HI, I'M JOHN DAVIS AND THIS IS MOTORWEEK !

JOIN US AS WE SEARCH FOR OUTRAGEOUS PERFORMANCE IN THE MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG BLACK SERIES.

PAT GOSS TEMPERS OUR HEAT WITH TIPS ON KEEPING AN ENGINE RUNNING COOL.

WE'LL GET UP TO SPEED ON HOW CAR DESIGN IS SLIMMING DOWN.

AND WE'LL SEE IF THE SMART ELECTRIC DRIVE IS THE SMARTEST MOVE YET.

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY... TIRE RACK CAN HELP YOU GET THE ANSWERS YOU NEED, AND HELP FIND WHICH TIRES ARE BEST FOR YOU.

MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT TIRERACK.COM.

ROCKAUTO HAS AUTO PARTS FROM HUNDREDS OF MANUFACTURERS.

NO MATTER WHAT CUSTOMERS DRIVE, THEY CAN PURCHASE ONLINE FROM A COMPREHENSIVE SELECTION OF BRANDS, PRICES, AND SPECIFICATIONS.

ROCKAUTO.COM, ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED.

DIEHARD.

MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT DIEHARD.COM.

John Davis: IF YOU'RE A FAN OF MERCEDEBENZ, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, THEIR AMG PERFORMANCE DIVISION, YOU KNOW THAT THE BLACK SERIES LABEL DENOTES SOMETHING TRULY SPECIAL.

FREED OF HAVING TO MAKE COMPROMISES FOR "ON THE ROAD COMFORT," AMG ENGINEERS ARE ABLE TO THROW EVERYTHING THEY CAN AT A BLACK CAR IN ORDER TO GET IT AROUND A RACE TRACK AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

SO THIS SLS BLACK SOUNDS LIKE JUST OUR KIND OF CAR.

THE 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG BLACK SERIES IS THE 5TH BLACK SERIES MODEL FROM AMG; AND RHAPS THE MOST FITTING ONE, AS THE SLS WAS AN ALL AMG AFFAIR FROM THE GET-GO.

AND WHAT HAVE THEIR MECHANICAL WIZARDS BEEN UP TO?

WELL, IF YOU'VE EVER WONDERED WHAT AMG COULD DO IF THEY PULLED OUT ALL THE STOPS, THIS IS IT.

FASTER IN A STRAIGHT LINE?

SURE!

BUT REALLY, SLS BLACK IS MORE ABOUT TURNING, STOPPING, AND STAYING SUPER FLAT IN CORNERS.

BUT LET'S START WITH THE SLS' STILL NORMALLY ASPIRATED 6.2-LITER V8.

HORSEPOWER BUMPS UP TO 622.

IT REVS HIGHER AND A LOT QUICKER, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, AS TORQUE IS ACTUALLY DOWN A BIT TO 468 POUND-FEET.

BUT THE LAUNCH IS IMPROVED.

AND LAUNCH IT WE DID!

ENGAGING RACE START, NAILING THE THROTTLE, AND LETTING THE SLS ROCKET TO 60 IN 3.2-SECONDS.

THERE'S A NEW REAR ELECTRONIC DIFF.

LOCK WITH A SHORTER FINAL DRIVE RATIO THAT HELPS LOWER THE QUARTER MILE TIME TO 11.2-SECONDS AT A BLISTERING 128 MILES-PER-HOUR.

THE 7-SPEED SPEEDSHIFT DCT TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT AS FAST AS SOME SUPERCARS, BUT IT STILL WORKS WITH SNAPPY PRECISION.

WITH ANY CAR THAT OFFERS THIS AMOUNT OF BREATHTAKING PERFORMANCE, IT'S REALLY A WASTE UNLESS YOU'RE ON A PROPER ROAD COURSE.

IT ALMOST DOESN'T EVEN MATTER HOW CHALLENGING THE TRACK IS, JUST FIND ONE.

OUR TRACK OF CHOICE IS THE 9-TURN ROEBLING ROAD RACEWAY NEAR SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

AND WE QUICKLY FOUND THIS TO BE THE MOST TRACK-FOCUSED, YET STILL ROAD-GOING CAR TO EVER SPORT THE 3-POINTED STAR.

THE SUSPENSION SET UP IS THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL SLS, BUT JUST ABOUT EVERY PART HAS BEEN REPLACED OR STRENGTHENED, MAKING FOR A REMARKABLY STIFFER FEEL.

AND WHILE IT REMAINS A PHYSICALLY BIG CAR, AND SOMETIMES FEELS A BIT AWKWARD WITH THE FRONT WHEELS SO FAR OUT IN FRONT OF YOU; IT STILL REACTS WITH IMPRESSIVE BALANCE.

THE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE OF THE STEERING TOOK US A FEW LAPS TO GET USED TO.

AND YOU'D BETTER BE ABLE TO RESPOND QUICKLY YOURSELF, AS THE BLACK SERIES WILL DO WHATEVER YOU TELL IT TO DO, WHETHER IT'S THE RIGHT THING OR NOT.

THE THROTTLE IS ALSO VERY SENSITIVE, MAKING IT HARD TO SNEAK UP ON THE CAR'S LIMITS.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, "HEY, LOOK OUT, YOU'RE THERE!"

THE SAME 3-STAGE ANTI-SKID SYSTEM REMAINS, BUT WITH THE INCREASED CAPABILITIES OF THE CAR IT SEEMS MUCH LESS EAGER TO CHIME IN.

THE STANDARD 2-PIECE CARBON CERAMIC BRAKES ARE UPGRADED AS WELL, AND WORKED SUPERBLY WITH GREAT FEEDBACK.

EVEN AT FIRST GLANCE, THE ADDITIONAL GT3-INSPIRED AERODYNAMIC ENHANCEMENTS OF THE BLACK SERIES ARE OBVIOUS.

BUT LOOK PAST THE CARBON FIBER FRONT SPLITTER, SILL EXTENSIONS, REAR WING AND DIFFUSER, TINTED HEADLIGHTS, BLACK TAIL LIGHT SURROUNDS, LARGER AIR INTAKES, AND FLARED FENDERS, AND GET UNDER THE SKIN TO SEE JUST HOW DIFFERENT BLACK IS OVER THE BASE SLS.

OVER 150-POUNDS OF WEIGHT HAVE BEEN SHAVED THANKS TO A CARBON FIBER DRIVE SHAFT AND EVEN A FULL TITANIUM EXHAUST SYSTEM THAT ADDS A SERIOUSLY THROATY ROAR AND HELPS IT SOUND EVEN MORE LIKE A RACE CAR THAN BEFORE.

IT LOOKS A LOT MORE LIKE ONE AS WELL, AS THERE'S NOW MUCH MORE TO THIS SLS STYLE THAN JUST COOL GULL-WING DOORS.

ONCE YOU DROP INTO THE COCKPIT, YOU'LL FIND THE INTERIOR LIKE NOTHING ELSE ON THE ROAD.

THGS ARE STILL LUXURY FOCUSED, AS YOU'D EXPECT IN EVERY MERCEDES-BENZ, THOUGH WITH A HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL FIGHTER JET FEEL.

THERE'S A LIBERAL DOSE OF CARBON FIBER AND PLENTY OF ALCANTARA LEATHER AND RED STITCHING SPREAD ABOUT THE CABIN, ALONG WITH A GREAT FLATTENED BOTTOM STEERING WHEEL.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS TAKE A SLIGHT HIT, NOW COMING IN AT 13-CITY, 17-HIGHWAY, AND 14-COMBINED.

AND THAT STILL MEANS A GAS GUZZLER TAX AND A VERY POOR ENERGY IMPACT SCORE WITH A HEFTY 23.5-BARRELS OF OIL CONSUMED YEARLY AND CO2 EMISSIONS OF 10.4-TONS.

PLUS, AS THEY SAY, "YOU'VE GOT TO PAY TO PLAY."

AND IF YOU HAVE THE $278,025 NECESSARY TO ACQUIRE AN SLS BLACK SERIES, YOU'LL TRULY HAVE ONE OF THE BADDEST TOYS ON THE PLAYGROUND.

YOU'D BETTER ACT FAST THOUGH, AS MERCEDES-BENZ HAS ANNOUNCED THIS WILL BE THE LAST YEAR OF PRODUCTION OF ALL VARIANTS OF THE SLS AMG.

AND WITH THE 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG BLACK SERIES, THEY ARE INDEED GOING OUT WITH A BANG.

THE ENGINEERS AT AMG HAVE TAKEN A RICH MAN'S TOY AND UNLEASHED THE REAL DEAL SUPERCAR THAT LIES BENEATH.

THIS "NEW BLACK" WILL SURELY MAKE A STATEMENT WHEREVER IT ARRIVES.

FOR MORE MOTORWEEK ROAD TESTS, AS WELL AS COMPLETE EPISODES, WHY NOT CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

WHETHER YOU'RE SEEKING MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE OR MAXIMUM FUEL ECONOMY OF A VEHICLE, REDUCING WEIGHT IS A SUREFIRE WAY OF ACHIEVING MEANINGFUL RESULTS.

BUT STRIKING THE IDEAL BALANCE BETWEEN LIGHT, STRONG, SAFE, EFFICIENT, AND COST-EFFECTIVENESS IS A COMPLICATED FEAT OF ENGINEERING, AS WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT!

FROM THE DAYS BEFORE HENRY FORD'S TIN LIZZIE, MASS-MARKET CARS HAVE BEEN MADE PRIMARILY OF STEEL.

IT IS RELATIVELY CHEAP, STRONG, DURABLE AND EASY TO WORK WITH.

BUT IT'S ALSO HEAVY.

IF WE ALL COULD AFFORD BUGATTIS, THEN CARBON FIBER WOULD BE AN EASY ANSWER.

IT'S HALF THE WEIGHT OF STEEL AND FOUR TIMES STRONGER.

BUT AT $15 PER POUND, IT'S MORE THAN THREE TIMES THE COST.

ALUMINUM IS ANOTHER LIGHT, BUT MORE EXPENSIVE ALTERNATIVE TO STEEL, AND UPSCALE BRANDS LIKE AUDI, JAGUAR AND LAND ROVER HAVE PIONEERED ITS USE IN THE MASS-MARKET.

BUT NOW FORD IS JUMPING ON THE ALUMINUM BANDWAGON WITH ITS HIGHEST VOLUME VEHICLE, THE F150.

THE 2015 MODEL PICKUP WILL TIP THE SCALE SOME 700 POUNDS LIGHTER THAN BEFORE THANKS TO AN ALL-ALUMINUM BODY AND BED.

LIKE A DIET FOR HUMANS, THERE IS NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL SOLUTION TO VEHICLE LIGHT-WEIGHTING.

BUT AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S OAKRIDGE NATIONAL LAB NEAR KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, AUTOMAKERS, SUPPLIERS AND D.O.E.

RESEARCHERS ARE CO-DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF ADVANCED MATERIALS AND LIGHTWEIGHT AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS.

THIS ELECTRIC ARC FURNACE ALLOWS THE OPERATOR TO MELT SMALL QUANTITIES OF DIFFERENT METALS TOGETHER TO CREATE ENTIRELY NEW ALLOY COMPOSITIONS FOR STUDY.

NEARBY, THE 1,000 DEGREE CELSIUS FURNACE AND ROLLER MILL TEST THE WORKABILITY OF THE NEW METALS AS THEY ARE MADE INTO THINNER SHEETS.

ALONG WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW METAL COMPOUNDS COMES THE NEED TO JOIN THEM TOGETHER.

HERE, RESEARCHERS ARE DEMONSTRATING A LOW-TEMPERATURE FRICTION STIR WELDER THAT COULD BE USED INSTEAD OF RIVETS TO JOIN ALUMINUM AND STEEL TOGETHER.

QUALITY CHECKING SPOT WELDS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PRODUCTIVITY KILLER ON ASSEMBLY LINES.

THIS AUTOMATED INFRARED WELD INSPECTOR CAN DETECT THE HEAT SIGNATURE OF EACH WELD AS IT IS PERFORMED AND DETERMINE IF IT'S GOOD OR BAD, THEN COMPENSATE WITH EXTRA WELDS OR ADJUST THE WELDER SETTINGS ON THE FLY.

SEVENTY YEARS AGO, SCIENTISTS HERE WERE STUDYING HOW TO HARNESS THE ENERGY IN PLUTONIUM.

BUT OAKRIDGE IS BETTER KNOWN THESE DAYS FOR STUDYING THE ATOMIC STRUCTURE OF MATERIALS WITH THE HIGH-FLUX ISOTOPE REACTOR, ITS DENSE NEUTRON BEAM PAD TO SPLIT AMONG 13 SPECIALIZED INSTRUMENTS USED TO VALIDATE THE MOLECULAR AND MAGNETIC STRUCTURE OF VARIOUS MATERIALS.

Mike Simonson: THIS MACHINE IS DESIGNED TO LOOK INSIDE ALLOYS AND PARTS THAT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN MANUFACTURED BY VARIOUS PROCESSES TO UNDERSTAND AT THE ATOMIC LEVEL WHAT THE STRAINS AND STRESSES ARE WITHIN THE MATERIAL.

JohnUSING ORDINARY ACRYLIC FIBER, LIKE THAT USED TO MAKE SOCKS OR SWEATERS, THE TEAM AT OAKRIDGE'S CARBON FIBER FACILITY HAS CREATED A CARBON FILAMENT WITH MUCH OF THE SAME PROPERTIES AS THE PURE MATERIAL, BUT AT A THIRD OF THE COST.

WINDING REPEATEDLY THROUGH FOUR OVENS, THE WHITE FIBER IS OXIDIZED; THEN A BLAST IN THE 1,000 DEGREE FURNACE VAPORIZES EVERYTHING BUT THE CARBON.

NOTHING IS COOLER THAN SEEING A PART MATERIALIZE BEFORE YOUR EYES.

AND THAT'S WHAT ADDITIVE OR 3-D PRINTING IS ALL ABOUT.

HERE, OAKRIDGE SCIENTISTS HAVE USED A PLASTIC AND CARBON FIBER COMPOSITE TO PRINT LARGE CUSTOM PARTS, AND EVEN AN ENTIRE GO-CART CHASSIS.

MORE IMPRESSIVE, THOUGH, IS THE ABILITY TO CREATE A COMPLEX MOVING GEAR AND TRACK ASSEMBLY OR A FUNCTIONING MECHANICAL HAND IN ONE BUILD OUT OF TITANIUM.

THE DOWNSIZING OF EXISTING COMPONENTS IS CRUCIAL FOR WEIGHT-SAVINGS, TOO.

OAKRIDGE RESEARCHERS HAVE RE-CONFIGURED AN ELECTRIC CAR POWER INVERTER TO NEARLY HALF ITS FORMER SIZE, AND ARE DEVELOPING NEW BATTERY ELECTRODE MATERIALS THAT ALLOW MORE ENERGY STORED PER VOLUME.

SO AN EV COULD INCREASE ITS DRIVING RANGE OR SHRINK ITS BATTERY SIZE TO SAVE WEIGHT.

NOW, WE MAY NOT BE 3-D PRINTING OUR OWN CARS AT HOME ANY TIME SOON, BUT WITH THESE ADVANCES IN AUTOMOTIVE MATERIALS ENGINEERING, OAKRIDGE AND THE OTHER D.O.E.

NATIONAL LABORATORIES ARE POINTING US IN THE RIGHT "LIGHT" DIRECTION.

PAT GOSS IS HERE TO HELP EVERYONE, AND THEIR ENGINES, KEEP THEIR COOL!

Pat Goss: SO, YOU'RE A DO-IT-YOURSELFER AND YOU TRY TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF THE COOLING SYSTEM ON YOUR CAR.

WELL, IT'S REALLY EASY TODAY TO MAKE SOME MISTAKES IN DOING THAT.

FIRST, ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT THE COOLANT YOU BUY FOR YOUR CAR MATCHES THE REQUIREMENTS IN YOUR OWNER'S MANUAL.

SEE, ONE SIZE MAY FIT YOUR CAR, MAY FIT MOST CARS, BUT ONE SIZE USUALLY DOESN'T FIT ALL CARS.

SO, YOU LOOK AT THE LABEL ON THE BACK OF THE CONTAINER TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS THE PROPER SPECIFICATIONS AS OUTLINED IN YOUR OWNER'S MANUAL.

ALRIGHT, THAT'S NUMBER ONE: PROPER COOLANT.

NUMBER TWO: ALWAYS MIX IT WITH DISTILLED WATER.

AND THE WAY YOU DO THAT, IS BEFORE YOU POUR ANYTHING BACK INTO THE COOLING SYSTEM OR PUT IT IN AT ANY TIME, YOU MIX COOLANT AND DISTILLED WATER 50/50, THEN YOU PUT THE MIX IN.

ALRIGHT, SO THAT PART OF IT IS PRETTY EASY.

NOW, A LOT OF YOU SEEM TO THINK THAT IF A LITTLE BIT OF COOLANT OR ANTI-FREEZE IS GOOD, THEN A WHOLE LOT IS BETTER.

NAMELY, YOU DON'T PUT ANY WATER IN IT, YOU JUST PUT PURE ANTI-FREEZE IN YOUR RADIATOR.

WELL, HERE WE HAVE PURE ANTI-FREEZE.

IT HAS A BOLT IN IT.

THE BOLT IS ALL RUSTY.

BUT LOOK WHAT HAPPENS; OVER HERE WE MIXED IT 50/50 WITH DISTILLED WATER AND THE BOLT IS STILL SHINY AND BRIGHT.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE WATER MIXED WITH THE ANTI-FREEZE OR COOLANT -- WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT -- TO MAKE IT WORK PROPERLY.

NOW, HERE'S ONE THAT WILL REALLY COST YOU.

SOONER OR LATER, YOU'RE GOING TO PUT NEW HOSES ON YOUR COOLING SYSTEM.

AND WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU TAKE THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT CLAMPS OFF AND YOU THROW THEM AWAY AND YOU GO OUT AND YOU BUY THESE WORM-DRIVE CLAMPS.

WELL, DON'T DO IT.

YOU SEE, WORM-DRIVE CLAMPS, WHEN YOU TIGHTEN THEM DOWN, THERE'S A PRESSURE POINT RIGHT UNDER WHERE THE SCREW IS IN THEM.

AND ON PLASTIC NECK RADIATORS -- WHICH IS VIRTUALLY ALL CARS THESE DAYS -- WITH HEATING AND COOLING OVER TIME, IT CAUSES THE PLASTIC INSIDE THE HOSE TO CRACK AND EVENTUALLY THE HOSE JUST FALLS OFF BECAUSE THE RADIATOR IS DESTROYED.

SAVE THE ORIGINAL CLAMPS OR BUY REPLACEMENTS FROM THE DEALER AND USE THAT TYPE OF CLAMP, AS OPPOSED TO THE WORM-DRIVE, BECAUSE IT IS FAR, FAR BETTER FOR THESE PLASTIC RADIATORS.

AND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT, DROP ME A LINE RIGHT HERE AT MOTORWEEK .

NOW LET'S HEAD INSIDE FOR MORE OF WHAT'S NEW IN THE AUTOMOTIVE WORLD WITH YOLANDA VAZQUEZ.

Yolanda Vazquez: THE 2014 GENE MOTOR SHOW JUST WRAPPED UP, AND AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, IT GENERATED SOME BIG HEADLINES.

SO LET'S TAKE AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT SOME OF THESE GEMS FROM GENEVA.

PERHAPS THE BIGGEST NEWS CAME FROM ONE OF THE SMALLER VEHICLES AT THE SHOW: THE SUBCOMPACT 2015 JEEP RENEGADE.

DESIGNED TO MAKE JEEP "HIP" GLOBALLY, THE FIAT 500L-BASED RENEGADE WILL BE A FULLY CAPABLE OFF-ROADER.

THE RENEGADE TRAILHAWK BOASTS 8.7 INCHES OF GROUND CLEARANCE, HI-LOW 4-WHEEL-DRIVE, AND A 9-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.

BUT THAT'S JUST THE TEASE, AS WE'LL HAVE MORE ON THE RENEGADE SOON.

THERE WERE ALSO SOME SERIOUS DISPLAYS OF PERFORMANCE AT GENEVA.

FIRST FROM MCLAREN AND THE 650S, PACKING 641 HORSEPOWER, AND TURNING A 0 TO 60 TIME UNDER THREE SECONDS.

LAMBORGHINI PULLED THE SHEETS OFF THE HURACAN.

REPLACING THE GALLARDO, THEIR LATEST SUPERCAR RATES 610 HORSEPOWER FROM A 5.2 LITER V10 WITH ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE.

NOT TO BE OUTDONE, FERRARI DROPPED THE VEIL, AND THE TOP, ON THE CALIFORNIA T WITH TWIN-TURBO V8 AND 553 HORSEPOWER.

MEANWHILE, LITTLE KNOWN AUTOMAKER KOENIGSEGG REVEALED THE ONE:1, A SELF-PROCLAIMED MEGA-CAR PRODUCING 1,341 HORSEPOWER.

OTHER NOTABLE REVEALS INCLUDE THE MAZDA HAZUMI CONCEPT, LOOKING TO BE THE NEXT MAZDA2; A SEXY NEW COUPE VARIANT OF THE MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS; THE THIRD GENERATION AUDI TT COUPE WITH A FAMILIAR BUT MORE ANGULAR LOOK; AND A SMALL SPORT SEDAN FROM JAGUAR, THE XE, WHICH WILL BE THE BRAND'S FIRST USE OF AN ALUMINUM ARCHITECTURE.

THERE WAS ALSO SOME IMPRESSIVE TECH ON DISPLAY; NAMELY APPLE'S CARPLAY INFOTAINMENT OPERATING SYSTEM.

IT WILL OFFER FULL iPHONE INTEGRATION, ALLOWING SEAMLESS ACCESS TO VOICE AND TEXT MESSAGING, MUSIC, AND NAVIGATION.

ALREADY CONFIRMED FOR MAJOR PLAYERS LIKE FERRARI, VOLVO, AND HONDA, CARPLAY WILL EXPAND TO EVEN MORE BRANDS IN THE COMING YEARS.

AND THAT'S THE LATEST FROM THE SWISS CITY OF GENEVA AND THIS WEEK'S MOTORNEWS.

EVEN IN EARLY SPRING, THE WEATHER DIDN'T STOP TESTING OUR LONG-TERM 2014 SUBARU FORESTER 2.0XT TOURING.

IF IT WASN'T SNOW OR SLUSH, IT WAS RAIN AND MUD.

STILL, THIS COMPACT CROSSOVER SLUGGED THROUGH UNDAUNTED.

WE WERE ESPECIALLY IMPRESSED HOW X MODE TEMPERED THROTTLE REACTION AND MODULATED WHEEL SLIP.

WHEN THE ROADS SMOOTHED OUT HOWEVER, THE FORESTER DID NOT.

THE RIDE IS STIFF, AND SO ARE THE FRONT SEATS.

GIVEN THE SMALLISH 2.0-LITER ENGINE, WE HAD HOPED FOR BETTER THAN THE 23.4 MILES PER GALLON OF REGULAR WE'VE SEEN AFTER NEARLY 9 MONTHS AND 16,000 MILES.

HOPEFULLY, IT WILL BOUNCE UP WITH WARMER WEATHER.

WE'VE HAD NO MECHANICAL ISSUES, WHICH SPEAKS VOLUMES GIVEN THE WIDE VARIETY OF DRIVERS THAT USE OUR FORESTER.

NO WONDER SUBARU FORESTER OWNERS ARE AMONG THE INDUSTRY'SMOST SATISFIE D. THE UNUSUALLY NASTY WEATHER ALSO TOOK A TOLL ON THE FUEL ECONOMY OF OUR 2013 KIA OPTIMA EX HYBRID.

OUR AVERAGE OF 33.2 MILES PER GALLON OF REGULAR IS THE LOWEST SINCE WE TOOK DELIVERY SOME 10 MONTHS BACK.

STILL, IT REMAINS A HIGH WATER MARK FOR A MID-SIZE CAR OF ANY STRIPE.

THE ODOMETER HAS CLICKED PASSED 14,400 MILES WITH NO MECHANICAL FAULTS, OR FOR THAT MATTER, NOTABLE NEGATIVE COMMENTS FROM OUR STAFF.

THEY LOVE THE OPTIMA'S EURO-SPEC EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR DESIGN -- ITS ROOMY, ALMOST LUXURIOUS CABIN, AND GREAT RIDE.

THE OVERALL FEEL IS SPORTY, YET THOSE SOFT SPRINGS, COMBINED WITH HARD TIRES, ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP YOUR AGGRESSIVE DRIVING HABITS IN CHECK.

STILL, IF YOU WANT TO AGGRESSIVELY TACKLE FAMILY CAR FUEL ECONOMY COSTS, THE KIA OPTIMA HYBRID IS A WINNER.

WE'LL SEE IF THE WINNING WAYS CONTINUE FOR OUR ACURA RLX AND RAM 1500 ON THE NEXT MOTORWEEK LONG-TERM ROAD TEST UPDATE.

WHILE JUST ABOUT EVERYONE KNOWS THE QUIRKY, LITTLE SMART FORTWO WHEN THEY SEE ONE, THEY HAVEN'T EXACTLY SET OUR STREETS ON FIRE WITH SALES.

LESS THAN 10,000 SMART CARS WERE SOLD LAST YEAR.

STILL, SMART THINKS THE U.S. IS A VIABLE MARKET FOR THE SMART ELECTRIC DRIVE THAT'S BEEN ON SALE IN EUROPE SINCE 2012.

SO, LET'S DO SOME PLUGGING IN AND SEE IF THE ALL-ELECTRIC SMART JUST MIGHT BE THE SMARTEST YET?

IT'S BEEN PART OF THE SMART PLAN FROM THE BEGINNING, BUT IT'S THE FIRST TO FULLY INFILTRATE THE U.S. MARKET.

RECENT UPDATES THAT HAVE ALLOWED THAT TO COME ABOUT ARE A BIGGER 17.6-KILOWATT HOUR LITHIUM-ION BATTERY AND MORE POWERFUL 55-KILOWATT ELECTRIC MOTOR.

SMART'S 90-MILE RANGE CLAIM IS RIGHT IN LINE WITH MOST EVs CURRENTLY ON THE MARKET, BUT THANKS TO QUICKER CHARGING OF JUST 3.5 HOURS TO 80% ON 240-VOLTS, YOU CAN GET BACK ON THE ROAD SOONER, AS WELL AS FULLY CHARGE ON 120-CURRENT OVERNIGHT.

EPA RANGE ESTIMATES ARE 76-CITY, 59-HIGHWAY, AND 68-COMBINED.

LIKE ALL OTHER SMART CARS, THE ELECTRIC DRIVE IS HIGHLY CUSTOMIZABLE, WITH AN ALMOST UNLIMITED AMOUNT OF BODY PANEL AND INTERIOR PERSONALIZATION OPTIONS.

LIKE MOST VEHICLES THAT RELY ON ELECTRIC CURRENT FOR FORWARD MOTION, THERE IS A DECENT AMOUNT OF TORQUE OFF THE LINE.

AND THE ELECTRIC DRIVE IS ACTUALLY QUICKER TO 60 THAN THE STANDARD CAR AT 11.5-SECONDS; THOUGH IT DOESN'T FEEL AS STRONG AS THE NISSAN LEAF OR CHEVROLET SPARK EV.

SINGLE SPEED, DIRECT DRIVE MEANS THERE'S NO TRANSMISSION, AND IN THAT REGARD, THE ELECTRIC DRIVE IS ACTUALLY BETTER THAN THE GASOLINE-POWERED SMART, AS ITS BALKY TRANSMISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF OUR MAJOR COMPLAINTS.

BUT THE HERKY-JERKY SENSATIONS HAVEN'T GONE AWAY ENTIRELY, THEY'VE JUST FOUND THEIR WAY DOWN TO THE BRAKE PEDAL.

AND NO MATTER HOW FAR EVs HAVE PROGRESSED RECENTLY, AT TIMES, IT CAN STILL FEEL LIKE YOU'RE DRIVING A SCIENCE PROJECT AROUND MORE THAN A CAR.

IN REGARDS TO ACTUAL RANGE, IN A 2-WEEK STAY AT OUR OFFICES, WE NEVER SAW MORE THAN 52-MILES TO EMPTY ON THE RANGE GAUGE, WHICH AT FIRST HAD US PLUGGING IN ANY CHANCE WE GOT AND KEEPING TRIPS TO A MINIMUM -- SOMETHING WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO WITH THE LEAF OR SPARK EV.

BUT THE MORE WE DROVE THE SMART EV, THE MORE WE FOUND THAT GAUGE TO BE INCREDIBLY PESSIMISTIC.

AFTER DRIVING 40 TO 50 MILES, THE POWER GAUGE WOULD STILL SHOW 50% BATTERY LIFE.

WE WEREN'T SURE WHICH GAUGE TO BELIEVE, BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY ENOUGH RANGE FOR MOST COMMUTES PLUS A SHORT SIDE TRIP OR TWO.

WHILE THE SMART MAY HAVE ALREADY HAD THE SMALLEST FOOTPRINT ON THE ROAD, ITS CARBON SHADOW HAS CERTAINLY GOTTEN SMALLER, THANKS TO GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS THAT ARE A MILES-PER-GALLON EQUIVALENT OF 122-CITY, 93-HIGHWAY, AND 107-COMBINED, GIVING IT AN ALMOST PERFECT ENERGY IMPACT SCORE OF JUST 0.2-BARRELS OF OIL CONSUMED PER YEAR WITH ZERO CO2 EMISSIONS.

INSIDE, THERE ARE FEW INDICATORS THAT THERE'S A NEW PROPULSION SYSTEM IN PLACE, AS THE SAME QUIRKY, TINY, AND TO MANY, IMPRACTICAL BUT NOT TOTALLY CLAUSTROPHOBIC CONFINES PERSIST.

THERE'S PLENTY OF HEAD AND LEGROOM FOR MOST DRIVERS; BUT AS ALWAYS, YOU AND YOUR SINGLE PASSENGER ARE SITTING VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER, AND NOT FAR FROM THE REAR BUMPER.

THERE'S NO LOSS OF INTERIOR SPACE IN THE EV AS THE ELECTRIC MOTOR LIES BELOW THE REAR STORAGE AREA, SAME AS IN THE GASOLINE-POWERED SMART, WITH ROOM ABOVE FOR A SURPRISINGLY GENEROUS 7.8 CUBIC-FEET OF CARGO.

AND THE BATTERIES ARE LOCATED BENEATH THE FLOOR IN PLACE OF THE FUEL TANK.

ANOTHER PLUS IS THE SMART EV'S RELATIVELY AFFORDABLE PRICE, STARTING AT JUST $25,750, BEFORE FEDERAL AND STATE TAX CREDITS.

THAT NOT ONLY MAKES IT THE CHEAPEST EV AROUND, BUT FOR $3,000 MORE, YOU CAN GO SEMI-OPEN AIR WITH A CABRIO.

THE SMART FORTWO ELECTRIC DRIVE HAS ALREADY BECOME THE DARLING OF URBAN RENT-BY- THE-HOUR CAR SHARING FIRMS.

SO IT JUST MAY BE THAT GOING EV COULWE'VE ALWAYS SAID THATTION THE SMART FORTWO MADE SOME SENSE AS A PURE CITY CAR AND SHORT RANGE COMMUTER.

NOW THAT YOU ONLY HAVE TO PLUG-IN TO FILL UP, ITS APPEAL JUST GOT CHARGED WAY UP.

WELL, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SHOW.

AND FOR MORE MOTORWEEK, WHY NOT CHECK OUT OUR PODCAST, AS WELL AS COMPLETE EPISODES AT PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

AND I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME... WITH SUMMER VACATIONS JUST AROUND THE CORNER, WE RATE TOP THREE-ROW UTILITIES.

THEN WE GET BACK ON TRACK IN THE FABULOUSLY FAST JAGUAR XFR-S. PAT GOSS SHOWS US HOW TO KEEP THINGS SQUEAKY CLEAN.

ZACH MASKELL GETS AN OVER THE EDGE BRUSH WITH THE LAW.

AND WE GRAB MORE QUICK SPIN FIRST DRIVING IMPRESSIONS.

TILL THEN, I'M JOHN DAVIS.

WE'LL SEE YOU RIGHT HERE ON MOTORWEEK .

Announcer: TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE, VISIT PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

MOTORWEEK HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY TIRE RACK.

TIRE RACK CAN HELP YOU GET THE ANSWERS YOU NEED, AND HELP FIND WHICH TIRES ARE BEST FOR YOU.

MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT TIRERACK.COM.

ROCKAUTO HAS AUTO PARTS FROM HUNDREDS OF MANUFACTURERS.

NO MATTER WHAT CUSTOMERS DRIVE, THEY CAN PURCHASE ONLINE FROM A COMPREHENSIVE SELECTION OF BRANDS, PRICES, AND SPECIFICATIONS.

ROCKAUTO.COM, ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED.

DIEHARD.

THE DIEHARD ADVANCED GOLD BATTERY.

DESIGNED TO HELP START YOUR CAR AND POWER THE DEMANDS OF TODAY'S ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND ACCESSORIES IN IT.

MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT DIEHARD.COM.