassis. I love the styling, especially the two rear taillight wings. The owner of this Christine has the movie, movie poster, and book on display while showing off his car at the various events.

9. Aston Martin Virage 

Like all current Aston Martins, the Virage has power, beauty,and soul. This car is beautiful. I first was the Virage at the June 2012 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee and then one week later that the 2012 Houston Classy Chassis. The Virage is powered by a 6.0L V12 engine that produces 490 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. Aston Martin designed the Virage to fill in the gap between the DB9 and DBS. Aston Martin designed the the Virage to outperform the Aston Martin DB9, but not outperform the Aston Martin DBS. This bothers me because if a car company is going to design a new car, then that company needs to make the car as good as it can be. Also, just after 18 months of production, Aston Martin ceased production of the Virage to favor a new DB9. Aston Martin produced just over 1,000 Virages before discontinuing the car.

8. Fisker Karma

The Fisker Karma is a plug-in hybrid that looks like a normal car. The car was designed by Henrick Fisker, who also designed the BMW Z8 and the Aston Martin Vantage. The Karma is beautiful. The Karma also has good performance. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds and has a top speed of 125 mph. The Karma has a 20.1 kWh lithium ion battery, two electric motors that have a combined output of 402 hp and 959 lb-ft of torque, and a turbocharged 2.0L I4 engine that produces 260 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The Karma is one of the best performing hybrids out there, but it is not with out controversy. The first 239 Karmas were recalled due to a potential battery fire caused by coolant leak. The Karma broke down during the Consumer Reports test drive. In Fort Bend County, Texas, the Karma was involved in a house fire that burned two other cars. For those reasons, I cannot put the Karma any higher than the 8 spot.

7. Spyker C8 Spyder

Skyker is a Dutch motor company that has been around since 1999 and started production on the Skyper C8 Spyder in 2000. The original C8 has a 4.2L V8 engine that produces 400 hp has a top speed of 186 mph. The C8 Spyder T has the same 4.2L V8 found in the C8 Spyder, but the engine gained two turbochargers, increasing power output to 525 hp and increasing the top speed. The C8 Spyder looks like nothing else on the road. It is very easy on the eyes. I saw this car at the January 2012 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee. For such a unique car, there was only a few people noticing the C8 and that is a shame. I hope to see more cars from Spyker in the future.

6. Noble M400

In 2000, Noble came out with the Noble M12. The ultimate version of the M12 was the M400. Noble produced the M400 from 2004 to 2007. The M400 was noted by the automotive press for its handling and power. Powering the M400 is a twin turbocharged 3.0L V6 that produced 425 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. The M400 also weighs 2,337 lbs, giving the car a 400 hp/ton power to weight ration. The M400 goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and has a top speed of 187 mph. The M400 is not the best looking car on the list, but it makes of up for it in performance and price, which was around $100,000 when it was new. 1G Racing bought the rights to the M400 from Noble and produced the Rossion Q1.

5. Jaguar XK 120

From 1949 to 1954, Jaguar produced the XK120. I was one at the 2012 Houston Classy Chassis event. This car has the beauty expected from a classic Jaguar. The XK120 was the fastest production car when it came out. During one test run, the XK120 reach a top speed of 136.595 mph when the hood, sidescreens, and windscreen were removed. With everything attached, the XK120 goes from 0 to 60 mph in 10.0 seconds while reaching a top speed of 124.6 mph. The Xk120 had some racing success, including back to back victories in the Alpine Rally and winning the 1954 Mount Druitt 24 Hour Road Race. XK120 will make a great addition to any car collection.

4. Bentley Mulsanne

Let me first start by saying I am not a big fan of the Bentley Continental GT. I see several on the Houston roads. When I saw that Paris Hilton has a pink Continental GT, that ruined the car for me. However, the four-door luxury sedan Bentley Mulsanne is another story. I like this car. It is one of the best looking four-door sedans out there. It also has performance. The Mulsanne is powered by a 6.75L twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces 505 hp and 752 lb-ft of torque. The Mulsanne also comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Mulsanne goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and top speed of 187 mph. The Mulsanne has beauty, luxury, comfort, power, and performance.

3. Maserati MC12 GT1

The Maserati MC12 is a very rare supercar. Only 50 MC12s were produced in 2004 and 2005 combined. The MC12 is based of the Ferrari Enzo, but the MC12 is wider, taller, and longer than the Enzo. The MC12 also uses the same 6.0L V12 that produces 620 hp and 481 lb-ft of torque. The MC12 goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.3.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 205 mph. In 2024, Maserati built three race versions of the Maserati MC12 GT1. Maserati of Houston brought a Maserati MC12 GT1. The MC12 GT1 won six team championships, the 2007 FIA GT Constructors Championship, and six driver championships.

2. Ferrari FXX

The Ferrari FXX is so good, it is not street legal. Only 29 FXXs were produced from 2005 to 2007. The FXX is a high performance racing car prototype that is based on the Ferrari Enzo. The FXX is powered by a 6.3L V12 engine that produces 790 hp and 506 lb-ft of torque. The FXX has a top speed of 243 miles per hour. I saw the FXX as the June 2012 Houston Cars and Coffee event and at the 2012 Houston Ferrari Festival. This is one incredible machine. At both events, it attracted large crowds. The FXX is such an amazing car that I chose to cover it for my 100th First Impression Review.

1. McLaren F1

I saw the McLaren F1 at the April 2012 Houston Cars and Coffee event and this attracted one of the largest crowds I have seen. The McLaren F1 was the first hypercar, reaching a top speed of over 240 mph while going from 0 to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. Powering this legendary hypercar is 6.1L naturally aspirated V12 engine that produces 618 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. The F1 was in production from 1992 to 1998 with only 106 F1s being built. In 1998, the McLaren F1 officially became the world's fastest production car, reaching a top speed of 243 mph. While the F1 is no longer the fastest car today, it is still the fastest car with a naturally aspirated engine. The F1 has a unique seating arrangements. The are three seats in the F1. The driver sits in the middle of the car while there are two seats behind the driver seat. Also, each F1 has approximately 16 grams of gold to act as a heat reflector in the engine compartment. This car showed what a car can do. To this day, it is still one of the fastest street-legal cars in world, over 20 years after the F1 was produced.

Happy New Years everyone!

CarJunkie
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