Car Reviews

From the July/August issue of Car and Driver.Greed is good, Gordon Gekko said in the 1980s. Maybe he was talking about horsepower. It was in that decade when Porsche engineers, readying a new 911 Turbo, began questioning how much power they could funnel through two wheels. Porsche president and CEO Peter Schutz responded, “Why not four?” and painstakingly created a test-bed prototype called the 959. Schutz knew he could hasten the engineering if a competition program depended on it. Thus did Porsche venture on tippy-toes into Group B rallying—the “killer Bs,” a series then injuring drivers and spectators alike. Whereupon former Formula 1 driver Jacques Bernard Edmon Martin Henri “Jacky” Ickx suggested, “Forget Group B. With the 959, we can contest the Paris–Dakar,” a rally Mr. Many Names had recently won in a Mercedes 280GE. More than 959 pricey pieces of the pricey 959 were doubtless sacrificed in preparation. But it all turned to gravy in 1986, when French driver René Metge won the off-road spectacle. Nowadays, no one remembers Metge, who chain-smoked Gauloises in a Rothmans-sponsored car. Yet we all remember Ickx, who never won in a 959.HIGHS: Draws attention like Prince Harry in a Walmart, 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, fair tribute to the landscape-changing 959.Fast-forward almost 40 years. How many sports-car buyers today venerate the Paris–Dakar as Porsche’s all-wheel-drive puberty? Six or seven, easy. Porsche swears it’s more, thus the 959 doppelgänger before us. You will notice that our test car—number 329 of 2500—bears neither the optional 62-pound roof rack nor auxiliary lights. Porsche wanted clean aero for truer acceleration results. The 911 Dakar is similar to the Carrera 4 GTS coupe ($159,850), which shares its 473-hp twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-six. Add to that a teaspoon of rear steering and active anti-roll bars, and your Dakar can tackle shag carpeting, dirt, or dirty shag carpeting. An electronically controlled clutch pack within the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic apportions torque bias from 88 percent front to 100 percent rear, so intelligent that we caught it conversing with a great gray owl. The maximum 19.0-degree break-over angle is a strong start, and there are red recovery hooks fore and aft that Porsche calls “non-removable retaining lugs.” Equipped with front and rear hydraulic axle lifts, the Dakar requires about nine seconds to hoist its skirts to its maximum clearance of 7.5 inches. Versus, say, 8.2 inches for a Nissan Rogue. Forget to lower the suspension after returning to pavement? It lowers automatically above 105 mph, something you could try in your driveway. View PhotosCar and DriverA hydraulically actuated lift system can raise the body 1.2 inches. The standard ride height is already 1.9 inches greater than in a 911 Carrera.Unique to the 911 Dakar—and looking like a Fu Manchu on Marjorie Taylor Greene—are dual-carcass Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires, not rated for mud and snow. No spare. Just a bottle of sealant and a mini air compressor. The owner’s manual moreover warns, “Only authorized Porsche Partners may mount tires.” What’s shocking is that replacement Pirellis cost an unshocking $402 front and $514 rear, likely the cheapest 911 repair you’ll ever endure.Plop your backside into either the civilized no-extra-cost 18-way heated seats or the standard carbon-fiber torture shells. The latter’s tall bladelike bolsters inflict a second butt crack, and their manual fore/aft adjuster is hell to reach.More fun facts:The Dakar shares its passive engine mounts with the 911 GT3.In case of theft, there’s a tracking system, perfect if the carbon seats have already punished the thief.Silver-gray seatbelts, as on our car, are a $540 option. For gray?The optional roof rack must be removed for automatic carwashes.The door handles stand proud unless central locking is engaged, and they can likewise be damaged in carwashes.A front-center radiator is obviated by two electric fans from a 911 Turbo. Show off your engine and all you’ll reveal are plastic blowers resembling 1980s-era Pioneer speakers.The hood and fixed deck spoiler are fashioned from carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic.A dashboard switch supplies “acoustically optimized exhaust.” We tried it. Then we smoked a Rothmans.Just to prove a close-to-absurd point, we drove the Dakar in Montana’s Bitterroot National Forest, where many foresters do not drive Foresters. We immediately noticed that, in Offroad and Rallye modes, the transmission hangs on to revs too long before upshifting. Big engine speed is anathema to rock crawling. So we reverted to Normal, which only minutes prior on pavement had annoyed us for doing the opposite—upshifting too soon, a fuel-saving trick. The Dakar thus felt ever befuddled, a gazelle wandering in the hyenas’ ‘hood.LOWS: Less useful off-road than $220 Barbour boots, the Marines designate these same seats for punishment, answers a question no one asked. Ever.A rock that would have slid undetected beneath a starter-kit Toyota RAV4 crashed and banged and scuffed below the Dakar’s two front undertrays until we halted in concern. There’s little protection under the engine. Should that stone perforate turbo plumbing or the crankcase, the fiscal carnage will rival your last two divorces. At 7000 feet, we squished into snow deep enough to suck a boot off photographer Marc Urbano. Whereupon the 911 surrendered too, just before flattening his stylish footwear. Then it rained, with the swollen rear fender flares acting as mudflaps, and the driver bellyaching about the lack of a rear wiper and whether Drakkar Noir smells like Dakar.Is it just us, or is Porsche’s credit-card-sized shifter—a flimsy flipper—somehow almost sexual in its disappointment? You cannot feel when reverse or drive have been engaged. It flops like a spoon in oatmeal and is useful only to Tolkien characters. A photo of the Dakar fording the Bitterroot River would have been fun. Until we recalled that the engine’s air filters are stashed in the rear wheel wells. “Exposed to high sand or dust, the air filters must be replaced after a day’s drive,” Porsche warns. It’s a 23-step regimen resembling an IRS audit. Base price for a 911 Dakar is $223,450. That’s six Honda CR-Vs and tickets to visit Zuffenhausen. What saves it from sideline snipery is that its modest off-road chops inflict such minor mischief on pavement behavior. Even atop those chunky Scorpions, the Dakar pulls 0.96 g. It tracks like a bullet train, pivots like a skid-steer, and can burn off 70 mph in 162 feet. Despite its 3580 pounds, it’s as agile as, well, a 911. Simply imagine a directional change, and it’s past tense. Under max braking, anything untethered—Yeti cups, hand sanitizers, an egg-salad sandwich halfway in my mouth—slams missile-like into the dash. Reacting to full-throttle upshifts at 7500 rpm, the same missiles reverse course to pockmark the carpeted rear firewall. No seats back there, you’ll notice. And in Sport mode, under determined braking, with the Scorpions yowling and squirming, the eight-speed supplies downshifts preceded by sublime throttle-matching blips. Porsche says it has added compliance, yet the ride recollects a titanium-carbide teeter-totter. Body roll? The Dakar’s never heard of it. Porsche’s familiar launch-control programming is available in Sport, but in Rallye and Off-road modes, Rallye Launch Control allows a gratifying 20 percent wheelslip. The Dakar then squats for half a beat—as if asking “Everybody strapped in?”—before lunging so ferociously that you’re never prepared. A “hard leaver,” as Pro Stockers would declare, a group who would beam at the Dakar’s 11.1-second quarter-mile at 126 mph.More on the 911 DakarBack in the ’80s, the sensuously flared 959 hammered out 60 mph in 3.6 seconds. Several of us wept. Today the Dakar performs the deed in 2.9 seconds. Wide-open-throttle upshifts are instantaneous furious thunderclaps, putting to shame the quickest manual shift you ever accomplished in front of your high school. At 96 decibels, such juvenilia will deafen your old Spanish teacher too. Should you ever wish to reduce your colleagues’ vocabulary to two words—”holy” and “shit”—the Dakar is the delivery mechanism.Porsche 911s carry two burdens only: handling and acceleration. To expect this one to penetrate granitic hummocks and Miocene tar pits—just in case Starbucks’ next franchise is halfway up Trapper Peak—is like asking a Cuisinart to tie your shoelaces. One possible rationalization: “I want to drive my 911 all winter.” Okay, but why should one car serve all functions? That’s how America became constipated by SUVs styled like Mosler vaults. Let’s be honest: The Dakar is less functional off-road than a $38K Subaru Forester, which we’d driven on these same two-tracks a week prior. When you’re off-road yet suppressing 473 horses under your right Reebok, all you can wonder is, “How close are we to pavement?”Porsche offers 20-some 911 variants, so it’s not as if the Dakar has squeezed out a more practical cousin. But, come on, what’s next? A 911 hearse with floral arrangements? An armored 911 for SWAT teams? Imagine if Porsche’s engineers lost all reason and created an off-roadable SUV called the Cayenne.Mind you, we’re the folks who once built a 150-mph cop car. Life doesn’t make sense. Why should your car? VERDICT: Subverting a car’s principal function is risky. Unless it’s a car that will spend its life in a climate-controlled garage.CounterpointsI was ready for a jacked-up Porsche on knobbies to drive like something uncouth enough to enter in an SCCA Pro Rally: a noisy beast that rattles like bolts in a coffee can and bucks like a Brahman bull. But the only trait the Dakar shares with a rally car is its exuberantly loud exhaust note, which growls and howls like it wants to tear the engine out of the next Camry it comes across. I love that. Otherwise, the Dakar drives as sweetly as any 911. Its kooky off-road nature is fun in theory—but drive a 911 off-road? Not me. My ideal Porsche is a 911 Carrera 4 GTS with the Dakar’s exhaust note and racy bucket seats—and the approximate 60-grand savings that would come with it. —Rich CepposDriving the Dakar has me imagining myself in an Indiana Jones film with I-94 as a rope bridge on the verge of collapse and the Dakar’s all-terrain tires comfortably rolling over the disintegrating path. The additional ground clearance over the 911 Carrera 4 GTS the Dakar is based on isn’t too wild but enough to clear a sacred stone or two dropped in front of you. On more fun roads, the 473-hp powerplant cracks like a whip, and the added ride height and off-road tires don’t detract from the experience. The fatter sidewall adds more cushion, and the 0.96-g skidpad grip and 162-foot stop from 70 mph are shockingly close to the Nissan Z NISMO we tested, which wore summer rubber. One word of caution: Beware of the racing seats. Climbing in and out of them can be a real blockbuster. —Austin IrwinI am anything but an 85th-percentile man, but I am in the apparent 1 percent who normally love Porsche’s carbon bucket seats. Standard in the Dakar and some other GT Porsches, the buckets are Loctite for your ass. But they’re overkill on a 911 that can only pull 0.96 g. The no-cost 18-way-adjustable seats would improve the experience massively. They’re easier to get in and out of and better off-road when you need to shift your body that extra inch to check clearance. About the only time you might want the carbon buckets in a Dakar is if you entered a rallycross. Other than that, no notes. Tons of fun everywhere. Yet another 911 that I shall waste too much time pining over. —K.C. ColwellBottoms UpThe Dakar is raised and then some.To make the 911 off-road ready, Porsche didn’t just lengthen the springs and kick it out the door. From top to, well, mostly bottom, the Dakar gets some features that help it actually function in places where ground clearance and protection matter more than jounce control.The whole Dakar body raises 1.2 inches on command from an already elevated static height some 1.9 inches above a 911 Carrera with the sport suspension. The body-lift system is developed from the front-axle-lift option on other 911s, but with beefed-up hydraulics (the system pressure increases by 23 percent to 1958 psi) and applied to all four corners.When activated, the lift system increases ground clearance to 7.5 inches and basically doubles the approach angle to 16.1 degrees, though that still isn’t enough to clear our 20-degree RTI ramp. It does, however, give the Dakar a break-over angle of 19.0 degrees, which is on par with Porsche’s SUVs, reducing the chances of getting high-centered. Above 105 mph, the Dakar automatically lowers.If a Dakar scrapes its belly on the trail, stainless-steel panels at the front and rear and along the sills are designed to mitigate damage. The flat, unassuming underbody is plastic, albeit reinforced. Just don’t drag the ass, because the engine is mostly unprotected.Other add-ons include fixed aluminum tow hooks front and rear, and Porsche made the mesh grilles protecting the radiators out of stainless steel. —K.C. Hot RubberOur road-test subject wore the Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires developed specifically for the Dakar. They feature reinforced construction and a knobby look. But that isn’t the only OE tire; we borrowed a second Dakar with summer shoes. Also developed just for the Dakar, these Pirelli P Zero PZ4s offer way more grip on dry pavement, which is where most Dakars will live, right? There’s some added bite at launch, which shrinks both the 60-mph and quarter-mile times by 0.2 second, to 2.7 and 10.9 seconds. Skidpad stick increases to 1.04 g’s from 0.96. Stopping from 70 mph comes 18 feet sooner, at 144 feet. But the real shocker is that stopping from 100 mph shrinks by 48 feet (!) to 284 feet. And surprisingly, there’s a 76-decibel hum with either tire during 70-mph cruising.While the P Zeros’ numbers seem more befitting of a modern 911, the summers don’t complete the safari look that makes the Dakar pop in traffic. However, with a 640 treadwear rating (the P Zeros’ is 280), the slightly pricier Scorpions should last longer—provided you don’t chunk them at 0.96 g on a cloverleaf. —K.C.SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Porsche 911 DakarVehicle Type: rear-engine, all-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $223,450/$230,800Options: Shade Green Metallic paint, $3270; Surround View, $1430; High Gloss Black brake calipers, $900; Silver Grey seatbelts, $540; White tachometer, $420; White sport chrono stopwatch dial, $420; puddle light projectors, $370 
ENGINEtwin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve flat-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 182 in3, 2981 cm3Power: 473 hp @ 6500 rpmTorque: 420 lb-ft @ 2300 rpm 
TRANSMISSION8-speed dual-clutch automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 13.8-in vented, cross-drilled disc/13.8-in vented, cross-drilled discTires: Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain PlusF: 245/45R-19 102V NA0R: 295/40R-20 110V NA0
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 96.5 inLength: 178.6 inWidth: 73.4 inHeight: 52.7 inPassenger Volume: 49 ft3Front Trunk Volume: 5 ft3Curb Weight: 3580 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 2.9 sec100 mph: 7.0 sec120 mph: 10.0 sec1/4-Mile: 11.1 sec @ 126 mph150 mph: 20.8 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 4.2 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.2 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.7 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 150 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 162 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 332 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.96 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 13 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 29 mpg75-mph Highway Range: 510 mi 
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 19/16/24 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDJohn Phillips first began writing about cars in 1974, at Car Weekly in Toronto. He later worked for Ford Racing, then served for seven years as the Executive Editor of Car and Driver. In the interim, he has written for Harper’s, Sports Illustrated, The Toronto Globe and Mail, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, and Conde Nast Traveler. He enjoyed a one-on-one interview with Joe Biden and is the author of the true-crime saga God Wants You to Roll and the memoir Four Miles West of Nowhere. In 2007 he won the Ken Purdy Award for journalism. He lives with his wife, Julie, in the Bitterroot Valley. More

CORRECTION 7/12/24: This story has been updated to correctly state that our long-term EV9 has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.Don’t look now, but our long-term stable is filling up with electron-fed steeds. The latest is the excellent Kia EV9, which won a 10Best award for 2024. To see whether the initial love would last, we ordered one for a 40,000-mile test. The EV9 is our first three-row electric long-termer, that is if you don’t count the 2015 Tesla Model S P85D’s third row. And you shouldn’t, because those rear-facing seats weren’t suitable for anything larger than Elon Musk sans legs. The EV9’s back row, meanwhile, can fit full-size humans. Practical and perfect for road trips, three-row SUVs typically get to 40K miles faster than other long-termers—we’re interested to see whether that holds true when the vehicle is electric.Our adopted 2024 Kia EV9 is the second-highest Land trim, with standard all-wheel drive and the larger 99.8-kWh battery (a rear-drive base model with a 76.1-kWh pack starts at $56,395). We pushed the Land’s $71,395 starting price to $76,385 as tested with options, including the $2000 reclining captain’s chairs that let second-row passengers luxuriate with a deployable ottoman as well as heated and ventilated cushions. The driver and front-seat passenger get climate-controlled thrones as well. With more positions than a dentist chair, and fewer anxiety triggers too, these seats are especially nice for tired parents stuck at kids’ after-school activities or drivers who want to catch some z’s when the EV9 is plugged in at a charging station.The EV9 features the same E-GMP platform that underpins other Kia and Hyundai EVs, including the 10Best-winning Hyundai Ioniq 5, the entertaining Kia EV6, and our reigning EV of the Year, the Ioniq 6 sedan. The 800-volt architecture allows EV9 & Co. to rank among the fastest-charging electric vehicles we’ve tested. Kia claims the EV9’s bigger battery can go from a 10 to 80 percent state of charge in 24 minutes when connected to a 350-kW DC fast-charger. We tested a EV9 GT-Line that went from 10 to 90 percent in 38 minutes, with an average charging rate of 136 kilowatts, and gained 100 miles of range in only 14 minutes. Impressive stuff. For those charging at home or elsewhere with a Level 2 (240-volt) connection, every EV9 has a standard 10.9-kW onboard charger. Along with a sizable 443 lb-ft of instant torque, the EV9 Land’s dual electric motors combine for 379 horsepower. This powertrain helped our 5850-pound long-term Land reach 60 mph in 5.1 seconds and zip through the quarter-mile in 13.7 seconds—that’s plenty quick, though slower than the GT-Line’s 4.5- and 13.3-second times, respectively, owing to that model’s greater 516 lb-ft of torque. Despite being nearly 1400 pounds heavier than the V-6-powered Kia Telluride, the EV9 left its gas-fed counterpart in the dust, hitting both marks roughly 1.5 seconds sooner than the last Telluride we tested. Both mid-size SUVs can tow 5000 pounds, and we selected the EV9’s $1500 Towing package for such tasks, although lugging a trailer will shrink its EPA-estimated range of 280 miles. In our 75-mph real-world highway range test, we saw the mechanically similar EV9 GT-Line make it 240 miles on a full charge (30 short of its 270-mile EPA estimate). However, unlike that trim level, with its 21-inch rolling stock, our Land has a set of 20-inchers with slightly narrower Kumho Crughen EV HP71 all-season tires, which still helped it stop from 70 mph in a respectable 178 feet and circle our skidpad with 0.84 g of grip. We’ll eventually subject our long-termer to our 75-mph highway range test, but so far its overall observed fuel economy is 76 MPGe.We’re still getting acquainted with our long-term EV9, which has only a couple of thousand miles on the clock. Our early impressions align with previous ones. The structure feels stout, and the hefty three-row EV rides so quietly and smoothly that it’s almost Maybach-like. It’s quick in a straight line, with handling and braking that feel secure, but the EV9 is at its best when cornering at a steady pace rather than a rapid one. It’s softly sprung—perhaps too softly, as that underdamped feeling contributes to head toss when hustling over broken pavement. Large, heavy doors provide a wide aperture that makes climbing in and out easy. While we love the comfort and flexibility of the second-row captain’s chairs, their motorized folding function moves like molasses. The interior is otherwise very fashionable and functional, with fabric-trimmed surfaces that wouldn’t look out of place on a Volvo, as well as large and versatile storage bins that you’re more likely to see in a minivan than a trendy SUV. We also appreciate that Kia has cut the cord when it comes to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with our EV9 offering wireless connectivity for both.More on the Kia EV9We’re questioning our decision to get the $115 carpeted mat that covers the cargo floor and the back of the third-row seats because it bunches up and makes erecting the seatbacks a physical altercation. It might be better to cut our losses. We’re also testing our luck (and likely our patience) with the $995 Ocean Blue Matte paint. It’s certainly pretty, but proper maintenance is a commitment to inconvenience, as most automated carwashes will polish the matte finish to a shiny gloss over time. For folks who avoid commercial carwashes and prefer to detail their ride by hand, the EV9’s unique coat might be more enticing. Either way, the big electric Kia’s design is a conversation starter, with several people approaching us during a recent trip to northern Michigan to ask about the vehicle. We noticed their initially interested expressions turned to clenched teeth or crinkled noses when we told them how much our EV9 cost and mentioned the paint job’s required maintenance.While skipping the matte paint option is easy, it’s harder to avoid spending under $65K on a new 2024 Kia EV9. That’s because the bigger battery and mightier all-wheel-drive powertrain start at $65,395 on the Wind trim. Is that price a deal breaker for an EV with a leash that gets shorter as the family road trip gets longer? Will that paint be worth the pain in the ass it’ll be to keep clean? Or will the EV9 assuage our fears and prove to be as popular and approachable as gas-powered three-row SUVs? With Kia’s biggest electric model foreshadowing the future of family transportation, we now have a year to find out.Months in Fleet: 3 months Current Mileage: 2450 milesAverage Fuel Economy: 76 MPGe Battery Capacity: 99.8 kWh Observed Driving Range: 250 milesService: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0 Damage and Destruction: $0SpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Kia EV9 Land AWDVehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 6-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $71,395/$76,385Options: Land Relaxation package (front passenger’s comfort-tilt seat with leg support, second-row power seats with leg support), $2000; Towing package (tow hitch, auto-leveling rear suspension), $1500; Ocean Blue Matte paint, $995; carpeted floor mats, $225; cargo cover, $155; carpeted cargo mat with seatback protection, $115
POWERTRAIN
Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 189 hp, 184 lb-ft Rear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 189 hp, 258 lb-ft Combined Power: 379 hpCombined Torque: 443 lb-ftBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 99.8 kWhOnboard Charger: 10.9 kWPeak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 210 kWTransmissions, F/R: direct-drive
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 14.2-in vented disc/13.6-in vented discTires: Kumho Crugen EV HP71275/50R-20 113V M+S Extra Load K-Silent
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 122.0 inLength: 197.2 inWidth: 77.9 inHeight: 69.1 inPassenger Volume, F/M/R: 58/58/35 ft3Cargo Volume, behind F/M/R: 82/44/20 ft3Curb Weight: 5850 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS: NEW
60 mph: 5.1 sec100 mph: 13.5 sec1/4-Mile: 13.7 sec @ 101 mph120 mph: 21.8 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 5.2 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.2 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.9 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 127 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 178 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 355 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.84 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY AND CHARGING
Observed: 76 MPGe
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 83/91/75 MPGeRange: 280 mi
WARRANTY
5 years/60,000 miles bumper to bumper10 years/100,000 miles powertrain10 years/100,000 miles battery5 years/100,000 miles corrosion protection5 years/60,000 miles roadside assistance
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDEric 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

An evolution of the one-off, 836-hp Victor introduced in 2020, the Aston Martin Valour is number two in a series of three bespoke V-12-engined Astons. Later this year, the track-focused Valiant—built to the personal specification of Formula 1 racer Fernando Alonso—will complete the trio. Masterminded by Aston Martin’s Q division, the marque’s special-vehicle and personalization task force, all examples of these collectible cars are already spoken for.The Valour, limited to 110 units, is the least pricey of these specimens. The entry fee is about $2 million, and that’s before further customization, which includes a wide variety of colors and trim materials. In its most extreme guise, the two-seater boasts a fully exposed carbon-fiber body with a choice of red, blue, or green tint. In terms of presence, the new Aston receives full marks. But how does it fare when put through its paces on English back roads and by-lanes?Although Aston has built nearly two dozen V-12 models over time, in recent years manual-transmission versions have been the rare exception. Now, the stick shift returns in these three limited-edition cars. The Valiant and Valour share the same engine too—a twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V-12. However, each sports a different tune. In the Valour, the quad-cam 48-valver puts out 705 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque. Carrying a bit more weight than the new Vantage, 60 mph should arrive in under 3.5 seconds, and it’ll keep going until 200 or so mph. True, you might lose a tenth or two compared to a modern dual-clutch automatic, but that’s a price worth paying.The polished-walnut shift knob—one of four finishes offered—feels good in the hand, but don’t push the lever forward too enthusiastically, lest you bruise your knuckles on the start/stop button assembly. The Graziano six-speed transaxle is a gem otherwise. Throw length is spot on, the gears are clearly defined, and the ratios engage with a reassuring clunk.The V-12 jumps to life with a familiar roar before settling at a steady idle, one that’s more more subdued than expected. This 5.2-liter unit is a bull of an engine, spreading its peak torque all the way from a leisurely 1800 rpm to the lofty 7000-rpm redline. Between 50 and 75 mph, it doesn’t really matter whether you’re in third, fourth, or fifth—the throttle response is phenomenal at any speed. All the controls are perfectly weighted: The clutch combines quick pickup with progressive action; the accelerator connects whether you stab or massage it; the steering is light but always switched on; and the standard carbon-ceramic brakes are strong without being grabby.With no digital idiosyncrasies or ergonomic complexities to distract the brain, you can give this car the stick from the get-go. Three driving modes and corresponding damper settings (Sport, Sport+, and Track) are activated via thumb switches on the steering wheel. Instead of the Valiant’s trick Multimatic adaptive spool-valve dampers, the Valour relies on electronically controlled adaptive Bilsteins. Its anti-roll bars are not the active type, active aerodynamic elements were deemed unnecessary, and the only wheel and tire size on offer is 21 inches. The Valour is a rear-drive affair only, but a mechanical limited-slip differential is included.Related StoriesThe Valour’s body is made entirely from carbon-fiber reinforced plastic, but the chassis is a mix of parts old and new. The car retained the torque-tube-and-transaxle layout, but the suspension carries bespoke calibration and geometry. Front and rear shear panels add reinforcement, as do a rear tower brace and a special fuel tank support. These elements maximize torsional and lateral stiffness for more precise handling characteristics while maintaining a ride quality that’s more 911 Turbo than GT3 RS. The steering is new, too, offering variability in both ratio and effort.But back to the road—the Valour might not be overly heavy, but it is quite wide and rather long. On narrow country roads lined with frayed edges and potholes, the Aston’s precious honeycomb wheels develop curb rash faster than you can say a certain four-letter word. Steering precision is key on roads like these, and luckily, the Valour has that in effortless yet accurate abundance. In this car, you can grab confidence with both hands, even when Track-mode corner carving briefly turns to drifting on a damp roundabout. The firm dampers, taut springs, and stiff sidewalls of the Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tires determine the overall ride, which ranges from low-speed brittle to high-speed supple. The setup absorbs undulations with aplomb, but serious transverse irritations and pop-up patchwork surfaces can dent the line with a momentary wobble and a light tire shriek.The Valour isn’t just great to drive; it’s also great to look at. The design throws back to the 1970s V-8 Vantage and its 1980 “Muncher” Le Mans spin-off. There are also some parallels to draw with the 1990s Virage-based V600 Vantage, in addition to the One-77 supercar, and, obviously, the recent Victor. “The idea was to combine contemporary technology with a butch and bold shape reminiscent of the James Hunt can-do-anything era,” explained chief designer Miles Nurnberger. Defining styling elements include a clamshell hood with a large horseshoe vent and two smaller NACA ducts, round LED headlights, a louvered backlight cover, boxed-out air vents, and an eye-catching triple-tailpipe exhaust flanked by two massive diffusers.In contrast to its exterior, the Valour’s cabin looks reduced, almost barren. Carbon fiber and black leather are the dominant materials, but Q will be happy to fulfill special requests like our car’s tweed upholstery, which mimics the seat fabric of the 1959 Le Mans–winning DBR1. Driver assists such as a head-up display and the usual spat of assistance systems are conspicuous in their absence. The electric seat adjusters are still found on the transmission tunnel, the secondary switchgear is scattered about, and there are no large displays or touchscreens. Many Astons tend to be a tight fit, but the Valour is spacious enough inside to swing a couple of baby tigers. The carbon-fiber seats will be baked to measure, and upholstery choices range from generously padded leather to no-frills racing buckets.True, $2 million is a lot of money, even for the most exclusive transportation appliance, but the Valiant will be at least $300,000 more expensive still. The Valour is a piece of art that is clearly worth the price of admission for its 110 future owners. Regardless of investment potential, this car is most definitely not a status-only poser; it’s a true sports car that delivers on both the boulevards of vanity and any given back road. What makes it special—beyond the haute couture body and personalized trimmings—is its super-sweet manual transmission and the way driver and controls interact. Other supercars may be faster, or they may be pioneers in electrification and digitalization, but few, if any, offer a more involving and emotional experience behind the wheel.SpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Aston Martin ValourVehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe

PRICE (C/D EST)
Base: $2,010,000
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 48-valve V-12, aluminum block and
heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 318 in3, 5203 cm3Power: 705 hpTorque: 555 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 106.4 inLength: 181.1 inWidth: 78.2 inHeight: 50.2 inCurb Weight (C/D est): 3900 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.2 sec100 mph: 8.2 sec1/4-Mile: 11.5 secTop Speed: 205 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 12/10/16 mpgAlthough I was born the only son of an ornithologist and a postal clerk, it was clear from the beginning that birdwatching and stamp collecting were not my thing. Had I known that God wanted me to grow to 6’8″, I also would have ruled out anything to do with cars, which are to blame for a couple of slipped discs, a torn ligament, and that stupid stooped posture behind the wheel. While working as a keeper in the Aberdeen Zoo, smuggling cheap cigarettes from Yugoslavia to Germany, and an embarrassing interlude with an amateur drama group also failed to yield fulfillment, driving and writing about cars became a much better option. And it still is now, many years later, as I approach my 70th birthday. I love every aspect of my job except long-haul travel on lousy airlines, and I hope it shows. More

Audi is quick to point out that it designed the new 2025 SQ6 e-tron (and its more pedestrian Q6 e-tron sibling) from the inside out, focusing first on the luxury SUV’s user interface and accommodations. It’s a wise move in an age when new cars double as rolling computer terminals. Yet Audis have long featured snazzy and smartly arranged cabins, so this approach isn’t exactly a game changer for the brand. Fortunately, the SQ6’s interior is only one of several things it has going for it. There’s a lot riding on the Q6 and SQ6, not least because they open a new chapter in Audi’s EV saga. Along with introducing a new Android Auto-based infotainment system, they’re its first models to utilize the Volkswagen Group’s Premium Platform Electric (PPE) platform, which also underpins the Porsche Macan EV. What’s more, their dimensions place them squarely in between the one-size-smaller Q4 e-tron models and the slightly larger Q8 e-trons, effectively making them electric alternatives to Audi’s bestsellers, the gas-burning Q5 and SQ5. We’ll focus on the sportier SQ6 here, as the Q6 we also drove in the north of Spain was a European-spec model with considerably less power than what will be offered in the U.S.Inside OutAudi’s latest interior concept excels in its balance of form and function. The SQ6 leans more on the former with available red contrasts in its stitched upholstery, as well as in the LED light bar that sweeps across the dash and can communicate information such as turn signals, navigation prompts, and charging status. The overall presentation is straightforward and nicely crafted, accented with soft touch points such as a ledge on the dash that you can rest a hand on when working the central 14.5-inch touchscreen. This is accompanied by an 11.9-inch instrument display and an optional 10.9-inch passenger touchscreen that can play videos but can’t be seen by the driver when the vehicle is in motion. Compared to Audi’s existing infotainment systems, this new setup is richer in data and integrates more features, from climate controls to vehicle settings. Yet we found it easy to learn and manipulate even as we drove through unfamiliar areas. Helping us acclimate were a new AI voice assistant, an available head-up display with augmented-reality navigation, and Bang & Olufsen audio systems with up to 830 watts and 20 speakers, including two in each front headrest. Though most of the limited secondary controls are of the capacitive-touch variety on smudge-prone piano-black panels, we were rarely caught out by illogical ergonomics, which together with the supremely quiet cabin kept our blood pressure low. The SQ6’s sport seats coddled our backsides for hours at a time, and although the SUV’s 37.4 inches of rear legroom are slightly less than you’ll find in a SQ5, your near-six-foot author had no issues getting comfortable behind his own driving position. All this is wrapped in sophisticated if conventional-looking sheetmetal that is all but identical to the Q6’s. It’s an attractive figure for an SUV, with prominent fender bulges that bring welcome contours to its flanks. But those looking to make more of statement will want to wait for the sleeker Sportback models that will follow the SUVs’ release late this year, not to mention the higher-performance RS models that also will join the lineup. Arguably the highlights of the design are its lighting elements, including new high-definition OLED taillights that, together with the light signatures of the front daytime running lights, can be customized in eight patterns on top-rung Prestige trim levels. Sadly, the active high-beam function of the matrix LED headlights (standard on the SQ6, optional on the Q6) will not be activated in the U.S. Polished PerformanceAll Q6 variants will initially feature dual motors and rear-biased all-wheel drive, with the SQ6 producing a strong 483 total horsepower that bumps up to 510 horses when launch control is engaged (dual-motor Q6 models in the States will make 422 and 456 horsepower, respectively). Audi doesn’t quote a combined torque figure, but we estimate the SQ6 churns out well over 500 pound-feet, which should help this roughly 5500-pound sport-ute accelerate to 60 mph in around four seconds. Some chassis alterations distinguish the Q6 from the Macan EV: Audi doesn’t offer rear-wheel steering as on the Porsche, its rear power unit is packaged slightly differently, and it employs a less costly induction AC front motor instead of the Macan’s permanent-magnet unit. But the SQ6, while a bit clinical in its driving behavior, still feels every bit as capable as its specs suggest. Driven spiritedly, it darts out of tight corners and can rocket past slower traffic for effortless highway merges. The SQ6 is eminently refined and well mannered, and we found little to complain about in its astute body control and taut-yet-compliant ride on the optional 21-inch wheels and summer tires (20s shod with all-season rubber are standard). Same goes for its tight, linear steering and the firm, progressive feel of its brake pedal, both of which fostered confidence on narrow, rain-soaked two-lanes. Switching to Dynamic mode sharpens the SQ6’s reflexes and activates the requisite whirring-spaceship EV noises, but the added soundtrack can be turned off, and the standard air springs and adaptive dampers (optional on the Q6) soaked up undulations with zero wallowing. Additional adjustability comes via steering-wheel paddles that manage regenerative braking, which in its strongest one-pedal mode can slow the SQ6 with up to 0.25 g of braking force. Lesser settings let you tailor the deceleration to your liking, but we often left it in Auto mode, as it smartly slowed the vehicle as needed based on data from the navigation system and the array of exterior sensors. Charging and PricingAll Q6 e-trons feature a 94.4-kWh battery, with Audi estimating the SQ6’s U.S. EPA range at 276 miles (and around 300 miles for the Q6). But the big upgrade over the brand’s current electric SUVs is the PPE’s 800-volt electrical architecture, which allows for DC fast-charging at up to 270 kilowatts under ideal conditions; charging from 10 to 80 percent should take around 21 minutes, per Audi, with up to 135 miles of range added in about 10 minutes. And at stations operating at 400 volts, the PPE’s brain can divide the battery in two and charge both halves simultaneously at up to 135 kilowatts, which should shorten the overall charging time. For level 2 AC charging, a 9.6-kW onboard charger is standard, though the company says an optional 19.2-kW unit will be added later. Additional practical elements include dual charging doors (an AC/DC combo port on the driver’s side, AC-only on the passenger’s side), a 4400-pound towing capacity, and 30 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. More on the Q6 e-tron SUVEven as a performance-oriented model, the SQ6 reveals the new Q6 e-tron to be a cool, sensible character that’s hard to fault. And that’s the point. For it to succeed as part of Audi’s bestselling EV model range, which this almost certainly will be, it must appeal to a wide range of tastes. Some may balk at its estimated base price in excess of $70,000—a sizable upcharge over the $66K or so for the Q6 and significantly more than the current SQ5’s $58,895 starting point—but its slick user interface and the PPE’s more powerful electrical architecture are big steps in the right direction. SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 Audi SQ6 e-tronVehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE (C/D EST)
Base: Premium, $72,000; Premium Plus, $78,000; Prestige, $84,000
POWERTRAIN
Front Motor: induction AC, 188 hp, 203 lb-ftRear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 375 hp, 428 lb-ftCombined Power: 510 hpBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 94.4 kWhOnboard Charger: 9.6 kWPeak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 270 kWTransmissions, F/R: direct-drive
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 113.8 inLength: 187.9 inWidth: 77.4 inHeight: 66.8 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 52/47 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 60/30 ft3Front Trunk Volume: 2 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5500 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 4.0 sec100 mph: 11.6 sec1/4-Mile: 12.7 secTop Speed: 143 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 88/85/91 MPGeRange: 276 miMike Sutton is an editor, writer, test driver, and general car nerd who has contributed to Car and Driver’s reverent and irreverent passion for the automobile since 2008. A native Michigander from suburban Detroit, he enjoys the outdoors and complaining about the weather, has an affection for off-road vehicles, and believes in federal protection for naturally aspirated engines. More