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TABLE of CONTENTS

V O L . 67, N O . 1 0

Red-Letter Day A new 400-hp Z is set to awaken the Nissan brand from its slumber. By Dan Edmunds

NFT (Nice F—ing Trucks) Cadillac Escalade vs. Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs. Lexus LX600 vs. Lincoln Navigator. By Ezra Dyer

2023 Mazda CX-50 2.5 Turbo Mazda’s new compact SUV joins the CX-5 to double down on the segment. By Joey Capparella

Is This Really the Last Gas(p)? A dozen internalcombustion cars worth waiting for. By the Editors

FIRST DRIVE

C O M PA R I S O N T E S T

ROAD TEST

F E AT U R E

JUNE 2022

60 FA U X D R I V E

Playtime Is Over Tesla Cybertruck world exclusive, first driving impressions (plural). By John Phillips

“THE TESLA CYBERTRUCK SMELLS MORE PLASTICKY THAN FOURTH OF JULY PICNIC PLATES.” —John Phillips, “Playtime Is Over” CA R AND D RI VE R

JOIN US AS WE ADVENTURE INTO WASHINGTON STATE’S RUGGED WILDERNESS.

JULY 15-16, 2022

YOU’LL ENJOY: // Views of volcanic peaks and the glistening Pacific will serve as backdrop for your adventure, including a drive along the state’s scenic Highway 2. // Get sideways (and then some) at DirtFish, America’s premier rally driving school, followed by a private tour of one of the finest rally car collections on earth. // Drive one of Washington’s most dramatic mountain passes before pit-stopping in Leavenworth, a charming mountain town modeled after a Bavarian mountain village. // Revel in the Pacific Northwest’s rustic and refined cuisine – wildcaught salmon, fresh foraged ingredients, locally distilled whiskeys, and Washington’s world-class wines.

EXPERIENCES.ROADANDTRACK.COM/RALLYU OR SCAN HERE

TABLE OF CONTENTS JUNE 2022

COLUMNISTS 10. Tony Quiroga Long time gone. 22. Ezra Dyer The circle of Bronco. 24. Elana Scherr Out of stock, out of mind.

UPFRONT 13. Vim, Vigor, and Vin Vietnam’s first car company is going all-electric, and worldwide, at full speed. 16. Short Stop Braking from 100 mph is our newest test. 18. Stormy Six Stellantis’s new turbo inline-six defies the electric onslaught. 19. Know Shows Don’t be the schmuck who spoils the fun.

T H E R U N D OW N 66. 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sleek and chic. 68. 2022 Porsche Macan Back to basics. 69. 2022 Bentley Bentayga S Dollars and scents. 70. 2023 MercedesBenz EQE Silent smoothie. 72. 2023 Toyota bZ4X Safe at first. 73. 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor 37 Performance Package A game of inches. 74. 2022 BMW 230i Class of one.

E TC . 5. Backfires Lap it up, readers. 80. The Ford Taurus That Didn’t Make It Almost famous.

The joyful noise of the commentariat, rebutted sporadically by Ed. CURRENT AFFAIRS Just received the February/ March issue and saw that Eddie Alterman is listed as interim editor. Please convince (pay) the man to come back full time and save the magazine. Thanking you in advance. —Cannonball Warthen North Myrtle Beach, SC Bravo! Bravissimo! Car and Driver issues may be getting thinner and less frequent, but every article was car-oriented. We got to read about 30 different vehicles! Now that’s progress, Alterman. You know what? Keep my subscription! —Marek Jamul, CA

Okay, regarding February/ March 2022: Wow, what a fantastic return to form. So pleased with the changes, and thank you for the vision and strategy. Everything is where it should be. Looking forward to what’s next! Goddamn, pal, excellent job! —Jim Macdonald Seattle, WA After picking up a copy of a rival, ahem, trendy motor magazine, I realized good writing is so much more important than just getting the bland facts in a ﬂashy layout. I am letting you know I have renewed my subscription for another year. I am expecting you will put the $10 I have sent you to a good pur-

pose. Maybe bring back John Phillips? Or maybe just some K-cups for the break room? Ben Ray California, MO Johnny is back, and we have no rivals; we just won a National Magazine Award—Ed.

LAPLANDERS Lightning Lap XV did not include previous years’ lap times [February/ March 2022]. “Yardstick to gauge progress over time”? Hit me with it, please (don’t say it’s online). —James Mazgaj, MD Florence, SC Okay, doc. Instead of stating the obvious, I’ll cough twice instead—Ed.

CUSTOMER SERVICE Call 800-289-9464, email cdbCustServ@CDSFulfillment.com, visit www.caranddriver.com/service, or write to Customer Service Dept., Car and Driver, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037 for inquiries/requests, changes of mailing or email addresses, subscription orders, payments, etc. CAR AND DRIVER® (ISSN 0008-6002), VOL. 67, NO. 10, June 2022, is published monthly, 10 times per year, with combined issues in February/March and July/August, by Hearst, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019, U.S.A. Steven R. Swartz, President & Chief Executive Officer; William R. Hearst III, Chairman; Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman; Debi Chirichella, President, Hearst Magazines Group. Hearst Autos, Inc.: Nick Matarazzo, President & Chief Revenue Officer; Debi Chirichella, Treasurer; Catherine A. Bostron, Secretary. © 2022 by Hearst Autos, Inc. All rights reserved. Trademarks: Car and Driver is a registered trademark of Hearst Autos, Inc. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Canada Post International Publications mail product (Canadian distribution) sales agreement no. 40012499. Editorial and Advertising Offices: 1585 Eisenhower Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. SUBSCRIPTION PRICES United States and possessions: $13.00 for one year; Canada, add $10.00; all other countries, add $24.00. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES Car and Driver will, upon receipt of a complete subscription order, undertake fulfillment of that order so as to provide the first copy for delivery by the U.S. Postal Service or alternate carrier within 4–6 weeks. MAILING LISTS From time to time, we make our subscriber list available to companies who sell goods and services by mail that we believe would interest our readers. If you would rather not receive such offers by postal mail, please send your current mailing label or an exact copy to Mail Preference Service, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037. You can also visit preferences.hearstmags.com to manage your preferences and opt out of receiving marketing offers by email. Car and Driver assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. None will be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Permissions: Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission. Back Issues: Back issues are available for purchase in digital format only from your app store of choice. POSTMASTER Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES Send address corrections to Car and Driver, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037. Printed in the U.S.A.

CAR AND DRIVER ~ JUNE 2022 ~ SIC YOUR DOGS ON US AT: E DI TO RS @CARAN DDRIVE R.CO M

Backfires

Wish I could say I cared about your irrelevant Lightning Lap. But I don’t, so I can’t. —Dave Grayson Calgary, AB Just wondering, why no electric or hybrid cars? —Richard Garriott-Stejskal Albuquerque, NM EVs appropriate for a track test weren’t available when we tested. We’re hoping to lap more next year—Ed. Regarding Lightning Lap, put this letter in the “Where the hell was a Corvette?” pile. —Tom Orashan San Antonio, TX

Another Lightning Lap ignored. What happened to reviews, comparos, and worthwhile photography?

Hey, hey. We just won an Ellie for general excellence for our reviews, comparos, and photography—Ed. The new issue with Lightning Lap XV is a joke. Where was the Corvette? Were you afraid it would show up all the foreign cars costing tens of thousands of dollars more? —Dick Draper Lincoln, NE The 2020 Corvette ran a 2:49.0 two years ago, you know, when it was new—Ed. It’s hard for me to appreciate just how fast the Lightning Lap times are. I would love to see times from some regular cars that are out on the road. For example, how fast could one of your drivers take my 120,000-mile 2010 Mazda 3s Sport with the slushbox around VIR on my standard Yokohamas and AutoZone brakes? Would you be able to break 3:45? What about a middle-ofthe-road 2015 Camry or a 2018 Paciﬁca? How about a tradesman-spec pickup? Once we see what “regular”

me better appreciate what the Toyobarus and Type Rs of the world are doing. —Tom Westlake, OH Rental-car agreements expressly prohibit track testing. But we’ve tested a 2015 Honda Fit (3:37.7), a 2019 Toyota Camry V6 (3:25.3), and a 2018 Honda Accord Sport 2.0T (3:18.4). When time allows, we’ll do more—Ed. I am truly curious if we should accept that tire and track-surface improvements account for the fact that the 2006 Ford GT (fastest at ﬁrst Lightning Lap) and the 2021 Honda Civic Type R LE tie at a 3:00:7 lap time? Isn’t this really just another subtle step in your pro-Honda, anti-Ford conspiracy? Or maybe you’re getting better at driving? —Justin Webb Columbus, OH It would be an interesting experiment to put some modern rubber on a mid2000s Ford GT and take it

time it picked up from that initial Lightning Lap. Of course, that’d depend on you ﬁnding someone willing to let you wring out their car. It’d be pretty cool, though. —Rob Gross Summerville, SC This sounds suspiciously like something Colwell wants to do—Ed. I was surprised to see, in the latest Lightning Lap, that the Acura TLX’s tires lost grip because after one lap they became “hot and greasy.” Everything else I’ve ever read about tires suggests the opposite: that being hot is good, because they gain grip. Can you explain why some tires get “hot and sticky” (good), but others become “hot and greasy” (bad)? —Bob Woolley Asheville, NC All tires, from racing tires to the track-focused stuff on supercars, create the most grip within a certain temperature range. Get the rubber too hot and the compound loses its ability to grip the tarmac, resulting in a greasy feel—Ed.

FAST TIMER

Letter of the Month What happened to Letter of the Month? Can it be kickstarted again with mine? I was published in July 2017. —Jem Karunungan, Simi Valley, CA Jem’s truly outrageous request nets a bZ4X water bottle for those sweaty days in Simi Valley—Ed.

So, a $340,000 race-car Mercedes on cheater-soft race-car tires with a ridiculous race-car rear wing set the fastest lap at VIR? Yawn. —Ryan Owens Greenville, SC Aww, someone needs a nap—Ed. J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

S IC YO U R D O GS O N U S AT: E DI TOR S @ CA RA N DD R I V E R.CO M

What impact do the various drivers have on the comparative performance of the cars? The variable skill and experience of each driver— including how late they stayed up the night before— must have an impact on their and the car’s performance. —Steven A. Judge Royalton, VT We regularly check one another’s lap times to ensure we’re getting the most out of the cars. Typically, the delta between us is 0.5 second or less, with the assigned driver being quicker due to more familiarity with the car in question—Ed.

EXPLAINED

The maximum payload capacity for my 2008 Yukon XL is 1805 pounds, but the sticker in the doorjamb says 1520 pounds. Why is there this discrepancy? —Steve Wallerstein, Raymond, NH A BIG NUMBER TWO

WILD, WILD WEST

I’m not sure what shocks me more: a 2-series that is not an M2 for $57K or the fact that a standard 2-series has 382 horsepower and weighs nearly two tons. Damn, I must be getting old. —Jeff Bjerke Klein, TX

Your review of the new Subaru Outback [“Call of the Wild,” February/March 2022] totally missed the point of this vehicle. You took it to a mud-bog park where only ATVs and side-by-sides can realistically play. I live in Colorado where steep terrain, ruts, rocks, and drop-offs are the obstacles of concern. I don’t own an Outback, but I have seen them in places I was unwilling to take a fullsize four-wheel-drive pickup. A version of the Outback with more clearance and skid plates will get you in and out of nearly any road or trail you could expect to take a competent street-legal vehicle in any season of the year. This version will sell like hotcakes in the Mountain West. —David Redfern Grand Junction, CO

BILE DUCT Your photo of the GT3 shows something like a piece of tape in the front grille. Was that installed by Porsche technicians? If so, what for? —Luis Kahn Paris, France It’s a duct installed at the Porsche factory on all GT3s—Ed.

PEPPER POT Curious how much you added to the price of the Cayenne Turbo GT Coupe to purchase the oven needed to bake those tires? Those Pirellis ain’t ﬁtting in the run-of-the-mill oven, and no self-respecting restaurant or chef is letting you cook tires in their commercial unit. —Don Evans Sunapee, NH

O’Rourke, whose Car and Driver pieces were treasures. —Jack Walmer Denver, CO

when they have a few million satisﬁed customers. Right now, it’s just another Tucker. —Fred Flynn Sun Prairie, WI

ELECTRUCK Okay, sure I just canceled my long-standing subscription because I was ticked about the bloated auto-renewal rate you pitched, but I still have to praise Ezra Dyer. His well-crafted tale is a great memorial to the late P.J.

Since no owner is likely to take their Subaru Outback Wilderness to a mud bog, we did just to see if it would survive.

I LLU ST RAT IO N BY T. M . D E TW ILE R

Payload ﬁgures are the weight of people and stuff that a vehicle is rated to carry. This important number is the difference between the curb weight and the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). Manufacturers set the GVWR for a model, so every pound that’s added in options—oversize sunroof, power seats, etc.—is a pound subtracted from payload. The best way to know your vehicle’s is to do what you did and check the required doorjamb placard. —Dave VanderWerp

So, out of the evolving electric-vehicle world, up hops the frog-eyed Rivian R1T [“Your Move, Spaceboy,” February/March 2022]. Whatever its technical merits may be, a paragon of styling and design it isn’t. Just being new isn’t enough to make it good. —L. C. Bohrer Buckley, WA

I don’t understand everyone’s panic over the EVs. I’m old enough that I’ll have my “gassers” with manual-shift transmissions for the rest of my life, but I also hope that within ﬁve years I’ll have an EV. I’m glad we don’t all still have Ford Model As. When people run down EVs to me, I simply say, “Don’t buy one.” There are plenty of gas and diesels available and will be for many years to come. —Kevin Wicker Walterboro, SC

REX EFFECT A CVT in a WRX? Is the apocalypse nigh? —Scott Daly Portland, ME If you’re going by that sign, it’s been nigh since about 2015, which come to think of it seems right—Ed.

Backfires

Editor ’s Let ter

SIC YOUR DOGS ON US AT: EDITORS@CARANDDRIVER.COM

CIVIC YES

I love watching all the new EVs come to market, but I’m disappointed in Honda. As a loyal Honda fan who has had the same Civic Si sedan for 15 years, I’m ready for an electric one. I don’t want to spend over $40,000, I don’t want an SUV or dorky hatch/lozenge, and I don’t need 400 miles of range in a city car. Since Tesla apparently quit working on a $25K car, here’s your chance, Honda—make an electric Civic that looks and drives like your new Si and start printing money. While I would miss the sound and the manual, I’m willing to make the sacriﬁce if you are. —Eric Fransted Boise, ID

LOW RANGER With other EV makers going for range and performance, why is Mazda’s ﬁrst EV, the MX-30, so underwhelming [“Short-Distance Runaround,” February/March 2022]? Was their goal to be a minuscule ﬁsh in the big ocean? —Mike Matter Sunnyvale, CA Regarding the Mazda MX-30. I vote “No.” —Robert Curiale Nowheresville

PENALTY SHOTS The article “Know Why I Pulled You Over?” [February/March 2022] described how drivers can be gouged with added fees tacked on to basic ﬁnes for

Long time gone

t noon on a Wednesday, then C/D editor-at-large John Phillips appeared in the lobby at Automobile Magazine. I worked near the elevator and had become accustomed to the metal doors parting to reveal heroes. P.J. O’Rourke, Bruce McCall, Brock Yates, and even John Oates of Hall and Oates all stopped by, but it wasn’t until Phillips visited that I felt compelled to say something. Hired by C/D editor-in-chief William Jeanes after simply asking for a job, Phillips went to work, work that had him ingesting puppy dewormer while driving a Toyota Land Cruiser over the Himalayas to evacuate, well, worms and winning a Camel Trophy in the jungles of Borneo. He and a partner attempted a nonstop drive from New York to San Francisco locked in a 1997 Volkswagen Jetta diesel outfitted with a 68-gallon fuel tank and a hole in the floor for bladder relief. After a blizzard in Nebraska forced them to stop, they carried on to San Fran, then turned around and completed the 3000-mile salute to claustrophobia and fifth gear. Phillips’s visit to Automobile coincided with the C/D issue containing his 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT road test. If you don’t recall it, I’ll jog your memory. There’s a photo of a large white dog perched in the passenger’s seat of the Cadillac pickup with a caption reading, “Later on, the dog drove us home.” I awkwardly introduced myself, while attempting to hide my supafan-level excitement. He was gracious, although his mien said, “You’re scaring me, kid.” At C/D, Phillips would come in twice a week and work behind a photo annex in an office he dubbed “the cold room.” Lunch meant a BLT at Banfield’s, a sticky dive bar with a Pall Mall fog and the unmistakable chemical scent of urinal cake number 4. Phillips described it as the perfect place to dine if you were cheating because no one you know would ever step foot in there. If that’s not worthy of a Michelin star, then I don’t know how stars are earned. In addition to schooling me on where to eat and cheat, he taught me a lesson about overdriving an unfamiliar road. I’d been laying chase to his Dodge SRT-4 ACR with a Subaru Impreza WRX. I missed him slowing for a bridge with a 15-mph recommended speed. Thinking that he hadn’t changed his pace, I went over it fast enough to send the WRX into a full Ken Block. Flight WRX landed hard enough to punch out the front fender liners, eject the Creedence from the CD player, and flip the mirror from day to night. It occurs to me that this column may lead you to believe Phillips has died. Despite Montana’s many attempts on his life, he is alive. The first of what I hope to be many new contributions is on page 60. If that’s not enough for you, and it shouldn’t be, pick up his new book about life in Montana, find yourself a Banfield’s, order a BLT and a Pabst, and read it. If you’re lucky, he might just walk in.

TO N Y Q U I R O GA E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

P HOTO G RA P H BY M I C H A E L S IM A R I

In your article about the Honda Civic Si, you refer to it as being in the compact-sedan segment [“Sticking with It,” February/March 2022]. It’s been a mid-size car for a while now. Why not call it that? —Peter Fiddler Seattle, WA

Editor-in-Chief Tony Quiroga

moving violations, but that’s only half of it. Moving violations are reported to drivers’ insurance companies, which levy additional “ﬁnes” by increasing monthly charges for a period of their choosing. Total cost for the ticket is considerably higher. —Jack Tockston Gig Harbor, WA

Digital Director Laura Sky Brown • BUYER’S GUIDE Deputy Editor Rich Ceppos Senior Editor Drew Dorian • FEATURES Senior Editors Greg Fink, Elana Scherr Staff Editor Austin Irwin • NEWS Senior Editor Joey Capparella Senior Associate Editor Eric Stafford Staff Editor Caleb Miller Social Media Editor Michael Aaron • REVIEWS Deputy Editor Joe Lorio Senior Editors Ezra Dyer, Mike Sutton • TESTING Testing Director Dave VanderWerp Deputy Director K.C. Colwell Technical Editors David Beard, Dan Edmunds Associate Technical Editor Connor Hoffman Road Test Editor Rebecca Hackett Road Warriors Harry Granito, Katherine Keeler, Jacob Kurowicki, Christi VanSyckle • CREATIVE Director Darin Johnson Consulting Designer Pete Sucheski Staff Photographers Michael Simari, Marc Urbano Photo Assistant Charley M. Ladd • VIDEO Deputy Editor Carlos Lago Producer/Editor Alex Malburg • PRODUCTION Director of Editorial Operations Heather Albano Copy Chief Adrienne Girard Associate Managing Editor Jennifer Misaros Production Manager Juli Burke Associate Production Manager Nancy M. Pollock Copy Editor Chris Langrill Online Production Designer Sarah Larson Online Production Assistant Andrew Berry Editorial Assistant Carlie Cooper • CONTRIBUTORS European Editor Mike Duff Contributing Editors Clifford Atiyeh, Brett Berk, Sebastian Blanco, Csaba Csere, Malcolm Gladwell, John Pearley Huffman, Andrew Lawrence, Bruce McCall, Jens Meiners, Jonathon Ramsey, James Tate, John Voelcker Editorial Office 1585 Eisenhower Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Editorial Contributions Unsolicited artwork and manuscripts are not accepted, and publisher assumes no responsibility for return or safety of unsolicited artwork, photographs, or manuscripts. Query letters may be addressed to the Editors.

BUY BUY BUY

Publisher and Chief Revenue Officer Felix DiFilippo

“’New and novel’ is a bad reason to buy a car that you plan to keep longer than six months” [“Motor Kombat,” February/March 2022]. Ahh, Dyer. Where were you when I was buying my ‘95 Dodge Neon? —Shawn M. Kelly Harrisburg, PA He was in his high-school parking lot leaning against a Camaro—Ed.

Vice President, Sales Cameron Albergo • NEW YORK Group Sales Director Kyle Taylor Senior Sales Director Joe Pennacchio Sales Director Shannon Rigby Sales Manager Richard Panciocco Assistant Keierra Wiltshire • CHICAGO Sales Director Rick Bisbee DETROIT Group Sales Director Samantha Shanahan Sales Directors Tom Allen, Deb Michael Sales Manager Chris Caldwell Assistant Toni Starrs • LOS ANGELES Senior Sales Directors Lisa LaCasse, Lori Mertz, Susie Miller, Anne Rethmeyer Sales Director Molly Jolls HEARST DIRECT MEDIA Vice President Christine Hall Sales Manager Celia Mollica PRODUCTION Manager Chris Hertwig CIRCULATION Vice President, Strategy and Business Management Rick Day

Longtime subscriber, ﬁrst time nitpicker. In his column, Dyer writes, “Gravity is one of the most powerful forces in the universe.” Well, gravity isn’t a force, it’s an effect. Check out time dilation. And it isn’t all that strong, either. There, I said it, and I feel much better. —John Arthur Santa Ana, CA

INTO THE FIRE Though I enjoy the articles in each issue, particularly anything Corvette related, I must admit I really enjoy Backﬁres! Ed.’s responses are frequently hysterical and usually spot on! —Penny Price Bloomington, IN Your Backﬁres pages are a gem! My favorite. I’m convinced that gearheads

Published by Hearst 300 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 President & Chief Executive Officer Steven R. Swartz Chairman William R. Hearst III Executive Vice Chairman Frank A. Bennack, Jr. President, Hearst Magazines Group Debi Chirichella

Using Shell V-Power® NiTRO®+ Premium Gasolines and diesel fuels appropriately in Car and Driver test vehicles ensures the consistency and integrity of our instrumented testing procedures and numbers, both in the magazine and online.

CUSTOMER SERVICE Call 800-289-9464, email cdbCustServ@ CDSFulfillment.com, visit www.CarandDriver.com/ service, or write to Customer Service Dept., Car and Driver, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037 for inquiries/requests, changes of mailing or email addresses, subscription orders, payments, etc. PERMISSIONS Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission. To order digital back issues, go to your favorite app store. Car and Driver© is a registered trademark of Hearst Autos, Inc. Copyright 2022, Hearst Autos, Inc. All rights reserved.

HEARST AUTOS, INC. President & Chief Revenue Officer Nick Matarazzo Treasurer Debi Chirichella Secretary Catherine A. Bostron Chief Brand Officer Eddie Alterman Chief Marketing Officer Michelle Panzer Director of Audience Development Sharon Silke Carty Executive Director of Finance Paul Neumaier PUBLISHING CONSULTANTS Gilbert C. Maurer, Mark F. Miller INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS China, Greece, Spain, US

are posing as car fans when they are some of the most creative humor writers in the business. If Hearst wants to start up a humor magazine, hire your pen pals! —Herb Mosher Orchard Park, NY I am not a car guy by any stretch of the imagination. The evidence would be my purchase of a 1982 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser station wagon with an Oldsmobile diesel engine. However, I became a subscriber because of the unparalleled quality and style of your writing. —Neil Leitner Vancouver, WA From one former Olds diesel owner to another, I think you might be a car guy—Ed.

You know how they don’t publish Penthouse anymore, just Letters to Penthouse. —Joe Reiman Tucson, AZ

Are there any microcars available in the USA that can use a house plug for charging? —Kay Miller Pittsfield Township, MI Pow, pow, Power Wheels—Ed.

the clutch, the headlight dimmer switch, and, possibly, the windshield-washer pump. Now in cars with automatic everything, the left leg just sits in one place with nothing to do. Perhaps, a medical professional would have an opinion. —John Magness Emailville, USA Four out of five doctors we called didn’t answer their phones. The fifth one hung up on us—Ed.

Would it be possible to investigate the possibility of a car driver’s left leg becoming atrophied? The right leg and foot operate the brakes and accelerator, and, in the past, the right foot operated the starter. Also in the past, the left leg and foot controlled

Why do cars need air-ﬁlled tires instead of using something that won’t go boom over a nail? Can’t suspension make up for tractor-type tires? —Ezra Baltimore, MD Stop trolling, Ezra—Ed.

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N E W K I D O N T H E B LO CK By Elana Scherr

Vim, Vigor, and Vin Vietnam’s first car company is going all-electric, and worldwide, at full speed. The Fast in the VinFast name is an acronym in Viet-

namese, but it’s not lost on us, or the company’s founders, that in English it suggests something done quickly. The new Vietnamese automotive brand was announced in the fall of 2017, and barely a year later, VinFast had three gasoline-powered cars in development and an electric-scooter factory. By the summer of 2019, the company had built an 827-acre complex in Hai Phong and was delivering its ﬁrst cars. In 2021, founder CA R AND D RI VE R ~ JU NE 2022

Pham Nhat Vuong announced that VinFast would begin pivoting to EVs. Now it’s selling electric scooters, electric buses, and the VF e34, a small electric SUV, with promises of two larger versions to come, the VF8 and the VF9. The mid-size, ﬁve-seat VF8 and the seven-seat VF9 will not only come to the U.S. market but will be built here, in a new factory at a 1976-acre North Carolina site. The goal, says Pham, is to make VinFast a recognizable name worldwide and, you guessed it, do it fast.

N E W K I D O N T H E B LO CK

A SHINY NEW FACTORY We visited VinFast’s Hai Phong plant in Vietnam. There, workers and robots build combustion-engine cars as well as the new EVs. In the battery shop, cells purchased primarily from Samsung and LG are tested and assembled into packs. Motors are also built in-house. VinFast aims to deliver two new models by the end of this year and produce nearly 100,000 cars annually by 2026. That’s a big number to achieve in a short time, but accelerated growth is not new to VinFast. The factory site was coastal swampland in 2017, yet the plant was up and running in 21 months—too fast for digital cartography to keep up. At press time, Google Maps showed the VinFast campus as being in the bay. We can report it’s on dry land.

DRIVING THE 2023 VF8 The Tesla Model Y–sized VF8 is the smaller of the two models planned for the U.S. and is further along in development than the three-row VF9. We were able to brieﬂy get behind the wheel of a few VF8 prototypes that were assembled for our visit. Each machine had development quirks that were obvious even on our two-block drive. One had a jumpy accelerator; another was

Fast Food VinFast founder Pham Nhat Vuong likes instant results. No child of inheritance, Pham grew up poor in Hanoi, where his mother ran a modest tea shop. Pham moved to Ukraine, where he started a noodle restaurant. It became popular enough to spin off into an instant-soup company.

laggy. Then there was a seat with reversed controls—when we went to slide it forward, it smashed the knees of the guy in the back. Most of the promised driver’s aids, such as remote summon and self-parking, were nonfunctional. Prototype bugs aside, the cars felt promising overall. With 349 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, the Eco model provided adequate acceleration, and the 402-hp Plus trim was downright quick. Our route had only one turn, and we took it fast enough to dump the engineer’s notes into the passenger footwell, so apologies to him, but we have no complaints about steering. Chief engineer Huy Chieu says adjustable regeneration will be ready for production, with one-pedal driving likely down the line. The all-wheel-drive car—the only version we’ll get stateside—offers two battery-pack options on each trim level, with range estimates from 248 to 292 miles using the optimistic WLTP scale. The exterior is standard SUV with some striking details: A long LED strip leads to a V in the nose, and the bodywork ducts air around the front wheels. Inside, VinFast made the Tesla-like decision to eliminate instrumentation in front of the driver, who instead must rely on the large central screen

The Fast in VinFast is an acronym that translates to style, safety, creativity, pioneer—Pham Nhat Vuong’s goals for his company.

Italian firms Pininfarina and Torino Design styled the VF8, which will be built in Vietnam and the U.S.

VinFast is trying a risky sales strategy where the battery is a separate lease from the purchase price.

J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

LEADING THE CHARGE We approve of the traditional round steering wheel. Center screen is right out of the Tesla Model 3’s playbook.

and the head-up display. Our sample car was ﬁnished in a deep-blue leather, but other than that pop of color, it’s typical textured plastics. When asked about the choice of faux-carbon and gloss-black trim instead of more experimental materials or those reﬂecting the automaker’s culture (as we’re seeing with Volvo and Genesis), David Lyon, director of design, looked mildly exasperated. “What, like bamboo? People here would see that and say ‘It’s a weed!’” Even with lackluster touchpoints, the interior is comfortable. Cargo room seems on par with similarly sized vehicles, and there’s a small frunk in addition to the hatch.

COMING TO AMERICA

I LLU ST RAT IO N S BY DO M IN IC B UGATTO

VinFast has done well in Vietnam, where customers are excited to have a homegrown option, with prices that are lower than Korean and Japanese competitors’. But bringing the brand

worldwide may prove to be a challenge. VinFast will have to overcome the stigma of being a new company from a country not known for automotive industry, something that took Kia several decades. Pham wants to manage it in only one. There also may be some customer confusion around pricing. A base of $40,000 seems reasonable, but the price goes up because buyers lease the battery separately, with a monthly fee. VF8 drivers pay $35 with a cap of 310 miles per month or $110 with no mileage limit. VinFast says the subscription addresses consumer concerns about battery life, but we think it just complicates an EV purchase. It’s possible VinFast is having second thoughts as well. The company followed its announcement of the plan with the addendum that customers will have a choice of battery subscription or purchase by 2024.

Everyone we spoke with at VinFast, when asked about the driving force behind the company’s ambitions and quick pace, pointed to the chairman, Pham Nhat Vuong. Pham was born in Vietnam, studied in Moscow, and worked in the food industry in Ukraine, eventually starting a dehydrated-products company that he sold to Nestle. He returned to his homeland, where he opened a chain of resorts and became Vietnam’s first billionaire. Today Pham oversees the Vingroup empire of hotels, apartments, factories, business parks, and medical research. He says there are similarities between where he started and where he’s going. When he pitched instant noodles in Ukraine, people couldn’t believe that simply pouring boiling water over them would cook them. “It took a year of marketing to convince them,” he says. “Selling a car is more challenging, but the idea is the same. We need to convince them we have a better offering with style, design, technology, and smart services.” His goal is to make VinFast a leader in the EV market. “Maybe not in five years, but in 10? We want to be at the top.”

VIN CHECK : WHY TRY THE UNTRIED? — On our tour of VinFast’s properties, we had a chance to meet a few customers, including several Americans who have reservations for the VF8. All said the risk of investing in something untried was worth it for the thrill of being part of something new. “I live in Orange County,” said one man who has both a VinFast VF8 and a Fisker Ocean on order. “Every other car there is a Tesla. It’s like, ‘Oh, you have a Tesla? I have a hemorrhoid; we gotta talk about it?’ I wanted something different.”

TECH D E P T. ~ By Dave VanderWerp

LET M E STO P YOU RIGHT THERE

Short Stop

Any braking test is a measure of how quickly the entire braking system gets up to peak performance and stays there throughout the stop. A vehicle with a strong system should stop from 100 mph in about double the distance it does from 70. But a number of factors affect the results. For example, a vehicle with aerodynamic lift will have less traction available early in a stop, whereas a vehicle with downforce will benefit from plenty of initial bite. As in all braking tests, tire traction is a major contributor to how quickly a vehicle can slow down. In 100-mph testing, particularly with vehicles wearing allseason tires, we occasionally notice grip falling off before any brake-pedal softness. And then there’s how well the brakes shed heat. Stopping a 6781-pound Ram 1500 TRX from 100 mph causes enough brake fade to more than double its stopping distance from 70 mph. Fade affects more than just big pickups—the brakes on the Acura TLX Type S and the Cadillac CT5-V also wilt from triple-digit speeds. We’ve just recently begun to compile 100-to-zero data, and for now, Porsche sits atop that leaderboard with the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, which took only 242 feet (with an average of 1.38 g’s), against 132 feet from 70 mph (1.24 g’s).

To better torture a vehicle’s braking system, we’ve added a 100-mph-to-zero measurement. We started testing vehicles’ accel-

eration way back in the 1950s, but it took us a decade to stop. That is, to measure the distance needed to stop. We initially conducted brake tests at 80 mph, but in the early 1970s, we settled on 70 mph. Back then, braking distances averaged around 200 feet, serious fade occurred regularly, and automakers had yet to implement anti-lock technology to optimize the braking force at each contact patch. Today’s hardware makes fade rare in our standard six-stop routine. And last year the average stopping distance shrunk to 168 feet, even as tested curb weights have ballooned by nearly 50 percent in the past ﬁve decades to almost 4400 pounds. Performanceoriented vehicles do even better and often cluster around 150 feet from 70 mph. To further challenge those vehicles’ fortiﬁed brakes, we’ve started doing three stops from 100 mph in addition to the 70-mph bogey. Kinetic energy swells with the square of speed, so a stop from 100 mph takes more than double the energy as from 70, making this a challenging test that should create more than a few feet of separation among results.

2.0

2022 PORSCHE 718 CAYMAN GT4 RS 70–0 VS. 100–0 COMPARISON

100

1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2

60 1.0 0.8

70–0 SPEED 70–0 DECELERATION

0.6 0.4

100–0 SPEED 100–0 DECELERATION 0

0.5

0.2 1.5

2.5

3.5

TIME, SEC

0 ft

50 ft

100 ft

150 ft

200 ft

250 ft

300 ft

350 ft

189 ft

400 ft

450 ft

418 ft

2021 Ram 1500 TRX 359 ft

165 ft 2021 Acura TLX Type S 132 ft 2022 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS

242 ft 70–0 mph

100–0 mph

ILLUST RATI ON BY S I NELAB ~ JUN E 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

DECELERATION, G

SPEED, MPH

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E N G I N E R O O M ~ By David Beard LOSSES AND GAINS Predictably, the Hurricane is lighter than the castiron-block V-8s it’s destined to replace. The standard version weighs 430 pounds, and the high-output engine comes in at 441. In the Grand Wagoneer, it delivers 1- to 2-mpg gains in EPA fuel economy, so expect similar results in other models. The Hurricane will eventually pair with the brand’s eTorque and plugin-hybrid technologies.

With 510 horsepower, the high-output Hurricane becomes the most powerful inline-six on the market, trumping BMW’s 503-hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter.

BLOCK PARTY The aluminum block’s bore and stroke of 84.0 by 90.0 millimeters add up to 2993 cubic centimeters of displacement. A plasma transferred wire arc process lines the cylinders with a coating that is stronger and lighter than traditional iron sleeves. HEAD GAMES The 24-valve aluminum head has sodium-filled exhaust valves. Wide-range cam phasers enable a broad powerband. Fuel is delivered via direct injection. SPIN ME RIGHT ROUND To make 90 more ponies than the standard Hurricane, the high-output version drops the compression ratio from 10.4:1 to 9.5:1 and bumps up boost. It also gets forged aluminum pistons, and the crankshaft and connecting rods are forged steel. Redline is 6100 rpm (well short of BMW’s 7200-rpm song). The standard-output version gets by with cast-aluminum pistons and an agriculturalgrade 5800-rpm limiter.

The Hurricane comes in two versions that share 96 parts, but not crankshafts, rods, or pistons.

Stormy Six

Warning: There’s a Hurricane coming. While new electric vehicles grab headlines, Stellantis is conﬁdent there’s a place for engines that suck, squeeze, Stellantis’s new turbo bang, and blow. Its latest inline-six defies the i nt e r n a l - c o m b u s t i o n electrified barometer. offering is the Hurricane, a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six that can slot into various engine bays across Stellantis brands. The 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer L will offer a high-output version with 510 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque (buyers can swap out the 2022’s 471-hp 6.4-liter V-8 for the Hurricane for $2000). A slightly less stormy variant, with 420 horses and 468 poundfeet, will plug into the 2023 Wagoneer and Wagoneer L. Stellantis says the Hurricane will ﬁt in place of any of its longitudinally mounted V-6s or V-8s, so expect it to replace the aged 5.7- and 6.4-liter V-8s in other Jeep and Ram products. Stellantis is just the latest manufacturer to move to a high-performance inline-six. Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar Land Rover, and BMW also have straight-sixes, with BMW’s 503hp S58 3.0-liter leading the horsepower charge . . . until now.

Instead of having one big turbocharger, the Hurricane uses two smaller turbos, each fed by three cylinders to minimize lag. In the high-output engine, the turbos pressurize the intake manifold up to 26.0 psi. The turbos are smaller in the standardoutput engine, where they can deliver 22.4 pounds of boost. An electric pump circulates coolant after shutdown.

STAY COOL Each Hurricane variant has its own water-to-air intercooler. The highoutput engine’s is larger and features dual inlets.

WINDS OF CHANGE PENTASTAR 3.6-LITER

220 235

power range, hp

305 271

HEMI 5.7-LITER

torque range, lb-ft 363 394

HEMI 6.4-LITER

410 429

HURRICANE 3.0-LITER 150

395 410 485 475

420 468 200

250

300

350

400

450

510 500 500

550

J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

FI N IS H I N G S CH O O L By Elana Scherr

Know Shows

Don’t be the schmuck who spoils the fun.

Hey, you over there,

can you stop revving your engine? We’re trying to suggest an LS swap to this lady, and you’re drowning us out. She doesn’t seem into it, but maybe she just can’t hear us. Car-show season is in full swing, and it’s time for a refresher on how to behave. Some things are a matter of taste: Hood open? Hood closed? That’s between you and your can of engine degreaser. But loudmouths, bad parkers, and the guy whose burnout gets the whole show banned—don’t be that person. Also, those cryingbaby dolls? So creepy. Look, we’re not the car-show police, but if you want to be invited back, here are a few things to keep in mind as you back in next to a Lamborghini Countach and a primered Pinto wagon. 1. Don’t like a car? Fine, but keep it to yourself until you’re out of earshot. 2. Hands off and butts off. Don’t touch anyone’s car without asking. 3. It ain’t a table. Keep your Thermos off the wing. 4. Um, your dog is peeing on my tire. 5. We love V-8s, but no, we don’t want to hear it at redline for 10 minutes. 6. Smokers are jokers, especially the ones who burn rubber near others. 7. Your Dua Lipa mix at full blast doesn’t sound as good as you think layered over the Beach Boys coming from that ‘57 Chevy. 8. Those creepy dolls! They don’t have faces! Why don’t they have faces?! 9. Stay home, snobs. You already have the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. 10. Skateboarding is not a crime, but if that board dents my Pacer . . . 11. Once more, in case you couldn’t hear over the revving and burnouts: No touching.

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but vehicles of this caliber rarely change hands in public. Frankly, the idea of the unwashed masses slobbering over such a singular machine at Pebble or Amelia fills me with revulsion. So I sold it to my friend Dave. The transaction price remains undisclosed, but it was a sum characterized by Dave’s wife as “way too much” and by mine as “Didn’t you spend more than that?” Dave lives in Massachusetts, and he planned to fly to North Carolina and drive home. So the week ahead of the sale, I fixed things I’d want to fix before attempting an 800mile drive in a 1993 Ford Bronco with the wrong engine. Annoyingly, most of it was easy and made me mad that I didn’t do it on my own behalf. The leaky transmission drain plug just needed tightening. Replacing the tailgate window motor was more involved, but not the finger-removing ordeal I’d built it up to be. Completion of that job allowed me to reinstall the hard top and have a lockable, (reasonably) dry interior.

Dave drove it 13 hours home without incident, unless you count long-term hearing damage in the “7.3 Power Stroke at 2500 rpm” frequency range. He then immediately started fixing other stuff I’d ignored. This caused serious mixed emotions—it’s like hearing about an ex who’s doing better than ever now that you’re gone. Dave got the windshield washers going. He eliminated the squeak from the clutch pedal (which involved removing all the pedals, plus the steering column). He fixed the fuel gauge, which required cutting a hole in the floor to pull the sending unit out of the tank. Yeah, I was never going to do that. You see, my conflicting desire to drive something extremely unique but also totally reliable torments me. So I tend to satisfy the former requirement and then just pretend I’ve met the latter by ignoring the inevitable cascading failures. It’s a tough way to live. But as much as these convoluted repairs reduce my Bronco nostalgia, I still miss it and occasionally question the anti-materialistic urge that prompted me to banish it. My old Ram is fun, but for warmweather ice-cream trips, it pales in comparison to an open-top Bronco. Most things do. Fortunately, through a bizarre chain of events, I can now satisfy my Bronco cravings by borrowing the keys to a 2022 Bronco Black Diamond four-door. It has black steel wheels, 32-inch tires, and, best of all, a manual transmission. It’s my sister-in-law’s, and she fell into ownership by accident. Literally. Scene: Her daughter is home from college. She asks to take the family’s new Bronco Sport Big Bend to the store. Ten minutes later, she calls to say the Big Bend now has a big bend where it got broadsided by a Buick. Luckily, she’s okay, but their household is down a Bronco. Just like mine. Because used-car prices are bananas, insurance paid $6000 over MSRP for the destroyed Bronco Sport. This, I immediately pointed out, pushed the payout into actual-Bronco territory. And one of our local dealers is honorable enough to sell those at sticker. It took a few months, but eventually the Big Bend’s spot in the driveway was filled (and then some) by the Black Diamond. I like the Bronco Sport, but as my brother-in-law observed, “That thing next to a real Bronco looks like Danny DeVito next to Arnold Schwarzenegger in Twins.” So, as I once gave manual-transmission driving lessons in my Eddie Bauer, now I am again in the Black Diamond—this time to my nephew, so he can drive it. I should be jealous, but I’m just happy to have a rig like this around again. Old or new, Broncos might be a little bit like boats: The best kind is the one your friend owns. And now I have two of those.

I LLUST RATIO N BY D ERE K BACON ~ JUN E 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

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here was a time when “chip shortage”

meant the party was running low on Doritos. These days we know it’s part of a global disruption in manufacturing and shipping. The dearth of new vehicles at dealerships has led to a spike in used-car prices. More people holding on to older cars longer means more repair work for mechanic shops. Busy shops mean nobody can paint my 1970 Nova. My husband and I recently sat down to make a list of our projects and what they needed. The Challenger’s tires are mysteriously down to the cords. The Plymouth wagon needs pretty much everything, starting with the eviction of whatever rodent has taken up residence under the dash (I think it’s a capybara—it’s huge!). With all the to-dos in front of us, we did what any reasonable car owner would and bought a Nova SS that was in pieces. There’s nothing better for forgetting your problems than getting a new one. When it came time to paint the Nova, nobody would. “We’re only doing insurance work,” said one shop. “Sure,

we can do it,” said another, “in August.” It took eight tries to find a place that would take it on before summer. And it isn’t just body shops that have waiting lists. Tires, camshafts, intakes, paint—everything is on back order, and that’s affecting everyone from hobby builders to top-end restoration experts. Robert Huber runs Vintage Lambo LLC, a oneman shop that works on rare Italian cars. Whether he’s reviving old Fiats or modernizing Espadas, Huber enjoys a challenge. As you might imagine, there’s a lot of one-off parts ordering when you’re turbocharging an ’85 Jalpa, but these days Huber orders in bulk. “I just ordered five sets of pistons. I only need one, but it’s at least 12 weeks, and by then I’ll need another set.” Machine shops cut back during the first year of the pandemic and were trying to catch up with big orders by the second, he says. “They’re running six days a week, and now they’re wearing out machines and tooling. And that’s on back order from their suppliers.” Bruce Canepa builds a lot more cars than Huber. His 70,000-square-foot facility near Monterey, California, turns out many of the collector machines you see at Monterey Car Week. His scale may be bigger, but his problems are the same. “With our Porsche 959 builds, we used to try to keep parts enough for three on the shelf. Now we order 10 and hope three arrive in time.” While some supply issues are due to shortages—paint toner is suffering from a global mining issue that affects the minerals needed— many delays are in transport. “Stuff is just sitting. ‘Overnight’ shipping is now a week, and the cost is 10 times what it was.” Meanwhile, more customers are into collector cars. “We’re busier than ever. I could use another 20 people, but even people are in short supply. I don’t just need a Porsche mechanic, I need one who knows how to rebuild a distributor.” It seems all the distributor experts are down south at Jay Leno’s garage, which builds mostly very old cars and therefore should be immune to shortages of new parts. “We aren’t dealing with chip shortages, but getting things made takes longer,” says chief fabricator Jim Hall (not Chaparral’s Jim Hall). To re-create parts a century past warranty, the garage uses 3-D-printing services. Before, a modeler might squeeze in a quirky one-off gear design on their lunch break, but now engineers have been laid off, people are working remotely, and Hall’s team is waiting in line behind much bigger orders. Estimates for seeing recovery in the OEM sector range from late 2022 to mid-2023, which means that back-ordered intake manifold might be awhile, folks. If you’re stuck on a project car, I suggest you follow my lead and buy another. Surely something is in stock. I LLUST RATI ON BY D I LE K BAYK A RA ~ JUN E 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIVER

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REDLET TER D AY A new Z shows there are signs of life at Nissan.

By Dan Edmunds Photography by Greg Pajo

J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

or a car named after the last letter of the alphabet, the Z-car got off to an incredibly

strong start. An instant hit when it landed on our shores in 1970, the first-generation Datsun 240Z wore a graceful long hood, a sloping fastback roofline, a squared-off Kamm tail, and a powerful overhead-cam inline-six engine driving the rear wheels. A starting price of just $3526, about $26,000 in today’s money, led to an amazing rookie year. Eventually, the 240Z became the 260Z and then the 280Z, and Datsun became Nissan. But the car’s 53-year history has been a bit of a roller coaster. Strong sales, accolades, and racing success met rising prices, a shrinking sports-car market, and eight model years of no Z at all. With the new 2023 Z, Nissan hopes to bring back the thrills. It starts with the name itself. Until now, the adjacent number has always represented the engine’s metric displacement in three-digit shorthand. The 2023 Z is powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6, and past convention demands it be called a 300Z or 300ZX. A marketing meeting likely deemed that a number lower than the last 370Z could be considered a step backward. But the engine displacement doesn’t define Nissan’s sports car; it’s the Z-ness of the thing. On that front, the new Z is on point. It adheres to the classic formula that all predecessors have

shared: two doors, rear-wheel drive, and a primo six-cylinder engine. It also maintains the nod toward affordable performance that the 350Z and 370Z reestablished. This Z comes in just two grades: a Sport priced at $41,015 and the Performance going for $51,015. There is also a special-paint-and-trim launch edition called the Proto for $54,015, but it’s capped at 240 units. Those prices remain unchanged whether you choose the six-speed manual or the nine-speed automatic, and there are no options apart from exterior paint and interior color schemes. Looking at the car in person under a blue sky, we can easily see that the designers nailed J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

Sport versions come with gray cloth seats. Moving up to the Performance trim brings fake suede seats with contrasting red or blue leather (that’s red above for the colorblind). The limited-edition Proto gets yellow accents. Mercifully, all Zs come with black seatbelts.

it, even though the new Z shares its basic platform with the 370Z to the point that they have a common 100.4-inch wheelbase, 72.6-inch width, and 51.8-inch height. The sloping rear rooﬂine is much the same, but it’s now framed by more subtly muscled rear haunches. The melted-blob look of the 350/370 tail end is history, replaced by a sharp vertical rear cutoff that is much more evocative of the original Z’s tail, with horizontally slotted LED taillights that echo the stunning ’90s-era 300ZX. The new Z is 4.9 inches longer than before, and all of the added length is in the nose. This was a necessity, as the twin-turbo V-6 requires a veritable club sandwich of heat exchangers, with an air-to-liquid intercooler and transmission and oil coolers joining the usual radiator and AC condenser. This hardly fazed the designers, because it allowed them to stretch out the hood and resculpt the nose in homage to the 240Z. It also results in a large squared-off grille below the hood’s leading edge, a feature that appears less prominent when you’re standing next to it than from the ground-level perspective of most photographs.

Packaging the VR30DDTT engine is worth the effort. It’s the same V-6 that powers the Inﬁniti Q50 and Q60 Red Sport, and its 400 horsepower at 6400 rpm and 350 pound-feet of torque at 1600 rpm eclipse ye olde naturally aspirated 370Z by some 68 horsepower and 80 pound-feet. At about 3500 pounds, the Sport is roughly 150 pounds heavier than a base version of its predecessor, mostly because of the new engine. But the twin-turbo six successfully hides the extra mass, as each horsepower now has roughly nine pounds to move, compared with 10 pounds per pony in the 370Z. Run hard on a circuit, the Z felt properly quick and eager. Turbo lag never once reared its head, to the point where the engine managed a credible impersonation of natural aspiration. It’s no wonder. Integrated exhaust manifolds package the turbochargers tight up against the ﬂanks of the block, and the turbos feature built-in speed sensors linked to the wastegate control to keep impeller speeds near their maximum. There’s also a recirculation circuit that helps maintain turbo speed when you lift off the throttle on corner entry. A reworked six-speed manual now features available no-lift-shift launch control on the Performance version, and in all cases its shift action is notably less notchy,

the numbers Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door hatchback Base ................................................ $41,015 Engine: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection Displacement ......................... 183 in3, 2997 cm3 Power ................................... 400 hp @ 6400 rpm Torque ................................ 350 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm Transmission: 6-speed manual, 9-speed automatic Dimensions • Wheelbase ............................................... 100.4 in • L/W/H ..................................... 172.4/72.6/51.8 in • Curb Weight ................................. 3500–3600 lb Performance (C/D est) • 60 mph ............................................... 4.2–4.4 sec • 100 mph ........................................... 10.1–10.4 sec • 1/4-Mile ........................................... 13.0–13.3 sec • Top Speed ............................................... 155 mph EPA Fuel Economy • Comb/City/Hwy ......... 20–22/18–19/24–28 mpg

a result of re-proﬁled detents, with considerably smoother clutch engagement thanks to a new externally mounted clutch-activation cylinder. As for the nine-speed automatic, its chunky shift paddles are part of an incredibly simple arming procedure for its new launch control: Hold the brake pedal, pull back on both paddles, ﬂoor the accelerator, release the brakes, and hang on. In either case, Performance models more effectively direct the resulting ruckus to the pavement through a new clutchtype limited-slip differential that replaces the outgoing viscous unit. The body structure has more torsional rigidity, but the suspension pickup points are unchanged. That said, Nissan selectively and surgically retuned the Z’s chassis from a 370Z baseline. The front caster angle increases via a new upper control arm, and an electrically assisted steering rack replaces the former hydraulic unit. The 370Z’s twintube dampers swap for more precise monotube units that develop damping force far more quickly. The Sport gets a square 245/45R-18 tire setup, while the Performance has a 255/40R-19 front and 275/35R-19 rear stagger. This all adds up to a Z-car that grips tenaciously on the track, with approachable limits that are easy to kiss and correct. There’s a bit of understeer if you charge a corner

too hard, but the nose tucks in obediently if you breathe off the throttle. It’s also far more livable day in and day out. The ride has shaken off its previous flintiness, and coarse road noise is no longer an ever-present nuisance. The steering builds up well and communicates on the track but hardly does the same when aimed straight. Our Sonata N Line long-termer has better on-center definition when highway cruising. Inside the Z’s cabin, dimensions are virtually identical to the 370Z, which is no bad thing. The steering wheel now telescopes to improve your chances of finding a good driving position. The infotainment system benefits from volume and tuning knobs and wireless phone mirroring, but the climate-control temperature dials are saddled with tiny numerals that are difficult to make out. The star player has to be the configurable gauge cluster, particularly in Sport mode, which conjures a large analog-looking tachometer front and center, oriented racing-style so the redline is at the top. Progressive multicolored shift lights sit just under the lip of the instrument binnacle, and they converge toward the middle as you approach the 6800rpm redline. It’s equally fabulous with the manual gearbox or with the automatic in manual mode, but you can shut them down if you prefer darkness. It’s easy to like the new Z, but it’s too early to say we’ve completely fallen for it. It certainly seems worthy of love: Its 400-hp V-6 has our undivided attention, and it’s a more refined and livable daily driver than the 370Z. But accolades don’t always translate into sales success, and vicious competition means we won’t know if it’s true love until we compare the Z to its enemies. J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

All-new with military know-how

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”

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LNA has another beneﬁt—it acts as a one-way magnesium case. That’s the key to stealth. V1 Gen2 is practically undetectable. 쏋

Much longer range, yet fewer false alarms. 쏋 All-new and patented circuitry, powered. 쏋 LNA technology on all bands. 쏋 Laser detection on all V1 Gen2s. 쏋 Built-in Bluetooth® smartphone connection. 쏋 All-new high-contrast display. 쏋 V1’s legendary Radar Locator and Bogey Counter, back by popular demand.

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New, and patented, : Detecting more radars adds exponentially to data ﬂow. jumps the processing rate more than a hundred times, enabling V1 Gen2 to quickly sort speed-trap radar signals from today’s glut of lane-change and crash-prevention radars. Range superiority LNA’s faint-signal acquisition feeding the high-rate analysis of adds up to a breakthrough in radar early warning. The range increase on Ka band is especially dramatic. Our new K-Veriﬁer weeds out unwanted K alerts. Future upgrades via smartphone V1 Gen2 has a built-in Bluetooth connection for iPhone® and AndroidTM devices. Our app is free, and future upgrades are easy via smartphone.

www.valentine1.com 1-800-331-3030 Valentine One Generation 2 is a trademark of Valentine Research, Inc. | SAVVY is a registered trademark of Valentine Research, Inc. iPhone is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. | Android is a trademark of Google, Inc. | Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc.

OCTOBER 19-22, 2022 NY AND CT

Join us for our third annual autumnal tour through Upstate New York, celebrating Road & Track’s Performance Car of the Year finalists. + Navigate the Northeast with Road & Track editors, in a sequence of curated routes through Hudson Valley, Saratoga Springs, and the Catskill Mountains. + Compete for the third annual Hudson Honors Awards by autocrossing at historic Lime Rock Park + Experience hot laps in 2023 Performance Car of the Year finalists with special guest drivers. + Meet our editors and bond with dozens of fellow car enthusiasts over the course of four fun-filled days. + Enjoy extraordinary excursions including pit stops at Troutbeck, The Adelphi Hotel, Callicoon Hills, and more!

APPLY TODAY AT EXPERIENCES.ROADANDTRACK.COM OR SCAN HERE

Nice

F —i n g

J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DR IV ER

Trucks

IF YOU WANT TO INVEST IN THE NEXT BIG T H I N G , H ER E A R E FO U R N F Ts T H AT A R E GUARANTEED TO HAVE YOU LIVING L ARGE . BY EZRA DYER PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARC URBANO

IF YOU ’VE NEVER HEARD OF AN NF T, ALLOW U S TO EN LI G H T EN YO U . T H E T ER M S TA N DS FO R NON-FUNGIBLE TOKEN, AND IT’S A MEANS OF CO M M O D I F Y I N G D I G ITA L P R O P ER T Y. Instead of buying, say, a Michael Jordan baseball card, you could buy a digital image of a Michael Jordan baseball card, or of a Princess Beanie Baby, or perhaps of your favorite Dutch tulip, and it would be all yours. Maybe you’d buy Twitter founder Jack Dorsey’s first tweet for $2.9 million, or pick up a drawing of a cartoon ape for $2.3 million, or spend $69 million for a digital mosaic from an artist named Beeple. These are not hypothetical examples, in case you’re wondering. Rich people are evidently running out of things to spend money on. Luckily for them, we have some suggestions. Since we’re always on the bleeding edge of hot trends in crypto or blockchain or the metaverse, we figured we’d create a new category of NFT: the Nice F—ing Truck. Like a seven-figure Bored Ape, these body-on-frame behemoths embody a certain brand of conspicuous consumption. But unlike an NFT of LeBron dunking (which sold for a mere $208,000), a big luxury SUV actually, you know, does stuff. You can drive it around and go places. You can tow heavy trailers. Maybe it’ll give you a massage while you’re towing a heavy trailer. Try getting a Beeple to do that. You don’t even need the blockchain to prove ownership. Lance down in the finance office will get you

all set up with that—just let him know you already agreed to the undercoating. To qualify as an NFT, we submit that a vehicle needs three rows of seating, four driven wheels, body-on-frame construction, and the kind of badge that says “I’ll sponsor you at the country club if you don’t tell the town that my guesthouse violates the setbacks.” From Cadillac, we have the Escalade, redesigned last year and armed with air springs and GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driverassistance system. After a 31-year hiatus, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer is back for 2022 in all its V-8-powered glory. Lexus also has a fresh model for 2022, the LX600, the upmarket counterpart to the Toyota Land Cruiser that U.S. dealerships no longer get. And Lincoln’s refreshed Navigator is as plush as ever, now featuring a version of Ford’s hands-free cruise control dubbed ActiveGlide. But which of these NFTs best justiﬁes a withdrawal of your hard-earned dogecoin? We rounded up all four and headed to Kentucky horse country, where we logged hundreds of miles, won $8 on a gelding named Baby Yoda, and minted some conclusions. But if this doesn’t help you make a decision, feel free to buy more than one. Hey, it’s only money. J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

2022 Cadillac Escalade 2022 Jeep Grand Sport Platinum 4WD Wagoneer Series II Obsidian

2022 Lexus LX600 F Sport

2022 Lincoln Navigator Black Label 4x4

$105,490/$113,120

$102,345/$107,585

$106,285/$107,605

120.9 in 211.9/81.1/76.7 in 68.4/68.1 in

123.0 in 214.7/83.6/75.6 in 68.5/68.3 in

112.2 in 202.2/78.4/74.6 in 66.0/66.0 in

122.5 in 210.0/79.9/76.3 in 67.6/67.2 in

71/61/45 ft 3 121/73/26 ft 3

65/65/50 ft3 94/71/27 ft3

55/49/35 ft 3 71/46/11 ft 3

69/62/47 ft 3 103/58/19 ft 3

9850 lb 9850 lb

8000 lb 8000 lb

8300 lb 6200 lb

pushrod 16-valve V-8 391 in3 (6410 cm3)

twin-turbocharged DOHC 24-valve V-6 213 in3 (3492 cm3) 440 @ 5850 510 @ 3000 6000/6000 rpm 13.8

Base/As Tested $107,290/$114,865 Dimensions Wheelbase Length/Width/Height Track, F/R Passenger Volume, F/M/R Cargo Volume, F/M/R

Towing Max 8000 lb As Tested 7500 lb Powertrain Engine pushrod 16-valve V-8 376 in3 (6162 cm3)

Power, hp @ rpm Torque, lb-ft @ rpm Redline/Fuel Cutoff lb per hp Driveline Transmission Driven Wheels Final-Drive Ratio:1 Low-Range Ratio:1

420 @ 5600 460 @ 4100 5700/5900 rpm 14.5

471 @ 6000 455 @ 4400 6400/6400 rpm 13.5

twin-turbocharged DOHC 24-valve V-6 210 in3 @ (3445 cm3) 409 @ 5200 479 @ 2000 5800/6200 rpm 14.5

10-speed automatic rear/all 3.23 —

8-speed automatic four 3.91 2.64

10-speed automatic four 3.31 2.62

10-speed automatic rear/all 3.73 —

F: control arms, air springs, anti-roll bar R: multilink, air springs, anti-roll bar F: 14.9-in vented disc R: 14.8-in disc traction off

F: control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar R: multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar F: 13.8-in vented disc R: 13.2-in vented disc traction off

Goodyear Eagle Touring 285/45R-22 115H M+S

F: control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar R: live axle, coil springs, anti-roll bar F: 13.9-in vented disc R: 13.2-in vented disc partially defeatable, traction off Dunlop Grandtrek PT5A 265/50R-22 112V M+S

1.8 sec 5.4 sec 13.9 sec — 13.9 sec @ 100 Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec. 5.9 sec 3.2 sec 3.8 sec 119 mph (gov ltd)

1.9 sec 5.9 sec 15.3 sec 24.3 sec 14.3 sec @ 97 Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec. 6.7 sec 3.3 sec 4.4 sec 135 mph (C/D est)

1.8 sec 5.3 sec 13.9 sec 21.9 sec 13.9 sec @ 100 Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec. 6.0 sec 3.2 sec 4.0 sec 124 mph (gov ltd)

202 ft 0.69 g

180 ft 0.75 g

185 ft 0.75 g

6348 lb 51.3/48.7%

5938 lb 52.0/48.0%

6078 lb 49.2/50.8%

26.5 gal/91 15/13/18 mpg 14 mpg

21.1 gal/91 19/17/22 mpg 17 mpg

23.0 gal/93 18/16/22 mpg 16 mpg

40/18/7 118.0 in 91.0 x 51.5 in

30/16/3 136.0 in 79.7 x 41.4 in

39/21/4 146.0 in 86.8 x 51.5 in

40/74 dBA 66 dBA

37/73 dBA 68 dBA

42/72 dBA 67 dBA

Chassis Suspension F: control arms, air springs, anti-roll bar R: multilink, air springs, anti-roll bar Brakes F: 13.5-in vented disc R: 13.6-in vented disc Stability Control partially defeatable, traction off Tires Bridgestone Alenza A/S 02 275/50R-22 111H M+S TPC TEST RESULTS Acceleration 30 mph 60 mph 100 mph 120 mph 1/4-Mile @ mph

Rolling Start, 5–60 mph Top Gear, 30–50 mph Top Gear, 50–70 mph Top Speed

2.0 sec 6.0 sec 15.6 sec 25.3 sec 14.5 sec @ 91 Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec. 6.5 sec 3.3 sec 4.2 sec 125 mph (gov ltd)

Chassis Braking, 70–0 mph 174 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad 0.67 g Weight Curb 6098 lb Distribution, F/R 50.1/49.9% Fuel Capacity/Octane 24.0 gal/91 EPA Comb/City/Hwy 16/14/19 mpg C/D 750-mi Trip 15 mpg Practical Stowage No. of 9 x 14 x 22-in Boxes behind F/M/R 46/24/6 Length of Pipe 150.0 in Largest Flat Panel, L x W 86.6 x 49.7 in Sound Level Idle/Full Throttle 42/75 dBA 70-mph Cruise 66 dBA

Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season 285/45R-22 114H M+S

TESTED BY DAV I D BE ARD, K.C. COLW EL L, AN D DAVE VAND ER WER P I N CHE LSEA , M I

4th Place: Lexus LX600 Had this shootout taken place entirely off-road, we bet the Lexus would have won. As the upscale offshoot of the Toyota Land Cruiser, the LX600 F Sport has the goods for overlanding excellence: a four-wheel-drive system with low range, a limited-slip rear differential, and a clever display that shows you what’s underneath the vehicle by recording the path ahead and then transposing it to a see-through overhead view. Everyone loves glass-bottom-boat mode. But as the Lexus Land Cruiser, there’s also a lot of standard-issue Toyota on display for a vehicle that costs $107,585 as tested. When you stop for fuel, you pull a flimsy plastic flap to open the filler door and then unscrew an actual gas cap. The running boards are fixed, not power

operated like the others in this test. There’s no handsfree cruise control, no massaging seats, no panoramic roof. Some of our phones wouldn’t ﬁt on the wireless charger unless we removed the case. The rear seat is a bench rather than captain’s chairs, yet the LX600 isn’t an eight-seater—its third row seats only two, and those unfortunates will be staring at their knees and ruing the live rear axle bounding around below. Do you remember how the LX570 had a fun drop-down tailgate you could sit on? They got rid of that. However, there’s still plenty to recommend about the LX600. Everyone loved its front seats, which are somehow both supportive and buttery soft. It returned the highest observed fuel economy (17 mpg), and its ride epitomizes the Lexus glide. It even tied for highest skidpad Lexus LX600 F Sport Plus Good fuel economy (relatively), number—0.75 g, accompanied by supple ride, legit off-road chops. Minus Ahoy-matey body roll, extravagant body roll—and, somedearth of luxe features, tight rear seats. Equals This would what hilariously, highest top speed. make a great Toyota Land Cruiser. It’s the quietest at idle, and under throttle its twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 issues agreeable forced-induction huffs rather than V-6 exhaust blat. In the Lexus cinematic universe, the LX is closer in spirit to the rolling-anesthesia ES350 rather than the more involving LC or IS500, no matter how many F Sport badges it wears. That aloof mien is appropriate for this genre. But Lexus can squeeze only so much luxury into the 112.2-inch wheelbase, which hasn’t changed since the 1991 Land Cruiser. That’s about six inches shorter than the wheelbase of a Hyundai Ioniq 5, to give you some idea of what an outlier the Lexus is in this gargantuan crowd. An F Sport LX600 makes as much sense as a TRD Pro Supra. Yes, we just conflated Toyota and Lexus, but so does the LX600, with its Land Cruiser roots.

J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

The Navigator’s front seats adjust to each individual vertebra in your back (okay, almost), and the illuminated badge on the grille glows like a righteous gemstone.

As one logbook entry put it, “Toyota obviously thinks this will capture the orphan Land Cruiser customers. Some of them, maybe. But there were about 3500 people every year who specifically didn’t want this.” So, hey, we’ve got an idea. Hear us out: LX600, but with a lower price, a smaller grille, and maybe some smaller wheels with all-terrain tires. We don’t know what they’d call such a thing, but we bet we’d like it. 3rd Place: Lincoln Navigator The Navigator was the quickest of our quartet, and everyone agreed it has the most special-feeling interior—when your second-row Lincoln Navigator Black Label 4x4 Plus Opulent interior, seats have a massage function, tastefully gaudy exterior, quickest of the bunch. Minus Shudderyou’re not skimping on the N in NFT. ing structure, flinty ride, ActiveGlide feels half baked. Second-row passengers also get their Equals Does Lincoln proud, but needs a more compelling refresh. own climate controls and buttons to commandeer the shade for the panoramic roof. Lincoln has christened our test truck’s new-for-2022 Grand Wagoneer and its 6.4-liter V-8. The Navigator interior theme Central Park, possibly because it’s large enough for also ties the Lexus for highest skidpad grip, although Rollerblading. Even the third-row seats get power recline. And one editor described its steering as “gooey,” and the the Lincoln’s exterior is the best at announcing that you’ve spent driving experience is definitely the most trucklike. a lot of money and are not ashamed to show it. The Lincoln badge “You feel more body-on-frame jiggles through the in the grille lights up at night, so even in darkness your Black steering wheel here than on any of the others,” read one logbook entry. Another driver opined that the Label will never be mistaken for a Ford Expedition. “flinty ride and creaky structure might benefit from But this isn’t just a chauffeur special built to cater to the biganother semester at Chassis Tuning U.” wigs or junior tyrants in back. The Navigator is fun to drive, in The Lincoln was the only vehicle besides the the manner of a big Bentley—an opulent living room thrown Cadillac to offer hands-free cruise control, which by a trebuchet every time you flatten the accelerator. With its Lincoln calls ActiveGlide. When it works, Activeturbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 cranking out 440 horsepower and a Glide effectively keeps the big Gator centered in its best-in-test 510 pound-feet of torque, this 6078-pound Lincoln lane, but the key qualifier there is “when it works,” flings itself to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds, narrowly outracing the

“LISTEN, GUYS, EVEN THOUGH T R A N SY LVA N I A U N I V ERS I T Y I S H ER E IN LEXINGTON , IT’S NOT THE VAMPIRE T R A N SY LVA N I A LI K E I N T H AT FA M O U S M OV I E , W H AT ’ S I T C A L L E D? H EL P M E O UT. O H , RIGHT: VAN H ELSING! THAN KS . H E Y, TH IS J EEP H ERE HAS 471 YOU-POWER. HA.”

2nd Place: Jeep Grand Wagoneer Speaking of great apes, get a load of this gorilla. The Grand Wagoneer is rolling hyperbole: biggest, heaviest, most powerful, highest tow rating. But also: worst fuel economy, longest stop from 70 mph, most challenging exterior design. We don’t have a number on that last one, but the best anyone could muster on the Grand Wagoneer’s styling is, “You’d probably get used to it.” The Grand Wagoneer looks as if different teams designed its front and rear halves and the one that worked on the back thought they were creating a shipping container until an hour before the project was due. The B- and C-pillars evoke an Atari logo erupting out of the doors, and the D-pillars sweep up at the bottom in homage to Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series II Obsidian Plus Supreme interior . . . the Jeep Compass? Somehow, the space, really quick, tows 9850 pounds. Minus Guzzles fuel, Grand Wagoneer’s slab-sided body some uninspired interior materials, brutalist exterior styling. makes 22-inch wheels look tiny. It’s Equals The beauty is on the inside. Brink’s-truck chic, we’ll give it that. Fortunately for the Jeep, it’s supremely well adapted to the mission of an NFT—shuttling around seven or eight people in utter comfort. Its third row is by far the most habitable, with plenty of legroom, power-reclining seatbacks, and its own skylight. Third-row denizens also get dedicated HVAC vents and USB-A and USB-C outlets. The second row’s 10.1-inch entertainment screens feature Amazon Fire TV. Even the front passenger gets an entertainment screen that’s polarized so the driver can’t peek at The Wheel of Time while you’re rolling. Everybody ought to be happy in this pleasure palace, including the driver. which is best described as intermittently. Assuming you’re on a limited-access highway that’s part of ActiveGlide’s roughly 130,000 miles of available roads, the system might engage for 10 seconds, quit for 10 seconds, and then come back online again. One driver commented, “If ActiveGlide were any more on-again, off-again, they’d call it Bennifer.” But the hardware is there, so we presume that Lincoln will keep improving it, the same way GM has. So, you read that right: The quickest truck with the nicest interior gets third place. It’s tough out there for an NFT. This generation of Navigator debuted in 2018, making it the oldest here, and that might be part of the problem. If you’re going to part with your precious bitcoin, oftentimes the latest ape is the greatest ape.

Even the front passenger gets a screen in the Jeep, which embraces a more-isbetter ethos. The Grand Wagoneer is so big, it makes 22-inch wheels look small.

Thanks to its rear-drive mode, the Escalade can do smoky burnouts (not pictured). Super Cruise is our favorite not-quite-autonomous system.

That part surprised us a bit, given that the Grand Wagoneer doesn’t look like it wants to hustle. Its 471-hp 6.4-liter V-8 might not feel as energetic here as it does in a Dodge Durango SRT 392, but it still hucks this big galoot to 60 mph in just 5.4 seconds. And although nobody’s going to try to slay a twisty Kentucky back road in one of these, we did anyway—for science. And the giant Jeep is sneakily fun to drive. “It’s wallowy, leading you to believe there isn’t much there, but then you lean on it and it takes a set and hangs in there,” read one logbook comment. The big V-8 makes the best noises of the bunch, and despite the long stopping distance Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum 4WD Plus Chassis-tuning at the test track, the brakes offer magic, Super Cruise, exterior style. Minus Not as quick as the excellent bite on the street. And, others, highest price, some cut-rate interior bits. Equals The of course, when you’re clicking off NFT that cares about the driver more than the passengers. highway miles, the Grand Wagoneer is really in its element. Its 66-decibel interior hum at 70 mph tied the Escalade for best in the test. ing features that are either rare or nonexistent in But, impressive as it is, there were enough caveats to keep its competitors: Super Cruise, magnetorheological the Grand Wagoneer out of ﬁrst place. Its 14-mpg observed fuel dampers, augmented-reality navigation, a curved economy gets expensive. Its interior, while artfully designed, OLED dash display, an optional diesel engine that includes a lot of piano-black plastic and rubber. And there’s earns a 27-mpg EPA estimate on the highway. Our test vehicle’s pushrod 6.2-liter V-8 felt incongruently the styling, such a rare misﬁre from Stellantis that it prompted old-school, coexisting as it is with so many harbincomments like “Even the Chrysler 200 looked good.” And hey, gers of the SUV future. But hey, 420 horsepower is we know NFTs don’t always have to be pretty. But it sure helps. 420 horsepower. And when you care to summon those horses, 1st Place: Cadillac Escalade the Escalade reveals itself as the truck you want to NFTs—the digital kind—are all about believing in the future, inasmuch as their value depends upon future humans ascribing drive. The moment you lay hands on the steering desirability to digital ownership of photos or videos or tweets. wheel, you feel a connection between this SUV and The Escalade, too, embodies optimism in technology, offerthe Blackwing sedans. It’s not that the Escalade is

J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

48 48 50 49

10 8 9 9

10 10

255

9 8 7 6

8 7 7 5

54 48 47 46

22 18 19 16

218 211 210 186

18 16 19 20

*These objective scores are calculated from the vehicles’ dimensions, capacities, rebates and extras, and/or test results.

9 8 7 8

10 9 7 7

Experience

GRAND TOTAL

9 9 9 9

SUBTOTAL

10 10

8 7 9 10

RIDE

4 4 3 3

HANDLING

17 20 20 18

BRAKE FEEL

FUN TO DRIVE

94 97 94 75

STEERING FEEL

115

19 19 20 20

PERFORMANCE*

1 1 2 2

Chassis

9 4 8 7

SUBTOTAL

8 8 10 8

TRANSMISSION

ENGINE NVH

8 8 10 9

FUEL ECONOMY*

10 10

6 10 4 2

Powertrain

FIT AND FINISH

FEATURES/AMENITIES*

TOWING CAPACITY* 5

2 5 1 3

FLEXIBILITY*

5 5 3 1

1/4-MILE ACCELERATION*

4 5 4 2

CARGO BOXES*

THIRD-ROW SPACE*

THIRD-ROW COMFORT 5

5 5 4 1

SUBTOTAL

4 5 4 2

AS-TESTED PRICE*

5 5 5 2

9 8 10 8

REBATES/EXTRAS*

9 9 9 8

EXTERIOR STYLING

10 10

1. Cadillac Escalade 2. Jeep Grand Wagoneer 3. Lincoln Navigator 4. Lexus LX600

slower trafﬁc. Better yet, it also moves back over as soon as it has a chance. If only humans would do the same. Yes, you still have to pay attention and keep your eyes on the road, but Super Cruise is good enough to actually reduce driver fatigue during long highway stints. It’s a luxury more valuable than impeccably crafted switchgear. Which is fortunate, because the Escalade doesn’t have that. Noting the mediocre quality of the window switches and shifter, one driver said, “Well, GM gonna GM.” But everything from the console up looks gorgeous—brushed metal, wood, leather, those OLED screens—worthy of the Escalade’s $114,865 price. Which is, as of this writing, about two and a half bitcoins. By the time you read this, it might be one bitcoin. Or 10, or 114,865 of them. That’s the thing about crypto, and non-fungible tokens, and the metaverse—it’s all ﬂuid, and it’s hard to predict what will last. But this Cadillac right here, all 6098 pounds of it, is real as it gets. You want an NFT you can believe in, get a Nice F—ing Truck.

INTERIOR STYLING

Maximum points available

SECOND-ROW SPACE*

SECOND-ROW COMFORT

ERGONOMICS

DRIVER COMFORT

FINAL RESULTS

Vehicle

sporty, exactly—the upcoming Escalade V will take care of that—but it delivers feedback in a way the others don’t. Run over a manhole cover that’s ﬂush with the pavement and you might not feel it through the seat, but you will through the wheel. The brakes are the strongest, the body control impeccable. Thanks to those crafty dampers, the air springs, and independent front and rear suspension, the Escalade’s ride can morph from serene to taut in the moment it takes you to turn in for a corner. And yes, this GM SUV still has an intrusive stability-control system, but it’s unlikely to interfere during street driving. As one tester noted, “This might as well be a Corvette compared with the Navigator. Feels 1000 pounds lighter than the Lincoln.” Another wrote, “The best handling here by a long shot.” And it has Super Cruise, which feels years ahead of any other system, probably because it is. While the Lincoln’s ActiveGlide struggles simply to remain engaged (and the Lexus and Jeep don’t enable hands-free driving at all), the Caddy can automatically pull into the left lane to pass

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SECOND ACT 46

J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIVER

MAZDA’S NEW U.S.-BUILT COMPACT SUV OFFERS MANY OF THE BEST TRAITS OF THE 10BESTWINNING CX-5 WRAPPED IN A NICELY SHAPED WAGON-ESQUE BODY.

By Joey Capparella Photography by Roy Ritchie

In 2021, Mazda sold more CX-5s in the U.S. than all other models combined.

50.6% 49.4%

U.S. CX-5 sales: 168,383 UNITS U.S. Mazda sales (all other models): 164,373 UNITS

M azda has never been short on original ideas. This is the company that is still trying to make the Wankel engine work and that stubbornly insists on selling a tiny two-seat roadster even as most other affordable sports cars have gone the way of Triumph, MG, or, well, pretty much the British car industry. So maybe that’s why it seems unoriginal for Mazda to chase the exact same outdoorsy, rugged image that Jeep, Subaru, and many others have done to death. Marketing images of the new 2023 CX-50 show the SUV plowing through the forest festooned with all manner of off-road and camping accessories. For this model Mazda even came up with a new exterior color called Zircon Sand, which is meant to make adventuresome shoppers think they can conquer the dunes—or at least imagine doing so. If we were to hazard a guess, we’d say Mazda is doing all of this to differentiate the CX-50 from its other compact

SUV, the CX-5. The company asserts that there’s enough room in this popular segment for two similarly sized vehicles, and Mazda won’t be the ﬁrst to double up: Jeep sells the Cherokee and the Compass, and Ford has both the Escape and the Bronco Sport. We decided to ignore the outdoorsy shtick and instead found the CX-50 to have a pleasant on-road driving demeanor, an appealing design, and class-above reﬁnement—all for about the same price as its mainstream competitors. If that sounds like a familiar refrain, it’s because we’ve heaped similar praise upon the CX-5, which has won multiple 10Best awards and is Mazda’s bestseller by far. The CX-50 and CX-5 share powertrains, but there are notable differences in the packaging. The CX-50’s body is 1.4 inches lower, 3.0 inches wider, and 5.7 inches longer (most of that length is from a 4.6-inch wheelbase stretch), giving it station-wagon-esque proportions that are more Subaru Outback than Forester. Although the CX-50’s black plastic cladding and faux vents are a bit overdone, we like its more athletic stance and wide haunches. It all comes together in a design that’s far more modern than that of the current CX-5, which got a facelift for 2022 but still doesn’t look all that different than it did in 2017. Compared with its stablemate, the CX-50 does offer a bit of real capabil-

J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

ity to go with the imagined variety. For one, it has slightly more ground clearance than the CX-5. And Mazda says it beefed up the CX-50’s engine cooling to increase towing capacity: Equipped with the optional turbo engine, the CX-50 can tow up to 3500 pounds, while the CX-5 Turbo maxes out at 2000. Towing and Off-Road drive modes join the Normal and Sport selections and bring different calibrations for the steering, transmission, all-wheel-drive system, and throttle response. An upcoming offroad-themed CX-50 Meridian Edition will offer all-terrain tires, along with a hood graphic, a basket rack, and a few other accessories. Given that its turbocharged 2.5liter inline-four—which makes 256 horsepower on 93-octane fuel and 227 horsepower on 87-octane—and six-speed automatic transmission are shared with upper trims of the CX-5, much of the driving experience is familiar. (We assume the same will apply to the CX-50’s base powertrain, a 187-hp naturally aspirated 2.5liter inline-four.) The turbo engine

Counterpoints As an auto writer, I should hate that Mazda is building another compact crossover, but the CX-50 is just so damned pleasant. Longer, lower, and wider, the CX-50’s design, inside and out, speaks to me more than the CX-5’s. Both enjoy skillful chassis tuning, a gutsy 2.5-liter turbo, and a six-speed automatic rather than a CVT. So I can accept that Mazda ﬁelds a CX-5 and a CX-50. But if it’s considering a CX-500, that had better be a diesel, manual station wagon. —Joe Lorio I usually ﬁnd drive modes annoying because they tend to amplify unpleasantries—stiffer, jumpier, twitchier. But we always check to see whether a mode makes a difference at the track (they rarely do in mainstream vehicles). So I was pleased when Sport mode put a little pep in the CX-50’s step. Activating it shaved 0.2 second from the otherwise lazy amble off the line—even with a brake-torque launch. Now I am left wondering why Mazda didn’t make the Sport tune standard. —K.C. Colwell

provides a strong swell of low-end torque, and the transmission shifts crisply and does a great job of predicting what gear you want. Unlike with most mainstream vehicles, engaging the CX-50’s Sport mode actually does something: The steering ﬁrms up and the throttle

mapping is noticeably snappier, so much so that it improves the CX-50’s acceleration by a few tenths. Saddled with an extra 57 pounds compared with the last CX-5 Signature we tested, our all-wheel-drive CX-50 2.5 Turbo test car got to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds and through the quarter-

The optional Terracotta leather interior with contrasting stitching is more luxe than what you find in some premium brands.

Mazda builds the CX-50 in Alabama in a plant shared with the Toyota Corolla Cross. Each has a separate assembly line, though both share a few paint-color options.

Plus: Refined powertrain, good ride and handling balance, premium looks. Minus: Infotainment quirks, costlier than a CX-5, trying too hard for a rugged image. Equals: Mazda now builds not one but two of the best compact SUVs you can buy. mile in 15.1 seconds at 91 mph. Those numbers are a few ticks behind the CX-5’s but are still strong for the segment. Most SUVs in this class don’t offer upgrade engines at all—only the Bronco Sport and Escape with their optional turbo 2.0-liter four deliver similar acceleration. With predictable handling and sports-car-accurate steering, the CX-50 is a pleasure to hustle through corners. It delivered an impressive 0.87 g on the skidpad and stopped from 70 mph in a good-for-thesegment 161 feet, both improvements over previous CX-5 results. The CX-50’s suspension tune feels a bit softer than the CX-5’s, resulting in

more body roll. But the wider track and lower seating position help offset the additional side-to-side movement, and the ride-quality beneﬁt is noticeable. Quiet, comfortable, and conﬁdent, the CX-50 drives more like a Volvo XC60 than a Toyota RAV4. Our top-trim Premium Plus package– equipped model rang up at $43,170, which is steep by the standards of this class, but not unheard of, as $40,000plus RAV4s and Escapes exist too. Plus, with its attractive brown leather and contrasting stitching, the CX-50’s cabin is considerably nicer to look at and touch than anything else in the mainstream segment.

The infotainment system is similar to what you’ll find in other Mazdas, replete with a quirky menu structure that can make simple tasks, such as tuning the radio, require more steps than you’d expect. A control knob on the center console operates most functions, but there’s touchscreen functionality for when you’re using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. You sit low in the CX-50’s driver’s seat and experience a carlike view over the long hood. Even though it offers slightly less headroom compared with the CX-5, the CX-50 is plenty spacious for four adults, if not quite as cavernous as the Honda CR-V. The cargo floor is 0.7 inch lower than the CX-5’s, and there’s a bit more luggage space behind the rear seats, but we couldn’t fit more than nine carry-on suitcases, same as the CX-5. Soon, the CX-50 will add another identity in the form of a hybrid variant with a Toyota-sourced powertrain that should offer considerably better fuel economy. As it is, the CX-50 Turbo does have an unobtrusive engine start-stop system, which the CX-5 does without. As such, the EPA rates it at 25 mpg combined, 1 mpg better than the CX-5. We averaged 20 mpg overall and hit 28 mpg on our real-world 75-mph highway test. We’ve perhaps buried the lede in waiting until the end to reveal one of the most significant differences between the CX-50 and the CX-5. The real reason why the CX-50 is a big deal for Mazda is because it’s built at the company’s new plant in Huntsville, Alabama, which is a joint venture with Toyota. And Mazda has even suggested that once production ramps up, it may be easier for U.S. buyers to get their hands on a CX-50 than a Japan-made CX-5—an important factor in our supply-chainconstrained times. Whether or not customers can get a good grasp on what sets the CX-50 and the CX-5 apart, we’re sure dealers won’t mind offering not one but two of the most appealing choices in today’s most popular new-vehicle segment. J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

2023 Mazda CX-50 2.5 Turbo AWd Price CX-5

Base $37,625

65.3–66.2 in

$43,170

CX-50

63.5–63.9 in

As Tested

106.2in 179.1 in

110.8in 185.8 in

Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon Options: Premium Plus package (ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, 12-speaker Bose audio, Sirius XM radio, wireless phone charger, navigation, head-up display, front and rear parking sensors, 360-degree view, blind-spot detection, traffic-jam assist), $5150; Zircon Sand Metallic paint, $395 Infotainment: 10.3-inch touchscreen with rotary controller; wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay; satellite radio (3 months included); 4 USB (2 for power only) and Bluetooth inputs; Wi-Fi hotspot (3 months included); Bose stereo, 12 speakers

Engine

Chassis

turbocharged and intercooled Miller-capable inline-4, aluminum block and head Bore x Stroke ..... 3.70 x 3.94 in, 94.0 x 100.0 mm Displacement ............................... 152 in3, 2488 cm3 Compression Ratio ........................................... 10.5:1 Fuel Delivery: direct injection Turbocharger: Garrett GT20 Maximum Boost Pressure ........................ 18.9 psi Valve Gear: double overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder, variable intake-valve timing Redline/Fuel Cutoff ................... 6250/6000 rpm Power ........................................... 256 hp @ 5000 rpm Torque ...................................... 320 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm

unit construction Body Material: steel stampings

Steering rack-and-pinion with variable electric power assist Ratio .......................................................................... 15.1:1 Turns Lock-to-Lock ............................................. 2.9 Turning Circle Curb-to-Curb ................... 36.0 ft

Suspension F: ind; strut located by a control arm; coil springs; anti-roll bar R: ind; trailing arm integral with a transverse member; coil springs

Drivetrain

Brakes

Transmission: 6-speed automatic Final-Drive Ratio .............................................. 3.84:1 All-Wheel-Drive System: full time with an electronically controlled clutch-pack coupling

5 6

MAX SPEED IN GEAR (rpm)

3.49 ......... 6.1 ................ 1.99 .......... 10.8 .............. 1.45 .......... 14.8 .............. 1.00 .......... 21.4 .............. 0.71 .......... 30.2 ............. 0.60 ......... 35.7 .............

Wheels and Tires

37 mph (6000) 65 mph (6000) 89 mph (6000) 128 mph (6000) 142 mph (4700) 142 mph (4000)

Wheels: cast aluminum, 8.0 x 20 in Tires: Goodyear Eagle Touring 245/45R-20 99V M+S

.5 16

CARRY-ON BOXES BEHIND SECOND ROW

.5 15

17.

7.0

60-MPH ACCELERATION, SEC

170

84 0.

16 2

82 0. 86 0.

15 8

Rolling Start, 5–60 mph .................... 7.2 sec Top Gear, 30–50 mph ........................ 3.6 sec Top Gear, 50–70 mph ........................ 5.0 sec Top Speed (mfr’s claim) ................. 142 mph

Weight

.5 14

LE 1/4 RA -M TIO ILE SE N, C

30 mph .................................................... 2.2 sec 40 mph .................................................... 3.5 sec 50 mph .................................................... 4.9 sec 60 mph .................................................. 6.6 sec 70 mph ................................................... 8.8 sec 80 mph ................................................... 11.2 sec 90 mph ................................................... 14.7 sec 1/4-Mile ............................. 15.1 sec @ 91 mph 100 mph ............................................... 18.8 sec 110 mph ................................................ 23.9 sec 120 mph ............................................... 35.5 sec Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.

70–0 mph ................................................. 161 ft Fade: none

Y WA G GH MP HI G, PH VIN -M RI 75 D

You know what’s harder than reading a spider chart? Choosing three competitors in this segment.

AC CE

Acceleration

Braking

BASE, $ x 1000*

6.0

TEST RESULTS

Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ......... 0.87 g Understeer: minimal

COMPETITORS

88 0.

PH FT -M G, –0 IN 70 RAK B

Kia Sorento X-Line EX 281-hp 2.5-L I-4, 8-sp auto Mazda CX-50 2.5 Turbo AWD 256-hp 2.5-L I-4, 6-sp auto Subaru Forester Touring 182-hp 2.5-L flat-4, CVT Toyota RAV4 Adventure AWD 203-hp 2.5-L I-4, 8-speed auto

Wheelbase .................................................................... 110.8 in Length ............................................................................ 185.8 in Width ................................................................................. 75.6 in Height ............................................................................... 63.9 in Front Track ................................................................... 64.9 in Rear Track ..................................................................... 65.0 in Passenger Volume, F/R ...................................... 52/46 ft3 Cargo Volume behind F/R ................................. 56/31 ft3 Approach Angle ............................................................. 18.0 0 Break-Over Angle ......................................................... 18.4 0 Departure Angle .......................................................... 25.0 0 Ground Clearance ....................................................... 8.6 in

Handling

3 4

......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .........

MPH PER 1000 RPM

R 3 OA PA 00- DH D, FT OL G SK DIN ID G, -

1 2

RATIO

GEAR

F: 12.8 x 1.0-in vented disc, 1-piston sliding caliper R: 12.8 x 0.4-in disc, 1-piston sliding caliper Stability Control: traction off

Dimensions

Curb ......................................................... 3866 lb Per Horsepower .................................... 15.1 lb Distribution, F/R ........................... 58.9/41.1% Towing Capacity ................................. 3500 lb

Fuel Capacity ................................................ 15.8 gal Octane ............................................................ 93

C/D Fuel Economy Observed .............................................. 20 mpg 75-mph Hwy Driving ........................ 28 mpg Range ...................................................... 440 mi

EPA Fuel Economy Comb/City/Hwy ...................... 25/23/29 mpg

Interior Sound Level Idle ............................................................ 37 dBA Full Throttle ......................................... 80 dBA 70-mph Cruising ................................. 69 dBA

CURB WEIGHT, LB

TESTED BY K .C. COLWE L L I N CH EL SE A, M I

IS THIS REALLY THE LAST GAS(P)? There is no doubt that we are in the beginning/middle/end (you pick) of an automotive era. We have seen your letters complaining about too much electric-car coverage—they’re in an overﬂowing postal bin marked “Angry Letters to Santa.” We get it. Unfortunately, many of the new vehicles being introduced are electric or electriﬁed. But, most isn’t everything, nor does it mean the next time you head to a dealership you’ll have to buy a vehicle with some variation of the following words: “Eco i Lightning tron ID Prime Dream.” There are still some great gas-burning machines coming to showrooms soon, and we’ve carefully selected 12 that we think are worth the wait. After you buy one of these models, consider keeping it for the long run because vehicles of this ilk will become increasingly rare in the coming decades.

Acura’s Blast from the Past With interest in ’80s and ’90s cars rising fast, the 2023 Acura Integra brings back a famous name in hopes of winning over a new generation. cura pulls a page from Hollywood’s playbook and reboots an old classic. The 2023 Integra marks the nameplate’s return to the lineup after more than 20 years. Though the reborn Integra looks more like the ILX sedan it informally replaces than a modern take on its namesake, the new entry-level Acura cribs its ethos from the three generations of Integras before it. Like its predecessors, the new Integra shares its underpinnings with the Honda Civic in a bid to meld the Civic’s engaging dynamics with the feature content of a more upscale vehicle. Motivating the Integra is the Civic Si’s 200-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four. Whereas the

J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DR IV ER

2024

GMA T.33

E N G IN E P H OTO G RAP H BY G R EG PA J O

The new Integra is mechanically similar to the Honda Civic Si and, unlike the previously imported Integras, Acura builds this one in Ohio.

Honda is a stick-shift-only affair, the Acura offers the choice of either a six-speed manual (with limited-slip diff) or a continuously variable automatic. The Integra starts at $31,895, but the stick is only available in conjunction with the A-Spec and Technology packages, so the one you’ll really want costs $36,895. Acura attempts to draw an even deeper line in the sand between the identically powered Integra and Civic Si by ditching the Honda’s trunk for a more functional and versatile hatchback. Although prior Integras were available with two doors, the new car comes strictly as a four-door—a nod to the first-generation Integra, which also offered a four-door hatch. Acura reportedly plans to add to the Integra line, too, with a hotter Type S trim due to debut in the coming months. Look for the Integra Type S to build upon the performance of the Civic Type R and its turbocharged 2.0-liter four with more than 300 horsepower. Expect that engine to send its output to the front wheels of the Integra Type S by way of a six-speed manual transmission or possibly an optional dual-clutch automatic transmission. Don’t rule out electrification, either. Honda may opt to further differentiate the Integra Type S from the Civic Type R by fitting the Acura with all-wheel drive courtesy of a rear-mounted electric motor (and associated battery pack) to complement the forced-induction four-cylinder driving the front wheels.

The second model from Gordon Murray’s eponymous car company (that’s the GM in GMA), the GMA T.33 is a follow-up to the T.50 supercar, and it looks slightly anticlimactic. The T.33 trades the T.50’s central driving position for a conventional one and ditches the T.50’s fan-powered suction to generate downforce. By any other standard, though, the T.33 marks a radical departure from other modern supercars. The powertrain, for instance, combines a naturally aspirated V-12 and a manual gearbox. The V-12 is the same Cosworth-built unit as in the T.50, although retuned to improve drivability. Gear-driven camshafts allow the 4.0-liter engine to rev to 11,100 rpm and make 607 horsepower. Peak torque is a more modest 332 pound-feet, delivered at 9000 rpm, although 75 percent is available from 2500 rpm. A paddle-shifted six-speed sequential manual transmission will be optional, but Murray confirms the vast majority of buyers have ordered the do-it-yourself six-speed stick. Although lacking fan-assisted aero, the T.33 does use passive suction from a low-pressure area behind the car to boost the efficiency of an active underbody diffuser with a movable flap. This obviates the need for a large rear wing and also contributes to low drag and improved fuel economy. Barely larger than a Porsche Cayman, the car will weigh just 2400 pounds, Murray claims. Unlike the T.50, the T.33 will be homologated for U.S. sale, at a price of $1.9 million. But if you haven’t already ordered one, you‘re too late. All 100 cars sold out within a week of the official announcement.

BMW M2 As the M4 has grown bigger, brawnier, and all ate up with grille, the fun-size M2 took the spot of favorite M car around the C/D office. The last generation of the little coupe exemplified the virtues that made BMW’s performance division famous: inline-six power, rear-wheel drive, a manual gearbox, and a nearly affordable price tag. The upcoming G42 version looks set to carry on those important traditions. The relationship with the regular 2-series coupe will remain close, and the M2 will share a fair percentage of its componentry with the existing M240i that sits below it in the range. The new M2 will have more power: We’re expecting its twin-turbo 3.0-liter six to at least match the 444 horsepower of the previous M2 CS. Based on conversations with BMW executives, the new M2 should launch with rear-wheel drive, with an xDrive version following later, as in the M3 and M4. Expect the junior M car to feature BMW’s drift analyzer, a bit of software that, like a figure-skating judge, scores your ability to do accidentfree spins. This feature probably helps the company’s dealers sell significant amounts of replacement tires and bodywork services. The close mechanical ties between the 2-series coupe and the larger 3-series and 4-series also mean the M2 will likely continue to offer a six-speed manual transmission, at least in some markets. An eight-speed automatic is a sure bet. Our fingers are crossed that we get the stick, as BMW has already said none of its manual gearboxes have a long-term future. Or even a medium-term future. The M2 could be the last of the line. Pricing will start below the base $71,095 M3 and $72,995 M4, but we expect the M2 Competition will easily find its way beyond the $60,000 threshold.

PH OTO IL LU ST RAT ION BY B EN S U MME R E L L-YOUD E / FOX SYN DI CAT IO N

2023 Honda Civic Type R WHAT IT IS: The most power-

ful and driver-focused version of the 11th-generation Civic. WHAT POWERS IT: The prior Civic Type R’s turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four returns for duty. That said, expect

Honda to increase output beyond the outgoing Type R’s 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Despite the extra ponies, this hottest Civic ought to remain a frontdriver. A six-speed manual transmission is a given—however, we hear rumors that Honda may offer an auto-

JUN E 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIVER

Riding Hard into the Sunset There might be an electric Mustang now, but that doesn’t mean Ford will phone in the 2024 Mustang. he glory days of brightly colored Plum Crazy Challengers, Burnt Orange Camaros, and Grabber Green Mustangs burning down Detroit’s Woodward Avenue are unfortunately numbered. But they’re not done yet. While the Chevrolet and Dodge camps are showing signs of slowing down, there’s a rumble reverberating from Dearborn in the form of a redesigned 2024 Mustang. The 60th-anniversary Stang debuts next year, possibly on April 17, the day the original Mustang bowed at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Judging by the camouﬂaged mules we’ve seen roaming the streets of southeast Michigan, we don’t expect the exterior design to stray far from its current look. However, the interior will undergo a major makeover with a digital instrument cluster that wraps into a driver-focused infotainment touchscreen with added buttons for basic functions. It’s no secret that the Camaro’s Alpha platform outhandles the Mustang’s current S550 chassis. Ford hopes to correct that with the seventh-generation car, dubbed the S650. Under the hood, expect the turbocharged 2.3-liter inlinefour to produce around 320 horsepower, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see a hybrid variant join the herd. If a hybrid keeps the 450-plus-hp V-8s coming, we’re more than happy. If the hair-raising 760-hp supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 from the GT500 survives, we’ll be thrilled. A six-speed manual and a 10-speed automatic are likely to return. Like the current-generation Mustang, the new S650 should have an eight-year life cycle, and expect the pack to add performance variants year after year. Those faster ponies might come fast, though, as 2026 brings more stringent corporate average mpg requirements. Though further details are still months away, we do know one thing: Ford and Multimatic Motorsports will produce a Mustang GT3 race car that’s set to debut at the 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona. Could it spawn a Mustang GT3 for the street? Watch this space.

Push all thoughts of the Mustang Mach-E out of your mind and focus on this Mustang instead.

matic gearbox as an option, possibly a quick-shifting dualclutch unit. WHY IT MATTERS: If you’re reading this, you probably like performance cars, right? Well, the last Type R was one of the best, and we expect the new one to continue to combine practicality and

performance in a reasonably affordable package. Fearless prediction: This latest iteration of the model will only improve upon the formula. ESTIMATED PRICE AND ON-SALE DATE: Look for the 2023 Civic

Type R to arrive before year’s end with a likely starting price of just under $40,000.

Raising Baby on Electricity and Boost The 2023 Mercedes-AMG C63 goes from having a twin-turbo V-8 to a single-turbo four-cylinder. To ensure it’s worthy of the AMG badge, it employs Formula 1 tech and a couple of electric motors. ngine downsizing usually means losing a cylinder or two, but the upcoming W206 generation of the Mercedes-AMG C63 makes a more radical reduction. Gone is the old car’s twin-turbocharged V-8 and in goes a hybridized and turbocharged fourcylinder. But, before we all get too upset about the demise of one of our favorite engines, let’s consider the reasons to be optimistic about the new one. The next C63 will use a longitudinally mounted version of the M139 turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, which, in transverse form, powers AMG’s CLA45 and GLA45. Unlike the CLA and GLA version, the C63 will have a 400-volt electric turbocharger (or e-turbo), a bit of motorsport technology transfer from M-B’s Formula 1 powerplant. A small motor mounted directly onto the turbo’s shaft will be able to accelerate the compressor to deliver boost before exhaust gases start to ﬂow. AMG says it will be possible to keep the turbo spinning even when the engine is idling to ensure instant throttle response. The 400-volt supply to make this happen comes from the battery powering a hybrid system that includes a rearmounted electric motor. The motor will drive the rear axle through its own two-speed gearbox, which shifts into its

top ratio around 87 mph. Between the impeller and turbine of the The motor adds to the C63’s e-turbo lives a torque delivered from the tiny electric motor that four-cylinder via the conkeeps things spinning. ventional driveshaft. Engine output can also be sent to the front axle thanks to a clutch-pack coupling on the nine-speed automatic, and electric torque can be shifted forward by effectively reversing the torque flow within the driveline. A small (think 5.0-kilowatt-hour usable capacity or smaller) battery pack sits above the rear drive unit to aid weight distribution, and it can deliver 201 horsepower for up to 10 seconds at a time. We will need to wait until the new C63 is officially unveiled to get the final tally, but AMG promises the four-cylinder engine will make at least 442 horsepower. The combined figure with the electric motor should make at least as much power in the new car as the 503-hp V-8 does in the outgoing model. The hybrid system will eventually mate with the brand’s 4.0-liter V-8 to make an even more muscular 73 AMG powertrain for larger AMG models. We’ll see the C63 this year and anticipate its price to start at just over $70,000.

J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

2023 Mazda CX-70/CX-90

WHAT THEY ARE: They’re

mid-size crossovers [Don’t stop reading, it gets good— Ed.] that will be the ﬁrst U.S.-bound Mazda models to use the company’s new longitudinal-engine platform

and inline-six engine. The three-row CX-90 replaces the CX-9, while the CX-70 is a two-row variant. WHAT POWERS THEM: While Mazda promises gasoline, diesel, and Skyactiv-X compression-ignition variants of its new inline-

six, diesel is unlikely for the U.S. And Mazda has yet to certify the Skyactiv-X technology here, so our market will likely get the gas 3.0-liter. Expect the engine to have a turbocharger and a 48-volt hybrid system with an output somewhere in the

There’s a new inline-six under that long hood.

mid-300-hp range. A plug-inhybrid powertrain using an inline-four and a single AC motor is also in the works. WHY THEY MATTER: The new platform and engine are Mazda’s bid for premiumness—to become more like BMW and less like Honda or Toyota. The longitudinalengine layout should allow engineers to better tune ride and handling, and it also creates that all-important dash-to-axle ratio that implies luxury. ESTIMATED PRICE AND ON-SALE DATE: The CX-70 will arrive

sometime before the end of 2022 starting at about $38,000, with the sevenpassenger CX-90 set to follow in 2023 with a starting price around $40,000.

2023

M E RC E DES A ND M AZ DA P H OTO IL LUSTRATI O N S BY BE N S U M M E R EL L-YO U DE / FOX SY NDICATI ON

TOYOTA GR COROLLA Are we in the midst of a hot-hatch revival? Let’s say yes, because we want to manifest that. Apparently Toyota has seen our vision board, as the eagerly awaited GR Corolla looks like it’s going to reinvigorate the segment by giving us everything we liked about the forbidden-fruit GR Yaris and more. The GR Corolla is flared fendered and RC-car silly in the best way, with a chunky, vented body and a modified version of the Corolla’s big frown of a grille that makes the GR look like it’s laughing. It certainly has a lot to be happy about. Under the hood is a version of the turbocharged 1.6-liter DOHC inline-three from the Yaris GR. In the Corolla, the G16E-GTS engine makes 300 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, up from the Yaris’s 257 and 266, respectively. The Corolla has a unique exhaust with three outlets to reduce backpressure. A ball-bearing turbo and exhaust manifold are integral with the DOHC 12-valve head, while oil jets cool the pistons, and a machined intake port improves flow.

The GR Corolla aims for our hearts by coming exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission (with a rev-match function), and it also has Toyota’s first sporty all-wheel-drive system in decades. Dubbed GR-Four, the name is embossed on the doorsills as a salute to the GT-Four rally cars of the ’80s. The default setting is a 60:40 front-torear torque split, but the clutch-pack coupling can send as much as 70 percent to the rear. Track mode locks the split at 50:50. However you cut it, the torque feeds two open differentials as standard with the option of front and rear Torsen limited-slip diffs.

To prepare for the gravel-spewing, airborne life the GR Corolla will live, the unibody gets additional welds and more structural adhesive. The GR is wider than a standard Corolla by 2.4 inches, and those chonky fenders house 235/40R-18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires. Grooved 14.0-inch brake rotors up front and 11.7-inch rotors in the rear fill the 18-inch wheels. Inside, there’s a racy steering wheel, more aggressive seats, and a performance readout in the digital gauge cluster. There’s even a proper hand brake. Pricing is likely to be in the low $30Ks when it hits later this year.

2023

CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06

So You Think You Can Fly The 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS will probably be the last 9000-rpm 911 without some kind of electrification or turbochargers, but it’ll have plenty of wing. ou could set a watch by the familiar cadence of Porsche’s 911 product strategy. New, more powerful iterations follow each other in steady, predictable order. According to the timetable, the next one up is the new RS version of the naturally aspirated 992-generation 911 GT3. Porsche has long placed the letters RS on the best and most extreme 911s. The Rennsport name is for cars designed specifically for regular track use—one as close as possible to its motorsport siblings. Now approaching its 50th birthday, the first 911 to get the treatment, the 1973 Carrera RS, has become so sought after by collectors that good examples can sell for seven figures. More recently, the branding was applied to the raciest versions of the GT2, GT3, and GT4. We know that the new car will use the existing GT3’s glorious naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six, one that will almost certainly have a small performance bump over that car’s 503 horsepower. Drive will go exclusively to the rear axle—motorsport 911s aren’t sullied with the added weight and complexity of all-wheel drive— and although we would love the idea of a three-pedal RS, it is overwhelmingly likely that Porsche will only offer its dual-clutch automatic in the RS. Spy shots have shown RS mules wearing a vast, swan-neck double-plane rear wing, one that actually looks larger than the one on the company’s RSR race car. Huge downforce is a certainty, as is the RS improving on the regular GT3’s incredible track performance. Expect Porsche to best the last-gen GT2 RS’s 6:43.3 time at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The new car will carry a hefty upcharge over the GT3’s $163,750, but demand means potential buyers will still struggle even to get their name onto an order and will be even luckier if they get to pay the manufacturer’s sticker price.

J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

P HOTO G RA P H BY KG P P H OTO G RA P H Y

Chevrolet didn’t move the Corvette’s engine behind the cabin for the valets at Musso and Frank’s. The big move is more for the Z06 and its new 670-hp LT6 double-overhead-cam 5.5-liter flat-plane-crankshaft V-8. This tribute to piston speeds makes that power at 8400 rpm on its way to an 8600-rpm rev cut. Those numbers make it the most powerful naturally aspirated V-8 ever installed in a production car, which it turns out was an engineering goal. To get it to breathe at low and high revs there’s a three-valve, two-plenum intake atop the engine that’s optimized for low-end torque, high rpm, and everything between. An eight-speed dual-clutch transmission promises lightning-quick shifts, but like the regular Stingray, there’ll be no manual. We’ve heard the engine, and it’ll almost make you forgive the Corvette for its missing third pedal. The Z06 should reach 60 mph in the mid-twosecond range and pass through the quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds. Wider fenders are home to meatier rubber (275/30ZR-20 front and 345/25ZR-21 rear), and the Z06 will come with standard 14.6-inch front and 15.0-inch rear brake rotors. Larger carbon-ceramic units are part of the track-focused Z07 package that also adds aero bits and unlocks the option of carbon-fiber wheels wrapped in track-focused Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires developed specifically for the Z06. During development, Chevy benchmarked the 2010–15 Ferrari 458 Italia, because that Ferrari also used a high-revving flat-planecrank V-8. The Corvette Z06 is arriving later this fall, and it’s poised to be the most Ferrari-like Corvette of all time.

2023 Cadillac Escalade V

F E R RA R I P H OTO ILLUST RATI O N BY B E N S UM ME R E LL-YOU D E/ FOX SY ND I CAT IO N

WHAT IT IS: A high-

performance variant of Cadillac’s giant bodyon-frame SUV with a leather- and suede-lined cabin and a footprint similar to a tiny house. WHAT POWERS IT: A supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 related to the CT5-V Blackwing’s bolts in and powers all four wheels. The pushrod V-8 delivers 682 horsepower and fosters a claimed 4.4-second time to 60 mph. If that doesn’t sound quick, remember it’s the size of a tiny house. WHY IT MATTERS: It’s a really quick Escalade, and really quick objects always get our attention. Fun fact: The Escalade is the only SUV to wear Cadillac’s V badge. PRICE AND ON-SALE DATE: Pricing

starts at—deep breath, everyone—$149,990, and you can expect to start seeing Escalade Vs sucking down 93 octane at a gas station near you before the end of 2022.

2023

FERRARI PUROSANGUE Those shopping at the very top of the performance SUV pyramid—say, for a Lamborghini Urus or an Aston Martin DBX 707—might want to wait to see what Ferrari has wrought. So, too, will the legions of prancing-horse fans, whether or not they’re excited or ready to storm the factory gates at the prospect of a Ferrari SUV. The wait is nearly over: Ferrari has said the Purosangue (Italian for “thoroughbred”) will go into production later this year with deliveries set to start in 2023. Enzo Ferrari was always opposed to the idea of a four-door Ferrari, and former boss Sergio Marchionne famously said, “You have to shoot me first,” when asked about the prospect of a Ferrari SUV. Enzo has been gone for decades, and Marchionne died (of natural causes) in 2018. Ferrari announced its SUV intentions that same year.

Ferrari is adapting its existing frontengine platform to fit the SUV mold. That means a rear transaxle is likely and a hybrid powertrain is all but a guarantee with the possibility of an electrically driven front axle like that of the SF90. Ferrari has strongly hinted that it will use a new V-12 engine, and a twin-turbo V-8 is likely too. Whatever the cylinder count, if Ferrari wants to have the fastest utility vehicle in existence—and you know it does—it will have to deliver a top speed surpassing the 189-mph Urus and the 193-hp DBX 707. Rumors are swirling about rearhinged rear doors—suicide doors or coach doors, as Rolls-Royce calls them— and a B-pillarless greenhouse. To drive home that this is a Ferrari SUV, there’s a badge on the hood and a prancing horse in the grille. A Purosangue spied at the factory wore a Scuderia crest on its fender. Get that extra badge and all the owner will need is a red satin jacket with a prancing horse on the back. Will the Real Ferrari please stand up?

playtime 60

J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

TESLA CY BERTRUCK WOR L D E XCLUSI V E , FIRST DRIVING IMPR ESSIONS (PLU R A L)

is over BY JOHN PHILLIPS E DI T OR , MON TA NA DE S K

PHOTOGR APHY BY A NDI HEDRICK

IN HOPES OF GETTING H I M BACK IN THE FOLD, WE SENT JOHN PHILLIPS A TESLA CY BERTRUCK . A WEEK L AT E R , H E SENT THIS BACK .

ROLL ME IN PETUNIAS, but didn’t Car and Driver ship me a Tesla Cybertruck via FedEx? Not tootin’ my own horn, but I’m a guy who notices the little things in life, such as things that sting or bite. Course, the C’truck is a darn big thing. Does it bite? Let’s ﬁnd out! I usually hate to bust into math straight off, because me and numbers equals Confucius. But here goes: Tesla says right out loud that their truck will carry 3500 pounds, meaning it could haul my 1970 Mustang Boss 302 in the cargo bed if somebody slid her in there half-teeter wedgewise. The battery pack has to be as heavy as the Hummer EV’s, so add another 2923 pounds. Then the truck itself is, I don’t know, 2.5 tons? Check my math, but fully loaded, this gray goose is gonna stomp dirt at right around 11,400 pounds, give or take, depending on that day’s Starbucks selection. That’s the weight of the Detroit Tigers plus 1.5 hotdog stands.

[The tech department would like a word with you—Ed.] Another thing about battery packs: You’re always driving around loaded even unloaded, because it doesn’t matter how much juice you pour into her, what with electricity hardly weighing anything—which I seriously did not know. A whole frying pan full of 110 volts, even 220 of them, weighs less than the hair clogging my sink, practically zero, even on those teal scales that Costco sells. So it seemed peculiar that the one that arrived from C/D weighs only four pounds with a battery pack of mere ounces, meaning, I guess, that Elid Mulkx has slid headﬁrst down a lubed downsizing chute. Sorry, but I cannot ever remember that man’s name, though I once jumbled the letters and came up with Lone Smuk. That doesn’t sound South African to me. Icelandic, maybe. I’ll tell you, this is the truck you want on that weekday that the missis and I like to call Make Your Own J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

Goddamn Dinner Night. Also a good truck if you own a souvenir stand. Two tech matters: (1) I couldn’t catch air until I rented ramps from Robbie Knievel (pricey) and it broke the ramps, and (2) 3500 pounds in the cargo bed equals wheelies (fourwheel drive not so effective). [The tech department just left for the bowling alley in the long-term Sienna. Please, carry on, John—Ed.] I must report that Tesla’s remote fobulator to engage the nonexistent engine is now so bulky it won’t slide into my pocket. Had to grab my grandpa’s cargo pants with pockets floppy enough to hide a regulation NFL football plus a pint of elderberry with a screw top covered in lint. Then the remote got hot and made my thigh sweat. Would’ve been nice if C/D’s tech department had made it somewhat clearer that electricity is required for all of this. I mean, before that big scene at the Pilot pumps and all. Two more things: The Tesla Cybertruck smells more plasticky than Fourth of July picnic plates. Also, I think its styling was stolen from a drawing that yours truly fashioned by his talented lonesome in ninth-grade study hall, where Mrs. Sanderson yelled, “You can draw trucks or go straight home. Which is it?” To which I replied, “Can I do both?” (Yeah, so next she phones my mom, saying how high school wasn’t sufficiently structured for a youth of my potential.) I searched the owner’s manual for the lubrication interval. Not listed. So I called Etol Milks, who suggested fresh applications of Pacquin’s or Jergens, the one with the aromatic jojoba, every night before bed. Yeah, well, fine, but if you follow his advice, you won’t be swirling on Turtle Wax anytime soon. Gunk don’t stick. Did you know that the prototype C’truck had bulletproof glass? I wondered how many buyers asked for that option, but Enot just glared, cause he’d already publicly swung

No Body, No Crime A close inspection reveals that the wheels and tires are one unit, entirely rubber with heavy knobulations that are ideal for off-roading but will negatively affect rolling resistance. Goodyear should investigate this novel design. The battery pack is way smaller than expected, so hats off to Mr. Muscatel, although in this photo it appears he lost drive to the front wheels. Suggestion: Look behind the sofa.

a sledgehammer or a brick or his entire brain at the driver’s-side window in some sort of demonstration intended to prove he was twice his own gender. Did not witness this myself, but two words: insurance claim. Now he only throws bricks at the federal government. I took the truck to a NASCAR race, but they don’t allow electric vehicles or hybrids on the property (so-called Prius Amendment, Section VIII, Article 5.4-a.). Nevertheless, a sunburned fellow in the paddock named Razorback Earl said he could attach fake valve covers and

Musk touts the see-through wheel wells as a safety feature that is in no way related to Tesla’s other panel-gap woes.

chrome exhaust tips to my Swizzla, as he called it. Then Earl and I parked the truck on display, and it attracted as many as two spectators, one of whom tucked an NRA application under the wiper. Then he thought about it and ripped it up. Later, between Kyle leading Stages 1 and 2 of the big race, I attended what Earl called the Our America’s Heroic Distillers Brought to You by Miller celebration, closely followed by the Girls Gone Somewhat Wild/American Riﬂeman/ Stop the Steal/Keggeration Nation/ Dance-a-thonic. The dancers asked

The test took a turn when John misunderstood “bulletproof” for 119proof Bulleit, which made this result inevitable.

me to rev my Tesla’s motor but seemed disappointed. It sounded more like the high-pitched wheeze of my old basset hound, Winston. So Earl told me to stash the truck in a shed behind his trailer and close the door real tight, I guess so it wouldn’t get stolen, then suggested I look into employment opportunities at a nearby farm called Ride the Pony. I steered this truck to an actual construction site where they’re building a tanning booth in Fancy Dan’s All-U-Kin-Chew Café (Dan invented the Gravy Avalanche, earning him the Fancy title). One thing I noticed about the Cybertruck: Folks smile. Laugh, actually. My point being, with con-

the numbers Vehicle Type: mid-motor, rear-wheeldrive, 0-passenger, 0-door 1:10-scale toy Price ........................................... $100 Motor: DC, quarter-horse power Transmission: 2.4 GHz Dimensions • Wheelbase ......................................... 15.1 in • L/W/H ................................. 23.2/8.0/7.5 in • Curb Weight .......................................... 4 lb

test RESULTS? Rollout, 1 ft ....................................... 0.6 sec 6 mph .................................................... 1.3 sec 10 mph .................................................. 3.3 sec Rolling Start, 1–6 mph .................. 1.2 sec 1/40-Mile ....................... 14.2 sec @ 12 mph Top Speed (gov ltd) ........................ 12 mph Braking • 7–0 mph .................................................. 3 ft • 10–0 mph ............................................... 5 ft Roadholding, 30-ft Skidpad ........ 0.64 g C/D Observed Charge Time ......... 69 min

struction foremen and all, you’re gonna develop an image problem while Tesling. What worked for me: Lean real casual on the door and spit. Small gobbets, negativo on the loogies. Mind your Jordan Fight Clubs. I told Elan Monks that all of this talk about his truck’s “exoskeleton”—real big highlight in his glossy brochure—reminded me of, like, a beetle. Then he blurted politically incorrect stuff about Beetles during the war. I also suggested he hire a kid in Bushwick to redraw his ofﬁcial Cybertruck logo, which right now reads, and I quote, “crabbrakk.” That’s possibly a ﬁshing term but with the downside of being in hieroglyphics. Because I nudge up against the literary world, one of my buds happens to be in charge of King Tut’s bandages, so I asked for a translation. “Hell if I know,” he said. “Okay, so who would know?” I wondered. “No,” he answered, “that’s the translation: ‘Hell if I know.’ ” Turns out he speaks numero languages (as if that’s even possible) and told me that another translation is “Beaucoup de bozos.” So maybe the DMV is involved. By the way, keep your Tesla Cybertruck away from your Samsung widescreen unless you really enjoy white noise. [Breathe, John, breathe—Ed.] Which reminds me, Tesla should hire Matthew McConaughey for

their commercials, apart from Matt having trouble with personal pronunciation when he talks to himself, which lately is a lot. Idea: Have Matt talk about fracking with Malcolm Bricklin sitting in the passenger’s seat. Is Malcolm still alive? Know what? Better idea: Let Tiger Woods take the wheel for the high-speed stuff, see how she handles. (Then Tiger tells us, “Hey, this is a drivers’ truck!” Funny!) Either Tiger or, honestly, any guy named Darrell. Folks criticize the form-overfriction styling. Not me. Know why? Earl and I could rebuild this entire truck from pieces falling off an Airbus A320. The windshield is so flat that pigeons, U-joints, and Renault coupes just Teflon right off. Course, if you ever bust that glass—size of a square-dance floor—your insurance agent will total the whole truck. Food for thought. The owner’s manual goes mental over the perils of water, especially driving your C’truck into, say, a settling pond or the Los Angeles River. Funny, a recent news report actually insists the truck might skate on top of water, but that turned out to be a claim Econ Mole made for himself. Anyway, I decided to work some science, give ’er a full reservoir-dog dunking. Color me red-faced, people, but that marked the end of my road test. Still, I got the job at the pony farm. Self-hug. [Mr. Quiroga: Sorry, but I’m out of practice after losing my column two years ago. Anyway, no need to pay me, although my lawyer, Cal “Amine” Goshen, might be in touch right after his skin heals. Pretty sure it’s psoriasis. Give him a couple days, he’s in some sort of paternity pickle with his secretary Brittnee— Love, Johnny] John Phillips’s most recent book, Four Miles West of Nowhere: A City Boy’s First Year in the Montana Wilderness, is published by Pronghorn Press. J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

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THE RUNDOWN An expert look at the newest and most important vehicles this month. Page 72: A degree from Toyota University may be required to decode the bZ4X.

202 3 L A N D R OV E R R A N G E R OV E R ~ BY DA N E D M U N D S

Sleek and Chic The new Range Rover’s singularly smooth exterior hides substantial changes within.

There’s a simple elegance to the new Range Rover’s design

that stands in direct opposition to some of the more gimmicky new vehicles we’ve seen of late. Its proportions and roofline are unmistakably Range Rover, but precise execution makes the vehicle appear to be a design study brought to life. Smooth lines flow along the flanks with barely an interruption from gentle curves and subtle creases. It’s as

pleasing to the air as it is to the eye, with a remarkable (for an SUV) 0.30 coefficient of drag. Wheelbases have been stretched 3.0 inches on both standard- and long-wheelbase versions, from 115.0 to 118.0 inches in the case of the former and from 122.9 to 125.9 inches for the latter. Their overall lengths increase by a similar amount, as the overhangs are largely unchanged. Inside, the result is about an inch more legroom in the standard three-across back row, which can be classified as the middle row in the first-ever seven-passenger long-wheelbase version. Cargo space increases dramatically no matter how you flip or fold the seats. The extra length also comes into play underneath, where there’s room for a substantially enlarged 31.8-kWh battery for a forthcoming plug-in-hybrid variant. A redesign of the rear suspension is equally significant. Land Rover changes the former “integral link” arrange-

Looking like a used bar of Irish Spring helps the Range Rover achieve a low (for an SUV) 0.30 drag coefficient.

J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

the numbers Vehicle Type: front-engine; all-wheeldrive; 4-, 5-, or 7-passenger; 4-door wagon Base .................... $105,850–$219,650 Engines: supercharged, turbocharged, and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter inline-6, 395 hp, 406 lb-ft; twinturbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve 4.4-liter V-8, 523 hp, 553 lb-ft Transmission: 8-speed automatic Dimensions • Wheelbase ........................... 118.0–125.9 in • L/W/H ............. 198.9–206.8/80.6/73.6 in • Curb Weight ...................... 5500–6000 lb Performance (C/D est) • 60 mph .................................... 4.2–5.8 sec • 1/4-Mile ................................. 12.7–14.5 sec • Top Speed ............................. 150–155 mph EPA Fuel Economy • Comb/City/Hwy ... 18–21/16–18/21–26 mpg

ment to a ﬁve-link setup, allowing for the implementation of standard rearwheel steering. The result is extreme maneuverability, to the point that even the new long-wheelbase vehicle’s 37.9-foot turning radius is signiﬁcantly tighter than the old standard version’s 40.5-foot effort. This suspension rethink also opens space for the transverse electric motor that will appear in a full battery-electric version. We’ll learn more about the PHEV and EV models soon. But for now U.S. customers will have two engine choices, each backed by a smooth-shifting eightspeed automatic. The P400 sports a

A V-8 FOR CLIMBING AND WADING — The P530’s twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 is a BMW-developed engine, but with specific changes Land Rover requested. Its high-mounted airintake tract enables a water-fording depth of 35.4 inches, while the revised sump prevents oil starvation when the vehicle climbs or descends steep off-road gradients or traverses hillsides of up to 45 degrees.

395-hp 3.0-liter inline-six with 48-volt hybrid assist and enough beans to readily motivate even the 5600-pound three-row version. A Range Rover SE with this engine costs $105,850 for a standard-wheelbase ﬁve-seater or $111,850 for the seven-seater. In both cases, for $18,300 more, you can upgrade to P530 spec, which brings a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 that makes a healthy 523 horses. If cost is no object (and you employ a driver), the exquisite range-topping long-wheelbase Range Rover SV four-seater runs $219,650.

“You don’t sit in a Range Rover, you sit on it,” says Land Rover chief creative officer Gerry McGovern of the effect of the Range Rover’s traditional low beltline and vast greenhouse.

the numbers Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheeldrive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon Base/As Tested ...... $56,250/$63,270 Engine: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injection Displacement ................. 121 in3, 1984 cm3 Power ........................... 261 hp @ 6500 rpm Torque ...................... 295 lb-ft @ 1800 rpm Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic Dimensions • Wheelbase ...................................... 110.5 in • L/W/H ............................ 186.1/75.7/63.8 in • Curb Weight .................................... 4199 lb

test RESULTS

2 02 2 P O R S C H E M A C A N ~ BY T O N Y Q U I R O G A

Back to Basics Highs: Looming large in sports cars’ mirrors, smarty-pants automatic. Lows: Occasional moans from the engine room, relatively soft on power. Who put a Volkswagen engine in my Porsche? It’s a question as old as Porsche itself, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the brand equips the base Macan with a VW Group turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four. Now, what if the Macan had the 718’s 2.0-liter ﬂat-four under the hood? That’d be amazing, of course, but playing these what-if games always ends with Bugatti’s quadturbo 8.0-liter W-16. We’ve long had some what-ifs about the base Macan, as Porsche has never lent us one. It’s the bestselling Macan, accounting for 60 percent of sales, and its engine is a ripper in things such as the GTI and the Audi A4. In the Macan, the 261-hp engine ﬁnds itself pushing against 4199 pounds. But equipping the car with the Sport Chrono option ($1220) adds a wartlike stopwatch to the top of the dashboard and some critical launch-control software. Engaging the system revs the Macan’s four to 5200 rpm before

THE RUNDOWN

sending all 261 horses charging into the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Thanks to the aggressive takeoff procedure, 60 mph falls in 5.0 seconds. Remove the hard launch and the Macan requires 5.9 seconds to get from 5 to 60 mph. If this is the only Macan you’ve driven, this engine will rate somewhere between lovely and more than adequate. But we’ve driven other Macans, and next to the rich timbre and backrest-imprinting thrust of the rest of the lineup’s turbocharged V-6s, the four works harder and will occasionally sound like it’s gathering a loogie. The automatic tries its best to give you a Porsche experience, downshifting quickly and holding lower gears to help you get the most out of the engine, but even it seems to recognize the futility of sending the 2.0liter to its 6900-rpm redline. Unlike the engines Porsche builds, this one doesn’t get better as you get closer to max revs. Thanks to the selection of chassis options, this Macan can untangle a canyon road like a Porsche should. Option the adaptive dampers ($1360), Torque Vectoring Plus ($1500), and summer tires for the standard 19-inch wheels (that one’s a freebie), and this lightest version of the Macan, with its 0.89 g of grip, will reel in poorly driven sports cars. Drive it aggressively and opt for the badge delete, and no one will ever suspect there’s anything but a Porsche engine under the hood.

60 mph ................................................ 5.0 sec 1/4-Mile ......................... 13.7 sec @ 98 mph 100 mph ............................................. 14.4 sec 130 mph ............................................ 32.5 sec Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec. Rolling Start, 5–60 mph .............. 5.9 sec Top Speed (mfr’s claim) ............ 144 mph Braking, 70–0 mph ............................ 163 ft Braking, 100–0 mph ......................... 342 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ..... 0.89 g EPA Fuel Economy • Comb/City/Hwy ............... 21/19/25 mpg

T TIME IN STUTTGART To inject more driving pleasure into the base Macan, Porsche now offers a T version that bundles the performance and handling options enthusiasts want. The 261-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four remains, but standard equipment includes 20-inch wheels with summer tires and Sport Chrono with launch control. Combine the optional air springs with the T’s stiffer anti-roll bars and optional brake-based torque vectoring, and the Macan T acts more like a sports wagon than a compact SUV. We expect the T to start around $63,000 (as much as a base Macan with all the handling bits). —Connor Hoffman

J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

2 02 2 B E N T L E Y B E N TAYG A S ~ B Y T O N Y Q U I R O G A

the numbers

Dollars and Scents Highs: A whiff of the leather-lined interior, listening to the audio system, on-demand silence or thunder. Lows: Ride harshness, rearseat legroom, close relatives cost half as much.

Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheeldrive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon Base/As Tested ... $222,525/$269,865 Engine: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection Displacement .............. 244 in3, 3996 cm3 Power .......................... 542 hp @ 6000 rpm Torque ..................... 568 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Dimensions • Wheelbase ....................................... 117.9 in • L/W/H .......................... 201.8/78.7/68.6 in • Curb Weight ................................... 5439 lb

test RESULTS 60 mph ................................................. 3.5 sec 100 mph ............................................... 9.0 sec 1/4-Mile ........................ 12.0 sec @ 114 mph 130 mph ............................................. 16.2 sec 150 mph ............................................ 24.4 sec Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec. Rolling Start, 5–60 mph ............. 4.6 sec Top Speed (mfr’s claim) ............ 180 mph Braking, 70–0 mph ............................ 165 ft Braking, 100–0 mph .......................... 331 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ..... 0.88 g C/D Fuel Economy • Observed ......................................... 14 mpg • 75-mph Hwy Driving .................. 22 mpg • Hwy Range ...................................... 490 mi EPA Fuel Economy • Comb/City/Hwy ............... 18/15/24 mpg

P HOTO G RA PH Y BY A ND I HED RI C K

2 02 3 M E R C E D E S - B E N Z E Q E ~ BY J O N AT H O N R A M S E Y

Silent Smoothie The second all-electric Benz is not just a junior EQS.

In the Mercedes-Benz product

constellation, the S and the E are a binary star system. Thus, shortly after the electric EQS sedan comes the new electric EQE. The former is the technological showcase, with the latter serving as its sporty smaller brother. The EQ trademarks of a black fascia panel, a solid light bar across the rear, and a “one-bow” greenhouse that arcs from cowl to tail build the visual connection. The EQE is about nine inches shorter, but its wheelbase shrinks by only 3.5 inches. The battery tucked within that wheelbase is good for 90.6 kilowatt-hours of usable energy and a promised range of 300-plus miles. As on the EQS, the maximum charging rate is 170 kilowatts. The condensed greenhouse constricts the rear-door aperture, requiring a duck of the head to get in. Adult back-seat passengers will find the curved ceiling ever-present in their vision, especially with the underfloor battery pushing the rear hip point 2.6 inches higher than in the E-class. Mercedes helps alleviate the headroom problem by giving the EQE a trunk instead of a hatch as on the EQS, eliminating overhead hinges. With hefty A- and B-pillars, a bunker-slit rear window, and a roofline that cuts the height of the side windows, the EQE is for looking inward rather than out. A standard 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.8-inch center display are set against a sweeping backdrop of wood or gloss-black trim. The optional Hyperscreen spreads three screens across some 56 inches of curved glass. The interface keeps the systems used most often, such as navigation and audio, on the top level. But there are curious tics: When Skip the 56-inch glass Hyperscreen option the augmented-reality video feed pops up on top and stick with the of the map, it hides the arrow glyph. EQE’s multiscreen The driving experience is everything one setup similar to the S-class and base EQS. expects. The vacuum-of-space silence makes

THE RUNDOWN

the numbers Vehicle Type: mid-motor, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan Base (C/D est) .............................. $70,000 Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC Power ............................................................. 288 hp Torque ......................................................... 391 lb-ft Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 90.6 kWh Transmission: direct-drive Dimensions • Wheelbase ................................................ 122.9 in • L/W/H .................................... 196.6/76.2/59.5 in • Curb Weight ............................................. 5200 lb Performance (C/D est) • 60 mph ....................................................... 5.5 sec • 1/4-Mile .................................................... 14.5 sec • Top Speed ............................................... 130 mph EPA Fuel Economy (C/D est) • Comb/City/Hwy ................... 98/100/96 MPGe • Range .......................................................... 300 mi

the biggest impression—the sedan rides as calm as a crypt. We drove the single-motor EQE350+, which puts out 288 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque. We’d formerly consider those middling numbers to move some 5200 pounds, but what a difference electric propulsion makes. (A 402-hp dual-motor EQE500 4Matic and the AMG EQE53 4Matic+ are still to come.) On snaking roads, the sedan hits its sporty-smallerbrother target, thanks to instantaneous torque, optional rear-wheel steering, and a curb weight that makes it a few hundred pounds lighter than the EQS. The advanced driver-assistance systems could use some polish, however. The software exhibited occasional learner’s-permit foibles, such as late braking and skittishness on narrow roads with oncoming trafﬁc. Even so, the EQE is superb. Buyers, though, might want to take a meditation course. The quietude will give them a lot of time with their thoughts. J UNE 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

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2 02 3 T OYO TA b Z4 X L I M I T E D AW D ~ BY J O E L O R I O

Safe at First Highs: Taut yet compliant suspension, airy interior, solid roster of features. Lows: Modest power, so-so range, federal tax credit expiring soon.

Toyota has a deep roster of hybrids,

but with EVs it has mostly been content to watch from the stands (except for the RAV4 EV sold in California in 1997 and again in 2011). Now, Toyota steps up to the plate with a nationally available EV, the bZ4X, and it’s a largely cautious effort that doesn’t swing for the fences. Although the name seems like a bad pull from the Scrabble letter bag, Toyota says bZ stands for “beyond Zero” emissions, while X indicates SUV. The 4 denotes the size, which is slightly longer and lower than a RAV4. The bZ4X was co-developed with the Subaru Solterra, which is almost identical inside and out. One major difference: Subaru went exclusively dual-motor, allwheel drive, while Toyota also offers a single-motor, front-wheeldrive variant. That base car has 201 horsepower (exactly matching Volkswagen’s ID.4). The dual-motor’s 214 horsepower, though, trails far behind the similarly priced dual-motor ID.4 (295 horsepower) and Hyundai Ioniq 5 (320 horses) in power and acceleration. We expect the single-motor variant to hit 60

THE RUNDOWN

mph about a half-second behind the 6.3-second effort made by the Limited AWD model we tested. In a drive around suburban San Diego, the two felt equally spry, particularly in their initial response pulling away from a stop or accelerating onto the freeway. The chassis is taut but compliant, and a button on the console boosts regenerative braking though not to the level of one-pedal driving. The all-wheel-drive version includes hill-descent control plus X-Mode programming (borrowed from Subaru) with two off-road modes and a brake-based system to manage torque across either axle when one wheel loses grip. EPA range is toward the lower end of the competitive set. With a 63.4-kWh battery, the front-drive model has estimates of 242/252 miles (XLE/Limited). The dualmotor version’s 65.6-kWh pack delivers 222/228 miles. At 75 mph, however, that range drops to a mere 160 miles. With a Level 2 supply, the 6.6-kW onboard charger replenishes the battery in nine hours. A DC fast-charger adds 80 percent charge in an hour. Buyers get a year of free charging at EVgo locations and can add a ChargePoint Level 2 home charging station for $699. The roomy interior features a ﬁxed glass roof and a high center console with open stowage underneath but no glovebox. An optional radiant heating element in the lower dash of Limited models warms frontseat riders’ legs. The digital instrumentation display is positioned above the steering wheel rather than behind it, and drivers who adjust the wheel higher may partially obscure

it. The 12.3-inch center touchscreen has sharp graphics and wireless phone mirroring, but plus/minus buttons for volume and onscreen audio tuning are negatives. At $43,215 to start, and nearly $10,000 pricier for the model we tested, the bZ4X lands in the thick of the mainstream market. But without a headlining long-range or ﬂashy high-performance model, it’s more utility player than league MVP—in other words, a Toyota.

the numbers Vehicle Type: front- and mid-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon Base/As Tested ... $49,995/$52,050 Motors: 2 permanent-magnet synchronous AC Combined Power ..................... 214 hp Combined Torque .............. 248 lb-ft Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 65.6 kWh Transmissions: direct-drives Dimensions • Wheelbase ............................. 112.2 in • L/W/H ................ 184.6/73.2/65.0 in • Curb Weight .......................... 4514 lb

test RESULTS 60 mph ...................................... 6.3 sec 1/4-Mile ............... 14.9 sec @ 92 mph 100 mph ................................... 18.5 sec Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.

Rolling Start, 5–60 mph ... 6.4 sec Top Speed (gov ltd) ........... 104 mph Braking, 70–0 mph .................. 174 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ....................... 0.82 g C/D Fuel Economy • Observed ............................ 76 MPGe • 75-mph Hwy Driving ..... 86 MPGe • Hwy Range ............................. 160 mi EPA Fuel Economy (mfr’s est) • Comb/City/Hwy ... 112/92/102 MPGe • Range ...................................... 222 mi

P HOTO G RA PH Y BY M A RC URBA N O ~ JUN E 2022 ~ CAR AN D DRIVER

2021 FORD F-150 RAPTOR 37 PERFORMANCE PACKAGE ~ BY CONNOR HOFFMAN

the numbers

A Game of Inches Highs: Increased clearances, composed ride, larger tires don’t inhibit performance. Lows: There is a V-8 coming, poor fuel economy, bedside “37” graphic is a bit much. Ford knows people will pay a lot for two extra inches. Add the 37 Perform-

ance package to the F-150 Raptor, and the price balloons from $70,370 to $80,375, or about $5000 an inch. Before you scoff at that, know that Ford’s kit offers more than just two-inch-bigger tires. In addition to the 37x12.5R-17 BFGoodrich AllTerrain T/A KO2s for which it is named, the package includes 17-inch forged aluminum beadlock-capable wheels, front Fox dampers with a 1.0-inch rod diameter (an eighth-inch increase) to account for the extra mass, and a limited-slip front diff. Ford also modiﬁes the back of the frame to ﬁt a full-size spare tire. And owners can show off the bigger tire measurement with “37” decals on the bedside and tailgate. Compared with the F-150 Raptor riding on standard 35-inch KO2s, the 37-inch tires increase approach, departure, and break-over angles by 2.1, 1.0, and 1.7 degrees, respectively. Ground clearance improves by 1.1 inches, and this Raptor stands 0.9 inch taller. But the 37s require suspension travel to decrease by 1.0 inch in the front and 0.9 inch in the rear. At a technical off-road park in northern Michigan, we found the increased clearances to be more impressive on paper. The taller sidewalls are great at soaking up rocks, ruts, and roots, however. Regardless of tire size, the F-150 Raptor has a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 that makes 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. With the new equal-length exhaust system set to Baja mode, the boosted six brap, brap, braps louder than the Ram 1500 TRX’s supercharged V-8. The larger rubber doesn’t inhibit performance. Both Raptors reach 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. The truck riding on 37s was only 0.1 second slower through the quarter-mile at 14.0 seconds at 96 mph. At their 0.70-g limit, the 37s have 0.01 g more grip than the 35s (like that matters).

P HOTO G RA PH Y BY M IC HA EL SI M AR I

Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheeldrive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup Base/As Tested ............... $78,695/$81,285 Engine: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injection Displacement ......................... 318 in3, 3496 cm3 Power .................................... 450 hp @ 5850 rpm Torque ................................ 510 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm Transmission: 10-speed automatic Dimensions • Wheelbase ................................................ 145.4 in • L/W/H ................................... 232.6/86.8/80.7 in • Curb Weight .............................................. 5971 lb

test RESULTS 60 mph ........................................................... 5.2 sec 1/4-Mile ................................... 14.0 sec @ 96 mph 100 mph ....................................................... 15.8 sec Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec. Rolling Start, 5–60 mph ....................... 6.0 sec Top Speed (gov ltd) ................................ 114 mph Braking, 70–0 mph .................................... 200 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ............... 0.70 g C/D Fuel Economy • Observed .................................................... 11 mpg • 75-mph Hwy Driving ............................. 16 mpg • Hwy Range ................................................ 570 mi EPA Fuel Economy • Comb/City/Hwy .......................... 16/15/18 mpg

Braking from 70 mph required 14 fewer feet. The larger tires also are not obnoxiously noisy on the highway—at 70 mph, volume inside the cabin was only one decibel louder. During 75-mph highway driving, we averaged 16 mpg, which is 2 mpg less than what we saw in the standard F-150 Raptor; both results match the EPA highway estimates. The 37 Performance package gives Raptor owners another bragging point. But the truly numbers-obsessed might want to wait for the upcoming Raptor R, with its anticipated 700-plus-hp V-8. Now, that number is worthy of decals.

2 02 2 B M W 2 3 0 i ~ BY E Z R A DY E R

Class of One Highs: Sneakily quick, strong brakes, fun size. Lows: No manual, options run up price, 230i means what now? BMW should have picked a name and stuck

the numbers Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheeldrive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe Base/As Tested ...... $37,345/$48,520 Engine: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection Displacement ................ 122 in3, 1998 cm3 Power .......................... 255 hp @ 6500 rpm Torque ....................... 295 lb-ft @ 1550 rpm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Dimensions • Wheelbase ...................................... 107.9 in • L/W/H .......................... 179.0/72.4/54.8 in • Curb Weight ................................... 3554 lb

test RESULTS 60 mph .................................................. 5.1 sec 100 mph ............................................. 13.4 sec 1/4-Mile ........................ 13.7 sec @ 101 mph 130 mph ............................................. 26.1 sec Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec. Rolling Start, 5–60 mph ............... 6.1 sec Top Speed (mfr’s claim) ............ 155 mph Braking, 70–0 mph ............................ 152 ft Braking, 100–0 mph ........................ 309 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ..... 0.92 g C/D Fuel Economy • Observed ........................................ 28 mpg • 75-mph Hwy Driving .................. 38 mpg • Hwy Range ...................................... 520 mi EPA Fuel Economy • Comb/City/Hwy .............. 29/26/35 mpg

THE RUNDOWN

meaning a good number of them escaped the count. As such, the 3554-pound 230i rips to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. The 13.7-second, 101-mph quarter-mile sprint is also solidly in rowdy territory. With numbers like that and a base price of $37,345, the 230i could score a few converts coming from a Subaru WRX or a V-6 Camaro. But in this case, the engine and eight-speed automatic transmission are a means to an end, generating enough speed to showcase the chassis and brakes. As was true with the ’68 2002 and the muscle cars of its day, you wouldn’t want to pit a 230i against a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat on a straightaway, but get down into a canyon and the BMW will run away. Wearing staggered Pirelli P Zero PZ4 summer tires, the 230i generated a healthy 0.92 g of skidpad grip and showed off the kind of balance that comes with a nearly 50/50 front-to-rear weight distribution. Its brakes, too, are up for diving deep into corners all day long. Not

only did the 230i stop from 70 mph in just 152 feet (within a yard of the Maserati MC20’s performance), but it did so time after time with no fade. Even repeated stops from 100 mph elicited consistent results (ofﬁcially 309 feet) and no fade. Given its throwback vibe, the 230i works best with minimal adornment. The standard SensaTec faux leather is believable enough, and if you’re careful with options, you might build a 230i that costs less than a Toyota Supra 2.0, which uses the same powertrain. The 230i even returned 38 mpg in 75-mph highway driving. Yes, we’ve compared the 230i to a lot of cars that aren’t really its competitors. Because at this point, what is? Minimalist rear-wheel-drive European coupes aren’t exactly thick on the ground these days. So, regardless of whatever else BMW rolls out—electriﬁed, bombastic, hypercomplicated—we’re glad that somebody in Munich still has their hymnal turned to page 2002.

P HOTO G RA P H Y BY M I C HA E L S I M A R I

with it. After our David E. Davis Jr. sang the praises of the 1968 2002, BMW might have said, “Our overachieving compact sports coupe will be called 2002 forevermore.” But no. BMW kept building cars in the 2002 idiom, joyful rear-drive coupes, but the names were inconsistent: 3-series, 1-series, 2-series, 4-series. If BMW hadn’t stopped building the 2002—and it basically didn’t— the redesigned 2022 230i would be the latest model, and we’d all know what to expect, which is to say a practical everyday car with a secret rambunctious side. Though BMW rates the 230i’s turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four at just 255 horsepower, these are Bavarian horses,

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GEAR RING

A LT E R N AT E U N I V E R S E

The Ford Taurus That Didn’t Make It Ford’s first-gen Taurus was a radical departure from main-

stream American sedans when it debuted in 1985. But it could have been even more outlandish. Reducing drag, increasing innovation, and improving quality were primary considerations in conceptualizing the Taurus, as was proving to consumers that Ford was breaking away from the cars of the Malaise Era. To achieve these goals, the project got a dedicated crew of designers, engineers, and marketers all working together. “The car was developed by one team, Team Taurus, from start to ﬁnish. This gave the product a cohesive look and feel from inside out,” says Jamie Myler, Ford’s senior research archivist. That this concept was novel should communicate something about Detroit’s failings during that period. The group journeyed into the windmills of their ist visionaries like Syd Mead, production-

above the roof,” Myler says.

JUST SAY NO — This 1981 hatchback proposal for the first Taurus (below) wasn’t chosen, but the aerodynamic shape and the doors that wrap into the roof made it to production. The Mercury Sable got the prototype’s skirted fenders, and the taillights inspired the 1988- 1/2 Escort’s.

clay model of a Taurus hatchback (platform code: DN5). Engineering concerns about the hatch’s negative impact on structural rigidity derailed the design. “I think the early design themes that had the hatch would have been interesting,” Myler posits. Imagine one of the slippery outré designs equipped with the Taurus SHO’s 220-hp V-6 and ﬁve-speed. It could have easily been a prescient competitor to today’s performance “four-door coupes” such as the Audi RS7 or the Tesla Model S. Still, the vehicle that Ford settled on pushed domestic design far enough forward that the Taurus stood in as a futuristic car in RoboCop and Back to the Future Part II. It also aged relatively gracefully. “The revolutionary design was a bit jarring to some,” Myler says. “But the fact that it wasn’t [entirely] redesigned for a decade speaks to the

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Wo l f • Ja m e s A l a n B e n n e t t • Ja m e s B ly • Ja m e s Cat low • Ja m e s C ow e n • Ja m e s D o u g l as L ac e y • Ja m e s I m a n i a n • Ja m e s Wa l k e r • Jay S t e i n e r • J C L o m b a r d o • J e f f M a r s e l l e • J e f f M a r t i n • J e f f e ry Q u e s e n b e r ry • J e f f r e y Ca p p e l • J e f f r e y T r ow e r • J e va n Ca p i ta l • J i m Bay • J i t i n d e r S e t h i • J o h n & S h e l l e y Av i l a • J o h n B o c c h i e r i • J o h n B r av m a n • J o h n B r u ba k e r I I I • J o h n D e Pa l m a • J o h n Fo st e r J r . • J o h n Gau c h • J o h n G r e e n b u rg • J o h n J. Ca m p b e l l • J o h n S . H a m i lto n • J o h n W. Yo u n g J o h n W i l lc ox • J o n at h a n D . C u m p t o n • J o n at h a n F i n s t r o m • J o n at h a n W e i z m a n • J o n at h a n Ya r m i s • J o s e p h M i l a z z o • J o s h S p e n c e • J o s h ua J e f f r i e s • K a n e A l l e n • K e i t h & J e r i ta W i l l i a m s • K e v i n B o g a n • K e v i n C h at h a m K e v i n C z i n g e r • K e v i n H u n t e r • K e v i n J o h n s o n • K u r t F e h l i n g • K u rt W. B r a e u t i g a m • L a n c e M c r i tc h i e S m i t h • L e a h K . H u d s o n • L e e L e v e n s o n • L e s A n d e r s o n • L e s s L i n c o l n • L e st e r J o n e s • L e w i s C h e w • Lo r a M e l m a n • Lo u i s Jac o b ow i t z • L u ca s M a r g o l i s • L u ca s T r a b e r • L u k a s A m l e r • M a r c u s B o l i n d e r • M a r c u s St r o m • M a r k Day • M a r k E . S c r o g g i n s • M a r k G o i n e s • M a r k O n e i l • M a r k S e h g a l • M at t G e n ua r d i • M at t N i au r a • M at t St r at h m a n • M at t h e w B r i a n C h e s l e r • M at t h e w C o o p e r • M at t h e w F r a n k e l • M a x P o w e r M oto r s • M i c h a e l B at t i s ta • M i c h a e l C o n g e l o s i • M i c h a e l G r e e n • M i c h a e l L a m ac c h i a • M i c h a e l M u z z i n • M i c h a e l N i c h o l a s • M i c h a e l P e s ot s k i • M i c h a e l Va l e n t i n e • M i c h a e l W e i l • M i k e Bau r • M i k e J e n n i n g s • M i tc h S h e i t e l m a n • M i tc h Wat e r s • N at e S h a d o i n • N at h a n S i e w e r t • N i c h o l a s D o n a h u e • N i c h o l a s M o r r i s • N i c k A l e x a n d e r I m p o r t s • N i c k M ata r a z zo • N i c o l as P u j e t • Pa r a m d e e p M a n d • Pat Da ly • Pat r i c k A h e a r n • Pau l B o n o m o • Pau l H ag e r • Pau l P o r t e o u s • Pau l R ag s da l e • Pau l S k a f t e • P e t e r H e f f r i n g • P J C ro sw e l l • R a n dy C o p e l a n d • R e x M ca f e e R i c h a r d C o r g e l • R i c h a r d H ag e n lo c k • R i c h a r d H a r p h a m • R i c h a r d M o r r i s o n • R i c h a r d R e y n o l d s • R i c k R h a b e g g e r • R o b e r t By r n e • R o b e r t G r ay • R o b e r t H e s s • R o b e r t N e w m a n • R o b e r t R u b i n • R o b e r t S c h o l l • R o b e r t Wa l k e r • R o n E . P o h n d o r f • Ro n S c h n e i d e r • Ro n a l d Sav e n o r • Ro ry R . Dav i s • Roy Pa n t l e • R u s s e l l N e u w i rt h • S a m u e l Yag gy • S a r a h S a r o u f i m • S c ot t B a e r • S c ot t B r i n k • S c ot t M c C l u r e • S c ot t P. Wa r d l aw S c ot t S p o r t e • S c ot t W. C r o u c h • S e a n B u r c h • S e a n O H o l l a r e n • S e a n R e d d i s h • St e fa n J o h n s o n • St e p h e n B r u n o • St e p h e n L e w i s • St e p h e n Ta r r • St e v e n & K ay H i c k s • S t e v e n M a r l o R e i m e r • S t i g N i e l s e n • S u m i t N ag pa l S u s a n M i l l e r • T h o m a s B o e h l a n d • T h o m as R . N e i l s o n • To d d Ba l l e n g e r • To d d St e g m a n • To m Ba i l e y • To m E l l i s o n • To m H e l l a n d • To m R o b e r t s • To m S c h a e f e r • To m S i e w e r t • To m To m l i n s o n • To m m y Ta r lto n • To n y A b e n a • To n y D e l e l l i s • T r av i s H a l l • V i n c e n t C r o g n a l e • Wa lt e r S . G e r r i s h • Wa lt e r S . L i g h t J r . • W i l l K a l u t yc z • W i l l i a m B a k e r • W i l l i a m B a r b e r • W i l l i a m B u t l e r • W i l l i a m J . S z a fa r ow i c z • W i l l i a m R . H as s e l l W i l l i a m R e i d • W i l l i a m St e wa r t • W i l l i a m Wo e b k e n b e r g + M A N Y M O R E , yo u k n ow w h o yo u a r e . . . .

HOLD ONTO YOUR SEATS.

ALL SEVEN OF THEM. The Type S badge is reserved for only the highest-performing Acura vehicles. Now, for the first time, we’re bringing Type S performance to our flagship seven-passenger SUV. Introducing the 2022 MDX Type S. At its core, a 355-hp, 3.0L, turbo V-6 with a torque-vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™ system, a specially tuned Adaptive Damper System, Brembo® 4-piston front brake calipers, and a Sport+ drive mode. It’s the most powerful, best handling, supremely capable SUV we’ve ever made.

1cjv4ndclco magzus.org

Articles inside

2022 BMW 230i

2023 Mercedes Benz EQE

2021 Ford F-150

2023 Toyota bZ4X

2022 Bentley Bentayga S

2023 Land Rover Range Rover

Ezra Dyer

2022 Porsche Macan

Know Shows

Tony Quiroga

Stormy Six

Backfires

Vim, Vigor, and Vin