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Lexus Discontinues HS250h

May 18, 2012 By

There is little doubt that Lexus stands as one of the premier Japanese luxury automakers, and can boast a long list of successful cars, crossovers and SUVs. However, even with the best of intentions, not every car can be a smashing success, and in this case, the HS250h was such an example. The HS was not Lexus’ first foray into selling a hybrid car, but while prior Lexus hybrids were built to offer hybrid technology as an added level of performance with decent fuel economy, the HS250h took a different tact. This was a straight up hybrid, no different from a plain Jane Prius.

The HS250h debuted as a 2010, and sold 10,663 cars in the US, far short of Lexus expectations. If that wasn’t bad enough, 2011 saw sales go into a free fall, dropping to 2,864 cars, a staggering 73 percent drop. In a report from Inside Line, Lexus halted production of the HS250h in January 2012. And no wonder, with a paltry 591 cars sold as of the end of April. With no action on the dealer showroom floor, Lexus never even attempted a hail Mary to revive the HS, and let the car quietly die.

The funny thing is, I actually liked the HS250h. The Garage reviewed one shortly after its introduction. I got what the HS was meant to be, and found it to be a handsome, comfortable car. Lexus is about to roll out the all-new ES series, which will have a hybrid version, but when asked, the ES hybrid is not a replacement for the HS. I say why not-the HS failed as a premium hybrid sedan, and with the ES Hybrid, an HS replacement would only cannibalize sales.

Filed Under: HS250h, lexus, Lexus 250h, News

Review: 2012 Subaru Impreza

May 17, 2012 By

For a brand of car I have never personally owned, Subarus hold a place in my heart. Never afraid to march to the beat of their own drum, growing up reading car magazines, I was bemused a car company would simply call a car a DL or GL. Their funky boxer four cylinder engines sounded like nothing else, and of course, all-wheel drive was a given. It was my cousin Tommy’s 1976 blue Subaru station wagon that drove me, windows down in Spring on I-95 to my very first pizza at the famous Pepe’s Pizza in New Haven, CT when I was in first grade. When I was 15, it was this same Subaru Tommy taught me how to drive a stick shift. It broke my heart that beloved blue Subie’s frame was rotting and I could not own it myself.

Fast forward twenty five years, thanks to our friends at Subaru, the completely redesigned 2012 Impreza appeared on my driveway, ironically in blue, and blessed with a five-speed manual. The only thing missing was my cousin Tommy giving me pointers on working a clutch while nursing a Budweiser in the drug store parking lot near my Grandparent’s house.

Subaru has made strides in trying to mainstream themselves in hopes of greater sales and profits, but with the new Impreza it is best described as a Legacy in miniature, and just quirky enough to keep the Subaru faithful satisfied. During my week with the Impreza no one complimented or criticized the car. Style-wise, I think the Impreza falls short of far slicker offerings like the Ford Focus, Hyundai Accent or Kia Rio. There’s not a bad line on the car, but the competition is sporting far more sophisticated duds.

If past Imprezas had a weak point, it was interior that bordered on crude. With the new Impreza, driver and passengers are treated to a comfortable, airy cabin with high quality plastics and soft touch materials. All gauges are easy to read, controls are a cinch to figure out. I found the seats fairly comfortable, and there was plenty of room for my 6’1″ frame. Lacking satellite radio, I used the CD player in our test car, and found the audio quality not quite on par with the competition.

In the engine room, Subaru has certainly reacted to the current economic climate. Typically when a car is redesigned, we talk of more power, but with the Impreza, it is the opposite. Subaru has opted for a smaller displacement 2.0L (from 2.5) boxer four rated at 148hp, which is also down on power from the larger engine. The good news is fuel economy, which is clearly what Subaru was after. Our Impreza shows EPA fuel economy figures of 25/34 MPG city/highway-pretty good numbers considering this car is all-wheel drive. The Subie gets off the line just fine, and I am still a sucker for the engine noise from that boxer four. The five-speed manual was a joy to use, and really added to the enjoyment of the Impreza. If you cannot, or do not want to shift for yourself, the Impreza is available with a CVT transmission, but I have read this drastically changes the character of the car, and not in a good way.

The Impreza is offered as a four door sedan or five door hatchback with five trim levels. Our test car was a 2.0i Premium, one step up from the base model. With 16″ alloys, Bluetooth, keyless entry and USB plug for your iPod. Fitted with the optional All-Weather package which adds heated seats and mirrors and a windshield wiper de-icer, our Impreza rings in at a respectable $20,414USD, including destination.

Driving the Impreza, I kept thinking back to that quirky ’76 Subie wagon of my cousin that held so many memories for me. Obviously, the Impreza is light years ahead of that car, but Subaru, with its new Impreza, has managed to build a perfectly competent compact sedan without compromising its character. For us gearheads and rally fans, now we wait for the WRX…..stay tuned. Oh, and decades later, my cousin still has a Subie in his garage- a 2012 Outback.

Filed Under: Featured Stories, impreza, In The Garage, New car reviews, New cars, Reviews, subaru, subaru-impreza

Forgotten Sporty Cars, Mother’s Day Edition

May 15, 2012 By

All of us here at The Garage hope you treated your mom’s right on Mother’s Day, and we offer a belated happy Mother’s Day to the mom’s that read our blog. En route to lovely Knapp’s Landing restaurant in Stratford, Connecticut, my wife spotted a cool car on our way to lunch. Not wanting to be late, I vowed to check it out later. A tribute to my lovely wife for her keen eye.

After lunch, I drove to where she spotted the car, and what I found was cooler than I ever could have imagined. Not only was it a cool car, but it was resting on the flatbed of an equally, if not more cool flatbed truck, a vintage Dodge, rusted and faded, but what especially struck me was the barely legible painting on the doors for the shop it did duty for decades ago.

The little sports car, slowly atrophying to the elements is a Datsun 2000, also known as the Fairlady in its native Japan. The 2000 was the car that preceded the groundbreaking 240Z. Built from 1967 to 1970, the 2000 sported a 2.0L four, good for 133hp with a whopping 7,000 rpm redline. With a weight of just 2,000lbs, the 2000 could comfortably cruise all day at 120mph in fifth gear, an overdrive gear, but in fourth the 2000 could hit 140mph. Competing against MG, a five speed manual was exotic stuff for this class of car. Datsun wanted the car to appeal to SCCA racers, and offered an optional Competition Package with Solex carbs and special camshaft, bumping power to 150hp.

By all measures, the Datsun 2000 was years ahead of the MGB and Triumph TR-4 in terms of technology and performance, but at the time, the American sports car buyer just wasn’t ready to embrace a Japanese roadster. The 2000 was a limited production car, and lacked the British charm MG’s and Triumph’s offered. With World War II in the not so distant past, I have no doubt that for as good as the Datsun 2000 was, it was simply crossed off buyer’s lists for it country of origin.

But for anyone who respects and covets the Z-car, look back and see the Datsun 2000 as the final evolution of their sports car before launching the sports car revolution the Z created. For now, reflect on the beauty and/or sadness of the car that came before.

Filed Under: Commentary, datsun, Datsun 2000, Dodge, Featured Stories, Forgotten Sporty Cars, Photography

Automotive Legend Carroll Shelby Passes at 89

May 14, 2012 By

By now you may have heard that the great Carroll Shelby, one time race car driver and constructor has passed away at the age of 89 on Friday, May 10, 2012. The automotive world has truly lost one of the greats who lead a full life and accomplished feats few men can imagine. On the news of Mr. Shelby’s passing, my thoughts were he may be the last man to have such a singular impact on racing history and the cars that bear his name. My next thoughts brought me back to August, 1988. I was all of 15 years old at the time, while on vacation in Cape Cod, Massachusetts had read that Enzo Ferrari had died. An ocean and generation apart, Mr. Ferrari and Mr. Shelby had some similarities, but for now let’s talk about Mr. Carroll Shelby.

My fear is the current generation of gearheads are watching too much Barrett-Jackson auto auctions on Speed TV, where over the past few years Mr. Shelby has gone on stage to auction off one of his latest Mustang-based creations to charity, and there is no doubt the hundreds of thousands of dollars Shelby has raised has helped many people. Where my discontent lies is in the portrayal of Carroll Shelby, often depicted as a simple chicken farmer from Texas, and oh, he makes chili too! How cute.

Kids, that is not the Carroll Shelby that impresses me. In the 1950′s, Shelby won races in an MG TD, set 16 US and International speed records in a specially modified Austin-Healey 100S. In 1959 he drove the winning Aston Martin DBR1 to victory at the 24 Hours of LeMans-one one of only two victories Aston Martin can claim. Shelby also competed in Formula 1 racing from 1958-59. Due to heart problems that plagued Shelby from youth, he was forced into retirement.

This is where the magic happens-as if winning LeMans is not enough. Shelby was able to seal a deal with British sports car maker AC to drop a Ford V-8 into their AC Ace, creating the AC Cobra, pictured at top. Spawning the ultra-rare and desirable Daytona Coupe, the Cobra is one of the most desirable and iconic exotic sports cars of all time, and the most copied car ever built by kit car companies, although Shelby and his lawyers spent years fighting this.

It is well known that Ford had attempted to buy Ferrari in the 1960′s, and with the deal nearly sealed, Enzo Ferrari backed out at the last minute. With the deal off, Ford vowed revenge on Ferrari, and Ford was going to beat them on their own turf. Ford called Carroll Shelby for help. The result? The Ford GT40 won LeMans four years in a row. It is the only American built race car to ever win at the historical Circuit de la Sarthe.

With Ford’s connection to Shelby cemented with its AC chassis and involvement in Ford’s domination over Ferrari with the GT40, Ford sought to build on the equity of its new pony car, the Mustang. While there are rumors that Shelby’s initial reaction was of zero interest in modifying Mustangs and refused the project, under pressure from Ford management Shelby gave in and agreed to put his name on the Shelby Mustang GT350, the purist example of a Shelby Mustang. Later iterations of Shelby ‘Stangs seemed counter to Carroll’s original vision, and by 1970 Ford and Shelby parted ways.

Carroll Shelby slipped into obscurity it seems, until the very man who demanded a Shelby Mustang-Lee Iaocca, called on him to inject some badly needed adrenaline to the ailing Chrysler Corporation. At its inception the Omni was a crude answer to VW’s Golf, but with Shelby’s hand Dodge created a GTI killer with 175hp on tap for an impressive 0-60mph time of 6.5 seconds with a top end of 130mph. Shelby had a hand in several other high performance Dodge products, and was an integral part of the creating the Dodge Viper.

Shelby’s history with Ford resumed again with his input in the modern iteration of the Ford GT, an homage to the GT40 and Shelby Mustangs once again hit the showroom floor in 2005. Fittingly, Carroll Shelby’s last car with his own input was the Shelby 1000, the most powerful Shelby to ever hit the street or track. And so we draw the circle back to Enzo Ferrari, the man Shelby beat on relentlessly at the most prestigious stage of endurance racing. When Enzo Ferrari died, the twin-turbo V-8 Ferrari F40 was the last car he oversaw was ready for market, the most powerful, fastest, and expensive Ferrari of all time. For Carroll Shelby, the Shelby 1000 holds that same distinction.

This puts Mr. Shelby in some elite company, and proves again if the will is there, Americans can beat the best the European exotics have to offer. Carroll Shelby deserves to be remembered as more than a chicken farmer, he is the singular American figure to absolutely punish the best Europe had to offer on their own soil. For that, we thank you, Carroll Shelby.

The Garage offers our sincere condolences to the Shelby family and all of his friends and co-workers.

Filed Under: Aston Martin DBR1, carroll-shelby, cobra, Commentary, Dodge Omni GLHS, Exotic Cars, Featured Stories, ford, In The Garage, lemans, mustang, News, shelby, Shelby Daytona Coupe, viper

Jaguar Builds the Ultimate XJ

May 8, 2012 By

When you think about it, it almost seems odd that premier British luxury car builder Jaguar has not offered over the top luxury options to its well-heeled buyers. All that ends with the 2013 Jaguar XJ Ultimate, which is essentially the ultimate expression of the XJ, Jaguar’s flagship sedan. Jaguar has essentially taken the top spec XJL Supersport and decided to give the rear seat passengers some extra attention.

It is generally agreed all of us here at The Garage want the seat behind the steering wheel, but the XJ Ultimate’s rear quarters sound particularly enticing. With the Ultimate, Jaguar has ripped out the rear bench seat and replaced it with two tailored bucket seats separated by a leather lined center console. The seats are power adjustable, with ventilation, massage, and lumbar support. Need to get some work done? No problem, as the Ultimate has a solid aluminum table with piano black detailing that rises from the center console. This is augmented by a pair of Apple iPad 3′s with wireless keyboards housed in leather trimmed docks.

Don’t feel like working? No problem, as the 20 speaker surround sound stereo designed by ultra-high end British audio specialists Merdian should satisfy the most discerning audiophile. It goes without saying that both rear passengers are treated to their own screens for movie viewing, with wireless headsets. The XJ Ultimate is also equipped with a champagne chiller, specifically designed to hold a bottle of champagne and kept at an ideal temperature of 47-50 degrees Fahrenheit. On opening the chiller, the bottle of champagne rises to present itself to the passengers. And of course, two bespoke champagne flutes illuminated with ambient lighting complete the package.

The XJ Ultimate is powered by a supercharged V-8 rated at 510hp, paired to an eight-speed automatic. Jaguar claims an impressive 0-60mph in a scant 4.7 seconds. No word if the XJL Supersport’s optional sport package is standard on the Ultimate, which raises top speed to 174mph. Jaguar claims they recalibrated the rear suspension for better comfort without suffering any handling trade-offs.

The 2013 Jaguar XJ Ultimate will be available later this year. Only 30 examples are slated for the US. Each car will be finished in Black Amethyst with unique 20″ alloys and oval polished stainless steel exhaust tips. Price of admission is $155,000USD, a full thirty grand more than a fully optioned XJL Supersport. What price exclusivity? To the Jaguar buyer of means, the XJ Ultimate is just that-entrance to an impossibly small club demanding the ultimate in luxury and performance.

Filed Under: Featured Stories, jaguar, jaguar xj, Jaguar XJ Ultimate, New cars, News, XJ, XJ Ultimate
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