Car Reviews

Ford’s 2023 F-series Super Duty has become the Porsche 911 of heavy-duty pickups. Each offers no fewer than 18 models, has at least three engine options and four power outputs, sends torque to either the rear or all four tires, and is arguably the best at serving its overall mission. But unlike the 911, the Super Duty is about as common as an Apple iPhone. They’re on construction sites, farms, and oil fields, towing boats and RVs, and parked in your neighbor’s driveway. Though Ford is quick to throw the “all-new” stamp at its fifth-generation F-series Super Duty, the truck is more of an evolution than a completely new big rig. Underneath, the frame, underpinnings, brakes, and driveline components (aside from a newly available 11.6-inch rear axle) go largely unchanged. The exterior, however, features edgier aluminum sheetmetal, and each trim can be identified by its specific fascia and design elements. More on the Ford F-Series Super DutyTech’d UpWithin the spacious cabin, the F-series enters the modern era of tech-laden pickups by appropriating elements from the F-150. The XL now comes standard with an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, while a bigger 12.0-inch unit is reserved for the XLT (as an option) and beyond (as standard). A high-speed 5G data connection enables quick streaming to keep young ones occupied with YouTube Kids or when it’s time to utilize the available Interior Work Surface and tether into the office. An available head-up display is a Super Duty first, as is a digital instrument cluster that can be customized to show more data than one might ever need.Ford’s 2.0-kW Pro Power Onboard is newly available on the Super Duty to provide power to the job site or camper. Driver-assist systems such as adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist are offered, but the most welcome upgrades are found in the tailgate, which now can be had with power opening and closing capabilities. It also cleverly applies existing technology to solve an old problem. If you’ve ever tried backing up with the tailgate down, chances are you’ve run into something because the backup camera faces the ground and the sonar sensors can’t compensate for the extra length of the lowered gate. The tailgate now can be had with sensors and a camera in the top rail, thus eliminating backing into that mound of dirt or loading dock.Power UpWhen Ford launched Godzilla—its pushrod, 16-valve 7.3-liter V-8—it was a breath of fresh air in a world gone mad with electrification. That 430-hp V-8 with 485 pound-feet of torque carries over and is joined by another new V-8 for 2023. The new 6.8-liter is a short-stroke 7.3-liter with its own crankshaft, connecting rods, and pistons. Replacing the venerable 385-hp 6.2-liter, it produces 400 horsepower and 445 pound-feet. It’s exclusive to the XL trim and is primarily intended for fleet use. The Power Stroke turbocharged 6.7-liter diesel V-8 remains the bread-and-butter engine in the lineup. Its 475 horsepower and 1050 pound-feet of torque already had the bragging rights in terms of output and in our testing propelled a 2020 F-250 Tremor to the top of the podium in terms of acceleration. To handle higher temperatures, stainless-steel manifolds and piping feed a single turbo with a liquid-cooled compressor housing to allow more boost. With greater intake pressure, the Power Stroke High Output now generates a monstrous 500 horsepower and 1200 pound-feet. A 10-speed automatic is the only transmission offered, albeit in two versions. The 6.8-liter gasser features a different gearset from the one hooked to Godzilla and the turbo-diesel. On all but the XL, four-wheel drive is now standard. Trailering for DummiesHeavy-duty pickups are all about doing work, and that often means hauling insane amounts of weight. By Ford’s estimate, 90 percent of Super Duty owners use their trucks to tow. Depending on how it’s configured, the Super Duty can tug a measly 13,700 pounds with a conventional hitch behind a crew-cab, long-bed 4×4 with the 6.8-liter gasoline V-8 or a whopping 40,000 pounds with a gooseneck-equipped, single-cab, rear-wheel-drive F-450 with diesel power. It’s the tech that surrounds towing that makes the task so easy.Ford’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist remains and is arguably the least useful tech of all the trailering tools. During Ford’s brief exercise, we backed a massive, enclosed trailer into a coned-off area on the first attempt using only the mirrors and looking back out the window. In two attempts with Backup Assist, which steers automatically, we never got it into the spot.Ford, however, has made hitching up the trailer easy. With Pro Trailer Hitch Assist activated, the truck will lock on the hitch ball and automatically reverse, turn, and brake the truck once the hitch is aligned with the ball. The days of guessing and multiple in-and-outs to check the alignment are history. A fully equipped Super Duty has more cameras than the red carpet at the Oscars. Ford not only offers a 360-degree image of the truck, but the option to add four cameras to the trailer to provide a bird’s-eye view around it too. There are also additional sensors to add to the trailer to enhance the ability of the blind-spot warning system. Say you’re pulling a triple-axle, 30-plus-foot trailer behind a truck that’s over 21 feet long. In some circumstances, making a turn will be an issue. Ford’s optional Trailer Navigation is designed to help pick a route given the trailer’s dimensions and weight. The Super Duty offers the ability to remember up to 10 different trailers. From there, it stores the average fuel economy with each trailer in tow, and it automatically adjusts the indicated distance to empty. But does it all work? We pulled around 30,000 pounds at Ford’s Michigan Proving Grounds in Romeo, Michigan, with relative ease. You know there’s 15 tons of trailer behind the truck, but even up a 7 percent grade, the High Output diesel still generates meaningful acceleration. Dirt Won’t HurtFor Super Duty clientele more interested in adventure than work, the off-road-focused Tremor package ($4375) returns as an option on XLT to King Ranch, short-bed, single-rear-wheel F-250 and F-350 Crew Cabs. While the package’s electronically controlled locking rear differential, limited-slip front differential, fuel-tank and transfer-case skid plates, and 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires carry over, the Tremor adds a few new tricks for 2023. Trail Turn Assist locks the inside rear wheel, drastically reducing the turning circle. Its effectiveness varies depending on the soil beneath the tire, but any assistance pivoting these behemoths through tight and twisty trails is welcome. There’s also a new Rock Crawl drive mode, which activates low gear in the transfer case, locks the rear differential, and dials back the accelerator’s sensitivity. Equipped with the High Output 6.7-liter, the Tremor effortlessly climbed a lumpy rock incline. It was almost too easy to be fun. Want to cruise the two-track and forget about the accelerator? Trail Control returns to provide an off-road cruise-control experience. In 4High, the speed is adjustable from 1 to 20 mph in single mile-per-hour increments. Got a nasty downhill to descend? Switch to 4Lo, and Trail Control can be adjusted in 0.5-mph increments from 1 to 10 mph. Sit back, relax, and let the truck do the work, if you so desire—although we still prefer the old-fashioned two-pedal mode.While the Tremor offers a great bundle of equipment, the new XL Off-Road package is an intriguing choice for those looking for a basic truck with a bench seat, rubber floors, and some modest off-road chops. The Off-Road package adds the Tremor’s electronically controlled locking rear differential, skid plates, Trail Control, extended vent tubes for the transfer case and axles for increased water fording, and 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires instead of the Tremor’s 35s, all for the attractive price of $995. That means a bare-bones, immensely capable off-road rig can be had for just under $50,000.Pounding PavementOutside of the Super Duty’s extreme towing capabilities and off-road antics, it remains quite enjoyable to drive on the street too. Our brief time on the two-lane roads surrounding Ford’s Proving Grounds was spent behind the wheel of a well-equipped F-350 Lariat with the High Output diesel, an engine that’s supremely quiet in everyday driving. There’s a massive surge of torque when the turbo spools, so much so that the rear tires barely maintain composure during a one-three upshift. Back when we pitted the Super Duty against the heavy duties from Chevrolet and Ram in a tractor pull, we reported that Ford’s biggest drawback was its inability to make boost in 4Lo at 0 mph. Ford, acknowledging we found its weakest link, set out to fix that. Maybe it’s time for a rematch?For being such a massive vehicle, the Super Duty’s ride quality is well controlled. There’s some hippity-hop of the axles when there’s sustained high-frequency chop in the road, but that’s to be expected from a truck with mega payload and towing capabilities. There’s more disconcerting squish in the brake pedal than we recall, and the steering motions are about as direct as you might expect from an 8000-plus-pound rig. Have It Your WayAgain like the Porsche 911, the F-Series Super Duty varies widely in price. At the bottom of the spectrum, a basic, rear-wheel-drive, single-cab F-250 starts at $45,865. At the top, the F-450 Limited can easily exceed $100,000. In between, just about any combination can be tailored to one’s specific needs. No matter how a Super Duty is spec’d, it will be a capable rig.Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Ford F-Series Super DutyVehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 3-, 5-, or 6-passenger, 2- or 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base: F250, $45,865; F350, $46,910; F350 dual rear wheel,  $48,400; F450 dual rear wheel, $60,350
ENGINES
pushrod 16-valve 6.8-liter V-8, 400 hp, 445 lb-ft; pushrod 16-valve 7.3-liter V-8, 430 hp, 485 lb-ft; turbocharged and intercooled pushrod 32-valve 6.7-liter diesel V-8, 475 hp, 1050 lb-ft; turbocharged and intercooled pushrod 32-valve 6.7-liter diesel V-8, 500 hp, 1200 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 141.4–175.9 inLength: 231.8–266.2 inWidth: 80.0–93.0 inHeight: 78.8–82.0 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 69/52–67 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 6900–9200 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 6.0–7.6 sec1/4-Mile: 14.5–15.8 secTop Speed: 90–100 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: Exempt from testing and labelingSenior Testing EditorDavid 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

The Wall Street Journal told us in early June that America’s birth rate was falling, with 15 percent fewer births in 2022 than in 2007. In addition, our fertility rate is hovering at less than half the peak of the late ’50s. But that hasn’t affected sales of three-row mid-size SUVs—the modern family’s substitute for the unfashionable minivan—with sales running at an annual rate of more than 1.3 million units. Of course, the mid-size category, once defined by a maximum length of 200 inches, is being stretched like our collective waistlines.Consider this all-new Mazda CX-90, which replaces the CX-9 as the largest machine in Mazda’s lineup. It measures 200.8 inches long—an inch and a half longer than its predecessor, and longer than the Honda Pilot, the Hyundai Palisade, and the Ford Explorer. But this doesn’t translate to huge interior space.Michael Simari|Car and DriverYes, the CX-90 is a bit roomier than the CX-9, with 143 cubic feet of calculated interior volume—an increase of about eight cubes. But it’s 10 to 12 cubic feet smaller inside than its aforementioned competitors. That’s not to say the inside is tight. This remains a spacious cabin in the first and second rows, with a third row suitable mostly for kids. But the width is generally a little smaller everywhere than in the competition.HIGHS: Excellent fuel economy, good controls, smooth and quiet on the highway.It’s interesting that despite the CX-90’s 122.8-inch wheelbase—the longest in the segment—legroom is another area where it falls behind. This might be partially because the CX-90 has shifted from the transverse-engine, front-drive-based layout common to most of its competitors to a classic north-south rear-drive configuration. Power comes from Mazda’s brand-new 3.3-liter inline-six engine, a very BMW-esque setup.The engine employs a single turbo and is available in two forms: tuned for regular or premium fuel. Our test example was the more powerful S model, developing 340 ponies at 6000 rpm and 369 pound-feet of torque at 2000 rpm on premium (output falls slightly on regular, but still remains higher than the non-S version’s 280 horsepower). It’s coupled to a brand-new eight-speed automatic developed by Mazda and bolstered by a 48-volt hybrid system that doesn’t increase peak output but can assist the engine with as much as 113 lb-ft of torque at low rpm, primarily when starting from rest.This all sounds very sporty, but we timed the CX-90 to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 14.7 seconds at 99 mph. That’s plenty quick enough for family use, but only a tenth quicker in each measure than the 291-hp Hyundai Palisade—and slower than the 300-hp Ford Explorer. Even more surprising, despite the Mazda engine’s generous torque and the hybrid boost, the CX-90 is just average in the 30-to-50-mph and 50-to-70-mph intervals, which measure responsiveness in everyday driving. And while the six-cylinder is smooth and quiet in casual driving, full throttle raises the volume considerably but without producing the melodious growl we’ve come to expect from sporty and powerful inline-sixes.Some of this lack of midrange punch might be blamed on the wet clutch that replaces the torque converter used in most automatic transmissions. This change is perhaps responsible for helping with the CX-90’s stellar fuel economy. The EPA ratings for the S model are 23 mpg city, 28 highway, and 25 combined. Most competitors trail by 4 or 5 mpg in the combined rating. And these numbers apply to the real world, as our car achieved 29 mpg—1 mpg higher than the EPA number—on our 75-mph highway test. Of course, Mazdas are usually known for their above-average driving dynamics. We expected a lot from the CX-90 in this regard, because the machine enjoys a control-arm front suspension and more balanced front-to-rear weight distribution than the typical front-drive-based SUV. At city speeds the steering provides good feel, but at highway speeds it becomes heavy, making the CX-90 seem larger than it is. Handling and stability are decent but not special, and cornering grip of 0.85 g is only slightly better than the class average. The 70-mph stopping distance of 177 feet is, again, only average. And with this model’s 21-inch wheels and tires, the ride was flinty on rough pavement, even with only three people and three heavy bags aboard.Inside, the styling is handsome, but not all of the materials drew praise. In our top-of-the-line Premium Plus–package version, the tan nappa-leather upholstery is accompanied by large swatches of tan suede on the dashboard face. A more subdued design with a less colorful interior is also available.LOWS: Bigger outside than inside, disappointing performance, uninspired styling.What we did like was a full set of HVAC controls above the center console, so we didn’t have to explore the depths of the screen menus to change the temperature. In general, the infotainment system works pretty well, controlled by either touch or with a rotary controller on the console. However, one thing odd about the HVAC controls was the pair of toggles used to raise and lower the temperature setting for either side of the front cabin. Pressing the blue one down lowered the temperature, but pressing the red one down raised the temperature. A single toggle with both up and down motions would have been simpler, easier, and more logical. Michael Simari|Car and DriverAlthough base CX-90s start at $40,970, our fully equipped CX-90 stickered at $61,920, which is about $8000 more than a loaded Hyundai Palisade and over $7000 more than a top-shelf Kia Telluride. Mazda is trying to push into the premium sphere with its new models, and in fully loaded Premium Plus guise, the CX-90 packs a lot of features and hardware. But the CX-90’s highest trim costs more than our favorite three-row SUVs in their priciest spec, leaving us wondering whether the top-shelf CX-90 can leap over those less expensive competitors. We’ll have an answer as soon as we assemble the segment for a comparison test. Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S AWDVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 6-passenger, four-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $53,125/$61,920Options: Premium Plus package (quilted-leather seats, heated second-row seats, suede interior trim, second-row captain’s chairs with center console, 360-degree camera view, AC power outlet), $8200; Artisan Red paint, $595
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve inline-6, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 200 in3, 3283 cm3Power: 340 hp @ 6000 rpmTorque: 369 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 13.7-in vented disc/13.8-in vented discTires: Falken Ziex LT60a A/S275/45R-21 107W M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 122.8 inLength: 200.8 inWidth: 78.5 inHeight: 68.2 inPassenger Volume, F/M/R: 57/51/35 ft3Cargo Volume, behind F/M/R: 75/40/16 ft3Curb Weight: 4885 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 6.3 sec1/4-Mile: 14.7 sec @ 99 mph100 mph: 15.1 sec130 mph: 30.4 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.4 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.5 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.6 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.5 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 130 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 177 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.85 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 23 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 29 mpg75-mph Highway Range: 560 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 25/23/28 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDContributing EditorCsaba Csere joined Car and Driver in 1980 and never really left. After serving as Technical Editor and Director, he was Editor-in-Chief from 1993 until his retirement from active duty in 2008. He continues to dabble in automotive journalism and LeMons racing, as well as ministering to his 1965 Jaguar E-type, 2017 Porsche 911, and trio of motorcycles—when not skiing or hiking near his home in Colorado.  More

Cryogenics might require a room full of doctors and scientists, but squeeze a $2.1 million Bentley Batur down the narrow lanes of Spain’s Canary Islands, and you’ll freeze every tourist and highway worker stiff. A Batur, which is designed to look like a resting predator, is a sight worth savoring. The two prototypes we drove for an afternoon through Tenerife are the start of a production run that will see only 18 built. Bentley is using the Batur to celebrate the brand’s legendary 12-cylinder engine as its departure draws near and tease what its eventual electric cars will look like. More special BentleysThe Batur’s limited run will make other multimillion-dollar machines, such as the 99 Pagani Utopias, 130 Lotus Evijas, and the 300-unit Koenigsegg Gemera, look almost commonplace. And the Batur won’t be street-legal in the U.S. However, just because the Batur is something few people on the planet will ever witness doesn’t mean it’s completely unique. Under the bespoke Mulliner coachwork, it shares the majority of its mechanical bits with more attainable Bentleys, chiefly the Continental GT Speed. That includes the rear-biased all-wheel drive, the 48-volt active anti-roll bars, and the rear-wheel-steering system first introduced on the Flying Spur. Outside, the Batur’s windshield is the biggest exterior element that carries over from the Continental GT. Pretty much every piece of sheetmetal from the roofline on down is new. The Batur’s fenders and quarter-panels are carbon fiber and are molded to the aluminum roof. The headlight assemblies are exclusive to the Batur, rather than pulled from any other Bentley. To pass your hand across its finish is to have touched something few people will ever even lay eyes on. Mulliner, which is a British way to say hand-built, spends roughly eight months creating each Batur in the same workshop in Crewe, England, where the open-roof 12-unit Bacalar was built.The twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W-12 engine is an old relative of the one that debuted in the 2002 Volkswagen Phaeton sedan. The Batur’s W-12 is the most powerful that Bentley has ever made—or ever will. Bentley’s engineers gave the brand’s legendary powerplant revised turbines with more aggressive compressor wheels inside to shovel oxygen into improved intake manifolds. These upgrades have wrought 740 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 738 pound-feet of torque starting at 1750 rpm. Bentley says the top speed is 209 mph, and the Batur swallows Spanish highway as effortlessly as tourists ingest the islands’ rum.Although we passed huge banana plantations, the Batur was the most bananas thing on the Canary Islands.Although we passed huge banana plantations, the Batur was the most bananas thing on the Canary Islands. It was the biggest car we saw in Tenerife as we chased down Fiat 500 rentals, catching up to them like they were mice stuck in a glue trap. It takes a brief moment to wake the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic from its slumber, but then the power is delivered like a tidal wave. Spilling out of corners with the aggression of a hungry cat, the Batur quickly overwhelms the 315/30ZR-22 Pirelli P Zero PZ4 rubber under its tail. Outsize carbon-ceramic brakes (17.3-inch front rotors with 10-piston calipers and 16.1-inch rears grasped by four-piston calipers) effortlessly haul the Batur back down again.The interior is equally dramatic. One car we drove featured trim that fades from carbon fiber to body-color-matching Purple Sector trim. There’s a long list of available materials inside, none cheap. The edge of the drive-mode dial doesn’t just spin with the sophistication of an expensive wristwatch; it’s decorated with a 3-D-printed 18-karat-gold surround. The knurling at the edge of the windshield-wiper stalk is too sharp to be anything other than titanium. Only the detailers of private car collections may notice this hidden piece: The arm attached to the brake pedal is made of bare carbon fiber. While the W-12 will soon be gone, Bentley also looks to the future, with plans to go all electric by 2030. The front fascia of the Batur, we’re told, is a peek at what Bentley’s EV will look like. Like the glowing sunset across the ocean surrounding the Canary Islands, it’s easy to stare at the Batur and imagine, Ah, wouldn’t it be nice. Whether a fully electric Bentley can summon those same feelings is yet to be seen. Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Bentley BaturVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base: $2,110,000 (est)
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 48-valve W-12, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 363 in3, 5952 cm3Power: 740 hp @ 5500 rpmTorque: 738 lb-ft @ 1750 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 112.2 inLength: 193.0 inWidth: 77.4 inHeight: 54.7 inTrunk Volume: 13 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5000 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.0 sec100 mph: 7.2 sec1/4-Mile: 11.0 secTop Speed: 209 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 15/12/20 mpgAssociate EditorYes, he’s still working on the 1986 Nissan 300ZX Turbo project car he started in high school, and no, it’s not for sale yet. Austin Irwin was born and raised in Michigan, and, despite getting shelled by hockey pucks during a not-so-successful goaltending career through high school and college, still has all of his teeth. He loves cars from the 1980s and Bleu, his Great Pyrenees, and is an active member of the Buffalo Wild Wings community. When Austin isn’t working on his own cars, he’s likely on the side of the highway helping someone else fix theirs. More

From the June 1991 issue of Car and Driver.The new Lexus SC400 coupe is as rounded and slippery and slick as a caplet of Extra-Strength Tylenol. The big dif­ference is, this baby will cause headaches.Imagine that your house payments and your kids’ new shoes depend in some way on sales of Mercedes-Benz or BMW or Cadillac or Lincoln automobiles. The Lexus brand has already skimmed your gravy with the LS400, a four-door that lures away your customers like a discount Hope Dia­mond. But that’s only the four-door market. You’ve still got your coupe customers. They’d no more be seen in a four-door than they would in a leisure suit. But, amazingly, you can show them a synthetic coupe—what amounts to a sedan with half the number of doors—and they write the check. Pretty nifty gambit as long as it works.If you’re relying on synthetic coupes to keep the kids in Keds, then the migraine throb will kick in as soon as your custom­ers see this real coupe from Lexus, the brand that can do no wrong in the four-­door market. Because this is not a made­-over sedan. It’s a new car, with an entirely new appearance, a new suspension, and a new personality. About all the SC400 coupe shares with the LS400 sedan is the extravagantly smooth and powerful four­-cam, 32-valve V-8, which everybody loves already. More on the ’90s SC400Starting to worry about the repo man coming for the Sony, leaving the kids without Sesame Street? Well, this next bit of news won’t help. Lexus boss J. Da­vis Illingworth says, “We’re going to price this car where we think the custom­ers are.” In plain English, that means a window sticker low enough to move the iron. The synthetic-coupe makers typi­cally take two doors away from their se­dans and make up for it by raising the price. Lexus has baked a fresh new recipe and will undercut the sedan’s $40,285 base price. How can other brands compete? First, they’d have to be as serious about busi­ness as Toyota is. The world’s third-larg­est automaker is determined to grab a big hunk of the market’s sirloin. Two years ago—back when Lexus was just a name, not a car—there were doubts that a Japa­nese sedan could ever sit at the head ta­ble with Mercedes and BMW. Toyota shouldered its way into prestige territory the old-fashioned way—with a better product. The LS400 has quality, comfort, and performance; the dealers take care of the customers; and the price is right. It’s as simple as that. And amaz­ingly, the bystanders are as charmed as the buyers. Even taxi drivers hacking along in their tired Caprices speak admir­ingly of Lexus. For the competitors, this SC400 coupe amounts to piling on. It’s a power play. The coupe is not held back by a need to share parts with the sedan. The coupe is built to do what a coupe should do: be stylish to the eye, be energetic to the touch, be impressive to the Sharper Im­age set. This amounts to the creation of a new car, and few carmakers are serious enough about the coupe business to go to all that trouble. Toyota, perhaps alone in the world now, is that serious. That’s why the SC400 will cause so many head­aches for the other fancy labels. The differences between coupe and sedan are everywhere. The coupe—sold in Japan as the Soarer—is about six inch­es shorter overall on a five-inch-shorter wheelbase. Track is about 1.5 inches nar­rower, and weight about 180 pounds lighter. Both use the same V-8 to drive the rear wheels (an inline-six will be­come available in autumn, with an op­tional five-speed manual transmission). The mechanical differences surround­ing the V-8 are many: The coupe has a shorter first gear in the four-speed auto­matic and a shorter final drive for better acceleration, larger disc brakes all around, sixteen-inch wheels instead of the sedan’s fifteens, an entirely different suspension for improved dynamics, and a few radical innovations to astound the Popular Science reader. Topmost on this list is the radiator fan powered by a hy­draulic motor. When asked why he used this approach, chief engineer Seihachi Takahashi faded into Japanese inscruta­bility. “Because it’s the best way,” he said. “Quieter.” Some behind-the-scenes probing re­vealed the source of the quietness. The usual thermostatically controlled electric fan is either off, in which case it’s com­pletely silent, or it is on and therefore producing a considerable air-rush sound. The hydraulic fan is a variable­-speed arrangement, so, in some modes, it may be on but at such low speeds you won’t notice. When the LS400 sedan was previewed in the press nearly two years ago, it generally received high praise for its engi­neering and condescension for its styl­ing. “Sort of like a Mercedes,” people said. “Got a big grille in front.” Japanese cars are created by teams that are typical­ly organized quite differently from the way the rest of the world does it. In Ja­pan, the body designers report to the chief engineer, who has veto power over anything he doesn’t like. Detroit designers would rather walk picket lines than work under an engineer. They think that an engineer would divert them toward stern and boring cars. Maybe. But that’s not what happened in the case of the SC400. Chief engineer Takahashi is known to have fallen in love with the first clay proposal sent to Japan from Toyota’s Calty Design Research, Inc., in Newport Beach, California. Takahashi now calls the car an “original American design.” He liked the early shape so much that he wouldn’t give up on it, even though it was, at the time, unbuildable by all known methods. Principal designers on the project were two California men: Dennis Camp­bell, who had stints at Ford and Chrysler before joining Calty in 1980, and Erwin Lui, whose career began at Calty in 1982. Lui now speaks of the SC400 as a “de­signer’s dream come true,” and he cred­its the engineers. There were times when he too was ready to give up and relax the design to something more conventional so it could be built, but Takahashi wouldn’t let him. Takahashi was determined about this coupe, and he was backed by an equally determined front office. Together they went the extra kilo­meter to find a way to build a practical car in the designers’ shape. The problems all stemmed from the rounded nature of the SC400’s design, particularly the nose, which appears semicircular as you look down on it from above. All that roundness eliminates the corners. Of course! But then where do you put all the necessary components that are normally pushed out into the corners? If you look under the hood of the LS400, there’s no empty space. So how could the engineers possibly fit the same equipment into even tighter quarters? Consider the headlights. Front cor­ners are perfect for headlights. But when you round off the front corners, and roll back the vertical face above the bumper so that it quickly blends into the sloping hood, the normal headlight space is gone. The headlights end up back against the radiator bulkhead where you’d have to do a major teardown just to change a bulb. What to do? Originally, all of the lighting was intended to fit into a single smooth module in each corner. But that wasn’t possible. The projector high-beam part of the module required too much depth. The final solution sepa­rated the high beams from the module and positioned them inboard, where depth behind was greater, with their own ovoid lenses, and at the same time creat­ed what will surely become one of the SC400’s most talked-about details. Once the design was approved by Toyota, Lui went to Japan to see it through the transition to a production shape. With the designer on hand, Toyota thought, the true essence of the original would more likely be preserved in the final car. Again, more evidence of Toyota’s determination. Lui remembers confronting the “hard points” for the first time. Hard points represent equip­ment that has to be in the car, such as the top of the intake manifold and the bat­tery. The engineers came to the clay model and drove pegs into it to the depth of the hard points. A number of pegs poked outside the rounded shape. Some surfaces were moved to accommodate them, but Lui says that Takahashi did ev­erything he could to relocate and re­shape internal components. The coupe’s air cleaner, for example, is an entirely dif­ferent shape than the sedan’s. We notice also that the coupe’s front suspension positions its upper wishbones much lower in the car, which would allow more space in the engine compartment.The original design had an even smaller grille opening in front, too small to cool the engine, Takahashi said. So the opening was enlarged. To keep it as small as possible, however, the engineers reached for a method commonly used on racing cars but rare on the road—they constructed a duct that channels all of the incoming air through the radiator. Extra engineering is evident in two other areas too, areas that will surely make the coupe friendlier to passengers. The doors swing on complex four-bar hinges that move the front and the top of the doors farther out of the opening than normal hinges would. Back-seat passen­gers will also appreciate the power fea­ture of the passenger-side front seat that slides it forward on its track when the backrest is folded. Both of these features pay off in easier entry and exit. We’ve driven only preproduction sam­ples of the SC400 at this point, so we’ll keep the driving impressions general. This car shares the interior mood of the sedan—beautifully sculptured shapes covered in fine textures and pastel col­ors. Leather is standard equipment, as is bird’s-eye maple dash and door trim. The instruments, as on the sedan, are self-illuminated whenever they’re oper­ating, which makes for an exceptionally legible display. The windshield slopes steeply, but it’s positioned well forward, thereby minimizing the solar-cooker ef­fect on the occupant’s laps. We’ve greatly admired the four-door for the way in which it combines a silent, plush ride with trusty handling. The coupe’s personality is quite different. The body is quiet, but the engine talks. Toyota thought a coupe should be sporty. The shorter gearing gets the V-8 up in the revs quicker. The retuned in­take and exhaust acoustics now turn the engine sound into a scream when you tip into it, albeit a refined scream. And the whipped cream has been eliminated from the ride. The coupe’s motions are highly damped. You definitely feel the contours of the road now, although much of the harshness is filtered out.This car is beautifully executed, very much a designer piece both inside and out. In our view, the plush silence of the LS400 seems a loftier accomplishment, yet the SC400 has the sporting attitude that’s entirely missing from the sedan. Clearly, these two cars are intended for different buyers. And that, in turn, means headaches for a new group of sellers. The synthetic­-coupe business will never be the same. Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
1992 Lexus SC400Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2+2-passenger, 2-door coupe
ESTIMATED BASE PRICE$39,500
ENGINEDOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and head, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 242 in3, 3969 cm3Power: 250 hp @ 5600 rpmTorque: 260 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
TRANSMISSION 4-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 105.9 inLength: 191.1 inWidth: 70.5 inHeight: 52.6 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 55/30 ft3Trunk Volume: 9 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3600 lb
PERFORMANCE (MANUFACTURER RATINGS)
60 mph: 6.9 sec1/4-Mile: 15.3 secTop Speed: 150 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMYCity/Highway: 18/23 mpg  More

We’re on record as being huge fans of the Honda Civic Type R. The Type R helped put the Civic onto our 10Best list. It also topped the Toyota GR Corolla and the Volkswagen Golf R in our GRRR hot-hatch comparo, and by no small margin. And who among us could forget its standout Lightning Lap performance, wherein it became the event’s all-time fastest front-driver and the first of that species to break the three-minute mark? As quick and rewarding as the Type R is on circuit and canyon road alike, it’s not perfect. The 2024 Acura Integra Type S, on the other hand, just might be. It retains all the performance-driving goodness of the Type R, but neatly rounds off many of its daily-driving rough edges. Its main drawback is the $51,995 price, which outpaces the 2023 Type R by some $7105. The figure makes more sense when you realize that Acura thinks you’ll cross-shop it with the Audi S3, the BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe, and the Mercedes-AMG CLA35—and maybe you will—but those cars are all-wheel drive and, crucially, lack a manual-gearbox option.More on the IntegraShared Elements Chucking the new Integra Type S between the guardrails along Highway 39 in California, we immediately see that this machine has the same sharp steering, deft handling, and colossal grip as its shoutier Honda sibling. The Acura’s turbocharged 2.0-liter engine has been recalibrated to deliver 320 horsepower and a smidge more part-throttle midrange torque. Reaching peak horsepower requires 93 octane, and on the local 91-octane California brew, we can’t point to any difference—which is no bad thing. The Integra still pulls mightily out of corners, with the Type R’s helical limited-slip front differential and clever dual-axis strut front suspension absolving the Type S powertrain of any of the usual high-horsepower front-wheel-drive sins.The thankfully mandatory six-speed manual gearbox feels as surgical and precise as ever, but Acura has made one change we fully support. The Type R’s metal shift knob, which can get hot enough to cauterize your fingerprints in summer or freeze-burn them in winter, has been replaced with a tactilely satisfying leather-sleeved upgrade. The shift diagram is still engraved metal, so you could brand your palm if you shift like an ape, and determined masochists can opt for a dealer-installed all-metal titanium substitute. Consequently, wounded Type R owners can now visit an Acura parts counter for relief.Much of the Type S’s dynamic goodness derives from the shared platform using the same floorpan, firewall, and suspension hard points. The suspension itself and the adaptive dampers are also identical from a hardware standpoint. All the various links and bushings are shared, and the springs and anti-roll-bar specs are samesies too. In addition, you get the same 265/30ZR-19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires and boffo brakes featuring four-pot Brembo front calipers and two-piece ventilated rotors. After all of this, it should go without saying that both cars share a 107.7-inch wheelbase and broad front and rear track widths of 64.0 and 63.5 inches, respectively.Key DifferencesBut there are differences, and they account for much of the edge smoothing we hinted at earlier. For those who wondered what a Type R with a few dozen extra pounds of sound insulation would be like, the Integra Type S provides an answer. Acura claims that this Integra’s weight is 36 pounds heavier than a Type R. The Integra has more floor and firewall insulation, though those materials don’t account for the entire difference. The Integra body is made up of different stampings and has better strength and noise-attenuating characteristics. What’s more, the software controlling the adaptive dampers has been tweaked. An Acura suspension-development engineer tells us the Integra is programmed with less rebound damping, and it feels like it. In fact, Sport+ might now be the ticket at Lightning Lap, something our man Tony Quiroga opted against when he set the quick time in the Type R. The electric power-steering assist maps have also been retuned, and while response is still razor sharp in all three drive modes, Comfort’s effort levels are now a tad lighter than we prefer.The combined effect of all of this is a more fluid and settled daily driver. The Type S doesn’t feel like it’s being chained down against its will to suffer the roughest bits of tarmac with dampers unable to catch their breath and return to center. And despite the identical footwear, less tire noise finds your ears. Sport and Sport+ are not out of the question on broken pavement, although the Comfort damper setting is still plenty compelling—so long as you customize the Individual mode to dial up the steering effort. Part of the PlanChief engineer Masashi Iwai laid bare the philosophical differences between the two cars, and his explanation snaps everything we’d seen and felt into focus. Essentially, the Civic Type R was conceived with time-attack events and track days in mind. It’s meant to be able to kick ass at Lightning Lap; R is for Racetrack. The Integra Type S, on the other hand, was optimized around the idea of sporty street driving. The translation isn’t as graceful, but S is for Street Sports, or something.Given that vision, other Type S differences start to make sense. Compared with the Type R, it flies under the radar (gun), with a small lip spoiler instead of a stand-up wing (the carbon extension on our sample car is $950 dealer-installed option) and more cleanly integrated (but no less voluminous) air intakes for the radiators, intercooler, and brake cooling ductwork.Inside, the perforated seats are slightly less aggressive but no less grippy, but they do lose their shoulder-harness holes. The driver gets a 12-way power-adjustable seat, and both front chairs are heated. They sit slightly higher too, and while the resulting minor reduction in front headroom might be less helmet-friendly for very tall drivers, there’s still plenty of it. What’s more, red with black isn’t the sole interior theme—Ebony and Orchid with black are available too.On top of that, the LogR data logger is absent, and the stability control lacks competition and fully defeatable settings. The Type S does get a standard 16-speaker ELS Studio premium audio system, and it sounds fantastic. But that’s not the only good noise, because the Type S has a modified exhaust that lacks the Type R’s front resonator. The result is a deeper and less kazoo-like tone that’s quieter in the Comfort engine mode, but one that growls, spits, and pops in Sport+ in a rowdier way the Type R can’t match. The reason? Honda’s Type R is sold across the globe, and some markets get touchy about such things. Acura’s Type S is destined only for North America.The Honda Civic Type R is an absolute blast that we love to death. But the Acura Integra Type S gives the same thrills to nearly the same degree in a more grown-up package that we could live with for the long haul. Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Acura Integra Type SVehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 4-door hatchback
PRICE
Base: $51,995
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 122 in3, 1996 cm3Power: 320 hp @ 6500 rpmTorque: 310 lb-ft @ 2600 rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 107.7 inLength: 186.0 inWidth: 74.8 inHeight: 55.4 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 54/43 ft3Cargo Volume: 24 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3250 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 5.0 sec100 mph: 11.7 sec1/4-Mile: 13.5 secTop Speed: 167 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 24/21/28 mpgTechnical EditorDan Edmunds was born into the world of automobiles, but not how you might think. His father was a retired racing driver who opened Autoresearch, a race-car-building shop, where Dan cut his teeth as a metal fabricator. Engineering school followed, then SCCA Showroom Stock racing, and that combination landed him suspension development jobs at two different automakers. His writing career began when he was picked up by Edmunds.com (no relation) to build a testing department. More

From the July 1991 issue of Car and Driver.Is it fair to say that the average Ameri­can doesn’t know much about Isuzu?If so, too bad for the average Ameri­can, because the new-for-1991 Isuzu Ro­deo shows that there’s a lot more to this Japanese company than just a funny, ly­ing spokesman named Joe. In brief, the Rodeo is a sport-utility vehicle (SUV) that definitely deserves your attention. We won’t wade too deeply into the Rodeo’s background here. But let’s hit a few of the highlights.The Rodeo is built at the joint Isuzu-Subaru plant in Lafayette, Indiana. It’s available as a five-door wagon only, which Isuzu defends by noting that, even given a choice, the vast majority of SUV buyers opt for models with four side doors anyway. (Those buyers who insist on having a sportier Rodeo can opt for its stubby sibling, the two-door Amigo.) The Rodeo rides on a 108.7-inch wheel­base, which is long for this class; but at 176.4 inches overall, it’s compact on the outside. There are two engines (a 2.6-liter four or a 3.1-liter V-6), two transmis­sions, two- or four-wheel drive, and three trim levels. Our test vehicle was a top-­of-the-line Rodeo LS, equipped with the six-cylinder engine, a four-speed automatic transmission, and four-wheel drive. Dick Kelley|Car and DriverSpend a few minutes behind the wheel of the Rodeo and you quickly become impressed by how civilized it is. The steering is light, the cabin is quiet at high­way cruise, and the ride verges on plush. The driving position is excellent—while some other SUVs in this class have the driver’s seat planted deep down below the instrument panel and the door sills, the Rodeo’s helm sits high and comfort­able. Also notable is the ease of entry and exit—you can jump aboard the Rodeo without worrying about smacking your knee on a dash edge or catching your foot on a high rocker panel. Cockpit features include a comprehen­sive and well-grouped array of analog gauges, tasteful materials, and lots of room for heads and legs. The cabin isn’t as stylish as some in the class, but we have no complaints about how it works. There’s room for five in the Rodeo LS (which gets front buckets instead of the base model’s bench). The rear seat­—split on the LS—can be folded flat to form a large rear load floor. More Archive Rodeo ReviewsSpend a few more minutes behind the wheel and you also learn that the Rodeo is no five-door Funny Car. The V-6 is good for just 120 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque, so the 4027-pound Rodeo needs 14.7 seconds of heavy breathing to get to 60 mph. That said, the Rodeo moves at its own pace happi­ly—like a marathoner who can go the dis­tance but isn’t interested in the sprints. Fitted with front discs, rear drums, and a standard rear-wheel anti-lock system, the Rodeo stopped from 70 mph in 234 feet—which is on the long side even for an SUV. Judging by the reception our black test vehicle got on the street, Isuzu has scored a hit with the Rodeo’s styling. “Hey, man, awesome-looking truck,” was just one of a slew of similar com­ments. “All right! Cool! This is the new Chevrolet Blazer, right?” beamed the teller at the Taco Bell window. “You got it,” we said back to keep him smiling and nodding, and we managed on exiting to avoid knocking over a Fotomat kiosk.Dick Kelley|Car and DriverNo doubt contributing to our test Ro­deo’s head-turning power were its wheels, snazzy and shiny drilled alloys wearing beefy raised-letter 225/75R-15 tires. The base Rodeo LS ($18,898) comes standard with everything from a leather­-wrapped steering wheel to intermittent wipers and a four-speaker AM/FM/cas­sette system with 80 watts of power. Our test LS was plumped up with such op­tions as power windows, cruise control, air conditioning, and a sunroof—which raised the out-the-door sticker to $21,348. Buyers who want more can tack on a compact-disc player; buyers who want less can move down to the Rodeo XS or S models, the latter of which starts—in four-cylinder, two-wheel-drive form—at just $12,818.So who cares if the average American knows nothing about this talented and tempting sport-utility machine? The im­portant thing is, now you do.Dick Kelley|Car and DriverArrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
1991 Isuzu Rodeo LSVehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $18,898/$21,348
ENGINEV-6, iron block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 191 in3, 3135 cm3Power: 120 hp @ 4400 rpm 
TRANSMISSION4-speed automatic
DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 108.7 inLength: 176.4 inCurb Weight: 4027 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 14.7 sec1/4-Mile: 20.0 sec @ 67 mphRolling Start, 5–60 mph: 14.5 secTop Speed: 89 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 234 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.68 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 15 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMYCity: 15 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED More

About six months after its green paint was shimmering on display at last year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas, the Jeep Quadratec JTe concept was covered in dirt, horsing around at Holly Oaks ORV Park in Michigan. About 60 miles north of Car and Driver headquarters in Ann Arbor, the off-road playground, with its bounty of obstacles and varied terrain, provided the perfect environment to find out whether the one-of-a-kind four-wheeler is a true workhorse or just a show pony.A Two-Door Gladiator Is BornIt didn’t take us long to realize that the custom-built Jeep exceeded the lofty capabilities of the Wrangler Rubicon 4xe it’s based on. We easily scaled a sheer rock face in 4L with both differentials locked. We disconnected the front anti-roll bar and flexed the suspension over a section of large boulders. And we also slid the JTe around a gravel pit while we hooted and hollered and kicked up huge dust clouds. That last bit had less to do with vehicle evaluation and more to do with something our therapist calls failure-to-launch syndrome. Sure, 37-inch Nitto Recon Grappler A/T tires and a 2.5-inch Lynx suspension lift help the Quadratec JTe feel extra capable, but the fact that the mini–monster truck is believable as a real two-door Gladiator is a testament to the job done by builder Greg Henderson. Even more impressive, all the fabrication was done by hand, transforming what began as a four-door 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe into the JTe concept, whose moniker combines the Gladiator’s JT model code with “e” to identify the electrified powertrain.Jeep enthusiasts will recognize Quadratec as a go-to source for aftermarket equipment, and the supplier created the idea of a two-door, plug-in-hybrid Gladiator. Currently, Jeep’s convertible pickup truck is offered only with four doors, and the odds of a factory two-door are slim to none. Meanwhile, a plug-in-hybrid 4xe version of the Gladiator will likely become available for the 2024 model year. Like many SEMA builds, the JTe provides a showcase for Quadratec’s aftermarket business, but the company has no intention of building a two-door Gladiator like the JTe for customers. Instead, Quadratec specifically commissioned Henderson to build a hybrid-powered concept to coincide with its ongoing “50 for 50” trail-stewardship initiative, which promotes sustainable off-roading and partners with the nonprofit Tread Lightly! and others to clean up trail systems in every state. This led to a Wrangler 4xe as the JTe’s starting point.Electrifying Jeeps AplentyThen the cutting began. Henderson basically chopped off the back half of the Wrangler’s cab, removing the rear seats and cargo area but leaving the ladder frame beneath. He then resealed the cab using Mopar replacement body panels and fabricated a unique hardtop that’s compatible with Jeep’s removable roof panels. While the five-foot cargo bed was sourced from a regular Gladiator, Henderson had to fill in about 10 inches of missing material. On our scales, the JTe weighs 5635 pounds, which is 317 pounds heavier than a factory four-door Wrangler Rubicon 4xe we’ve tested. That has a marginal impact on the concept’s acceleration, as its 5.7-second sprint to 60 mph and quarter-mile run of 14.4 seconds at 94 mph are a few tenths behind the stock version. Visually, though, most people wouldn’t know the JTe is different from other heavily modified Jeeps. Hell, we might not have noticed, had we not known better.Apart from relocating the roughly 14.0-kWh battery from under the old rear seats to a higher position under the cargo bed, Henderson left the Wrangler’s hybrid powertrain alone, meaning the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and the electric motor mounted in the eight-speed automatic transmission still combine for 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. On the stock 4xe, electric range is EPA estimated at 21 miles, and its combined fuel-economy rating is 20 mpg, but the JTe’s extra mass, lift kit, and massive tires render those EPA figures irrelevant.More Than a Jeep ThingWe had the JTe at the off-road park for only a couple of fun-filled hours, but afterward we spent several days driving it like any other grocery getter. And on the street, the jacked-up Jeep attracts a ton of attention. Perhaps that’s thanks to the attractive paint job accented by bronze-colored trim and matching 17-inch Lynx Trail Gunner wheels. Or maybe it’s Quadratec’s intimidating Carnivore front bumper, which incorporates a 12,000-pound Res-Q Teton winch. A second 9000-pound winch lives in the rear bumper behind the detachable license plate. By far our personal favorite accessory is the slim 50-inch light bar mounted inside the top of the windshield. It makes stoplights harder to see, but its amber setting looks badass, and unlike many roof-mounted light bars, it doesn’t cause wind noise. Yet there’s no avoiding the excess noise inside the JTe’s cabin, where the sound level is a lofty 78 decibels during 70-mph cruising. That’s four times the sound pressure and twice the perceived volume of a stock Wrangler 4xe’s 72-decibel figure. While the concept’s cabin is cramped and noisy, it isn’t a torture chamber. Regular Wranglers aren’t particularly refined, and the JTe doesn’t feel as far off as one would expect from this Frankenstein-mobile. The Katzkin leather seat covers with Quadratec branding and the 3-D-printed door pockets hint at its modified nature, but because stick-axle Jeeps are often defined by personalization, those details aren’t out of place. The aftermarket Alpine touchscreen is, however, with its bulky bezel and low-res graphics. But it is responsive to inputs, and wireless Apple CarPlay works flawlessly—something we can’t always say about OEM infotainment systems. Our biggest gripes are an incessant squeaking behind the passenger’s seat and what sounds like a hive of angry bees under the hood (we don’t recall hearing that during our last test of a Wrangler 4xe). The other major issue is that the retrofitted cab creates a big blind spot over the driver’s left shoulder, necessitating extreme neck craning to check the left lane. After the JTe initially wouldn’t accept a charge, we reached out to Henderson, whose solution was to “plug it in, unplug it, then plug it right back in.” While that did the trick, it’s obviously not ideal. Quadratec thinks the charging issues could be caused by a communication issue with the aftermarket infotainment, but it is a problem other Wrangler 4xe owners have experienced, according to posts in various Jeep forums.Still, we’ve said worse about vehicles that are built in a full-fledged factory. The Jeep Quadratec JTe was built in a garage in 90 days. Despite that, it always felt fully operational, and we never thought it would fall apart on the highway, which is not something we can say about all SEMA show cars. We can also say that the JTe is an entertaining one-off off-roader.Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
2022 Quadratec JTeVehicle Type: front-engine, front- and mid-motor, 4-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door pickup
PRICE
Base/As Tested: not for sale

POWERTRAIN
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4, 270 hp, 295 lb-ft + 2 AC motors, 44 and 134 hp, 39 and 181 lb-ft (combined output: 375 hp, 470 lb-ft; 14.0-kWh [C/D est] lithium-ion battery pack; 7.2-kW onboard charger)Transmission: 8-speed automatic
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: live axle/live axleBrakes, F/R: 13.0-in vented disc/13.8-in vented discTires: Nitto Recon Grappler A/T37x12.5R-17 LT D 124R M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 118.4 inLength: 197.0 inWidth: 73.8 inHeight: 76.0 inPassenger Volume: 54 ft3Curb Weight: 5635 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.7 sec1/4-Mile: 14.4 sec @ 94 mphResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 7.0 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.8 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 5.0 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 97 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 202 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.72 g
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDSenior EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More

From the May 1991 issue of Car and Driver.9:00 a.m. Monday, Wilmington, Califor­nia—We arrive at Vector headquarters, nestled in an industrial ghetto between the Los Angeles and Long Beach har­bors. Jerry Wiegert has lured us with the promise of an exclusive first crack at test­ing his audacious supercar, which has been the subject of great intrigue and speculation since we covered his first running prototype in December 1980.The decade since then has been long and hard for Wiegert, who, like Ferruccio Lamborghini in the early sixties, decided to take on the established supercar or­der. Unlike Lamborghini, however, who was a wealthy industrialist, Wiegert was a young industrial designer without a per­sonal fortune. Although Wiegert often boasts of the Vector’s ten years of devel­opment, he spent much of the eighties scratching for cash. That he survived is a testament to his dedication to his brain­child and his gift for self-promotion. He scored a financial victory in No­vember 1988, when a public stock offer­ing in the newly reconstituted Vector Aeromotive Corporation raised $6 mil­lion. Wiegert’s company got $4.9 million and the remainder went to his underwrit­er, Blinder, Robinson & Company, which has since filed for bankruptcy. More Archive Supercar ContentThat cash infusion and a later one in­flated what had been Wiegert’s shoe­string operation into a 40,000-square­-foot plant employing 82 workers—the plant we have just entered. Palletized en­gines, bins of suspension parts, stacks of complex castings, half a dozen cars un­der construction, and a score of busy employees fill the final assembly area. The Vector operation is real indeed. David Kostka, Vector’s vice president for engineering, shows us the gray and red engineering prototypes that we are to test as we wait for the truck he has or­dered to haul the cars up to our designat­ed testing sites. 11:30 a.m, Angeles Crest Highway—We unload the Vectors in the San Gabriel Mountains. Although the W8’s styling is about fifteen years old, the car is still an ocular magnet. Its snout is higher and longer than the current fashion and the body creases are too sharp, but like the late Lamborghini Countach, the Vector has a timeless visual appeal. Inside, the Vector has the blocky, hand­-tailored, somewhat homemade look indigenous to most limited-production cars, but the fashion theme is jet-fighter cockpit. There’s a computerized instru­ment display on which the driver can choose one of four information displays. And the black-anodized aluminum eye­ball air vents, the Allen-head cap screws, the push-to-reset circuit breakers, and the illuminated square switches not only look like aircraft parts, they are aircraft parts—very expensive ones at that. Not surprisingly, the seating position is very low, but visibility forward is excel­lent, gradually deteriorating as one’s view traverses toward the rear. The Recaro C seats are superbly comfortable, the driv­ing position is good, and there’s ample leg and headroom in the wide cockpit. The tilting, air-bag-equipped steering wheel is a pleasant surprise, but the shift­er is a disappointment. Buried in a well to the left of the driver’s seat, a short lever topped by a crossbar controls the Vec­tor’s three-speed automatic transmis­sion—a much modified version of the GM unit developed for the original Olds Toronado more than 25 years ago. The handle moves through the usual park-reverse-neutral-drive sequence to allow fully automatic operation. When you lift the handle, it becomes a ratchet shifter, shifting up or down a gear with each fore or aft movement. Upon firing up the Vector, we find that the shifter, buried in its tight little well, does not fall readily to hand. When you do grab it, screws protrude from its un­derside and there’s a heavy, sticky action. With the gearbox in drive, the transmis­sion upshifts at very low rpm and refuses to kickdown when you floor the accelera­tor at anything above city speed. Under way though, the red prototype feels tight and solid, although the engine is loud. During our cornering passes for the photographer, the suspension seems supple and well controlled. The power steering is too light, however, and it doesn’t provide as much self-centering action as we like in 200-mph cars. Our photography completed, we head toward our desert test site. The 3680-pound Vector is quick, with the twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V-8 building boost and thrust quickly. Above 4000 rpm, the push is strong enough to make Vector’s claim of 625 hp believable. Soon, however, we find ourselves coasting. The engine is still running, but the transmission has ceased communica­tion with the rear wheels. We glide to a halt on the shoulder of Angeles Forest Highway. After a few minutes of fiddling, Kostka suggests we press on with the gray car, while his mechanic coasts down the mountain with the red car toward a nearby restaurant to summon the truck. 3:00 p.m., C/D desert test site near Ed­wards AFB—Instruments in place, we start our testing. Although Vector litera­ture calls the W8 the fastest production car in the world, Kostka asks us to refrain from top-speed testing because of insuf­ficient high-speed development. Since we’re not paid enough to be 200-mph guinea pigs, we agree, but wonder pri­vately about the overseas owners of the three cars already delivered. Top-gear acceleration is strong, but the transmission is slipping out of third gear. The brakes are powerful; only pre­mature rear lockup extends the stopping distance from 70 mph to 191 feet. We’re ready to do the acceleration runs, but the coolant-temperature gauge has surged to 250 degrees, and wisps of steam are wafting through the louvered engine cover. Kostka suspects an air bub­ble in the cooling system and suggests waiting a bit before adding water. After two hours of waiting and drib­bling water into the Vector’s expansion tank (to avoid cracking the hot head or block with a sudden deluge of cold wa­ter), darkness is approaching, and we de­cide to go to the nearby skidpad. Al­though the surface is wet, the Vector circulates at an admirable 0.91 g, with a touch of tail-happiness at the limit. We suspect it would probably pull in the area of 0.95 g on dry pavement. The skidpad testing overheats the en­gine again, so we spend another hour cooling the cooling system. Kostka final­ly suggests we try an acceleration run. Not only does the temperature skyrocket as soon as we leg it, but the engine deto­nates fiercely and the transmission reso­lutely resists shifting into third gear. We decide to pack it in while the Vector can still limp home under its own power. 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, Wilmington—While the mechanics are puzzling over the gray Vector’s cooling system, Mark Bailey, vice president for production, gives us a tour of the premises. Bailey learned his trade fabricating aerospace components at Northrop, and he is simultaneously enthusiastic about the Vector and frank about the problems gearing up the assembly line. “We’re just now finishing the engineering drawings and fixtures for the parts. Many of the first sheetmetal pieces had to be traced from prototype components.” Despite these handicaps, chassis num­ber 14 is in progress at the frame shop, one of the dozen or so cars somewhere in the production process at any one time. The Vector’s core is formed by a weld­ed chrome-molybdenum steel-tubing roll cage reinforced by riveted aluminum panels and an aluminum honeycomb floorpan. Riveted and bonded aluminum monocoque structures extend from this central core to mount the suspension and driveline components, a well as to provide crush zones and bumper supports. Bailey bemoans the cost of pump­ing the 6000 or so rivets that go into each Vector, but the superbly crafted chassis easily passed the Department of Transportation’s crash tests. The body is made of fiberglass, carbon fiber, and Kevlar composite panels. Each set of panels is individually fitted to a matched chassis, then finished with cata­lyzed paint. The result is smooth body­work, a gleaming finish, and admirably even gaps—quality in keeping with the Vector’s $400,000-plus price. The running gear is equally top-draw­er. The front hubs and uprights are Grand National stock-car pieces. The brakes are huge Alcon rotors with alumi­num calipers all around. The engine is a race-prepped small-block Chevy, assem­bled by a subcontractor using top-grade aftermarket components such as a Rodeck aluminum block, Air Flow Re­search aluminum heads, TRW pistons, and Carrillo rods. Rated at 625 hp with 10-psi boost from its twin turbos, the V-8 had not received emissions certification at press time. But Jasjit Rarewala, the very experienced exotic car certifier in charge, promises that it will pass the tests soon. The powertrain tucks into the engine compartment bolted to a pair of intricate blue-anodized aluminum plates the size of doormats, which attach from the rear bulkhead. The glittering array of pol­ished aluminum, braided stainless-steel plumbing, and heavy-duty heat exchang­ers is an impressive sight. As we photograph the engine, Kostka promises to have the gray car’s overheat­ing problem solved by evening. 7:00 p.m. same night, Wilmington—We leave for another crack at testing, this time at a most unofficial track. Kostka and I make for the nearby Terminal Is­land Freeway, which should be deserted at this hour. In the five-minute drive to the freeway, the engine overheats again. We return to the factory with the Vector bleeding steam from its haunches. Wiegert is tense and unhappy. “The car is sound, you can see that. It has been tested and punished to the max.” He attributes the breakdowns to obsolete parts in the development cars we’ve been driving, explaining: “You put the best stuff in the cars you have to ship.” He seems desperate for us to complete a successful test and presses us to stay until the cars can be fixed. Unfortunately, we’re scheduled to leave for Michigan the next morning. But we offer him an­other shot if one of the cars is repaired before flight time. 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, Los Angeles—The phone jars me awake in my hotel room near Los Angeles International. Kostka says he has the red car running again. We agree to meet in the lobby at 3:00 a.m. Even in the dark of early morning, the arrival of the Vector perks up the hotel’s skeleton staff. Kostka and I hop in, fol­lowed by one of his mechanics in a Sub­urban. This time we head toward Per­shing Avenue—a limited-access divided four-lane road just west of the airport that should be barren at this hour. The red car is running strong. Its tem­perature stays in the low 200s and there is no sign of detonation. After four runs, our best 0-to-60 time is 3.8 seconds, and we measure a standing quarter-mile in twelve seconds flat at 118 mph. Those times are good enough to edge out a Ferrari F40. There was room to go faster, but the car refused to upshift into third gear and the engine was hitting its rev limiter well short of its 7000-rpm redline. I drive over to the waiting Kostka so that he can check it out. He confirms the problems, and we find that reverse is also gone. We call it a night, and I am back in my room at 4:00 a.m. “It costs us substantially more to build this car than it costs Ferrari to build an F40,” says Jerry Wiegert. Judging by the premium components, fine craftsman­ship, and excellent finish of the cars he is shipping, that may well be true. But in development and engineering, we sus­pect Ferrari has outspent Vector. Will the Vector satisfy the demanding supercar buyer? Perhaps. But this ques­tion doesn’t frighten Jerry Wiegert. “My customers are big guys; they’ve got attor­neys, they know what to do if they’re not satisfied.” Is Wiegert himself satisfied? No per­fectionist ever is. “I will improve this car through my team and efforts.”Arrow pointing downArrow pointing downSpecificationsSpecifications
1991 Vector W8 TwinTurboVehicle Type: mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base: $421,720
ENGINEtwin-turbocharged and intercooled pushrod V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 364 in3, 5972 cm3Power: 625 hp @ 5700 rpmTorque: 630 lb-ft @ 4900 rpm 
TRANSMISSION3-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axleBrakes, F/R: 13.0-in vented disc/13.0-in vented discTires: Michelin Sport XGT PlusF: 225/45ZR-16R: 315/40ZR-16
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 103.0 inLength: 172.0 inWidth: 76.0 inHeight: 42.5 inPassenger Volume: 50 ft3Cargo Volume: 5 ft3Curb Weight: 3680 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 3.8 sec100 mph: 8.3 sec1/4-Mile: 12.0 sec @ 118 mph120 mph: 12.4 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 5.0 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 5.5 secTop Speed (mfr’s claim): 218 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 191 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.91 g 
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (est.)City/Highway: 7/15 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDContributing EditorCsaba Csere joined Car and Driver in 1980 and never really left. After serving as Technical Editor and Director, he was Editor-in-Chief from 1993 until his retirement from active duty in 2008. He continues to dabble in automotive journalism and LeMons racing, as well as ministering to his 1965 Jaguar E-type, 2017 Porsche 911, and trio of motorcycles—when not skiing or hiking near his home in Colorado.  More