Keeping ScoreFourteen of the 15 USCC tests are scored on a 110-point scale with the winner getting 110 points, the loser getting 10. Those who blow up so bad they can't cross the finish line get a zero. The scores for everyone but the best, worst and most blown-up are based on how the competitor finished relative to the best and worst car. If, for example, the most powerful car made 800 hp and the least powerful made 300 hp, there would be a 500-hp spread between them. A car making 700 hp would be 80 percent of the way from the loser to the winner, so it would get 90 points (that's 80 points, plus 10 points for not blowing up.)
Now the exceptions: The Gross Display of Horsepower is worth only 25 points and is scored by a panel of judges well versed in the art of the burnout. The gas mileage test is worth a total of 120 points since we offered an extra 10 bonus points for anyone willing to pour our 91-octane swill into their tank.
A perfect score for the USCC is 1,575 points. - Dave Coleman
Welcome to the Ultimate Street Car Challenge 2004. Or, as we like to call it, the best car test the world has ever seen.
The USCC is fiercely competitive. It's an intensive 48-hour test of man and machine. To win, a car must be fast, durable, powerful, usable, nice on the eyes and easy on the environment. For the victor, the rewards are a big glass trophy and immense satisfaction, while the losers get smaller glass trophies.
Regardless of the risk, for the fourth year in a row 10 crazies* took up the challenge and agreed to meet us in Los Angeles for the two days of absolute automotive bliss and abuse that is the USCC.
The first day was spent at the headquarters of K&N Filters in Riverside, Calif., where the cars competed in a car show, were put on the chassis dyno and judged by a team of experts for their engineering. We sampled their driveability, measured their fuel economy, checked their emissions and gave gassy Grandma a ride in each.
The next day we hit Los Angeles County Raceway in Palmdale, Calif., where the cars battled it out on the dragstrip, and Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond, Calif., where they competed on the 200-foot skidpad and the 1.5-mile road course.
Fifteen grueling tests in all.
If you tuned in last month, you already know about the cars. We covered all 10 in serious detail. Who won? Who has the ultimate street car? Turn the page to find out. Enjoy the action. - Scott Oldham
| * This year the 10 crazies are: |
| Machine | Man |
| 1994 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX | Scot Gray, Agoura Hills, Calif. |
| 1992 Nissan Skyline GT-R | Nick Wong, Chicago, Ill. |
| 1997 Toyota Supra Turbo | Matt Andrews, Irvine, Calif. |
| 1995 Mazda Miata | Andrew Campbell, Garland, Texas |
| 1991 Toyota MR2 | Brad Bedell, Plano, Texas |
| 1999 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS | William Knose, San Jose, Calif. |
| 2004 Volkswagen R32 | Marcel Horn, Surrey, BC, Canada |
| 1994 Mazda RX-7 | Jason Cameron, Irving, Texas |
| 2003 Mitsubishi EVO VIII | Robert Fuller, Apple Valley, Calif. |
| 2003 Mitsubishi EVO VIII | Scott Gladstone, Irvine, Calif. |
| We thank the sponsors of this year's USCC, Nitto Tires and Tokico. It couldn't go down without them. |