| 777 | Date: Thursday, 28 Oct 2010, 14.31 | Message # 1 |
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| Just back from the International Motor Press Association’s annual Test Days at Pocono Raceway -- this year better known as Noah’s Ark, the sequel. Every year, manufacturers bring their latest 4-wheeled wares to the Pennsylvania hills for two days of testing, one on public roads (with SUVs muddying it up at a local ski area) and another on the Pocono road course, which also incorporates a stretch of the steep-banked NASCAR oval.
Veterans of the event said that for the first time in the history of Test Days -- which began in about 1972 at the now-defunct Bridgehampton circuit on Long Island, N.Y., then moved to Lime Rock in Connecticut before switching to Pocono -- the track part of the day was totally washed out by torrential rain. But the curse could have been worse. Actually, it could have been much worse: On Friday, just after journalists and automakers departed, the Split Rock Resort’s Sports Complex was heavily damaged by a gas explosion that amazingly resulted in only a single injury.
The preceding, explosion-free day was a vision of fall loveliness, especially because we were surrounded by dozens of spanking-new machines. A sample of what was on tap: the Chevy Cruze, GM’s new compact car, which is just arriving at dealerships; the latest Volkswagen GTI, still one of the hottest-driving cars you’ll find for less than 30 grand; the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf, both preparing to duke it out for electric-car supremacy in December; the new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, as good in person as it’s been on paper; and, for a cherry on top, the mind-blowing Corvette ZR-1.
The ZR-1 was a surprise arrival, and also my first drive of the day. And while it’s hard to top the high that comes from a 638-horsepower Corvette, an open-minded tester can find fun and smart design in more affordable reaches as well. I drove a Suzuki Kizashi Turbo sedan, a concept vehicle developed by Road Race Motorsports that one can only hope will eventually spawn a production version. The Suzuki’s standard engine is booted from 185 horsepower to roughly 290, and the car adds a raspy-throated exhaust system, big wheels and a modified suspension. The hopped-up Kizashi felt like those front-drive underdogs of the '80s or '90s -- and I mean that as a compliment -- that love nothing more than buzzing pricier cars and their oft-complacent drivers.
I drove to the Poconos in a Mercedes SL500 Night Edition, a limited-edition, $114,000 SL convertible that will see only 100 copies sold here. With its 19-inch AMG wheels and sinister, matte-black Designo Magno paint -- which made the Mercedes look like Batman’s luxury roadster -- the 2-seat Benz practically snapped onlookers’ necks everywhere it went.
On a more frugal note, Nissan brought along an ultrapowerful, 480-volt quick charger that could juice up its all-electric Leaf to 80 percent battery capacity in 20 minutes flat -- just the ticket to keep the Leaf rolling through a long day of testing. And while it wasn’t available for drives, only for auto-show-style gawking), the new Kia Optima Turbo sedan made a case for being perhaps the best-looking sedan -- period -- in the midsize family segment. It’s hard to believe that the base-model Optima will start at less than 20 grand.
And that’s the best thing about Test Days: It’s an annual paradise for car lovers -- but unlike an event like, say, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, you're as likely to be impressed with a budget starter car as a 6-figure fantasy vehicle.
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