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Past Issues

752: Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon
A reborn classic earns a (near) perfect 10
748: Nissan GT-R
It’s fast, sexy and a bargain. So what’s the catch?
744: Jaguar XF
The new sedan from Britain’s storied automaker proves that appearances are, in fact, deceiving
736: Suzuki Swift Sport
Suzuki’s bargain hatch proves big fun can come in small packages
732: Dualis & X-Trail
Nissan introduces a new SUV while its marquee model continues to play tough
728: Toyota Vanguard
Head off to the concrete jungle with a bit more vehicle than you need
724: Subaru Impreza S-GT
Japan’s automotive loudmouth learns some manners
720: Tokyo Auto Salon 2008
Get ready for some modification mayhem at Makuhari Messe
716: Dodge These!
Chrysler introduces three muscle-bound imports to Japan
712: Licensed to Drive
We guide you through the bureaucratic jungle
708: Tokyo Concours D’Elegance
Exotic autos from the past and present glide into Roppongi
704: Car Knows Best
Automakers are introducing technology that will let your ride decide if you’ve had one too many
700: Range Rover & Land Rover
We put three SUVs from the fabled British maker through their paces
696: Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Channel 007 in this latest incarnation of the marquee automaker’s “baby”
692: BMW R1200GS Adventure
The storied bike maker competes with itself to create a three-in-one masterpiece
688: Lexus LS460
The new sedan is big, fast, safe, classy—and unremarkable
684: Alfa Romeo Spider
We unleash the Italian monster on a 1,200km road trip
680: Ford Mustang
The American classic goes back to its roots
676: Citroën C6
The French automaker's latest eccentricity pushes its own boundaries
672: Nissan’s Pino and Otti
Japan-friendly K-cars pack a big punch
668: Jaguar XK
Forget James Bond—this is the UK’s sexiest export
664: Mazda’s Axela, RX-8 and Roadster
Here’s the word on Japan’s resurgent automaker: buy, buy, buy!
660: Mazda’s Axela, RX-8 and Roadster
Here’s the word on Japan’s resurgent automaker: buy, buy, buy!
656: Alfa Romeo Brera
This gorgeous Italian coupe is both poised and sexy
652: Premium wheels
Business is good for Rolls-Royce in Japan, with an eagerly awaited convertible due out next year
648: Citroen C3 Pluriel
The quirky French automaker barrels into the 21st century
644: Jeep Commander& Grand Cherokee
Off road and on, these 4×4s do their military heritage proud
640: BMW Z4 M Roadster
Beemer’s monster convertible provides the most fun you can have sitting down
636: Name dropping
What your car is called says something about you—and even more about automakers’ marketing departments
632: BMW Mini Cooper S
All hail the mighty Mini!
628: Mazda Roadster
Redesigned and retooled, this two-seater is now a car for enthusiasts
624: Hyundai Sonata
A rev-happy South Korean import tries to find its niche in Japan
621: Lexus IS350
Toyota brings its upmarket brand to Japan—finally
616: Volvo XC90 V8
A bit sleeker and a lot more spacious, this SUV still puts a premium on safety
612: Chrysler 300C
This black beauty recalls the golden age of motoring
608: The Big Ideas
Tokyo Motor Show 2005 was a concept car bonanza
604: Tokyo Motor Show 2005
The automotive world’s big players zoom into Japan with some high concepts in tow
597: Three brothers
We put a trio of Nissan sedans through their paces
593: Ducati 1000S DS Multistrada
The boys from Bologna deliver an Italian masterpiece for your garage
589: Mazda Demio Sport
A worthy cousin to the Atenza and RX8, this roomy sedan is happy around town and in the country
585: BMW K1200S
The boys from bavaria clothe an iron fist in a velvet glove
581: Chrysler’s Cruisers
The American auto manufacturer concentrates on the body beautiful
577: Suzuki Skywave 650LX
If you thought scooters were just for kids, think again
573: Cadillac STS 4x4
America’s flagship automaker recaptures its former glory
569: Tour de Force
Yamaha’s FJR1300A offers an unbeatable blend of poise, power and price
565: Alfa Romeo GT and 156 GTA
With stunning looks and power to spare, these two Alfas are an enthusiast's dream
560: Driving the Future
The talk of the auto industry in 2004 was hybrids, safe driving and intelligent vehicles
556: Deja vu
Blast to the past on Harley-Davidson’s Road King Custom
552: Sports sensation
Nissan's new SUV breaks out of its class
548: Lean machine
Lighter, faster, stronger and sexier—a diet works wonders for BMW’s R1200GS
544: Kings for a day
The Honda Elysion is master of all it surveys
539: Rules of the road
New traffic laws are on the horizon. Turn off your cellphone, watch where you park and don’t ride in gangs, Chris Betros warns.
537: Open roadster
William Bonds gets up-close with the elements courtesy of the Nissan Fairlady 350Z convertible.
535: Extreme makeover
Volvo sheds its stodgy-but-safe image for sleek-and-sporty with the new S40 T5. William Bonds likes what he sees.
533: Sporting chance
Mazda has brought the station wagon up to speed with its Atenza Sport Wagon 23Z. William Bonds takes one for a spin.
531: Street smarts
Automakers are taking car safety to new levels with sophisticated warning systems that almost do the driving for you, reports Chris Betros.
529: Speed zone
Just down the road from Ueno Zoo, a virtual hog heaven has everything for the motorcycling enthusiast. Steve Trautlein cruises on over.
527: Italian Stallion
The Alfa Romeo 147 carries on its maker’s reputation for hot cars with unmatched sex appeal. William Bonds gets carried away.
525: Hot wheels
A cross between a snowboard and a scooter, the Wheelman is a quirky Australian invention that's grabbing attention worldwide. Tim Colquhoun takes one for a ride.
523: Mean Machine
William Bonds gets behind the wheel of the Nissan Skyline 350GT.
521: Show stealers
Toyota stunned attendees at the recent Geneva and Melbourne auto shows with two concept cars that represent a powerful vision for the future of motoring. Tim Colquhoun reports.
519: Mighty mouse
Subaru goes boldly against the tide with its new R2 minicar. Justin Gardiner admires this latest feat of audacity and engineering.
517: Trail blazer
Nissan's top-selling 4x4 features cool touches for winter sports fans. Justin Gardiner drove the latest X-Trail to the slopes
515: Up to speed
The Formula One circus is gaining momentum as the season opener in Australia draws near. Tim Colquhoun takes a look at the latest developments.
513: Good save
Hybrid cars are the rage this year with Toyota, Honda and Subaru touting their gas-electric vehicles. Chris Betros looks at what they're offering.
512: The road ahead
Despite the lack of a full-fledged Tokyo Motor Show in 2004, domestic manufacturers have a bevy of weird and wonderful offerings in store for this year. Justin Gardiner previews the lineup.
509/10: Top of the class
Justin Gardiner finds his favorites from this year's Metropolis test drives.
507: Mom-mobiles
Japanese mothers are trading in their once ubiquitous mama-chari bicycles for a new breed of K-car. Justin Gardiner tries a couple of the most popular mini-cars.
505: Cubic's rube
Nissan has lengthened its highly successful Cube a few centimeters and added an extra row of seats. But, as Justin Gardiner finds out, the result is a bit puzzling.
503: Globe trotters
Kerstin Gackle and Volker Aldinger left their native Germany on April 1 and pointed their Yamahas toward Australia. Eight months later Justin Gardiner caught up with the couple in Tokyo.
501: Back to the future
Cutting-edge technology and futuristic vehicles highlight the 37th Tokyo Motor Show at Makuhari Messe through November 5. Justin Gardiner offers a guide.

ISSUES 499-
ISSUES 449-
ISSUES 399-
ISSUES 349-
ISSUES 299-

Cars&Bikes

Text and photos by William Bonds

Jaguar XK

Forget James Bond—this is the UK’s sexiest export

At the beginning of the 1960s, Jaguar was a producer of prestige cars in the UK. I loved the 420G and Mark X, and the XJ6 was a real revolution in style when it came out. But while Jags were superior cars, with loads of wood and leather inside, they were also inexpensive. When the automaker introduced the E-Type in 1961, they had a winner on two fronts: it was one of the most beautiful cars in the world, and it was a fraction of the cost of its rivals. The new XK inherits these qualities and fills a similar kind of hole in the market. It may not be as revolutionary as the E-Type, but it’s almost as beautiful.

The first version of the XK—the XK8—replaced the E-Type’s successor, the S-Type. Like the E-Type, the new model comes in two forms: convertible and hard top. With the top down, the convertible is stunningly beautiful. That same straight top line is there, but while the E-Type was pinched into a wedge at both ends, the XK has a flat nose and rear with only a slight sloping down at the ends.

Yet the most obvious physical difference is the driving position. The E-Type was all about the hood; it seemed to go on for miles and helped give the car its astonishing sleekness. The car also had 14 pairs of slats in front of the somewhat upright windscreen and a massive bulge running down the center. The length of the hood meant that the driver sat well far in the car.

The XK looks somewhat better balanced. The 4.2-liter V-8 engine (the same size as the E-Type’s most popular motor, although that was a straight-6) fits snugly inside the engine bay, so no need for power bulges on top. The coupe version has drawn comparisons to Aston Martin’s designs (both companies are owned by Ford), but let’s take that as a compliment. The hard-top may not prompt you to take your clothes off quite as quickly as the soft-top, but it’s still a very, very desirable number. While the E-Type looked like it had a pod plopped onto its rear, the XK’s rear hatch blends seamlessly into the roof line and stretches waaaaay back. Despite this, the luggage space beneath the big hatch is still limited—perhaps enough for a small set of golf clubs and a weekend bag or two—but obviously not as limited as in the convertible, which requires half the trunk to store the roof.

Of course, it’s a very nice roof. The XK convertible still looks elegant with the top up, and the inside of the roof is as classy as that of the coupe (and has slightly more headroom). Getting it up and down is a breeze—just hit the button and it’s all over within a matter of seconds.
The interior of the XK is light years away from that of the old E-Type. While the older car’s dashboard reflected its sportier outlook with impressive lines of switches and dials, the XK is all elegance—leather seats, deep carpets and a neat dash. The central console and the surrounding wood-like fascia, however, while by no means ugly, lack a little gravitas. But sitting amid the leather and the carpet, these minor blemishes are soon forgotten. And, of course, when you drive the XK, they are banished into the hidden files of your memory banks.

With 300hp under the hood, the XK is no slouch. In fact, it will get to 100kph in a fraction over six seconds (the recently introduced supercharged XKR, available in Japan next year, will do it a second quicker) and reach 250kph with ease. The XK is very much a GT rather than a sports car, but it’s sporty enough, with the throaty roar from the 4.2-liter engine, the big fat low-profile tires, and that manly styling (check out the wheels, the front grill and those recessed spotlights).
The 4.2 is linked to a six-speed gearbox that you can use in automatic or semi-manual mode. It feels kind of lazy in automatic (maybe it was the Pink Floyd CD), but shove it into manual and the car comes alive. Find the power range, and it starts to take over the world. Six seconds seem like three, and you can move past mere mortals before they even know you’re there. (The only shift option for manual mode is the two paddles on the steering column, not the gear stick itself.) The ride is very comfortable and certainly not stiff (expect the XKR to be somewhat different), and it handles beautifully. The steering is a little on the light side, but for a touring car, it’s acceptable. Which is more than can be said for the rear seats. They may accommodate two kids aged under five, but that’s about it.

But who wants to take kids out in this? The XK is an adults’ car. It’s fast, gut-wrenchingly beautiful and available for ¥12 million. What are you waiting for?

Autofile

The 40th Tokyo Motor Show will be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba from October 27 through November 11. This year, the organizers have added special events to promote audience participation—including test rides.

In addition to the usual attractions (which includes, of course, the babes adorning the various cars), a full lineup of funky concept vehicles will be unveiled. Nissan is showing off its battery-powered Pivo 2 (pictured), a state-of-the-art electric car that can move laterally and has a small robot to assist with navigation—and to keep an eye on things in general. The round-eyed ’bot head sitting on the dashboard has cameras that can tell when a driver is getting sleepy. It’s also bilingual, and can say things like “You look tired. There’s a coffee shop 500 meters ahead on the left.”

Meanwhile, Mazda’s theme for the show is “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom,” and the automaker will be debuting its all-new Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, which visitors will have the opportunity to take on a test spin at the “clean energy vehicle demo drive course.”

www.tokyo-motorshow.com/show/2007/eng. Chris Betros

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