Today I begin my journey of discovery. I am going to begin the search for the automobile that I will spend the next 6 years with. This is not a mission to be taken lightly. With a 2 hour commute per day I will be spending much intimate time with my new automobile. It has to be a quiet oasis when slogging along the over-crowded highways on the way to my gainful employment. It has to be roomy and oh so indestructible when dealing with my 2 wonderful but highly strung children in the back seat. Finally, and most importantly in my book, it has to stir the soul when I get one of those all-to-infrequent moments when the road is clear and the curves call out my name. So, finding a pulse racing car is quite a challenge. Finding a car that can twinge the old heart strings and at the same time be a faithful soldier in the war that I call the morning commute is the holy grail. So without further ado the nominees (in no particular order) are....
1. Infiniti G35 Sedan - It is a reasonably priced sedan that has major performance chops in the tune of a 306hp engine, 6 speed manual (an absolute must) and an excellent handling resume. If only the 6 speed manual came with the AWD option.
2. BMW 335i - Definitely a soul stirrer based on what I have read. 300hp, 4 doors, 6 speed transmission and steering that is wired to the brain. Just need to find out how it handles my rug rats and whether it has enough livable room to be my faithful commuter companion. At 40 large before adding the major options it is also a stretch on the old budget.
3. 2008 Cadillac CTS - If GM can only deliver on the promise that I have seen so far this could be at the top of my dance card. If only they can restrain themselves from upping the price for this potential blockbuster out of my range (30-40K). I love the looks, interior quality, and the potential of the new Direct Injection engine with AWD and the already good handling of the existing CTS.
4. Subaru Legacy Spec B - A Subaru playing in this crowd. I know it is blasphemy. What Subaru offers though is a reasonably priced AWD powertrain with a 6 speed manual and excellent handling. From everything that I hear, this car is just plain fun. If I can force myself to give up a little of the cache of the other cars and it can fit everything that my hectic life demands, it may be just be the pragmatic choice. When it does snow it would be great to know that AWD is there and that a 6 speed is there when I want to have fun.
5. 2008 Pontiac G8 - BMW lookalike styling, 362 hp engine, 6 speed transmission, plenty of attitude and a great price. If they can get plenty of refinement to go along with that attitude I might just be smitten. This thunder from down under car has all the credentials to be a major player. I am just wondering if they can resist the usual cheesy grey plastic innards that always seem to take over the cockpits of your typical Pontiac. I used to drive Pontiac rentals quite frequently and I wouldn't want to be caught dead looking at that jumble of plastic they call ergonomics for 2 hours a day. Let's see if the new GM focus on interiors carries over to the G8.
6. Mazda CX-7 - It is not a car and doesn't meet any of my criteria points. A little zoom-zoom in a crossover. It does have AWD and a turbocharged engine. Just thought I would check out what all the crossover madness is all about.
7. Acura TL - I try to ignore it since it is FWD only. There is just too many good reviews and feedback from friends that make me want to check it out. Kind of pricy for what you get though.
This list will grow or shrink as my noble crusade continues. Please feel free to add your own feedback. The next blog I will go over the notable exceptions from this list and why they don't seem to make the cut.
Friday, March 9, 2007
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