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AUTO
ALMANAC
DRAWING BOARD
2010 Ford Mustang: Ford’s response to the
Dodge Challenger and upcoming Chevrolet Camaro
is to update its Mustang for spring of 2009.
Although the physical changes are subtle, the front
and rear fascias are new as well as most of the
car’s sheetmetal. The base 210-horsepower 4.0liter
V6 is unchanged, but the GT’s 4.6-liter V8
makes 315 horsepower, 15 more than the 2009
version. That‘s well short of the competition’s base
V8 models, although ride and handling improvements
are also being touted.
WHO AM I?
To guess his secret identity, read the following
clues.
1) An Arizona native, he tried every form of professional
open-wheel racing.
2) He won the 1998 Indy 500, 24 years after he
took up this sport.
3) He was the Indy Racing League’s first
owner/driver and garnered his first career victory
in that role.
4) He later became a team owner and also competed
(as late as 2006) in the GP Masters series
for former F1 drivers over the age of 45.
Eddie Cheever, 50, made
his last Indy 500 attempt
in 2006 and finished 13th.
Later that season, he shut
down his team due to
funding.
WHAT’S UP, AUTO DOC?
It might be easier than standing outside in the
freezing cold to scrape your windshield, but dousing
the glass with a constant stream of washer
fluid and running the wipers to clear the ice
and frost has several downsides. First and
foremost, it really doesn’t take any less
time to clear the windshield than a
good, fast scraping. Second,
dumping all that fluid onto the
windshield probably means that
you’ll run out in rush-hour traffic
when you could really use it.
Third, the excess fluid evaporates
and/or runs on the ground, which is a
waste and just adds more pollution. And lastly,
your poor wiper blades will be completely shredded
— and rendered useless — in no time flat if
you keep trying to use them to scrape off the ice:
they’re soft rubber while a scraper is hard plastic.
An ice scraper is designed to do exactly that,
which is why you should have one in the vehicle
and one in house (to save time digging around in
the car on a cold morning) at all times during the
winter months.
2000 X5
BMW X5: 2000-’06
Cargo area 2007 redesign
THE GOOD STUFF
Typical BMW car-like power and handling prowess epitomized the first-generation X5. Standard equipment included an automatic load-leveling
system, stability control software to prevent a skid or spin, and Hill Descent Control that prevented the X5 from gathering too much speed when
traveling down a steep and/or slippery slope. Inside the spacious cabin, dual-zone climate control and plenty of airbags kept passengers comfortable
and secure. The V8 moved the 4,900-pound X5 with authority, producing zero-60-mph times in the 6.5-7.0-second range.
HEADS UP!
The X5 was long on passenger pampering, but came up short in cargo capacity when compared to similar sport utility vehicles. Since many
people purchased these go-anywhere wagons for hauling bulky objects, this deficiency posed a problem. Handling was quick and precise, but
the firm suspension meant a stiffer-than-usual ride. As well, many X5 competitors offered more than five-passenger seating, something BMW
rectified with the 2007 model. Giving away as much as 125 horsepower, the six-cylinder didn’t deliver the same kind of exhilarating punch as
the available V8 engines, but it was a bit easier on gas.
OVERALL
Although not the most practical sport utility vehicle you can buy, the X5 is certainly among the classiest around while being engineered to deliver
superb handling in all sorts of road and weather conditions. Both build quality and fit and finish are typical BMW, which is to say top notch.
VITALS
Engines: 3.0-liter DOHC I6 (225 hp); 4.4-liter DOHC V8 (282-315 hp); 4.6-liter DOHC V8 (347 hp); 4.8-liter DOHC V8 (355 hp).
Transmissions: Five-six-speed manual (I6); five- /six-speed automatic. Layout: Front-engine, four-wheel-drive.
Body: Four-door wagon.
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