Evelyn Reynolds

From the July 1991 issue of Car and Driver.Reaction to Jaguar’s XJS line, at its in­troduction in 1975, could be summed up in four words: “Works good, looks fun­ny.” On these pages you see a Jaguar XJ­S that is not new but that no longer looks funny. Like its British colleague the Rolls-Royce, the Jaguar has become a tradition. We have grown accustomed to its fascia, as Professor Higgins might say. The XJS has undergone, in the words of Jaguar itself, “extensive revisions.” You may need to scrutinize every square inch of the photographs to convince yourself of that, but the evidence is there. For devotees of the marque, as we shall see, there is also good news for the long term that transcends a simple re-skin­ning. But first, the overview: More on the Jaguar XJIn the United States. Jaguar will con­tinue to offer a coupe and a convertible version of its XJS grand tourer, both with V-12 power, both with automatic trans­missions only. The 4.0-liter in-line six that drives the Jaguar XJ6 sedan will replace the 3.6-liter six in XJ cars sold in Europe and Canada, a change that will not appear in the U.S. market until the 1993 model year. The U.S. will see the new XJS this fall, and prices will be high­er than the $55,905 and $67,565 now paid for the coupe and convertible, respectively. Before detailing the changes made to the XJS, a detail or two about Jaguar owners is in order. The Jaguar loyalist is an affluent person who wants comfort, speed, and style and doesn’t require it to be wrapped in ultramodern trappings. The Jaguar owner knows that the Lexus LS400 may be a superior car from the standpoint of modernity and reliability. The Jaguar owner just doesn’t care. He (and she) is, in simple terms, a tradition­alist. An example: U.S. Jaguar owners, asked to rate the styling of the 1990 XJS, gave it 9.8 out of a possible 10.0. Re­strained by such research findings (and, to be sure, by less than an oversupply of money), Jaguar’s changes to the XJ are also restrained. The XJS exteriors have been changed in ways that are subtle but substantive. In a few words, the skin is more roundly contoured than before, and in a few more words, you need to look at the car in per­son to grasp the extent of the surgery. You’ll see a new grille, a new headlamp design, a new flared rocker panel, a new C-pillar that produces a different profile, and a rounded rump that includes new taillamps. Where once five panels were required on the coupe’s rear fender, one now does the job—with a consequent improvement in appearance.Inside, what had been an elegant interior in the British manner has become far more modern in character. There are newly contoured electrically operated seats positioned within a leather-lined compartment that had benefited from the stylist’s hand. The aroma remains superb.A new instrument cluster with two big dials and four small ones replace the previous unfortunate layout, and there’s a trip computer, controls that are im­proved in touch and appearance, and a dash area that now matches the rest of the interior. The windshield has been raked more sharply, which improves air­flow but does little to minimize head­banging by tall drivers. Once best de­scribed as eccentric, the ergonomic atmosphere is so no longer. The Jaguar 5.3-liter V-12 engine has been graced with a new Lucas 26CU fuel system to go with its Marelli digital-igni­tion system, and it remains as satisfyingly smooth and silky as ever, even when compared with newer V-12s from BMW and Mercedes. On European-spec cars, the catalytic-converter-equipped V-12 now delivers 280 hp at 5550 rpm, up from 273 at 5250. Its 0-to-60-mph time should drop below eight seconds. Torque is up from 298 to 306 pound-feet at 2800 rpm. This low-speed torque strength remains one of the enjoyable features of the V-12. The figure for U.S.-spec cars will probably be slightly lower.We can’t imagine that you’ve missed this, but if you’re just returning from Outward Bound’s doctoral program or from the Antarctic, Jaguar is now owned by the Ford Motor Company. When a small company is bought by a large one, two things can come from the large company: money to accomplish needed work (good) and platoons of managers to help do the work (not so good). At Jaguar, the story constitutes a variation on this theme. To run its new acquisition, Ford in­stalled gruff, hard-nosed Englishman Bill Hayden, CBE, who has spent 41 years learning the rules of Ford corpo­rate combat. He also knows, based on his resume, how to manufacture cars. “Our objective in all this is quite simple,” Hayden says. “It is to produce bet­ter and better quality products here at Jaguar. Our commitment to that objec­tive will be rigorous and unrelenting.” In the few years he has before retiring, Hayden has taken it upon himself to pro­tect Jaguar from would-be Dearborn “helpers” who might or might not know a hooter from a toast rack—and to apply Ford’s successful manufacturing pro­cesses and quality-control procedures to a company whose reputation for quality and reliability left ample room for im­provement. The Jaguar officials we spoke with believe that millions of dollars are being spent where it does not yet show, but where it will ensure Jaguar’s long-term survival. One believer is Mike Dale, ex-Royal Air Force pilot and president of Jaguar Cars, Inc., the company’s U.S. subsid­iary. “He’s the toughest taskmaster I’ve ever worked for,” he says of Hayden, “but he’s helping us where we need it.” It would be inadvisable from our pre­view drive (involving pre-production cars) to assess the improvement in build quality that Jaguar stands to gain from the Ford way of doing things. But we can say that the V-12 remains a joy, that the cars feel tighter, and that a trip from where you are sitting to a destination 1000 miles distant would be a pleasant day’s drive. The suspension, a supple fully inde­pendent arrangement, not only delivers the excellent ride quality that’s long been a Jaguar hallmark, but also controlled the car quite well on the rough, twisting mountain roads that we used for our ex­ercise pad. Power delivery from the V-12 continues to be smooth, though the GM­-supplied Turbo-Hydramatic 400 automatic transmission still has only three speeds. Even at the risk of flying in the face of tradition, another speed or two wouldn’t hurt this unit at all. On the freeway, the XJS cruises effort­lessly, and conversation is possible even with the convertible top lowered. We have here the latest in a long line. How does its price compare with other grand-touring cars—for example, the Nissan 300ZX Turbo? That’s not the issue, according to Mike Dale. “We don’t see Jaguar in competition with specific models of cars,” he says. “We rather see Jaguar as competing with anything cost­ing $50,000—be it car, boat, or condo­minium—that an affluent person might consider.” As long as there are traditionalists, then, there’s reason to believe there’ll al­ways be a Jaguar. In this instance, it’s a better one. Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
1992 Jaguar XJSVehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2+2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base: $58,000
ENGINESOHC V-12, aluminum block and head, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 326 in3, 5344 cm3Power: 280 hp @ 5550 rpmTorque: 306 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm 
TRANSMISSION3-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 102.0 inLength: 187.6 inWidth: 70.6 inHeight: 49.4 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 50/24 ft3Trunk Volume: 9 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 4050 lb
MANUFACTURER’S PERFORMANCE RATINGS
60 mph: 7.8 secTop Speed: 147 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)City/Highway: 13/18 mpgContributing EditorWilliam Jeanes is a former editor-in-chief and publisher of Car and Driver. He and his wife, Susan, a former art director at Car and Driver, are now living in Madison, Mississippi. More

The saber-toothed tiger went extinct around 8000 B.C. as, in part, the last of its ice-age prey died off. Now, 10,000 years later, Hellcats are once again on their way out, this time thanks to humans—specifically, the humans who came up with electric powertrains that make supercharged V-8s look like glorified Briggs & Strattons. The Hellcat successors will be electric, but for now, you can still buy a Challenger stuffed with 807 of the most thundering troglodyte horsepower ever extracted from lit petroleum. Behold the 2023 Challenger Black Ghost, the penultimate special edition in Dodge’s Last Call series.More on the Challenger and ‘Last Call’ special editions from DodgeNot to be confused with the Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge, the Black Ghost is like an amped-up Challenger Redeye that pays tribute to one of the original 426-powered badasses, a 1970 Hemi Challenger RT/SE that dominated the Detroit street-racing scene back in the day. The Black Ghost, as it was called, had a distinct gator-grain vinyl roof and a white stripe at the tail, and earned its nickname because its owner, Godfrey Qualls, wasn’t prone to stick around to chat after a race—understandable, since Qualls was a city cop. Qualls died in 2015 and left the car to his son, who recently sold it at the 2023 Mecum Indy auction for a tidy $1,072,500. While there’s only one original 1970 Black Ghost, Dodge is building 300 of the 2023 tributes, and for the bargain price of $103,010, including the $2100 gas-guzzler tax.The Black Ghost is the sixth of seven Last Call cars—the final one is the Challenger SRT Demon 170—and it’s something more than a tape-and-stripe package on a Challenger Redeye. Not much more, granted, but when your special edition is based on a car that already has 797 horsepower, where are you gonna go? Up the tachometer, it seems, as the Black Ghost wrings an extra 10 horsepower out of its supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 courtesy of the revised powertrain calibration from the Challenger Super Stock. Peak power arrives at the 6400-rpm fuel cutoff, 100 more revs than the less powerful variant. This will certainly come in handy in those situations where 797 horsepower just isn’t enough.Besides that, the Black Ghost is essentially a Challenger SRT Redeye Widebody that’s almost learned the definition of the word “subtle.” For instance, there are no ruby-eyed Hellcat badges, with the grille, flanks, and rear spoiler wearing simple throwback Challenger script. The paint is Pitch Black except for the white decklid stripe, and black gator-pattern roof vinyl evokes Qualls’s original. Chrome hood pins provide reassurance that the twin-scoop hood won’t fly up in your face as you’re wrapping up a 128-mph quarter-mile pass.That’s the trap speed we saw in a 2019 Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody, en route to an 11.6-second quarter-mile, and we’d guess the Black Ghost will be very similar. That’s because it, like all Hellcat Challengers, is ultimately traction-limited. Throw some drag radials on it and head to a prepped surface and it would surely break into the 10s (we’ve seen Redeyes on stock tires clock very low 11s at the strip), but in practice, the Black Ghost is a burnout machine. The Redeye hit 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, but that’s with a lot of discipline at the launch. Indiscriminately mash the throttle and you’ll make leisurely forward progress while the 305/35R-20 Pirelli P Zero All Season tires transform themselves from rubber into heat, noise, and smoke. That also applies even if the Ghost is already rolling at back-road speeds—this is one of the few cars where you might pull out for a pass on a 55-mph road and pause to think, “Better make sure it’s hooked up before I go wide open here.” It’s telling that the Redeye’s 50-to-70-mph top-gear acceleration time, 2.2 seconds, is almost identical to its 2.1-second 30-to-50-mph time. At 30 mph in a Hellcat Challenger, you’re definitely still minding the tires.The Challenger’s whole schtick is that it’s a muscle-bound goon built to go fast in a straight line and annoy the next-door neighbors with the BMW, but 807 horsepower demands some commensurate competence in handling and braking. And while the Black Ghost isn’t exactly agile, neither is it a one-trick machine like the muscle cars of yore. That chassis-clone Challenger SRT Redeye Widebody equipped with Pirelli P Zero PZ4 summer rubber clung to the skidpad at 0.98 g and leaned on its six-piston Brembo front brakes to stop from 70 mph in just 153 feet—or about the same as a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51. The Challenger hams it up at every turn—check out the Power Chiller mode that uses the air-conditioning system to cool the engine intake instead of the cabin—but it’s serious about more than just horsepower and quarter-mile times. During those transits between stoplight drags, the Black Ghost prompts the most unsettling brand of nostalgia—not for 1970, but for the present. It’s like how parents can get nostalgic for moments with their kids even as they’re happening, because time moves relentlessly forward and those moments trickle into the past. With cars, it’s unusual to wander onto that train of thought because the next thing is typically supposed to be familiar, but just a little bit better. The Last Call Dodges, though, are something different. Whatever the outrageous performance and goofy tricks offered by the upcoming electric Banshee models (and super-loud “exhaust” noise is undoubtedly hilarious), the Black Ghost represents the end of an era. Not just for the Challengers or Hellcats, but an entire experience, of rumbling exhaust and whining superchargers and feeling the rear end squirm sideways as the transmission bangs into the next gear. We’re accustomed to planned obsolescence, but not the unplanned kind that abruptly makes 807 horsepower seem outdated. The 2023 Challenger Black Ghost has far more in common with its 53-year-old namesake than it will with its 2024 successor, and whether that makes you feel sad or optimistic, it’s happening. Sorry, folks. You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here. Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Dodge Challenger Black GhostVehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base: $103,010
ENGINE
supercharged and intercooled pushrod 16-valve V-8, iron block and aluminum heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 376 in3, 6166 cm3Power: 807 hp @ 6400 rpmTorque: 707 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 116.2 inLength: 197.5 inWidth: 78.3 inHeight: 57.5 inPassenger Volume. F/R: 56/38 ft3Trunk Volume: 16 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 4500 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.7 sec100 mph: 7.4 sec1/4-Mile: 11.5 secTop Speed: 200 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY 
Combined/City/Highway: 15/13/21 mpgSenior EditorEzra Dyer is a Car and Driver senior editor and columnist. He’s now based in North Carolina but still remembers how to turn right. He owns a 2009 GEM e4 and once drove 206 mph. Those facts are mutually exclusive. More

As much as we love manual transmissions, we also enjoy making fun-to-drive vehicles as accessible to as many people as possible. We’ve already driven—and adored—the Hyundai Elantra N with a six-speed manual, and you’ll be pleased to know that replacing the stick with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic does nothing to mess with the car’s metric truckload of daily-driven-sports-sedan excellence.Manuals are always at a disadvantage against faster cog-swappers when it comes to acceleration. At 4.8 seconds to 60 mph, the dual-clutch Elantra N bested its stick sibling by 0.3 second—Hyundai’s swinging for the fences, too, because it’s also one-tenth quicker to 60 than the new Honda Civic Type R. It also held its own against the Honda in the quarter-mile hustle, besting the Type R by one-tenth (13.4 seconds vs. 13.5) and tying its 106-mph trap speed. Not bad for a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four making 286 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque.Fuel economy also benefits when the gears don’t stop at six. At 37 mpg on our 75-mph highway loop, the automatic-equipped Elantra N trounced the manual Elantra’s 32-mpg result. Then again, the Elantra is thrifty no matter what; the six-speed variant beat out other manual-equipped performers such as the Civic Type R (30 mpg) and the Subaru WRX (28 mpg), although the Subie is handicapped by its standard all-wheel drive. The only competitor the automatic can’t top is the cheaper, less powerful Honda Civic Si, which managed 38 mpg in our hands.HIGHS: Have-it-your-way configurability, impressive fuel economy, silly fun at any speed.The Elantra N’s dual-clutch confers a weight penalty of 114 pounds, with our automatic test car weighing 3313 pounds on our scales versus the manual’s 3199. That had a very mild effect on its braking figures, with the automatic stopping from 70 mph in 161 feet and from 100 mph in 324 feet—a bit longer than the manual’s 156-foot and 318-foot stops, respectively. The dual-clutch model’s stopping power is similarly off from the Subaru WRX.Dial N for Nonsenical FunAt 0.96 g on our skidpad, the Elantra N exhibits plenty of stick, but the sports-sedan joie de vivre extends beyond numbers on a page. Lateral body motions are kept well in check, especially in stiffer suspension settings, and the steering provides some decent feedback, even if its various weights feel wholly artificial. Don’t overdrive the thing and the electronic limited-slip differential will efficiently mete out power to either front wheel; rely a little too much on the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires, though, and it’s a one-way trip to Understeer City. The dual-clutch does a great job hustling between gears once underway, although it can operate with some clunks and shudders at rush-hour speeds.Customization also helps make the Elantra N so interesting; on the dual-clutch Elantra, a driver can swap between two to three different settings each for the engine, steering, suspension, transmission, limited-slip differential, stability control, and exhaust note—a whopping 1458 possible permutations. Helpfully, you can assign your personal favorites to one of the N buttons on the steering wheel for quick access. LOWS: Some low-speed DCT wonkiness, drab interior, front-row USB-A ports.These modes aren’t just for show, either; there are demonstrable differences in each setting. Throttle response varies from daily-driver soft to a binary input. You can ratchet the steering’s weight so high that it counts as a gym membership. The suspension soaks up a good bit of movement in Normal mode, but it’ll rattle your fillings out in Sport+. With the exhaust set to Sport+, even a light lift of the right pedal will generate several seconds of overrun so powerful it could be sold at Phantom Fireworks. But if you keep it all in Normal, the N feels pretty darn close to any other Elantra out there.Heck, aside from a few N-specific touches, the Elantra’s interior isn’t far off from its pedestrian variant. There’s a dash of blue contrast stitching and some cool illuminated badges in the seats, but otherwise, it’s My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade” in the cabin, which like the song is a little dull once you grow out of your emo phase. The lack of USB-C ports in 2023 is a bit of a bummer, as well, but at least there’s a wireless charger if you fancy not one, but two slow ways to charge a phone. A pair of 10.3-inch displays cover instrumentation and infotainment duty, and both are easy to master.The pendulum swings wildly between the Elantra N’s cabin and its exterior. With an already-large grille and additional blacked-out elements on either side, this sprightly sedan looks more like a pissed-off remora than a family car. A little bit of red trim around the bottom of the body shouts “Sporty!” just in case the rear wing and honkin’ dual tailpipes don’t give it away. But credit where it’s due, Hyundai’s wild styling stands out from the competition; Subaru has apparently given up evolving the WRX, we’re pretty sure German law dictates that every new GTI looks derivative, and the 11th-gen Civic has gone conservative after the 10th gen’s seemingly mescaline-induced reverie.VERDICT: Type R-adjacent shenanigans without a middle-management price tag.At $35,515, the DCT Elantra N comes loaded with everything mentioned above—and then some. The Honda Civic Si is closer to $30,000, but it lacks theatrics or any sort of customizability. The GTI SE, our preferred trim, is more expensive and has less power, but it does have plaid cloth. The Subaru WRX is evenly priced, but it’s thirsty and it looks the way it does. Thus, the Elantra N represents a pretty screaming deal considering the average price of a new car these days. Moreover, the Elantra N is genuinely fun to drive across a variety of scenarios—even with a gearbox that shifts for itself.Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Hyundai Elantra NVehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $35,515/$35,515Options: none
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 122 in3, 1998 cm3Power: 286 hp @ 6000 rpmTorque: 289 lb-ft @ 2100 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed dual-clutch automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 14.2-in vented disc/12.4-in vented disc Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S245/35ZR-19 (93Y) HN
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 107.1 inLength: 184.1 inWidth: 71.9 inHeight: 55.7 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 56/46 ft3Trunk Volume: 14 ft3Curb Weight: 3313 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 4.8 sec100 mph: 11.7 sec1/4-Mile: 13.4 sec @ 106 mph130 mph: 22.1 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 5.4 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.1 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.8 secTop Speed (C/D est): 155 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 161 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 324 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.96 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 21 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 37 mpg75-mph Highway Range: 450 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 23/20/30 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDSenior EditorCars are Andrew Krok’s jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he’ll do something about that half-finished engineering degree. More

From the April 2000 issue of Car and Driver.Our $55,315 Titanium Silver Metallic BMW X5 certainly looked the part of a means­-business sport-utility vehicle­—square-shouldered, enormous 19- inch tires jamming the wheel wells, the prominent BMW twin-kidney grille. And as regular readers know, we like BMWs. But early comments from staffers who drove this brand-new vehicle elicited very un-BMW-like, one-­word adjectives—such as jerky, jumpy, and jiggly. It sounded as if we were naming the cast of the “Seven Dysfunctional Dwarves.” More on the X5 SUVThose comments were warranted especially on southern Michigan’s grim washboard roads, where our X5, equipped with the $2470 Sport package, provided a downright pun­ishing ride. Several of us wondered if somehow the tires had been inflated to, say, 60 psi. (They hadn’t.) We wondered why the steering had such a stiff, slow, nonlinear feel. We wondered why the drive-by-wire throttle, entirely acceptable with this engine in the 540i sedan, had such an abrupt tip-in. Then we thought: Hey, BMWs, pre­sumably even its sport-utility vehicle (called by BMW a “sports-activity vehicle,” for reasons that will become clear shortly), are road warriors, so let’s take a road trip! HIGHS: Excellent engine and transmission, superb bucket seats, best-in-class styling.Four days and more than 2500 miles later, our first-impression complaints remained and were joined by a handful of additional shortcomings, although there were just as many nearly stellar achieve­ments, because many of the good things about the X5 become evident with seat time. Suffice it to say that the X5, which gamely attempts to be all things to all drivers, isn’t. First, the good stuff. The build quality of the unibody X5, manufactured exclusively in the BMW plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, is on par with anything the company makes. Fit and finish was excellent. The X5 was drum tight on the roughest pavement and gave the impression it would still be so 75,000 miles down the road. Similarly, there’s little to fault about the X5’s interior. Wood trim is used liberally on the doors, dash, and console. The leather used on the seating surfaces, door panels, steering wheel, and shift knob is top quality. The legible white-on-black instru­ments are properly framed through the top half of the steering wheel, which, incidentally, is fitted with buttons on the left side of the hub that control the stereo and ears on the right side that regulate the cruise con­trol. There’s a useful, unobtrusive trip computer, an excellent 10-speaker stereo, and three memory settings that store seat, seatbelt-height, steering-wheel, and outside-mirror positions. Although the rear seats are a bit upright and thinly padded, the twin front bucket sport seats are superb. The driver’s seat has an eight-way power adjustment; the passenger seat is six-way adjustable. That the driver’s seat remained comfortable after a 24-hour stint behind the wheel is a significant achievement on BMW’s part. Nice, too, is a huge dead pedal for the driver’s left foot. As you would expect, safety features abound, including dual front and front side airbags, as well as the inflatable, sausage-shaped Head Protection System. Door-mounted rear side airbags are optional. Perhaps the most serious complaint about the passenger compartment is a minor one: The console-mounted twin cup holders can handle two cans but could not take two medium-size cups that flared at the top without tipping one of them off to the side. Move to the rear, though, and our complaints get a bit more severe. With the 60/40 rear seats in place, luggage capacity is a modest 16 cubic feet—the same as in a Hyundai Accent. If you want your cargo covered, capacity is reduced even more by a flimsy sliding plastic cover. Beneath the cargo floor is, at least, a full-size spare tire—although it was an 18-inch Michelin in our X5 that was shod with the 19-inch Bridgestones that come with the Sport package. The cargo door is a two-piece unit; the top section raises, and once it’s up, you manually engage a switch (impossible to find at night unless you know where it’s located) that releases the tailgate.On the road, the X5 seemed most at home on smooth pavement at super-legal speeds. Whether it’s in the 540i or the X5, the 282-hp, 4.4-liter V-8 is a gutsy, sophis­ticated engine. The VANOS variable valve timing is seamless and transparent. Mated to the five-speed automatic ZF transmis­sion, the powertrain is well-matched, downshifting intuitively when needed, upshifting without drama. It has the Steptronic feature that allows you to shift for yourself, but to some of us, it seemed more a novelty than an enhancement. LOWS: Rough ride, stiff steering, traction compromised on anything but dry pavement, modest luggage space.As mentioned previously, throttle tip-­in from a standing start demands a very light touch on the accelerator—any more pedal pressure and you lurch. Once under way, though, throttle feel is fine. Not so with the variable-assist rack-­and-pinion steering, which is tiresomely stiff at slow speeds. Although the X5 tracks straight and true with little correc­tion required on the interstate, it did not have the linear, precise feel we’ve come to know and love from other BMWs. The X5 has all-wheel drive, with power delivered through a transfer case that nom­inally sends 38 percent of the torque to the front, 62 percent to the rear, unless other­wise advised by the traction-control system. There is no low-range gearing, and instead of a limited-slip or locking differ­ential, the X5 has Automatic Differential Braking, a traction-control-type system that sends power to the wheels that have grip by individually braking the wheels that don’t. These systems tend to cook the brakes in prolonged low-traction slogging. The suspension that makes the X5 handle like a vehicle set lower than its 67.2-inch height, and lighter than its 4933-pound weight, makes for a jarring ride on all but the smoothest blacktop. Even con­crete highways in good repair have expan­sion joints, and the X5 finds every one of them. For this reason, we’d be tempted to pass on the Sport package—thus saving $2470 but missing out on those cool-­looking 19-inch tires and wheels—if it meant a smoother ride. And the X5 does go around corners with authority. The big four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock are excellent (70 mph to 0 takes a sports-car-like 167 feet) and, along with traction control, are stan­dard. The X5 circled the skidpad at 0.79 g, compared with 0.74 g for the Mercedes-­Benz ML55 AMG we tested in December 1999. The X5 wasn’t quite as quick in acceleration—a 15.4-second quarter-mile at 89 mph, compared with the ML55’s 15.3 seconds at 92 mph—but considering the X5 gives up 60 hp to the ML55’s 342-hp, 5.4-liter V-8, it’s respectable. Their curb weights are close, but their prices aren’t—our X5 listed for $55,315, about $10,000 less than the ML55. It’s possible to find a very nice X5 for less than ours cost, but don’t expect to see many at the $49,970 base price (you could hold out for the upcoming six-cylinder X5, expected to start at about 40K). Besides the aforementioned $2470 Sport package, which included the big tires and wheels and a sport suspension with firmer shocks, springs, and anti-roll bars, our tester had a power glass sunroof ($1050), xenon headlights ($500), tinted windows ($275), an upgraded stereo with a CD player ($200), and an $850 Activity package, which included heated front seats and headlamp washers. Standard stuff includes Hill Descent Control (like traction control for engine braking, it helps you creep down steep hills, braking to maintain about 6 mph), Dynamic Stability Control (combines ABS and traction control with info gath­ered by yaw, steering-angle, acceleration, and brake-pedal sensors), and Dynamic Brake Control (which “reinforces the driver’s pedal effort in emergency braking”). All that could not, however, make our X5 work well in the snow, thanks mostly, we suspect, to the massive Bridgestone Turanza radials. Customers who buy a Sport-package-equipped X5 thinking they can play mountain goat on slick roads will be disappointed, as snow-covered roads, both around our Ann Arbor home office and on 150 miles of Illinois interstate, had us wishing for a more sure-footed snow vehicle, such as almost any front-wheel­-drive sedan on the market. The traction control does what it can, but if the tires aren’t getting traction, you’re slipping and sliding. Brief off-road stints suggested that the X5 was not entirely at home there, either, despite adequate ground clearance and a tight turning circle. But again, the absence of low-range gearing and those great big Bridgestones are enough to keep us clear of the wilderness. So what, then, are we to make of BMW’s new X5? Great looks, a nearly flawless interior, a commendable power­train, and exceptional build quality, com­bined with a rough ride, limited cargo capacity, and marginal snow and off-road capabilities. If you want a sport-utility vehicle that emphasizes utility, we’d recommend a Mercedes ML430 or a Jeep Grand Cher­okee. If you lean more toward the “sport,” the BMW 540i station wagon holds more than the X5 and performs much better on the road. VERDICT: Pay attention to the SAV moniker, because if you’re looking for a do-it-all SUV, you might be disappointed.Still, we predict the X5 will be a major sales success. And that’s fine, as long as customers acknowledge its limitations. But for the next 2500-mile long-weekend trip, we’ll be driving something else. Counterpoint Although sport-utilities and sports sedans have about as much in common as giraffes and gazelles, I have to admit that the X5 does the best job yet of blurring the boundary between the two species. True, this rig is chubby for a unibody, and it’s afflicted with the same traits that render all SUVs clumsy: a high ground clearance and a high center of gravity. Nevertheless, with the Sport package it’s arguably the most nimble SUV yet offered, it stops quicker than a lot of passenger cars, and there’s prodi­gious torque to offset its porcine mass. And if the Sport-package ride is gnarly on Michigan roads, well, all the more reason to move to California. —Tony Swan BMW promised us the X5 would set new dynamic standards for SUVs. Sure enough, equipped with the optional Sport package, the X5 delivers cornering and braking grip far superior to any other SUV we’ve tested. Sadly, this adhesion comes with a brittle ride—one that is much less com­pliant than even an M5’s, or any other SUV’s that I can recall. Perhaps this is the price for making a 4933-pound machine with a high center of gravity stick like a BMW. Throw in numb steering and less cargo capacity than in a 5-series wagon, and the X5 takes the SUV concept in a direction I don’t under­stand. —Csaba Csere BMW always makes sure its offering in every car category is the driver’s car of the bunch. And it rarely lets us down. The X5 doesn’t wallow through turns, sit on its rear when accelerating, or burn its brakes after numerous stops. So I’d have to say that among luxury utes, the X5 is the most sat­isfying to drive. But I still wouldn’t buy one, since it has less interior room than a 540i wagon and rides much rougher. What gives? It’s as though BMW concentrated too hard on the sport part and forgot about utility. The profit margin rung up by sport-­utes was way too much for relatively small BMW to pass up, but I’d rather see a more useful package. —Larry WebsterArrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2000 BMW X5Vehicle Type: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $49,970/$55,315Options: Sport package (sport suspension, sport seats, 19-inch wheels and tires), $2470; power sunroof, $1050; Activity package (heated front seats, ski bag, headlamp washers, rain-sensing wipers), $850; xenon headlamps, $500; tinted windows, $275; CD player, $200
ENGINEDOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 268 in3, 4398 cm3Power: 282 hp @ 5400 rpmTorque: 324 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm 
TRANSMISSION5-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 13.1-in vented disc/12.8-in discTires: Bridgestone Turanza ER30F: 255/50VR-19R: 285/45VR-19
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 111.0 inLength: 183.7 inWidth: 73.7 inHeight: 67.2 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 51/45 ft3Cargo Volume, behind F/R: 54/16 ft3Curb Weight: 4933 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 6.9 sec1/4-Mile: 15.4 sec @ 89 mph100 mph: 20.4 sec130 mph: 49.0 secRolling Start, 5–60 mph: 7.3 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.4 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 5.1 secTop Speed (drag ltd): 137 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 167 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.79 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 16 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMYCity/Highway: 13/17 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED More

From the July/August issue of Car and Driver.No one could have predicted this, that Chevrolet would birth a 670-hp 5.5-liter V-8 that goes hard all the way to 8600 rpm, stepping into the void Ferrari left as it walked away from naturally aspirated, flat-plane-crank V-8s that rev to the moon. Almost as surprising: Roughly 20 years after Chevy and Porsche launched the Z06 and GT3 as distinct models to appeal to hardcore buyers of Corvettes and 911s, the latest versions are among the last keepers of the screaming, naturally aspirated flame.More Vette vs 911The GT3’s gestation is as predictable and measured as the 911 it’s based on, two decades of honing an inspired idea. Its high-revving flat-six has grown from 3.6 to 3.8 to now 4.0 liters, with a steady rise in output. This latest 992 generation switches to a control-arm front suspension, with ball joints galore, and a swan-neck rear wing. The Corvette Z06 has had a more scattered trajectory, employing pushrod V-8s and even dabbling in forced induction before the recent big change to a mid-engine architecture and the mega four-cam V-8. Porsche has done a remarkable job of keeping the 911 GT3’s weight in check. Compared with the first 996-generation car, the latest GT3 has a footprint (track width times wheelbase) that’s 10 percent larger, yet the car has gained a mere 27 pounds, a weight increase of less than 1 percent. The Z06 started larger and hasn’t grown quite as much, with a 9 percent increase in footprint, yet its weight has ballooned 565 pounds, or 18 percent. But for all the arguments about mid- versus rear-engine configuration, these two carry an all but identical 60 percent of their mass on the hind axle.To drink fully from these two deep wells, we drove them down to some of our favorite roads in southern Ohio, then back to western Michigan for a track day at the 2.1-mile GingerMan Raceway. We don’t think there are two other cars that could do 850 miles this comfortably (really, the only thing that got old was excessive road noise) and then eviscerate everything else on track. These are two of the most special and involving sports cars on the market, but of course we’re going to pick a winner.2nd Place: Chevrolet Corvette Z06If we’re talking lap times, the Z06 is the winner, a full two seconds ahead at Virginia International Raceway in our Lightning Lap crucible. It’s in fifth place on the all-time Lightning Lap leaderboard, at a price well under half of everything above it. This latest Z06 is still a value, though Chevy has clearly been studying Porsche’s pricing practices. The Z06 starts at $109,295, but Chevrolet charges GT3 money for a Z06 with all the fixings, including the top 3LZ interior ($13,850), the unpainted carbon-fiber aerodynamic package ($10,495), exposed carbon-fiber wheels ($11,995), and the Z07 performance package with carbon-ceramic rotors ($8995). But Porsche has quietly raised the GT3’s price by nearly $24,000 to $185,850 since its 2022 launch, as that’s what dealers were doing anyway.HIGHS: Screaming V-8, lap-time champ, superior ride quality. LOWS: High seating perch, build quality not up to $170K standards, carries an extra 445 pounds. VERDICT: The most tenacious Corvette ever.Both have dual-clutch automatics that boast some of the best launch-control systems ever conceived, but there’s more to it than you might think, as Chevy suggests a tire-cleaning regimen before each launch. Pull both paddles, then release one and pull it again. Floor the throttle and release the paddles to spin the tires. Then immediately stop, stand on both pedals, and remove your foot from the brake pedal.The Corvette’s launch control brings the revs up to 4500 rpm before letting loose, while the lower-torque 911 needs 6300 rpm. Both cars have an effective but undramatic clutch-slipping launch and leap to 30 mph in 1.1 seconds, a haste that typically requires all-wheel drive. The Z06 reaches 60 mph 0.2 second quicker and passes through the quarter-mile 0.3 second sooner. By 140 mph, the Z06 is 1.4 seconds ahead, but an upshift into the tall fifth gear allows the GT3 to reel it back in, and the gap closes to a mere 0.2 second at 160 mph.Oddly, there’s an all-weather floor-mat option for the Z06, and our car had these slippery accessories, making precise pedal inputs difficult. This didn’t help with the Z06’s already less predictable brake pedal, which is further complicated by the three brake-response settings, a feature we don’t think anyone was asking for. By comparison, the GT3’s brakes, which lack adjustment, provide textbook effort and feedback.With higher prices come higher expectations, and with a sticker that’s more than $100,000 above a base Corvette’s, our Z06 didn’t quite meet them. The materials look great, especially the beautiful carbon-fiber weave, but even a cursory examination of the Vette’s exterior panel gaps, paint quality (including orange peel), and interior assembly tightness shows that it lacks the meticulous build quality of the GT3. To be fair, Chevy did not make things easy on itself with all the chopped exterior styling elements and terraced, layered stacks of different materials in various outcroppings in the cabin.More than the GT3, the Z06 takes practical considerations into account, with a much larger cargo hold (although the GT3’s bare rear seating area serves as additional cargo space) and a rear wing whose tortured shape gets it out of the driver’s rear view and allows the trunklid to clear it. Porsche seemingly set the GT3’s rear wing to hide state troopers in Ford Explorers.Although the Z06 comes up just short of the GT3 in our scoring, it’s a remarkable achievement and a winner in just about any other setting. The screaming V-8 has a far angrier start than the GT3’s engine, as if each firing is an opportunity to step onto a stage, do a twirl, and take a well-deserved bow.1st Place: Porsche 911 GT3When you jump from the Z06 to the GT3, the first thing you notice is the visibility. It’s no exaggeration that the field of view in the Porsche feels 20 percent more expansive. On narrow, tree-lined roads, that makes for a major confidence boost. You also sit much lower in the fixed-back carbon-fiber buckets (a $5900 option), which manage to be more comfortable than the Z06’s optional competition seats, with wraparound support at the shoulder level that’s missing in the Corvette. Just be sure to get both cheeks over the pointy outside edge before falling into the seat. Thanks to the classic bubble roofline, the 911 has plenty of headroom for a helmet; meanwhile, in the Corvette, a taller driver’s brain bucket bangs into the headliner. On track, not having to brace yourself makes left-foot braking far easier. HIGHS: 9000-rpm flat-six, hyperreactive steering, superior cornering and braking with less tire. LOWS: Firm ride, lots of missing features for the price, low-grade standard interior. VERDICT: A brilliant formula, honed to perfection over 20 years.While the Z06’s V-8 is delightfully belligerent, it’s isolated from the chassis, whereas the GT3’s flat-six is hardwired to the experience. It buzzes the seat at its 800-rpm idle, something Porsche seemingly does for a little extra drama. (Adaptive engine mounts were removed in the 992-generation GT3 for an eight-pound weight savings, so relaxing those is no longer an option). At 1300 rpm, the powerplant resonates through the entire structure like a wet dog shaking, which we’d find wholly unacceptable in a car that costs a quarter as much as the GT3 but is appropriate here. And the engine never recedes into the background. At 80 mph, it’s turning 3300 rpm, while the Z06’s is at 1800 rpm. Nevertheless, the Porsche is the clear fuel-economy champ, better on our highway and non-highway legs and ending with a 17-mpg average.Not that it matters much when the flat-six sings an addictive, searing 101-decibel wail to 9000 rpm. Both engines have layers of character; our favorite attributes are the throat-clearing cackles when lifting off the throttle in the Z06 and the warbles that accompany aggressive upshifts in the GT3. They hang in the air like audible smoke rings, reverberating through the car. Both wear customized extreme Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires, and both entries were in their track-alignment setting. Porsche retains more sipes on the outer edge of the tires than does Chevy, and still the GT3 on narrower tires stops 10 feet shorter from 70 mph and 21 feet shorter from 100 mph. It also pulls a Z06-beating 1.17 g’s on the skidpad. Plus, the GT3’s stance is perfection, with tires tucked up into the wheel wells like a race car. While the engines are a magnificent centerpiece, both chassis are on the same plane. The 911’s steering is as sharp edged as the flat-six, with immediate on-center action and a rear end that’s more playful at the limit. The GT3 shrinks when driven hard, and euphoria sets in at about eight-tenths. The Corvette’s steering has a bit more effort on-center, which aids stability on long highway commutes, but Track mode is over-the-top heavy. Both cars suffer a similar amount of tramlining, but it wasn’t as bad as we expected given the wide tires and aggressive alignment. The GT3’s structure feels as stiff as granite, while you can sometimes hear the Z06’s roof-panel seals creaking. But the Corvette has the better ride; the GT3’s softest setting is akin to the Z06’s Sport mode. Most other Porsches live in the glow of this car’s brilliance. Driving a GT3 will haunt your daydreams and spoil the experience of nearly every other performance car. Which is to say, mission accomplished.Car and DriverArrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06Vehicle Type: mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $109,295/$169,515
ENGINEDOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 333 in3, 5463 cm3Power: 670 hp @ 8400 rpmTorque: 460 lb-ft @ 6300 rpm 
TRANSMISSION8-speed dual-clutch automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/control armsBrakes, F/R: 15.7-in vented, cross-drilled, ceramic disc/15.4-in vented, cross-drilled, ceramic discTires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R ZPF: 275/30ZR-20 (97Y) TPCR: 345/25ZR-21 (104Y) TPC
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 107.2 inLength: 185.9 inWidth: 79.7 inHeight: 48.6 inPassenger Volume: 51 ft3Cargo Volume: 13 ft3Curb Weight: 3691 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS30 mph: 1.1 sec60 mph: 2.6 sec100 mph: 5.9 sec1/4-Mile: 10.6 sec @ 131 mph150 mph: 15.5 sec170 mph: 24.4 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 3.1 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.0 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.2 secTop Speed (mfr’s claim): 189 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 143 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 280 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 1.14 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 14 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 14/12/19 mpg
— 
2022 Porsche 911 GT3Vehicle Type: rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $185,850/$211,405 (2023 model year)
ENGINEDOHC 24-valve flat-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 244 in3, 3996 cm3Power: 502 hp @ 8400 rpmTorque: 346 lb-ft @ 6100 rpm 
TRANSMISSION7-speed dual-clutch automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 16.1-in vented, cross-drilled ceramic disc/15.0-in vented, cross-drilled ceramic discTires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R ConnectF: 255/35ZR-20 (97Y) N0R: 315/30ZR/21 (105Y) N0
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 96.7 inLength: 180.0 inWidth: 72.9 inHeight: 50.4 inPassenger Volume: 49 ft3Cargo Volume: 5 ft3Curb Weight: 3246 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS30 mph: 1.160 mph: 2.8 sec100 mph: 6.6 sec1/4-Mile: 10.9 sec @ 127 mph150 mph: 16.3 sec170 mph: 24.8 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 3.7 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.1 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.1 secTop Speed (mfr’s claim): 197 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 133 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 259 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 1.17 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 17 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 16/15/18 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED Director, Vehicle TestingDave VanderWerp has spent more than 20 years in the automotive industry, in varied roles from engineering to product consulting, and now leading Car and Driver’s vehicle-testing efforts. Dave got his very lucky start at C/D by happening to submit an unsolicited resume at just the right time to land a part-time road warrior job when he was a student at the University of Michigan, where he immediately became enthralled with the world of automotive journalism. More

The Route Napoléon, which climbs north from the French Riviera to Grenoble, is widely considered one of the best driving roads in Europe, with a spectacular collection of narrow switchbacks and high-speed curves connected by brief straights. Much of it runs through national parkland, so traffic is light. It’s hardly a secret, though, and you’ll find groups of motorcyclists, driving tour groups, and—inevitably—campers also on the route. The ideal car for the Route Napoléon is one that’s tight and responsive in the twisties, poised through the fast curves, and with deep reserves of power in order to rip past dawdlers in the brief passing zones and roar triumphantly through the valleys. Something like the Aston Martin DB12.More from Aston MartinThe DB12 is a big car, and it feels plenty wide when you’re threading it along the narrow streets of the Côte d’Azur. Fortunately, the steering, which has been revised for greater precision both on- and off-center, makes placing this car easy. It’s the same quickness as before—2.4 turns lock to lock—and the ratio is fixed, which aids predictability. The level of power assist varies with speed and drive mode, but not wildly so. On-center precision was also a key quality in the design of the DB12-specific Michelin Pilot Sport 5S tires (275/35-ZR21 up front, 325/30-ZR21 at the rear). So, too, was grip, and the DB12 has plenty. Pushing it as hard as we dared, it was impossible to upset this chassis—even when surprised by a tightening blind corner or suddenly booting the accelerator powering out of a curve. Aston claims 52 percent of the car’s mass rides on the rear wheels, and the DB12 feels incredibly balanced, with eager turn-in and little front-end push. Chassis tuning for the new DB12 was undertaken with the goal of preserving ride quality but sharpening handling. The three main drive modes—GT, Sport, and Sport+—are joined by the new Wet and Individual modes. There are also nine levels of traction control once you switch off ESC (although that capability wasn’t active on the pre-production cars we drove). Director of vehicle performance Simon Newton talks about wanting to allow the car to “breathe,” which meant tuning the new Bilstein DTX adaptive dampers to allow some vertical motion even in the firmest setting. That firmest setting does preserve a measure of ride quality—more so than most Mercedes-AMG or BMW M cars in their max-attack mode.The biggest mechanical change from DB11 to 12 is under the hood. The twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 again hails from AMG but is much brawnier than the DB11’s. Larger turbochargers, revised cam profiles, and a higher compression ratio push output to 671 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, an additional 143 horses and 77 pound-feet. The new V-8 also tops the previously available V-12’s 630 horses and 516 pound-feet. (The V-12 isn’t currently on offer for the DB12, but Aston insiders hint that it could make a return.)As it is, the V-8 certainly doesn’t disappoint. The engine’s fat torque band—the peak runs from 2750 to 6000 rpm—means the turbo V-8 is brutally strong throughout the rev range. And does this engine pack a punch. Aston quotes a 60-mph time of 3.5 seconds, but on the move, the DB12 seems even quicker. Out on the Route Napoléon, flooring the right pedal sent the car hurtling toward the next corner, and it made even the diciest passing opportunities suddenly viable. Our only quibble is the aggressive throttle mapping in Sport+ mode. An engine that can punt a car forward with the force of this V-8 requires brakes that are equally forceful when reining a car in. The firm, reassuring left pedal in our DB12 squeezed carbon-ceramic rotors that were well up to the task. A new option, they save nearly 60 pounds over the standard iron stoppers, although they sometimes emit a faint squeal under light applications. The beefy rotors are visible through new, 21-inch wheels (9.5 inches wide up front, 10.5 inches at the rear). The wheel size is an increase from 20 inches in the DB11, yet the new forged wheels are collectively lighter by some 17 pounds. The DB12 again uses a ZF eight-speed rear-mounted transaxle, and the ratios are the same as before. The final-drive ratio is 13 percent shorter, however, to aid in-gear acceleration, so calls for more midrange thrust often can be answered without downshifting. Aston has moved the large shift paddles from the column to the steering wheel, but you won’t have much need for them, so intuitive is this gearbox. Regardless of mode, it was amazingly prescient with its downshifting into corners and holding on to a gear when accelerating hard out of them. In the opposite scenario, when motoring gently through a busy town center or at parking-lot speeds, this torque-converter automatic exhibits none of the jerky hesitation that can occur with a dual-clutch gearbox. Aston MartinAston MartinThe Route Napoléon isn’t much of a place for stylin’ and profilin’, but the French Riviera certainly is, and in that regard, the DB12 easily holds its own, though onlookers may not be able to tell it from its predecessor. Look at the DB12, and you’d think that—kind of like Fonzie checking out his perfect ducktail in the mirror and just putting his comb back in his pocket—Aston Martin’s designers rolled a DB11 into the studio and decided, “Eh, we really can’t improve upon that.” Actually, Aston chief creative officer Marek Reichman claims that most of the body panels are new or altered (the doors carry over, and the roof is from the DBS). The look is so similar, though, that the DB12 giveaways are mostly in the details: a larger grille that raises the nose, reshaped headlamps, a more prominent front splitter, and new sideview mirrors with minimalist housings perched on reshaped arms.The near-identical body is draped over Aston’s bonded and riveted aluminum structure, tweaked for DB12 duty. Changes to the engine crossbrace, the front crossmember, the rear bulkhead, and the underbody trays have inched up the structural rigidity by a claimed 7 percent. The front track is fractionally wider (0.2 inch) and the rear slightly more so (0.9 inch).Whereas Aston strived for continuity outside, that was not the case with the interior, where it replaced the previous poofy dash with a slimmer unit that makes the front compartment feel somewhat more spacious, although the greenhouse (which is unchanged) remains quite shallow. Three different seats are on offer: Our car had the midrange Sport Plus seats, which had plenty of lateral support, but the controls on the side of the console are somewhat fiddly. As before, token rear seats are sized for a briefcase or backpack rather than a human being. Fragrant Bridge of Weir leather and Alcantara covered almost every interior surface of the car we drove, which also featured carbon-fiber trim, although buyers face a plethora of choices.Aston has binned the Mercedes-sourced infotainment system from the DB11 in favor of a new unit designed in-house. The screen, now fully integrated into the ramp-like center console, may seem undersized at 10.3 inches, but it looks good, and the home screen shows multiple functions at once, including climate-control shortcuts such as “warm hands.” Apple and Android smartphone mirroring are present and wireless. And the system is set up for over-the-air updates.Happily, Aston didn’t go full touchscreen in a misguided quest for modernity, instead preserving the tactility of high-quality switchgear, including roller switches for temperature, fan speed, and audio volume, plus a smattering of buttons for major driving aspects (damper firmness, exhaust volume, and stability control), as well as the parking camera and some climate functions. Touch-sensitive nubs on the steering-wheel spokes are similar to Mercedes and are no better here. You select the drive mode via a large dial on the center console with the start/stop button at its center. The wireless smartphone charging mat is located on the console’s open lower tier, which may cause some anxiety for those who don’t like their phone out of sight; a wired connection can also be found inside the center armrest.Aston Martin points out that in recent times, a wholesale model change has been accompanied by a plus-two increase in model designation: DB7 to DB9, DB9 to DB11. (The ultra-limited DB10 apparently doesn’t count.) The new car’s DB12 nameplate, along with its continuity in appearance, tells you that this is more of a comprehensive upgrade. But it’s one that puts this Aston at the pinnacle of the world’s high-glam sports tourers, and it makes the DB12 an ideal machine for taking on one of Europe’s most celebrated roads.Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Aston Martin DB12Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2+2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base: $248,086 
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 243 in3, 3982 cm3Power: 671 hp @ 6000 rpmTorque: 590 lb-ft @ 2750 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 110.4 inLength: 186.0 inWidth: 78.0 in Height: 51.0 inTrunk Volume: 9 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 4100 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.3 sec100 mph: 7.5 sec1/4-Mile: 11.1 secTop Speed: 202 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 17/14/22 mpg Deputy Editor, Reviews and FeaturesJoe Lorio has been obsessed with cars since his Matchbox days, and he got his first subscription to Car and Driver at age 11. Joe started his career at Automobile Magazine under David E. Davis Jr., and his work has also appeared on websites including Amazon Autos, Autoblog, AutoTrader, Hagerty, Hemmings, KBB, and TrueCar. More

From the May 1991 issue of Car and Driver.Fire trucks are stealthy compared with this Dodge. And ambulances. Vise-Grips won’t grab a bystander’s gaze any harder. You have a better chance of passing un­noticed on a parade float.On the head-turns-per-dollar poll, the misnamed Stealth wins big. Chrysler styl­ing is into the wide-body mode these days—witness the upcoming Viper. The wider the body, the lower it looks. And the more room there is for voluptuous scoops and sculpts without notching into the passengers’ elbowroom. The Stealth carries this idea to arresting lengths. But forgetting the sculpting for a minute, this Mitsubishi-built, Chrysler-designed shape makes a statement with its basic dimensions. At 72.4 inches, it’s exactly Camaro wide but more than a foot (13.5 inches) shorter. And 1.3 inch­es lower. The result is striking proportions quite close in size to those of the Porsche 928S4. More 1990s Dodge ReviewsLike the 928, this Dodge’s interior is pure 2+2, and the +2 had better be kids. Or briefcases. The Stealth to die for, called the R/T Turbo, packs a 300-horsepower twin­-turbocharged and intercooled V-6 en­gine, four-wheel drive, four-wheel steer­ing, and anti-lock brakes, not to mention a handful of gee-whiz items like switch­able shock absorbers and a now-you­hear-it, now-you-don’t exhaust system. The window sticker runs to $29,610–$30,877 if you opt for leather and a com­pact-disc player. Dick Kelley|Car and DriverNaturally, when you lay out that kind of money, your heart cracks a little every time your neighbor says, “Yeah, someone down at the office has one just like it.” Chances are it’s not just like the R/T Turbo, but Dodge is intent on filling every pool with low-priced replicas. Well, low-priced if $16,636 and up qualifies. Because the well-endowed R/T Turbo is at the top of a four-tier Stealth line that starts with a no-suffix Stealth at the price above, moves to the Stealth ES on this page at $18,399, then to the Stealth R/T at $24,498. None of these looks exactly the same as the Turbo (although the R/T differs only in wheels and tires—sixteen-­inchers instead of the Turbo’s seven­teens), but they’re too close for comfort if you’re signed up for 72-month paper on the real thing. This is the bad news. The good news is that the one-rung­-up-from-the-bottom Stealth ES is a pret­ty sweet machine, although it too quickly migrates up the price ladder if you’re un­able to just say no to the option sheet. Our test car rang up $23,279 on the cash register, thanks to a four-speed automat­ic ($813), air conditioning ($846), and Option Group F ($3221), which includes power locks and windows, cruise control, a rear-window washer and wiper, a CD player, anti-lock brakes, a security alarm, electronically controlled shock absorb­ers, and floor mats. Dick Kelley|Car and DriverDick Kelley|Car and DriverThe ES, with its 24-valve V-6 (222 hp at 6000 rpm) and 225/55VR-l6 Good­year gatorbacks on eight-inch-wide alloy wheels, easily rises above the average person’s needs. And the sight of it as you ap­proach in the parking lot always revs the spirit. Yet the car is quite tame on the road, even refined. Interior sound is muted, the engine is relaxed in its pairing with the four-speed automatic and, so long as you don’t bump the suspension switch into Sport, the ride is merely con­trolled. Just touch that rocker, though, and the motions can get nasty. You don’t need the hard ride to be re­minded of the Stealth’s sporting attitude. The moderately buckety seats with a clever, infinitely adjustable driver-side lumbar support set the mood, reaffirmed by the large, round instruments right where you can see them. The fifteen-inch leather-wrapped steering wheel seems a bit larger in diameter than is appropriate for a sporting car, but its rim never blocks the gauges, even if its air-bag-stuffed hub does obscure a few dashboard switches. Both the shapes and the textures of the surrounding upholstery bespeak high fashion. Dick Kelley|Car and DriverWe have a few gripes, of course. The automatic has a console switch for Power or Economy operation, as well as a lever­-mounted switch for locking out top gear. These days, automatic transmissions should be smart enough to do the right thing without extra switches. That’s why they’re called “automatic,” after all. An­other gripe: the lighter socket is located on the console in such a way that a radar­-detector cord tangles the shift lever. The R/T and the R/T Turbo have an addi­tional “accessory” socket in a better loca­tion. C’mon. Any car with arrest-me looks should be detector-friendly. Notice that we’re back to looks again. Every discussion of this car starts with its looks and inevitably loops back again and again. Let the record show that the Stealth ES is very good at what used to be called grand touring—quick and effort­less transit for two—and even better for grand entrances.Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
1991 Dodge Stealth ESVehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 2+2-passenger, 3-door coupe
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $18,399/$23,279
ENGINEDOHC 24-valve V-6, iron block and aluminum heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 181 in3, 2972 cm3Power: 222 hp @ 6000 rpm 
TRANSMISSION4-speed automatic 
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 97.2 inLength: 179.1 inCurb Weight: 3666 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 8.5 sec1/4-Mile: 16.4 sec @ 87 mph100 mph: 22.4 secRolling Start, 5–60 mph: 8.5 secTop Speed: 130 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 166 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.87 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 21 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMYCity: 18 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED More

Electrification suits Rolls-Royce better than just about any other brand. After all, for decades, the highly exclusive automaker has worked tirelessly to tune its V-12s to near silence. But even in the context of previous Rolls-Royces, the electric Spectre represents a step change in quietude. If you subscribe to chief engineer Mihiar Ayoubi’s take that “silence is luxury,” then the Spectre is quite likely the most luxurious vehicle ever. A New Order of QuietudeThis isn’t a foregone conclusion. That all electric vehicles are inherently and equally silent is as incorrect as it is oft repeated. While it’s true that electric motors tend to generate far less noise than internal-combustion engines, especially under high loads, that’s only one of the three primary sources of racket. As for the other two—noise propagating up from the road and the vehicle slicing through the surrounding air—EVs have no particular advantage.More on the Spectre EVBut the Spectre is so silent that to experience it is to ruin every other vehicle, including the rest of the Rolls lineup. At 80 to 90 mph, the slightest ripple of wind starts to nip at the Spectre’s side glass. But compared with a ride the next day in a Cullinan SUV, one of the quietest vehicles we’ve ever measured (62 decibels at a 70-mph cruise), the Spectre is so much quieter that we thought one of the Cullinan’s windows might be slightly open. Driving the SpectreThe company’s first EV is about far more than just a lack of noise, however. Its tires roll so frictionlessly over smooth roads that you could believe you’re hovering over the road, although sharp impacts ground those thoughts and serve as a reminder of the weight of the 23-inch wheels and 32-inch-tall Pirelli P Zero PZ4 Elect tires. The rolling smoothness is why we think the Spectre should have a coasting mode, which would continue the otherworldly feeling of effortlessness. Instead, there’s a modest amount of default regen, with a B button on the spindly column shifter to increase regenerative braking to the point that it will bring the car to a stop without a touch of the brake pedal, which is a bit long of travel in an attempt to guarantee smoothness. Other than that, the Spectre has no selectable drive-mode settings, an approach we wholeheartedly agree with—offer a single excellent tune without giving drivers numerous ways to screw it up. For the same reason, there are no audio settings. The only other choice relating to the powertrain is a Rolls-Royce noise that scales with motor output; it sounds like an ominous futuristic storm that’s a considerable distance away. With it off (our preference), the motors are perfectly silent. They’re also plenty strong, although acceleration isn’t bonkers by today’s EV standards. Still, a rush to 60 mph in the low-four-second range roughly matches the performance of the brand’s V-12 models.Those front and rear current-excited synchronous motors are borrowed from parent company BMW. There’s a 255-hp motor in the front and the more powerful 483-hp rear unit from the iX M60 and the i7 M70. The 102.0-kWh battery pack is also shared with BMW and uses the same cells from CATL. Peak output is 577 horsepower and 664 pound-feet, all but equal to the latest twin-turbo V-12 in the Phantom sedan. Ayoubi says the Spectre uses nearly 400 pounds of sound-deadening materials, as in other Rolls-Royces, and the 1543-pound battery pack is another effective noise blanket. Integrating the large battery pack into the aluminum Architecture of Luxury was done deftly—the front seats sit just 0.8 inch higher and the rears 1.2 inches higher than those in the 2009 Phantom Coupe, which served as the Spectre’s muse. The pack also is a major contributor to the claimed 30 percent increase in torsional rigidity over the Rolls-Royce Ghost. That the Spectre is only about 500 pounds heavier than a Cullinan or an i7 feels like about as big of a weight win as a 6600-pound four-seater can hope for. A high beltline limits the view from the plush seats, with considerable distractions from the gorgeous leather and wood interior materials. A tap of the vents suggests billet aluminum. Despite the removal of the internal-combustion engine and drivetrain, there’s still a central tunnel. The now-familiar Starlight headliner that’s dotted with points of light is augmented with a new Starlight Doors option, featuring 4796 additional “stars” in the doors and the adult-size rear-seat area. Or you can go with the traditional and spectacular wood paneling. Once you’ve taken it all in and get on with the business of driving, you’ll find that the Rolls-typical steering wheel, thin rimmed and large diameter, is light in effort but very precise. In a pleasant surprise, it passes along subtle road feedback. Over large swells in the road, the Spectre can be slightly too floaty front to back, but body roll is well controlled. The forward view of the Spectre stuffing its lane makes it feel as massive as it is, but the four-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars let it drive far smaller. At no point when chucking the Spectre through a series of switchbacks at a pace totally unbecoming of its laid-back mission does it fall apart. When you finally must depart the cabin, hang on after a second pull of the door handle, and the door powers open, pulling you along with it. Design ContinuityNothing about the Spectre’s arresting presence shouts about the sea change in propulsion, and that’s deliberate. The brand’s customers are not interested in a stylistic departure as Rolls-Royce transitions all its models to electric propulsion by 2030. Therefore, the long hood and generous dash-to-axle ratio remain, although there’s not much to be seen under the hood save for a massive metal cover. The only bit that underwhelms is the oversize charge-port cover. Rolls reshaped and optimized every surface above and on the underside, leading to contribute to an impressive 0.25 coefficient of drag (versus 0.31 for the Phantom Coupe). Even the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament that powers out of the front of the hood contributes, now crouching slightly lower with her flowing robes more extended. The grille slats are mostly closed off since cooling air isn’t needed. At nearly five feet long, the rear-hinged coach doors are the longest Rolls has ever produced, which is why they get a secondary stabilizing latch.The company says research with potential owners showed that they are almost exclusively interested in charging at home and that the Spectre’s estimated 260 miles of EPA range is sufficient. Those traveling farther would likely choose a different vehicle from their personal fleet—one that isn’t ground-bound. Nevertheless, the Spectre has DC fast-charging capability with a claimed 195-kW peak. Pricing starts at $422,750, but with a seemingly endless amount of customization possible, the company says it expects most of the vehicles to transact above $500,000. Rolls says 40 percent of those who have ordered a Spectre are new to the brand, and the first year of production, roughly 2500 cars, is already sold out. Deliveries start in November 2023.The Spectre is that most wonderfully irrational vehicle—a massive, nearly BMW 7-series–sized behemoth with just two doors. It both feels familiar yet represents the ultrasilent way forward for Rolls-Royce.Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Rolls-Royce SpectreVehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base: $422,750
POWERTRAIN
Front Motor: current-excited synchronous AC, 255 hp, 269 lb-ft Rear Motor: current-excited synchronous AC, 483 hp, 524 lb-ft Combined Power: 577 hpCombined Torque: 664 lb-ftBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 102.0 kWhOnboard Charger: 22.0 kWPeak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 195 kWTransmissions, F/R: direct-drive
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 126.4 inLength: 215.6 inWidth: 79.4 inHeight: 61.9 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 55/41 ft3Trunk Volume: 13 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 6600 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 4.2 sec100 mph: 9.7 sec1/4-Mile: 12.5 secTop Speed: 155 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 73/72/75 MPGeRange: 260 miDirector, Vehicle TestingDave VanderWerp has spent more than 20 years in the automotive industry, in varied roles from engineering to product consulting, and now leading Car and Driver’s vehicle-testing efforts. Dave got his very lucky start at C/D by happening to submit an unsolicited resume at just the right time to land a part-time road warrior job when he was a student at the University of Michigan, where he immediately became enthralled with the world of automotive journalism. More