The Ford That's Faster Than a Ferrari

Shelby and Ford join forces again to create the SuperSnake। A car with one simple goal: "to blow the doors off most anything on the planet"

Shelby and Ford have joined forces again to produce a mega-muscle car with one simple goal: "to blow the doors off most anything on the planet." They're claiming up to 725 horsepower from the Super Snake, which is over a hundred more ponies than the top-of-the line Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorino, and probably almost enough power for a trip down to the shops. This car, friends, is an absolute bad-ass.

Shelby Automobiles will use newly-developed Ford Racing GT500 performance packs to help transform a limited number of 2007 and 2008 Ford Shelby GT500s into fire breathing "Super Snake" coupes. The Super Snake post-title package will include enhancements to the Ford Shelby GT500's handling, styling and power; tuning options will range from a warranted 600 HP V8 to over 725 HP (unwarranted). Only a limited number of Super Snakes will be built per model year at the Shelby Automobiles facility in Las Vegas beginning in late 2007.

"My team at Shelby Automobiles is always working on new ways to build better performing cars" said Carroll Shelby. "I told them that I wanted to build a vehicle that could blow the doors off of most anything on the planet. By partnering with Ford Racing, we're giving enthusiasts a Mustang with that level of performance."

Working together at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and in Dearborn, Ford Racing and Team Shelby developed the aggressive suspension and engine package specifically for the car.

"Mustang enthusiasts are demanding more from both Ford Racing and Shelby Autos" said Jamie Allison, Manager of Ford Racing Performance Group. "The GT500 Super Snake package, with its higher horsepower levels and balanced track-inspired tuning, satisfies those demands and then some... in a uniquely Ford—Shelby way."

In 1967, Shelby American built one 427-powered GT500 "Super Snake" for Mel Burns Ford. Carroll Shelby drove it at the Goodyear test track for tire promotion film production. That car reached lap speeds of over 150 mph and a top speed of 170 mph. The new Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake will be equally potent.

"The name ‘Super Snake' is legendary because the one that Shelby built was the pinnacle of muscle cars in 1967," added Amy Boylan, president of Shelby Automobiles. "We're bringing that concept forward 40 years for customers who own a Ford Shelby GT500. We'll give their car amazing new capabilities."

Ford Racing and Team Shelby developed the GT500 Super Snake package which will include:

- Ford Racing Supercharger upgrade kit (SuperPack 600) producing over 600 horsepower and 590 ft.-lbs. of torque - 6-speed manual transmission with 3.73:1 rear axle ratio - Ford Racing performance exhaust system - Ford Racing Handling Pack offering unique performance suspension tuning including Dynamic adjustable dampers, lowering springs, tuned stabilizer bars, and front strut tower brace - Shelby-designed Alcoa 20-inch wheels - Ford Racing short-throw shifter - Baer 6 piston brakes with Shelby cast calipers and larger rotors - Front brake cooling ducts - Unique carbon composite hood featuring classic Shelby design - ‘Shelby' lettering across the front edge of hood and rear decklid - 'Super Snake' vehicle badging - Carroll Shelby signature embroidered headrests, floor mats and other Shelby designed components - Official Shelby CSM dash plate

In addition, while the full Super Snake package will be available exclusively through Shelby Automobiles, many of the products comprising the Super Snake package will be available from Shelby Automobiles and Ford Racing starting in June.

High Marks for Saturn Aura Hybrid

Thought you couldn't afford a hybrid because they cost too much? The $22,695 Saturn Aura Green Line is the cheapest hybrid on the market

The Good: Low price, fuel efficiency

The Bad: No all-wheel drive or wagon version

The Bottom Line: A "mild" hybrid that offers maximum value

• View Slide Show

Up Front

After driving a new Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid for 150 miles or so, I got around to looking at the car's sticker price. I was astonished to learn that my test car listed for just $23,070. I was expecting the car to cost $5,000 more than that.

The Aura Hybrid, which starts at just $22,695, is now the cheapest hybrid on the market, especially when you factor in the $1,300 federal tax deduction most buyers qualify for, and cash rebates of $500 or more that General Motors (GM) dealers are offering some buyers. The conventional Aura sedan has been a smash hit with reviewers, and I believe the Aura Hybrid should be too.

Inexpensive as it is, though, the Aura Hybrid is controversial. Toyota's (TM) hybrid business is booming—the Prius' sales have doubled in the first five months of 2007, to 76,747 units—and Detroit automakers want a piece of the action. But critics will say the Aura Hybrid is little more than another sign of how far behind Detroit is. That's because the Aura Green Line is a "mild" hybrid that doesn't have the fuel efficiency of a "full" hybrid such as the Toyota Prius and Camry.

The Aura is rated to get 28 mpg in the city and 35 on the highway; in 230 miles of mainly highway driving, I got 31.3 mpg. That's good, and significantly better than the 20 mpg in the city and 30 mpg at which the conventional, gasoline-powered Aura is rated. But it's nowhere near the 60 mpg in the city and 51 on the highway that the Prius gets. It's also less than the 40 mpg in the city and 38 on the highway you'll get in the comparably-sized Toyota Camry Hybrid.

If you want a more efficient Saturn hybrid, you'll have to wait. The current Saturn Vue Green Line sport utility vehicle, which came out last summer, uses the same hybrid technology as the Aura. Next year, however, the Vue Green Line will be offered with a more efficient, two-mode, hybrid technology. Saturn also has a far more efficient plug-in hybrid technology under development that will have a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack.

The Aura has lower fuel efficiency than the Toyotas because it has a smaller electric motor that's essentially a more-powerful-than-usual starter motor. In the Aura, the electric motor assists the gasoline engine during acceleration, rather than sometimes powering the car on its own as it does in the Toyotas. As with other hybrids, the Aura's hybrid system also cuts down on gasoline usage by cutting off fuel flow early during deceleration, shutting off the engine at idle, and capturing energy generated by braking.

Combined, the Aura's electric motor and 2.4-liter gasoline inline four-cylinder engine produce 164 horsepower, and 159 foot-pounds of torque at 5,000 revolutions per minute.

Despite its low list price, the Aura Green Line comes fairly well loaded. Standard equipment includes electronic stability control, power steering, front, side, and side-curtain airbags, cruise control; power mirrors, locks, and windows; air conditioning, and one year of free OnStar telematics service.

There are hardly any available options on the Aura Green Line. The main ones are an $800 power sunroof and a $345 preferred package that includes heated and adjustable outside mirrors, an eight-way, power-adjustable seat, and steering-wheel mounted audio controls.

The Aura has a five-star safety rating in both front and side impact crash tests, and a four-star rating when it comes to the risk of rollover.

The Aura Hybrid seems to be adding to Saturn's cachet. Early numbers on the new model from the Power Information Network show that 61.5% of all buyers didn't already own a Saturn—an indication that the Aura is luring brand new customers into Saturn dealerships.

Behind the Wheel

I would definitely consider buying this car, but not because it's fun to drive. The Aura hybrid is a nicely designed but sedate family sedan that gets better-than-average mileage and costs less than its main rivals. But if you're looking for a car with pep, this isn't the model for you.

Even assuming that most people shopping for a budget hybrid sedan aren't lead-foots, this car is quite slow. My best times in accelerating from 0 to 60 were a little under 11 seconds (far slower than the 7.8 to 8 seconds I got in a Toyota Camry Hybrid). There's a noticeable lag when you punch the gas in the Aura Hybrid, and the car then takes its own sweet time about winding out to highway speed.

That said, the Aura is based on GM's European-made Opel Vectra and the Aura Hybrid's steering and suspension have a tight, European feel to them.

GM has done a nice job with the Aura's interior, even though the materials used are inexpensive. The cloth seats and metallic trim in my test were attractive and the dark and light gray color scheme was tasteful and appealing. There's nothing fancy about the Aura's interior, but it's clean-looking, roomy, and functional. For me, the only discordant note is the ugly orange numerals on instrument readouts.

As in most sedans these days, the Aura's rear seats fold down in a 60/40 pattern. There's a good-sized pass-through to the Aura's 13.1 cubic-feet truck. The Aura's doors are unusually wide, making getting in and out of the vehicle relatively easy.

The Aura Green Line's automatic transmission has a practical feature. It has a "D" setting for normal driving, but also an "I" setting (intermediate) for use on hilly and winding roads that reduces vehicle speed without extra shifting. There's also a low setting for use in very hilly or muddy conditions, deep snow, etc.

You also have the option of sacrificing passenger comfort to save fuel. With the air conditioning set on "normal, or the defrost running, the engine doesn't shut down at complete stops as it normally would. However, there's a "hybrid air conditioning" mode that uses less fuel, but "at the expense of cabin cooling performance," as the owner's manual puts it.

The Aura doesn't have the elaborate graphics other hybrids have to help you monitor fuel consumption. However there is a little gauge to show when you're charging the batteries or getting an assist from the gas engine.

Buy It Or Bag It?

If your priority is maximum fuel efficiency, the Aura Green Line isn't the car for you. The Prius, though smaller, does much better. So does the Honda (HMC) Civic hybrid, which is rated to get 49 mpg in the city and 51 on the highway. In fact, I got slightly higher mileage in the conventional, gasoline-powered versions of both the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic.

However, if you're hoping to buy a midsize hybrid sedan, the Aura offers excellent value, especially if you're on a tight budget. The Aura's main competitors (now that Honda is phasing out the Accord hybrid) are the Camry and the new Nissan (NSANY) Altima hybrid, both of which are substantially more expensive than the Aura.

The Power Information Network only has preliminary data on the Aura Hybrid because it's so new to the market. But PIN figures the Aura Hybrid has been selling so far for an average of $22,793, taking into account an average rebate of $1,344. By comparison, the Camry hybrid sells for an average of $28,359 and the Altima for $26,872. (The compact Honda Civic hybrid costs an average of $22,848, almost exactly the same as the Aura.)

Depending on your tax situation, you also have to factor in the federal tax credit, as well as state, local, and employer credits that may apply (see BusinessWeek.com, 6/8/06, "Harnessing Hybrid tax Credits"). Buying an Altima Hybrid will earn you a $2,350 federal credit ($1,050 more than the credit on the Aura). The Camry Hybrid only carries a $650 U.S. tax credit through September, after which the federal tax credit on all Toyota hybrids is scheduled to be phased out. (If you qualify for the alternative minimum tax, these numbers may be irrelevant—you probably won't get any federal tax benefit from buying a hybrid).

The bottom line is that the average Aura costs at least $3,000 less than its two main rivals, but isn't as fuel efficient or as speedy. To figure out your likely cost over the life of the vehicle, go to hybridcenter.org, a Web site operated by the Union of Concerned Scientists, and plug information on your driving habits, how long you expect to keep the car, and so forth, into the site's buyer's guide.

For many shoppers, the Aura will turn out to be the cheapest option. It's also made in Kansas City by union workers, and has 86% U.S. and Canadian content. So for Buy American types, the Aura is the hybrid family sedan of choice.

FedEx Delivers a Boost to Boeing

The logistics giant is buying 15 of the aircraft maker's 777 Freighter planes -- and canceling a big order from Airbus

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Memphis-based FedEx Express, a unit of FedEx Corp. (FDX) said Nov. 7 that it's switching from Airbus to buy at least 15 new aircraft from Boeing (BA), triggering a rally in shares of the aerospace giant.

After Airbus delayed its delivery of the A380, FedEx cancelled its order for 10 and switched to the new deal with Boeing. Now FedEx is buying 15 new Boeing 777 Freighter aircraft with options for an additional 15.

"Global demand for air cargo and express services continues to grow rapidly and FedEx has made significant investments in our network to meet customers' needs and fulfill our business objectives," said FedEx CEO Frederick W. Smith in a press release.

The Boeing 777 Freighter is the world's largest twin-engine cargo aircraft. FedEx is planning to use the plane to fly between Asia, Europe and the U.S., starting with four aircraft in 2009, eight in 2010 and the remaining three in 2011.

Boeing shares gained 5.1% to $84.59 per share in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange. FedEx edged up 0.6% to $114.57 per share.

"Although we do not see this as a sign FedEx, or other air carriers, are abandoning Airbus, we do see it as evidence of Airbus's failing execution on the A380," Standard & Poor's Corp. analyst Richard Tortoriello said in a research note.

Given the well-publicized A380 delays , Tortoriello continues expecting Boeing to get another 777 and 747 orders over the short term and keeps a buy rating, and a 12-month target price of $106 on the stock. (S&P, like BusinessWeek.com, is owned by The McGraw-Hill Companies.)

Airbus has been struggling to deliver on its promises to A380 customers, amid challenges such as problems with its cable installation and other mishaps (see BusinessWeek.com, 10/24/06, "The A380 Crisis: What Now for Airbus?"). In a recent example on Oct. 3, the company warned customers of a further delay in the schedule of the A380 and the first one would be delivered in Oct. 2007.

2008 BMW M5 Road Test

Let's get the expected impressions out of the way so we can tackle the technology smorgasbord that separates this Teutonic road jet from other 5-Series Bimmers and everything else on the road. With apologies to Clint Eastwood, these include much good, some bad and an element of ugly.

The good: this fourth-generation M5 may be the fastest, most muscular, most precise and glued-to-the-road four-door most of us will ever experience. It rockets from rest to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, corners like a front-engine race car and can brake so hard it can bounce your eyeballs off the windshield.

The bad: it appears aimed as much for techno-geeks as for serious drivers. The overly complex, user-unfriendly and often frustrating iDrive multifunction controller alone requires an evening of manual study to comprehend, after which owners will keep their manuals handy for on-the-fly reference. Add to that a mind-boggling plethora of driver-programmable powertrain and chassis settings that offer 279 combinations through an MDrive menu that can be linked to an MDrive button on the steering wheel.

Ugly, as always, is in the eye of the beholder. A lot of folks, ourselves included, have been non-fans of BMW's current 5- and 7-Series styling. That said, it's either growing on us or these updated '08 5s are improved enough to look much better to our eyes, or both. But we did thoroughly dislike our test car's optional Madeira Walnut trim, a reddish-brown wood with horizontal graining that looks painted on with a course brush. Your taste may differ, but we much prefer the standard brushed aluminum trim, or the other optional wood, Olive Ash burl.

Engine tech

Nothing quite like a 500-hp V-10 muscle motor stuffed into a mid-size sedan! This is the modern German big-bucks version of the mid-'60s Detroit muscle car, which works quite nicely for Audi's awesome V-10-powered S6 as well. Why a V-10? Elmar Schulte, BMW's engine development manager, says, "We wanted five liters. The ideal cylinder displacement is 0.5 liter. To get five liters, we needed 10 cylinders." Uh, Okay.

One key credo of BMW M is high-rpm, so this V-10 is engineered to rev eagerly to its somewhat astounding 8250-rpm redline with some small sacrifice in low-end torque…which, trust me, won't be missed. Light-weight reciprocating components are used throughout, which also helps reduce total vehicle weight and balance front/rear weight distribution to near 50/50. There are three power and throttle-response settings: the P400 default mode (for valets and your son's prom night) caps the engine's horsepower at a mere 400 and gives normal throttle response; P500 unleashes all 500 horses with quicker response; P500 Sport (for track work and New York parking garage attendants) provides full power with even quicker response.

BMW's Valvetronic system, which controls fuel/air intake via valve actuation without a throttle, is not (yet) developed for high-revving engines, but this M V-10 does use double-VANOS variable camshaft control on both chain-driven intake and gear-driven exhaust cams. And, like all M engines, each cylinder has its own electronically controlled throttle. Its ultra-high 12:1 compression ratio is enabled by an ultra-quick ionic-current system that senses knock at each spark plug and retards ignition timing of individual cylinders to prevent it.

The "semi-dry sump" oiling system uses two reservoirs, a small one ahead of and a larger one behind the front frame crossmember, separated by a baffle। A mechanically driven variable-volume oil pump delivers sufficient pressure, but never excess volume, at all times for all operating conditions. Two electrically driven scavenger pumps recover it from pickup points determined by the Dynamic Stability Control system's lateral-g sensor (to account for cornering loads), and a recirculating pump moves it from the front to the rear main reservoir. Cooled by a coolant-to-oil heat exchanger, its temperature and level are monitored by sensors that drive an oil temperature gauge (in the bottom of the tachometer) and a low oil level warning lamp.

(Curiously, BMW has decided that coolant temperature gauges are not useful and has eliminated them from most models, including this one. We strongly disagree.)

Powertrain and chassis tech

BMW has wisely decided to offer U.S.-market M5s with a heavy-duty six-speed manual transmission as a no-cost alternative to the largely unloved seven-speed Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG), the only choice in Europe. And it's a gem, with crisp throws, precise gates, perfectly arranged pedals and surprisingly smooth clutch engagement. Like the SMG, it is blessed with an M Dynamic Mode that enables enthusiastic (read: semi-sideways) track driving by backing off the level of traction loss at which the stability system intervenes.

The SMG is a marvel of high-tech engineering that offers an additional forward gear, quicker shifts in full-performance mode than any mere mortal can manage (BMW claims) and a wide variety of shift programs in both sequential (S) and Automated (D) modes. Six selectable programs are available in the former, five in the latter, ranging from "softest and slowest" to "hardest and quickest." Manual shift control is available via either the console lever (rearward for upshifts, forward for downshifts, unlike most everyone else) or steering wheel paddles.

It also has a slew of special features, including Slip Control, which briefly disengages the clutch to prevent wheel-slip when downshifting on slippery roads; Start-off Assistant, which holds the brakes for a second when launching on hills; and Hill Detection, which optimizes D program shift points on both up- and downhill grades. But in our experience (admittedly without time to study the manual or try every permutation), the SMG is consistently slower and jerkier in normal driving than most manual-shifting human drivers. And we're far from its only critics.

The M5's chassis is a high-tech playpen of programmability. Relative to the (V-8-powered) 550i, it boasts a modified subframe, Z8 roadster suspension links, beefed-up bushings, lighter but stronger hollow axle halfshafts and huge cross-drilled brakes inside 19-inch performance tires on (8.5-inch wide front, 9.5-inch rear) cast alloy wheels. Then it gets more interesting with a special M version of BMW's Electronic Damping Control (EDC), M Variable Differential Lock and Servotronic power steering with two levels of assist.

The M5's EDC -- with three selectable modes: Comfort, Normal and Sport -- steplessly adjusts damping to any level between softest and firmest according to road conditions and driver demand. The M Variable Differential Lock senses wheel speed (rather than torque) and drives a pump to pressure a viscous silicon fluid that transfers torque (through a multi-disc clutch) to the drive wheel with the better grip. The M5's Servotronic vehicle speed-sensitive power steering (for the first time in a production BMW) offers two levels of assist: Comfort (typical BMW) and Sport (less assist for sportier feel). It does not have BMW Active Steering, which varies steering ratio with vehicle speed, but its steering ratio is variable: it becomes quicker as the wheel is turned further from center. And it is as good as power steering gets.

But wait, there's more

Remember those 279 combinations? The M5's Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) offers three modes: Normal, M Dynamic and deactivated (though ABS always remains active), so those three x three power settings x three EDC modes x 10 SMG programs (excluding the ultimate S6 program) = 270. SMG S6, which can be selected only with DSC deactivated, adds the other nine (three power settings x three EDC modes). Got it?

The power settings, EDC and DSC modes are selectable with buttons on the console, the SMG programs via the shift lever and a mode selector behind it, and all of these choices can be linked to an MDrive button on the steering wheel through the MDrive menu. Our advice? Forget the SMG and play with the 27 combos available with the conventional six-speed.

Get out that manual, study up, program away and (if there's still time), hit the road!

2008 BMW M5

Base price: $83,675

Engine: 5.0-liter V-10, 500 hp/383 lb-ft

Transmission: Seven-speed sequential manual; no-cost optional six-speed manual; rear-wheel drive

Length x width x height: 191.5 x 72.7 x 57.8 in

Wheelbase: 113.7 in

Curb weight: 4012 lb

Fuel economy (EPA city/hwy): 11/17 mpg

Major standard features: Merino leather interior; special M Instrumentation (with 200-mph speedometer and 9000-rpm tachometer with variable warning segment); power tilt/telescoping M sport steering wheel; voice-command; automatic climate control; heated 18-way driver's, 14-way passenger's power M sport front seats with adjustable backrest width; DVD-based navigation with real-time traffic information; multi-function remote; power moonroof; Xenon adaptive headlamps with automatic headlamp control, level control and cleaning system; rain-sensing windshield wipers; ultrasonic Park Distance Control

Safety features: Dual front, front side and tubular head-protection airbags; Dynamic Stability Control with ABS, traction control, electronic brake proportioning, Dynamic Brake Control, Brake Standby and Brake Drying; BMW Assist services

Warranty: Four years/50,000 miles

Toyota's Next Hybrid?

Is the Toyota (TM) Prius about to get a big brother? According to the June 24 edition of Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Japan's leading business daily, the hybrid trailblazer is planning a new dedicated hybrid-only model for launch in 2009.

While Toyota sells seven models that use hybrid technology, the Prius (now in its 10th year) is the only one that's offered exclusively as a hybrid. Others, such as the Camry Hybrid, have gas-electric options available at a premium as well as straight gasoline-only models. The new model, which the paper doesn't name, would give Toyota a second dedicated hybrid model.

Hybrid Sales Goal: A Million

The details in the report are scant, but the Nikkei claims the new hybrid will offer better riding quality due to its larger size and engine displacement of 2 to 3 liters. The Prius uses a 1.5-liter engine.

The paper goes on to say that Toyota Motor Kyushu, a Toyota group company, will likely produce the new hybrid at a plant in Fukuoka. If launched in 2009, the new model will likely follow the introduction of a third-generation Prius, which is expected in later 2008 or early 2009.

The Nikkei adds that the annual sales target for the new model is 100,000 units and that compares with Toyota's total hybrid sales of 310,000 last year. The extra sales would go some way to help Toyota reach its target to sell a million hybrids a year by the early 2010s.

Cutting Into Camry Sales?

Analysts say news of a new model isn't a big shock—Toyota will need more hybrids in order to hit its sales target—but "spec-wise, it's a bit of surprise," says Tatsuo Yoshida, an analyst at UBS (UBS) in Tokyo. "I didn't expect such a big engine."

Others add that reports of the 2- to 3-liter engine, if correct, could put the new model into competition with the Camry Hybrid. That vehicle, which accounts for about 15% of Camry sales in the U.S., uses a 2.4 liter engine, electric motors, and batteries to generate 192 horsepower and 40 miles per gallon fuel economy in the city.

Still, the benefits of a second dedicated hybrid model may outweigh such risks. One reason for the success of the Prius, which accounted for half of Toyota's hybrid sales last year, is that car ownership conferred impeccable environmental credentials. No car is more closely linked with the hybrid movement.

By contrast, a lack of "green" recognition was said to be a factor behind weak sales of Honda's (HMC) Accord Hybrid. Honda said earlier this month that it won't offer a hybrid option on the next generation of Accords.

Increased sales would also help Toyota raise scale efficiencies. Some have criticized gas-electric vehicles because the cost of making hybrids is thousands of dollars more than regular gasoline vehicles. That usually translates to a higher sales price, which can outweigh short-term fuel-efficiency savings or lower margins for manufacturers, or do both. An extra 100,000 units of a new hybrid would help speed that trend. Last month, Masatami Takimoto, an executive vice-president at Toyota, said that by 2010, margins will be at the same level as conventional gasoline cars.

A new model will also help prepare Toyota's hybrids for the coming battle with "clean" diesels, which many industry watchers believe have the potential to offer similar environmental performance as hybrids at a lower cost.

Diesel Competition

Among Japanese rivals, Honda, along with dumping its Accord hybrid, plans a "clean" diesel for the U.S. market by 2009. It now plans to focus on hybrids for smaller models and use diesels for larger models, including the next-gen Accords, CR-V crossover sport-utility vehicles, and Odyssey minivans, where the cost benefit is most marked (see BusinessWeek.com, 6/8/2007, "The Trouble with Hybrids"). Nissan (NSANY), meanwhile, has said it will launch a diesel model in the U.S. by 2010.

Toyota, though, has so far been quiet on its plans for diesels in the U.S. "The fact of the matter is we have a big head start on a technology that is leading edge and is the most elegant solution to today's infrastructure, fuel situation, [and] today's emissions requirements," James Press, Toyota's North America chief, said on June 21, prior to the Nikkei article being published.