Evelyn Reynolds

A memorable entrance can forgive a multitude of sins, including lateness. Consider the Genesis GV70, which is the latest mid-size SUV to arrive in the crowded and competitive mid-size luxury SUV segment. With measurements, performance, and pricing that are within a decimal point or two of the competition, the GV70 stands out with a dazzling sense of style and a fastidious attention to the details that define luxury.Mechanically, the GV70 borrows liberally from its G70 platform-mate. All four corners enjoy the same multilink setup, albeit with different tuning and the wheelbase it extended slightly to increase interior volume. Power is courtesy of either a 2.5-liter turbo-four or a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6, both connect to an eight-speed automatic. While no rear-wheel-drive version is offered, the all-wheel-drive system has a rear-axle bias and is capable of sending 100 percent of the torque to the rear wheels should the need arise. An optional electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential can further help put the power to the pavement.
Our test drive was limited to the top-shelf 3.5T Sport Prestige trim. While we didn’t make use of the optional differential to swing the tail wide, we did find ourselves hammering through the extremely tight and twisty canyon roads just east of Malibu. Sport Plus drive mode increases steering effort, amps up the powertrain, and stiffens the adaptive dampers, giving the GV70 the impression of a credible performer. The 375-hp V-6 proved quite willing, but the chassis and all-season tires are happier coddling passengers than they are cornering at the limit. Granted, not many GV70 owners will use their two-row SUV to carve canyons. Perhaps even fewer will take advantage of the GV70’s launch-control feature, which we find to be a curious addition to such a luxurious vehicle. It requires you to disable stability control and activate Sport or Sport Plus mode, but the GV70’s automatic transmission has a torque convertor, so it can’t engage in the high-rpm clutch dump shenanigans of a dual-clutch automatic. Perhaps frustrated shoppers will find it handy during the busy holiday season when there’s only one spot remaining at the far end of a parking lot. Use it and we’d estimate that the 300-hp four-cylinder will hit 60 in just less than 6.0 seconds; the six will dispatch with that mark right around 5.0 seconds. Towing capacity comes in at a low 3500 pounds, and the ground clearance measures 7.3 inches. As with the tow rating, the ground clearance will be enough for most casual adventures.
This is just as well because the GV70 is much happier tracing the gentle curves of the Pacific Coast Highway. Freed of high-g-force shenanigans and dialed back to Normal mode, the cabin is hushed and the V-6 purrs along. A congested stretch of road is a good opportunity to try out the smart cruise control. The system is clever enough to adjust acceleration response and following distance based on how the GV70 has been recently driven. Aggressive driving yields semi-aggressive reactions to traffic, so on its own the system selects the smallest gap between us and the car in front. The exterior pulls off muscular and elegant and is perhaps the best rendition we’ve seen of the Genesis design language first introduced on the 2020 G90. The crosshatch theme of the prominent grille is echoed inside and out, with the pattern found in the knurling of the glass rotary shift knob, across the rear valance, and embossed in the wheel spokes. Sport models feature larger and more aggressive air intakes up front, while the rear exhaust pipes look big enough to conceal a watermelon or two. In what seems a flattering nod to the Porsche Macan, the hatch release is neatly integrated into the base of the rear wiper.
The interior carries on a similar theme, with lots of swoopy, flowing lines across the cabin. The tapered forms and bold use of brightwork remind us of peak ’60s American car design. And while most competitors offer only a few interior color choices, the GV70 has seven, including a rather alluring two-tone blue and green color scheme. Genesis also offers 13 exterior paints.As much as we enjoyed the interior design and materials, the eternal battle between form and function has not reached a peace. The curve of the door panel intersects awkwardly with the armrest, leaving your elbow unhappy. And while the aforementioned shift knob is a tactile delight, it sits just ahead of the identically sized infotainment control wheel. More than once we conflated the two dials, accidentally switching radio stations instead of shifting into Drive. Rear-seat space is a little tight in legroom, but the cargo area is slightly larger than some competitors.
Minor ergonomic gripes aside, the GV70 nails the phone-mirroring and infotainment tests that every modern car has to face. Cloud-connected services make real-time navigation routing and dynamic voice recognition possible. Our GV70 had no problems with our spoken request to open or close the windows, though it refused to budge the sunroof in either direction. Genesis also provides owners the ability to store things such as seating positions and radio stations to individual profiles, but even though these are also stored in the cloud, they can’t yet be transferred from one Genesis to another a la BMW. Over-the-air updates will likely expand these capabilities in the future. An industry-first fingerprint reader located on the dash can be used in place of a key. It can also summon driver profiles and activate the valet mode. In typical upstart style, the GV70’s $42,045 base price undercuts key competitors like the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 while offering more standard features. At the opposite end of the spectrum, a 3.5T starts at $53,645 and is equipped to do battle with the equally powerful but more expensive Mercedes-Benz GLC43 and Audi SQ5. While the swank duds and solid performance will certainly get it noticed, Genesis knows that a solid value is what will help the new brand find buyers.

Specifications

Specifications
2022 Genesis GV70Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base: Standard, $42,045; 3.5T Sport, $53,645
ENGINES
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.5-liter inline-4, 300 hp, 311 lb-ft; twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.5-liter V-6, 375 hp, 391 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 113.2 inLength: 185.6 inWidth: 75.2 inHeight: 64.2 inPassenger Volume: 104 ft3Cargo Volume: 29 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 4200–4600 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 4.9–5.6 sec100 mph: 13.4–15.5 sec1/4-Mile: 13.6–14.0 secTop Speed: 150 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 21–24/19–22/25–28 mpg

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Bentley has already said that its future will be fully electric as soon as 2030. But the British brand’s first electrified product, the new Bentayga hybrid SUV, is a rather small first step toward that goal, one that smoothly combines a modest amount of electric power and range with a turbocharged V-6 that runs on old-fashioned liquid hydrocarbons.Despite its name, the Bentayga hybrid is actually a plug-in. It employs a 335-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 with a 126-hp electric motor sandwiched between the engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Combined output is 443 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. In the Bentayga’s EV-only mode, the powertrain can decouple the V-6 to power the car by electrons alone, although it won’t be able to do so for very long: The EPA range in EV mode is just 18 miles, with a combined estimate of 46 MPGe.

While related to the powertrain in the Audi Q7 and Q8 TFSI 60 e quattro models that are sold in other markets, Bentley’s version lacks the ability to fully recharge its 13.0-kWh battery on the move. Once the pack is depleted the Bentayga effectively becomes a conventional hybrid, and the company says sufficient charge is always maintained to allow for full performance when needed. The hybrid also includes a Hold mode that keeps the battery charged for later use. But buyers will need to be diligent about plugging in to realize any benefit from the added electrons.The regular Bentayga is no lightweight, and the additional mass of the hybrid’s 463-pound battery beneath its cargo floor should make it the heaviest setup at an estimated 6000 pounds. Unsurprisingly, it also should be the least swift, as we’re predicting a 4.5-second 60-mph time. For reference, the next-rung-up V-8 model gets to 60 in a mere 3.3 seconds. Bentley says the hybrid is good for 158 mph.
The hybrid’s visual changes versus the V-8- and W-12-powered versions are limited. There are small Hybrid badges on the doors, plus a charge port on the left rear fender. Inside, an electric drive mode switch has been integrated into the center console, and the driver information displays incorporate new readouts for the powertrain’s status. Overall finish is as sumptuous as in any other Bentayga, especially in the full-bells-and-whistles First Edition version that we drove in England. As you’d expect, the hybrid moves leisurely in its electric mode. There is also the strange sensation of the transmission changing gears. Acceleration feels respectable at urban speeds, but it would take a lot of road and patience to confirm the EV Drive mode’s claimed 84-mph top speed. The accelerator has a haptic function that stiffens the pedal’s movement to indicate when the electric motor is giving its all, but it is easy to press beyond this (and summon the V-6 to life) when trying to merge into faster-moving traffic.

Hybrid mode makes smarter use of the powertrain’s electric assistance, although you do have to selected it every time the car starts in its default EV setting. In Hybrid mode, the Bentayga still prioritizes running under electric power at lower speeds as long as the battery is sufficiently charged, yet it starts the gas engine whenever more speed is required. This isn’t an instantaneous process; it takes around a second from requesting full acceleration for the engine to fire and start pulling. But at the more casual pace that better suits this luxury SUV, the engine cuts in and out almost imperceptibly and, once both sides of the powertrain are pulling, straight-line performance feels strong. The V-6 is appropriately muted at lower speeds but emits a muscular hum when worked toward its 6500-rpm redline. Although the Bentayga hybrid does recuperate energy via regenerative braking, it’s a behind-the-scenes affair that results in very gentle slowing when you let off the accelerator in the Bentley and Comfort drive modes.
The Bentayga’s standard air springs coped well with the hybrid’s extra mass over southern England’s undulating roads, delivering a comfortable yet controlled ride. Lacking the 48-volt active anti-roll bars available in sportier Bentaygas, the hybrid leans a bit under moderate cornering loads, and the light, numb steering gives little encouragement to push hard down twisty two-lanes. Combined with its exemplary cabin refinement, this Bentley is far happier cruising than carving corners. Yet it is hard to ignore the performance potential of an electrified powertrain. Witness the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid—a 5623-pound hulk of an SUV that can get to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds—and we soon expect to see even more powerful V-8 hybrids from Mercedes-AMG. In the real world, we doubt many buyers will be choosing Bentley’s first hybrid to reduce their fuel bills. (As we’ve previously reported, the V-8 model earns better EPA numbers at highway speeds.) But what the Bentayga hybrid—and the 536-hp Flying Spur hybrid sedan that will follow it later this year—does show, on behalf of both the company and the likely small cohort of customers who will be drawn to it, is a willingness to change. Every journey has to begin with a first step.

Specifications

Specifications
2021 Bentley Bentayga HybridVehicle Type: front-engine, front-motor, all-wheel-drive, 4 or 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base: $162,725
POWERTRAIN
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter V-6, 335 hp, 332 lb-ft + permanent-magnet synchronous AC motor, 126 hp, 258 lb-ft (combined output: 443 hp, 516 lb-ft; 13.0-kWh lithium-ion battery pack; 7.2-kW onboard charger)Transmission: 8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 117.9 inLength: 201.8 inWidth: 78.7 inHeight: 68.7 inPassenger Volume: 109 ft3Cargo Volume: 17 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 6000 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 4.5 sec100 mph: 11.1 sec1/4-Mile: 13.2 secTop Speed: 158 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 19/17/21 mpgCombined Gasoline + Electricity: 46 MPGeEV Range: 18 mi

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Setting Nürburgring lap records in utility vehicles used to be the province of the well-funded but perpetually silly—on shows like Top Gear, for instance. Instead of strapping the late, great Sabine Schmitz into a Ford Transit, Porsche has gone even further this time by strapping the brand’s most powerful V-8 into the 2022 Cayenne Turbo GT, and the new “SUV, off-road vehicle, van, or pickup” record holder arrives in the United States early next year.While a 7:38.9-second Nordschleife lap time is a lofty achievement for any vehicle, it’s pushing the limits of our current understanding of physics for a street-legal, 5000-pound SUV. Powering the Cayenne Turbo GT’s exploration of the theoretical envelope is a 631-hp, twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine rated at 626 pound-feet of torque with a maximum engine speed of 6800 rpm, backed by Porsche’s familiar ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission.

In fact, transparency is the theme with the Cayenne Turbo GT. All of the things that are happening are being orchestrated by a great many systems working in concert behind the scenes, but in such a way that it seems as if it’s happening instantaneously and at the sole behest of your fingertips and toes. It’s not that any one of the systems in this bonkers Cayenne is so mind-blowing that it resets the benchmark. It’s the way they all work together in concert that does. Front and center in the dynamic show is the very distinctly rear-biased all-wheel-drive system. The Turbo GT-specific setup is capable of sending the same maximum torque to the front axle as the Cayenne Turbo Coupe, but it can do so more quickly and more often, thanks in part to a liquid-cooled transfer case, which was added specifically for track-use robustness, Porsche says.
Track use? Well, yes, and not just for marketing-stunt record laps either. With its XXL pizza-sized brake rotors (17.3 inches in front, 16.1 inches in the rear) in the grip of 10-piston front and four-piston rear calipers, the Cayenne Turbo GT stops as hard as you dare and considerably more quickly than you’d think. But it’s not all brute force and sheer brawn. This is a Porsche, after all. There must be some sophistication.There is, and it lies in the very last place one might look for it in any SUV, performance or otherwise: the steering wheel. Or perhaps it’s the interrelation of the steering wheel and the staggered bespoke Pirelli P Zero Corsa gumballs size 285/35R-22 front and 315/30R-22 rear wrapped around immense 22-inch wheels measuring 10.5 inches wide in the front and 11.5 inches at the rear. Whatever the origin, the fact is that the Cayenne Turbo GT’s steering is revelatory for an SUV. It’s light, almost like Porsche’s mid- and rear-engine cars, despite the great honking V-8 hung out front; it’s tactile to the point that you can actually sense the subtle changes of surface texture in the road; and yet it’s not so full of vibration that it shakes your hands numb in 10 minutes.
Once you’ve fired up the engine and taken a few rips, tested the brakes, and felt your way through your first few apexes, the next thing you’re likely to notice is just how good four-wheel-steering has become, delivering a nimbleness that belies the Turbo GT’s 113.9-inch wheelbase and 194.6-inch overall length. With multilink suspension at all four corners and a ride height 0.7 inch lower than in a Cayenne Turbo Coupe, the Turbo GT manages body roll extremely well, aided by the active anti-roll bars of Porsche’s Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) system.Porsche being Porsche, the damping profile has also been modified for the Turbo GT. Surprisingly, however, no additional body reinforcements or structural enhancements were necessary to reach the Cayenne Turbo GT’s performance targets. The weight-saving carbon-fiber roof is the only difference from a standard Cayenne Turbo Coupe’s body in white.
Speaking of weight savings, there’s a titanium exhaust running from just behind the catalytic converters down the center of the Turbo GT’s underside to a pair of center-exit tips that turn a gorgeous shade of blue after they’ve gotten good and hot once or twice. Porsche claims this saves approximately 40 pounds compared to the already high-performance exhaust of the Cayenne Turbo Coupe. Not only does it save weight and look great, it sounds great, too—but only when you want it to. No need to fuss with buttons or settings; just drive like a sane person would and it’ll be the strong but quiet type. Dip the throttle into slightly aggro territory, and the sound rises from a low growl to a roar.
There’s a great deal more sophistication to the Turbo GT too. Left in its base startup mode, this ‘Ring-storming record setter is no more likely to spill your coffee or upset the neighbors than a standard Cayenne, which is to say not likely at all. The base price of $182,150 can grow quickly. With its leather-lined interior, the European-market example we drove would sticker around $215,000. But that’s nothing new for Porsche buyers, and after all, what’s a few dozen grand among friends?We expect there’s even more depth to the daily-driver capabilities of this SUV, like the fact that it gets the new Porsche Communication Management 6.0 software, which brings wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto among other upgrades, but we’d need to spend a lot more time with one to find out. If you’re listening, Porsche, we’re ready.

Specifications

Specifications
2022 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GTVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 4-door hatchback
PRICE$182,150
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and aluminum heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 244 in3, 3996 cm3Power: 631 hp @ 6000 rpmTorque: 626 lb-ft @ 2300 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 113.9 inLength: 194.6 inWidth: 78.5 inHeight: 64.4 inPassenger Volume: 104 ft3Cargo Volume: 20 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5050 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 2.9 sec100 mph: 9.1 sec1/4-Mile: 11.3 secTop Speed: 186 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 15/13/18 mpg

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When Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius unveiled the 2022 EQS in April, he described it as a defining moment for the world’s oldest carmaker. We’re numb to hyperbole when it comes to car launches, but in this case it’s hard to argue with the 52-year-old Swede who has wasted little time steering the company deeper into the electric-vehicle market.

Unlike the EQC, EQV, EQA and EQB—all of which are based on existing internal-combustion Mercedes-Benz models—the EQS is a standalone model in its own right. Benz’s first dedicated electric-car platform features a newly developed range of drivetrains, a battery promising a range of up to 485 miles under the European test procedure, and arguably the most advanced interior you’ll find in any current production car.Positioned at the top of a growing list of EQ-badged models, it also acts as a technological showcase for the Mercedes-Benz brand, featuring a number of innovations we can also expect to see on upcoming models, including a Lidar-based Level 3 autonomous driving function.

Aesthetically, the EQS is a radical departure from traditional combustion-engine Mercedes-Benz models, with a cab-forward profile similar to that previewed by the EQS Vision concept back in 2019. Distinguishing exterior elements include a black grille, a pair of angular headlamps available with what Mercedes calls Digital Light, which has matrix projectors with 1.3 million pixels in each headlight that can be used to project warning symbols onto the road surface or for some startup theater, and a horizontal light bar across the leading edge of the hood.For the first time on a Mercedes-Benz production model, the clamshell-style hood is fixed, designed to be opened only during servicing. The filler for the windshield washer is integrated into the driver’s side front panel, flipping out when pressed. The steeply raked windshield flows into what Mercedes describes as a one-bow roofline, its arc tracing all the way to the rear decklid. The doors are frameless and feature the same flush handles seen on the latest S-class. Mercedes-Benz claims the EQS betters the Tesla Model S for aerodynamic efficiency, with a record-breaking production-car drag coefficient of 0.20 in base rear-wheel-drive form—in combination with an optional AMG styling package and specially developed low-drag wheels.

Mercedes-Benz

Compared to the new S-class, the EQS is slightly shorter and narrower. It rides on a 126.4-inch wheelbase, which is just 0.2 inch shorter than that of its combustion-engine stablemate, giving it relatively short overhangs and a very roomy interior. The EQS’s aluminum-intensive platform supports two drivetrain layouts—either single motor and rear-wheel drive or dual-motor, all-wheel drive. The electric motors, produced by Valeo Siemens eAutomotive, are mounted low within a subframe at the front and within the axle assembly at the rear. A 396-volt lithium-ion battery, assembled by Mercedes-Benz sister company Accumotive, uses a steel and aluminum casing and is integrated into the floor, giving the EQS a much lower center of gravity than the S-class. The power electronics, meanwhile, are packaged up front under the fixed hood.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes put a lot of effort into the interior of the EQS, which combines its own unique elements with features from other models in the Benz lineup. The standard setup brings a layout similar in appearance to the latest S-class, with 12.3-inch digital instrument display and a 12.8-inch infotainment screen, in combination with a multifunction steering wheel featuring touch-sensitive controls on the upper spokes.North American buyers will also be able to opt for the so-called Hyperscreen, a one-piece curved screen that stretches across the width of the dashboard. It houses three digital displays—one for the instruments, one for the infotainment functions, and another ahead of the front passenger seat. It is impressive, no doubt. But the 56.7-inch-wide screen is prone to reflections in sunny conditions, despite the inclusion of a sensor that automatically alters its brightness. It does work with impressive speed, though, thanks to an eight-core processor and 24 gigabytes of RAM. Either display setup is controlled by the latest generation of MBUX—an operating system that supports conversational speech input via a Hey Mercedes prompt. There’s also a head-up display with augmented-reality navigation commands.

Mercedes-Benz

A high-set center console divides the front seats, which are broad and magnificently comfortable, if a little short on lateral support. They can also be ordered with up to 19 motors and a total of 10 massage programs.Although Mercedes-Benz says the EQS has a flat floor, there is a slight rise in the middle of the structure to increase stiffness. This is most noticeable from the rear, which can be configured with either a three-passenger bench seat or two individual seats. Rear-seat accommodations are excellent, especially in terms of leg and shoulder room. While the EQS does without a front storage compartment, its 22 cubic feet of trunk space is more than that offered by the latest S-class. Dropping the split-fold rear seats extends cargo capacity to 63 cubic feet.

Mercedes-Benz

The EQS launches with two models. The entry-level EQS is the rear-wheel-drive EQS450+, which uses a rear-mounted permanent-magnet electric motor that makes 329 horsepower and 419 pound-feet of torque. We expect the 450+ to accelerate to 60 mph in about six seconds. It has a range of 485 miles under the WLTP test procedure used in Germany. That should equate to roughly 360 miles of range in the United States using the EPA methodology. Its 107.8-kWh battery will be used by all EQS models at launch. A smaller 90.0-kWh battery is also planned for the EQS450+. The flagship model is the all-wheel-drive EQS580 4Matic, which is the one we drove. It uses two permanent-magnet motors with a combined output of 516 horsepower and 631 pound-feet of torque. The 580 should scoot to 60 mph in about four seconds and have roughly 315 miles of range in the U.S. Battery charging is via a CCS socket at either 11 kW or 22 kW on Level 2 AC, while its peak DC fast-charging rate tops out at 200 kW. Mercedes-Benz claims a pre-conditioning function and an intelligent cooling strategy allows high current to be maintained for long periods, maximizing charging rates. It also provides a 10-year/155,000-mile guarantee for the battery.

Mercedes-Benz

There is a terrific feeling of engineering integrity to the EQS, noticeable from the moment you nudge its heavily sprung throttle and glide off down the road. Step-off is predictably strong, thanks to the generous reserves of torque. The big sedan launches from a standstill with instant response and tremendous energy, gathering pace without any real letup in acceleration until you’re well past the speed limit. It also tracks remarkably well, cruising up to and beyond typical highway speeds with exceptional straight-line stability. There are a range of different energy recuperation programs to choose from, including three manually selectable modes that are engaged via the steering wheel-mounted paddles and an automatic mode called DAuto. The driver can also opt for a gliding function, in which the big sedan rolls for truly impressive distances without any perceptible mechanical drag from the motors. DAuto’s set-and-forget qualities make it the preferred option, with the two big electric motors developing combined regen of up to 389 horsepower, according to Mercedes. After a three-hour run through Switzerland, Austria, and Lichtenstein, our test car was still showing more than 250 miles of predicted range.

Mercedes-Benz

We’re used to the silent qualities of the latest generation of electric cars, but the EQS takes things to a whole new level, proving wonderfully relaxing whether threading through traffic around town or at higher speeds out on the open road. There are a range of synthetic sounds, and buyers can specify an optional sound package, but why disrupt the EQS’s inherent tranquility and calmness? The steering is lightly weighted. Still, there’s sufficient tactility to the speed-dependent system to ensure the driver remains involved. It is reminiscent of the S-class in this respect, with very accurate action that allows you to confidently place the EQS on the road. There is a well-engineered delicacy to the steering, making for a relaxed car in everyday driving conditions.Like the new S-class, the EQS comes with the choice of two rear-wheel steering systems, with the more advanced optional setup providing up to 10 degrees of countersteer, enabling a 35.7-foot turning circle. Below 37 mph, the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to those up front. Above that, they steer in the same direction. If an EQS buyer who opted for the standard rear-wheel-steer setup later decides to go for the full 10-degree capability, that can be unlocked via an over-the-air update.

Mercedes-Benz

So configured, the big electric sedan delivers excellent low-speed maneuverability around town. With a turning radius smaller than the GLA, you can negotiate tight spaces without the need for three-point turns in parking garages and the like. The car also changes direction quite eagerly, feeling much more agile than its substantial curb weight (likely 5800 pounds for the 580) suggests out on the open road. Body movements are well controlled, the increase in body roll is progressive in proportion to the buildup of lateral forces. The overall balance is excellent, allowing you to generate a good deal of cornering speed before the tires relinquish their grip and the fast-acting stability-control system steps in. The low center of gravity and near 50-50 front-to-rear weight distribution are a boon to handling even though the EQS isn’t overtly sporty.The Airmatic suspension with variable damping control automatically adjusts ride height, providing constant ground clearance in both Eco and Comfort modes. Switching into Sport mode reduces the ride height by 0.8 inches at speeds of more than 80 mph to improve aerodynamic efficiency. The suspension is superbly compliant but does get a bit floaty over undulating roads, which is maybe not surprising given the weight it’s asked to control. However, the EQS does a fantastic job of isolating the cabin from poor surfaces such as broken sections of pavement.

Mercedes-Benz

The slippery shape leads to very low levels of wind noise. Even more impressive is the way the EQS isolates tire noise. The 265/40R-21 Goodyear Eagle F1s on our test car were whisper quiet on smooth-surfaced roads, further adding to the overall serenity delivered by the near-silent driveline. You’d buy the EQS on the strength of its refinement alone.Mercedes says that the EQS’s electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system apportions power faster than any of the company’s existing electromechanical setups. A torque-vectoring function also individually channels power to each of the rear wheels dependent on prevailing traction and wheel speed. The EQS isn’t built for tail-out antics, but it is happy to launch itself from slow corners with utmost composure under full throttle.Brake pedal feel is good. The pedal action is progressive, with a consistent bite point, allowing you to scrub speed with confidence despite the complex recuperation going on behind the scenes.

Mercedes-Benz

Like the S-class, which the EQS seems destined to replace by the end of the decade, the EQS’s sleek brand of luxury comes at a high price. Nothing is official right now, but North American buyers can expect to pay around $110,000 for the EQS450+ and close to $185,000 for the EQS580 4Matic. What they’ll get is a truly luxurious and outstandingly refined sedan, one with very few compromises. The EQS is not inexpensive, but it is possibly the world’s most capable electric car right now.

Specifications

Specifications
2022 Mercedes-Benz EQSVehicle Type: rear- or front- and rear-motor, rear- or all-wheel-drive, 4- or 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE (C/D EST)

Base: EQS450+, $110,000; EQS580 4Matic, $185,000
POWERTRAIN

Motor(s): permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 329 or 516 hp, 419 or 631 lb-ft Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 107.8 kWhOnboard Charger: 11.0 or 22.0 kWTransmission(s): direct-drive
DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 126.4 inLength: 205.4 inWidth: 75.8 inHeight: 59.5 inTrunk Volume: 22 ft3Curb Weight (C/D

est): 5600–5800 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)

60 mph: 4.0–5.9 sec100 mph: 9.3–11.2 sec1/4-Mile: 12.5–14.5 secTop Speed: 130 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)

Combined: 88–100 MPGeRange: 315–360 mi

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Reviewing a vehicle from the passenger’s seat is difficult, but every once in a while a new car comes along that’s special enough for us to jump at any chance to experience it, even if not from behind the wheel. The Aston Martin Valkyrie is one of those cars, and we didn’t need to mull it over when the company offered us a ride in its Formula 1–inspired hypercar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed—with Aston CEO Tobias Moers driving no less. Our simmering anticipation for the Valkyrie has only slightly abated as long delays have pushed back initial deliveries, which will supposedly commence late this year. We first reported about the joint plans between Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing to produce a hypercar—under the direction of legendary Formula 1 designer Adrian Newey—way back in 2016. Since then we’ve met its Cosworth-designed V-12 engine, driven the development simulator, reported on the sadly canceled plans to race it at Le Mans, and told you about both the first and second iterations of the track-only AMR Pro versions. But Goodwood offers the first opportunity to experience the Valkyrie from inside the cockpit. Which, given the combination of its hybrid-boosted 1160 horsepower, 2300-pound-or-so curb weight, and $3 million price, is awfully exciting.

Aston Martin

Entering the car elegantly is the first challenge, especially with a sizable crowd watching. The approved technique is to step over the high-sided carbon-fiber tub and stand with both feet on the passenger’s seat before half sliding, half collapsing into the narrow footwell. Once you’re settled, there’s a surprising amount of legroom, although being in the raised-knee seating position is more like sitting in a bathtub than a car, and shoulder space between the seats is less than you’ll get on the cheapest of airlines. I will need to tuck my left arm under my thigh for Moers to be able to turn the squared-off steering wheel more than a few degrees.The view forward is mostly display screens. The production Valkyrie will have five: one on each side of the cockpit for rear-facing side-vision cameras, another positioned in place of a conventional rearview mirror, a digital dash display integrated into the steering wheel, and a central touchscreen. The prototype at Goodwood adds a sixth for a data logger that reports telemetry on the health of the naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V-12, which sits behind the seats. The windshield opening itself seems impossibly narrow, better sized for a fighter jet than a car.

At Moers’s suggestion, I put in earplugs before the engine starts. Startup is a multistage process that an anxious-looking mechanic talks Moers through, but the engine catches on the first press of the start button and roars into an uneven, high-pitched idle. It’s loud at 1200 rpm yet has nearly another 10,000 revs to go. Vibrations buzz through the back of the seat, making it clear that the engine is mounted directly to the tub as part of the car’s structure.The prototype’s gullwing doors must be closed before the driver can select a gear; Moers later says he has ordered a change that will allow production models to maneuver at low speeds with the doors open. The gentle run down to the start of Goodwood’s 1.16-mile course—basically the Duke of Richmond’s driveway—reveals that the Valkyrie is rather tractable when trundling along. Being a hybrid, it sets off under electric power before engaging the single clutch of its motorsport-style seven-speed sequential transmission. The Festival of Speed plays out with batches of vehicles running up the hill course in intervals—some timed, some just performing demonstration runs—with the cars waiting in a collection area at the top before slowly returning to the paddock. The format means there’s plenty of waiting around, which provides the chance for a preflight briefing once the Valkyrie is in the line for the start. I learn that the prototype is running in its softest, highest-riding Urban mode, without its active suspension and aerodynamics engaged. It is also wearing what is called its “road” front clamshell bodywork, which has been carefully designed to meet the Europe-market requirements for a four-degree downward view of the road from the driver’s eye position. An optional “track” nose will allow for a lower front ride height and more aggressive aerodynamics; most buyers are expected to choose this.

Aston Martin

The run up the hill is brief and brutal. This being the English summer, it rained earlier in the day, and the narrow course still has damp and greasy patches, although it’s now dry enough for the Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition in front of us to blast away in a cloud of tire smoke. After a longer-than-usual wait—presumably to ensure we don’t catch the Vantage before the end of the course—the marshal waves us off. Instead of launching it full force, Moers gets the car rolling before feeding in the power. The Valkyrie’s variable traction control is fully engaged but clearly struggling. The engine note grows angry and the cockpit starts to vibrate with the unmistakable sensation of wheelspin as the powertrain overwhelms the cold rear Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. This continues through first gear, and even after a brutally quick upshift to second, the rear of the car is still scrabbling for traction. There’s room for another savage upshift before the first corner looms, a tight right-hander, and Moers is hard on the brakes. The turn brings the sensation of slight body roll under lateral loads, revealing that the Valkyrie’s gentlest suspension setting is far softer than the hypercar norm.

Aston Martin

The Festival of Speed course is short on straightaways, but the stretch in front of Goodwood House—the ancestral seat of the Dukes of Richmond since 1697—features only long, shallow bends that allow Moers to unleash the Valkyrie. This feels predictably ferocious, but the raw g-loads are a lesser part of the experience than the vibrations and scream of the engine, which is reminiscent of Ferrari’s howling V-12 Formula 1 cars from the 1990s. Glancing at the data logger’s tachometer shows a couple of trips to the high 9000s, so still 1000 rpm or so short of the limiter.The next corner is Molecomb, the location of most of the festival’s accidents, and Moers picks a cautious braking point. The first part of the turn is dispatched without drama, but as Moers feeds the power back in, there is a flare of revs, a jolt of oversteer, and the sudden application of some corrective steering lock. A keen amateur racer in his younger years and former leader of Mercedes-AMG, Moers is no stranger to high-performance cars. But he’s clearly found the Valkyrie’s limit in these slippery conditions. The track surface grows damp as we head under the trees that line the top of the course, and he opts for an easier pace, working the engine hard in its lower gears to please the crowd, but without attempting the huge speeds that the car could surely deliver. Our run is not being timed, so there’s nothing to win, but there’s plenty to lose with a highly public crash.

Aston Martin

Having completed the course, Moers parks the Valkyrie at the top of the hill, where it is easily the most exotic thing among a sea of supercars. He laughs as he takes off his helmet and delivers his summary: “It’s an unbelievable car. If you drive it at [a track] like Silverstone, you can push much harder. You can’t do that here, of course. Traction is an issue—you felt that—but the handling is amazing. I expected a really tricky thing to drive, but it’s smooth even if it oversteers. There’s no snap in the car.”Moers also led development of the AMG One in his former role, and he’s probably the only person in the world to have driven both it and the Valkyrie in anger. How do they compare? “They couldn’t be more different,” he says. “But which would I rather drive here? You don’t need to ask that, do you?”

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When it comes to horsepower, too much often is just about right. The current P400 version of the Land Rover Defender, with its 395-hp super- and turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, already produces what many regard as adequate performance for something so big and boxy. We ran 2020’s 5773-pound four-door 110 version to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds. But the new 2022 Defender V8 models, with their 518-hp supercharged 5.0-liter engines, bring outsize character and should trim at least a second from that time. With six-figure starting prices, these new range-topping variants prove that the Defender only gets better with more cylinders under its hood. Compared with lesser Defenders, the V8’s visual cues are limited, amounting to slightly chunkier body cladding, small badges at the base of the doors, and quad tailpipes tucked beneath the rear bumper. There are also blue brake calipers at the front. But the V-8’s deep burble at startup is by far the strongest clue that this isn’t a regular Defender. Jaguar Land Rover’s blown V-8 may be long in the tooth, but it’s still a powerhouse, pulling strongly from idle all the way to the 6750-rpm limiter. Acceleration is strong and seemingly relentless. And the way the Defender’s chassis handles the engine’s full thrust is as impressive as its raw performance, with little of the nose-up attitude common to tall, powerful SUVs. We drove the V8 models in England, and traction was impeccable on dry pavement, the Defender launching hard and without drama on its huge 22-inch Continental all-terrain tires.

Land Rover

The heady acceleration is accompanied by a prominent V-8 soundtrack, although one that seems quieter than the 575-hp Range Rover Sport SVR’s. In the Defender, there are fewer pops and bangs when you lift off the accelerator, and the whine from the supercharger is almost entirely muted. Land Rover admits that some of the cabin sound is digitally augmented, although the hard-edged harmonics spectators enjoy are entirely real. At idle and light cruising, substantial sound insulation makes the engine noise nearly inaudible. At a steady 75 mph, only a slight rustling of wind from the top of the bluffly angled windshield disturbs the tranquillity.We did notice that responses can be inconsistent at lower engine speeds, with small inputs to the accelerator occasionally eliciting overly aggressive reactions. Selecting the new Dynamic mode, a first for a Defender, sharpens the powertrain’s responses and prompts the eight-speed automatic to hang on to lower gears. Dial it back to Comfort mode and the action becomes much less frenetic with the standard adaptive dampers offering greater compliance. We kept it in Dynamic mode most of the time for the more aggressive tuning the setting brings to the electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential. On pavement, this is particularly noticeable in slower turns, with the Defender exhibiting a willingness to change direction that’s impressive for something so tall and heavy. On lower-grip surfaces, Dynamic mode relaxes the stability-control system and allows you to coax out some easily controlled oversteer under power.

Land Rover

The V8 models have better steering feel than lesser Defenders, with more weight to their racks and even some meaningful communication behind the assistance. The huge Brembo brakes—the fronts sporting six-piston calipers—produce reassuring stopping power with a pleasingly solid pedal feel.Fortunately, none of the upgraded Defender’s newfound athleticism infringes upon its stout off-road capability. The V8 models feature almost all the available go-anywhere hardware, including standard height-adjustable air springs and a low-range transfer case. Having experienced the larger 110 model on the road, we drove the two-door 90 version around Land Rover’s Eastnor Castle test site, where it conquered pretty much every type of terrain we encountered without breaking a sweat, even though the trundling speeds common to British mud plugging made no particular demands of the extra power. We imagine these trucks will most often find themselves on pavement, with the V8 models’ increased output over the P400’s straight-six likely coming into play only on more open terrain and when climbing steep hills and sand dunes.

Land Rover

The seriousness of the Defender V8’s performance is matched by its price. The two-door 90 starts at $104,260, and the four-door 110 at $107,460—roughly double the cost of the respective base four-cylinder models. That’s a significant premium over the most obvious alternative—the $74,995 470-hp Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392—although the Defender is quite a bit more refined, and the V8s are still significantly cheaper than a Mercedes G-class ($134,300 to start). Land Rover says the Defender V8 isn’t a limited-edition model, although it is likely to form the basis of at least one special version. But production will eventually be limited by tightening European emission standards, which we’re told will likely kill the 5.0-liter V-8 by the end of 2027. In short, act now. If you can stomach the price and surely abysmal fuel economy, the quickest and most powerful Defender of all time is also the most enticing.

Specifications

Specifications
2022 Land Rover Defender V8Vehicle Type: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5- or 6-passenger, 2- or 4-door wagon
PRICE
90, $104,260; 110, $107,460
ENGINE
supercharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 305 in3, 5000 cm3Power: 518 hp @ 6500 rpmTorque: 461 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 102.2–119.0 inLength: 170.2–197.6 inWidth: 78.6 inHeight: 77.4–77.7 inPassenger Volume: 102–110 ft3Cargo Volume: 14–34 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5800–6100 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 4.9–5.1 sec100 mph: 13.4–13.6 sec1/4-Mile: 13.5–13.7 secTop Speed: 119–149 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 16/14–15/19 mpg

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It’s time to start saying goodbye. The Audi A3 that is expected at the end of this decade will undoubtedly be electrified in some way, be it a hybrid system or a full EV version. So, the A3 that’s arriving next year is the last with just a gas-burning engine under the hood. Audi engineers seem to recognize the significance of the coming transition, so they really leaned into making the most extreme version of the A3, the RS3, a driver’s car. The new RS3 is a parting shot, a sort of sendoff to pure internal combustion.Like its predecessor, which won a 10Best award in 2018, Audi fits a much-loved and brand-appropriate turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder that dates back to 2011. Compared to the last RS3, the new version develops 401 horsepower from 5600 to 7000 rpm. Torque is up 15 pound-feet to 369. The turbo five is shared with several other cars, but the RS3’s is the most powerful version.

Tobias Sagmeister

Audi restricted our exposure to the new RS3 to a camouflaged pre-production model. Until the car makes its official debut, Audi is taking no chances. We were walked to a windowless studio where we got to see the uncamouflaged car. If you’re familiar with the previous RS3, the new one doesn’t offer many design surprises. The look is typical RS, a heavily meshed grille with enormous nostrils at the front, air vents at the sides, a front splitter, a rear diffuser, and a lip spoiler on the trunk lid. These are the ingredients that upgrade the sedan’s otherwise staid three-box design into a muscle-bound athlete. A 1.0-inch drop from the standard version makes it look even more intimidating. After stepping in, we find racing-style bucket seats with excellent lateral support. The flattened steering wheel has an RS-mode button in the right spoke that catches the eye. Hitting it toggles between the RS3’s RS modes: RS Performance, RS Individual, and the last mode selected.

Tobias Sagmeister

Graphics in the 12.3-inch virtual cockpit in front of the driver have a motorsports vibe. The engine speed appears as a bar graph, torque and power can be displayed, and the car can also track g-forces and lap times. Should you want to quantify the quickness of the RS3, the car provides measurements for standing-start acceleration. These are clearly gimmicks, but they can add a bit of fun to a boring commute. Start running the RS3 hard and the shift indicator in the head-up display proves very useful.Fast driving also reveals razor-sharp but progressive steering. The slightest steering movements become directional changes. Steering assistance can be adjusted in three stages to suit personal preferences. Audi claims that 62 mph comes up in 3.8 seconds and that the RS3 tops out at 180 mph. We expect it to be quicker; the old RS3 could clip off 3.4-second runs to 60 mph. Audi’s five-cylinder 1-2-4-5-3 firing order, as shown on the camouflage film of our pre-production vehicle, works with an active exhaust to create a rich and characteristic sound. A familiar seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with smartly spaced ratios gets high marks from us.

Tobias Sagmeister

There are as many driving modes as there are forward gears: Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, Efficiency, RS Individual, RS Performance, and RS Torque Rear. In our opinion, the selection could be reduced to three modes. In everyday life, you drive comfortably in Auto. If you’re interested in stretching gallons, use Efficiency. When you want to get down to business, you can switch to RS Individual, where personal preferences for the adaptive dampers, steering effort, transmission programming, engine sound, and the amount of aggressiveness of the torque-vectoring rear differential can be stored. RS modes dial back stability control too, but it can also be fully defeated.Without a doubt, the torque-vectoring rear differential may be considered the most significant innovation and most exclusive component in the RS3. As in the all-new 2022 Golf R, the active rear differential is used in place of the regular A3’s Haldex clutch pack, which in all other Quattros manages torque distribution to the front and rear axles. In the RS3, the multiplate clutches vary torque applied to the left- and right-rear wheels. Depending on the driving dynamics mode, up to 50 percent of the engines torque can be applied separately to each rear wheel. Instead of braking the inside wheel in a corner to create yaw to help the car around a corner, the differential directs power to the outer wheel to help the rear end rotate. This fundamentally changes the driving characteristics of this all-wheel-drive car, which normally understeers at the limit. In its most aggressive settings, the RS3 acts like a tail-happy rear-wheel-drive car.

Tobias Sagmeister

Five settings affect the rear diff’s responsiveness and are linked to the driving modes. In Comfort and Efficiency, the two multiplate clutches are almost always disengaged, making the RS3 a front driver. In Auto, the power distribution is balanced, with no noticeable tendency to understeer or oversteer. Switch to Dynamic mode and up to 50 percent of the drive power flows to the rear wheels, resulting in an increasingly involved rear end. In RS Performance mode, the rear differential’s programming works to keep the handling neutral and to maximize corner-exit speeds. For the track bound, at least in Europe, Audi will offer grippy Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires that are well matched to the suspension and torque-vectoring rear differential. No word if those tires will make it to the North American market.The added power and the new differential make for a track-ready sports sedan that will happily do daily duty. When the new RS3 arrives next year, expect a base price around $60,000. If 401-hp isn’t enough, Audi engineers are likely to take the RS3 a bit further in the near future. Rumors are swirling about a 450-hp RS3 to put the 416-hp Mercedes-AMG A45 S in its place. With electrification looming, the internal-combustion engine is working hard to highlight its differences and advantages, and the RS3 is an excellent package in which to show off.

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One of the things we like most about the multi-10Best-winning Volkswagen GTI is its ability to balance conflicting priorities of sportiness and comfort for daily livability. But we’re always intrigued when a company claims to improve on the former without sacrificing the latter, and that’s exactly what VW says about the new, eighth-generation 2022 GTI.Like many generations of GTIs before, the latest model is an iteration of the previous car. The exterior dimensions, in fact, haven’t changed a bit. But VW made a number of chassis tweaks, with the spring rates slightly higher front and rear, bushing changes, and adaptive shocks that can now react more quickly. We bet they’ve also added more rear anti-roll bar to alter the balance, but VW didn’t confirm just how much.

The electronically controlled limited-slip front differential is the same unit as before, but the big difference is new, comprehensive control software—VW calls it Vehicle Dynamics Manager—that optimizes all of the electronically controllable bits. To test out VW’s claim that understeer has been eliminated—a bold claim for any front-engine, front-heavy, front-wheel-drive car—the company invited us to the M1 Concourse country-club track in southeast Michigan to drive seventh-gen and new, Euro-spec GTIs back to back.

Our takeaway: It’s remarkable just how different and improved the new GTI is at the limit, given how similar the hardware is. It turns in far better, holds its line, and has dramatically improved the handling balance at the limit. The new car is also far quicker and grippier, closing in on 1 g of cornering stick on our skidpad during previous testing. Although we wouldn’t go as far as to say that understeer has been eliminated, it’s dramatically reduced from a car that already didn’t suffer excessively from it. VW has indeed taken one of our favorites and improved its dynamics substantially.

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