3C
SPORTS/ICte CliarUine $ot
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Jaguar wows with wagon
Winfred
B. Cross
Test
Drive
Americans are still gob
bling up gas-guzzling SUVs
at a surprising rate despite
sky-hig^ gas prices. Come on
now We need room for seven
or even nine for our two-and-
a half kids, wife and pet.
You can still fit all of that in
a station wagon, which, by
the way, has as much storage
space if not more as a big of
honkin’ SUV Unfortunately,
if you want Jaguar’s snazzy
Sportwagon, you’ll pay what
you pay for one of those
honkin’ SUVs.
Is that such a bad thing?
Yes and no. Yes, because my
test wagon is $43,940. No,
because you get a great-dri
ving Jaguar wagon with a lot
of stuff
The Sportwagon is an X-
Type stretched a bit and
reconfigured as a station
wagon Like the X-Type, it’s
smallish, but stylish. It’s
actually handsome as a
wagon.
The mechanicals are the
same. A 227 horsepower V6
gets a workout in the heav
ier, all wheel drive wagon,
but it’s up to the task. Soccer
moms don’t peel away from
stop lights (well, not all of
them) but they do need
power to pass and that this
car has. It’s also nimble. AH
the road manners of the X-
lype are present, with
maybe a smoother ride
because of the longer wheel
base.
There is ample room for
four; five ^vould be tight.
Cargo space is good, but
becomes great when you
lower those leather-covered
split-folding seats in the
rear.
At $36,330, the
Sportwagon has a lot of stuff
including bunches of airbags,
wood trim, remote entry and
alloy wheels. You can pile on
the options, of course, which
is what Jaguar did to my test
car. Who could live without
Bluetooh connectivity in this
day and age? Or a navigation
system, two-stage heated
fiont seats, metallic paint,
reverse park control or
dynamic stability control.
Then there’s that $2,200
premium package that really
makes this a Jaguar.
Mini vans have more room
but aren’t as cool. SUVs
allow you to crush a lot of
stuff for no particular reason.
The station wagon seems to
be the most common sense
mode of transportation for
famihes these days but
there’s that stigma fiom the
1960s and ‘VOs. Jaguar has
added cool points to a dying
bread
MEAC tourney sales piek up steam
Continued from page 1C
Hampton coach Maurice Pierce said. “We
were able to do all those things.”
Norfolk State won its first indoor title since
2001 by piling up 133. Hampton was second
with 86 points and North Carolina A&T third
at 74.
“We exceeded our expectations,” said
Norfolk State head coach Kenneth Giles.
“This win is for the seniors, we have a good
group of student-athletes who have helped
build this program.”
A&Ts Justin Byron earned outstanding
performer honors, the senior earned 20 points
and won the 200 meters with an indoor cham
pionship record time of 21.35 seconds.
Eleven records were broken during the two-
day meet, Hampton’s Kellie Wells ran a per
sonal best in the finals of the 60 meters hur
dles (8.08 seconds) that broke her previous
record of 8.13 set during Friday’s preliminar
ies. LIMES’ Danieth Pryce edged Wells in the
60 meters in 7.32, one-hundreth of a second
better than Wells’ record set a day earlier
• The records keep falling for Delaware
State basketball.
The Hornets won for the 13th time in 14
games in an 88-77 wm over Hampton
Saturday, solidifying their grip on the top seed
for next months tournament. Jasha Bluntt
scored 22 points for Delaware State, including
five three-pointers to become the school’s
career leader with 195. Ibrrance Hood held
the old mark of 194 fi^m 1995-99.
• Ticket sales for the MEAC tournament are
picking up steam.
League officials report 2,500 ticket books
have been sold in advance, something that
hasn’t been seen in years. The March 6-11
tournament will be played in Raleigh, a first
time host city
“The response in terms of tickets sold is
unprecedented,” MEAC (Commissioner Dennis
Thomas said. “With presales going this well,
we are right on track to surpass our expecta
tions in terms of ticket sale&. We anticipate as
the tournament approaches, walk-up sales
will increase significantly”
The brisk ticket sales are also translating to
lodging deposits. Hotel rooms are also moving,
with four of the official MEAC hotels com
pletely sold out.
Crown Park Hotel
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600 Willard St. Durham, NC 27701
Phone: (919)9.66-9444
Fax: (919)956-555.3
Is Pleased to Offer
Special Rate
of $69.00
Featuring
Data Ports
Business Center
Interior corridors
25” Color Television
Spacious Guest Rooms
Near Durham Bulls Athletic Park
Free Shuttle to Duke, VA Hospitals
Free Secured and Wireless Internet
Complementary Continental Breakfast
All rooms include coffee makers,
iron & ironing board, hair dryers
Stay close to the action at a price you can
afford at the Crown Plaza Hotel of
Durham. This month save with Special
rate at this convenient hotel located near
downtown Durham, and only minutes
from Duke, NCCU, UNC and the RDL
Airport Take a campus tour, visit Durham
Bulls Athletic Park, home of the AAA
Durham bulls, or go to the Museum of Life
& Science, rated in the top four family-
friendly museums in the Southeast by
Family Fun magazine. Located in the his
toric tobacco district, enjoy the newly con
structed American tobacco building with
abundant eateries and sports bars. Play a
challenging round of golf, or shop at an
abundance of unique stores. The courteous
staff at the Crown Plaza Hotel of Durham
provides a warm and inviting atmosphere
and loads of amenities to make your stay
most enjoyable. The Crown Plaza Hotel of
Durham has spacious, clean rooms, and
excellent service - everything you need for
a pleasant stay.
We shall make every effort to meet and
exceed vour expectations.
PROFESSIONAL FLOORING
MOBLEY’S
Visit Our
Showroom
4930
Albemarle Road
Charlotte, NC 28205
Residential & Commercial
Carpet Cleaning,Sales & Service
• New Carpet Sales • VCT • Hardwood Flooring
• Ceramic & Marble Tile
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New Carpet Installed
Carpet Installed
Carpet, Pad & Labor
99
per yard
Only $21.
Carpet Cleaning
“3” Rooms & Hallway
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400 Sq. ft.
Yinvl Floor
Congoleum & Armstrong
Only $15.
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Duct Cleaning
Only $20
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“For Your Health”
Remove the Dust From Your Vents!
“SPECIALS'^ Valid With This Ad Only
Eddie Mobley, Sr. • Eddie Mobley, Jr.
Ph: 704-531-0155 • Fax: 704-536-4272
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Charlotte Black Heritage Tour(sm)
and Pilgrimage Z006
Visit three existing Slave cemeteries!
Sit in the balcony
of a former Slave church!
1
Participate in a traditional
African memorial service!
^Listen to live professional drumming!
Drive by a home bombed during the
Civil Rights era!
Get a souvenir snack bag filled with
goodies!
Plus over 45 sites of African-American and Charlotte history!
Tours Depart At S30 (19 -59), $28 (60 -t), $26 (5 -18)
I Groups 10 or more ($ 10 off each ticket)
i 1000 AM and 1:30 PM $10 OFF all seats if purchased by 01/31/06
■ Every 'Saturday in February $5 OFF if purchased up to 7 days before event
I *02/04/06 not open to the public (Limited Seating)
1 * Advance Seat Reservations Suggested
^ All tours leave from the Levine Museum of the New South,
" 200 East 7th Street/Uptown Charlotte *
) EREE Parking next door at the 7th Street Station Parking Deck
1 * To Reserve Your Seat(s) Call: 704-566-0104, or e-mail us at ^ ]
p trips@queencitytours.com,You can now purchase your seats online at
" www.queencitytours.com/, click on the "PurchaseTickets Link."
Sponsor a Hurricane Katrina victim or volunteer or donate to clean up the
Cedar Grove cemetery call 704-566-0104 for details
fi)e Cliarlotte $ogt
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Charlotte s Inspiration Station
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The Triangle Tribune
LET THE HEALING CONTINUEI
Copyright 1993-2006, Qu««n CjtyTours(sm), Chdriottc, NC ill rights rtsorvod