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Automobile D N A #NOBORINGCARS

S E P T E M B E R / O CTO B E R 2017 AUTOMOBILEMAG.COM / @AUTOMOBILEMAG

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We believe that there is no mold for invention. Introducing the G80 Sport from Genesis. An impeccably crafted balance of power and detail, with its aggressive dark-chrome crosshatched front grille, carbon-fiber-trimmed dash, and 19-inch copper accented alloy wheels artfully surrounding a 365-hp twin-turbo engine that will pin you to its copper stitched sport seats. Add in the peace of mind of our most advanced safety features and Complimentary Service Valet standard, and the only thing the G80 Sport doesn’t have is limits. It’s designed from the ground up the only way we know. Our way. Genesis.com.

Estimated horsepower based on premium fuel. Service Valet available from Authorized Genesis Retailers during complimentary maintenance period. Includes normal wear, parts replacement and warranty repairs for 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. Coverage area varies by retailer. Charges and fees may apply. Applies to original owner/lessee only. Safety features standard on Genesis G80 and G90 models.

CONTENTS

Automobile

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 SPECIAL NEW AND FUTURE CARS ISSUE

16 50 98 Act Eight

By Robert Cumberford and Chris Nelson Rolls-Royce’s all-new Phantom signifies the marque’s reclamation of past glory, regardless of whether or not it’s the best car in the world.

By Automobile Staff Our special annual look at what the market has in store is bigger and better than ever, with more than 100 vehicles that deserve serious consideration.

From economical and family-friendly offerings to the latest all-electric options to multi-million-dollar hypercars, there is plenty of goodness in store.

By Chris Nelson Humans have not set foot on the moon since 1972, when Apollo 17 astronauts left their lunar rover behind.

But Audi has teamed with Part-Time Scientists to develop a new, unmanned Lunar Quattro rover, two of which are scheduled to return to the satellite in 2018 to assess their predecessor’s condition.

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By Michael Jordan Three years since the initial installment of Luftgekühlt, the Los Angeles gathering of air-cooled Porsche enthusiasts continues to grow. We pay a satisfying visit to the fourth edition of this treasure trove of automotive-culture coolness.

By Rory Jurnecka Not everyone loves the ’70s-era 914, but the mid-engine car is a financially viable alternative for German sports-car loyalists. Also, we look at auction results from RM Sotheby’s in L.A. and Bonhams at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

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AUTOMOBILE (ISSN 0894-3583) September/October 2017, Vol. 32, No. 6. Published monthly, with double issues in September and March, by TEN: The Enthusiast Network, LLC., 261 Madison Ave., 6th Floor, New York, NY, 10016-2303. Copyright © 2017 by TEN: The Enthusiast Network Magazines, LLC. All rights reserved. Periodicals Postage Paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S. and U.S. Possessions $19.94 for 12 issues. Canada $31.94 per year and international orders $43.94 per year (including surface mail postage). Payment in advance, U.S. funds only. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 707.4.12.5); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to AUTOMOBILE, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. For subscriptions, address changes, and adjustments, write to AUTOMOBILE magazine, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, Florida, 32142-0235, or email automobile@emailcustomerservice.com or call 800-289-2886 (U.S.), 386-447-6383 (international). Please include name, address, and telephone number on any inquiries. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Manuscripts, photos, and other material submitted must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope; AUTOMOBILE magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. Printed in U.S.A.

COVER: ASTON MARTIN VALKYRIE

The Still-Affordable Porsche

•

Gesundheit

PHANTOM: MARTYN GODDARD; LUFTGEKÜHLT: JULIA LAPALME; SUPRA: ANDREI AVARVARII

AUTOMOBILEMAG.COM

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New Moon and Future Cars Shot

Find a challenge in your everyday drive just to prove you’ve still got it. And the new BFGoodrich Advantage T/A Sport is ready to do just that. ®

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ARE YOU DRIVER ENOUGH?

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The superlative-charged chronograph. 50 mm case in BreitlightÂŽ. Exclusive Manufacture Breitling Caliber B12 with 24-hour military-style display. Officially chronometer-certified.

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30 Map Art

By Design

By Eric Weiner Artist Matt Cusick has discovered perhaps the perfect media for his automotive collages.

By Robert Cumberford The Genesis GV80 concept is a modern road-going dirigible—not an entirely bad thing.

34

The Asphalt Jungle

By Arthur St. Antoine Thwarting the robots of an autonomous future.

38

Noise, Vibration & Harshness

By Jamie Kitman All hail the station wagon’s return to the game.

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Letters You (mostly) like what we’ve done.

→BY D E SI G N

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Head of Design, Hyundai Group’s Kia and Genesis

N INTERV

LUC DONCKERWOLKE

126 Catching Up With …

By Todd Lassa Malcolm Bricklin’s next deal encompasses an electric three-wheeled car and car dealers doubling as secondary markets for fine art.

MAP ART: MATT CUSICK; WAGON WORLD: TIM MARRS; BRICKLIN: JOE WILSSENS

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By Mike Floyd Audi takes another step toward dulling the pain of nightmare commutes.

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Editor’s Letter

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 MEAT AND DRINK

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Automobile

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CONTENTS

THAT BOSS WON’T PAY FOR ITSELF. Switch to GEICO and save money for the things you love.

Maybe it’s maintaining that vintage classic you own. Or the lease on the new one. Cars are what you love – and they don’t come cheap. So switch to GEICO, because you could save 15% or more on car insurance. And that would help make the things you love that much easier to get.

Auto • Home • Rent • Cycle • Boat geico.com | 1-800-947-AUTO (2886) | local office Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies. Homeowners and renters coverages are written through non-affiliated insurance companies and are secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. Boat and PWC coverages are underwritten by GEICO Marine Insurance Company. Motorcycle and ATV coverages are underwritten by GEICO Indemnity Company.

GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. © 2017 GEICO

WHAT’S ON DEMAND THIS MONTH? SCHEDULE KEY: RACING | ORIGINAL PROGRAMS AUGUST 26 LIVE! 24H Series, Portimão; LIVE! Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, Virginia International Raceway AUGUST 27 LIVE! Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup, Hungaroring; LIVE! Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, Virginia International Raceway AUGUST 28 LIVE! European Le Mans Series, Paul Ricard AUGUST 29 Dirt Every Day, Ep. 68 AUGUST 31 Hot Rod Garage, Ep. 56 AUGUST 31 Real Road Racing, Ulster, Ireland SEPTEMBER 1 LIVE! Pirelli World Challenge, Circuit Of The Americas; Auto Mundial; Real Road Racing, Ulster, Ireland SEPTEMBER 1 Roadkill, Ep. 69 SEPTEMBER 2 LIVE! Euroformula Open, Silverstone LIVE! International GT Open, Silverstone1 LIVE! Pirelli World Challenge, Circuit Of The Americas SEPTEMBER 3 LIVE! Euroformula Open, Silverstone; LIVE! International GT Open, Silverstone; LIVE! Pirelli World Challenge, Circuit Of The Americas SEPTEMBER 4 Ignition, Ep. 182 SEPTEMBER 4 British Touring Cars Championship, Knockhill SEPTEMBER 5 The House Of Muscle, Ep. 11 SEPTEMBER 6 Modified, Ep. 3 SEPTEMBER 7 FIA World Rallycross, France SEPTEMBER 8 LIVE! Formula D, Fort Worth, Tx; Auto Mundial SEPTEMBER 9 LIVE! DTM Championship, Nürburgring; LIVE! Formula D, Fort Worth, Tx; LIVE! Goodwood Revival, Goodwood SEPTEMBER 10 LIVE! FIA Formula 3 Championship, Nürburgring; LIVE! Goodwood Revival, Goodwood SEPTEMBER 11 Engine Masters, Ep. 26; Hot Rod Drag Week SEPTEMBER 12 Hot Rod Drag Week SEPTEMBER 13 Head 2 Head, Ep. 94; Hot Rod Drag Week

SEPTEMBER 14 Hot Rod Drag Week Put Up or Shut Up, Ep. 3 SEPTEMBER 15 LIVE! Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe, Nürburgring; LIVE! Pirelli World Challenge, Sonoma Raceway; LIVE! Virgin Australia Supercars, Sandown 500 SEPTEMBER 15 Hot Rod Drag Week SEPTEMBER 16 LIVE! Pirelli World Challenge, Sonoma Raceway; LIVE! Virgin Australia Supercars, Sandown 500 SEPTEMBER 17 LIVE! ADAC GT Masters, Sachsenring; LIVE! Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup, Nürburgring; LIVE! Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe, Nürburgring SEPTEMBER 18 Best Driver’s Car; Ignition, Ep. 183 SEPTEMBER 19 LIVE! FIM Speedway World Championship, Germany SEPTEMBER 19 Best Driver’s Car SEPTEMBER 20 Best Driver’s Car; Modified, Ep. 4 SEPTEMBER 21 Best Driver’s Car; Roadkill Garage, Ep. 22 SEPTEMBER 22 LIVE! Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca SEPTEMBER 22 Best Driver’s Car SEPTEMBER 23 LIVE! DTM Championship, Red Bull Ring; LIVE! FIA Formula 3 Championship, Red Bull Ring; LIVE! FIM Speedway World Championship, Sweden; LIVE! VLN Endurance Racing, Nürburgring SEPTEMBER 24 LIVE! ADAC GT Masters, Hockenheim; LIVE! British GT Championship, Donington Park; LIVE! FIA Formula 3 Championship, Red Bull Ring; LIVE! Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca SEPTEMBER 25 LIVE! European Le Mans Series, Spa; Goodwood Revival, Goodwood, UK SEPTEMBER 26 Dirt Every Day, Ep. 69 SEPTEMBER 28 Hot Rod Garage, Ep. 57 SEPTEMBER 28 Porsche Carrera Cup Germany, Sachsenring SEPTEMBER 29 Roadkill, Ep. 70

The programing information provided is subject to change.

MOTORTRENDONDEMAND.COM

Automobile EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Floyd SVP, IN-MARKET AUTOMOTIVE CONTENT Ed Loh INTERNATIONAL BUREAU CHIEF Angus MacKenzie EXECUTIVE EDITOR Mac Morrison CREATIVE DIRECTOR Darren Scott DETROIT BUREAU CHIEF Todd Lassa SENIOR EDITOR Nelson Ireson FEATURES EDITOR Rory Jurnecka ROAD TEST EDITOR Eric Weiner ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jonathon Klein MANAGING EDITOR Rusty Kurtz SENIOR COPY EDITOR Kara Snow COPY EDITORS Jesse Bishop, Mary Kaleta GRAPHIC DESIGNER Michael Cruz-Garcia MANAGING ART DIRECTOR Mike Royer EUROPEAN BUREAU CHIEF George Kacher AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN EDITOR Robert Cumberford NEW YORK BUREAU CHIEF Jamie Kitman EDITOR-AT-LARGE Arthur St. Antoine

AUTOMOBILEMAG.COM SENIOR EDITOR-DIGITAL Kirill Ougarov ONLINE EDITOR Ed Tahaney DAILY NEWS EDITOR Conner Golden PRODUCTION EDITOR Eleonor Segura

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ronald Ahrens, Jethro Bovingdon, Michael Jordan, Dave Kinney, John Lamm, Bob Merlis, Chris Nelson, Steven Cole Smith, Lawrence Ulrich, Basem Wasef, Michael Whiteley

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Daniel Byrne, Jim Fets, Martyn Goddard, Steffen Jahn, Robert Kerian, Julia LaPalme, James Lipman, Charlie Magee, Richard Pardon, Tim Marrs, A.J. Mueller, Tom Salt, Jürgen Skarwan, Neil Stevens, Andrew Trahan,

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1966 Ford GT-40 Mark II 50th Anniversary Die-Cast Tribute Superior interior & exterior detail in 1:18 scale • Car boasts official race graphics of the 1966 GT-40

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EDITOR’S LETTER

@ a u t o m o b il e m a g VOLUME 32, NO.6 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

Distronic and Active Steering Assist, and Cadillac’s Super Cruise. All are capable of hands- and feet-free driving at highway speeds. Tesla and its ardent supporters especially have pushed the boundaries of Autopilot, so much so that it was a contributing factor in the death of a driver who wasn’t paying close enough attention to the road with the system engaged. After that tragedy, the fact a driver must be ready to take back control at a moment’s notice was reinforced further. (The Benz system, for instance, has always had restrictions on how long you can have your hands off the wheel.) In essence, you are still liable—it’s still on you.

But the key difference with Traffic Jam Assist is you can turn it on and tune out. Read those texts, fix that makeup, eat that burger. You want to watch some onboard TV? Go for it!

Do you need to worry about that clown cutting in front of you? Nope. That’s right; you aren’t in control.

Part of Audi’s confidence with its system is how much tech it has invested into it, including what it calls the first laser scanner for a production car. The system’s central driver assistance controller (its brain, in essence) merges data from the laser (which has a 145-degree field of view), as well as external cameras, radar, and ultrasonic sensors to create a clear picture of the road. It only works on highways and other divided roads (no yellow line dividers, for example) and has fail-safes built in if the driver happens to fall asleep or is otherwise incapacitated. Once speed exceeds the magic 37.3 number (past that limit it will become similar in scope to an Autopilot, etc.) or if it detects another hazardous situation, it will audibly and visually warn the driver of the need to take over within 10 seconds.

If it isn’t getting a response after that, it will begin to slowly bring the car to a stop.

Ah, but here comes the catch: the legal fine print.

In order for Traffic Jam Assist to do its assisting without you at the ready to take over, the system will have to navigate regulatory hurdles before it can be put into operation.

Audi is prepared to assume liability if its technology fails. If it can get the proper approvals (at present, it would be legal in Florida, and Audi is hard at work lobbying in D.C. ahead of the A8’s launch next year), it would be slow-go time.

Its application would be limited because there aren’t exactly a ton of spots in the U.S. where traffic is actually that jammed for long, but if the automaker can get it signed off, it would mark a significant milestone on the way toward autonomous driving. You have my number, Audi. Feel free to give me a call anytime if you want me to test it on my way home. I certainly have the time. AM

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ALL UP JAMMED

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AUTOMOBILEMAG.COM

MIKE FLOYD

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W H E N E V E R I T E L L someone how far away I live from Automobile HQ in Los Angeles (29 miles door to door), the reaction usually ranges from expressions of pity to abject horror at the mere thought. One section of my commute is particularly brutal—a traffic-strangled, roughly 10-mile stretch of the 405 freeway between I-10 and the 101 that’s one of the busiest roadways in the country.

I’ve found some good in it, though. If I’m in a convertible, I can work on my tan. It affords me ample time to survey the cabin’s build quality, check out the cockpit’s key attributes, or turn the stereo up to 38 (no really, there is one that stops there). On an increasing number of cars, it also gives me an opportunity to test out adaptive cruise control. Many of the vehicles listed in this issue’s new and future cars extravaganza are available with this feature. It typically uses radar positioned in the grille area and reads the speed of the car in front of you. You set a designated speed as you normally would with standard cruise control, and the car will speed up or slow down as traffic ebbs and flows. You can also set a distance between you and the car in front of you. In L.A., even the shortest distance—about three car lengths or so—isn’t short enough, and it can upset the system when someone invariably fills the gap.

This scenario is where Audi aims to step in with a smarty-pants new autonomous feature for the brand’s all-new fourthgeneration 2019 Audi A8 aimed at poor saps like me who trudge through the world’s worst traffic trenches every day. Called AI Traffic Jam Assist (Audi is pushing AI as a subbrand of sorts for its most advanced vehicle technologies), it’s an adaptive system designed to allow the driver to relinquish control up to 37.3 mph.

Numerous automakers are well into development of similar systems, and already on the road are Tesla’s Autopilot, Mercedes-Benz’s Active Distance Control

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R

the phantom GILES TAYLOR

Rolls-Royce chief designer

by C H R I S N E L S O N ph o t o gra p h y by M A R T Y N

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GODDARD

A SUBTLE YET UNRESTRAINED REIMAGINING OF ROLLS- ROYCE’S FLAGSHIP MODEL

of the west end

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S TA N D I N G I N A dark photo studio in downtown Los Angeles, we suddenly hear a voice. Her tone soft, seductive, and slightly eerie, a woman whispers the words on her script, purple prose written by Rolls-Royce to boast about its rose-colored past and the idyllic future it imagines. She ends with, “Today, we become tomorrow.” Overhead lights brighten, and a two-tone Rolls-Royce Phantom comes into view.

A thoughtful redesign of the marque’s flagship model, it’s not immediately apparent that this eighth-generation Phantom is a platformup project. It doesn’t look dramatically different from today’s Phantom, stale after 14 years on the market. Probably because Rolls-Royce engineers and designers were faced with this conundrum: modernize Rolls-Royce’s longest-running nameplate while retaining the model’s classic elegance.

ROBERT CUMBERFORD

Automobile’s automotive design editor

S

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R1

Here is the first installment of Robert Cumberford’s

DESIGN ANALYSIS In-depth review continues on page 24.

Front 3/4 View

THE SIMPLE AND VERY convincing headlamp surround is a clean rectangle, no notches or odd shapes, set in a cleanly framed recess.

A SOLID REASON TO ESCHEW two-tone paint schemes. The line separating the two colors runs across a beautifully modeled rib, spoiling its visual flow.

THE BUMPER strike face tucks inside the rectangular space below and outboard of the grille bars.

O IF THE SIDE MARKER LOOKS like it doesn’t fit the form, that’s because it doesn’t. It’s a carryover part from lesser models. There was no budget for a limited-volume part.

THESE 13-SPOKE, 23-INCH wheels are far better suited to the majestic look desired for Phantoms than the vaguely circus-wagon design used on the previous model.

18

HEIGHT OF THE whole front end is excessively tall.

Removing about half the height below the bumper bar would lighten the mass advantageously.

THE MORE PRONOUNCED longitudinal crease low on the body side starts behind the wheel opening and disappears in the rear door skin.

Rolls-Royce design director Giles Taylor explains to Robert Cumberford how the grille on the Phantom VIII has been pushed inward to sit flush with the rest of the nose—a nice, subtle change.

Rolls-Royce calls the Phantom “the conveyance of choice for the world’s most influential and powerful men and women … a sentinel silently witnessing moments as significant as The Beatles collecting their honors at Buckingham Palace, Field Marshal Montgomery driving Churchill and Eisenhower, and numerous global superstars collecting their Oscars.” After creating the first-generation Phantom in 1925, the British manufacturer continued recapturing what it considers the model’s hallmark characteristics—comfort, effortlessness, opulence— for seven generations.

Rolls-Royce knows today’s buyer is different than before, and even something as precious as the Phantom has to evolve to stay relevant. The design team took the opportunity to leave the “humdrum of Goodwood” and find a new vibe in London’s trendy West End, hoping to discover a different perspective for the Phantom. The new sedan would need to be younger, have more charisma, and shed some of its stodgy “Brit stiff upper lip” attitude. It would need to be more avant-garde and more advanced, fit for the back streets of Beijing, the strip in Dubai, or London’s fashionable Westbourne Grove.

The new Phantom’s most modern, eye-catching feature is its “gallery,” a hermetically sealed glass box that runs the length of the flat-faced dashboard and functions as a sort of display case. (See page 20.) The car’s gauge cluster is now digital, and the interior finally has four USB ports and an overdue wireless hot spot. There’s more headroom in the still-epic back seats, and there’s an extra 2.5 inches of various sound-deadening foam packed into the headliner. Auto-shutting doors close with a gentle nudge or the push of a button. Under the hood is a reworked version of the trademark 6.75-liter V-12, which now has two turbochargers and puts out 571 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque that builds from 1,800 rpm.

“We’re not downsizing. Phantom is a statement,” says product manager Christian Wettach. “You buy a Phantom because of the prestige, because of the status. So from that perspective it was clear to use a V-12. Same story for sticking with the traditional 6.75-liter displacement. An increase in performance came naturally because we’re jumping from the naturally aspirated engine. … So we didn’t need to push ourselves too much to achieve a significant improvement [in power].”

It’s lovely tinsel, but the unseen parts are what truly set this Phantom apart from its predecessors. The engineering team dedicated most of its resources to improving chassis dynamics and developing an all-new

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ETHOS

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AN ART GALLERY ALL YOUR OWN

ROLLS-ROYCE WANTS YOU TO CURATE AND CREATE WITH ITS ALL-NEW GALLERY DASHBOARD

20

→ → “ W E H A D T H I S idea that we would actually encapsulate and create space within which we can do all sorts of crazy things with materials, finishes, and commissioned art,” says design director Giles Taylor.

The “gallery” will come standard on all Phantom models with the base gallery wrapped in a silver woven-silk cloth that uses metallic thread. “It’s this little stage in the car. At night, with the backlight, it looks just beautiful,” Taylor says. In the short term, owners will be able to swap out the silk wrap for wood, leather, or metal. A bit further down the line Rolls-Royce will work with owners and artists to commission and create unique installations.

“You can have whatever the hell you want, create whatever you think you want to have in your car,” Taylor says. “It would be quite cool to do something that’s dynamic, that actually has movement when the car is moving. We could feasibly fill the gallery with water. Or we could fill it with formaldehyde and do a Damien Hirst shark [a 1991 artwork known as “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living”] and be sort of cold punk. But it’s about a year and a half, maybe two years out before we can really bring that to a customer.”

Why the wait? Simply put, it’s really difficult to build the gallery box. If any humidity or microbes sneak into the box during the production process, the back of the glass will eventually fog. In order to address the issue, RollsRoyce is developing a dust-free clean room in its Goodwood production facility where it will assemble the gallery and install it into the Phantom’s IP. Taylor for years championed the idea of putting this sort of gallery into a Rolls-Royce, and he couldn’t be happier to see it reach production. “It’s not to subvert the purity and the elegance of the car,” he says. “This is an art installation.”—CN

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aluminum space frame, which will be the future platform for all Rolls-Royces, including the forthcoming Cullinan SUV. (See page 91.) The Phantom’s air springs are larger and have faster-reacting valves. There’s now rear-wheel steering, and Rolls-Royce created an active roll-stabilization system that uses a big electric motor in place of typical anti-roll bars so the car can manipulate its rigidity and ride characteristics on the fly. “We’re controlling 100 percent of how the car rolls. We could technically go around a bend without any roll, which would feel funny,” Wettach says.

More impressive still is the all-new, all-aluminum platform, which is far more sophisticated than the outgoing Phantom’s “fairly simple” space-frame chassis. The seventh gen’s platform paired two longitudinal bars with a couple standard crossbars and called it a day. Linked between the two longitudinal bars of the eighth-gen Phantom’s platform, though, are a whole lot of little crisscrossing bars. They zig and zag to better handle directional forces, help to reduce weight while improving stiffness, and they all connect to large, cast-aluminum hubs called knots. “Some of the knots are really large and quite complicated, and none

A two-tone paint job emphasizes the car’s crisp yet delicate body lines, but the sedan looks best in a solid color.

We’re partial to purple.

What’s more pimpin’ than a mulberry Roller?

of our existing suppliers was capable of manufacturing those parts,” Wettach says. “We had to go out and search, and we found one supplier, a small foundry in Italy that usually does engine blocks for supercars.”

All of this creative and compelling work is done predominantly in places no one will see.

We ask Wettach if he thinks RollsRoyce’s unwavering devotion to its heritage held back this Phantom in any way. He thinks, then looks up and says, “It’s a fine balance between what you need to have to satisfy the current state-of-the-art requirements from the customers and how far you want to push yourself. You always try to hide the technology in the Phantom. It’s somehow invisible.”

Pockets of design ingenuity and engineering prowess still shine through on this car, but overall it is a deliberate show of restraint from Rolls-Royce. It leaves us wondering what would happen if the automaker let go of bygones and focused instead on truly setting today’s standard for automotive couture. Otherwise Rolls-Royce’s deep roots and rich heritage might soon become a hindrance to its creative development, if they haven’t already.

For now, though, this all-new Phantom seems to have the trimmings to be successful with both new and established Rolls-Royce buyers, and its architecture will provide a fantastic base upon which the brand can build and, hopefully, push forward. AM

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ETHOS

ADMIRABLE RESTRAINT by ROBERT CUMBERFORD

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“The best car in the world.”

Rolls-Royce used that phrase for its automobiles long ago, and in terms of solid engineering and precision manufacturing it was likely true. And those cars were certainly highly impressive, with the top models—called Phantoms from 1925 on—truly imposing. Alas, very few Rolls-Royce cars were really very good looking in their times, and truly beautiful ones were rare indeed. Imposing, yes. Symbolic of quality, yes. But toward the end of the company's British ownership, Rolls-Royce and sisters-under-the-skin Bentley models were rather like Gloria Swanson’s aged character in “Sunset Boulevard”—still imperious but well past it, faded at the edges and threadbare.

There is no question BMW ownership and engineering supervision have bestowed a new grandeur on the hallowed badge. Or, more likely, it enabled Rolls-Royce to return to what it once was. Its prestige, not really much diminished by falling profits or declining quality, is now being marketed to new customers in countries not previously inclined or able to acquire many luxury cars. Their tastes are, let us say, more expansive than those of traditional British Rolls buyers, so there are colors and trim choices now that would once have been almost unthinkable for the brand.

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A BLUNT FRONT. The fender profile is quite vertical, and there is very little overhang on the outer surface.

THE FRONT FENDER PROFILE is a narrow blade washing in to the doors. A pinstripe runs along it, fading as the surface does, part way along the rear-door skin.

SHADES OF 1960S PONTIACS. The wipers live inside a slot at the back of the hood, keeping things clean visually. Good idea then, good idea now.

THE CREASE LINE BEGINS, barely perceptible, in the front door, rises a bit in the rear door, and continues on the rear fender and around the back.

THE ROOF PANEL IS SLIGHTLY indented at the sides, then it transforms elegantly to a transverse line that separates the panel above the backlight from the glass, giving considerable headroom within.

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THE VERY SPORTY C-PILLAR recalls Bill Mitchell’s attempt to combine Ferrari lines and Rolls-Royce “knife edge” styling. Rolls-Royce itself does it far better here.

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ETHOS

There are several “blades” and creases in the bodywork but not on the hood where the hingemimicking centerline bright strip is gone.

were very tiny radii on top where three planes were bent to provide a flat base for the Spirt of Ecstasy, this new shell is a symphony of curves. The front is inclined rearward at the top, and the grille bars themselves are recessed. The front face is amply curved in plan view, even as it retains a hard horizontal reference when viewed from dead ahead.

We looked at two cars, the gray and dark-blue normallength Phantom, likely to be owner-driven in many countries, and an impressive purple extended-wheelbase sedan that was more agreeable to our eyes because the exterior refinement is more easily appreciated by an observer not distracted by the color break. And because it is properly imposing—a really big car as a social symbol should be. It is clear many of these new cars will be ordered in radical colors and interior schemes unthinkable prior to the German takeover and the market’s extensive expansion, and we see that as a positive thing keeping stuffiness away.

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We had a first look at the new Phantom VIII in London in the spring, along with personal commentary by Giles Taylor, Rolls-Royce’s chief designer responsible for this new, slightly smaller, and totally revised Phantom. Previously at Jaguar, Taylor has a solid and well-proven grasp of what luxury cars should be, as the splendidly elegant Rolls-Royce Dawn cabriolet demonstrated a couple years ago. He had just arrived from Munich, where he has a second set of overseers to keep informed and happy about what he and his team are accomplishing. Together we looked at both a standard wheelbase Phantom and the now-shorter-than-before extended model, which had to be brought under 19 feet, 8.2 inches long to suit a Chinese registration requirement.

A vehicle any longer than that demands a specific truck driver’s license.

The new body’s surfacing is elegantly simple, with embossed curved-profile indents on the flanks eliminated, something that apparently frightened BMW executives who finally accepted the clean shapes we see here. One slight visual problem with the new car is that it looks odd when the air suspension deflates with the engine off and the body sinks over the wheels. The wheels and tires are huge, so the wheel openings are as well. Before we started our walk-around, Taylor insisted the engine be turned on long enough to bring the car up to proper ride height. It makes a difference, so it’s a little surprising there is not an anti-sink provision in the suspension just so the cars always look right.

A crisp line starting at the back of the front wheel-cut at about wheel-center height runs out in the skin of the rear door while another slightly rising crease begins at the bottom of the front door and continues rising along the bottom of the rear-fender overhang behind the wheelhouse.

The overall effect is to make the body side a great deal simpler than the previous model, to good effect. Every external surface is new, and the changes are major. The single centerline bright strip on the hood, which recalled the onceimportant apparent center hinge 3 but had no function other than decoration and tradition, is gone now, and the hood is not creased or in any other way made to 2 show the body centerline.

In particular, the continuing evolution of the iconic Greek Parthenon temple radiator shell is intriguing. Where the famous façade was simply applied to 1 the front surface of both the Ghost and the Dawn, for this new Phantom as on the previous one there is a panel on top that runs into the hood. Where for decades the shell was made up of flat sections silver-soldered together and the only curves

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3 Front Detail 1. Traditional vertical grille bars are set well back from the radiator shell’s nominal surface.

2. On a sharp-edged intersection of two flat planes, the radiator shell transitions from vertical to horizontal via a soft—about a half-inch—radius.

3. The radiator shell-hood intersection is almost a pure single curve …

4. ... slightly modulated to suit the retractable Spirit of Ecstasy mascot.

5. Note the softly radiused indent for the handsome badge.

6. The top of the rectangular grille-bar opening is a single pure curve—in plan view only.

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As Taylor opened the door of the standard-wheelbase car to show its interior, I had the subliminal feeling, without understanding why, that the already distinguished cabin of the Phantom VII that delivered me to the photo studio in London—where these two early production examples were available for our inspection—is thoroughly surpassed in the new model. One simple statement from Taylor about the interior struck home: “Every bit of bright trim you see in this car is actual metal. There is no plastic brightwork.” Of course. The purity of purpose must be perceptible at some subconscious level, and that alone is enough to justify the effort and expense entailed. Which, it must be said, had to be considerable because there is a lot of brightness.

There is also an artful retention of elements from the far past, including specifically the ventilation controls— wonderful push-pull “organ stops” I remember from ancient Rolls-Royces—and the perfectly round air outlets. There is

also a control panel for both lighting and the start/stop buttons that looks deliciously old-fashioned even though it houses thoroughly contemporary digital commands.

The interior is the most innovative part of the car, with its “gallery” instrument panel one of the most intriguing seen in decades.

The Phantom is impressive. It is imposing and inspires respect and admiration but not reverence for its elegance of form. It is not really beautiful, being in fact rather oddly proportioned, with almost no front overhang—very much in the BMW tradition, as it happens—and a distribution of masses from the A-pillar back that is very close to that of big American cars built to the classical front-engine, rear-wheel-drive pattern. It’s not that far away from the long-gone Lincoln Town Car, in truth. There is a curious reduction of dimensions as the eye moves from front to rear, so that seen from ahead it seems to be even longer than it is, the effect of perspective exaggerated.

The Phantom certainly fulfills its intended function and purpose perfectly, so the foregoing commentary is not a criticism of the design. It seems to be as close to what was desired as is possible for a design team to achieve, and we can surely anticipate a long, successful commercial life for the car. It might not any longer be indisputably “the best car in the world,” but if not it is certainly not far away, and no one can dispute the quality. It’s as good as it gets in the world of machines. AM

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THE PERIMETER OF the instrument-panel face glass is set well back of the folded leather sculpture wall on which the clock is set. An infinite variety of design is possible, but this is one of the standard choices.

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Interior View 1. This small panel looks positively antique, which is exactly how it should look, a perfect blending of tradition and modernity.

2. A single sheet of glass traverses the entire instrument panel, allowing three-dimensional sculpting behind it with no fear of dust or fingerprint accumulation.

3. Traditional—and much loved—round vents and “organ stop” control knobs are welcomed.

4. These programmable keys and all other bits of brightwork in the entire cabin are made of real metal. No plated plastic here.

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C A R T O G R X

OLDS '84

A R T I ST M AT T C U S I C K M A P S O U T T H E LIVING HISTORY OF AMERICA’S HIGHWAYS

by

ERIC WEINER

R U M M A G E T H R O U G H Y O U R car’s glove box, ignoring the piles of old receipts, the owner’s manual, and maybe a longforgotten Nirvana CD, and you’ll notice there’s something missing.

Something that, seemingly overnight, vanished into history. With the swift development of in-car navigation and then Google in the palm of your hand, physical maps have faded into obsolescence.

Artist Matthew Cusick, 47, is instead finding new avenues for exploration in their faded pages.

Born in New York City and now living in Dallas, Texas, Cusick’s fascination with history manifests itself in dizzying collages of old cars and somehow-beautiful vistas of highway networks. Each one made up of numerous map scraps, sometimes of the same location from various points in time, Cusick’s creations are like looking back at the ebbs and flows of the American road all in one gulp.

These road maps of the past first came about when Cusick saw a photo of the I-35/I-40 interchange in Dallas in the 1940s and then visited the location to find it completely transformed. That was the inspiration for “Course of Empire (Mixmaster 1).”

“There’s an organic life to the way our landscape and infrastructure have evolved and shifted,” Cusick says. “Once you can’t trust a map, it’s lost its function. It becomes useful instead as a relic, as a memory.”

X

COURSE OF EMPIRE

X

MANY RIVERS

A P H Y There’s something captivating about Cusick’s meticulous assembly, a fascination in seeing the permanent made plastic.

It’s all the nostalgic revelry of Americana without any of the camp.

The vibrant, disparate colors of the various two-dimensional maps, occasionally enhanced with acrylic paint or walnut ink, cohere into a 3D world of decades past. A child of the 1970s and its budding recreational travel culture, Cusick uses clashing color as a loving reminder of the maps he used to find at gas stations all over the country.

So where does a person get the thousands of maps needed to make such intricate collages? The first ones he used came from National Geographic issues discovered in his grandmother’s attic when this project began in 2002. Now that many libraries have gone completely digital, donations from places such as the University of Texas have turned into treasure troves of material for Cusick, and there are now even declassified military maps to go along with the growing pile of maps sent by friends and fans.

As for cars he depicts, it could be a Cadillac, a Datsun 280Z, an ’84 Oldsmobile, or a Trans Am. If it’s old, and the odometer reads high, it has a

story. “A car is just an empty shell until it’s got some miles on it,” Cusick says. “Where it’s been is what gives a car its identity and history.”

Entranced by the speed, danger, and thrill associated with cars he saw in Hollywood movies, one of his other works is a video collage of more than 300 car chases from classics such as “Vanishing Point” and “Shaft.” The project has gone through more than five editions and is still in progress, a reflection of Cusick’s view of the past and present as concepts in constant motion.

In the age of slick, digitized Google maps, Cusick’s art is a reminder of a more tactile history.

“Getting lost opens up unforeseen possibilities,” he says. “On my last road trip with my daughter, we got lost after ignoring the phone, and the best part of the trip was just driving until we hit the next town. The song we ended up writing about it, which sounds like a cross between Joan Jett and Morphine, is called ‘Throw Your Phone Out the Window.’” AM

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T HE AS P HA LT

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ILLUST RATION by TIM MARRS

Arthur St. Antoine

W E A L R E A DY K N O W the what: Coming in the near future are driverless, fully autonomous automobiles. We know the where and the when, too: not on Mars or Krypton but right here on Mother Earth, possibly as soon as 2021 if you believe some optimistic auto execs. But what we don’t know yet—scratch that, what I don’t know yet—is the how and the why. How, I keep asking myself, are fully autonomous vehicles going to take over our streets? What’s more, why are they coming at all?

Let’s consider the how question first. Mind you, I’m already done with wondering how the world’s automakers and tech giants are going to overcome the staggering technological hurdles involved. Sure, there might be a few initial teething problems with the extraordinarily complex hardware, software, and infrastructure needed to replace humans with microchips at the wheel.

But from the early autonomous prototypes I’ve seen so far, which can already operate at Level 5—the most advanced tier of vehicle autonomy— in controlled conditions, I’m confident 21st-century engineers and scientists will eventually be able to bring fully functional, reliable, and safe driverless cars to our roads. Until then, please allow me to stand aside and let someone else take Fully Autonomous Ride No. 1.

What remains a mystery to me, though, is how Level 5 automobiles are going to merge into the mainstream—and the fast lane. That’s because until autonomous cars presumably one day replace human-driven cars completely, the two are going to coexist. And that scenario—humans and robots competing for the same stretch of asphalt—sounds about as warm and friendly as the official unveiling of ED-209 in “RoboCop.” You see, Level 5 cars, by design, will be polite, careful, and predictable.

AJ

The complete opposite, in other words, of human drivers. Picture a Level 5 automobile arriving at a busy four-way stop. In an instant, the autonomous car’s sensors will have determined its arrival time at the stop sign versus those of the other cars at the three other stop signs. The computer will determine, say, “You are second in line to go.” And after the first car leaves, the Level 5 car will take its rightful turn and begin to move. But it won’t get far.

Once Level 5 cars become a reality, it will take human drivers all of five minutes to figure out how they work. And from that moment, autonomous cars will be toast.

As soon as the robot-driven car begins to move past the stop sign, a human driver will jump ahead into the intersection—knowing full well the Level 5 car is programmed to play nice and prevent a crash at all costs. And then the next human-driven car will leap out and the next and the next and the next. Maybe in five hours—but possibly not until, oh, 2029—traffic will clear enough for the Level 5 car to move forward without a human-guided vehicle in its path. And if you think that’s bad, wait until an early Level 5 car tries to merge into the wall of weaponized steel that is a human-centric rush hour on something such as California’s terminally overcrowded Interstate 405. Freeway designers might want to start thinking about adding special “forever-on ramps” for all the Level 5 cars that won’t be going any farther.

HAS A YOUNGER GENERATION BEEN SO POORLY INSTRUCTED IN THE JOYS OF MOTORING THAT IT WOULD RATHER SPEND MONEY ON A MOBILE PHONE WITH A KILLER SELFIE CAMERA? Once they’re perfected, Level 5 cars will be extraordinarily safe. They’ll likely crash into each other about as often as Broadway hosts a production of “King Lear” starring Adam Sandler. Trouble is, we are going to crash into them. A lot. We’ll be busy talking to the hologram on our smartphone when ... wham! “What the … ? Oh, hell! You’re not going to believe this, Alice! One of those damn goody-goody Level 5ers in front of me actually stopped for a flashing-red busload of kids, so of AUTOMOBILEMAG.COM

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course I hit it! The nerve of that insolent heap of malware!”

I wonder what’s going to happen after a human driver crashes into an autonomous car. I mean, you won’t get out and argue with the thing because, aside from the fact there will be no one to argue with, there’s a 99.9 percent certainty you’re the one at fault. Besides, the autonomous car you’ve just hit might be equipped with the optional Road Rage package and simply Taser you while calling the cops. You might be tempted to simply drive away, but even if the Level 5 car is too badly damaged to chase you, there’s an excellent chance it already photographed you and your car’s plate, sent the information to Google and the NSA, and logged (a) your full name and address, (b) your place of employment and your annual salary, and (c) your screen name on AshleyMadison.com. By the time you limp home, an email from CyberUber will be waiting with the subject line, “Let’s Talk, Or We Go To Twitter.”

So, yes, I’ll be curious indeed to watch in the years ahead as the how works itself out. In the meantime, I’m left wondering why we’re even having this conversation about autonomous vehicles. After all, do we really want to hand over one of our greatest modern freedoms—and, as car enthusiasts, one of our greatest pleasures—to a passionless robot just so we can go places without being ticketed for playing Candy Crush? Has the act of driving morphed from a rite of passage and a perk of adulthood into nothing more than a chore? Has a younger generation been so poorly instructed in the joys of motoring—learning to master a large and powerful machine, pointing it to wherever one desires—that it would rather spend money on an Xbox and a mobile phone with a killer selfie camera?

It’s sad but true: According to a University of Michigan study, 79 percent of people between the ages of 20 and 24 had a driver’s license in 2011, compared with 92 percent in 1983. That same study showed that, among the U.S. population of those age 18 to 39, 37 percent said they didn’t have a driver’s license because they were “too busy.” Translation: Social media and virtual reality are slowly replacing wind in the face and the revelry of accelerating toward a distant horizon amid the thrum of tires on tarmac, the throb of an engine making pace, a passing landscape always turning and unpredictable and alive.

Ultimately, the why of autonomous cars is because, as a species, we humans have proven we don’t care enough to drive as well as Level 5s will, and in fact by growing numbers we would simply rather not drive at all. The losers are enthusiasts like you and me. I shudder to think of the day, years from now, when we climb into an auto-pod and tell the robot, “Take me on a drive, anywhere. Make my senses stir.”

Because no matter what your name is, it’s going to reply, “I can’t do that, Dave.” AM

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THE WAGON WHOSE STATION CANNOT BE NAMED

HA R S HNESS

38

ILLUST RATION by TIM MARRS

Jamie Kitman

I O W N A ridiculous number of old cars, and I test new ones almost every day of the year.

So I don’t really ever need to buy a new car. But I think about buying new cars almost always.

That’s one of the reasons I am qualified to write about them. Even if I only get around to actually buying new cars once in a blue moon, I have strong opinions in this area and consider myself party to many car sales, as an influencer not just of readers but of friends, relations, and pretty much anyone who will listen while I bore on.

So, as I was saying.

For me, perhaps the most exciting part of the 2018 sales season is the return of the station wagon. Of course, this is more of a micro trend than a full-blown renaissance. It is not even arriving through the front door—where I believe this supremely practical genus of vehicle would receive the hale and hearty greeting it deserves—but rather through the tradesman’s entrance. Indeed, there’s sort of an embarrassed, under-the-radar quality to the launch of the new wagons that have most piqued interest lately: Buick’s Regal TourX and Volvo’s V90.

These newcomers join a slender roster of wagons already on sale, reflecting an industry intent on resisting the notion that there exists a segment of the population that willingly accepts the good sense of the wagon format and is prepared to pay for it. There are plenty of other people who think they want SUVs or crossovers who might be persuaded to buy wagons, the way people here used to and still do in Europe, if anyone cared to sell them.

The industry’s anti-wagon prejudice emerged over the last few decades as carmakers established an SUV profit paradigm: adding height seemingly elevates the price people are prepared to pay for cars. But if this is so, it is

NVH

the industry’s own fault. Much the same way they spent decades selling tailfins and chrome, carmakers have conditioned customers, relegating us to the unnecessary weight, height, and uniformly boring styling that define the SUV and crossover genera. Whatever the industry says about listening to the customer, people mostly buy what they’re told to buy.

This wagon deficit is, then, why I celebrate the Jaguar XF Sportbrake and the new generation of Mercedes E-Class wagons while decrying the absence from the U.S. market of the latest C-Class shooting brake. We commend BMW for continuing to bring us its fine 3 Series wagon but curse it for reducing choices by refusing to supply our fruited plains with the larger 5 Series hauler anymore. Sorry, but between a 540i wagon and an X5 SUV only one can be an ultimate driving machine, and X doesn’t mark that spot. For its part, Audi won’t sell us its A4 wagon in undiluted form at all, only with a lift kit and a body-cladding upcharge. They call it the Allroad, which is good because I am quite certain it is going to be driven exclusively on pavement.

Volvo ought to have a hit on hand with its airy new V90. But for reasons I can’t fathom, the company will only deign to sell pure wagon versions of its excellent new model online by special order. Dealers will, however, carry plentiful supplies of the jacked-up and plastic-clad V90 Cross Country. High marks for hip scarcity marketing, but by design the purer article can only sell so much.

For more of this wagon paranoia in action, see the Regal TourX, a credible, long-awaited, and very welcome return to the carryall fold.

Exhibiting the lingering wagonophobia that plagues the sector, Buick is pumping it up Outback style and giving it a crossover name, eschewing entirely the straight-up (nonlifted) version of this lovely Opel wagon sold elsewhere. And that’s not the only reason the TourX might have been born under a bad star.

For one thing, it’s not really a Buick. It’s an Opel, which means soon it won’t even be a GM product. The German brand is being off-loaded to France’s PSA. The shaky French maker of Peugeots and Citroëns thus becomes Europe’s second-largest carmaker while the General reveals another step in its exit strategy from the arduous task of being a global automotive giant. Not fielding a true wagon in America is only par for the course.

So the good news is the wagon is back, sort of.

The pendulum has been due to swing back its way for an eternity. Now if only wagonmakers would show them a little love. AM AUTOMOBILEMAG.COM

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LETTERS

YOU LITERALLY WON’T HAVE TO

LIFT A FINGER

Write: Automobile magazine, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, California, 90245 Email: letters@automobilemag.com Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

Customer service: automobile@emailcustomerservice.com; 800-289-2886

OUR NEW LOOK

Congratulations for making the amazing changes to your magazine.

From the size to the additional information on design and features, you have made Automobile a highquality and much better product. I look forward to the future issues and will continue to subscribe.

BEN FULLER

Post Falls, Idaho

As a reader/subscriber since your first issue, I have seen many revisions to your magazine as well as others—most of which, if not all, accomplished little if anything positive for the long term. That is, until I received your August issue. I have to give you a 10 in every facet— size, layout, content, writing, type size, and quality of the photos. With everyone worshipping the goddess of digital, it’s refreshing to see your efforts to enhance the print version.

A job well done on something I can hopefully hold in my hands and read for many years to come.

GORDON ENGLISH

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Magnolia, Delaware AUTOMOBILE’S EVOLUTION, AUGUST 2017 ISSUE

QU AL

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S O , L A S T W E E K I go to my mailbox and pick up the three automotive magazines I get. I put a rubber band around them and brought them up to the kitchen and, for the time being, forgot about them. This morning, I decide to check them out.

Removing the rubber band, your magazine unravels beautifully and, as I look at it, I’m speechless. I realize instantly something’s different. It’s larger and feels more substantial and richer. I’m thinking, “What the hell?”

Of course, the first thing I see is the love of my life, the Ford GT. This magazine is so freakin’ beautiful that if you put it out in hardcover I would buy it in a heartbeat. In this issue you have GTs, Corvettes, Pebble Beach information, beautiful lowriders, and more. I’ll use the other two magazines for cat litter or doorstops. In my opinion, you guys just killed it.

Wondered why the mail was wider and more cumbersome. It’s the new Automobile magazine! Ten pages in, and I was a convert. Best magazine upgrade I’ve ever seen, and it comes across as a high-quality periodical, way above the common car magazines. Kudos to you all.

HENRY DEMETER

DAVE CRAIN

San Francisco, California

Colorado Springs, Colorado

ETHAN KLAUSS

Indiana, Pennsylvania

→ →

AUTOMOTIVETOUCHUP.COM

Wow, the new magazine is great!

Keep it up. I love the idea of more classics, and hopefully we’ll still be able to read about some sort of manual transmissions in a few years.

Meanwhile, your artwork is a par above the rest of the automotive magazines, and your magazine has always been in a class of its own. I don’t understand the people who write to you to complain that you talk about too many expensive cars. If I want to read about boring cars, I’ll get Consumer Reports.

Do you hate your detector?

It was your best friend, now it never shuts up.

The good news: New cars have a safety feature, the blind-spot warning system. Many models use K-band radar to “see” nearby cars.

The bad news: Onboard radar turns each of these “seeing” cars into mobile K-band false alarms. A blind-spot system may tag along with you for miles.

You’re stuck, not knowing which car to maneuver away from. GPS is no V1 wins war against false alarms: New solution. It doesn’t work computer code weeds out phony K-band alerts. on mobile falses.

Why you will love V1 Problem solved: V1 has an algorithm that recognizes these mobile false alarms and excludes them, yet never blocks a real threat. We’ve named it Junk-K Fighter. And it’s now built into all new V1s.

Detectors that don’t detect: It’s easy to make a detector without false alarms. Just give up on longrange warnings. Our competitors play that game, we don’t.

First obligation of V1: V1 will never miss a threat.

Quiet is nice, but missing an ambush is fatal. That’s why we don’t use GPS. GPS knows only location, and if the frequency range of a new threat is the same as that of a blocked alarm, sorry, but GPS programming demands silence at that location, even if it’s a trap. V1 will never fail you that way.

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LETTERS

Work Like a Pro.

Write: Automobile magazine, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, California, 90245 Email: letters@automobilemag.com Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

Customer service: automobile@emailcustomerservice.com; 800-289-2886

Our New Look continued ...

Your new format is both more attractive and more readable, and I found something interesting in every article. The piece on Horacio Pagani captured the essence of the cars, the company, and the man. Bravo. Somewhere, the late David E. Davis Jr. is smiling. Press on.

RUSSELL BUONASERA

Houston, Texas

Thank you and bravo to creative director Darren Scott, editor in chief Mike Floyd, and the rest of your staff for implementing the magazine’s design changes including an increase to the size of the main typeface. I was a vibrant, 32-year-old yuppie when Automobile launched back in 1986.

As the years zipped by and my eyes succumbed to older age, I found myself merely glancing at most articles. When the August issue arrived I read it cover to cover in one sitting as I had done years ago. I am very appreciative of the evolution. Thank you again.

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ALLAN R. LAMBERTI

quarter- or half-inch width reduction might be considered. Overall, despite the magazine’s oversized width, I think I’ll consider renewal more seriously now.

ROB PURSLEY

Kyle, Texas

STILL CONTEMPLATING OUR REPLY In case you have not noticed, a majority of wives do not care for Automobile to be on the coffee table. Many are kept in our favorite reading room—on the tank top of the throne. This new size does not fit that space well. It does not allow the lid to stay up. We already get into enough trouble on this without the help of your new magazine size. Your old size worked just fine.

MIKE GALWEY

Tempe, Arizona

It seems like you’ve decided to serve up features on auctions and expensive classic vehicles. I am not interested in these topics. Also, the new size doesn’t fit on the top of my toilet tank, which just might be the bigger blunder.

MATT FOURNIER

Chicago, Illinois

Pensacola, Florida

Love the new format. The photos just pop out of the wider pages, and the content of the August issue is without equal. Congratulations.

ANDY RHEUDE

Grand Blanc, Michigan

In this age of electronic tablets and iPads, there is still a special tactile sensation one gets from holding and reading a beautifully made book. You have raised your magazine to that level with the new format. I don’t think I shall ever throw one away.

ONE BAD GT An old adage says the best way to get to know your new car’s subtle curves and flowing lines is to slowly wash and wax it by hand a few times. But looking at the new Ford GT (August), my first thought was it would take about four days to wax by hand. However, if someone can arrange for me to drive one, I will attempt to wax it for them, knowing I will probably draw blood somewhere on those creases, intakes, and channels.

JIM COX

Rock Island, Illinois

THOMAS SHEMANSKI

Hazleton, Pennsylvania

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TOM WAI-SHEK

New York, New York AM

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THANKS (WE THINK) The new format is good for photographic and illustrative detail. It is not so good for turning pages while sitting in your favorite recliner. The magazine becomes more of a tabletop publication, as laying it down and looking down on it is easier. Perhaps a

The new Ford GT is pure automotive lust, glorious in every way. There’s not a bad angle, and nothing else on the road looks like it. Aside for maybe one or two supercars, everything else is a Beanie Baby. By the way, the larger magazine format is more spacious for larger photos. Great issue.

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By Design

PERFORATING PILLARS IS a nice idea, one Volvo had long ago in the interest of safety and better visibility for drivers. The proliferation of 3D printing makes it feasible for production now. Just do it.

by R O B E R T CUMBERFORD

GV80 THIS LONG, ARCHED undercut washes out completely on the front fender above the headlamp slits.

BY DESIGN / GENESIS GV80

lines, one defining the bottom of the unobtrusive secondary grille, the second carrying a similar curve out of the front corner scoops, and the last one deriving from the standing winglets at the end of the lower bumper section.

As much as I like the doublegrille solution, I find the parallel, slitted headlamp openings a little too thin for the large front end.

They tend to make the whole seem even larger and more massive than it is. The matter of lamp proportions is a delicate one.

The ill-fated Renault Vel Satis was a big car with headlamps so oversized that its down-the-road graphics told you it was a small car, which was no doubt one of the contributing factors in its relative failure in the market. We all have long-established expectations for the proportions of different kinds of cars, and when something is out of sync with those expectations, the result is not good. There was an Acura coupe long ago that had tiny round circles punched into the front-end sheetmetal. The resulting pig-eyed look did nothing for what was a pretty nice little car, eventually restyled to be more conventional.

The war between convention and innovation has been going on for a long time in the minds of product planners. The conflict between “let’s have something completely new” and “make it more like a BMW 3 Series” has now become one between “new” and “more like a Porsche Cayenne.”

Looks like we know which faction won inside the halls of Genesis.

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AUTOMOBILEMAG.COM

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“A T H L E T I C E L E G A N C E ” is the design language for Hyundai Group’s Genesis GV80 concept car.

Or so said the company’s image wranglers in an overblown press release issued during April’s New York auto show. Maybe so, but the slightly to greatly inflated convex surfaces of the hydrogen fuel-cell SUV are more on the zaftig side.

Which is a polite, graceful way of saying “a little fat but in an attractive way,” like one of Renoir’s 19th century nudes. It seems, though, that phrase properly evokes 1956 and ’60 Olympian Wilma Rudolph, whose innate athletic elegance has stuck in my mind for more than six decades.

In fact, the GV80’s gently puffy surfaces might make you think of hydrogen-filled dirigibles, those great sleek creatures of the sky whose era ended with the accidental destruction of the Hindenburg 80 years ago. Despite the visual reference to lighter-thanair vehicles, this one comes across as really big and heavy looking.

I see virtually no athleticism in the GV80, but there is at least a tiny bit of formal elegance in certain details and one big element of imaginative innovation.

That’s the double grille—a nicely proportioned, five-sided, normalsized one superposed on the Audi/ Lexus-style (i.e., excessive) main inlet area. It’s a nice piece of design work that visually reduces the massive front end into two sections, the upper part of which is reasonable and “normal.” The lower section is a bit convoluted, with a trio of drooping, looping

P L E A S I N G LY P L U M P

Genesis

THIS LINE IMPLIES some kind of structure beneath a thin membrane, recalling BMW’s flexible membrane-skinned GINA concept executed long ago. It’s placed awkwardly, clashing with the long line above it.

DESIGN

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Front 3/4 View

THE ROUNDED ROOF is kind of a bland blob.

Charisma-free surface design at its most ordinary.

THE WIDE BRIGHT BAND above the grille was great on Vignale Ferraris in the 1950s but not so much today.

A SUGGESTION OF a fender form again, this time at least running parallel to several curves farther inboard, unlike the rear crease, which aligns with nothing.

THIS GRILLE’S proportions are very nice. It manages to hide in plain sight the overly large grilles being used by many competitors and is actually unobtrusively present here.

THE PRINCIPAL grille shape is agreeable, classical even, but it has no instantly recognizable make identity.

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THE OLD VOLVO A-pillar idea again, this time on the spokes of the 23-inch wheels to “reduce weight and cool the large brake system.” OK, then.

THESE BIG DUCTS appear to allow air to flow through to the outlets on the body sides, but in fact there are some huge tires in the way, and the direct air stream does not touch the brake discs either.

THE STACKED HEADLAMP slits are not a bad idea, but in the front’s overall graphic composition they seem to be about two-thirds as tall as they ought to be for their acceptable width.

IT IS HARD to fathom why this little blip is present unless there’s a compelling reason to find the exact center of the body.

GENESIS GV80 6

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DESIGN

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Luc Donckerwolke Interview

Interior View until the owner of a car truly learns which is which, and even then they’re still difficult to find at night.

5. The shift selector looks as though it would feel good to the touch.

6. This wide screen provides information for the driver, but its right-hand extremity can be controlled by the front passenger, using capacitive touch switches in the metal bands built into in the front of the console.

7. It’s nice to see the small sensor replacing huge mirrors.

It will happen someday, but a lot of legislation will have to be thrashed out in several hundred legal jurisdictions. Someday.

8. Door handles tucked into the undercut “parabolic line that establishes the confident side profile” are nice. But where do these effulgent phrases come from? Confident profile?

9. This shiny triangle is, frankly, silly. I see the lower line leading to the backlight visor, but it would be more sensible to black out the triangle beneath the transparency.

10. These lamp slits are more agreeable than those in front, but taillights do not carry the identity authority we convey to frontal “eyes,” so their weakness is less important.

3

11. Ah, yes, the little trapezoidal winglet seen on Formula 1 cars (and all too often on sedans) now finds a place on a huge SUV. 12. This texture is a bit puzzling. It can’t be for a runningboard because it’s on a slant, yet it seems to be below the actual door opening.

13. Below this strong horizontal line, the sills turn under enough to seriously lighten the body sides’ visual mass.

14. The same is true for the little slots across the bottom of the rear corner holes and for those holes themselves.

Just decoration?

15. A series of little outlets in the framing lips around the lower tail surface seem gratuitous, with no clear necessity for being.

BY DESIGN / GENESIS GV80

Rear 3/4 View

LUC DONCKERWOLKE,

52, is head of design for Hyundai Group’s Kia and Genesis brands.

He will soon take over Hyundai as well when present overall design leader Peter Schreyer departs for a well-merited retirement. Donckerwolke rose meteorically in the design business, but I first knew him as a student in Switzerland in 1992, and his first job as a stylist was with Škoda, then just acquired as a Volkswagen satellite. He did a great job, enough to get him sent to Lamborghini in Italy, where he was nominally in charge.

Donckerwolke then led Seat design in Spain, where he created its new design center. Born in Peru, Spanish was not a problem for this polyglot creator. He enjoys living in Korea, noting that “Korean food is really healthy.”

Hyundai’s rise to being a huge force in the car world has been as quick as Donckerwolke’s in design.

They go well together.

•

1. The inner door handles are as slim as those on the outside but not quite as unobtrusive. These are easy to find, a major virtue in interior design as far as I’m concerned.

2. The straightforward digital instrument cluster is well placed, clear, and legible.

3. This bright metal loop looks a lot like an airplane’s yoke—or a very old car’s horn ring.

4. A row of switches like this always looks neat but is almost always an ergonomic disaster

Luc, have you learned Korean yet?

LD: Not yet. I’m not reading and writing, but I manage to communicate verbally a little.

How many languages does this make?

LD: Only eight.

4

Where was this design done?

LD: In California and Korea, with the final clay model executed in Irvine, California, and both concept and production versions were worked on in both places.

Are you aiming at a specific Korean look?

LD: We need brand identity but for world markets, not a strictly Korean look. I see a specific aesthetic in Korea, a sense of space and the beauty of emptiness in a quiet environment. We are looking for that in our cars, with clean surfaces, space as clear as possible in the interiors, and using the functions of light. That’s distinctly Korean.

Will any distinct traits apply to all three brands?

LD: We’re aiming at a sporty attitude and a sense of musculature, as in thoroughbred horses.

How do you manage studios in Korea, the U.S., and Germany?

LD: A lot of time on planes.

I’ll fly to California on Friday then come back to Korea on Saturday, effectively spending two nights sleeping on the flights.

For the first two years my family is staying in Germany, and I see them when I can. It is too complicated to bring them here while I learn the job. AM

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S O R R Y. N O T S O R R Y.

OFFICIALLY BANNED BY THE NHRA Dodge is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC.

NE IN 2016

50

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: SUMMER 2020

the car-making industry saw its seventh consecutive year of record sales in the U.S. with 17.55 million purchases in all. So far in 2017 the numbers seem to have finally plateaued, with analysts forecasting a final total closer to 17 million—still not too shabby. Various social, political, and economic factors are driving the slight decline, but don’t blame it on a lack of interesting, exciting, and appealing new vehicles designed to grab our attention.

Indeed, the following section is filled with more than 100 cars, crossovers, SUVs, and trucks that are either on sale now or will be within a few years.

Even so, this lineup is not exhaustive in terms of everything coming down the pipe. It is composed of the top 100-plus machines that pique our interest as the automotive world continues to change on a seemingly daily basis. Although there might come a day when, as some predict, we will see a sad end to our celebration of No Boring Cars, the good news is—as evidenced on the following pages—we aren’t there yet by a long shot.

W NEW & FUTURE CARS

→

100+

FRESH REASONS TO INDULGE IN AUTOMOTIVE PASSION

&

FUTURE

51

CARS

2020 ACURA RLX

T H E B E A K I S D E A D ! Long live the diamond pentagon grille! Aside from the new mug, expect to see a bigger badge and a wider body similar to the Precision Concept (pictured) for the new RLX. More tech from the flagship NSX supercar as well as more powerful electric motors for the sport hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel Drive luxury sedan should continue to trickle over. The extra juice should provide a healthy gain to the V-6 hybrid system’s current combined 377-hp output, but the standard 310-hp V-6 in the RLX could be replaced by a version of the 2.0-liter turbocharged i-VTEC four-cylinder that’s in the 2018 Honda Accord. The six-speed automatic and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission will probably be replaced with a new 10-speed automatic transmission. More radar and lidar equipment should find its way to the redesigned RLX, as should a lot of autonomous features in the cockpit if Acura expects its fully autonomous fleet to hit the 2025 target date. The car should be available in 2020 for a starting price of around $60,000.

→ →

A L F A R O M E O F I G U R E S consumers in the U.S. bought about 2.1 million vehicles in the premium segment last year, a quarter of those being premium SUVs. It’s hard to imagine the mandate to build SUVs was a dream come true for Porsche, Bentley, Maserati, and very soon Lamborghini, nor would we guess Alfa loyalists unanimously embrace the idea. But that’s the market reality and why we have the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio, named for a mountain pass in the Swiss Alps. Based on the Giulia platform, the all-wheel-drive Stelvio is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder

2018 ALFA ROMEO STELVIO ON SALE: Now (Early 2018 for Quadrifoglio) BASE PRICE: $42,990

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with 280 horsepower mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. Styling is a strong point, as is the welcoming interior. Steering and handling are suitably Italian—weight distribution is 50/50—and even at the base level ($42,990), you get some nice features ranging from leather upholstery to a carbon-fiber driveshaft. You can step up to the Ti Lusso package for more luxury or Ti Sport for better performance, including 20-inch wheels and an upgraded suspension. You’ll have to wait until early 2018, however, for the Stelvio Quadrifoglio and its meaty 505-horsepower twinturbo V-6.

A-Z

NEW & FUTURE CARS

FOLLOW RED LINE FOR

NEW CARS

ON SALE: Now (Late 2017 for RS 5) BASE PRICE: $43,775 (A5) / $55,575 (S5) /

$70,000 (RS 5 est)

A LT H O U G H N O T A S elegant as the original Walter de Silva-designed first generation, Audi’s second crack at the A5 makes up for that with big leaps in technology and refinement. The simple, clean cabin is wisely designed around the stellar virtual cockpit instrument display, a segment-best feature in infotainment.

The base 252-hp turbocharged four-cylinder for the A5 is as smooth and punchy as ever, and standard all-wheel drive serves up balanced control alongside steady handling. Thanks to the new five-link front and rear suspension, the last-gen car’s unwanted understeer is a thing of the past.

For the brawnier S5, Audi amped up both power and torque by swapping out the old supercharged engine in favor of a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6. The new mill’s healthy 354 hp and 369 lb-ft are now sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, which better manages the gobs of lowend torque than last generation’s dual-clutch.

The A5 and S5 are already in showrooms, but Audi has also confirmed a buck-wild RS 5 will arrive by year’s end as a 2018 model. Chomping at the bit with 450 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque from the 2.9-liter twinFOLLOW turbo V-6 it shares with the new Porsche Panamera, BLUE LINE FOR the RS 5 should match the 503-hp Mercedes-AMG FUTURE C63’s 3.7-second sprint to 60 mph, owing to its CARS sophisticated all-wheel-drive setup. The A5 and S5 start at $43,775 and $55,575, respectively. The RS 5 coupe starts around $70,000 and goes on sale late in 2017.

2020 ASTON MARTIN VALKYRIE

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: DELIVERIES BEGIN 2019

2018 AUDI A5, S5, RS 5

A S T O N M A R T I N H A S conceived what it calls “the hypercar of our time,” created in partnership with Red Bull Racing and Formula 1 design legend Adrian Newey. The key to achieving its goal is the Newey-designed aerodynamic package. This is a ground-effect car.

Its radically sculpted floor sits higher off the road than the body sides while the “grille” is an opening to funnel air into tunnels along the cockpit sides. The Valkyrie features variable ride height and a hybrid rear-wheeldrive powertrain. The engine is a new, naturally aspirated 6.5-liter Cosworth V-12, supplemented by an electric motor. Total output should exceed 1,000 hp. Constructed from materials including carbon fiber and titanium, a 2,400-pound-or-less curb weight is the target. Figure 0-60 mph in less than 3 seconds and sustained lateral grip and braking in excess of 2 g. Aston will build 150 road cars and 25 track-only versions. Price should be about $3.2 million, but all road versions are already sold.

NEW & FUTURE CARS

F O L L O W I N G T H E T R E N D of style-first, function-second SUVs such as the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE Coupe, the Audi Q8 will begin production in 2018 as the flagship of Ingolstadt’s SUV portfolio. The nearly finished concept version (pictured) of the Marc Lichte-penned Q8 showcases a chunky and purposeful styling language meant to break Audi’s traditionally restrained mold. (If all moves ahead as planned, it’ll be by far the least hideous option in the segment.) We also expect the Q8 will launch with the next generation of Audi’s infotainment system, featuring multiple touchscreens and a new head-up display, which will make their debut first on the new A8.

Unlike its three-row Q7 sibling, the Q8 2019 AUDI Q8 will come exclusively as a two-row SUV, ON SALE: 2018 riding on the same MLB architecture that BASE PRICE: $55,000 (est) also underpins the surprisingly athletic Bentley Bentayga. Powertrain options are undetermined, but we expect the 333-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 from the Q7 at launch, with a plug-in hybrid option as well as a sportier S model in the pipeline. Look for a starting price north of $55,000.

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $65,875

2019 AUDI A8

Other major bits of kit include a nonadjustable sport suspension and carbon-ceramic front brakes, but the TT RS is a beast even with its standard steel brakes and adaptive magnetic dampers. Even under serious punishment the TT RS will not understeer; its allwheel-drive system is capable of sending just shy of 100 percent of available torque to the rear axle.

With no real competitors at its $65,875 price point along with all-wheel drive and brutal 3.6-second 0-60-mph launches, the TT RS is in a class of its own.

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $55,875

A N A B S U R D , W H I T E - H O T 400-hp dynamo of an entry-level luxury sedan used to be the sort of thing we’d have to lust after from across the ocean. These are blessed times, however, seeing as Audi has renewed its commitment to beefing up its RS portfolio here in the States to better compete with BMW M and Mercedes-AMG. Europe was able to enjoy the last RS 3 as a hatchback with a 367-hp turbo inlinefive, but we’ll only get it as a sedan. Using the same all-new turbocharged inline-five and seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox as the more compact TT RS, the first-ever Audi RS 3 for the U.S. has the added benefit of four doors and a more usable back seat. Despite a little more weight and a less track-focused approach to suspension tuning, the $55,875 RS 3 will still be a potent answer to the Mercedes-AMG CLA45, capable of cracking off 0-60-mph sprints in less than 4 seconds.

2018 AUDI TT RS A N Y O N E A C C U S I N G A U D I of being too sedate would do well to sample the TT RS. Packing 40 more horses and maintaining the same 3,306-pound weight, this 400-hp überTT won the heart of contributing writer and race-car driver Andy Pilgrim. A big part of the appeal is the distinctive, all-new 2.5-liter turbo inlinefive. True to Audi heritage and electrifying to witness, the new aluminum-intensive engine drops 54 pounds and sounds delicious with an optional sport exhaust.

2018 AUDI RS 3

ON SALE: 2018 / BASE PRICE: $80,000 (est) H A N D S O M E . C O N S E R V AT I V E . U N D E R S T AT E D .

These words have, for a decade or more, been the key descriptors of Audi’s exterior design ethos. That has changed in the last 24 months or so, and it’s going to keep changing with the introduction of the Audi A8.

The interior carries forward past themes, too, but with an edgier, futuristic flair and no more buttons thanks to two haptic feedback screens. There’s a lot going on beneath the surface as well—things such as unattended self-parking, a 12.3-inch high-resolution virtual cockpit display that replaces the instrument panel, and the ability to interpret GPS route data and sensor information to automatically coast (at speeds between 34 and 99 mph) or recuperate energy via the 48-volt belt-alternator starter system.

The 2019 Audi A8 goes on sale in the U.S. sometime next year with a starting price around $80,000.

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NEW & FUTURE CARS

ANDREI AVARVARII

2018 BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT

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T H E 2 0 1 8 C O N T I N E N TA L G T will make its debut in 2018 with a newfound focus on athleticism, technology, and an appropriately avant-garde design language. Although the new Conti’s looks will borrow curvy cues from the EXP 12 Speed 6e concept, its chassis is based on Porsche’s MSB platform.

The Continental’s top-dog model will be powered by a new edition of the venerable 6.0-liter W-12 delivering 624 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. In this guise, the new model should eclipse the outgoing Speed version with a 0-60-mph time of 3.7 seconds and a top speed of around 210 mph. By 2019 a 550-hp, 4.0-liter V-8 model should materialize, as should a plug-in hybrid that utilizes a 3.0-liter V-6. A hefty fuel tank and drivetrain efficiency improvements will deliver a cruising range of around 500 miles.

2018 BMW Z4

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: SOMETIME IN 2018

2017 BENTLEY CONTINENTAL SUPERSPORTS T H E C U R T A I N C A L L for the current Conti invokes brag-worthy BASE PRICE: $296,025 (coupe) milestones, appointing the 209-mph $325,325 (convertible) Supersports coupe ($296,025) as the world’s fastest four-seater and the 205-mph Supersports convertible ($325,325) as the fastest four-seat convertible. The W-12 engine sees its most potent application to date with a reworked intake and charging system and larger turbos that can spin at 150,000 rpm. The upgrades extract 700 horsepower and 750 lb-ft of torque from the 6.0-liter W-12, a 67-hp and 131-lb-ft gain over the Speed model. That motivation can launch the 2.5-ton steed to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, aided by 88 pounds of weight loss at the wheels, brakes, and exhaust.

The notoriously long-in-the-tooth infotainment hardware is at least garnished with more inventive finishes such as a dashboard embedded with a checkerboard pattern made of 12,000 strands of carbon fiber, each 10 times thinner than a strand of human hair.

ON SALE: Now

ON SALE: 2018 B M W ’ S C O L L A B O R AT I V E P R O J E C T

with Toyota, dubbed Silk Road, will give birth to both the new Supra coupe and BMW’s successor to the Z4 roadster. The new Z4 will ditch the heavy and space-inefficient power hard top for a traditional soft top.

Hopefully this means a return to form for BMW’s only two-seater, which in recent years lost the plot of a sport-focused roadster. BMW will aim for 3,300 pounds for the new model, a good foundation for the turbo-four and turbo straight-six engines it will receive.

To start we’ll see the 2.0-liter 248-hp and 258-lb-ft turbo four-cylinder currently in the 230i, with a hotter M40i version to follow with the 335-hp 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine from the M240i. The latest iDrive infotainment system first seen on the 7 Series is sure to be available at launch.

The Z4 should go into production in 2018, starting at more than $50,000.

WHEN TO

EXPECT IT: LATE 2018

8

2019 BMW

SERIES

BASE PRICE: $100,000 (est)

T H E O R I G I N A L 8 S E R I E S was revered for its timeless shape and forward-thinking technology. This Adrian van Hooydonk-penned successor will be no different. (The Concept 8 Series is pictured.) Underneath the svelte, rakish body will come a variety of powerplants, including a turbo 3.0-liter straight-six to go along with the V-8 featured in the concept. All-wheel drive will be available as an option from launch sometime in 2018, and a plug-in hybrid version is in the works.

Convertible and four-door versions are all but guaranteed. A high-powered M8 is already in development with a GTE race car planned to send BMW back to Le Mans.

Built on the same flexible CLAR architecture as the 7 Series sedan, this elite-level grand tourer will showcase the best Munich has to offer as an answer to the Porsche 911, Mercedes S-Class Coupe, Aston Martin DB11, and most recently the Lexus LC 500. Figure a starting price just north of $100,000.

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NEW & FUTURE CARS

T H E S U C C E S S O R T O the mighty Veyron had huge shoes to fill—specifically, 16-cylinder, 1,200-horsepower kicks that propelled the late, great hypercar to 258 mph and even 267 mph in unrestricted form.

The Chiron’s target of 1,500 horsepower required significant re-engineering throughout. Although its 261-mph top speed doesn’t match its predecessor’s best, Bugatti boss Wolfgang Dürheimer says the electronically limited output will easily allow for faster ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $2,998,000 future variants. Virtually no corner of the Chiron was left unaltered: The carbon-fiber chassis now claims torsional rigidity matched only by an LMP racer, the brakes stop stronger and run 50 percent cooler, and the suspension gains adaptive damping for a broader repertoire.

In the gauge cluster, two high-resolution screens flank the central pièce de résistance: a speedometer that goes ON SALE: Fall 2017 to 300 mph. The most telling bellwether of the Chiron’s BASE PRICE: $40,970 desirability? More than half of the 500-vehicle allotment was spoken for before it hit the market, obliterating the T H E 2 0 0 8 E N C L A V E dragged Buick into the 21st century 10-year time frame it took to sell out the Veyron. and re-established its image as a semipremium brand. Ten years later, the Enclave is Buick’s de facto flagship, with evolutionary design that’s cleaner and more elegant than the successful first-generation model. Riding on either 18- or 20-inch wheels bookending a 120.9-inch wheelbase, the 2018 ON SALE: Now (M550i) / March 2018 (M5) Enclave gets a new 3.6-liter direct-injection V-6, rated at 302 horsepower BASE PRICE: $73,095 (M550i) / $100,000 (M5) (est) and 260 lb-ft of torque. It’s mated to a new nine-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic, good for 17/25 mpg city/highway FWD, 17/24 mpg AWD. Moving to the three-row Chi platform shared with the Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia, and an upcoming Cadillac, the 2018 Buick Enclave is shorter in overall length and looks lower but adds interior space. New features include Evonik Acrylite signature headlamps and Buick’s Avenir luxury subbrand trim level.

2017 BUGATTI CHIRON

2018 BUICK ENCLAVE

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2018 BMW M550i, M5

I F Y O U S I M P LY can’t wait for the new M5 but still want the sweet brutality of a 4.4-liter twin-turbo BMW V-8, the first-ever M550i is already in showrooms. Positioned a notch below the full-fat product of BMW M, the M550i is nonetheless an extremely impressive performance sedan brimming with 456 hp and a heady 480 lb-ft of torque.

It comes exclusively with all-wheel drive and can be optioned with goodies such as rear-wheel steering, adaptive suspension, and active rollbar stabilization.

The next M5, slated for sale in March 2018, will attempt to carry the torch as the ultimate performance sedan. Adopting all-wheel drive for the first time to cope with the stunning 608 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, the M5 is more balanced and less unhinged than the outgoing F10 M5. Want to crank up the wild to 11? Switch the M5 into rear-drive mode, and let loose without any traction or stability nannies to quench the fire in your loins. The M550i is on sale now, starting from $73,095.

2018 BUICK REGAL TOURX, SPORTBACK, GS ON SALE: Late 2017 BASE PRICE: $25,915 (Sportback) / $29,995 (TourX) / $39,990 (GS) T H E N E W B U I C K R E G A L will be available only as a four-door hatchback or crossover—unusual body styles coming from a semipremium American badge. The Regal TourX will attempt to compete with the Audi A4 Allroad and Subaru Outback. The Sportback and TourX are powered by a 250-hp 2.0-liter turbo I-4 with an eight-speed automatic, rated at 260 lb-ft (FWD, nine-speed auto) or 295 lb-ft (AWD, eight-speed auto). Topping the lineup is the Regal GS, a hot, four-door hatch powered by the brand’s 3.6-liter V-6 with 310 hp and 282 lb-ft. All-wheel drive, a nine-speed auto, and Brembo front brake calipers all come standard on the GS, which starts at $39,990.

Even with its rakish hatchback body, the Regal Sportback continues as Buick’s relatively low-volume midsize sport sedan, and the TourX aims even more directly at the heart of enthusiasts. Both go on sale in November. The Regal Sportback will start at $25,915, with the TourX at $29,995.

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11-TIME SCCA SOLO NATIONAL CHAMPION

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L I N C O L N I S J U S T now launching the third Navigator to be equipped with an independent rear suspension, and yet we’ve got a couple years before Cadillac finally responds with IRS and/or air suspension in its much-anticipated fifth-generation Escalade. Despite having most of the decade to develop the ’20 Escalade—the “all-new” 2015 model was more an evolutionary update of the ’07, hobbled by General Motors’ 2009 bankruptcy —it is rumored that company brass approved ditching the solid rear axle on its most profitable model late in the program. So the Escalade, its long-wheelbase ESV variant, and the less-expensive Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and GMC Yukon/XL brethren finally will offer a flat cargo floor. No more lifting out the heavy third seat before you head to Target.

The change to IRS came so late, in fact, that the Escalade has been delayed from an early or mid-2019 calendar year launch by about six months.

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RADOVAN VARICAK

NEW & FUTURE CARS

The Escala concept sedan unveiled at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours points to the evolution of the brand’s design ethos. It’s a curvier, more elegant update of the Art and Science aesthetic that began Cadillac’s renaissance in earnest. The ’20 Escalade will adapt the Escala’s design language as much as a 203.9-inch long, 74.4-inch tall box possibly can. Sheetmetal between Caddy, GMC, and Chevy variants will be more distinct than ever.

The ’20 Escalade represents Cadillac’s best opportunity to finally raise its leather and fabric quality, switchgear, and fit and finish to Mercedes-Benz/BMW/Audi levels. Expect Cadillac to offer Super Cruise Level 2 (or higher, depending on speed of development) semi-autonomy.

The new Escalade is expected to be one of the first Cadillacs equipped with the new 4.0-liter double-overhead-cam V-8 to which the Escala concept alluded. Like the next-generation pickups and SUVs, it has been in development for much of the

ESCALADE 58

2020 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV

decade, and it’s not clear how quickly the twin-cam will replace the smallblock (which will then be 65 years old) in GM’s narrowing V-8 lineup. We do know the Escalade’s V-8, whichever engine, will be paired with a 10-speed automatic added last year, and that rear- and four-wheel drive will be offered. Don't be surprised to see a plug-in hybrid variant possibly as early as the second model year.

The 2020 Cadillac Escalade will go on sale in late 2019 or early 2020 with a starting price between $78,000 and $100,000, depending on the model.

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: NOT BEFORE MID-2019

NEW & FUTURE CARS

“ZORA”

2019 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: FALL 2018

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: MID- TO LATE 2018

ZR1

Spy shots suggest the C8 will not be mistaken for any other mid-engine sports car, with a hood nearly as long as the C7’s, though with a short dash-to-axle ratio and a long rear deck.

Sale of brand-new, front-engine C7s will overlap with the release of the C8 by up to one calendar year.

Spy shots of C8 Zora mules show the car accompanied by C7s with big rear wings and camouflaged front clips. The illustration below shows the ZR1 featuring huge air intakes and additional aero tweaks. The C6 ZR1’s LS9 is rated at 638 hp, and the C7 Z06’s LT4 supercharged small-block makes 650 hp. We expect the C7 ZR1’s supercharged small-block’s horsepower number to begin with a seven.

The C8 Corvette is expected to again use the latest performance variants of Chevrolet’s venerable small-block V-8 under its relocated engine cover. GM also has been developing a new 4.0-liter double-overhead-cam turbocharged V-8 primarily for Cadillac models. That engine would provide more variation, beyond sheetmetal, to distinguish the C8 from Cadillac’s rumored mid-engine sports car.

Although not confirmed, a Cadillac sports car based on the mid-engine Corvette is believed to be under development. GM has trademarked the Manta Ray name for a performance variant of the C8 and E-Ray for a performance hybrid.

The 2019 Corvette goes on sale in mid- to late 2018. The C7 ZR1 should start from an estimated $105,000, while the Zora might offer a base price as low as $65,000 or as high as $95,000.

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2019 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

ZORA AND ZR1: RADOVAN VARICAK

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A F T E R S E V E N generations of front-engine, rear-wheel-drive Chevrolet Corvettes, the C8 is switching to a mid-engine configuration. The C8 Zora is likely to be unveiled January 2018 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, with production to begin in time for a fall ’18 release, possibly earlier. The Corvette’s Bowling Green, Kentucky, assembly plant suspended public tours this year, suggesting that Chevy has begun to build C8 prototypes there.

Arguments against a mid-engine C8 are the configuration’s higher cost and its departure from the Great American Sports Car’s image. Arguments for it are stronger. First, Corvette buyers are getting old, and they would find little reason to trade in for an evolutionary, front-engine C8 Corvette. Foremost, by switching to mid-engine, Chevrolet is doing what Porsche refuses to do with the Corvette’s direct competitor, the 911. By going midengine with the C8, Chevy may finally have a Corvette that can out-handle the 911.

Not available in beige.

There’s nothing wrong with beige. It’s a perfectly legitimate color for an armchair or a pantsuit. It’s just not right for the more aggressive, all-new 2018 Camry. So we made an executive decision: no beige exterior. Not even a light khaki.

It is, however, available in ten colors, like Ruby Flare Pearl.¹ Camry has returned with a bit of attitude. And it’s a rather dramatic departure from its past. So if beige is your thing, you’re kind of out of luck.

Prototype shown with options. Production model may vary. 1. Extra-cost color. ©2017 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

2018 CHEVROLET EQUINOX

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $24,525 W I T H T I G H T E R E X T E R I O R dimensions and no V-6 option, the Equinox has lost 400 pounds while adopting the Bow Tie’s sculpted new design language.

Options include everything from denim-style seat fabric to the Cruze’s 137-hp 1.6-liter turbodiesel rated at 240 lb-ft of torque. Gas engine options are the 170-hp 1.5-liter and 252-hp 2.0-liter turbo fours, the latter getting a nine-speed automatic. The others get a six-speed automatic.

Also added: low-speed automatic braking, surround vision, active aero shutters, and a “kneeling” rear seat allowing a flat load floor. AWD is available only with the 2.0-liter turbo engine. Chevy expects 40 mpg highway for the diesel. Gas fuel efficiency is 22-26/28-32 mpg city/ highway. The Equinox is on sale now, starting at $24,525.

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ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $40,995

2017 CHEVROLET COLORADO ZR2 L I K E I T S C H I E F C O M P E T I T O R the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, the midsize Chevy Colorado ZR2 4x4’s performance bits are for bouncing around in the dirt. There are no engine mods; the ZR2 comes with either the 308-horsepower 3.6-liter V-6 coupled to an eight-speed automatic and rated at 275 lb-ft of torque, or an optional 186-horsepower Duramax 2.8-liter I-4 turbodiesel with a six-speed automatic rated at 369 lb-ft. EPA numbers are 16/18 mpg city/highway for the V-6 and 19/22 mpg for the diesel. Also unlike the TRD Pro, the ZR2 is available in club cab and crew cab body configurations.

Also included are electronic front and rear locking differentials, Multimatic’s Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve (DSSV) dampers for enhanced ride and handling, cast-iron control arms, a tapered front bumper with an aluminum skidplate, a tapered rear bumper, functional rockers, and a more aggressive grille with a powerbulge hood insert. Front and rear tracks are 3.5 inches wider, and the suspension is lifted 2.0 inches. A bed-mounted spare-tire carrier is an extra-cost accessory.

2018 CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 1LE ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $69,995

2018 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE

T H I S I S T H E B E S T big bang for the Camaro buck to date. The track package adds $7,500 to the standard ZL1 for a price of $69,995; that’s $5,000 less than the last Z/28. Riding on Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar 3R rubber—325s rear, 305s front, the widest tires ever on a factory Camaro—the 1LE employs Multimatic’s DSSV dampers and features adjustable front ride height, camber plates, and rear anti-roll bar. There’s a big carbon wing and other aerodynamic upgrades; the Flowtie logo appears along with larger grilles to improve cooling. Also standard are Chevy’s electronic limitedslip differential, Performance Traction Management, and Performance Data Recorder. A six-speed manual is the only gearbox available. The supercharged 6.2-liter V-8’s output remains the same as the base ZL1: 650 hp and 650 lb-ft. Chevy could’ve called this the new Z/28, but that designation is saved for its ultimate Camaro, which could yet emerge.

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $30,875 T H E S P O R T I E R M I D S I Z E Chevrolet Traverse offers a new standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that’s rated at 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque with optional AWD. Its updated 3.6-liter V-6 engine offers 310 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque.

Both engines are mated to an all-new nine-speed transmission that was codeveloped with Ford. Sadly, all powertrains come with automatic start/stop standard with no defeat button. The roomy crossover SUV has three rows of seats that can fit up to six and a half adults. (We tried seven, but it got too close for comfort.)

Chevy’s second-generation family truckster weighs 4,362 pounds, but it’s surprisingly lighter than the previous generation by 351 pounds. Premier replaces LTZ, and High Country is now the topof-the-line offering while LS and LT trims stay the same. The Traverse is available now with a base price of $30,875.

NEW & FUTURE CARS

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: SPRING 2019

2019 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

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T H E S I LV E R A D O 1 5 0 0 will get much-needed tech upgrades to stay competitive in 2019 but just enough as to not scare off its core audience. No console or dial shifters here, just an old-school column shifter to placate die-hards.

MyLink infotainment will invade the center stack along with a 110-volt AC power outlet and USB ports, maybe even a push-button ignition or steering wheel paddles.

Under a hood scoop borrowed from the 2500HD, a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 255 hp could join the 285-hp 4.3-liter V-6, th 355-hp 5.3-liter V-8, and the 420-hp 6.2-liter V-8. All eight-speed transmissions should eventually graduate to the new 10-speed automatic as well. An all-new lighter frame and a few choice aluminum body panels could help it shed a few pounds when it goes on sale in spring 2019 for an estimated $29,000.

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ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $84,995

2018 DODGE CHALLENGER DEMON

BLAZER AND SILVERADO: RADOVAN VARICAK

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: SPRING 2019

2019 CHEVROLET BLAZER

C H E V Y S N U F F E D T H E Blazer’s flame back in 2005, but fans still carry a torch and have been clamoring for a new model ever since. Possible prototype test mules of the midsize SUV have been spotted recently, but there is still no official announcement from Bow Tie brass. An all-new five-passenger crossover Blazer with a removable top should fit in nicely between the recently downsized Equinox and the seven-passenger Traverse SUVs. A new version could blaze a trail by spring 2019 for an estimated $30,000 if Chevy wants to beat Ford to the punch with its original Bronco fighter. The recent FNR-X concept that bowed in Shanghai earlier this year could be inspiration for the contender we’ve been waiting for. Just hold off on the plug-in hybrid tech, please.

D E M O N I C P O S S E S S I O N I S N ’ T anything to be taken lightly, and neither is Dodge’s 2018 Challenger Demon. A car made of devilish stats—840 hp, 0-60 mph in 2.3 seconds, the quarter mile in 9.65 seconds—has been summoned.

On 91-octane gas, the supercharged V-8 generates 808 hp and 770 lb-ft (840 hp requires race gas), while drag racing-sourced technologies such as a transmission brake, anti-lag, the first air-conditioning charge cooler, and a suspension setup designed to perfect a hard drag launch help thrust the street-legal drag car down the track.

Holy water isn’t included, and neither is the front passenger seat, rear trunk lining, or rear seats. All are available, however, for a single dollar each, as is a Demon Crate with a smattering of drag-racing goodies.

The Demon starts at $84,995.

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NEW & FUTURE CARS

RADOVAN VARICAK

2021 FERRARI F16X SUV

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: NOT BEFORE 2021

A S A D A M A N T LY A S Ferrari honcho Sergio Marchionne denies the possibility of a prancing horse SUV, signs point toward a GTC4Lusso spin-off that will veer eerily close to sport-utility territory. “We will never build an SUV” is the textbook refrain from Maranello execs, though insiders add that the Lusso platform has plenty of room for expansion in the direction of a more spacious, longer-wheelbase vehicle that manages to maintain a reasonably low center of gravity. With rumors swirling around a plug-in hybrid incorporating a turbocharged 3.9-liter V-8 and a 161-hp, 221-lb-ft electric motor, further differentiation from the Lusso would bring it closer in spirit to upcoming luxe SUVs like the Aston Martin DBX and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and away from more off-road-capable offerings such as the Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus.

With the next-gen Lusso due in 2020, this almost-SUV could debut as early as 2021.

2018 FERRARI 812 SUPERFAST ON SALE: Spring 2018 / BASE PRICE: $335,275 T H E F A S T E S T, M O S T powerful production car ever to wear the prancing horse storms onto our shores this fall to replace Ferrari’s previous front-engine star, the F12. Boasting a new direct-injection, naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V-12 making a staggering 789 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and 530 lb-ft of torque at 7,000 rpm, the aptly named Superfast can rocket from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds on to a top speed of 211 mph. Under the gorgeous bodywork (styled in-house) lies a vast array of advanced tech, from an updated F1 seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to rear-wheel steering, the latest Side Slip Control, and Ferrari’s first-ever use of electric power steering. You’ll need at least $335,275 if you’re planning to hitch a Superfast ride of your own when it goes on sale in spring 2018.

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2017 FERRARI GTC4LUSSO ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $300,000

T H E A L L- W H E E L- D R I V E Ferrari FF caught immeasurable flak for its un-Ferrari-like silhouette and quirky swagger. Sleek, it was not.

It was weird. But just as Ferraristi were finally starting to wrap their heads around the hunchback from Maranello, the $300,000 GTC4Lusso arrives to quiet critics with its lower, curvier, and meaner looks. Keeping with the sexed-up exterior is an upgrade to the 6.3-liter V-12, whose redesigned combustion chambers facilitate a 29-hp increase to 680, while torque escalates 10 lb-ft to 514. Following in the footsteps of the F12tdf (and, subsequently, the 812 Superfast), the Lusso gains a four-wheel-steering system that factors several dynamic variables before turning the rear wheels. Interestingly, the system is also able to “thrust vector”—that is, turn only the inside rear wheel in order to stabilize handling when necessary.

The refreshed interior takes a quantum leap toward relevance, most notably thanks to an updated infotainment system managed by a new, centrally positioned 10.3-inch touchscreen. A secondary “copilot” touchscreen has been added for the passenger, offering a digital dashboard (complete with speed, revs, gear position, and g-force), multimedia controls, or navigation setup. In the grand spirit of F1 cockpits, key buttons and switches have been moved to the steering wheel. Say what you will about a four-seat Ferrari with cargo space, the 208-mph GTC4Lusso quells critics with its freshened-up styling, power bump, and modernized interior.

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2023 FERRARI DINO, F173

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: DINO IN 2023 F173 IN 2019

F E R R A R I H A S P O N D E R E D both adding a sedan to its lineup and green-lighting the long-rumored Dino. The sedan is dead, but the Dino (illustrated here) is a go. It will be based on the next-gen replacement for the 488, code-named F173.

The mid-engine, twin-turbo V-6-powered Dino now has an official development code (F17X) and a launch window in 2023—several years after the F173. However, changing legislation and marketing considerations may bring it forward a year or two. According to sources, the car sits on a slightly shorter wheelbase than the F173, which needs more room for its upgraded V-8, tipped to deliver 723 hp and 796 lb-ft of torque in plug-in hybrid guise. The Dino’s 2.9-liter engine is reportedly good for 610 hp and 442 lb-ft. Although the electric motor is placed between engine and gearbox, Ferrari is designing the F173 to accommodate an electric front-wheel-drive module at a later stage. We are led to believe the price for the Dino will likely start at around $240,000 and the 488’s replacement around $300,000.

ON SALE: Early 2018 / BASE PRICE: $24,000 (est)

2018 FORD ECOSPORT

2019 FORD EXPLORER F O R I T S S I X T H generation, the 2019

Ford Explorer will receive a new aluminum chassis and body, a host of new engines, and all the creature comforts customers are looking for. The Explorer will grow in size, and the interior will be decidedly more upscale as Ford pivots the Explorer toward more affluent buyers.

Under the hood, the Explorer will likely receive two available engines: Ford’s turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost and the larger twin-turbo 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 also found in the Expedition and F-150.

For the larger 3.5-liter V-6 engine, the Explorer will also receive the new 10-speed automatic gearbox co-developed with General Motors.

With test-mule sightings increasing, look for the 2019 Ford Explorer to debut in the very near future with a price tag similar to the 2017 Explorer’s $32,605.

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: SOMETIME IN 2018

EXPLORER AND DINO: RADOVAN VARICAK

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S M A L L E R , M O R E E C O N O M I C A L crossovers continue to be a hot trend in the automotive landscape.

Ford’s 2018 EcoSport aims to target a market looking for space-saving convenience while retaining some SUV capability. The EcoSport’s architecture shares the Fiesta’s B3 platform and can be optioned with either a 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder EcoBoost or a 2.0 liter four-cylinder coupled with Ford’s Intelligent AWD. Both come standard with six-speed automatic transmissions.

Expect Ford’s new Sync 3 infotainment system, which includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an optional B&O Play audio system tuned by Harman’s engineers. The 2018 EcoSport will arrive at dealerships in early 2018 with a price that will likely start less than the Escape’s $24,645.

NEW & FUTURE CARS

2018 FORD FIESTA ST ON SALE: 2018 / BASE PRICE: $22,000 (est)

ON SALE: Sold out; new orders open early 2018 BASE PRICE: $450,000

ON SALE: Fall 2017 / BASE PRICE: $48,000 (est) S I T T I N G O N A modified version of Ford’s latest F-150 chassis, the new Expedition features an aluminum body, which helps the trucklike SUV shed more than 300 pounds compared to its previous generation. Powered by a turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine, Ford says the 2018 Expedition will be the most powerful Expedition ever, although Ford hasn’t released full specs. It will also feature the new 10-speed automatic transmission that was recently launched in Ford’s Raptor pickup.

Inside, customers will be treated to the Expedition’s signature spaciously comfortable cabin, also featuring Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system, wireless charging, a 12-speaker B&O Play premium audio system, and seating for up to eight. The 2018 Ford Expedition will arrive this fall for around $48,000.

I F Y O U R E A D last month’s cover story, there isn’t much you don’t know about the stomping, $450,000 Ford GT. Developed to conquer the 24 Hours of Le Mans—a feat the competition version accomplished in 2016—and built in Canada by racing outfit Multimatic, this is the ultimate embodiment of sports-car racing tech in a street car. The GT boasts a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis and body panels, advanced active aerodynamics, and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission to support its 647-hp, 550-lb-ft 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6. It is one of the quickest, best-handling supercars we’ve ever tested, with a 0-60mph time of about 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 216 mph. The bad news: The first 750 cars are sold. Ford will begin accepting applications for the final 250 in early 2018.

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2018 FORD GT

2018 FORD EXPEDITION

F O R 2 0 1 8 , T H E Fiesta ST drops the previous iteration’s turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine for an all-new 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine generating 197 horsepower, the same as its predecessor, but 213 lb-ft of torque, which is 11 more than the last engine. The new engine can also disengage two cylinders during low-load situations, helping fuel economy.

The 2018 Ford Fiesta ST will also feature a new drive-mode system, offering three selectable modes, including Normal, Sport, and Track, which will change a variety of things including steering, stability control, and the car’s active exhaust.

The European market will receive the 2018 Fiesta ST early next year, but it’s increasingly likely Ford will kill the Fiesta for the U.S. altogether, relying instead on the EcoSport.

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NEW & FUTURE CARS

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: 2019

2020 GENESIS GV80

F O R T H E 2 0 1 8 model year, Honda’s groundbreaking, SoCal-only Clarity Fuel Cell sedan (available currently by lease only) is joined by two new versions: the Clarity Electric (initially available only in California and Oregon) and the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid (sold nationwide). The electric version shares many components with its fuel-cell sibling, including the AC electric motor. (Horsepower is down from 174 hp to 161, but torque remains at 221 lb-ft.) With a 25.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack beneath the rear floor, the five-passenger Clarity provides a less-than-stellar 80-mile driving range but is roomy and can be fully recharged in three hours. The more versatile Plug-In sports a smaller 17-kWh battery but a more robust 181-horsepower electric motor with torque rated at 232 lb-ft.

Along with a gas-fed 1.5-liter inline-four, the motor is said to deliver more than 330 miles of range (up to 42 miles on electricity alone).

Both are expected to start at around $35,000 before incentives.

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $35,000 (est)

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: LATE 2018

2019 FORD SHELBY MUSTANG GT500 F O R D ’ S L AT E S T L I G H T-T O - L I G H T

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $25,970

2018 GMC TERRAIN T H E S E C O N D - G E N E R A T I O N GMC Terrain rolled out at the 2017 Detroit auto show with an all-new design, fresh powerplants, a controversial push-button shifter, and a weight that’s roughly 400 pounds lighter.

Taking the place of the first-gen’s naturally aspirated 2.4-liter I-4 and 3.6-liter V-6 under the Terrain’s hood are a trio of turbo fours—two gasoline and one diesel.

The smaller of the gas mills displaces 1.5 liters and makes 170 hp along with 203 lb-ft of torque, while the larger 2.0-liter unit is good for 252 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. Both are mated to a nine-speed auto.

The 1.6-liter diesel makes 137 hp and 240 lb-ft and is mated to a six-speed auto. Prices start at $25,970.

hellion is out for muscle-car blood, putting the Dodge Challenger Hellcat and Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 on notice.

With the ZL1 putting down 650 horsepower and the Hellcat producing 707, Ford’s newest track-ready Mustang Shelby GT500 will likely feature a supercharged version of the GT350’s 5.2-liter V-8 “Voodoo” engine generating more than 700 horsepower. Yet don’t count on the supercharged engine to scream like its naturally aspirated brethren. It likely won’t feature the GT350’s flat-plane crankshaft, which yields the Shelby’s signature yowl. Do expect to see carbon wheels and wide, sticky tires.

Expect a price tag worthy of its 700-plus horsepower rating—likely more than $70,000. There’s a chance the next GT500 will debut by the end of the year, in time for the GT500’s 50th anniversary. When it will actually land in buyers’ hands, however, remains unclear.

RADOVAN VARICAK

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H Y U N D A I ’ S N A S C E N T L U X U R Y brand offered a preview of its first SUV, the midsize GV80, at the 2017 New York International Auto Show. The first effort for new Genesis design boss Luc Donckerwolke, the GV80 bears many cues that will remind onlookers of his former employer, Bentley.

“The GV80 concept is an SUV that alludes to the confidence and evolution of the Genesis brand,” Donckerwolke said of the design. “Its design is timeless, with an understated yet dynamic overall surface complexity.”

Although the concept is a hydrogen-powered plugin, the production GV80 should come with more conventional powerplants, such as the G80’s 3.3-liter twin-turbo V-6, when it arrives. Genesis is mum on timing, but expect a debut in 2019 as a 2020 model with a starting price around $50,000.

2018 HONDA CLARITY

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F I R S T U N V E I L E D F O R the 2017 model year, the new Civic Si makes the price-value equation burst into flames.

The first turbocharged Si, it romps with 205 horses and 192 lb-ft of torque from a 1.5-liter four-cylinder also fortified with variable valve timing, 20.3 psi of boost pressure, and a lofty 10.3:1 compression ratio. Peak power arrives 1,300 rpm sooner with the new turbo engine than in the previous naturally aspirated unit, while peak torque hits 2,300 rpm sooner.

Yet you can buy an Si (available in coupe and sedan body styles) for just $24,775. Also onboard is a six-speed manual shifter (the only transmission offered), adaptive dampers, a limited-slip front diff, and optional Goodyear Eagle F1 tires.

The Civic Si isn’t sporty enough for you? Then consider the new Type R hatchback variant. It’s the most powerful Honda ever sold in the U.S. and the fastest front-driver around the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife with a 7:43.8 lap time. The unskilled need not apply: The Type R is also only available with a six-speed manual transmission. Track rats in training will appreciate the automatic downshift revmatching feature, however, which offers two modes—one for the street, one more track-ready—and eliminates the need for tricky heel-toe footwork. Multilink rear suspension and dualaxis MacPherson front struts help balance the chassis, and

2017 HONDA CIVIC Si

2017 HONDA CIVIC

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $24,775

dual-pinion electric-assist power steering handles direction changes. Even the hood has been lightened, going with an all-aluminum construction that shaves 11.7 pounds from the Type R’s curb weight.

Unlike previous high-revving Honda hot hatches (but like the Si), the new Type R gets its punch from a turbocharger and 23.2 psi of boost pressure. Honda gooses this little beast with all sorts of go-fast hardware, including adaptive damping, 20.0-by-8.5-inch aluminum wheels, a three-mode drive system, a water-cooled oil cooler, and a turbocharged i-VTEC 2.0-liter four-cylinder making a scalding 306 horsepower at 6,500 rpm (redline is 7,000 rpm) and 295 lbft of torque from 2,500 rpm to 4,500 rpm. With a claimed top speed of 169 mph, the Type R is the fastest hot hatch in America. Incredibly, it’s a bargain too, starting at $34,775.

TYPE R

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $34,775

NEW & FUTURE CARS

A L R E A D Y O N E O F our favorite minivans, the Odyssey is refreshed and improved for 2018.

Riding on a new structure that’s lighter yet more rigid, the Odyssey also benefits from a redesigned rear suspension and, up front, a new dual-pinion electric steering system. Under the hood lies Honda’s familiar 3.5-liter V-6 engine, now uprated to deliver 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque—increases of 32 hp and 12 lb-ft. New are nine- and 10-speed automatic transmissions (the latter standard on Touring and Elite versions). All Odysseys are quieter inside, thanks to standard active noise cancellation, acoustic glass on the windshield and side windows, and triple door seals. Interior improvements include a new 8.0-inch touchscreen display (standard on all but base editions), softer materials, a new one-piece instrument panel, and a new system called CabinWatch, which uses an overhead camera (which also works at night) to allow the driver to keep tabs on passengers in the second and third rows. It’s brilliant. Honda’s latest Odyssey starts at $30,930.

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $22,200 (Hybrid),

$29,500 (Electric), $27,500 (Plug-In est) A LT H O U G H H Y U N D A I ’ S 58-combined-mpg Ioniq Hybrid four-door hatchback (starting at $22,200) has been on sale for about a year now and the Ioniq Electric—124-mile range, starting at $29,500—is now available in California, the big news for 2018 is the arrival of the new Ioniq Plug-In for about $27,500, which will be available around the time you read this. Under the hood lies the same 1.6-liter four-cylinder found in the hybrid with 104 hp and 109 lb-ft of torque plus a 44.5-kWh electric motor that adds 60 hp, upping total system output to 139 hp. Interestingly, for a transmission the Plug-In uses not a CVT but a six-speed dual-clutch automatic, which is smoother than the CVT in the Toyota Prius. Electric range is at least 27 miles, and the Plug-In can be fully recharged with a 240-volt charger in 2.5 hours. Inside, the car is refreshingly devoid of whimsical hybrid details; the cockpit and dash look like a standard car’s, including a three-person back seat.

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $30,930

2018 HONDA ACCORD

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2018 HYUNDAI IONIQ

2018 HONDA ODYSSEY

I T ’ S M A I N S T R E A M , B U T that doesn’t mean it’s boring. In fact, having driven a prototype of the 2018 Honda Accord at the Tochigi test facility in Japan, we can assure you it’s anything but.

Wearing an all-new design and chassis structure, the 2018 Honda Accord promises more curb appeal as well as better efficiency, smarter driver assistance, more in-cabin tech, and upgraded comfort, space, and materials. It’s aiming to be an all-around better car than the existing Accord, which is no small feat.

To get there, Honda is making some surprising moves. First, it’s ditching its excellent V-6 engine for a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that shares its origin with the Civic Type R’s, though in Accord spec, it likely makes only 252 hp as opposed to the Type R’s 306 hp.

Second, it gets an all-new in-house-designed 10-speed automatic transmission as well as a six-speed manual.

The all-new Accord will be on sale at U.S. dealerships this fall.

Expect pricing similar to the current Accord, spanning the $22,000 to $35,000-plus range.

ON SALE: Fall 2017 BASE PRICE: $22,000 (est)

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NEW & FUTURE CARS

2018 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GT, GT SPORT ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $20,000 (est)

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2018 HYUNDAI KONA

ON SALE: March 2018 / BASE PRICE: $20,500 (est)

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H Y U N D A I W I L L L O O K to scoop up what’s left of the booming subcompact crossover space, launching its all-new Kona for the U.S. in March 2018. The Kona arrives following a long gestation period, which Hyundai executives deemed necessary to meet the demands of its intended customers in global markets.

Despite familiar powertrain choices, the Kona rides on a new small crossover platform that prioritizes cargo capacity and offers all-wheel drive. Key features include a new color head-up display as well as safety technology with pedestrian detection. Hyundai expects 35-40 percent of customers to splurge for the uprated 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, which churns out 175 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque sent through a seven-speed dualclutch gearbox. This powertrain has a pleasant, torquey zip to it, and while the Kona’s handling prowess is respectable, it’s still shy of Mazda’s CX-3.

Styling will play the biggest role in whether you love or hate the Kona. Chief designers Luc Donckerwolke and SangYup Lee envisioned a fresh direction for Hyundai’s new crossover, signaling a more extroverted take for future models.

Expect a base price from an estimated $20,500.

2019 INFINITI QX80 ON SALE: 2018 BASE PRICE: $65,000 (est) T H E F U L L- S I Z E SUV is something of a dinosaur, with many in the industry predicting its extinction anew every year. Although the current Infiniti QX80 will cease production at the end of the year, the Japanese luxury brand already has a replacement in the works. Due to make its auto show debut this fall, with sales starting sometime in 2018, the next QX80— or its as-yet-unnamed replacement—will be based heavily on the QX80 Monograph concept shown at the 2017 New York auto show (pictured).

Of course, the production version will be less extreme than the over-thetop Monograph concept, but it points the way forward for the styling and details to be found on Infiniti’s next full-size SUV. By any measure, that’s a very good thing. The Monograph concept’s crisp lines and muted curves give an unexpected visual lightness and athleticism to what is, ultimately, a very large vehicle. Expect it to cost about $65,000 when it arrives.

2018 INFINITI Q50, RED SPORT 400 L O W E R , W I D E R , L O N G E R , roomier inside, and more aggressive outside, the new Elantra is available in two flavors: GT and GT Sport. The GT gets a 2.0-liter four-cylinder good for 162 hp and mated with a choice of manual or automatic six-speed transmissions. The GT Sport gets a 1.6-liter turbo-four kicking out 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft; output flows through a sixspeed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

The Sport also gets a multilink rear suspension (instead of the GT’s torsion beam) plus 18-inch wheels (versus the GT’s 17s). Don’t be fooled by the tidy exterior: The new Elantra can seat up to five, and the GT Sport includes as standard such premium features as leather seats, aluminum pedals, dual-zone climate control, and an 8.0-inch display that’s ready for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. A whole slew of smart safety tech is available, too. Base price is about $20,000.

ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $33,950 (Q50) / $49,605 (Red Sport) U N V E I L E D AT T H E 2017 New York International Auto Show, the 2018 Infiniti Q50 should be arriving in U.S. showrooms, bringing with it an updated design inside and out. Two exterior look packages give the already stylish sedan greater variety for 2018, with Sport models getting unique design cues to separate them from the Pure and Luxe versions.

The interior of the 2018 Q50 gets new stitching around the instrument panel and on the leather shift knob. Although the changes are minor for the new model year, the Q50’s design-forward aesthetic and strong offering of driver assistance tech make it a smart buy in a competitive segment. For the enthusiast seeking unruly power in the same attractive package, the Q50 Red Sport 400 is the ticket, with 400 horsepower on tap from its 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine.

Pricing for the 2018 Infiniti Q50 starts at $33,950 for the base model, rising to $49,605 for the Q50 Red Sport 400.

RADOVAN VARICAK

2018 JAGUAR XF SPORTBRAKE ON SALE: Late 2017 / BASE PRICE: $71,445 W H E N B M W A N D Audi bowed out early this decade, Mercedes carried on as the only player in the midsize luxury station wagon market. Volvo’s V90 marked the Swedish return, and now the new Jaguar XF Sportbrake makes the niche segment a crowd of three. With the F-Pace SUV, we’re surprised Jaguar even built a new XF wagon, let alone one for U.S. buyers. We aren’t complaining. The sedan is available with a gas or diesel four-cylinder and two versions of the supercharged V-6 making 340 or 380 hp. No word yet on engine choices for the wagon.

The sole transmission will be an eight-speed automatic. Sales commence later this year, with prices starting at $71,445.

ON SALE: 2018 / BASE PRICE: $25,000 (est)

2018 JEEP WRANGLER 2018 JAGUAR E-PACE

ON SALE: Early 2018 BASE PRICE: $39,595

A G A I N S T A L L O D D S , Ian Callum’s sensual design magic translates spectacularly to the crossover SUV form with the Jaguar F-Pace, and it’s about to do so once again for a new, smaller crossover: the E-Pace. Due to debut in early 2018 and priced at $39,595, the new crossover promises 246 hp in standard trim and 296 hp for R-Dynamic models. Both use a turbocharged Ingenium four-cylinder and AWD powertrain. Don’t mistake the E-Pace for the forthcoming all-electric I-Pace, which arrives in the second half of 2018.

2019 JAGUAR XE SV PROJECT 8 S U P E R C A R P E R F O R M A N C E I N a sedan body? Yes, please.

Spotted running laps around the Nürburgring in May, the Jaguar XE SV Project 8 will be available in 2018 in very limited numbers, according to Jaguar. The super sedan will be powered by a 5.0-liter supercharged 592-hp V-8 engine, and Jaguar says it will be the “most powerful, agile, and extreme” vehicle that the mad scientists at Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations have ever created. The Jaguar XE SV Project 8 made its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in June, and Jaguar says it will make only 300 of the handassembled vehicles available. There’s no word on whether any of those will even make it Stateside, but like the Project 7 that launched the F-Type SVR, it’s highly likely that we’ll see some version of Project 8 in a more widely available Jaguar very soon. Expect a $190,000-plus price tag when the XE Project 8 hits the streets next year.

A D H E R I N G T O T H E same geologic time scale as the mountains it climbs, the replacement for the current 10-year-old JK Jeep Wrangler should arrive sometime in 2018. Jeep has been mum on any specific details, but we’ve seen enough test mules and leaked CAD images to get a clear idea of what we can expect.

For the most part, the new JL-code-named Wrangler looks to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary, and that’s probably a good thing, considering how fanatical Wrangler enthusiasts can be. Looking at test mules and listening to industry chatter, it looks like the JL will retain the same beloved body-on-frame construction, boxy, upright proportions, and beefy solid front and rear axles. Inside, expect more refinement and updated infotainment technology.

The JL might also be the debut of the new Hurricane turbocharged four-cylinder, replacing the older 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6. We hear rumblings of a new pickup variant, but we’ve been hearing that for years, so we’ll believe it when we see it. Look for this new Jeep to start around $25,000.

ON SALE: 2018 / BASE PRICE: $190,000 (est)

NEW & FUTURE CARS

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: AS EARLY AS 2018

2019 KIA TELLURIDE

ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $22,090

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T H E K I A T E L L U R I D E is the Korean automaker’s second attempt at a full-size SUV after the failure of the 2009 Kia Borrego, and it made its debut at last year’s Detroit auto show. Based on the Kia Sorento, the Telluride is taller, wider, and longer than the smaller crossover and is powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain—a 3.5-liter directinjected 270-hp V-6 mated to a 130-hp electric motor. It isn’t just what’s under the hood that has us interested; it’s also the “health and wellness monitoring” tech inside.

The seven-passenger, three-row concept SUV featured rear suicide doors, rear passenger footrests, and seating that included heart-rate monitoring and therapeutic LED lighting designed to reduce stress and fatigue and treat jet lag. Look for prices to start around $33,000.

F O R T H O S E W H O plan on putting their cushy Grand Cherokee through more than just people-hauling duty, Jeep offers two extra flavors. First, check out the new 2018 Grand Cherokee Trackhawk (pictured).

Think Grand Cherokee SRT but with a Hellcat heart. The 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 spits out the requisite 707 hp and 645 lb-ft, enough to shove the SUV to 60 mph in a scalding 3.5 seconds on to a top speed of 180 mph. Jeep hasn’t announced the official price yet, but it won’t be cheap—expect a price tag right around the $80,000 mark. Look for it to go on sale later this year.

Then there is the rugged Trailhawk.

This package adds a bucket of roughand-ready off-road hardware to the already capable Grand Cherokee, with prices beginning at $44,190. But sorry, it’s not as hardcore as a Wrangler Rubicon. There’s extra grip from Goodyear Adventure all-terrain tires and some underbody protection in the form of skidplates, but the suspension and powertrains are unchanged compared to the regular Grand Cherokee equipped with the air suspension.

2017 JEEP COMPASS

W H E N W E F I R S T saw Jeep’s new volume player, the redesigned Compass was a sight for sore eyes. The release of a new Compass meant dealer lots might finally be purged of the old first-generation SUV that haunted consumers for 10 long years.

The new Compass rides on a stretched variant of the familiar FCA small platform shared with the Renegade and 500X, giving it similar but slightly larger proportions than its cousins. Underneath the all-new sheetmetal beats the 2.4-liter Tigershark four-cylinder heart, routing 180 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque through either a six-speed manual transmission or nine-speed automatic transmission for the 4x4 models and a six-speed auto for the front-wheel drivers.

Inside, the Compass washes away the dated interior of the first-gen and incorporates Jeep’s current interior design language. Prices for the 2017 Jeep Compass begin at $22,090 and reach $29,840 for the luxe Limited model.

2018 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE TRACKHAWK, 2017 TRAILHAWK

ON SALE: Now (Trailhawk) / Late 2017 (Trackhawk) BASE PRICE: $44,190 (Trailhawk) / $80,000 (Trackhawk)

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2017 KOENIGSEGG AGERA RS A D E C A D E A G O , no one could have predicted Koenigsegg’s meteoric rise. The Swedish vehicle manufacturer now routinely builds hypercars that defy logic, sense, and sometimes the laws of physics (see the company’s single-gear Regera).

Its latest offering, the Agera RS, is no different.

Twin variable-geometry turbochargers coupled to the brand’s own 5.0-liter V-8 generate 1,160 horsepower and 944 lb-ft of torque. That’s plenty of propulsion for the 2,800-pound, mostly carbonfiber hypercar. The standard Agera, with 200 fewer horses and 300 extra pounds, hits 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds, tops out at 273 mph, and goes 0-124-0 mph in just 12.6 seconds. The RS should beat all of that.

Only 25 examples will be built, and each carries a price of more than $2,000,000.

ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $2,000,000

ON SALE: Late 2017

2018 KIA STINGER

BASE PRICE: $30,000 (est) K I A H A S F I R E D a warning shot at German luxury carmakers with its new four-door sport sedan, the Stinger, which made its debut at the 2017 Detroit auto show. Powered by a 2.0-liter turbo-four that puts out 255 hp or an optional 3.3-liter twin-turbo V-6 boasting 365 hp, the Stinger made waves because it offered a lot of firsts for the Korean brand. The Stinger will do 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. It’s based on the same platform as the K900; Kia worked hard to give the Stinger a 50/50 weight distribution, targeting the sedan at well-heeled buyers looking for an alternative to a fast German car.

The Stinger is due to hit showrooms in 2018 and will have optional all-wheel drive. Pricing hasn’t been officially announced but should start around $30,000.

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2017 LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR S

E V E N T H E M I G H T I E S T supercars get long in the tooth, and when they do, a fresh-faced update is unveiled, rendering the old car obsolete and good for nothing but gathering dust. In this case, the regular humdrum Lamborghini Aventador was put out to pasture after five years of production, replaced with the new Aventador S. The most notable change is the 39-hp boost to an eye-watering 730 hp and 509 lb-ft of torque.

This twist comes from the same 6.5-liter naturally

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ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $421,350

aspirated V-12 engine, now wearing revised valve timing and intake design and a more aggressive exhaust system.

Performance is stellar, with 0-60 mph arriving in just 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 217 mph.

Power is still managed by the controversial seven-speed single-clutch automatic transmission, routing power to all four wheels. What’s new is four-wheel steering, a first for the Aventador, and a revised front fascia that improves aero.

If you’re thinking of picking one up, be advised that prices start at $421,350.

NEW & FUTURE CARS

2018 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $50,985

BASE PRICE: $70,000 (est)

2018 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR

T H E N E W D I S C O V E R Y is finally upon us, usurping the 7-year-old LR4 as Land Rover’s bread-and-butter midsize model. With the return of the Discovery comes a raft of massive changes and refinements to the SUV, including a weight-loss program to shed a whopping 800 pounds.

It’s not smaller, however. The new Disco packs an additional 5.5 inches of length and 1.5 inches of wheelbase over the LR4. The missing poundage is largely the result of an increased use of aluminum construction.

Power comes from a choice of two engines: the familiar 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 putting out 340 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque and the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6 making 254 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. Both powerplants send power to all four wheels through the trusty ZF eight-speed transmission.

The Discovery carries a starting price of $50,985.

ON SALE: Late 2017

P I C K I N G U P W H E R E the new Continental left off, the new Navigator full-size SUV incorporates the new schnoz we first saw on the Continental concept and offers a smoother, more refined shape than the outgoing SUV. So far, we’ve only seen the range-topping Black Label.

If you spring for this big-buck version, the interior is one of the best we’ve seen in the segment. It’s a well-designed, luxurious environment that offers much of the same amenities we came to enjoy on the Continental, including those trick 30-way adjustable seats.

Its 450 hp along with 500 lb-ft of torque come from the 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 and gets sent to all four wheels through the new 10-speed transmission. Specifics on trims aren’t available yet, but from the looks of the preproduction car, it will be worth the wait. Expect the 2018 Navigator’s price to start around $70,000.

→ → 77 F O L L O W I N G I N T H E footsteps of the bygone Gallardo, the Huracán is back to the front of the supercar pack with the new track-oriented go-fast Performante spec. Like all great track specials, power is up, weight is down, and aero is more aggressive.

On the power front, the Huracán’s 5.2-liter V-10 engine sports upgraded titanium valves and a new exhaust system, pushing out an extra 28 hp and 30 lb-ft of torque for a total of 630 hp and 443 lb-ft. Power is still handled by Lamborghini’s excellent seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Thanks to extensive use of carbon-fiber composite, the Performante sheds 88 pounds from the regular car. This, when combined with upgraded suspension, sharper steering, and trick adaptive aerodynamics, allows the Performante to lap the Nürburgring in an astounding 6:52.01. That’s a good 5 seconds faster than the mega-expensive, very fast Porsche 918 Spyder.

Prices for the 2018 Lamborghini Huracán Performante begin at $274,390.

2018 LAMBORGHINI HURACÁN PERFORMANTE ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $274,390

NEW & FUTURE CARS

2019 LEXUS UX

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: SOMETIME IN 2019

I F T H E L E X U S N X wasn’t angular or funky enough, please make your way over to the forthcoming UX. Sure, we’ve only seen the UX in the form of the outlandish concept from a few months back (pictured), but the Japanese luxury automaker warned us a production model was on its way soon.

The SUV would conceivably arrive as a sub-NX model for the same crowd interested in the IS sedan. It should be sportier and more aggressive than the bigger models and likely have slightly better driving dynamics than the other SUVs. If so, pricing would likely follow suit, starting around the $30,000 mark.

Power is likely to come from Lexus’ turbocharged four-cylinder family, along with the popular SUVfocused hybrid drivetrain that made its debut on the NX. Nothing official yet, but keep an eye out for the UX in 2019.

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ON SALE: Mid-2018 / BASE PRICE: $72,520 (est)

E V E R T H E I R R E V E R E N T pick in the full-sized executive sedan segment, the new Lexus LS proves the automaker still makes world-class luxury cars.

Visually, it wears a version of the same familiar spindle grille that we know and tolerate. Overall, the LS has a more angular, distinctive design than the outgoing car.

From some angles, it looks downright aggressive.

Underneath the fancy new threads lives an all-new 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6, pushing out an impressive 415 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque. Power drives the wheels through Lexus’ 10-speed transmission yanked from the new LC. Spring for the LS Hybrid, and motivation comes from a hybrid 3.5-liter V-6. When combined with two electric motors and a 310-volt battery, it produces a combined 354 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque.

Lexus says the new LS will be upon us mid-2018.

Expect pricing to be similar to the current model’s $72,520 starting point.

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2018 LEXUS LC 500H

2018 LEXUS LS

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $97,505 F O R T H O S E N O T interested in Lexus’ 5.0-liter V-8 screamer in the regular LC 500, the LC 500h is an eco-friendly, efficiency-forward model. Thankfully, the wonderfully dramatic LC styling remains, as does the sumptuous interior. However, in place of the V-8 is a new hybrid powertrain shared with the new LS hybrid. A 3.5-liter V-6 combines forces with two elec-

tric motors for a combined output of 354 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque.

Surprisingly, power is managed by a four-speed automatic transmission developed specifically for the LC hybrid.

It’s not as fast or dynamic as the V-8 LC, but when a car looks this striking, who cares what’s under the hood?

The 2018 Lexus LC 500h is already on dealer lots and can be yours for a hefty $97,505.

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Y T CI .

R E K C I SL

Zip through downtown. That tight alley. And into that parking spot. Introducing the brand-new 2017 Nissan Rogue Sport. The newest member of the Rogue family, tailored for the hustle.

TAKE ON TODAY

THE BRAND NEW 2017 ROGUE SPORTTM

THE ROGUE FAMILY

The 2017 RogueTM starting at just $23,820

The brand new 2017 Rogue SportTM starting at just $21,420 As Shown 2017 Rogue S FWD Starting MSRP $23,820. As Shown $27,990 MSRP 2017 Rogue Sport SL AWD, other optional equipment shown, see dealer for details. 2017 Rogue Sport S FWD Starting MSRP $21,420. Price is Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). MSRP excludes tax, title, license, options and destination charge. Dealer sets actual price.

See dealer for details. Always wear your seat belt, and please don’t drink and drive. ©2017 Nissan North America, Inc.

NEW & FUTURE CARS

2019 LYNK & CO. 01

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: SOMETIME IN 2019

LY N K & C O . was founded in 2016 after the China-based Zhejiang Geely Holding Group automotive manufacturer saw a niche market between the company’s Geely-branded automobiles and the newly acquired Volvo, with its first offering being the five-passenger 01 crossover SUV. Based on the Compact Modular Architecture, which also underpins some Volvos, the base 01 crossover will feature a 1.5-liter three-cylinder hybrid engine, with higher-priced trims using Volvo’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder hybrid, a plug-in hybrid, and a pure electric drivetrain likely coming later in the crossover’s development and life cycle.

Like Tesla, Lynk & Co. wants to use a direct-to-consumers sales model, bypassing traditional dealership franchises and allowing owners to spec their car however they like. Lynk & Co plans on launching in the U.S. and Europe by 2019, with prices likely to range between $19,000 and $28,000 to start.

A LT H O U G H T H E G R A N T U R I S M O

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has now been in production for an entire decade, Maserati’s halo grand tourer continues to soldier on with its latest—and potentially last— update, giving the sports coupe a mild exterior refresh while thoroughly updating its interior.

Underneath the somewhat-new sheetmetal sits the same naturally aspirated Ferrari-derived 4.7-liter V-8 generating 460 horsepower and 384 lb-ft of torque. That thrust is sent through an electro-actuated automatic gearbox to the rear wheels, allowing the GranTurismo to hit 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds with a top speed of 185 mph.

Inside, the cabin sees a revised infotainment center that features an 8.4-inch touchscreen display plucked from the Levante, Ghibli, and Quattroporte models, as well as a new rearview camera and Fiat Chrysler’s now-ubiquitous rotary control dial.

Pricing for the 2018 GranTurismo begins at $134,625.

2017 MAZDA CX-5 ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $24,985 M A Z D A’ S C X - 5 W A S its top-selling model last year and is on track to beat those sales once again. The redesigned crossover offers a 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G inline-four engine that makes 187 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque. Also available is a 2.2-liter diesel I-4. Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and are available in FWD or AWD variants. The four-door compact crossover seats five and is lower and longer than its predecessor. The revised version offers a quieter cabin, thanks to thicker glass, and sports a power liftgate and rear seats that finally fold flat with a 40/20/40 split. Although the CX-5 won’t win any races with a 0-60-mph time of 7.8 seconds, it does offer G-Vectoring Control to assist in cornering as you zoom-zoom to the mall. The Grand Touring trim is the way to go if you don’t want a barebones cabin, and it’ll also tow 2,000 pounds in a pinch.

It’s on sale now for a base price of $24,985.

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $134,625

2018 MASERATI GRANTURISMO

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2018 McLAREN 720S DEVELOPING A WORTHY

successor to the McLaren 650S was never going to be easy, but with the 720S McLaren has pushed the brand’s engineering prowess to new heights that can be seen in almost every aspect of the new supercar.

Powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 generating 710 horseON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $270,000 power and 567 lb-ft of torque, the 720S is capable of hitting 60 mph in 2.8 seconds, 124 mph in 7.8 seconds, and a top speed of 212 mph.

Braking from 124 mph takes a quick 4.6 seconds.

The occupants are wrapped in McLaren’s new Monocage II, a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis developed for incredible durability and improved sightlines. Its new Proactive Chassis Control II system allows drivers to choose from Comfort, Sport, Track, and Drift modes. McLaren’s 720S starts at roughly $270,000 and can be ordered now.

2017 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA RF

ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $32,430

O U R M U LT I P L E A L L- S TA R winner Miata gets a retractable fastback that gives the tight two-seater a targa-style look when the new hard top is retracted. It goes down in 13 seconds but adds an additional 113 pounds to the soft-top’s heft. It’s fun and fast, and its 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine offers 155 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque.

The engine is mated to a highly recommended six-speed manual transmission or an automatic one for the non-joystick crowd. While the smaller fourth-gen MX-5 was crafted with the driver in mind, the passenger gets the driveshaft—literally. Good luck squeezing into it if you happen to be in the 6-foot-tall range. We’d love to see some improvements there in future updates. The MX-5 Miata RF is only available in the Club and Grand Touring trims. Prices start at $32,430 for the Club RF and $33,495 for the GT model. If you want a more sedate ride, opt for a six-speed automatic transmission that adds $730 on the Club and $1,205 on the GT.

RADOVAN VARICAK

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T H E M I G H T Y M c L A R E N F 1 was, for many, the quintessential supercar. Its most iconic attribute, a three-abreast seating arrangement, soon will be resurrected with McLaren’s code-named BP23 Hyper-GT. Inside the teardrop profile sits a hybrid drivetrain likely capable of producing more than 1,000 horsepower.

McLaren’s CEO Mike Flewitt says it will be faster than all McLaren road cars. However, unlike the company’s P1 hypercar, the BP23 won’t be a track weapon, focusing more on long-distance grand touring, hence the Hyper-GT moniker.

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2020

NEW & FUTURE CARS

Only 106 BP23s will be built—the same number of F1s built in 1992—and they’re all already spoken for. “When we did finally announce it,” Flewitt says, “we were absolutely inundated with applications. I had to find polite ways to say no.”

Deliveries are expected to begin in 2019 with a price tag of about $2,000,000. However, U.S. buyers will have to import the car under Show and Display laws because the U.S. government won’t allow a center-seat car to be homologated and sold.

McLAREN BP23

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WHEN TO EXPECT IT: SOMETIME IN 2019

ANDREI AVARVARII

2019 MERCEDES-AMG PROJECT ONE

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: 2018

T H E P R O J E C T O N E ups the racing-influenced road-car ante by promising Formula 1 engineering, which should produce aerodynamics even more advanced than is typical. And you’ve never seen a production drivetrain like this. The Project One features the 1.6-liter turbo V-6 hybrid setup that dominated grand-prix racing the past three seasons. The V-6 will make about 748 hp, augmented by electric motors, F1-style MGU-H and MGU-K units, and an 800-volt dual-battery pack with four times the capacity of the F1 batteries.

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Total output should exceed 1,000 hp, and various driving modes will include fully electric capability. The engine’s redline is a dizzying 11,000 rpm. AMG confirms an eight-speed transmission without a dual clutch. “Too heavy,” we were told. All-wheel-drive capability will be on tap, thanks to two 161-hp electric motors up front. Racing-style, ride-height-adjustable pushrod suspension is also notable.

The $2,000,000-plus Project One should deliver a driving revelation to its fortunate few owners next year (275 cars and already sold out), following its reveal at fall’s Frankfurt auto show.

2018 MERCEDES-AMG E63

ON SALE: Early 2018 BASE PRICE: $67,000 (est)

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F O R T H O S E I N the know, the E63 has long been a gold standard of do-it-all enthusiasm. Fast, smooth, businesslike—the E63 accomplishes everything with a grin and a slightly wild eye. For 2018, AMG has uncorked the E63 unlike ever before: 603 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque come spewing out of the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine in E63 S trim.

Those barmy figures translate to 3.3-second 0-60-mph times courtesy of rapid shifts from its nine-speed multiclutch automatic transmission. Top speed? An autobahn-appropriate 186 mph. The latest generation of the hero sedan comes in 4Matic all-wheel-drive form only, but it comes with a drift-mode function that enables it to act as a rear-drive car, skipping the infinitely variable electromechanical clutches driving the front wheels altogether. And yes, the wagon is coming, too. All this fun comes at a base price of $105,395.

2018 MERCEDES-AMG GLC63

ON SALE: Late 2017 / BASE PRICE: $105,395

T E C H N I C A L LY A C R O S S O V E R , the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLC63 is in reality the closest you can get to a C63 AMG wagon in America.

Like the C63, the GLC63 V-8 offers a choice of two tunes. The base GLC63 makes 469 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque; the GLC63 S gets 503 hp and 516 lb-ft. The result is a “crossover” that hits 60 mph from a standstill in just 3.9 seconds (or 3.7 seconds for the GLC63 S). For the exceedingly style-conscious, you can sacrifice a bunch of utility in return for a swoop-backed coupelike profile with the GLC63 Coupe—same big power, just a lot less cargo space and, let’s face it, an ungainly rear end.

Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLC63 should start around $67,000.

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2018 MERCEDES-MAYBACH S650 CABRIOLET O N LY 7 5 E X A M P L E S of the 2018 Mercedes-Maybach S650 Cabriolet will hit U.S. streets, out of 300 to be sold worldwide. The limited production figures suit the S650’s Maybach moniker, as well as its roughly $300,000 price tag. This is a V-12-powered super-luxury cabriolet with 621 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque. It even comes with its own custom luggage set and a signed certificate from Dieter Zetsche, boss of both Daimler and Mercedes-Benz.

Just three colors are available in the U.S., and they are suitably custom shades of red, white, and blue.

Each S650 gets a Maybach-exclusive front bumper design, chrome detailing, unique wheels, and a completely upgraded interior.

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $157,995

2018 MERCEDES-AMG ON SALE: Early 2018 / BASE PRICE: $300,000 (est)

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2018 MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS I F Y O U ’ V E A LW AY S wanted a luxury sedan as relaxing as a day spa, you’ve got it: the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Its Energizing Comfort system claims to be a world first, combining the S-Class’s scent, climate, ambient lighting, massage, and audio functions to create a “well-being” machine. Six modes combine in an attempt to improve driver comfort and attention.

Not that you’ll need much help with either. Engines range from a 362-hp V-6 up to a 621-hp 6.0-liter V-12, and the 2018 S-Class features an active bumpanticipating suspension. On top of all of that, the latest S-Class gets an enhanced take on Mercedes’ near-autonomous driving functions, making the daily commute easier than ever. Price for the S-Class should start around $100,000.

GT R

L I K E A M I R R O R polish on an already razor-sharp knife, the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R takes what was already great and focuses it to a molecule-wide edge. The proof?

A Nordschleife lap time of 7 minutes, 10.9 seconds.

That might mean the $157,995 GT R is too sharp for some—for many, even. But for the few who want to taste life at the bleeding edge, AMG’s latest halo coupe is a front-row seat and a stylish one at that. Its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 engine’s 577 hp and 516 lb-ft enable 0-60-mph runs of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 198 mph. But it’s not sheer brawn that puts the GT R on the edge. It’s brains, too, with a unique nine-mode traction control system bred from motorsports, active underbody aerodynamics, and an adjustable suspension with adaptive damping.

ON SALE: Late 2017 / BASE PRICE: $100,000 (est)

NEW & FUTURE CARS

C O M P A R E D T O T H E previous-generation Countryman, overall length grows 8.1 inches, and width is up by nearly an inch and a half. Interior space—particularly the back seat—receives the biggest benefit from the stretch, but it’s no conventional crossover as far as overall room under the roof. The 134-hp three-cylinder struggles, even with 162 lb-ft of torque. A fourth cylinder comes along with the Cooper S version, pushing output to 189 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive—All4 in Mini-speak—is available with either engine, but it’s like beating a dead horse when paired with the triple-cylinder. A 228-hp John Cooper Works version comes solely in All4 guise, bumping the price to nearly $40,000 from the Countryman’s $26,950 base price. The final model is a first for Mini: the plug-in Cooper SE Countryman All4 able to cover up to 24 miles on battery power alone.

When the gas engine is disengaged, the SE Countryman can also operate in rear-wheel-drive mode. Just don’t think it’s a drift king. Certain models can be paired with a six-speed manual, and a six- or eight-speed automatic is available.

ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $26,950

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2017 MINI COUNTRYMAN

2018 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE CROSS ON SALE: Early 2018 BASE PRICE: $22,000 (est)

T H E K E Y W O R D here is Cross, as in crossover SUV. It’s a global vehicle, launching in Europe in late 2017 and arriving in other regions including North America shortly after that. Power for U.S. models comes from a new direct-injected, 1.5-liter turbo four hitched to a CVT. Electronically controlled all-wheel drive is standard and includes a brake-actuated active yaw control.

There’s even a three-point strut tower brace. (Maybe Mitsubishi is trying the win back the hearts of the old-school fans.) Styling is aggressive, with a distinctive front end and a unique rear design. LED brake lights integrate with the mandated third brake light to form a single bar of light across the tail. The general design theme continues inside, with a thin infotainment display.

Available technology includes a head-up display and a touchpad controller plus Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Pricing should start around $22,000. Mitsubishi claims the Eclipse Cross carries the best of both worlds—a coupelike profile that doesn’t spoil luggage space. We will see.

2017 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $22,380

T H E N E W R O G U E S P O R T compact SUV is basically a rebadged Euro-market Qashqai that Nissan has brought over to take on the likes of the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3 in the U.S. The mini-me Rogue Sport starts at $22,380, and all models feature a 141-hp inline-four paired with a CVT. All-wheel drive is optional for an additional $1,350. Front-wheel-drive models are EPA rated at 25/32 mpg city/highway. (AWD drops numbers to 24/30 mpg.) A loaded Rogue Sport SV with all the factory extras cracks $31,000. We’ve driven the pint-sized Nissan, and it’s both good looking and well built, if a touch boring and underpowered. Auto braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-departure mitigation are all available. We’re surprised by the lack of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a single USB port. The back seat takes a 4.5-inch hit compared to the larger “full-size” Rogue. Cargo space also loses 9.1 cubic feet to become 22.9 in all. The Roque Sport is built in Kyushu, Japan, and is on sale now.

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NEW & FUTURE CARS

ANDREI AVARVARII

2020 PORSCHE 911

I N 2 0 1 9 P O R S C H E will launch the eighth installment of the 911, also known as the 992. The next-gen 911s will use turbocharged flatsixes, including the GT3. We expect the 992 Carrera and Carrera S to receive modest power increases from today’s 370- and 420-hp twin-turbo engines. A long-speculated hybrid version is dead—for now, anyway—after Porsche concluded it wouldn’t match the 911’s ethos. Built on the new MSB modular platform, the 992 doesn’t get much larger than today’s 911, but it should be a bit wider and feature a marginally longer wheelbase and better-than-ever aerodynamics, including a larger active rear spoiler. The car’s appearance is hardly a polarizing change: The hood is longer and features creases, the rear haunches are wider and more aggressive, and the rear end recalls the treatment seen on the Mission E concept. It could well turn out to be the best-looking 911 in years.

2018 PORSCHE 911 GT3, GT3 RS, GT2 RS

2017 PAGANI HUAYRA ROADSTER ON SALE: Sold out / BASE PRICE: $2,400,000 H O R A C I O P A G A N I ’ S M A N I A for details takes on a lurid form in this drop-top version of the Huayra, the closedroof car named after the Andean god of wind. Finally living up to its name, the $2,400,000 Huayra Roadster achieves specs seemingly incompatible with its windin-the-hair layout. For starters, the model is 176 pounds lighter than the coupe and 52 percent stiffer—yes, you read that correctly. Weight savings are gained from various trimmings throughout, most notably a lighter carbon-fiber tub that helps it achieve a low dry weight of 2,822 pounds. The 6.0-liter twin-turbo V-12 produces 754 horsepower and 737 lb-ft of torque. As with the coupe, an Xtrac seven-speed automated manual diverts power to the rear wheels as four active aero flaps optimize downforce. Cornering g-forces are said to be a staggering 1.8 g.

Only 100 Huayra Roadsters will be built, all of which are already spoken for.

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WHEN TO EXPECT IT: SOMETIME IN 2019

T H E N E W G T 3 (pictured) seems not all that different from the old—until you look deeper. Refinements and improvements add up to a radically different vehicle.

There’s more downforce, thanks to underbody work and a revised wing, and there’s more power from a new 500-hp, 339-lb-ft 4.0-liter flat-six engine, which shares its block with the company’s GT racing engines and screams to 9,000 rpm. Rather than the seven-speed found in other 911s, the manual transmission is a sixspeed, with only sixth being an overdrive gear. The manual version takes 3.8 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph, but the PDK needs just 3.2. Considering the same basic engine is intended for the factory’s endurance race cars, there should be no reliability issues for dedicated track rats. Orders are open now, with the first U.S. cars to be delivered this fall. Base price is $144,650.

Meanwhile, the new GT3 RS is in the works. We expect it to come with only the dual-clutch PDK gearbox and to feature different front and rear bumpers, side skirts, and modified hood vents. The 4.0-liter engine will likely be upgraded further, with power somewhere in the neighborhood of 525 hp. The car will likely be revealed next spring, possibly as a 2019 model.

ON SALE: Now (GT3) / Spring 2018 (GT3 RS, GT2 RS) BASE PRICE: $144,650 (GT3) / $180,000 (GT3 RS est) / $294,250 (GT2 RS)

As for the new 911 GT2 RS, brace yourself: Revealed officially at July’s Goodwood Festival of Speed and scheduled to hit the streets in spring 2018, the fastest, baddest 911 on the block features a twin-turbo, water-injected (for intake cooling) flat-six and rear-wheel drive with offthe-map output. Horsepower measures 700, alongside 553 lb-ft of torque from the 3.8-liter unit. With a titanium exhaust and other lightweight parts including plenty of carbon fiber—an optional Weissach package trims another 66 pounds from the base 3,241-pound curb weight—the seven-speed PDK-only car accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds and to 125 mph in about 9.0 seconds. Top speed is 211 mph. The GT2 RS is low, wide, and aggressive, sporting carbon aero bits and motorsportsderived hardware. It promises to handle well, too, with aggressive spring and damper rates, along with rear-wheel steering as found in the GT3s.

Love is out there.

Find it in a Crosstrek. ®

Introducing the all-new 2018 Subaru Crosstrek. It’s ready for adventure, with standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive + 33 mpg.* Plus, there’s even more to love. Crosstrek has the lowest 5-Year Cost to Own in its class for 2017, according to Kelley Blue Book.†

Crosstrek. Well-equipped at $21,795.**

Subaru and Crosstrek are registered trademarks. *EPA-estimated highway fuel economy for 2018 Subaru Crosstrek CVT models. Actual mileage may vary. †2017 model-year vehicle’s projected cost to own for the initial five-year ownership period is based on the average Kelley Blue Book 5-Year Cost to Own data, which considers depreciation and costs such as fuel and insurance. For more information, visit www.kbb.com. Kelley Blue Book is a registered trademark of Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. **MSRP excludes destination and delivery charges, tax, title, and registration fees. Retailer sets actual price. Certain equipment may be required in specific states, which can modify your MSRP. See your retailer for details. 2018 Subaru Crosstrek 2.0i Limited shown has an MSRP of $28,390. Vehicle shown with available accessories.

2018 PORSCHE PANAMERA SPORT TURISMO ON SALE: Late 2017 / BASE PRICE: $97,250

F O R P O R S C H E F A N S , this is a big one.

We’ve been clamoring for a wagon variant of the Panamera since day one, and it looks like Porsche took notice. The new Panamera Sport Turismo is the brand’s first true five-door wagon, and it’s a handsome one.

Settle for the regular, no-frills $97,250 car, and power comes from a 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 pushing 330 hp. Spend $105,050 for the E-Hybrid model, and a combined output of 462 hp is on tap from the 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 and electric motors. Spending $110,250 will net you the 4S with 440 hp from the 2.9-liter, and dropping $155,050 on the Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo will net you a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 with 550 hp.

The wonderful Porsche Panamera Sport Turbo should be available at the end of this year.

2018 RANGE ROVER

VELAR I N T H I S E R A of niche-splitting automobiles comes a sportier addition to the Range Rover line: the Velar.

With a coupelike roof profile, blacked-out D-pillars, a wraparound nose treatment, and a more luxurious interior than contemporary Range Rover offerings, the Velar hopes to entice those looking for the new hotness in the midsize SUV market. Powertrains include a 180-hp diesel-powered I-4, a 247-hp 2.0-liter gas-powered I-4, and a 380-hp supercharged 3.0-liter gasoline V-6. Each will be paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Big weight savings comes from the Velar’s aluminum-intensive construction, and a drag coefficient of just 0.32 Cd is the lowest of any production Range Rover. The Velar sits underneath the Range Rover Sport in the company lineup.

Pricing will start at $50,895 and run to $90,295 for the First Edition top-spec trim, of which just 500 will be offered.

Range Rover expects to sell 60,000-80,000 Velars per year globally. The Velar hits U.S. showrooms later this year.

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: SOMETIME IN 2019 ANDREI AVARVARII

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2019 RANGE ROVER EVOQUE W E ’ R E E X P E C T I N G T O see a larger version of Range Rover’s popular cute ute, the Evoque, for the 2019 model year. Based on Jaguar’s F-Pace midsize SUV, the new, upsized Evoque (possibly called Evoque Plus) will boast three rows of seating, a longer wheelbase, and an emphasis on urban driving comfort and practicality versus the upmarket (and more expensive) Range Rover Sport.

The Evoque Plus will be yet another expansion to the Land Rover brand, the basic Evoque having been refreshed last year and a convertible variant added. The Evoque Plus is likely to feature the full spectrum of JLR engines, including the small turbocharged four-cylinder gas and diesel powertrains, as well as a six-cylinder gasoline offering in the top-tier trim level. Will the three-row Evoque play nicely with the downmarket three-row Land Rover Discovery?

We’d guess that the Evoque’s slightly higher price, more stylish aesthetic, and upscale Range Rover badging will ensure that there’s enough differentiation between the two JLR SUVs—unless there isn’t.

ON SALE: Late 2017 / BASE PRICE: $50,895

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: SOMETIME IN 2018

ANDREI AVARVARII

2018 ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM ON SALE: Late 2017 / BASE PRICE: $450,000 (est)

I T ’ S A S I G N of the times (some would say of the coming apocalypse) that even the world’s most exclusive automakers are deciding to develop SUVs or, in the case of Rolls-Royce, a “high-riding vehicle” (HRV?). Due to arrive roughly a year after the Phantom, the Cullinan will not only be underpinned by the brand’s new aluminum space-frame architecture and air suspension that will keep its ride soft and smooth on the road, but also with settings that should allow for some off-road adventuring.

It will also most assuredly be powered by a version of the brand’s updated, twin-turbocharged 6.75-liter V-12 mated to an eight-speed automatic. Spy photos have shown a silhouette that has more traditional SUV proportions, and indeed our illustration of the Cullinan reflects a roofline that should maximize rear headroom—all the better to fit kaffiyehs and Sunday-best hats. Expect a similar level of opulence to the Phantom inside, and given the extra cargo room an SUV offers, the bespoke luggage sets, tea services, and falconry gear will be much easier to access. Prices to start north of $400,000.

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S E V E N W A S G O O D , but eight is shaping up to be great. The Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII, as you’ve probably read in our extensive profile of the car on page 16, is the embodiment of the modern era Rolls. The brand is coming into its own under the stewardship of BMW, and the car is poised to burnish its rep as the best in the world. Although not revolutionary in exterior design over the VII, the new Phantom retains the car’s grand and stately appearance but in a much sleeker, more elegant package. Some of the Phantom is cutting edge, such as its all-new aluminum space-frame chassis. Some is familiar, such as the reworked version of the brand’s signature 6.75-liter V-12, which is now a twin-turbo for good measure—a mill that’s designed to deftly usher its occupants along on a plush, magic carpet ride. Big updates were made inside as well that further ratchet up the elegance, none bigger than the “gallery,” its wow-factor dash layout. Prices should begin around an estimated $450,000.

2019 ROLLS-ROYCE CULLINAN

MARTYN GODDARD

2018 SUBARU CROSSTREK

2018 SUBARU WRX, STI, STI TYPE RA ON SALE: Now (WRX, STI) / Early 2018 (STI Type RA) BASE PRICE: $27,855 (WRX) / $36,955 (STI) / $41,000 (STI Type RA est)

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $22,570 SUBARU IS NOT

an automaker that’s big on auto show stunts, which helps explain why the second-generation Crosstrek rolled out to levels of fanfare typically reserved for new colors and interior trims. Based on the fifth-generation Impreza, the 2018 Crosstrek is slightly bigger than its predecessor, looks much like its sibling—it probably wouldn’t even be insulted if you called it a lifted Impreza wagon—and starts at $22,570.

Despite the new platform, the only significant change under the hood is the addition of a sixth gear to the manual gearbox. The 2.0-liter flat-four remains the only engine, though power increases by 4 hp to 152. (Torque remains unchanged at 145 lb-ft.) Those who don’t want to row their own gears can opt for the CVT, which is unchanged for 2018 save for the addition of X-Mode for lower trims.

All 2018 Crosstreks come with a 6.5-inch multimedia screen and support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

T H E W R X A N D S T I might not generate the same excitement as when they were untouchable cult-status imports, but they still hold massive appeal to people who love to drive. The 2018 models on sale now include updated front fascias, revised front structures for better impact performance, retuned suspensions and steering, a slicker six-speed manual transmission and smoother clutch takeup,

2018 SUBARU ASCENT ON SALE: 2018 / BASE PRICE: $30,000 (est) I F T H E A S C E N T Concept (pictured) shown at the 2017 New York auto show is any indicator, Subaru’s second attempt at a three-row SUV will be much better than its first effort, the Tribeca. Details on the production model, which will keep the Ascent moniker, are scant, but Subaru has said it will become available in 2018, so expect a debut early in the 2017-’18 auto show season, possibly on the Japanese automaker’s home turf in October at the Tokyo Motor Show.

Exterior changes for production should be minimal, but the interior will likely be more conventional. Although most of the center screen should remain, don’t hold out hope for the digital window switches or glowing HVAC vents. Power for the 198.8-inch-long concept comes from a new 2.4-liter turbo flat-four that should meet or exceed the output of Subaru’s existing 3.6-liter flat-six, which is good for 256 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque in the Legacy and Outback, and distribution duties will likely fall to the automaker’s CVT.

and larger infotainment screens. The STI gets bigger brakes, and an optional Performance package is available for the WRX Premium. Improved Recaro seats are available, and the STI benefits from a revised Driver Controlled Center Differential system, which now uses a fully electronic limited-slip differential. Adjustments between front- and rear-drive percentages are allegedly smoother and more refined, which should make sideways driving more controllable. STIs also feature 19inch wheels for the first time. The WRX continues to use its 2.0-liter turbocharged boxer-four, which produces 268 hp and 258 lb-ft, while the STI carries on with its 2.5-liter turbocharged boxer-four, which is good for 305 hp and 290 lb ft. Interiors are upgraded as well, and Subaru promises quieter cabins. The WRX starts at $27,855 and the STI at $36,955.

Or you could get moving on one of the 500 STI Type RA (for Record Attempt) editions, on sale in early 2018.

This model drops some weight by binning the spare tire and using a carbon roof and wing, and BBS wheels. It also gets revised suspension with Bilstein dampers, a shorter third-gear ratio, short-throw shifter, and an extra 5 hp.

There’s also a front underbody spoiler, a suede steering wheel, red exterior and interior trim and accents, unique badging, and a numbered plaque on the center console.

Prices for the RA should start at an estimated $41,000.

NEW & FUTURE CARS

2019 TOYOTA SUPRA seven-speed manual gear lever poking out of the center console, but the reality is we’re likely to be offered a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic exclusively. What about an even more powerful hybrid version? That could be one of Toyota’s big contributions to this partnership, and we wouldn’t rule it out.

A new Supra! The car Toyota enthusiasts have been waiting two decades for. What could possibly go wrong? Plenty, actually. Both Toyota and BMW are brands many enthusiasts feel have fallen from grace in the past decade or so, and even some of BMW’s more sporting M models are handicapped by excessive weight and a less-than-focused driving experience. And will the Supra come in at a price that working-class folks can afford? An expensive boulevard cruiser in wolf’s clothing likely won’t be enough for it to succeed.

We’ve seen plenty of images of the car during testing, and primetime might not be far away. We’d expect to get behind the wheel of a production version no sooner than mid-2018 with the first customer deliveries arriving toward the very end of next year.

WHEN TO EXPECT IT: NOT BEFORE MID-2018

ANDREI AVARVARII

T H E S E D AY S , T O Y O TA isn’t an automaker that gets much credit for building cars that are fun to drive. Yes, it codeveloped the spritely Toyota 86 (aka Scion FR-S, Subaru BRZ), a car that has won many Automobile staffers’ hearts despite its relatively low-torque engine. But by and large things at the Japanese brand are relatively stale compared to the mid-1990s when it sold the mid-engined MR2 sports car, the Celica All-Trac Turbo rally-inspired coupe, and the top-tier Supra Turbo.

Ah, yes, the Supra. Toyota has finally decided to revive its long-dormant sports car nameplate, and similar to the 86’s Subaru partnership, Toyota has codeveloped its new coupe with BMW, which will build its convertible Z4 on the same platform.

Unfortunately, both brands have done a keen job of preventing information leaks, so we still know precious little about the new Supra’s underpinnings. Our current best guesses have the car pegged as a rear-wheel-drive coupe, with power coming from a BMW-sourced turbocharged inline-six.

(The last-generation Supra also used a straight-six in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged versions.) Purists would love to see a six- or

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W I T H A N A M E that stands for two seemingly conflicting ideas— Coupe-High Rider—the 2018 Toyota C-HR is the Japanese automaker’s foray into the world of subcompact crossovers. That world is growing larger all the time, with current competition that includes the Nissan Juke, Mazda CX-3, and Honda HR-V, but the C-HR’s busy, Voltronesque styling cues are clearly aimed at the equally funky-looking Juke.

The C-HR shares its platform with the fourth-gen Prius, and for now just a single powertrain will be available: a 2.0-liter inline-four that sends 144 hp and 139 lb-ft to the front wheels via CVT. Other markets will receive all-wheeldrive variants, but Toyota plans to sell just the front-driver in the U.S. market. In our drive we found the CH-R to be surprisingly entertaining from a handling perspective, but the pedestrian powertrain left us a little cold.

2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $31,425

I T ’ S H A R D T O understate the importance of the Atlas, Volkswagen’s first three-row SUV, for the brand’s growth potential, both in the U.S. and elsewhere. The MQB platform-based seven-seater arrived at dealerships and is offered in five trims with the choice of a 2.0-liter turbo-four or a 3.6-liter V-6. The I-4 is good for 235 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, but only FWD variants will be offered with this engine.

The V-6 makes 276 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque and can be had with VW’s 4Motion AWD system. Both are mated exclusively to an eight-speed automatic.

All variants but the base S come with an 8.0-inch infotainment screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support (S models get a 6.5-inch screen), and adaptive cruise control, lane assist, and park assist come standard starting with the midrange SE Tech trim. Pricing starts at $31,425.

2018 TOYOTA C-HR

ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $23,385

2019 VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON ON SALE: 2018 / BASE PRICE: $35,000 (est)

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2018

I F Y O U L I K E the general idea of the Volkswagen Passat but feel like it could use a bit more pizzaz, Volkswagen is about to have you covered with the 2019 Arteon—a stylish, solid, and smooth near-premium offering. As the brand’s second four-dour coupe, the MBQ platformbased Arteon will replace the aging CC with a bigger footprint, more headroom, and likely more powerful engines. One of those should be a 2.0-liter turbo-four good for 268 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It, like other U.S.-spec engines, will be mated to an eight-speed

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $24,380 (est)

TOYOTA CAMRY

automatic transmission. (European models will receive a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.) On certain trims 4Motion all-wheel drive will be available. Other key features include Volkswagen’s new 9.2-inch screen, Digital Cockpit gauge cluster, and a drive-mode selector for the suspension, steering, throttle, and transmission.

More details will become available as the Arteon’s U.S. launch, which will occur sometime in 2018, approaches.

We expect it to carry a base price of around $35,000, a similar price point to the outgoing CC.

F O R T H E 2 0 1 8 model year, Toyota introduces the eighth variant of its Camry, a stalwart of the midsize sedan segment. The Camry has been criticized in the past rather strongly for its bland styling and driving dynamics, and the newest version takes aim at many of those issues. The new car looks more aggressive, and it also drives more aggressively as well, thanks in part to its new double-A-arm rear suspension and a lower center of gravity.

The same front-engine, front-drive layout remains—par for the course in this segment—while a new eight-speed transmission is paired to either a 206-hp 2.5-liter inline-four or a 301-hp 3.5-liter V-6. A hybrid version is also available with a CVT, good for an EPA-estimated 51/53 mpg city/ highway. The cheapest of the 2018 Camry’s 10 trim levels, the four-cylinder L version, starts at $24,380.

2018 VOLVO V90, V90 CROSS COUNTRY

ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $50,945 (V90) / $56,295 (Cross Country)

2018 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

ON SALE: Fall 2017 / BASE PRICE: $26,000 (est) A L O N G W I T H T H E all-new Atlas, Volkswagen is also using 2018 to launch the all-new second-generation Tiguan.

Although VW will manufacture it in two wheelbase lengths, the U.S. will only get the long-wheelbase variant of the MQBbased compact crossover, which gains 4.4 inches of wheelbase and 10.7 inches of length over the outgoing model. This extra space enabled Volkswagen to shoehorn a pair of compact third-row seats into the larger cargo area, increasing the Tiguan’s appeal as a family vehicle. Under the hood is a new 2.0-liter turbo-four that uses a modified version of the traditional Miller combustion cycle that boasts a shorter intake phase and a longer expansion phase. Mated to an eightspeed automatic, the new engine is 8 percent more efficient than the 1.8-liter turbo-four it replaces while making an extra 14 hp and 35 lb-ft for a total of 184 and 221, respectively.

Prices should start at around $26,000.

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T H O R ’ S H A M M E R H E A D L I G H T S ? Check. Volvo oval grille? Check. Transversely mounted four-cylinder engine?

Check. The top-of-the-line 90-series Swedish station wagon is available with a T5 turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four that produces 250 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque with FWD. The T6 turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter engine offers 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque with AWD. A T8 turbocharged and supercharged inline-four delivers 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque with AWD. The V90 Cross Country rides slightly higher and offers more clearance over the V90, and it is apparently excellent for drifting on frozen lakes and tundra.

It offers a 2.0-liter supercharged and turbocharged I-4 with 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque and AWD. All engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The roomy cabin seats five, sports a panoramic moonroof, and offers a respectable 53.9 cubic feet of cargo space. Sounds perfect for those icy trips to Ikea. The V90’s base price is $50,945, and the Cross Country’s is $56,295. Both are available now.

2018 VOLVO XC60 T H E A L L- N E W XC60 midsize SUV gets even better for 2018 by ditching the five-cylinder engine for a four-banger. The T5 turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine produces 250 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque with AWD. The T6 turbo- and supercharged 2.0-liter engine offers 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque with AWD. A T8 twin-engine electric plug-in hybrid delivers 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque with eAWD. The Drive-E hybrid can sprint from 0 to 62 mph in a respectable 5.3 seconds. All engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Inside there are goodies such as reclaimed driftwood on the dash, a handstitched leather interior, and a stellar standard panoramic moonroof. Oncoming Lane Mitigation, which uses steer assist to avoid head-on collisions, makes its debut on the XC60. The small wagon is also packed full of optional tech, and it can tow up to 3,500 pounds. The all-new XC60 will get souped-up Polestar versions in addition to the Drive-E powertrains. The XC60 is available now for a base price of $42,495.

ON SALE: Now / BASE PRICE: $42,495

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TESLA MODEL 3 Expected: Now Estimated Price: $35,000

TESLA MODEL 3

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T H E E L E C T R I C C A R market is booming.

Tesla makes more than 84,000 Model S and X cars per year for global consumption, and CEO Elon Musk promises that the addition of the affordable Model 3 to the lineup will push the company’s production to a half million in 2018.

Wall Street analysts remain gaga over Tesla, driving market capitalization that has trumped Ford Motor Company, which helped send Mark Fields packing as that automaker’s erstwhile CEO. But so far, that EV boom mostly has been in Wall Street’s big head. EVs make up about 1.5 percent of the U.S. market still and just 1 percent of the global market. What does Tesla’s future hold in light of the coming onslaught of EVs from mainstream luxury and commodity automakers? Will Tesla lose segment market share as the EV market expands, or will well-heeled greenies spurn the old guard brands?

These are the issues that surely plague Musk as he faces the question of how he might post a net profit on a relatively high-volume $35,000-plus car when his company hasn’t been able to make money on luxury models averaging $95,000.

The first Tesla Model 3s should be reaching anxious customers by now. The electric car’s compact, sport sedanstyle body makes it no direct competitor for the Chevrolet Bolt, of which GM has sold 5,950 in the U.S. this year through May. The Model 3 will offer fewer luxury and tech features than the Model S, however, and its simpler manufacturing methods take advantage of what Tesla has learned from that luxury sedan over the past five model years.

As of press time, the Model 3’s base price of $35,000 is $2,495 less than the Bolt’s (both prices are before any tax rebates, such as the $7,500 federal credit), and the Tesla has an estimated range of 215 miles compared with the Chevy’s EPA range of “up to” 238 miles. Tesla claims 0-60 mph in less than 6 seconds while the Chevy made that sprint in 6.3 seconds, according to published tests. Model 3 owners also get to use Tesla’s growing network of Superchargers, which feature the automaker’s exclusive connecting system, while the Bolt can add 90 miles of range in 30 minutes at a fastcharging station.

Although this EV standoff is happening in the middle of the market, Jaguar will be the first mainstream manufacturer to seriously challenge Tesla at the upper end. The Jaguar I-Pace is set to go on sale in late 2018, with the production model to be unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It’s a five-seat crossover/SUV designed for performance with an estimated maximum range of roughly 310 miles on the New European Driving Cycle.

The Tesla Model S is rated 380 miles on the NEDC, according to the website electrek.co, which notes that the European cycle is much more generous than the U.S. EPA’s. However, the bigger, heavier Model X is rated up to 295 miles in the U.S., according to Tesla. So Jaguar, which calls the I-Pace concept “a performance car, a family car, and an SUV all in one,” might want to emphasize the I-Pace’s sport-utility qualities in its marketing.

JAGUAR I-PACE Expected: Late 2018 Estimated Price: $95,000

The Jag’s 90-kWh pouch-cell lithium-ion battery will juice two synchronous permanent-magnet motors torquing the front and rear wheels. Jaguar says the combo makes 394 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, capable of running from 0 to 60 mph in about 4 seconds.

If the Jaguar I-Pace is designed to take on the Tesla Model X, the Porsche Mission E will directly compete with the Model S when it goes on sale in the 2020 model year. Unveiled in concept form two full years ago at the

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VOLKSWAGEN I.D. CROZZ Expected: 2020 Estimated Price: $28,000

Daimler’s Smart division has done the smart thing by going electric-only for the U.S. and Canadian markets.

The tall, stubby two-seater never broke the 40-mpg mark when powered by a three-cylinder gas engine. Although the updated 2017 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive models, available as a coupe or cabriolet since summer, won’t match the Chevy Bolt for lack of range anxiety, they could make decent shareable city cars.

Range is up by 2 to 12 miles over the old Smart EV, to a 70-80-mile range, and 240-volt charge time is halved to three hours. A 17.6-kWh battery feeds a three-phase synchronous motor. Horsepower is up by 6 to 80, and torque is up 22 lb-ft to 118. This propels the coupe from 0 to 60 mph in 11.4 seconds, a 0.1-second improvement. The new cabrio—Smart says it’s the only open-top electric car on the U.S. market— gets to 60 mph in 11.7 seconds, and top speed for both is 80 mph. Price is $24,550 for the coupe, $1,200 less than the old model, and $28,750 for the cabrio.

S E M Pr xpe AR ice ct T F : $ ed O 24 : N RT ,5 ow W 50 O E

C E H Pr xpe EVR ice ct O : $ ed LE 37 : N T ,4 ow BO 95 LT

NEW & FUTURE CARS

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2015 Frankfurt show, it’s expected to use a version of the upcoming “baby Panamera” Pajun sedan platform but with two permanent-magnet synchronous motors delivering more than 600 horsepower to the four torque-vectored and steerable wheels good for 0-60 mph in less than 3.4 seconds.

Porsche says its goal is a 500-kilometer range (310 miles), which would equal the Jaguar I-Pace’s as measured on the much more generous European EV cycle. A 15-minute quickcharge time will deliver 80 percent of the range. As with the Jaguar, it’s reasonable to expect Porsche is being conservative That leaves the Faraday Future FF91, the bizarro with maximum range expectations and that both companies Tesla Model S. A rather handsome prototype in a sort of are working hard to hit the market with more full-charge Lincoln SUV-meets-moon-buggy way, it made its debut in miles than the Model S. a disaster of a CES 2017 press conference apparently full of At the 2015 Frankfurt auto show, a Porsche product what was left of cheering company employees and Teslamanager called Tesla’s Ludicrous mode a façade. “Two like brand sycophants. launches saps the whole battery,” he told Automobile. “That Specs on the FF91 are sparse, except that it apparently won’t be the case with the Mission E. You’ll be able to run it outpaces a Model S, and its battery module “features hard over and over.” nearly twice the energy density found in today’s average On the opposite end of the Volkswagen Group spectrum, EV,” according to Faraday Future’s slick but unenlightening the VW brand has committed to offering three EV models FA “redesigned” website. in the U.S. by 2022 as part of its $14.7 billion consent decree ExpRAD Faraday says you can take delivery in 2018. AM Est ecte AY F settled with the U.S. Department of Justice last year over ima d: F9 ted Lat 1 e Pri 20 the Dieselgate emissions-cheating scandal. All three models ce: 18 $10 will ride on Volkswagen’s upcoming MEB dedicated electric 0,0 00 vehicle platform.

VW’s EV hatchback based on the 2016 I.D. concept from Paris is likely to replace the Golf EV in Europe first, but being SUV-loving Americans, our first model off the new platform is a 2020 model production version of the I.D. Crozz unveiled earlier this year at the Shanghai motor show. The VW is shorter, wider, and lower but with more interior space than the new Tiguan and with a longer wheelbase, thanks to wheels pushed to the model’s four corners. Power comes from a 75-kW/101-hp front motor and 150-kW/201-horse rear motor, adding up to 225 kilowatts or 302 horsepower.

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astronaut Neil Armstrong took one small step for a man and one giant leap for mankind by walking on the moon. It was quite the feat but a small step nonetheless because traversing the surface proved more difficult than predicted. To move around efficiently and effectively, astronauts needed something with four wheels. So NASA and Boeing improvised the development of a collapsible, all-electric two-seater called the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) to accompany astronauts on the final three Apollo launches. In December 1972, the last men on the moon parked one of the three original LRVs and left it some 740 feet from their landing site, where it sits today.

How much fun it must’ve been, skipping along at 11 mph on a rock with one-sixth the gravity of our planet—in complete silence. Since the final Apollo mission, however, no human has set foot on the moon, let alone driven on it. We were beginning to lose hope that we’d ever see another vehicle—manned or unmanned—kick up lunar dust. That’s about to change, though, thanks in part to Audi.

The German automaker has teamed up with Berlin-based engineering company Part-Time Scientists (PTS) to send two Lunar Quattro rovers to the moon in 2018. The mission’s goal is to return to the Apollo 17 landing site in the Taurus-Littrow Valley to see what shape the abandoned LRV is in.

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WE DON’T NEED ROADS Astronaut David Scott in the original LRV during the Apollo 15 mission’s visit to the moon in 1971.

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“This mission is a great challenge. And ALINA to solve this challenge, the most important technical competencies of Audi are needed: lightweight design, electrification, and digitalization,” says Alexander Schmidt, one of Audi AG’s lead development engineers for the effort. “There is no repair shop that the rover can drive into for a service, so it needs to work without a hitch throughout the whole mission.” PTS first launched the project about eight years ago in an effort to chase down Google’s Lunar XPrize, which offers $20 million to $30 million to the first privately funded team to operate a lunar rover on the moon. But when Audi became a sponsor and engineering partner in 2015, priorities shifted and the prize money was no longer the impetus.

“The main commercial objective of the mission with Audi is to demonstrate that it’s possible to privately develop technology for space purposes and showcase that you can land them on the moon,” says Robert Böhme, CEO of Part-Time Scientists. “The scientific goal is to analyze Apollo 17 artifacts, AU D I LU N A R Q UAT T R O specifically the LRV, which has been sitting on the surface of the moon unsheltered for The ALINA — 45 years. It’s actually very interesting beAutonomous cause a lot of people want to send longLanding and Navigation term infrastructure to the moon—a city on Module—is the surface of the moon—and the best way PTS’s first private of powering it would be solar power. If the spacecraft.

LRV is completely covered in lunar dust, you would need to hire somebody to clean solar 3 X ALINA ONBOARD FALCON 9 panels regularly.”

Even before Audi became part of this 239,000-mile trip to the moon, PTS had developed a landing shuttle dubbed ALINA as well as YOU’RE TAKING prototype versions of rovers that are millennia more ALUMINUM POWDER advanced than the Apollo LRV model, which was more of an afterthought than a deliberate automotive design. “There THAT YOU CAN BLEND was an empty pie-shaped cargo volume on the underside WITH OTHER MATERIALS of the lunar lander, and someone had the brilliant idea of designing and building a rover that could be folded up and TO CREATE YOUR OWN stuffed into that space,” says Peter Visscher, vice president FLAVOR OF MATERIAL. ... of space, robotics, and defense engineering for Argo, which EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE is working with the Canadian Space Agency to launch lunar rovers of its own. The quickly constructed LRV ROVER’S PARTS ARE NOW weighed 462 pounds (or 76 pounds on the moon), could 3D-PRINTED, ALUMINUMhaul several hundred pounds of bagged scientific samples, and could climb and descend grades up to 25 degrees. It BASED PARTS. wears materials from the ’60s that would never make it on a modern lunar rover, including nylon, plastic, and even SpaceX’s Falcon duct tape.

9, which will carry the Lunar “Originally we were using standard industrial hard Quattros to the moon, is fueled aluminum until Audi introduced us to its 3D-printed FA LC O N by super-chilled aluminum,” says Böhme as he describes the Lunar Quattro liquid oxygen and rocketgrade kerosene.

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rover’s construction. “You’re taking aluminum powder that you can blend with other materials to create your own flavor of material. We created a very special brand of aluminum and started building new structures. Eighty percent of the rover’s parts are now 3D-printed, aluminum-based parts.

They worked really, really well in tests and didn’t break at all, which was a really big surprise for us.” Schmidt says Audi engineers were able to make the rovers bigger and stronger but also lighter,” shaving some 25 pounds from the Lunar Quattro’s initial PTS design.

The Lunar Quattro’s lithium-ion batteries are well protected inside the rover, insulated by the swiveling solar panel. It has three cameras: two stereo cameras that acquire 3D images and a third high-resolution camera that generates extremely detailed panoramic images. The only similarity between the Lunar Quattro rovers and the LRV is electric propulsion, necessitated by the fact that combustion engines won’t work on the atmospherefree moon. PTS turned to Audi for its e-tron electrical expertise and Quattro know-how in order to improve the rover drivetrains, which use small motors mounted in each funky-looking aluminum wheel. Each wheel moves independently of one another—essential when you’re very slowly crossing cratered terrain that has been barraged by meteorites for some 4.5 billion years.

Audi deferred to PTS when it came time to fit the drivetrain with seals to keep out lunar dust, also known as regolith. “It’s 1,000 times finer than the finest grain of sand that you can find here on Earth. And it is very, very sharp,” Böhme says. “When Apollo astronauts took off their suits, they realized that lunar dust had gotten into their air-tight suits. And not just their suits but also under their skin, which really freaked them out. If the regolith gets into our rover’s gear subsystem, the gears will go down in only a few seconds.” PTS uses a specialized seal with specific opening and exit paths, allowing dust to enter one end of the seal before being tumbled around and shooed

An original rover unfolds from a landing capsule.

The new Lunar Quattro is notably more compact.

Say hello to one “science fair project” that actually will get the chance to prove what it can do outside the Earth’s atmosphere.

→

back out the other end—or at least that’s the hope. Even after testing in a bed filled with simulated regolith, Audi and PTS won’t be unquestionably sure everything will function without fault until the Lunar Quattro rovers reach the moon. “It isn’t practical or even possible to completely reproduce the lunar environment on Earth, so we can only perform limited testing,” Visscher says. It’s an ever-evolving learning experience for both Audi and PTS. Even now, as engineering development winds down and planning for the upcoming launch intensifies, the two companies continue to teach one another.

For example, PTS explained to Audi the rovers would need a special coating of PSBN, the white, nonconductive silicate paint you’ve seen on just about every spacecraft ever. Although cars on Earth are designed and tested to operate at minus 40 to up to 130 degrees Fahrenheit, temperature swings on the moon can be much more severe, with 575-degree fluctuations that occur almost

HELLO, OLD FRIEND This rendering imagines the scene when the Lunar Quattro rolls up on its predecessor, which might not be nearly as tidy as seen here.

instantaneously. In theory, the rover could heat up to 275 degrees and cool down to minus 180 degrees in just a few seconds. “PSBN has tiny mirrors in it,” Böhme says. “It has a very high UV reflectance, reflecting 95 percent of invisible light, which is important for us because then the sun doesn’t heat the spacecraft up so much. After explaining this to Audi engineers, they actually realized this could be an incredible thing for street cars as well.”

Even though we love the idea of an RS 7 painted in PSBN, we’re left wondering what real, long-term effects this trip to the moon will have on Audi. What happens after the pair of Lunar Quattro rovers is packed into the detachable nose of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, lifted into orbit around the moon, and directed through a hopefully carefree mission? “In the future we have to think beyond our current frontiers,” Schmidt says.

The LQ might not be alive, but we won’t blame you for calling it Johnny 5.

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Could there be some starry-eyed future in which we drive Audis on the moon? “The question really isn’t if these things will happen but when,” Visscher says.“It is very likely we will see multiple robotic vehicles driving on the moon by the mid-2020s and manned vehicles by the mid-2030s.

Of course, these will be driven by professionally trained rover operators and astronauts. But there are plans being discussed among international space agencies to develop a lunar village where humans from several countries will live and work, and one of the key elements of this concept will be vehicles. Compared to the LRV, the next generation of manned rovers will be considerably larger. Expect a multiwheeled vehicle that bears some resemblance to an RV and has six or eight wheels, not four. A pressurized cabin will allow the occupants to remove their space suits, and the rover will have to carry life-support systems, radiation protection, and power systems.”

As space travel becomes more routine and entities in both the private and public sectors look to stake their claim on the moon, there will likely be opportunities for tourists to visit Earth’s sole natural satellite. It won’t happen in the next few years, and it would cost a small fortune, but it’s possible that one day you won’t need to be a professional astronaut to stand (or drive) on the surface. Audi’s connection with Part-Time Scientists shows a keen interest in advanced technologies and interstellar exploration. So is it possible the automaker could one day build manned vehicles to be driven on the moon? Perhaps the Lunar Quattro rovers are only one small step for Audi as it looks to take one seriously giant leap. AM

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T H E C A R S M AT E R I A L I Z E out of the predawn darkness, and the high-pitched whir and clatter of air-cooled engines mark them as Porsches. Here we are in Los Angeles on a Sunday in May as an atypical rain shower is just leaving town, and it’s pretty much like so many other weekend gatherings of Porsches and Porsche people. Of course, there are a couple of notable exceptions to what you might expect. First, the cars are not all perfect. Second, the people are not all old.

Luftgekühlt first came together in 2014 when two friends in L.A. put together a kind of small, invitation-only Cars and Coffee event for their friends, some of them car people and some not.

Patrick Long, a professional sports-car racer under contract to Porsche Motorsport North America, and Howie Idelson, a freelance creative director who specializes in experiential marketing, just figured it would be kind of fun—a combination of Porsche enthusiasm and L.A. hipster coolness. After three years, their circle of friends is unexpectedly still growing, and a couple thousand of them will pay $20 each to see 250 of the most interesting Porsches anywhere at Luftgekühlt 4.

Like any car event, a secret handshake is required to belong to this club, and the shared enthusiasm here is air-cooled Porsches, hence the literal German word for air-cooled: Luftgekühlt. This definition stretches over the first 356 built in 1948 inside an old

sawmill in Gmünd, Austria, and continues all the way to the last 993-generation 911, which came off the assembly line in 1998 in Stuttgart, Germany.

“When we started out, we just wanted to tell the story of Porsche, and we decided the air-cooled cars really did this,” Long says. “Now we’ve expanded a little with cars from Porsche Motorsport, although maybe you’ve never seen them before. And there are family heirloom cars from regular 356 and 911 owners,

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by M I C H A E L J O R D A N photog raphy by J U L I A L A P A L M E

LUFTGEKÜHLT: IT’S PORSCHE FOR COOL

→ →

YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE DISCOVERING OLDER PORSCHES, AND THE FUTURE LOOKS CHILL FOR ALL OF US

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and some have been modified for performance over the years. And maybe because I’m the son of a surfer who always had an eye for an old, bleached-out surfboard at a garage sale, we have cars that look a little worn by time, too.

Also journalist and Porsche guy Kerry Morse and photographer Jeff Zwart helped us arrange some cars in small groups that might tell you something about the story of Porsche or even challenge your idea of what a Porsche is.”

As we wander into a warehouse on the property where Luftgekühlt 4 is presented—the 1949 PORSCHE 356 SL GMÜND location changes every year—we find a selection of classic race cars displayed against a backdrop of evocative artwork provided by Pirelli. Nice bookends to the air-cooled era are provided by the Rod Emory-restored 356 Gmünd SL coupe that won its class at the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Bruce Canepa-restored 917/30 that is the exact car (chassis 003) with which Mark Donohue won the races that earned the 1973 Can-Am championship for Penske Racing. When we wander outdoors, we discover surprises such as the Bruce Meyer-owned 935 K1 that won the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans, an Emory Motorsports-built 356 with an all-wheeldrive powertrain, and Zwart’s 911 Baja racer.

There’s a very specific design vocabulary that all these 356 and 911 street cars share. The rear-engine silhouette seems as sleek as nature’s own raindrop, a shape admired by Ferdinand Porsche and son Ferry for both its aerodynamic efficiency and its aesthetic grace. The wheelbase is very short to enhance agility, and the front fenders frame a low front deck so you can see the road while driving fast.

Within the interior, the proximity of upright windshield, flat-face dashboard, and steering wheel recalls Ferdinand’s design for the Volkswagen Beetle, from which the first 356 was derived. And when you open the rear cover, there’s the flat, air-cooled engine, which promises easy access for repair if not exactly perfect reliability.

And yet the theme for Luftgekühlt is not historic perfection. Maybe that’s why our favorites here are the California hot rods, slightly modified cars in which the veneer of perfection has been peeled back to reveal a spark of extra-legal performance. In a way, such cars are all examples of the “outlaw” Porsche, a look that goes clear back to a 1956 356 with customized bodywork created in 1957 by Dean Jeffries, a legendary pinstripe painter and car customizer in SoCal. The outlaw look was popularized in the 1980s by Emory’s 356s and then reinforced by the R Gruppe’s modified 911s in the 1990s. Recently, the cars

1964-1965 PORSCHE 904

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1953 GLÖCKLER-PORSCHE ROADSTER

PORSCHE 911 S BY SINGER

YOU DON’T HAVE TO LOOK MUCH FURTHER THAN THE CROWD AT LUFTGEKÜHLT TO SEE THE CHANGES IN THE CHARACTER OF ENTHUSIASM FOR THE MARQUE.

MAGNUS WALKER ROLLS OUT AN URBAN OUTLAW

produced by Rob Dickinson’s Singer Vehicle Design and Magnus Walker’s Urban Outlaw shops have validated the hot-rod concept for a new generation of Porsche enthusiasts.

You don’t have to look much further than the crowd at Luftgekühlt to see the changes in the character of enthusiasm for the marque that have come about as a result.

Luftgekühlt’s Idelson says, “These people are creative and media savvy, and they’re DIYers, so they take a hands-on approach to things. They’re younger, but it’s more of an attitude than just age. They’ve already seen everything, and they’ve come to Porsche to find an experience that’s real, not just different.” If you would guess that most of these people are young, slim, and dressed in black, you would be right. (Hey, it’s L.A.) As it turns out, younger people are buying classic Porsches in increasing numbers. Jeff Trask, the principal at European Collectibles, a large purveyor of classic sports cars in nearby Newport Beach, California, tells us, “It used to be we’d see only older people looking for old cars, but now it’s affluent people between age 30 and 50.” Trask is also president of the 356 Club of Southern California, so he understandably adds, “And it’s an old Porsche that these people want, not an old Ferrari. The big challenge is to get a private owner to sell us one so we can give it a thorough makeover for resale.”

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Of course, some people complain that the escalating prices of classic Porsches discourage younger buyers, but auction analyst and car appraisal expert (and Automobile contributor) Dave Kinney of USAppraisal tells a different story. “When the auction world discovered back in 2008 that collectible Porsches were undervalued, prices rose exponentially for the best examples,” he says. “Prices of regular old Porsches rose right along with them. But recently, people have realized again that a rusty old Porsche is just a rusty old car, so plain Porsches are now 1979 PORSCHE 935 K3 priced accordingly.” Of course, Kinney also points out that cars uncompromised by mechanical issues will always require a top-dollar purchase. “Younger buyers don’t want a car that needs immediate repair,” Kinney warns. “Partly this is because they probably don’t have a garage in which to repair it, and partly this is because they probably don’t have a toolbox, either.”

X

Chad McQueen, center, poses for fans of “Le Mans,” Steve McQueen’s revered movie that celebrates both racing and Porsche.

PORSCHE 911 TURBO AND PIRELLI ARTWORK

We leave Luftgekühlt about noon, because, you know, you can’t be the last to leave a party if you hope to maintain appropriate coolness. We exit through the special parking reserved for visitors driving air-cooled Porsches themselves—330 slots, all of which were reserved in the first 36 hours after the secret site of the show was announced on the Luftgekühlt website. And as we walk through what Long and Idelson affectionately call the mosh pit, we find ourselves surrounded by 330 individually owned Porsches.

Each has a story to tell, only it tells a story about its owner not its manufacturer. For us, this is the personalized coolness at the heart of Luftgekühlt, and we think it’s actually about the future of sports cars and not the past. AM

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A ⇒

June 30, 2017 CHICHESTER, ENGLAND

UCTIONS by

RORY JURNECKA

TOP SELLERS 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster $1,168,124 1973 Porsche 911 2.7 RS Lightweight $1,080,661 1931 Bentley 8-Liter Sedanca De Ville $1,015,064

B O N H A M S F E S T I VA L OF SPEED

1973 PORSCHE 911 RS 2.7 LIGHTWEIGHT

STRONG CARS BRING STRONG MONEY AND VICE VERSA

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THE GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED IS AN AMAZING ANNUAL EVENT HELD ON THE GROUNDS OF LORD MARCH’S ESTATE IN THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND. THE WINDING AND SLOPED DRIVEWAY TO LORD MARCH’S HOME IS MADE INTO A HILL-CLIMB COURSE WITH HUNDREDS OF CARS MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE TOP, MOST AT BREAKNECK PACE. AS A SORT OF SIDESHOW FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS, BONHAMS HAS HELD AN AUCTION TO COINCIDE WITH THE FESTIVAL OF SPEED. A RELATIVELY SMALL AUCTION THIS YEAR, JUST 88 CARS WERE ON OFFER OF WHICH 56 SOLD FOR A 64 PERCENT SELL-THROUGH RATE AND A TOTAL OF ABOUT $13,500,000.

O N E O F T H E top sellers at $1,070,810 was a nicely presented 1973 Porsche 911 RS 2.7 Lightweight, one of just 17 such cars made in right-handdrive configuration. There’s no doubt that fact helped push the bidding as did the car’s period rally history, though the nonoriginal engine (installed after a failure during competition) might have kept some potential buyers quiet. Nevertheless, this was a strong result that shows buyers are still willing to pay up for hard-to-get models.

Another star of the ’70s, a 1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS with more than $50,000 in receipts for mechanical and cosmetic refurbishment, was sold for $326,930. Appropriately painted in the orange-tinted red known as Rosso Dino, this was another non-numbers matching car (a replacement engine was fitted at some point), which helps explain the slightly lackluster result. A 1988 Ferrari F40 sold new to David Gilmour of Pink Floyd fame did not meet reserve at a high bid of about $934,000.

That might seem low considering the car’s celebrity ownership, but a large-scale rebuild following an engine fire in the mid-2000s tempered bidder interest.

The $225,820 winning bid for a 1966 Aston Martin DB6 seemed like a bargain, but an undesirable automatic gearbox, some nonoriginal engine modifications, and a handful of little (but not inexpensive) cosmetic issues explains the sale price. Still, it should make a nice driver for someone who wants to use the car rather than polish it.

Similarly, a gorgeous 1956 Talbot Lago T14 LS Special Coupe was 1956 TALBOT LAGO T14 LS SPECIAL COUPE

pried loose from its consigner for $175,265—well below Hagerty’s near-$300,000 average valuation.

That said, this poor Talbot had been used heavily in the decade following its restoration in the mid-’90s and was then left to sit under new ownership for the past five years. With an interior now showing signs of wear along with all the mechanical gremlins the latest owner can expect to find after years of sitting, the price paid still might just be low enough to get the car back on the road without ending up underwater financially. We’ll still call it well-bought. AM

1967 MGB GT

June 24-25, 2017 S A N TA M O N I C A , CALIFORNIA

TOP SELLERS

1992 FERRARI F40

1932 RILEY SPECIAL

1960 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster $1,100,000 1992 Ferrari F40 $957,000 1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Berline $880,000 1960 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL ROADSTER

RM SOTHEBY’S BARKER HANGAR

After canceling its annual Motor City sale in Detroit this year, RM Sotheby’s announced it would host the fifth annual Santa Monica sale normally chartered by RM’s sister company, Auctions America. Typically, Auctions America offers a slightly more affordable mix of cars in its sales, with more emphasis on classic American metal. With RM at the helm, there were still plenty of affordable options for those looking to get into the classic-car game, but several big-buck machines were also up for grabs. In the end, RM Sotheby’s sold 111 of 175 cars for a 63 percent sell-through rate and a total of $9,180,835—not an extraordinary result by any means, but considering Monterey Car Week was right around the corner it’s not entirely surprising.

1996 PORSCHE 911 TURBO

T H E E V E N T ’ S top-seller was a 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster that didn’t meet reserve on the block but sold shortly thereafter for $1,100,000—right on the money for a strong Roadster.

These cars perform well and tend to be fairly reliable and as such are very popular on some of the country’s best vintage tours and rallies. A 1992 Ferrari F40 from the last year of production was the runner up, bringing $957,000. This 16,000-mile example was fresh from a recent service, but its sale price was down perhaps 10-15 percent from what it might have brought a year ago. There seems to be no real shortage of F40s on the market at any given time; Ferrari built roughly 1,300 copies.

This result seems to echo the greater market correction we’re seeing, with values softening slightly for all but the rarest of cars or those in the best condition.

A further example of softening was found in a 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo with just 25,000 miles from new. The car was bid to just $137,500 and not sold against a low reserve of $165,000. Someone would have likely paid the reserve

amount 12 short months ago, but nearly every long-term 993 owner is looking to cash in on their car’s appreciation, which has led to a flooded market and no shortage of buying opportunities.

Still, there were a few bargains to be had at prices even enthusiasts of less lofty means could afford. A 1967 MGB GT—the Pininfarina-designed coupe based on the popular roadster model—sold for just $6,050. GTs are not only fun to drive, they’re also practical with their hatchback body style while being inexpensive and relatively straightforward to maintain, thanks to a healthy parts supply. This example was from the last year of the desirable metal dashboard production, later cars receiving less appealing padded vinyl dashboards to meet period safety standards. We were also fond of the last lot of the sale, a 1932 Riley Special. Built with custom roadster bodywork over a Riley Plus Ultra chassis, the little sports car would have made an excellent, affordable prewar entry for many vintage events at just $9,900—far shy of what a Riley sports car with original bodywork would have brought. AM

SOLD: DND_PROJECT; WOW: IRENA LEVITSKAYA / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF BONHAMS AND RM SOTHEBY'S

THE GREATER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA IS A HOTBED OF CAR CULTURE, BUT VEHICLE AUCTIONS HAVE HISTORICALLY STRUGGLED IN THE AREA. MAYBE IT’S THE WEALTH OF CLASSIC CARS ALREADY AVAILABLE LOCALLY OR THE NUMBER OF SPECIALTY SHOPS IN THE AREA, BUT TURNING OUT A SUCCESSFUL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SALE ISN’T AS EASY AS YOU’D THINK.

M A R K E T U P DAT E

$

BIG-BUCK BUYS AND SMALL-DOLLAR BARGAINS

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T H E L A ST A F FO R DA B L E

AIR-COOLED PORSCHE

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W H AT T O PAY* 1970 914 1.7: $9,900 1970-’72 914-6: $48,300 1973-’74 914 2.0: $14,600 1975 914 1.8: $10,700

BY RORY JURNECKA

Original 914-6 prices have really taken off. Do the sixcylinder cars have enough cache to keep pace with the rise in 911 values?

WD: The original sixes are unique and collectible, but I’ve never seen the true appeal of the 2.0 911T engine that Porsche used in the car. Original cars command a premium, yet originality means that you’re stuck with the stock configuration, which was purposely detuned by the factory to avoid competition with the 911. I like the cars that are original sixes that have at least had their engines removed and replaced with a bit more power [keeping the original safely tucked away in the corner of your garage, of course].

Has the 914’s stigma as “not a real Porsche” finally abated, or are these cars now accepted in the Luftgekühlttype communities?

WD: I think this “stigma” if you wish to call it that disappeared

nearly 20 years ago. The 914 and its customers who have modified them have proven time and time again that its mid-engine configuration can be more nimble and faster than a comparable rear-engined 911.

They are a lot of fun to drive— a really good car to get started on or to rebuild in your garage with your son. We see them show up to our Pelican events all the time.

How do 914 maintenance costs compare with 911s of similar vintage?

WD: Unfortunately, they are about the same. With the recent run-up in early 911 values, some of the harder-to-find parts for 911s have gotten really expensive. The 914 still benefits from a very large production run, and as a result, there are ample parts available both from parts houses like Pelican Parts and also in the used markets like eBay and Craigslist. Having good parts availability is really what keeps the enthusiast community alive. If the parts aren’t available, the cars sit and rot.

What about the 914 makes this model so appealing to so many enthusiasts?

WD: There’s a metric I use that is something similar to a “fun per dollar.” The 914 ranks very, very high on this scale. Driving [fourcylinder] cars can be found for about $5,000, with rolling chassis projects coming in at the $3,000 mark. As with any Porsche, it’s always good advice to buy the best car that you can afford up front. Fairly good 914s can be found these days for $8,000 to $10,000, and it would take far more than that to get a $5,000 car to a similar level. AM

*Average value sourced from Hagerty PORSCHE 914: JULIA LAPALME

120

T H E P O R S C H E 9 1 4 has long been thought of as the redheaded stepchild of the brand’s early 1970s lineup.

Developed as a replacement for both Volkswagen’s aging Karmann-Ghia and the entry-level, four-cylinder Porsche 912, base models of the car were marketed in Europe as a VW-Porsche. In the U.S. it was badged as a Porsche only, and it sold relatively well, thanks in part to the car’s sub-2,200-pound curb weight and its motorsports-inspired mid-engine layout.

Early versions of the 914 were powered by a 79-hp, 1.7-liter, flat-four-cylinder, air-cooled Volkswagen engine.

Shortly after the beginning of its production run, the 914-6 was also made available. It utilized a carbureted, 2.0-liter flat-six from the previous year’s 911T that was good for about 110 hp. In ’73, the 914-6 was quietly dropped (it was nearly as expensive as a 911T) and a 91hp 2.0-liter four was added as an option for the top-trim model. The next year, an 84-hp, 1.8-liter engine replaced the standard 1.7. Then in 1975, U.S. safety regulations sadly mandated heavy rubber bumpers in place of the car’s svelte chrome pieces. Although it isn’t regarded as Zuffenhausen’s finest work, that didn’t stop the 914 from becoming Porsche’s volume model during its time on the market, with around 118,000 sold worldwide.

Today, the 914 is an excellent choice for those looking for an air-cooled Porsche on a budget. We spoke with Wayne R. Dempsey, owner of Pelican Parts in Torrance, California, and noted 914 expert, about Porsche’s midengined people’s sports car.

M A R K E T WATC H

1970-’76 Porsche 914

Over the past five years, we’ve really seen 914s come into their own as collectible Porsches. Which are your picks for driving fun and potential future appreciation?

WD: I used to like really original cars when I was younger, but now I appreciate tastefully modified cars instead. They are just more fun. The 914 is a great car—my first Porsche was a 914—but in its stock form, it’s a bit underpowered. My current Pelican 914 is a six-conversion rally tribute car that is probably the most fun to drive of any of the cars I have.

A

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T H E B AC K PAG E

CATC Your new deal involves art sales in auto dealerships?

MB: Owned by the dealers but not in their dealerships. The gallery has to be in the towns’ [art districts of galleries and museums].

[Traditionally in the art world], if you don’t buy art that can be sold at auction, the gallery you bought it from is your only way to resell that art. But in the car business, used cars have a market. We’re going to put these [96] galleries together and connect each gallery.

HING UP WITH

Who is helping you organize this part of the business?

MB: We have a curatorial board that we put together with a dozen of some of the top people in the art world who will be able to certify artists. Once they see what we’re doing, the art world will realize it’s needed. There is no secondary market, and that’s a big, $67 billion business.

How will it work?

MB: We’ll have a 3-foot monitor that will have a visual inventory of all the galleries. The monitor has a billion dollars worth of art on it and goes to the collectors who buy $50,000 worth of art from the group. They get that monitor in their home for a dollar a year [to help buy more artwork available through the dealers’ galleries].

We have created the first true secondary market for art. This was created because my wife, Sania Teymeny, is an artist, so it comes from the artist’s point of view. (Bricklin originally wanted to cap 3EV dealerships at 96, all of which would also have to open art galleries, but now says he needs 154 additional car dealers to meet perceived demand for the 3EV.)

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M A LC O L M B R I C K L I N by

CATC H I N G U P W I T H / M A LC O L M B R I C K L I N

F O R M A L C O L M B R I C K L I N —founder of Subaru of America, producer of Canada’s ill-fated Bricklin SV-1 sports car, importer of the Fiat X1/9 and Spider 2000 as well as the Yugo, and would-be U.S. dealer network for China’s Chery automobiles—there’s always The Next Deal. This time, The Next Deal is a three-wheeled electric car, Visionary Vehicles’ Bricklin 3EV, coming in late 2019 or early 2020 with outsourced components and assembly. Bricklin plans to sign designers from around the globe to constantly update the exterior styling of his new 3EV and says VV will have signed contracts with Panoz Engineering Services and with manufacturing specialist Harbour Consulting by the time you read this. VV also will sign 250 car dealerships across the country—at $1 million per franchise— and choose 96 of them to form the first-ever “secondary market” for original artwork. Think of it as 96 high-end dealers of classic Ferraris and Jaguars and the like—except for original art.

•

PHOTO: JOE WILSSENS

TODD LASSA

So, you’re combining your love—cars—with your wife’s.

MB: Keeps a happy marriage.

But everything I’ve ever done in the car business I start from the philosophy of “Can I sell it?” With Subaru, it was the cheapest car back in 1968. With the Yugo, it was the cheapest car back in 1985. And with the Bricklin, it was the least expensive, really cool sports car back in 1974. The Chinese cars I was planning on bringing in until we got screwed was a car that should sell for $30,000 or $35,000 but that we could sell for $20,000.

Your new electric vehicle is a three-wheeler ...

MB: By building a three-wheeler I knock a thousand pounds off the

weight of a car. … That’s 20 or 25 kilowatts I don’t have to put in to go the same distance. When you have a three-wheeler that has wide front wheels and a relatively short body but long wheelbase, you have an amazingly fun-driving car.

Suppose we designed gorgeous cars, the kind of cars that when you look at them you immediately think of them as $150,000, $200,000, $300,000 cars. Suppose those cars could retail for 25 grand.

After everybody stops you and asks what it is, you say, “I only paid $25,000,” because it makes you look smart instead of feeling poor.

EVERYTHING I’VE EVER DONE IN THE CAR BUSINESS I START FROM THE PHILOSOPHY OF “CAN I SELL IT?”

What is the recharge time and the range?

MB: We’re talking 200-mile range, and we’re talking the normal recharge time [at launch]. We were looking at multiblade turbines with 40 blades each working as a generator, using capacitors to fill up batteries, and we’re also playing with hydrogen.

But you aren’t committed to using any single battery technology, correct?

MB: John Goodenough, the gentleman who invented rechargeable lithium batteries, has developed a patent on a solidstate battery supposedly one-third the size, one-third the cost with three times the energy, and a 5-minute recharge. We’ll work with the people to whom he’s giving licenses to manufacture. Unlike Elon [Musk, Tesla CEO], we’re not investing in the factories that build the stuff. We want to buy the stuff from people who have the factories. Technology is changing so fast that we don’t want to invest in any one technology.

Do you expect the Bricklin 3EV and creating a secondary market for art will be your legacy?

MB: My last hurrah? Well I am 78, but since I’m only planning on living to about 125, I’ve got to move my ass a little. AM

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