Car Reviews

From the July/August issue of Car and Driver.It was big news when Nissan revealed the latest Z. After years of seemingly ignoring its iconic sports car, Nissan brought it back with a 400-hp twin-turbo V-6. The excitement didn’t last, and the redesigned Z finished last in its first C/D comparison test. The “new” Z simply felt like a reskinned version of the old car but with a bit more power.Enter the Z NISMO. A thorough redo by Nissan’s performance division, the Z NISMO impressed us at our Lightning Lap competition at Virginia International Raceway. With 420 horses and 384 pound-feet of torque—gains of 20 and 34, respectively—as well as wider tires on forged wheels, stiffer anti-roll bars, larger front brakes, and bigger dampers with firmer springs, the NISMO felt in its element racing against the clock. Tracks usually expose weaknesses, but this one actually masked the NISMO’s flaws. In the real world, where the streets aren’t freshly steamrolled, the added stiffness becomes tiresome, and the tight body control that feels so nice at 1.02 g’s shakes you silly in the NISMO’s standard Recaro seats. The brakes that performed so well when pushed to their limit at VIR are grabby and inconsistent, making it impossible to come to a complete stop smoothly.More on the Z NISMOChassis shortcomings aside, the model-specific Sport+ drive mode and launch control for the automatic transmission deliver drama-free 3.9-second blasts to 60 mph and 12.4-second trips through the quarter-mile at 114 mph. Those numbers are within striking distance of the more powerful BMW M2 and Ford Mustang Dark Horse.While BMW and Ford offer manuals, Nissan makes the NISMO only with a nine-speed automatic. And then there’s the $66,890 price and the HVAC controls from the George W. Bush era. We’re happy a vehicle like the NISMO exists, but it could be a better road car. SpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Nissan Z NISMOVehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door hatchback
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $66,890/$69,095Options: Brilliant Silver Metallic and Super Black two-tone paint, $1295; floor mat package (NISMO floor mats, trunk mat, first aid kit, cargo net, owner’s manual branded portfolio) $410; illuminated black metallic kick plate, $500
ENGINEtwin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 183 in3, 2997 cm3Power: 420 hp @ 6400 rpmTorque: 384 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm 
TRANSMISSION9-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 15.0-in vented disc/13.8-in vented discTires: Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT600F: 255/40R-19 100Y Extra LoadR: 285/35R-19 103Y Extra Load
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 100.4 inLength: 173.2 inWidth: 73.6 inHeight: 51.8 inCurb Weight: 3673 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 3.9 sec100 mph: 9.4 sec1/4-Mile: 12.4 sec @ 114 mph130 mph: 17.0 sec150 mph: 26.6 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 4.4 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.8 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.4 secTop Speed (C/D est): 165 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 153 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 305 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 1.02 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 18 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 27 mpg75-mph Highway Range: 440 mi 
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 19/17/24 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDDavid Beard studies and reviews automotive related things and pushes fossil-fuel and electric-powered stuff to their limits. His passion for the Ford Pinto began at his conception, which took place in a Pinto. More

At the launch of the 718 Spyder RS, Andreas Preuninger, the man in charge of all Porsche GT cars, was asked which non-GT 911 is his favorite. There are after all some 20 models between the 911 Carrera and whatever is the current most expensive variant (at the moment, the Turbos). He said the Turbo S, because he can make calls at high speed and it’s comfortable and very quick. Then he posed the question to me, and I said, “Whatever is the cheapest one with a manual transmission. The 911 T, right?” At which point he slapped me on the shoulder, affirmed that was the correct answer, and changed his. So, I’ve got that going for me.The point of that story is that he knows the bones of the cars he molds and that the greatness of a GT3 RS or an S/T wouldn’t be possible if the starting point were anything but exceptional. This holds true for the newly refreshed 2025 911 Carrera. A manual transmission may not be in the cards at the moment, but the incremental changes to the rest of the car are an improvement. Power comes from a lightly breathed upon but otherwise carryover 3.0-liter flat-six. Unlike the new GTS, which utilizes a single electrified turbocharger, the Carrera carries on with two turbos, but they are from the outgoing GTS, and the intercoolers are from the previous-gen 911 Turbo. These changes net efficiency gains that contribute to a small power increase of nine horsepower for a total of 388 horses at 6500 rpm. Peak torque remains 331 pound-feet, though that’s available at 2000 rpm, 100 rpm higher in the rev range. Redline is unchanged at 7400 rpm. Response is good. Not the lag-free experience of the new Carrera GTS, but not much is. More on the 911 CarreraThe exterior shape is unchanged—why mess with a shape that’s worked for eight generations?—though typical of a mid-cycle refresh, the bumpers have been revised, and there’s more standard content. The LED Matrix headlights with auto high beams constitute the most noteworthy addition. HD LED Matrix lights are also available, but as we’ve seen with other automakers’ dynamic high-beams, their 16,384 light sources per side work in unison rather than illuminating specific parts of the road to keep bright lights from shining on oncoming traffic. Active cruise control is available and so is night vision, which displays in the now 100 percent digital instrument cluster, but avoid those options as they come with unsightly sensors in the grille.That’s right, not only does the 911 not have an analog speedometer, it doesn’t have an old-timey tach either. The 12.6-inch curved screen can display up to seven different views, depending on how the car is equipped. Every Carrera also gets the steering-wheel-mounted drive-mode switch as standard. (It was previously reserved for models equipped with the Sport Chrono package.) Added to the list of no-cost options, which also includes the Smoking package (an ashtray insert for the cupholder) and a storage net in the passenger footwell, is the small back seat. The back seat may add a bit of weight, but its versatility is mandatory, in our opinion. A base Carrera should weigh just under 3400 pounds, and Porsche says the car is 0.1 second quicker to 60 mph, but the last Carrera we tested hit 60 in 3.2 seconds, which is 0.5 second quicker than Porsche’s estimate for the new model (with the Sport Chrono package). So don’t be too shocked if it ties the outgoing car in terms of acceleration. From behind the wheel the experience is all but unchanged. The steering is communicative; the eight-speed dual-clutch behaves like a professionally trained German shepherd and never barks back or ignores a command. The 911 is a cohesive round pod that brings joy to each mile. That’s a difficult thing to price, but Porsche has, as you expect. The 911 has gotten more expensive, now starting at $122,095. There isn’t a lot of competition at that price point. You can get a V-8 by either undercutting it with the much less pricey Chevrolet Corvette or spending a good bit more on a Mercedes-AMG GT55. Or try to find a Lotus Emira or one of the few remaining Jaguar F-Types. All these cars try to capture the 911’s magic, because the Carrera remains the gold standard by which all other sports cars are judged. SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 Porsche 911 CarreraVehicle Type: rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2- or 2+2-passenger, 2-door coupe or convertible
PRICE
Base: Carrera, $122,095; Carrera Cabriolet, $135,395
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve flat-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 182 in3, 2981 cm3Power: 388 hp @ 6500 rpmTorque: 331 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 96.5 inLength: 178.8 inWidth: 72.9 inHeight: 51.2 inTrunk Volume: 5 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3400–3550 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.2–3.3 sec100 mph: 7.9–8.0 sec1/4-Mile: 11.5–11.6 secTop Speed: 183 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 20/18/24 mpgK.C. Colwell, the executive editor at Car and Driver, is a seasoned professional with a deep-rooted passion for new cars and technology. His journey into the world of automotive journalism began at an early age when his grandmother gifted him a subscription to Car and Driver for his 10th birthday. This gift sparked a lifelong love for the industry, and he read every issue between then and his first day of employment. He started his Car and Driver career as a technical assistant in the fall of 2004. In 2007, he was promoted to assistant technical editor. In addition to testing, evaluating, and writing about cars, technology, and tires, K.C. also set the production-car lap record at Virginia International Raceway for C/D’s annual Lightning Lap track test and was just the sixth person to drive the Hendrick Motorsport Garage 56 Camaro. In 2017, he took over as testing director until 2022, when was promoted to executive editor and has led the brand to be one of the top automotive magazines in the country. When he’s not thinking about cars, he likes playing hockey in the winter and golf in the summer and doing his best to pass his good car sense and love of ’90s German sedans to his daughter. He might be the only Car and Driver editor to own a Bobcat: the skidsteer, not the feline. Though, if you have a bobcat guy, reach out. K.C. resides in Chelsea, Michigan, with his family. More

From the May 1986 issue of Car and Driver.Svenska Aeroplan AB, commonly known as Saab, was formed in 1937. Despite its background, this famed Swedish aircraft producer, which branched out into auto­mobile production in 1949, has recently built fairly blunt-looking cars. The new 9000 (C/D, December) may ruin that repu­tation, but even in the face of that sleek se­dan, Saab continues to bluff the winds of change with the relatively upright 900. It survives because it’s practical and because Saab’s engineers regularly sneak the dev­il’s work under its hood. When the Saab Turbo appeared, its hissing exhaust spoke with a forked tail. Then Saab loaded it with twin cams and sixteen valves, and its clo­ven hoofs scrabbled to put the power down, spelling out its personality in black strips, the most lurid of highway hieroglyphics. But not everybody wants to sell their soul to the devil for eternity, and to the bank for 48 months, and that’s where the new 900S comes in. By offering sixteen­-valve responsiveness without the expense of the turbo package, the S splits the whop­ping $6000 difference between the saintly 900 and the satanic 900 Turbo.Dick Kelley|Car and DriverThe S boots up on 195/60HR-15 steel-­belted radials and alloy wheels and high­-pressure gas shocks, but lacks the Turbo’s anti-roll bars. Nevertheless, its cornering, even at the 0.76-g maximum, feels flatter and better controlled than that of past mid-market Saabs. Luckily, the Turbo’s firmly contoured seats have made the tran­sition to the S, and the accommodations all around are couched in velour. The picky driver may note the proximity of pedals to seat and may wish the accurate steering were heavier, but their complaints will be drowned by huzzahs from happy passen­gers, who have for themselves and their luggage plenty of room and comfort. Any dunce who absconds with your stereo, however, will be genuinely unhappy about the steal-me, junk-me electronic AM/FM­-stereo/cassette unit, which takes a perma­nent nap unless the correct code is fed back into its memory after any interruption of power. Of the 100,000 cars built by Saab last year, America snapped up 38,000—enough to qualify the U.S. as a major piece of Saab’s automobile action. Americans hanker for cars that can flat scat across an intersection at the drop of a light. We like to get to the far side first, so we need torque down low, where it rolls out in our favor like doctored dice. More on SaabSaab figures its sixteen-valve four­-banger will roll sevens all night long. At 2.0 liters, the upgraded normally aspirated four produces more than one horsepower per cubic inch, and fifteen horsepower more than the eight-valver in the base 900; the 900 makes 110 hp at 5250 rpm, while our S puts out 125 hp at 5500 rpm. The torque peaks at 123 pounds-feet at 3000 rpm for the S, a handy 500 rpm lower than the 900’s 119 pounds-feet. Like all four-valve-per-cylinder layouts, Saab’s is aimed at increased efficiency and flexibility through improved breathing and combustion. The S’s fuel charge arrives with the impetus of Bosch LH­-Jetronic fuel injection behind it, and air travels into the engine via ram-tuned in­take tracts. Saab tech director Gunnar Larsson chose not to provide two small and symmetrical intake ports per cylinder, but instead developed one round and one D-shaped tract to feed each combustion chamber. This causes a valve-to-valve ve­locity difference that helps generate useful turbulence inside the chambers.Dick Kelley|Car and DriverFuel economy hovers at 20 mpg, 1 mpg less than the 900’s. The sixteen-valve en­gine produces clearly superior drivability; because it’s boxed inside such a tall, rela­tively weighty shell, however, it makes the S no Krakatoa among factory-souped se­dans. Even so, it cures the breathlessness that straps the 900, noticeably lightening its load and transforming the selection of the five gears in the somewhat clunky box into headier steps. At 10.0 seconds, the S does reasonably well from 0 to 60, though its towering façade, which ranks behind only that of Yosemite’s El Capitan, turns a 0-to-100 test into a 51.8-second enduro and quells the top speed at a ho-hum 104 miles per hour.Even without Saab’s turbocharger to huff and puff in assistance, the sixteen valves pump their little hearts out. Fortu­nately, they’re covered by Saab’s new three-year/36,000-mile warranty, which lasts for the full duration even if the car is resold to other owners. By next summer, 900-series Saabs will scamper ashore with optional convertible tops. Topped or top­less, the 900S will hit it off with those who crave practicality as much as performance, at a base price of $16,095. The S feels faster than the 900, and it is, just as the devil intended, but its middling performance may still leave you on the horns of his dilemma.SpecificationsSpecifications
1986 Saab 900SVehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 3-door hatchback
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $16,095/$16,401
ENGINEDOHC 16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum headDisplacement: 121 in3, 1985 cm3Power: 125 hp @ 5500 rpm 
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 99.1 inLength: 186.6 inCurb Weight: 2776 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 10.0 sec1/4-Mile: 17.4 sec @ 77 mph100 mph: 51.8 secTop Speed: 104 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 209 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.76 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 19 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMYCity: 20 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED More

Not since Porsche blew air cooling out the back door in 1999 with the 996-generation 911 has there been a bigger change that will upset more Porsche fans than the hybridization of the 911. Fans, however, are not necessarily owners, and those with the means will not mind the 21st-century tech one bit, because if Porsche didn’t tell anyone this updated 992.2 was a hybrid, no one would know by how it drives.For now, the new 3.6-liter flat-six operating in perfect stoichiometry all the time, its electrified turbocharger, and eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox with an integral electric motor are limited to the GTS, which used to be powered by a jazzed-up version of the twin-turbo 3.0-liter in the base Carrera. The three-letter suffix is still the second step in 911 addiction following the Carreras but not as intense as the Turbo or GT models. Porsche says that the 40-pound lighter engine, which no longer has any accessory drive (A/C and all other ancillaries are either electric, moved inside the engine, or made redundant by the motor in the gearbox); the addition of an estimated 1.5-kWh 400-volt battery; and the numerous small changes for this facelift add 103 pounds to the GTS. The 478-hp engine and 53-hp motor combine for a total of 532 horses (yes, it’s fuzzy math). That’s 59 more ponies than the outgoing GTS, which if you are to believe the claimed weight, will be more than enough power to keep the pounds-per-hp ratio moving in the right direction. The last 911 GTS we tested hit 60 mph in 2.8 seconds, so it’s safe to assume the new model will at least match that, though we wouldn’t be surprised if it shaves a couple tenths of a second off that time. The dot-two maintains the 911’s iconic shape. The bumpers are new, and there are aggressively styled active shutters in front to bring the coefficient of drag down to 0.29 Cd. Europeans get an even slipperier 0.27-Cd GTS because it can take advantage of a partially deployed spoiler in an Eco mode, but that doesn’t comply with U.S. CHMSL regulations. Gone is the twisting ignition switch to the left of the steering wheel. Porsche replaced it with a simple button. There’s been much hand-wringing regarding this, but our issue with the interior is the fully digital instrument cluster. The outgoing car had a mechanical tach at the center of the cluster, and Porsche says many owners complained about the steering wheel blocking some of the gauges. But the 911 has almost always suffered from its steering wheel obstructing some of the gauges, so we have a hard time believing the 992.1 was the nail in the coffin on mechanical instrumentation. Though we suppose if you complain about something long enough, it’s destined to change. Anyway, the screen is cheaper, but at least Porsche does some cool stuff with it. There are seven different views, including a classic five-gauge cluster, but the most interesting of them is a track-focused mode that clocks the tach so that the redline is near 12 o’clock. Porsche would have scored more points if it had kept the orientation of the tach numbers so that they locked with the twist, like a real clocked tach out of a 917. Comparisons to the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray are inevitable. The two couldn’t behave more differently. There’s a lot of EV theatrics in the E-Ray—motor whir and Jetsons-like noises. You even feel the electric torque tug on the front axle. But the GTS’s optional all-wheel-drive system remains a conventional setup with a driveshaft running to the front. Also, just as in the first-gen Honda Insight, the GTS can’t drive under electric power alone. So the Vette has the edge with that party trick. Summon all the thrust, and the perception of boost building is instantaneous. The motor in the transmission contributes wait-free grunt while the motor in the turbocharger builds manifold pressure. There is a display in the central touchscreen that shows what’s happening and how electrons are being shuffled about, but this is a car where you shouldn’t be paying attention to any screen. Getting lost in a drive is what a sports car should embody, and this hybrid 911 is fully capable in that regard. The GTS comes out of the gate in coupe, Cabriolet, and Targa body styles, with rear- or all-wheel drive. If the purest of dynamics is your wish, keep it two-wheel drive. The driven front axle seems to increase the steering’s centering effort and otherwise muffle the feedback just a touch. More on the 911 GTSMatthias Hofstetter, powertrain chief for the 718 and 911, confirmed that the 992 was supposed to be a hybrid from the start but that the engineering team couldn’t decide on what hybrid setup to implement. The system they settled on is a good one, because it works in the background mostly undetected while keeping the crisp dynamics and solid feel we’ve come to expect from a 911. He also confirmed that there is no chance of this hybrid ever getting a manual transmission. Not even the leakiest of leaky sources inside Porsche will comment on the fate of a three-pedal 911. We suspect one will come with the surely forthcoming 992.2 Carrera S, and if Honda could figure it out with the Insight, we bet the great minds at Porsche could find a way.The bad news is that the GTS coupe starts at $166,895. The back seat is no longer standard, though adding the +2 second row is a no-cost option. That’s mega money, but until Porsche sees sales drop, you better believe it will keep raising its prices. That’s just basic supply-demand, and plenty of people will line up for this water-cooled hybrid. SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTSVehicle Type: rear-engine, rear-motor, rear- or all-wheel-drive, 2- or 2+2-passenger, 2-door coupe, convertible, or targa
PRICE
Base: Carrera GTS, $166,895; Carrera 4 GTS, $174,695; Carrera GTS Cabriolet, $180,195; Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, $187,995; Targa 4 GTS, $187,995
POWERTRAIN
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter flat-6, 478 hp, 420 lb-ft + AC motor, 53 hp, 110 lb-ft (combined output: 532 hp, 449 lb-ft; 1.5-kWh [C/D est] lithium-ion battery packTransmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 96.5 inLength: 179.3 inWidth: 72.9 inHeight: 50.9–51.3 inTrunk Volume: 5 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3550–3850 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 2.5–2.8 sec100 mph: 6.4–6.7 sec1/4-Mile: 10.6–10.9 secTop Speed: 194 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 20–21/18–19/22–23 mpgK.C. Colwell, the executive editor at Car and Driver, is a seasoned professional with a deep-rooted passion for new cars and technology. His journey into the world of automotive journalism began at an early age when his grandmother gifted him a subscription to Car and Driver for his 10th birthday. This gift sparked a lifelong love for the industry, and he read every issue between then and his first day of employment. He started his Car and Driver career as a technical assistant in the fall of 2004. In 2007, he was promoted to assistant technical editor. In addition to testing, evaluating, and writing about cars, technology, and tires, K.C. also set the production-car lap record at Virginia International Raceway for C/D’s annual Lightning Lap track test and was just the sixth person to drive the Hendrick Motorsport Garage 56 Camaro. In 2017, he took over as testing director until 2022, when was promoted to executive editor and has led the brand to be one of the top automotive magazines in the country. When he’s not thinking about cars, he likes playing hockey in the winter and golf in the summer and doing his best to pass his good car sense and love of ’90s German sedans to his daughter. He might be the only Car and Driver editor to own a Bobcat: the skidsteer, not the feline. Though, if you have a bobcat guy, reach out. K.C. resides in Chelsea, Michigan, with his family. More

It’s a real angel/devil shoulder situation. On the side of good, you’ve got two freshly baked pies in the passenger’s-side footwell. On the pointy red side, you’ve got 355 horses in a turbocharged 3.0-liter engine and a twisty route home. What to do? The 2025 Acura MDX Type S offers a solution with adaptive dampers, air springs, and Brembo brakes; it’s quiet enough to enjoy the 31-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo, quick enough to need the passing lane, and smooth enough not to crumble your crust. Acura didn’t make huge changes to the 2025 MDX lineup. There are still two engine options. The 290-horse naturally aspirated 3.5-liter making 267 pound-feet of torque sits under the hood in the majority of the models, while the Type S gets the 355-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter making 354 pound-feet of torque that gave our pies an exciting ride. The transmission is the same 10-speed automatic, and there are no updates to the drivetrain or the suspension. That consists of control arms in the front and a multilink setup in the rear, with only the Type S offering the adaptive air springs. You can get two trims with front-wheel drive (MDX and MDX with Tech package). The rest come AWD-only with Acura’s torque-vectoring system that can send up to 70 percent of torque to the rear axle. The changes Acura did make are more of the cosmetic and user-friendly variety, aimed at polishing a few rough edges from what was already an excellent offering and updating the driver-assist systems. The 2025 MDX uses an upgraded version of AcuraWatch with a new front camera and new grille-mounted radar, and for the first time it offers a lane-change assist that can move the MDX over on multilane highways without steering input from the driver when using adaptive cruise mode. We tried it, it works fine, it takes about the same amount of attention and effort as simply looking in the mirror and moving the wheel, but hey, it’s there. Parked in a driveway or coming up in a rearview mirror, the 2025 MDX adds interest to the usual large-SUV rectangle shape with bigger air ducts in the bumper and sharper, sparklier mesh in its angular grille. The Type S loses the grille surround altogether and opens up the insert pattern to highlight its performance nature. Big crossovers all tend to look the same, but the MDX’s elegantly creased hood, wide fenders, and big 20-inch wheels (21-inchers on the Type S) make it distinctive enough that you won’t have to press the key fob to find it in a parking garage.Leaving the Type S parked is a terrible waste though, because it’s genuinely fun to drive. It’s not just fun for a seven-seater, it’s a good-handling, quick machine with comfortable yet responsive ride motions. The 10-speed was ready to upshift, both on its own and with the paddles, and it downshifted gently during gradual deceleration, avoiding the shuddering slow-down of many modern automatics. Both braking and steering are electronically assisted and offer better feedback than you might expect. The Type S gets a front brake upgrade in the form of larger 14.3-inch rotors and four-piston Brembo calipers. It also uses Acura’s Electro-Servo Brake (ESB) brake-by-wire, whereas other trims use i-Booster, which is an electrically assisted hydraulic system. When we tested the previous MDX Type S, it got to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, ran a 14.1-second quarter-mile, and stopped from 70 mph in 180 feet. We’re not expecting huge numerical changes for the 2025 model, but we’ll update those numbers when we get a chance to test one on more than a local bakery jaunt. Same goes for gas mileage. EPA ratings for the MDX Type S predict 17 city, 21 highway, and 19 combined, but the previous Type S beat its highway estimate in our testing, so this one might be an overachiever too. Because Type S is the hottest sauce on the MDX shelf, it gets added spice in the form of a Sport+ mode. Pressing it does stiffen the ride and sharpen the pedal response, but the best part of Sport+ is the accompanying growly engine note. We preferred Individual mode to combine the loud exhaust and the smoother ride, which protects both pastries and passengers while still sounding the business. Some cars are worth suffering over rough pavement in, but it’s a poor use of the MDX’s padded and contrast-stitched seats (with new bolsters in the Type S) to bounce over the bumps. Set the springs to Comfort and the engine to Sport, and you’ve got the perfect combo for a ride that will keep the driver alert and engaged while allowing little riders to snooze in their child-safety seats. While it’s a rare delight to truly enjoy piloting a multi-row SUV, the MDX’s real job, even in Type S form, is to work as a people carrier. Acura is positioning the MDX on the higher end of three-rows, with a starting price of $52,250 for the base front-wheel-drive MDX and $76,300 for the top-tier Type S, like the Urban Gray Pearl example we drove. One of the bigger changes for 2025 is in interior quality, where the MDX gets closer to competitors from Audi and Mercedes than it has in previous iterations. The interior makes use of quilted and perforated leather in saturated hues with decorative stitching and, for the Type S, inset nonslip faux suede on the bolsters; those chairs are also heated, ventilated, massaging, and 16-way adjustable. Second-row passengers don’t get the back rub, but they do get heated cushions and a removable middle seat/console. Third-row riders don’t get much aside from the pretty upholstery and more cushioned padding than we usually find in the way-back seats. It’s a spot for short rides or short riders, but it is usable and the second rows folds forward with the push of a button, so at least you can get out fast. The third row itself also folds down quickly to bump the cargo capacity from 16 cubic feet to 39 cubic feet. There’s an additional cubby beneath the floor in the cargo area for hiding bags from view or just keeping muddy gear from mucking up the carpet. More on the MDX Type SBack in the front row, the biggest obvious change is on the console. Where previous models offered a touchpad under a handrest by the cupholders, the 2025 MDX has swapped in a wireless charging pad nearly big enough for a tablet and finally gone to a 12.3-inch dash-mounted touchscreen for controlling the infotainment system. Google built-in and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connect you to all the apps you’re used to using. The resulting layout might not be the best possible use of space—you could land a helicopter on that charging pad—but it’s a decidedly more familiar control method, and new buyers will appreciate the convenience of not having to retrain muscle memory just to change the stereo settings. Speaking of stereo settings, the Type S has a banger, or rather, a Bang & Olufsen, with those 31 speakers and a quick-set version of a graphic equalizer, that sounds fantastic. The MDX will have you making loops around the block just to enjoy your jams. The shoulder angel would suggest a lower-level MDX when it comes to sensible buying recommendations. The mid-trims offer all the comfort and only miss out on the rumble of the Type S, but the guy on the other side is definitely pushing for the turbo engine. Or maybe we’ve got it mixed up. A three-row SUV that can make moves in a hurry without shaking the filling out of cargo or family, well, that is sort of heavenly. SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 Acura MDX Type S Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base: $76,300
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 183 in3, 2997 cm3Power: 355 hp @ 5500 rpmTorque: 354 lb-ft @ 1400 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 113.8 inLength: 198.4 inWidth: 78.7 inHeight: 67.9 inPassenger Volume, F/M/R: 57/51/31 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/M/R: 71/39/16 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 4800 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 5.5 sec1/4-Mile: 14.1 secTop Speed: 111 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 19/17/21 mpgLike a sleeper agent activated late in the game, Elana Scherr didn’t know her calling at a young age. Like many girls, she planned to be a vet-astronaut-artist, and came closest to that last one by attending UCLA art school. She painted images of cars, but did not own one. Elana reluctantly got a driver’s license at age 21 and discovered that she not only loved cars and wanted to drive them, but that other people loved cars and wanted to read about them, which meant somebody had to write about them. Since receiving activation codes, Elana has written for numerous car magazines and websites, covering classics, car culture, technology, motorsports, and new-car reviews. In 2020, she received a Best Feature award from the Motor Press Guild for the C/D story “A Drive through Classic Americana in a Polestar 2.”  In 2023, her Car and Driver feature story More

From the March 1984 issue of Car and Driver.The Hartge H5S is one BMW that’s not for everyone. Unless you have a well-devel­oped taste for seriously fast, hard-to-the-­touch drivers’ cars, you’ll probably find an H5S too rich for your blood. The average BMW owner would likely think the H5S has rocks for shocks and that there’s way too much growl in the exhaust—so thanks, but no thanks.On the other hand, if you happen to be one of the more discriminating car con­noisseurs, the Hartge H5S should taste mighty fine. This is the Château Lafite of Bimmers, plain and simple. A wine expert might describe it as exquisite—dry, with a rich, full-bodied flavor and wonderful nu­ances that romp and gambol across the sensibilities. The H5S is the product of Hartge Motorsport, a respected German tuning firm specializing in BMWs. Hartge fields BMWs in road racing and rallying and sells a full range of speed parts and accessories in addition to whole cars. Until now, the only German tuner to promote its wares over here has been Alpina. That is about to change, since a Florida BMW service shop called Perfor­mance Plus, Inc. has been named the offi­cial Hartge distributor. By the time you read this, they should be able to sell you just about anything from the ample Hartge goody book. As for the star of this report, it started life as a German-spec 5-series four-door, as all H5S sedans do. The H5S badge is affixed only after Hartge Motorsport replaces the standard-issue BMW engine with a big­-bore 3.4-liter six. After that, it’s up to you to pick and choose the optional equipment you want. The Hartge philosophy is that the com­plexities of turbocharging are best left to the factory and that all the power you could ever want is available through tried-and-­true hot-rodding techniques. For that rea­son, all H5S models are treated to some mild cylinder-head work, a hotter cam, tu­bular exhaust headers, and a low-restric­tion exhaust system, all of which free up an impressive 237 horsepower (SAE net) at 5400 rpm. From there, our demo went all the way, with a lowered, firmer Hartge suspension (including a reinforcement member that bolts between the front suspension towers) and bulging Pirelli P7 tires (P205/55VR-16 front, P225/50VR-16 rear) on handsome alloy wheels. Front and rear spoilers, driv­ing lights, an ABS anti-lock brake system, leather-covered Recaro buckets, and a high-powered sound system round out the package. The next bit of good news is that the H5S is priced right. Performance Plus says that a reasonably equipped version will go out the door for between 32 and 33 grand, which is only a couple grand more than your average domesticated 533i. The dif­ference is part standard equipment, part BMW of North America profit margin. Un­fortunately, this is where things get a little complicated. You see, the H5S you really want is the full-German model, like the one we tested, but that’s not the one you can have. The law of the land says that every H5S must be equipped with all DOT-mandated safety equipment and must be certified for fresh breath. Performance Plus optimistically claims that a fully sanitized H5S gives up only about 10 hp, despite having a catalyst stuffed up its tailpipe—but we’d guess the damage will be worse. Just how you get the H5S back into Eu­ropean trim is your problem—because Section 203 of the Clean Air Act states that it’s illegal for a dealer or a repair shop to remove smog gear. Of course, there are any number of creative ways to circumvent the law. In fact, that’s just why we elected to test a German-spec model—the object be­ing to gauge the ultimate potential of a car like this on American soil for a change. More 5-series Reviews from the archiveAs for living up to its promise, well, this car is a four-wheeled invitation to a day in court. To envision its performance enve­lope, just think of it as a four-door Porsche 911. The spec box will give you the num­bers; the important thing here is how good it all feels.First off, the sights and sounds are all world class: crouching suspension, rumpa-­rumpa idle, angry exhaust note. The H5S suspension feels a mite muscle-bound around town, but aside from that, we’re talking pure harmony. The H5S follows your every move like a great dance partner. There’s enough power underfoot for low­-speed, tail-out stunt driving, yet it’s totally docile in the stop-and-go mode. And in high-speed situations, the H5S clamps itself to the pavement as if it had a giant earth magnet in its belly. Two things deserve special mention: first, the ABS brakes, which enable rank novices to pull off brake-and-steer acci­dent-avoidance maneuvers heretofore the province of experts, and second, the over­all mechanical quality of the H5S, which is exemplary. It all adds up to a car that talks to you in a way few others do, and what it keeps saying is faster! faster! Getting back to our analo­gy with fine wine, the Hartge BMW H5S strikes us as nothing less than intoxicating.SpecificationsSpecifications
1984 Hartge BMW H5SVehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $32,500/$34,850
ENGINEinline-6, iron block and aluminum headDisplacement: 209 in3, 3430 cm3Power (SAE net): 237 hp @ 5400 rpm 
TRANSMISSION5-speed manual 
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 103.3 inLength: 181.9 inCurb Weight: 3138 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 6.3 sec1/4-Mile: 14.7 sec @ 94 mph100 mph: 17.1 secTop Speed: 142 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 189 ftRoadholding, 282-ft Skidpad: 0.79 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 15 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDRich Ceppos has evaluated automobiles and automotive technology during a career that has encompassed 10 years at General Motors, two stints at Car and Driver totaling 20 years, and thousands of miles logged in racing cars. He was in music school when he realized what he really wanted to do in life and, somehow, it’s worked out. In between his two C/D postings he served as executive editor of Automobile Magazine; was an executive vice president at Campbell Marketing & Communications; worked in GM’s product-development area; and became publisher of Autoweek. He has raced continuously since college, held SCCA and IMSA pro racing licenses, and has competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona. He currently ministers to a 1999 Miata, and he appreciates that none of his younger colleagues have yet uttered “Okay, Boomer” when he tells one of his stories about the crazy old days at C/D. More

From the July/August issue of Car and Driver.Usually when you hear about a “jacked-up Lambo,” the conversation is centered on a telephone pole or a wet curb just tall enough to high-center a late-model Gallardo. But this Huracán LP610-4 Sterrato, or simply Sterrato, is lifted 1.7 inches to make it as close to an off-road-ready Italian supercar as we have ever seen. And much to our surprise, it is the finest example of the baby Lambo. Like the many versions of the Huracán that came before it, the Sterrato looks good and goes like stink. But unlike its brethren intended for buttery-smooth roads or racetracks, it’s fitted with run-flat Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain AT002 tires, a suspension lift, and roof rails to attach a rack, should you want to take with you anything more than the four cubic feet of cargo the frunk affords. In addition, the higher center of gravity, revised electronically controlled dampers, and softer springs and anti-roll bars give the Sterrato a compliance heretofore unknown to the Huracán.HIGHS: 100 decibels of V-10 at 8500 rpm, built for bombed-out roads, delightfully fun to toss around.Normal Lambo operation in Michigan often requires puckering in preparation for unavoidable craters, along with the occasional “Is that plastic bottle going to hit?” just before you hear it tumble and bounce along the underside. Michigan’s paved byways must be modeled after the gravel routes in Italy—sterrato is Italian for dirt road. This Huracán takes a new path, with a supple ride and tires that can soak up breaks, chuckholes, and patching mounds. It’s the Marshawn Lynch of supercars: It’ll plow right through a lot of crap if it has to, but given some space, it’ll be gone in a blink. And while it might not have a Super Bowl ring, its $2600 rally lights sparkle plenty.Unlike the conceptually similar Porsche 911 Dakar, the Sterrato doesn’t have a height- adjustable suspension. But softer legs highlight the chassis’s stiffness. Slow-speed suspension action often comes with a clunky report, like there’s play in a ball joint attached to the anti-roll bar. Low-grip tires that give up at 0.96 g on the skidpad might seem inappropriate for a Lamborghini, but steering feel and communication are excellent. The best part: Lower grip means you can explore to the limit on a public road without scaring anyone in or outside the car.Reduced grip—and probably a few other tuning changes—also has a profound effect on the chassis balance. At the limit, the Sterrato lets go in slow motion with neither end breaking away first, but the tail will step out in response to throttle provocation. Easy flips of the steering wheel keep the Sterrato out of trouble and on the road. Not once did we get crossed up. Should a rally school want to teach the Scandi-flick maneuver on gravel, the Sterrato would be better to use than a Subaru WRX. Well, if it were in the budget—our Sterrato was $384,394 as tested.LOWS: Can’t see police cruisers behind you, Subaru offers a similar orange on the Crosstrek, what’s Italian for unobtainium?The rearview mirror is as useless as a rest area without a bathroom, as it reflects only the roof snorkel, which raises the intake tract to keep the V-10 from ingesting dust and debris. We’re not fans of video-based rearviews, but in a car this fast, you need a good way to check your six.Should you want to make the things behind you small, the 602-hp V-10 moves the Sterrato to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds, just 0.3 second off the Huracán Evo. So what if the quarter-mile is three-tenths off too? It’s a 10.7-second (at 130 mph) car. Those all-terrain tires do limit the top end, though. For those keeping score, the Sterrato’s 161-mph governed top speed is high enough to walk away from the 911 Dakar’s 150-mph best on its all-terrain rubber.In Rally mode, you have to shift yourself, and more than once, we found ourselves banging off the redline at 8500 rpm in a 100-decibel trance. Lamborghini, if you are not going to program automatic upshifts in your racy modes, please consider using the kick-down switch as a signal to the transmission that the driver wants a perfect redline shift. In addition to Rally mode, Strada and Sport are available, though the engine is loudest in Rally, and it’s best to let the V-10 sing.More on the Huracán SterratoInside, the Sterrato is pretty much like other Huracáns. Headroom is tight, and you won’t find a cupholder. But if you spill coffee, the $1400 floor mats are dishwasher safe, more or less. They’re aluminum, covered with grip tape that is otherwise found on the deck of a Powell-Peralta skateboard. The Sterrato starts at $278,972. If you were really interested in paying that amount, you should have already done so, as all 1499 are sold and likely trading for multiples of the original sticker. Getting a base car up to our as-tested price is pretty easy. Our Sterrato came with $62,100 in paint options alone. Do you like the orange? It’s Arancio Xanto, and it costs $14,000. The $23,600 “Sterrato livery” is a series of triangle-shaped accents that are actually painted, unlike the gold-and-red stickers of the Dakar’s not-quite-Rothmans livery. The fender flares and rockers have the $17,100 Sterrato Protective, a rugged paint designed to limit damage from airborne stones. Want a number on the hood? That’ll be $7400 for the hexagonal “63.” Grazie mille, indeed. Alas, this is probably the last naturally aspirated V-10 we’ll ever see in a production car. Even if a 10 returns, it’ll have turbos, electrification, or both to lift it out of the efficiency gutter—we averaged 11 mpg. We’re mourning the loss but also smiling, pleased that such a memorable engine went out in such an unforgettable and ridiculously good car.VERDICT: Lambo saved the best Huracán for last.SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Lamborghini Huracán SterratoVehicle Type: mid-engine, all-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $278,972/$384,394
ENGINEDOHC 40-valve V-10, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 318 in3, 5204 cm3Power: 602 hp @ 8000 rpmTorque: 413 lb-ft @ 6500 rpm 
TRANSMISSION7-speed dual-clutch automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/control armsBrakes, F/R: 15.0-in vented, cross-drilled carbon-ceramic disc/14.0-in vented, cross-drilled carbon-ceramic discTires: Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain AT002F: 235/40RF-19 96W M+S Extra Load RFT L R: 285/40RF-19 107W M+S Extra Load RFT L
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 103.5 inLength: 178.1 inWidth: 77.0 inHeight: 49.1 inFront-Trunk Volume: 4 ft3Curb Weight: 3629 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 2.8 sec100 mph: 6.2 sec1/4-Mile: 10.7 sec @ 130 mph150 mph: 15.4 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 3.3 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.8 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.5 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 161 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 172 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 331 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.96 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 11 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 15/13/18 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDK.C. Colwell, the executive editor at Car and Driver, is a seasoned professional with a deep-rooted passion for new cars and technology. His journey into the world of automotive journalism began at an early age when his grandmother gifted him a subscription to Car and Driver for his 10th birthday. This gift sparked a lifelong love for the industry, and he read every issue between then and his first day of employment. He started his Car and Driver career as a technical assistant in the fall of 2004. In 2007, he was promoted to assistant technical editor. In addition to testing, evaluating, and writing about cars, technology, and tires, K.C. also set the production-car lap record at Virginia International Raceway for C/D’s annual Lightning Lap track test and was just the sixth person to drive the Hendrick Motorsport Garage 56 Camaro. In 2017, he took over as testing director until 2022, when was promoted to executive editor and has led the brand to be one of the top automotive magazines in the country. When he’s not thinking about cars, he likes playing hockey in the winter and golf in the summer and doing his best to pass his good car sense and love of ’90s German sedans to his daughter. He might be the only Car and Driver editor to own a Bobcat: the skidsteer, not the feline. Though, if you have a bobcat guy, reach out. K.C. resides in Chelsea, Michigan, with his family. More

From the November 1982 issue of Car and Driver.Here we are in the Eighties, an era rife with technical tumult—computers are calling the cadence under our hoods, the live axle is beginning to look like an endangered species, cars really are big­ger on the inside and smaller on the outside, and all of them will go so far on a tankful that bathroom stops have be­come more urgent than fuel stops—yet what is the most wonderful new devel­opment in automobiling? The disap­pearing top, that’s what; the same thing that used to make motorists grin back in nineteen aught whatever, when engineers still weren’t sure how to make a universal joint that would last all day. The convertible top is an antediluvian device—normal automotive equipment in the period when the hinged door was looked upon as a great leap forward over what had come before, which was no door at all. In fact, the convertible is so old that it’s had time to go out of date and be heaped onto the pile of things they don’t make anymore.But now—pow!—it’s back, this sea­son’s monster hit in the Motor City. Nearly every carmaker in Detroit is stumbling over itself trying to schedule a convertible just as good as the one they stopped building in the middle Seventies. Before we are overcome by the strangeness of it all, you should know that this is a road test of one of Detroit’s new convertibles. Not just any convertible either, but a Buick. Not just any Buick convertible ei­ther, but a pretty, red one. And a fine thing it is. Red Buick convertibles were—and still are—made for the mov­ies. Ford and Chevy convertibles were for kids and cruising—perfect for the prom, bitchin’ at the beach—but a red Buick was for celebrities and grand entrances. Cary Grant could ease up to the porte-cochére of the Beverly Hills Hotel in a red Buick convertible and the scene would be seamless. Nobody would know whether it was the movies or real life. It could be either. Because a red Buick convertible has always been good enough for anybody and anyplace. And the 1983 Riviera convertible happily continues the briefly interrupt­ed tradition. Bliss on wheels is what it is. So there you have it, the nugget of truth in this road test. From here on out it’s going to be the nuts-and-bolts story of how Buick turned a coupe into a con­vertible, seasoned with some carping about how Detroit could ever have been so wrong as to abandon something as wonderful as the car with the top that goes down.This Riviera convertible is, in fact, ex­actly what it appears to be: a Riviera coupe with the roof sawed off. At least, that’s the way it starts. But Buick had great aspirations for this car. It was meant to be a no-excuses convertible: no excuse for the lack of a back seat, no excuses for the lack of rear quarter-windows, no excuses for anything. As a re­sult, the Riviera convertible really is ev­ery bit as good as the convertibles you used to take for granted. It’s just that producing them is a lot more complicated. The project starts at Fisher Body, which builds a Riviera sans roof. The body is then assembled into a car—as much as it can be, given its topless condition—at the Linden, New Jersey, plant. From there it’s shipped to the American Sunroof Corporation in Lan­sing, Michigan, where all the convert­ible stuff is added. Then it’s onward to the Buick plant in Flint, Michigan, for a final laying-on of hands before ship­ment to the dealer. Making a convertible from a Riviera is not as difficult as the job is with most other Detroit models these days, be­cause the Riviera is still of the old-style, body-and-frame construction. Cutting off the roof doesn’t damage the integri­ty of the structure anywhere near as much a it does on a unit-construction car. In fact, very little structure is added in the conversion; just a set of gussets where the rear wheelhouses meet the rear quarter-panels, and a pair of cowl-to-fender braces under the hood. And, of course, the door wedges, if you want to count them. Door wedges are SOP on American convertibles. Each set con­sists of a pair of ramps, one of which is mounted high on the door-lock pillar, one in the corresponding spot on the door. Convertibles, having no roof for bracing, are inclined to sag in the mid­dle; with door wedges, the door be­comes a prop, acting as a beam in com­pression to prevent sagging. That’s when the door is closed. Most people don’t drive down rough roads and fly over crests with the doors open anyway, but the structure does have to be strong enough to hold its shape sufficiently to let the doors be closed. In this regard, the Riviera has no problems. There are a few other details in the coupe-to-convertible transformation. Harder rubber is used in the body mounts at the fire wall and at the rear frame kickup. Moreover, an extra mount is added at each side under the door, an area where no mount is necessary in the coupe.The result of this modest reinforcing is a very solid convertible. The cowl and the windshield move around a bit over wrinkled blacktop, but the Riviera gen­erally seems more solid and rattle-free than the high-volume convertibles of Detroit’s past. Our most serious objection is to the lateral shake in the front seats, but even that seems a modest complaint, given the joys of open-air motoring.One of the most commendable fea­tures of the Riviera is its no-excuses de­sign. The top is power-operated by a button on the dash (the transmission must be in “Park” first). The fixed-in-­place quarter-windows of the coupe are power-operated in the convertible (you are requested to lower them before rais­ing the top). The power windows and the retracting mechanism inevitably take a bite out of each side of the rear seat, but the cushion is still wide enough to accommodate two adults in comfort (Buick says room for three; we say the three should be good friends). The backrest angle in the rear is on the steep side, and the cushions feel harder than those of the coupe, but otherwise there is no lack of hospitality in the coach section. The final mark of a good convertible, we think, is a glass back window, and the Riviera has one. It’ll never scratch or turn opaque as the plastic-film ones do. And although it can be lowered sep­arately from the top by un-Velcro-ing it, this operation is not necessary for lowering the top. We do have one com­plaint, however: the bottom of the glass doesn’t extend low enough for good visibility to the rear. When parallel parking, about all you can see of the car behind is the top half of its windshield. Probably the highest compliment we can pay to a convertible is that, were it not for the sun on the head and the wind in the ears, we wouldn’t know it was a convertible. The Riviera drives very much like the coupe from which it is derived. The convertible’s extra 167 pounds soften the performance of the 4.1-liter V-6 somewhat, making the op­tional 5.0-liter V-8 a good call if you ever plan to hurry. The four-speed automatic is a fine thing with either. The suspension rates have been in­creased in the convertible, primarily as an anti-shake measure, but the handling is also crisper as a result. Four-wheel disc brakes are also standard equip­ment. Buick hasn’t held back on the good stuff. More Buick Reviews From the archiveOf course, given the price, you’d ex­pect caviar; $23,983 is the number, plus the destination charge and all the other little ways GM has to fatten the take. The convertible is about $7000 over the coupe. Buick says production is limited to 2000 cars, the capacity of ASC to make the conversion, but we expect the price will surely have a limiting effect all of its own. Twenty-four Gs is a heavy hit, even for a red Buick convertible. (White is the only other color choice, and red leather lining is standard with both.) Why is the price so high? Buick has plenty of reasons: shipping between all of those assembly plants is not exactly free, and, of course, ASC expects to be paid for its efforts. But from the cus­tomer’s point of view, all of that is Buick’s problem. All the customer remembers is that in 1975, when the last Buick convertible was built, it cost a few hundred bucks over the corresponding tin top. Convertible technology hasn’t changed in the intervening years—the new version is not burdened by on­board computers, exotic alloys, or envi­ronmental-impact statements—so why does it cost an extra seven grand? One tends to worry about an auto industry that can’t efficiently handle something new when the new thing in question is really very old. Putting aside the worry, we are pleased to report the continuation of one fundamental truth: a red Buick con­vertible is still a joyous mode of transportation.SpecificationsSpecifications
1983 Buick Riviera convertibleVehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 2-door convertible
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $23,983/$25,835Options: electric seatback recliners, $278; AM/FM-stereo radio/cassette, $242; power seat, $197; anti-theft system, $159; automatic air conditioning, $150; P225/70R-15 tires, $117; tilt steering wheel, $95; power door locks, $74; misc. options, $540
ENGINEpushrod V-6, iron block and headsDisplacement: 252 in3, 4128 cm3Power: 125 hp @ 4000 rpmTorque: 205 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm 
TRANSMISSION4-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/trailing armsBrakes, F/R: 10.5-in vented disc/10.5-in vented discTires: Goodyear Polysteel Radial
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 114.0 inLength: 206.6 inWidth: 72.8 inHeight: 54.3 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 55/35 ft3Trunk Volume: 13 ft3Curb Weight: 3900 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 14.8 sec1/4-Mile: 19.7 sec @ 69 mph90 mph: 47.9 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 6.8 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 11.5 secTop Speed: 94 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 196 ftRoadholding, 282-ft Skidpad: 0.72 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 12 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 21/17/29 mpg  
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED More