Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2012 i MotorTrend

FERRARI’S F12 Berlinetta unveiled at the Geneva show employs the FF hatchback’s 6.3-liter naturally aspirated V-12, now with even more power. Ferrari claims an astounding 730 hp at 8000 rpm and 509 lb-ft of torque at 6000 rpm to eclipse not just its 612-hp predecessor, the 599 GTB Fiorano, but even the original 599xx racer (720 hp/506 lb-ft). It’s within a hole shot of the track-focused 599xx Evoluzione (740 hp/516 lb-ft). Though its profile looks like the 599’s, they don’t share sheetmetal. Pininfarina styled the F12 Berlinetta with an amalgamation of strong, flowing surfaces and existing design cues. Long headlamps resemble the 458 Italia’s. A large eggcrate grille dominates the lower half of the fascia, similar to the four-wheel-drive FF’s. The front fenders taper to a narrow point, allowing hood…

INFINITI intends to build a prototype Emerg-E based on its 396-hp, range-extended electric supercar concept unveiled at the Geneva motor show four years after the Nissan premium brand’s European market debut there. The Emerg-E concept is the result of 18 months of engineering effort, so you can take its performance figures seriously—they’re pretty solid. Infiniti claims 4.0 seconds for 0-60 mph. A pair of electric motors will move just 3550 pounds wrapped in a carbon-fiber skin. Full EV range is pegged at 30 miles, drawing out to 300 miles from its 1.2-liter, three-cylinder range-extending engine. Emerg-E is a global effort, conceived in Japan, and sketched by Randy Rodriguez at Nissan’s San Diego, California, design studio, with final design work from the studio in central London. Nissan’s technical center in England…

THE FUEL economy of all new cars and trucks sold in the United States has reached an all-time high, the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute says. Meanwhile, the independent analysis firm JATO Dynamics says cars and trucks sold in the European Union are the cleanest ever, as measured by carbon dioxide emissions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has set a Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard of 35.5 mpg by the 2016 model year. The European Union has similarly strict new CO2 emissions standards that take effect in 2015. CAFE and CO2 emissions are two different ways to look at the same problem. Raise fuel efficiency and you lower a vehicle’s CO2 emissions. UMTRI says the average fuel efficiency of vehicles sold in the U.S. in February reached 23.7 mpg…

MERCEDES-BENZ plans to import an E220 CDI with its 2.2-liter BlueEfficiency turbodiesel before the end of the current sedan’s product cycle. The 2.2 TDI is rated 170 hp. CHEVROLET will ditch its Impala NASCAR Sprint Cup car next year in favor of an all-new street model. While Chevy didn’t go into details, it appears its announcement is confirmation that a civilian version of the rear-drive, Holden-based Caprice PPV police car will be ready for sale in 2013. Chevy says the new model will carry a new nameplate. There has been much speculation it will be called Chevelle, though of course that’s not an entirely new name, and among older Chevy fans, it’s a less prestigious name than Malibu. We’re guessing the new car could be Super Sport, after a rear-drive…

“THERE’S A BIT OF ALCHEMY IN THE CATHODE AND ANODE, AND A LOT OF MAGIC IN THE AS-YET-UNDISCLOSED ELECTROLYTE. ” TWO WEEKS ago, Newport, California-based Envia Systems unveiled a 400-watt-hour/kilogram rechargeable lithium-ion battery that it said could be delivered for as little as $125/kilowatt-hour. That’s roughly twice the density at half the cost of the current state of the art. Magic, or the fruit of wise investments by the Department of Energy, GM, and a handful of venture capitalists? Perhaps both. Envia didn't announce a production-ready 300-mile EV battery, but rather the promising results of prototype battery testing conducted by the Naval Service Warfare Center. Production is about two years off. So how has Envia managed this leapfrog improvement? There’s a bit of alchemy in the manganese-rich lithium cathode and…

TO SOME FOLKS, a Nissan versus Porsche comparison test makes about as much sense as Snooki versus the Virgin Mary. But look closer, as these two cars are weirdly similar. Both are powered by 3.8-liter six-cylinder engines force-fed by two turbochargers that make the cars sound like industrial-strength hair dryers. Each is technically a four-seater, but those back benches are only good for punishing misbehaving children. Both are AWD, and both sport rapid-fire dual-clutch transmissions. And they are fast. Incredibly, mind-bendingly, tire-destroyingly, reason-defyingly fast. How fast, you ask? Well, the previous iteration of each car ranks as the third (2010 Porsche Turbo with PDK) and fourth (2012 Nissan GT-R) fastest accelerating production cars we’ve ever tested, and Motor Trend has been testing cars since 1949. And, don’t you know it,…

WATCH ENOUGH ACTION movies, and you’ll inevitably hear the term “critical mass.” In real life, it’s the point at which a nuclear fission reaction is in equilibrium and self-sustaining. If it’s subcritical, everything stops. If it’s supercritical, it either establishes a new equilibrium at a higher output, or everything blows up—usually the latter. Maintaining that perfect balance is tricky, in nuclear physics or in sports cars. The point of this science lesson is to illustrate just how easy it is to lose critical mass—that not all change is good. I apply this to the 2013 Porsche Boxster S because, quantitatively, it clearly performs better than its predecessor. Subjectively, though, something has been lost in the process of enhancing the spec sheet. Of course, the new Boxster S is an impressive…

4TH PLACE Infiniti M37S Had we been able to get an E350 (Mercedes-Benz PR declined our invite, saying they’d prefer to participate when the refreshed E debuts sometime next year), it still would have finished ahead of the Infiniti. That’s because the M was, um, a bit of a mess. See those big 20-inch alloys set under that bold, curvaceous body that stands more than 59 inches tall? Well, the wheels, along with the meaty 245/40 Bridgestones, heighten unsprung weight, and that tallest-in-test roof heightens (literally) the center of gravity, all of which makes the Infiniti ill-prepared for passing physics. Throw in a touchy throttle, overly heavy steering, a stubborn transmission, grabby brakes, and a zealous stability-control system, and the M proved an absolute handful on our twisty road loop.…

1ST PLACE Lexus GS 350 F Sport Remember that E60 535i I mentioned, the one we adored and awarded first place in a February 2010 comparison test? Well, this new Lexus GS 350 F Sport reminds us of that car. A lot. Nimble, balanced, precise, and quick, the GS is a (retired) BMW cloaked in Lexus steel. At 3834 pounds, the GS is the lightest of the four and it feels it—turn-in is sharp and accurate, and weight transfer, whether lateral or longitudinal, is neutral and composed. The Lexus proved the most entertaining, rewarding, and confidence-inspiring up, down, and along our demanding Malibu road loop. Ultimate driving machine? Oh, yeah. Lieberman: “Great steering. Balanced, communicative, properly weighted. Just a joy to drive. Neutral without being leaden. Very Mazda-like, in fact.…

SOMEWHERE out there is a proud owner of a Mazda3 with a growing family. Fido’s spot in the back is now occupied by a car seat, so Dad jokes to his wife about strapping Fido to the roof. As much as he loves his '3, he knows it’s time for something bigger, but he wants to keep it in the Mazda family. The new 2013 Mazda CX-5, perhaps? It certainly fits the bill—and Mazda says it still has plenty of the zoom-zoom DNA that made his ‘3 so much fun. Mazda set many goals for the CX-5, chief among them making it one of the most athletic crossovers on the market. Thanks to generous use of high-strength steel and lighter components, the CX-5 is up to 575 pounds lighter than…

“I know you’re not supposed to get involved with a coworker, but I’ve developed some very strong feelings for the CTS-V Sport Wagon.”@MT_Loverman Service life / 11 mo/30,763 mi Avg CO2 / 1.30 lb/mi Energy cons / 226 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $293.64 Normal-wear cost / $2107.54 (four Michelin Sport PS2 tires, mounting, alignment) EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 14/19/16 mpg Average Fuel Econ 14.9 mpg THE ODOMETER has crested 29,500 miles, and not one single thing has broken! While nearly 30,000 miles is a lot for any car in $0 months, the CTS-V Wagon’s miles have been fairly brutal and would have killed lesser cars. But nothing has failed. That’s not to say there isn’t a gremlin or two. Now and again, the tire-pressure…

“At speed on a dry lake bed, even a small pothole or tire rut becomes an obstacle. A reconnaissance run is advised.”@MT_dubdub Service life / 3 mo/6167 mi Avg CO2 / 0.75 lb/mi Energy cons / 131 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 22/31/25 mpg Average Fuel Econ 25.8 mpg WHEN THE Civic arrived, I posed the question: Had the Si improved? The addition of 31 lb-ft of torque helped lower 0-60-mph times, which fell 0.3 second from the previous 6.6 seconds, and the quarter-mile time fell 0.2 second to 14.8 seconds at 95.3 mph. Unfortunately, the Civic actually dropped in handling and braking capabilities. Braking distanced and figure-eight times increased, and lateral acceleration decreased from the…

“Seats are one of, if not the most, important parts of your car. It doesn’t matter how good the rest is if your seats are not comfortable.” Service life / 11 mo/18,665 mi Avg CO2 / 0.83 lb/mi Energy cons / 143 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $231. 69 (2-oil change, inspection, 1-replace air filter Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 22/34/26 mpg Average Fuel Econ 23.5 mpg I’VE LOGGED thousands of miles and hundreds hours of nonstop driving, and the seats in the Optima have never given me any kind of discomfort or pain in any part of my body. That’s a statement I certainly can’t say that about other vehicles I’ve driven. But the two parts of the Optima’s seats, the seat…

NISSAN formally took the wraps off its new experimental race car at the 12 Hours of Sebring American Le Mans Series race. The Delta Wing three-point design appears highly unconventional, though it’s extremely lightweight and fuel-efficient. While Nissan did not compete or run at Sebring, it is scheduled to participate in this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the car will carry the designation, Number 0 in an experimental class. The Arnaud Martin-designed engine is a 1.6-liter turbocharged gas direct-injection four making just 300 hp and 230 lb-ft of torque. Arnaud designed it for a displacement range of 1.6 to 2.0 liters. The engine has competed in the World Rally Championship and the World Touring Car Championship, the latter under the hood of General Motors’ Chevrolet Cruze race car,…

BRIMLEY, MICHIGAN—Tucked in a garage at Continental’s winter testing facility near Sault Sainte Marie is a Volkswagen Passat that drove itself much of the 2500 miles from Las Vegas. It made that automated—not autonomous—drive along Las Vegas Boulevard, on rural roads, and on freeways with a driver at the wheel, but not operating the car. Continental says the car clocked 6544 miles total in its automated mode. Continental, the Hanover, Germany-based supplier of electrical technology and tires, says its system is different from the kinds of autonomous cars Google has been testing. Google pushed a law through the Nevada legislature to allow legal testing of autonomous cars on public roads. Like similar systems, Continental’s VW relies on existing and developing technology, including long- and short-range radar and a 3-D camera…

The Times They Are A-Changin’ I was impressed reading about MT’s opinion of the 2013 Dodge Dart’s styling being “more upscale than all the Japanese competition, about on par with Hyundai and Kia.” It’s amazing how “on par with Hyundai and Kia” has gone from an insult to a compliment! Brian MihalcinNorth Canton, Ohio Who’s the Boss Your March comparison between the Camaro ZL1 and the Mustang Laguna Seca (“Live and Independent”) refers to the Mustang as the “last of the old guard.” Given how close the Mustang came to equaling the Camaro’s performance at a base price that’s nearly $8000 lower and an EPA highway rating that’s about 42 percent higher, it appears this Mustang isn’t quite ready to be turned out to pasture. John DuryeeCranford, New Jersey You…

FOUR TURBOS WHOOSH AND SHOOSH, SUCKING IN ENORMOUS QUANTITIES OF AIR TO BURN COPIOUS GALLONS OF PREMIUM. SOUTH AFRICA — The door opens to reveal a sight that’s the automotive equivalent of catching the Queen of England in a nightgown and curlers. There’s rust on some of the lug nuts on the wheels, which are missing their center caps; a zip tie attaches one corner of its license plate; interior touch-points are scuffed. An unsightly, jury-rigged, 12-volt power-supply box sits on the bulkhead between the seats, and a chunk of electronic hardware crowds the passenger footwell. This test mule is a development car, a workplace for engineers and techs. Although it appears to be merely the world’s most beaten-up Grand Sport roadster, in its engine compartment is the 1184-hp, 1106-lb-ft…

“I BELIEVE THAT this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.” John F. Kennedy was sticking his neck out a long way in May, 1961, some nine months before John Glenn had even orbited the Earth. There’s that sort of bold aspiration in Porsche’s announcement that production of the first example of the 918 Spyder will begin on September 18, 2013. Porsche made the comment before it even had a prototype running. And this is no ordinarily predictable project. It’s the most technically ambitious sports car ever. It’s a hyper-performance two-seater with an AWD plug-in hybrid drivetrain. It shares barely a single component with any other vehicle. But if you…

AS I ENTHUSIASTICALLY revved the BRZ’s 2.0-liter, 200-hp flat-four up to 5500 rpm, or about 2000 rpm shy of redline, I dropped the clutch, and, unlike any Subaru before, the tiny coupe lit up its rear tires as if they were Ground Bloom Flowers on July 4. It's a good thing Subaru’s long-running tag line, “The Beauty of All-Wheel Drive,” which signified the brand’s exclusive use of four-wheel power, was replaced with “Confidence in Motion.” (Not to get ahead, but the rear-drive BRZ epitomizes confidence in motion.) After 3 seconds of mellifluous tire screeching, the BRZ’s Michelins hooked up, and I proceeded to effortlessly flick the Miata-esque Aisin six-speed manual from gate to gate, glancing up at the rearview and watching the runway at the decommissioned El Toro Marine Base…

3RD PLACE Audi A6 3.0T Yeah, yeah, I know—the Audi smokes the others in just about every performance measurement and is the least expensive, but somehow finishes third. Which means we’re all morons and can’t tell a steering wheel from a Frisbee. Trust us, we’ve heard all the rants before, and, despite what you may believe, we understand the anger, disbelief, and bewilderment. It just doesn’t make sense, right? Let me explain. Yes, the A6, whose supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 doles out the most torque (325 lb-ft) and second-most horsepower (310), outclassed the others from 0 to 60 (4.7 seconds), in the quarter mile (13.4 seconds at 102.2 mph), around the skidpad (0.95 g), and through the figure eight (25.1 seconds at 0.74 g). In fact, the only test it didn’t…

FORD’S MUSTANG has been answering the cry “power to the people” for nearly a half-century, and now its output indexes up another eight ponies in the GT. What’s really cool about the 2013 Mustang is that seriously racy hardware is now available on civilian Mustangs: Automatic V-6s can get the performance package and a GT Track Package gets Boss 302 and GT500 items like a Torsen limited-slip and Recaro racing seats. And automatic ’Stangs finally get full manual gear-ratio control. Let’s start with the horses, which were mostly found in Boss 302-inspired calibration changes. There’s likely enough untapped bandwidth in the 5.0-liter to allow additional tweaks for years to come. The Track Package rolls Brembo brakes in with the Boss’ 3.73:1 Torsen axle, radiator, oil cooler, and racy brake pads…

Base price $97,820 Price as tested $107,600 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ 16/23/19 mpg “Do we feel guilty about having another 12 months with the fastest, most expensive vehicle to ever enter our long-term garage? Not one bit.”@EdLoh In 2009, we became the first media outlet in the world to receive a longterm loan of a Nissan GT-R after it won our 2009 Car of the Year award. From the moment it entered our fleet, we tried to wipe away our perma-grins by running that 2010 GT-R against everything we could get our hands on, from a Corvette ZR1 to a Bentley Continental GT to a Ferrari 599 and a Shelby Super Snake. No sports car or exotic was safe, and our grins stayed firmly in place. In the process,…

“Although a dubious idea, the tire swap did more than improve the Volt’s grip —it allowed for many more figure-eight laps before heat deteriorated their performance.” Service life / 12 mo/26,683 mi Avg CO2 / 47.6 eqiuv mpg/0.45 lb/mi Energy cons / 70.7kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $126.36 (tire rotation, oil change) Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 30/42/34 mpg Average Fuel Econ 38.4 mpg EXECUTIVE editor Ron Kiino is ceaselessly curious about how a car’s handling can be altered by experimenting with different types of tires. To humor him, we obtained a set of performance-oriented Yokohama S.drives from our pals at the Tire Rack, and I visited my local tire store to have them mounted. As the air guns started spinning, the store’s…

“There are few better sedans for battling the daily commute than the S60.” Service life / 9 mo/16,838 mi Avg CO2 / 0.95 lb/mi Energy cons / 165 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 (2-oil change, inspection, 1-cabin air filter) Normal-wear cost / $24.88 (tire rotation) EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 18/26/21 mpg Average Fuel Econ 20.4 mpg THE VOLVO PASSED its 15,000-mile mark last month, which meant it was time for the car’s second factory-scheduled service. We made an appointment and dropped the car off at South Bay Volvo for an oil change, cabin air filter replacement, and inspection. I spent an extra $25 for a tire rotation, not part of the recommended service, as the S60’s front tires were wearing at a more rapid pace…

“It stands out, even in SUV-saturated parking lots of baby superstores. A bit aggressive, a bit classy—if Kia can do anything, it’s styling. Service life / 10 mo/15,804 mi Avg CO2 / 1.01 lb/mi Energy cons / 176 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 21/27/23 mpg Average Fuel Econ 19.2 mpg THIS MONTH, we’re comparing the Kia with one of its direct competitors, the new-for-2012 Ford Explorer. Both vehicles are unit-body, front-drive-based crossovers with three rows of seats, but the Sorento is the cheaper of the two by a fair margin. It’s also better-looking, which is of course completely subjective. What isn’t subjective is the Kia’s ability to both out-accelerate and out-stop a comparably equipped 3.5-liter Explorer. The…

EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 16/22/18 mpg Average Fuel Econ 17.0 mpg “I already find myself missing the luxury and smoothness of the Jeep on the highway for long drives.”@MT_Royer Service life / 12 mo/22,460 mi Base price / $39,995 Options / Luxury Group II ($1495: Heated power tilt/telescope steering wheel with audio controls, cooled leather seats, power tailgate), Off-Road Adventure Package ($550: skidplates, 265/60R18 on/off road tires, full-size spare, tow hooks, Trail Rated badge) Price as tested / $42,040 Avg econ/CO2 / 17.0 mpg/ 1.12 lb/mi Problem areas / None Maintenance cost / $154.59 Normal-wear cost / $6.57 3-year residual value* / $19,441 Recalls / None *Automotive Lease Guide “I can give you my verdict for the Jeep Grand Cherokee,” video producer Duane Sempson offered when I told him…

IF YOU WANT a plug-in hybrid from Porsche, you won’t have to wait until late 2013 for the 918 Spyder. Nor pay its three-quarters-of-a-million-dollars price. In mid-2013, the company will introduce a plug-in version of the Panamera Hybrid with a European driving cycle electric range of 19 miles. The basic drive system is the existing Panamera Hybrid’s supercharged direct-injection gasoline V-6, with clutch to decouple the engine and allow it to be stopped while the car continues moving. Between that and the eight-speed gearbox is an electric motor. For the plug-in version, a main charger is added, and a bigger lithium-ion battery replaces the small nickel-metal hydride unit. We don’t know final capacity, but we’d expect about 12 kilowatt-hours.…

MERCEDES-BENZ has served notice to BMW that it’s ready to take on the upcoming 1 Series front-drive hatchback with its all-new A-Class, a sleeker replacement for its tall, gawky, entry-level car. While that FWD Bimmer is not slated for the States, the A-Class is, though import won’t come for a full two years after the car’s recent European launch. Our first small Mercedes will be off a front-drive platform. Tentatively called the CLC-Class, it’s designed to be a mini-CLS “four-door coupe.” Mercedes scheduled the CLC’s unveiling for the Los Angeles Art Festival in early May. The CLC-Class and A-Class are two of five new models off Mercedes’ FWD small-car architecture, which ditches the old A-Class underfloor engine for a conventional, transverse unit consisting of 1.6-and 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline fours with…

AS YOU READ this, the 2015 IndyCar season is four races deep, with the month-long Indy bonanza concluding with the 500 on May 27. The open-wheel racing series will once again register on the national radar, and for much better reasons than last time. The dawn of the 2012 season brings long-needed changes to the series. First, there’s a new chassis from Italy’s Dallara. It’s named DW12, in memory of the late Dan Wheldon, who died from injuries sustained in a multi-car crash in the last race of the 2011 season. Wheldon had carried out the first test of the chassis last August. Second, IndyCar is no longer the world’s most expensive spec series. Chevrolet and Lotus have joined Honda as engine suppliers. Third, Chevy, Lotus, and Honda are following…

“I REALIZE THE S60 LOST TO THE 328I, BUT THE VOLVO’S SECOND-SPOT FINISH SIGNIFIES THE BRAND’S BIGGEST WIN EVER, AT LEAST ON THESE PAGES.” IN OUR last issue, we crowned the all-new, sixth-gen F30 BMW 328i the champion against seven of its most formidable foes: the Acura TSX V-6, Audi A4 2.0T, Buick Regal GS, Infiniti G25, Lexus IS 250, Mercedes-Benz C250, and Volvo S60 T5. The biggest surprise wasn’t that the BMW won— quite the opposite, in fact—or that the most-powerful-of-the-group Buick came in last. No, it was that the Volvo, the safest bet—literally and figuratively—came in second. Yes, Volvo, the brand at least one of your friends’ moms drives and the one most Americans still view as “square,” beat everyone but BMW. A month has passed since that…

“We had the privilege to design the Viper—not the right,” SRT brand president Ralph Gilles told Motor Trend. Gilles and his team were faced with a tough decision. Evolve the Viper’s design as in the past, or tear it up and start over? After considerable debate and clinics with owners of Vipers, R8s, Lamborghinis, and all other manner of supercars, the answer was clear: The Viper’s shape is “iconic,” as Gilles puts it, and you don’t mess with an icon. The long hood, the “extreme cab-rearward” design, the double-bubble roof, the big “gill” vents on the sides, the side-exit exhaust: “These are forms that Viper owns,” said Gilles. Gilles started by opening the design competition to the whole office. They weren’t given much direction. Gilles wanted to see what they…

DECADES AGO, it was easy to tell what a sports car was and what it wasn’t. A sports car had only two seats, was commonly noisy and uncomfortable to drive, often had a poorly designed fabric roof that folded down much easier than it came back up, and was seldom as reliable, watertight, or economical to run as a more practical four-seat vehicle. If you bought one, your significant other wouldn’t want to ride in it, your friends would think you nuts, and your parents would stay awake at night wondering how they had failed so badly. But all that changed with the Japanese Invasion in the 1970s, and small coupes like the Datsun 240Z and Mazda RX-7 showed the world that fun doesn’t have to be foolish. The new…

MALAGA, Spain—With the sun shining, the top is down on the silver Mercedes-Benz SL. The engine pulls strongly, and the steering offers direct feedback as I shift the smooth, Hondalike short-throw four-speed into second gear. The four-wheel disc brakes are sharp, and the manual steering feels great. This 2933-pound luxury roadster is relaxed and easy to drive. Yes, it’s a Mercedes 300SL, which was introduced some 60 years ago. Benz foolishly and wisely let auto journalists drive earlier generations of its iconic roadster after we had tried the latest. I sampled a W198 Gullwing, a W113 “Pagoda” Roadster, and a W198 II Roadster. I say foolishly because too many journos of varying skills take advantage of the offer. Wisely because the early cars serve as a reminder that however long…

WHEN YOU TURNED 40 and promised yourself a big reward for the promotion at work, life proceeded to get crazier than normal. Translation: you got sidetracked and never splurged on that big-ticket item. Worse, three neighbors—guys around the same age—stayed on track and filled their garages with snazzy sheetmetal. Take John the banker. He never stopped raving about his Audi A4’s turbo engine and Quattro AWD—until he stepped up to the all-new A6. Now he won’t stop bragging about LED running lamps and the supercharged V-6. And when he concludes with, “It’s got the latest generation of Quattro,” you’ve already heard it so many times that you now say it in unison. Forget anger; you’re jealous. Then there’s Mitch the lawyer. Nice guy, but if you have to endure one…

2ND PLACE BMW 535i It’s no secret that we haven’t exactly turned cartwheels over this latest generation of 5 Series. Two years ago, when the so-called F10 debuted, it didn’t even make it to Round 2 of our Car of the Year competition. And that was a year after the last iteration of the previous-gen E60 won an eight-car comparison test. Talk about following in the footsteps of greatness—and stumbling. But whether this $63,245 Alpine White 535i with an M Sport Package stumbled into second place is moot. At the end of an arduous weeklong test, we scored it higher than the Audi, and here’s why: better ride (silkiest of the group), quieter interior (quietest of the group), smoother engine (smoothest of the group), engaging steering, more comfortable and supportive…

THE BIG NEWS for Ford’s biggest sedan is that the brakes are at long last getting some much-needed attention—especially on the SHO. The smaller news is that it’s been lightly restyled (face and taillights mostly), and the base V-6 has been bolstered with variable cam timing on all cams, for an increase of 25 hp (to 288) while peak torque indexes up 5 lb-ft to 254. Before we climb behind the wheel, let’s examine these brakes. All Tauri get a larger master cylinder, a retuned power booster, and new friction materials. The SHO’s brakes, co-developed for the police package, include larger “inverted-hat” front rotors that are 11 pounds heavier. (Thermal mass lets the rotors take the heat, keeping the pads and brake fluid cool.) Bigger vented rear rotors combine to…

“The Silverado 2500HD does plenty of work duty, often carrying a bed full of bulky cargo or pulling a trailer, and does it effortlessly.” Service life / 12 mo/21,318 mi Avg CO2 / 1.51 lb/mi Energy cons / 229 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $396.11 (2-oil/filter change, tire rotation, inspection, 1-replace air filter, diesel filter) Normal-wear cost / $19.98 (DEF refill) EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: N/A Average Fuel Econ 14.7 mpg PRODUCTION manager Kirill Ougarov recently used the Chevy to tow his “race car” to the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca track—a $%00-mile journey. “Our loaded long-termer has luxurious, comfortable seats. The suspension tolerates freeway hop really well and provides a smooth ride on most kinds of pavement. The Duramax/Allison combination is as capable and durable as…

“With up to 148.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity, the Odyssey swallows up a week’s worth of luggage and photo gear, including a 10-foot pole.” Service life / 10 mo/22,565 mi Avg CO2 / 0.89 lb/mi Energy cons / 155 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $187.82 (2-oil change, tire rotation, inspection) Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 19/28/22 mpg Average Fuel Econ 21.7 mpg I DROVE THE HONDA Odyssey home from the office, filled with cleaning gear and reflector boards for a shoot the following day. After parking the minivan on my street, which is at a very slight incline, I opened the power sliding door to access my camera bag to take it inside. I pulled the sliding door handle to activate the…

“Once the Outlander Sport switched into automatic 4WD, the information display warned of ‘possible slippery roads.’ Impressive, indeed.” Months/mi in service / 9 mo/13,874 mi CO2 / 0.86 lb/mi Energy cons / 150 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 24/29/26 mpg Average Fuel Econ 22.5 mpg MY WIFE and I took the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport from Southern California to the Rocky Mountains. We needed to make a storage unit run, and what better way to carry our boxes than in a crossover. Initially, the cargo hatch seems a bit small when you open the fifth door, but after removing the rear window shelf and folding the rear seats down, it opens up substantially. We loaded the cargo hold…

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