Text from Volkswagen of America. AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - As part of a new cooperative marketing agreement with Universal Studios, Volkswagen has tied itself to the psychological thrill ride “Revenge of the Mummy” at Universal Studios’ Hollywood and Universal Orlando theme parks. A Volkswagen Touareg wrapped in mummy-like cloth greets visitors to the attraction which immerses riders in the ominous, spine-chilling world of Imhotep and his mummy companions. Innocent bystanders are drawn into an environment that has been cursed by the angry mummies, complete with menacing Scarab beetles, dramatic explosions and vengeful creatures intent on wreaking havoc. The wild, and exhilarating coaster ride begins as the passenger cars enter the mouth of a mummy. The thrill of the ride’s high-speed launches, startling drops and moments of being suspended in air are magnified in complete darkness. Last year, Volkswagen and NBC Universal announced the creation of a multi-year global marketing alliance.
You might think for a moment that that it might be Mazda, with its whole “zoom-zoom” attitude, but for most folks the 5 is a bit too small. Their vans might be powerful and great all-round minivans, but you'd have a hard time justifying those choices with regards to performance. If I had to pick a brand, it would have to be Honda. Put aside the Si and the S2000 roadster and focus for a second on more ordinary products like the Accord and Civic, and what you'll find are cars that are role models for what conventional cars should be like. Hondas, big and small, have an effervescent nature to them, yes - even their minivans. It's what's helped the Odyssey to earn the reputation as being one of the best people movers in the business. This is the way things have been for two generations since Honda gave the van a complete makeover and more conventional layout in 1999, improved again with the 2005 redesign and now we're being introduced to the freshened 2008 model. By and large it looks the same, and that's because by and large it is the same van.
The biggest change is that there's an extra bar on the body-color, chrome-outlined grille, and an extra splash of orange on the enormous, clear-lensed taillights. Upper level Odysseys can be had with the new two-stage cylinder deactivation for better fuel economy. At the other end of the scale, Honda has taken into account those who aren't prepared to drop nearly forty thousand dollars on a family hauler with the new LX trim level. The LX is as low as you can go (in terms of price and equipment) for an Odyssey, yet is generously equipped. Air conditioning, power windows, cruise control, power mirrors and keyless entry are all standard, as are variable intermittent wipers and a rear bench that not only reclines, but folds flat into the floor. The LX is only available as a 7-seater, rather than with eight seats like the rest of the range. All Odysseys also come with front, side-thorax and side-curtain airbags, and VSA stability control too, plus active head restraints.
