Innehållsförteckning för May 2012 från MotorTrend

VOLKSWAGEN has two kinds of customers in the U.S.: the enthusiast who sees the brand as a sort of budget-priced Audi, if not BMW, and the mainstream buyer who cross-shops it with Honda and Toyota. The first kind—our kind—only considers Jettas TDI or GLI. The other kind will be attracted to the Jetta Hybrid that hits VW dealerships before year’s end. VW’s first hybrid combines the new-for-’77 sedan with a 7.0-liter turbo gas four from the maker’s new engine family, rated 150 hp and 184 lb-ft at 1400-3500 rpm. An electric motor using a 60-cell, 220-volt lithium-ion battery pack rated at 1.1-kW-hrs adds 27 hp with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission in the S position. It’s a full hybrid, with full electric cruising available up to 44 mph and for up…

FORD has an even hotter Focus beyond the ST in the pipeline: an RS. The company’s global performance car team, under Jost Capito, plans on at least 320 hp. The source will be the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four Ford is developing as an entry engine for the 2015 Mustang, plus FWD transverse applications. Although the RS doesn’t yet have a green light, the RS version of the previous-gen European Focus was a surprise success. Engineers know what they want for the next car and how it can be done. A likely on-sale date is 2015, which means it will come after the new Mustang launches at the 2014 New York International Auto Show. The 2.3 EcoBoost combines the usual formula of turbo, variable valve timing, and a direct gasoline injection. To…

THERE’S NO ARGUING that Audi’s TT RS costs a pretty penny. At a base price of well over $50,000 for a two-door sport coupe, it’s a niche player gearheads just won’t be able to justify. But what if you could get a car with either two or four doors that shared the same basic chassis and AWD system with the Audi, for a greatly reduced sticker price? That car is the new Volkswagen Golf R, a replacement of sorts for the last-gen R32. Sure, it doesn’t have the Audi’s spectacular turbo I-5, but in its place is an engine upon which we’ve heaped praise for years: VW Group’s 2.0-liter direct-injection turbo mill. For R duty, said engine gets a bump to 256 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque, significantly more…

8TH PLACE Buick Regal GS Wait, the underdog American, armed with the most potent engine, Brembo brakes, and 20-inch wheels came in last place, behind the dated and underpowered Infiniti? Yes, we know—it just doesn’t sound right. We had high hopes for this sportiest of slushbox Buicks, what with the aforementioned performance goodies. But when the votes were cast, eighth was as high as this Gran Sport could reach. For those wondering, if we’d instead included the regular Regal Turbo, Mike Febbo may have shot it. Like the BMW, the Buick uses a direct-injected 2.0-liter turbo four. Yet unlike the 328i, the Regal pumps out a prodigious 270 horses (second only to the TSX) and a tops-in-test 295 lb-ft. Unfortunately, that output advantage didn’t translate to the track, where the…

5TH PLACE 2011 Lexus IS 250 F-Sport The Lexus IS 250 was the very definition of an underdog when it knocked on the door of our little entry-level luxury-car party. Having made its production debut at the 2005 (think White Sox winning the World Series) New York auto show, the second-generation IS can’t help but look, feel, and seem a little dated. Its 204 horsepower and 185 lb-ft are light for a modern small-displacement turbocharged four-cylinder motor, let alone the 2.5-liter V-6 the IS 250 has stashed under its hood. The six-speed automatic used to be state-of-the-art with its sport mode and paddle shifters, but today half the cars in this comparison have seven- and eight-speed gearboxes. So where does that leave a nearly seven-year-old sport sedan? Surprisingly, solidly mid-pack…

2ND PLACE Volvo S60 T5 The Mayan prophecy didn’t arrive early. Illicit drugs were not consumed. A lofty amount of Chinese yuan hasn’t been left in our collective (nonexistent) coffer. Ladies and gents: We are still as surprised as you are at this very moment. We’ve known for a long time just how very good the turbo I-6, AWD S60 is, but this was our first crack at the FWD, transverse inline-five, and, well, we’re surprised. The Volvo S60 T5 had a lot of things going for it that aren’t necessarily related to safety. First, there is that stunning coupelike Swedish body with clean, composed, and well-executed accents. The physique can hardly be called svelte, but it is well-proportioned and ideally sorted for five-passenger hauling. More important, it’s different. Refreshingly…

FOR 2013, Hyundai engineers put the squeeze on the Genesis Coupe’s naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V-6 with nice, cooling, high-pressure fuel being sprayed directly into the combustion chamber, permitting the compression to rise from 10.4:1 to 11.5:1, bumping output (on premium fuel) to 348 hp at 6400 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque at 5300 rpm. In addition to implementing direct injection, engineers made numerous chassis, body, and interior tweaks to Hyundai’s sportiest rear-drive offering, all in the name of keeping up with the 323-hp 2012 Chevy Camaro and the upcoming, refreshed 305-horse 2013 Ford Mustang. Considering all these improvements to the Gen Coupe, now may not be the best time to save a few bucks on the outgoing model, or to rush out and plop money down on one of…

FULL DISCLOSURE: My wife daily drives a 1993 Miata and loves it. I love it too. Since it was introduced, the Miata has been the best driver’s car for the money, bar none. But let’s start at the beginning. Way back in July 1989, Motor Trend was so impressed with the new MX-5 Miata that we not only featured it on our cover, but declared it “the best sports car buy in America.” Back then, the little roadster carried a 1.6-liter engine with all of 115 hp and 100 lb-ft of torque connected to a five-speed manual we said “defies description.” It was enough to launch the little car to 60 mph in 8.9 seconds and through the quarter mile in 16.8 seconds at 81.9 mph. More important, the 2182-pound…

North American Eagle This U.S. outfit is taking a pleasingly low-finance, grassroots approach to the land-speed record. It’s bought an ex-NASA F104 Starfighter jet, cut the wings off, and added wheels, including a set in the middle to counteract sagging. In 10 years, it’s achieved only 400 mph. It could go supersonic, but it won’t hit 1000 mph with “just” a jet. Fossett LSR Originally Craig Breedlove’s Spirit of America, it was bought by the late U.S. aviator and adventurer Steve Fossett, who rebuilt it and was preparing for a LSR attempt when he crashed his plane and died in 2007. Well-engineered and well-rated by the Bloodhound team, it could be yours for around $3 million, and, with a likely top end of 900 mph, you could be setting records…

Base price $47,795 Price as tested $60,470 EPA City/Hwy Econ 23/34 mpg “BMW’s “we’re green-but-still-mean” slogan is “Efficient Dynamics.” But can a 3896-pound sedan powered by a 2-liter I-4 still deliver the Ultimate Driving Machine goods?” After 10 months of honing my efficiency alertness to a fanatical edge behind the wheel of our long-term Chevy Volt, getting into my next extended-term ride, this BMW 528i, gave me pause. Naturally I’m expecting it to be 5 Series magnificent, a sweet-spot blend of not-too-big, not-too-small, 3 Series/7 Series qualities. But expecting and delivering are two different things. What if it’s actually a collision of those 3 and 7 Series qualities? And what’s to become of my nascent connoisseur’s appreciation of energy efficiency? In that regard, BMW has at least given me…

“With almost 30,000 miles on the Jetta TDI’s odometer, is it time to start slowing things down? Hardly. Long trips and snowy roads await.” Service life / 9 mo/27,183 mi Avg CO2 / 0.58 lb/mi Energy cons / 88 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 (2-oil change, inspection, 1-rotate tires, fuel filter, cabin filter) Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 30/42/34 mpg Average Fuel Econ 38.4 mpg THE JETTA TDI’S phenomenal range adds a layer of convenience. Yes, fuel stations are everywhere, but the peace of mind gained from knowing 600-mile tanks are possible is a beautiful attribute. But its ride quality is a mixed bag. There’s enough wheel travel to isolate big holes and bumps, and the touring tires and suspension willingly iron…

“The Countryman is just the right size for bigger dudes like me. The driver’s seat is comfy and bolstered, and the pedals are positioned well.”@MT_Floyd Service life / 7 mo/12,626 mi Avg CO2 / 0.82 lb/mi Energy cons / 142 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 23/30/26 mpg Average Fuel Econ 23.7 mpg EVER SINCE THE new-generation Mini Cooper arrived on our shores, we auto journalist types have been bitching and moaning about the Mini’s interior design. But now that I’ve been in the Mini Countryman for a couple of months, my mind’s starting to change. The most obvious demerit is the window/lock switchgear and front cupholder placement. If you have a drink of any normal height…

“Reasonably sized, sufficiently powerful, and delightfully well-appointed, the X3 continues to be my sweetheart in the MT fleet. @CarlosLago Months/mi in service / 10/21,675 Avg econ/CO2 / 21.5 mpg/0.90 lb/mi Energy cons / 157 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / Throttle delay Maintenance cost / $0 (2-oil change, tire rotation, inspection) Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 19/25/21 mpg Average Fuel Econ 21.5 mpg SINCE LAST APRIL, when I picked up our long-term X3 from the factory in South Carolina, I’ve noticed an annoying delay in its acceleration. Everyone on staff who’s driven it has, too, echoing complaints that the X3 accelerates either one of two ways: too slowly or with your head jerking back. We’ve also seen comments on numerous BMW forums saying the same thing, all…

Mike Shaffer The engine is always there for you, and always willing to spin hard to motivate the halfshafts. Downshift, rev it high, hold it there, and listen to the valves and cylinders make their very characteristic Honda wail. Jonny Lieberman I love the grip. I love the turn-in, the bite. I love the urgency from just 2.4 liters, and I love that it’s a station wagon. Rory Jurnecka Keep the tranny in Sport mode and shift with the paddles. But stay on your game and know when to grab the next gear, otherwise the tach will slip right past the 7100 rpm redline and swing quickly into the fuel cutoff. Nate Martinez As is typical with minivans and wagons, this one has a booming noise that comes from the…

LAMBORGHINI’S Aventador J Geneva show car takes low ride height and light weight to the extremes you might expect of Lotus. The barchetta comes with no roof. Its windshield is so low the driver must wear a helmet, and there’s no air conditioning. Lamborghini says additional weight-saving changes to make it quite a bit lighter than the Aventador LP 700-4 (3600 pounds) on which it’s based, but its maker inexplicably had not weighed the car as of press time. “More aggressive” bumpers also distinguish the car from quotidian Aventadors. The car is more exclusive than even the VW Group’s Bugatti specials. The Rosso J Aventador is a fully functional runner that will be sold as a one-off. Care to place a bet on whether it’s already been sold? Further weight…

WOLFSBURG, GERMANY—Volkswagen hasn’t spiked plans for its mid-engine, two-seat sports car based on the BlueSport concept, though it remains a hard sell. The business case hinges on demand for the segment, VW product development chief Ulrich Hackenberg tells us in an exclusive interview. Mazda sold just 16,582 MX-5 Miatas worldwide in 2011, and 5674 of them came to the U.S. We spoke with Hackenberg at VW headquarters recently about a variety of North American-centric models, from a large SUV to the proliferation of hybrids. BlueSport We are “predeveloping” such cars. If VW can find a global market for 40,000 or 50,000 BlueSports a year, it’s a go. The market is dominated by the Mazda, which is a good car. It has maybe 80 percent of the market. If VW decides…

COMPACTS will soon catch midsize cars in popularity in the U.S. as in Western Europe—or so the theory goes. If you measure all C-segment models, including such crossovers as the Ford Escape and Honda CR-V, compacts already are there. Ford says the average new vehicle buyer now cross-shops C-segment crossovers with C/D-segment sedans. With heavy incentives, its aged, soon-to-be-replaced Escape had its best year ever in 2011, passing the Honda Accord, Civic, and CR-V; Toyota Corolla; Ford Fusion; Ram pickup; Hyundai Sonata; and Chevy Malibu for fifth-place overall in sales. As a specific automotive segment, midsize cars still rule, led again by the Toyota Camry. Even though the March 2011 Japanese earthquake/tsunami and Thai floods constrained U.S. Camry production, the midsize Toyota remains the best-selling car here and third overall…

DAIMLER AG lost at least 330,000 euro, the equivalent of $439,000, on each Maybach it built to fend off BMW’s Rolls-Royce and Volkswagen AG’s Bentley, CAR magazine reports. So plans to pull the plug on the revived super-luxury brand by 2013 come not a moment too soon. Mercedes-Benz plans to introduce up to six new high-end cars next year, possibly reviving such model nameplates as 600 and Pullman. Herewith, an approximation of how much Mercedes lost on Maybach over eight years of production: 2003: 600 = $ 263.0 million 2004: 500 = $ 219.5 2005: 300 = $ 131.7 2006: 400 = $ 175.6 2007: 400 = $ 175.6 2008: 300 = $ 131.7 2009: 200 = $ 87.8 2010: 200 = $ 87.8 That adds up to $1.3 billion,…

BY ITS VERY NATURE, the convertible offers an altogether different automotive experience, a visceral connection to the sun, wind, and world whizzing by when the top goes down. The all-new 2012 Porsche 911 Cabriolet plugs you into that experience like few cars on earth. This is the drop-top version of the all-new 991 series 911. Our own Angus MacKenzie declared the coupe “The Best 911 Ever.” And after spending a day twisting and turning in the 911 Cabrio across the dramatic volcanic landscapes of Spain’s Grand Canary Island, we found absolutely nothing to suggest otherwise from the coupe’s topless twin. That’s not to say there haven’t been dissenters. Grumbling has centered on Zuffenhausen’s decision to move to an electro-mechanical steering setup (with which we personally had zero issues), its dimensional…

7TH PLACE 2012 Infiniti G25 There are two ways of arriving late to a party. One, make a grand entrance and act like you have something to offer that was missing prior to your arrival. Two, bring a gift—maybe chips and salsa or a few adult beverages—to mask the offense of your tardiness. The Infiniti G25 was certainly late to the party. And instead of adding some spice into the entry-lux dance floor, it showed up in last year’s clothes, half-asleep. And it brought Zima. In this comparison, the G25 was simply outclassed. The combination of an anemic drivetrain, dated exterior styling, and an interior that looks at least a generation old landed the G25 in seventh place, a finishing position that was debated for over an hour before we…

4TH PLACE 2012 Audi A4 Quattro Quattro—Audi’s brand name for all-wheel drive—has defined the Ingolstadt-based manufacturer’s identity for the last 30 years. Some may question the value of sending power to all four wheels on such relatively low-horsepower vehicles, but in the twistiest sections of our test loop, the difference immediately became apparent. The A4, with its wide powerband from the direct-injection 2.0-liter turbo I-4, shot from corner to corner with grip the other cars couldn’t hope to achieve. Well, save for one from Bavaria. The unanimous complaint among the judges was Audi’s beige/gray interior. Even the biggest four-ring fans in our group (hi, Mom!) remarked that this color should never be allowed to leave the factory. While design and ergonomics were praised, wrapping everything in that cheap-looking khaki faux…

1ST PLACE BMW 328i Sport Line I want to talk about the big albatross hanging around the new 328i’s neck right up front: price. This car rings the bell to the tune of $50,560, by far the highest as-tested price of the competition. Shock! Horror! You all will cancel your subscriptions en masse, or say stuff like, “Of course the most expensive car won, get a brain, moran,” etc. However, the Bimmer came straight from the U.S. launch of the 3 Series loaded with every option possible. Using BMW’s online configurator, you can spec out a mechanically identical 328i Sport Line for $41,095 that would have beat up and choked out the competition just like the one in our test did. As mentioned, we sat around screaming at each other…

THE STORY GOES that former Bentley boss Franz Joseph Paefgen casually asked an engineer how much less fuel he reckoned the new twin-turbo V-8 he was working on would burn. The casual reply — “maybe as much as 40 percent less” — got written into the boss’ 2008 Geneva speech, along with a promise to maintain current performance levels. Thus was born an engineering mandate that probably earned that engineer a good pantsing from his cubiclemates. Nevertheless, in January, Bentley’s new commander in chief, Wolfgang Durheimer, hoisted the “mission accomplished” banner in Detroit. Weeks later, we went to northern Spain’s Navarra race circuit to check Bentley’s math—at least on the “equal performance” promise. But before we get to that, let’s zoom in on that mission-accomplished declaration. The 40 percent improvement…

THIRTY-SIX MONTHS AGO, I committed one of my better blunders when I declared the Honda Insight the more important car compared with the then-just-introduced third-generation Prius. My thinking? Economy car shoppers are notorious scrooges, and the Insight’s lower base price would make it the car to blow open the doors to hybrid affordability. Guess what? Ebenezers are willing pay a bit more for a nicer car. The Prius went on to give the Honda a terrible smacking in the showroom. And now comes the smaller and cheaper Prius C, the car prompted by that onetime Insight threat that now faces the Insight’s very same challenges. Prius C pricing ranges from $19,710 to our test car’s $25,140, and it’s the third member in the Prius family, which recently grew to two…

DESPITE there being 22 different hybrid cars on the American market, nearly 50 percent of the category’s sales are captured by one car: the Toyota Prius. Why do you think that is? I think it’s pretty simple. The Prius’ pitch for your monthly payment is as clear as it can be. Want truly fabulous mileage at a moderate price premium? Here I am. On the other hand, cars like the Lexus LS 600h L, the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid, and this BMW ActiveHybrid 5 I’ve just driven in Lisbon, Portugal, are more complicated. Like its premium brethren, the ActiveHybrid 5 is an expensive proposition. At $62,740, it’s more than nine grand more than a similarly equipped 535i that uses the same basic, turbocharged, direct-injection, Valvetronic engine. However, it also delivers…

Service life / 10 mo/21,437 mi Avg CO2 / 0.98 lb/mi Energy cons / 170 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $370.55 (oil change, inspection) Normal-wear cost / $0 “I’ve figured out the Cayenne’s Burmester stereo bass programming. Works perfect if you’re listening to hip hop. Ruins every other genre of music.”@MT_Evans EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 20/24/21 mpg Average Fuel Econ 19.8 mpg I’M RUNNING out of challenges to throw at the Porsche. Most recently, I used it to help my brother move two hours north. In doing so, we learned that the Cayenne has about as much cargo space with the seats folded as a Honda Fit with its seats down. But the 380-hp Cayenne S Hybrid was totally unfazed by the extra weight in…

“Many months into my loan, I’m still amazed at how great the Nissan Juke is for space-limited, budget-minded urbanites. This JDM package wins.”@nate_martinez Service life / 10 mo/20,671 mi Avg CO2 / 0.84 lb/mi Energy cons / 146 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $377.00 (2-oil change, rotate tires, inspection; 1-cabin air filter) Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 25/30/27 mpg Average Fuel Econ 23.1 mpg I WAS LATE by more than 2000 miles with our Juke’s 15,000-mile scheduled interval checkup. The team performed the recommended Schedule 2 (Less Severe) 15K program, plus changed the engine oil and filter and carried out a recall service on the air inlet tube. The service seems to have livened the Juke’s already peppy step, particularly in Sport…

“The Odyssey’s more fun, the Sedona’s a stronger value, the Sienna’s better-looking, and the Chrysler’s quicker, but I’ll take the Quest.”@RonKiino Service life / 8 mo/23,999 mi Avg CO2 / 1.01 lb/mi Energy cons / 175 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $425.23 (3-oil change, tire rotation, inspection; 1-replace cabin air filter) Normal-wear cost / $720 (four Toyo Versado tires) EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 19/24/21 mpg Average Fuel Econ 19.3 mpg AFTER TWO SEPARATE starting issues, we had the Quest towed to our local dealership. Turned out the fuel tank needed replacing. When the Quest was parked on a grade with a quarter tank or less of gas, the fuel was not reachable, making it impossible to start. The dealer performed the no-cost NTB11-068A service bulletin,…

“The Nav system on the Grand Cherokee works just fine IMO, but the design and resolution are really ugly. Good design matters. It’s a fact.”@MT_Royer Service life / 12 mo/20,622 mi Avg CO2 / 1.07 lb/mi Energy cons / 186 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $154.59 (3-oil change, inspection; 2-tire rotation) Normal-wear cost / $6.57 (taillight bulbs) EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 16/22/18 mpg Average Fuel Econ 18.1 mpg ON A RECENT TRIP to see an Amon Tobin concert in Pomona, a sleepy community east of Los Angeles, I was able to give the Jeep’s navigation system a nearly complete workout. First I used the navigation screen to pinpoint not the venue (the Fox Theater), but its off-site parking area a few blocks away, without an…

What’s faster than a TGV train, has more turbos than you can shake a stick at, and boasts an open top? The new Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, which packs even more power into the already insanely powerful Grand Sport version of Bugatti’s mighty Veyron. Vitesse is French for “speed,” and the Grand Sport Vitesse has it in spades, as it’s essentially the open-air version of the world record-holding, 1200-hp Veyron Super Sport. To get the Veyron’s 8.0-liter W-16 to pump out an even more insane 1200-hp and 1106 lb-ft, Bugatti enlarged the engine’s four turbos and intercoolers, among other updates. The chassis was revised to deal with the extra power, and it carries design and driving characteristics of the Veyron Super Sport, including the SS’ sleeker front end and…

THE SEVENTH generation of the Volkswagen Golf is due to drop in fall 5375, deploying the same MBQ modular platform as the 5372 Audi A2. The modularity of this component set allows the next GTI to have far greater differentiation from the garden-variety Golf than it does now. Expect a more sophisticated chassis, a lighter body, and more luxury in the cabin. All new Golfs will be about 743 pounds lighter than the ones they replace. Savings come from extra-high-strength steel in the shell, optimized suspensions, and lighter engines and ancillaries. The powertrain—the one element not completely renewed—will have an easier time accelerating the car. The GTI’s engine won’t go much beyond 523 hp, but by switching to the Audi Valvelift system, it will be torquier, up to nearly 513…

Tough Luck Your comments about the Toyota Tacoma are spot-on. In addition, it’s overpriced—comparable Tundras have more steel and standard features for less money. Whether it tows well depends on your criteria. Cruising at 75 mph on western interstates or climbing the Willamette Pass with CGVW maxed out, my 2011 V-6 Tacoma delivers the best mileage of any gas truck I’ve owned (and I’ve owned eight over the years, of most makes). So why does Toyota limp this tired design along and continue to charge so much for it? Simple: It has no real competition, and the trucks are easy to sell. Despite my petty gripes, the Tacoma is one of the most useful trucks I’ve owned, and in its double-cab long-bed configuration, it’s a credible alternative to the current…

OK, AUDI FANS, it’s time to pony up. Within a single month, more than 11,500 of you petitioned Ingolstadt to bring the TT RS to the good ol’ U.S. of A. through a barrage of Facebook posts. (How’s that for 21st-century marketing?) Audi listened to you, the car is coming this summer, and, yes, it’s brilliant to drive. How could it not be? All the proper ingredients are there. The 360-hp, 343-lb-ft 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine is turbocharged and unique to the TT RS. More important, it unabashedly pays homage to the penta-bored engine blocks of the wickedly capable Gruppe B rally stars of Audi’s past. Quattro all-wheel drive is also retained (though it’s now a Haldex system), suggesting to the Audi faithful that a little rally-style hooning is in fact…

IN THE CAR WORLD, a new BMW 3 Series is a big deal. BMW created the small sport sedan class in 1975 with the original E21 3, and even before that with the iconic 2002. Along with the Mercedes-Benz 190E, the segment really arrived in 1982 with the launch of the much-heralded and often imitated, though never quite duplicated, E30 3 Series. That car proved a near-perfect mixture of engine, transmission, and chassis that the competition and BMW have been trying to mimic for years, with varying degrees of success. But 30 years is a long time, and the automotive scene is very different from when the E30 launched. Back in the early ’80s, Acura, Infiniti, and Lexus didn’t exist; Audi was selling AWD Volkswagens; Buick was terminally ill; and…

6TH PLACE 2012 Acura TSX V-6 No offense—though I’m sure somebody out there will take issue—but this comparison felt the most right to me during one particular driving loop where it was just the European contenders briskly hustling through the twists and turns. The Japanese and American half of the pack had been separated by a red light. And then some. Yes, it’s cliché, but it takes some big talent to be taken seriously in the sport sedan realm. If the Acura TSX—known to the cognoscenti in these parts as a derivation of the European-spec Honda Accord—can take one triumph to heart, it’s that no editor stepped out shaking his head, saying, “It’s just awful” or “It doesn’t belong here.” (See eighth place.) In fact, the TSX proved a cautionary…

3RD PLACE Mercedes-Benz C250 Well, this is awkward. The mighty Mercedes-Benz finishes third, behind a Volvo? How’d that happen? Well, let me tell you. Here are the problems we had with our Sport-packaged C250. First and foremost, these seats do not belong in anything associated with the word “Sport.” The bottoms are hard, and as flat as the plains east of Denver, while the seatbacks offer just enough side bolstering to remind you how sporty they aren’t. Nearly as bad is the boost lag, with the little 1.8-liter turbo-four wholly unequipped to handle the Benz’s weight until boost comes in around 3000 rpm. The transmission, meanwhile, is slow to react and doesn’t keep the engine on boost even in Sport mode, and the side-to-side manual shifting won no fans. The…

AS AN OLDER SIBLING of the multi-talented Sonata, the Hyundai Azera doesn’t have it easy. Think about the four big brothers in the Jackson 5 who knew they were really members of the Jackson 1+4. Not only is the Sonata Hyundai’s best-selling model, with 225,961 sold in 2011, but it’s arguably the brand’s most impressive offering. From the 198-horsepower, 35-mpg-highway GLS whose equipment and performance belie its “base” descriptor, to the 274-horsepower, 34-mpg-highway 2.0T that melds sporty dynamics with small-car mileage, the Sonata is a force to be reckoned with. Just ask Accord, Altima, and Camry. And what about the Azera? See, you’ve already forgotten about it— that’s the power of Sonata Effect. So strong is Sonata Effect that Hyundai stopped building the previous-gen Azera in November 2010, even though…

WHILE THE NEW Bentley twin-turbo direct injection V-8 may be the talk of the industry, engine aficionados still hold the W-12 sacred. As eight cylinders transform basic transport to a musclecar, 12 cylinders elevate a car to a storied plane of existence occupied by exotics and legends. The unique W, or, more accurately, a double-V configuration, falls directly under radial in terms of magical piston placement hierarchy. Thundering through the countryside in a W-12 is akin to Thor giving you the opportunity to take a few swings with Mjölnir. We tested the latest W-12 in a Continental GTC. Fittingly, this icon of the automotive world came wrapped in a metallic purple body, with matching purple stitching tracing the dark slate gray hides inside. The color caused quite a stir in…

THE HAKSKEEN PAN is the fastest place on earth. Or at least it might be, come 2013. Right now, it feels like the emptiest, eeriest place on the planet. If you drive out to the middle—a stone’s throw from Namibia in South Africa’s Northern Cape—and stand on the baked-flat mud surface, there is nothing around. Just some equally empty hills miles away in the distance, silhouetted against a grand, fiery African sunset. And when the car engine is shut off and the wind dies down, an unforgettable silence rattles your eardrums. Half the trouble of setting a new land-speed record is finding a venue giant and flat and empty enough—you’d better be prepared to travel to some weird, distant, and inhospitable places. Royal Air Force Wing Commander Andy Green, already…

THOUGH Porsche won’t just come out and say it, the GTS is essentially all the maker’s “most sportive” Panamera options grouped together in a single vehicle with a more powerful engine. Under its hood sits the strongest version yet of Porsche’s naturally aspirated 4.8-liter V-8. Thanks to some reworked air induction and hotter camshafts from the Turbo-spec motor (the valves now rise 1mm higher), the engine’s output is 430 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque, up 30 hp and 15 lb-ft from 400/369 in the Panamera S/S4. The GTS’ suspension is called Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), and it’s stiffer and lower by 10mm. Porsche’s torque-vectoring rear end, called PTV Plus, is standard, as is the Sport Chrono Pack, which adds Sport+ as a transmission/throttle response option. You also get…

“The Elantra is a solid though not thrilling option for commuting. One catch: Fuel economy remains in question.”@kougarov Service life / 6 mo/12,260 mi Avg CO2 / 0.73 lb/mi Energy cons / 127 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $93.45 (oil change, tire rotation, inspection) Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 29/40/33 mpg Average Fuel Econ 26.6 mpg TRUCK TREND editor Allyson Harwood spent the holidays in my Elantra while I used her Silverado to pull a “race car” up and down the great state of California. Here are Allyson’s thoughts: “I took the Elantra up the coast to Pismo Beach, a trip that spanned about 200 miles each way on the freeway, and about three hours in each direction. On that drive, it…

“I get more comments and questions while driving the NV around than I do anything else in the Motor Trend garage.” Service life / 4 mo/7787 mi Avg CO2 / 1.35 lb/mi Energy cons / 234 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: N/A (not rated) Average Fuel Econ 14.4 mpg THIS MONTH, I loaned the NV to photographer Michael Shaffer to help his sister with some moving. His thoughts: “Wow! We thought you were bringing a minivan or something,” remarked my sister. “Well, it will definitely fit in that.” A full-sized dresser and a couple rooms’ worth of junk were swallowed up with ease, and we were on our way. I let my sister drive the first leg…

“The stereo controls are on the back side of the steering wheel—a smart use of otherwise wasted space.”@Emiliana505 Service life / 4 mo/6326 mi Avg CO2 / 0.60 lb/mi Energy cons / 103 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 (oil change, inspection) Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 30/38/33 mpg Average Fuel Econ 32.6 mpg AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS in the Fiat, a few flaws keep grating on my nerves. The key fob has three different buttons on it: one to unlock the car, the second to lock it, and the third to lock/unlock the trunk. The little icons on the small black rubber buttons are also black and barely raised, so they’re hard to see even in full daylight, much less in a…

EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 21/31/27 mpg Average Fuel Econ 25.2 mpg “Acura sells a $415 lightweight crossbar rack for the roof that adds a sporty aesthetic.@BrianNVance Months/mi in service / 12/24,150 Avg econ/CO2 / 25.2 mpg/0.77 lb/mi Energy cons / 134 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $527.31 (3-oil change, inspection, rotate tires) Normal-wear cost / $0 I still scratch my head in awe when I imagine the thought process that might have taken place at Honda’s U.S. HQ when they green-lit the wagon variant of the steadfast Acura TSX sedan. Honda knew it had a unique product on its hands, one that produced solid sales in Europe as an Accord Wagon, yet it also knew that U.S. buyers would probably be few and far between.…