Auto News 5

A prolonged strike by the Canadian Auto Workers union could cause U.S. dealers to run out of Dodge Grand Caravans and Chevy Impalas within a month.

When a public dealership group recently approached Tim White and his brothers about selling several of their stores, the family sat down to consider its future.

When Mark Fields is named heir apparent to Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally, a pile of thorny problems will land on his desk.

For decades, Honda's creative brief was "Show the car on a blank canvas. Make a clever voiceover comment. Show the logo."

The original Land Rover Range Rover redefined off-road vehicles upon its launch because it was the first vehicle that combined off-road abilities with luxury features. Hence, it went on to become the choice vehicle for the rich and the royals.


Over 40 years on, the Range Rover still holds firm to its core values, as a new 2013 model is about to hit the Canadian market.

The 2013 Land Rover Range Rover has been reengineered from the ground up to improve on its own formula. Not only will the new model sport a new look, tying it to the smaller Evoque model, it will also get a new interior that will have a much more modern look than the outgoing model.

At 196.8 inches in length, it is roughly the same size as the outgoing model, however, the new model does have more interior space, especially for rear-seat occupants who will now enjoy an extra 4.7” of legroom. The extra space comes courtesy of a longer wheelbase, which grew by 1.65 inches.

At 196.8 inches in length, it is roughly the same size as the outgoing model. (Photo: LAnd Rover)

Front seat or back, all occupants will get to enjoy a Meridian sound system developed exclusively for the Range Rover, which now comes as standard. However, those who want more can opt for the Signature Reference by Meridian sound system, which pumps out 1,700 Watts of sound through its 29 speakers.

Cosmetics and luxuries, however, play a very small part in this redesigned 2013 Range Rover. The big story is its weight, or a lack thereof. This new model features an all-aluminum unibody structure that is 39% lighter than the all-steel construction of the previous model.

This lighter structure of the 2013 Range Rover will not only help the vehicles ride and handling characteristics, but also improve its fuel consumption. Just how much less does it weigh over the old model? In Canadian spec, the base model weighs in at 2,200 kg, that is 318 kg less than the outgoing model -- which is truly very impressive.

The lack of weight will also help its performance. For example, the new Range Rover Supercharged with its 5.0L, supercharged V8 motor, which produces 510 hp, can accelerate from 0-96 km/h in just 5.1 seconds; that is 0.8 seconds quicker than the outgoing model, despite having the same power. Base engine for this new 2013 Range Rover will still be the normally aspirated, 5.0L V8, producing 375 hp, which is also carried over from the outgoing model. New, however, is its 8-speed automatic gearbox developed by ZF.

The base model weighs in at 2,200 kg, that is 318 kg less than the outgoing model. (Photo: Land Rover)

To ensure that the new 2013 Range Rover will work every single day, Land Rover put it on a tough testing regiment. A fleet of test vehicles covered millions of miles over an 18-month period that took these vehicles in over 20 countries and not only were they subjected to on- and off-road tests, but also hot and cold weather extremes. They do want to get this model right and shake off their image of being unreliable.

The lighter and smarter 2013 Range Rover will be on sale in Canada by December 2012. No pricing information has been released at this point.

From GMM

Peter Sauber insists he is not worried about the future, despite intense speculation surrounding his Swiss team's 2013 driver lineup.

The impressive Mexican Sergio Perez has been linked with moves to Ferrari or McLaren, while speculation suggests Kamui Kobayashi's place could be in danger due to the well-funded Charles Pic's solid debut for struggling Marussia.

"It's not for nothing that the Brits call this time of year 'silly season'," Sauber wrote in the Swiss newspaper Blick. "Journalists' crazy imaginations can tend to run away."

"From our side there is nothing new on the subject. The situation has remained unchanged for weeks, we are not under time pressure and will announce our drivers for 2013 in due course. There is no deadline. The fact is, the interest in our team is very big," said Sauber.

Sauber drivers, Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi. (Photo: Sauber F1 Team)

Indeed, the Hinwil based camp has been impressive this year with its Ferrari-powered C31; Perez finishing on the podium three times so far.

The usually mid-grid team, meanwhile, has already scored more than double its 2011 points tally.

"Quite a few experts predicted we would suffer a mid-season drop," Sauber explained, "because they assumed that we would be unable to keep up with the rate of development of our competitors. Actually, the opposite has happened: we are stronger now than we were at the beginning of the season. I am convinced that the clearly upwards trend is no accident, but the direct result of our entire organisation."

"Many experts were surprised when we announced our new structure without a technical director," said Sauber, referring to the departure early this year of James Key. "I heard more than once that it (having no technical director) is impossible, but our results say otherwise."

The 25,000 spectators at the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo, the fifth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, were treated to the sight of a flawless outright victory for the No.7 Toyota TS030 Hybrid.

Alex Wurz and Nicolas Lapierre started from pole position and led nearly the whole race, only leaving Audi to enjoy a brief moment at the head of the time sheets during the first pit stop.

Photo: WEC/Florent Gooden

The Japanese constructor was certainly helped by the only safety car period of the race, the two German LMP1 prototypes finding themselves behind the second safety car while the first was ahead of the Toyota. However, the Franco-Austrian duo had already built a comfortable lead on track, aware that the two Audis could do more laps in a stint between two pit stops.

In the end, the first three cars in the overall classification all finished on the same lap after six hours of racing.

Race results, LMP1 category
1 7 Toyota Racing Wurz / Lapierre Toyota TS030 - Hybrid 247 laps 6h01'08.356
2 1 Audi Sport Team Joest Lotterer / Fässler / Tréluyer Audi R18 e-tron quattro 247 laps +1'00.778
3 2 Audi Sport Team Joest Kristensen / McNish / Di Grassi Audi R18 ultra 247 laps +1'14.679
4 12 Rebellion Racing Prost / Jani Lola B12/60 Coupé - Toyota 242 laps +5 Laps

As the auto industry's first-ever concept car, the 1938 Buick Y-Job pioneered hidden headlights and other never-before-seen design elements. Now, more than 70 years later, manufacturers keep driving innovation to new heights with cutting-edge prototypes such as the smart forstars.

Motivated by a 60 kW magneto-electric motor from the smart BRABUS electric drive, the zero-emission smart forstars can reach a top speed of 130 km/h. Larger than the fortwo, it also screams for attention with a full glass roof and ''alubeam rouge'' (red) body paint.

However, the most amazing feature of the smart forstars is a Bluetooth-controlled video projector built in the front hood. Combined with additional loudspeakers in the ventilation openings behind the doors, occupants can watch movies on any blank wall for a unique drive-in theatre experience.

The smart forstars will make its world debut at the 2012 Paris Auto Show, which kicks off on September 29th.

Photo: smart

The all-new Lexus LF-CC, which will have its world premiere at the 2012 Paris Auto Show, foreshadows the launch of a next-generation midsize coupe from Toyota's luxury division.

Proudly sporting the spindle grille that's become the signature of Lexus, the LF-CC stands out with a unique 3 LED-projector headlamp design housed in the narrow gap between the lower and upper fender surfaces. The independent Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) are fully integrated into the upper bumper surface, while the broad lower fenders are aerodynamically sculpted to manage the flow of air to the engine bay and front brakes.

Inside, the dashboard is divided into two distinct zones: a Display Zone with a multi-display screen above an Operation Zone which allows access to the uniquely designed shift lever and an innovative ''touch tracer'' display for remote control.

The Lexus LF-CC combines a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine with a high-output electric motor to form a full hybrid powertrain. Technical specifications and other details will be revealed upon the model's debut in Paris.

Photo: Lexus

Cadillac's revolutionary CUE infotainment system is being launched with training and support resources to enable dealers and customers to provide feedback, ask questions and access support in a number of ways.

These include the CUE App for iPad users along with the MyCadillac App and OnStar RemoteLink App which are available for the iPad and iPhone.

“CUE is intuitive, bringing touch and voice controls into the car in a really unique and helpful way,” said Don Butler, U.S. vice president of Cadillac marketing. “With CUE becoming a signature feature of Cadillac, and with the launch of the XTS luxury sedan, this is an opportunity for us to build a new level into the luxury customer experience.”

As a matter of fact, every Cadillac dealership in Canada and the U.S. will have a trained technology expert to assist customers.

“We've built a thorough approach, enabling customers to give us feedback on the technology as they use it, as well as providing support for dealers and buyers who have questions,” Butler added.

Photo: General Motors

From GMM

Romain Grosjean has revealed he might give way to his teammate and title contender Kimi Raikkonen.

Returning in Singapore this weekend from his one-race ban, Frenchman Grosjean is a long way behind the sister Lotus in the drivers' standings, while Raikkonen is regarded as a dark hose for the title.

"I wouldn't say that for the rest of the season I'm here just to play a supporting role," said Grosjean. "Of course, I want the team to achieve the best results it can and if you look at the points difference between me and Kimi it would be foolish to think only of my own results."

Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus, at Monza. (Photo: WRi2)

After a very strong mid-season period, during which he was charging for victory at Valencia, Grosjean's momentum suffered a dip more recently.

But the Monza ban, for causing the start-line chaos at Spa-Francorchamps, gave him pause to learn and reflect, according to team boss Eric Boullier.

"He has definitely learned his lessons," said the Frenchman. "In a way, it will have done him good. We have spoken a lot about it. And definitely in some way it was best for him. He will be even more confident in himself and, having discussed and fixed these issues, he will be better."

Grosjean told L'Equipe that, having attended the drivers' briefing at Monza whilst serving the ban, he was greeted warmly by Fernando Alonso but ignored by Lewis Hamilton, whose race also ended at the first corner in Belgium.

Craig Breen (Ford Fiesta S2000) won the S2000 class at the Rally Wales GB, three months after his former codriver Gareth Roberts lost his life in a round of the Intercontinental Rally Championship.

That was the second win for Breen in the S2000 category of the World Rally Champiosnhip. Green is now back in the title chase, he's moved up to second place in the standings behind PG Andersson.

Breen's last victory was at the Monte Carlo, the opening round of the season, with codriver Gareth Roberts. Both men already secured victory in Wales last year in the WRC Academy class.

But Gareth Roberts lost his life after they crashed heavily during Targa Florio, a round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge back in June.

"We did the job here last year and we've done it again this year," said Breen. "Everything was perfect and I couldn't ask for more. But I miss Gareth so much and I wish he could have been here."

The final round of this year's FIA GT1 World Championship, which was stage to be held in New Dehli, India will finally take place at Donington Park, UK.

The final round will be presented September 29-30 as part of the last rounds of the British GT Championship.

This decision means that every round of the GT1 World series have been presented in Europe, as the Argentinean and Brazilian rounds were also removed from the schedule.

Photo: Donington Park

The solar park constructed for the Sauber F1 Team in Hinwil by premium partner Oerlikon is now on stream after being officially opened Monday.

It is one of the largest solar car ports in Switzerland. The construction, consisting of 1,573 technically advanced and aesthetically appealing thin-film silicon photovoltaic modules, stretches over an area measuring 2,249 square metres. A roof of one of the factory buildings has been fitted with solar modules and large sections of the company's car park are now covered, which brings a number of benefits.

Photo: Sauber F1 Team

It took just six weeks to construct the solar park thanks to the innovative and cost-efficient way the modules are fitted. The installation delivers 155,600 kilowatt hours of power per year - equivalent to the electricity needs of 44 households - and generates peak power of 173 kWp*. The energy payback time for the thin-film silicon solar modules is less than a year.

Photo: Sauber F1 Team

"We are extremely proud of this sustainable extension to our company headquarters," says CEO Monisha Kaltenborn. "For us, local power genSeration via a photovoltaic installation not only represents another contribution to fulfilling our environmental responsibilities, it also makes financial sense. The installation is cost-efficient and also allows a large number of vehicles to be parked under cover. On top of that, it fits in well visually with our factory as a whole, which is already highlighted by the modernistic glass architecture of the wind tunnel building's façade."

The impact of the installation in terms of sustainability is clear - and neither can it be ignored by anyone passing by the Hinwil factory on Zürichstrasse. A display panel shows information on the system's current output and the energy produced both on that particular day and in total so far.

Photo: Sauber F1 Team

The solar park represents Sauber Motorsport's third major step of 2012 in terms of environmental protection. On 3rd April the Sauber Group's environment management system was awarded ISO 14001 certification and since 3rd May this year the Sauber F1 Team has been greenhouse gas neutral; the team supports a wind park project in India which saves more in greenhouse gas emissions than the Formula One team generates (overcompensation: 30 percent).

Photo: Sauber F1 Team

*One 1 kWp system in this geographical location produces approximately 1,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year and covers a surface area of around nine square metres. This equates to roughly a fifth of the annual electricity consumption of a local four-person household.

From GMM

Christian "Toto" Wolff on Monday admitted he hopes Pastor Maldonado stays with Williams in 2013.

Venezuelan Maldonado, although winning in Barcelona earlier this year, has been a highly controversial figure on the 2012 grid.

Bringing millions in backing to the famous British team, the 27-year-old is often fast and impressive, but he has also been involved in numerous on-track incidents.

Wolff, the team's shareholder and new executive director, insisted Maldonado is "extremely fast".

"Yes, he seems to struggle in some situations in the race," he also admitted to F1's official website.

Pastor Maldonado, Williams. (Photo: WRi2)

Toto Wolff, however, said he is "100 per cent sure" Maldonado will smooth off the hard edges.

"Remember Ayrton Senna in the beginning? Nobody wanted to touch him," he said. "In those days there weren't many grid penalties, but had there been he would probably have had to go back 10 places on the grid many times."

Wolff said Maldonado will "hopefully" be a Williams driver in 2013.

But what about Bruno Senna? The Brazilian already gives up his car to the Wolff-managed Valtteri Bottas on Friday mornings, and the young Finn is tipped to get a full race seat next year.

Wolff said it is "too early to say" if both of Williams' drivers will still be with the Grove based team in 2013.

"Sure, we are taking different looks at the issue, but the minute we discuss it we are going to mess up Pastor and Bruno - and maybe others that we try talking to - so I would give it another month before we are going to have the first idea of what we want," he said.

2013 Honda Accord First Impressions

2013 Chevrolet Malibu First Impressions

2012 Hyundai Accent GLS Hatchback Review

Other very interesting topics:

• 60 years of Volkswagen in Canada
• Blog: Is GM selling too many models (again)?
• How to hypermile
• MINI John Cooper Works: a brand within a brand
• 2012 Toyota Sienna SE review

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. roared back from a pit stop mistake to take the Nationwide Series win and the series point lead in Chicago.

While rookie, Austin Dillon, and then Kyle Busch seemed to have the competition covered Stenhouse appeared to be shot out of cannon on the final stint with 29 laps to go.

As the new points' leader explained he “seemed to really hit it that last run. I cost us a lot of spots there when I stalled it on pit road so we had to drive back up through the field and then that last restart I felt like we would catch Kyle (Busch) but thought it would take a little longer. He jumped out a little quicker in the runs before and then kind of fell off there towards the end but we were able to catch him pretty quick and take our Mustang to victory lane.”

Photo: NASCAR

Busch, who owned his car, led 50-laps at the 1.5 mile speedway said “we had a good car. It ran well through the race. The six (Stenhouse) comes out of nowhere at the end. They had a fast race car. We had a solid run. Hopefully we can build on that. “

Dillon, trying clinging to the championship hunt championship hunt finished third is now 37 points behind Stenhouse, while his teammate, Elliott Sadler who came to Chicago with a one-point lead is now second 9 points behind after finishing ninth.

Sadler, who has not been renewed by his Richard Childress Racing team was mystified by a radio call to Dillon his teammate after they battled on that last stint.

"I don't know what that means, 'Do not help the 2 (Sadler) ,'" he said when told of the exchange between Stockman (Dillon's crew chief and Dillon)) "We share really good notes, and we always have, so I don't know."

Photo: NASCAR

In the end Stenhouse wants to graduate to Sprint Cup with another Nationwide title. "The last four races, I think, we've finished second, first, second and first, so I think we've got good momentum," Stenhouse said. "But in this business, in this sport, anything can change at any time. You've got to keep your guard up, and you've got to keep not making mistakes.”

It was Stenhouse's seventh career win and fifth this year.

I once owned a Taurus wagon. It was the mid-'90s and my new ride was a 1994 version of Ford's exceptionally popular full-size Taurus. Back then, the Taurus was considered quite advanced for a modestly priced, domestic product.

My ‘94 was equipped with a fuel-injected V6 engine, fully independent suspension and 4-wheel antilock disc brakes. It also had traction control and front-wheel drive. Moreover, the Taurus was somewhat futuristic in appearance, making it quite distinct from the typical sheet metal of the era.


I think it's fair to say that since launching in 1986, the Taurus has been an innovative, milestone vehicle for Ford that has also greatly influenced the domestic mid- and full-size segments, leading to vastly improved products. The prodigy is maintained in the latest generation, and further emphasized in the muscular SHO version.

Mid-cycle refresh for 2013
While the SHO (Super High Output) version of Ford's 2013 Taurus largely retains its stealthiness, it's now more easily recognized thanks to its blacked-out grille, series-specific high-intensity discharge headlamps and painted, machined-alloy wheels.

I find the distinction between the regular Taurus and its “bad boy” SHO alter ego to be just about perfect. Those “in the know” recognize an SHO from blocks away, while those less SHO-aware see it as a hot-looking, full-size sedan. I can assure you of this: Regardless of which group the admirer belongs, they'll want to know more about the car. So here goes.

We distinguish the SHO of the regular with its blacked-out grille and the series-specific high-intensity discharge headlamps. (Photo: Rob Rothwell)

SHO delivers astounding performance
The core of a Taurus SHO is its firepower, which comes in the form of Ford's much lauded DOHC V6 EcoBoost powerplant. It displaces 3.5 litres while generating 365 hp at 5,500 rpm and 350 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,500 rpm, thanks largely to its twin turbochargers.

Those would be impressive figures for a high-output V8 engine, so it's even more sensational to see a V6 hitting such benchmarks. The next best set of numbers apply to fuel economy. It's posted as 8.1L and 12.4L/100km of city and highway driving respectively.

My daily city-based SHO sojourns failed to reach those economy thresholds, as I found myself regularly in the 14L/100km range. I'm sure that my use of the shift paddles to control the 6-speed automatic transmission contributed, in part, to the less-than-posted results; however, really, a 365-horsepower Taurus SHO isn't the sort of vehicle you hypermile (save that for the Prius).

Much of the delight in driving the Taurus SHO is found beneath the right foot, where power is in abundance both off the line and in the passing lane. And it's in the left lane where the SHO really shows its mettle. Passing performance is outstanding and a real attribute of this vehicle, but certainly not the only one.

The core of a Taurus SHO is its firepower, which comes in the form of Ford's much lauded DOHC V6 EcoBoost powerplant. (Photo: Rob Rothwell)

The Taurus SHO is also remarkably stable, regardless of road or weather conditions, thanks to its all-wheel drive (AWD) configuration and 19” or optional 20” wheels. Ford beefed up the brakes as well by revising booster tuning and increasing the size of the front rotors.

They've also incorporated torque vectoring control to augment the torque-sensing AWD system on the Taurus SHO. Torque-vectoring control applies subtle, wheel-specific braking to optimize the performance of the SHO's limited-slip differential.

Ford also improved the SHO's electrically assisted power steering for 2013 to enhance road feel and responsiveness. And frankly, the car excels in this regard. It devours corners with levels of composure and control that completely belie its size and considerable bulk; but there's a price to pay for such exceptional handling capability.

Ride quality may be too firm for some and the MSRP too steep for others
The Taurus SHO would benefit from an adaptive, or driver-selectable, suspension setup. It's a firm-riding car that some may find too rigid for everyday city driving. Yes, the sport-tuned underpinnings are ideal on the highway and on twisty secondary roads, but not so much in the city if comfort is a priority.

Of course, adaptive/adjustable suspension systems are costly and I don't imagine Ford wants to go there; the 2013 Taurus SHO is already a pricey domestic. My tester was pegged at $52,099 before destination and delivery charges.

In fairness, though, it's considerably less expensive than the Audi A6 quattro, and puts more power to the pavement than the German competitor.

My tester was pegged at $52,099 before destination and delivery charges. (Photo: Rob Rothwell)

Taurus SHO wrap-up
The 2013 Taurus SHO is without doubt a great looking performance sedan that's loaded to the gills with hi-tech content, cutting-edge safety, and plenty of occupant protection. It's a large, spacious, highly responsive “driver's car.” Could it be better? I think so.

While the sport-tuned SHO suspension keeps the car flat and tenacious in corners, it tends to deliver too much abruptness to the vehicle's cabin. A more sophisticated setup capable of better road-degradation absorption without compromising the exceptional handling dynamics would enhance this car's day-to-day livability and, by extension, its overall appeal.

From WRC

Jari-Matti Latvala has done something he hadn't managed for 217 days when he claimed victory on Wales Rally GB this afternoon, his first in the FIA World Rally Championship since Rally Sweden seven months and four days ago.

Co-driven by Miikka Anttila, Latvala took the lead on Friday's third stage and gradually pulled clear at the wheel of his Ford Fiesta RS WRC, reaching the finish in Cardiff with an advantage of 27.8s.

Photo: WRC

Sebastien Loeb beat Latvala's factory Ford team-mate Petter Solberg in a thrilling fight for second place, although the Citroen driver's sequence of wins - which dates back to Philips Rally Argentina at the end of April - is now over.

Behind fourth-placed Mads Ostberg, who was hampered throughout the final day by an engine misfire, Mikko Hirvonen fought back from a frustrating rally to win the event-closing Power Stage. The result means only Loeb and Citroen team-mate Hirvonen can fight for the WRC drivers' title on the final three rounds.

Frenchman Loeb's capture of second came after an epic scrap with Solberg with the pairing swapping position on three occasions on the final day. Solberg started the last stage 0.1s ahead but was unable to prevent Loeb from moving in front.

Final classification:
1. Latvala-Anttila (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) in 3.03'40”3
2. Loeb-Elena (Citroen DS3 WRC) + 27”8

3. P. Solberg-Patterson (Ford Fiesta WRC) + 28”7
4. Ostberg-Andersson (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) + 1'10”6
5. Hirvonen-Lehtinen (Citroen DS3 WRC) + 1'29”5

6. Novikov-Minor (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) + 3'37"0

7. Neuville-Gilsoul (Citroen DS3 WRC) + 4'11”9

8. Wilson-Martin (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) + 6'00"4

9. Prokop-Hruza (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) + 6'58”9
10. Al-Attiyah-Bernacchini (Citroen DS3 WRC) + 9'32”1
Etc.

Championship:
1. Loeb 219 points, 2. Hirvonen 158, 3. P. Solberg 119, 4. Ostberg 114, 5. Latvala 113, etc.

My brother was peeking into my weekly test car, a Scion FR-S, and saw the two pedals and automatic shifter. His excited anticipation was quickly replaced with a curled-up lip, as if the thing had a pink shag interior.

“It's actually really, really fun for an automatic,” I offered. “And you can get a 6-speed stick.”

“Meh.”

In most countries, automatics are reserved for handicapped people and the elderly. In Canada, almost every car sold has one. No wonder enthusiasts (myself included) love to hate automatics.

However, the automatic doesn't actually ruin the sporty experience of the new Scion FR-S. It's not a watered-down, less-credible machine for having it. It's still fun to drive.

Photo: Sébastien DA'mour

No, I haven't relinquished my man-card, and I'd still rather shift myself. But a few automatic testers in recent memory (this one included) managed to entertain my inner driving enthusiast without that all-important third pedal.

The guts of the FR-S' transmission are those of a “normal” 6-speed unit. Lever and paddle-actuated manual shifting is possible. However, unlike so many automatics shifted manually, this one does a great job.

Rev-matching is perfect in both directions. Response to the driver's commands is virtually instant. Ditto for the shifts themselves. Cool sound effects ensue, too. There's even an LED shift-light warning that comes on past 7,000 rpm. The FR-S' automatic is about as responsive, snappy, entertaining and instant as automatics come.

Other machines that pull off a very satisfying manual-mode experience with their automatics? The Subaru Legacy 3.6R, BMW 3 Series, Infiniti G, and Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 come to mind.

However, not all manual modes are created equal. Many included with automatic/DSG/dual-clutch/SST/whatever transmissions aren't even worth using.

Take the Volvo S60, for instance: It's got a 6-speed automatic, but call for a shift from the manual gate and you'll wait the better part of a second before a lazy and non rev-matched gearshift takes place. Possibly in the interest of refinement, the computer denies driver-requested downshifts that would result in high revs, too.

Manual shifting is about instantaneousness control and cool downshift noises -- not waiting for a computer to validate your request. Other manual modes that aren't worth using include those in the Dodge Charger, Mazda3 and Lexus IS 350 AWD.

Want the best manual-mode experience possible? Check out the BMW M3. With the dual-clutch transmission dialed into its hardest shift setting, a click on the upshift paddle at full throttle out of first results, instantly, in a lurch forward, a positive “WHAM” through the driveline, and about 10 feet of rubber left on the road. The Porsche 911 Carrera S is in the same ballpark.

If you're not rich, anything with a DSG transmission from Volkswagen is nearly as much fun if (for whatever reason), you can't get the manual box.

But, back to the Scion. I'd order mine with a manual, in black. However, I'm happy knowing that if I needed (for whatever reason) to order my FR-S with an automatic, I'd still have fun.