Innehållsförteckning för August 2017 från MotorTrend

Edward Loh @EdLoh I took a spin in our 2017 Car of the Year the other day, and I marveled again at the current state of automotive engineering. I know, I know: Gas prices are low, and car shoppers are flocking to SUVs— while drooling over tire-roasting Raptors and Demons born of Hellcats. If electric vehicles register at all, it’s only with hippie tree huggers or savvy megacity commuters, laser-focused on taking advantage of the HOV lane, right? You’re still reading, so I’ll wager that you’re in a third, no less cultish sect of vehicular enthusiasts that likes to stay abreast of the latest technology, no matter the origin. If so, drive a Chevrolet Bolt EV if you get the chance. The future is already here with that car, in…

The Mercedes-Benz Concept A Sedan provides a glimpse at the next-gen A-Class, a model not currently sold in the U.S. With its wide grille and angled-in headlights, the Concept A Sedan bears a resemblance to the Mercedes-AMG GT Concept from the front. The Concept A’s headlights are more angular, however, and feature a 3-D grid element within the housings that glows different colors depending on the light source, thanks to a coating of UV paint. The taillights feature the same internal grid structure, and they mirror the headlights in shape. Just looking at it, you might think this is a thinly veiled look at the next-gen CLA sedan. That’s possible, but we’ve heard the A-Class sedan will be a separate model slotting between the CLA and C-Class. The Concept A’s…

Geely is moving quickly to launch its newest automotive venture, Lynk & Co. Formed in late 2016, the brand has already shown an SUV and also unveiled a new sedan concept at the Shanghai auto show. Lynk & Co will sell its first product, the 01 SUV, in China later this year before bringing it to the U.S. in 2018. By 2021, the automaker’s lineup will expand to four vehicles, including a four-door sedan, which is previewed by the new 03 concept shown in Shanghai. If you take a look at the grille, headlights, and taillights, you’ll notice the sedan receives many of the same design features as the SUV. A sibling to Volvo, thanks to its common parent company, Lynk’s new vehicles will be underpinned by the CMA platform,…

50 AUGUST 1987 PRICE: $0.50 This is a cover we want framed! Featuring the then-new ’68 Corvette Stingray painted in oils, our August issue was all about speed. We took readers inside the C3 Corvette in our special 10-page spy photo feature. Elsewhere, we completed an automatic-versusmanual test using the now-legendary Pontiac Firebird as our test subject. Then, unlike now, the manual handily beat the slushbox. 30 AUGUST 1987 PRICE: $2.50 Our fold-out cover featured America’s seven speediest cars to see which was fastest. The results? The Ford Mustang GT (144.29 mph) and the Chevrolet Corvette (152.77 mph) were the two fastest. 10 AUGUST 2007 PRICE: $4.99 Long before HBO introduced the television world to Westeros’ infamous regicide, the Infiniti G37 Coupe earned the title of King Slayer,…

PRESIDENT, INFINITI MOTOR COMPANY Roland Krueger left BMW to join Nissan as a senior vice president and president of the Infiniti Motor Company starting in 2015 and now oversees the luxury brand from the Hong Kong headquarters. Most of his experience at BMW was on the business end, but the 50-year-old Krueger started his career as a designer for Mitsubishi and Daimler’s Smart brand. In 2013 he completed a 622-mile solo cross-country ski trek from the Antarctic Coast to the South Pole, pulling a 280-pound sled for 50 days—for relaxation. Is the QX80 Monograph concept the look for the next-generation QX80? It is a design study to showcase the next QX80 that we are planning to bring to market by the end of the year. The architecture of the car…

The last Volvo XC60 we had in a 2015 Big Test comparison came off as a bit creaky and outdated, which was to be expected for a SUV in the sixth year of its model cycle. It deservedly finished last. We knocked its interior for a low-mounted and wonky infotainment interface, lackluster-luxe touches, and its propensity to squeak. It had enjoyed a heart transplant that very year—upgrading to today’s Drive-E 2.0-liter super/turbo engine, but the integration felt a little half-baked. The new eight-speed automatic’s shifting logic and quality drew criticism, and because the new engine was only available with front-wheel drive that year, it suffered torque-steer reminiscent of a turbocharged Chevrolet Cobalt SS. At least all-wheel drive quelled the torque steer in a 2016 test car. For 2018, Volvo’s global…

Chris Svensson began his career with Ford as an exterior designer at the company's design studio in Cologne, Germany, and has worked on products as diverse as the Ka, the Mustang, and the Falcon. He describes the opportunity to work on the new GT as “a once-in-a-lifetime experience.” “We started with three themes for how we could take the GT in different directions. We looked at the iconic 1965 GT40 and identified key elements such as the waterline across the nose that bites back, the squared-off headlights, the nostrils, the wraparound glass that culminates in an intake at the back, the circular taillights on a horizontal plane with the exhausts in the middle—key elements we thought we’d love to put in the car. “The second theme was performance efficiency. We…

ARRIVAL 2017 BMW 530i Mark Rechtin “Is a BMW with a turbofour worth 72 grand? If its performance equals an I-6, then the 530i makes a convincing argument.” EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 24/34/27 MPG BASE PRICE $52,195 PRICE AS TESTED $72,135 In Europe, large cars with small, turbocharged engines have been around forever. That’s because there’s not much call for big, torque-heavy engines for stoplight-to-stoplight drag racing; however, briskenough acceleration combined with strong highway fuel economy plays well in the autobahn culture. That’s not the case in America, where there is no replacement for displacement. And until a few years ago, buying a 5 Series sedan meant instant admittance into the straight-six club. But in 2012, BMW tested the waters with a turbo-four in the 5 Series. Interestingly, Americans…

The new Ford GT was meant to be, but never meant to happen. The original plan, codenamed Project Silver, was to race a Mustang at Le Mans in 2016 and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ford’s thrashing of Ferrari with a win over Maranello’s latest in the GTE class. However, when the team headed by Ford product development chief Raj Nair figured out how extensively the Mustang would need to be modified to make it competitive with a GTE-spec Ferrari 458, the project was killed. But beating Ferrari once more at Le Mans was an itch Nair and his small group of enthusiasts— which included Ford Americas design director Chris Svensson and the newly minted head of Ford Performance and former Mustang chief engineer Dave Pericak—just had to scratch. So…

INTAKE P18 THIS MONTH’S HOT METAL WE SAY P28 WORDS FROM OUR EDITORS THEY SAY P32 INTERVIEW ROLAND KRUEGER President, Infiniti Motor Co. GM calls its latest creation, the Chevrolet FNR-X concept, which made its world debut at the 2017 Shanghai auto show, an all-purpose sports concept vehicle. Behind the fancy descriptor is a fourseat plug-in hybrid crossover bearing styling with plenty of attitude. Although decidedly a concept, the FNR-X is far closer to being a productionready vehicle than GM’s last Shanghai concept, the futuristic Chevrolet FNR (Find New Roads) concept vehicle, which was shown in 2015. Both were created by GM’s joint venture with the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center. “The Chevrolet FNR is one of Chevrolet’s most forwardthinking concept cars, truly exemplifying the brand’s passion for innovation and…

They should have called it AtLast, because it’s a good decade and a half overdue. Alas, the Atlas is Volkswagen’s tardy entry in the crowded midsize three-row, seven-seat SUV segment. It competes directly with the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Mazda CX-9, and to an extent the five-passenger Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Atlas is huge by VW standards—9.5 inches longer than the Touareg. The Atlas is also far less expensive than the Touareg—and many of its competitors— starting at just $31,425. But few will want a base Atlas with a 235-hp 2.0-liter turbofour and front-wheel drive. Most customers will wind up with a 3.6-liter narrow-angle V-6, which realistically starts at $35,915 for frontdrive and $37,715 for all-wheel drive— right among the established players. With a claimed curb weight of…

WRITE US AT 831 S. Douglas St. El Segundo, CA 90245 Email us online at motortrend.com or send an email direct to motortrend@motortrend.com Millennials and the manual This is written in appreciation of Mark Rechtin’s article in the May issue (“Reference Mark”). Born in 1999, I am one of the last members of the millennials. Reading Motor Trend and other car magazines, all I ever hear about my generation is that we don’t care about cars, and by the time we have kids cars won’t even exist. To me this is a strange observation. Living in rural South Carolina, I may be out of the latest trends, but I can’t see any of that happening anytime soon. We couldn’t wait to get a license and the freedom of the open…

Even a cursory glance at the speed trace should leave you wondering, “How the heck does the GT350R wind up only 70 feet behind the ZL1 at the checkered flag?” The Camaro is dramatically faster on the front straight, grips better around the long, lowerspeed Turn 2, and slingshots around the very quick Turn 8 faster than the Shelby. But the Ford catches up in nips and bits—a little here, a little there. The GT350R repeatedly brakes a little better, particularly approaching Turn 3, the omega corner; it momentarily notches a peak-speed win between Turns 6 and 7. Heroically, it claws back part of that gap through the terrifying Turn 9. True, we’ve lapped this very ZL1 here before and saw an even quicker 1:26.16 lap, but of course this…

Synchronicity. In 1966 Bruce McLaren was at the wheel of the GT40 that led Ford’s historic 1-2-3 crushing of Ferrari at Le Mans. More than half a century later we’ve driven, within days of each other, the GT40’s spiritual successor and the newest supercar from the company created by the Formula 1 team McLaren founded. Both the Ford GT and the McLaren 720S are built around ultra-stiff carbon-fiber tubs with sophisticated suspensions. Both have carbon-fiber body panels, twin-turbo engines, seven-speed dual-clutch transmissions, active aerodynamics, and selectable drive modes. Both are brilliant to drive. Which is better? Engine: McLaren wins. The 710-hp twin-turbo V-8 delivers monster thrust and sounds epic. Styling: Ford wins. The GT looks like no other mid-engine supercar; those flying buttresses will influence a generation of young designers.…

The seven-seat plug-in hybrid Jeep Yuntu concept was crafted for Chinese tastes, and before you ask, it’s not for the U.S. Well, at least not for now. “SUVs are the fastestgrowing segment in China, and the Jeep Yuntu Concept showcases the potential for the Jeep brand to keep expanding in the country,” FCA said in a statement. Yuntu translates roughly into “cloud map” in English. The concept Jeep sports sharp, clean lines, slim LED headlights and taillights, a chrome grille, golden bronze flourishes, and suicide doors. Inside, the Jeep Yuntu offers up plenty of blonde wood trim on the dash, steering wheel, and center console. There’s a large color touchscreen video display that seems to stretch from the driver’s side all the way to the passenger’s glove box. It also…

In a startling move, Ford ousted CEO Mark Fields, 56, on May 22 after months of speculation and three years of declining stock prices. Fields is replaced by Jim Hackett, a Ford board member who led a new mobility unit created to expand into new areas of transportation and the former CEO of office furniture maker Steelcase. As the head of Ford Smart Mobility, Hackett was tasked with helping Ford overcome traffic congestion and technology challenges and changing how people get around. Hackett will report to Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford. The automaker’s shares have fallen 40 percent since Fields took over the top spot from former CEO Alan Mulally in 2014, and upstart Tesla passed Ford in market value. Although Ford earned $4.6 billion in net income in 2016,…

The gorgeous Bentley EXP 12 Speed 6e concept unveiled at the Geneva show teased elements of the all-new Continental GT that will make its world debut at the Frankfurt show in September. You’ll see the same basic proportion on the new Conti, thanks to the MSB architecture it shares with the Porsche Panamera. And the rear end of the EXP 12, with its single oval taillights, is pretty close to that of the production Conti. But the front fender line is different, as are the doors. Whispers out of Crewe suggest the top-spec W12 model will debut with more than 600 hp, with the V-8 boasting at least 520 hp. Remember, the MSB platform allows for a rear-drive version, which could make the next-gen Conti GT3-R a very sporty drive.…