Scouting the Bourbon Trail in a Mazda3i Touring

I usually try to schedule something big and posh when I’m planning to take a long road trip, but an especially tight press fleet this November had me setting out for my trip to the family homestead outside Memphis, Tennessee in a cheap n’ cheerful Mazda3i sedan. To break the monotony of the 770-mile one-way trip, we decided to check out a few stops on Kentucky’s renowned Bourbon Trail.

A new five-speed automatic allows Mazda’s 2.0-liter to sprint off the line with acceptable urgency while still loping along at freeway speeds in tall enough gearing to register 32 mpg at an average moving speed of 70 mph (according to my trusty Garmin). I even averaged 29 in mixed driving around Detroit. Interior noise levels on the highway are up where one expects to find them in an econocar, but the stereo has no trouble shouting over the din, and the two-tone black-over-beige interior felt more posh than one comes to expect in a car starting at $18,675. Long-haul driving had me wishing for a lumbar adjustment though.

Nothing resets the senses mid-trip like getting a few deep lungs full of the sweet aroma of sour corn mash, as we discovered during our outbound stop at the Jim Beam distillery just off I-65 south of Louisville, KY on Happy Hollow Road (of course). Sadly there are no tours of the actual distillery offered at this time, but the visitors’ center and historic home impart plenty of knowledge about what distinguishes Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys from other whiskeys (must be made in the U.S. from between 51 and 79 percent corn, have less than 80-percent alcohol content (160 proof), and be aged at least two years in new charred white oak barrels with nothing added except water as needed to reduce proof). The visit ends with an opportunity to taste two of Jim Beam’s finer small-batch bourbons (the tastings are tiny, so as not to risk any driving impairment).

We sampled Basil Hayden’s and Knob Creek at the distillery and purchased the sampler pack including these two plus Booker’s and Baker’s for subsequent sampling later in the long holiday weekend. They’re all spectacular, with Knob Creek having the boldest taste (it’s probably best in a Manhattan); Basil Hayden’s having the lightest, smoothest character (and lightest proof at 80); Baker’s emitting the most potent aroma, and not hiding its 107 proof much at all on the palate. Booker’s was my favorite, its rich vanilla/caramel flavoring totally masks its 127 proof, and I wouldn’t dream of putting anything in it but maybe an ice cube. The equal or superior to any single-malt scotch. 

Now, by way of full disclosure, I should admit that I (and my colleague Arthur St. Antoine) are officially registered Tennessee Squires, with natural allegiance to–and honorary property ownership on the grounds of–Jack Daniels distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Jack Daniels doesn’t qualify as a bourbon because it is filtered through ten feet of sugar maple charcoal, which counts as a flavoring additive. My Bourbon Trail stop on the way home was at the Woodford Reserve distillery just south off I-64 northwest of Lexington, Kentucky. Woodford is a corporate cousin of Jack Daniels, brewed the old fashioned bourbon way, using cypress mashing tanks and triple-distilling in copper kettles. The distillery itself is a National Historic Landmark and its limestone architecture and the equine sculptures on the grounds are worth the trip even for teetotalers (Woodford Reserve claims to be the only distillery that also races thoroughbreds). Woodford does offer fascinating tours, that allow you to put your nose right over the bubbling mash, stick your head inside the copper kettles (when they’re not working, which is much of the time, as this is small-batch stuff), and breathe deep the “Angels’ Share” in the aging warehouse (40 percent of the clear liquid poured into the white oak barrels evaporates during the six to eight years it ages, expanding into and retreating out of the barrel’s charred wood as the temperature goes up and down, picking up the color and flavor that makes it bourbon). The memory of that smooth, sweet 10ml taste at the end of the tour–and the promise of a longer pour at the end of the journey–was almost enough to sustain me through traffic snarls associated with two Thanksgiving Sunday wrecks and three nasty construction zones.

The little Mazda3i performed flawlessly averaging 31.2 mpg over my 2000 miles of driving, and I wouldn’t hesitate to invite it along when I pick up the next couple stamps in my Kentucky Bourbon Trail Passport.

The 2009 Audi Q7 TDI, an AW Drivers Log:

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR CHERYL BLAHNIK: When I first got into this, the first thing I did was check the trip odometer and the fuel gauge. There were 99 miles on the trip and the fuel gauge read full.

RadioActive: There’s Nothing Like an American V-8 …plus Sony Giveaways

As a member of the MT team, I’ve been blessed to sample vehicles of all shapes and sizes at our L.A. home office or out of my local MT garage in Boston.

Recently I had the opportunity to take one of America’s new generation muscle cars — the 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 — on a road trip around New England and Maine for my third wedding anniversary. This was my first time behind the wheel of the SRT Challenger for an extended period of time. I only had a brief encounter with the model at our 2009 COTY program.

The rumble of the 6.1-liter hemi V-8 was music to my ears — its performance was simply incredible.  With its built-in performance timer feature, I laid down a 4.9-sec 0-60 run with no wheel spin. I think MT hot shoes Scott Mortara and Frank Markus would be proud of my run.

Painted in vibrant red complete with carbon fiber-look hood stripes, the Challenger looks like it stepped right out 1970 with modern updates.  The SRT8’s seats are very comfortable considering its sporting intentions.  The feel of the Tremec six-speed tranny and the pistol grip shifter are fantastic in my opinion.

As many have noted, the Challenger is big car, maybe too big. But for a road trip, it has a usable trunk — unlike the Mustang and Camaro. It also has the best highway ride of any of the modern day muscle cars. The overall handling may not be up there with the Mustang and Camaro, but this more of a boulevard cruiser than a back road stormer.

I have some nitpicks about the interior but what a performance value. Take into consideration the horsepower and torque numbers and styling when you look at its little more than 40K price.

Photo Op, Please: Never in my more than 15 years of driving press vehicles have I had one more photographed by people on the side of the road.

As we made our way through the tourist of Kennebunkport, Maine, the flashes where going off left and right from iPhones, cameras and digital devices galore.

As my wife and I were checking out of the same hotel we honeymooned at in 2006, the desk clerk — a 30-something Maine female resident — said “Is that you car out there?” That is going to be my next car or the Charger SRT”.  This is Maine… where you think snow wise her next vehicle should be some big rig 4×4 SUV.

My wife Sharon, who is not a fan of my arrested adolescent taste for rumbling muscle cars, even said that SRT8 Challenger was a great ride.  I have not sampled the 2010 Mustang GT or Shelby GT500 for week yet, but the Challenger SRT8’s combo of looks, comfort, and decent sound system has me a Kowalski wannabe.

Speaking of sounds systems, this Sat and Sun on MT we are kicking off our incredible Sony Xplod audio system giveaways with custom install which will be going on for the next five weekends. Sony is even going to hook me up with the same system for a 1998 C5 Vette so I can tell you more about it in the year ahead.

Also on this week’s show, MT executive editor Matt Stone previews the 2009 L.A. Auto show and tells us about his recent drive of the hot rod Bentley Continental Supersports.  Collector expert Phil Skinner is back by popular demand to take your calls on classic cars. All this and more this weekend on MT Radio.

Check us out Sat and Sun 8-10AM PT/11-1ET on one of our Talk Radio Network Stations or on Stars 2 Sirius 108/XM 139 live. We also have a free podcast available at iTunes, keyword: Motor Trend.

The 2009 Porsche Boxster S, an AW Drivers Log:

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: It’s hard to believe the Boxster is coming up on 13 years old. It was a terrific car when it was launched in 1997, and it is a terrific car now.

Why GM Can’t Sell Saab

DETROIT - General Motors is one-for-three, and that one, its pending sale of Hummer to Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery looks as tenuous as ever. It awaits only Chinese government approval for the sale of its luxury offroad brand, rumored to be worth $150 million to GM. Tuesday morning, CEO Fritz Henderson announced that Koenigsegg Group AB (the investment group that owns Koenigsegg Automotive) has ended talks to buy Saab from GM. Beijing Automotive Industry Holdings, better known as BAIC, kicked investment into the deal late in the game, though Koenigsegg Group would have had 100 percent control over Saab.

And there lies the likely reason that Koenigsegg called off the negotiations. It probably had trouble raising sufficient funding to convince the government of Sweden it could sustain Saab for more than a few years. Automakers are incredibly capital-intensive in good times, and far from an easy investment in times like these. Pile on top of that the high cost of doing business and building cars in Sweden, whether you’re Saab or Volvo, and it’s surprising Koenigsegg got into this in the first place.

Henderson expressed his disappointment over Koenigsegg’s withdrawal Tuesday morning, as he did when Penske Automotive broke off negotiations to buy Saturn.

So what’s next for Saab? Probably liquidation.

There is no sentiment for holding on to Saab the way GM held on to Opel. Unlike Opel, GM wants to sell Saab. Sales and production have been way down in 2009. And Saab’s inventory is very low, so the cost of closing down the brand will be relatively low. That’s a shame for auto enthusiasts, because Saab just showed a handsome new 9-5 on the Epsilon II platform and scheduled for production next year, though delayed while Koenigsegg negotiated with GM. It would have been Saab’s best-looking model in years, but GM had no reason to put any more money into it in order to get it ready for production. Similarly, its 2011 9-4x, sharing engines and a platform with the 2010 Cadillac SRX, could have been the most stylish model in its already good-looking class.

Saab has always been a cash drain on GM. The problem, on top of the high manufacturing costs, is that Saab’s customer base consisted of buyers who wanted something different, who didn’t want to see their cars coming and going. How do you build a brand like that? Saab sold 133,000 cars globally in 2006, its peak in recent years (36,349 in the U.S.), while its Trollhattan factory has capacity for about 250,000 per year. Saab has lost much of its unique selling proposition as competitors switch to the turbocharged four-cylinder configuration that has been the Swedish automaker’s signature for years.

GM tried to grow Saab by making it a semi-premium brand, while sharing platforms with Opels and other brands. Like me, you’ll probably miss Saab. But you probably think diesels and luxury sport wagons are good ideas, too, even if the vast majority of Americans don’t care.

Even under GM ownership, the cars exuded passion and a unique kind of performance. It is an enthusiasts’ brand, if an offbeat one. Its attempt to be an offbeat mass-market brand is about to do it in.

The 2009 Nissan Altima Coupe 3.5 SE, an AutoWeek Drivers Log:

SENIOR EDITOR FOR NEWS BOB GRITZINGER: There’s a lot to like in this 350Z wannabe, from the sporty exterior styling to the excellent interior layout and materials, from the highly competent handling for a front-driver to the strong and smooth…

Lexus LF-A Special Test Drive

Lexus LF-A Special Test Drive!

Mr. Cartoon x GShock Release Party at SA Studios

Mr. Cartoon x Casio GShock Special Edition

Forza 3 Launch Party at CEC Motorsports

Forza 3 Official Launch Party at CEC Motosports

Like Wall St., UAW Rank-and-File has Learned Nothing

It’s business as usual on Wall Street. The bailed-out banks are raking in cash again, the stock market’s starting to froth nicely, and juicy bonuses are in the offing for the privileged few lucky enough to be on the inside. Granted, there’s fewer of the few than there was two years ago. But little else appears to have has changed. Regulation? We don’t need no stinkin’ regulation…

The UAW rank-and-file clearly think it’s business as usual in Detroit, too. Okay, both GM and Chrysler are on taxpayer-funded life support, mere shells of their former selves. But bail-out refusnik Ford seems to be doing okay. A no-strike clause in the contract with Ford? We don’t need no stinkin’ no-strike clause…

The only problem is it’s anything but business as usual in Detroit, even at Ford. The Blue Oval might have had some encouraging financial results lately, but the company is mortgaged to the hilt, and hanging on by its fingernails. That it’s doing better than GM or Chrysler right now only means it’s the healthiest guy in intensive care.

Ford says it needs concessions from the UAW similar to those secured by GM and Chrysler earlier this year to ensure it doesn’t have a labor-cost disadvantage against the two bailed-out automakers. With the economy still fragile, and demand for new cars and trucks still running way below the level it was a couple of years back, Ford’s request makes sense. Except, it seems, to a significant majority of Ford’s UAW members.

Clearly these guys have learned nothing from what’s happened to their industry — to America — over the past 18 months. There’s still the same old sense of entitlement, the same distorted sense of reality that made the UAW complicit with inept management and poor government regulation in driving the once mighty American auto industry into the ground.

Maybe it’s too much to expect any different. After all, the financial sector is already starting to behave as if last year’s catastrophic economic meltdown was nothing more than an unfortunate Act of God. So why shouldn’t a bunch of Ford line workers feel the same way? Crisis? What crisis? Not our fault, buddy.