Audi 90 Quattro 20 V

No question, The Audi 90 Quattro 20V, with its hunkered-down sassy stance , meaty Goodyears and bold 5-spoke Speedline wheels, looks the part of a serious competitor. And if this evokes an image of Michele Mouton expertly drifting a short-wheelbase Quattro to a new class record at Pikes Peak or one of Hurley Haywood winning the Trans-Am championship the first year out in a 200 Quattro, well, it's more than simple coincidence.

The competition breeding shines through when the Audi is pushed hard. The only car in the group with all-wheel drive, the 90's chassis is unflappably stable and never seems to put a wheel wrong. But it doesn't communicate with its driver the way the Alfa does.

The high-set steering wheel has a skinny (though leather-wrapped) rim, and there's some looseness around the center position. As the corner tightens up and more steering is cranked in, effort increases in a nice, linear fashion, but there's no intimate sense of what the front tires are doing. The brakes show no nasty habits, but the pedal feel is slightly rubbery.

For a fairly small car (having the shortest wheelbase and second-shortest overall length), the Audi is rather heavy (at 3195 lb., only the Alfa outweighs it). This taxes the limits of the dohc 2.3-liter 20-valve inline -5 that puts out a respectable 164 bhp at 6000 rpm - the Audi feels very reluctant to move away from the rest, even with moderate clutch slippage in 1st gear. There's a real sense of trying to accelerate all that mass in the drivetrain (and, of course, in the rest of the car).

Once moving, however, the engine has a strong surge of mid- and upper- range torque and is reasonably smooth as it growls its 5-cylinder song on the way to a 7200-rpm redline. Shifts have a very direct, mechanical feel about them but require a healthy tug on the polished wood shift knob, and ratios are well spaced.

Inside, the Audi is a little claustrophobic or just cozy, depending on your tolerance for this things. The high waisted design with its consequent smaller glass area makes seeing out a mite more difficult here than in the others and gives the cabin the impression or narrowness. But there's not a finer interior in the group, in terms of nicely textured plastic, beautifully finished wood and excellent assembly fit. Gauges are superb, with all in the main cluster easily visible through the steering wheel, but dials for voltage, oil pressure and oil temperature, while appreciated, are mounted frustratingly low on the center console.

Seating up front is quite good, with body-hugging bolsters and electric seat controls that are nearly second nature to use. Rear accommodations are a little tighter than in most of the others, with virtually no "toe room" underneath the front seats and cramped head room taller sorts. A ski pass-through increases utility and seems a natural offering on an awd car.

Some nuisances are the smallest trunk of the lot at 8.1 cu. ft. and lots of road noise and thumpiness from the Goodyears, which, at size 205/50R-15, are the lowest profile, most aggressive tires of any of the eight cars. But these are sacrifices in the interest of awd packaging and performance, and those not wanting the extra edge of stability and power can always save some money and still get the 90's muscular good looks in a front-drive, 130-bhp version.
Vancouver B.C. Car Info
vancouvercarinfo.com/
Wpg Auto Dealer

Alfa Romeo 164L

To DIE-HARD Alfisti, the news that the 164 was to be a front-drive car was absolutely earth-shattering. Unlike the Milano that preceded it, you can't pitch the 164 into a turn and then exit in your finest power-on, opposite-lock imitation of Tazio Nuvolari.  But the chassis 164 chassis is incredibly rewarding to drive. Starting with the basic platform shared with the Saab 9000, Fiat Croma and Lancia Thema, Alfa went its own way with different suspension design, chassis tuning and styling, while retaining  the very best thing of the Milano, its 3.0-liter sohc V-6.

And what an engine it is. Though a little soft on torque at low rpm, the Alfa's 183-bhp V-6 climbs to its 6500-rpm redline with a vengeance, peaking at 185 lb-ft. at 4400 rpm, making truly satisfying mechanical sounds all the way up. And the gearbox, despite its recalcitrant engagement of reverse, is a joy, with a rod-actuated gearshift linkage that manages to feel mechanically direct yet operates with a light touch.

Though at 3325 lb. the Alfa is the heaviest car of the pack, it's one of the most stiffly sprung and feels as if it has the least body roll. But don't equate this firmness with a lack of suspension compliance; the 164 exhibited leechlike roadholding when negotiating the twisty parts, with near-neutral handling (no doubt helped by shifting some weight rearward with a trunk-mounted battery) and impressive grip. Nor is it so stiff that a cross-country trip would be uncomfortable. Aiding and abetting the suspension are steering and braking systems with the same enjoyable mechanical honesty that the engine and transmission exhibit.

If a sore spot exists, it's the interior or, more precisely, the driving position. One needs an extra-long set of arms and a correspondingly stubby set of legs to deal comfortably with the steering wheel and pedal locations, seemingly a trademark of Italian cars. The steering wheel, which telescopes but doesn't tilt for adjustment, obscures a large portion of the tachometer for anyone who stands more than 6ft. tall. But the seats are comfortable and properly bolstered, and the rear-seat passengers, in addition to enjoying  a decent amount of space, have the niceties of pull-up sunshades and a storage box built into the shelf behind the seats.

And then there's the 164 subtle wedge shape, handsome from any angle, and looking like nothing else from the front with its distinctive triangular grille dipping into the bumper. Many of us were taken by the styling and handling, but turned off by little flaws in the interior - a sunroof that rattled in the vent position, the shoddy trap door that swings up when the console-mounted parking brake is set, the wobbly feel of the look-alike rows of buttons for the ventilation system on the dash, the electric seat-height adjustment that refused to work. But Alfa owners have always put up with the little eccentricities to enjoy the sporting attributes of their cars, and so the tradition continues.
Vancouver B.C. Car Info
vancouvercarinfo.com/
Wpg Auto Dealer

More About 2009 Infiniti G37 Coupe

Two-part-bed-plate construction which is more rigid than a single piece casting for reduced vibration levels. It also permits sustained use at higher revs: the V6 is red-lined at 7,500rpm.

By continually altering valve lift and therefore the quantity of air in the combustion chamber it provides a more powerful combustion phase to increase torque and power. Best of all, as the valves control the intake rather than a conventional butterfly, response to throttle inputs is immediate. WEL improves fuel economy and lowers emissions compared to standard valve lift systems.

In keeping with the performance profile of the Coupe, infiniti engineers have developed a special aural soundtrack for the car. Equal length tubular exhaust manifolds and a symmetrical exhaust and silencer system have allowed the engineers to create a linear sound with a good balance between low and high frequency notes.

Infiniti G37 Coupe uses the second-generation version of Infiniti's FM platform. The 'front midship' engine location sees the compact V6 mounted in the front of the car, but as low and as far back as possible, with most of the block behind the front axle line. The result lowers the centre of gravity and helps to deliver the optimum front to rear weight distribution.

The fully independent suspension uses lightweight aluminum components to reduce weight as much as possible. A double wishbone set up at the front and a subframe-mounted multi-link arrangement at the rear allied to an extremely rigid body shell, gives the Infiniti G37 Coupe agile handling perfectly in keeping with its performance potential.

Standard features include the intelligent I-key with smart access and push button starter, a six-disc, seven speaker audio system with an RCA AUX-in jack socket for MP3 players. Bluetooth phone connectivity and cruise control with speed limiter can all be operated via switches on the leather-trimmed multi-function steering wheel.

Other standard features include power seats, aluminum pedals and footrest, auto-dimming rear view mirror, front and rear parking sensors, automatic lights and wipers, 18-inch alloy wheels, six airbags and integrated fog lamps. For the perfect driving position, the binnacle is attached not to the dashboard but to the steering column itself, and moves with the wheel when the latter is adjusted for reach and  rake.

The G37 GT version adds extra comfort with leather upholstery, a 10-way power driver's seat with lumbar support and  memory and an 8-way powered passenger front seat. Heated front seats are also standard and the I-key incorporates memory positions for driver's seat, steering wheel column and door mirrors.

High levels of passive safety were a priority at the design stage. As a result, the Infiniti G37 Coupe has a full complement of six airbags, with dual-stage front airbags, seat belt sensors and passenger seat occupancy sensor. The front seats incorporate hip and thorax bags, while there are front-to-rear curtain airbags for protection in a side impact.

Testing every Infiniti in the harshest of conditions ensures the durability and peace of mind that buyers can expect from the products.
Vancouver B.C. Car Info
vancouvercarinfo.com/
Wpg Auto Dealer