by igo

Man, we love to drive. But with gas prices as high as they are now, it's becoming more and more difficult to justify getting behind the wheel for pleasure. But when we can't drive, our minds are still turning to the automotive, and we fantasize about what awesome antics we could get into if only we weren't stuck behind the wheel of a Honda Accord from last century. Recently, the UGO offices conducted a spirited argument about the coolest cars ever made - from classic 1930s luxury cars to the latest high-tech concepts from Europe and Japan. At the end of it all, we had a list of the 50 hottest rides ever made by man, and we hereby present it to you. If you've got a couple hundred million dollars lying around, why not fill a garage with all 50... Jay Leno, we're talking to you.

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DEARBORN, Mich.—Specification sheets rarely tell the whole story. Examine the details on the upcoming 2010 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 and one might think it's last year's model with a new body, a fresh interior, oh and of course— another 30 hp. Yes, the 2010 model delivers a full 540 horsepower.

But examine the details of the GT500 as we did and you'll notice Ford engineers embarked on a substantial rework of the GT500's suspension. The result, Ford says, is a GT500 with newfound handling prowess. While we're still waiting to drive the car to find out if that's true, we sat down with the three guys responsible for backing up that claim. Here's what we learned. —Larry Webster

The Layout
The Mustang still rides on a fairly simple suspension layout—struts up front and a rear solid axle. It sounds decidedly old tech, until you consider that the Porsche 911 and BMW 3 Series both employ strut front suspension. As for that solid-rear axle, GT500 chief engineer Jamal Hameedi pointed out that the solid rear axles offers cost and durability advantages over an independent setup.

The Mustang lineup spans from the entry-level $20,000 V6 model up to the $80,000 GT500KR edition. While the KR was pricey enough to justify the expense of an independent rear suspension, half of Mustang buyers opt for the V6. These are value-conscious buyers, and the solid-rear axle is one big reason they can afford this car.

But the solid axle is more than just a way to keep costs down. Ford says that a lot of owners drag race their Mustangs—a pursuit well suited to the Stang's rear suspension. Solid axles keep the tires squarely on the pavement during straight-line acceleration and their durability level is, generally, bulletproof. In addition, many owners modify their cars to ludicrous power levels, and upgrading to an even stouter axle assembly is an easy swap.

There are, of course, downsides to the rigid axle. The biggest drawback is the influence one wheel has on the other—since they're directly connected. An independent rear suspension allows each wheel to move independently without affecting the other side. Another downside is simply controlling the 300-pound solid axle as it hits bumps. It takes stiff springs and shocks to do that job, which could negatively affect the ride.

The Improvements
Mustang loyalists might want to have our hides, but to be honest, the outgoing GT500 was a bit of a dud. Sure it had 510 hp and cost well under 50 grand, but it just didn't feel that eager. While the GT500 posted respectable skidpad numbers, it felt sluggish, the body seemed to move around a lot on the suspension, and it tended to dramatically understeer. In short, here was a 500-plus horse muscle car that just wasn't that much fun.

According to Eric Zinkosky, the SVT Vehicle Dynamics Specialist, the ride/handling compromise was too biased toward ride. "When we did the KR edition," Zinkosky said, "We learned that we could dramatically increase the handling without heavily compromising the ride." So the company applied what it learned on last year's KR to the new GT500.

It started with new 19-in. Goodyear F1 tires that were specifically designed for the GT500. "The tires are the foundation of all the chassis tuning," Zinkosky said. Next. Mustang increased the front spring rate by 13 percent and the rear by seven percent. New Tokico shocks with twice the amount of low-speed damping control promise to reduce those bounding body movements. There's also a new high-speed blow-off bleed path so the shocks can absorb abrupt bumps.

Here's how it all works. A shock is basically a piston that rides in oil. Small holes in the piston allow the oil to pass through it. The resistance of the piston as it moves through the oil is what provides the damping action. This resistance is speed dependent: Push slowly and the piston easily glides through, but a quick jab dramatically increases the force required to move it. Engineers vary the size of these piston holes and also use one-way valves called shims to further tweak a shock's characteristics. Now imagine the wheel and tire hits a sharp bump. Ideally, that wheel should quickly move to absorb the bump, but remember, a quick hit on a shock increases the force. That's where the blow-off valve comes in—that quick hit forces open an extra bleed path so the wheel can more easily respond to the bump. And this feature should help improve the Mustang's ride on bumpy streets.

A car's suspension is a system of shocks, springs, tires and antiroll bars. Engineers turn the various "knobs"—increase the spring rate, for example—to get the desired handling and ride. Usually the antiroll bars are used for final tuning and in the GT500's case, the engineers installed a smaller, less stiff front antiroll bar. Road racers will recognize this move as one way to reduce understeer—it takes some of the cornering load off the front end of the car. But in this case, the smaller front bar was simply another piece of the Rubik's Cube that is suspension tuning. There are general guidelines when tuning antiroll bars, such as reducing front-roll stiffness usually reduces understeer, but few concrete rules. Engineers can meet their goals in several ways.

As much as handling is about springs and shocks, let's not forget the steering. After all, the steering wheel is the driver's main connection to the car and the road. The feel of the wheel as it arcs through a steering input—and how the car responds to those inputs—is one of the qualities that separates good cars from bad. Like the suspension, there are countless variables that affect steering feel. The tires have a huge influence, but so do the components in the steering column.

Mustangs have a small rubber puck sandwiched between the two halves of the steering shaft. This piece provides some isolation so the driver doesn't feel every pebble in the road. But how much isolation is too much? Apparently, the old Mustang was too isolated because for 2010, that rubber puck has been stiffened by 26 percent on all Mustangs. This move should increase steering precision.

The Bottom Line
We're cautiously optimistic about the new GT500. The engineers certainly seem to agree with our assessment of the old car, and they claim to have benchmarked cars from Porsche and BMW. So they know what good, precise steering and neutral handling feels like. Let's hope they've grafted those qualities into the new GT500.

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2009 Fiat Grande Punto Test Drive: Chrysler's First Modern Fuel-Efficient Subcompact?

LONDON–The Chrysler-Fiat alliance, should it get finalized in the next few months, would result in at least a half-dozen sharp Fiat designs hitting the U.S. shore. So which Fiats are going to get the Chrysler treatment first? The trade paper Automotive News has reported that the Fiat 500 may come over as a Fiat, not a Chrysler, and be built in Mexico too. Let's hope the boys in charge would include the more powerful version of the 500 Abarth we test drove last year. The 500's platform-mate, the popular Fiat Panda, is another contender we'll probably see in the U.S.

Of course some Fiats will need to be rebodied as Chryslers. One of the leading candidates would likely be the small hatchback Grande Punto and the larger Bravo II. In the Fiat world, the largest volumes may be in the Panda/500 ranges-but the profits are in the Punto/Bravo models. These are produced on highly automated production lines in Italy and over the years rivals have gained a respect for these models. So let's have a drive in the Grande Punto, and get a taste of what may be coming to Chrysler showrooms in the future. –Andrew English

The Specs

So even if the Punto isn't the first Fiat to hit America's shores (the 500 will likely beat it), it certainly dovetails into the current automotive zeitgeist of small cars for America. Styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the first Punto was launched in 1993 as a replacement for the Uno and has been continually revised since then, with sales upward of 7 million. In 2005, the third generation was renamed Grande Punto. The Grande Punto received a facelift last year, with a freshened interior and a host of snazzy interior-trim options thanks in part to Fiat's recently departed marketing wizard Luca de Meo.

In appearance, the Grande Punto is larger than it looks. The curvaceous front grille and steeply sloping hood hide the extra length of the cabin that allows two full-grown adults to sit comfortably in those rear seats. While not as distinctive as the original '93 Punto with its heavily glassed cabin, the current model is not without charm.

At its original 2005 launch in Italy, we were told that the Grande Punto is "beautiful, solid and brilliant. There is quality in every detail." That wasn't just hype. There's a large proportion of high tensile steel in its construction, so the B-segment Punto is one of the safest small cars in its class. The interior is spacious and the highly adjustable steering and seat positioning accommodate adults of most sizes. The dashboard is designed smartly with logical rotary dials for basic functions. The wide choice of trim fabrics available today might be a little "arriviste" for American tastes, but the fact that there are so many of them indicates they can be changed easily and at little cost.

The Punto comes in a variety of small, four-cylinder engine options. There's a normally aspirated 1.4-liter unit, a 1.4-liter turbo and Fiat's brilliant little 1.3-liter turbo diesel with either 75 hp or 90 hp and fuel economy that ranges from 40 mpg to over 50. The largest option of them all is a 1.9-liter turbodiesel. Oh and for those wanting a sporty Punto-there's an Abarth version that packs 180 hp, does 129 mph and sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 7.7 sec.

The Drive

On the road in the 1.4-liter gasoline unit, the controls are light to the touch, and the ride is very comfortable. The handling is sharp and the power steering is accurate and nicely weighted. There's even a "Parking" button on the dashboard, which increases the steering boost for close-quarters maneuvering.

The diesel engines adds more weight on the nose, so there's a tendency for more understeer, but the better fuel economy make them a popular choice in Europe. At very high speeds the Grande Punto is not as good as the new Ford Fiesta . The Fiat's suspension tends to bottom out on coarse U.K. roads, but at moderate speeds this is an accomplished and more than capable family chariot.

Complaints are few, but the heavily sloping windscreen tends to obscure the vision into corners for taller drivers. The A-pillars are thick and so too are the rear three-quarter panels. May we suggest the optional parking sensors? They're a smart option if parking dings are to be avoided. Prices in the U.K. start at 9250 pounds ($13,078) rising to 13,300 pounds ($18,804) for the top diesel. The Abarth model comes in at 17,000 pounds ($24,935). These prices, however, aren't an accurate guide to what U.S. customers will pay. It's worth remembering that in the depressed U.K., market prices here, just as in America, have proved very downwardly negotiable in recent months.

The Bottom Line

Just about every automaker will be importing small A- and B-segment European and Japanese-designed hatchbacks and sedans within the next three years. Fiat will give Chrysler a deep well to choose from. And if the current European-spec Punto Grande is any indication, Americans will enjoy the next decade of Chrysler small cars.

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While the historic inauguration of Barack Obama will be full of ceremony and celebration, there’s one event on January 20 that will go by with little notice. And yet that event will usher him into the world of the presidency in a way nothing else will. It will be the very first time a Secret Service agent opens the door to the presidential limousine and Obama steps inside. His new ride, a specially built beast nominally identified as a “Cadillac,” is just the latest in a long line of presidential rides stretching back to 1899 and the Locomobile President William McKinley rode in. But the Secret Service didn’t really get serious about presidential over-the-road transportation until 1939 when they acquired…well, that’s where this list begins.

1939 Lincoln "Sunshine Special"


During the early years of the automotive age, presidents got around in standard production cars. Then, in 1939, the specially built “Sunshine Special” entered the Secret Service’s fleet.

Based on a Lincoln K-Series chassis with power from a V-12 engine, the Sunshine Special (so named because its top was virtually always open) was built with both security and convenience in mind. Security was paramount because Franklin Roosevelt had already survived an assassination attempt in 1933 while giving a speech from the back of an open production Buick convertible. Convenience was important in order to get the wheelchair-bound Roosevelt in and out of the car while maintaining presidential dignity.

Stretched out over a massive 160-in. wheelbase, the Sunshine Special’s armored body, built by coach builder Brunn in Buffalo, New York, had oversize rear-hinged rear doors. In 1942 the car was updated with that year’s new front end. Various armor-plated elements were added at that point, and improved bulletproof glass was installed. After Roosevelt died in 1945, the Sunshine Special remained in presidential service until 1950. It’s now in the collection of the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan


President Harry S. Truman, legend has it, had a strong dislike for General Motors products because he was denied use of them during his 1948 presidential campaign. So when it came time to replace the Sunshine Special, it was Ford’s Lincoln division that got the job.

A stretched 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan (with a 145-in. wheelbase) was ordered from Ford and provided to the Secret Service for a nominal lease fee. Still a convertible for parades, the Lincoln was modified in 1954 with the addition of a large “bubbletop” canopy after President Dwight Eisenhower realized during a rainstorm that with the top up no one could see him.

The Bubbletop, as it became known, remained in Presidential service through 1965 when it too was retired to the Henry Ford Museum.

1961 Lincoln Continental SS-100-X


Since this was the car in which John F. Kennedy was riding in on November 22, 1963 when he was assassinated, it will forever be entangled with tragedy. Still, it’s a car worth appreciating outside the context of that grim day.

Starting with the truly beautiful, new-for-1961 Lincoln Continental four-door convertible, Hess and Eisenhart of Cincinnati stretched the car a total of 33-inches both between the front and rear doors and behind the rear doors to both add space to the passenger compartment and make the car a true limousine. A metal hoop just behind the driver and over his head gave the President something to hold onto while standing during parades (as Kennedy did while visiting Germany during the summer of 1963). In addition, the rear seat could be raised in order to give crowds a better view of the President. Power came from a standard 430-cubic inch Lincoln V-8.

After the assassination, the SS-100-X was rebuilt, armored, fit with a permanent bulletproof hardtop, and returned to the presidential fleet. Though superseded by another Lincoln in 1967, both presidents Johnson and Nixon used the SS-100-X before it was retired to the Henry Ford Museum in 1977.

1972 Lincoln Continental


Built over three years by the Ford Motor Company (its serial number indicated that it was a 1970 model, but the original styling was from ’72), this is the limousine that protected both Presidents Ford and Reagan from would-be assassins’ bullets.

During a 1975 assassination attempt by Sara Jane Moore in San Francisco, Secret Service agents pushed President Gerald Ford into this massive 13,000-pound Lincoln and to safety. Six years later, and now decorated to look like a 1978 model, the Secret Service used this car again as a safe haven after John Hinckley attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan.

Powered by a 460-cubic inch V8, this was the last presidential limousine equipped with roof openings through which the president could stand.

1983 Cadillac Fleetwood


After decades of presidential Lincolns (named, of course, after a president), Cadillac was finally given the chance to produce a limousine for the secret service in the early 1980s. Appearing in 1984 were a pair of 1983 Fleetwoods built by Hess & Eisenhardt. Since the coachbuilder started with production Fleetwood limousines, the cars were stretched only 17 inches and their roofs raised three inches. Power for both came from Cadillac’s own massive 500 cubic-inch V8.

Though awkward in appearance, the Fleetwoods provided excellent visibility for the president. Large greenhouses were made possible by the develop of 2 3/8ths inch thick bulletproof glass and powerful air conditioning systems that kept the cabin cool.

Upon their retirement, one of the Fleetwoods was returned to GM who lent it out to producers of the 1993 Clint Eastwood film In The Line of Fire. The other Fleetwood is on display at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

2001 Cadillac Deville


By the time of George W. Bush’s inauguration, Cadillac no longer produced a full-frame rear-drive car suitable for conversion into a presidential limousine. Meanwhile, the Secret Service’s safety requirements for the limousine had grown ever more ambitious and, well, weighty. So when the Bush DeVille debuted—it really wasn’t much of a DeVille at all.

Informed speculation had this Presidential limousine built atop the frame of GM’s full-size SUVs—like the Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade. Besides five-inch thick armored doors and bulletproof glass so thick it blocks out parts of the light spectrum, Bush’s DeVille was rumored to feature a self-contained passenger compartment with its own secure air supply, run flat inner cores inside the tires, and a big 454 cubic inch truck engine so the 14,000-or-so pound monster could push through any obstacles.

By the time of the Bush’s second inaugural in 2005, Cadillac was ready with an updated fleet of limousines that featured styling that mimicked the DTS production sedan.

2009 Cadillac Presidential Limousine


President Obama’s new ride isn’t much larger than Bush’s Cadillacs, but it’s apparently much heavier. A look at photos released by GM reveal a limo-looking behemoth running on Goodyear Regional RHS tires—that’s rubber usually reserved for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

Prototypes of the new Cadillac Presidential Limousine (there’s no claim from Cadillac that it has any relationship with a production car) were often seen in the company of GM’s TopKick medium duty trucks leading many to believe that under the new skin of Obama’s commuter is the frame and drivetrain from the TopKick. That would make sense, since the weight of this giant has to be somewhere beyond 15,000 pounds and may be approaching a full ten tons.

Secrecy abounds about the latest POTUS ride, but rumors are that this one is the first to be diesel powered. The engine may be GM’s familiar 6.6-liter Duramax turbodiesel V8, or it could be some even more powerful diesel build for large commercial trucks. While the chassis, suspension and drivetrain of the new limousine is all new, most of the body seems to derive directly from the previous DeVille and DTS limousines. However the styling has been revised using pieces from Cadillac’s current line. For instance, the headlights, side view mirrors and door handles all come from the Escalade SUV. Meanwhile, the taillights, rear back up lights and third brake light all come from the STS sedan. In all, it’s a surprisingly handsome conglomeration of pieces, even if it lacks the sheer beauty of Kennedy’s Lincoln or friendly disposition of Roosevelt’s Sunshine Special.

The Secret Service isn’t saying how many of the new limousines are being built, but probably at least a dozen. And no, you can’t have any of them. Unless of course, you’re elected in 2012.

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