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Contents: Road Tests – All-Wheel-Drive Action: Audi A4 2.0 T Quattro * BMW 325xI * Infiniti G35x * Lexus IS 250 AWD * MazdaSpeed6 * Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT spec. B * Volvo S40 TS AWD (All-wheel drive and the performance sedan – traction-packed fun enhance or cornering killjoy? We find out); Superformance Coupe (Designer Pete Brock rolls up his sleeves and takes a second crack at the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe…and gets it very right) First Drives – Jaguar XK Coupe & Convertible (A decade’s worth of progress here, with less weight, higher performance and a modern, if not quite as elegant, look); Toyota FJ Cruiser (This 4Runner-based machine captures the essence of the 1960s FJ40, and is Baja-capable yet decently polished); Audi SB (With its Autobahn-ready V-10, air suspension and discreet sheet metal, the S8 is an understated overachiever) Features – Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder (Wind-in-the-hair thrills, a dramatic new look and 20 extra horsepower for Lamborghini’s all-wheel-drive baby exotic); Road To Shangri-La (Into thin air, courtesy of Maraneillo – a seven-day tour of China in a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, from Lanzhou to Lhasa); Jonathan Thompson 1935-2005 (Artist, writer, dear friend and expert on Ferraris and military aircraft, Jonathan Thompson will be sorely missed); Darpa In The Desert (It’s one thing to have Roomba vacuum your carpet, quite another to have a robot drive a car through Mojave); Long-Term Test (Quirks, anomalies, observations, conundrums, kudos and gripes concerning the SRT8, CTS-V, RX-8, Prius and Phaeton) Technical – Automotive Safety (Safety, while not sexy, not only sells but saves lives. Here’s a look at what’s currently out there, and what’s to come) Competition – 25 Hours Of Thunderhill (Twice around the clock, a collective 1193 laps and 3579 miles later, the Civic Si medals, the Miata…finishes); Adventure In China (Driving a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti in a strange and wonderful land is an unforgettable experience) Columns – On The Road: Mazda Miata Sweepstakes (Win a free Miata, courtesy of Mazda and Road & Track. Better odds than Power Ball, less grief, more fun); Ampersand: New Chevrolet Camaro (1960’s Camaro meets F-22 Raptor for this new iteration, and Lamborghini revives an icon of its own); Side Glances: Crazy Mixed-Up Hot-Rod Speed Junkies (“I could go ape for you, Baby” and other memorable lines from late 1950’s hot-rod movies that are so bad they’re good); Tech Tidbits: Think Of It As Rudolf’s Personal M5 (Diesels – they’re not just for truckers, anymore. Plus a wee bit on urea injection, and R&T‘s new steering ratio); Sport: Champ Car’s Remarkable Turnaround (The newly revitalized Champ Car series is looking like the veritable phoenix rising from the ashes, says Gordon Kirby); Pole Position: Taking Care Of Business (The adage, “Speed costs money; how fast do you want to go?” as it applies to race drivers looking for the perfect ride) Departments – Your Turn; People, Places & Things; Road Test Summary; Tech Correspondence; Finish Line; Time & Place; PS
Issue: March 2006
Condition: Very Good