Innehållsförteckning för June 2014 från MotorTrend

Now that ultra-low-sulfur diesel has been rolled out nationwide, U.S. regulators are turning their attention to a far more widely used fuel among everyday drivers: gasoline. The transition from low to ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel caused a reduction from 500 parts per million to just 15 PPM and is credited with enabling the introduction of more advanced injection and emissions technologies for newer-model diesel engines. Sulfur is believed to be a major contributor to diesel particulate emissions, and the move to ULSD has largely changed the perception of diesel engines as gross polluters. Gasoline currently sold in the U.S. has a higher sulfur allowance than diesel fuel, at 30 PPM. The goal is to reduce the sulfur level in gasoline to 10 PPM starting in 2017, with an 8-year phase-in ending…

Signs from the 2014 Detroit and Geneva auto shows, plus revelations from an insider, point to an all-new flagship Infiniti sedan targeting the likes of the Porsche Panamera. An as-yet-unnamed flagship four-door sedan will sit above the Q50 in Infiniti’s lineup. Try a 700-hp twin-turbo hybrid for size. Names of future models are always challenging to uncover, but we have it on good authority that Nissan already trademarked the names Q80 and Q90—as well as Infiniti GT-R several years ago—so there is a chance the new flagship could be called either Q80 Eau Rouge or Q90 Eau Rouge. Yes, it looks like all future Infiniti high-performance models will have the suffix Eau Rouge in place of the IPL (Infiniti Performance Line) name. Separately, a senior Nissan executive confirmed that Infiniti…

Before I cruised down to San Diego for the introduction of the fourth-generation Fit, Honda kindly dropped off a current example so I could calibrate my perspective. It was a good reminder of its positives (fleet-footed with supernatural interior packaging) and its darker side, too (a taxing ride—"nuts, more Starbucks on the trousers"—and raucous engine noise). During the next day’s technical presentation, I sat back and expected to hear all about how Honda’s crack engineers had slathered the new car in sound-deadening material and gushy-soft bushings. Actually, little new sound-deadening has been added. Instead, Honda has focused on making the structure stiffer through a new body-on-skeleton construction resulting in tighter-fitting doors, better gap sealing, and concomitant quietness. Engine noise? Adding adjustable intake cam phasing (VTC) to the Fit's existing variable…

@MT_TheGoods MOTOR TREND'S THE GOODS High Roller USA Big Wheel Drift Trike $650z bigwheelrally.com Don’t let your kiddos have all the fun. This candy-apple red trike rides atop a 26-inch front wheel and has an adjustable seat and the requisite handlebar tassels. Don’t worry—it’ll hold up to 300 pounds. Tudor Grantour Chrono Fly-Back $4400z tudorwatch.com If the black-lacquered steel bezel doesn’t catch your eye, the chronograph’s white face bearing a unique transmission belt motif will. A 42mm steel case houses the self-winding mechanical movement, and a perforated leather strap has a folding clasp and a safety catch. Mophie Space Pack $150-$180z mophie.com Enjoy taking lots and lots of pictures? This accessory will double the battery life of your iPhone 5S/5 and expand storage by another 16 or 32…

LETTER OF THE MONTH When Pragmatists Respond In response to Jonny Lieberman’s “A Little Bigger, but How Much Better?” article (March 2014), I present to you a reader who could not agree more. Not really about the Toyota Highlander, as I have no experiences, but rather your insightful comments on the minivan imposter subculture of America. I wondered if I was the only one with this thought, but now I see there are more and perhaps we are the silent majority. My wife and I have a minivan of which I’m not so impressed by its quality, but its utilitarian use is unparalleled. One of my favorite things to do is, while at work—I am a public school teacher—or at church, I love to speak to people who own these…

If size really matters, buy the 2015 Ford Expedition EL. Big does not even begin to describe this eight-passenger monstrosity of a machine that offers more interior space than any passenger vehicle in Ford’s or Chevy’s lineup. It’s big, for sure. But it’s also getting old, with only incremental updates since being overhauled in 2003. As do its GM rivals, the Expedition arrives in two flavors: Big and Bigger. The regular Expedition stretches 206.5 inches long and offers 108.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the first row. The bigger Expedition EL is 221.3 inches long with 130.8 cubic feet of cargo space. EXPEDITION DROPS THE V-8 FOR A TWIN-TURBO V-6 Of course, space is not the only consideration. The new Expedition’s biggest news comes from Ford replacing the 5.4-liter…

2015 Lincoln Navigator While Cadillac currently owns the luxury SUV segment, it owes Lincoln a big thank-you for reviving the category back in 1997 with the Navigator. With Lincoln holding a fraction of the entire market compared with GM, it was clearly harder for FoMoCo to justify the large investment in making bigger changes for the updated 2015 Navigator. The big news is an updated drivetrain that ditches the big, thirsty V-8 for Ford’s much-celebrated EcoBoost twin-turbo V-6. In LincoBoost form, the 3.5-liter delivers 370 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque, falling short of Cadillac’s V-8. The overall numbers won’t be nearly as important, though, as the fact that the torque will be available at a much lower rpm and continue over a wider band. Lincoln is so sure of…

What’s harder to make, a Formula 1 race car or the road-going P1? McLaren ought to know, as it makes both. If you ask someone there, such as Mark Vinnels, the head of product development, he’ll pause for a second, think, and then say, “The road car.” Why? Consider that the P1 is a RWD hybrid with 904 hp, but isn’t penalized with a gas-guzzler tax. Consider that it’s mostly carbon fiber, from the passenger tub to the five body panels to the mostly naked interior. Consider that its exterior is sculpted primarily for airflow, and that it makes so much downforce (1323 pounds at 160 mph) that McLaren has to adjust the wing at high speed to avoid breaking things. Consider that the P1 uses concepts from McLaren’s F1…

While the 2015 Golf R might not look too different from the outgoing car, it gets the same basic changes as all MK7s: a longer wheelbase and increased length, a significantly more expensive-looking cabin, and a new engine. And, oh, what an engine. Based on the EA888 2.0-liter turbo-four found in the GTI, the Golf R’s engine keeps the same displacement while swapping out the turbocharger for a larger unit and doing all the necessary internal work to withstand an estimated 290 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque in U.S. spec. While Europe will get the Golf R in two-or four-door versions, we’ll only see the four-door at launch in the U.S. Fortunately, buyers do still have a choice of transmissions. Both a conventional six-speed manual and a six-speed dual-clutch…

“Hate on the small wheels all you want. Give me better ride quality and steering feel over flashy dubs any day.”@Angus_Mac Service life / 4 mo/6245 mi Avg CO2 / 1.24 lb/mi Energy cons / 216 kW-hrs/100mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 13/19/15 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 15.6 MPG This is my second long-term Range Rover. Back in 2003, I ran a 4.4-liter V-8 Vogue as my daily driver while serving as editor-in-chief of Britain’s CAR Magazine. What a difference a decade makes. Though I loved the 2003 Rangie’s chic style and magic-carpet ride, I swapped it for a six-cylinder diesel-powered BMW 7 Series after a few months because I was commuting up to 1500 miles a week,…

“Our long-term GL350 has been in more fast food drivethrus than any $90K vehicle in history.”@MT_MikeFebbo Service life / 15 mo/ 32,827 mi Avg CO2 / 1.05 lb/mi Energy cons / 160 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $1019.67 (2-oil change, AdBlue top-off; 2-change brake fluid) Normal-wear cost / $428.53 (replace front brake pads) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 19/26/22 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 21.1 MPG The GL just turned 30,000 miles, and it felt like a good time to change tires. The AMG GLs come equipped with Continental Cross-Contact UHPs, and, after talking to Mercedes, seem like the reason for their smoother ride. So we ordered up a set of the Continentals in the factory size, and the difference in ride quality was immediately apparent. I…

“Three values sum up what we’re doing: independence, integrity, and impact.” Designed to pay homage to Maserati’s history during the past 100 years as well as look forward to the next 100, the Alfieri might be the prettiest Maserati in years. Named for Alfieri Maserati, one of the founding Maserati brothers, the concept’s cabrearward design evokes the legendary 1954 Maserati A6 GCS (short for Alfieri six-cylinder Ghia, Corsa, Sport), but avoids being overtly retro. The Alfieri’s long, low nose features flared wheel arches, and a graceful hood character line flows all the way down the car, dipping at the doors before rising again at the wheel arches. The rear of the car continues the styling themes of the rest of the Alfieri, with modern LED taillamps sitting above two air…

General Motors and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are under investigation for potentially botching a recall for more than a decade. The problem centers around a defective ignition switch that can too easily be moved from the “run” position to the “accessory” or “off” position. The initial recall notice cited such things as a heavy key ring, a rough patch of road, or a bumped knee that could accidentally turn off the engine while driving. In some cases, the airbags failed to deploy in a subsequent crash because the engine was off. The replacement part is reported to cost $2 to $5 and can be installed in minutes. GM initially recalled 620,000 vehicles, but later expanded the recall twice, totaling 2.19 million recalled vehicles covering every Chevrolet Cobalt and…

As you’ve read in our First Test of the full-size-and-then-some Suburban/Yukon XL, the new GM SUVs are light-years ahead of their predecessors in most subjective and objective ways. And as you might expect from vehicles sharing a common architecture, the shorter (in length) Tahoe/Yukon are likewise improved. Driving impressions are mostly positive. The vehicles’ height presents a commanding view of the road, and the excellent outward visibility helps minimize blind spots, the vehicles’ size notwithstanding. A blind-spot warning system and rearview camera aid in maneuvering, though it’s slightly disappointing that these large vehicles don’t have an around-view camera system as do some competitors. Despite that, the vehicles’ boxy design make it very easy to determine exactly where the front and rear bumpers and corners are. Steering is just heavy enough…

In our most recent small sedan tests, we reported on the class’ progress in overtaking midsize sedans to become the best-selling car segment, opining that perhaps this signaled a convergence in North American and European tastes. C-cars rule over there, and wouldn’t we feel that much more virtuous, parsimonious, and efficient if we’d all just squish into smaller cars? Nah. Our roomy parking lots and boulevards fit bigger cars, and bigger cars fit us better. Besides, newfound energy reserves have brought our nation closer than ever to energy independence, and with gas prices still a fraction of Europe’s, we feel less compelled to downsize. Nevertheless, the compact C segment grew 7.8 percent last year, while midsize C/D sales barely wiggled. Might stylish, highly equipped, great-driving compact cars now be making…

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class and S-Class have long defined their respective segments. Implicit in this statement is the notion that the C-Class never has been as good as it could, or rather, should be. Worse still, the C-Class in general, and the last-generation W204 in particular, simply didn’t define the segment. BMW’s 3 Series has had the C-Class’ number dynamically and in terms of sales for years. Meanwhile, the Audi A4 is considered better-looking, with a finer interior and generally greater desirability. Now, Mercedes-Benz has reemerged from the woodshed and is back for another crack at a segment long defined by the 3 Series and cars that want to be just like the 3 Series. (Lexus IS, how you doin’?) The question then becomes: Is the 2015 C-Class capable of defining…

“Guy in parking lot says Q50 is ‘gorgeous.’ ‘Thanks. Not mine. Drive it for work,’ I say. His response: ‘Who cares? You’re driving it!’ ”@cclonts EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 20/29/23 MPG BASE PRICE $44,455 PRICE AS TESTED $53,020 DEVELOPING A LUXURY sport sedan such as our long-term 2014 Infiniti Q50S must be a harrowing dance for the designers and engineers. They have to dial in the comfort and tech upon which people depend, while building in plenty of power and handling ability. Get the combo wrong, and they’ll have an expensive also-ran on their hands. Our Q50S, the top non-hybrid version of the successor to Infiniti’s successful G37, is extraordinarily well-equipped. The S model is powered by a 3.7-liter V-6 that generates 328 hp and 269 lb-ft of…

“I walked into the 7-Eleven and asked, ‘Do you have bags of ice?’ ‘Yes,’ the proprietor replied. ‘OK, I want 17 of them.’”@MT_Reynolds Service life / 6 mo/15,371 mi Avg CO2 / N/A Energy cons / 39 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 88/90/89 MPG-E AVERAGE FUEL ECON 86.2 MPG-E B-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-rap. What was that? MT racer Randy Pobst had just steered the Tesla straight again and tramped the right pedal as he bolted out of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s tight Turn 11. The big, white sedan whooshed past us, crested the hump on the front straight, and quietly dropped behind it to begin Randy’s flying lap. But what was that weird sound? It was the naked thuds…

The 300 is big, brash, and boxy— one bad mutha from the Motor City. “Big, bold, and brawny, the 300S makes a statement and keeps up with the Joneses from a feature perspective, but needs some refinement.”@MT_Floyd Service Life / 15 mo / 25,981 mi Base Price / $33,990 Options / Luxury Group ($2850: heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, power tilt/telescope steering wheel, power-adjustable pedals), SafetyTec ($1995: blind-spot monitoring, front/rear park assist, adaptive speed control, forward collision warning), Uconnect 8.4N CD/DVD/MP3/Nav ($995), Light Group ($795: adaptive bi-xenon HID headlights, auto high-beam control, auto headlight leveling, rear foglights) Price as Tested / $40,625 Avg Econ/CO2 / 21.9 mpg/0.92 lb/mi Problem Areas / Driver-seat heater Maintenance Cost / $135.60 (2-oil change, inspection; 1-rotate tires) Normal-Wear Cost / $0 3-Year Residual…

With all the attention in the emerging entry-luxury class focused on cars such as the Mercedes-Benz CLA, it’s pretty easy to forget that the segment existed long before Mercedes got around to introducing its swoopy new four-door to the U.S. Audi was actually the first to enter the segment way back in 2006 with the A3. The original A3 was a four-door hatchback, and, because it was a four-door hatchback, Americans didn’t bite. The all-new 2015 Audi A3 likely won’t have that problem. The Americanized A3 sports a traditional sedan body style and, for better or worse, looks like a three-quarters-size A4. Parking the A3 next to an A8 will give an interesting look at the scalability of Audi’s design language. To attract the millennials Audi hopes will buy the…

R&D Director and Design Director, Lamborghini Motor Trend When you’re creating a new car, do you ever feel constrained by Lamborghini history, in terms of design and engineering, to building mid-engine wedges? Reggiani From a technical point of view, we try to do what we think is the best layout. Perini A Lamborghini has to remain unique, and I think only Lamborghini can produce a supercar like the Huracán is today, with this wedge design. I am always asking to the guys to create every single corner of the car keeping this uniqueness. This is very important: You have to recognize a Lamborghini from a single little element. If not, you are doing a mistake. Do you worry customers might ask, “Why is it still the same old design and…

GEN 1 1935-’36 The 60-hp Suburban Carryall arrives with two doors and room for eight people. GEN 2 1937-’40 The output of GM’s Stovebolt inline six-cylinder engine jumps to 79 horses, and additional style changes give this Suburban a look that lasts until 1956. GEN 3 1941-’46 As World War II halts most car production to make war machines, the Suburban continues, though it's typically painted olive drab and has a star on its doors. A four-door model is included. GEN 4 1947-’55 The grille goes big and horizontal, and GM boosts the inline-six’s output to 90 hp and 174 lb-ft. Still, the Suburban is considered more of a work vehicle than a family hauler. GEN 5 1955-’59 The bubbly fenders and running boards are gone and a wraparound windshield…

2014 Dodge Durango Just refreshed for the 2014 model year, the Durango is the newest and most advanced competitor after the GM twins. Riding on a unibody platform with fully independent suspension, the Durango was updated with an eight-speed automatic, enhanced engine cylinder deactivation, adaptive cruise control, and an embedded 4G cellular link for faster data downloads and the ability to form a wireless hotspot. Its updates include a new instrument cluster inside and “racetrack” LED taillights outside. The Durango offers a 5.7-liter V-8 that’s a bit more powerful than GM’s, but returns slightly worse fuel economy. Its V-6 gets slightly better fuel economy. Both tow significantly less than the GMs. Starting prices are also significantly lower. SPECIFICATIONS Base Price $45,090-$65,015 Engine 5.7L/381-hp/401-lb-ft DOHC 32-valve V-8 Transmission 6-speed automatic Curb…

These days, Chevrolet engineering is working overtime to eliminate barriers to Corvette ownership. They’ve replaced its low, flexy, uncomfortable chairs with proper magnesium-framed buckets offering a choice of sport or competition levels of support. The Fisher-Price dash plastics have given way to rich, soft-touch, stitched materials wrapping practically every surface. And now, with the introduction of the Z06, a single Corvette can meet the needs of less-than-identically matched couples. Chief engineer Tadge Juechter explains: “I know many, many customers who, between a couple, couldn’t agree on a Z06 because one of the two didn’t want a manual transmission or one wanted a convertible for the parade or Friday-night rides or whatever. They just could not agree.” So for 2015, in addition to dialing the Z06’s output up to ZR 1…

“I’m actually sweating right now,” said Jonny Lieberman. He adjusted his glasses, wiped his brow, and sucked in a deep, long breath. “It had me working, but, yeah. Wow.” He unbuckled from Subaru’s 305-hp WRX STI Launch Edition. The all-wheel-drive sled, in iconic blue paint with gold wheels, looked as if it had mistakenly bypassed the Oregon Trail Rally’s start line, ripped off its sponsor decals, and somehow ended up in Lieberman’s possession near Westlake Village, California. It’s one of only 1000 headed to the U.S. But Jonny wasn’t the only one having fun. Carlos Lago and I each disembarked from intriguing, turbocharged rides: Carlos from BMW’s 320-hp, $46,045, 2014 M235i and I from Mercedes-Benz’s 355-horse, $60,625, 2014 CLA45 AMG. Right then we realized that ranking these three 300-plus-hp turbocharged,…

“I can’t decide if the middle child F-Type is just what the doctor ordered, or lacking 100 horses.”@MT_Loverman EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 19/27/22 MPG BASE PRICE $81,895 PRICE AS TESTED $90,090 MUCH COMMOTION got made about the Super Bowl advertisement starring British movie villains for which Jaguar paid so dearly. While it is “good to be bad,” as the tag line posits, I think I’m much more excited about my year as an honorary Brit. For as actor Mark Strong says in the ad, “And we all drive Jaguars.” For the next 12 months, so do I, in the form of the Jaguar F-Type S. The F-Type convertible comes in three flavors: F-Type, F-Type S, and F-Type V8 S. In terms of engines, the first two feature a 3.0-liter…

“‘I love this car. Awesome steering, shifter, nimbleness… such a joy,’ said photog @BrianNVance about the Mazda6.”@edloh Service life / 9 mo/ 16,799 mi Avg CO2 / 0.71 lb/mi Energy cons / 123 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $82.35 (1-oil change, tire rotation, inspection) Normal-wear cost / $ EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 25/37/29 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 27.3 MPG During one of my recent stints out of town, I loaned our Mazda6 to Motor Trend’s video crew in support of an Ansel Adams photo project sponsored by Lexus. “Chasing Light” connected our team with John Sexton, Adams’ longtime assistant, on a journey to visit the legendary photographer’s favorite shooting spots throughout California. After a 1400-plusmile road trip to Death Valley, Lone Pine, Yosemite, Carmel Valley,…

“The 2014 Optima offers a blind-spot monitoring system. Yes, please!”@Emiliana505 Service life / 14 mo/21,270 mi Avg CO2 / 0.86 lb/mi Energy cons / 149 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $228.90 (2-oil change, inspection; 1-tire rotation, cabin-air filter, engine-air filter, tire rotation) Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 22/34/26 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 22.6 MPG I recently got to take part in a Motor Trend Big Test of small sedans (see page 80), and the 2014 Kia Forte was one of the contestants. It had a few bells and whistles I don’t have on our long-term 2013 Optima SXL but are available or standard on the 2014 Optima. I enjoyed playing with the new tech, and some of it is definitely worth having.…

“For a year, the Audi Allroad was ‘my’ car. True, I let other people drive it—but only if they were nice to me. Otherwise, I kept this sweetheart to myself as much as possible.”@ArthurStAntoine Service Life / 12 mo / 20,291 mi Base Price / $40,495 Options / Prestige Equipment ($9200: heated front seats, power tailgate, MMI navigation), Scuba Blue paint ($475), roof base bars ($400), walnut trim inlays ($350), carpeted floormats ($150), cargo mat ($120) Price as Tested / $51,190 Avg Econ/C02 / 24.0 mpg / 0.81 lb/mi Problem Areas / None Maintenance Cost / $380.82 (2-oil change, inspection; 1-cabin-air filter, tire rotation) Normal-Wear Cost / $0 3-Year Residual Value* / $22,524 Recalls / None *Automotive Lease Guide EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 20/27/23 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 24.0…