Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
Why dont you have some sort of big american V8 car? 
Really would never have guessed you drove a Suzuki Aerio..
Suzuki Aerio SX, to be precise. We own two of them, and a 2002 Subaru WRX that replaced my 86' Shelby GLH-S. Strictly used as a weekend car, the WRX has just 6,700 miles on it. On the other hand, my Aerio has a revised engine management chip. Also added were a free-flow exhaust system and K&N air filter. Combined, that little 2.0 litre engine makes about 165 bhp, in a car just barely making 2,600 lbs with a full gas tank. 0-60 comes up in about 7.1 seconds, fast enough to lean on some expensive sports sedans (that same combo on the 2004 2.3 litre engine should make about 180 hp). After-market struts, springs and anti-roll bars are on the horizon (probably late Spring), basically waiting for the tuners to bring them to market.
Now, I'm just two months short of my 51st birthday, and have always enjoyed driving "sleepers", ambushing the motorheads on a twisty country road. That was the charm of the GLH-S. Originally built with a 175 hp 2.3 L engine, we later swapped in a 217 hp 2.5 L motor out of a Dodge Spirit R/T. 0-60 times were in the mid five second range. Aside from 45 series Yokohamas on 16" wheels, I left the mildly jazzed Dodge Omni appearance unchanged. Nothing quite as shocking as having a Dodge Omni stomp the daylights out your Boxter S..
Unequal length half-shafts made for the kind of torque steer that built Popeye like forearms. However, it could pull about 1 G lateral acceleration and body roll was nil. Basically, Shelby built it as a street-legal racing car.
I still have the issue of Hotrod magazine that prompted me to run over to the nearest Dodge/Shelby dealer and order one. Shelby brought one to Willow Springs raceway and invited the local Shelby club to bring their fastest hardware. They showed up with a race prepared 1966 GT-350 (hypo 289 at about 350 hp). On the track, the GLH-S stupified the crowd by easily beating the GT-350. That was with 175 hp, re-engined with 217 hp, it's considerably quicker.
I kept mine for 16 years. The WRX is far more user friendly and doesn't cause kidney ailments...
And, it's damn near as fast. However, it cannot quite keep pace with the GLH-S as it doesn't have the razor-like handling or the 155 mph top end. Spending another 10 grand to bring it up to the GLH-S would be silly. Might as well trade it in on a WRX STi or Mitsu Evo. But, they are as single purpose as the Shelby, and that's why the Shelby was sold.
The Aerio, on the other hand, is adequately fast and handles well enough to make commuting interesting. Where it shines is in its practicality, reliability and utility. We bought Aerios because we have continuously owned Suzukis going back to 1989 when I bought a Samurai for beach use (great beach buggy, only an idiot could get one stuck). Currently, you can find 3 Suzukis in our driveway.
By the way, a Suzuki holds the absolute course record for the Silverstone hill climb. Rumor has it that Suzuki is considering a run at the European Touring Car Championship in 2006.
While Suzuki is only just making measurable inroads into the U.S. market, they are huge sellers in the rest of the world. I'm waiting for the proposed 255 hp Verona to come to the U.S., that will sell very well, if Suzuki hires a better ad agency. Suzuki has a lot to learn about marketing cars in North America. First rate cars, solid trucks, lousy marketing.
My regards,
Widewing
