Indholdsfortegnelse for November 2017 i MotorTrend

Our preparation protocol for Best Driver’s Car has evolved over the years. It used to be we’d simply gather up the cars at a track, attach some gear, and run ’em real fast. But now, BDC takes months of planning and thousands of emails to coordinate—renting the tracks, setting up intermittent road closures, requesting California Highway Patrol support, ordering up port-a-potties, and arranging lunch from our favorite mobile taqueria, Tacos La Potranca De Jalisco of King City, California. In the days before the event kicks off, our intrepid test team contacts each auto manufacturer to confirm participation and ensure delivery of the extra set of requested tires and best practices for evaluation on track and street—including recommendations for hot tire pressures, transmission and suspension settings, and a refresher on how…

Set to compete against the likes of the BMW X1, the Jaguar E-Pace compact crossover joins the larger F-Pace and the upcoming all-electric I-Pace in the automaker’s rapidly expanding lineup, but the new model has its own distinct look. Unlike the F-Pace SUV, the E-Pace has only been announced with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine for our market. Standard models make 246 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque, but buyers can also choose a version offering 296 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Jaguar estimates a 0–60 time of 5.9 seconds for the more powerful model and 6.6 seconds for the standard version. All models come with a nine-speed ZF automatic and all-wheel drive. Thanks to Active Driveline technology, the E-Pace drives all four wheels only when needed. The…

REFERENCE MARK You know you are traversing an active military installation when the walkie-talkie squawks, “Turn right at the missile.” The Motor Trend and Studio TEN crews are filming this year’s version of the World’s Greatest Drag Race here at Vandenberg Air Force Base, and we are quickly reminded of its critical role in America’s arsenal. As the Cold War heated up in the 1960s, Vandenberg’s function as our premier missile testing center made it an essential military site. But as global relations simmered to détente and glasnost, Vandenberg became known less as the epicenter of West Coast intercontinental ballistic missile testing and more as the test and launch center for countless Air Force, NASA, and Department of Defense satellites. More recently it’s been the launch site for Elon Musk’s…

What happens to a dream deferred? Reading the August letter section, I don’t understand the flak you catch for publishing an issue with high-dollar exotics and other vehicles that, although I can’t afford, are ones I dream about. Don’t get me wrong, I like discovering the generally minute differences between the latest people movers, but sometimes there are those of us who want to escape the mundane reality of our lives for a few moments and discover the beauty and technical achievement of what’s possible in the automotive industry. SHAMUS HUGHES VIA EMAIL I can’t believe that in a car enthusiast’s magazine I saw the words “long for” and “Yugo and Chevette” in the same sentence. Perhaps the correspondent was being facetious. Maybe Motor Trend could roll out a sister…

Four Doors, Supercar Manners MARK RECHTIN EXECUTIVE EDITOR “This might be the best-handling sedan I’ve driven.” It’s clear the Alfa Romeo Giulia is a sports car regardless of how many doors it has. It’s more than a roll-off-the-tongue mouthful. The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is here to put Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, and Cadillac on notice. The Giulia was the only sedan in this year’s competition, and it never once blinked at its supercar foes. The big gun in its arsenal: a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 pounding out 505 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque. The only transmission option is an eight-speed automatic with closely spaced gear ratios backed up by an electronically controlled limited-slip differential. An auto-opening sport exhaust keeps things loud, and adjustable dampers keep the tires pressed into the…

812 Superfast. The name tells you a lot about Ferrari’s muscular new front-engine coupe. It has 800 horsepower—well, 800 European horses, at least, which translates to 789 American ponies. It has 12 cylinders. And yes, it’s super fast. Ferrari claims a 0–60 time of about 2.8 seconds, with 124 mph coming up in 7.9 seconds, and a top speed of 211 mph. But there’s more to the Superfast story than just the raw numbers: This might just be the most desirable front-engine Ferrari road car since the legendary Daytona. The 812 Superfast is fundamentally a rework of the acclaimed F12berlinetta. Maranello’s engineers concentrated on sweating the details, focusing on engine, chassis electronics, and aerodynamics to create a car that combined the Berlinetta’s everyday usability with the edgier, track-focused F12tdf’s performance,…

ARRIVAL 2017 Ford F-250 Super Duty King Ranch Jonny Lieberman “A lot changes when you have your first son. You have to make practical choices, like trading in 707 horsepower for 925 lb-ft of torque.” I have made a terrible mistake. To understand what I mean, we have to back up to earlier this year, before my now 6-month-old son, Richard, was born (definitely not the mistake). Executive editor Mark Rechtin was trying to assign me a new long-term vehicle. In an email subjected “Durango Dad,” Mark wrote: “Figured you might need something a bit more kid-friendly than the long-term Hellcat you’re getting out of. Arriving this week is the new Durango. Seems like that might make a good fit for your situation, yes?” Mark was thinking very logically, but…

The long-awaited replacement for the BMW Z4 has stepped out of the spy photos and closer to reality with the Concept Z4, an almost production-ready preview of the upcoming sports car. Technical details are limited, but BMW says the concept has a shorter hood and indicates the driver will sit closer to the center of the car than before, suggesting a shorter wheelbase or a relocation of the passenger cell farther forward than in the old Z4. BMW also promises short overhangs, a low ride height, and a powerful engine. From here, we must speculate. Turbocharged four- and six-cylinder engines are all but guaranteed. Based on current powerplants, outputs from 250 to 450 hp are likely. It’s possible an electrically enhanced powertrain could be offered, thanks to BMW’s collaboration with…

It took Toyota’s Lexus Division nearly a decade to grow its modest product lineup into one that occupied a majority of segments where luxury consumers shopped. But Genesis, the premium brand created by Hyundai Motor, is not being nearly as patient. In fact, its brash product plan could put established Japanese and German luxury marques on their heels. According to internal company documents seen by Motor Trend, Genesis will have three sedans, three SUVs, a sports coupe, and a dedicated electric vehicle by the end of 2021. The G70 compact sedan, set to be unveiled in September in South Korea, will challenge the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class and will go on sale in the U.S. in early 2018. The GV80 midsize crossover, which was unveiled…

THE JURY Ed Loh, Editor-in-Chief Mark Rechtin, Executive Editor Jonny Lieberman, Senior Features Editor Chris Walton, Road Test Editor Christian Seabaugh, Features Editor Alisa Priddle, Detroit Editor Scott Evans, Associate Editor Erick Ayapana, Associate Road Test Editor Miguel Cortina, Associate Editor Derek Powell, Guest Judge Randy Pobst, Professional Racer Patron saint of literary cool Joan Didion—who stalked the steamy, smoggy canyons of Los Angeles in a Daytona Yellow 1969 Corvette Stingray—once said, “Rationality, reasonableness bewilder me.” If only Didion were along for this year’s Best Driver’s Car competition. There is nothing rational or reasonable about holding the keys to $1.9 million worth of the world’s dreamiest sports cars, exotics, grand tourers, and supercars. It’s one thing to parse the packaging of family-friendly compact SUVs. That’s our day job. Best Driver’s…

DEREK POWELL GUEST JUDGE “This feels like a video game circa 2007—that is to say a bit quaint.” Nissan’s Godzilla, Felled but Still Fighting Last year, the Nissan GT-R R35 went through its biggest update in its nearly nine-year life to date. This year, the hardcore GT-R NISMO version gets the update. As with many previous GT-R updates, it’s a series of incremental improvements rather than a major redo. The showpiece is an updated interior featuring a new infotainment system with fewer buttons and better materials. Outside, the GT-R NISMO gets minor styling updates in the nose to improve cooling and aerodynamics. Underneath, the chassis is stiffened on all GT-Rs, and the NISMO gets extra adhesive in the bonded layers to tighten it up. Unlike the standard car, the NISMO…

Great, Glorious Engine Notes! JONNY LIEBERMAN SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR “Folks, with the LC 500, we have an athlete on our hands.” The Lexus LC 500 was a revelation, having done its chassis and suspension homework. Lexus has a stated mission to inject more excitement into its lineup, and adding a second rear-drive, V-8 coupe to the mix is part of the plan. The big LC 500 is a grand tourer through and through, but don’t let its grandness and opulence fool you. There’s a lot of serious hardware under the hood. Power comes from the F performance brand’s 5.0-liter V-8 with 471 horsepower and 398 lb-ft on tap. It’s delivered to the rear tires by an all-new 10-speed automatic transmission and optional limited-slip differential. Adjustable dampers and optional rear steering…

Looks Fast, Goes Faster ALISA PRIDDLE DETROIT EDITOR “Just when you think you’re about to get into trouble, it sticks.” The Mercedes-AMG GT R provoked whoops and hollers from all of the drivers. Mercedes-AMG calls it “the Beast of the Green Hell,” an overt nod to its development on the so-nicknamed Nürburgring Nordschleife. It’s the hardcore variant of a previous BDC winner, and it’s out for blood. Under hood, its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 has been cranked up to 577 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. It continues to feed a rear-mounted seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transaxle but with closer-spaced gear ratios. Manually adjustable coil-over springs twist their way around electronically adjustable shock absorbers, and a rear-steering system helps get the maximum agility out of the Cup tires. Carbon-ceramic brakes stop the…

RANDY POBST PROFESSIONAL RACER “This car is so fun to be around and shows you a good time.” The Perfect First Sports Car The Porsche 718’s chassis is so beautifully balanced, the handling so predictable. As the Porsche 911 roars deeper into supercar territory, the 718 Cayman S assumes the mantle of a pure sports car. The latest iteration is a midcycle update so big Porsche gave it a new generational designation. The major change: a turbo flat-four replaces the flat-six Caymans have had since birth. Displacing just 2.5 liters, it pumps out a flat-six-beating 350 hp and 309 lb-ft of torque. Both manual and automatic transmissions are available; we went with the PDK dual-clutch automatic. With it comes a Sport Response button, which unleashes 20 seconds of sharper throttle…

TIME CAR HORSEPOWER (SAE)/TORQUE (LB-FT) TIRES 1:29.89 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder 887/944 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 1:30.46 2016 Dodge Viper ACR 645/600 Kumho Ecsta V720 ACR 1:30.71 2015 McLaren P1 904/664 Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R 1:30.97 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder 887/944 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 1:31.58 2016 Dodge Viper ACR 645/600 Kumho Ecsta V720 ACR 1:31.68 2016 Ferrari 488 GTB* 661 hp/561 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 K1 1:33.01 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R 577/516 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 ZP 1:33.05 2016 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Z07 650/650 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 1:33.21 2017 Porsche 911 Turbo S 580/516 Pirelli P Zero Corsa N0 1:33.29 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 493/338 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 N1 1:33.62 2014 SRT Viper TA 640/600 Pirelli P Zero Corsa…

The analog column shifter needs fixing. Escalade drivers ought to be able to shift between park, reverse, and drive without having to arm wrestle a relic from the 1960s. New York–based Cadillac might portray itself as cool, edgy, and urban these days, but it can’t live without a vehicle whose DNA is deeply encoded with heartland perceptions and values. A vehicle that, like the hapless Cimarron, started life as a cynical corruption of a brand that once proclaimed itself “The Standard of the World.” Yes, we’re talking about the Escalade. The original Escalade was a GMC Yukon Denali—itself a fancy Chevy Tahoe—with wreath-and-crest badges and some wood ’n’ leather inside. It was GM’s panicked riposte to the Lincoln Navigator, the gussied-up Ford Expedition that helped topple Cadillac from its position…

Mercedes-Maybach has taken 2016’s stunning Vision 6 concept car to the next logical step: a convertible. Nearly identical above and below the surface, the Vision 6 Cabriolet is also six meters long (18.7 feet), as the name alludes, and is likewise powered by four electric motors. Combined output remains at 738 hp. Like the coupe, the Cabriolet will hit 62 mph in less than 4 seconds and has a governed top speed of 155 mph. A battery of unspecified chemistry under the floor provides a claimed range of 200 EPA miles, and the onboard fast charger is future-proofed with the ability to charge at up to 350 kilowatts, should charging stations become capable of delivering such power. At that rate, it can take on 60 miles worth of range in…

The eighth-gen Rolls-Royce Phantom exudes the same sense of tradition as its predecessors but for the modern era.Under the restyled hood, a brand-new “6-3/4-liter” V-12 with two turbochargers produces 563 hp, up from 453 produced by the previous naturally aspirated V-12. Torque is 664 lb-ft, up from 531 lb-ft. Power is routed through a ZF eight-speed automatic. Accelerating to 62 mph from a standstill takes 5.3 seconds in the short-wheelbase version and 5.4 seconds in the longer model, which weighs a whopping 5,950 pounds unladen. Even more important, the Phantom sits on a new architecture that will eventually underpin every Rolls-Royce model. Rolls says the all-aluminum space-frame architecture is lighter and about 30 percent more rigid than the Phantom’s old platform, and it can accommodate different types of propulsion and…

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Base Price$73,595 Price As Tested $88,245 Vehicle Layout Front-engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Engine2.9L/505-hp/443-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6 Transmission 8-speed automatic Curb Weight (F/R Dist) 3,749 lb (53/47%) Suspension, F; R Multilink, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar Brakes, F; R 15.4-in vented, drilled, carbon-ceramic disc; 14.2-in vented, drilled, carbon-ceramic disc, ABS 2017 Aston Martin DB11 Base Price$214,820 Price As Tested $225,735 Vehicle Layout Front-engine, RWD, 4-pass, 2-door coupe Engine5.2L/600-hp/516-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 48-valve V-12 Transmission 8-speed automatic Curb Weight (F/R Dist) 4,194 lb (51/49%) Suspension, F; R Control arms, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar Brakes, F; R 15.7-in vented, grooved, 2-pc disc; 14.2-in vented, grooved disc, ABS 2018 Chevrolet Camaro…

Most Fun for the Money CHRISTIAN SEABAUGH FEATURES EDITOR “Such a tremendously joyful and rewarding car. A pure treat.” Like any good naturally aspirated engine, the Miata is happy to rev its way to redline. The last of the affordable roadsters, the Miata continues to deliver the best driving experience for the money. Mazda threw us a curveball this year by introducing a power-operated targa roof with dramatic flying buttresses rather than the sleek power-folding hardtop we have come to expect. Adding about 100 pounds to the featherweight sporty car, the power roof stows in the same space as the standard cloth roof. Being light and compact, the roof doesn’t add any structural stiffness to the chassis, but the added weight requires compensation elsewhere. Mazda retuned its springs, shocks, and…

ERICK AYAPANA ASSOCIATE ROAD TEST EDITOR “Simply tremendous ... the grip, the brakes, the power.” True Sounds of Freedom We’ve all heard about the bad old days at GM when no car was allowed to challenge the Corvette’s performance supremacy. Those days are long dead. Team Camaro has applied its 1LE handling philosophy to the monstrously powerful ZL1, and the resulting monster is the most track-capable road car GM has ever sold. Up front, the standard Camaro ZL1’s 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 still makes 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque because frankly it didn’t need to make more. Being an enthusiast’s car, a six-speed manual is the only transmission on offer. An electronically controlled differential rounds out the powertrain. Out at the corners, magnetic shocks are replaced with Multimatic spool-valve…

If Best Driver’s Car is the most exciting thing we do all year, then World’s Greatest Drag Race puts seven exclamation points at the end of that statement. WGDR has been a staple of Motor Trend’s BDC online coverage since 2011 but something we only sporadically reference in print. This is not surprising—it’s a made-for-YouTube phenomenon. For the uninitiated, imagine a simple quarter-mile drag race complicated by the addition of more than just two competitors. How many more? Well, that’s what makes it World’s Greatest. In our inaugural running, we set 11 of the hottest sports cars alongside one another and launched them all down the 1,320 toward a checkered flag. Since then, we’ve never had fewer than nine competitors pull up to the start line and begin revving. Prior…

We’ve just finished lunching on locally caught fried whitefish, reindeer stew with mashed potatoes, and freshly picked strawberries with cream at a little cafe with a stunning 270-degree view of the fjords below. The whole setup is, as the kids say these days, “Norwegian AF.” In the winter, this joint serves as a warming hut for a local ski resort, and getting here involves criss-crossing up a mile and half of steep, rock-strewn switchbacks. On a brisk day in January, it would be exhilarating to blast down on a set of skis. Today, in early August, we’re glad to be swaddled in the all-new Range Rover Velar, equipped with height-adjustable air suspension and hill-descent control. “Hullo, do you mind if I join you for the ride down?” asks the chipper…