The Cars To Watch in 2006

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BE HONEST. If you were an automotive writer, which cars would you test drive? That’s what I thought. So I understand if you salivate on the page while reading the following: I’m cruising around Mission Bay in a 2006 Mercedes SL65 AMG—a convertible roadster boasting 604 horsepower and 738 footpounds of torque via a bi-turbo V-12. My editor actually gave away this job. Go figure.

Models from all manufacturers are accelerating into the monster horsepower trend. Corvette’s new Z06 will boast a 7.0-liter 505-hp V-8. Cadillac has a mean V series featuring luxury mated with superpower. Mercedes is rallying with V-12 engines, and Chrysler has reinvigorated the Hemi. Conversely, hybrids, “crossover” SUVs on car chassis and new diesels are also trends—sending a mixed message about fuel economy. But cars are interesting again, and your choices are plentiful. Here is a look at some of the most-anticipated 2006 models.

AUDI: There isn’t much Audi can do wrong. Except maybe design a grill. After a fifth win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and receiving the “Best Car in the World” vote by consumers in Europe, sales are brisk. So maybe the gaping-mouth grill on the new A6 sedan and A6 Avant wagon won’t subtract aesthetic points.

A significant redesign in 2005 for the A6 has resulted in rave reviews from some, mixed from others. Chasing BMW’s 5-series and Mercedes E-Class loyalists, Audi does an impressive job with its new V-6 and six-speed transmission. The A6 is a joy to drive and beautiful, to boot. The few failings—aside from a grill only a mother gray whale could love—include the Multi-Media Interface (MMI). A knob located behind the shift on the center console, MMI requires too many toggles to access some functions and compels drivers to look down. For those of us who revel in steering wheel functions, this is a step in the wrong direction.

A step in the right direction, however, is Audi’s finally adding a luxury SUV. The 2007 Q7, arriving early next year, features parts from the Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg. Equipped with a third-row seat and the all-road Quattro system, the Q7 is positioned between the A6 and A8 with luxury sedan appointments, and will offer a glass roof, 20-inch rims and a 3.2-liter 240-hp V-6 or a 4.2-liter 350-hp V-8. Price estimates are around $40,000, and more Q series SUVs are in the pipeline.

BMW: The 3-series is BMW’s sweet spot, accounting for almost half of all sales. Thankfully, the 2006 330i that debuted this year keeps the fifth-generation 3-series at the top of the game. Gone is the goofy trunk lid—replaced with a more integrated taillight configuration. Gone is iDrive—unless you pay for it (not likely). What remains is a still-wonderful-to-drive bimmer that’s longer, wider and taller. Equipped with an all-new in-line 6 featuring 255 horsepower, the 330i comes standard with a six-speed manual and optional Active Steering. Also being offered in a compact wagon, the all-wheel-drive 325xi will be available in October. The popular 3-series coupe’s redesign won’t be introduced till next year, with the convertible set for rollout in 2007.

For those who crave the quickest and baddest Munich has to offer, the new M6—faster than the 2005 M5 and 99 pounds lighter—will arrive in early 2006. Equipped with a 5.0-liter V-10 and a seven-speed automatic, the two-door, four-seat M6 is estimated to blow your hair back with 507 horsepower and 383 footpounds of torque. For about $95,000, it has more muscle than any M car so far. But for a more modest sum, the 330i or (325i with 215 hp) is a rewarding choice for the driver who appreciates tight BMW handling and improved styling in the revered 3-series.

CADILLAC: Cadillac is on a roll. A fast roll. Adding to the well-received CTS, STS and XLR, the new V series of those models is taking center stage. Along with the CTS-V and XLR-V, the flagship Cadillac STS-V is an assertively fast, finely appointed luxury sport sedan.

Tested at the Nurburgring, not only does the 0-to-60-in-5-seconds Caddy have the first supercharger on a production Cadillac, but the 440 horses generated by its 4.4-liter supercharged Northstar V-8 is the most ever on a Cadillac. Competing with the likes of the E55 AMG and BMW M5, the STS-V is robustly good looking. With an angular body style—tweaked in all the right places to create an aggressive stance—and a mesh grill and aluminum 18-inch rims on the front (19 on the rear), the STS-V screams power and personality. Pulling numbers very close to a Porsche 911, the V aims to be taken seriously.

And if its smaller cousin, the CTS, is any indication of the success of the STS-V, it’s a strong bet for Cadillac. Winner of the Road & Track overall best midsize sedan test in the summer of 2004, the standard CTS earned respect for styling and horsepower but lost points on luxury appointments inside. The V series delivers the goods, and the STS-V pulls up any slack with a leather instrument panel, olive burl wood and chrome accents galore. Add suede seat inserts—and a high-quality fit and finish—and Cadillac has refinement that German cars have owned the rights to for years.

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