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HERBERT NITSCH. AIRLINE PILOT.

DEEPSEA DIVER. EXTREME RECORD BREAKER.

W W W. B R E I T L I N G . C O M

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BREITLING SUPEROCEAN $3,085

Water-resistant to 5,000 ft (1,500 m), decompression valve. Unidirectional rotating bezel. Officially chronometer-certified selfwinding movement.

He is said to rarely have his feet on the ground. At the controlsof his airliner, he spends most of his time above 30,000 feet. Andwhen hes not flying, hes venturing far beneath the water: HerbertNitsch is the only freediver to have reached the fabulous depthof 700 feet. Whether hes deep beneath the sea or high up in theair, firmly strapped to his wrist is the new Superocean, an extremewatch cut out for great accomplishments. A peerless athlete witha mind of steel, Nitsch will doubtless soon become the first breath-hold freediver to break the legendary 1,000-foot barrier. He has

found the ideal companion for this ultimate challenge in theBreitling Superocean a rugged, high-performance watch water-resistant to 5,000 feet.

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IF A CAR COMPANY ONLY TEST-DRIVES 1 OUT OF 10 CARS,HOW DO YOU KNOW YOURS WAS THE ONE?

owertra in LIMITED WARRA .TY. eeS e dedeal rr forf r LLI IMITET DE RARRANTY detd ailsl . Hy. yundau du i isi ii a re igigisterteree td rtraded arkk r f Hf yundu iai ot rot ror e cr a . l. All rights reserve d. . 2010 H uy ndai Mottoror Ameri ca.

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If you had the choice, wouldnt you rather buy a car thats been evaluated on a test track than one that hasnt? As a car company dedicated to quality, we think the answer is obvious. ats why we test-drive each and

every Sonata we build before it reaches nal inspection, so you can be sure when you take delivery, yourvehicle will stand up to our 10-year/100,000-mile warranty. For more on quality, visit HyundaiSonata.com.

THINK ABOUT IT.

THE ALL NEW SONATA

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In the battle against compromise, the fully loaded MAZDA 3 never makes

you pick sides. Starting around $ 16k,* its bold, aggressive styling,

spirited handling and fuel -efcient MZR engine are all about your fun

side. While its array of features, including an available Adaptive Front-

lighting System to help see around corners, and Bluetooth ** phone and

audio capability, more than handle the practical end. In fact, the 2010

MAZDA3 recently won the ALG award for highest projected resale

value in its class, as well as a prestigious Car and Driver

10Best Award. So hold your head proud, and raise

your fun ag high. And claim what you

deserve. Claim your MAZDA 3 .

Zoom-Zoom. Forever.

MazdaUSA.com

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MSRP $16,255 plus $750 destination charge MAZDA 3i Sport 4-Door with manual transmission. MAZDA 3s 4-Door Grand Touring with Moonroof,6-CD and Bose Package as shown $23,040. MSRP excludes tax, title, destination and license fees. Actual dealer price may vary. See dealerfor complete details. **Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. ALGs 2010 Residual Value Award for Mid-Compact Car.2010 Mazda Motor of America, Inc.

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C O N T E N T S

COMPETITION

110 NASCAR: BACK TO THE FUTURE Come 2011, carburetors are out, fuel injection is in...and the cars may look different too By Tim Tuttle

TECHNICAL

99 LIGHTING WHATS AHEAD Stand back, son, that things about to arc-discharge!A primer on auto lighting By Dennis Simanaitis

COLUMNS

15 THE ROAD AHEAD By Matt DeLorenzoTOEING THE LINE : Modern manuals and twin-clutch gearboxes obviate the need for heel/toe

18 AMPERSAND Edited by Mike MonticelloDINAN - MITE ! : Steve Dinans explosive 400-bhp135i, Audi TT RS, Ferrari 599 GTO and much more

32 SIDE GLANCES By Peter EganTHE CARS OF THE PARENTS ... Pleas for the 289V-8, 4-speed and GT package usually go unanswered

104 TECH TIDBITS By Dennis SimanaitisROAD SIGNS ON THE HYDROGEN HIGHWAY : Willthe rst ones be in English, German or Japanese?

108 TRACKSIDELE MANS PROTOTYPE CHALLENGE : An ALMS spec

racer that resembles an LMP2, for a 911 GT3 price116 THE PODIUM By Gil de Ferran

HANGING UP THE DRIVING GLOVES : On tradinga HANS device for a headset as team owner

124 SPEED ZONE By Douglas KottBEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE : Six a ermarket driv-ing seats guaranteed to lower your lap times

128 COUNTERSTEER By Sam Mitani THE STATE OF THE GERMAN AFTERMARKET :

Fear and loathing, with lost wages? For some.

ROAD TESTS

42 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG Leaving McLarens nest, Mercedes takes wing witha supercar of its own design By Andrew Bornhop

58 LEXUS LFAAn epic soundtrack makes this rolling blockbuster anexperience you wont soon forget By Douglas Kott

106 ROAD TEST UPDATE BMW 550i GRAN TURISMO HYUNDAI SONATA SE

Has BMW created the Ultimate People Mover? Plus,a high-style, higher-g Hyundai By the R&T staff

FIRST DRIVES

38 LAMBORGHINI GALLARDOLP570-4 SUPERLEGGERA

A lightweight in the best sense, this street-legalGallardo lives for the racetrack By Mike Monticello

40 SUBARU WRX STI SPECIAL EDITIONFewer frills, but better handling and a lower price.Well take that trade any day By Andrew Bornhop

FEATURES

50 THE SL AND MEOh, to be 14 years old and powersliding an originalGullwing around the family farm! By Sam Posey

64 HONDA CR-ZImpressions of Hondas new hybrid, plus a spin inthe Spoon Sports track version By Sam Mitani

78 HAIL BRITANNIA!Driven: Allard J2X MkII, Caterham Superlight 500and Morgan Aero SuperSports By the R&T staff

94 LONG-TERM WRAPUP: VW JETTA TDIRevs are highly overrated By Jonathan Elfalan

DEPARTMENTS 10 FOCAL POINT

16 REVVED-UP

36 YOUR TURN 120 T ECH CORRESPON 122 ROAD TEST SUMM

129 THE FINISH LINE140 PS

COVER STORY

Weve been teased bygullwing doors, tempdrive of the prototypEast German racetracAnd now that weve chance to put the 563Mercedes-Benz SLSthrough our instrumeroad test regimen, wescrambling to nd thword for sensationaOur review of the rebGullwing starts on p

GullwTakes Fli

C O V E R / C O N T E N T S P H O T O S B Y J E F F A L L E N

& K

O I C H I O H T A N I

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n s w e r s : C o l u m n 5 , R o w 3 C o l u m n 1 4 , R o w 2 0 C o l u m n 2 0 , R o w 1 0

ONLY THREE OF THESE LEDs ARE

BRIGHT ENOUGH FOR THE ZDX.

THE QUESTION IS, WHICH THREE?

At f irst glance, all automotive LEDs seem the same.But look very closely at the opposite page and youll see theyre actua lly different. While many luxuryautomakers use LEDs in their interiors, we individually pick the brightest LEDs in the ir class for the center

console of the ZDX. Not only are these lights extremelybright when turned on, theyre also virtually invisiblewhen turned off. Enhanced LED lighting in the Acura ZDX.The most innovative thinking youll find, youll findin an Acura. To learn more, visit acura.com.

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10 R O A D & T R A C K www.roadandtrack.com

Focal Point

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AMERICAS MONACO

Rodrguez in a Gulf Porsche? No, itsFernandez in an Aston Martin-Lola at LongBeach. Adrian Fernandez, teamed withHarold Primat, led much of the ALMS race,but was passed on the last lap by PatrnHighcro Racings Simon Pagenaud. WithV-12 power, the Aston had an advantageon the straights but went wide in Turn 5,opening the door for Pagenaud.

PHOTO BY DREW GIBSON/LAT

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III 1/40s at f/18.0.ISO 50 Canon 14mm lens

Purchase this print (and other Focal Pointimages) at the Road & Track Photo Store.www.roadandtrack.com/focalpoint

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or keep it for your collection!

12 R O A D & T R A C K www.roadandtrack.com

O N L I N E

J U L Y 2 0 1 0

Watch video of the latest cars from

around the world withR&T video:

Find these at: shop.roadandtrack.com

2011 JAGUAR XJ The latest luxury-per-formance sedan fromJaguar is not only athing of exquisite styleand cra smanship, but

its also brimming withinnovative featuresthat are begging for ademo drive. We do justthat in our videoof the XJ.

2011 FERRARI 599 GTODRIVEN!We hopped on a plane to Italy to get behind the wheel ofthe fastest road-going Ferrari ever made, the 2011 599GTO. Log on for our extensive driving impression, a galleryof stunning photos, and video from our rst drive.

APTERA 2E PRODUCTIONVERSION UNVEILED!In February 2009, we brought you theworld-exclusive driving impression ofthe Aptera 2e prototype on our website.Now, 15 months later comes the unveilingof the official production version of the 2e.Our video takes you there.

EXOTIC, HOT AND U.S.-READYWe test one of the rst Lexus LFA models in theUnited States. Watch as we take this 10-years-in-the-making supercar through its paces.

R&T

WEEKLYNEWSLETTERO O O O

Each week youll relinks to high-activideos, original phtos, exclusive driv

impressions and mumore. Sign up toda

2

ROAD & TRACK STORE

Whether teetering along on a replica of the 1886 Benz

or blasting around Jim Halls Rattlesnake Raceway in areunion with the Chaparral 2E, Phil Hill speaks of eachexperience with equal enthusiasm. His childlike curiosityabout all things mechanical pours off the page in his fact-rich prose. And here, in a large-format 191-page book, isa collection of 26 stories written forRoad & Track by the1961 Formula 1 World Champion. Signed by Editor-at-Large John Lamm, whose striking photos illustrate thestories, the book can be purchased for $75.

INSIDESOURCE:

O O O O

Check in for thlatest scoops from

our spy photographaround the world

S P Y S

H O

T S

S P Y

S H O

T S S P Y S

H O

S

H O T S

Get on the coverof Road & Track! Your favorite photo of yourprized automobile can gracethe cover of Road & Track ,made to order and perfectfor framing.

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Sure, its just a tire.Like Niagara Falls is just a waterfall.

bridgestonetire.com 1-800-807-9555 tiresafety.com

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Legacy. Well-equipped at $19,995

*EPA fuel estimates for 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5i with CVT up to 31 hwy. Actual mileage may vary. MSRP excludes destination anddelivery charges, tax, title and registratio n fees. Dealer sets actual price. Legacy 2.5i Limited pictured with optional moonroof has an MSRP of $25,990.

Can a drive havean afterglow?

Introducing the bigger, better, redesigned 2010 Legacy. A mid-size sedan withSymmetrical All-Wheel Drive to grip the road. A SUBARU BOXER engine gives you

a lower center of gravity for unmatched balance. Add 31 mpg,* and you get one unique

sense of satisfaction. Feel the love. Love. Its what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.

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www.roadandtrack.com J U LY 2 0

BY MATT D E LORENZO E D I T O R - I N - C H I E F

Toeing the LineI have a dirty little secret to share. Im not very good atheel-and-toe downshifting. Now in our circles, thats tantamountto admitting you still live in your mothers basement. Not thatI do, but if I did, at least the foods good and she generallyleaves me alone. But I digress.

The heel-and-toe technique may soon become a lost artas a result of the advent of twin-clutch paddle-shift gear-

boxes. The disappearing third pedal may usher in a newera in which left-foot braking training supplants heel-and-toe instruction.

In fact, the advancements in manual transmis-sion technologygreat synchros and robustgearsetsmay be one of the reasons why Ive

been so lackadaisical in my approach to heel-and-toe downshifting. Ive been taught and re-taught the technique in the schools Ive attend-ed over the years, but short of racing a car withstraight-cut gears or winning the lottery and

buying that 1931 Alfa Romeo 1750 Gran SportZagato Spider Ive always wanted, Ive beentoo lazy to blip the throttle while braking anddownshifting in the manual-equipped cars in ourtest eet. The rationalization is that Ill get around tohoning the technique later, but I know I wont because Idont have to do it even though I fully understand the simpaticorationale behind matching engine and transmission revs.

Not helping matters much is our long-term Nissan 370Z thathas a throttle-blip action built into its sport-shift mode, so atleast it sounds like you know what youre doing when it comesto selecting lower gears. Leave it to someone to nd an answerto a question nobodys asked.

Yet, theres hope for me and like-minded individuals. Earlier thisyear we entered into a partnership with Spring Mountain Motor-sports Ranch in Pahrump, Nevada, which is located about 50 mileswest of Las Vegas. As part of this new relationship, the track, whichconducts a variety of driving programs including the Ron FellowsPerformance Corvette Driving School, offered to work with us incoming up with the Road & Track Driving Experience. The ideaof the program, developed in concert with Dave Petrie, SpringMountains general manager, is to not only teach high-performancedriving (which, yes, includes heel-and-toe downshifting) but also togive a sense of what it takes to put a car through our instrumentedtest procedure. So in addition to the standard fare of lead/follow andopen lapping track time, the two-day experience will also include

slalom, timed autocross, braking and lateral acceleration exercises.Our rst experience takes place in June, and the plan is to of-

fer the course on a monthly basis, increasing frequency based ondemand. Drivers will get an opportunity for time behind SpringMountains eet that includes Corvettes, Lotus Elises and MiniCoopers. More information on the Road & Track Driving Ex-

perience is available at roadandtrack.com, racespringmountain.com or by calling (800) 491-4479.

Im genuinely excited about the program, not just because I plan to attend one of the sessions and try to get my heel-and-toegroove back, but also what it represents for Road & Track . Wevelong believed that we are more than merely a source of informa-tion for the dedicated enthusiast, but rather an integral elementin enabling the automotive lifestyle. This new relationship withSpring Mountain and the introduction of the driving experienceis just the rst step in taking that mission to the next level. Even

better is that we have much more in store for the future.

The rationalization is that Ill get around to honing the technique later,but I know I wont becauseI dont have to do it even though I fully understan

the simpatico rationale behind matching engine and transmission revs.

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16 R O A D & T R A C Kwww.roadandtrack.com

LIFEIN THE FAST LANE

The Official Fuel Partnerof Road & Track

enriched gasolines

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, JUMPSTART AUTOMOTIVE GROUP Nicholas J. Matarazzo

Editorial StaffVICE PRESIDENT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Matt DeLorenzoDesign Director Richard M. Baron

Executive Editor Patrick Hong Engineering Editor Dennis Simanaitis International Editor Sam MitaniManaging Editor Andrew Bornhop Senior Feature Editor Douglas Kott Associate Managing Editor Cheryl CoopFeature Editor Mike Monticello Detroit Editor Shaun Bailey Road Test Editor Jonathan ElfalanAssistant Road Test Editor Calvin Kim Research Editor Jane Barrett Editorial Assistant Donna GeorgeEditors-at-Large Peter Egan, John Lamm, Joe Rusz

Editor Emeritus Thos L. Bryant Art Editor Emeritus Wm A. MottaAssociate Art Director Robert W. SwiPhoto Services Manager Brian Blades Photo Staff Jeff Allen, Chris Cantle, Jay K. McNally, Marc Urbanoroadandtrack.com Editorial Director Jennifer Degtjarewskyroadandtrack.com Senior Producer Amber Chunnroadandtrack.com Producer Faith SampsonContributing Editors Ian Adcock, David W. Black, Peter Bohr, Tim Considine, Adam Cooper, Tom Cotter, Bob Judd, Gordon Gordon Murray, Matthias Pfannmller, Sam Posey, Kent Shocknek, Jim Sitz, Tim Tuttle, Paul Van Valkenburgh, Tom Wilson, PeContributing Artists Tim Barker, Hctor Luis Bergandi, Dennis Brown, Jon Dahlstrom, Ken Dallison, Alfredo De La Maria, YoshInomoto, Hal Mayforth, Niles Nakaoka, Charles W. Queener, Barry Rowe, Lars Sltzer (Larson), Joe Troise & Frank Ansley, Jack UnrContributing Photographers Bruce Benedict, Paul-Henri Cahier, Rich Chenet, Jim Fets, Stephane Foulon, Barry Hathaway,Koichi Ohtani, Allan Rosenberg, Guy Spangenberg, Bill Warner, Bryn Williams, F. Peirce Williams, Jeffrey R. Zwart

Road & Track Speed Radio Host Ed Justice Jr.

EDITORIAL OFFICE1499 Monrovia Avenue, Newport Beach, California 92663; (949) 720-5300

Advertising StaffCHIEF REVENUE OFFICER Robert G. Houghtlin III

EAST COAST 1633 Broadway, New York, New York 10019; (212) 767-6095Vice President, Brand Operations Patti Burns Director, Integrated Solutions Deana AmbrosioVice President, Brand Development Zvia Herrmann Manager, Integrated Solutions Courtney BistygaGroup Advertising Director, Non-Endemic John Ferris Designer Ryan PatrickAccolade Manager Nadine GoodyVice President, Consumer Marketing Philip KetonisVice President, Retail Sales & Marketing William Michalopoulos Senior Group Circulation Director William CarterDirector, Newsstand Sales John Kayser Classied Ad Sales (212) 767-5750Production Director Diane Arlotta

MIDWEST/TEXAS 500 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 2100, Chicago, Illinois 60611; (312) 923-4800Vice President, A ermarket Sales Director Rick BisbeeSales Assistant Megan Johns

DETROIT AUTOMOTIVE 423 No. Main St., Suite 220, Royal Oak, Michigan 48067; (248) 284-2848Vice President, National Sales Randall McAdoryNational Sales Director Melissa HomantNational Sales Director Bryan A. Weston Office Manager Michelle Maguire

WEST COAST 1001 Brioso Drive, Costa Mesa, California 92627; (949) 610-0446Vice President, National Sales Rick DeMuesy A ermarket Sales Director Bruce BakkeNational Sales Director Bruce Kukuk Sales Assistant Jeoff HaertleDirector, Licensing and Brand Commerce David C. Northridge Advertising Coordinator Victoria SandersProduction Manager Carla Fredericks

Jumpstart Executive StaffChief Executive Officer Nicholas J. MatarazzoChief Operating Officer Grant WhitmoreChief Performance Officer Robert AmesChief Revenue Officer Robert G. Houghtlin IIIChief Financial Officer Philippe Perthius

Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. (www.hfmus.com)President & Chief Executive Officer Alain LemarchandExecutive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Philippe GueltonExecutive Vice President & General Counsel Catherine R. FlickingerSenior Vice President, Chief Innovation Officer Deborah BurnsSenior Vice President, Chief Brand Officer, Womans Day Group Carlos LamadridSenior Vice President, Chief Brand Officer, Cycle World Group Larry LittleSenior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer Philippe PerthuisSenior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer Tom Donohue Senior Vice President, Consumer Marketing & Manufacturing Thomas MastersonSenior Vice President, Digital Media Todd AndermanSenior Vice President, Corporate Communications Anne Lattimore JanasVice President, Integrated Sales & Marketing John WeisgerberVice President, Corporate Planning and Performance Lynn HeathertonVice President, Human Resources Eileen F. Mullins

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For fast & convenient subscription service:Visit www.customerservice-roadandtrack.com to pay your bill, renewyour subscription, give a gi subscription, update your mailing andemail addresses, switch from print to digital and more! U.S. & CanadaTelephone: 800-876-8316 , Foreign Telephone: 386 -597-4375Mail: Road & Track , P.O. Box 422524, Palm Coast, Florida 32142-8768

For information on reprints and eprints, p lease contact Brian Kolb at Wrights Reprints, 877-652-5295, or bkolb@wrightsrep

The only thingworse than gettinghit by a car

...is being hit by one in mid-air!Captured on this video are a groupof extreme skydivers who like to jump out of planes while still incars. Things get tense as Olaf issmacked by a hurtling Civic.

Finding Nemoupside down!

Which?, a British analog toConsumer Reports,does theinfamous Moose Testa lanechange avoidance test thatcatches out the Citron Nemo.Fortunately, no moose were injured.

Revved-Up For notable quotables, video links

and general automotive shenanigans,

go to:

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H A P P Y FATH ER S D AY

Enjoy responsibly.

YOU

ACHIEVED BECAUSE HE

BELIEVED.

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www.roadandtrack.com J U L Y 2 0 1

%FB S " VEJ " ( # S J O H U I F 5 5 3 4 PWF

4 J O D F S F M Z + P O B U I B

With its superbpower and grip, theDinan 135i is the M1that BMW hasntbuilt. Note the strutbar and airbox, bothmade of carbon fiber.

Audi of America recently allowed a handfulof journalists to sample the one and only TT RScurrently in the country. Why? Because they wantto convince the bosses back in Germany that thishyper TT should, in fact, be sold in North Americanot just Europe.

Heres what were currently missing: The TT RSreplaces the TT Ss 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4with a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-5 that makes340 bhp and 332 lb.- . of torque, the last from16005300rpm. Unlike theTT S, the RSversion comesonly with aprecise 6-speedmanualno twin-clutchS tronic. BeforeI even got tothe end of pitlane I couldfeel the powerdifferential of that one extra cylinderthe torque is instant and abundant. Audi estimates060 mph at 4.5 seconds.

Around the high-speed turns of Willow SpringsRaceway, the all-wheel-drive TT RS felt very muchlike a baby front-engine R8. Handling balance ismore neutral than the TT S, responding well totrail-braking, while mid-corner throttle adjustmentscould persuade the tail to come out. But whileAudis mid-engine R8 allows for power-on over-steer, the TT RS responds more like a traditional all-wheel-driverpoint it and oor it. At the end of thestraights, the front 14.6-in. 4-piston brakes provideformidable retardation.

So the TT RS is the real deala true Audi sportscar for about half the price of the $114,000 R8.Should Audi import the TT RS to America?Go to auditalk@audi.com to cast your vote.

P H O T O S B Y

B R I A N

B L A D E S

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www.roadandtrack.com J U L Y 2 0 1

Ferrari

599 GTO IS A GO

Conrming earlier sto-ries of a new high-perform-ance model, Ferrari tookthe wraps off the 599GTO at the Beijing autoshow. The car is an evolu-tion of the 599XX trackmachine and carriesits new designation inhonor of previous race carsturned loose on the streetlike the 250 GTO and the288 GTO.

Calling it the fastest

road-going Ferrari ever, thefactory says the front-en-gine/rear-drive 599 GTOthe 6.0-liter V-12 of whichdevelops 670 bhp and 457lb.- . of torqueholds thetrack record at Fiorano witha lap of 1:24. Thats nearlya full second faster thanthe Enzo.

Lightweight construc-

tion, including thinner-gauge aluminum panels,thinner glass and second-generation carbon-ceramicbrakes, results in a curbweight of 3538 lb., about220 lb. lighter than the 599GTB. The GTO eschewsthe rear-pillar winglets ofthe 599XX, but adopts anumber of that cars aero-

dynamic features includinga new nose prole, a atbottom and unique wheeldoughnuts, the last whichredirect the brakes coolingair to reduce drag.

The GTOs suspensionhas been retuned with newsprings, a stiffer rear anti-roll bar and revamped mag-netorheological shocks.

The cockpit features longercarbon-ber paddle shi ersand a new Virtual Race En-gineer that gives the drivera head-up display of vehicleperformance.

Production will be limitedto just 599 cars. Look fordriving impressions in nextmonths issue.

Matt DeLorenzo

AMGS NEW TWIN-TURBO V-8AMG has developed its second, com-

pletely in-house V-8 engine. But unlike thenaturally aspirated 6.2-liter weve becomeso accustomed to in Mercedes AMG mod-els, the new engine is a 5.5-liter twin-turboV-8. Known as the M157, it puts out 536bhp at 5500 rpm and 590 lb.- . of torquefrom 20004500 rpm. With the AMG Per-formance Package (increased boost), itscapable of 563 bhp at 5500 and 664 lb.- .from 25003750. The direct-injected twin-turbo V-8 doesnt just increase perform-ance, but also efficiency. It accomplishes

its green goal by reducing fuelconsumption by 25 percent, despite ahuge bump in torque over the current6.2-liter. Also helping with efficiencyis the AMG Speedshi MCT-7 trans-mission and a start/stop function thatturns the engine off at stoplights.

The new engine will make its debutin the 2011 S63 AMG late this year(M-B is keeping the S63 nomenclature),a er which it will trickle down into severalother models (in various power forms) overthe next several years, including the all-

new SL in 2012. But dont expect to see theM157 in the SLS AMG, due to the specicdry-sump arrangement of M-Bs gullwingsports car. Mike Monticello

AUDI R8 GTAudi is now building a lightweight R8, the GT.

Available only as an awd model with R tronic, the GTis powered by a 5.2-liter V-10 massaged to produce560 bhp. More important, this beauty has lost 220lb! This was achieved via lighter components; newseats alone save 69 lb. The xed carbon-ber wingindicates just how track-oriented the GT is, as doesthe adjustable coil-over suspension. Only 333 R8GTs will be built. Pricing hasnt been announced, butif you have to ask... Shaun Bailey

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www.roadandtrack.com J U L Y 2 0 1

Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon

In a surprise move, Cadillac recently took the wraps offa wagon version of its all-conquering CTS-V. The ultimagrocery-getter has the powertrain of the V-Series sedanand coupea potent 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 tunedto 556 bhp and 551 lb.- . of torque. All that throbbingAmerican power under the bulging aluminum hoodreaches the rear wheels via a 6-speed manual or 6-speedautomatic transmission.

Brembo brakes are at all four corners, 15.0-in. rotors ufront clamped by 6-piston calipers and 14.7-in. rotors atthe rear with 4-piston calipers. Cadillacs adjustable Magnetic Ride Control suspension is standard.

What all of this means is that, starting late this year, yoube able to order a car that not only has 556 bhp, but also thbenet of 25.4 cu. . of cargo space behind the rear seats,expanding to 58.0 cu. . with the rear seats folded.

Pricing hasnt been set, but somewhere north of$60,000 seems a good guess. MM

Steve Saleens new com-panyCorona, California-based SMS Supercarshasrevealed information aboutits latest creation, the SMS302 4V Mustang, adding tothe previously released SMS

570 Challenger and the up-coming SMS 620 Camaro.The 302 4V is based on the2011 Ford Mustang GT andthat cars new 412-bhp 5.0-liter V-8, but the tuned SMSversion pumps out over

440 bhp and 400 lb.- . oftorque due to a new headdesign, a less restrictiveexhaust and performanceltration. A superchargedversion, called the SMS302SC, reportedly puts out

over 535 bhp and 450 lb.- .of torque. Both enginescan be tted with either a6-speed manual or 6-speedautomatic transmission.SMS claims the 302 4Vruns the quarter mile in 13.5seconds, with the 302SCtearing down the strip in just 12.1 sec.

Both cars come standardwith an SMS suspensionsystem, consisting of newfront and rear springs,front struts, rear shocks,new anti-roll bars and anSMS Watts Link at therear. Brakes feature cross-drilled rotors with high-performance racing pads.

The SMSMustangreceives newfront and rearfascias, a rear dif-fuser, rear wing and a newhood and side skirts. Theinterior includes Alcantarand leather SMS seats,a leather-wrapped billetaluminum shi knob and anew gauge cluster. Pricesfor the SMS 302 Mustangstart at $54,990 com-plete, and can be orderedthrough Ford dealers. Latethis year, SMS will add a351X Mustang to the mixwith even more power thathe 302SC.MM

Viper production is coming to an end, but its 600-bhp V-10could live on in the Challenger. Lending credibility to this is thatthe Dodge Challenger SRT10 concept from the 2008 SEMAshow was recently seen on public roads in Michigan.

The driver of the show car appears to be Dan Knotta currentvice president and past SRT director. Could he be evaluating thecar for possible production? At the very least hes generatingpublicity for a company that could use some good press.

The SEMA Challenger features the Vipers all-aluminum 8.4-liter V-10 making 600 bhp and 560 lb.- . of torque, mated to a

6-speed manual. The show car had a custom single-piece steeldrivesha , a torque-sensing limited-slip differential and a 3.73:1nal drive. Suspension modications include Bilstein shocks withstiffer springs and anti-roll bars. The bold hood scoop and aerody-namics look cool, but are likely overkill for a production version.

If a Viper-powered Challenger is built, we expect it will beproduced in small quantities. But it seems a logical next stepfor the Challenger, as well as a way to provide a home for theVipers V-10. How about it, Dodge? SB

P H O T O S B Y

G L E N N

P A U L I N A / K G P

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Yokohamatire.com | 800-423-4

Technology drives better t

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www.roadandtrack.com J U L Y 2 0 1

2011 Porsche 911

Turbo SA er a ve-year absence, Porsche has brought the

S model back to its 911 Turbo lineup. The Turbo S upsthe power of Porsches 3.8-liter twin-turbo at-6 to530 bhp, an increase of 30 over the standard Turbo.Torque increases to 516 lb.- . Despite the extrapower, Porsche says the Turbo S returns 24 mpg onthe highwaythe same as the standard Turbo. TheTurbo S is available as both a coupe and a cabriolet for$159,100 and $170,200, respectively. A lot of money,yes, but the Turbo S comes with an impressive arrayof standard equipment, including Porsches 7-speedPDK gearbox, carbon-ceramic brakes, Porsche TorqueVectoring and the Sport Chrono Package, the lastincluding Launch Control. Porsche claims 060 in 3.1seconds, and a top speed of 195 mph. MM

2011 BMW 335is

Want to know the direc-tion BMW is headed withits coupes and sedans inthe future? The Beijingauto show had the answer,where the German manu-facturer unveiled a sleek4-door called the ConceptGran Coupe that carriesthe genes of BMW designinto the future.

At just under 197 in., theConcept Gran Coupe slotsin between the 5 Seriesand the 7 Series, but itbrings a more aggressiveappearance thanks in partto a rooine thats about 4in. lower than either the 5sor the 7s. Also contribut-ing here is the use of a longwheelbase combined witha short front overhang anda coupe-style rearward-sloping roof, which BMWsays reects the dynamicpotential of the vehicle.

Interesting design ele-

ments include a new ver-sion of the signature BMWkidney grille that owsslightly up into the hood,along with smoother sidestyling and chopped side

windows. The rear wheelarches are deceptivelyared, while BMW at-tempted to give the carswheels a three-dimensionalquality by extending the

individual spokes a bitdeeper than usual into thecenter hub.

BMW says the ConceptGran Coupe is a furtherdevelopment of the clas-

sic design of a notchbacksedan. We say there willlikely be a production BMlooking very much like thGran Coupe in the nearfuture.MM

While the rest of the 2011 3 Series line gets both a cosmetic freshening and the new N55300-bhp single-turbo inline-6 shared with the 5 Series (see First Drive, April issue), theresplenty of life le in that old warhorse N54, the twin-turbo variant weve come to knowand love. Fitted to the new 335is (available in both coupe and convertible body styles), thisreinvigorated bi-turbo engine moves the car closer to the mighty M3 in performance. With320 bhp on tap (up from 300) and an overboost function that allows 7-second bursts ofup to 370 lb.- . of torque, the 335is can sprint to 60 mph in 5.0 sec. when tted with the7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (a 6-speed manual is also available).

M sport bodywork adds visual aggression to the increased performancea new frontfascia, side sills, and a body-colored rear diffuserand M sport split-spoke 18-in. wheelspainted a stealthy ferric grey house standard 335i discs and calipers. Blacked-out trimfor the windows, tailpipes and, in a factory rst, the twin-kidney grille add to the menace.Dynamically, the standard Sport suspension lends the 335is BMWs trademark agility andprecision. Sure, you coulda had a V-8, but at $50,525 for the Coupe, its about $9000cheaper than an M3, and plenty quick for most folks.Douglas Kott

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SuzukiAuto.com / Kizashi

MSRP does not include tax, license, title or destination charges. Dealer prices may vary. Audi A4, Acura TSX, Volvo S40, Rockford Fosgate andAutoWeek are registered trademarks. Government star ratings are paSafety Administrations (NHTSAs) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). Engine output claim based on manufacturers web sites as of 04/27/10. Class MY10 Lower Midsize segmen$22,729. Professional driver on environmentally approved closed course. Do not attempt. Vehicle shown upon a designated off-road trail. Along with concerned c on publiland. Preserve your future off-roading opportunities by showing respect for the environment, local laws and the rights of others. American Suzuki Motor Corpor

P R E S E N T I N G

STARTING UNDER $19,000. WELL EQUIPPED UNDER $21,600.

While designing the all -new Kizashi, we targeted sedans such as the Audi A4 and Acura TSX. We started by creating an Autobahn -tuhighly rigid chassis with available all - wheel -drive traction that delivers better road -holding grip than premium -priced sedaNext, we provided advanced safety features that achieve 5 -star ratings in all four crash categories something that even t he Volvo S40cant match. Then we added technology like standard Smar tPass push -button ignition and an available 425 - wat t Rockford Fosgaudio system. We then finished with one of the most powerful standard engines in its class. The result? Auto Week said the Kiz

was the best hand ling and most composed FWD sedan weve d ri ven. The all-new Ki zashi. Ever yt hings premium except the pri ce.

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Mercedes-BenzShooting Break Concept

2011 VW Touareg Hybr

The Mercedes-BenzCLS arrived in 2004, anattractive 4-door sedanwith the look of a coupe,thanks to a fast rooine.

At the recent Beijing autoshow, Mercedes unveiledthe head-turning ShootingBreak concept, which looksvery much like a produc-

tion version of a CLS wag-on. O en spelled ShootingBrake, the name stemsfrom a car that blends theluxury of a coupe with the

luggage space of a wagon.The Shooting Breaks

arching beltline creates apowerful look as it slopesdown toward the taillights,and the shortness of theside glass helps createthe desired coupe look. Ofnote, the radiator grille isa so nose design notintegrated into the hood,which contributes to betterpedestrian protection andmakes a production versionseem all the more likely.

Beneath the hood, theShooting Break has anall-new 60-degree 3.5-literV-6 with piezo-electric

direct injectionfeaturing a con-trol system thatallows lean-burnoperation. This pow-erplant, which Mercedessays sets new standardsin fuel consumption, putsout a respectable 306 bhpand 273 lb.- . of torque.A stop/start function alsohelps save fuel.

The interior is loaded withmore than 10 square me-ters of leather, while woodis used on the door pulls,instrument panel, centerconsole and the luggagecompartment oor. AB

A twist of the new key fob brings the carryover 3.6-liter V-6 to life. Andalthough the engines performance hasnt really changed, the 2011 Touaregcertainly has. Its longer, wider, lower and offers improved rear passengerspace. Plus, VW eliminated roughly 400 lb. of fuel-efficiency-sapping weight.Also gone is the V-8, supplanted by the option of a 3.0-liter V-6 TDI or ahybrid drivetrain. Every Touareg model now has an 8-speed automatic trans-mission and is rated to tow 7700 lb. All-wheel drive is still standard, but its aless complex system.

The Touareg Hybrid is VWs rst, intended to offer V-8 performance withV-6 efficiency (although for the price, the V-6 TDI seems wiser). Yet theHybrid is impressive. It mates a supercharged V-6 with a 47-hp electricmotor for a combined output of 375 hp and 425 lb.- . torque. A clutch allowsthe electric motor to decouple from the engine, thus allowing for pure electricdriving. The system is very aggressive, which means the silent electric modeis quite common. But a punch of the gas pedal quickly brings the super-charged V-6 back to life.

The new Touaregs interior rivals those of Audi, with high quality, so mate-rials, satin chrome surrounds and ne wood inlays. The real question, though,is which makes more sense: the hybrid or the diesel. SB

SHAVING WEIGHT AND SAVING

Jaguar is giving prospec-tive buyers even more incen-tive to purchase a 2010 XFRor XKR: a complimentaryday at the R PerformanceAcademy, which lets Jaguarowners explore the capabili-

ties of their supercharged510-bhp machines in a safetrack environment, whilelearning valuable car-controlskills at the same time.

Several journalists wererecently invited to experi-

ence the academy at LasVegas Motor Speedway,one of the schools fourvenues. The all-star castof driving coaches includesDavy Jones (former Jaguarprototype racer), former

Formula 1 and IndyCar driv-er Roberto Guerrero, as wellas Adam Andrettiyes, ofthe racing Andretti family.

A er some classroominstruction, it was off tothe autocross course toset a baseline time. A erthat we worked on brak-ing, turn-in points, lookingthrough the corner andgood apexes on a smallskidpad. Then it was backto the autocross, wherewe worked on smoothnessand quick laps. Just be-fore lunch we hit the roadcourse for our rst lead-and-follow session. Whilemost of the track time wasspent behind an instructor,everyone gets a stint witha driving coach in the pas-

senger seatin my case,Guerrero. I was allowed todrive as fast as I wanted.

At the end of the day itwas back to the autocrosscourse for a nal timed runto determine the big prizewinner. Okay, actually itwas just a certicate show-ing your nishing time andclass rank.

Overall, the school does avery good job of not over-whelming track newbies,while not boring those withprevious experience. Sincethe academy is free withthe purchase of a Jaguar Rmodel, its a no-brainerifyou buy an XFR or XKR,attend the school. Go to:

jaguarperformanceacademy.com. MM

R PERFORMANCE ACADEMY:

Become aFast Cat

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HYUNDAI SONATATURBO &HYBRID

When Hyundai launchedits redesigned Sonataearlier this year, somequestioned the decision togo with an all-4-cylinderlineup. But Hyundai knewit had both a turbo and ahybrid on the way.

The direct-injected ThetaII 4-cylinder that powers the2011 Sonata 2.0T, with asingle-piece stainless-steeltwin-scroll turbochargerhousing and exhaust mani-fold, promises to pump out274 bhp and 269 lb.- . of

torque on regular fuel. Yetmileage is still quite respect-able at 22/34.

Traditionally vacuum-operated, the electricallyactuated wastegate of theTheta II gives better controland efficiency. Backpres-sure can be reduced whenturbo power isnt needed,and the wastegate can beopened during cold starts

to quicken the heating ofthe catalytic converter.

This new engine will beavailable on Sonata SE andLimited trim levels, bothversions sending powerto the front wheels viaHyundais own A6LF2 6-speed automatic transmis-sion. Possibly even moreimpressive than the Sonata2.0Ts power is its price,

expected to start below$25,000 when it hits themarket late this year.

Also impressive is the2011 Sonata Hybrid, therst such car for Hyundai inthe U.S. market. A full par-allel hybrid, its energy stor-age is 95.9 lb. of lithium-polymer batteries packagedin the forward section ofthe trunk. Combined power

from the 2.4-liter Atkin-son-cycle 4-cylinder andthe electric motor is 209hp, mated to a 6-speedautomaticas opposedto the CVT found in othermidsize hybrids. Hyundaiclaims the Sonata Hybridreturns 39 mpg on thehighway. Prices have yet tbe announced.AndrewBornhop & Calvin Kim

The pace of change inthe automotive world isamazingly rapid. For proof,look at Hyundai. Hot onthe heels of the companyssuccessful launch of therear-drive Genesis sedanand the front-drive Sonata,the Korean carmaker tookthe wraps off the large 2011

Equus sedan, revealing a carthats designed to competewith the Lexus LS 460 andthe Mercedes-Benz S550,but at a lower price.

In size, the Equus slotsnicely between the two,built on a lengthened ver-sion of the Genesis plat-form. Power comes from

the companys 4.6-liter TauV-8, which makes 385 bhpon premium fuel or 378bhp on regular. That powerreaches the rear wheelsvia a ZF-sourced 6-speedautomatic transmission. Asyoud expect of a car aimedsquarely at Lexus and Mer-cedes, technology abounds,

including HID headlamps,LED turn signals, a lane-departure warning system,an electronic parking assistprogram, air suspensionand smart cruise control.Luxury abounds in theEquus, too, highlighted bya standard leather interiorfeaturing wood trim, an Al-

cantara headliner and evena French-stitched leatherinstrument binnacle.

Look for the Equus to arive at dealers this summepriced in the mid-$50,000range. Will the world accea $55,000 Hyundai? Per-haps. The world, like Hyudai, is changing fast.AB

WILL TAKE HYUNDAI TO NEW HEIGHTS

Fast: With 274 bhp, thats the Sonata Turbo. Fuel-efficient: At 39 mpg, thats the Sonata Hybrid.

Turin-based design house Zagato has created a modern interpretation of its TZ series ofAlfa Romeos, this one powered by the 420-bhp 4.2-liter V-8 from the 8C Competizione.Called the TZ3 Corsa, the one-of-a-kind Alfa was unveiled at the Villa dEste Concours.

The car was commissioned by Alfa Romeo Zagato collector Martin Kapp and embodiesmany of the styling cues of earlier TZ models, including the Kamm-back prole. Usingrace-car construction techniques to keep the weight at just 1870 lb., Zagato uses a carbon-ber space frame and a handmade aluminum body. The TZ3 Corsa is fairly tidy, riding on a98.4-in. wheelbase and measuring 171.1 in. overall. Top speed? Over 186 mph. MDL

Korean lap of luxury:The new Equus, based ona stretched Genesis plat-form, offers airline-likerear-seat recliners.

ZAGATO ALFA ROMEO TZ3 CORSA

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2010 MacNeil Automotive Products Limited

What Matters to You? Today, America needs fresh leadership to lead usas a nation out of this economic crisis. Leadershipmust come not only from our political leaders butalso from the average citizen. The exporting of American jobs is a trend that must be stopped and reversed. When I walk into my local hardware store,I typically find 85% of the goods for sale are manu-factured 7,000 miles away. Recognizable American

brands have been forced by shortsighted manage-ment and buyers at large national chains to build factories overseas just to save a lousy $.50 on a tapemeasure. To these ruthless buyers, it is all about themoney. Rarely are product quality, the political sys-tem, human rights, animal rights and environmentalcosts to the planet considered, not to mention thecost to our society of exporting not only jobs, but

an entire factory!At MacNeil Automotive, we are doing our partfor the American economy and for our 300 millionfellow citizens and neighbors. My philosophy isthat if my neighbor doesnt have a job, sooner or later I wont have a job either. For example, we used to have our All-Weather Floor Mats manufacturedin England by a company that used antiquated,inefficient equipment. They made a decent floormat for us, but we thought we could build a better floor mat for our customers using modern Americantechnology, American raw materials and skilled American workers. So in 2007 we transferred allof our floor mat manufacturing back to the United States. Today, we build the best fitting, highestquality automotive floor mats in the world, righthere in America.

Our machine shop is equipped with 17 CNCmachining centers including four 4 axis millsand one 5 axis mill that produce between 30 to50 injection and thermoforming molds per month.We have one shift of highly skilled AmericanJourneymen toolmakers and apprentices, but our machines run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Thereis not a more efficient tool and mold makingoperation in the world - and guess what, its righthere in America.

How abouwe build a factory here

America?

Site of MacNeil AutomotiveManufacturing Facility ExpansionBolingbrook, IL

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Specialists in Original Equipment and Aftermarket Automotive Accessories

Furthermore, all of our CNC mills are manufactured in Oxnard, CA by Haas. Our 1,000 ton injectionmolding machines are made in Bolton, Ontario of American and Canadian components. Our thermo-forming machinery is made in Carol Stream, IL.The raw steel and aluminum billets which make upour tooling are sourced from American steel and aluminum mills such as Vista Metals in Fontana,CA. The raw materials that make up our All-Weather Floor Mats, FloorLiners, Cargo Liners and Mud Flaps are manufactured in Bellevue OH,Arlington TX, Wichita KS and Jasper TN. Our fork-lifts are made in Columbus IN and Greene NY. Our warehouse racking is manufactured in Tatamy PA.

At MacNeil Automotive, we are also very awareof sustainability and our responsibility to theenvironment. We are proactive in controlling wasteand recycling all of the unused raw materials from

the manufacture of our tooling and productsincluding: aluminum, steel, rubber, TPO, TPE, paper and cardboard.

As you can see, we are as dedicated to designing,developing and manufacturing the finest automotiveaccessories for our consumer and OEM clients aswe are passionate about supporting the Americaneconomy, preserving the American industrial infra-structure, and keeping the money in our family, afamily of 300 million people from all over America.

Life is simple; be good to your fellow man, be kind to animals and the environment, and place buildinga quality product, supporting your country and your fellow American worker before profit. And, one lastthing - lets all do our best to balance family timewith work time as our children are the future of America.

Sincerely,

David MacNeilFounder/CEO

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32

BY PETER EGAN E DI T OR- AT- L ARGE

The Cars of the Parents are Visited Upon the ChildrenA few months ago, I had the good fortune to y intoour California ofce from Wisconsin just as Editor-in-ChiefMatt DeLorenzo and R&T contributor John Lamm were off tovisit Jay Leno at his workshop/museum in Burbank.Want to goalong? they asked.

Of course I did. So I jumped in the car, and off we went.To a car buff, few things are more fun than visiting the famous

Leno shop to see what Jay is up to. If he isnt adding steam oilto his 1925 Doble steam car, hes working with his crew ofcraftsmen to graft a 1000-bhp rear-drive powertrain into a 1966Olds Toronado.

Being in Lenos shop always makes me think of that famousscene from The Wind in the Willows where Water Rat tells Mole,Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing absolutelynothinghalf so much worth doing as simply messing aroundin boats.

Substitute cars or motorcycles for boats and youve pretty

much got the picture. Theres an atmosphere of relaxed fun inthe place, and Ive always come away curiously energized andinspired to spend more time messing around with carsand tonish my own projects. Maybe it helps that Jay has two LotuElans and they both run.

On this latest visit, however, he was focused on the restora-tion of a much larger cara 1966 7 Litre Ford Galaxie with a4-speed manual transmission. A car almost exactly like the onehis dad bought when Jay was in high school.

He told us a hilarious story (since detailed in his own columnand on his website) about helping his dad spec out the car bysurreptitiously having the Ford salesman check the boxes for the7 Litre engine option and the Mufer Delete package, withonly a pair of glass-packs to quiet the rumble.

His dad, of course, was not happy when the car was delivered.He thought there was a hole in the mufer and was dismayedwhen he stepped on the accelerator and the car spun its nar-

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Holding 300% more dirt is now childs play. Introducing our high performance Bosch DistancePlusoil lters. Theyre the only oil lters to be 99.9% efcient and have 300% greater capacity* to holdmore dirt. Holding more than 3x the contaminants than economy lters do. Not to mention, theywork with all synthetic and conventional oils so everyone can play. Go the distance with BoschDistancePlus oil lters. Visit www.boschautoparts.com for promotional savings.

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Maybe it holds too much dirt.

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&KLS )RRVH $XWRPRWLYH 'HVLJQHU %XLOGHU

FAIRS FAIRCome on guys, what are you

trying to pull off? In Four-DoorFirepower (Road Test Com-parison, May 2010), you pittedthe top of the performance lineAudi S4 against lesser modelsof competing brands. The S4you show porks out at $58,675,which is over $11,000 more thanthe next highest, the BMW at$47,625. Even the BMW M3,which you should have com-pared it with, has a base price of$57,575 in 4-door conguration.If your idea was just to comparesimilar horsepower ratings, Audishould be embarrassed for of-

fering only 333 bhp in their S4,which is equal to the previous-generation E46 M3s horsepowerrating. What you guys did wasto stack the deck with a ringerAudi, which should have been nomatch for the other contestants.I think Ill pocket the $11K andtake the BMW.

Rich Tex MeltzerPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

In a perfect world, we would havetested a closer-to-base version ofthe S4 (base price $45,900), butwe have no control over how Audistocks its press eet. Note that theBMW 335i was a relatively stripped

versionne by us, as there arefewer connectivity distractionsthat take away from serious driv-ingthat considerably lowers its as-tested cost. As for performance par-ity with an M3, youd have to look atan RS 4 variant, if Audi chooses toresurrect that model.Ed.

NOT TRUE BLUEAs a current owner of a C3 Cor-

vette, I am concerned about thedesign of the new Chevrolet Cor-vette C7 concept car (Sports CarFutures, May 2010). I recentlysaw it in person at the AmeliaIsland Concours dElegance andwalked away disappointed. Its

lines were uninspiring and hada total lack of sensuality thathas always been a part of theCorvette pedigree. It simply ap-peared plasticky and cheap. I do,however, agree that Corvettesneed to be smaller, lighter andmore fuel efficient. I think Americans are expecting a higher-qual-ity interior/exterior design in thenext-generation car, but that isnot reected in this concept.

Ryan RutledgeJACKSONVILLE, FLOR

What you saw at Amelia Islandwas actually the Stingray Concepthat made its debut at the 2009Chicago Auto Show, which may o

Mixed and Unmatched?

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Road & Track accepts letters by} mail at 1499 Monrovia Ave.,Newport Beach, Calif. 92663; fax (949) 631-2757; e-mailRTLetters@hfmus.com.

Include your full name, city, state and daytimetelephone number for verication.We cannotanswer every inquiry and we reserve the right toedit letters. Editorial contributions are consideredonly if guaranteed exclusive. Materials are sub- ject toRoad & Track standard terms, and thevendor must retain a copy. Photographs shouldbe released for publication by the source.Road &Track is not responsible for unsolicited materials.

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38 R O A D & T R A C K www.roadandtrack.com

SEVILLE , S PAIN T HE NEW LP 570-4 Superleggera is noth-ing less than the most track-focused Gallardo yet. Which,according to Lamborghini

president and CEO StephanWinkelmann, makes the Super-leggera the new top model inthe Gallardo lineup. Its moreserious, even, than the GallardoLP550-2 Balboni.

Superleggera meanssuperlight, and to that endLamborghini engineers shed afull 154 lb. from the standardGallardo LP560-4 (which itselfwas already lighter than the

previous Gallardo). The weightsavings came via extensive useof carbon-ber components, aswell as polycarbonate windowsand new 19-in. forged-alloywheels (the last which reducedunsprung mass by 28.6 lb.).Carbon-ber bits include theside skirts, rear diffuser, xedrear wing, engine surround, sidemirrors and inner door panels.You can easily spot a Super-leggera due to the large blackstripe down each side; oddly, its

merely a decal, without even aclearcoat covering.

The Gallardo LP570-4Superleggeras 5.2-liter gasolinedirect-injected (or Iniezione

Diretta Straticata ) V-10 wasntexactly lacking in the standardGallardo, with 560 bhp, but newengine management tuning seesa 10-bhp bump to 570 at 8000rpm, along with 398 lb.-ft. oftorque. With torque peaking at6500 rpm, its no surprise theSuperleggera is a bit soft at lowrevs. No matter, the 90-degreedry-sump V-10 makes such athrilling, race-car-like shriek athigh revs that youll want to keepit wound out anywayplus, red-line isnt until a lofty 8500 rpm.Lamborghini claims 0 to 62 mph(100 km/h) in 3.4 seconds and atop speed of 202 mph.

The Superleggera comes withLamborghinis single-clutche-gear 6-speed paddle-shifttransmission, although a gated6-speed manual is still availableat no extra cost (truth be told,only about 5 percent of Lambo-rghinis are sold with a 3-pedal

setup). Besides the fact that thee-gear system eliminates somedriver involvement (but deliversmesmerizing throttle-blip down-shifts), the column-mounted

paddles are too small and tooclose in proximity to the turnsignal and wiper stalks. Also, thesmallish gear indicator readoutin the instrument panel is hard tond when driving quickly.

The Superleggeras suspen-sion has been retuned with20-percent rmer damping, 90-

percent stiffer suspension arm bushings and new anti-roll bars.The net effect, put to use aroundthe Circuito Monteblanco insouthern Spain, is more race-carthan street-car. The stiff sus-

pension, sticky tires and extradownforce give the Superleg-gera incredible roadholdingabilities, meaning you have togo very fast before the car even

breaks a sweat. It will under-steer if you get on the powertoo early exiting a turn, as wellas through some sweepersnodoubt built in for safety. But theSuperleggera is so wonderfully

sensitive to weight transfer thatany understeer can usually bedialed right back out with somelift-throttleto such a dramaticeffect that its easy to correctlines simply by playing with thethrottle. And, with all that powerand a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system, the Superleggerawill happily break its tail looseon corner exit if you gas it at

just the right time.The exceptionally light car-

bon-ceramic rotors tted to ourtest Superleggeras made for

powerful, fade-free stopping allday (steel brakes are standard).The Superleggera did occasion-ally exhibit some slight tail-wagging/squirming tendenciesunder heavy braking, even ina straight line, although it wasalways controllable.

The Superleggera driving expe-rience is further intensied by itsexotic interior, a mixture of Al-cantara and carbon ber. DespiteLamborghinis desire to reduceweight, the Superleggera retainscreature comforts such as air con-ditioning and power windows.

The Superleggera, which goeson sale in June, is admittedlynot for everyone, for reasons

besides its $237,600 price. Theseats are super rm, the exhaustnote is raucous and the ride isstiff. It also takes a while tolearn its handling nuances. Butonce you do, it makes for one ofthe most magical, exceedinglyrewarding driving experiencesyoull ever encounter.

LAMBORGHINIGallardoLP570-4 Superleggera

A thrilling track machine for the few who can afford itBY MIKE MONTICELLO

GO ONLINE TO SEE

MORE PHOTOS!

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WHAT IF YOU COULD KEEP YOUR ENGINE AS CLOSEAS POSSIBLE TO FACTORY CLEAN?

*Based on Sequence VG sludge test using SAE 5W-30. **Pistons from standard V6 engine in ASTM Sequence IIIG test.2010 SOPUS Products. All rights reserved.

TRY NEW PENNZOIL ULTRA: NOTHING KEEPS YOUR ENGINE CLOSER TO FACTORY CLEAN. *

Your engine is in its most perfect state the day it leaves the factory. Thats why we created new Pennzoil Ultra full

synthetic motor oil. Piston at left shows the current industry standard

for clean. Piston at right underwent the same test using Pennzoil

Ultra. We think the results are pretty clear. No wonder its recom-

mended by Ferrari. Go to pennzoil.comNot just oil, Pennzoil.

Current Standard ** Pennzoil Ultra

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40 R O A D & T R A C K www.roadandtrack.com

I T S NOT OFTEN THAT A CAR gets less expensive and sportierat the same time. But thatsexactly what has happened withthe new Subaru WRX STI Spe-cial Edition. It costs $32,995,whereas a standard STI sets you

back $35,995. And truth be told, both are reasonable prices for afast and remarkably competentall-wheel-drive hatchback thatsa blast to ing around a track,aided by Torsen differentialsfront and rear.

But the new Special Edition is just that much more fun, thanksto suspension parts taken fromthe Japanese-market spec Cmodelspecically its shocks,springs and stiffer rear subframe

bushings. The springswhichlower the car by 1 millimeterand are stiffer by 16 percent infront and 29 percent in back team with a 1-mm larger rearanti-roll bar to help the SpecialEdition be more responsive tosteering inputs and s ignicantlyreduce understeer.

And you know what? Itworks. Although Subaru did nothave a stock STI on hand for

comparison purposes, the Spe-cial Edition, riding on 245/40R-18 Dunlop SP Sport 600s,impressed me with its excellentdamping and sharpened steeringresponse. The car did seem toundersteer less, and if you wereabrupt with lift-throttle the backend could be enticed to comearound and help tighten the cor-nering line.

It was very fun, and althoughyou can overdrive the car andstill abuse that outside front tire,any sliding is remarkably easyto catch. The fun method calledfor throwing the Special Edi-tion hard into a corner, catchingit, then throttling hard towardthe apex with the rear-biasedawd systemand making sureyou grab an upshift before the

soft 6750-rpm rev limiter ofthe turbocharged 305-bhp at-4engine kicks in. Although thenew STI Special Edition feelscrisper than the previous car, itstill doesnt quite have the ra-zor-sharp reexes of its naturalnemesis, the Mitsubishi LancerEvolution MR. On a positivenote, though, the STI feels morespacious and comfortable, andits hatchback design is especiallyhandy for lugging around largecargo. Whats more, the STIs bigdisc brakes never went soft, evenafter several laps of full-throttlefrolicking on the tight Streets ofWillow road course.

So, how does Subaru make aWRX STI that handles betterand costs less? Easy. The com-

pany has decontented it a bit.

Gone are the navigation system,the HID headlamps and the frontfoglights. The 6-disc stereo hasalso been tossed, in favor of asimpler 1-disc unit. And, last,the automatic climate controlhas been replaced by a manualair conditioning system. Subarusays lots of buyers can live with-out these expensive parts, whichdont make the STI any sportier.Count me among them.

The WRX STI Special Editionis on sale now. The rst 125 likely sold by noware allAspen White, a color used justonce before, on the 2008 STI.After that, the Special Edition,which is distinguished visually

by its 14-spoke spec C wheelsand body-color mirrors, will beavailable in Subarus usual pal-ette of STI colors. In the mean-time, keep your eyes peeledfor the new STI sedan, whichis based on the new wide-bodyWRX and made its debut at therecent New York Auto Show.

SUBARUWRX STI Special EditionA rare instance in which a car gets sportier and less expensive

BY ANDREW BORNHOP PHOTOS BY BRUCE BENEDICT

The SE circles the skidpadat 0.95g, a .05 improvementover the standard STI.

GO ONLINE TO BUY A PRINT &

SEE MORE PHOTOS!

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www.roadandtrack.com J U L Y 2 0 1 0

2011 MERCEDES-BENZ

Steeped in tradition,but not totally retro,the new Gullwing takes ightBY ANDREW BORNHOP PHOTOS BY JEFF ALLEN

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44 R O A D & T R A C K

If I lived in a villa on the shores of Lake Como in

northern Italy and had to cross

the Alps, say, twice a month

for a consulting job in Munich,

I know the car Id most want

to drivethe new Mercedes-

Benz SLS AMG. Yes, there are

sportier cars (the Ferrari 458

Italia, for instance) and, yes,

more opulent ones (the Bentley

Continental Supersports), but

this exquisitely built Mercedes,

designed from the ground up byAMG, is a superb Grand Tour-

ing machine that wins me over

with its intoxicating blend of

power, performance and style.

With ease I can vividly imagine thethroaty V-8 exhaust reverberating in thethin mountain air as the SLS blasts fromswitchback to switchback on the famousStelvio Pass, its driver (me) in completeeuphoric comfort. Whats more, particu-larly in Iridium Silver, the SLS exudes

presence; its clear to anybody watchingthat someone of impeccable taste has ar-rivedand thats with the cars signaturegullwing doors closed. Open em up, and

people cant stay away from the car.And that, in a sense, is the SLSs real

power. It draws out neighbors youvenever met, each understandably want-ing a closer look at the silver exotic that

just rumbled down their street. Its a ret-ro design, for sure, but not to the pointof caricature or having to be tted witha straight-6 engine and a 4-speed man-ual like the original 300 SL Gullwingof 1955. No, this new SLS is at onceclassic and modern, powered by a hand-

built 6208-cc V-8 that connects to a twin-clutch 7-speed rear transaxle via a torquetube and a carbon-fiber driveshaft thatweighs a scant 9 lb. With our test driverin place, the long-wheelbase SLS, withits remarkably short overhangs, has a rearweight bias of 54 percent, about the high-est weve seen for a front-engine car.

The 4-cam dry-sump V-8mountedvery low in the chassis and well aft ofthe front axle line for dynamic reasons makes tearing sounds the moment itsfed some throttle, revving like a race en-gine with a lightened flywheel. Knowninternally as the M159, its a signicantlyrevised version of the 6.2-liter M156 V-8found in the C63 and E63 sport sedans,

but upgraded to 563 bhp at 6800 rpmand 479 lb.-ft. of torque at 4750 rpm.Mercedes says thats a 9 percent powerincrease, made possible with an all-newintake that teams with revised valves,camshafts and flow-optimized exhaust

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headers for better cylinder filling. Astrengthened crankcase, forged pistons,reinforced crankshaft bearing caps and ahigh-performance, demand-controlled oil

pump help keep this highly stressed alu-minum V-8 alive and well.

Now more than ever, overall efciencyis a major concern to manufacturers, andits addressed in the SLS several ways,most notably via a twin-wire arc-sprayedfriction-reducing coating on the cylin-der walls, plus an intelligent alternatorthat charges the battery only during theengines overrun phases and in braking.In short, this smart system uses kineticenergy to charge the battery, and the al-ternator automatically switches to a no-load setting during acceleration, reducingdrag on the engine and thereby improvingfuel efciency.

Fuel economy, however, was far fromour minds at the test track, where the SLSshot to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and blis-

tered through the quarter mile in 11.6 sec.at 124.3 mph, a masterful accelerative per-formance that improves upon Mercedesclaims and firmly establishes the SLSsrightful place in the modern supercarworld. Braking, too, is world-class, evenwith the stock cast-iron rotors. The stop-

ping gures of 112 and 194 ft. from 60and 80 mph, respectively, are excellent, ona par with the SL65 AMG Black Series.And the 7-speed paddle-shift automatic,the only gearbox available in the SLS,made acceleration runs remarkably easy.We found that Race Start mode, which isselectable via a rotary knob on the SLSscenter console, limits wheelspin almosttoo much. Our best times were achievedwithout it, the SLSs traction enhanced bya mechanical differential lock and the carsrear weight bias. Upshifts occur at redlinein a scant 100 milliseconds.

In low-speed city driving, in trundlingabout town, the Mercedes-built MCT-

Its taut space-frame chassis feels like it might have been

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46

7 transaxle (with Comfort, Sport, SportPlus and Manual modes) works well butis occasionally a bit slow to upshift whendirected to do so by the right-hand pad-dle. Nevertheless, the SLS gearbox works

better the harder you drive the car, andits significantly more refined than thesingle-clutch unit in the Lexus LFA alsotested in this issue. And every time theSLS res off a perfect succession of auto-

blip downshifts while braking hard into afavorite corner, you tend to forget aboutthese minor concerns.

The SLS is the rst car that AMG, Mer-cedes in-house tuner, has developed intotality, and its taut space-frame chassisfeels like it might have been hewn out of

billet aluminum. Its not, but it was devel-oped long before the SLSs body ever tookshape, and Dodge Vipers even served asthe earliest test mules. The chassis itselfis a complex mixture of aluminum sheets,sections and die-cast pieces, all bolted,riveted, welded and glued together. In all,it takes 30 hours to build the SLS chas-sis, and the only steel used is for rollover

protection in the A-pillars. All told, 96 percent of the chassis is aluminum, and 4 percent is steel. And thanks to the superstrong construction, the basic body-in-

white structure of the SLS is extremelylightat only 530 lb., its among the light-est in the supercar world, says Mercedes.

This rigid structure provides an excel-lent foundation for the SLSs suspension,which features aluminum double A-armsand coil-over shock absorbers all around.The ride is on the firm side of accept-able, beautifully damped and exhibitingalmost no dive under braking or squat un-der acceleration. Continental ContiSport-Contact tires, size 265/35ZR-19 in front,295/30ZR-20 in back, do a good job ofkeeping the heavy 3795-lb. SLS stuck tothe tarmac, enabling it to weave throughour slalom at 71.8 mph and lap our skid-

pad at an impressive 0.96g.So, whats an SLS like out in the real

world? Remarkably easy to live with.Getting in and out is not a problem, andalthough its wise to mind your head, Inever had a problem. The doors, conve-niently, dont extend very far out when

being opened, so theyre actually easierin a tight parking lot than conventional

doors. At 6 ft. 4 in., I t well inside theSLS, although I wouldnt want to be anytaller because contours in the headlinergive me just enough head room. Its a bitof a reach to pull down the open doorsfrom a seated position, but Mercedes saysa x in the form of straps is in the works.The doors themselves shut with the ex-

pected high-quali ty Mercedes thud, anda pair of gas struts makes opening themfrom inside the car remarkably simple.

On the road, the SLS steering has a pre-cise, well-weighted feel, and the brakes arerm but not grabby. But the best place toappreciate the SLS is out on the open roador the track, where the raucous 6.2-literV-8 can stretch its legs and the well-tunedsuspension can experience the loads its

been designed to handle. The trip from 60mph to triple digits in the SLS is a thor-oughly exhilarating ride, one thatll makeyou realize that, yes, gasoline is a prettyamazing fuel. And on decel, little backre

pops upstream of the catalytic converterremind you that theres a raspy V-8 underthe SLS hood, on call whenever needed.

As a tall driver, I wasnt bothered bythe SLSs long hood, and I always hada pretty good sense of where the nosewas. Also helping the forward view is

With its long hood, large 3-pointed starin the grille and short rear deck, the SLSclearly evokes the 300 SL of the 1950s.Rear wing deploys automatically at 75 mph.

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P E R F O R M

A N C E

S P E C I F I C A T I O N S

0 SEC 5 10 15 20

60

130

120

110

100

90

80

70

50

40

30

20

10

M P H

= mile

www.roadandtrack.com

HACHETTE FILIPACCHI MEDIA U.S., INC./ROAD & TRACK

2

0

1

1Mercedes-BenzSLS AMGMercedes-Benz of North America, One Mercedes Dr., Montvale, N.J. 07645; www.mbusa.com

060 mph3.6 sec

0 mile11.6 sec

Top speed

197 mphSkidpad0.96g

Slalom71.8 mph

*Electronically lim

Test Notes:ACCELERATION

Oddly, our best twere achieved wusing Race StartDisable ESP, setto Sport+, le -fobrake and apply

At 2000 rpm, rethe brakes and dbest to limit whe

Test Notes:BRAKING

The brakes are salthough the pedbit so . Trail-braleads to steady-sundersteer, eventhe rear of the caunweighted. Nevless, the SLS is sand quite ickab

Test Notes:HANDLING

The SLS is balanlimit with mild uSteering is quickprecise. Despite tnose, the SLS feeto change directioPower slides are but limited steeriprevents wild dri

PRICING

List price $183,000Price as tested est $202,150Price as tested incl std equip. (auto. dual-zoneclimate control, cruise control, keyless start, activeheadlamps, navigation w/40-gig hard drive, satradio & 6-disc changer, AMG limited-slip diff, heated

leather seats w/memory, designo classic red single-tone upholstery, voice control system, iPod/MP3media interface, auto-dimming mirrors, IridiumSilver paint, keyless entry, anti-the system; pwrwindows, mirrors & door locks),Bang & Olufsensound system ($6400), carbon-ber trim ($4500),AMG 10-spoke forged wheels ($2400), leather/Alcantara steering wheel ($500), gas-guzzler tax(est $2600), dest charge ($2750).

GENERAL DATA

Curb weight 3795 lbTest weight 3970 lbWeight dist(with driver) ,f/r %

935 lb 1080 lb

46 % 54 %

885 lb 1070 lbWheelbase 105.5 in.Track, f/r 66.2 in./65.0 in.Length 182.6 in.Width 76.3 in.Height 49.3 in.Ground clearance 4.5 in.Trunk space 6.2 cu

ACCOMMODATIONS

Seating capacity 2Head room 37.5 in.Seat width 2 x 18.5 in.Leg room 43.5 in.Seatback adjustment 25 degSeat travel 8.0 in.

INSTRUMENTATION

240-mph speedometer, 9000-rpm tachometer,coolant temp, fuel level

SAFETY

ABS, dual front, side, head & knee airbags, traction& yaw control, TPMS, EBD, seatbelt pretensioners,seatbelt force limiters, pyrotechnic door hinge bolts

WARRANTY

Basic warranty 4 years/50,000 milesPowertrain 4 years/50,000 milesRust-through 4 years/50,000 miles

ENGINE

Type/layout aluminum block & heads,V-8/longitudinal

Valvetrain dohc 4-valve/cyl, variabletiming, chain drive

Displacement 379 cu in./6208 ccBore x stroke 4.02 x 3.72 in./

102.2 x 94.6 mmCompression ratio 11.3:1Horsepower (SAE) 563 bhp @ 6800 rpmBhp/liter 90.7Torque 479 lb- @ 4750 rpmRedline/limiter 7300/7300 rpmFuel injection elect. sequential portRecommended fuel premium

DRIVETRAIN

Transmission: 7-speed automated manualGear Ratio Overall ratio (Rpm) Mph1st 3.40:1 12.48:1 (7300)442nd 2.19:1 8.04:1 (7300)683rd 1.63:1 5.98:1 (7300)924th 1.29:1 4.73:1 (7300)1165th 1.03:1 3.78:1 (7300)1456th 0.84:1 3.08:1 (7300)1787th 0.72:1 2.64:1 est (6900)197*Final drive ratio 3.67:1Engine rpm @ 60 mph in top gear 2100*Electronically limited.

CHASSIS & BODY

Layout front engine/rear driveBody/frame aluminumBrakes Front: 15.4-in. vented, drilled,

slotted & oating discs/6-piston xed calipers

Rear: 14.2-in. vented, drilled& slotted discs/4-pistonxed calipers

Assist type vacuum, ABSWheelsFront: forged alloy, 19 x 9

Rear: forged alloy, 20 x 11Tires Continental ContiSportContact 5P

Front: 265/35ZR-19 98YRear: 295/30ZR-20 101Y

Spare tire puncture kitSteering rack & pinion,

power assistSteering ratio 13.1:1Steering-wheel diameter14.5 in.Turns, lock to lock 2.4Turning circle 39.0 Suspension

Front: upper & lower A-arms, coil springs,tube shocks, anti-roll bar

Rear: upper & lower A-arms, coil springs,tube shocks, anti-roll bar

ACCELERATION

Time to distance seconds0100 2.60500 6.50900 9.201320 ( mile)O 11.6 @ 124.3 mph

Time to speed, sec0120 mph10.80110 mph9.10100 mph7.7090 mph 6.5080 mph 5.4070 mph 4.5060 mph 3.6050 mph 2.9040 mph 2.1030 mph 1.5020 mph 0.9010 mph 0.4

BRAKING

Minimum stopping distanceFrom 60 mph 112 From 80 mph 194 Total swept area 728 sq in.Swept area/ton 383 sq in.

HANDLING

Lateral acceleration* 0.96gBalance mild understeerSlalom speed** 71.8 mphBalance mild understeerLateral seat support very good*200- skidpad; **700- slalom, 100- spacing.

FUEL ECONOMY

Our driving 10.8 mpgEPA city/highway est 13/20 mpgCruise range 232 milesFuel capacity 22.5 gal.

INTERIOR NOISE

Idle in neutral 63 dBAMaximum in 1st gear 88 dBAConstant 50 mph 72 dBAConstant 70 mph 77 dBA

TEST CONDITIONS

Temperature 65 FHumidity 51%Elevation 350 Wind calmLocation Irvine, California

The Official Fuel Partnerof Road & Trackenriched gasolines

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48 R O A D & T R A C K www.roadandtrack.com

the SLSs rather upright (by todays stand-ards) wraparound windscreen, an impor-tant element of the cars appealingly retrolook. And when it comes to the overallappearance of the car, the only angle wedont particularly like is the rear. Fromthe front and sides, and even when viewedfrom above, its clear that heritage playeda huge role in the shape of this neo-Gullwing. From the back, however, theshort sloping rear deck and pop-up wingmake us think that wind tunnel numbers

trumped style, which may not be a badthing in a car with an electronically lim-ited top speed of 197 mph.

So stop looking at the back of the carand get in the drivers seat, covered in adesigno red leather with beautiful stitch-ing. Indeed, there isnt a better seat in theSLS. Its rm and comfortable, like thecar itself. And in a nod to the past, theinterior isnt cluttered with controls. Thedesigners clearly showed some restraint,creating an elegant cockpit thats more

old money than nouveau riche, one thatscomplemented by a D-shaped steeringwheel that feels great in your hands.

The SLS AMG is indeed a special car,with maybe 300 coming to the U.S. in itsrst year of production at Sindelngen.We get the strong sense that this Mer-cedes will be highly prized 50 years fromnow, as was the case with the originalGullwing. Kudos to Mercedes and AMGfor building a new Grand Tourer that is,in every sense of the word, Grand.

Chasing a beautifully restored 1952 Mercedes-Benz W194 alongthe twisty two-lane that was once part of the Carrera Panameri-cana, I think of Karl Kling and Hans Klenk who won this legend-ary Mexican road race almost 58 years ago. Ive got it easy: Mynew Gullwing Mercedes AMG SLS V-8 packs 563 bhp and has adual-clutch 7-speed gearbox, streamlined aluminum bodywork,state-of-the-art suspension with electronically enhanced controlsand superwide wheels with sticky, rugged tires. Honestly, almostanyone could drive an SLS and beat Klings time. But thats nota fair comparison because back then it took a herculean effort bythe German driver to squeeze every bit of horsepower out of hisGullwings carbureted 175-bhp inline-6, while ghtingthe rear swing-axles dia-bolical behavior and worry-ing about the skinny tirestentative grip and question-able reliability. He also fret-ted about vultures, like theone that smashed throughthe coupes windshield andknocked his navigator HansKlenk senseless.

I see no vultures as I driveone of the 10 neo-Gullwingsthat have been air freightedto Mexico (along with vin-

tage car collector Bruce McCaws W194) to enable the automotivepress to capture the spirit of the Carrera. But I do see topes, those treacherous speed bumps thatll tear the bottom off our low-slung SLS if traversed at more than a crawl. And, of course, thereare still those traditional road hazards: meandering cows, burros,dogs, chickens and the thousands of locals who grin and wave andsurround us at every stop, asking to have their picture taken with a$200,000 car theyve never seen before and may never see again.

Trying to re-create the Mexican road race, even in an SLS, wouldtake some doing, given the density of the population, especiallyin cities like Puebla where our 250-mile-long journey began and

in Oaxaca where it ended.Thats why our hosts gra-ciously provided our SLSpress fleet with a PolicaFederal escort, which part-ed the waters ahead of usand brought up the rear, invery spirited fashiondidyou know that a DodgeCharger police special willdo 150? Great guysthoseboys in blueand a beauti-ful country full of friend-ly, car-crazy people. Nowwheres that route book?

Joe Rusz

WINGING IT THROUGH MEXICO

Take one look at thosewide sills and youll see why theSLS has such outstanding structuralrigidity. Buttons and knobs on the carboncenter console control the transmission andsuspension modes, plus the keyless ignitionand rear wing.

BUY A PRINT & SEE MORE

PHOTOS + VIDEOROADANDTRACK.COM/ SL

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Masterpieces happenBY SAM POSEY PHOTOS BY RICHARD PRINCE

I rst spotted the SL in a localshowroom where they often had exotic carson display. It was 1958, the SL was four, and Iwas 14. I wanted it desperately. I was fanaticalabout becoming a racing driver, and here wasa connection with Mercedes-Benz and all the

mythology surrounding its invincible racingteam. In my fevered brain, I saw ownershipof the SL conferring some of the Mercedeslegend on me.

The convertible SLs were just coming outwith realdoorsand the Gullwing was yesterdays news, for saleat $2500. I couldnt buy it without my mothers blessingand, of course, there was the matter of having to borrowthe money. She was hesitant. She grasped what a bargainit was but worried that a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL wastoo ostentatious for a young kid still in high school. Shewasnt concerned by how fast it wason a test drivealong an unpatrolled back road with her on board, I tookit up to 120, and she could see I was right at home. Welived on a farm, and with her encouragement, I had beendriving for years in an assortment of farm vehicles anda 49 Ford. I was only 14, with two years to go before Icould get my license, but she understood that we weretalking about something other than basic transportation.All she had to go on were intangibles, so she came upwith one of her own: She said that my father, who had

been killed in WWII, would have let me have it if he wasalive, that he had a kind of go-for-it attitude. So, on the

biggest day of my life, the SL became mine.Getting into it called for a specic sequence of move-

ments. First, you sat on the broad, red-leather sill. (Thesills concealed the small-diameter tubes of the light-weight space-frame chassis. For torsional rigidity, theframe needed to occupy the space where a door wouldordinarily have been, which left the designers no choice

but to have the doors swing up.) Next, you released thecatch on the hinged steering wheel (pivoting the bottomof the wheel forward) and swung your legs in. Then youdropped into the bucket seat. Finally, you reached up forthe door handle and pulled the door down. Thunk.

Eye-eee fuel pump on. Chokepulled out. Thenturn the absurdly small key, which looked too small tounlock a briefcase. Id head for the elds and farm roads.For weeks that rst summer, I practiced my heel-and-toetechnique. I tore up elds as I learned to drift, stoppingnow and then to clear the alfalfa out of the radiator.There were several blind turns around the barns, andI was lucky that I never encountered a Farmall tractorcoming the other way.

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Occasionally Id go for a late-night runon public roads. Magazines had toutedthe SL as being good for 160 mph, butthe most I ever saw was 145with thecar hard to hold in a straight line alongthe uneven crown of the road. But whatthe SL did was less important to me thanhow I reacted. Did I have the right stuff? Iwas convinced I did, and I ached to proveit in races.

I was an avid student of the sport andknew that the Gullwings had earned them-selves a place in history through their rac-ing successes, which included victoriesat Le Mans and the Carrera Panameri-cana. But it was the SLs 1000 miles onthe roads of Italy during the 1955 MilleMiglia that meant the most to me. In thesame race that Stirling Moss drove a Mer-

cedes-Benz SLR to victory, John Fitchwas having the drive of his life, bring-ing a stock 300 SL home 5th overall andwinning the GT class. And John Fitchwas a neighbor. Although he lived just10 miles away, Id never had the nerve totry to meet him. But owning the SL madethings different, emboldening me to askhim for a lesson.

He agreed, and we met at Lime Rock.I viewed the lesson as merely a pretext totear around the track showing the greatJohn Fitch what I could do. When I ar-rived, I saw that he had used some conesto lay out a slalom course on the mainstraight. A slalom! That wasnt what I hadin mind at all. He took the car for a runthrough the cones. This wont work, hesaid, raising the door. Your shocks are

shot. The miles in the elds had pound-ed them to mush. But he let me makea few laps of the track, and somethingconvinced him how serious I was aboutracing. After that, he becameand stillisa sort of informal mentor.

A couple of years later, I was oldenough, at last, to begin racing. In asense, at that moment the SLs missionwas accomplished: It had been a physicalembodiment of my desire to race, then atool for learning some of the mechanicsof driving fast, finally a connection toJohn Fitch. I might have considered sell-ing it, but the beauty of living on a farmis that space can always be found some-where. Once I was racing full time, theSL sat up on blocks in one of the barns.

The next time I remember driving it wasin June 1971, on a rare weekend home

between races. Tony Adamowicz and I had just nished 3rd at Le Mans in a NARTFerrari, I was dumbfounding David Hobbswith my speed in F5000, and I was in lovewith Ellen, my wife to be. In short, lifewas good. Jim Haynes, the general man-ager of Lime Rock and one of the earliestexponents of vintage racing, suggestedwe attend the hillclimb at Mt. Equinox,Vermont. My mom liked the idea and saidshed go, so down off the blocks came theSL, and up we went to Vermont.

We had rooms in the hotel at the top ofthe mountain, and Ji