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 LK.
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ARX-05 and NSX GT3 Evo Race Cars shown. ©2020 Acura. Acura, NSX, and the stylized “A” logo are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
VOL. 65, NO. 11
TABLE of CONTENTS M AY 2 0 2 0

31
F E AT U R E
25 Cars Worth
Waiting For
Our sneak peek of the
most promising cars,
trucks, and SUVs of
50
C O M PA R I S O N T E S T
Family Jewels
We parse through the crowded and
popular compact-crossover segment to
pick the best among the Ford Escape,
Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester,
60
F E AT U R E
The Great Compromise
Can McLaren stretch its racing
66
L O N G -T E R M T E S T
2019 Mercedes-Benz
E450 Wagon
The practical and
opulent E-class wagon
captures our hearts
the next few years. Toyota RAV4, and Volkswagen Tiguan. lineage and supercar parts kit to for 40,000 miles.
By the Editors By Rich Ceppos build a proper grand tourer? We By Joey Capparella
chase the answer in the knife-
edge 600LT and the genteel GT.
By John Pearley Huffman

“MY HIND END IS BUILT FOR THE BENCH SEAT

OF A PICKUP. WHO KNEW THAT A TORTURE CHAMBER
COULD FEATURE SO MUCH ALCANTARA?”
—John Pearley Huffman, “The Great Compromise”
CA R AN D DR IV E R 3
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
MAY 2020

COLUMNISTS
7. Sharon Silke Carty
Big Data is watching.
24. Daniel Pund
If this carpet could talk.
26. Ezra Dyer
Scenes from the
world’s last auto show.

UPFRONT
13. An Industry
Infected
COVID-19 disrupts the
globe, and the auto
industry is not immune.
16. Heated Debate
A guide to winning The joyful noise of the commentariat,
climate-control fights.
18. Grounded
rebutted sporadically by Ed.
The equipment that
keeps the world flying.
20. Cardboard Jungle BUCKING BRONCOS those of us who’d prefer one. Dark green or a white
Online shopping takes All the pent-up excitement to dream of a two-door? Eddie Bauer package, please.
a toll on city traffic. I had for the Ford Bronco —Clark —M. Keller
22. V-10, We Hardly vanished the instant I saw Tucson, AZ Tucson, AZ
Knew Ye your renderings [“Bronco
Ten-cylinder engines Is Back,” February 2020]. I love that new Bronco. Make Do y’all base your ren-
are facing extinction. Is Jeep paying you to kill mine Luminol Blue, just derings on spy photos or
the buzz surrounding like the one on the cover. other renderings, or are
T H E R U N D OW N the Bronco’s release? —Kato the current ones of the
73. 2020 Land Rover —Pete Wichterman Coopersville, MI Bronco merely guesses?
Defender Churchville, PA —Anthony Foster
Iconography. Body-on-frame, off-road Frankston, TX
76. 2021 Kia Seltos The Bronco looks good for chops, Danas, and a manual? In addition to spy photos,
SX AWD a four-door. In the future, Yes, please. Now add a V-8 or we have a number of
Segment slicer. can you include a way to fold the twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 deep-cover contacts who
78. 2021 Mercedes- the photo—sort of like Mad and F-150 towing numbers if coached us through the
AMG GLE63 S rendering process—Ed.
It’s the business.
79. 2020 BMW X5 M
Nonsense and
sensibility.

E TC .
5. Backfires The same day I discovered that Car Craft
Renaming the maga- magazine had closed after 60-plus years, I
zine and letting the received my February issue of C/D. Hmm.
electrical engineers Of all things, a Bronco was on the cover. It
have their day. wasn’t that many years ago that such a thing
84. . . . And One would have been heresy. It got me thinking.
Worth Giving Up On —Richard Lasseter, Valdosta, GA
It’s time to let go of the Perhaps you missed our January 1978 cover
Pontiac G8 ST dream. that featured a Bronco—Ed.

CAR AND DRIVER ~ MAY 2020 ~ SIC YOUR DOGS ON US AT: E DI TORS @CA RAN DD RI VE R.COM O R JO I N: BAC K FI RES.CARAN DD R IV ER.COM 5
 Backfires
Plain and simple:
No V-8, no sale!
—Cris Eckert
Auburn Hills, MI
You’re regurgitating false
information. You have zero
evidence, and Ford is just
gushing interest for the
product through you.
—Ward
Weblandia
Great news about the new
Bronco. Now I can resume
my search for the real killers.
See you on the golf course.
—O. J.
Coopersville, MI
IN ACCORDANCE
I just read “Return to Center”
[February 2020]. The writing
was great, the testing was
spot on, and the driving
description was thorough.
Yet, I found myself uninter-
ested in what should have
been a great comparison.
After thinking about it for
some time, I know why. The
cars have become boring.
Include a Honda Accord
Touring next time. It would
emphasize how far these
cars haven’t come. I know
it wouldn’t win, but I don’t
think it would come in last.
—Zack Osteen
Vallejo, CA
As much as we love that
Honda, it would not have
matched the refine-
ment of the group. But
as you say, the Accord
is a great value—Ed.
I’m curious about the
60-mph time for the Alfa
Romeo Giulia Ti Sport Q2.
You recorded 4.6 seconds to
60 with a one-foot rollout. In
a previous test, C/D recorded
a 5.7-second time. Why was
6 MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER
CO NT RIB UTO R
John Pearley
Huffman
Pearley, as he’s known
to us, got his start by
sending outlets a
spoof of C/D called Car
and Pearley. It landed
him four job offers and
he’s never looked
back. A contributor
since 1999, he’s
penned an imaginary
visit to Ferrari, written
a Homeric ode to the
Murano CrossCabrio-
let, and expensed
countless Olive Garden
meals. His McLaren GT
feature is on page 60.
the mechanically identical
Giulia in this comparison
test so much quicker?
—Russ Smiltnieks
Germantown, TN
We were shocked by the
acceleration, too. We’re
looking to test a dif-
ferent one to see if the
time is representative
or an anomaly—Ed.
exclude the Audi A4. I’m
considering purchasing one
and was curious as to why it
didn’t make this comparison.
—Josh Plitt
Indianapolis, IN
We asked. Audi either didn’t
have or didn’t want to send
the refreshed-for-2020
A4 for this test—Ed.
Why not include the Volvo
S60 T6 R-Design instead of
the T5 Momentum? The T5
is what I get as a loaner when
I bring my car in for service.
It’s not much of a sports car.
—Jim Young
Willow Street, PA
Our intent was to test
base-engine models—Ed.
Decades ago, Saab was
criticized for using turbo-
charged 2.0-liter (and 2.3-
liter) inline-fours rather than
larger engines to compete in
the premium-brand market.
I owned two Saab 9000
Turbos and they were great
cars. Too bad Saab is no
longer around. I guess it was
too far ahead of its time.
—Rich Kosmerl
Lake Forest, IL
The Saab 9000 Turbo won
10Best four times. What
we criticized about Saab’s
four-cylinders back then
was their lack of refine-
ment, and those complaints
would still apply today—Ed.
BLAME GAME
In “Learning Curve” [Feb-
ruary 2020], you wrote:
“On March 18, 2018, Elaine
the driver was free to watch
television. And as usual, this
driver will probably not be
punished severely enough
for ending someone’s life.
—D. C.
Springfield, MO
While I believe it was correct
of the National Transporta-
tion Safety Board (NTSB)
to blame Uber for the mod-
ifications done to the SUV,
there was no mention of how
much blame was assigned
to the victim. Though it is
tragic that Herzberg died, I
can’t help but feel that she
should shoulder a fair share
of the blame. Impaired or
not, jaywalking is a ticket-
S IC YO U R D O GS O N U S AT: E DI TOR S @ CA RA N DD R I V E R.CO M O R JO I N : BACK F I RES.CARAND D RI V E R.CO M
able offense in many, if not
all, jurisdictions in North
America. And as you state,
she was crossing in the dark.
I would bet she was not wear-
ing an article of reflective
material that would have
made her more noticeable.
Did the NTSB, in fact, lay
some blame on Herzberg
for creating this dangerous
and lethal situation?
—Sean Cuthill
Victoria, BC
It amazes me that we have
allowed these autonomous-
driving systems to be
unleashed on public
roads without any testing,
approval, or certification. It
seems that for the last 50
years or so, we have been
letting corporations do what-
ever they want. Tell me, if
an autonomous car causes
 Editor ’s Let ter

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7
 Backfires EXPLAINED

damage, injury, or death,
does the company that sold
that car have any legal liabil-
ity? And what do insurance
companies think about this?
—Bruce M.
Big Sur, CA
How much longer will it be
until you change the name of
your magazine to just Car?
—Ed Anderson
Bow Mar, CO
The name Car is already
taken by some Brit rag—Ed.
Why aren’t turbos electric? Why have
all the hardware of an exhaust-driven
turbo when an electric motor would be
so much simpler? Plus, it would speed
up quicker and be more controllable.
You can borrow my hair dryer to test
this theory.
—George Hovany, Gig Harbor, WA
Your description of a turbo spun by
an electric motor and without the
exhaust-driven hardware is actually an
electric supercharger. Mercedes-AMG
and Land Rover both employ one in
their inline-six engines to provide
boost before the turbocharger wakes
b]5\dRcR_RYRPa_V¼RQab_O\`dUR_R
an electric motor assists the exhaust-
driven turbine, are the next frontier.
Combining them, as Formula 1 power-
trains have since 2014, is all but inev-
itable. With the turbine, compressor,
and electric motor all spinning on a
common axle, the motor can assist
with response and harvest energy
dUR[\ßaU_\aaYRdVaU\baP\Z]YRaRYf
NON[Q\[V[TaURR¦PVR[PVR`\SN]b_RYf
exhaust-driven turbocharger. Garrett,
NYRNQR_V[aUV`¼RYQ`Nf`RYRPa_VPab_-
bos can provide boost so quickly that
passing maneuvers often don’t require
a downshift. After the $2.7 million
AMG One debuts this tech next year,
we expect to see these e-turbos trickle
down to more accessible production
cars by mid-decade—K.C. Colwell

DIY AUTONOMY COMPRESSOR TURBINE

Autonomous-texting tech ELECTRIC
would make even more CONTROLS
sense than any of the
driver-assistance systems
you tested [“Hold On
Loosely,” February 2020].
—Mike McCormick
St. Augustine, FL

STARRY NIGHT ELECTRIC

Regarding “A Star Is Born” MOTOR

S IC YO U R D O GS O N U S AT: E DI TOR S @ CA RA N DD R I V E R.CO M O R JO I N : BACK F I RES.CARAND D RI V E R.CO M

in the February issue: I am
assuming that since the Pole-
star 1 is a “star,” your pho-
tographer took the photos
in the dark. It would’ve been
nice to be able to see the car.
—Bill Simione
Denver, NC
I just wanted to tell Volvo
that “Polestar” sounds like a
stripper’s name. Just sayin’.
—Mike Jurgensen
Lexington, KY
To us, it sounds more
like a reality show about
exotic dancers—Ed.
a small boat or light trailer, I
don’t need a monster truck
with enough torque to pull
houses off their foundations.
Can we somehow reward
manufacturers for building
smaller, more-useful-to-the-
regular-guy trucks, please?
—Paul Wright
Huntsville, AL
The only rewards car-
48-VOLT BATTERY
$65K for a Subie. I’d much
rather have the Kia Stinger
GTS [“Sincere Flattery”].
The GTS offers better luxury,
the same performance,
and exclusivity, and I’d keep
$20,000 more hard-earned
dollars in my pocket!
—Robert Pavlik
Hudson, OH
Or you could buy an
ruary 2020]. While those
can indeed be great buys,
the real catch is a 2004–09
SL600 in the low-to-mid-
$20K range. You get a reli-
able V-12 without the wiring
issues of the R129. In all
versions, the R230 series is
more evolved than the R129.
—Jeff Heinzelman
Carmel, IN
I LLU ST RAT IO N BY P E TE S U CH ES K I

BIG-TRUCK DRIVER makers are concerned Accord 2.0T and save

I just saw the diesel comparo,
and I wonder when we will
start rewarding truckmakers
for building “right-size”
trucks in the 1500’s size
[“Tugs of War,” February
2020]. If all I want to haul is
with are sales—Ed.
FORMULA 209
Subaru can keep its STI S209
[“This Old Dog Is Wound Up
and Ready to Hurl,” February
2020]. There’s no way I’d pay
$30,000—Ed.
BABY’S GOT
THE BENZ
Enjoyed your piece “What to
Buy: 1990–2002 Mercedes-
Benz 500SL/SL500” [Feb-
PARALLEL UNIVERSE
I’m guessing every kid who
has ever played with electric-
ity wrote in about Backfires
Explained [February 2020].
Putting four 12-volt batteries
in parallel is still 12 volts. You

8 MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

Editor-in-Chief Sharon Silke Carty
Print Director Eric Tingwall Executive Editor Ryan White
BUYER’S GUIDE Deputy Editor Rich Ceppos Staff Editors Drew
Dorian, Eric Stafford • FEATURES Deputy Editor Jared Gall
Staff Editors Austin Irwin, Annie White • NEWS Deputy Editor
Laura Sky Brown Senior Editor Joey Capparella Senior Editor,
Technology Roberto Baldwin Staff Editors Colin Beresford,
Connor Hoffman Social Media Editor Michael Aaron
REVIEWS Deputy Editor Tony Quiroga Editor at Large Daniel
Pund Senior Editors Ezra Dyer, Mike Sutton
TESTING Director Dave VanderWerp Deputy Director K.C.
Colwell Technical Editor David Beard Road Test Editor Rebecca
Hackett Assistant Technical Editor Maxwell B. Mortimer Road
Warriors Harry Granito, Keoni Koch
CREATIVE Director Darin Johnson Deputy Director Nathan
Schroeder Staff Photographers Michael Simari, Marc Urbano
Assistant Photographer/Videographer Brad Fick Photo
Assistant Charley M. Ladd Production Designer Jeff Xu
Product Designer Landon Oliver
PRODUCTION Managing Editor Mike Fazioli Copy Chief Carolyn
Pavia-Rauchman Associate Managing Editor Jennifer Misaros
Editorial Operations Manager Juli Burke Research Editor Beth
Nichols Copy Editor Kara Snow European Editor Mike Duff
Contributing Editors Clifford Atiyeh, Brett Berk, Sebastian
Blanco, Csaba Csere, Malcolm Gladwell, Fred M.H. Gregory, John
Pearley Huffman, Mihir Maddireddy, Bruce McCall, Jens Meiners,
Scott Oldham, P.J. O’Rourke, Steve Siler, James Tate Online
Production Designer Sarah Larson Online Production
Assistant Ron Askew Intern Chandler L. Horning
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 CONTAGION

An Industry
Infected
The global nature of the automotive
business means international crises like
the COVID-19 pandemic can hit hard.

As we prepare this magazine to go to the

printer in mid-March, there is an enor-
mous amount of uncertainty surrounding
the global outbreak of COVID-19, or the novel
coronavirus. And while we can’t tell you how
worried you should be, we can say for sure that
this public health emergency has already made
a major impact on the automotive industry and
its outlook for the rest of 2020.
The outbreak began in China in December
2019, and it didn’t take long to disrupt the indus-
try’s productivity. Aided by high rates of travel

CA R AND D RI VE R ~ MAY 2020 ~ IL LUST RATI ON BY MA RCOS CH I N 13

 CONTAGION
and large public gatherings during
the Lunar New Year holiday, the
virus quickly moved through China,
where many automotive parts are
manufactured. The Chinese gov-
ernment’s attempts to limit the
spread of the virus included manda-
tory quarantines and factory shut-
downs, which led to parts shortages
for factories elsewhere in the world.
According to Mike Vousden, an
automotive analyst at GlobalData:
“The auto industry is poorly pre-
pared for such supply-chain shocks
because many operations run on a
just-in-time basis, with very limited
numbers of stockpiled parts.” Man-
ufacturers including Ford, General
Motors, Honda, Hyundai-Kia, Jag-
uar Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz,
Nissan, Tesla, Toyota, and Volkswa-
gen have seen production disrupted
S\_QNf`NaNaVZR79?UNQa\½f`bVa-
cases full of key fobs from China
to its U.K. plants when a shortage
meant there wasn’t time to wait for
the parts to arrive via more con-
ventional shipping routes. Guenter
Butschek, CEO of Tata Motors,
JLR’s parent company, said in Feb-
ruary that the company didn’t have
enough parts to last through March.
Those shortages may matter less
if customers stop going to dealer-
ships, though. Year-over-year auto
sales in China dropped 80 percent
in February as China put its citizens
TAKING STOCK OF THINGS
10
0 But as U.S. schools closed, businesses
CHANGE, %
Ford Motor Company
General Motors
Hyundai Motor Company
Toyota Motor Corporation
Volkswagen AG
-35
DEC 9, 2019
TIME
14
ICONIZATION
— agency, says its forecast for a 2.5 per-
When Chinese automaker
Geely launched its Icon SUV
this February, it confronted
the COVID-19 issue head-on
with a newly developed
air-purification system that
meets the N95 standard. You
may recognize that designa-
tion from the masks you’re
not supposed to be hoarding.
It means the system filters
at least 95 percent of 0.3-
micron particles in lab
testing. Never mind that you
still have to open the Icon’s
doors to get in and out.
on lockdown, and while we haven’t
fRa `RR[ N aN[TVOYR RßRPa \[ B@
sales, our market could eventually
`RR N `VT[V¼PN[a QRPYV[R a\\ AUR
Center for Automotive Research
had projected that automakers
would sell 16.6 million new vehicles
in the U.S. in 2020 but now says that
number could go as low as 16 million
if there is a mass outbreak here.
-10.5
-22.2
-17.8
-23.4
-30.5
MAR 10, 2020
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,
analysts predicted a drop of less than
1 percent for 2020 global auto sales. But
now they are revising those numbers. In
March, projections suggested a global
decline of 2.5 to 3.5 percent. Moody’s,
N ¼[N[PVNY `R_cVPR` N[Q P_RQVa_NaV[T
cent decline depends on the return of
normal economic activity in the second
quarter. Combined with slow sales in
2019, this could resemble the market’s
P\[a_NPaV\[Qb_V[TaUR%¼[N[PVNY
crisis, which led GM and Chrysler to
bankruptcy, cost thousands of auto-
motive-industry jobs, and upended the
development plans for vehicles such as
the mid-engine Corvette.
The novel coronavirus has already
thwarted vehicle launches, starting
with the cancellation of the Geneva
auto show. Automakers including Audi,
BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche
streamed new-model debuts online
instead. Some manufacturers canceled
their debuts altogether. On March 10,
N` aUR [bZOR_ \S P\[¼_ZRQ 0<C61
19 cases in New York State advanced
toward 200, organizers announced
that the New York auto show would be
postponed until late August. And it’s
not just public-facing events that have
ORR[NßRPaRQ'3\_Q3VNa0U_f`YR_N[Q
Toyota issued international and domes-
tic travel restrictions for employees due
to concerns about the pandemic.
While some factories in China and
elsewhere have resumed production,
the crisis appears certain to continue
until researchers can develop a vaccine.
When one employee at FCA’s Kokomo,
Indiana, transmission plant tested
positive for COVID-19, the company
kept the line running at normal output.
sent their employees home, and major
sporting events were canceled, notions
of what was normal disappeared. The
¼[N[PVNY ZN_XRa` _R`]\[QRQ a\ aUR
uncertainty accordingly. Automakers’
stocks were hit harder than average
Qb_V[T aUR ZVQ:N_PU `RYY\ß H`RR
“Taking Stock of Things”], a sign of a
bumpy road ahead. —Colin Beresford and
Joey Capparella
MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIVE R
 A BMW X7 offers five
MYTH BUSTING separate climate-control
zones. Is there really
a quintet of distinct
temperature bubbles
within the X7’s 142 cubic
feet of passenger space?
Heated Debate Sort of.
All Zones Set to the
SINCE
1956 Ready to win the debate in your car over who Same Temp
controls the thermostat? Using a fistful of (Set/Actual Temp, °F)
thermocouples and an infrared thermometer,
we tested a few climate-control features in hopes of settling
some disagreements. You’re welcome. —Dave VanderWerp
72/87 72/87

Does a car’s cabin warm up quicker when How much does using the heat 72/87 72/88
the automatic climate control is set to affect an EV’s range?
a high temperature? No. Now stop it. THE TEST: A Tesla Model 3 (on winter 72/87
THE TEST: Two BMW M340i sedans at idle tires) going 70 mph on a 38-degree day
with automatic climate control engaged, with the HVAC off, at 72 degrees, and at
one set to 72 degrees, the other set to high. max heat (including all heated seats).
Each Zone Set to a
Both starting temps are 35 degrees.
Predicted Range Different Temp
Note: The sooner the car’s engine 250 (Set/Actual Temp, °F)
warms up, the quicker the cabin warms up. 234
The blue line below shows how driving the 200
car (average speed 39 mph) compares with 173
Range, Mi

letting it idle. 60/75 65/75

Cabin Warm-Up Times

70/84 75/85
9.8 Min 33.7 Min
75 29.6 Min 0 80/86
Climate 72˚ Auto Max
Control Off

65
The maximum temperatures Max 71 Subaru Forester
of heated seats and steering Seat-Cushion 78 Volvo V60 CC
Temperature, °F

Temps, °F
wheels vary widely from model 81 Mazda CX-5
55 72˚ Auto to model. Who likes it luke- 81 VW Tiguan
HI Auto warm? Probably the lawyers. 84 Honda CR-V
72˚ Auto 87 Genesis G70
(while driving) Max Steering-Wheel Temps, °F 87 Mini Cooper S
45 79 VW Tiguan Countryman
84 GMC Sierra 1500 87 Ram 1500
87 Subaru Forester 89 Tesla Model 3
92 Honda CR-V 91 GMC Sierra 1500
97 Volvo V60 CC 94 BMW X5 M50i
35
99 BMW X5 M50i 97 Porsche Cayenne
0 10 20 30
109 Ram 1500 103 Ford Escape
Time, Min

Can the interior temperature vary across the front

row as promised by dual-zone controls? Actual Temps across the Cabin, °F
THE TEST: A BMW M340i with the driver’s side set
to 63 degrees and the passenger’s side set to 83 degrees. 81 82 82 86 86 88 88
16 I LLUST RATI ONS BY CLI NT FORD ~ MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER
 V1 for 2025 is here!

Meet ValentineOne
®

Generation 2
“It’s about range superiority. I told my
engineers, ‘We want the best radar-
seeking engine this side of the military.’
In fact, we adapted a concept from military
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farther away with higher precision; it’s a SAW
Dispersive Delay Line, . For civilian
users, V1 Gen2 is a breakthrough on range. ”

New LNA technology: The only way to extend range

is to detect ever weaker signals. Think of LNA as a
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magnesium case. That’s the key to stealth. V1 Gen2
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New, and patented, : Detecting more radars adds
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쏋 Much longer range, yet fewer false alarms. rate more than a hundred times, enabling V1 Gen2 to quickly
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 SUPPORTING ROLES

Grounded
Forget planes. This is the equipment
that keeps the world flying.
Commercial airliners don’t just magically
leap skyward. To get there, they need
ground support—support that often comes
from highly specialized vehicles (and sometimes
from ordinary trucks, vans, and cars). United
.V_YV[R` ½VR` NO\ba % ]YN[R` N[Q UN` Z\_R
aUN[ # cRUVPYR` V[ Va` T_\b[Q ½RRa aUNa
pump fuel, load luggage, and haul away human
waste at 266 locations around the world. What
N_RaURaR__R`a_VNYZNPUV[R`aUNaXRR]aUR½fV[T
ones aloft? We spoke with Ray Ames, managing
director of United’s ground services equipment,
a\¼[Q\ba—John Pearley Huffman
B pushback Tug/tractor
For safety reasons, most airlines won’t
allow a plane to back away from a gate
under its own power. Instead, they employ
A Belt Loader pushback tugs and tractors to move
Loaders come in the plane to where it needs to be. While
various sizes to serve conventional tugs use tow bars to move
specific aircraft and aircraft, the tow-barless type simply picks
have height-adjustable up a plane’s nose-gear wheels. Lektro’s
conveyor belts for lyrically named AP8950SDB-AL-200 is
moving baggage into an example of the latter. It uses a 58-hp
and out of planes. electric motor and two 27.2-kWh batteries
Most loaders burn and can move up to 210,000 pounds,
fuel—be it gasoline, enough for narrow-body airliners like the
diesel, or propane—but Boeing 737. To tow the largest planes, you
electric drivetrains are need a supertug such as JBT’s hydrostatic
increasingly common. all-wheel-drive Expediter 600, which uses
United has 1468 a 570-hp Mercedes 15.9-liter diesel V-8 to
loaders in service. generate juice for its four electric motors.

D
D
B
A C

Lavatory-Service C Baggage Tractor D De-Icer

Vehicle
When you flush an airplane toilet, the
waste doesn’t just fall from the sky. It’s
vacuumed away to a storage tank, which
needs to be emptied. “There’s not much
to them,” says Ames of United’s 122
lavatory-service vehicles. If you’ve been
at a KOA on a Sunday afternoon,
you have the basic idea.
Of United’s motorized ground-
support vehicles, baggage
tractors are king. The airline
has 3526 of them. The latest
are electric tractors, which
are driven by people, but
autonomous machines are
coming. United has 4009
baggage carts as well as 5114
cargo carts that can be towed
in multicart trains.
In cold weather, de-icers are critical.
Ice accumulation on a plane’s
wings affects lift and control. Not
good. De-icers have cherry-picker
buckets from which an iceman
controls the sprayer, blasting the
plane with a mixture of water and
glycol that breaks up the ice and
snow. “If anything is fun to operate,
it’s the de-icer,” says Ames. “It’s a
challenge to knock ice off.”

18 MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

 A P P LY N O W !

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enjoy fall foliage through a sequence of curated routes through the
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 AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
Cardboard Jungle
Deliveries of online purchases are taking a toll on city streets.
It turns out that the convenience of
buying anything—toilet paper, toi-
let brushes, toilets—with a single tap from
the comfort of your porcelain throne isn’t
without inconvenience in major cities.
Because of our online-shopping habits,
delivery vehicles are stacking up in urban
areas like cardboard boxes in a dumpster.
E-commerce has more than doubled
in the past decade, growing from 4.6 per-
cent to 10.7 percent of U.S. retail trans-
actions. The corresponding rise in home
deliveries—Amazon’s network alone
transported more than 3.5 billion pack-
ages globally last year—is clogging city
streets with trucks that stop frequently
and often park illegally. While trucks
ZNXRb]$]R_PR[a\Sa_N¦PV[ZNW\_PVa-
ies nationwide, they’re responsible for an
outsize 11 percent of congestion, accord-
ing to the 2019 Urban Mobility Report from
the Texas A&M Transportation Institute.
AUR RßRPa` UNcR ORR[ ]_\S\b[Q V[
dense cities like New York. According to
a recent New York Times analysis, daily
package volume to households in the Big
Apple tripled from 2009 to 2017 while
the amount of physical space for the
ubiquitous white, blue, or brown delivery
vehicles remained static. Drivers have
20
THINKING
OUTSIDE
THE BOX
—
FedEx’s experimental
resorted to taking over street corners lidar- and camera-
with their trucks, sorting packages on equipped electric
sidewalks as they conscript public space delivery bot, called Roxo,
for private industry. They don’t always proposes a future where
get away with it, though. New York City urban delivery traffic
handed UPS a bill for $33.8 million for moves from the streets
]N_XV[T¼[R`V[%N[QTNcR3RQ2e\[R to the sidewalks. Roxo
for $14.9 million. weighs 200 pounds, can
.[Q Vaμ` YVXRYf a\ TRa d\_`R 3RQ2e carry 100 pounds, and
expects the number of packages delivered is capable of climbing
in the U.S. to double by 2026, to 100 mil- stairs, making it an
lion per day, with 90 percent deriving from outlier among delivery
e-commerce and the overwhelming major- drivers. What’s more,
ity of this volume going to residences. The in the suburban town of
`\YbaV\[`S\__RQbPV[TQRYVcR_fa_N¦PN_R Christiansburg, Virginia,
as far-fetched as anything the autonomy- the company has tested
and drone-loving tech industry has come a flying delivery drone,
up with [see “Thinking outside the Box”]. developed with Wing, that
3\_[\daURP\Z]N[VR`ZNXV[TNObPX drops small packages
on the delivery boom are doubling down. mere steps from a
3RQ2e _RPR[aYf Re]N[QRQ Va` _R`VQR[aVNY recipient’s front door.
service to seven days a week and added
[RN_Yf cN[`a\Va`½RRaN[Q.ZNg\[
has ordered 100,000 electric vans from
startup automaker Rivian. But like loos-
ening a belt to cure obesity, having more
delivery vehicles only worsens the prob-
lem. It guarantees that the cost of ship-
ping remains low and the packages—and
the trucks—just keep coming. —Brett Berk
I L LUST RAT IO N BY RYA N O L BRYSH ~ MAY 2020 ~ CAR AND D RI V ER
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 CHANGING TIDES
V-10, We
Hardly
Knew Ye
We understand why
automakers are abandoning
the 10-cylinder engine,
but that doesn’t mean we
have to like it.
In the early 1990s, when the electric
revolution was still a twinkle in
Elon Musk’s eye, the 10-cylinder engine
stood at the cutting edge of powertrain
tech. Having motivated Formula 1 racers
since 1989 (until 2006), a V-10 was a way
for brands from Ford to Lamborghini to
add mystique to their lineups. But now
there’s just one on the market, and it’s
\[YfV[`Ve¼Tb_RRe\aVP`
V-10s have plenty of charm. Most are
naturally aspirated and make wonderful
noises, and many of them return stellar
performance numbers at the track. But
tastes change through the years. In the
past two decades, nearly every V-10 has
been replaced by a smaller V-8, most of
which produce more power than the
10-pots that came before.
Cases in point: The Dodge Viper’s
C±aUR¼_`aa\ZN_XRaV[&&dUR[
it was a 400-hp 8.0-liter—grew to a
massive 8.4 liters and 645 horses before
Dodge discontinued it in 2017. It was
surpassed by the Hellcat V-8, a super-
charged 6.2-liter that makes up to 797
horsepower and 707 pound-feet of
PASSENGER-VEHICLE 10-POTS THROUGH THE YEARS
Engine, Displacement, Horsepower (Models)
Viper, 8.0–8.4-L, 400–645 (Dodge/SRT Viper, Dodge Ram SRT-10)
Magnum V-10, 8.0-L, 300–310 (Dodge Ram 2500/3500)
S85, 5.0-L, 500 (BMW M5, M6)
1LR-GUE, 4.8-L, 553 (Lexus LFA)
M80/01, 5.7-L, 604 (Porsche Carrera GT)
5.2 FSI, 5.2-L, 429–631 (Audi S6, S8, R8; Lamborghini Gallardo, Huracán)
Lamborghini V-10, 5.0-L, 493–523 (Lamborghini Gallardo)
5.0 TDI, 5.0-L, 310 (Volkswagen Touareg)
Triton, 6.8-L, 305–362 (Ford E-series, Excursion, F-series Super Duty)
22
torque. Similarly, with 430 horses
and 475 pound-feet, Ford’s new 7.3-
liter V-8 packs a bigger punch than
the Triton V-10 that powered earlier
Super Duty trucks, Excursions,
and E-series vans. BMW replaced
the V-10 in the M5 and M6 with a
more potent twin-turbo V-8. And
while the Lexus LFA had no direct
successor, its V-10 will undoubt-
edly be overshadowed by the twin-
turbo eight that we expect to power
Lexus’s next halo car, the LC F.
The Volkswagen Group has been
perhaps the greatest patron of the
10-cylinder. But in 2014, a plug-in-
hybrid V-8 powertrain made the
Porsche 918 Spyder—the succes-
sor to the V-10-powered Carrera
GT—the quickest car we’ve ever
tested. And the V-10 has given way
Production Years
2000
1990
1995
The VW Group’s 5.2-liter
V-10 is the last of its kind
for sale in U.S.-market
passenger cars. It makes
up to 631 horsepower and
442 pound-feet of torque.
to twin-turbocharged V-6 and V-8
engines in the Audi S6 and S8.
Advanced technologies have
indeed provided a replacement for
displacement. Today’s F1 innova-
tions have more to do with electric
motors and energy recovery than
[\cRY PfYV[QR_ P\[¼Tb_NaV\[`
Now that the Viper engine is out
of production, the only V-10 on
the market is the one in the Audi
R8 and the Lamborghini Huracán.
Modern powertrains are interest-
ing and innovative, maybe even
revolutionary—a distinction the
V-10 can’t quite claim. But there is
something visceral and wonderfully
unusual about the best V-10s that
the whirring of an electric motor or
the torque surge of a turbo engine
simply can’t replace. —Noah Joseph
2005
2020
2010
2015
M AY 201 9 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER
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Rug Doctor
Everything in this crazy, mixed-up world changes, except for
this hideous, beautiful, gross, pristine carpet of ours.
The carpet here at Car and Driver headquarters is
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@V[PR6N__VcRQONPXNaCar and Driver as deputy editor
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trying to get all of the Pund out of the carpet.
24
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32%R[&RORUDGR&LW\&2
The Last Stands
Scenes from the final auto show ever.
With traditional auto shows on the wane—Frank-
furt canceled, Paris and Tokyo shrinking,
manufacturers shifting attention to CES and
SEMA—it’s only a matter of time until the conven-
tion-center car show is extinct. But there will be one
last show. And it’ll be a biggie, bringing all the pomp
N[Q½NZO\fN[PRdRb`RQa\aNXRS\_T_N[aRQ5R_Rμ`
a sneak peek of how it’s gonna go down.
With its hallmark bravado, Dodge reveals that
RcR_f[RdZ\QRYdVYYOR]\dR_RQOfN5RYYPNaC%
V[PYbQV[TaUR4_N[Q5RYY0N_NcN[DVQRO\Qf<[N
`aNTR`RaN`N]bOYVPYVO_N_fN5RYY7\b_[RfRe]Y\QR`
through the wall as Mötley Crüe descends from the
ceiling into the bed of the Rammunition monster
truck. A deep voiceover says, “Time to quit readin’
and start writin’!” while a jumbo screen displays an
overhead shot of three Demons scrawling the anar-
chy symbol in burnt rubber. Then Dodge says that
Rammunition is going into production, too, pow-
R_RQOfad\5RYYPNa`N[QNcNVYNOYRV[\[RP\Y\_NYVZR
green called What Are You Gonna Do About It? Plus,
every new Durango now comes with karate lessons.
In front of the Chevrolet stage, journalists
gather, expecting maybe the Corvette Z06 or the
return of a hallowed nameplate. Rumor has it that
Chevy is bringing back the Chevelle, this time as a
compact crossover. Then a man with a beard walks
out and asks, “What if I told you your entire concept
of reality is nothing more than a computer simula-
26
aV\[_b[Of71=\dR_N[Q.``\PVNaR`,³AURNbQVR[PRV`QbZO-
`a_bPX<[RTbf_NV`R`UV`UN[QN[QN`X`²@\dVYYaUR0URcRYYR
slot in between the Trax and the Equinox?”
/:DV[`]V_RQOfaURPYN``VP4R_ZN[`a\_f\S5N[`RYN[Q
Gretel, features a gingerbread house set in an ominous, dark for-
est. A sign outside is emblazoned with an arrow and the words
“Exciting new BMW sports car this way!” But inside, there’s just
a Supra and a witch who chases you shrieking: “We build this!
It’s a Z4! Why do you like it more than a Z4?”
AUROVT[Rd`S_\Z:R_PRQR`.:4V`aUR40bORQ4%"aUR
newest outrageous G-wagen. Based on the Zetros 6x6 heavy-
Qbafa_bPX]YNaS\_ZVaUN`NdV[PUNPR[a_NYaV_RV[½NaV\[`f`-
aRZN[QNU]C#²DUNaμ`aURdURRYON`R,³`\ZR\[RN`X`
AMG chief Tobias Moers, who replies, “Which one?”
5\[QN N[[\b[PR` aUNa Vaμ` S\Pb`V[T Va` R[R_TVR` \[ N [N_-
rowed product lineup. Going forward, it will make only cars,
a_bPX`P_\``\cR_`cN[`YNd[Z\dR_`QV_aOVXR`.AC`TR[R_-
ators, jet planes, snowblowers, outboard motors, side-by-sides,
motorcycles, garden tillers, string trimmers, small engines,
brush cutters, scooters, and robots. “No more submersible
]bZ]`³5\[QN`Nf`²6aμ`aVZRa\S\Pb`³
In an event dubbed the TruckTacular Truck-ebration,
emceed by Denis Leary and the Naked Cowboy, Ford announces
it’s going even bigger on trucks. Get ready for the EcoSport Rap-
tor, the Edge Tremor, and the Explorer Super Duty! Even the
3\_Q4ATRa`N_RS_R`UaUNaV[PYbQR` "V[PU\ß_\NQaV_R`N[Q
a military-grade aluminum bed with the most tie-down points
V[Va`PYN``7\Rf9\TN[\`Nf`aUNaURμ`_RNYYfRePVaRQa\Q_VcR
[ReafRN_μ`3 ";.@0.?_NPR_dUVPUdVYY\ßR_NP\ZZN[Q-
V[TcVRd\cR_aUR_R`a\SaUR¼RYQN`dRYYN`
b[ORNaNOYR"ZVYRP\ZS\_aS_\ZVa`8V[T
Ranch interior. And the new Mustang Power
Stroke promises to outtow and outhaul any
Camaro, especially when equipped with the
¼SaUdURRYUVaPU\[aUR_\\S
AR`YN V` aUR_R V_\[VPNYYf 9VXR ²5Rf
here’s our full model lineup arranged on a
nice platform and you can walk around and
look at the cars and sit inside and maybe ask
I LLU ST RAT IO N BY BR E T T A F F RU NT I
`\ZR\[R ^bR`aV\[` N[Q `abß DUNaRcR_³
To really troll the normies, Elon Musk holds
a press conference to reveal a refreshed,
longer-range Model X that’s ready to go into
]_\QbPaV\[5RQ\R`[μaRcR[`U\\aVadVaUN
½NZRaU_\dR_\_PYNVZVaPN[ab_[V[cV`VOYR
adVPRNdRRX<[YV[RaUV`V``RR[N``PNaU-
ing, righteous commentary on traditional
automakers. Tesla’s stock price triples.
MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER
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 25 Cars Worth Waiting For
Remember waiting? It’s what we used to do as packages crawled across the country to our homes.
We stood in grocery-store checkout lines with cashiers and waited as the troglodytes ahead of us
scribbled their checks. We dialed up to an internet so slow that you could watch the pictures load.
Even in the age of next-day delivery, self-checkout, and gigabit internet, some things can’t be
rushed. The 25 cars, trucks, and SUVs in this section won’t reach dealer lots for anywhere from a few
months to a few years. Some of them are about to roll down the assembly line. Others haven’t emerged
from the design studio yet. We’re telling you about them now, though, because these are the vehicles
that will matter, regardless of how many boring crossovers automakers puke out. These are worth
the wait. And just in case you’ve forgotten how to wait after all these years of right-now gratification,
we’ve included a few distractions to help you bide your time.

Waiting Games

While
You Wait ... Turn the Read the Repeat.
Read a page. page.
Magazine

CA R AND D RI VE R ~ MAY 2020 ~ IL LUST RATI ON S BY T. M. DET WI LE R 31

25 Cars Worth Waiting For
Format Changes
2022 GMC Hummer EV SUT
WHAT IT IS A revival of the brand per-
sonified by Arnold Schwarzenegger at
his beefiest, now an offshoot of GMC
and ready to repent for its gas-guz-
zling past with an electric pickup.
WHY IT MATTERS Having learned a les-
son from the Volt plug-in hybrid and
Bolt EV, GM is finally recognizing what
Tesla has long known: Electric vehi-
cles should appeal to our hearts, not
just our consciences. Consider this a
turning point, with the era of dorky
econobox electrics on its way out.
PLATFORM The Hummer will pack
GM’s new low-cost Ultium lithium-ion
battery between the frame rails of an
EV-specific truck platform.
POWERTRAIN GMC says there will be
one-, two-, and three-motor versions
with up to 1000 horsepower and a
60-mph time as low as 3.0 seconds.
A 200.0-kWh battery should allow
between 300 and 400 miles of range.
COMPETITION Ford F-150 EV, Rivian
R1T, Tesla Cybertruck, creatine.
WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG The pickup-
truck segment, where buyers shop
based on capability beyond what they
regularly use, seems the least ready
for electrification. Today’s truck own-
ers might not be willing to make the
switch, especially at what certainly
will be a higher price point and with
a range that could be appalling when
towing and hauling.
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE Fall 2021,
from $50,000 to nearly $100,000.
32
2023 Mazda 6
M
azda’s recent upmarket ambitions had us worried. The
mid-luxury market stopped being friendly about 40
P HOTO I LLU ST RATI O N S : H U M M E R BY RA DOVAN VA R I CAK , MA ZDA A ND FO R D BY BE N S U MM E R E LL-YO U D E / FOX SY N DI CATI O N
years ago. (How’s Oldsmobile doing these days?) But
just when we thought Mazda had truly lost the plot, the
company looks ready to redeem itself. Most automakers
competing in the middle ground dress up mainstream
ZRPUN[VPNYOVa`V[O_\d[R_YRNaUR_N[Q\ßR_`URRaZRaNY`UN]RQOf
a more pretentious designer. Bucking that trend, Mazda plans to
adopt the blueprint of a full luxury model and hang a lower price on
it. The next-generation 6, which should be on sale by the end of 2022,
is set to get a full Bavarian, transitioning to a longitudinal-engine
platform with rear-wheel drive and an inline-six.
That engine won’t just be a new layout for Mazda. It will incorpo-
rate the company’s Skyactiv-X sort-of-compression-ignition gasoline
technology as well as a 48-volt hybrid system. We’ve seen numbers
approaching 350 horsepower thrown around. If that sounds like an
unrealistic R&D load for a company Mazda’s size, well, yeah, it is.
However, Mazda has lately been deepening its ties with Toyota, which
may adopt the six-cylinder Skyactiv-X for the next-generation Lexus
IS and RC. With Toyota’s budget, Mazda engineers could probably
dRYP\ZR2Y\[:b`Xa\:N_`dVaUNY\PNYYf`\b_PRQ`U_VZ]ObßRa
You already have a pretty good idea of what this car will look like.
?R½RPa\[:NgQNμ`CV`V\[0\b]RP\[PR]adUVPUQRObaRQNaaUR$
Tokyo auto show. That long-hood, short-deck showpiece was clearly
projecting rear-drive intent, cloaked in an evolution of Mazda’s
seductive styling language with softened lines and subtler forms.
There’s even a chance that Mazda will mimic Lexus and put the
inline-six into both four- and two-door bodies. Rewind two years
]_V\_a\aURCV`V\[0\b]RN[Qf\bTRaaUR?ECV`V\[N:NgQN`]\_a`
car concept with a hood way longer than necessary for the Wankel
rotary the company was imagining at the time. Few things cement
an upmarket image better than a rear-drive sports coupe. But a rear-
Q_VcR`]\_a``RQN[V`N¼[R`aN_aa\\—Jared Gall
MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER
2024 Aston
Martin Vanquish
WHAT IT IS A mid-engine
supercar targeting the
defining dream machines
of the moment.
WHY IT MATTERS
The company’s future
is dependent on some
serious diversification.
Aston barely survived a
cash crunch at the start
of this year and sees
the Vanquish as a way
to broaden the brand’s
appeal as demand for
its traditional front-engine mod-
els falters. The Vanquish takes
inspiration from the Valkyrie and
While
You Wait ... 2022 Ford
Valhalla, which are being co-
engineered with Red Bull Racing,
Turn Your
Phone into a Fusion Active
Teleportation
but Aston is developing the WHAT IT IS Definitely not a wagon. Nope.
Device
Vanquish alone. Uh-uh. This Subarized long-roof version
PLATFORM A bonded-aluminum of the Ford Fusion mid-sizer will come
spaceframe similar to what’s complete with all-wheel drive, a slightly
under the brand’s existing mod- raised suspension, and a name that says,
els but with the order of passen- “I’m outdoorsy.” WHY IT MATTERS After Ford
gers and engine reversed. kills the Fusion sedan this year, the Active
POWERTRAIN Insiders say the will be as close as Americans will come to
Vanquish uses a version of the Turn on teleporter.
finding a new family car on Ford dealer
new hybrid engine that Aston is lots. PLATFORM Adapting Europe’s Mondeo
developing internally, combining wagon with a slight lift makes for
a turbocharged V-6 with a gen- relatively straightforward engineering.
erous level of electric assistance. POWERTRAIN Ford’s turbocharged 2.0-liter
A hybrid six in this sector is inline-four mated to an eight-speed
risky, so don’t expect the com- automatic is likely; a plug-in-hybrid
pany to take any chances with variant is all but inevitable. COMPETITION In
output, which will exceed 700 this segment, you either beat the Subaru
Scan yourself.
horsepower. Outback or you’re in last place. WHAT MIGHT
COMPETITION Ferrari F8 Tributo, GO WRONG If buyers think of the Active as a
Lamborghini’s Huracán replace- station wagon rather than a crossover,
ment, McLaren 720S/765LT. they’ll avoid it like week-old sushi.
WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG Plenty, ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE Late next year,
given the precarious state of likely priced from about $30,000 to
Aston Martin’s finances. The DBX nearly $40,000.
SUV will have to be an immediate
success for the Vanquish’s devel-
opment to go much further, and
Go somewhere
the mid-engine triumvirate of better.
Valhalla, Valkyrie, and Vanquish
is sure to generate some confu-
sion. Which of those costs less
than a million again? This one.
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE
The Vanquish should start just
north of $300,000 when it
arrives in 2023.

33
25 Cars Worth Waiting For
Power Moves
2023 Hyundai
RM20 N
M
id-engine cars are like assholes:
Everyone has one. Having
taken grip at blue-collar brands
such as Chevrolet and Ford,
mid-engine mania is now work-
ing its way into luxury marques
known for putting the engine up front, such
as Maserati [see page 46] and Aston Martin
[see page 33]. Of all the newcomers, though,
no vehicle highlights the current sports-car
zeitgeist quite like a mid-engine Hyundai.
Fortunately, unlike assholes and opinions,
mid-engine cars rarely stink.
When it arrives in two or three years,
expect the Hyundai to bring mid-engine
Qf[NZVP` a\ N [Rd YRcRY \S Nß\_QNOVYVaf
That’s the hope, at least. As we understand
it, the decision makers in South Korea are
still weighing whether their car should be
a $40,000 Hyundai or a $70,000 Genesis.
In our minds, there’s no question. It’s too
soon for Genesis to challenge Corvettes
and Porsches, but Hyundai’s N performance
subbrand will be hamstrung as long as it’s
limited to modifying economy cars, family
sedans, and crossovers. A proper sports car
will validate both N and Hyundai.
34
As an indicator of its intent, Hyundai
recently stuck journalists behind the wheel
of its RM19 (“RM” for “racing midship”), a
CRY\`aR_ Z\QV¼RQ a\ PN__f N a_N[`cR_`RYf
mounted inline-four between its rear
While
You Wait ...
Stage a
wheels. Wearing a massive turbocharger, its Cooking
YVaR_R[TV[R]bß`\ba &U\_`R]\dR_ Show
and routes torque through a six-speed
sequential manual. This is a proof of con-
cept, not a prototype. The RM19 is laggy and
peaky, with hard-hitting shifts and a neutral
chassis that will spin if you don’t respect it.
For the engineers, the RM19 is an opportu-
nity to master the challenges that come with
moving the engine to the back seat.
If Hyundai does get the nod, the produc-
tion car should be positioned to hang with
Procure
the Toyota Supra and the next Nissan Z [see ingredients.
page 48], although it may still resemble a
P HOTO I LLU ST RATI O N S : H Y U NDA I BY RA DOVA N VA RI CAK , TOYOTA A N D CA DI LL AC BY B E N S UM M E R E L L-YO UD E /FOX SY N DI CATI ON
Veloster. The car we’re tentatively calling
RM20 N will probably trade a handful of the
RM19’s horsepower for improved drivabil-
ity. We expect the mule’s feathery weight
to carry over, though. Our best guess is a
two-seat hatchback using an eight-speed
dual-clutch automatic transmission with Unfurl fruit
roll-up.
specs in the ballpark of 325 horsepower and
3300 pounds. If Hyundai can inject a simi-
lar combination of poise and character into
its mid-engine car as it did the Veloster N,
we just might be looking at a poor man’s
Porsche 718 Cayman. —Eric Tingwall
Place peanut-
butter-filled pretzel
on fruit roll-up.
Roll it back up.
Ta-da!
MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

2021 Cadillac
CT5-V Blackwing
WHAT IT IS A little confusing, that’s what.
The CTS is dead, replaced by the CT5.
Simple, right? Well, the performance-
oriented CT5-V is not the new CTS-V; it’s the
successor to the CTS Vsport. The next legit
V will be known as the CT5-V Blackwing.
Confused? Well, add this log to the fire: The
Blackwing won’t have the Blackwing V-8. But
all that really matters is that this Caddy
promises to be one of the hottest and most
track-ready sports sedans on the market.
WHY IT MATTERS In addition to coming with
enough power to light up Fargo, it will also
be the only choice in the supersedan
segment with a manual transmission.
PLATFORM GM’s Alpha 2 architecture.
POWERTRAIN As we mentioned, the Blackwing
sedan won’t get the Blackwing engine, a
550-hp twin-turbocharged DOHC V-8.
Instead, it will have an updated version of
the CTS-V’s supercharged 6.2-liter pushrod
V-8 with the same 650 horse-
power. A 10-speed automatic
can be had, but you’re really
gonna want the six-speed
manual for this rear-driver.
COMPETITION Alfa Romeo Giulia
Quadrifoglio, Audi RS7, BMW
M5, Dodge Charger SRT
Hellcat, Mercedes-AMG E63 S,
Porsche Panamera Turbo S.
WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG It could lack
the handling grace and tactile
controls of its predecessor.
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE The
most powerful Cadillac will go
on sale before the end of the
year and open near $85,000.
2022 Toyota GR Corolla
WHAT IT IS A hot-hatch version of the
Corolla wearing a GR badge (for “Gazoo
Racing”). It’ll be Toyota’s first sporty
compact since the high-revving Corolla
XRS from the mid-2000s. This car also will
serve as an apology to Americans who are
upset that we’re not getting the awesome
rally-inspired GR Yaris. (That car is based
on the global Yaris, while the U.S.-market
Yaris is a rebadged Mazda 2.)
WHY IT MATTERS Toyota is working hard to
shed its reputation for being boring—a
perception that is closely tied to the
Corolla name. We appreciate that Toyota
still offers it with a manual, but the 169-hp pseudo-
sporty XSE that currently occupies the sportiest spot
in the line just isn’t enough. A true high-performance
version with a strong engine and legitimate chassis
upgrades could convince people that a Corolla can be
as cool as a Volkswagen Golf GTI.
PLATFORM The same TNGA underpinnings as the
standard Corolla but upgraded with a stiffer
suspension tune, bigger brakes, and larger wheels
wrapped in grippy summer tires.
POWERTRAIN The mighty turbocharged hamster wheel
from the GR Yaris pumps out 257 horsepower and 266
pound-feet of torque from just three cylinders
displacing 1.6 liters. We wouldn’t count on the GR
Yaris’s all-wheel-drive system making it stateside, but
Toyota will have to offer a six-speed manual
transmission in order for the GR Corolla to be
considered a driver’s car.
COMPETITION Honda Civic Si, Hyundai Veloster N,
Subaru WRX, Volkswagen Golf GTI.
WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG Toyota could give up on
certifying the turbocharged inline-three engine and
swap in something lame. In this application, nothing
would be worse than a hybrid.
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE The GR Corolla should
land in 2022, with a starting price around $30,000.
25 Cars Worth Waiting For

Luxury Redefined
2022 Lincoln Mark E While
2021 Genesis GV80
You Wait ...
WHAT IT IS A powerful and posh electric SUV WHAT IT IS The SUV that could
Make a
sold by a 102-year-old brand but built by finally stick the Genesis brand
Voodoo
Rivian, an 11-year-old startup. The name is still name in the minds of well-heeled
to be determined, but clearly there’s heritage American drivers. Designers gave
to be appropriated with Mark E. the mid-size ute an imposing
WHY IT MATTERS Think of this project as a presence and a posh cabin that
sneak preview of automaker tie-ups and are hard to ignore.
vehicle development in the future. As electric WHY IT MATTERS The GV80 is a
powertrains become a commodity, the harbinger of things to come for
temptation to share mechanical components the fledgling Korean luxury
across brands and companies will be even brand. It introduces a pair of
greater than it is today. Remove your socks. turbo engines that will proliferate
PLATFORM Ford recently invested $500 million throughout the lineup, and it
in Rivian, buying access to the startup’s paves the way for the smaller
skateboard architecture in the process. We GV70 SUV that should follow
know that the platform supports air springs about a year behind. Most import-
and hydraulic roll control similar to the system ant, it lays out a vision for Genesis
in the McLaren 720S. The lithium-ion battery Stuff one inside vehicles that sell on emotion
pack should be available in multiple capacities the other. rather than value.
as well.
POWERTRAIN Like Rivian’s top-of-the-line SUV,
the most expensive Mark E likely will have an
electric motor dedicated to each wheel with
combined output exceeding 700 horsepower.
We speculate that Lincoln will offer a dual- Draw a face.
motor setup with longer range, too.
COMPETITION Audi e-tron, Cadillac Lyriq,
Jaguar I-Pace, Rivian R1S, Tesla Model X.
WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG The R1S might end up
being the more compelling vehicle.
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE It should arrive in
2022, starting around $70,000.

Make ’em pay.

P HOTO I LLU ST RATI O N BY RA DOVA N VAR I CA K

36
 PLATFORM The GV80 is built on a
new longitudinal-engine platform
that will also underpin the next-
gen G80 mid-size sedan.
POWERTRAIN A 290-hp turbo-
charged 2.5-liter inline-four
serves as the standard engine. A
375-hp twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6
powers higher-trim models. Each
pairs with an eight-speed auto-
matic transmission. The four-cyl-
inder comes with either rear- or
all-wheel drive; the V-6, only with
all-wheel drive, at least at launch.
COMPETITION Acura MDX, Audi Q7,
BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE-
class, Volvo XC90.
WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG Building a
brand involves more than building
2022 Lexus LQ
well-made, thoughtfully designed WHAT IT ISA sleek flagship crossover that will make the LX SUV
vehicles. Genesis faces a tall task look positively archaic. WHY IT MATTERS Lexus has cornered the
getting buyers to trade BMWs and market on highly rational luxury-car buyers. Drawing design cues
Benzes for vehicles wearing a from the LC coupe, the LQ could also inspire lust in the kind of
badge that few people revere. driver who buys a vehicle without first making a spreadsheet.
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE PLATFORM The longitudinal-engine LQ should share key structural
The GV80 should be on U.S. elements with the LS sedan. POWERTRAIN The 416-hp twin-turbo
roads by summer, with prices V-6 and the 354-hp hybrid powertrain from the current LS are
starting at $49,925 and climbing certain. An F performance model could pack a 600-plus-hp
to $72,375 for a fully loaded twin-turbo V-8. COMPETITION Audi Q8, BMW X6, Land Rover Range
example. Rover Sport, Mercedes-Benz GLE-class, Porsche Cayenne.
WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG Shy of a global
recession or climate collapse,
probably not much. ESTIMATED ARRIVAL
AND PRICE The LQ is still a couple years
from dealer lots, where it could
command prices from $80,000 to
nearly $100,000 for top models.
25 Cars Worth Waiting For
Mass Appeal
2021 Ford
F-150
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38
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Call
Your Mom
Dial her phone number.
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_N[TRdVYY]_\ONOYfRePRRQZVYR`Oba\[Yf Tell her you love
dUR[P\ZZbaV[Tb[YNQR[1\3"ObfR_` her, you goon.
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P HOTO I LLU ST RATI O N S : FO R D AN D J E E P BY RA DOVA N VAR I CA K
OYV[TQ\d[aUNaaURfdVYY0N`UV[TV[\[Va`
"ZVYYV\[V[cR`aZR[aV[?VcVN[3\_QdVYY
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N[aVPV]NaRVadVYY_\YY\[?VcVN[μ`ZbYaVZ\a\_]YNaS\_ZSRNab_V[TN[V[QR
]R[QR[a_RN_`b`]R[`V\[DVaU4:0NY_RNQfa\baV[TNS\b_QVTVa]\dR_
¼Tb_RS\_aUR5bZZR_2C@BAH`RR]NTR JdR`RRN[RdONaaYRS_\[a
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\[R9VTUa[V[T`\ZRaUV[TUN`T\[RcR_fd_\[TV[1RN_O\_[
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S_\ZYRNSa\P\VY`]_V[T`\[Va`YVcR_RN_NeYR?bZ\_UN`VaaUNaaUR$#U]
`b]R_PUN_TRQ"YVaR_C%S_\ZaUR:b`aN[T@URYOf4A"P\bYQ¼[Q
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A?E\[aURU\_Vg\[dRORYVRcRVaAUR3"V``PURQbYRQa\ZNXRVa`
QRObaV[7b[RdVaUaURRYRPa_VPN[Q?N]a\_Z\QRY`S\YY\dV[T`\ZRaVZR
NSaR_DVaUZ\_RcN_VN[a`aUN[RcR_aUV`3"dVYY`a_RaPUS_\ZN`Y\d
N` a\[RN_Yf—David Beard
MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER
2021 Jeep
Grand Cherokee

T
he Jeep Grand Cherokee doesn’t
really need to be replaced. This lux-
ury-SUV stalwart is as handsome
and pleasant a vehicle to drive as
anything in FCA’s lineup. But this
generation came out in 2010; that’s
an eternity in the modern SUV
world. The current version is so old that its Mer-
cedes-Benz-based underpinnings date back to
the DaimlerChrysler days. Still, Jeep managed
to sell more than 242,000 of them in the U.S. in 2019. That’s
not just the best year of the WG2 generation’s nine-year run,
it’s the best annual sales for the nameplate since 2000.
But change must come to all things, even the good ones.
And so, late this year, Jeep will launch an entirely new Grand
Cherokee. It likely won’t make it into buyers’ hands until
early next year. What those new owners will get is a Jeep
based on a version of the Alfa Romeo Giorgio platform found
under the Giulia sedan and Stelvio SUV. The Grand Chero-
XRRdVYYOR`VT[V¼PN[aYfY\[TR_aUN[aURa_VZYVaaYR@aRYcV\
though. Not only will the Jeep’s wheelbase surpass the Alfa’s
110.9 inches, we expect it to be longer than the current Grand
Cherokee’s 114.7 inches. So it’s a good bet that the new ute
will be roomier than the outgoing model.
It will launch as a two-row SUV like all previous Grand
0UR_\XRR`(`\ZRaVZRQ\d[aURYV[R7RR]dVYY\ßR_VadVaUN
third row as well. A three-row Wagoneer is also planned, but
that vehicle will be much larger and use body-on-frame con-
struction, so there shouldn’t be much overlap between them.
We anticipate a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, likely
with hybridization, to become the Jeep’s base engine. Surely
we’ll also see a Pentastar 3.6-liter V-6 with eTorque assist
in the engine bay. Later, the brand will introduce a plug-in
hybrid, too. Might the Grand Cherokee also
TRaaURQVR`RY\ßR_RQV[aURD_N[TYR_N[Q?NZ
1500? Quite possibly. Could it also host a Hemi,
maybe even a Hellcat like the Trackhawk does?
We don’t see FCA walking away from its Hell-
cat-everything strategy anytime soon.
Like the current model, the new Grand
0UR_\XRRdVYYOR\ßR_RQN`_RN_NYYN[QS\b_
wheel-drive versions, and because this is Jeep
dRμ_RaNYXV[TNO\baNA_NVYUNdX\ß_\NQPN]N-
ble edition is certain to be in the mix. Since the
vehicle will still have “Grand” in its name, the
interior details should be a step above those of
your average Jeep. And because such things are
considered progress, digital screens will replace
the analog gauges and a rotary knob will take the
place of a conventional shifter.
The outgoing Grand Cherokee owes its
enduring appeal to the substantive engineer-
ing beneath the leather and behind the screens.
Here’s hoping that substance carries through in
this wholesale redesign of a market favorite on a
QVßR_R[aN_PUVaRPab_R—Daniel Pund

Sorento will have three Sorento needed an COMPETITION Chevrolet

2021 Kia Sorento rows and exist below the injection of style.
Telluride in Kia’s lineup. PLATFORM Assembled in
WHAT IT IS The fourth WHY IT MATTERS It’s West Point, Georgia, the
generation of Kia’s mid- another three-row SUV Sorento is going to be
size crossover. Like the for folks who won’t go based on the unibody
current version, the new minivan. Plus, the architecture of the
similarly sized Hyundai
Santa Fe.
POWERTRAIN Kia will offer
a hybrid version of its
turbo 1.6-liter engine that
will make 227 horse-
power. Range toppers
will get Hyundai-Kia’s
277-hp turbocharged
2.5-liter four-banger
while base versions could
see the Sonata’s 191-hp
2.5-liter inline-four.
Blazer, Ford Edge, Honda
Passport, Hyundai Santa
Fe, Jeep Grand
Cherokee, Nissan
Murano, Toyota 4Runner.
WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG
It looks better inside and
out, but buyers may still
gravitate toward the
styling and larger size of
a basic Telluride instead
of a high-spec Sorento.
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL
AND PRICE Prices are
expected to open at
$29,000 and rise to
$44,000 when the
Sorento goes on sale
late this year.

39
25 Cars Worth Waiting For

More
of a
Good
Thing

40 MAY 2020 ~ CAR A ND DR IV ER

 mid-engine configuration
2022 maximizes traction, allowing
Chevy to better utilize its
Chevrolet mega-horsepower engines
for battling everything on the
Corvette exotic-car spectrum.
PLATFORM A muscled-up
Z06 version of the base C8’s
architecture, with wider
The first of several
WHAT IT IS rubber, stronger brakes, a
upcoming ultra-high-perform- recalibrated suspension tune,
ance variants of the C8 and upgraded powertrain
Corvette. It’s a return to the cooling. Flared fenders cover
stripped-down-for-action, the mechanical bits, and
high-revving, track-worthy new-for-the-Vette active
Vette embodied by the 505- aerodynamics pin it to the
hp 7.0-liter V-8-powered C6 track. POWERTRAIN A naturally
Z06 of 2006 through 2013. aspirated DOHC 32-valve
WHY IT MATTERS The Z06’s new 5.5-liter V-8. Plus, it has a
V-8 packs a power curve flat-plane crank, just like a
shaped like a bodybuilder’s Ferrari V-8. It should rev to
bicep. The switch to a between 8500 and 9000
P H OTO I L LUSTRATIO N BY B EN SU M ME RE LL-YO UD E/FOX SY N DI CATI ON
rpm, spit out 600-plus
horsepower, and shriek like
something from Ferrari. It
feeds an eight-speed dual-
clutch automatic transaxle
driving the rear wheels. This
is no mere speculation; a
detuned version of this engine
is already powering the C8.R
race car. COMPETITION Anything
that looks and sounds like a
mid-engine supercar.
WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG There’s a
chance small-block loyalists
won’t want a Corvette that
sounds like a Ferrari. But
if you’ve ever heard the
bellicose shout of a 488 Pista,
you know that’s a low risk.
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICING
Early 2021 as a 2022 model,
starting at about $85,000.
41

figure on output
2022 Porsche 718 approaching 500.
Cayman GT4 RS COMPETITION A regular
GT4 plus a few sets of
WHAT IT IS A lighter, more tires? There’s little direct
powerful, and even more competition for a two-
track-capable version of seater at this price point,
one of the great sports output, and focus, save
cars of the moment. maybe the forthcoming
WHY IT MATTERS We’re not Corvette Z06 [see page
answering that. 41]. Other Porsches are
PLATFORM A lower close, but the company
version of the GT4’s so successfully delineates
underpinnings. That car its products that even
already includes the those don’t overlap.
entire front axle and many WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG
back-axle components If Porsche is too
from the 911 GT3, so conservative with the
we don’t expect to see powertrain and
much change, just a suspension calibrations,
stiffening here and a the RS could feel too
lightening there. similar to the GT4 to
POWERTRAIN The GT4 justify its pricing
can only hear the shriek
reintroduced Porsche’s premium. But we’re not
flat-six to the Cayman line worried. Porsche has
after the latest redesign plenty of experience
replaced it with a thinly slicing its pies—and
turbocharged flat-four. plenty of customers
That 4.0-liter makes 414 willing to pay for a taste.
horsepower. The RS’s six ESTIMATED ARRIVAL
will also displace 4.0 AND PRICE Late 2021
liters, but in the vein of or early 2022, starting
the 690-hp 911 GT2 RS, around $130,000.
2021 McLaren 765LT
WHAT IT IS A track-focused
derivative of the already
exceptionally talented 720S.
In McLaren’s nomenclature,
“LT” is short for “Longtail.”
Not that any modern LT is
meaningfully extended; rather,
it’s an homage to the extreme
and literally lengthened 1997
F1 GTR Longtail.
WHY IT MATTERS McLaren’s
While other LTs of late, the 675LT
You Wait ... and 600LT, have been
Meditate highlights of the lineup.
We expect the same of this
variant. To create the 765LT,
the company claims to have
shaved 175 pounds from
the 720S and given the car
sharper dynamics to make
it even more talented on a
racetrack than its forebear.
Close your eyes and PLATFORM Like every McLaren
breathe deeply.
road car since the MP4-12C,
the LT is based around a
carbon-fiber tub.
POWERTRAIN The 720S’s twin-
turbo 4.0-liter V-8 breathes
through a spiffy new titanium
exhaust and delivers 755
horsepower.
COMPETITION The tweaked
Push all thoughts out Pista/Speciale-style Ferrari F8
of your mind until you Tributo and the Performante
of existential despair. equivalent of the next-gen
Lamborghini Huracán.
WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG There’s
evidence of buyers tiring of
McLaren’s incessant model
cycle and myriad overlapping
products. But you’d have to be
made from stone—or dressed
Focus on that. head to toe in Ferrari-branded
merchandise—not to feel your
PORSCHE PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTIAN SCHULTE
25 Cars Worth Waiting For
Brand Expanders
2021 Hyundai Santa Cruz
WHAT IT IS Hyundai’s foray into the
pickup market. It follows Honda’s
approach rather than the formula that
American manufacturers perfected. The
unibody truck will be offered with a single
bed length, a four-door crew cab, and a
choice of four-cylinder engines.
WHY IT MATTERS Hyundai is building
the Santa Cruz as an affordable and
efficient choice for drivers who haul
bulky but not necessarily heavy items.
Think mountain bikes, kayaks, and
camping gear rather than gravel, boats,
and cinder blocks.
PLATFORM The Santa Cruz will ride on
the same basic bones and be built in the
same Montgomery, Alabama, plant as
the Santa Fe mid-size crossover.
POWERTRAIN Expect to see the
Santa Fe’s 2.4-liter and turbocharged
2.0-liter inline-fours paired with an eight-
speed automatic and all-wheel drive.
COMPETITION Mostly the Honda
Ridgeline, but also the Chevrolet
Colorado, Ford Ranger, GMC Canyon,
Nissan Frontier, Toyota Tacoma, and to
a lesser extent, the Jeep Gladiator.
WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG Hyundai has
confirmed production, but with towing
and payload capabilities below those of
its competitors, there’s no guarantee
that sales will materialize.
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE It should
reach dealers in 2021 with a starting
price around $25,000.
44
We Shall See
The automotive world is littered with the
wreckage of big ideas that fizzled out.
The following EV startups have made
grand promises, but we wouldn’t
recommend holding your breath.
Bollinger: Thus far, founder Robert
Bollinger has financed development of the
While
rugged $125,000 B1 electric truck on his
You Wait ...
own, but he’s now looking for $100 million
Draw the
in funding to kick off production. Not
Cybertruck
securing that money could disrupt things.
Byton: Production of the electric
M-Byte SUV should begin in China soon.
Unfortunately, that country is in the
process of reining in EV subsidies, which
Start with an could hurt Byton’s plans.
acute trapezoid. Fisker: Henrik Fisker’s second or
third go as a carmaker starts with the
Ocean SUV. You can reserve one with
a $250 deposit to the company, which
claims production will begin in 2021 but,
as of press time, hasn’t announced where
that will happen.
Karma: After parting ways with
Add a scalene
triangle on top of it. Fisker, Karma Automotive began
tweaking the nearly decade-old Fisker
Karma into the Karma Revero. Deliveries
have begun, but so have the layoffs. The
P HOTO I LLU ST RATI O N S : H Y U NDA I BY RA DOVA N VA RI CAK , M AS E RATI BY AN DR EI AVARVA R I I
company has shed 260 employees since
the start of the new year.
Lordstown: GM’s old Lordstown,
Ohio, plant will be ready to build electric
Draw two circles pickups as soon as new owner Lordstown
for wheels. Motors can secure a government loan
to help with the retooling. The problem:
The Trump administration wants to
eliminate the program that would provide
such a loan.
Lucid: It wants its electric Air sedan
to take on the German luxury brands, but
Finish the
drawing. Lucid needs to finish its Arizona factory
first. Construction is underway, but the
projected start of production later this
year might be on the optimistic side.
Nio: This Chinese automaker’s U.S.
plans are fuzzy at best. With China’s
market slowdown affecting its bottom
line, it’s unlikely Nio will sell vehicles for
the foreseeable future.
MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER
convertible forms.
for that Alfa’s carbon-fiber tub.
POWERTRAIN The first MC20s will use a
new twin-turbo V-6 rumored to make
more than 600 horsepower, with torque
routed through an eight-speed dual-clutch
automatic. We expect a hybrid eventually,
and Maserati says a battery-electric
version will come in time.
COMPETITION Aston Martin Vantage,
Audi R8, Ferrari Portofino and Roma,
McLaren 570S and GT, Mercedes-AMG GT,
Porsche 911 Turbo.
WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG To build hype for
the MC20, Maserati has taken to
publishing its own spy photos, which says
a lot about how much anticipation there is
for any new Maser these days.
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE The coupe
should arrive this year with the cabrio
following in 2021. We estimate prices will
begin around $160,000.
2022 Tesla Cybertruck
WHAT IT IS A take on the pickup that looks like nothing
else on the road and may or may not be bulletproof.
WHY IT MATTERS The electric-truck segment is exploding,
even though none has hit the market yet. At least
in terms of styling, Tesla’s is the most intriguing of
the bunch. PLATFORM Pickups typically use rugged
and simple body-on-frame construction, but not the
Cybertruck. Like other Teslas, this brute will be built
on a unibody platform incorporating the battery
pack beneath the floorpan. But don’t worry about
the Cybertruck’s capability: Tesla claims it’ll have
a maximum towing capacity of more than 14,000
pounds. The company also says its cold-rolled stainless-
steel panels can’t be stamped into complex shapes,
only bent, which explains the truck’s polygonal design.
POWERTRAIN The Cybertruck will come with one, two, or
three motors. The latter two setups will be all-wheel
drive. Tesla isn’t sharing horsepower or torque figures,
but it does estimate a range of more than 500 miles for
the tri-motor version. COMPETITION Ford F-150 EV, GMC
Hummer EV SUT, Rivian R1T. WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG Tesla
has a habit of missing delivery
dates. Unlike the upcoming Model
Y, which is based on the Model 3,
the Cybertruck is an entirely new
beast in need of an assembly plant,
which will almost certainly lead to
production delays. ESTIMATED
ARRIVAL AND PRICE The company
claims that the dual- and tri-
motor configurations should go
into production in late 2021, with
the single-motor variant hitting
the factory in 2022. Add at least
12 months to each projection.
The cheapest rear-drive single-
motor version will start just over
$40,000; the triple-motor truck,
somewhere north of $70,000.
45
25 Cars Worth Waiting For
Evolution of
the Species
2021 Audi
Q4 e-tron
WHAT IT IS A smaller and cheaper
electric Audi, aimed at the core
of the crossover market.
WHY IT MATTERS The Q4 e-tron
is one small piece of the
Volkswagen Group’s ambitious
EV rollout, which should hasten
the pace of EV development,
offering drivers more choice,
quicker charging, and longer
range. PLATFORM The Q4 e-tron
will be the fourth electric Audi
to come stateside but the first
to use VW’s MEB architecture
designed exclusively for
46
While
You Wait ...
Barter
electric vehicles. VW claims
that the platform will host 27
different models sold by four
brands by 2022.
POWERTRAIN An electric motor
on each axle backed by an Trade for
82.0-kWh lithium-ion battery. something better.
COMPETITION BMW iNext, Jaguar
I-Pace, Mercedes-Benz EQC,
Tesla Model Y. WHAT MIGHT GO
WRONG While the current e-tron
delivers competitive real-world
range, Audi needs to figure
out how to boost its EPA
figures or buyers may ignore
the vehicles no matter how
good they are to drive.
Do it again.
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE The
Q4 e-tron arrives in 2021 with a
base price near $45,000.
Keep going.
You’re a natural!

2023 Land Rover
Defender 80
WHAT IT IS A baby Land Rover set
to be positioned below the new
Defender in the brand hierarchy and,
if it reaches the U.S., provide a more
affordable entry point to the range.
U.K. media reports have named it the
80—given that Land Rover calls the
P HOTO I LLU ST RATI O N S : L AN D ROV E R BY B EN SU MM E R E LL-YO U DE / FOX SY N D ICATI O N , B M W BY RA D OVA N VAR I CAK
two- and four-door Defenders the 90
and the 110, respectively—although
there is no confirmation of that.
WHY IT MATTERS Aggressive cost
cutting has blackened JLR’s balance
sheets, but the company needs a
megahit. A rugged, simple understudy
to the Defender could prove hugely
popular, especially as European
buyers move away from bigger and
less efficient models.
PLATFORM Land Rover will likely build
the 80 in Asia on a platform shared with
parent company Tata and related to the
one that underpins the existing India-
market Tata Harrier.
POWERTRAIN JLR’s smaller Ingenium
engines, possibly including a three-
cylinder, with hybrid and plug-in options.
COMPETITION Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler.
WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG Tata is showing
signs of wanting to offload JLR to
somebody else. That’d disrupt plans.
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE Should be
on roads sometime in 2022, with prices
starting just above $30,000.

2024 BMW i8 M
WHAT IT IS BMW’s follow-
up to the plug-in-hybrid
i8 halo car, which in and
of itself never really lived
up to expectations. Pre-
viewed by the 2019 BMW
Vision M Next, this yet-to-
be-named replacement
(we’ve taken to calling
it the i8 M) should place
greater emphasis on per-
formance than its prede-
cessor did.
WHY IT MATTERS The i8’s
successor could set the
Bimmer world on fire
with its retro M1-inspired
style—it could have rear
louvers, people!
PLATFORM After BMW sold
most of its interest in a
Washington carbon-fiber
plant, reports suggested
there would be no more concerns about the i8 M rubber on this one, too,
carbon-bodied Bimmers. having the motor(s) to as it did with the i8, but
We’re guessing those back up its M1 looks. we’re pretty confident
reports are wrong. An COMPETITION Acura NSX, the company has learned
evolution of the i8’s Lexus LC500h, Mercedes- that lesson.
carbon-fiber tub seems AMG GT, Polestar 1, ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND
inevitable, as the concept Porsche 911 Turbo, any PRICE We won’t see a
shows off unpainted com- startup EV supercar that production version until
posite sills and trim. BMW makes it to market. 2023, but you’ll want to
may mix in some struc- WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG start saving now. The
tural metal, though. BMW could mount i8 M should cost at least
POWERTRAIN Following the low-rolling-resistance $160,000.
i8’s lead, this supercar will
have an electrified front
axle and combine a turbo-
charged gas engine with
an electric motor on the
rear axle. But here you’ll
find an inline-four instead
of the i8’s inline-three.
The battery will enable
at least 60 miles of EV
driving between charges.
Combined output will flirt
with 600 ponies, so that
should address anyone’s

CA R AND D RI VE R ~ MAY 2020 47

25 Cars Worth Waiting For
We’re All
Counting on You
2021 Alfa Romeo Tonale
WHAT IT IS A rare beauty in a sea of
luxury-subcompact crossovers. Plus it’s
Alfa Romeo’s first hybrid model.
WHY IT MATTERS Alfa desperately needs
more sales if its American comeback is
going to last, and considering how good
the Giulia and Stelvio are to drive, we’re
hoping this ute thrives.
PLATFORM The Tonale will ride on FCA’s
Small Wide platform that also underpins
the Jeep Compass and Renegade, so the
chassis engineers have their work cut out
to make this Alfa feel as lively as the ones
we already love.
POWERTRAIN While the concept features a
plug-in-hybrid powertrain, the production
model may use a conventional hybrid
setup. Or Alfa may offer it both ways. In
any case, the hybrid system will pair with a
turbo inline-four, which should also power
jacks until someone
the base model sans electric assist.
COMPETITION Audi Q3, BMW X1 and X2,
Cadillac XT4, Jaguar E-Pace, Land Rover
Range Rover Evoque, Mercedes-Benz
GLA-class, Volvo XC40.
WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG The Tonale needs to
be bulletproof or Alfa risks sealing its fate
in the U.S. Also, people might pronounce
the name “toenail.”
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE Later this
it looks like you know
year, starting around $35,000.
48
While
You Wait ...
Get Fit 2021 Nissan
400Z
T
he sports car that everyone
forgot—including Nissan,
apparently—is still alive,
though hardly doing well.
Judged against today’s
sports cars, the 11-year-old
Nissan 370Z is about as competitive
as a bicycle. Later this year, though,
;V``N[dVYY¼[NYYfTVcRaURGPN_aUR
attention it deserves by introducing
Dip until it hurts. a successor.
Press yourself
up. Repeat until The new Z, code-named Z35,
you can’t. won’t be a ground-up rethink. It
will continue on the latest version
of Nissan’s FM platform and share
P\Z]\[R[a` dVaU aUR 6[¼[VaV >#
coupe. The twin-turbo 3.0-liter
C# aUNa ZNXR` b] a\ ! U\_`R-
]\dR_V[aUR6[¼[VaV>"N[Q>#
seems like a shoo-in. A seven-speed
automatic is the only transmission
NcNVYNOYR V[ aU\`R 6[¼[VaV` Oba
we’re hopeful that a stick shift will
OR \ßR_RQ N` dRYY ;V``N[ NY_RNQf
hinted that such a thing is possible
when it bolted a six-speed manual
NISSAN PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTIAN SCHULTE
to the twin-turbo engine for a mod-
V¼RQ $G @2:. P\[PR]a V[ &
Do seated jumping The engine and architecture can
complains about accommodate all-wheel drive, but
your body odor. we doubt Nissan will go that route.
The Z is a front-engine rear-wheel-
drive sports car, and this one should
stay true to that heritage.
The 300Z name (or 300ZX for
nostalgia’s sake) would make the
most sense given the engine’s dis-
placement, but we predict that
Tangle your limbs so ;V``N[ dVYY V[`aRNQ PU\\`R !G
yoga. Screech like to assert the new car’s superiority
your favorite bird.
MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER
Still Worth Waiting For
No, we didn’t forget about the Ford Bronco or the Tesla Roadster. If you’re excited about something but you don’t see it in this issue,
chances are we wrote about the vehicle you’re thinking of in a previous “25 Cars Worth Waiting For.” In an attempt to stave off the hostile
letters, here’s a partial list of highly anticipated models we’ve already covered and when we expect they will go on sale in the U.S.
BMW M3/M4, Ford Bronco,
Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
Jaguar XJ (electric),
Rivian R1S/R1T
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
2020
over its predecessors. The original
Datsun 240Z is said to serve as a
styling inspiration. We hope that
means the 400Z will present simple,
clean lines rather than the busy, bor-
derline-tortured look seen on some
recent Nissan concepts and produc-
tion cars. Roundish headlights and
300ZX-style taillights will report-
edly serve as key retro touches.
The old-school theme won’t
extend inside; that’s a good thing
because the Z’s interior is in need
of a modern makeover. The cabin
should retain its cozy two-seat
NaZ\`]UR_R Oba VaμYY OR[R¼a S_\Z
the latest Nissan infotainment sys-
tem and a fresh dashboard design.
Today’s 370Z starts at $31,015,
making it a decent performance
bargain despite its age. When it goes
on sale next year, the new model will
see a price uptick but start some-
where in the $40,000s to undercut
the Toyota Supra. —Joey Capparella
Jeep Grand
Ram Dakota,
Wagoneer, Lexus LC F Volkswagen Microbus
Mercedes-Benz
SL-class
Ferrari
BMW i4, Tesla Roadster Purosangue Subaru WRX
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
2021 2022
2021 Acura
TLX Type S
WHAT IT IS A full redesign of
Acura’s best-selling sedan.
WHY IT MATTERS Amid the
crossover takeover, Acura
still does solid business
with the TLX, selling twice
as many of those as it does
the ILX and RLX combined. And Americans buy more Ferraris,
Lamborghinis, or McLarens than they do NSXs—far more. A
performance-oriented Type S model bridges the gap between
Acura’s invisible $160,000 supercar and everything else the
brand offers. PLATFORM An all-new unibody designed
exclusively for the TLX that ditches struts for a control-arm
front suspension to improve handling and feel. POWERTRAIN The
standard TLX powertrain will borrow the 10-speed automatic
transmission and turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four from the
current-generation Honda Accord but adds optional all-wheel
drive. The Type S will bring some potency to the mix with a
new turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that will provide a massive
bump in power over the outgoing 3.5-liter V-6’s 290 horses.
COMPETITION Alfa Romeo Giulia,
Audi S4, BMW M340i, Genesis
G70 3.3T, Mercedes-AMG C43,
Infiniti Q50 3.0t, Volvo S60 T6.
WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG The entry-
luxury-sedan class is a tough
segment, and the appetite for
sedans may continue to
decline, leaving the handsome
TLX unloved. But priced right,
its odds of success are high.
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE The
standard model will go on sale
this summer with a base price
in the mid-$30,000 range,
followed by the Type S early
next year.
49
50
Family
MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER
FA MIL IE S
L OVE COMPAC T
CROSSOVERS. BUT
WHICH COMPAC T
CROSSOVER
DESERVES THE
MOST LOVE?

BY RICH CEPPOS
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY MARC URBANO

Jewels 51
 2020 Ford Escape

F
SE AWD

Base/As Tested $29,800/$30,495

Dimensions
Wheelbase 106.7 in
L/W/H 180.5/74.1/66.1 in
Track, F/R 62.4/61.8 in
Interior Volume, F/R 54/49 ft 3
Cargo Volume, F/R 65/34 ft 3
Max Towing 2000 lb
Powertrain
Engine turbocharged DOHC
12-valve inline-3
91 in3 (1496 cm3)
Power, hp @ rpm 181 @ 6000
Torque, lb-ft @ rpm 190 @ 3000
Redline 7000 rpm
lb per hp 19.3
Driveline
Transmission 8-speed automatic
Driven Wheels all
Final-Drive Ratio:1 3.81
Chassis
Suspension F: struts, coil springs,
anti-roll bar R: multilink,
coil springs, anti-roll bar
Brakes F: 13.0-in vented disc
ifty years ago, nothing screamed R: 11.9-in disc
“family car” like a long, low station Stability Control traction off
wagon plastered with fake-wood sid-
Tires Continental
ing. But then the look fell out of style ProContact TX
and carmakers largely stopped build- 225/65R-17 102H M+S
ing them for the U.S. Well, the station TEST RESULTS
wagon is back, only now it’s standing Acceleration
on tiptoe and we call it a crossover. Rollout, 1 ft 0.3 sec
Tall is the new normal. Americans 30 mph 2.5 sec
60 mph 8.0 sec
bought roughly 8.5 million SUVs in 100 mph 24.8 sec
2019, making it by far the biggest sin- 110 mph 35.0 sec
gle vehicle category. Some 2.9 million 1/4-Mile @ mph 16.1 sec @ 86
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph 8.5 sec
of those were compact crossovers from mainstream man- Top Gear, 30–50 mph 4.1 sec
ufacturers, and no wonder: They’re reasonably priced and Top Gear, 50–70 mph 5.3 sec
good for just about every domestic task, from the dreaded Top Speed 122 mph (gov ltd)
family road trip to a weekend Home Depot run. There’s a Chassis
reason why there are now 16 vehicles in the segment, and Braking, 70–0 mph 161 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad 0.87 g
that’s reason enough to sort out the best from the rest.
DRN``RZOYRQ\b_¼cRa\]_N[XRQP\Z]NPaP_\``\cR_` Weight
Curb 3493 lb
which we had not previously reviewed en masse. Then we Distribution, F/R 58.0/42.0%
added the all-new Ford Escape to see if it might shake up Practical Stowage
the established order. We structured the test to experience No. of 9 x 14 x 22-in
aUV`½RRaN`N[fSNZVYfZVTUa.[QdR_R`V`aRQN[fdUV[V[T Boxes, Seats Up/Folded 8/21
from Car and Driver family members who’d hoped to use this Length of Pipe 124.5 in
Largest Flat Panel, L/W 67.5/41.5 in
P\Z]N_\N`N[RePb`Ra\R`PN]RaUR\¦PRS\_N^bN`VRe\aVP
locale. We stayed local, driving on familiar roads where we Sound Level
Idle/Full Throttle 39/74 dBA
live and work. We drove stretches of nearby Interstate 94 70–mph Cruise 69 dBA
to get a sense of how these modern station wagons would Fuel
behave on trips. Then we hit our favorite two-lane loop Capacity/Octane 15.7 gal/91
searching for glimmers of inspiration behind the wheel.
We ran laps through the big little city of Ann Arbor, 31
EPA Comb, mpg 28
too, bumping across its chunky downtown pavement and EPA City, mpg 26 26
`^bRRgV[T aU_\bTU Va` [N__\d `VQR `a_RRa` dUVYR Q\QTV[T EPA Hwy, mpg
buses, garbage trucks, and University of Michigan students C/D 250-mi Trip, mpg
more engaged with their phones than their surroundings.
We maneuvered into and out of parking spots at the local
Whole Foods lot. And then we spent an afternoon in the C/D

52 MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

2020 Honda CR-V 2020 Mazda CX-5 2020 Subaru 2020 Toyota 2020 Volkswagen
Touring AWD Grand Touring AWD Forester Limited RAV4 Limited AWD Tiguan 2.0T SEL
4Motion
$35,870/$35,870 $32,810/$35,655 $32,105/$33,800 $37,000/$40,785 $34,565/$34,800

104.7 in 106.2 in 105.1 in 105.9 in 109.8 in

182.1/73.0/66.5 in 179.1/72.5/65.3 in 182.1/71.5/68.1 in 180.9/73.0/67.2 in 185.1/72.4/66.3 in
62.9/63.5 in 62.8/62.8 in 61.6/61.8 in 62.6/63.3 in 62.2/61.8 in
53/50 ft3 53/49 ft 3 59/49 ft 3 52/45 ft 3 53/49 ft 3
76/38 ft3 60/31 ft 3 71/33 ft 3 70/37 ft 3 74/38 ft3
1500 lb 2000 lb 1500 lb 1500 lb 1500 lb

turbocharged DOHC DOHC 16-valve inline-4 DOHC 16-valve flat-4 DOHC 16-valve inline-4 turbocharged DOHC
16-valve inline-4 152 in3 (2488 cm3) 152 in3 (2498 cm3) 152 in3 (2487 cm3) 16-valve inline-4
91 in3 (1498 cm3) 121 in3 (1984 cm3)
190 @ 5600 187 @ 6000 182 @ 5800 203 @ 6600 184 @ 4400
179 @ 2000 186 @ 4000 176 @ 4400 184 @ 5000 221 @ 1600
6500 rpm 6500 rpm 6000 rpm 6700 rpm 6500 rpm
18.7 19.9 19.7 18.4 21.6

CVT 6-speed automatic CVT 8-speed automatic 8-speed automatic

all all all all all
5.64 4.62 3.70 3.18 3.33

F: struts, coil springs,
anti-roll bar R: multilink,
coil springs, anti-roll bar
F: 11.1-in vented disc
R: 10.2-in disc
partially defeatable
Continental
CrossContact LX Sport
235/55R-19 101H M+S
F: struts, coil springs,
anti-roll bar R: multilink,
coil springs, anti-roll bar
F: 11.7-in vented disc
R: 11.9-in disc
partially defeatable
Toyo A36
P225/55R-19 99V M+S
F: struts, coil springs,
anti-roll bar R: multilink,
coil springs, anti-roll bar
F: 12.4-in vented disc
R: 11.2-in vented disc
partially defeatable
Falken Ziex ZE001 A/S
225/55R-18 98H M+S
F: struts, coil springs,
anti-roll bar R: multilink,
coil springs, anti-roll bar
F: 12.0-in vented disc
R: 11.1-in disc
partially defeatable,
traction off
Yokohama Avid GT
235/55R-19 101V M+S
F: struts, coil springs,
anti-roll bar R: multilink,
coil springs, anti-roll bar
F: 13.4-in vented disc
R: 11.8-in disc
partially defeatable,
traction off
Pirelli Scorpion
Verde All Season
235/50R-19 99H M+S

0.3 sec 0.3 sec 0.3 sec 0.3 sec 0.3 sec
2.9 sec 2.6 sec 3.3 sec 2.8 sec 2.7 sec
7.6 sec 7.9 sec 8.3 sec 8.2 sec 8.3 sec
21.2 sec 23.6 sec 23.4 sec 22.9 sec 24.8 sec
28.5 sec 31.9 sec 31.9 sec 29.6 sec 34.5 sec
15.9 sec @ 89 16.2 sec @ 85 16.5 sec @ 87 16.4 sec @ 87 16.4 sec @ 84
8.1 sec 8.4 sec 9.0 sec 8.7 sec 8.9 sec
4.3 sec 3.8 sec 4.3 sec 4.0 sec 4.5 sec
5.6 sec 5.5 sec 6.0 sec 6.1 sec 6.0 sec
124 mph (gov ltd) 124 mph (drag ltd) 127 mph (drag ltd) 122 mph (gov ltd) 126 mph (drag ltd)

165 ft 169 ft 167 ft 168 ft 174 ft

0.85 g 0.82 g 0.78 g 0.81 g 0.82 g

3560 lb 3712 lb 3583 lb 3742 lb 3966 lb

57.6/42.4% 57.2/42.8% 57.3/42.7% 56.5/43.5% 55.9/44.1%

10/25 9/23 11/23 10/22 11/24

130.0 in 126.8 in 129.0 in 131.0 in 131.0 in
70.4/41.2 in 66.6/41.4 in 69.9/43.3 in 70.9/39.5 in 73.9/39.6 in

37/78 dBA 38/76 dBA 41/74 dBA 38/77 dBA 42/73 dBA
69 dBA 66 dBA 69 dBA 66 dBA 68 dBA

14.0 gal/87 15.3 gal/87 16.6 gal/87 14.5 gal/87 15.9 gal/87

32 33 33
29 30 29
27 26 28 27
24 26 25 25 25
23 21 23 22
20

TESTED BY K .C. COLWE L L A ND DAVE VA ND E RW E RP I N CH E LSE A , MI 53

 The Escape’s cabin is a
study in contrast. The shift
knob feels expensive, but
the embossed flourishes
can’t hide that the door
panels are hard and cheap.

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54 MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

around, though: Toggling the drive-
mode selector to Sport keeps the engine
above 2000 rpm or so, where it changes
PUN_NPaR_P\Z]YRaRYf±T\¼Tb_R±N[Q
emits a rich V-6-like snort.
Unfortunately, the Escape does
[\a ZNXR b] S\_ Va` QR¼PVR[PVR` dVaU
superior utility. Seating three across
in any of these vehicles is a squeeze, if
not downright uncomfortable. While
the Ford’s rear-seat kneeroom is decent
for a pair of six-footers, it holds the least
cargo of the group. Only eight of our
test boxes, which are the size of airline
PN__f\[ONT`¼adVaUaUR_RN_`RNa`b](
21 with them folded. A higher trim level
wouldn’t have changed this.
The Escape is home to one world-
class feature, though: its console- Subaru Forester Plus Enough room for a family reunion, cushy
mounted rotary shift knob. Its beauti- ride, well-appointed cabin. Minus Edgy power delivery in town,
ful appearance and expensively damped driver engagement not on the menu. Equals A tasty dish for
action would be appropriate in a Mer- those who don’t like their food or their cars spicy.
cedes-Benz S-class. If only the rest of
the vehicle were that impressive.
This is a very practical family hauler, but the Subaru
5th Place: The Subaru is not the go-to if you’re hoping for a little driving spice
The Forester is nice. It is capable, comfortable, handsomely with your utility. Throttle response is jumpy in town
appointed, easy to drive, well built, and very practical. That N[Q`YRR]fRY`RdUR_R(aURR[TV[RPN[`\b[QYNO\_RQAUR
ZVTUa`\b[QYVXRUVTU]_NV`RS\_aURPN_aUNaPNZRV[¼SaU steering is slow-witted, the handling relaxed, and the
but it illustrates the strength at the bottom of the test. ride cushy. “It’s very isolated,” assistant videographer
This SUV is one to consider if roominess is a priority. It Brad Fick said. “Many people would be happy with that.”
leads the pack with 59 cubic feet of space for front passen- “The Forester is almost completely devoid of char-
TR_` .[QV[aUR_RN_`aNßRQVa\_0\[[\_5\ßZN[±dU\ acter,” said Annie White, who likened driving it “to
`aN[Q` `Ve SRRa `RcR[ N[Q aU_RR^bN_aR_ V[PUR` aNYY±¼a` eating a Saltine cracker.” A lot of people actually like
comfortably behind a six-foot driver. Plus, the Forester has Saltine crackers, though. Which is why we think plenty
the most glass area in this group, which contributes to the of shoppers in this segment would be happy to park this
sense of roominess and makes maneuvering into and out of compact crossover in their driveway.
NaVTUa]N_XV[T`]\aNPV[PUAURYN_TRdV[Q`UVRYQNß\_Q`
a panoramic view, and the low cowl and instrument panel 4th Place: The Toyota
make it feel more like you’re driving a car than a tallish SUV. The RAV4’s $40,785 as-tested price, the highest here by
The hatch opening is wide, too, and the cargo area holds far, worked against it. So did its engine. Drop down to the
plenty of boxes: 11 with the rear seat up and 23 with it down. XLE Premium model and you’d save several thousand

The Forester sells on

simplicity. It offers plenty
of space and comfort but
little in the way of dynamic
verve or personality.

55
 The Toyota handles better
than you probably expect.
No amount of tan leath-
erette can cover for the
gruff noises emitted by the
RAV4’s engine, though.

Q\YYN_`N[QTVcRb][NcVTNaV\[N[QNSRd[VPRaVR`YVXRcR[aV YVXR TRaaV[T V[a\ N[f 5\[QN³ 5\ßZN[ `NVQ 6[ \aUR_
YNaRQS_\[a`RNa`URNaRQ_RN_`RNa`N[QN]N[\_NZVP`b[_\\S d\_Q`VaUN`aURON`VP`_VTUaObaQ\R`[μaO_NT
/baaUR_Rμ`[\aUV[Tf\bPN[Q\NO\baaURR[TV[R±b[YR``f\b AU\`RR``R[aVNY`ORTV[dVaUP\ZS\_aNOYR`RNa`N[Q
\]aS\_aUR^bVRaR_UfO_VQ]\dR_a_NV[2cR_f\[RdU\Q_\cR TR[R_\b``RP\[Q_\dX[RR_\\Z.PUVYQ`RNaV`N[RN`f
aUV`NYZ\`aYbeb_f cR_`V\[\SaUR?.C!P\Z]YNV[RQNO\ba ¼aAUR0?CNY`\NPP\ZZ\QNaR`aURZ\`aO\eR`dVaU
Va`]\dR_]YN[aμ`P\N_`R[R``'2cR[dUR[NPPRYR_NaV[TZ\QR_ aUR_RN_`RNa`S\YQRQAURPN_T\½\\_UN`ad\]\`VaV\[`
NaRYfaURS\b_PfYV[QR_`^bNdX`YVXRNZb_QR_\SP_\d`.[Q aURUVTUR_\SdUVPUR[NOYR`N½NaY\NQ½\\_S_\ZaURYVSa
S\_NYYaURb[QR_U\\QP\ZZ\aV\[aURA\f\aNμ`%`RP\[Q TNaR\]R[V[Ta\aURS_\[a`RNaONPX`\[PRf\bμcRS\YQRQ
#Z]UaVZRV`ZR_RYfNcR_NTRS\_aURT_\b] aUR`RP\[Q_\d\SP\b_`RAURPR[aR_P\[`\YRUN`NY\a
<aUR_dV`RaUR?.C!V`NßNOYRN[QNPP\ZZ\QNaV[T6a \S`a\_NTR`]NPRN[QPN[ORP\[¼Tb_RQ`RcR_NYQVßR_R[a
\ßR_`NdRYY`\_aRQPUN``V`aUNaQRYVcR_`aNba_VQRZ\aV\[` dNf`a\OR`aUN[QYRf\b_`abß
NY\[T dVaU T\\QR[\bTU UN[QYV[T PU\]` aUNa R[P\b_NTR AUR V[aR_V\_μ` NZOVR[PR Q\R`[μa ^bVaR ZNaPU Va`
Ub`aYV[T Va \[ ad\YN[R` 6[`VQR aUR `RNa` N_R P\ZSf N[Q ]_NPaVPNYVafaU\bTUAURZNaR_VNY`N_RUN[Q`\ZROba
OVTTbf5\ßZN[P\bYQ`VaV[aURONPXdVaU\baZbPUa_\b SN_ S_\Z b]`PNYR N[Q aUR QR`VT[ V` [\a OYRRQV[TRQTR
OYR<QQYfN_RN_SNPV[TPUVYQ`RNaV`NaVTUa¼a'DRUNQa\ Z\QR_[ AUR aNOYRaYVXR PR[aR_`aNPX `P_RR[ P\[aNV[`
Z\cRaURS_\[a]N``R[TR_μ`PUNV_S\_dN_QNOVaa\PYV]VaV[a\ 5\[QNμ`YN`aTR[R_NaV\[V[S\aNV[ZR[a`f`aRZ6aμ`Sb``f
]YNPRDUNaμ`Z\_RPN_T\_\\ZV``\Y
VQYfZVQ]NPX
AUR9VZVaRQa_VZa_VR`UN_Qa\SRRY Toyota RAV4 Plus Refined road manners, chunky off-roady
Ybeb_V\b` @RRZV[TYf RcR_f `b_SNPR \S looks. Minus Grating engine note, what’s with the faux-
\b_aR`acRUVPYRV`P\cR_RQV[aUR`NZR leather seats at this price? Equals Tries hard to be all things
`U\daURQV_a `\SaYf ]NQQRQ 3_R[PU to all buyers and largely succeeds.
`RNZRQYRNaUR_RaaR²6μQORN[[\fRQVS
ZfXVQ`]VYYRQ`\ZRaUV[TV[UR_R³ReRP
baVcRRQVa\_?fN[DUVaR`NVQ
²6aY\\X`NYVaaYRQNaRQ³`NVQ_\NQaR`a
RQVa\_/RPPN5NPXRaaAUNaμ`]N_aVPbYN_Yf
a_bR\SaURV[S\aNV[ZR[a`f`aRZN[QVa`
Y\d_R`\YbaV\[ T_N]UVP` .a YRN`a aUR
NbQV\`f`aRZ\ßR_`T\\Q`\b[QN[QUN`
O\aUNc\YbZRN[QNab[V[TX[\O
6[aURR[QaU\bTUVadN`aURA\f\
aNμ` Z\_R R[TNTV[T Q_VcV[T PUN_NPaR_
aUNa R[NOYRQ Va a\ [\`R NURNQ \S aUR
@bON_bV[N]U\a\¼[V`U

3rd Place: The Honda

5\[QN V` [\a V[a\ PUN[TR S\_ PUN[TRμ`
`NXR AUR Pb__R[a 0?C Rc\YcRQ \[Yf
Z\QR`aYf S_\Z aUR YN`a TR[R_NaV\[ `\
Vaμ`P\[`R_cNaVcRV[O\aUVa`QR`VT[N[Q
ReRPbaV\[ ²0YVZOV[T V[a\ aUR 0?C V`

56 MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

and lacks a tuning knob, and the navigation
display is small. Plus, the mechanical shifter
protruding from the dashboard clacks
inexpensively.
But the CR-V is a solid driver. Its 60-mph
time of 7.6 seconds is the quickest of the
group, but it doesn’t feel it, due at least in
part to the slushy response of its CVT. “I was
surprised to see it had 190 horsepower,” said
Annie White. “It feels sluggish getting up to
speed.” Bursts of throttle also result in some
moaning under the hood before the engine
settles down to a quiet cruise.
<aUR_dV`R aUR 0?C V` N P\[¼QR[a
capable over-the-road machine with direct
steering and well-damped body motions.
It’s rife with good qualities, which makes
it feel like a trusted friend. It’s just that the
ad\ P_\``\cR_` aUNa ¼[V`URQ NURNQ \S Va
have those qualities, too, plus a big dollop If you’re looking for the
best box, it’s hard to beat
of driver engagement, something the CR-V the expertly packaged
simply doesn’t have. Honda. If you want that box
to be spirited or luxurious,
look elsewhere.
2nd Place: The Volkswagen
The Tiguan feels like a GTI for responsible
adults. That’s how it managed to claw its
way into second place. Of course, it isn’t a
GTI—it’s not nearly as quick or as agile as its
road-hugging, hot-hatch stablemate. Phys-
ical laws haven’t been suspended here. But
aURAVTQ\R`NP\ZZR[QNOYRW\O\S\ßR_V[T Honda CR-V Plus Clever storage, roomy cabin, solid driving
both utility and playfulness. dynamics. Minus Quickest but doesn’t feel it, interior lacks
Immediately noticeable are its light, deluxe materials, dated infotainment. Equals A highly adapt-
^bVPX`aRR_V[TN[Q[VZOYR¼_ZYfP\[a_\YYRQ able tool with solid engineering and thoughtful solutions.

57
 Volkswagen Tiguan
Plus Go-for-it handling, refined
engine, generous cargo space.
Minus Cabin might be a little
too minimalist for some, hits
the bumps harder than most.
Equals VW finally builds a broad-
appeal crossover that also
honors the brand’s sporty side.

supportive. They’re appropriate in

an interior that’s so businesslike, it’s
almost spartan. Even that starkness
adds to the hot-hatch vibe. The info-
tainment screen is reasonably large and
operates in a straightforward manner,
and there are volume and tuning knobs
for the audio system.
Volkswagen’s journey to under-
standing American tastes has been
ObZ]f Oba Vaμ` QR¼[VaRYf \[ aUR _VTUa
road with this latest Tiguan. It’s sized
right, dressed for success, and blessed
with the driver-friendly DNA of the
company’s best cars. That’s why it’s the
salutatorian of this class.

1st Place: The Mazda

Once again, the 10Best-winning CX-5
emerges on top, and once again, the
story is quality over quantity. Based
solely on the objective results, the CX-5
would be dead last, but the data doesn’t
QR¼[RT_RNa[R``6aμ`aUR`bOWRPaVcRPNa-
chassis, which encourage you to dig into two-lanes— egories—its design, interior materials, and driving charac-
aU\bTU Va V` `\ZRaVZR` `aVßYRTTRQ \[ b[RcR[ ]NcR- ter—that propel the Mazda into the winner’s circle.
ment. The engine hums expensively. It was the quietest The CX-5 is special from the moment you climb in. Sleek
NadVQR\]R[aU_\aaYRN[QaURZ\`a_R¼[RQ\SaURT_\b] shapes, delicate brightwork, and top-grade materials give
The Tiguan also lives up to its family responsibilities. you the sense that this crossover comes from a luxury brand
It has plenty of rear kneeroom, and only the CR-V hauls rather than a mainstream automaker. Attention is paid to
more boxes with the rear seat folded. The VW’s leather- every detail. The shifter moves with expensive precision, the
P\cR_RQ`RNa`N_RNZ\[TaUR¼_ZR`adRμcRR[P\b[aR_RQ classic white-on-black gauge faces on the cluster are crisp,
in a long time, but they’re nonetheless comfortable and and the steering wheel is upscale. It’s also the only wheel of
1/4-MILE ACCELERATION*
FEATURES/AMENITIES*
REAR-SEAT COMFORT
REAR-SEAT SPACE*

EXTERIOR STYLING
REBATES/EXTRAS*
INTERIOR STYLING

AS-TESTED PRICE*
DRIVER COMFORT

FUEL ECONOMY*

PERFORMANCE*
FIT AND FINISH

STEERING FEEL
TRANSMISSION
CARGO SPACE*

Experience
Powertrain

FUN TO DRIVE
FLEXIBILITY*
ERGONOMICS

ENGINE NVH

BRAKE FEEL

TOTAL
SUBTOTAL

SUBTOTAL

SUBTOTAL
HANDLING
Chassis
Vehicle

FINAL
RIDE

RESULTS
Maximum points available 10 10 5 5 5 10 10 10 10 5 20 100 20 5 10 10 10 55 20 10 10 10 10 60 25 240
1. Mazda CX-5 8 8 3 5 2 7 9 9 9 0 17 77 19 4 5 9 9 46 18 10 8 9 9 54 23 200
2. Volkswagen Tiguan 8 8 4 5 5 8 8 8 8 0 17 79 18 4 6 9 8 45 18 9 8 9 7 51 22 197
3. Honda CR-V 8 8 4 5 5 8 7 7 7 0 16 75 20 4 7 8 7 46 19 8 7 8 9 51 19 191
4. Toyota RAV4 8 8 4 3 5 10 7 6 8 0 13 72 18 4 9 6 8 45 18 7 7 8 8 48 19 184
5. Subaru Forester 8 8 5 5 3 6 8 8 8 0 18 77 17 3 9 7 7 43 17 6 7 7 8 45 17 182
6. Ford Escape 6 7 3 5 3 2 5 5 6 0 20 62 19 4 10 5 6 44 20 7 7 7 6 47 16 169
58 *These objective scores are calculated from the vehicles’ dimensions, capacities, rebates and extras, and/or test results.
 The upscale and light-
footed Mazda CX-5 does
everything well as long
as your kids aren’t six
feet tall. If space is a
priority, the Tiguan would
make a fine consolation.

it ties the RAV4 for quietest at 70 mph, reg-

istering a mere 66 decibels.
“Driven back-to-back with the compet-
itors, the CX-5 is a revelation,” said Annie
White. “It’s lighter and nimbler than you’d
expect.” This Mazda fetes you with a sophis-
Mazda CX-5 Plus Handsome exterior, luxe interior, expertly ticated, engaging, and always fun driving
tuned chassis and powertrain. Minus Worst observed fuel experience—the kind typically associated
economy, short on rear legroom. Equals As luxurious as it is with cars from Audi and BMW.
fun to drive, a combination yet to be equaled in this class. The one place the CX-5 doesn’t measure
up—literally—is interior space. Though the
specs claim otherwise, the Mazda’s back
the lot with shift paddles. The infotainment screen is seat feels the smallest here. And the CX-5’s cargo hold is
small, but its audio and nav functions are controlled via a average, at best, among this group.
pair of knobs conveniently located on the center console. The CX-5 is not a car that wows on paper but disappoints
No vehicle could win a comparison test on aesthetics in person. Just the opposite, in fact. But as good as it is, the
alone, of course. The CX-5 is also good to drive—very competition is closing in. It won this comparison test by
T\\Q 6a` O\Qf Z\aV\[` N_R PN_RSbYYf U\[RQ ¼_ZYf a slim margin. Setting aside the Escape, each of the other
damped over rough pavement but never brutal. Its steer- _VcNY`aUNaa_NVYRQVaa\aUR¼[V`UYV[RUN`Na_NVa\_ad\±OR
ing is true and progressive. This ute moves with surpris- it sportiness, roominess, cargo volume, or feature count—
ing grace and hangs tough even when you bend it into aUNaZNaPUR`\_ORaaR_`dUNaaUR0E"O_V[T`a\aUR¼TUa
quick corners. Near perfect throttle response makes it But none of them put it all together in an equally compel-
feel more powerful than it is. The Mazda is the second ling package. At least not yet. We’ll see how much longer the
quickest to 60 mph in this relatively lethargic group. And CX-5 can hold its advantage.

59
 IT’S A DILEMMA.
THE TRULY DESIRABLE McL AREN
IS THE M8B THAT BRUCE McL AREN
HIMSELF USED IN 1969 TO SL AUGHTER
THAT YE AR’S CAN-AM SE ASON.
OR IT’S THE MP4/4 IN WHICH AYRTON
SENNA E ARNED HIS FIRST FORMUL A 1
CHAMPIONSHIP, IN 1988.
Maybe you’d argue for the F1, the street-legal V-12-powered beast of the
1990s that anyone with more than a quarter brain knows is the best road
PN_RcR_ObVYa.[QV[PVQR[aNYYfV[4A?S\_ZaUR3a\\X¼_`a\cR_NYYV[
the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans. Problem is, even you, a mere millionaire,
PN[μaNß\_QN[f\SaU\`RZN`aR_]VRPR`
Nope, you’re left picking from McLaren’s current lineup, although
that doesn’t make the dilemma much easier to sort. McLaren is a small The GT looks about as
enterprise, so its roadgoing gene pool is shallow. Every car it’s built since subtle as a mid-engine
car can. Below: The
±&QVßR_R[aZ\QRY`±PN[ORQR`P_VORQN`N`]\_a`PN_`b]R_PN_ 600LT can flame-
or hypercar. Track capability is a given. And with just one transmission, broil its own wing.
\[RR[TV[RSNZVYfN[QNSRdcN_VNaV\[`\[Va`PN_O\[¼OR_abO:P9N_R[ The GT can bake up
to 15 cubic feet of
has produced a clan of near identical siblings. Even the spec sheets look Ferragamo loafers.
similar between the $195,00 570S and the $1.7 million Elva.
As quiet acknowledgment that they can build only so many perform-
ance cars, the Brits in Woking
have broken form with their
new GT. Those two letters tell Also, these two McLarens are priced
the story. This grand tourer is within a Honda Accord EX-L of each
meant to be a softer, more liv- other. The 2019 600LT coupe starts at
able McLaren. Its sleek, slightly $242,500 and the 2020 GT, at $213,195.
antiseptic styling suggests that Extravagant options, including $18,310
sometimes it’s enough to speak V[PN_O\[¼OR_a_VZ\[aUR#9AN[Q
P\[¼QR[aYf _NaUR_ aUN[ `U\ba a $6000 electrochromic glass roof on
To see if this highly technical, the GT, pushed our as-driven prices to
racing-obsessed brand could suc- $279,270 and $256,125.
cessfully transition to something Here’s where things get a little sticky.
more mellow, we took the GT for a The 600LT that joined a select group
test drive with one of the compa- of Car and Driver hangers-on for this
ny’s hardcore LT track cars in tow. ¼R`aNV[=NYZ@]_V[T`0NYVS\_[VNdN`
The 600LT, all crazy wing a 2019 coupe. We enjoyed driving it, but
N[Q½NZO\fN[aNR_\S\VY``UN_R` we couldn’t test it. So we’re using the
a lot of its DNA with the GT. The numbers we generated in the roughly
same control-arm suspension 100-pound-heavier Spider we drove last
geometry is used on both vehicles. The windshield and year. Blame the logistics. We tested the 2020 GT this time.
the thick A-pillars are common, too. The door skins are There’s nothing civilized about the 600LT. It doesn’t so
QVßR_R[aObaaURQ\\_`\]R[dVaUaUR`NZR_RNPUS\_ much start as erupt. The exhaust exits from the top of the
aUR`Xf\`aR[aNaV\b`[R``6[`VQRRNPUPN_f\bμYY¼[QN R[TV[RP\cR_V[S_\[a\SaUR¼eRQdV[TN[QV`U\aR[\bTUa\
seven-speed dual-clutch automatic that doesn’t have a create visible distortion waves in the air. It’s as if the car were
P on the push-button shifter. And both are rear-drive, powered by an active volcano.
because all-wheel drive is for those timid dilettantes The boiling magma of this strained metaphor is produced
who buy Lamborghinis and Audis. V[ aUR #9Aμ` adV[ab_O\PUN_TRQ 1<50 %YVaR_ C%

62 MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIVER

 McLaren 600LT Plus Makes every curve and corner UNZ¼aV[a\aURZYVXRNb_RaUN[RaVR_\Q
interesting, shoots flames. Minus Wound a bit too tight for bushing. Me, your fake-humble narrator?
street use, unforgiving seats. Equals A fire-breathing My hind end is built for the bench seat of a
beast that really deserves to be on a track. pickup. I sat atop the 600LT’s seat. Who
knew that a torture chamber could fea-
McLaren GT Plus Capable without being punishing, ture so much Alcantara?
just as quick as the 600LT. Minus Kind of looks like a AUR4Aμ`C%UN`aUR`NZRN_PUVaRP-
$59,995 Corvette. Equals McLaren successfully softens ture as the 600LT’s, but while it retains
its approach without diluting its brand. the 93.0-mm cylinder bores, the engine
stroke grows from 69.9 to 73.5 millime-
ters. McLaren equips this 4.0-liter with
Spewing 592 horsepower, this engine is Mount St. Helens low-inertia turbos; when combined with its higher
peaky. The maximum 457 pound-feet of torque is achieved compression ratio (compared with other 4.0-liters), it
at 5500 rpm; the curve’s climb to that point is steep. This produces a more tractable driving experience.
V`[μaNY\N¼[Tab_O\C%YVXRV[N:R_PRQR`@BCObaN]b_R That in mind, this is still a relatively short-stroke
sports-car engine. It’s hardly alive until it’s being thrashed. R[TV[RObVYaN_\b[QN½NaP_N[XDUVYRVaμ`[\aN`]R_VY-
AUR[VaYb[TR`S\_Va`%"_]Z_RQYV[R \b`Yf]RNXfN`aUR#9Aμ`]\dR_]YN[aaUR4Aμ`C%V`
Though the 600LT’s exhaust outlets are at the driver’s ear, still plenty racy, with 612 horsepower at 7500 rpm and
aURab_O\`Zb¤RaURVQYR/baVaUN`N½Na]YN[RP_N[XN[Q 465 pound-feet of torque cresting at 5500 rpm.
aURR[TV[RV`O\YaRQa\aURPUN``V`b`V[T`aVßZ\b[a`(aUR_Rμ` The GT’s exhaust system exits at the back of the
a shudder in the car even before you touch the accelerator. car and therefore lacks the thermal spectacle of the
There’s not much in the way of seat padding. In fact, #9Aμ`AUR]Nf\ßV`aUNaVaμ``VT[V¼PN[aYf^bVRaR_TRa-
there’s not much in the way of seats. The 600LT’s buckets are aV[Ta\%"_]ZN[QUN`NZRYY\dR_a\[RQb_V[TP_bV`R`
narrow and hardly upholstered. Welterweight deputy editor Like all modern transmissions, the seven-speed
A\[f>bV_\TNQVQ[μa¼[QaURZ`[bT0\[a_VOba\_@P\aa<YQ- in both cars aims to keep engine speeds down during

63

around-town and highway journeys. The GT’s extra dis-
placement and less stressed turbos give it a noticeable
edge over its brother during part-throttle operation.
And the V-8 doesn’t handicap the GT at the track, either.
“It’s so quick, it almost hurts,” Quiroga reported
back after acceleration runs in the GT. With launch con-
trol engaged, the technique for getting the best times is
to let the logic circuits channel Don Garlits.
While the GT has 20 more horsepower than the
600LT, it weighs 3464 pounds, 332 more than the tested
Spider. So the GT’s power-to-weight ratio is a bit worse
than its brother’s. But yeow. The GT knocks itself to 60
mph in a ridiculous 2.8 seconds and gets through the
quarter-mile in 10.7 seconds at 133 mph. That’s right on
top of the 600LT Spider’s performance, the
`\YRQVßR_R[PRORV[TaUR4Aμ`Z]USN`aR_
trap speed, which can be credited to the
small power advantage.
“This car barks its tires shifting into
side scoops. But it attracted more atten-
tion than the 600LT. It’s prettier, less
intimidating, and less cartoonish.
Inside, the GT’s seats accommodate
anyone, and the appointments are sophis-
aVPNaRQb]a\aUR]\YV`URQ¼[V`U\SaUR]NQ-
dle shifters. Relaxed engine mounts mean
aUR4AQ\R`[μa`bßR_aUR#9Aμ``UVZZf
either. It would be a reach to call it luxu-
rious; it is still loud, but it isn’t punishing.
:P9N_R[ QVcVQR` Va` \ßR_V[T` V[a\
three series—Sports, Super, and Ulti-
mate—with the new GT set to the side as
sort of a civilized compromise. It’s not.
But McLaren is small enough that it will satisfy the whims
of anyone with the wherewithal to back them up. A 600LT
with the GT’s interior? It probably wouldn’t take much (but
a lot of coin) to talk McLaren into that.
If your lifestyle includes easy access to a racetrack and
driving habits that require high-downforce aerodynamics,
go for the 600LT. Or the 720S. Or the upcoming 765LT [see
page 42]. But the GT is the closest thing McLaren makes to a
daily driver. To get beyond the compromise mindset, think
of it this way: It has a V-8 in the middle, just like the M8B. It’s
turbocharged, just like the MP4/4. And you can actually get
a license plate for it without bribing anyone at the DMV, just
like the F1. In that light, it represents everything McLaren
has been and is now.
2019 McLaren 2020 McLaren
600LT Spider* GT

*WE WERE UNABLE TO TEST THE 600LT COUPE PICTURED. THESE SPECS AND TEST RESULTS ARE FOR A PREVIOUSLY
second,” Oldham gushed. “That’s so awe- the numbers
some. It’s not something you get with an
Vehicle Type mid-engine, rear-wheel- mid-engine, rear-wheel-
all-wheel-drive car like the Lamborghini drive, 2-passenger, drive, 2-passenger,
Huracán Evo.” For context, the 631-hp 2-door convertible 2-door hatchback

TESTED 600LT SPIDER. MCLAREN SAYS THE SPIDER IS ABOUT 100 POUNDS HEAVIER THAN THE COUPE.
$331,469 Huracán Evo coupe we tested last Base/As Tested $259,350/$332,120 $213,195/$256,125
Engine twin-turbocharged twin-turbocharged
year made it to 60 in 2.5 seconds and con- and intercooled DOHC and intercooled DOHC
sumed the quarter-mile in 10.4 seconds at 32-valve V-8, aluminum 32-valve V-8, aluminum
135 mph. The Lambo may not spin its tires block and heads, port block and heads, port
fuel injection fuel injection
going into second, but its V-10 engine sings Displacement 232 in3, 3799 cm3 244 in3, 3994 cm3
with the clear tenor of Luciano Pavarotti. Power, hp @ rpm 592 hp @ 7500 rpm 612 hp @ 7500 rpm
The 600LT’s initial bite into a corner is Torque, lb-ft @ rpm 457 lb-ft @ 5500 rpm 465 lb-ft @ 5500 rpm
Transmission 7-speed dual-clutch 7-speed dual-clutch
astonishing. The Alcantara-covered steer- automatic automatic
V[TdURRYO_\NQPN`a`UVTUQR¼[VaV\[SRRQ- Dimensions
back. It feels so natural, it could trigger an Wheelbase 105.1 in 105.3 in
L/W/H 181.3/76.0/47.1 in 184.4/80.5/47.8 in
existential breakdown for a Porsche chas- Curb Weight 3132 lb 3464 lb
sis engineer. The GT can’t quite match that
sensation, but it’s close. And amazingly, the test RESULTS
GT shadowed the 600LT on the skidpad, Rollout, 1 ft 0.2 sec 0.2 sec
pulling 1.01 g’s to its Pirelli P Zero Trofeo 60 mph 2.8 sec 2.8 sec
100 mph 6.0 sec 6.1 sec
R–shod brother’s 1.11 g’s. 130 mph 10.2 sec 10.1 sec
Both cars wear carbon-ceramic brake 150 mph 14.5 sec 14.2 sec
rotors (standard on the 600LT and optional 170 mph 22.2 sec 21.0 sec
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph 3.6 sec 3.8 sec
\[aUR4AObaaURQVßR_R[PRORadRR[aUR 1/4-Mile @ mph 10.7 sec @ 132 mph 10.7 sec @ 133 mph
two is tangible. The GT’s brakes are easier Top Speed 201 mph 203 mph
a\Z\QbYNaRN[Q\ßR_`b]R_V\_]RQNYSRRY Braking, 70–0 mph 145 ft 151 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad 1.11 g 1.01 g
Design-wise, the GT is restrained. EPA Fuel Economy
There’s some C8 Corvette in its face and Comb/City/Hwy 18/15/23 mpg 17/15/21 mpg

64
LEFT TO RIGHT: 22” Sapphire Pendant Necklace
(1/3 ct. t.w.) in Sterling Silver, $625; Link Necklace
in Stainless Steel and Black Ion-Plate, $250; Diamond
Link Bracelet (1/10 ct. t.w.) in Black Ion-Plated Stain-
less Steel, $400.

E XC LU SIV E LY AT
 — 2019 —
Mercedes-Benz
E450 wagon
A l ov e s t ory. by Joe y C a p pare l l a
Around these parts—okay, in our
heads—modern wagons park on the
same pedestal as proper exotics. We
hardly think twice when a Mercedes-Benz E-class
sedan pulls up next to us at a stoplight. But an
E-class wagon? That evokes pangs of envy and
longing. In our mind’s eye, this wagon’s long-roof
shape is the ultimate symbol of inconspicuous
automotive consumption.
AUNa :R_PRQR` UN` ]R_`V`aRQ V[ \ßR_V[T N
wagon version of its mid-size luxury car in the
U.S. this long is admirable. In this niche, though,
`ZNYY`NYR`c\YbZR`N_R\ß`RaOfaUR_VPUQRZ\-
Arrival
September 2018
66
graphics of its buyers. Mercedes says that, in the
U.S., the E-class-wagon owner has among the
highest average household income of all its cus-
tomers, rivaled only by that of G-wagen buyers.
And other automakers are catching on. Entrants
S_\ZC\Yc\.bQVN[QRcR[7NTbN_UNcR¼YYRQaUR
luxury-wagon segment to the point that we were
able to conduct a three-car comparison test in
2018, which the Mercedes won. The six-cylinder
variants of the E-class lineup also earned a spot
on our 2018 and 2019 10Best lists. A 40,000-mile
long-term relationship would test the depths of
our love for the E wagon.
Departure
February 2020
PH OTO GRA PH Y BY MA RC URBA NO ~ M AY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIVE R
 Relaxed, discreet,
and sensible, the
E450 wagon is the
antidote to a new-car
market overflowing
with 500-hp SUVs.

“The Ride and body

control in this car
are just right.
perfect, really.”
—eric tingwall, print director

67
Circle OPERATING COSTS FOR SERVICE TIMELINE flushes brakes, rotates
40,000 MILES — tires, and inspects
the wagon. September 21, 2018 vehicle. $591
Normal Wear: $1245 Maintenance: $1895 108 miles
Long-term test begins. September 20, 2019
30,339 miles
Damage and October 31, 2018 30,000-mile service:
Destruction: $0 3363 miles Dealer changes oil and
SERVICE Repair: $0 We swap to Pirelli inspects vehicle. $333
— Winter Sottozero
Dealer Visits TOTAL 3 tires ($1079). October 31, 2019
• Scheduled ....................... 4 $8758 32,428 miles
• Unscheduled ................... 0 November 1, 2018 We install a new set of
Days Out of Service ........... 0 3391 miles winters that Mercedes
Unscheduled Oil Gasoline (at $3.09 per Gallon): $5618 We install WeatherTech provided along with
Additions ....................... 0 qt floor mats ($198). wheels ($3051).

February 6, 2019 January 29, 2020

10,469 miles 40,647 miles
LIFE EXPECTANCIES FIVE-YEAR DEPRECIATION 10,000-mile service: 40,000-mile service:
— Depreciation data from ALG, based on Dealer performs Dealer changes oil,
Tires ............... 35,000 miles 15,000 miles per year. oil change and replaces cabin air filter,
Brake Pads inspections. $253 flushes brakes, rotates
• Front ......... >100,000 miles $89,175 tires, and inspects car.
• Rear .......... >100,000 miles May 10, 2019 Per a recall, tech looks
$48,422
$90K
17,710 miles to see if roof spoiler
WHAT BITS AND PIECES COST $41,393 We refit summer tires. is secure and finds
— $35,926 nothing amiss. $718
Headlamp .................. $3000 May 29, 2019
$60K $29,678 20,121 miles February 3, 2020
Engine Air Filters .......... $95
Oil Filter ........................ $23 $24,992 20,000-mile service: 40,830 miles
Tire, F/R ............. $238/$273 Wiper blades are Long-term test ends.
Wiper Blades ................ $133 $30K replaced, $113.
Front Brake Pads ......... $169 Dealer changes oil
Wheel, F/R ...... $1018/$1008 and cabin air filter,
$0
YEAR 0 1 2 3 4 5

A dark-blue 2018 Mercedes-Benz E400

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massaging seats spoil
anyone who sits up [V`aVP Rea_N` N` ZN``NTV[T S_\[a `RNa` URNaRQ
front. Macchiato Beige N_Z_R`a``\SaPY\`RQ\\_`N[QRcR[aUR.P\b`-
is beautiful but should aVP0\ZS\_a]NPXNTRdVaUaUVPXR_TYN``N[QRea_N
be reserved for the
compulsively hygienic. `\b[QV[`bYNaV\[AURORVTRN[QNZOR_1R`VT[\
b]U\Y`aR_f\]aV\[dVaU[N]]NYRNaUR_P\[a_N`a
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VZZNPbYNaRPNOV[dN`d\_aURcR_f]R[[fdR

68 MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

Rants
and
Raves
This makes
commuting
relaxing. It’s quiet,
solid, and supple,
with an interior
that rivals those of
$200,000 cars.
—TONY QUIROGA

Mercedes’s
mid-size wagon is
such a welcome
relief from the
lumbering SUVs
I usually find
myself in whenever
I’m covering long
distances. did come to regret the light-colored interior as
—ERIC TINGWALL \b_¼YaUNPPbZbYNaRQdVaUaURZVYR` 2019 Mercedes-BENZ
AUR2!"`NVYRQaU_\bTUVa``aNfdVaUb`dVaU E450 4Matic
I requested the [N_fN[b[`PURQbYRQa_V]a\aURQRNYR_`UV]/ba Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive,
E-class wagon for \b_dNYYRa`QVQTRa`VT[V¼PN[aYfYVTUaR_dUR[- 7-passenger, 5-door wagon
my wedding RcR_dRcV`VaRQ\b_Y\PNY/R[g`a\_RS\__RTbYN_ Base/As Tested ........................ $65,195/$89,175
Engine: twin-turbocharged and intercooled
weekend—that’s ZNV[aR[N[PR 3\b_ `PURQbYRQ `R_cVPR`±\[R DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and
how much I love it. RcR_fZVYR`±a\aNYRQ%&"N]_V[PRYf heads, direct fuel injection
—BETH NICHOLS sum that’s especially egregious given that some Displacement ......................... 183 in3, 2996 cm3
Power ..................................... 362 hp @ 6000 rpm
Ybeb_fO_N[Q`V[PYbQR_\baV[RZNV[aR[N[PRS\_ Torque ................................ 369 lb-ft @ 1800 rpm
In a world where aUR¼_`aSRdcV`Va` Transmission ....................... 9-speed automatic
so many cars AUR C# R[TV[Rμ` ]R_S\_ZN[PR dN` `a_\[T Dimensions
• Wheelbase ................................................. 115.7 in
are trying too hard, R[\bTUaUNadR_N_RYf_RT_RaaRQOf]N``V[TaUR • L/W/H ...................................... 194.2/73.7/57.7 in
I love the confi- _V]_\N_V[T .:4 2#  @ N[Q Va` # U] C% • Curb Weight ............................................. 4462 lb
dence represented <b_!!#]\b[QNYYdURRYQ_VcRdNT\[_N[a\ Warranty
by the E’s lazy #Z]UV[YR``aUN[¼cR`RP\[Q`N[QQRYVcR_RQ 4 years/50,000 miles bumper to bumper
second-gear starts Rß\_aYR``]\dR_aU_\bTUN`VYXf`Z\\aU[V[R 4 years/50,000 miles corrosion protection
4 years/50,000 miles roadside assistance
and occasionally `]RRQNba\ZNaVPa_N[`ZV``V\[6a`NcR_NTRSbRY
floaty body RP\[\Zf\SZ]TZNaPURQ[\a\[YfaUR2=.μ` Model Year Changes
control. P\ZOV[RQR`aVZNaRObaNY`\\b_Y\[TaR_Z6[¼[- 2020: In addition to some small revisions to
packages, the E450 now includes blind-spot
—DAVE VANDERWERP iti QX50’s average consumption, despite that monitoring and keyless entry as standard.

test RESULTS
New 40,000
miles
Rollout, 1 ft ................. 0.3 sec ........... 0.3 sec
60 mph .......................... 4.7 sec ............ 4.6 sec
100 mph ........................ 11.8 sec ........... 11.6 sec
120 mph ........................ 17.8 sec .......... 17.6 sec
Rolling Start,
5–60 mph ..................... 5.5 sec ........... 5.4 sec
1/4-Mile ........................ 13.3 sec @ ...... 13.3 sec @
105 mph 106 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph ... 152 ft ............... 162 ft
Roadholding,
300-ft Skidpad ......... 0.91 g .............. 0.90 g
Top Speed (gov ltd) ................................ 127 mph
EPA Fuel Economy
• Comb/City/Hwy ......................... 22/19/26 mpg
C/D Fuel Economy
• Observed .................................................. 22 mpg

69

Rants smaller and lighter crossover’s innovative
and variable-compression-ratio four-cylinder
engine. Plus, the E’s large 21.1-gallon fuel
Raves tank enabled impressive cruising range,
with a few drivers exceeding 500-mile high-
While driving it, dNf`aV[a`ORadRR[¼YYb]`
I could swear I Wafting along in the serene comfort
saw tiny green of the E-class’s posh cabin proved to be a
embroidered whales soothing, almost therapeutic experience.
appear on my It turns out that there’s nothing that eases
khakis. The thing the stress of a cold, dark wintry commute
was always quite like sitting in a massaging seat with
pointing itself in your arm supported by a gently heated arm-
the direction of rest while a supple suspension soaks up the
Petoskey, Sag worst stretches of Michigan’s awful roads.
Harbor, Newport. And while the E-class may not encourage
—EDDIE ALTERMAN you to hustle through corners, it’s a more
than competent handler, bolstered by its
Who needs the GLC respectable 0.91 g of grip on the skidpad and
when you can just short 70-to-zero-mph stopping distance of
activate the wagon’s 152 feet (though both those numbers got
air springs to raise slightly worse when we tested the Mercedes
the ride height? with 40,000 miles on the odometer).
—ERIC STAFFORD We appreciated the wagon’s lower center
of gravity compared with the many SUVs in
Someone with \b_Y\[TaR_Z½RRaaUNadRaf]VPNYYf_RYf\[
money at this office to transport our kids and pets. Its practical
needs to buy this. yet classy milieu was a welcome relief from
—AUSTIN IRWIN the monotony of lifted suspensions, tall
body styles, and black plastic cladding. There
It’s everything is a generous 35 cubic feet of cargo space
you’d want in behind the rear seats and up to 64 cubic feet
a luxury wagon. dVaUaURZS\YQRQ½Na.[QV[aURT_N[Qa_N-
—ANNIE WHITE dition of station wagons, there’s even a set of
70
Proof that it’s not
all about horsepower
and speed here:
Our drivers rarely
yearned for the
603-hp E63 S wagon.
rear-facing jump seats that fold out of the cargo
½\\_DRP\[¼_ZRQaUNaaURfPN[NPP\ZZ\QNaR
two kids in a pinch or a single adult C/D `aNßR_
who’s willing to put up with a bit of discomfort
on a quick lunch run (to anywhere other than
/bßNY\DVYQDV[T`\SP\b_`R
B[P\cR_V[TaUR½Nd`\SaUR2!"dNT\[a\\X
some real digging, even from our merry band
of nit-pickers. One driver took issue with the
dinky steering-wheel-mounted column shifter,
and another felt jilted after the seat massagers
automatically deactivated after 15 minutes of
relaxation. The Comand infotainment system
supports the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
phone-mirroring systems, but the lack of a
touchscreen makes it somewhat awkward to
operate them; drivers must use the central con-
trol knob to select icons.
AUR`R ¼_`ad\_YQ ]_\OYRZ` QVQ YVaaYR a\
diminish our admiration of this luxurious, ele-
gant conveyance. The Mercedes lent a sense of
occasion to mundane commutes and also served
a\RYRcNaR`]RPVNYRcR[a`dVaUVa`]_R`R[PR@aNß
RQVa\_2_VP@aNß\_QR[YV`aRQaUR2!"N`]N_a\S
N]YN[a\]_\]\`Ra\UV``VT[V¼PN[a\aUR_9NaR_
research editor Beth Nichols made sure to
secure the keys to the wagon for her own wed-
ding. That’s true love.
Our long-term evaluations are, at their core,
a test of whether that new-car shine holds up
\_QbYY`\cR_aVZR<b_NßRPaV\[S\_aUR2PYN``
wagon only grew the more time we spent with it.
This is one of the few times you’ll catch us saying
that 40,000 miles wasn’t enough.
MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER
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 THE RUNDOWN
An expert look at the newest and most important vehicles this month.
Ask your doctor if Seltos is
right for you (see page 76).
2 02 0 L A N D R OV E R D E F E N D E R ~ BY DAV E VA N D E R W E R P
Iconography
The off-road legend returns as a refined and
practical—but still tough—SUV.
Trailed by a mile-long wake of dust, the Land Rover
Defender cuts an unmistakable silhouette across
the African landscape. Land Rover brought us
UR_R±a\;NZVOVN`]RPV¼PNYYfObaNY`\QV_RPaYfV[a\
the Technicolor wanderings of a brand marketing
manager’s wildest dream—to put the new Defender
a\d\_X\[_\bTUYf"ZVYR`\SdVYQR_[R``_\PXf
passes, sand, gravel, mud, and muck. And so work
dRQVQ@NdNOb[PU\STV_NßR`a\\
AURZ\QRYV`aUR¼_`a1RSR[QR_a\OR`\YQ
V[aURB@`V[PR&&$6a_RaNV[`aUR&N[QQR`-
I L LUST RAT I O N BY MA RT I N L A KS MA N
CA R AN D DR IV E R ~ M AY 2020
ignations of its predecessor, but the
[bZOR_` [\ Y\[TR_ RcR[ _RZ\aRYf
correspond to the wheelbase length.
A\QNfμ`@BC`N_RYN_TRN[QN fRN_
hiatus didn’t make the Defender
immune to growth. The two-door
1RSR[QR_ & [\d UN` N dURRYON`R
that’s longer than its name implies
dUVYR aUR S\b_Q\\_ μ` dURRYON`R
`]N[` & V[PUR` .a YRN`a aUR Rea_N YR[TaU
V` ]ba a\ T\\Q b`R( aUR ` UNcR N TR[R_\b`Yf
_\\Zf `RP\[Q _\d N[Q N[ NcNVYNOYR aUV_Q 6S
¼cR`RNa`N_Ra\\SRdN[Q`RcR[a\\ZN[f9N[Q
?\cR_NYY\d`f\ba\`]YVaaURQVßR_R[PRdVaUN[
optional front jump seat in two-row Defenders.
AUR  `aN_a` Na "&" N[Q dVYY N__VcR aUV`
`]_V[TN[QaUR&YN[Q`NSRdZ\[aU`YNaR_N[Q
will sticker for a couple grand less.
=YR[af\S1RSR[QR_`afYV[TPbR`N_R]_R`R[a
on the new one. It shares its forebear’s char-
Despite new unibody
construction and an
independent suspension at
each end, the Defender still
runs, bashes, and crawls
with confidence.
73
 the numbers
Vehicle Type: front-engine; 4-wheel-drive; 5-, 6-,
or 7-passenger; 2- or 4-door wagon
Base (C/D est) ....................... $47,000–$50,925
Engine: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC
16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4, 296 hp, 295 lb-ft;
turbocharged, supercharged, and intercooled
DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter inline-6, 395 hp, 406 lb-ft
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Dimensions
• Wheelbase ................................................ 101.9–119.0 in
• L/W/H .......................... 180.4–197.6/78.6/77.4–77.5 in
• Curb Weight .......................................... 4850–5200 lb
Performance (C/D est)
• 60 mph .......................................................... 5.7–7.6 sec
• 1/4-Mile ..................................................... 14.2–15.9 sec
• Top Speed .................................................. 119–129 mph
EPA Fuel Economy (C/D est)
• Comb/City/Hwy ................. 19–20/17–18/23–24 mpg

`b`]R[`V\[ \[ O\aU R[Q` 9R`a f\b aUV[X aUV`

9N[Q?\cR_UN`T\[R`\SaU\dRcR_X[\daUNa
N ad\`]RRQ a_N[`SR_ PN`R V` `aN[QN_Q N[Q Va`
T_\b[QPYRN_N[PRN[QQR]N_ab_RN[TYR±aUN[X`
a\aURURVTUaNQWb`aNOYRNV_`]_V[T`±RePRRQVa`
predecessor’s and the Jeep Wrangler’s. Engine
\]aV\[`N_RN&#U]ab_O\PUN_TRQS\b_N[QN
&"U]V[YV[R`VeO\aU\SdUVPUSN_\baTb[aUR
]_RcV\b`Z\QRYμ`/bVPXQR_VcRQ%U]C%
On the often brutal washboard roads we
encountered, the Defender’s beefy structure
proved itself. Even with a cacophony of impacts
resonating through the cabin and one side of the
`RP\[Q_\dOR[PUcV\YR[aYf_NaaYV[TV[Va`YNaPU
there’s only a modest buzz coming through the
steering column and driver’s seat. Ride control
NPaR_V`aVPObYTV[TUV]YV[RaUNaQR¼[R`aUR Hold this page up to V`RePRYYR[a(`b¦PVR[aYfP\Z]YVN[aaUR`b`]R[
lower and upper parts of the body, and the a mirror to see what `V\[`\NX`b]aURXV[Q\S[N`afYbZ]`aUNa`]_\ba
the Defender’s cabin
roof has portal windows on its rear edges. will look like here. The from ungroomed dirt roads while never feel
Kudos to Land Rover for the available steel panel on either side V[Ta\\`\Sa\_dNYY\df.[QaUR`RNa`N_R¼_Z
dURRY`aUNa`Ra\ßaUR_Ra_\V[`]V_RQY\\X of the touchscreen is R[\bTUS\_NYYQNfP\ZS\_aObaS\_TVcV[TR[\bTU
actually one face of a
Emissions are critical now, so the previously structural beam. when bashing about. Some of the credit for the
OYbßO\Qf`VQR`UNcRN`bOaYRaN]R_a\dN_Q `\YVQ`a_bPab_RT\R`a\aURRe]\`RQZNT[R`VbZ
the rear to improve aerodynamics. But beam that spans the dash. By not enclosing it
[\aUV[Ta\bTUR[`b]aURY\\XN[QQ_Nd`VaPY\`R_a\Va` ORUV[Q N ]N[RY 9N[Q ?\cR_ ZNQR Va` b[¼[V`URQ Y\\X N[
predecessor than a generous coat of mud. V[aR_V\_QR`VT[RYRZR[aN[QS_RRQb]`\ZR`]NPRS\_`a\_NTR
What’s underneath the new Defender is a complete [\\X`NP_\``aURS_\[a\SaURPNOV[
QR]N_ab_RS_\ZaUR\_VTV[NYO\Qf\[S_NZR`aVPXNeYR AUNadRRe]R_VR[PRQNSRdZ\`aYfRYRPa_VPNYTYVaPUR`\[
setup. Built on a unibody, the 2020 has an independent these preproduction vehicles wasn’t nearly as surprising as

HOW THE NEW DEFENDER MEASURES UP

2020 Land Rover Defender 90 1997 Land Rover Defender 90 2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
I LLU ST RAT IO N S BY P E T E S U CH ES K I
35.4 in

30.0 in
20.0 in

38° 31° 40° 51° 34° 36° 44° 27.8° 37°

101.9 in 11.5 in 92.9 in 9.0 in 96.9 in 10.8 in

74 THE RUNDOWN MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

the elephant we found snacking on a tree near a river- which includes, among other things, the aforementioned
bed. Most of the warning lights were extinguished by a roof rack, a waterproof lockable box hanging on the right
`VZ]YR_R`aN_aDN`UR_½bVQ]\b_RQS_\ZaUR_R`R_c\V_ side, and an intake snorkel on the A-pillar.
on a particularly steep decline, but Land Rover promises /ba`\ZR\SaUR1RSR[QR_μ`Z\QR_[VgNaV\[V`[μadRYP\ZR
NORaaR_`RNYV[TPN]dVYY¼eaUR]_\OYRZ AURO_NXR]RQNYV``\YVTUaN[QYNPXV[TV[SRRY±Vaμ`NO_NXR
Inside and out, the Defender comes loaded with tech. OfdV_R`f`aRZ±aUNaVaμ`QV¦PbYaa\Z\QbYNaRAURaU_\aaYR
A bevy of cameras provides views tailored for on-road, has the opposite problem; its languid response on six-cylin-
\ß_\NQ\_U\\XV[Tb]Na_NVYR_=Yb`aUR_Rμ`NPNZR_N QR_Z\QRY`V`Na\QQ`dVaUaURR[TV[Rμ`Y\d`]RRQRYRPa_VP
feed for the rearview mirror, and the ultrasonic sensors N``V`aDRμcRS\b[Q\aUR_cRUVPYR`dVaUaUV`R[TV[R`VZVYN_Yf
on the bottom of the side mirrors can measure water `RQNaRaU\bTU]N_a\SaUR1RSR[QR_μ`]_\OYRZV`aURa_N[`-
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tecture is new to the brand and can update over the system allows for some modest pitching and catching, but
air. Two separate modems ensure that software can be even in its most reduced setting, it quickly quells the serious
Q\d[Y\NQRQdVaU\baNßRPaV[T`a_RNZV[TZb`VP\_QNaN `VQRdNf`NPaV\[`\ZRaVZR`[RRQRQdUVYR\ß_\NQV[T
½\dV[Ta\DV3VP\[[RPaRQQRcVPR` While Defender loyalists might equate discomfort with
The electrical overhaul includes a new infotainment PN]NOVYVafaUR[RdbaRUN``bO`aN[aVNY\ß_\NQPU\]`fRa
`f`aRZ_b[[V[T\[/YNPX/R__fμ`>;E]YNa- will likely delight someone who never leaves
form, and it appears to deliver on the prom- aUR]NcRZR[aAUNaμ`Z\`aQ_VcR_`AURfμYYObf
ise of quicker responses and a more stream- The Defender looked VaORPNb`RVaμ`P\\YR_Y\\XV[TaUN[aUR`VZVYN_Yf
the part in press-
lined path to its many features. Land Rover launch safari spec with priced Land Rover Discovery as well as what-
PNYY`Va=VcV=_\dUVPU`\b[Q``VZVYN_ObaV` its optional bolt-ons RcR_Vaμ`]N_XRQ[Reaa\Na`\PPR_]_NPaVPRN[Q
not at all like what we took to calling “privy and steel wheels, but because it encourages the fantasy of a faraway
Land Rover will happily
]_\³ N ZN[RbcR_ aUNa R[aNVY` UN[TV[T \ß build versions for the trek. That strikes us as a successful balancing
aUR1RSR[QR_μ`_RN_a\dU\\X`a\]R_SRPaN concrete jungle, too. NPaS\_aUR1RSR[QR_μ`_RcVcNY
squatting posture when faced with a non-
negotiable call to action in the great out-
doors. At least it gave us a reason to use the
`U\cRYdRμQORR[SR__fV[T\[\b__\\S_NPX
Which reminds us: Our cars also had the
$780 fold-down ladder to make reaching
the roof a cinch; it is available on models
equipped with the $4800 Explorer pack,

75
 the numbers
Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive,
5-passenger, 4-door wagon
Base/As Tested ............... $29,010/$29,485
Engine: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC
16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head,
direct fuel injection
Displacement ............................. 97 in3, 1591 cm3
Power ...................................... 175 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque ................................. 195 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic
Dimensions
• Wheelbase ................................................ 103.5 in
• L/W/H ..................................... 172.0/70.9/64.2 in
• Curb Weight .............................................. 3271 lb

test RESULTS
Rollout, 1 ft ................................................. 0.4 sec
60 mph ........................................................... 6.6 sec
100 mph ....................................................... 19.5 sec
2 02 1 K I A S E LT O S S X AW D ~ BY M I K E S U T T O N 120 mph ...................................................... 40.0 sec
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph ........................ 7.0 sec
Car names 1/4-Mile .................................... 15.3 sec @ 91 mph

Segment Slicer reimagined as

prescription
Top Speed (C/D est) .............................. 125 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph ..................................... 160 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ............... 0.84 g
Highs: Solid value, secure manners, drugs EPA Fuel Economy
attractive and spacious interior. • Comb/City/Hwy ........................ 27/25/30 mpg
C/D Fuel Economy
Lows: CVT and base engine combo is • Observed ................................................... 21 mpg
uncouth, another crossover. Seltos • 75-mph Hwy Driving ............................ 30 mpg
Nicotine withdrawal • Hwy Range ................................................ 390 mi

The Telluride’s goodness has created high Elantra The Seltos isn’t a performance SUV, but
Re]RPaNaV\[` S\_ N[faUV[T [Rd S_\Z 8VN Moderate it exhibits secure composure and admira-
ornithophobia
@\Vaμ`dVaUaU\`RY\SafRe]RPaNaV\[`aUNadR ble polish for its price point. Its suspension
N]]_\NPUaURO_N[Qμ`[Rd@RYa\`@VaaV[T\[ \ßR_` aNba O\Qf P\[a_\Y dVaU\ba P\Z]_\-
aURO\_QR_ORadRR[`bOP\Z]NPaN[QP\Z- mising ride comfort. The steering is precise;
]NPaaUR@RYa\`RQTR`Va`dNfV[a\aURYV[Rb] Levante P\ZOV[RQdVaUO_NXRON`RQa\_^bRcRPa\_-
Erectile dysfunction
V[ aUR dNSR_aUV[ `Y\a ORY\d aUR @]\_aNTR V[TVaTVcR`aUV`8VN`b_]_V`V[TNTVYVafN[Q
N[Q;V_\N[QNO\cRaUR@\bY P\[a_\YdVaU\baVaSRRYV[TQN_af.YYdURRY
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of the Telluride’s class-climbing excellence. Acute paruresis 6[`VQR aUR @RYa\` UN` `b]]\_aVcR S_\[a
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ON`RR[TV[RV`_NaRQNa&Z]TdVaUNYYdURRYQ_VcR cRUVPYRV[aUR`ZNYY@BCPYN``

76 THE RUNDOWN PH OTOGRA PH BY M IC HA E L SIM ARI ~ MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

2 02 1 M E R C E D E S -A M G G L E 6 3 S ~ B Y S C O T T O L D H A M
It’s the Business
Highs: Ride and handling done right, stonking acceleration.
Lows: Heavier and less involving than a similarly capable
car—sometimes we find ourselves yelling at a cloud.
AMG’s first hot-rod SUV arrived in
1999, when the company dropped a
5.4-liter V-8 into the body-on-frame
ML and dubbed it the ML55. Two
decades later, many family sedans
are quicker than that 342-hp brute,
but it proved to Mercedes that there
was a big audience for a perform-
ance SUV. How big? Of the more
than 30,000 AMGs sold annually,
half are utes. While the name has
changed, the GLE63 S is the descen-
dant of the original AMG SUV.
To get 5571 pounds of SUV to
perform requires a lot of power. To
ZNXRaUNa]\dR_.:4`abß`%&
psi of boost down the throat of a 4.0-
liter V-8 and out comes 603 horses
and 627 pound-feet of torque—26
and 66 more, respectively, than this
GLE’s predecessor. To ensure that
there’s power in the brief moments
when the two turbochargers in the
engine’s V are snoozing, an electric
motor between the engine and the
nine-speed automatic transmission
can apply up to 21 horsepower and
%! ]\b[QSRRa \S a\_^bR Wb`a \ß
78 THE RUNDOWN
the numbers
Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-
drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
Base/As Tested .... $114,945/$133,660
Engine: twin-turbocharged and
intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8,
aluminum block and heads, direct fuel
injection
Displacement ............... 243 in3, 3982 cm3
Power ........................... 603 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque ...................... 627 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Dimensions
• Wheelbase ....................................... 117.9 in
• L/W/H .......................... 195.0/79.4/70.2 in
• Curb Weight .................................... 5571 lb
test RESULTS
Rollout, 1 ft ....................................... 0.2 sec
60 mph ................................................. 3.2 sec
100 mph ............................................... 8.1 sec
130 mph ............................................. 14.5 sec
150 mph ............................................. 21.4 sec
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph ............. 4.6 sec
1/4-Mile ......................... 11.6 sec @ 118 mph
Top Speed (mfr’s claim) ............. 174 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph ........................... 158 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ..... 0.90 g
EPA Fuel Economy (C/D est)
• Comb/City/Hwy ................ 17/15/20 mpg
C/D Fuel Economy
• Observed ......................................... 16 mpg
idle, during gearchanges, and in a
handful of other situations.
To get this SUV to handle, AMG
throws every trick at it. The engine is
cinched down with dynamic mounts
aUNa `aVßR[ a\ VZ]_\cR PUN``V`
_R½ReR`N[Q`\SaR[a\V`\YNaRcVO_N-
tions. And there are adjustable air
springs and dampers, a rear-biased
all-wheel-drive system with an elec-
tronically controlled limited-slip
_RN_ QVßR_R[aVNY N[Q .PaVcR ?VQR
Control to counteract body roll.
You feel that traction in your
inner ear when the GLE63 S leaps to
60 mph in 3.2 seconds; the quarter-
mile takes 11.6 seconds and 118 mph.
Mercedes claims the ute can hit 174
mph; that’s 3 mph less than the top
speed of its closest competitor, the
BMW X5 M Competition. The Ger-
man rivals also are closely matched
on price. When the AMG goes on
sale this summer, it will have a base
price of $114,945, just $150 less than
the BMW. We should mention that
the Jeep Grand Cherokee Track-
hawk costs about $88,000 and hits
60 mph in 3.4 seconds.
Although the GLE’s ride is
plush in Comfort mode, it gets a bit
½\Naf dUR[ f\b `aN_a a\ ]YNf dVaU
the accelerator and steering. Body
P\[a_\Y V` RePRYYR[a V[ aUR Z\_R
aggressive drive modes and the ride
never becomes brittle, even on the
optional 22-inch wheels and Yoko-
hama Advan Sport V107 summer
tires (21-inchers are standard).
2eaR_V\_ UVTUYVTUa` V[PYbQR aUR
usual AMG bits such as vertical grille
slats, an angry-looking front bumper
dVaUYN_TRNV_V[aNXR`½N_RQSR[QR_
N_PUR` N[Q N SNbe _RN_ QVßb`R_ 6S
you want a less suburban look and
less cargo space, wait for the GLE
coupe that will be here soon.
The GLE63 S continues the ero-
sion of our long-standing belief that
N`]\_a@BCV`N[\efZ\_\[ARPU-
nology and power have mitigated
much of the absurdity of a heavy and
high-riding performance vehicle.
Buyers have been more open to per-
formance SUVs than us , though, and
aUR]\dR_N[Q_R¼[RZR[a\S.:4μ`
latest GLE ensures the soundness
of a business case established some
20 years ago.
MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER
 the numbers
Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive,
5-passenger, 4-door wagon
Base ............................. $106,095–$115,095
Engine: twin-turbocharged and intercooled
DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and
heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement ......................... 268 in3, 4395 cm3
Power ........................ 600 or 617 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque ................................. 553 lb-ft @ 1800 rpm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Dimensions
• Wheelbase ................................................. 117.0 in
• L/W/H ..................................... 195.0/79.3/68.9 in
• Curb Weight ............................................. 5450 lb
Performance (C/D est)
• 60 mph ................................................ 3.6–3.7 sec
• 100 mph .............................................. 9.0–9.1 sec
• 1/4-Mile ............................................ 12.0–12.1 sec
2 02 0 B M W X 5 M ~ BY R I C H C E P P O S • Top Speed ........................................ 155–177 mph
EPA Fuel Economy
• Comb/City/Hwy ........................... 15/13/18 mpg

Nonsense and Sensibility

A deeply wonderful and completely irrational Bimmer. Given the X5 M’s height and rather
numb steering, whipping down twisty
roads initially feels like an act of faith in
the Michelin man. But once you adjust, this
If you’re going to drive something absurd, why not just go for it? A luxury model beast is easy to manage, even at velocities
is a departure from pragmatism, so what does that make the redesigned that leave your passengers fearing for their
BMW X5 M, a mid-size SUV with nearly double the horsepower of the YVcR`AURE":μ`V_\[¼`aRQ]NcRZR[aT_V]
entry X5 for almost twice the price? Completely nonsensical, that’s what. P\ZR`NaaUR]_VPR\SN`aVß_VQRRcR[dVaU
With a height of 68.9 inches and weighing roughly 5450 pounds, the its dampers in Comfort mode. Such abrupt
X5 M should be too tall and too heavy to be a serious driver’s machine. impacts might be too jarring on the broken
It casts a big shadow, but it barely has more cargo room behind its front roads of the freeze-thaw states.
seats than the much lighter and lower-riding 5-series wagon. That’s not The world’s thirst for crossovers shows
really a relevant comparison, though, since BMW doesn’t sell that car in no signs of being satiated, so wrapping one
the U.S. So here we are. Starting at $106,095, the X5 M comes with a 600- in a racing suit and giving it the power to
hp twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 that can be bumped to 617 horses with the delight sports-car lovers seems rational.
$9000 Competition upgrade. There. Is that irrational enough for you? And while the X5 M is a highly irrational pur-
If not, BMW also makes an even less practical version it calls the X6 M. chase, it’s that unbridled excess that makes
Very rational engineers have been working hard at the margins of this BMW so darn compelling.
physics to make these beasts capable of feats that were
once the domain of sports cars. If BMW’s 60-mph claim
of 3.7 seconds is accurate, we’d say they succeeded. That
number might actually be conservative. The last-gen
X5 M managed it in 3.8 with 567 horsepower. With the
2020’s extra power and 553 pound-feet of torque, which is
harnessed by the silky ZF eight-speed automatic and rear-
biased all-wheel-drive system, this hot-rod X5 launches
from rest like the Road Runner ditching Wile E. Coyote.
Not surprisingly, BMW’s M division reworked the
X5’s chassis to handle this unholy rush of speed. Active
anti-roll bars, adaptive dampers, and massive Michelin
Pilot Sport 4S summer tires—size 295/35ZR-21 in front,
315/35ZR-21 in the rear—enable it to bite into corners with
sports-car-like ferocity.

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Host DAN ABRAMS and analysts TOM MORRIS JR. and Sergeant SEAN ‘STICKS’ LARKIN
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Silver Trend Chart: Prices based on monthly
M J A Se more competition. Secure yours now!
averages. ©2020, AMS
2020 American Eagle Silver Dollar BU
1-4 Coins - $22.75 ea + s/h
The Last of Their Kind 5-9 Coins - $22.60 ea + s/h
Each Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) U.S. 10-19 Coins - $22.45 ea + FREE SHIPPING
Silver Dollar contains one Troy ounce 20+ Coins - $22.20 ea + FREE SHIPPING
of U.S. silver, struck in 99.9% fineness.
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they’re about to change. The U.S. Mint valid on previous purchases.
has announced that the reverse design
Call today toll-free for fastest service
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212-649-4204, 9am-5pm EST
 . . . AND ONE WORTH GIVING UP ON
IT’S TIME TO ADMIT THAT THE MODERN EL CAMINO
THAT ALMOST WAS, NEVER WILL BE.
If Lao Tzu and the 1988 Pontiac Fiero GT
are right that the flame that burns twice
as bright burns half as long, how brightly
must the flame burn that is extinguished
before it even ignites? As General Motors
stumbled into the Great Recession, Pon-
tiac revived the Chevrolet El Camino,
introducing the G8 ST (for “sport truck”)
at the 2008 New York auto show. Shar-
ing its powertrain with the G8 GT, the ST
combined 361 horsepower, a six-speed
automatic, and a lightly loaded rear axle.
Visions of oversteer danced in our heads.
GM intended to make the ST by rebadg-
ing one of its Australia-market models, the
ungracefully named Holden Ute, which
took the front half of a Commodore sedan
(sold in the U.S. as the G8) and married
it to a short pickup bed. In Australia, the
things were so popular, there was a racing
series in which they battled against Ford
Falcon Utes, the Ranchero of its day.
84
Performance wasn’t limited to the
track, though. While GM’s LS engine family
was Hulking into ever more muscular deriv-
atives here, the same engines kept ending ARE YOU
up in Utes Down Under. Dubbed Maloo, after S TILL HERE ?
an aboriginal word for “thunder,” perform- —
ance editions topped out at 583 horse- Fine. We’ll let you in on
power in the Holden Special Vehicles GTSR. a secret. You actually can
But on our shores, none of it was to get a G8 ST or a Holden
be. Less than a year after the G8 ST’s Ute in the U.S. after all.
debut, Pontiac called off the plan as part The folks at Left Hand Utes
of a desperate restructuring. Just three in Colorado import the
months later, GM announced it would pull trucks from Australia,
the plug on the entire Pontiac brand. The strip them down, and then
unreasonably optimistic might have held rebuild them using just
out hope for the return of the sport truck enough parts from a
as a spinoff of the Chevrolet SS, but then Chevy SS or Caprice or
the Ute died as Holden shuttered its Aus- a Pontiac G8 or GTO so
tralian manufacturing facility in 2017. And that they can be titled and
GM announced in February that it will dis- registered in the states.
continue the Holden brand altogether. So Prices range from
really, you can stop waiting. —Jared Gall $35,000 to $125,000.
IL LUST RAT ION BY ANDY POT TS ~ MAY 2020 ~ CAR A ND D R IV ER
 PREPARED BY MICHELIN-STARRED CHEF
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8.14.20 — 7:30 PM
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