This week's test drives
I'm back in town and have two test drives scheduled for this week. Mazda has already dropped off a 2007 Mazdaspeed 6, the turbocharged all-wheel-drive version of their mid-size sedan. 2007 is the last year for the 'Speed 6, so I wanted to spend some time with it before it went away. I drove a Mazdaspeed 6 for a couple of days in Vancouver last year and came away impressed -- but now I'll get to spend a full week flogging it on familiar roads. We'll see if it's as good as I remember. In the mean time, you can check out Philip's test drive of the '06 Mazdaspeed 6 here.
Test drive number two is the 2008 Ford Taurus; I'm leaving to pick it up right after I get this blog entry posted. The Taurus, as you may well know, is a refreshed and renamed version of the Ford Five Hundred. We discussed the merits of the name change here on the blog, and you had quite a lot to say -- some said changing the name was a good idea, others were thinking in terms of silk purses and sow's ears. Not long ago I test drove a 2007 Mercury Montego, which shares its platform with the Taurus/Five Hundred, and quite liked it. After driving the new Focus and seeing how much they can do with a much older platform, I have high hopes for the new Taurus. -- Aaron Gold
Related:
- Philip Powell's 2006 Mazdaspeed 6 test drive
- 2007 Mercury Montego test drive
- 2006 Ford Five Hundred test drive
- 2008 Ford Taurus photo gallery
- 2008 Mercury Sable photo gallery
Photos © Ford Motor Company
Q.what is the lest viewed site on the Internet?
A.Photo gallery of the Ford Taurus/Sable
Reason: Nobody cares.
Ford can’t even seem to come up with some exciting names for new releases. It’s like watching some silent movie death scene that drags on and on. It’s awful, but you still keep watching.
On the up side, I want to report on my wife’s first week of ownership of her Mini. After 7 days, I finally got to drive it today. When I bring it home, I’ll park it on another block, tell her it was stolen, I reported it, and that it gets recovered in a few days or more…I just don’t want to give it up! Someone help me please, before I go out and buy another one for me (of course it would be a “S”). She already senses doom, so she wants to go to look at GTI’s tomorrow! I guess I married a very smart girl!!!
Uh-oh, Don, better read my MINI Cooper S test drive before you buy one. I am inclined to think the non-S is the car to have, though I haven’t driven one — the plan is to review a non-S automatic for 2008. Despite what I said about the ‘07, MINI is still willing to loan me cars.
Love the GTI. Definitely a good follow-on to the MINI.
Well, I have been test driving the Cooper Mini S… yes, it is skiitish at the edge of the envelope, but with just a modicum of alertness and practice, it is definitely controllable…if not not a fun challenge…but I’m waiting to drive the Clubman S…my wife said she’d be happy to be a 2 Mini family…but there’s some good competition out there…VW GTI, BMW 1, Audi A3, Caliber SRT and Mitsu Lancer. Let’s see what pops up in the next 2 years, when I’ll be ready to play.