grr443a

N OVEM B ER / D ECEM B ER 2 02 0

FEVER DREAM

Coast to Coast in Porsche’s Electric Future Lewis Hamilton Wo n’t B e S i l e n c e d Mid-Engine Cor ve tte:

A m e r i c a ’s Sports Car Meets Decades of Expectation

LESS TALK. MORE POWER. 355 HP* 354 LB-FT* MORE TURBO. ACURA-EXCLUSIVE 3.0-LITER TURBO V-6 ENGINE. MORE HANDLING. DOUBLE-WISHBONE FRONT SUSPENSION. MORE CONTROL. TORQUE-VECTORING SUPER HANDLING ALL-WHEEL DRIVE™ TECHNOLOGY. MORE GRIP. LIGHTWEIGHT 20-INCH WHEELS WITH HIGH-PERFORMANCE TIRES. MORE BRAKING POWER. 4-PISTON BREMBO® FRONT CALIPERS. MORE AERO. REAR DECKLID SPOILER AND AGGRESSIVE FRONT SPLITTER. MORE DRIVE MODES. COMFORT, NORMAL, SPORT, SPORT+, AND INDIVIDUAL. MORE PRECISION. MORE CRAFTED. MORE PERFORMANCE. MORE DRIVE.

*Estimated horsepower and torque. TLX Type S preproduction model shown with available Lightweight Y-Spoke Aluminum Wheels and summer tires. Production model may vary. ©2020 Acura. Acura, TLX, Precision Crafted Performance, Super Handling All-Wheel Drive, and the stylized “A” logo are trademarks of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Brembo is a trademark of Brembo S.p.A.

ROAD & TRACK MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020

CONTENTS

GO 10 WHEN INDY SAT EMPTY COLUMNS 6 EDITOR’S LETTER 12 SIDE GLANCES FEATURES 16 DREAM OF DREAMS Eight legends. An empty track. One all-time champ.

BY R & T STA F F

54 LEWIS RISING Amid 2020’s chaos, Lewis Hamilton will be heard.

BY K Y L E K I N A R D

70 CANNONBALL(ISH)!

Coast to coast in Porsche’s electric wunderkind.

BY B O B S O R O K A N I C H Road & Track® (ISSN 0035-7189), (USPS 570-670) VOL. 72, NO. 3, November/December 2020, is published monthly, with combined issues in March/April, September/October, and November/December 8 times per year, 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, Acting President, Hearst Magazines Group. Hearst Autos, Inc.: Matt Sanchez, Chief Executive Officer; Nick Matarazzo, President and Chief Revenue Officer; Debi Chirichella, Treasurer; Catherine A. Bostron, Secretary. © 2020 by Hearst Autos, Inc. All rights reserved. Trademarks: Road & Track is registered trademark of Hearst Autos, Inc. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Editorial and Advertising Offices: 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Subscription Prices: United States and possessions: $13.00 for one year; Canada, add $10.00; all other countries, add $28.00. Subscription Services: Road & Track will, upon receipt of a complete subscription order, undertake fulfillment of that order so as to provide the first copy for delivery by the 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. Road & Track assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. None will be returned unless accompanied by a selfaddressed 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. Reprints: For information or reprints and eprints, please contact Brian Kolb at Wright’s Media, 877-652-5295 or bkolb@wrightsmedia.com. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to Road & Track, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037. Printed in the U.S.A. CANADIAN IDENTIFICATION STATEMENT: Canada Post International Publications mail product (Canadian distribution) sales agreement no. 40012499. Canadian Registration Number 126018209RT0001.

78 WE’VE GOT THE NEED How R&T kickstarted a gaming dynasty.

BY M AC K H O G A N

84 GREAT EXPECTATIONS The mid-engine Vette meets endless anticipation.

BY T R AV I S O KU LS K I

DW BURNETT 4 | 11. 20 / 12. 2 0

Cover illustration by TAVIS COBURN

EDITOR’S LETTER | TRAVIS OKULSKI

Owning your automotive idol is always worth it, no matter how frustrating.

When I sold my cars earlier this year, it was to fulfill a fantasy. See, I’ve long wanted a Lotus Esprit, the wedge-shaped four-cylinder lightweight cobbled together in an English shed.

It’s been a dream since I first sat in an S4 Esprit when I was eight years old. I didn’t have any logical reason for wanting one beyond that, and I recently realized that if I didn’t buy one soon, I never would. Work, family, life, and finances would see it become unreachable.

Over the summer, I found one. A higher-mileage 1995 S4 with extensive service records. It’s, shall we say, lacking, cosmetically. Not that it matters. I wanted a driver, and I got one.

In many ways, it’s horrible. I can’t see out of it, the steering wheel blocks the gauges, the headlights are worse than oil lamps, and I’m still at the phase where I’m constantly fretting 6 | 11.2 0 / 1 2 .2 0

Travis Okulski is R&T’s editor-in-chief.

Email him: travis.okulski@hearst.com.

YOU DON’ T GET THE TRUE MEASURE O F A P E R S O N , P L AC E , O R T H I N G BY DE I F Y I NG IT.

SYDNEY CUMMINGS

HERO WORSHIP

about every little noise. My wife has barely ridden in it with me because I may need someone to call for a ride home.

But I forget all that every time the four-banger comes on boost. The steering chatters away, refusing to mute the world below the tires. The Esprit looks amazing, the perfect Nineties rounded wedge. I adore it. As of this writing, it hasn’t broken down yet, not even once, and it recently completed a 300-mile journey over two days. It was a trip so vast that editor-at-large Peter Egan suggested I submit it to Guinness for record consideration. When I checked, Guinness didn’t have a British Car Reliability category. What a shame.

Just seeing the Lotus in the garage every day is enough to brighten my mood. People say you shouldn’t meet your heroes, but that’s a load of crap. You don’t get the true measure of a person, place, or thing by deifying it. You get there through experience.

Many of my heroes have been associated with this magazine. Writers, editors, racers, and enthusiasts, all united by the love of sports cars, racing, adventures, and storytelling the ampersand has represented for nearly 75 years. Now, as we look to the next 75 years, we’re making an exciting investment in Road & Track’s future.

Our publishing schedule will move to six times per year, but that will be accompanied by much-improved paper quality and way more pages, two things we know you’ll appreciate. You’ll get nearly 1000 pages of Road & Track per year, a 50-percent increase, valuable real estate we can dedicate to feature articles and compelling photography. The writers and editors you love will be here, along with input from new, interesting voices.

There will also be an expansion of our outstanding in-person events when the world starts getting back to normal, with drives, tours, interviews, and the unique opportunity to join us on some of the biggest tests we do. Road & Track has always been about dreams, and we want to live ours with you.

With these developments, it seemed like an appropriate time to step back from the day-to-day and leave the future of the brand to a new editor, Mike Guy, who will take over the top chair with the next issue and move Road & Track into the future. I’m going to stick around and get back to what I love: writing and, more importantly, driving. That Esprit isn’t going to hit 100,000 miles on its own.

IS NOW FULLY LOADED MORE MAGAZINE Double issues, 150+ edit pages, premium paper stock, and some serious storytelling.

+MORE EXPERIENCES

Day trips, cars & coffees, test drives, rallies, retreats, and international adventures. Lots of ’em.

+MORE WAYS TO LIVE THE DRIVE

Become a member of The Track Club for all-access to print and digital content, dozens of partner privileges, and first dibs on insider events.

JOIN THE CLUB. LIVE THE DRIVE. HOP ON IN @ ROADANDTRACK.COM/JOIN

From R&T Vol. 2: The Hollywood Issue “The Porsche 911 Targa is appealingly odd, but not ugly. It looks like something Citroen’s designers would create.

Not surprisingly, the French have a term for this sort of unconventional appeal: jolie laide, or ugly beauty. Plenty of Hollywood stars have it. It’s a condition just left of perfect, captivatingly off, but never repellent. Mere beauty isn’t enough to stand out in Los Angeles, you need to be uniquely beautiful.”

COMING TO YOU IN JANUARY 2021

To join R&T’s Track Club, go to roadandtrack.com/join

LIVE THE DRIVE.

EMPTY 500 INDY WITHOUT FANS IS SURREAL, ESPECIALLY FOR ONE THREE-TIME WINNER.

In 2001, Hélio Castroneves broke tradition and veered right as he approached the turn towards Victory Lane. Overwhelmed with emotion after capturing his first of three wins at the Indianapolis 500, the Brazilian sprang from the cockpit, scaled the fence overlooking the grandstands, and brought the celebration to hundreds of thousands of adoring fans.

The intimate gesture—a symbolic affirmation of the bond between drivers and audience that exemplifies the world’s largest single-day sporting event—was among the many benefits we surrendered in the wake of COVID-19. This year, racing in front of an empty house, Castroneves found the experience unsettling.

“It was mixed feelings obviously, because it was my last Indy 500 with Team Penske and because of the fans not being there,” he says. “The big cheers and everyone screaming when we start the race, or a crazy pass is made; it was all missing.

I didn’t like that feeling. And the fans might not know, but if you’re having a bad day there, every time, they’re right there, asking for a picture or an autograph, bringing some of the memorabilia and the memories from the past. That’s why I love this place. That’s why I love the fans, because they give the Indy 500 its perspective.”

GETTY IMAGES (2)

MARSHALL PRUET T

The 2020 Indy 500 was the first with no fans, a stark contrast to the 300,000-strong 2019 race (top left).

11.2 0 / 12. 20 | 11

SIDE GLANCES PETER EGAN

REFLECTIONS ON 1499 MONROVIA

SPORTS CARS, CAMARADERIE, AND NEWPORT BEACH SUNSETS. when my wife, Barbara, and I moved back to Wisconsin in 1990, after 10 years in California, the Mayflower estimator looked around our home and gave us some advice.“You have a lot of books and a whole wall of magazines,” she said, “and they are very heavy. I would get rid of those you don’t want and then ship the rest by parcel post. It’ll actually be cheaper than hauling them in the moving van.”

Well, we did get rid of many books and magazines, but no copies of Road & Track were left behind. Nor any issues of Cycle World. That same wall of mags now resides 12 | 1 1.20 / 12 . 2 0

in my home office. And, after 30 years, the collection is more than twice as large.

Yes, I know, R&T is 73 years old—born a year before me, in 1947—but I didn’t actually start buying it until I was 13 years old, in 1961, so I don’t quite have a full set.

My fifth issue, from January of 1962, has a wonderful cover photo of F1 Champion Phil Hill at the wheel of his sharknose Ferrari 156 at the Nürburgring, shot by R&T’s European Correspondent, Henry Manney III. That magazine cover is now framed and hanging in a place of honor on the wall of my workshop, signed by Phil himself.

The inscription says, “To Peter, with great R&T memories.”

Great memories, indeed.

When I bought this issue in eighth grade, I never dreamed I’d have a chance to meet—much less work and travel with— this remarkable man. Or that I would become a good friend of Henry Manney and get to go on both car and motorcycle comparison-test trips with him.

These men were distant heroes living in a world far removed from a small Wisconsin farm town. They’d been to Monaco, for crying out loud, and seemed quite

comfortable there. Maybe that’s why I got hooked on this magazine. It was a glimpse into a larger world, and it wasn’t only about cars. It was about knowing things, like how to pronounce Olivier Gendebien or Mille Miglia, and where Watkins Glen could be found.

Scottish driver Innes Ireland, incidentally, had just won the first U.S. Grand Prix to be held at the Glen, in a car called a Lotus. It was also the first GP win for Colin Chapman’s team. More would be heard from them later. And Innes, too. He eventually became our own F1 correspondent and a great friend to the R&T staff.

But in 1962, I looked at the R&T photo of Ireland crossing the finish line in his checkerboard-ringed helmet and immediately went down to the basement and painted my own go-kart helmet with the same design. I was already an acolyte, ordaining myself quietly into this family of

readers whether anyone knew it or not. A convert for life.

Oddly, even though I graduated from college with a journalism degree, I never thought about trying to get a job with a car magazine. They were all too far away, and you probably had to know someone.

I simply wanted to find a way to race sports cars and motorcycles. So after a tour of Vietnam, I spent the Seventies as a foreign-car mechanic in a shop where almost everyone raced, working nights on my H-Production Sprite or Lola T204 Formula Ford. Not to mention a Norton Commando and a Honda 400F roadracing bike.

After years of futile typing in my spare time, I finally managed to land a series of motorcycle touring stories in the pages of Cycle World magazine and was invited by editor Allan Girdler to join the staff in 1980. As it happened, CW was located downstairs in the beautiful Road & Track building at 1499 Monrovia Avenue in Newport Beach, California. Both magazines were owned by CBS, which had bought R&T from founders John and Elaine Bond.

In one fell swoop I found myself working in a building entirely populated by nearly all the writers, editors, photographers, and artists whose work I’d admired since grade school. I couldn’t believe I was there. I feared some cosmic mistake had been made, but it was all right with me.

I ended up working for 10 years in that building, writing for both magazines, before Barb and I decided to move back to the rural Midwest, where I could continue typing from home—and also have space to build a large workshop for the restoration of cars and motorcycles. All was right with the world.

Then, in 2012, Barb and I were attending the motorcycle races at Road America when an old friend from California called on my cellphone and said R&T was moving to Ann Arbor, Michigan, combining production facilities with Car and Driver.

Since then, there’s been another move, to the online offices in New York City, with several more staff changes. And now, last week, editor Travis Okulski called me to say Road & Track is moving to a new larger and glossier bimonthly format. He asked if I would like to write a column looking back on my 37 years with the magazine.

These changes in the world of publishing (and the world at large) have all been rather dazzling from afar. So as one who is all but fully retired and quite content in that role, it’s hard to look back without sounding overly blissed-out and buoyant.

I’m afraid it can’t be helped.

Those full-time years at the old 1499 Monrovia location with both Cycle World and R&T were the best time of my life. I simply can’t remember anything negative about the whole experience. It was a big family of really nice people who were all hard-working and dedicated to doing the best job they knew how on a magazine of which they were proud. There wasn’t a single person on either staff with whom I didn’t enjoy traveling, working, or socializing.

And I think we saw ourselves as on a roll. The stars had aligned themselves in the multiple worlds of publishing, advertising, technology, design, and even racing itself. We were fully immersed in our time, and most of us believed it was a very good one, filled with charismatic and everimproving cars and motorcycles and an endless succession of colorful champions in the racing world. We had great music, and even TV was still fairly good, at times.

If there is one favorite scene that stands out in the old R&T office, it would be a late afternoon in winter, just before quitting time. Someone would stride through the halls, shouting “Sunset! Sunset!” And we would all stop working and crowd into the office of managing editor Dorothy Clendenin or her successor, Ellida Maki.

Our building was on a cliff overlooking the Pacific, and this office had the best view to the west. We’d all stand silently watching the sun sink into the ocean, with a collective sigh of “Ahhh …” as it disappeared beneath the horizon. On a clear day, you could see Catalina.

If there is indeed such a place as heaven, it’s my hope that someday we can all convene in a celestial version of this office at sunset.

In the meantime, change remains eternal and there’s a new Road & Track to generate traditions of its own. I wish them happiness and good luck.

Peter Egan is R&T’s editor-at-large.

He lives in Wisconsin.

LUC Y HEWETT

QUALITY THAT STANDS APART PlateFrame

CupFone® Two View

FloorLiner™

WeatherTech’s PlateFrame, CupFone TwoView, and FloorLiner have a reputation for high-quality, American-made craftsmanship. If it’s not WeatherTech, it’s not worth it.

Made in USA

Auto. Home. Pet. Find Your Fit.

© 2020 MacNeil IP LLC

1-800-441-6287 or 1-630-769-1500

CATCH THE ACTION

Tune into the NBC Family of Networks

*Schedule subject to change. For details, go to imsa.com/weathertech/2020-schedule/

16 | 11 .20 / 1 2.2 0

GATHERING LEGENDS FROM EVERY CORNER OF SPORTS-CAR HISTORY TO SETTLE IT: WHAT’S THE GREATEST EVER MADE? By Zach Bowman curse our names at the fortune of it. The blind absurdity of these cars gathered together for two days of driving, 48 blissful hours on the edge of autumn at Lime Rock Park. Our own personal legends at our disposal, keys in hand. We invited the machines that made us. Icons that have defined Road & Track across the breadth of this magazine’s 73-year history to answer one impossible question: What is the Road & Track car?

There aren’t words for it, but we’ll try anyhow. The sheer fantasy of them all.

18 | 11 . 2 0 / 1 2.2 0

The sight of a genuine 289 Cobra lurking in its trailer. The heart-stuttering sound of a McLaren F1 firing to life a few feet away, as lethal as anything and proud of it. The impossible yellow of a 5000mile Integra Type R lighting up pit lane like a beacon. Or the smell of a near-flawless E28 M5, the leather and the glue firing off memories of every 17-year-old back-road slide. And, Lord, the beauty. The gleam of an MG TC fender, perfect enough to check your teeth in. The flawless paint on a 911 S

and the imperfect finish on Sam Posey’s personal 300SL. The sound of the playful Miata sliding its way around the track, full of glee. They turned us all into children, gawking and pointing and shouting at the unfathomable collection, never gathered before, and likely never again.

These are the machines with their thumb prints all over our childhoods and, likely, yours too. The ones that turned us away from profitable careers as lawyers and doctors, accountants and engineers towards a life of worshipping at the altar of the car. The vehicles that best represent the ideals we hold close, both as humans and as the staff of the oldest sports-car magazine in America.

But only one of them could be the car.

Which one best conveys speed, engagement, beauty, and joy? Which most challenges us, demanding we participate in the art of getting down a road? Which does it with historical significance and racing pedigree? Which one did we want to keep driving, consequences and money be damned? The one that begged us to aim the headlights at the horizon and run it down?

We’ve tried to answer these questions over bleary Monday-morning coffees and bottomless Friday-afternoon beers for decades. But no stack of specifications can substitute for back-to-back seat time.

No bit of banter can solve for the intangibles. How a vehicle can light up the hairs along your spine, stirring something in your gut normally reserved for first kisses and near misses. It should have been the hardest task we’ve ever set before ourselves, choosing one titan from a group of them, one machine that’s better than the best history has to offer. The shock was how easy it was. How, at the end of the second day, the choice was as plain as it was unanimous.

Photographs By DW B UR NE T T & S YD CUMMING S

Old-school machines, analog treatment.

Photographer Syd Cummings loaded a Fujifilm GA645 with Kodak Portra film to capture these moments in era-appropriate tones.

11 . 20 / 1 2 .20 | 19

1949 MG TC

The Hornet A BRASH, HILARIOUS, FRIENDLY SURPRISE FROM SPORTS-CAR PAST. By Travis Okulski

blame editor-at-large peter egan.

When we came up with the original list of cars for this test, the MG TC wasn’t on it. Not that the MG isn’t significant. It debuted around the same time as this magazine. Legions of TCs crossed the Atlantic after World War II, following servicemembers who bought them on the cheap. The scrappy little MG was long part of the Road & Track 20 | 11 .2 0 / 12. 20

fabric, the car responsible for America’s sports-car infatuation.

But I’ve never understood the appeal. The TC has featured prominently at every vintage race I’ve attended, and I always wondered why anyone would want to drive one. It just seemed like a slow, loud, bad choice. Especially since that period saw cars develop at an astonishing rate, going from rudimentary

carts with cycle fenders to aerodynamic masterpieces that still look modern today. Even the Lotus 7, its contemporary, seemed like a more elegant, graceful option.

Then I spoke to Egan. He told me about Phil Hill getting a job at an MG dealer just so he could buy one. About Denise McCluggage faking a medical emergency to get a loan from her parents so she could afford a TC. One wonders what her parents must have thought when she arrived home in the car months later, in perfect health.

Egan wasn’t shy about the car’s faults, saying that it’s not the best in any one metric, that it can be a bear to drive if not sorted, that it frequently won’t run, but that when everything comes together, it is a charming little scamp that deserves to be in the conversation.

With that in mind, we sought out a TC. What we found was the Kerrigan Special. A 1949 model, it ran in the in-

augural Pebble Beach Road Race in 1950, piloted by Jay Chamberlain, California’s Lotus importer and a longtime friend of Road & Track. Kindly loaned to us by its current owner, Brad Tank, the Kerrigan Special is road registered and hasn’t been on track under his stewardship.

This TC might be the finest in the world because, well, just look at it. Even new, a TC wasn’t this perfect. Leroy Gane, Roger Penske’s first race mechanic, carried out the most recent restoration on this car. Thankfully, the pristine condition didn’t make it immune to MG quirks: It refused to start at one point, and the tachometer suddenly stopped working at another. Aren’t British cars great?

One of the best moments at the track was seeing senior editor Kyle Kinard climb in and immediately ask questions licensed drivers likely shouldn’t: “What’s that on the right? The gas pedal has a wheel on it?” That’s right, the cockpit’s footwell is so cramped that the throttle has a caster on it to keep your foot from getting stuck. Most of us had to drive the car in our socks, since sneakers pressed all three pedals at once.

ENGINE 1.25-liter inline-four OUTPUT 54.4 hp/63 lb-ft TRANSMISSION four-speed manual WEIGHT 2180 lb PRICE WHEN NEW: $1895

Room for a driver, a helmet, and not much else.

The MG is an ergonomic nightmare with baffling decisions everywhere you look, proof that even 50 years into the history of the automobile, manufacturers still weren’t sure how to fit drivers into the equation. Why put the speedometer in front of the passenger? Why does the headlight switch surround the key? And for something that looks so elegant, it’s nearly impossible to get in or out in any way that’s not embarrassing.

TCs came with a 1300-cc four-cylinder making 55 hp, which let the car hit 60

mph in a dazzling 22.7 seconds, actually quick for the time. The Special’s engine was pushed out to 1500 cc, among other modifications. Bonhams estimated it to have 149 hp when Tank bought it. While this TC is more powerful than stock, that number feels wildly optimistic.

Pressing the right pedal converts most of the fuel into a racket, not speed. There are inches between your elbows and the pavement. The gearbox is rowdy and needs accurate direction to get into gear.

A 30-mph corner becomes an exercise in bravery; the TC goes all wriggly with tiny slides to catch every few feet. You want to lean your head out beyond the windscreen and shift body weight to make it turn. Every part is vibrant, jittery. It’s hilarious, friendly, stupid fun.

Our logbooks are full of praise for the TC, Kinard dubbing it “red-meat

motoring,” deputy editor Bob Sorokanich calling it “rugged and adventurous,” and senior editor Zach Bowman calling the myth that “you need speed for a driving challenge” a “hideous lie.”

Every driver pulled into the pit lane with a grin, applauding the noise and theater, bragging that they hit 70 mph on the front straight. It’s the quickest highway speed has ever felt, and that’s just one part of the appeal.

Of course, this TC isn’t your normal example. That’s why we had Lime Rock’s accountant, George Smith, bring the TC he’s owned for 61 years—a Road & Track cover star in 1986—to the track to give us a taste of something more realistic.

The reaction? The same. George’s car was a charming little ragamuffin, slower and quieter, but all the same feelings were there. A good platform is a good platform, regardless of how it was modified.

Price was the best part. The TC was cheap, its $1895 price tag equal to

The MG squirms and slithers, a loud and unrefined delight that started the sports car craze. approximately $21,000 in 2020. That made it accessible, taking sports cars from a high-end, frivolous purchase to something within reach for a vast swath of the population. Car clubs started to form, road races were held, and tracks were built to capture the nation’s growing addiction. Even better, TCs remain accessible today, with prices hovering around $25,000.

It’s not hard to see why it captured the imaginations of so many after the war. The cliché is that American car culture is about V-8s and not much else.

The MG proves otherwise. This is the

purest form of analog, the simple solution to a complex problem. It stood in stark contrast to American cars of the time, replacing smooth power and heft with a featherweight, buzzy character.

I called Egan after the test to thank him for recommending the TC. He asked if we got one that actually turned and stopped, a legitimate concern since build quality varied wildly in the Forties. Even though we had one that was well sorted and a bit more special than the rest, I have the feeling that any TC would’ve wormed its way into our hearts. Just like it did so many decades ago.

THIS IS THE PUREST FORM OF ANALOG. 22 | 11. 20 / 1 2.2 0

The call of the wild, reimagined.

The 2021 Subaru Outback. ®

Head off the beaten path in comfort. The Onyx Edition XT takes it further with 8.7 inches of ground clearance, dual-function X-MODE, and a ®

260-horsepower turbocharged SUBARU BOXER engine. Plus, Subaru ®

is Kelley Blue Book’s Most Trusted and Best Overall Brand for 2020.*

Outback. Well-equipped at $26,795.† Subaru, Outback, SUBARU BOXER, and X-MODE are registered trademarks. *2020 Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards are based on the Brand Watch™ study from Kelley Blue Book. Award calculated among non-luxury shoppers. For more information, visit www.kbb.com. Kelley Blue Book is a registered trademark of Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. †MSRP excludes destination and delivery charges, tax, title, and registration fees. Retailer sets actual price. Certain equipment may be required in specific states, which can modify your MSRP. See your retailer for details. 2021 Subaru Outback Onyx Edition XT shown has an MSRP of $36,990.

1954 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SL

The Gentleman THE ULTIMATE IN CLASS, REFINEMENT, AND ELEGANCE NEVER SHOWS ITS AGE. By John Krewson first principles first: This car is exceptionally, fundamentally, absolutely beautiful.

That was, naturally, the whole idea.

The W198 300SL came into being in 1953, when Max Hoffman, AustrianAmerican maverick auto importer and bon vivant, declared that Mercedes needed a marquee car, based in racing yet drivable on the road, to compete in the cosmopolitan American market.

Hoffman also declared that this 24 | 11 .2 0 / 1 2 .2 0

presumptive world-beater would need to be ready in six months for the ‘54 New York Auto Show. Then he ordered 1000 of them. Engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut and his team optimistically figured the insanely short deadline meant they could build whatever breathtakingly ambitious car they wanted and no one would have time to stop them. They took the Le Mansand Carrera Panamericana-winning W194 race car and—forgive some

oversimplification—replaced enough race-car parts with M-B sedan stuff to ensure production.

But they kept the space frame, the gorgeous swooping shape, and those gullwing doors. And that pretty much made sure no one would ever refer to it as the W198 300SL. You open those exquisite doors by pressing a little metal triangle with your thumb, levering the slim recessed handle from its slot and smacking it into your palm with a sensation that magically makes you grin. Then a firm yank and a step back as the thick, complexly curved hatch cranes up over your head, revealing the high, wide sill protecting the space frame’s tubes.

The best way to get into the Gullwing is to perch, jauntily, on the sill, flip the hinged steering wheel down out of the way, and swing yourself into the seat, helped by the sturdy chrome grab handle on the end of the dash. More

grinning. Turns out this revered and iconic automobile is really quite fun, even before it’s started.

It’s worth pointing out that this particular car might be history’s most fun Gullwing. It’s the personal ride of one Sam Posey—racer, commentator, artist, national treasure, and a copious grinner himself. He picked it up, used, in 1958. The convertibles were out, the hardtops were old news, and a 14-yearold Posey, captivated by Mercedes’s racing history, borrowed $2500 from his mom and brought the car back to the family farm. There he took it out into the freshly mowed fields and learned to heel-and-toe by flinging it around on the grass. Later, he slalomed through cones set up on Lime Rock’s front straight under the gimlet eye of the great John Fitch, whom he’d hired to coach him on race driving. In the fullness of time, Posey even brought his newborn son, John, home in this car.

People who talk patina and provenance often do so thoughtlessly, as if a name on a title or a seat bolster worn shiny by starlet buttocks counts for everything. But this Gullwing has lived a truly rich life, and it was easily

Sam Posey, left, bought this Gullwing when he was 14. It’s been part of his family since 1958, and he’ll never sell it.

Nor should he.

ENGINE: 3.0-liter straight-six OUTPUT: 220 hp/203 lb-ft TRANSMISSION: four-speed manual WEIGHT: 2557 lb (dry) PRICE WHEN NEW: $7463

the most striking, most human car we brought to Lime Rock, on a day when everything there was poster material.

To drive Mr. Posey’s car, we first had to start it, initially a daunting procedure. A sheet of handwritten notes helped: “Knob to right of oil temp—primer pump. Pull that out for 10 seconds—it will make noise.... Push back before starting (On hot days you can run w/it on).” Lower down, he notes that you can, if the car hasn’t been run in a while, “drive all the way into town with the choke on.” Once we’ve painstakingly followed all this, the improbably tiny key wakes the engine, the Gullwing’s stout heart.

The heart of the Gullwing is quite a lot of the Gullwing. The tall 3.0liter six, a hotter version of the engine found in Merc’s sedans, is a big, massy iron-block unit. It’s tilted 50 degrees to accommodate the car’s technological centerpiece, a mechanical injection unit that sends fuel directly into the cylinders. This is remarkably modern stuff in a Fifties car, generations ahead of its time; expensive, complicated, but pretty bulletproof. It’s also the secret to the SL’s effortless, inexorable rush— 0–60 is unremarkable at eight seconds, but the thing just keeps charging—and its 163-mph top speed. It’s also the reason for the 1000-mile oil-change interval; the injectors are driven off the engine, and there’s no ignition cutout, so any unburnt fuel—and there’s always some—seeps into the dry-sump engine’s massive 2.6-gallon oil supply.

This in turn is why it’s bad, very bad, to flood the car with the choke or the secondary fuel pump during the starting procedure, or to shut down when the engine is above idle, or fail to warm the oil sufficiently to evaporate any unburnt gas, or any number of other things. Just keep a level head and don’t let it get to you. “The manual says not to warm it up, just engage a gear and drive away,” 11 .2 0 / 12 .2 0 | 2 5

THE MAGIC IS IN THE SIMPLICTY. Posey says with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Just go.”

Just go, indeed. And once the legend is shaken off by the sheer elegant friendliness of this car, it really is as simple as that. You tuck into a decently firm little half-bucket that offers good support despite only reaching your shoulder blades. You’ve got a row of switches and toggles in front of you, unspoiled by labeling; Mercedes apparently expected owners to know what’s what from diligent study of the manual. The four-speed shifter is a long-necked ivory presence, the wheel a wooden-rimmed Nardi model Posey bought to replace the fussy original.

There’s good red carpet everywhere, a nifty chrome luggage rail hooped 26 | 1 1. 20 / 12. 2 0

around the base of the parcel shelf, and you can see out well in all directions. Of course, there’s a complex little ashtray.

It’s all proper jet-age, styled comfortably between Rat Pack and Breaking the Sound Barrier. But the shifter goes into gear like any other car, the clutch comes out, the steering almost instantly lightens, and you’re off.

The magic, apart from the mythology, is in the simplicity. It just goes.

Mind you, the Gullwing does not disappear beneath you; it’s not one of those airy ethereal wispy things. It’s a comforting, confident presence, and while the steering is slower than you might expect from a racing-derived design, it’s always talking. Once rolling, the complexity goes away, leaving

just that gorgeous hood in front of you as the world flows by, rolled beneath the wheels by great floods of torque, everywhere a gorgeous ripping roar.

That understressed engine is not a revver, and you won’t be shifting just to shift. The gears snick in neatly, but the throws are long and deliberate, and honestly there’s simply no need. The most challenging part of driving the car may be finding the correct angle for the wing windows to dissipate the ample cockpit heat.

Every person who drove the Gullwing wrote a variation on the same two notes: I would drive this car anywhere, coast to coast, to the drive-through for coffee, for groceries, anywhere; and... oh, man, just look at it.

One of the first Gullwings imported, Posey’s car has the rare elongated shifter, a wonderfully patinated red interior, and that brutal straight-six.

They say the engine makes just 220 hp, but there always seems to be more than enough power. This car is a long-hauler, whether grand touring or endurance racing, and a methodical flowing pace is easily achieved. Around Lime Rock, second and third gears were all we needed. Especially given the swing axles, which can get tricky in long, fast turns, sending the tail out with a sort of internal hip-check.

Posey used that behavior to good effect in the 1971 Mount Equinox Hillclimb in Vermont, sliding through tight corners in second gear while hanging the rear out, blitzing hairpins with technique that would get you spun on big sweepers, winning the car’s only race. So it’s one-for-one, undefeated.

Any car, a sports car especially, is an exercise in optimism, a mechanical bet that good things will happen. The people who conceived of the Gullwing, the Germans and Austrians and Brits and Americans who engineered and raced and imported it, as well as many of those who ultimately bought it—they’d seen some things. When the car debuted, the latest war to end them all had been over for only 10 years, the cold war well underway. But... journalist Edward R. Murrow and an Army lawyer had given Joe McCarthy a good public pasting, Brown v. Board was changing the nation’s schools, and people were generally vindicated for liking Ike. Miles Davis and John Coltrane started working together, James

Dean and Akira Kurosawa were both in theaters, and Ernie Kovacs was on TV. Among all this came the Gullwing, one more statement of faith in the belief that life would get better, happier, and more free; everything about the car made to last, with lines that will be breathtaking forever.

Today certainly has its challenges.

But for now, it’s enough to feel the endless rush, watch shadows flow across and over the timeless shape, to sense the air growing cooler as we end a good roaring charge down the straightaway and glide beneath the bridge bearing the name of The Man himself. This day, this car, with that history, on that track? Beautiful. And that’s the whole idea.

11. 20 / 1 2.2 0 | 2 7

28 | 11 .20 / 1 2.2 0

1 9 6 5 S H E L BY 2 8 9 C O B R A

The Revelation BRITISH DESIGN MEETS AMERICAN POWER, A PERFECT ALLIANCE. By Zach Bowman If you grew up with dirt between your toes and even a passing interest in cars, you know the Shelby Cobra. You know where it came from, who built it, and what it accomplished. How a fast-talking Texan conned and swindled his way toward the realization of a car that would change the course of racing history. An American dream written in aluminum, cast iron, and leaded gasoline. For those of us raised in places where a 911 is an exotic, where meteorites are more common than anything from Modena, a 1965 Shelby Cobra is peak sports car. But knowing all that can’t prepare you for how good it is to drive.

Somehow, the decades of familiarity weren’t enough. A lifetime of seeing die-cast recreations and gaudy widebody kits did not prepare me for how gorgeous a narrow 289 car can be.

With thin wire wheels and no glaring chrome side pipes or roll bar, it’s easy to see what drew Carroll Shelby to the AC Ace to begin with. It possesses the bare minimum required to be a car. No top, no door handles. One side mirror. A thin windshield frame. The thing looks delicate, artful. Handsome in a way no steroid-ridden recreation can match.

The fact that this car, CSX2230, bears the marks of being driven daily for more than 20 years only adds to its charm. It comes across as a thing to be relished.

We think we know this recipe: Big engine plus little car equals a fast but vicious machine. A nose-heavy, tail-happy monster eager to send you pirouetting if you don’t mind your manners. Maybe that’s because our

world is full of those bad Cobras, too stiff or powerful to be anything but a nightmare. That’s where my mind was when owner Colin Comer walked me through ingress and egress. The rules are simple: Make sure the door doesn’t crease the front fender, don’t put your hands on anything aluminum, don’t yank on the wheel as you exit.

“Anything else?”

“Turn the key and drive it,” Comer said. “It’s a car.”

That’s underselling it. Growing up in rural Appalachia, I found Shelby’s name sitting on the same dusty shelf as Jesus Christ and Phillip Fulmer. Dropping behind that wheel for the first time was the kind of thing I wanted my grandfather to be there for, just to see his bloodline fire the ignition on a genuine Cobra. This car shines with use. The red leather seats are cracked and split, the big wooden wheel darkened by the hands of only two owners.

There are dings and scratches, the red carpet faded. And still it is a machine that is somewhere past valuable. The 289 snapped awake at the starter’s first revolution, loud and eager. The sound seemed to come from somewhere else.

This delicate British sports car, all aluminum, leather, and wood, put the snarl of every Mustang I’ve ever loved

ENGINE: 4.7-liter V-8 OUTPUT: 271 hp/312 lb-ft TRANSMISSION: four-speed manual WEIGHT: 2020 lb PRICE WHEN NEW: $5995

at my ear. Good God. No wonder these things took over the world.

It settled into a loping idle. I notched the four-speed into first and let out the clutch. I went easy into Turn 1, minding cold engine and tires, surprised by body roll. The car lists before the suspension settles and the steering weights up. Early versions came with the same Rube Goldberg steering geometry as the Ace, but later iterations, including this one, benefit from a rack and pinion, a gift of Shelby engineer Phil Remington’s constant fettling. Bless the man. Three turns in and I was adding speed, that freespinning 289 urging me on. The Cobra is all suspension travel and lean, but it has no interest in taking your head off.

It’s a puppy, a Miata with torque. You know it’s warm by the smell of oil and rubber wafting through the cockpit.

The track tumbled into a wave of chicanes, the line through them as clear as if it’d been painted there. I plunged into throttle for the first time, bathing in the light of that bright

small-block. The engine spun up its octaves in a shout, the sound of it bouncing off the trees and back to me, pressing the car forward, past the point of giving a single f *** about it being a million-dollar car. “Come on,” it said. “Keep going.”

Somehow, nothing about it was intimidating. The torque curve must be a 2x4, just a wide plateau that lets you get away with a wrong gear here

or there. Everything about it is far removed from modern sports cars with their too-serious suspensions and galactic engine outputs. It turns out the formula is pretty simple: 271 hp in a 2020-pound roadster. It’s more than enough. You sit nearly on top of the rear axle, and the car wires its intentions to your backside before getting out of sorts, letting you manage the microslides with throttle and that massive wheel.

No wonder the first owner poured more than 110,000 miles on it, tracing California’s spine with these leaping fenders pointing his way. Barrey Robles was 19 when he bought the car new, intending to take it racing. It was originally white with a red interior, but Robles wanted it silver, and he wanted fender flares and a hood scoop. By the time the work was done,

Skinny tires, tall sidewalls, and enough suspension travel to keep things entertaining. Who needs grip?

3 0 | 11 .2 0 / 1 2. 2 0

the SCCA had changed the rules, and the Cobra was no longer competitive.

Robles did what anyone would do in that position: bought a GT350R to race and daily-drove the Cobra for two decades. Our kind of people.

The car had been parked for years when Comer purchased it. He shipped it to his Wisconsin shop, made certain it was roadworthy, then sent the Cobra back to California to take Robles for one more road trip in the car that carried him through adulthood. The two are still friends, chatting on the phone and visiting each other’s families.

These days, Comer’s not shy about sharing the car or putting miles under it. He regularly points it at 1000-mile rallies, and with more than 135,000 miles on the odometer, it may be the

highest-mileage Cobra on the planet.

But for him, it’s about more than bragging rights or investment.

“I told my seven-year-old daughter: ‘Don’t sell this car. You can sell everything else, but you and your brother need to keep this car. Trust me on this. I don’t care what happens in the world.’ Having something analog that you can fix and work on is important, and this car never makes a guy feel stupid,” he said. “You can get a Clymer service manual for a Mustang and fix anything on it.”

I got six laps. That’s more than anyone else, and I’m grateful but also heartbroken. In part because, in 1965, Robles paid $4500 for this car.

Around $37,000 today. But there is no modern analog. You cannot go buy

The magic of a Cobra: combining the delicate beauty of this cockpit with a lumpy gut-punch of a V-8.

a lithe, connected V-8 roadster with no regard for anything other than being the best driving car around for Accord money. I wanted more.

I wanted my time behind the wheel to stretch out, the moment frozen, perfect. It’s a rare feeling. One that only gets stirred up in the morning with my wife asleep beside me or my daughter held tight in my arms. Those instances sustain us through the hurtful, long hours that make up the cruel majority of our days. Isn’t that what a good sports car should strive for?

Life at its brightest.

THE ENGINE SPUN UP ITS OCTAVES IN A SHOUT.

1967 PORSCHE 911 S

The Icon A TRIUMPH OF ENGINEERING THAT ENDURES TO THIS DAY. By Chris Perkins

including porsche’s 911 was a given. But which? There are scores of options from the 911’s 56-year run: air-cooled or water-cooled, turbocharged or atmospheric, exotic or gawky. Ultimately, we went old school.

Short-wheelbase 911s are irresistible. In its day, this 1967 911 Super was the club racer’s choice, the sort you’d hammer at the track all weekend, then drive home. And while there are faster and more valuable long-hood 911s, we wanted something that wasn’t unobtanium when new. Brett Sloan of Connecticut air-cooled specialist Sloan Motors—look ’em up if you need a good drool—happened to have this recently restored Bahama Yellow, Italian-market 32 | 11 .2 0 / 12. 2 0

specimen on consignment. The car’s gracious owner let us borrow it.

As the track surface dried, Sloan briefed me on preflight procedures.

Twist the ignition key (located, famously, on your left) to the accessory position and listen for the ticking fuel pump to prime. Then hold the throttle wide open while cranking the engine over. First gear is dogleg, to the left and down, and oh, “rev the shit out of it.” Fine by us.

The 911 S’s 2.0-liter six is fed by two triple-choke Weber IDS carbs and tuned for peak torque at 5200 rpm, with little dropoff in power until the 7200-rpm redline. After warm-up laps, I found myself taking Lime Rock’s long Big Bend in second gear, revs soaring,

to ensure a crisp exit toward the track’s only left hander.

Above 5000 rpm, this wonderfully snarly flat-six propels the 911 in a way that belies its stated 160 horsepower.

This 911 is a relic of a different Porsche, one that would sell you a car not meant for a moment of puttering but purely for teeth-bared speed.

Nearly everyone struggled with this 911’s Type 901 gearbox—you need to know exactly where the gears are as you row through. First-to-fourth-gear upshifts were common, and even those with significant air-cooled experience fell victim. “But when you get the shifts right,” digital editor Aaron Brown remarked, “it is so satisfying.”

“No idea how short-wheelbase cars earned their reputation as toothy things,” senior editor Kyle Kinard said.

“They’re friendly as a spaniel.”

“Its scary physics never left my mind,” ENGINE: 2.0-liter flat-six OUTPUT: 160 hp/132 lb-ft TRANSMISSION: five-speed manual WEIGHT: 2365 lb PRICE WHEN NEW: $7074

NEVER SET TLE FOR LESS THAN

THE ULTIMATE Every OPTIMA® battery is built and tested in the world’s most advanced battery facility — where precise automation is coupled with the highest quality components. 99.99% pure OHDG DGYDQFHG HOHFWURO\WHV SXUH SRO\ FDVLQJ DQG GLUHFW # RZ FDVW RQ VWUDSV WR GHOLYHU power, performance and reliability unrivaled by any other battery on the market.

OPTIMA, THE ULTIMATE POWER SOURCE® — BECAUSE WE ENGINEERED THE QUIT OUT OF IT.

MORE THAN 15X VIBRATION RESISTANCE / 3X MORE LIFE / 800 COLD CRANKING AMPS

S T A R T I N G

$

199

A T

.99*

WWW.OPTIMABATTERIES.COM

deputy editor Bob Sorokanich added, emerging from his first-ever turn in an air-cooled 911. “Which is probably unfair. The actual driving experience was docile and predictable. The way the car feints into a corner is magical.”

The 911’s steering is a high-water mark, even in this group of cars, with seemingly no filter between the skinny front Michelins and your palms.

“Steering feel of a Porsche 356, an experience closer to yachting than driving,” Kinard said.

The wide, thin-rimmed wheel contributes to that maritime vibe. Steering felt surprisingly light, given the lack of power assist. Be patient on entry, let the weight shift as the car rolls over on its tall sidewalls. Once the chassis is set, adjust cornering radius with your right foot. “Set it right and you realize half the fun is in setting it right,” contributor John Krewson said. “Just don’t forget to commit,” Brown added.

Senior editor Zach Bowman summed it up best. “How joyous,” he said.

“Charming noises. The way the hood just vanishes. Nothing is good by modern standards, but I don’t care. I just want to hug it. Long live skinny tires.”

An early 911 is different from most of the cars in this test; you must drive around its idiosyncrasies. Unlike the

So much of the 911 has changed since its debut, but that shape remains.

Miata, Integra, and the Cobra, the Porsche’s not a car you jump in and hammer on without experience. It’s a car to grow with. I once bought a Fifties Martin guitar, not because I thought it sounded particularly good in my hands, but because I thought I could extract a good tone from it eventually, and getting there would be fun. Maybe that’s why I like these rattly old cars so much.

I’m glad we picked this particular 911, too. You still get flavors of Porsche’s Volkswagen origins, reminders that in its day, this car was an outlier. The 911 has become so ubiquitous that we tend to forget that a sports car with a rear-mounted, air-cooled flat-six is strange. But just three years and one month after this car left the factory, Porsche won Le Mans outright, forever changing the company. This car is a link between the small family concern that

The air-cooled flat-six snarl is one of the car world’s most unmistakable calling cards.

IT REMAINS THE BENCHMARK. 34 | 11 .20 / 1 2.2 0

was early Porsche and the highly profitable luxury automaker it became.

On some level, it didn’t matter which 911 we picked. This isn’t a dig at Sloan or the car’s owner—it’s just that this coupe stands in for decades of Porsche sports-car history. The 911 has evolved, trading simplicity and charm for ease of use, safety, and speed. Yet it remains the benchmark, the default choice in the realm of high-end sports cars. Perhaps no other model line has remained so true to its core mission.

Porsche started building rear-engine sports cars in 1948, just one year after Road & Track began celebrating a new sort of car culture emerging in postwar America. We declared that rear-engine car, the 356, the “Car of Tomorrow” in a November 1952 road test, our first of a Porsche. Today, Porsche will still sell you a rear-engine sports car. It’s a lot different from that old 356, but in the ways that really matter, it isn’t.

Lime Rock Park 3

2

1 36 | 1 1. 20 / 12 . 20

A haven in picturesque northwestern Connecticut, this bullring is one of America’s greatest racetracks. Don’t let the simple layout fool you, this track is full of nuance and will get the measure of any car.

LENGTH: 1.50 MILES

CONSTRUCTED: 1956

TRACK RECORD: 43.112 SECONDS, PJ JONES

1.

BIG BEND Turn one is a double-apex right-hander. The MG and Miata love to slide here; the Integra digs in and begs to be thrashed.

2.

THE LEFT HANDER The only left on the track. The perfect place to lean hard into a car like the Cobra. Get it right and you’ll fly up the short back straight.

4

3.

THE UPHILL Hilarious. Enter fast, let the compression take over, and power out.

Cars with more horsepower, like the McLaren, will get light at the top and go sideways.

Tread lightly.

4.

THE DOWNHILL What goes up must go down.

Get the turn-in wrong and you’re in the wall. Get it right and you have a smooth, satisfying run to Big Bend.

ILLUSTRATION BY TIM MCDONAGH

1988 BMW M5

The Godfather IN ONE FELL SWOOP, BMW CREATED AND PERFECTED THE ÜBERSEDAN. By Kyle Kinard

In 1985 the M5 wasn’t unveiled to the public so much as howitzered at it.

BMW capped a run of Seventies racing success by aiming its motorsports arm at road cars. First came the M1 supercar; then, at the Amsterdam Motor Show, the Bavarians unleashed fresh hell. The M5’s specs were ferocious. Sixty arrived in six-and-a-half ticks as the 5er hauled up to a 153-mph top speed.

There was a limited-slip diff for dayslong drifts and a 282-horse straight-six ripped from the M1 itself.

But the most impressive number: four doors. Sedans were simply not allowed to go that fast. Consider one of this M5’s contemporaries: Ferrari’s sharp-edged, mid-engine 328 GTB, with two fewer doors, two more cylinders, and 16 fewer ponies under the hood. The M5 would hand the Ferrari its shorts on an arrow-straight interstate, and Enzo’s best couldn’t shake the Bimmer on a winding two-lane. If it seems like supercar-quick sedans grow on trees these days, it’s because they’re rooted in this slab of Bavarian bedrock.

The 3453-cc M88 engine (we got the catalyzed, slightly detuned S38) was central to the M5 ethos. The mill offered the same four-valve, crossflow heads from the M1 but with unique pistons and connecting rods. With a 10.5:1 compression ratio and equal-length headers, the M88 kicked out 251 lb-ft of

ENGINE: 3.5-liter inline-six OUTPUT: 256 hp/243 lb-ft TRANSMISSION: five-speed manual WEIGHT: 3420 lb PRICE WHEN NEW: $46,500

38 | 1 1. 20 / 12. 20

torque at 4500 rpm. Peak power arrived at 6500 rpm, just a sneeze away from the M88’s lofty 7000-rpm redline.

Of particular note: the sophisticated Bosch electronic fuel injection mated to an already competent engine. The system was so advanced for its time, it lured mechanic (and later TV presenter) Steve Matchett from Ferrari to BMW, kick-starting his career in Formula 1.

That gemlike engine still sparkles; it’s the soul of this M5. The S38 surges away from Lime Rock’s pit lane with a silky yet urgent thrum, content to hum just above idle for the moment. A stomp of the throttle reveals a smooth, insistent powerband from an engine always willing to spin faster.

“The engine felt eager to rev well past 7000 rpm,” I wrote after the first laps in the M5. “I wonder what lives above 8000?”

Peak sport sedan: a leather-lined shift console alongside aggressively bolstered thrones.

Even before the engine starts shouting, steering feel leaps down your wrists. Every cliché about The Ultimate Driving Machine comes to life through a three-spoke wheel packed with a lively omniscient energy. There’s more firm-wristed effort in the corners than you expect, but somehow delicacy, too.

Mid-corner, the wheel delivers a silken slithering sensation, as if the sidewalls and tread blocks are nibbling snacks from your fingertips.

The word “friendly” comes to mind.

At Big Bend, Lime Rock’s sweeping first turn, the M5’s body leans in for a kiss against the chassis then feels unfussed from apex to corner exit. Absolutely

On Lime Rock’s Sam Posey Straight, the M5’s engine shines.

But mostly purrs.

neutral. The front end doesn’t push or gripe even a millisecond before the rear tires give. If anything, this car was meant to be thrown loose into every corner, coaxed forward by bootfulls of throttle into each apex.

The M5’s cabin ergonomics allow that play. The tall greenhouse feels airy and open, its thin, delicate pillars adding to the sense of ease by allowing in acres of light. The hood dives away from sight.

All the bells and whistles are present: a powerful stereo, onboard diagnostic computer, and headrests that adjust with the touch of a button.

You sense this M5 could deliver 1000mile interstate trips with couch-cushion

comfort. But the engaging chassis and engine wouldn’t allow any slacking off.

You’d rather bomb the back-road route in an M5.

“It’s relentlessly German,” deputy editor Bob Sorokanich said. “You want to buy a pack of cigarettes and a Kraftwerk cassette and run the autobahn W.F.O.” Comments about the car’s Germanness—its BMW-ness—filled our notebooks. We owe so many of those perceptions to the baseline this M5 established.

The way this E28 blends ease with intensity, quality with style, and versatility with focus, won over more than a few converts on the R&T staff.

“Here’s a car I had zero expectations for; I just don’t have a frame of reference for Eighties BMWs,” senior editor Zach Bowman said. “But it’s a joy. So delicate, so damn good. Now I get it.”

When a surprise rain fell in sheets, as it does at Lime Rock, owners and editors scampered into the other cars. One by one, engines coughed to life as rolling icons scampered under the eaves by pit lane, too finicky, too beloved, or simply too valuable to sit out in the weather. I leaned the M5’s seat back instead and watched the squall pound against my 153-mph living room.

At this moment, I thought, you could drive this car—and only this car—away from our test, content.

For 35 years, ever-faster supersedans have been tearing at the envelope this M5 established. None have matched this Bimmer’s tactility, character, class, and charm. And they likely never will.

IT’S A JOY. SO DAMNED GOOD. NOW I GET IT.

1995 MCLAREN F1

The One MEETING THE IRRESISTIBLE, IRREPLACEABLE, $20M PINNACLE OF SUPERCAR MOUNTAIN. By Kyle Kinard

your blood curdles at the sight of the thing. Nobody mentions that. Long before you’ve unlatched the McLaren F1’s dihedral door, before you’ve humped into the central driver’s seat, before that anxious V-12 fires to life and the intake scoop is hoovering up acres of atmosphere over your head. Before all that, there is simply this thought: Do not f*** up.

Because aside from everything else this McLaren F1 is, it is worth $20,000,000. No way past that wall of zeroes. Mountains of insurance waivers couldn’t silence the implications of generational ruin. If you crash this car, your grandchildren’s children will die in dirt-floor poverty.

Of course, the F1 has always been untouchable, a holy relic on its own plane of glory. It sprang from the sweat of designer Gordon Murray’s brow in 1992, accompanied by facts that sounded like hyperbole: 240.1-mph top speed, 627 horses, exotic carbon-fiber construction, an $815,000 price tag.

Even as a student of early-Nineties optimism, I understood that no matter how graciously life unfurled, The One was out of reach.

The McLaren F1 legend only grew, burnished by victory at Le Mans in 1995, with beaming reviews in buff books and the sense that a zenith had been reached. So this supercar became 40 | 1 1. 20 / 1 2. 2 0

more precious, more valuable, until it was untouchable. The last time I lingered close to one, a thin-lipped Parisian nearly booted me out of the Musée d’Orsay. That McLaren F1 was cordoned by velvet rope, placed on a literal pedestal. It’s how most of us meet this hero.

But not today. Forget velvet ropes.

The key was in my hand, ready to fire a V-12 bullet at 30 years of expectation.

So the $20-million question: What is it like to drive the McLaren F1? Breathtaking. Awesome, in the purest sense.

You press a covered button and the starter whirs. The 6.1-liter V-12 barks to life, singing a thin, breathy exhaust note. The engine feels restless, never settled at idle, but nipping, gnashing, yanking at the end of its leash.

You tip into the throttle pedal and wind up the BMW engine. It reacts instantly, climbing into a metallic basso at the tach’s midrange. Forget every low-inertia drivetrain you’ve ever flogged. This engine’s circulating mass is made of air itself, so fast does the tach needle sprint toward redline and back.

I crawled the car away from the pits toward Big Bend, Lime Rock’s first turn, working the shifter slowly from second to third and fourth, gawking at the alien cockpit. The F1’s center seat warps your perspective on the outside

world. Your body seems to stretch along with the chassis, heightening the F1 experience. You’ve never sat nearly prone in a cabin before, or seen both fenders equidistant from your helmet visor, framing the road like a rifle sight.

The steering feels magnificent, even at low speeds, taut as a bowstring and surprisingly light for an unassisted rack. The F1’s chassis seems to follow your eyes as the front tires dart toward each corner apex, led along by tiny jabs of steering input. How in the hell did they keep this thing upright at 240? The shifter moves in long throws across a direct, precise path. The shift between second and third gear requires some practice to get right, just a breath between gates to make sure third slots home.

I crested Lime Rock’s back half, rolled through the track’s final corner, then pointed the F1 in line with the Sam Posey Straight and flat-footed the gas pedal. Ladies and gentlemen, we have lifted the hell off. My memories blur from that point. I remember intake whoosh overpowering the V-12’s shout, wind noise wrestling over the F1’s nose, and that funny light feeling your groin gets between the high dive and the deep ENGINE: 6.1-liter V-12 OUTPUT: 627 hp/479 lb-ft TRANSMISSION: six-speed manual WEIGHT: 2579 lb PRICE WHEN NEW: $815,000

1 1. 20 / 12. 20 | 41

end. All that, but mostly just flashes of uncut speed.

Full throttle in a McLaren F1 blurs your periphery. The sensation of speed is visceral, immediate, leaving no bandwidth for any thought but Hang On. The McLaren demands absolute and total focus, because when you hit the gas pedal, the horizon is punching at your chest.

That’s not hyperbole. Even in 2020 the F1 feels legitimately quick for a supercar. When you think about the technology Gordon Murray and his team leveraged to piece the car together in the early Nineties, with primitive tires, an absence of turbochargers, zero thrust

The F1’s central driver’s seat frames the road as you’ve never seen it before. Looking over the low fenders and through the wraparound glass, your feet perched just behind the front axle, you understand: This car is special.

from electric motors, and rudimentary carbon construction, the F1’s longevity becomes staggering.

For three laps I leaned into the car as much as I dared. The unassisted brakes require real heft, reining in the F1’s speed slower than you expect.

When straightaways revealed themselves, I aimed the McLaren and welded the throttle open. The shift from third to fourth is etched on my brain stem. Revs fall like lead between gears.

You almost can’t work the shift lever fast enough to keep the engine boiling.

After a few tries, it clicks. The F1’s drivetrain demands the quickest shift you can make; it revels in brutality. In that moment, you understand how this car rolled off city streets and onto the Mulsanne Straight.

Back in the pits, a moment to exhale. And time to reflect. Editors went out, lapped, returned with bright, shocked faces.

“I couldn’t crawl out of the myth of it,” contributor John Krewson said.

“It’s hard to overstress how every input matters, how everything you’re doing matters, and how that focuses your attention.”

“And that’s worthwhile, but also… there’s not a lot of fun there.

There’s a lot of awe,” senior editor Zach Bowman added.

Awe is the right word. Beyond driving the McLaren F1, there’s so much awe to uncover. The Revs Institute graciously lent the F1 to us for two days, just enough time to pore over the car’s every intricacy. The car was tended by Kevin Hines, senior technician at McLaren Philadelphia and North America’s F1 whisperer, who services and cares for these special vehicles.

Hines showed us the F1 through his unique lens (sometimes he’ll spend a year and a half rebuilding a single F1).

You don’t understand how utterly special every inch of this car is until Hines shows you. My favorite: the microscopic bolts on the shift-console trim. Hines was forced to special-order a Snap-On Allen key because he couldn’t find one small enough to free those bolts.

McLaren had found the lightest possible way to attach a tiny trim piece. Now extrapolate that philosophy across every inch of the car.

The F1 needs more stewards like Kevin Hines and the Revs Institute, those willing to allow this living, breathing masterpiece to stretch its restless legs. With every detail observed, the McLaren F1 reveals itself as more than a supercar; it’s a vessel for human ambition of the highest order. The term “moonshot” gets tossed around a lot, but spend enough time with this car and the idea rings true.

This object was obsessed over at every facet, conceived as the Platonic ideal of supercar, without interference from baser thoughts.

“It made me realize something: Our understanding of wealth has changed,” deputy editor Bob Sorokanich noted.

“In 1994, buying the best new car in the world meant buying the fastest, most powerful, most pure, most communicative car. Today, you’d buy something powerful, gaudy, and utterly livable.

Something that hides all the dirty work.”

THE MCLAREN F1 IS THE GREATEST SUPERCAR EVER BUILT.

That got me thinking about the F1’s descendants, pebble-smooth slabs of menace that look the part but quietly cast a wide safety net. I’ve managed fourth-gear oversteer in a twin-turbo Ferrari; I’ve buried a McLaren Senna’s throttle until my nerve crumbled; I’ve watched a V-10 Lamborghini’s speedo crest 180 as the runway shrank before me. None of that prepared me for the ruthless F1.

“The F1 is everything we say we want from a supercar, which is fewer nannies. It’s a knife,” Bowman said.

“You either know how to use this tool or you’ll hurt yourself.”

“That was fantastic and awe-inspiring and singular and transcendent, and I never want to go through that again,” Krewson said in summation. And such are the stakes with a $20,000,000, 240-mph legend.

When I pulled myself from the F1’s cockpit, a disorienting cocktail of overstimulation and relief gripped me. After that encounter, I’ve never been more certain: The McLaren F1 is the greatest supercar ever built.

More than that, I believe it’s the greatest that will ever be built. It may well be the greatest that can ever be built.

Everyone should have the chance to drool over the McLaren F1’s details— in the gold-lined engine bay, carbon-swathed interior, or the intricacies of its ferocious exhaust.

Finally closing the F1’s dihedral door reminded me of every big mountain peak I’ve summited. There’s a trembling mix of exhilaration and fear when only your own hands and skills stand between you and ruin. When you come away, you’re humbled that the mountain allowed you to go back home unharmed. But more than anything, you’re grateful for the brief, dazzling view from the top.

11 .2 0 / 1 2.2 0 | 4 3

2001 ACURA INTEGRA TYPE R

The Screamer WHEN VTEC KICKS IN, YOU’LL FORGET EVERYTHING ELSE. By Bob Sorokanich

there’s no love like teenage love.

Our brains are maturing, our personalities crystallizing. Thanks to a glut of hormones, everything seems extremely, painfully important. Science shows that the music we listen to during our teen years gets folded into our neurons, the notes sending shivers down our spines decades later. Having seen my coworkers’ faces as this Phoenix yellow Integra Type R buzzroared down the straight at Lime Rock Park, I can tell you those feelings never fade.

Road & Track’s senior staff averages 33 years old—impressionable youths when the Type R landed on these shores. As obsessive young gearheads, we were doomed to be forever smitten.

And unrequited—we were too young, 44 | 11 .2 0 / 1 2. 20

too light of wallet, our parents too uncool to give us a leg up into a fitted Recaro seat.

But in this all-star crowd, the Type R had a lot to live up to. The Gullwing and Cobra were already legends before we were born. The F1 defined our childhoods, but it was never meant for us. The big-wing Integra was the car we all daydreamed about driving to high school, a fervent first crush. It was a sign of automotive taste to pine for a 195-hp front-driver with notoriously paltry torque.

Senior editor Zach Bowman summed it up with reverence: “This was the only thing I wanted when I was 17.”

That legendary engine: the B18C5, a pedestrian four-cylinder elevated to

hero status and burned into the minds of a generation of car enthusiasts.

Honda fire-hosed every drop of its engineering skill and racing prowess at the Integra’s 1.8-liter, turning a pliant and durable workhorse into the peaky baby brother of every racing engine that ever put a tapered H badge on a podium.

It was the hard work of a thousand tiny changes. The intake and exhaust ports are hand-polished. The connecting rods are so precisely machined, assembling them required a special tool designed by Honda to minimize bolt stretch, more accurate than a conventional torque wrench and only given to dealership service departments on special request. The intake valves are 12 percent lighter, a weight savings you’d undo by losing a few french fries under the seats, but one that helped the Type R sing to a screaming 8400-rpm redline. Gone was the clever dualplenum intake that gave the lesser Integra GS-R a nice nudge of midrange torque. The Type R’s big-bore singleport unit knocked seven pounds of mass out of the engine bay and actually

weakened the engine’s output in the crucial 3000-to-5000-rpm range.

What happens at 5700 rpm makes it all worthwhile. That’s when—say it with me now, the invocation of the elders—VTEC kicks in. The engine pops over to its high-RPM cam profile, the one with the radical advance and crazy lift that sends the engine blaring to its 8500-rpm fuel cutoff. When it’s on the cam, the Type R accelerates maniacally, all economy-car associations left in the dust as the tach needle magnetizes itself to the far peg. All this in a car that was seam-welded, braced, and lightened by nearly 100 pounds straight from the factory.

Whether you’re strapped into the driver’s seat or leaned up against the pit wall, the sound is hair-raising. It’s not just the exhaust note, a surprisingly throaty bellow emanating from a slash-cut tip that, Acura was proud to point out, looks

Under here lurks the B18C5, the engine with the wail that defined the sport compact import revolution.

just like the ones on that year’s NSX. From behind the wheel, you’re swept into a tidal wave of intake noise, gallons of air honking through that straight-shot plenum. At redline, the Type R’s pistons are covering distance faster than any Honda F1 or IndyCar engine of the time.

The result: 108 horsepower per liter, a benchmark for naturally aspirated production four-cylinders that’s only been beaten once—by another deep breathing, high-revving, VTEC-enhanced Honda engine, the one in the S2000.

Two decades after our infatuation began, the car lives up to expectations.

Driving the Type R is the best kind of hard work. Honda put all the power way up on the top shelf and gave you a close-ratio gearbox and a dainty, precise shifter to help you climb up there. All those jokes, memes, and corny movie scenes about the VTEC sensation? They weren’t wrong. The rush that begins at 6000 rpm (and lasts another 2500) feels like another overused car cliché of the early new millennium: the surprise shot of nitrous. “This engine is a bottle rocket,” senior editor Kyle Kinard said, wideeyed after his first stint at the wheel.

Like that manic engine, the suspension works best when you’re absolutely bum-rushing it. The Type R came from an era when Honda wasn’t afraid to build daringly neutral performance cars. In the Integra, that means big spring rate, major roll stiffness in the

ENGINE: 1.8-liter inline-four OUTPUT: 195 hp/130 lb-ft TRANSMISSION: five-speed manual WEIGHT: 2560 lb PRICE WHEN NEW: $24,000

rear, and a propensity for stepping the tail out. Show it some confidence, and the Type R will razor into a corner and grease its back tires in joyous oversteer.

It’s one of the best-handling cars ever made, no front-drive caveat needed.

The Integra Type R is an object of love, and a product of it. Its blueprint is covered in the fingerprints of one man: chief engineer Shigeru Uehara, whose résumé includes the original NSX and the S2000. Before he retired from Honda, his final project was the S2000 CR, a sharper, more direct version of a car already known for sharp directness.

Crushes fade, bands sell out. We loosen our grip on teenage passions, replacing them with practical thoughts and milder tastes. Uehara retires.

Today, Honda’s wildest hot hatch, the Civic Type R, runs out of breath at 7000 rpm, tuned for midrange. But the buzzroar is still folded into our gray matter.

The Integra Type R may have been the only front-driver at the rodeo, the car with the humblest roots, but it proved itself worthy of every minute of those two decades of adolescent yearning.

2 0 2 0 M A Z D A M X - 5 M I ATA

The Marvel ALL THE SPORTS CAR YOU’LL EVER NEED.

By Travis Okulski the miata barely makes an argument for itself in this crowd. There’s no killer specification, no wild number that’ll enthrall someone looking for performance excellence. Every stat appears adequate, and some, like the paltry 181 hp, are underwhelming. But this is the only honest new car for sale today. There

46 | 11 .2 0 / 12 . 2 0

are no drive modes, no variable steering ratios, no brake-by-wire systems, no turbos, nothing artificial. It has a button to turn off traction control, and it’s equipped with ABS, seemingly the only two ways Mazda acquiesced to the demands of the modern world.

Want the top down? Flick a latch and push it back by hand. It takes two seconds. The transmission nips into gear with crisp little shifts. The entire package is refreshingly pure, a singular vision meant to serve the driver, not the stopwatch. Faster, quicker, and

better-handling new cars exist, but nothing captures the driver’s attention so completely as a Miata.

I’ve long been the Miata’s biggest fan.

When I turned 17, I bought one as my first car. I had it for 16 years until I sold it this spring, and I miss it every day. Like the newest model, nothing about the first generation I owned was outstanding. But many of the best cars are like that; mediocre parts combined to create an unparalleled experience.

When Mazda tasked Tom Matano and Bob Hall with building a sports car, the two took inspiration from British ENGINE: 2.0-liter inline-four OUTPUT: 181 hp/151 lb-ft TRANSMISSION: six-speed manual WEIGHT: 2345 lb PRICE: $36,300

Sacred Stone of the Southwest is on the Brink of Extinction

B.

C

enturies ago, Persians, Tibetans and Mayans considered turquoise a gemstone of the heavens, believing the striking blue stones were sacred pieces of sky. Today, the rarest and most valuable turquoise is found in the American Southwest–– but the future of the blue beauty is unclear.

On a recent trip to Tucson, we spoke with fourth generation turquoise traders who explained that less than five percent of turquoise mined worldwide can be set into jewelry and only about twenty mines in the Southwest supply gem-quality turquoise.

Once a thriving industry, many Southwest mines have run dry and are now closed.

We found a limited supply of C. turquoise from Arizona and snatched it up for our Sedona Turquoise Collection. Inspired by the work of those ancient craftsmen and designed to showcase the exceptional blue stone, each stabilized vibrant cabochon features a unique, one-of-a-kind matrix surrounded in Bali metalwork. You could drop over $1,200 on a turquoise pendant, or you could secure 26 carats of genuine Arizona turquoise for just $99.

Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. If you aren’t completely happy with your purchase, send it back within 30 days for a complete refund of the item price.

The supply of Arizona turquoise is limited, don’t miss your chance to own the Southwest’s brilliant blue treasure. Call today!

26 carats of genuine Arizona turquoise

ONLY $99

“With depleting mines, turquoise, the most sacred stone to the Navajo, has become increasingly rare.”

–– Smithsonian.com

A. Necklace enlarged to show luxurious color

Jewelry Specifications: • Arizona turquoise • Silver-finished settings

Sedona Turquoise Collection A. Pendant (26 cts) B. 18" Bali Naga woven sterling silver chain C. ! #ΤΜ" Earrings (10 ctw) Complete Set**

$99* Save $200 $149 $99* Save $200 $249 Save $498

** Complete set includes pendant, chain and earrings.

Call now and mention the offer code to receive your collecion.

1-800-333-2045 Offer Code STC254-01

Rating of A+

You must use the offer code to get our special price. * Special price only for customers using the offer code versus the price on Stauer.com without your offer code.

Stauer

® 14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. STC254-01, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com

S t au er … A ffo rd t h e E x t r aor d in ar y .®

classics like the Lotus Elan and the MGB. Cars known equally for a brilliantly zen-like driving experience and a hellscape of reliability nightmares. The Miata took the zen, combined it with faultless engineering, and built a winner.

That first-generation Miata took roadster sales to new heights, and it clobbered any competitor that came after it.

So why did we include the newestgeneration Miata, the ND, instead of that groundbreaking original?

Because the newest car is just as radical, if not more so.

Cars are heavier than ever, working harder and harder to insulate drivers from the road. Even performance cars embrace aids to a point that makes the driver feel irrelevant. But the Miata needs the driver more than any other car, someone to grab the wheel and direct its destiny. A glance at our collective notes after a session at Lime Rock Park should be enough to declare the newest Miata a landmark. The word “perfect” appears more times than you can count, with the chassis praised for how it communicates politely, letting you know what you can do better without punishing you.

Lime Rock is an ideal testing ground for the Miata. Flow defines this track, and the Miata builds to a crescendo at the Uphill, a slight wiggle of the hips letting you know it got light, an acknowledgment of speed. Then a run to the Downhill lets you put the suspension through full compression with a huge lean out of the soft setup. There’s a little slide that’s easily caught through the precise, light, talkative steering, and then you’re off, down the straight at a pace that’s slightly less than furious.

The least exciting part of the Miata has always been the engine. There’s never been a distinct calling card, no VTEC trill or supercharger whine. The new engine differs, with a rework of the tiny 2.0-liter four now getting 181 hp and a 7500-rpm redline. Horsepower still may seem unimpressive, but with 2345 pounds to push around, it’s plenty.

It’s the rare, thoroughly modern throwback. Retro done right. It doesn’t look old, it doesn’t drive old, but it maintains all the hallmarks of cars we love from years past. You can feel elements of 48 | 11 . 2 0 / 12. 20

the MG TC, the Cobra, the Lotus Elan, the MGB. The engine note, the steering feel, the compliant suspension, tight gearing, and how the brakes refuse to fade. It’s all here, packed in a well-built, reliable package that has air conditioning and navigation. Oh, it will also run for more than 20 minutes at a time and won’t leak oil all over your garage floor.

Mazda stayed true to the mandate given to the Miata as it entered production more than 30 years ago: a pure driving experience with no drawbacks; a delightful, willing friend that makes every minute behind the wheel unforgettable. There is no car in the same price galaxy that feels as special, as involving. It becomes difficult to justify buying other cars that will give you half the

Top down or top up, the Miata is as engaging as it is approachable, the rare car that offers equal reward to novice and experienced drivers alike.

thrill of the Miata for two, three, or four times the price. Especially when you can buy a wonderful used one for far less than $10,000.

I know that’s why I love it so much, and why I judge nearly every car off of this driving experience. The Miata’s sheer joy and ebullience has no equal. This is the best, purest new car you can buy. Proof that driver aids, electronic intervention, and gimmicks in other cars exist solely to mask shortcomings, not to improve the experience. If you truly enjoy driving, there is nothing better.

Bad to the Bone Full tang stainless steel blade with natural bone handle —now ONLY $79!

T

he very best hunting knives possess a perfect balance of form and function. They’re carefully constructed from fine materials, but also have that little something extra to connect the owner with nature.

If you’re on the hunt for a knife that combines impeccable craftsmanship with a sense of wonder, the $79 Huntsman Blade is the trophy you’re looking for.

The blade is full tang, meaning it doesn’t stop at the handle but extends to the length of the grip for the ultimate in strength. The blade is made from 420 surgical steel, famed for its sharpness and its resistance to corrosion.

The handle is made from genuine natural bone, and features decorative wood spacers and a hand-carved motif of two overlapping feathers— a reminder for you to respect and connect with the natural world.

This fusion of substance and style can garner a high price tag out in the marketplace. In fact, we found full tang, stainless steel blades with bone handles in excess of $2,000. Well, that won’t cut it around here. We have mastered the hunt for the best deal, and in turn pass the spoils on to our customers.

But we don’t stop there. While supplies last, we’ll include a pair of $99 8x21 power compact binoculars and a genuine leather sheath FREE when you purchase the Huntsman Blade.

Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.

Feel the knife in your hands, wear it on your hip, inspect the impeccable craftsmanship. If you don’t feel like we cut you a fair deal, send it back within 30 days for a complete refund of the item price.

Limited Reserves. A deal like this won’t last long. We have only 1120 Huntsman Blades for this ad only. Don’t let this BONUS! Call today and beauty slip through your fingers. Call today! you’ll also receive this genuine leather sheath!

EXCLUSIVE

FREE

Stauer® 8x21 Compact Binoculars -a $99 valuewith purchase of Huntsman Blade

What Stauer Clients 8- )>*+0 15/( Our Knives

ÌÌÌÌÌ “This knife is beautiful!”

— J., La Crescent, MN

ÌÌÌÌÌ “The feel of this knife is unbelievable...this is an incredibly fine instrument.”

— H., Arvada, CO

Huntsman Blade

Offer Code Price Only $79 + S&P Save $170

1-800-333-2045 Your Insider Offer Code: HUK255-01 You must use the insider offer code to get our special price.

Stauer

®

Rating of A+

14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. HUK255-01 Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com

shown *Discount is only for customers who useNot the offer code versus the listed original Stauer.com price. actual size.

California residents please call 1-800-333-2045 regarding Proposition 65 regulations before purchasing this product.

• 12" overall length; " #ΤΜ̶ '()*+,-'' '(--, ./,, ()+0 1,)2- Ȉ -+/*+- 15+- 6)+2,- 7*(6 18)'' 6)+2 0/)82 Ƭ 15,'(-8' Ȉ +;,/2-' 0-+/*+- ,-)(6-8 '6-)(6

Stauer… Afford the Extraordinary.®

50 | 1 1. 20 / 1 2. 20

THE CHAMPION

In The End THE DESERVING WINNER. By Zach Bowman

we didn’t expect it to go this way. In all of our years comparing cars, there has never been a unanimous vote. It’s one of the things we love about this job. Every one of us brings a lifetime of experiences and passions to the table every time we debate a comparison.

Most of us have adored everything about cars since before we could spell our own names, and that sort of devotion doesn’t back down from a debate.

Especially when it comes to the icons we gathered for this test. This was a collection of fantasies, an array of mechanical crushes. And meeting them in the flesh had to breed a new kind of argument.

After all, who hasn’t pined for a chance behind the wheel of a McLaren F1? Before we arrived, every other machine at Lime Rock seemed an unlikely 52 | 11 .2 0 / 1 2.2 0

underdog. Pro forma. But that Nineties monolith wasn’t the car that stole our hearts. It wasn’t the one that we all lingered around at the end of the day, imagining ourselves behind the wheel, aching for one more lap. Nor was it the car we kept urging other writers into, waiting to see their reaction when they pulled back into pit lane. That honor went to a machine that’s no stranger to playing David to history’s Goliath: the Cobra.

Maybe it was because the car was such a shock.

“It’s friendly,” Krewson said, in awe.

“So much sheer fun.”

That from a car with a reputation for gnawing on you a bit before swallowing you whole.

“There’s a real sense of freedom,” Kinard said. “There’s danger and risk

but served to you on Grandma’s good china platter. It’s the ultimate roadster in every sense. The right engine, gearbox, steering wheel, and on. The rare thing that asks for every ounce of your attention but rewards every sense completely. Perfection.”

Even Perkins, who we’re certain will bleed the hues of a Porsche crest if you cut him, fell hard for Shelby’s creation.

“Holy shit,” he laughed. “Best thing ever. This is hard to believe, but I can’t come up with the words for it. You could do 1000 laps in it.”

That sentiment was echoed again and again from everyone who spent time behind the wheel. Staff writer Brian Silvestro called it the only car among the group that he wanted to keep driving.

Associate editor Mack Hogan, no stranger to high-end, high-performance vehicles, said it was the best car he’d ever driven.

“It’s not even close,” he said.

In hindsight, it’s the car that was made for Road & Track. Every second behind the wheel feels a little illicit. As if for a few moments, you’re the one holding your life’s reins at last, capable of greatness or folly. Maybe a bit of both. A vehicle fully capable of running up the Pacific Coast Highway or running down La Sarthe. It’s fast and loud, sultry and storied. Mechanical joy in its purest form.

IN HINDSIGHT, THIS CAR WAS MADE FOR ROAD & TRACK .

Lewis Hamilton is the most visible Black athlete on earth. Hear his voice. By Kyle Kinard Illustration by Chris Visions

1 1.2 0 / 1 2.2 0 | 5 5

sport does not exist in a vacuum. We’ve known since Berlin, 1936, when Jesse Owens hung four gold medals from his neck. Since 1968 in Mexico City, when Tommie Smith and John Carlos bowed their heads, fists held high. Since Colin Kaepernick knelt. Context cannot be torn from our baseball diamonds, our football fields, or our racetracks.

11 .20 / 1 2.20 | 56

Enter Lewis Hamilton, six-time Formula 1 champion, and perhaps the most visible Black athlete on earth. Hamilton emerged from the chaos of 2020 as one of sport’s most powerful and positive voices. In July, Hamilton knelt on the Formula 1 grid in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. It was only the beginning. Under his direction, the all-conquering Mercedes Formula 1 team has coated its Silver Arrows in black paint. Even Formula 1 itself caved, skirting its hands-off approach for a more vocal stance against racism.

Since early summer, Hamilton has relentlessly reinforced his demands for equality, speaking directly to millions of his fans and followers on social media. Hamilton’s words

Road & Track: Lewis, thanks for spending the time with us.

Lewis Hamilton: Oh, my pleasure.

R&T: I’m a lot less interested in Formula 1 racing right now and a lot more interested in what’s outside the bubble.

LH: Good, me too.

R&T: More specifically, how you’re using your voice right now. I’m curious, when did you first become aware of the Black Lives Matter movement?

LH: I’m a big fan of the NFL and saw Colin Kaepernick take the knee. That whole whirlwind afterward, I thought, was incredibly unfortunate and negative. It took such guts to stand up to what is happening around the world. I was incredibly inspired by him.

R&T: Did he inspire you to act?

LH: I came to the U.S. at a similar time, for the United States Grand Prix, and I wanted to support [Kaepernick]. But there were forces that were not so keen on me [kneeling].

COURTESY MERCEDES-AMG PETRONAS F1

R&T: So you chose not to kneel at the time. What changed between that grand prix in 2017 and now?

have revealed a sensitive, insightful, and perceptive thinker.

Most importantly, they’ve revealed his humanity. These are not qualities we associate with the rigid Grand Prix driver, covered head-to-toe in sponsor logos, an easy smile reflecting a polished corporate sheen. A different Lewis Hamilton has emerged this year, a man of boundless positivity, speaking without fear, promoting hope above all.

We sat down with Lewis just after qualifying on pole for the Tuscan Grand Prix to explore this pivotal moment in his life.

As he chases a historic seventh championship, his power as a driver has earned him a global microphone.

If Hamilton’s message is news to you, well, it’s time to listen.

LH: I realized we live in a time where many are silenced. There are people who don’t have a voice or who feel nervous to use their voice. Because in today’s world, perception is huge. People are trying to always protect themselves, and a lot of negativity can come with standing up for what you believe in. In my growth process, I decided that I’m so blessed to have the platform that I have. I never thought that I’d be where I am right now.

R&T: Was there a specific moment that led to the change in tone on your social media? In May we’ve got a lovely Instagram video of you and Joe Jonas grabbing coffee in Paris, and then June 1st, you published the image of a raised fist.

LH: Watching what happened with George [Floyd], I know it angered the world. For me, it brought up a lot of pain that I had suppressed from being a kid in England. Like being bullied in school. Walking down the street and being jumped by a gang of kids. Being held back in class, being bullied at racetracks. So, all these suppressed things that I funneled into driving my career, those came to light. And I realized that I want to utilize this platform.

R&T: Were you worried about how the message would be received?

LH: There’s been times where I’ve tried to say something, and it backfires. Maybe it’s not said the right way, or people aren’t happy that you said something. And I was like, “That’s not 11. 20 / 12 . 2 0 | 57

Hamilton has knelt on the Formula 1 grid since July (seen here at 2020’s season-opening Austrian Grand Prix), but hasn’t pressured his fellow drivers to do the same. High-profile drivers like Sebastian Vettel have joined the demonstration.

R&T: So you have the platform, millions of followers on social media, millions watching F1 broadcasts worldwide, but you engaged on the ground level, too. Marched in the streets.

LH: I had to educate myself more because I was deprived of Black history, particularly when I went to school because I learned about white English history, you know? And so, it’s been an amazing process, and it was amazing to experience the Black Lives Matter movement and see people from different walks of life there.

R&T: But it’s not just BLM you’re speaking about. It’s pollution, climate change….

LH: If you see things that are happening in the world, like the fires in California…. I guess some people see it and move on. I’m quite a sensitive person, so I see that, and I think, “Oh my God.” I think about all the people, the animals, the land, 11 .20 / 1 2.20 | 58

the environment. And I start to worry about what is happening, and then I start to investigate what can be done. What is being done? How can I help? How can people help?

R&T: It’s clear those messages reach your fans. Is there more that sport can do directly? Or racing, particularly?

LH: A lot of sports don’t want to get involved, and my sport was one of those. I’ve looked around in [motorsport] for many years and seen it’s not diverse. I’ve always wondered why in the thousands that are here, it’s probably a maximum of tens of people of color. But in terms of drivers, obviously, I’m the only one [in F1]. Instead of acting negatively, I sat with my personal team, and I was like, “What could we do to try and find out what the barriers are?”

So, we put a commission together, and as we were doing that, then all these other things unfolded [this year]. Timing, I think, is key. And so, we’re in a time now where you can say something, and I think people don’t have to fear what the reaction is going to be from others. I’m not fearful of losing my job. But I’ve come a long way.

GETTY IMAGES (2)

going to happen anymore.” I just can’t do that. And I’m not going to stay quiet.

R&T: That’s an awesome thing, the ability to speak without fear. How do you understand this moment in your life and career, where you’ve earned that much power?

LH: We go through our own individual journeys, understanding ourselves, understanding what is important. This year, COVID has given me time like I’ve never had before.

Every other year, you just run into the next thing. It’s just high speed, event after event, traveling. You never have time to sit back and contemplate what is happening around the world, where you are, or what you want to change.

I’ve also been growing with my social media following and understanding people more. I see comments from people when I post, and they’re like, “Oh my God, I really needed that message today.” So you begin to understand the power of that one message, that if I can help positively impact one person, it would be amazing. Fortunately, because I have more than one person following me, I realize that the number’s even greater.

I’m not perfect, and I don’t think anybody is, but I’m trying to learn and to have a positive effect on others. When I started to reach out of my comfort zone and show my vulnerable side, I noticed a different reaction from people. I think that’s when I started to realize, “Oh wow, actually these words can travel far, so be careful with what you do say and what you do show.”

R&T: So then, how do you navigate that scrutiny as a Black man and a Black athlete? When LeBron James speaks about politics, powerful people tell him to focus on basketball. Others say he’s not speaking up enough.

LH: It’s a good question. Honestly, it’s a learning process.

I spill out a lot of my emotions in a message. In the past, I would probably post it without even thinking. But I’m much more aware of the sensitivities today. So, I usually write down what I’m feeling, and then I bounce it off one or two people.

More often, it’s usually good. But sometimes you’re like, “You know what? Right this second there’s a fire happening out here. It’s not the right time to [say that].” So, I think timing is everything. That’s why I’ve been trying to make sure that [my] timing is right.

R&T: But even if the timing is right, there’s scrutiny on the message.

LH: My whole life there’s been scrutiny. So, it’s nothing new to me. And there was a lot of pushback. Powerful people within

Hamilton’s helmet, often painted yellow to honor his hero Ayrton Senna, will remain black for the 2020 season.

Note the raised fist, with Black Lives Matter messaging.

my industry will be like, “Well, all lives matter.” And of course that is the case. But today what we’re contesting is that […] all lives need to be equal, and that’s not been the case in history.

So, how do we address that moving forward?

R&T: Are you suited to address that?

LH: I’m really fortunate I’ve got white parents, and I’ve got Black parents, Black family. So, I feel like I’ve got the best of both worlds. And I work with a lot of white people, and I get to hear the nervousness, the doubts. A lot of them want to say something, but in case they say something wrong, they stay quiet.

So, I think this is a period of time in life where we all have to educate and empower each other. That’s what I’ve done with my team this year. I sat down with my boss. I’ve been like, “Hey, why am I one of the only few people of color in the team?” He’d be like, “Oh, I hadn’t really thought about it.” And I say, “Oh. Well, I do, because I am one of the few.”

And as I spoke to him more, he started to understand. And when I sat down at the beginning of this year, I pulled out all these experiences I had, which I hadn’t necessarily shared with him before. I think that was key. And I was like, “Look at the history that Mercedes has had, and look at the time we’re in right now. We have an opportunity to have such a positive impact.” And so, I convinced them to take silver off our car and have it black, and stand [against] discrimination.

“THAT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN ANYMORE. A N D I ’ M N O T G O I N G T O S T A Y QUIE T . ” 11 .2 0 / 12 .2 0 | 5 9

LH: I think there’s a lot more we can do, and I think the first step is acknowledging that we have a platform, and we have a lot of influence. Look at football. It’s a huge industry with hundreds of millions of followers. I’ve watched as a soccer fan, I’ve seen many horrible things that have happened with inequality in that sport.

I think a lot of sports where the owners care about income have been nervous to get involved in anything political, but it’s been really positive to see people are getting involved and supporting racial equality. It’s great to see that Formula 1 finally has.

R&T: How do you keep momentum for a message like that, when owners, sponsors, and sanctioning bodies would rather move on?

So there’s a lot of positive things happening out there. Even if it feels like it’s the craziest time in my life. And you’re right, there are so many issues, that people will be like, “Well, why aren’t you talking about this? Why aren’t you talking about that?” And the thing is, you can’t talk about everything.

And there are some things that you have to use your time and energy for.

R&T: Along with talking, there’s a lot of symbolism in sport right now, a lot of powerful imagery. What else can sport do to further racial equality?

R&T: How can you reach every corner of the sport like that?

LH: I don’t have all the answers to it, but I’m learning as we go. But we just can’t take our foot off the gas. We can’t stop.

Because ultimately a lot of lives continue to get taken every year in the States. America is really .... I’ve grown up watching all these movies as a kid, and America is the dream place to be. I feel very attached to American society and the culture there.

What happens there, I think, transcends the rest of the world. When movies come out, people around the world see it. When music comes out, people around the world

“YOU GET ON THE PODIUM AND YOU’RE LIKE, ‘ W H A T D O E S T H A T A C T U A L LY M E AN ? ’ ” 11 .20 / 1 2.20 | 6 0

GETTY IMAGES

Atop the podium after the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix, Hamilton wore a T-shirt demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, a Kentucky woman killed by police officers in a no-knock raid on her apartment.

LH: It’s all good and fair taking the knee, [using] those moments to keep [the message] alive. Because things happen, and then they die a quiet death. Things go back into the original patterns.

But this [injustice] is something that’s gone on for hundreds of years, so we need to keep it fresh in peoples’ minds.

I think it comes back to education. I think sports like mine, what we can do is change from within. We’re already seeing things like when the race starts, there’s a bit of video footage saying that we stand against racial injustice. That’s one step.

But it’s also encouraging people. And you saw my platform, it’s encouraging people to open their eyes and be a part of [the change].

In my business, there’s thousands of other partners. Every team has God knows how many sponsors. And then, people that we work with that supply brakes, or carbon materials, or whatever it may be. There are so many areas that we need to filter the message through.

INTRODUCING

The All New MaxJax Portable Car Lift

®

A

ND

D

See it on YouTube VA L I D AT E

Starting at $2,440 Includes *FREE SHIPPING

The MaxJax portable two-post lift is one of the most versatile DIY tools ever invented.

Its patented design allows you to get full-sized lift advantages in spaces with limited ceiling heights. Best of all, MaxJax is completely portable and can be setup virtually anywhere. For more info call 1-844-629-5291 or visit www.MaxJax.com.

1-844-629-5291 • www.MaxJax.com *Free shipping to direct shipping points within the 48 contiguous United States only. ©2020 MaxJax, LLC, a subsidiary of BendPak Inc. The MaxJax is protected by one or more patents or claims of patents in the U.S. and elsewhere. PATENT NO. US 8.256.577 B2 - PATENT NO. US 9.150.395 B2.

Through his determination, Hamilton has led Formula 1 to create its “End Racism” campaign. That F1 would follow his lead is emblematic of Hamilton’s power within the sport.

R&T: It really is. So, you’re chasing all-time greatness right now, well on your path to a seventh title. At the same time, your voice has emerged. How do you think about your legacy right now as a driver, versus a person who’s pushing for social change? Is there one that feels more essential?

LH: Yeah, I think so. Racing has been my life. It’s been my dream since I was a kid. Growing up, I either wanted to be Superman or a Formula 1 world champion. Racing, it’s [like being] an actor, you have to be so selfish in the sense of singular focus, single-mindedness to succeed. And since I’ve got older, I had a lot of success. And you get at the podium, or you come away from the weekend, you’re like, “What does that actually mean?”

R&T: Wow, that’s surprising to hear.

LH: It’s great for people to be successful and be celebrated for their success and their hard work. But personally, I had

always had this emptiness, feeling like it means more to people watching probably than it does to me. And trying to discover what can I do with that success. With the spotlight on me, what can I do with this life? How can I shine positivity on people? How can I empower people? How can I encourage people to do the right thing, to be better, to challenge themselves, to not give up when things get tough?

People are always asking me, “What brings you back?

Where do you find the determination?” I find inspiration from lots of different people out there who show incredible courage.

And I always remember where my family came from, and what my family did for me to get here. And so, I never take my position for granted. But this year, I feel like I’m fighting for something so much greater, along with so many other people with the Black Lives Matter movement. I feel like I’m pushing for those qualifying laps so that I can stand up front on Sunday and have the right to show the Black Lives Matter T-shirt and continue to bring awareness and fight for change.

My sister has two beautiful kids. I’m an uncle now. I see these kids, and I’m thinking to myself, “Look at the state of the world.” And it’s our responsibility to try and shift it for our kids’ lives, our kids’ kids’ lives. The children of the future.

I feel great responsibility in that. That’s more important than any championship or any wins.

“I THINK THIS IS A PERIOD WHERE WE ALL HAVE T O E M P OW E R E A C H O T H E R . ” 11 .20 / 1 2.20 | 6 2

GETTY IMAGES (2)

hear it. And when bad things happen, I think it can also make it okay in other places for that to continue. And so, we’ve got to work together to set the right tone. Get the right people in power. Because that’s often an issue around the world. This next couple months, it’s going to be really interesting.

200

$ GET

UP TO

BACK

75 + $125 MORE $

GET UP TO

BACK

ON A SET OF FOUR SELECT GOODYEAR ®TIRES.*

AN ADDED BONUS OF UP TO

Base Rebate Amount ®

Touring, Assurance MaxLife , , WinterCommand®, WinterCommand® ® All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar®, Wrangler ® Fortitude HT (excludes C-Type), ®

®

$

75

$

200

75 $50

$

TM

®

WHEN YOU USE THE GOODYEAR ®CREDIT CARD.

®

ASSURANCE WEATHERREADY ®

Rebate with Goodyear® Credit Card

Sport All-Season ® 2, Winter Maxx® SJ8

$

150 $100

®

Designed for drivers who want the ride of a premium touring tire combined with responsive handling and reassuring wet grip, in addition to the confidence of severe snow service-rated winter traction.

EAGLE EXHILARATE ®

®

For drivers of modern muscle cars, performance sedans, and sports coupes who want a tire that delivers handling, acceleration and braking traction that lives up to their vehicle’s performance in dry and wet conditions, in addition to light snow capability.

See www.tirerack.com/goodyearoffer for details and rebate form.

If you receive a Goodyear Prepaid Mastercard®, then the following applies: Rebates paid in the form of a Goodyear Prepaid Mastercard®. This Prepaid Card is issued by Sunrise Banks N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Mastercard International Incorporated. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. This card may be used everywhere Debit Mastercard is accepted. Registration, activation, acceptance, or use of this card constitutes acceptance of the terms and conditions stated in the Prepaid Card Agreement. Prepaid Cards will not have cash access and will expire after 6 months from date of issuance - other terms, conditions, and fees may apply.

If you receive a Goodyear Prepaid Visa Prepaid Card, then the following applies: Visa Prepaid Card is issued by MetaBank®, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. No cash access or recurring payments. Can be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Card valid for up to 6 months; unused funds will forfeit after the valid thru date. Card terms and conditions apply. MetaBank does not endorse or sponsor the Goodyear Credit Card offer. *Get up to $75 back by online or mail-in rebate on a qualifying purchase of a set of 4 select Goodyear tires with any form of payment method; plus get an added rebate of up to $125 more when the purchase is made on the Goodyear Credit Card. Subject to credit approval. Rebate amount varies depending on select tires purchased. Rebates valid on qualifying purchases made from 10/1/20 to 12/31/20. ©2020 Tire Rack

888-371-8473

M-F 8am-8pm EST SAT 9am-4pm EST

FAST FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $50 tirerack.com/freeshipping

THE CHEAT CODE FOR WINTER. CONTROL ON EVERY LEVEL

FAST FREE SHIPPING on All Orders Over $50*

TRUTH SERUM FOR TIRES On the track, on the road, in the snow, or at the rink — our test results help you find the tire that’s right for you! Access complete test reports or watch the videos to see the results for yourself!

www.tirerack.com/wintertestresults

FREE WITH MOST TIRES 2-YEAR ROAD HAZARD PROTECTION It’s almost always pothole season. And when it’s not, nails or glass appear out of nowhere. Our free two-year Tire Road Hazard Protection is included with the sale of almost all passenger, light truck and SUV tires. We’ve got you covered.

www.tirerack.com/roadhazard

©2020 Tire Rack

888-371-8473

M-F 8am-8pm EST SAT 9am-4pm EST

FAST FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $50 *tirerack.com/freeshipping

DAKAR DRS

17 18

17 18

FF-1 17 17

FAST FREE SHIPPING on All Orders Over $50*

O.Z. Alleggerita HLT 16 17 18

O.Z. Indy HLT 18 19 20

17 18 19 20

O.Z. Superturismo EVO. 18 19 20

19 20

ASA GT14 17 18 19 20

ASA GT15 18 19 20

See Them on Your Vehicle!

BBS CI-R 19 20

BBS XR 17 18 19 20

Enkei Perf. Hornet 17 18 19

Enkei Perf. Victory 18 19 20

Enkei Racing RPF1 15 16 17 18

Enter your vehicle at tirerack.com to experience one-click access to everything that fits it.

What About TPMS?

Enkei Tuning TSR-X 18

FLOW ONE F1 18 19 20

17 18 19

FLOW ONE F2 17 18 19 20

Bremmer Kraft BR18 18 19 20

FLOW ONE F2 18 19 20

American Eagle AE901 17 18

17 18

FLOW ONE F4 18 19 20

FLOW ONE F5 17 18 19 20

We can assist you in selecting wheels that are compatible with your vehicle’s sensors.

We also offer an extra set of sensors for all TPMS systems, so your tire and wheel package can arrive with sensors already installed.

Forged ONE FF05 18 19 20

Forged ONE FF10 18 19 20 21

SUSPENSION

©2020 Tire Rack

888-371-8473

M-F 8am-8pm EST SAT 9am-4pm EST

FAST FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $50 *tirerack.com/freeshipping

Call our sales specialists or shop by vehicle at www.tirerack.com/winter

READY-TO-BOLT-ON Tire Rack’s Winter Tire & Wheel Packages make changing to winter tires easy and efficient. These high quality, vehicle-specific fitments arrive ready to bolt on your vehicle.

Packages include free scratchless mounting and free Hunter Road Force™ balancing. Plus, all necessary hardware is included at no additional cost!

Build your own at www.tirerack.com/snow

‘20 Toyota Corolla Sedan SE

‘20 Audi S5 Sportback

‘20 BMW X2 XDrive 28i

‘20 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4WD

195/65R15 Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 15x6 MSW Type 22T

245/45R17 Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 17x7.5 Sport Edition A8-2

225/55R17 Continental VikingContact 7 17x7 RIAL X10 Optional TPMS sensors available.

265/70R17 Goodyear WinterCommand SUV 17x8 Granite Alloy® GA640 Optional TPMS sensors available.

WHAT ABOUT TPMS? If your vehicle is equipped with a direct tire pressure monitoring system, we can recommend wheels that are compatible with its sensors. An extra set of sensors is also available for most systems, and can arrive pre-installed on your package! ©2020 Tire Rack

888-371-8473

M-F 8am-8pm EST SAT 9am-4pm EST

FAST FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $50 tirerack.com/freeshipping

®

X-Ice snow Studless Ice & Snow For coupes, sedans, minivans and crossovers ®

X-ICE SNOW SUV Light Truck/SUV Studless Ice & Snow For vans, SUVs and light duty pickup trucks MICHELIN® X-ICE® SNOW and X-ICE® SNOW SUV tires are designed to deliver confidence in winter’s many different road conditions, throughout the life of the tire. Whether it’s clear, cold winter roads, or deep, heavy snow, or any icy condition in between, the X-ICE SNOW is engineered to deliver reassuring wintertime traction and stability. Michelin’s FleX-Ice 2.0 compound utilizes inclusion technology, which generates micro-roughness on the tread surface, helping improve grip both in snow and on ice.

INCREASED GROOVE WIDTHS

Improve hydroplaning and slush performance for increased stability in variable winter conditions NOTCHED AND VARIABLE THICKNESS SIPES

Enhance traction in slippery road conditions, while maintaining responsive packed snow and clear road handling

CrossClimate 2 Grand Touring All-Season For sedans, coupes, wagons, crossovers and SUVs The Michelin CrossClimate® ments that experience all four seasons, but don’t receive sufficient snowfall to require a into a grooveless pattern, maintaining the tire’s flexibility at lower temperatures and increasing biting area for snow traction sufficient to receive the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol.

PIANO NOISE REDUCTION TunING

Utilizes advanced tread pattern modeling that helps reduce airborne noise 3D SIPELOCK TECHNOLOGY

Integrated into the tread supports block rigidity for confident handling, while also increasing traction in inclement weather

©2020 Tire Rack

888-371-8473

M-F 8am-8pm EST SAT 9am-4pm EST

FAST FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $50 tirerack.com/freeshipping

Get up to a Cooper Tires Visa® Prepaid Card or Virtual Account when you buy a new set of 4 qualifying tires.*

OFFER VALID OCTOBER 15 - NOVEMBER 9, 2020

DISCOVERER ENDURAMAX CROSSOVER/SUV TOURING ALL-SEASON

For drivers of crossovers, SUVs and pickup trucks looking for a comfortable ride, predictable on-road handling, and enhanced durability. The symmetric tread pattern minimizes perceptible noise and promotes even wear, utilizing lateral notches and four wide, circumferential grooves for increased hydroplaning resistance. Sawtooth grooves work in conjunction with zigzag sipes to provide enhanced snow traction worthy of the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol.

STUDLESS ICE & SNOW

conditions and predictable handling during the variable stages in between. The special winter compound combines with high sipe density tread blocks to provide traction in snow and on ice. Wide, outboard tread blocks improve lateral grip and clear road handling, with the higher-void, inboard pattern aiding wet and slush traction.

*qualifying tires

$

70

Discoverer® EnduraMax™ Discoverer® AT3 4S™

Discoverer® AT3 LT™ Discoverer® AT3 XLT™

$

50

Discoverer® Snow Claw™ Discoverer® True North™

Evolution Winter™

Visit www.tirerack.com/cooperoffer for official terms and conditions.

AMOUNT OF REWARD IS BASED ON PURCHASES IN THE U.S., THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND PUERTO RICO, AND WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE FORM OF A COOPER TIRES VISA® PREPAID CARD OR COOPER TIRES VISA VIRTUAL ACCOUNT. VISA PREPAID CARD AND VIRTUAL ACCOUNT IS ISSUED BY METABANK®, N.A., MEMBER FDIC, PURSUANT TO A LICENSE FROM VISA U.S.A. INC. CARD CAN BE USED EVERYWHERE VISA DEBIT CARDS ARE ACCEPTED. VIRTUAL ACCOUNT CAN BE USED EVERYWHERE VISA DEBIT CARDS ARE ACCEPTED FOR ONLINE, OR PHONE/MAIL ORDER PURCHASES. NO CASH ACCESS OR RECURRING PAYMENTS. VALID FOR UP TO 6 MONTHS. TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY, SEE HTTPS://MYPREPAIDCENTER.COM/SITE/VISA-PROMO (FOR CARD) OR HTTPS://MYPREPAIDCENTER.COM/SITE/VISA-VIRTUAL (FOR VIRTUAL ACCOUNT). THE REWARD IS NOT TRANSFERABLE AND IS VALID ONLY FOR THE INDIVIDUAL WHO PURCHASED A SET OF FOUR (4) NEW QUALIFYING TIRES IN A SINGLE TRANSACTION FOR PERSONAL HOUSEHOLD USE. OFFER IS IN EFFECT FOR TIRES PURCHASED FROM OCTOBER 15 2020 TO NOVEMBER 9 2020. REWARD REQUEST MUST BE MADE BY DECEMBER 11 2020 AND RECEIVED BY JANUARY 11 2021. OFFER BASED ON AVAILABILITY OF QUALIFYING NEW TIRES AT TIME OF PURCHASE. QUALIFYING TIRES ARE: COOPER® DISCOVERER® SNOW CLAW™, COOPER® DISCOVERER® TRUE NORTH™, COOPER® EVOLUTION WINTER™, COOPER® DISCOVERER® ENDURAMAX™, COOPER® DISCOVERER® AT3 4S™, COOPER® DISCOVERER® AT3 LT™, COOPER® DISCOVERER® AT3 XLT™.

REWARD AMOUNT DEPENDS ON QUALIFYING TIRES PURCHASED. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. ©2020 Tire Rack

888-371-8473

M-F 8am-8pm EST SAT 9am-4pm EST

FAST FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $50 tirerack.com/freeshipping

The P Zero Winter provides a high-level driving experience in snow, slush and wet conditions, as well as on cold, clear pavement.

Performance Winter/Snow not just as snow tires, but as seasonal tires suitable for cold weather and freezing road conditions.

The compound is molded into a directional pattern that features an enlarged contact patch comprised of arrow-shaped center blocks and more rounded shoulders to expel water and slush.

High-density 3D sipe technology improves braking and snowto-snow traction.

Inboard tread elements utilize high-density lateral siping for increased traction in slippery conditions, along with longitudinal sipes for increased lateral stability. Further outboard, tread elements feature brickwork pattern siping, which promotes both longitudinal and lateral grip by creating more biting edges while maintaining the shape of the contact patch for responsive clear road handling.

Light Truck/SUV Performance Winter/Snow Developed for powerful luxury crossovers and SUVs, the Scorpion wintertime grip. The directional tread design helps maintain traction on wet and slush-covered roads while ridges in the bottom of the grooves and multi-directional sipes help bite into snow and on ice.

©2020 Tire Rack

888-371-8473

M-F 8am-8pm EST SAT 9am-4pm EST

FAST FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $50 tirerack.com/freeshipping

U F

E

T U R

P I M

E

Porsche is ready for our EV future. A 3000-mile drive from coast to coast shows America isn’t.

By BOB SOROKANICH

Photographs by DW BURNETT & DREW RUIZ

R

T

E F

C 1 1.20 / 12 . 20 | 7 1

W

e’d circled the gas station twice and were beginning a third lap. If there had been anybody there, they’d probably be suspicious, but people don’t hang around rural Pennsylvania gas stations after midnight on a weekday. Mostly, they stop just long enough to fill up.

We didn’t have that luxury. With less than 70 miles of range left on our electric Porsche Taycan’s battery, we’d have to plug into a high-power charging station for close to an hour to achieve the equivalent of a full tank. But despite the dashboard’s insistence to the contrary, there was no charger to be found. The unit in question was one of dozens specified on the detailed cross-country route generated by the Porsche’s built-in GPS. It pinpointed the most logical quick-charging locations and told us how long we’d need to stay plugged in at each stop, down to the minute. But this particular charging dock had yet to be installed.

After some harried smartphone scrolling, we found a hotel about 25 minutes away with a low-power charging station in the parking lot. We could catch a few hours of sleep and wake up to a mostly full battery. And so our 3000-mile cross-country blast sputtered to a halt in Altoona, Pennsylvania, a scant 300 miles from where we began.

We planned this trip as a nod to the past and, hopefully, a glimpse at the future.

An unofficial, untimed, uncompetitive coast-to-coast cross-country drive. We’d begun in Hempstead, a sprawling suburban town an hour east of the heart of New York City where, in 1947, Wilfred Brehaut Jr. and Joseph Fennessy launched a magazine called Road And Track. The stylized & would come later. The destination we keyed into the GPS was a stylish, thinspoked building on the rim of the California coast, this publication’s headquarters for more than 40 years.

It was an ersatz Cannonball Run, ignoring all Cannonball traditions— including any notion of speed. The moody gray Porsche Taycan 4S we conscripted for this trip is a silent rocket ship. Dual

motors kick out a cooperative 562 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque, plenty to slingshot you from a halt to 60 mph in under four seconds. But cross-country travel still sits pretty low on the typical EV’s résumé.

So we left the stopwatch at home and hit the road with a firm destination in Newport Beach and a thumbnail-sketch route. We’d see how the EV stood up to a free-flowing, casual itinerary, stop-

Street in Hempstead. It was there that Brehaut and Fennessy gave birth to the very first issue of this magazine, a small, slim booklet dated June 1947 that sold for 25 cents. That first installment set the tempo we would follow for more than 70 years. The table of contents included an instrumented test of the new ’47 Ford, insight into England’s car industry, the latest sports models from Europe, and

IT WAS A NOD TO THE PAST AND A GLIMPSE AT THE FUTURE. AN UNOFFICIAL, UNTIMED, UNCOMPETITIVE COAST-TO-COAST DRIVE. ping as the need arose, the way you’d do a gasoline-powered road trip. My co-driver was R&T contributor John Krewson, a delightful raconteur in the best Wisconsin tradition.

We met up on a Monday afternoon at the address where it all began: 111 Front

racing coverage spanning the globe.

Today, the numbers on Front Street stop at 109; the ancestral home is now a swath of tarmac abutting an AutoZone. Krewson quoted the unavoidable Joni Mitchell song wryly as Long Island commuters rushed by.

At a rest stop named for Thomas Edison, champion of direct current, there were no EV chargers.

By 1948, our magazine had relocated to sunny California, so Krewson and I hopped in the Taycan to do the same. The 4S is the base model in the range—step all the way up to the nonsensically named Taycan Turbo S and you’ll get 750 hp and a 2.4-second 0-60 time. Our $129,400, Volcano Grey example was comfortable and breezily quick in NYC traffic, hitting a rushing stride as we eased off the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and onto the dark, empty interstate.

It’s ironic. A good EV makes for a fantastic highway cruiser—silent drivetrain, hushed aerodynamics. Passing power is instant, the car rearing up and scooting before your foot even reaches the floor.

Most electric cars are dense for their size, and the 4777-pound Taycan is no different, but that heft gives the swoopy sedan a placid, well-trimmed ride. Supportive seats, an airy cabin, roomy footwells— you could drive this thing all day in luxuriant comfort. If not for, well….

Look, the charging thing isn’t awful.

Our route traced nearly the full length of a brand-new, coast-to-coast corridor of Electrify America charging sta-

tions, unveiled in June and running from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles along Interstate 70 and Interstate 15.

There’s a station every 70 miles, give or take, each with multiple direct-current quick-chargers serving up to 350 kW— the fastest charging currently available.

A second corridor, covering the southern U.S. from Jacksonville, Florida, to San Diego, is due to be completed soon, and Electrify America operates chargers along the major north-south routes on both coasts and throughout many larger Midwest cities.

We hit a rhythm, charging the battery to about 90 percent and driving it down to 20 or so before recharging. We only planned one stop ahead, to keep the math simple, and we always kept a comfortable range reserve. With this easy cadence, we consistently made 200 miles or more between charges, rolling for three hours and passing one or two charging locations before a half-hour top-off.

The charging network has exploded thanks to tons of cash. Electrify America is wholly owned by Volkswagen Group and was founded by the automaker 11. 2 0 / 1 2.20 | 73

HEM PSTEAD . N Y

HURRY, AND WAIT: We stopped to charge 19 times on our trip. The faster you go, the more you stop—a lesson we learned when the speed

NEW P OR T B EACH , CA

limit rose to 80 mph.

C HARGING STAT I O N

in 2017 as part of a giant settlement with U.S. lawmakers over all those diesel emissions cheats. The government ordered VW Group to invest $2 billion into building zero-emissions vehicle infrastructure across the U.S.; hence, Electrify America and its green-illuminated charging towers scattered all along I-70. EA’s charger network doesn’t beat Tesla’s Supercharger stations in number, but unlike Superchargers, any brand of EV other than Tesla can charge with EA, and the fastest stations are far more powerful than Tesla’s top-spec 250 kW units.

Also found at regular intervals across America: Walmarts. Nearly every EA

station we visited was in the far corner of a Walmart parking lot, four to 10 charging towers glowing in the night.

It’s part of a deal the charging company struck with the retailer in 2018, and it makes a lot of practical sense: Walmarts are everywhere across suburban and rural America, they’ve got huge parking lots, and you can shop at them for the 15 to 40 minutes your EV needs to charge.

It’s a little less convenient for the cross-country hurdler. Road snacks— individually-packaged, ready-made, console-size munchies—are pretty much the only thing Walmart doesn’t carry, and you’ll have a hell of a time finding a fresh

cup of coffee in a Supercenter. The typical Walmart is an unwalkable island. You can’t stroll to lunch while your battery juices up.

At some points, our trip began to feel like big-box purgatory, hopping on and off of I-70 over and over just to sit in the same generic retail parking lot for a half hour at a time.

If you really want to burn up miles in an EV, you aim to coast into each charging station with minimal range left and plug in just long enough to make it to the next charger. Maximizing your efficiency becomes a high-speed algebra problem, always flirting with the risk of a dead battery. This should be cake for the Taycan’s GPS. The car knows its rate of consumption and remaining range, and with overthe-air updates it can, in theory, map the location of every public charging station in the country. But right now, Porsche’s trip-planning software just isn’t up to longdistance travel. It wasn’t just our phantom charger in Pennsylvania; we watched more than once as the in-dash GPS insisted we exit the highway and backtrack on twolanes to an out-of-the-way charger for an unnecessary top-off. We just couldn’t trust it. Our reliable, if inelegant, method: locate a charger with the Electrify America smartphone app, then punch its address into Google Maps to see if we could make it on our remaining range.

From mountains to prairies, the Taycan whisked us through America’s vast and varied landscapes.

11 . 20 / 12. 2 0 | 75

This halting routine doesn’t lend itself to round-the-clock driving, so we took it easy, putting in 12-to-14-hour driving days and bedding down in hotels. Civilized. At this pace, we rolled into Southern California on Friday afternoon, navigating our way to Newport Beach.

We reached the old office as the sun began to set. Road & Track moved into this place in 1968, staying until 2012. Tom Bryant, Bill Motta, Peter Egan, and dozens of other influential names—they all walked through these modern, airy halls.

The architecture captures a mood, an optimism. The building was designed for John R. Bond, the technical editor who became the magazine’s owner, and penned by Bill Ficker, an aircraft engineer turned architect and America’s Cup-winning sailor. Ficker snuck an MGB coupe 76 | 1 1 .20 / 12 . 2 0

and a Corvette Sting Ray into his early renderings of the building, a cheery nod to its intended occupants. R&T shared the office for many years with Cycle World magazine. Imagine the metal that rolled through this parking lot.

But 1499 Monrovia has been vacant since 2012. The building was bought by basketball great Kobe Bryant in 2014, meant to be a headquarters for his business and community organizations.

Those plans were derailed. Now owned by a school, the building sits untouched, surrounded by a construction fence.

We got out of the car, peered through gaps in the fence, and imagined this place as it was. “This feels like the office building at the end of the world,” Krewson said. It was quiet, chilly for Southern California.

Then the sun hit a perfect angle on its way into the sea, lighting off the most beautiful sunset.

It wasn’t effortless getting here. Then again, embracing the future is rarely easy or quick. Ten years ago, driving an EV from coast to coast would have been nearly impossible; doing so in a Porsche, pure fantasy. But we made our way across the continent with nothing to complain about but box-store flourescent lighting and questionable snack food. We’d traced history one shore to the other in a machine that gives us an idea of what’s coming in the next 10 years. That’s pretty quick, by future standards. After all, the founders of Road & Track only managed to put out six issues in their first two years. And look where their work got us.

Your vehicles crave approvals & specifications

Viscosity does not equal OEM approvals!

Visit www.liqui-moly.us or ask your repair shop or automotive retailer about the best LIQUI MOLY motor oils and additives for your car.

LIQUI MOLY – made in Germany since 1957

S

enior feature editor Doug Kott takes the Porsche 911 hot into a corner and lifts off the gas. The 911 starts to rotate, the rear-engine performance icon’s trademark liftoff oversteer snapping the back end around. Two and a half decades later, he still recalls being stunned by that moment.

Kott wasn’t on a racetrack. He was in his Newport Beach office playing a beta version of what would become Road & Track Presents: The Need For Speed. And for the first time in his life, he was seeing a digital car, rendered on the cutting-edge 3DO game console, behave like its real-life counterpart.

That Kott was the one testing it was no coincidence. The market was full of simple racing games, unsophisticated stuff paying little mind to how real cars behaved. Hanno Lemke, the producer behind The Need For Speed, wanted to make a driving game that immersed you in the perfect drive, that gave you a window into what the best road cars could actually do, and how.

“We wanted you to smell the leather, hear the gated shifter and all the unique sounds of the engines,” Lemke said.

“We wanted the experience to be what it might be like for the player to have the keys to that car for a day.”

That degree of authenticity required lots of performance data, detailed drive impressions of the cars themselves, and ample feedback on the virtual cars developed for the game. So Lemke and his team from game studio Electronic Arts approached Road & Track, hoping to use the magazine’s name to bestow credibility on the fledgling series, and the staff to fine-tune the game.

Road & Track sent photography assets, testing data, and detailed drive

Need For Speed games are defined by memorable cars, heroic chases, and expansive customization options.

impressions on cars such as the Porsche 911 and Lamborghini Diablo to EA. Editors were required to put in a minimum number of hours on beta versions of the game. EA used the feedback to instill the digital cars with the personalities and qualities that defined their metal-and-leather counterparts.

The game grew to encompass more than just Road & Track. After its well-received release on the niche 3DO platform, The Need For Speed was ported to MS-DOS, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and Microsoft Windows. Sequels included blockbuster hits like Need For Speed III: Hot Pursuit; Need For Speed: Underground; and Need For Speed: Most Wanted. And though its tie-in with Road

“IT’S ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE, NOT JUST ABOUT WHO’S THE FASTEST AROUND THE TRACK.”

ELECTRONIC ARTS

& Track ended after the original game, the missions and attitudes of the two brands moved in the same direction.

“Our goal was with each iteration to create a different story, a different experience for players while retaining the core tenets of the franchise. Which were real cars, car culture, car passion…

It’s about the experience, not just about who’s the fastest around the track,” said Lemke, who shepherded the series through 2007’s ProStreet.

The game series was defined by this appetite for change. Its domain encompassed car culture, whatever form that might take. At the outset, NFS focused mostly on supercars and open-road drives, sending players in Ferraris and Lamborghinis down incredible coastal highways. But as the audience got younger, and the supercars looked less and less attainable, Lemke wanted to meet enthusiasts where they were. The pop-culture presence of tuner cars and modification was booming, evoking a rebellious counterculture of rowdy driving, sideshows, and bold music.

The 2003 release of NFS: Underground dove into this, bringing the late-night racing of slammed Civics, boosted S2000s, and tuned Integras to the forefront. Supercars and proper racetracks were intentionally absent; the game was about regular roads, Dodge Neons, and Ford Focuses.

Not satisfied with making supercars feel accessible to players, Need For Speed set out to prove that the car you already owned could be a hero. It was a statement that the love of cars didn’t require six-figure investments or private racetracks. All it took was a willing driver and a place where they could drive fast, consequence-free.

That resonated. With the release of Underground, Need For Speed went from an enthusiast favorite to a cultural phenomenon. Around seven million copies were sold in the game’s first six months, with total sales eventually reaching 15 million. It became one of the best-selling games on PlayStation 2 and launched the series on its path to becoming one of the all-time most suc-

cessful franchises. That single title accounts for nearly 10 percent of the sales of the entire 24-game Need For Speed franchise and stands as the first true culture-defining hit of the street-racing genre. Underground’s focus on customization, driving culture, and accessibility became hallmarks of the series.

“The way we think about it now, Need For Speed is self-expression.

In a slightly more nuanced way than how it always was, either that vehicle is aspirational and says something about me or my connection to that vehicle says something about me,” says Matt Webster, who as vice president and general manager of Criterion Games oversees the development of new NFS titles. “Because it’s weird to think about this collection of engineering bits and bolts having a soul, but we talk about it all the time. And that’s because there’s a strange connection between humans and motor vehicles, I think, and one that’s very personal.

The game reflects that.”

Every aspect of the series is centered 1 1.20 / 12 .2 0 | 81

EVERY CAR HAS TO BE MEMORABLE, A CHARACTER IN ITS OWN RIGHT. THE CAR IS AT THE CENTER, BUT IT’S A HUMAN STORY.

11 .2 0 / 1 2. 20 | 8 2

ELECTRONIC ARTS

around building and maintaining that connection. Expressive soundtracks of new music became a staple of the series.

EA ditched blended-in background music—a hallmark of games like Forza and Gran Turismo—in favor of stuff you’d actually listen to while driving. Hip-hop, hard rock, and metal tracks from real artists brought life to the world, with EA even bringing in big-name artists like Jamiroquai to promote the game. The music, far from being a mere afterthought, was central to the experience.

Cars, significantly, would never be mere commodities. The team fought hard to avoid the paradox of choice, where overwhelming options prevent satisfaction with a decision. They were intentional and ruthless in trimming down the car list for every game, making sure it never became the bloated, 700-car mess that is the Forza menu.

With a field that crowded, the machines begin to seem interchangeable and disposable. Variety retained its importance—the game needed a few dozen cars to cover tuner options, supercars, sleepers, and classics—but every car had to be memorable, a character in its own right. “The car is at the center, but it’s a human story,” Webster said.

The best expression of this ethos came with 2005’s Most Wanted, a megahit that sold 16 million copies, making it history’s best-selling real-life racing game. The car list included only 32 models, but the story brought players into direct competition with tricked-out, liveried

versions of the “most wanted” villain cars, fighting for pinks and a chance to drive them yourself. Forget the enemy drivers; the opposition cars themselves were sinister, aggressive, well-defined villains. The blue-and-white E46 BMW M3 GTR in particular was so iconic that fans still recreate the livery in real life.

A decade and a half later, Need For Speed has struggled to reach its former heights. The post-Most Wanted games still sold in the millions, but Lemke notes that the yearly release schedule didn’t mesh well with the complexity of modern games. Other yearly game series, such as Call Of Duty, have multiple development teams in different studios, allowing each team to work for three years to deliver a fleshed-out product while publishers enjoy the relevance and added profits of a yearly release.

With a small team, it got harder and harder to keep up with the calendar.

Carbon, the follow-up to Most Wanted, mustered fewer than a quarter of that game’s sales. ProStreet did even worse. The 2010 relaunch of Hot Pursuit brought some life back, but ultimately the 2006-2018 era of Need For Speed was a series of disappointments. From the series reboot, simply titled Need For Speed, to the microtransaction-filled Payback, the games— developed by Ghost Games during this

time—never reached the same heights as the greatest hits.

NFS Heat, the final release by Ghost Games, recaptured some of the magic.

Its neon-infused Miami Vice aesthetic and modified Polestar 1 cover car signaled the series’ return to the silliness and creativity that made it a hit. The game allows you to flip between sanctioned road-course racing during the daytime and ditch-the-cops action by night, with a narrative story punctuated by billboard-busting fun. It’s inspired by what Webster calls “the innate stupidity” that we love in cars, the sheer absurdity of setting loose a pack of two-ton controlled-explosion machines on public roads. It is neither the most realistic nor the most precise driving game on sale. It is easily the most fun.

People who just love cars, Webster admits, will likely reach for Gran Turismo and Forza. That will always be a powerful niche. But a much larger group has been brought in by the ongoing boom of the gaming industry, players who love games but haven’t yet fallen for cars. To Webster, Need For Speed’s role is to bring them in, to show them what a great driving experience really feels like. It’s not about the fastest lap time or the most expensive ride. It’s about proving that cars can be so much more than soulless hunks of metal.

ROAD & TRACK TEST: 2020 CHEVROLET CORVETTE STINGRAY

IMPOSSIBLE

TASK The biggest shakeup in Corvette history must be all things to all drivers.

By TRAVIS OKULSKI

Photographs by DW BURNET T

T The spiritual home of the sports car in North America isn’t Detroit. It’s not Southern California. It’s not even Bowling Green. It’s upstate New York, specifically Watkins Glen. A tiny American town with an outsize reputation.

After World War II, sports cars followed returning service members to America. Lithe, light, and low-powered, they were the antithesis of the American way of travel. Cameron Argetsinger, a Watkins Glen local, saw an opportunity.

In 1948, he staged the first Watkins Glen road race, an event that became an annual showcase of the country’s bravest drivers on challenging country roads. In 1951, legendary General Motors designer Harley Earl attended the race to show off a concept LeSabre and was inspired to build a purely American sports car. In 1953 he came back to the race with his creation: the Corvette.

The first generation wasn’t quite up to its world-beating task. But through seven generations and more than 65 years, the Corvette evolved into a car that did everything a Porsche or a Ferrari could for less than half the price.

It’s one of few cars at home in every possible environment. It’s underrated to the point of disdain by those who simply don’t want to believe that an American sports car can beat the hell out of models from Europe.

Part of that may be the working-class price. Another may be the lackluster interiors. The biggest knock may have been the perception that the engine was in the wrong place. And for decades, rumors insisted that the Corvette’s V-8 would move behind the driver. It was always just about to happen, with a 86 | 1 1 .2 0 / 12. 20

string of mid-engine concept cars giving credence to the rumors. But a series of false starts, including one C7-generation plan scuttled by bankruptcy, saw hopes continually fall. Until now.

The C8-generation Corvette is easily the most anticipated American car of the last 20 years, one with impossibly high expectations from customers, journalists, and GM itself. It must be a grand tourer, sports car, track car, drag racer, and golf-club hauler, displaying versatility not expected of any other model. That’s the Corvette’s dilemma: Because it has doubters, it must to do everything flawlessly.

Our first drive of the C8 for Performance Car of the Year (Dec. 2019-Jan. 2020) saw us get behind the wheel of a preproduction model, one not 100percent finalized. At the time, it seemed the Stingray was very good but best considered as a building block for higherpowered versions of the car to come, variants that would truly take advantage of the mid-engine architecture.

But the completed car stands on its own. This is the performance bargain of the century.

Like the Corvette, Watkins Glen has evolved. Racing moved from public roads to a purpose-built facility decades ago, but the track is no less daunting. This circuit hosted the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix for two decades and still sees professional sports-car racing each year. It’s one of the old-school tracks, iconic blue barriers lining a course carved out of the land by men on tractors, not mere algorithms. What you get is a gorgeous, flowing track, a fast 3.4-mile goliath as intimidating as it is iconic. This is where we reacquaint ourselves with the C8.

It gets you the first time you push the start button, the familiar small-block bark smacking your brain from behind, the unrefined lope a brief reminder that you’re not in something from Europe.

The new engine, dubbed LT2, is an evolution of the V-8 we saw in the

THE C8 IS EASILY THE MOST ANTICIPATED AMERICAN CAR OF THE LAST 20 YEARS. C7, now producing 495 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque with the Z51 package.

That gets it to 60 in 2.8 seconds, better than the last-generation Z06 and ZR1, cars with at least 150 more horsepower.

The C8 gives the illusion of ever-present grip. It’s a rear-wheeldrive car with an almost all-wheeldrive character, able to fire in any direction at any time. That acceleration from a dig is thanks to the mid-engine layout and aggressively short gearing from the eight-speed, dual-clutch gearbox. Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter said shifting weight toward the rear axle would allow the C8 to put more power down, hence the move to a mid-engine layout. Perhaps the C7 Stingray and Grand Sport had no traction issues; the C8 has less than none.

You do lose the dance of clutch, accelerator, and steering, of making sure you have the right mix to stay straight. On the track, going for lap times, that’s undeniably a good thing.

But losing that theater is noticeable on the road, where instead of worrying about controlling the rear

From certain angles, the C8 is unmistakably a Corvette. From others, it’s a seismic shift in proportion, perception, and purpose.

88 | 11 .20 / 12 .2 0

8 9 | 11. 2 0 / 12 . 2 0

FROM APEX TO CORNER EXIT, THERE ISN’T MUCH THAT DRIVES LIKE THIS.

end, you need to worry about hitting imprisonable speeds within seconds of touching the throttle.

Unlike Corvettes past, the controls are delicate, with light steering and paddle shifters. A sign of modern trends. While it was a sad day when the Corvette lost its third pedal, the gearbox has vastly improved since we first drove the car months ago.

Shifts from the Tremec-designed transmission are crisp and rapid in manual mode, thanks to paddles wired directly to the box. Downshifts are quick and perfectly rev-matched, when you get them. That’s one annoyance. In a heavy braking zone, like into Turn 1 at The Glen, you’re snagging gears quickly.

Occasionally the gearbox takes more than one pull to react, likely because a paddle was pulled before the engine was ready to allow a shift. Instead of delaying that shift slightly, the gearbox denies it, then forgets you ever asked. Exercising

1 2

4

3

WATKINS GLEN Tucked in the hills just out-

1. TURN ONE

2. THE BUS STOP

3. THE BOOT

4. THE TABLETOP

side the hamlet that bears

A fast right. Get your

Quicker than it looks.

Secretly the most chal-

the same name, Watkins

braking done before-

Use the track’s com-

lenging turn on track. An

Glen International is one

hand, hit an early apex,

pression to get back to

off-camber left, get this

of America’s greatest and

and use all the track for the

power early, maximizing

one wrong and you’ll end

most challenging tracks.

fast run up the esses.

The place to be brave.

Brake late and clobber the curbs. The Vette was touching 150 before the braking zone.

that short straight.

up in the wall.

90 | 1 1 .20 / 12 . 2 0

GIVE A GIFT IN GREAT TASTE BumpStep®XL

Cargo/Trunk Liner

Side Window Deflectors

WeatherTech is world-renowned for style and functionality. That’s why our products make excellent gifts this holiday season for the car enthusiast on your list, offering protection for the interior and exterior of any vehicle. If it’s not WeatherTech, it’s just not worth it.

Auto. Home. Pet. Find Your Fit. © 2020 MacNeil IP LLC

1-800-441-6287 or 1-630-769-1500

more patience with the paddle results in delay-free downshifts. Driven in automatic, it’s telepathic, keeping the engine in the powerband at all times and banging off shifts without issue.

Chevrolet has recently compared Corvette automatics to Porsche’s PDK gearbox, and every single time Chevy’s automatic has been a letdown. The PDK is still the best you can buy, but this Tremec is leagues better than any automatic ever fit to a Corvette, a half-step at most behind the best.

Like the gearbox, the brakes have gone digital, a brake-by-wire setup bypassing the physical connection between pedal and braking system. This means the computer can change the pedal feel depending on the driving situation, which is gimmicky—and disconcerting, since brakes should be a constant—but also a likely sign of an upcoming hybrid system. But left in Sport mode the pedal is linear and accurate, the brakes showing no fade after repeated use at more than 150 mph through The Glen’s bus-stop chicane.

The delicate controls, light steering, and paddle-shift gearbox may lead you to believe that the Vette needs a light touch.

Not the case. In fact, it’s the opposite; in corners like The Glen’s Turn 5, a long, downhill right-hand sweeper, you need patience with the throttle lest you make the front push. A big swing at the wheel or an aggressive move on the pedals is needed to make the Corvette come around. Steering, while accurate, is numb, 11 . 20 / 12. 2 0 | 92

meaning your inputs must be informed by something other than your hands.

Vague steering is always a letdown.

But as the pace gets higher, the chassis comes alive. It may not be as adjustable as the last car, likely a design choice made to save drivers from the 6.2-liter pendulum behind their backs. Still, speeds become very serious very fast, although the car remains stable and predictable, two confidence builders.

The last thing you want in a car this accessible to so many people is a tricky experience. Otherwise we’d likely be hearing about a lot of owners who aren’t

thrilled with GM after wrapping their C8s tail-first around a tree.

But get on the power at the right time, and from apex to corner exit there isn’t much that drives like this.

A big part is the fantastic Performance Traction Management (PTM) system, hyper-advanced traction control that actually cuts spark instead of using the brakes to bring the car back in line. This is racing-level stuff, and it works excellently, though we’re not sure it’s being fully exploited. The sheer rear-end grip is so massive that traction control is more safety net than necessity.

autostacker.com 1-888-977-8225

BUILT-IN WHEELS

The Ultimate Portable Car Lift

MECHANICAL LOCKS

SIMPLE CONTROLS See it on YouTube

www.quickjack.com • 1-888-262-3880 © 2020 QuickJack, LLC. QuickJack products are protected by one or more patents.

OFFICIAL PERFORMANCE TEST REPORT

2020 CHEVROLET CORVETTE STINGRAY

S P E C I F I C AT I O N S

T E S T R E S U LT S GEAR

PRICE

RATIO

MAX SPEED (RPM)

1 .................................2.91:1 ......................... 35 mph (6600) 2 .................................1.76:1.......................... 58 mph (6600) 3 .................................1.22:1 ......................... 84 mph (6600) 4 .................................0.88:1 ......................116 mph (6600) 5 .................................0.65:1 ......................157 mph (6600) 6 .................................0.51:1 ......................184 mph (6000) 7 .................................0.40:1 ..............est. 184 mph (4700) 8 .................................0.33:1 ..............est. 184 mph (3870)

BASE/AS TESTED ......................... $59,995/$86,710

ENGINE LAYOUT .................................................. middle, longitudinal CONFIGURATION.................................................................V-8 INDUCTION .............................................naturally aspirated MATERIAL..................................aluminum block and head VALVETRAIN ........................................ pushrod, 16 valves DISPLACEMENT ....................................................... 6162 cc BORE x STROKE .................................. 103.25 x 92.0 mm COMPRESSION RATIO................................................11.5:1 PEAK ENGINE POWER......................495 hp @ 6450 rpm PEAK ENGINE TORQUE ................. 470 lb-ft @ 5150 rpm REDLINE ...................................................................6600 rpm FUEL DELIVERY ............................................direct injection

STEERING ASSIST ................................................................................ electric TURNS LOCK TO LOCK........................................................... 2.5

SUSPENSION FRONT ............................................................. double-wishbone REAR ................................................................ double-wishbone

DRIVEN WHEELS................................................................ rear TYPE ........................................................ 8-speed automatic DIFFERENTIAL .......................................................limited-slip FINAL-DRIVE RATIO ....................................................5.17:1

BRAKES & TIRES FRONT ............................................13.3-in vented iron rotors

200

BODY & CHASSIS

0–60.....................................................................2.8

200

100

3000

4500 ENGINE SPEED

94 | 1 1. 20 / 1 2.2 0

6000

7500

ACCELERATION 0–30 MPH .........................................................1.1 0–40.....................................................................1.5 0–50.....................................................................2.1

CONSTRUCTION ............................................................. unibody MATERIAL......................................................................aluminum LENGTH............................................................................ 182.3 in WIDTH ..................................................................................76.1 in HEIGHT.................................................................................48.6 in WHEELBASE ................................................................... 107.2 in TRACK, F/R ............................................................64.9/62.4 in DOORS/SEATS ........................................................................ 2/2 CARGO CAPACITY ..........................................................12.6 ft3

0–70.....................................................................3.7

WEIGHT

0–160...............................................................25.6

CURB WEIGHT ................................................................ 3647 lb DISTRIBUTION FRONT/REAR .......................... 39.4/60.6%

TOP SPEED (Drag limited, mfr).....184 mph

WEIGHT-TO-POWER ...................................................7.4 lb/hp

1500

ROADHOLDING, 300-FT SKIDPAD

500

PEAK HORSEPOWER (SAE) @ 6450 RPM

100

1.03 g

ROLLING START, 5–60 MPH............3.5 sec

300

495

TOP SPEED, MPH (MFR)

STABILITY CONTROL ................................... fully defeatable TIRES ...........................................Michelin Pilot Sport 4S ZP SIZE ................. F 245/35ZR-19 (89Y) TPC Spec 3120 ............................R 305/30ZR-20 (99Y) TPC Spec 3121

400

300

184

4-piston fixed calipers

OUTPUT

400

0–¼-MILE, SECONDS @ 122.0 MPH

REAR ...............................................13.8-in vented iron rotors

4-piston fixed calipers

LB-FT PEAK TORQUE @ 5150 RPM

11.2

HP

HP/LB-FT

470

0–60 MPH, SECONDS

TURNING CIRCLE ........................................................36.4 feet

TRANSMISSION

500

2.8

0–80.....................................................................4.7 0–90.....................................................................5.9 0–100..................................................................7.2 0–110..................................................................8.7 0–120...............................................................10.7 0–130...............................................................13.2 0–140...............................................................15.9 0–150...............................................................19.4

BRAKING 70–0 MPH ...................................................149 ft

FUEL

100–0 MPH ................................................301 ft

EPA CITY/HWY ....................................................... 15/27 mpg CAPACITY ............................................................... 18.5 gallons RANGE ....................................................................499 miles

FADE.................................................................. none

RECOMMENDED FUEL GRADE.................................premium

BALANCE.......................moderate understeer

HANDLING

Stopwatch estimates from pit lane put the Corvette at a sub-2:10 lap at The Glen, positively blistering when you consider that this is a lightly optioned base Corvette putting up numbers that are tough for any car to match.

On the road, heads snap when it drives by, some innocent bystanders wondering what the hell it is, some refusing to believe it exists at all. The front three-quarter view is the winner, a mixture of angles 11 . 20 / 12. 2 0 | 96

and shapes invoking stealth fighters. The rear view is inelegant at best, the need for golf-bag storage creating squarish hips, denying the Corvette the lithe, tapered beauty of other mid-engine cars. No matter what you think of its looks, it has serious presence.

The ride quality is simply outstanding. Magnetic Ride Control shocks make this the most comfortable sports car you can drive that doesn’t cost more than $300,000. It’s truly a feat, keeping the Corvette comfortable for hours. And this iteration has an excellent interior.

The seats are normally a Vette low point. The GT2 buckets in our car were supportive and on the verge of being too tight, though that’s honestly a sign that I need to spend more time on the bike than I do eating cookies. It’s a great place to be, especially if you’re behind the wheel.

Everything is angled towards the driver, including a raised panel housing the ancillary controls, which creates a border wall the passenger must summit in order to change the radio station. On the track or a solo drive, it’s wonderful,

a cocoon that lets you focus without distraction. But trips with a friend or significant other feel like you’re in two different cars, particularly if your passenger is short. There is one blessing of the control wall: Passengers with music ADD won’t change the radio as often.

While companions struggle to find some way to turn off the Gin Blossoms, you can focus on driving. The gearbox’s on-track blindspots are eradicated on the road. The dual-clutch system begs you to put it in manual mode, as if it knows it can do everything itself but would really rather have you as part of the fun.

There may not be a clutch pedal, but the transmission feels visceral enough that you can forget it’s not there.

The C8 Corvette is years of anticipation made real. On first impression, it does all the right things. It tucks crisply into corners, the engine has that perfect lope, it attracts the eye, and it feels like you’re driving a car worth three times the price. It’s a wonderful road car you could use daily, in any location, without worry. Unlike any other mid-engine car, it’s relaxed around town, a gentle cruiser, perfectly at home. On a good road it comes alive, quick and agile, the small-block V-8 once again proving it will never be outdated. It’s an outstanding combination.

Yet something undefinable is missing.

The C7-generation Corvette had layers, getting better the more time you spent behind the wheel. The C8 seems to throw everything at you from the first drive, shouting its inherent specialness from minute one, relentlessly showing you every trick it has. It’s the same with its appearance. The C7 flew under the radar, eliciting knowing nods and glances and occasional waves, but nothing that’d attract a civilian crowd. The new car may as well come with a disco ball and DJ air horns. A drawback? Perhaps not. But if you’re running an errand, expect it to take twice as long as planned. Grocery run? Everybody on the dance floor!

WAH-WAH-WAHHHHH! 98 | 11 .20 / 1 2.2 0

THE CORVETTE RUNS BLISTERING LAPS ON TRACK AND RUINS BACK ROADS FOR THE PRICE OF A PORSCHE’S OPTION LIST. Put it all in perspective. The Corvette’s base price is $59,995, with our tester coming in at $86,710. Either price is a bargain for a car with Ferrari/McLaren levels of performance. It’s impressive on every level, and the mid-engine platform will pay bigger dividends as engineers add power, hybrid systems, and handling packages that truly exploit the layout, if you actually need more performance. It’s hard to imagine that anyone does; more speed usually leads to sacrifices in comfort, usability, and—most importantly—price.

After every run at The Glen I had the same thought: This is the first car from Chevrolet with the engine behind the driver since the Corvair. Their corporate history is not mid-engine unobtanium but budget performance. And now they have a mid-engine Corvette that runs blistering laps on track and ruins backroads for the price of an option package on a high-end supercar.

If this is the future of performance, we’re going to be all right.

PASS ALONG THE PASSION Gift the ultimate subscription box

by Road & Track ENTER CODE RT10 FOR 10% OFF THE ANNUAL BOX

SUBSCRIBE AT RTCREW.COM OR CALL 800-554-4898

The Finish Line

1. Publication Title: ROAD & TRACK 2. Publication Number: 0570-6700 3. Filing Date: October 1, 2020 4. Issue Frequency: MONTHLY 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: 10 6. Annual Subscription Price: $13.00 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Publisher: Felix DiFilippo, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Editor: Travis Okulski, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Managing Editor: Mike Fazioli, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 10. Owner: Hearst Autos, Inc., Complete Mailing Address: 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 Stockholder of Hearst Autos, Inc. is: Veranda Publications, Inc., Complete Mailing Address: 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None 12. Tax Status: Not Applicable 13. Publication Title: ROAD & TRACK 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: September-20 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation

Average No. No. Copies of Copies Each Single Issue Issue During Published Preceding Nearest to 12 Months Filing Date

564,177

357,508

n/a

12,857

n/a 370,383 142,405 n/a

E S SEN T I A L S F OR YOUR DRIVEN LIFE

n/a

4,700 147,105 517,488 46,689 564,177 71.57% 43,197

413,580

560,685

73.76%

I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).

MAXJAX: THERE WHEN YOU NEED IT Low ceilings and limited garage space don’t have to prevent you from having a car lift at home.

MaxJax is a completely portable, ALI-certified two-post lift with full-size lift advantages that stores away when not in use.

1-844-629-5291 www.maxjax.com

For advertising information call 212.649.420 , 9am-5pm EST

a. Total Number of Copies (Net press run) 579,206 b. Paid Circulation (by Mail and Outside the Mail) [1] Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 382,680 [2] Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 n/a [3] Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS® 12,857 [4] Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS (e.g., First-Class Mail) n/a c. Total Paid Distribution (Sum of 15b [1], [2], [3], and [4]) 395,537 d. Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies included on PS Form 3541 118,210 [2] Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541 n/a [3] Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS (e.g., First-Class Mail) n/a [4] Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or other means) 5,981 e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (Sum of 15d [1], [2], [3] and [4]) 124,191 f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e) 519,729 g. Copies not Distributed 59,477 h. Total (Sum of 15f and g) 579,205 i. Percent Paid (15c divided by 15f times 100) 76.10% 16a.Requested and Paid Electronic Copies 41,949 b. Total Requested and Paid Print Copies and Requested/Paid Electronic Copies (Line 15c) 437,486 c. Total Requested Copy Distribution (Line 15f) and Requested/Paid Electronic Copies 561,677 d. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Both print & Electronic Copies) 77.89% 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership: Publication required. Will be printed in the November/December-20 issue of this publication.

18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner: Felix DiFilippo

Line

STAY SHARP | FIND US ON

THE

R OA D I E

C H A IN 8 IN 1 K EY

™

Smithsonian®

SH A R P EN ER

GOES WHOE.RE YOU G

The

6

8

5 1

3

7

4

2

Minted in 2 4 Pure Gold! k Actual size is 6.9375 x 3 in.

For advertising information call 212.649.420 , 9am-5pm EST

1. PHILIP’S HEAD SCREWDRIVER 2. FLAT HEAD SCREWDRIVER/BOX OPENER 3. PRY TOOL • 4. BOTTLE OPENER 5. VARIABLE HEX WRENCH 6. CARBIDE KNIFE SHARPENER 7. LINE CUTTER • 8. CARABINER

LEARN MORE AT LANSKY.COM

Bring Home a $100,000 Bill And SAVE $99,970.05!

Have you ever dreamed of holding a $100,000 bill in your hands?

Limited Mintage — Secure Yours NOW!

Now you can take home a gold currency adaptation featuring the iconic design of the Series 1934 $100,000 Gold Certificate, struck in gold and produced under license to the Smithsonian®!

For this first-ever release, only 5,000 of these Series 1934 $100,000 Gold Certificate Currency Strikes were produced. These are the very first of their kind, created with 100mg of 99.9% pure gold. They’re already going fast, and there’s no telling how long our limited supply will remain in our vault.

Don’t let this shining gold piece of Americana pass you by—secure Each currency strike comes sealed in a protective plastic holder to yours now!

99.9% Pure Gold History In Your Hands In 1934, the U.S. Government issued $100,000 Gold Certificates—but they were never meant for general circulation. The United States had left behind the gold standard the year prior, and were in need of a new way to transfer large amounts of wealth between Federal Reserve banks.

The $100,000 Gold Certificate legally represented its worth in gold, and didn’t require a forklift to move.

By 1960, the notes had served their purpose, and most were destroyed.

Only a small number still exist, including notes held by the Smithsonian.

100mg of 99.9% Pure Gold These Series 1934 $100,000 Currency Strikes bear a design based on the Smithsonian’s originals—a portrait of President Woodrow Wilson, along with the official Smithsonian sunburst. Best of all, they come minted in 100 mg of 99.9% pure (24k) gold!

preserve its GEM condition

1934 Smithsonian $100,000 24k Gold Certificate $29.95 ea. + s/h FREE SHIPPING on 5 or More!

Limited time only. Product total over $149 before taxes (if any). Standard domestic shipping only.

Not valid on previous purchases.

Call today toll-free for fastest service

1-888-870-6351 Offer Code SHN334-01 Please mention this code when you call.

GovMint.com, 14101 Southcross Dr. W., Suite 175, Dept. SHN334-01, Burnsville, MN 55337 GovMint.com® is a retail distributor of coin and currency issues and is not affiliated with the U.S. government. The collectible coin market is unregulated, highly speculative and involves risk. GovMint.com reserves the right to decline to consummate any sale, within its discretion, including due to pricing errors. Prices, facts, figures and populations deemed accurate as of the date of publication but may change significantly over time. All purchases are expressly conditioned upon your acceptance of GovMint.com’s Terms and Conditions (www.govmint.com/terms-conditions or call 1-800-721-0320); to decline, return your purchase pursuant to GovMint.com’s Return Policy. © 2020 GovMint.com. All rights reserved.

$39

I

TAKE 87 % OFF INST ANTLY! When you use

your

INSIDER OFFER CO DE

of the item price. But we’re betting this timekeeping pioneer is a keeper.

Timemaster Piezo Watch

Offer Code Price Only $39 + S&P Save $260

1-800-333-2045

Rating of A+

Your Insider Offer Code: TPW236-01 You must use the insider offer code to get our special price.

Stauer

® 14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. TPW236-01 Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com • Precision Piezo electric movement • Stainless steel caseback and crown • Cotswold® mineral crystal • Crocodile embossed leather strap fits wrists 6 ½"–8 ½" • Date window display • Water resistant to 3 ATM *Discount is only for customers who use the offer code versus the listed original Stauer.com price.

Stauer… Afford the Extraordinary.®

For advertising information call 212.649.420 , 9am-5pm EST

n the history of timepieces, few moments are more important than the creation of the world’s first Piezo timepiece. First released to the public in 1969, the watch turned the entire industry on its head, ushering in a new era of timekeeping. It’s this legacy that we’re honoring with the Timemaster Watch, available only through Stauer at a price only we can offer.

The result of ten years of research and development by some of the world’s top engineers, they discovered that when you squeeze a certain type of crystal, it generates a tiny electric current.

And, if you pass electricity through the crystal, it vibrates at a precise frequency–exactly 32,768 times each second. When it came on the market, the Piezo watch was the most dependable timepiece available, accurate to 0.2 seconds per day. Today, it’s still considered a spectacular advance in electrical engineering.

Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Spend some time with this engineering masterpiece for one month. If you’re not convinced you

Line

Wear it today for only

A watch that revolutionized timekeeping at a price equally as radical.

The

Meet the Watch That Shook Up Switzerland

THE OLD HAUNT

Not many architectural proposals pay as much attention to the cars in the parking lot as the building itself. But acclaimed architect and skipper William P. Ficker’s design for our Newport Beach office did just that.

John and Elaine must have been delighted when it was completed in 1968.

104 | 1 1. 20 / 12 . 2 0