Autovision Winter 2014

• 2014 Cadillac CTS VSport • 2015 BMW M4 • 2016 Audi TTS • • 2015 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD • 2015 BMW S1000RR • 2015 Aston Martin Vantage GT • • 2015 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited Low • winter 2014

Fuel Follies

New 5-cycle fuel economy ratings explained

What’s New

Obscenely green electric Lambo and an Inspirational Infiniti

Focus On

20 sports cars to make you forget winter

The Last Word

Smart finally makes sense

Bull Roar Fearsome Aventador a wild ride

Autovision is an advertorial supplement to Business Information Group magazines

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14-11-20 5:44 PM

YOU CAN’T OUTRUN ENVY. BUT YOU CAN LAP IT.

THE ALL-NEW 2015 LEXUS RC F

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Introducing the entirely new RC F Coupe from Lexus. With a 5.0-litre, 467 HP V8 housed behind its signature spindle grille, the RC F was born on the track and built from the asphalt up.

Discover pure driving excitement at Lexus.ca/RCF AMAZING IN MOTION for more information, circle reply c ard no. 25

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2014-11-19 1:51 PM 14-11-20 5:58 PM

Autovision

Inside

4 What’s New

winter 2014

Obscenely green Lamborghini and an Inspirational Infiniti

10 Fuel Follies

N ew 5-cycle fuel economy rating system explained

16

Focus On 2 0 sports cars to make you forget winter

S mart finally makes sense!

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previews 2015 Aston Martin Vantage GT 2014 Cadillac CTS VSport 2015 BMW M4 2016 Audi TTS 2015 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD 2015 BMW S1000RR 2015 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Low

s the rigid adherence to decades-old speed limits by our governing lawmakers really about preventing needless injury and death? Or, as those cynics among us might denigrate, is speed limit enforcement simply a (very lucrative!) revenue stream dressed up as good governance?

On the one hand, it would be incomprehensibly reckless to turn the general public loose in two-ton, high-speed missiles without some form of regulation. On the other, logic dictates that when an entire populace — and who among us hasn’t had a speeding ticket — is guilty of a crime, it points to a badly written law rather than a completely criminal citizenry.

Whatever your viewpoint, the numbers of drivers ticketed and the revenues generated are simply staggering. According to a compilation of U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data by statisticbrain.com, 112,000 speeding tickets are issued in the United States each and every day. Those 41,000,000 tickets annually will generate some US$6.2-billion in revenue or, to illustrate the pressure on your average traffic cop, about US$300,000 per police officer.

Closer to home, the importance of these revenues — to municipalities in particular — continues to be a sore point. Both Montreal and Winnipeg have recently admitted they have “objectives” — not to be mistaken for quotas! — for traffic ticket revenue expected from their local police forces. And a report by the Edmonton Sun illustrates the lure of that easily fleeced lucre, reporting that photo radar put $41.2-million in the city’s municipal coffers compared with just $8.1-million in equipment costs.

The reason for my asking is that speed limits have been garnering headlines in recent months, their 42-point boldface type pointing to all manner of Armageddon. First, there has been the implementation of higher speed limits on some (very select) highways in British Columbia. The safety nannies, full of their usual venom and vitriol, continue their predictions of doom, their argument always returning to the one high school physics lesson they actually learned — that greater momentum causes greater damage when it is interrupted — their conclusion being that any increase in the average speed of highway travel can only result in greater carnage.

Despite the British Columbia precedent, the Ontario Liberal government has vowed there will be no relaxing of speed enforcement on its watch. The Quebec government has gone even farther, noting that it will look to reduce speed limits in certain circumstances. And, while the B.C. government looks to increase speeds and traffic flow, the capital city of Victoria has lowered its inner-city limit to 40 kilometres an hour from 50 km/h.

What’s truly odd is that, against this continued backdrop of the war on speed, comes the news that distracted driving, not speeding, is the new scourge of our highways. Texting is now considered more dangerous than even drinking and driving. Note, this is the direct cause of 78 deaths last year in Ontario alone compared with 57 attributed to drunk driving and 44 to speeding.

6 7 12 14 24 28 29

Like speeding, governments claim “they are doing something” about it. For instance, Ontario Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca is tabling legislation that would see the fine for texting while driving rise to $1,000, a staggering figure.

But how committed are constabularies to truly effecting change? The fact remains that, though the penalty for distracted driving may now be a financial burden, it is seldom enforced when compared with speeding.

Why? Because apprehending and convicting someone of distracted driving takes time, diligence and forethought or, as recently happened in both Ontario and B.C., a costly and manpower-consuming enforcement blitz.

Issuing speeding tickets, on the other hand, is a comparative doddle. Just find a nice downhill section of unrealistically limited roadway, set up your radar gun and any cop worth his Timmy’s can have his week’s quotas of traffic offences in half an hour.

British Columbia makes much of the fact that it writes up almost 50,000 distracted drivers per year, but it pales in comparison with the million or so drivers SenseBC estimates are charged with speeding annually.

Whatever the case, the truth remains that our police services will continue to enforce speed limits in far greater numbers simply because it is easier and far more financially rewarding.

Even if it doesn’t address the actual cause of road fatalities. s

winter 2014

30 The Last Word

Autovision 3

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• Publisher David Booth (416) 510-6744 dbooth@autovisionmagazine.ca • • MANAGING EDITOR Brian Harper • Gear Head Graeme Fletcher • • Print Production Manager Phyllis Wright 416-510-6786 • art director Steve Maver •

ContentsWinter.indd 2

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what’snewconcepts to mainstream

Obscenely

In a glorious case of electron envy, engineers in Sant’Agata, Italy would appear to have been coveting their neighbours’ horsepower. Pride of place on Lamborghini’s stand at this year’s Paris auto show was the all-new Asterion LPI 910-4, with specifications that read — give or take a piston or two — like a Porsche 918’s. A whopping 910 horsepower is available thanks to the combination of 5.2 litres of gas-fed V10 liberated from the Huracan and — Lamborghini never does anything by halves — no less than three electric motors.

Lamborghini claims this proliferation of electrons makes for two distinct driving experiences. In Ibrido (hybrid) mode, the gas engine and all three electric motors combine for a four-wheel-drive system that is almost assuredly necessary to contain the aforementioned 910 horsepower. But, in Zero (zero emissions/ full electric) mode, only the two front motors are used, the onboard lithium-ion battery having enough juice for up to 50 kilometres of fossil fuel-free motoring.

Green

Pretty Outlandish

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Here’s Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV Concept-S in a nutshell.

Basically, take one standard Outlander, give it one of the best front and rear fascia refreshes ever, drop in the plug-in hybrid powertrain that’s available in much of the rest of the world — the current Outlander PHEV has been extremely popular in environmentallyconscious Holland — and then claim a very stylish 1.9 L/100 km fuel economy, a figure made all the more impressive when one considers the Outlander is powered by a 116- horsepower, 2.0-litre gas engine and no fewer than two 80-hp electric motors,

Monster Mash-up Audi showed off something called the TT Sportback in Paris, which, for lack of a better description, is basically a TT meeting an A5 with a little S3 mashed in. Where it fits into a lineup already flush with four-door coupes is anyone’s guess, but there’s no denying the Sportback is mondo attractive. Were the show car’s 400-horsepower version of Audi’s ubiquitous 2.0-litre TFSI four-cylinder ever to see production, it would be a worthy competitor to BMW’s M3. One hundred kilometres an hour appears in just 3.9 seconds, once again highlighting the traction abilities of Audi’s quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system.

Like the traditional TT, the concept’s strong shoulders support a low greenhouse that is, in Sportback form, elongated toward the rear, while a flat C‑pillar flows smoothly into the shoulder. The highly rounded corners of the rear window, meanwhile, are homage to the original TT, says Audi. No matter how it’s described, however, the Sportback is more than comely enough to be worthy of production.

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Q to the Max

Think of it as the return of Infiniti’s iconic flagship, the Q45, only with larger numbers and dimensions. The Q80 (bigger than 45, geddit) Inspiration concept is long — at 5,052 millimetres from stem to stern, it’s almost as big as a Mercedes S-Class — and low, with a roof height of just 1,350 mm. It also rides on huge 22-inch wheels, which likely won’t make it to production.

If Infiniti is brave enough to produce the Q80, we can also expect it to be fleet of foot.

Powering the prototype is a twin-turbocharged, 3.0-litre revision of Infiniti’s evergreen V6, further aggrandized by hybrid electric motors that, Infiniti claims, lets the Q80 simultaneously boast 550 tire-shredding horsepower and pennypinching 5.5 L/100 km fuel economy.

briefly...

Inveterate texters beware: ComSonics, a Virginia-based tech company, is developing a radar gun that can also detect when you’re texting on your phone.

No more sexting while driving!

Porsche and the Pope! The Porsche Travel Club will be the first automaker to rent out the Sistine Chapel. The company

Once again Kia’s styling team, led by exAudi design chief, Peter Schreyer, has hit another home run. The all-new Sorento, badged a 2016 model, made its debut at the Los Angeles auto show and was yet another stunner from Kia. Longer (by 95 millimetres) and wider (5-mm) than the previous model, the Sorento is starting to push the boundaries of the mid-sized SUV. It’ll also do the same to the public’s perception of Kia. Inside, you’ll find such luxury niceties as a rear-view camera with cross traffic alert, adjustable second row seats and a power tailgate, not to mention leather worthy of a Mercedes and even a heated steering wheel. Power will come from a 3.3-litre V6, 2.4L I4 or a 2.0L Turbo, all with direct injection. Expect the new Sorento in Kia dealerships in February 2015.

there. Only 40 tickets will be sold — at 5,000 euros each!

Harnessing all that power: Jaguar will be adding its Instinctive All-Wheel-Drive system to its F-Type R in the hopes of harnessing its 495 horsepower. The company says the result is zero to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds!

200-Millionth Milestone So this is what Volkswagen means by integration. Worried that its carbon-fibre, fuel-sipping XL1 wasn’t wacky enough, Volkswagen has decided to turn its four-wheel teardrop into a supercar by dropping in...a motorcycle engine. Yes, a motorcycle engine!

Don’t forget that subsidiary Audi recently bought the famed Ducati brand and, to commemorate, Volkswagen ditched the XL1’s ultra-efficient 47-horsepower, two-cylinder turbodiesel in favour of the 197-hp V-twin that power’s Ducati’s legendary 1199 Superleggera.

VW says the result allows the car to scoot to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and will, thanks to its super-slippery aerodynamics, reach a top speed of 269 km/h. As to the reason why, VW says it produced this XL Sport to celebrate manufacturing its 200-millionth automobile.

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winter 2014

More Beautiful

plans to hold a classical music concert

Autovision 5

Bigger, Better and

14-11-20 6:02 PM

PREVIEW •> 2015 Aston Martin Vantage GT

Budget Blaster

By David Booth in Los Angeles

Autovision 6

winter 2014

A

s it pertains to the cost of an automobile, reasonable is a relative term. Our expectations of what a sultry bit of twodoor exotica should cost is greatly inflated compared with our expectations of a cheap and cheerful econocar. Nonetheless, no matter which way it’s sliced, the $105,000 Aston Martin wants for its new Vantage GT is relatively inexpensive; such a low MSRP hasn’t been seen on one of the British automaker’s products for more than three decades.

For those looking for perspective, it’s about the same that some billionaire on a budget might pay for Jaguar’s XKR and just a smidge more than a base 911 Carrera. Nor is the GT so stripped to the bone as to be unrecognizable as an Aston. Yes, there are limited colour choices and, unlike the base Vantage and its S upgrade — both of which offer Sport and Comfort suspension options — the GT is only available with the firmer springs. Other than that, most of the niceties one comes to expect — leather seats, the glass key and a navigation system — make the grade. Most importantly, the 4.7-litre V8 is not detuned as is so often the case for entry-level luxury models. Indeed, the GT gets the S’s slightly upgraded version — 430 horsepower and 361 pound-feet of torque versus 420 hp and 346 lb-ft — of Aston’s high-revving V8. In other words, the GT may be cheaper but it’s not diluted.

Atop L.A.’s famed Angeles Crest Highway, chasing some seriously fast sportbikes, there’s absolutely nothing lesser about the GT. The standard sweet-shifting six-speed manual is the choice of the two available trannies (there’s a seven-speed singleclutch manumatic available, but its shifts are any-

RT-AstonMartinVantageGT.indd 2

Base Price:

$105,000

Engine:

430 hp, 4.7L DOHC V8 Transmission: Length:

6-speed manual

4385 mm (172.6 in.)

Fuel Economy, L/100 km: city - n/a, hwy - n/a

There’s absolutely nothing lesser about the GT

thing but sweet), but so broad is the V8’s range of power that shifting is seldom needed. Anything above 3,000 rpm produces plenty of power and the festivities don’t stop until 7,000 revs — third gear works marvelously for most of the Crest.

So does the steering. Aston’s VH architecture is now 10 years old — albeit with numerous upgrades and improvements — which, in automotive terms, is pre-Mesozoic. And yet, charging into the switchbacks high above Los Angeles, the GT feels anything but archaic. The old-timey hydraulic steering may be heavier than today’s Fancy Dan electric power steering systems, but it communicates every camber and crease on the Crest’s beat-up pavement.

Critics may disparage the age of the Vantage platform, but all I know is that I am charging into switchbacks — way deep on the brakes — with very much the same élan as I would in a 911. Grip from the Bridgestone Potenza RE050s — P245/40ZR19s up front and P285/35ZR19 at the rear — is prodigious and, more importantly, there’s a healthy balance of it between front and rear. In other words, even if the Vantage GT isn’t the fastest sports coupe on the road, it will be among the most manageable — at least for anyone short of a licensed race car driver.

Concessions to price are few. The non-adjustable suspension can be more than a little firm over broken pavement; those looking to do nothing more than impress potential mates with their wealth might be well advised to shop the Vantage S and order that Comfort suspension. The GT’s navigation system is a little wonky, smacking of a last minute add-on. But then, that’s true of some of the more expensive Astons as well. And lastly, there’s just something odd about Aston Martin clutches. Either every Aston I have tested of late has been abused by some hack hot rodder just before my road test, or they are remarkably unhappy about anything but the smoothest of launches. Accompanying even the slightest of abuse is the familiar smell of burnt clutch, albeit with a specific scent all Aston’s own. It’s as if the product planners mandated that even the trannie’s friction material had to be rendered exotic.

The GT, despite those shortcomings, turns out to be very much a real Aston. I’ll go even further and proclaim it my favorite Vantage. More singularly focused than the standard model and more balanced than the V12, that bargain basement price tag is not the s reason to buy the GT, just the excuse.

‘,

14-11-20 6:09 PM

PREVIEW •> 2014 Cadillac CTS VSport

Sort of Crazy

By David Booth

‘, Base Price: $75,810 Engine: 3.6L twin-turbocharged V6 Transmission:

8-speed automatic Length:

4966 mm (195.5 in.)

Fuel Economy, L/100 km: city - 13.5, hwy - 8.4

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Autovision 7

Cadillac’s VSport is meant to be only partially unhinged

with a plethora of modest engines for the masses and then build one stupidly fast, mega-motor beast for the halo effect. In BMW’s lineup, there’s a big jump from the 550i to the M5.

However, it’s not Munich that Cadillac seeks to emulate but Ingolstadt. In Audi land, there is indeed said basic sedan with multiple variants — the A7 3.0T, A7 TDi — and, likewise, the mega-motor Ferrari chaser (the 560-hp RS7). But, unlike BMW (and Cadillac, I thought), Audi has an in-between model, the only moderately insane S7, with the same 4.0L V8 as the RS, but with its boost turned down to 420 hp. So, whether it’s been the plan all along or this was just a clever last-minute feint, the Cadillac’s VSport is meant to be only partially unhinged and not a replacement for the V. Viewed through this lens, the twin-turbo VSport makes a lot of sense. Like the S7, the engine feels massively torquey, completely disguising that there are but six pistons under the hood. Throttle response is impressively immediate, thanks to the twin Mitsubishi turbochargers being placed extremely close to the exhaust ports, say Cadillac’s engineers. Passing is blindingly quick and, if the jump off the line is a little softer than one might have thought for something with 435 pound-feet of torque, then attribute it to the fact that, again, this is only the half-bonkers cousin. It’s truly an impressive engine.

The VSport also has some mojo in the handling department.

No, it’s not the track-terrorizing V, but behind the wheel, the turbo VSport corners with precision: Credit Pirelli P Zero traction, well-calibrated suspension and an electronically enhanced steering system not nearly as numb as some of its competitors. If you’re looking for the reason to shop Cadillac rather than Audi (other than price; the Caddy is some $17,000 less expensive than the S7), its grace and pace is its best foot forward.

General Motors has made much of its redesign of the CTS’s cabin. Indeed, where the previous version looked like Honest Ed’s rendition of “classy,” the 2014 revision shines with the build quality and material selection that should have been there all along.

The leather is top-notch, the wood grain suitably subdued and, for 2015, OnStar has been upgraded for 2015 with a 4G LTE network and a built-in Wi-Fi capability. The touch-less switchgear is an unnecessary complication, however. There’s a function to shut it down; do so as soon as you buy the car.

And buy this car you should. Even if I’m not always quite sure what Cadillac’s end game is, VSporting can be quite enticing. s

winter 2014

P

ardon the confusion. For quite some time, Cadillac has been trying to get its act together. When you’ve screwed the pooch as long as General Motors’ luxury arm did, a clear, concise vision of your future doesn’t just pop out of the Sunbeam like Toaster Strudels, fully baked and garnished for immediate enjoyment.

For instance, I was most recently confused by the whole V badging. Like pretty much everyone who sampled its 556 horsepower and gummy Goodyears, I loved the second generation CTS V. It knew what its competition was (the mighty BMW M5), what it was supposed to do (go fast) and what its main appeal was to be (see the previous aside and aim it directly at said M5). Caddy’s V was simply BMW’s M — a little less refined perhaps, but with great, honking doses of supercharged horsepower more than making up for any perceived lack of sophistication.

Then came the 2014 CTS VSport. Gone was the V8. Ditto the supercharger. Instead, there’s a V6 under the hood — with two turbochargers. Sounds vaguely European to me.

And, instead of the V’s 556 horses, there’s but 420. Now, 420 hp is plenty manic in anyone’s book — good enough to scamper the car to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds — especially from a mere 3.6 litres. But it’s not completely terrifying, one of the prime attractions of that 6.2L supercharged V8. What gives?

Where we — I will continue to assume, perhaps erroneously, that everyone was as confused as I — went wrong is we surmised that Cadillac’s business plan was to emulate BMW. Take one mid-sized luxury sedan

14-11-20 6:09 PM

by Nadine Filion and David Booth

S

even years after the United States introduced a more

comprehensive five-cycle testing regime for rating fuel

consumption, Canada has finally caught up. For the 2015 model year, our vehicles will be displayed with

new fuel consumption ratings that promise to better reflect real-world driving. But are they truly more realistic?

For almost 50 years, the fuel consumption rating of new

vehicles in North America has been conducted by using a simple two-cycle test procedure. These tests are actually conducted in laboratories, not on roads as many consumers believe. Perhaps more importantly, they are performed by the auto manufacturers themselves and not by either the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). Each is supposed to represent one specific type of driving typical of North American drivers — city and highway. (See sidebar for an explanation of the exact nature of each cycle’s specific test method).

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winter 2014

However, it’s common knowledge that the official two-cycle ratings poorly reflected the results of real-world driving. In the opinion of even the EPA itself, two-cycle testing underestimates fuel consumption by as much as 20% to 30%.

In 2008, the EPA took action, adding three new cycles meant to more realistically emulate real-world factors previously ignored: 1) the use of air conditioning; 2) driving in cold weather (-7°C); 3) acceleration up to two and a half times faster than the traditional highway cycle and with a higher top speed of 129 kilometres an hour.

Seven years later, NRCan has followed suit, finally admitting that the five-cycle regimen “better approximates typical driving conditions and styles.” The procedure is being introduced for the 2015 model year and will almost assuredly cause some consternation among automakers and consumers alike.

FT-Fuel consumption.indd 32

Hybrids: The most affected For instance, according to Autovision’s research (comparing 142 models from BMWs to Volkswagens), the average increase in rated fuel consumption for identical cars rated by 2015’s fivecycle test regime versus the 2014 two-cycle system is some 18%. Perplexing, if you happen to be shopping for a new car right now, is that not all types of cars are equally affected. Indeed, some supposedly “eco-friendly” technologies, previously favoured by the two-cycle system, don’t fare very well under the new, more stringent tests. (The adjusted ratings can be found in the Fuel Consumption Guide: http://www. nrcan.gc.ca/energy/efficiency/transportation/

cars-light-trucks/buying/7487).

When subjected to the comparison of fivecycle versus two-cycle testing, the 142 vehicles of all types researched displayed increases in fuel consumption of 16% in the city and 20% on the highway. But it’s when we started separating vehicles by powertrain types — conventional gas, hybrids, turbos and diesels — that some noticeable disparities emerged.

The powertrains most affected by the new five-cycle method seem to be hybrids, which see their ratings in the city cycle increase by

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winter 2014

Some surprises Interestingly, small, fuel-efficient vehicles showed greater consumption increases in the five-cycle's city regimen (19% for the Smart

FT-Fuel consumption.indd 33

fortwo, 18% for the subcompact Toyota Yaris) than some gas guzzlers (11% for the gargantuan Toyota Sequoia, 12% for the Ford Explorer). In fact, in our analysis, vehicles equipped with V8s or V6s had the lowest increases in the new ratings system. This does not mean they consume less fuel, only that the basic two-cycle system already punished their wastefulness, and that the new air conditioning and acceleration tests placed less of a burden on their powerful engines.

An even bigger surprise was the discrepancies between the 2014 and 2015 ratings for diesel engines. According to our figures, the average diesel saw its consumption increase

by 16% in the city and 21% on the road, the five-cycle test continuing to overestimate diesels’ highway consumption, an area in which diesels shine in the real world.

“Our results with diesel vehicles on the road are significantly more favourable than those of the EPA,” says Eric Evarts, senior associate auto editor for Consumer Reports. “Diesel vehicles are unfairly penalized [by the high-speed acceleration test], although they are yet the best choice for those who drive mostly on the highway.”

Autovision 9

an average of 22.5%, or about 55% more than conventionally powered vehicles. This is hardly surprising; unless they were hypermiling fanatics, owners of hybrid vehicles found it difficult to attain NRCan’s officially published ratings. And we also knew that when throwing in cold Canadian climes — when the unheated electrical components are still not functional — hybrids were bound to pay a stiffer price than conventional vehicles.

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winter 2014

Autovision 10

Yet another surprise And how do turbocharged gas engines fair in all this? They hold their own in five-cycle testing, the average increase in fuel economy — 16% in the city and 20% on the highway — second only to conventional gas engines. But, in the opposite of the diesel situation, Consumer Reports says that nearly a third of the turbocharged vehicles it has tested fall short of their EPA estimate by 10% or more, primarily because the main highway cycle has an average speed of just 78 km/h — a speed at which the turbochargers haven’t begun to provide boost.

There are still other flaws in the system. As a result of the EPA and NRCan allowing manufacturers to test a vehicle with a specific engine and transmission and then apply the results to another similarly sized vehicle with the same powertrains, some manufacturers — Ford and its C-Max, for example — have, with much negative publicity, published erroneous fuel consumption ratings.

And, according to Consumer Reports, automakers are not always obliged to perform all five tests. “Automakers are allowed to comply with the new ratings for many models using mathematical simulations of the new tests,” says the magazine. “Those simulations were developed before many modern hybrids were on the road,” explaining CR’s contention that while “conventional cars missed their EPA estimates by about two percent in our tests,” hybrids missed by “about 10 percent.” Yet, according to Natural Resources Canada, 85 percent of the 2015 cars sold will be rated using these mathematical fudge factors.

Canada’s new consumption ratings may more accurately reflect real-life driving conditions, but to get an even truer estimate of the fuel consumption of a vehicle, visit www.fuelly.com, a website that lists the consumption of 150,000 cars driven by everyday drivers.

The 5-cycle system explained: The old two-cycle testing regime consists of an “city” and a “highway” test, conducted in laboratories by the manufacturers themselves. They are carried out on dynamometers (the equivalent of the treadmill for cars) that are programmed to take into account the aerodynamics of the vehicle, its weight and its rolling resistance. “This controlled method of fuel consumption testing ... is used instead of on-road driving to ensure that all vehicles are tested under identical conditions and that the results are consistent and repeatable,” says Natural Resources Canada. These same two tests that made up the twocycle test still form the backbone of the new five-cycle regime.

1) City Test: Developed in the 1960s, this test was intended to reflect the driving from home to work in the city of Los Angeles: Total Time: 31 minutes, 14 seconds Distance: 17.8 km Maximum speed​​: 90 km/h Average speed: 34 km/h Max acceleration: 5.3 km/h per second Number of stops: 23 Idle time: 18% Test cell: 20° to 30°C

The Supplemental Federal Test Procedure a) Cold Temperature Operation Test This is the same driving cycle as for the city test, but the test cell is maintained at -7°C. This test has been criticized because some estimates predict that, at a more typically Canadian winter -20°C, fuel consumption increases by some 30%. b) Air Conditioning Test Test cell: 35°C Total time: 9 minutes, 56 seconds Distance: 5.8 km Maximum speed​​: 88 km/h Average speed: 35 km/h Max acceleration: 8.2 km/h per second Number of stops: 5 Idle time: 19% Air Conditioning: 100%

FT-Fuel consumption.indd 34

2) Highway Test: Developed in the 1970s, this test was designed to simulate driving on main and secondary roads.

Total Time: 12 minutes, 45 seconds Distance: 16.5 km Maximum speed​​: 97 km/h Average speed: 78 km/h Max acceleration: 5.2 km/h per second Number of stops: 0 Idle Time: 0% Test cell: 20° to 30°C

c) High Speed/ Quick Acceleration Test Total time: 9 minutes, 56 seconds Distance: 12.9 km Maximum speed: 129 km/h Average speed: 78 km/h Max acceleration: 13.6 km/h per second Number of stops: 4 Idle Time: 7% Test cell: 20° to 30°C

14-11-20 6:12 PM

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Always wear your seat belt, and please don’t drink and drive. ©2014 Nissan Canada, Inc.

CLIENT: NISSAN

PRINT PROCESS: WEB OFFSET

PREFLIGHT CHECK

14-11-20 6:15 PM

PREVIEW •> 2015 BMW M4

Reversal of Fortunes

By David Booth in Kohler, Wis.

Autovision 12

winter 2014

H

ere is the most important thing you need to know about BMW’s new M4: It is the first M coupe that is lighter than the car it replaces. To be sure, the BMW salesperson trying to sell you one of the little road rockets is going to wax lyrical about the return of the BMW’s iconic inline six and that the addition of not just one, but two, turbochargers produces monumental torque.

And, for the prospects wowed by mere power, there will be much discussion of the fact that, despite the loss of two pistons and a litre of displacement, the new M4’s 3.0-litre six has 11 more horsepower than the old M3’s V8.

Nonetheless, I can assure you that the biggest news in M-land this year is that the new M4 is 54 kilograms lighter than the old M3. That may seem a fairly picayune number, but, for the M faithful, it at least signals a halt to the continuing cycle of weight gain that threatened to derail any semblance of sportiness from BMW’s highest-performing cars.

Thank the Lord, then, that Albert Biermann, head of M Engineering, believes that an M car still has to perform as well on the track as it does on the commute. The two biggest factors in the M3’s Weight Watchers plan — the carbon-fibre roof and the downsizing to six cylinders — both pay dividends beyond their absolute weight reduction. The loss of weight up high, thanks to that lighter roof, reduces the centre of gravity, resulting in less unnerving body roll in fast corners and quicker transitions in tight left-right kinks.

The new S55 six-cylinder pays even bigger dividends. Not only does it place less weight over the front wheels for better balance, it also reduces something called the polar moment of inertia. This, in layman terms, is simply a measure of how enthusiastically — or reluctantly — a car is about turning from its previously straight path. And, despite the engine’s 38% greater torque, the new sevenspeed DCT transmission’s quicker shifts, the power of the carbon ceramic brakes and even the M4’s incredible 40,000 Newton-metre chassis rigidity, it is the new car’s enthusiasm for deviating from said straight lines that is the biggest improvement over the outgoing M3.

Turn-in is wonderfully precise despite the change to oft-maligned electric power steering, the suspension

RT-BMWM4.indd 2

Base Price:

Engine:

$75,000 425 hp, twin-turbo 3.0L DOHC I6

Transmission: 7-speed manumatic Length:

4687 mm (184.5 in.)

Fuel Economy, L/100 km: city - 13.7, hwy - 9.0

An M car still has to perform well on the track

, ‘

takes a set without delay and the balance between front and rear end grip is as magical as always. Those who feared BMW was losing its focus — Yours Truly among them — can breathe easier: The newest M4 may mark a reversal of the GT-ing of M cars.

Though the M4’s twin-turbo 3.0L hardly needs it, lighter also makes the engine’s job easier. There’s 425 horsepower to be had, but even more impressive is the sheer breadth of its powerband. For instance, the 3.0L’s maximum torque of 406 pound-feet is produced at a subterranean 1,850 rpm, while the max horsepower holds on to 7,300 rpm. It makes for a motor powerful beyond its displacement and civilized beyond its power, exactly what should be expected from a powerplant massaged by M. There’s a bunch more technology that goes to making the M4 so much more than the sum of its parts. Indeed, it’s a travesty not to mention the electronically-controlled Active M rear differential, whose ability to transfer power to the appropriate rear tire is so much a reason BMW could afford to liberalize its vehicle stability control system.

But, assuming that BMW is right about who buys M4s (the young or, at least, the young at heart) and what they do with them (frequently “track” them), then the other big news, technology-wise, is the new GoPro app that allows the remote controlling of your “hero” camera through iDrive without the fiddling normally associated with GoPro-ing.

The assumption, again, is that your M4 is going to spend enough time braking, accelerating and slewing sideways on a racetrack to warrant the automation. Without BMW stopping M’s slide into GT mediocrity, however, all this four-wheel narcissism s would have been wasted.

14-11-20 6:17 PM

for more information, circle reply c ard no. 27

JAG.indd 1

14-11-20 6:17 PM

PREVIEW •> 2016 Audi TTS

Bark and Bite

By David Booth at Ascari Motorsport Park, Spain

L

et’s face it; the first generation Audi TT was a bit girly. Oh, its shape was fetching but it was soft of suspension and lethargic of engine. The second gen may have lost a little of the original’s cuteness, but it gained a whole bunch of sports car bona fides, the five-cylinder TT RS as serious as a heart attack. Indeed, by Audi’s own reckoning, the RS was quicker round some racetracks than its own R8-nee-Lamborghini Gallardo supercar. Big shoes, then, for the third generation to fill, needing to match the beauty of the first and build on the superior performance of the second.

Something the new TTS promises to do.

Although not imbued with the RS’s 360 horsepower (yet it’s almost assured there will be an RS variant), the new S version of the 2.0-litre TFSI now boasts 310 horses versus the 265 of its predecessor. The TTS’s performance is further enhanced by a weight saving of some 50 kilograms, meaning that the TTS can scamper to 100 kilometres an hour in an almost supercar-like 4.6 seconds.

Even more impressive is the little fourbanger’s willingness to be flogged. Unlike so many turbocharged fours, the S’s version of the 2.0L TFSI revs fast and hard. Below 3,500 rpm, then, both the 230-hp base model and 310-hp S feel remarkably similar; only as the now digital tachometer swings past four grand does the S seem to grow another lung.

The S even adds some bark to its bite, Audi feeding a little unburned fuel into the exhaust at high rpm so that the TFSI gives a

Base Price: $n/a Engine: 310 hp, turbo 2.0L DOHC I4 Transmission: 6-speed manual Length:

4180 mm (164.6 in.)

Fuel Economy, L/100 km: city - n/a, hwy - n/a

Autovision 14

winter 2014

, ‘

RT-Audi TTS.indd 2

Audi has again revolutionized the interior

sharp Formula One backfire when shifting at maximum revs.

Handling is likewise upgraded, more stiffly sprung and more rigid of chassis than previous TTs. Indeed, where the previous S would tie itself in knots when pushed on a racetrack, the 2016 acquits itself quite well, only some smoke-prone front brakes limiting the fun to be had. Spain’s Ascari is a supercar-worthy track and the TTS didn’t feel out of place at all.

Chassis-wise, the big improvement to the third-gen TT is that Audi’s Drive Select system now modifies quattro’s torque distribution to all four wheels. Economy mode, for instance, delays torque transfer to the rear wheels in its quest for fuel efficiency. Dynamic mode, conversely, speeds up torque delivery to the rear for superior turn-in. And torque vectoring — the distribution of power between inside and outside wheels — is delayed in Dynamic mode so that the tail can be drifted all slippy-slidey through high-speed turns.

The most impressive thing about the new TT, however, is that, despite all these performance upgrades, its real innovation is how Audi has yet again managed to revolutionize the automobile interior. The bit that’s getting all the headlines is TT’s new Virtual Cockpit, Audi’s only slightly pretentious name for the 12.3-inch high-resolution TFT screen that replaces the standard analogue gauge set. Configurable through three basic settings, the big screen can be mostly map, mostly gauges, or when there’s precious little time to discern what gear you should be in — mondo-rapid Corner 14 at Ascari, for example — one ginormous tachometer.

But the interior’s real revolution is more organic than digital.

Since the beginning of the iDrive era, the problem with onboard computers has been the proliferation of buttons required to manage all those megabytes. Audi has conquered the unnecessary convolutions by simply putting the switchgear where it is used. So, for instance, the air conditioning controls — fan speed, temperature, etc. — are now little rotary knobs located in the centre of the dashboard’s three main vents. The two seat heater switches are, likewise, in the outboard vents by the A-pillars.

I’m not sure if it comes across in photographs, but the TT’s interior design is the “ cleanest” in recent memory.

And, I suppose, that fits in with Audi’s purpose. What was once a revolution in exterior styling is now a revolution in interior design. As long as something is being revolutionized, I suspect s Audi designers are happy.

14-11-20 6:19 PM

AWARD-WORTHY DESIGN MEETS AWARD-WORTHY QUALITY. *

“Highest Ranked Large Car in Initial Quality in the U.S.”

“Highest Ranked Small SUV in Initial Quality in a Tie in the U.S., Two Years in a Row.”

We’ve collected quite a few design awards across our model lineup. But these two awards on quality prove we’re not just a pretty face. The J.D. Power and Associates 2014 U.S. Initial Quality StudySM measures new-vehicle quality after the first 90 days of ownership and this year, the 2014 Cadenza ranked highest among luxury brands while the Sportage ranked highest in its segment for a second straight year. So, no matter which model you choose, you get both style and substance. Kia.ca for more information, circle reply c ard no. 28 *The Kia Sportage received the lowest number of problems per 100 vehicles among small SUVs in a tie in the proprietary J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Initial Quality StudySM. The Kia Cadenza received the lowest number of problems per 100 vehicles among large cars in the proprietary J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Initial Quality StudySM. The 2014 study is based on responses from 86,118 new-vehicle owners, measuring 239 models and measures opinions after 90 days of ownership. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of owners surveyed from February to May, 2014. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.

KIA.indd 1

14-11-20 6:21 PM

focuson a snapshot of ’14 More information on each of these models is available by circling the appropriate number on the Reader Service Card

20

sports to make cars you

Winter

By Brian Harper

Autovision 16

winter 2014

Forget

FO-Winter.indd 16

14-11-20 6:26 PM

Audi TT/TTS

Base Engine: 237-hp, 1.75L turbo DOHC I4 Marking the Italian brand’s much-hyped return to North Optional Engine: None America, the new 4C Base Transmission: twin-clutch 6-speed features a mid-engine design, carbon-fibre monocoque and Length: 4000 mm (157.0 in.) turbocharged engine — a Weight: 1050 kg (2315 lb.)

1750-cc, 237-horsepower four-cylinder mated to a Fuel Economy (l/100 km): 9.7 city, 6.9 hwy. paddle-shifting twin-clutch $61,995 transmission. The transmis- Base Price: sion also integrates a launch control mode, delivering maximum acceleration as soon as the driver releases the brakes.

The 4C features an innovative D.N.A. system, enabling the car’s character to be changed to optimize the right level of performance through four modes — All-weather, Natural, Dynamic and Race. In Race mode, launch control can be activated, allowing the 4C to deliver standing-start-to-100-km/h acceleration blasts in the mid-4-second range. For driving convenience in Dynamic, Natural or All-weather modes, the transmission can utilize an “auto” mode.

The cozy cabin features a cockpit with flat-bottom performance steering wheel with paddle-shift controls and aluminum pedals. A 7-inch customizable instrument cluster displays simple graphics to keep the driver focused on the road ahead.

Whether coupe or convertible, the new, third-generation TT combines the dynamic ride of a sports car with the traction-enhancing capability of Audi’s renowned quattro all-wheel-drive system. Size-wise, the sports car is almost exactly the same length as its predecessor, though its wheelbase has grown by 37 mm, making for especially short overhangs.

The 2016 TT is being launched with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with two distinct power ratings. The 2.0 TFSI produces 230 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque for the TT Coupe and Roadster; for the TTS version these figures jump to 310 hp and 280 lb-ft. three The engine channels its power via a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

As with all Audi droptops, the Roadster features an electrically actuated fabric top. With parts made from magnesium, aluminum, steel and plastic, the soft top is three kilograms lighter than its predecessor.

Base Engine: 230/310-hp, 2.0L turbo DOHC I4 none Optional Engine: Base Transmission: 6-speed manumatic Length: 4177 mm (164.4 in.)

Weight: 1320 kg (2910 lb.)

Fuel Economy (l/100 km): n/a Base Price: $51,600 (2015)

one

BMW i8

Base Engine: 430-hp, 4.7L DOHC V8 Optional Engine: None Base Transmission: 6-speed manual 4385 mm (172.6 in.)

Length: Weight: 1630 kg (3595 lb.) n/a Fuel Economy (l/100 km): $105,000 Base Price:

A North American-spec version of the European Vantage N430, the Vantage GT is powered by a 4.7L V8 with a number of modifications that boost the car’s performance. An improved air intake system helps the GT’s V8 breathe easier, bumping output to 430 hp and 361 lb.-ft. of torque. A 6-speed manual is standard, although opting for the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission sees an improved zero-to100-km/h time of 4.6 seconds.

A stiffer suspension, quicker steering rack, competition-spec ventilated disc brakes and a stainless steel exhaust system round out the performance modifications. A stiff aluminum core underpins a weight-saving structure of composite materials and 50/50 weight distribution.

Like the N430, the GT sports a number of cosmetic tweaks, including black accents and a choice of five racing-livery-themed colour schemes.

The GT is available as either a coupe or a convertible.

two

FO-Winter.indd 17

BMW Z4 The Z4 got a thorough freshening last year with new exterior features, interior refinements and something called the Hyper Orange package, as well as availability of a full range of BMW ConnectedDrive features. There are no significant changes for 2015, which means the two-seater carries on with three specific models — sDrive28i (240-hp, 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder), sDrive35i (300-hp, 3.0L twin-turbo six-cylinder) and sDrive35is (335-hp, 3.0L twin-turbo six). A 6-speed manual transmission is standard with the 28i, with an 8-speed automatic available. The 35i and 35is come standard with a 7-speed automatic. five The exterior makeover for 2014

Base Engine: 231-hp, 1.5L supercharged

DOHC I3 with 131-hp electric motor Optional Engine: none Base Transmission: 6-speed automatic

(gas engine), 2-speed (electric motor) 4689 mm (184.6 in.)

Length: Weight: 1485 kg (3274 lb.)

Fuel Economy (l/100 km): n/a Base Price: $145,000

winter 2014

Aston Martin Vantage GT

The hybrid i8 may just be the sports car for a new generation, combining the dynamics of a high-performance sports car with the fuel consumption and emission levels of a subcompact. The vehicle’s plug-in hybrid system comprises a supercharged three-cylinder gas engine with TwinPower turbo technology delivering 231 hp to the rear wheels, along with eDrive technology in the form of a 131-hp electric motor that drives the front wheels. With the power of both, BMW says the i8 sprints to 100 km/h in just 4.4 seconds. Average fuel consumption, according to the EU test cycle for plug-in hybrids, is 2.5 L/100 km.

The design of the 2+2 i8 is based four on the LifeDrive vehicle architecture developed for BMW i, which combines a passenger cell made from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic and an aluminum chassis accommodating the drive system, high-voltage battery, suspension components and crash and structural functions.

Base Engine: 240-hp, 2.0L turbo DOHC I4 Optional Engine: 300/335-hp, 3.0L

twin-turbo DOHC V6 Base Transmission: 6-speed manual 4239 mm (166.9 in.)

Length: Weight: 1480 kg (3263 lb.)

Fuel Economy (l/100 km): 10.7 city, 6.8 hwy.

Base Price: $54,300

Autovision 17

0

Alfa Romeo 4C

was subtle with the sheet metal further softened, accentuating the sports car’s long sculpted hood combined with short deck and low seat position just ahead of the rear axle. The most noticeable change was at the front and involved the four round headlights. The xenon headlights were given a slimmer design and were extended into the front wheel arches.

14-11-20 6:27 PM

focuson a snapshot of ’14 Chevrolet Corvette After last year’s unveiling of the C7 Stingray, Chevrolet ups the legendary sports car’s performance bona fides for 2015 with the Z06, the most “track-capable” Corvette in the brand’s history. The Z06, offered as a hardtop with removable roof panels or as a convertible, stretches the performance envelope with increased levels of aerodynamic downforce, 650 hp from a new supercharged V8 and a new, high-performance 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The engine can also be matched to a 7-speed manual transmission.

The aluminum frame carries over from the Stingray.

A track-focused Z07 Perforsix mance Package adds unique components for greater aerodynamic downforce, Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup tires for enhanced grip and Brembo carbon ceramicmatrix brake rotors for improved braking performance.

The Stingray is unchanged for 2015 and is powered by a 455-hp 6.2L V8 (460 hp with performance exhaust). The Coupe and Convertible share identical chassis tuning and performance technologies.

Jaguar F-Type Base Engine: 455/460-hp, 6.2L OHV V8 Optional Engine: 650-hp, supercharged

6.2L OHV V8 (Z06) Base Transmission: 7-speed manual Length: 4493 mm (176.9 in.)

Weight: 1499 kg (3298 lb.)

Fuel Economy (l/100 km): 13.7 city, 8.2 hwy.

Base Price: $57,315

Base Engine:

340/380-hp, supercharged

Jaguar expanded its F-Type

3.0L DOHC V6 lineup to include new all-aluminum F-Type Coupes Optional Engine: 495/550/575-hp, — including the stunning

supercharged 5.0L DOHC V8 F-Type R model — this past Base Transmission:

8-speed manumatic spring. There are three Coupe versions available 4470 mm (176.0 in.)

Length: — standard, S and the 1597 kg (3521 lb.)

Weight: aforementioned R. Fuel Economy (l/100 km): 10.4 city, 7.1 hwy.

The Coupe and S are powered by supercharged Base Price: $72,900 3.0L V6 engines in 340-hp and 380-hp forms, respectively, while the R gets a 550-hp supercharged 5.0L V8 — with two air-to-liquid intercoolers — under its hood. The V6-powered convertibles share the same nomenclatures and power outputs as the coupes, while the V8S’s supercharged 5.0L V8 is tuned to put out 495 hp.

Then there’s the limited-production (250 cars worldwide) Project 7, designed to capture the legendary looks and profile of the Le Mans-winning Jaguar D-Type racing cars of the 1950s. Set to go into production next year, the Project 7 will be the fastest accelerating production Jaguar ever built thanks to 575 hp from its supercharged V8 and 502 lb-ft of torque. nine

Autovision 18

winter 2014

Dodge Viper New for 2015, the fearsome Viper SRT receives a new, mid-priced GT model along with a number of styling and performance enhancements across the lineup. The GT builds off the entry-level Viper by adding a driver-selectable suspension system, featuring Bilstein DampTronic Select shock absorbers with street and track settings, a five-mode electronic stability control system, and a unique interior with standard Alcantara and Nappa leather seats.

The street-legal SRT TA (Time Attack) 2.0 Special Edition is an evolution of the 2014 TA model and provides even more downforce with a new rear wing balanced with aerodynamic additions seven for the front of the car. A TA 2.0 Special Edition Package comes with chassis parts developed specifically by the SRT Engineering chassis dynamics team to attain the most out of the car. SRT Engineering developed new spring rates, dampers, sway bars and brake components, combined as a system with the new rear wing and front aero devices.

Base Engine: 645-hp, 8.4L OHV V10 Optional Engine: None Base Transmission: 6-speed manual Length: 4463 mm (175.7 in.)

Weight: 1537 kg (3390 lb.)

Fuel Economy (l/100 km): 20.0 city, 13.0 hwy. $84,995 Base Price:

Jaguar XK

Infiniti Q60 Infiniti adds two new Sport Limited models to its lineup of evergreen Q60 Coupes. The 6MT Sport Limited and AWD Sport Limited join the 6MT Sport and AWD Sport and add unique exterior and interior details.

All models are powered by a 3.7L V6, rated at 325 hp (Convertible), 330 hp (Coupe) or 348 hp (Coupe Limited). Three models are offered with a standard 7-speed automatic with Drive Sport mode, downshift rev matching and available solid magnesium paddle shifters.

The M6 Sport comes with a close-ratio 6-speed manual.

The Q60 Convertible, based on eight the Coupe, utilizes a modelexclusive design from the A-pillars back, including a unique body structure and a wider rear track.

With the top up, the Convertible maintains its coupe-like silhouette through use of a special three-piece clamshell retractable hardtop, which allows for both a shorter rear overhang and a low trunk lid. The automatic top opening/closing sequence takes approximately 30 seconds from start to finish.

FO-Winter.indd 18

Base Engine: 325/330/348-hp, 3.7L DOHC V6 Optional Engine: none Base Transmission: 6-speed manual Length: 4651 mm (183.1 in.)

Weight: 1648 kg (3633 lb.)

Fuel Economy (l/100 km): 13.6 city, 9.3 hwy.

Base Price: $46,800 (2014)

Base Engine:

510-hp, 5.0L supercharged

DOHC V8 The XK Coupe and Convertible are exiting stage Optional Engine: 550-hp, supercharged left after the 2015 model

5.0L DOHC V8 year and the final run will be Base Transmission:

6-speed manumatic exclusively XKR and XKR-S models. Jaguar has also 4793 mm (188.7 in.)

Length: streamlined trim and colour 1753 kg (3865 lb.) choices, augmented standard Weight: equipment and reconfigured Fuel Economy (l/100 km): 13.9 city, 9.2 hwy. options. The XKR continues $109,125 with a 510-hp supercharged Base Price: 5.0L V8 and chassis upgrades, while the higher-performance XKR-S models has a 550-hp version of supercharged V8 under its hood. It also gets upgraded chassis and exclusive aerodynamic bits.

For 2015, the XKR gets red painted brake callipers and bright metallic pedals as standard equipment (previously optional). The Dynamic Pack returns as an option for the XKR, equipping it with aerodynamic body styling and suspension tuning from the XKR-S and a higher top track speed of 280 km/h. The Portfolio Pack is discontinued, but its Truffle interior and Orona wheels are now available as standalone options. ten

14-11-20 6:28 PM

Š 2014 Porsche Cars Canada Ltd. Porsche recommends seatbelt usage and observance of all traffic laws at all times.

porsche.ca

Designed to handle all your pursuits.

Especially driving.

The new Macan combines everything you want from a Porsche with everything you want from life. The performance of a twin-turbocharged V6 engine and Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission. The agile, powerful stance of available 21-inch wheels and class-exclusive air suspension. The space and practicality of an SUV with the performance and passion of a sports car. All of the above is always a possibility. Porsche. There is no substitute.

The new Macan. Life, intensified. #PorscheMacan

for more information, circle reply c ard no. 29

PORSCHE.indd 1

14-11-20 6:32 PM

focuson a snapshot of ’14 Mazda MX-5 Mazda has finally unveiled the fourth-generation MX-5 (known as Roadster in Japan), but it is very select in details regarding the sports car, which will hit the road starting next year. What is known is that this version is the most compact of any previous model MX-5 and is more than 100 kilograms lighter than the last generation thanks to an increased use of aluminum for the hood, trunk, front fenders and front and rear bumper reinforcements. Under the hood, Mazda has announced that some markets will get an MX-5 powered by a 1.5L SkyActiv four-cylinder mated to a six-speed manual. The lightweight suspension utilizes eleven double wishbones at the front and a multi-link setup in the rear.

Mini Cooper Roadster Base Engine: 2.0L DOHC I4 Optional Engine: none Base Transmission: 6-speed manual Length: 3915 mm (154.1 in.)

Weight: n/a Fuel Economy (l/100 km): n/a Base Price: $30,000 (estimated)

An open-top two-seater, the 181-hp, turbo 1.6L DOHC I4 Roadster may be tiny, but it Base Engine: boasts advanced drive and Optional Engine: 208-hp, 1.6L turbo DOHC I4 chassis technology as well as Base Transmission: 6-speed manual a manually operated soft-top Length: 3734 mm (147.0 in.) that can be opened and closed quickly and easily.

1245 kg (2745 lb.)

Weight: Mini has dropped the Fuel Economy (l/100 km):

7.7 city, 5.6 hwy. base model and its non-turbo engine. The lineup now Base Price: $31,650 consists of the Cooper S Roadster and its 181-hp 1.6L turbo four-cylinder as well as the higher-performance John Cooper Works Roadster, with 208 hp from its engine. In typical Mini style, the convertible channels power through the front wheels via a 6-speed manual gearbox, with a 6-speed automatic as an option.

Stylistically, the soft-top folds down behind the seats. This layout encompasses a clear separation of the car’s trunk from the passenger compartment, while a wide through-loading system behind the seats enhances practicality. The high-opening tailgate and low trunk make it easier to load up items such as luggage. fourteen

Mercedes-Benz SL 550

Autovision 20

winter 2014

Few cars can draw on more than 60 years of continuous heritage — the SL is one of them. This sixth-generation SL (Sport Leicht or Sport Lightweight) debuted in 2012 with an all-aluminum bodyshell and a significant reduction in weight compared with its predecessor.

For 2015, Mercedes is offering a limited-production (only 10 units for Canada) 2LOOK Edition that sees such cosmetic enhancements as Designo Diamond White metallic paint, black/platinum white pearl leather, 19-inch AMG twin-spoke bi-colour wheels, soft-close doors, illuminated door sill panels, piano black lacquer wood trim and more.

In other regards, the SL 550 is unchanged, still highlighted by its signature twelve retractable power hardtop that transforms it from open roadster to all-season coupe. The standard panorama roof features a seethrough panel and sliding sunshade.

For even more viewing options, Magic Sky Control lets you darken the roof’s glass panel electronically at the touch of a button.

Base Engine: 429-hp, twin-turbo 4.7L DOHC V8 Optional Engine: none Base Transmission: 7-speed automatic Length: 4612 mm (181.6 in.)

Weight: 1785 kg (3935 lb.)

Fuel Economy (l/100 km): 15.4 city, 11.1 hwy.

Base Price: $123,400

Nissan 370Z

Mercedes-Benz SLK Like its bigger SL sibling, the SLK roadster is more or less unchanged for the new model year with the exception of its own special limited-production (20 units) CarbonLOOK Edition package for the SLK 350. The package includes 18-inch AMG 5-spoke wheels painted in titanium grey with a high-sheen finish, aluminum trim with dark-textured grain, two-tone seats, door centre panels in Designo Titanium Grey pearl and more.

The SLK three-model lineup starts with the turbocharged four-cylinder-powered 250, moves to the V6-powered 350 and finishes off with the V8-powered 55 AMG. thirteen The current third-generation SLK debuted in 2011. The roadster takes open-air enjoyment to a new level with its panoramic vario-roof with Magic Sky Control, which switches to light or dark at the touch of a button.

FO-Winter.indd 20

Base Engine: 201-hp, turbo 1.8L DOHC I4 Optional Engine: 302-hp, 3.5L DOHC V6,

415-hp, 5.5L DOHC V8 Base Transmission: 6-speed manual Length: 4134 mm (162.8 in.)

Weight: 1475 kg (3252 lb.)

Fuel Economy (l/100 km): 9.1 city, 6.1 hwy.

Base Price: $52,200

The 370Z Coupe sees the 332/350-hp, 3.7L DOHC V6 return of the topline Nismo Base Engine: edition to the Canadian Optional Engine: none lineup for 2015, joining the Base Transmission:

6-speed manual unchanged Touring and Touring Sport. In addition to the Length: 4246 mm (167.2 in.) extra bump to 350 hp Weight:

1593 kg (3494 lb.) (instead of the standard 332-hp 3.7L DOHC V6), the Fuel Economy (l/100 km): 13.3 city, 9.3 hwy.

Nismo sees a revised Base Price: $38,428 (2014) exterior design with Its GT-R-inspired functional and fully integrated aerodynamic body. Key changes include a deep front fascia, black headlight bezels and signature Nismo red stripe accents. The rear spoiler has been reshaped and the standard 19-inch lightweight wheels have also been restyled.

While based on the 370Z Coupe, the Roadster offers a number of unique features, including high-back seats, added structural body reinforcements and the soft top. The power automatic latching top was designed with an emphasis on providing a sleek silhouette with the top up or down, offering easy single-action operation. The Roadster is available in Touring and Touring Sport models. fifteen

14-11-20 6:29 PM

BMW X6

bmw.ca

The Ultimate Driving Experience.®

SENCE

797

AL

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of

E

PRESENCE

X

INTRODUCING THE ALL-NEW BMW X6.

for more information, circle reply c ard no. 30 ©2014 BMW Canada Inc. “BMW”, the BMW logo, BMW model designations and all other BMW related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and/or trademarks of BMW AG, used under licence.

BMWCA0797_AV_4C_E_FP_PRESENCE_X6.indd 1 BMW.indd 1

2014-11-17 1:16 PM 14-11-20 6:34 PM

focuson a snapshot of ’14 Nissan GT-R The development of Godzilla’s 3.8L twin-turbo V6 engine continues for the 2015 model with numerous internal modifications. The V6 is backed by an advanced paddle-shifted 6-speed dual-clutch transmission, which can be driver-selected to shift at race car-like speeds.

The GT-R’s unique platform enables the use of a world’s first independent rear transaxle Attesa E-TS all-wheel-drive system, which optimizes weight distribution and handling capability. The rear drive-biased system can vary torque split from 0:100 to 50:50 depending on speed, lateral acceleration, steering angles, tire slip, road surface and yaw rate. sixteen The GT-R features a Bilstein DampTronic driver-adjustable shock absorber system that utilizes multiple vehicle information systems to provide appropriate damping forces and high level of control for a variety of driving situations. The DampTronic system features three driver-selectable settings – Normal, Comfort and R. The same three-stage adjustability is also available for the VDC system and transmission shift operation.

Base Engine: 545-hp, 3.8L twin-turbo

DOHC V6 Optional Engine: none Base Transmission: 6-speed

dual-clutch manumatic Length: 4670 mm (183.8 in.)

Weight: 1747 kg (3851 lb.)

Fuel Economy (l/100 km): 14.3 city, 10.5 hwy.

Base Price: $108,500

Scion FR-S The FR-S, known for its 200-hp, 2.0L DOHC H4 handling dynamics, sees them Base Engine: taken to a new level for 2015. Optional Engine: none With greater stability thanks Base Transmission: 6-speed manual to a more rigid front 4235 mm (166.7 in.) suspension and re-tuning of Length: the rear shock absorbers, 1251 kg (2758 lb.)

Weight: there’s less body roll and Fuel Economy (l/100 km):

10.9 city, 7.9 hwy. more road communication.

For better aerodynamics, a Base Price: $26,670 shark-fin antenna replaces the pole antenna found in previous models. The exhaust tips are now larger and flush with the rear bumper. Inside, automatic headlights and an updated interior panel with a carbon fibre look have been added.

Also new is the special edition FR-S Release Series 1.0, complete with Yuzu exterior paint, full aerodynamics kit and GT86 Black seats with T-pattern inserts.

Inside the RS 1.0, a leather-trimmed TRD steering wheel provides good grip while a leather-trimmed TRD shift knob enhances gear changes through the 6-speed manual. Unchanged is the 200-hp horizontally opposed 2.0L four-cylinder engine. nineteen

Porsche 911

Autovision 22

winter 2014

Porsche’s latest versions of the 911 are the Targa 4 and Targa 4S, the first to combine the classic Targa concept with cutting-edge roof technology. Just like the original 911 Targa of 1965, the new models feature the distinctive Targa roof bar, a movable front roof section and a wraparound rear window. But, the roof segment can also be opened and closed at the push of a button.

The fully automatic roof system stows the top behind the rear seats.

Like the hardtop and convertible Carrera and Carrera 4, the Targa 4 is powered by a 3.4L boxer six-cylinder with 350 hp. The Targa 4S, meanwhile, delivers 400 hp from its 3.8L six 6-cylinder engine. A seventeen 7-speed manual transmission is standard, with PDK optional.

Both Targa models come exclusively with an all-wheel drivetrain, featuring the wider rear track and body and the same Porsche Traction Management found in all 911 AWD models.

Porsche Boxster/Cayman Porsche upped the performance quotient of its mid-engine Boxster convertible and hardtop Cayman with the addition of new GTS models. The duo feature more powerful engines and additional standard equipment. The Boxster GTS and Cayman GTS 3.4L six-cylinder boxer engine delivers an additional 15 hp compared with their “S” model counterparts. This means the Boxster GTS has 330 hp and the Cayman GTS has 340 hp. Torque has been increased by 7 lb-ft in each model — 273 lb-ft in the Boxster GTS and 280 lb-ft in the Cayman GTS. A 6-speed manual and Sport Chrono package is standard and the PDK eighteen transmission is optional. The base models remain unchanged, powered by a 2.7L boxer six-cylinder.

The sound of the GTS is particularly resonant, thanks to the selectable sports exhaust system featuring a distinctive two-tract sports tailpipe. It produces an even more intense sports car sound at the push of a button.

FO-Winter.indd 22

Base Engine: 350-hp, 3.4L DOHC H6 Optional Engine: 400-hp, 3.8L DOHC H6 Base Transmission: 7-speed manual Length: 4491 mm (176.8 in.)

Weight: 1380 kg (3042 lb.)

Fuel Economy (l/100 km): 12.5 city, 8.6 hwy. $96,200 Base Price:

Subaru BRZ

Base Engine: 265/275-hp, 2.7L DOHC H6 Optional Engine: 315/330-hp, 325/340-hp,

3.4L DOHC H6 Base Transmission: 6-speed manual Length: 4374/4380 mm (172.2/172.4 in.)

Weight: 1310 kg (2888 lb.)

Fuel Economy (l/100 km): 11.5 city, 7.9 hwy.

Base Price: $58,600 Boxster/$59,900 Cayman

Base Engine:

200-hp, 2.0L DOHC H4

The near twin of the Scion Optional Engine: none FR-S, the BRZ delivers the same superior steering Base Transmission: 6-speed manual response, handling accuracy Length: 4235 mm (166.7 in.) and cheap thrills driving 1254 kg (2765 lb.) pleasure. Subaru and Toyota Weight: developed their rear-wheel- Fuel Economy (l/100 km): 10.9 city, 7.9 hwy. drive coupes with the Base Price: $27,395 fundamentals of sports car design in mind — lightweight and a low centre of gravity with a naturally aspirated 200-hp boxer engine for motivation.

With 2+2 seating and a flat-folding rear seat, there is a level of utility as well.

A 6-speed manual is standard, with a 6-speed automatic available. The manual features a short-throw shifter. With the automatic, the driver can select Sport mode from a switch on the centre console for sportier shifting response or self-shift using the “M” mode. Downshift blipping control enhances the experience.

New for 2015 is the Sport-Tech Aozora Edition, offering all of the features of the Sport-Tech with additional STI components.

Features include a 6-speed manual transmission, STI-designed aerodynamic skirt package, 17-inch STI-designed wheels and performance-inspired interior amenities. twenty

14-11-20 6:30 PM

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PREVIEW •> 2015 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD

Green Dream

By David Booth in Blue Mountains, Ont.

A

cura’s new RLX Sport Hybrid may be the best car you’ll never test drive. Never mind the reasons — most notably, the disastrous name change from Legend to RL — for the drop-off in what was once the most popular luxury car in North America, the Sport Hybrid version of the RLX is one of the most supremely sophisticated luxury automobiles money can buy. Indeed, not only is the electrified version of Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive system the technological equal of Porsche’s million-dollar 918, but it also will provide the underpinning — albeit with the gas engine moved rearward and the electric motors forward — for Acura’s own supercar, the much-anticipated NSX. So, what makes this 2015 top-of-the-line Acura so noteworthy? For one thing, it sports no less than four separate motivators, one of them gasoline — Acura’s ubiquitous 3.5-litre V6, this version with 310 horsepower — and three electric motors, one 47-hp version mounted directly to the engine/ transmission unit and two more 36-hp items individually powering the two rear wheels.

More importantly, the finesse with which they power the RLX is nothing short of astounding. Depending on the mode, one can have the gas engine alone driving the front wheels, the V6 and front electric motor providing all the power and, if all hands are needed on deck, all four simultaneously coming together for one (fairly rapid) 377-horsepower charge. Under more moderate demands, only the two electric motors are used when leaving a stoplight, their low-end torque providing at least modest acceleration. On fairly level ground, the hybrid RLX can glide at speeds

The Sport Hybrid is one of the most sophisticated luxury cars money can buy

Autovision 24

winter 2014

‘, Base Price: $69,990 Engine:

377 net hp, 3.5L SOHC V6 with three electric motors Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch manumatic Length:

4982 mm (196.1 in.)

Fuel Economy, L/100 km: city - 8.0, hwy - 7.5

RT-AcuraRLX.indd 2

up to 80 kilometres an hour on electric power alone.

Were this all the wizardry the Sport Hybrid had to offer, it would be a waste of complexity — far less sophisticated hybrids perform much the same feats. The last little trick in the RLX’s repertoire, the part that has me salivating at the prospect of this technology fully NSX-ed out, is that Acura uses those two rear electric motors to torque-vector power distribution.

For the uninitiated, torque vectoring is the new fancy buzzword for transferring differing amounts of power to the rear wheels to get sporty cars to better turn in. Essentially, what happens is a microcomputer slows the inside rear wheel while simultaneously speeding up the outside rear wheel, both actions encouraging a more rapid pivot. In traditional AWD systems, this is accomplished by simply braking the inside wheel while sending more power to the outside.

The individual controllability of the RLX’s electric motors, however, allows Acura to slow the inside rear wheel by reversing its motor’s polarity while sending more electrons to its opposing twin. Keen minds, especially the environmentally conscious, will recognize the inside wheel’s reversal of polarity as the regenerative braking credited for the superior fuel economy of hybrids. This means that while cornering hard, the RLX is actually recharging its battery. Many modern cars claim to marry the seemingly disparate capabilities of performance and economy. Only one — the RLX — can profess to do both simultaneously.

But how does Super Hybridization work in real life? Well, Acura says it offers the performance of a V8 with the fuel economy of a four-cylinder. Half of that claim is true, Acura’s claim of 377 hp seeming to underestimate the RLX’s acceleration. On the other hand, positing that it sips fuel like a four seems a little far-fetched, my 9.7 L/100 km average about 20% higher than the 7.7 L/100 km the RLX is rated for. NRCan’s 7.5 L/100 km highway rating seems fairly accurate, but claiming one can get by on just eight litres for every 100 km of city driving seems optimistic. That said, the electrified RLX is, like other hybrids, somewhat temperature sensitive.

In warmer climes, it will switch almost immediately into its EV mode and will also travel farther on electric power alone.

Is the RLX all that a hybrid can be? No. Had Honda been more daring, it might have constructed its topflight sedan of aluminum.

The weight savings might then have allowed a bigger battery than the minuscule 1.3 kW-h lithium-ion affair, offering even more power and longer EV operation. That said, however, the integration of said battery, gas engine and three electric motors is absolutely faultless. That Acura can do all this for $69,990 is amazing and deserving of more attention than the RLX is likely to get. s

14-11-20 8:00 PM

BIKE.indd 1

14-11-20 7:56 PM

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We don’t just travel for the destination, but for the experience. With the R1200RT, you rack up the memories with every passing mile. The distances you cover come at no cost to comfort thanks to the new boxer engine, the Pro on-board computer and optional extras such as Pro gearshift assist and central locking.

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PREVIEW •> 2014 Lamborghini Aventador

I

ing driving the Aventador. Really dreading it. Those old Countachs may have been penis extenders nonpareil, but they could be — and this is putting it mildly — capricious.

Road testers of the day — far more polite than Yours Truly — called them “cranky.”

Temperamental, wayward and downright diabolical might have been better descriptors. Even professional race car drivers of the day approached them with sweaty palms and trembling wallets. And the Aventador, let’s not forget, is the progeny of the Countach.

Oh, there’s been a Murcielago and Diablo in between, but the Aventador — all 700 horsepower and 350 kilometres-an-hour top speed — is a direct descendent of the baddest car ever invented. So, despite having survived track-testing the mega-motor Porsche 918 and the even-more-stupidly-fast McLaren P1, I was a little spooked. I spent the entire morning leading up to the test admonishing my fellow road testers to be cautious; a doctorate in psychology is not required to understand I was talking to myself.

All for naught as it turns out. Somewhere along the line — and I wonder, considering how their success relies on a reputation for wild things, whether the engineers from Sant’ Agata really want this known — Lam-

borghini has tamed the son of Countach.

Perhaps it was the addition of all-wheel drive into the supercar’s lexicon. Maybe, it’s an infusion of electronic expertise from parent company Audi (Lamborghini is owned lock, stock and barrel by the buttoned-down German giant). Whatever the case, the Aventador is now, dare I say it, a big, old teddy bear on very wide wheels.

Oh, that should in no way be misconstrued as some shortage of thrills. There’s 700 hp on tap here with 6.5 litres of Italian V12 screaming to 8,500 rpm right behind your ears, all held barely in check by a completely carbonfibre chassis and the widest PZeros Pirelli makes. Hit the loud pedal and the whole Millennium Falcon warp drive thing transforms from Star Wars fantasy into Lamborghini reality. Toss it into Calabogie’s high-speed Turn 15 and the bolstered seats you thought were just a too-precious marketing maven’s adornment become an absolute necessity.

This is one fast car, equal to all but the most hyper of the new breed super-hybrids and, even then, only by the slightest of smidgens.

But it’s so damned easy to drive. Push it hard into decreasing radius Turn 5 and a little understeer from those meaty 255/35ZR19 front tires help the carbon

Autovision 26

winter 2014

should’ve been elated. This was after all not only a Lamborghini, but also the pinnacle — if my childhood fantasies held any veracity — of Lamborghininess. This was the progeny of the Countach, the baddest car to ever put Pirelli to pavement. It was the car that launched a million automotive fantasies, the car that, quite literally, put the “super” in supercar.

What red-blooded teenager didn’t have a poster of the Countach — challenging, if you were of the male persuasion, Farrah Fawcett for pride of place — taped above their bed, its pointy nose, incredible angularity and those almost comically wide rear tires an outrage impossible to ignore. Before the Countach, fast cars were the fantasy of overhead camtalking gearheads and oil-stained grease monkeys. After the Countach, even the chess club had Lamborghinis adorning their closet doors. Hell, some of those gleaming red posters are probably still adorning those very same walls, the fantasy — like that framed Willy Mays-autographed Louisville Slugger Dad keeps in his study and Granddad’s secret to the perfect splitter — handed down through generations as some rite of teenaged passage.

But — and here’s something I never thought I would say — I was actually dread-

tamer s Raging bull shows a

FT-Lamborghini-DPS.indd 26

By David Booth in Cal abogie, Ont.

14-11-20 8:02 PM

r side FT-Lamborghini-DPS.indd 27

still the sexiest beasts on wheels and not a little fearsome. But the magic of the modern Lamborghini is that one gets all the excitement with none of the fear. That has to be worth another poster. s

There’s 700 hp on tap here with 6.5 litres of Italian V12 screaming to 8,500 rpm right behind your ears

‘, Base Price:

Engine:

winter 2014

pound-foot of that 700 hp. Prior to the Aventador, the king of corner exit speed (at least in my feeble hands) was Porsche’s 911 Turbo S, its AWD also seeming to push — and pull — out of corners with more alacrity than anything this side of a Le Mans race car. The Aventador makes the Porsche feel like a pussycat. God, it was fun.

Indeed, the Lambo was the most fun I’ve ever had in a supercar on a race track.

User-friendliness — and comparisons to the ease of driving a Fiesta — will never make Lamborghini ad copy, but if you’re looking for a reason to opt for an Aventador rather than 918 or LaFerrari, the ability to go fast without the soiling of trou is definitely among the Lamborghini’s calling cards.

Lambos, no matter how fast, are no longer the recalcitrant brutes of yore. Oh, they’re

Autovision 27

ceramic discs scrub off all that thunderous speed. Power it out of the almost-as-sharp Turn 6 and the all-wheel-drive system, despite its pretense to safety, will transmit enough power rearward for some quick-pivoting oversteer.

No matter how hard I pushed it — and, in the biggest compliment I can pay to a car that costs on the bankrupting side of $500,000, I ended up flogging the big Lamborghini like I rented it — the Aventador was a model of cooperation. It was as controllable — and I really do mean this as a compliment — as ­­ a Ford Fiesta ST, albeit with much fast-forwarding. (Avid readers will remember my waxing very lyrical about the ST in a previous track test at Calabogie).

That’s not to say that thrashing an Aventador doesn’t require some skills. That speedscrubbing understeer can be get plenty annoying if your cornering relies more on enthusiasm than talent. Push the big Lambo into slow corners and it will, well, push, drifting wide on every corner entry as if apexes are to be avoided as the work of the devil.

But adhere to the old racer’s maxim of “slow in, fast out” and the Aventador becomes a veritable rocketship of the corner exit, its AWD system able to transmit every last

$440,500 6.5L DOHC V12

Transmission: 7-speed dual clutch manual Length: 4780 mm (188.9 in.)

Fuel Economy, L/100 km: city - 27.7, hwy - 10.7

14-11-20 8:02 PM

twowheels rollin’ down the highway

2015 BMW S1000RR A proper beast

By Betr and Gahel At Circuito Monteblanco, Spain

Autovision 28

winter 2014

W

hen all the motorcycles in a class are so ferociously fast that each deserves to be called a beast, how exactly should we refer to one that’s even faster? The monster beast? A beast amongst beasts?

How about simply S1000RR? That BMW’s S1000RR is a very fast bike is nothing new to anyone even vaguely familiar with today’s sportbike scene. Actually, with the exception of perhaps Ducati’s 1199 Panigale, the Beemer has reigned unchallenged over the Superbike world ever since it was introduced in 2010.

And now for 2015, there’s a new one. On paper, the new RR seems like a mere revision of the original machine. The styling is new, but still very familiar, dimensions only vary slightly, weight is down by just a few kilos and horsepower is up by a mere 3 percent. The truth is, in situations like these, the new bike typically feels almost identical to the old one.

Well, not this time! That’s because BMW isn’t exactly being truthful about a few things.

Those additional 6 ponies and that max num-

RT-twowheels.indd 26

ber of 199 horsepower? Not even close. Call it either modesty or political correctness.

It’s hard to illustrate exactly how strong the 2015 S1000RR is when its new ride-bywire throttle is pinned. You could say it’s a beast, but then that word couldn’t apply to the rest of the class anymore. In terms of raw power, the BMW is in a class of its own. On a racetrack — the only place its speed can rationally be experienced — every moment the throttle is wide open is almost cause for anxiety: The S1000RR catapults its rider forward that fiercely and that relentlessly.

The 193-hp 2014 RR was no slouch when it came to acceleration, but the 2015 raises the bar quite a bit higher. Not only does it feel much fuller at low and mid revs — which makes for a considerably wider usable rev range on a track — but it also generates speed with a ferocity that I can’t say I ever felt on a superbike. In truth, the new S1000RR feels like its displacement has been bumped to 1100 or 1200 cc.

Other than its eyeball-flattening power, the key feature of the S1000RR is its industry leading suit of electronic assists. Canadian versions will come standard with Traction

Control, ABS, multiple riding modes and a new assisted shifter with rev-matching on downshifts, a first. Options include Dynamic Damping Control (DDC), a feature that was previously reserved for the HP4 (a higher-spec version of the prior gen S1000RR), heated grips and even cruise control.

Simply reciting these aids doesn’t do justice to either BMW or the S1000RR as they are an inherent part of the riding experience.

Their effectiveness is such that an average rider can select the relatively high level of assist in Rain or Sport modes and lap a circuit without any real fear of getting bitten by the monstrous horsepower.

But the remarkable part happens when those aids are tailored for the expert rider.

The Slick mode, for instance, lowers the amount of intervention of the TC system and makes for some seriously intense laps.

Programmed that way, the S1000RR will allow the front wheel to leave the ground pretty freely and will let the rear tire spin enough to slightly unhook during corner exits. True, other bikes offer traction control, but there’s something different about the entire S1000RR’s electronic package. It feels like it’s a true racing package, genuinely engineered and tuned by a world class race team and ultimately intended to be used by world class racers. It just so happens that anyone with the budget to buy an RR now has access to this greater technological ability.

Speaking of real-deal type of equipment, here’s one that struck me pretty profoundly.

It’s an onboard data logging system that records everything about a lap. Corner speed, lean angle, gear, maximum speeds and lap times are just a few of the parameters that can downloaded and displayed. The system works with GPS and will even draw a map of the track with colours indicating throttle openings. A few years ago, I was testing a new Kawasaki ZX-6R. Two units at the launch were equipped with an almost identical system. They were for staff only use, but I was allowed a session on one. “Please don’t crash” they begged. They didn’t care about the $12000 motorcycle so much as the $35000 data logging system installed on it.

The new RR’s should be less than a grand.

Truly an amazing machine, this one. s

14-11-20 8:05 PM

W

hat with its all-encompassing Project Rushmore remake last year — with Harley’s first watercooled engine, comprehensive chassis updates and thoroughly modern navigation system — what could The Motor Company possibly do to its famed Electra Glide to make it more attractive? Or, at least, more inclusive? The answer is to broaden its appeal, to be the first to offer a full-boat touring bike to the one clientele that twowheel land yachts have yet to attract: Randy Newman’s Short People.

Yes, for the first time, the Electra Glide is now rideable even if your inseam measures less than 30 inches. Thanks to a deeply dished — though still comfortable — seat and both front and rear suspensions lowered by some 25 millimetres, those short(er) of stature can now get their feet firmly planted on the ground. Said seat is now just 650 mm from terra firma, some 43 mm lower than the standard model.

There are a few penalties for such lowness. The suspension, for instance, is a little harsher than normal because there’s less travel to be had and the seat position can be a little cramped for those with longish legs. But we of the 33-inch inseam are not the intended audience because, well, we don’t wear platform shoes.

On the other hand, the Ultra Low’s narrower primary cover, allowing a straighter shot to the pavement, might be useful on all Electra Glides. Ditto the smaller-diameter handgrips and the Assist and Slip hydraulic clutch that reduces lever pull. Hell, long legs and size 10 boots even appreciate the Low’s revised kickstand, which is easier to retract.

In all other regards, the Low is all the improvements that is the latest Mount Rushmore version of the Electra Glide. It’s more comfortable than ever thanks to a revised, multi-foam seat, slightly different handle-

RT-twowheels.indd 27

bars and, especially, a new, more aerodynamically adept “Batwing” fairing. Thanks to the adjustable venting system of this last, there’s far less buffeting of the rider’s helmet, a problem usually exacerbated by the rather upright positioning of Harley-Davidson windshields. Now that the venting reduces some of the pressure differential behind the screen, it’s possible to cruise at elevated speeds without your face-shield rattling a death march. Other touring bike manufacturers have solved the problem by incorporating expensive electric motors to adjust the windscreen’s height and angle; Harley’s approach is both simpler and more cost-effective.

Likewise, it’s worth mentioning that the Harley officially moves into the 21st century with its liquid-cooled Twin Cooled High Output Twin Cam 103. Harley really is going to have to work on a shorter naming system before it starts confusing its clientele and they can’t remember what they’re riding. After all, this model is officially an ($31,899) Electra Glide Ultra Limited Low powered by a Twin Cooled High Output Twin Cam 103. Just the engine designation requires no less than two trademark symbols to be perfectly legal.

Long-winded naming aside, the 103 is a gem. There’s more than enough moxie to motivate the 397 kilogram Electra Glide, even two-up and passing

winter 2014

By David Booth

Autovision 29

2015 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited Low Short Stuff

semis uphill. Harley says the move to water cooling was necessary as the higher-speed capability from the 1,690-cc engine — and the Electra Glide’s heft — were causing heat stress in the V-twin. No longer.

Any mention of the Project Rushmore upgrades would not be complete without mentioning the new audio/infotainment system. The Ultra Classic’s Boom! (another trademark symbol) Box 4.3 offers excellent sound, but it is the Ultra’s 6.5 GT infotainment system that really impresses. Along with the 100-watt audio system, there’s an excellent touchscreen and the best navigation system on a production motorcycle.

BMW and Honda, eat your heart out.

Other recent Harley innovations abound.

Anti-lock brakes, controlling linked fourpiston front calipers no less, handle the braking chores. The cargo carriers might look ‘70s retro, but they feature Harley’s novel and convenient One-Touch latching system. And, for 2015, the Electra Glide gets automotive-style Daymaker (yet another TM) LED headlights.

In other words, all that is right and improved about the traditional Electra Glide is front and centre in the Ultra Low versions, albeit just more accessible. Short people got more reason to live... s

14-11-20 8:05 PM

thelastword around the watercooler

SMART IS NO LONGER STUPID

By Jeremy Cato

M

Autovision 30

winter 2014

y calculator does not produce enough zeros to calculate how much Daimler has lost on its Smart operation since 1998.

So why has Daimler continued to stuff money into Smart, including millions to develop a new platform for an all-new lineup of Smart cars going on sale globally next year? On the surface, Smart looks like a bottomless money pit of a car brand. But for long-suffering Daimler investors, the losses may be a thing of the past.

World events seem to have caught up with the Smart concept. Pipsqueak fortwos look comfortably at home in ever-more crowded cities. Fuel efficient and electrified forfours (not to be sold in Canada, by the way) are ideal in a world pushing increasingly stringent fuel economy and emissions rules.

Smarts look like an intelligent alternative on a planet being slowly and gratefully taken

LW-LastWord.indd 2

over by the “sustainability” movement.

Nearly 12,000 scientific papers now argue that humans are making a serious and dangerous contribution to global warming.

The debate is over and the conclusion is paving the way for Smart to succeed. Smart and its shoebox-sized cars might finally become a Daimler money-maker.

Smart is the perfect automotive illustration of an idea my old football coach used to drill into us: “We’ll keep running that play ‘til we get it right.” Well, Daimler has been stubbornly running the Smart play over and over.

Finally, the timing in 2014 looks right. I am as surprised as anyone, having spent almost two decades calling Smart the dumbest of ideas.

“Smart wants to be more than a car,” says the brand’s head, the charming and patient Annette Winkler, adding that Smart is about attitudes and lifestyles and giving “mobility solutions” to people who are packing into already-crowded cities. Half the world lives in cities today, and the numbers of city dwellers are growing by 180,000 daily. Smart will be happy to sell fortwos and forfours to them. Or Smart has a Car2Go membership

for them and it’s portable; you can use it in any of the world’s Smart cities.

Here’s why Smart can work. Last year the global car business sold about 82 million passenger cars and light trucks, and sales will be greater in 2014. We’re approaching a billion cars on the road around the world today.

We’re running out of space to add cars to congested roadways. Commuters and people in general are at the same time running out of patience with traffic jams. And the scientists are warning us that we are on a path to self-annihilation if we keep refusing to address the human causes of global warming.

Even the most committed free-trading/ capitalist/libertarian can see that building and selling an increasing number of new cars to an endlessly expanding pool of new drivers is, forgive the term, unsustainable. Smart, says Winkler, is the model for a possible, and perhaps even appealing, alternative to the current automotive industry model of more cars to more people, year after year. It’s also the anticar. If you despise cars or at the very least seem them as occasionally necessary transportation appliances, Smart is your brand.

“Smart is an urban car. It was developed as the perfect urban mobility car,” says Winkler. “It’s now a fact that everyone is thinking about mobility. When I started with Daimler 19 years ago, everyone was asking, does the world really need such a car?

Nobody asks that question anymore.

“I think society and our customers are asking about mobility questions and I think our company, Daimler, should have answers to such questions. We are not only focusing on the car, but giving answers to the big question of mobility in the world.”

Pause for a moment. Digest that. Yes, yes, Winkler and her colleagues would like to squeeze a return out of a Smart brand that has been milking Daimler for the better part of two decades. Their idea to grow Smart is simple and sensible: Identify crowded cities with narrow streets, limited parking and a non-gearhead culture as markets to sell either Smart cars or the brand’s mobility services such as Car2Go. “If you see Smart as building mobility solutions, I think we have something,” says Winkler.

I’m a believer. It took a long time and a lot of Daimler money to get here, but it seems Smart is no longer stupid. s

14-11-20 8:06 PM

YOU FINALLY GET TO HAVE

YOUR THREESOME.

The all-new Freewheeler.TM Go ahead.

Take the ride. Live your wildest dream.

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Visit your authorized Canadian Harley-Davidson® Retailer today or online at www.harley-davidson.com

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* Vehicle shown may vary visually by market and may differ from vehicles manufactured and delivered. See your Retailer for details.

With the purchase of any new Harley-Davidson® model from an authorized Canadian Harley-Davidson® Retailer, you will receive a free, full one-year membership in H.O.G.® Always ride with a helmet.

Ride defensively. Distributed exclusively in Canada by Deeley Harley-Davidson® Canada, Richmond and Concord. Deeley Harley-Davidson® Canada is a proud sponsor of Muscular Dystrophy Canada. ©2014 H-D or its affiliates. HARLEY-DAVIDSON, HARLEY, and the Bar & Shield Logo are among the trademarks of H-D U.S.A., LLC.

for more information, circle reply c ard no. 33

HD-P-0383 MY15_Freewheeler_Threesome_Single_Autovision_CA-en.indd 1 BIKE.indd 1

05/11/2014 12:48:32 PM 14-11-20 8:08 PM

S:7.375”

THE NEW CHEVY SILVERADO • ECOTEC3 POWER WITH 3 OF OUR LATEST FUEL-SAVING TECHNOLOGIES, STANDARD. • UP TO 12,000 LB. OF AVAILABLE TOWING.* • LONGEST PICKUP POWERTRAIN WARRANTY IN CANADA, WITH 60,000 KM MORE THAN F-150 AND RAM.**

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GCVS15MG100B__179563A02 1 CHEV.indd 1

11/3/14 10:54 AM 14-11-20 8:10 PM

T:10.875”

S:10.125”

*Silverado LTZ 4x2 4-door Double Cab Standard Box or Crew Cab Short Box with optional 6.2L EcoTec3 engine with Max Trailering Package. Before you buy a vehicle or use it for trailering, carefully review the trailering section of the Owner’s Manual. The weight of passengers, cargo and options or accessories may reduce the amount you can tow. **Comparison based on wardsauto.com 2014 Large Pickup segment and latest competitive information available at time of printing. Excludes other GM vehicles.

5-year/160,000 kilometre powertrain limited warranty, whichever comes first. See dealer for details. ©2014 General Motors of Canada Limited. All rights reserved.

Chevrolet® Chevrolet emblem® Chevy™ ECOTEC® GM® Silverado®