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~ P A S T ~
... find the full article in Issue 1
~ P R E S E N T ~
The MDX is laden with standard whiz bang features designed to entice consumers, and make their lives easier and more entertaining. The list of standard features is about as long as the average basketball player’s arm, and at $40,000 it appears to be a bargain. Inside, the MDX can accommodate seven people with high-grade leather-clad seats, nice carpeting, exotic black wood trim, and smooth chrome appointments throughout. A moonroof and power windows are standard, as is XM Satellite radio, and MDX is available with navigation featuring live traffic updates to keep you out of the grind. Moving down the highway, the MDX presents passengers with an almost eerie sensation, not that there is anything wrong, just something different and it’s about when you’re ready to go raving mad trying to figure it out that you realize just how quiet the vehicle is. Even at higher speeds, the MDX has a certain vaultish quality that could well be the benchmark of the industry, at least for the price range. Powered by a 3.7-Liter V6 boasting 300 horsepower and 275 ft-lbs. of torque, the engine is enough to get the MDX to 60 miles per hour in just about 8-seconds. Considering the near 5,000-pound weight of the Acura, it’s absolutely respectable, and the level of respect grows even deeper considering the average 17 mile per gallon fuel consumption. The MDX is an interesting ride, as it doesn’t nail you to the seatbacks when you start driving it aggressively, but watch the speedometer needle spin respectably around the dial and you know this SUV is moving faster than you feel it is. From a standstill, the MDX begins to wake up around 4,000-RPM, and it’s then that you feel your eyeballs begin to favor the back of your skull. It’s not in line with the performance of the BMW X5 or Porsche Cayenne, but it’s certainly comparable to Lincoln MKX, Cadillac SRX, or Lexus RX330, all esteemed competitors in the field, and all crossover vehicles that make no bones about being a boulevard cruiser for the family. While the MDX was one of the original crossover SUVs, it currently boasts a healthy ability to traverse 19-inches of water. A very off-road skill indeed, the chassis was developed at Germany’s formidable Nurburgring track, lending to a highly athletic feel. In its second generation, the new MDX boasts a grille and nose treatment that to some might represent the joining of a cheese grater and electric razor. However, across the board car companies are creating individual signature designs and styles that make them somewhat instantly identifiable to passersby. It truly works with the MDX, and the Acura line up, and while it’s not a style that will appeal to everyone, the original MDX featured a design of blandness rivaled only by the river rock. Acura can be proud of the job they’ve done assembling the MDX. While Acura has always been one and the same with superb fit and finish, the latest offerings from high-end Honda are exceptional. The degree of whiz bang techno-coolness built into the Acuras today too is something to take note of. Acura is working hard at promoting their breakthrough representation in advertising and marketing materials, aligning themselves with imagery of youthful entrepreneurs, cutting edge thoughts, and lots of verve. So far, so good, it’s working well as Acura sales continue to climb. Oddly, there’s not a sentinel light to be seen.
Cadillac Escalade ESV
... find the full article in Issue 1
~ F U T U R E ~
Like any Toyota, the fourth generation Supra (known as Mark IV to enthusiasts) was a durable piece of work, happy in traffic or on the open road, being used sparingly or everyday. Like the Mark III, the final Supra was once again offered with or without a turbo, and with or without a removable center section roof. The Mark IV pulled out the performance stops by bringing two turbos to the game this time, giving a substantial edge on performance and marketability. Remember, the mid-1990’s was the era of the Japanese performance car invasion, with Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, Nissan 300Z, Mazda RX-7, and Acura NSX effectively giving the old school European rides, and the Corvette, a major run for the money. With the twin turbo helping the intercooled DOHC 3.0-liter inline 6, the Supra was good for 320 horsepower, 100 more than the non-turbo car, allowing 0 – 60 times of about 5 seconds, and quarter mile times in the mid-13s. With numbers like these it had truly grown into Corvette, Porsche, and even Ferrari performance territory. Unfortunately, when first introduced, the Supra was also in Corvette price territory, which was a big turn off to a lot of buyers. Toyota dropped the twin turbo base price in 1997 from roughly $50,000 to about $38,000, and made formerly optional features standard, but it was too little too late. There came a point where Toyota was only importing about 40 per month, no where near enough to substantiate keeping the car alive. By the middle of 1998, Toyota had announced they were going to pull the plug, and only a handful of car enthusiasts were truly saddened by the decision. The general attitude toward the Supra was such that it only leaves more for the rest of us. No, it didn’t have the status of a Porsche at the valet stands, and it didn’t have the swashbuckling nature of the homegrown Corvette. But for those who can look past the lack of general recognition and appreciation, the rewards are astounding. Inside, expect leather everywhere, and a dash design that loosely drew from Porsche and Corvette, with the tach dead center and a sort of waterfall blending from the instrument cluster down to the center console. It was roomy and comfortable, and featured power everything, massively sweet stereo, rock-solid construction, and a certain sterility that seems to be a hallmark of Japanese automobiles. Most were produced with the removable roof, making them good for summer days and nights, or perfect cozy coupes during inclement weather. Driving a Supra was something of a predictable, relaxing situation, an enjoyable change in a sports car. The clutch was easy, the gears switched smoothly, the brakes were assuring, and it lent an overall sense of balance and security. It proved that a sports car didn’t have to be taxing and obtuse to live with. The suspension was taut and steering was always spot on. Naturally aspirated versions had a smooth, free-breathing pull to redline, and truthfully, even without the turbos the Supras were quick enough to make Mustangs and Camaros think twice at stoplights. With the turbos, civility was still maintained, but in a much more aggressive manner. The Supras, simply put, were a refreshing change in sports car-isms. Outside, the shape was unlike anything from Toyota’s studios in a long, long time; however, it did recall the Toyota 2000GT, which rocked the automotive world in the mid-1960’s. Back then, Toyota was known for bland perhaps awkward designs, lackluster performance, and simplicity unappreciated in the United States. The 2000GT changed all that, and proved that Toyota could build a performance car worthy of the world’s attention. The 2000GT was expensive and exclusive, and a little misunderstood, which is something shared with the Mark IV Supra. Today, finding a good example is extremely difficult. Thanks to the new generation of hot rodders who knew well the potential within the Supra Mark IV, most have been exploited beyond return. This is another strong point for the Mark IV becoming a collector piece in the future. They were rare to begin with, and with so many having been modified, wrecked, or in some other way destroyed, that only makes the good ones that much more valuable and difficult to obtain. Scarcity creates value, and the Mark IVs are scarce. According to www.mkiv.com the rarest Mark IVs are hardtops, specifically the 1995 turbo 6-speed in Alpine Silver, of which 2 were sold in the US. For the same year, the turbo 6-speed saw 3 Renaissance Red and 3 Super White examples sold in the US. The rarest color overall is Imperial Jade, produced only in 1998, with only 24 being sold, 10 automatics, and 14 6-speeds, both turbo. The same enthusiast site states that a total of only 11 ,239 Supras were sold in the US between 1993 and 1998, with the lowest sales reported in 1996 with 284 units. It’s production numbers like these that have helped bring ridiculous prices to formerly unappreciated Dodge and Plymouth muscle cars of the 1960’s and 1970’s. If history repeats itself, the Mark IV Supra should prove a safe bet.
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Check out all the photos that we didn't have room to put in the magazine.
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When the Bow Tie folks introduced the Chevelle in
1964, it was like another car company unto itself,
replete with a coupe, convertible, sedan, and
wagon. It filled a gap between Chevy II and Impala, offering
a sort of mid-level ride that proved a great seller. But, by
1965 it was obvious that Chevelle was going by way of the
muscle car, with a gaggle of performance options, including
the Z16 option, or a 396 cubic inch V8 pumping out 375
horsepower. Only 201 were built with the Z16 box ticked,
but in 1966 Chevrolet made the Chevelle SS396 a model
of its very own, much like GTO or Corvette. Available only
with a 396, the base engine made 325 horsepower, a midrange
option provided 360 ponies, and
the asphalt-melting 375 horsepower unit
returned as the L78. To boot, Chevy
redesigned the car with smoother lines,
a pronounced front fender line, and a
host of trim changes.
There was a time when sentinel headlights were cutting edge, a power seat was the mark
of luxury, and load-leveling suspensions were for cars owned by industry moguls. They were
special options that proved engineering feats beyond comprehension, a glance to a bold
future where cars might actually park themselves. Well, today, the future is here, and the
Acura MDX is a good testament to the times.
The Cadillac Escalade is one of those
vehicles that wows people. It’s huge,
bold, powerful, roomy, comfortable, and
quite efficient considering its size. When we set
off to Monterey in August of 2007 to introduce
Garage Style Magazine to the participants
and spectators of Concorso Italiano, Cadillac
loaned us their latest Escalade ESV for the
journey, and it was exactly what we needed.
For the most part, picking future collectibles is a crap shoot, but when it comes to the
final generation of the Supra, it’s more of a slam dunk. The trick, of course, is finding
one in mint, factory-fresh condition that hasn’t been hot rodded to a point of no return.