Here are the six must-read, must-watch auto news stories, reviews, and videos for Tuesday, May 19, 2015. Your normal news editor, Steffani Cain, is off today, as GCBC Towers has bizarrely taken on the role of fostering puppies.
INSIDE THE AUTO BUSINESS
In mid-2016, Porsche will be selling Boxsters and Caymans with four-cylinder engines in North America. No, these aren’t the inline-fours from your Corolla; they’re boxer four-cylinders from Porsche. Flat-fours. Horizontally-opposed. They’ll probably make a great noise.
INSIDE THE VICE PRESIDENT’S CAR SPEECH
“Corvettes are better than Porsches,” VP Joe Biden told a group of graduating students at Yale last weekend. Seeing as how the ‘Vette has been making 21,000+ since the mid-90s, he might be right!
REVIEW
Perhaps you wouldn’t buy a Cadillac ATS-V over a its German rivals. But it seems that every reviewer, including the Wall Street Journal’s Dan Neil, believes the ATS-V is the driver’s choice.
TTAC
Mercedes-Benz’s SLS AMG era is over. The AMG GT era has begun.
RECALL
Nissan North America, Inc. is recalling 263,692 Pathfinders (model year 2004) and Sentras (2004-2006) because, “upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.”
WATCH
Jalopnik writer and friend of GCBC, Patrick George, decided to simply be up front about the fact that he crashed, in a relatively minor way, a camouflaged 2016 Chevrolet Camaro.
In Canadian bucks, I paid $14,309 ($11,700 US) drive-out for my 2015 Nissan Versa sedan (the car you love to hate). 5-speed MT, AC, ABUNDANT passenger and driver space, bluetooth, no USB :-(,1 power outlet, 2 speakers, CD/MP3 player, crank windows, manual door locks (haven't yet cramped up unlocking them), no passenger side keyhole, same li'l 1.6 litre 4 banger — pretty much a Micra SV 5-speed with a more comfortable cabin. I am getting 37 MPG (6.42 li/km) in mixed driving, (if i did the math right) so ya got me beat there, but I am pulling a bit more curb weight around. And I'll wager the ride is smoother and quieter. I paid just $1000 more US for my Note last year, similarly equipped (but no bluetooth). To me, this makes a similarly equipped Micra look a tad spendy.
I notice you never wrote a review of the Versa or Versa Note 5-speed manual — just the CVT, which you have much maligned. I would like to see one, just for the record. For me, it is all the things you say the Micra is, and a bit more, for about the same price. Maybe the best 5-speed I have ever owned — As stated, I have two of them, one sedan (which I think looks like a mini-Altima — can't figure out what sets you off about it) and a Versa Note. I love 'em both.
And, aside from converting from US gallons to Imperial Gallons, and then to litres, and then from miles to kilometers, I have nothing against Canada or Canadians, since my wife's side of the family comes from Northern Ontario (eh?). Kapuskasing, to be exact. Lovely place. In the summer….
Best to you!
We test what the manufacturers send, and what they send has nothing to do with what we want them to send. When Nissan Canada sends a Versa with a stick, we'll review it.
I understand, and for the record, I am not a fan of the CVT technology yet — but seeing as how the 5 speed manual is their slowest selling model, either in the Note or the sedan versions, I am surprised that the wouldn't want to promote them more aggressively. It's a good car, especially for the price. Local dealer here has tons of them, and they're always offering "specials", judging by the prices I have been able to get them at….
Isn't it about time you took the lowly sedan off of your "love to hate" list? 🙂 Mine is quite handsome!