Car Reviews

Ever-greater numbers of drivers want to ride up high and surround themselves with excess sheetmetal. And yet, as enthusiasts know, lower, smaller automobiles are inherently more responsive and rewarding. A good example of that truism is the latest Audi S3. Audi’s smallest and least expensive S model, the S3 skipped the 2021 model year but returns for 2022 boasting more power, sharper looks, and a reworked cabin.In contrast to the creeping gigantism of today’s fleet, the shrink-to-fit S3 feels tidy and maneuverable—it’s just over an inch longer and less than an inch taller and wider than before. The size and packaging remind us of the well-regarded B5-generation Audi S4—which back in the Y2K era vanquished the BMW M3, the Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG, and the Saab 9-3 Viggen in a comparison test. [image id=’c774eda0-a7bd-4d78-b240-7025ffddfede’ mediaId=’f4944da2-5dfd-4d11-abd5-4d0d237c3b9b’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’6×4′][/image][editoriallinks id=’7f24573e-6b17-4df2-8f53-9ce8425443cc’ align=’left’][/editoriallinks]Today, the S3 runs with the BMW M235i Gran Coupe, the Mercedes-AMG CLA35 (the A35 has been dropped), and the Cadillac CT4-V. The last time we gathered that crew together, the Audi wasn’t available, and the Cadillac ran away with a victory. But the Caddy has a built-in advantage with its longitudinal engine and rear-wheel-drive architecture. The S3 is more closely matched with the BMW and Mercedes offerings.[pullquote align=’center’]HIGHS: Sharply dressed, energetic acceleration, compliant ride.[/pullquote]We’re fans of the S3’s well-proportioned styling, which stands in contrast to Mercedes and BMW’s slightly awkwardly small sports sedans. Credit, perhaps, Audi’s long experience designing for front-wheel-drive platforms (the S3 rides on the VW Group’s MQB architecture). The Audi’s new look is edgier with boxed fender blisters that are a nod to the original Audi Quattro coupe, 18- or 19-inch wheels, and a widened hex-shaped grille.[image id=’8eeaebe1-108f-4c9c-b114-00cd22294f93′ mediaId=’1906260b-03b0-4b6b-a895-dcea945f10c0′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]Despite being the least expensive Audi to wear an S badge, the S3 is plenty quick. The model now wrings 306 horsepower from its turbocharged 2.0-liter four, an 18-hp improvement over the last S3 and more than 50 percent better than the A3. And 295 pound-feet of torque are on tap from 3000 rpm, another hefty increase over the A3, which has 221. Thus fortified, the S3 rips to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds (down from 4.5 previously). It also dispatches the quarter-mile in 12.9 seconds at 108 mph. Those numbers put the S3 in a virtual dead heat with the BMW, Mercedes, and Cadillac. All-wheel drive is standard here, which helps put the power down and keep torque steer at bay. Once again, the engine mates with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, and it delivers snappy shifts and smooth, lurch-free engagement at low speeds. In Dynamic mode, the engine emits a characterful exhaust note quite unlike the typical bleating of a direct-injected four. This comes courtesy of a “soundaktor,” a firewall-mounted speaker that amplifies the engine’s sound.[image id=’6472b0f5-e618-4c9b-a823-90f1b297d3c5′ mediaId=’f4ac220c-2ac2-428c-972b-113a91d954a7′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image] [pullquote align=’center’]LOWS: Snug rear seat, infotainment annoyances, pales next to the VW Golf R.[/pullquote]The more powerful 2.0-liter also notches better EPA numbers than its predecessor: 23/32 mpg city/highway (matching the segment-leading M235i), up from 22/29 mpg. And in our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, the S3 hit the mark, returning 32 mpg. Yet another bonus afforded by compact sports sedans.The S3 comes standard with a sport suspension that has a 0.6-inch-lower ride height than the A3. Our test car added adaptive dampers, part of the $1100 S Sport package. They make for a wide performance band, stiffening up significantly in Dynamic mode and delivering impressive compliance in Comfort. Even on the larger, 19-inch wheels wrapped with low-profile Bridgestone Potenza S005 summer tires, ride quality is far better than the flinty ride found in the BMW and Mercedes offerings—and marginally better than the S3’s platform-mate, the Volkswagen Golf R. [image id=’6ec3d50f-bb4f-463f-9043-52f97c886302′ mediaId=’6f71b328-6422-4dc7-9cc9-33799e55fe6b’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]Ah, but the Golf R adds a torque-vectoring rear differential that helps it achieve remarkable balance when cornering—the S3 is missing that trick rear hardware and understeers resolutely at the track. Still, it hangs on for 0.96 g of grip, and driven briskly on public roads, the S3 is responsive and rewarding. Steering effort levels are acceptable no matter the drive mode: neither too heavy in Dynamic nor too light in Comfort. Although not particularly tactile, the helm is reassuringly progressive, and its precision imparts confidence that we found much welcome when passing lane-weaving dawdlers on New York’s narrow and winding Taconic Parkway. The S3 also is fitted with larger brake rotors that hauled the car down from 70 mph in a tidy 151 feet.The driving position is excellent, and the S3’s high-back bucket seats do a good job of holding you in place without being confining, although the headrests are not adjustable. In back, it’s a fairly snug fit, although a six-footer can squeeze in behind a similar-size driver. [image id=’0d722bdd-470e-4fa0-bc13-a69ed2702087′ mediaId=’4712e178-e43d-4c7d-b910-8b6584fa0bd4′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]The new S3 interior has lots of gloss-black trim and a fair bit of hard plastic—the visual panache comes from the aggressively angular design theme and the multiple screens. We like the highly configurable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, part of the Technology package (a 10.3-inch display is standard). The 10.1-inch central touchscreen is not only larger than the old car’s but is now integrated into the dash rather than propped atop it like a billboard. The home screen can show three functions at once, which is great, but the interaction has some annoyances. The volume knob has been replaced by a console-mounted, iPod-style inset wheel (which also skips tracks). And the lack of a tuning knob has us longing for the old car’s rotary controller. After gorging itself at the options buffet, our test car’s $46,895 base price swelled to $56,840. That starting figure, though, is about the same as a Golf R. The VW is more powerful, sharper handling, and offers a manual. Maybe, though, you prefer the S3’s upscale styling, superior ride, and less awful driver interface. Either way, good(-driving) things come in small packages.[vehicle type=’specpanel’ vehicle-body-style=” vehicle-make=” vehicle-model=” vehicle-model-category=” vehicle-submodel=” vehicle-year=”][/vehicle][image id=’bf222a99-967e-406f-a4d3-886f2d33b440′ mediaId=’e40fe974-c1a3-4658-973b-dcd5e6fa8c7b’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=’A car-lover’s community for ultimate access & unrivaled experiences. JOIN NOW’ expand=” crop=’original’][/image]

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My custom Land Rover Defender 110 softtop is Geyser Blue, a Subaru color. Although its bones are at least 25 years old, it is effectively an entirely new vehicle. It has Barbour plaid inserts on its six seats (three rows of two, all forward facing), Brembo brakes, and two Hella auxiliary lights flanking the winch on the front bumper. I went with steel coils instead of the optional air springs in the name of simplicity and reliability. Under the hood: batteries, because my Defender is Tesla powered, with one battery pack up front and one in the rear feeding a 450-hp electric motor that spins the factory four-wheel-drive system. I’m not really second-guessing any of my choices on the build, except maybe the Brembos—getting the big brakes meant I had to go with 18-inch wheels, and I think Defenders look better on 16-inch wheels with some more sidewall on the tire. I skipped most of the body armor (bull bars, even guards for the door handles) because if I scratch it up and wear it out, I’ll just bring it back to E.C.D. Automotive Design and start planning a new one. My Defender only cost about $300,000, so if I get on the wrong side of high tide on Nobadeer Beach on Nantucket, I’ll make like Eazy-E—throw it in the gutter and go buy another.It’s easy to imagine life as a carefree billionaire, because E.C.D.—the artist previously known as East Coast Defenders—led me through the design process in much the same way they would with a client, presenting the endless litany of choices that would result, 14 to 16 months later, in an exquisitely perfect one-of-one Defender. We may have skipped around a bit in the E.C.D. design book, which runs more than 100 pages. We definitely skipped the part at the end where money changes hands, starting the clock on a Defender that’s unlike anything that ever rolled off the line at Solihull.

Fortunately for me, I can still find out how my vision translates to reality, because E.C.D. just finished one much like it, right down to the Subaru-inspired color—in this case, Cool Gray Khaki, a hue you probably associate with the Crosstrek. So I paid a visit to the E.C.D. factory in Kissimmee, Florida, to find out what happens when you shove Tesla guts into a British farm implement.That’s not a slander against Defenders—any given E.C.D. truck may have spent its most recent years plugging through the mud on a farm outside of Eglwyswrw, Wales, before being snatched up by E.C.D.’s U.K. vehicle-sourcing outpost and sent across the Atlantic. Each finished E.C.D. Defender is usually the product of two donor vehicles: an at least 25-year-old one that can be imported whole and a later-model truck with the updated interior prized by the kind of people who buy Defenders that start at $209,000. Ironically, it’s the newer trucks that get preemptively destroyed overseas, their choice dashboards sent along to join an import-eligible chassis in Florida. And in the case of the electric models, there’s also a Tesla involved. Electric Classic Cars in the U.K. handles that side of the logistics, sourcing and adapting a Tesla Model S P100D powertrain—divvying up the battery pack and adding its own controllers and software.
At E.C.D.’s 40,000-square-foot facility, I meet Scott Wallace, a co-founder of the company along with fellow Brits Tom and Elliot Humble. As the company grew in recent years, it bought up space in adjacent properties, but the ad hoc expansion wasn’t ideal for an outfit that’s now producing one truck every five days. Thus, E.C.D. is about to move into a 100,000-square-foot building of its own design, right down the street, with plans to build a truck every four days. If that doesn’t sound like a blistering pace, you need to understand the level of fanatical perfectionism that goes into each vehicle. “Getting to 95 percent perfection is easy,” says Wallace. “It’s that last 5 percent that’s hard.” I wonder how many North American–specification Defenders were ever 95 percent perfect on their best day.At any time during an E.C.D. build, any technician can flag a problem to be remedied. Software tracks the progress of each truck and who’s signed off on each detail. There are three quality-control stops along the build process, and the company puts a thousand shakedown miles on each truck. If a truck needs to be pulled aside to address some thorny issue, there’s a bay for that and time built into the schedule. And every staff member is encouraged to suggest any means to improve the finished product. For instance, Hector Lopez, the head of the paint department, informed E.C.D. that Spies Hecker clear-coat looks better than PPG’s product, a contentious assertion since E.C.D. had a contract with PPG to use its paint start to finish. A blind comparison ensued, with PPG conceding that, yeah, that Spies Hecker clear-coat is mighty nice, and go ahead and use it.
All this attention to detail allows E.C.D. to offer a warranty that is, essentially, all-encompassing as long as you own the truck. If you have a problem, you call, and they get it fixed, even if it’s not really their fault. Wallace says that solving individual problems can sometimes seem like a bad business decision—flying a tech somewhere to fix an issue that maybe could have been solved locally or over the phone—but results in an extremely loyal customer base. There are repeat customers who sell their Defenders back to E.C.D. and commission a new one every few years. Because, hey, seeing your dream truck come to life is a big part of the fun. Then the used truck gets sold to someone who’s maybe never owned an E.C.D. Defender but gets hooked and decides to spec out a new one, and the process repeats. There’s one particular Defender that E.C.D. has sold eight times. So far.In the sales office—its walls adorned with leather samples, steering wheels, gauge packages of varying designs—I meet John Price, sales and design lead, and co-founder Elliot Humble. A rendering of my Defender is up on a TV screen so that we can all admire my good taste and restraint. But what if, I ask Price, a customer wants something less than good taste, like yellow paint with a red grille, the ol’ mustard and ketchup? “Our role is to build whatever the customer asks for,” he says. “Of course, we could advisea different direction.” There are limits, of course. I ask what they’d say if I wanted an independent front suspension, and Humble replies, “Well, that’s not a Defender though, is it?” All right, I’m getting on my Gulfstream G650 and getting out of here. Nobody says no to the founder of Ezrariffic Industries. But first I’ll drive Project Britton, the electric Defender 110 parked outside next to its evil twin, a black E.C.D. Defender 90 powered by a GM-sourced supercharged LT4 V-8. Unless you’re keen enough to notice the absence of an exhaust pipe, the 110 offers no clues that it’s now electric—the Tesla motor sitting beneath the floor about where you’d expect a shift lever to sprout. Inside, there’s a major clue: The analog tachometer reads to 12,000 rpm, a speed that would cause the internals of a Rover V-8 to exit through the hood.
This truck, while it looks flawless, is only past the first quality-control check and still has some tuning to be done, most notably in the power delivery, which can elicit some juddering and vibration if meandering about in the middle of the accelerator’s travel. But once you’re moving, it’s a stoic Anglo-American tank, the air springs smothering the road and the steering tracking better than any original Defender ever did. There’s a whine from the gearing that mates the Tesla motor to the Land Rover transfer case, but in low-load—think cruising—all you hear is the noise of the wind and tires. And even that’s subdued, thanks to thick layers of sound insulation beneath the carpeting lush enough for a Bentley. The doors seal so well that you have to close them with authority to ensure they latch. “Normally, Defender door seals are all collapsed,” Wallace says after my first failed attempt to gently close the driver’s-side door. If you’re accustomed to Defenders that are on a continuum of shattered decay, you’ll need to adjust your expectations upward. Way upward. Especially regarding acceleration. I also drove the LT4-powered Defender 90, for science, and the Tesla-powered 110 feels close. E.C.D. claims a 5.0-second 60-mph time, and that’s entirely believable. At one point, I have to blast across an intersection with four lanes of traffic, and as I cross the crown of the road midway through, at maybe 40 mph, Project Britton is pulling hard enough to briefly spin the front tires on the wet pavement. E.C.D. estimates range at around 200 miles, and while I can’t verify that, a half-hour spent researching maximum acceleration only knocked about 10 percent off the charge. Besides, how many miles of roads are there on Nantucket, anyway?
There are a few drawbacks. For one thing, you can’t use a Tesla Supercharger—just regular Level 2 charging, which means you’d need longer than overnight to replenish roughly 100 kilowatt-hours of batteries. And, since the rear batteries go under the floor, you lose some flexibility with your third-row seating arrangements. (E.C.D. can do two forward-facing seats or something like the setup in this truck, which features a rear-facing leather-and-wood tailgating lounge.) Oh, and going electric adds about $90,000 to the price, but I have a feeling that’s not a huge deterrent to this demographic. With E.C.D.’s new facility more than doubling the space it has now, you’d think there might be room to tackle some new projects. Like, what’s the car equivalent of a Defender—iconic, British, relatively abundant yet worthy of a 2200-hour restoration? “The Jaguar E-Type,” Wallace says. “We have some plans for that.”

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As Acura rolls the most powerful version of its supercar down pit lane, the sun setting over Daytona International Speedway’s towering grandstands says it all. This is the end for the NSX as we’ve come to know it. But not before Honda’s Performance division turned some screws to create the NSX Type S, the first NSX to wear the performance moniker in North America.Daytona’s high banks are the ideal place to exploit the claimed 191-mph top speed of Acura’s $171,495 NSX Type S. Its boosted 3.5-liter V-6 now produces 520 horsepower, a 20-hp bump courtesy of twin turbochargers shared with the NSX GT3 Evo race car. They deliver up to 16.1 psi of boost (0.9 more than previously available), and more fuel is squirted into the cylinders. Additional thrust comes from three electric motors—two that drive the front axle and a third sandwiched between the engine and the nine-speed dual-clutch automatic. Each component of the hybrid powertrain has received software changes, and the amount of usable energy from the roughly 1.0-kWh lithium-ion battery pack has been increased. With all the gadgets working in concert, the Type S has a combined output of 600 horsepower and 492 pound-feet, gains of 27 and 16, respectively. We expect the sprint to 60 mph to take 2.7 seconds.

Honda Racing

Our relaxed lead-follow lap around Daytona’s iconic road course didn’t allow for maximum speed. But the long straight exiting Speedway Turn 4 provides time to appreciate the NSX for what we’ve always loved about it—comfortable seats that’ll accommodate all body types, an airy cabin, and superb visibility as we take in Daytona under the night lights. Diving down off the tri-oval into the Turn 1 braking zone, the brake-by-wire system doesn’t exhibit any of the weird springy and spongey tendencies that too often plague hybrid systems. The pedal stays firm as the optional 15.0-inch front and 14.2-inch carbon-ceramic rotors do their thing. To complement the newfound power, Acura engineers recalibrated the software of the dual-clutch automatic. Commands from the large shift paddles are now delivered to the transmission 50 percent quicker, and under hard braking the downshifts are more aggressive. Pull on the downshift paddle for 0.6 second, and the gearbox automatically shifts to the lowest possible gear.

Honda Racing

Turning into International Horseshoe, the inputs from the steering wheel are instantaneously transmitted to the custom-developed Pirelli P Zero PZ4 tires as they bite into the track surface. A change in offset to the 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels increases the front and rear track by 0.4 and 0.8 inch, respectively. The NSX stays flat under lateral loads, and the revised torque-vectoring system provided the front drive motors keeps the Type S on a string through the apex. The recalibrated magnetorheological dampers, even in their firmest setting, shrug off the washboard curbing when exiting corners.Aesthetically, the new Type S has more curb appeal. A revised front fascia with exposed carbon fiber not only makes the Type S more distinctive but also provides more cooling to the heat exchangers tucked behind it and improves the airflow to the rear-mounted intercoolers. Out back, a GT3-inspired carbon-fiber diffuser improves the airflow underneath the car, and a carbon-fiber spoiler graces the edge of the decklid.

LAT Images

Our limited time behind the wheel of the Type S wasn’t enough to determine if the changes to the second-generation supercar make for a meaningful improvement over the lesser version, but Acura claims they’re good for a 2.0-second gain around the Suzuka race circuit. We’ll soon get our hands on one to test and look forward to running the Type S at Virginia International Raceway in the fall. If you haven’t ordered your Type S already, you’re too late. All 300 destined for North America (of the 350 that will be sold globally) have been spoken for. Now we wait for the sun to rise on the third-generation coupe. Hopefully it won’t take another 12 years.

Specifications

Specifications
2022 Acura NSX Type SVehicle Type: mid-engine, front- and mid-motor, all-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base: $171,495
POWERTRAIN
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.5-liter V-6, 520 hp, 443 lb-ft; 2 AC front motors, 36 hp and 54 lb-ft each; AC rear motor, 47 hp and 109 lb-ft (combined output: 600 hp, 492 lb-ft)Transmissions, F/R: direct-drive/9-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 103.5 inLength: 178.5 inWidth: 76.3 inHeight: 47.8 inPassenger Volume: 55 ft3Cargo Volume: 4 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3900 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 2.7 sec100 mph: 8.2 sec1/4-Mile: 10.9 secTop Speed: 191 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 21/21/22 mpg

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We don’t often suffer from trailer envy. They are, for the most part, a tool, something to get a car (or anything, really) from one place to the other. A tool for a job. When moving a car, whether it is inoperable or ultra fancy, any trailer can get the job done, but Futura Trailers gets the job done looking like a shiny Snap-on ratchet with a trick action.At first glance, the trailer doesn’t look that special. Or, no more special than any other open aluminum trailer with two axles, LED lighting, and aluminum wheels—a common sight at any track day. Even the optional air dam and tire carrier aren’t unique to Futura. What makes Futura different is how you load a car. There are no ramps to wrestle, instead the whole trailer lowers itself to create a ramp that can support approach angles as acute as 3 degrees. [image id=’bba4ddac-b4b6-42e7-8dfb-f99863df9c90′ mediaId=’7bfd10d4-47a7-4cf5-8fc4-cb442fc96a37′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’18×11′][/image]Its operation is very slick: Unlock the axles at the fenders and use the remote control to lower the trailer (the mechanism is a battery-operated winch). Drive onto the trailer and raise the deck while you are still in the car. The fenders are removable if clearance is an issue, but we didn’t have a clearance problem with the few cars we loaded. Cars are lashed to the deck via airline track that runs the parameter of the trailer. Futura distributor MOTORVAULT, an enthusiast-minded sales and consignment dealer located in Indianapolis, loaned us the Super Sport trailer for evaluation. It has a load capacity of 5678 pounds whereas the longer Pro Sport has a load capacity of 5534 pounds. So pretty much any street car will fit, even low ones such as a Porsche 911 GT3. A winch is available if your car is so low that you can’t open the doors when loading or if the car is inoperable. [image id=’4339263c-3dfb-4acc-8dac-e670102614ba’ mediaId=’8c785bac-99b2-46e6-87a4-f9e46cc1cbb1′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’18×11′][/image]Inside the tongue box is the battery, storage for the winch and remotes, and enough room to store the wheel straps. There is room for a few tools, too. The lowering trailers start at $12,995, which is at the expensive end of the spectrum. Envy is never cheap.

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The 2022 Lexus LX600 has a lot of weight on its shoulders. The only thing any previous LX had to be was the luxury version of the Toyota Land Cruiser. Indeed, the original LX450 was little more than an 80-series Land Cruiser with nicer leather sold by a more upscale dealer network. Over time, the LX’s styling and appointments evolved to be more distinctive, but even the presence of standard Active Height Control couldn’t offset how the Lexus grille treatment eroded the LX570’s ability to function as an off-roadable luxury SUV. That never much mattered because the Land Cruiser was there to scoop up the aspiring overlanders, but now the Toyota is gone from our shores, leaving the 2022 Lexus LX600 on its own.

But there’s more to the LX’s mission than mollifying the Land Cruiser faithful. Its new five-tier model spectrum now includes a base model, a volume-selling Premium grade, a first-ever LX F-Sport trim, a Luxury grade, and a range-topping Ultra-Luxury trim that seems destined to attract high-end livery companies and well-heeled buyers who prefer to sit in the right-rear seat. Lexus says the Premium, F-Sport, and Luxury three-row models will make up 85 to 90 percent of sales, which leaves single-digit crumbs for the $88,245 base, a two-row five-seater that offers zero options, and the magnificently expensive $127,345 Ultra-Luxury that has everything plus a pair of massaging rear recliners and a command center rear console that caps its max occupancy at four.
The LX retains body-on-frame construction, but it employs the new TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) F-series platform that Lexus calls GAF. The familiar 112.2-inch wheelbase remains, but the front and rear tracks are an inch wider. There are now six lug nuts instead of five, and electrically assisted power steering replaced the former hydraulic setup. There’s a familiar-looking pair of control arms up front and a live axle in back. Only the F-Sport gets a rear anti-roll bar, however, and the rear dampers lean forward instead of inward. This allows the body to crouch lower over the frame, letting Lexus ditch the previous removable rear jump seats in favor of an electrically deployed third row that folds into the floor. Behind the wheel, the driving position is notably less bolt-upright and trucklike, and the comfortable new seats lower themselves significantly more than the outgoing Land Cruiser. The resulting crossover-cockpit feel is enhanced by a shifter and console that are closer in reach. A dual-screen infotainment system reserves audio, navigation, and (wireless) smartphone-mirroring functions for the 12.3-inch upper screen, with secondary HVAC, situational, and off-road controls reserved for the lower 7.0-inch display. The most often-used climate adjustments are made via physical controls. The result is one of the cleaner Lexus interfaces in recent memory. If only the Start button wasn’t so high up on the main infotainment bezel, where it’s easy to mistake for the smaller, higher, and slightly out-of-reach volume knob—and the stereo’s equalizer controls weren’t so deeply buried in the menus.
Underway, the first thing you’ll notice is the steering feels far less trucklike. The new steering system isn’t nearly as heavy immediately off-center, and that improves parking maneuverability and highway cruising alike. Effort buildup in corners feels more honest than in the BMW M240i xDrive we drove recently, and the old platform’s top-heavy initial roll is history. Twirling the drive-mode dial makes noticeable changes to the steering effort, the damping profile of the adaptive dampers, and the shift schedule of the 10-speed transmission. With the steering, though, it’s thankfully more about tightening the initial feel around center than merely cranking up the assist. We’re also fans of the twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 and its 409 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, which amounts to 26 more ponies and 76 more pound-feet than the 5.7-liter V-8 it replaces. This engine pulls hard but remains smooth, with none of the old powertrain’s occasional initial lurching, thanks to peak torque that arrives 1600 rpm sooner and more progressive throttle tip-in. Gearchanges are smooth, and even though this is a 10-speed, there’s no excess gear shuffling. Shift paddles are there should you desire to choose your gear, but that hardly seems necessary unless you’re selecting the optimal ratio off-road in low range. This powertrain is also far more economical, with EPA estimates of 19 mpg combined, 17 city, and 22 highway, easily exceeding the outgoing setup’s dismal 14 mpg combined. It can also pull a fair bit, with a new higher tow rating of 8000 pounds.
F-Sport and Luxury models roll on 265/50R-22 Dunlops, and both can add the hydraulic Active Height Control system as an option. A Luxury sample truck was so equipped, and it delivered a smooth, quiet, and settled ride over a variety of surfaces. The low-profile sidewalls did chatter a bit on washboard dirt, but no more than you might expect from such rubber. An F-Sport that we also sampled lacked Active Height Control but did have a sport-tuned version of the adaptive dampers, along with a Torsen limited-slip rear differential (all LXs have a lockable center Torsen), progressive-wound rear springs, and the aforementioned rear anti-roll bar. The result is a chassis that feels even lighter on its feet, but, as you might expect, a ride that tended toward flinty on the more frost-damaged roads we encountered above the snow line.
Still, we can fully see why Lexus expects the lower-spec Premium ($96,345) to be the volume seller. That price is barely $3000 more than the outgoing three-row LX570, and despite the lack of the height-control option, it’s a better vehicle in numerous ways. Its interior includes most of the essentials and looks fantastic, and it rides on 20-inch wheels and adaptive dampers. Our favorite option here might be the $1295 Appearance Package (also available on the Luxury), which blacks out the exterior trim and that admittedly massive front grille. It’s also a prerequisite for the no-cost 18-inch wheel-and-tire package, which the overlanders and Land Cruiser fanboys among us will surely appreciate. We managed some quality time in this configuration, and the extra sidewall absolutely proved its worth on local Forest Service dirt roads.Whether the Premium with 18-inch wheels will be enough to appease the Land Cruiser faithful remains to be seen. Regardless, this kind of variety never existed in the LX lineup before the 2022 Lexus LX600 arrived. The new LX600 is clearly eons better and far less one-dimensional than the one it replaces, and that certainly will be enough for most buyers.

Specifications

Specifications
2022 Lexus LX600Vehicle Type: front-engine, four-wheel-drive, 4–7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base: $88,245; Premium, $96,345; F Sport, $102,345; Luxury, $104,345; Ultra-Luxury, $127,345
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 210 in3, 3445 cm3Power: 409 hp @ 5200 rpmTorque: 479 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 112.2 inLength: 200.2–200.6 inWidth: 78.3 inHeight: 74.2–74.6 inPassenger Volume: 104–139 ft3Cargo Volume: 11–46 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5800–6000 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 6.8–6.9 sec1/4-Mile: 15.0–15.1 secTop Speed: 115 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 19/17/22 mpg

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The trickle of electrons at Bentley is soon to become a flood, as the automaker prepares to fully electrify its entire lineup by the end of the decade. While this is a goal shared industry-wide, it’s a rather monumental shift for Bentley, whose reputation has been defined in large part by its massive—and thirsty—engines. Hence the existence of the Flying Spur Hybrid, a 5600-pound steppingstone placed between the shores of those gargantuan powertrains and the horizon of total electrification.As befits this interim role, visual changes are kept to a minimum, with only fender-mounted “Hybrid” badges and a J1772 charging port concealed behind a door on the left rear flank. Distinct quad oval tailpipes complete the exterior transformation. Inside, the infotainment and driver screens now feature EV-specific readouts. We were particularly intrigued by the EV Range overlay function on the navigation map—a translucent green zone hovers over the vehicle’s position, outlining the boundaries of electric driving range. As the battery level drops, the zone shrinks accordingly. On the center console, an EV button cycles through the three electric drive modes: all-electric EV Drive, Hybrid, and Hold, which maintains battery charge to be deployed later.

The Flying Spur follows in the footsteps of the Bentayga, which first tiptoed into the hybrid waters back in 2019 as Bentley’s first electrified model. Both employ plug-in systems, as the larger battery delivers motivation that a regular hybrid can’t provide. Here, the Flying Spur uses a 410-hp version of the corporate 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6. It’s the first six-cylinder found under the hood of a Bentley sedan in 64 years. A 134-hp electric motor occupies the space between the engine and eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. With a combined output of 536 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, the hybrid powertrain delivers numbers that are on par with its rowdier 542-hp V-8 big brother.
As a result, the hybrid’s performance should also be similar, despite a couple-hundred-pound weight disadvantage. With both motors singing and all four wheels pulling, the Flying Spur hybrid should be able to reach 60 mph in 4.0 seconds. (We recorded a 3.5-second time for the Flying Spur V-8.) Top speed is limited to 177 mph, versus 198 for the V-8. While Bentley emphasized that the EV system is optimized for urban journeys, it also touted the hybrid’s ability to cruise at speeds up to 80 mph in EV Drive mode. Official numbers have yet to be released, but we’d estimate the 14.1-kWh battery will deliver about 21 miles of range. Nor are EPA fuel-economy estimates available, though one would hope to see them notch a significant gain over the V-8’s 15/20 mpg city/highway numbers. The joy of electric thrust lies not in its mechanical voice, but in the absence of it. Bentley touts that the cabin of the hybrid is 50 percent quieter than that of the V-8’s at 50 mph. On its own, the electric motor produces 295 pound-feet of torque, all of which is available from a dead stop. It’s more than capable of sustaining the big Bentley’s momentum through traffic. When rolling along in EV Drive mode, the Flying Spur Hybrid provides a marvelous glimpse of what an all-electric Bentley might be like.
It’s only when you sample Hybrid mode that this graceful serenity is upended. Prod the accelerator and the V-6 unceremoniously crashes the party. Gruff and guttural, the engine’s unrefined character is in total contrast to the rest of the underlying package. We found its presence to be particularly obtrusive when in Hold mode, droning away constantly at what amounted to a heightened idle speed. Occasionally, the gas engine and electric motor jockeyed for position, resulting in a brief hiccup as the computer scrambled to make peace between the two. And a pronounced transition between regular and regenerative braking made it difficult to smoothly modulate to a stop. Keeping the battery charged avoids this morsel of powertrain inelegance. The 7.2-kW onboard charger can fully replenish the battery in approximately two and a half hours, according to Bentley. We suspect most owners will rely on a dedicated home charger rather than cool their heels at a public unit. That’s just as well, as the Flying Spur’s charging-port placement and substantial length make it challenging to squeeze into crowded bays, as we discovered. Speaking of maneuverability, the Spur’s rear-wheel steering and the 48-volt active anti-roll bars are not on the options list, as the bulk of the hybrid components now occupy the space normally reserved for them.
As a result, you feel every bit of the 125.7-inch wheelbase going through turns. While navigating the twisty canyon roads of the Transverse Ranges just outside Ojai, California, we discovered that the hybrid was happiest with a more deliberate corner entry. Despite the lack of the active anti-roll system, the rest of the chassis still retains the Flying Spur’s improbable sense of dexterity, thanks to the three-chamber air suspension and adaptive dampers. When the road unwinds, the default Bentley drive mode provides a commendable dynamic balance, though it’s a bit floatier than we’d like. Conversely, the dampers in Sport are a tad too choppy. We’d lobby for a setting that split the difference. Bentley Plus, perhaps. In a recent survey of its customers, Bentley discovered that roughly half of them expressed interest in either purchasing a PHEV or EV vehicle. But at this juncture, the hybrid version of the Flying Spur is missing those few key traits that make the gas-powered variants so delightfully engaging. For those early adopters, however, the hybrid’s rough edges might be a tolerable tradeoff.

Specifications

Specifications
2022 Bentley Flying Spur HybridVehicle Type: front-engine, mid-motor, all-wheel-drive, 4- or 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE (C/D est)
Base: $190,000
POWERTRAIN
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 2.9-liter V-6, 410 hp, 406 lb-ft + AC motor, 134 hp, 295 lb-ft (combined output: 536 hp, 553 lb-ft; 14.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack; 7.2-kW onboard charger)Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 125.7 inLength: 209.3 inWidth: 77.9 inHeight: 58.4 inPassenger Volume (C/D est): 104 ft3Trunk Volume: 12 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5600 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 4.0 sec100 mph: 8.8 sec1/4-Mile: 12.3 secTop Speed: 177 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 20/18/22 mpgCombined Gasoline + Electricity: 48 MPGeEV Range: 21 mi

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Three is the new five.For much of its existence, Mercedes-Benz’s model nomenclature directly corresponded to a given vehicle’s engine displacement in liters, multiplied by a factor of 100. But that’s no longer solely the case, as this numerical correlation has begun to fall victim to the proliferation of smaller-displacement engines with greater specific outputs. Witness the 2022 Mercedes S500. For the first time, an S-class with a 500 on its decklid is powered not by a large V-8, but by a tidy 3.0-liter inline-six.[editoriallinks id=’f50a3122-10df-4c21-8b24-a2eafb453779′ align=’left’][/editoriallinks]What the latest S500’s engine lacks in size it makes up for in muscle. Boosted by an electric supercharger and exhaust-fed turbocharger, this six chuffs out 429 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque, with a 48-volt hybrid system contributing another 21 horses and 184 pound-feet in brief stints. Both air and electricity conspire to deliver lag-free acceleration regardless of speed. Though it may be down 67 ponies to the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 found in the S580 model we recently tested, the 500 still scoots. We hustled our test car to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and covered the quarter-mile in 13.0 seconds at 108 mph—times that make this lesser model only about a half-second slower than the S580 in both measures. [image id=’767c61bd-31e8-4472-b100-9f29ce62855d’ mediaId=’4c6a3ef8-a635-4743-b85b-34970988edff’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image][pullquote align=’center’]HIGHS: Tastefully restrained styling, ridiculously quiet cabin, understated luxury done right.[/pullquote]The quality of sound coming from under the S500’s hood could be more refined, though it’s unlikely you’ll hear much of it. Firewall insulation now extends to the sides of the A-pillars and beneath the floorboards, reducing the engine’s granular peal at wide-open throttle to a 71-decibel murmur. A similar silent treatment is applied to exposed areas of the bodyshell, sections of which are filled with acoustic foam to absorb road-vibration frequencies. Foam-filled tires also contribute to less overall racket. The result is a seriously hushed environment. At our California test facility, we recorded a mere 61 decibels of noise in the cabin at a steady 70 mph, three fewer decibels than we noted in the S580 on our noisier Michigan tarmac.Despite its sonic isolation, this big sedan offers a fair amount of driving engagement for something weighing 4775 pounds and riding on a long 126.6-inch wheelbase. Push it hard, and the S500 navigates corners with almost unflappable agility, thanks in part to a rear-axle steering option that can turn the rear wheels up to 4.5 degrees. We found the air-spring suspension and adaptive dampers to be supple and composed in their Comfort setting. For more spirited outings, Sport and Sport Plus modes tighten up and lower the suspension with increasing levels of intensity. Wearing optional 21-inch Pirelli P Zero PZ4 summer tires, our example posted a solid 0.92 g of skidpad grip and a 160-foot stop from 70 mph. [image id=’220518a2-8c1c-4d92-8470-fc6c8767bd2c’ mediaId=’61c35a1d-344f-44c6-8a4b-e03497a4ea04′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image][pullquote align=’center’]LOWS: “Hey, Mercedes” virtual assistant still humorless, semi-autonomous driving tech is no match for a chauffeur.[/pullquote]We were less impressed by the performance of Mercedes’s adaptive cruise control. Whether crawling along in near-gridlock or cruising at highway speeds, the system demonstrates ponderously slow reflexes. When a gap in traffic appears, it first dithers for an excruciatingly long beat, then leaps forward like a panicked squirrel—only to jam on the brakes hard as it hurtles toward the lead car. We’ve noticed this unnerving ping-pong effect before in the new S-class, and it might not bother us as much if Mercedes hadn’t been the first to introduce this technology back in 1998.Technology fares much better inside. Although the handsome 12.8-inch OLED central touchscreen display has the visual impact of an open laptop computer resting atop the center console, its menus are well organized and the operating system is quick to respond to inputs. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay take full advantage of the screen’s abundant real estate. The “Hey, Mercedes” command also now has proximity awareness, meaning rear-seat passengers can make their own requests of the cloud-based voice assistant. [image id=’a15903ec-627a-4d65-9b84-71274ccac0e7′ mediaId=’88c8755d-ee4b-4dfc-b91e-75ef69586a57′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]For the most part, the S500’s interior exudes an air of modern sophistication befitting a car that costs $112,150 to start. The vents have an industrial quality to them, which contrasts beautifully with our test car’s $1300 pinstriped piano lacquer wood trim splayed across its dashboard and doors. We were enamored with the $2290 brown nappa leather upholstery, which is as sumptuous to the eyes as it is soothing to the backside. Front-seat passengers can choose from one of 10 different massage programs, while rear-seat occupants will enjoy a full 43.8 inches of legroom. Ambient lighting has taken a questionable step forward, with several multicolored themes that can transform the interior environment from country club to nightclub. There is a practical upside to this exhibitionism, though: If the car senses approaching danger from an adjoining lane, the LEDs in the corresponding front door will flash red in warning.[image id=’e82b62e3-d368-44a4-adda-b6a0fac4e9a5′ mediaId=’ff33cb1d-4be8-40c0-b414-8c20f4f3e8bd’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image] Ultimately, it’s this sense of anticipation that’s one of the S500’s defining traits. Door handles extend outward in greeting as you approach the car, softly glowing to provide a welcoming beacon. Reach over to an empty passenger seat in the dark and a spotlight illuminates the direct area, extinguishing itself immediately as you pull back. The optional 3D Technology package includes a pair of cameras that tracks eye movements and facial expressions and can even automatically determine the height of the side mirror positions. While the 3-D effect of the 12.3-inch instrument cluster might amount to little more than a visual gimmick, we enjoyed how immersive the navigation map appeared on the screen.In Germany, more modest luxury-car owners have a history of debadging smaller-displacement models to avoid attention from judgmental eyes. With the latest S500, that won’t be necessary. Although the number on its trunk no longer corresponds to what’s under the hood, this six-cylinder Mercedes gives up little in the way of performance and provides all the essential hallmarks of the S-class experience.[vehicle type=’specpanel’ vehicle-body-style=” vehicle-make=” vehicle-model=” vehicle-model-category=” vehicle-submodel=” vehicle-year=”][/vehicle][image id=’bf222a99-967e-406f-a4d3-886f2d33b440′ mediaId=’0be360ed-8058-43d7-99cd-a537a2f333dc’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=’A car-lover’s community for ultimate access & unrivaled experiences. JOIN NOW’ expand=” crop=’original’][/image]

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Those with big budgets and a desire to show off their credentials as wannabe race drivers have no shortage of options these days, what with pretty much every supercar coming to market with a hardcore variant honed for track use. Yet while cars like the McLaren 765LT and Lamborghini Huracán STO largely serve as tribute acts, the Radical SR10 is very much the real thing: a turnkey, off-the-shelf race car you can buy from one of eight dealerships in the United States and which is eligible for Radical’s own racing series. As a slick-tire-wearing toy capable of generating more than 2.0 g’s of lateral grip and posting similar lap times to a top-flight GT3 race car, it’s also more than capable of dominating the sort of high-end track events where stripe-wearing supercars congregate.

Radical is based in Peterborough, England, but around two-thirds of its production comes to the U.S.; the company reckons there are around 1000 of its cars on this side of the pond. Radical offers a graduated range of cars which operate on the same principle employed by dealers in illicit substances: once you’ve had a taste, you’ll want more. All have similar bodywork, clearly inspired by prototype Le Mans racers, with the entry-level SR1 and midline SR3 models both employing Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle-sourced four-cylinder engines developing 182 and 226 horsepower, respectively. But we’ve come straight to the top of the range to drive the not-street-legal SR10, which features a heavily reworked turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder from Ford. Output is strong, at 425 horses and 380 pound-feet of torque, and the engine is tasked with motivating just 1600-or-so pounds of car.
That’s roughly the same mass as the SR8 model, which formerly topped the brand’s lineup and sported a hand-built V-8 created from combining two Suzuki 1.3-liter four-bangers on a common crankshaft. But although the SR10 is much less exotic, it has more torque and is cheaper to buy and run—qualities that have helped make it Radical’s fastest-selling car since it went on sale in 2020. The company says that both the EcoBoost engine and the racing-spec six-speed sequential transmission can run for at least 40 hours of hard track use between rebuilds—ample longevity for a typical race season.Our drive took place on the 2.9-mile Portimão Circuit in Portugal, a thrillingly three-dimensional track where several of the fastest corners feature blind elevated entry points. Upping the excitement was a pack of other Radical cars that we shared the track with, many piloted by experienced racers. The SR10, however, proved to be a rather friendly, unfrightening introduction to slick tires and downforce. As with almost all of Ford’s EcoBoost applications, the SR10’s engine was the least special part of the experience, a provider of speed rather than character. The four-pot’s abundance of torque is its defining trait, accompanied by a soundtrack that turns louder and angrier as it approaches its 7000-rpm redline, yet it never finds any compelling harmonics (at least not through the padding of a race helmet). But there is so much midrange muscle on hand that even short-shifting well before the rev limiter barely diminishes the rate of acceleration. Radical claims the SR10 can hit 60 mph in just 2.4 seconds and tops out at 180 mph.
Radical’s chassis has no difficulty handling huge amounts of thrust. It took about half a lap to bring the SR10’s Hankook slicks up to temperature, but this was the only time traction felt less than total. Even then, the SR10 didn’t come off as skittish. Once warmed the tires started to deliver the sort of grip that inspires comparisons with Velcro and requires mental adjustment for anyone more accustomed to lapping conventional road cars. One of the first challenges for novice Radical pilots is building faith in how early full power can be deployed on corner exits.The car’s front end is equally incisive, the SR10 spearing toward apexes and resisting understeer even as we carried increasingly optimistic speeds into Portimão’s tighter turns. Communication through the unassisted steering is shouted rather than whispered, and the wheel requires serious muscle, especially at higher speeds as downforce levels increase. Radical has slightly raised the steering column for the 2022 model year to improve elbow room when turning the wheel, but amateur pilots may prefer to specify the optional power steering that our example lacked. Alternatively, cancel your gym membership. For drivers purely chasing lap times or who prefer particular handling characteristics, the SR10’s front and rear pushrod-actuated suspension is highly adjustable.
Braking is the area where the SR10 feels most different to what could be termed more normal cars. Radical fits cast-iron racing discs, and although these lack the initial bite of the brakes on production supercars, they have no difficulty retarding the SR10’s modest mass. But the lack of ABS makes it easy to cross the fine line between peak braking effort and lockup, with the latter being rather easy to induce as downforce levels diminish when slowing from higher speeds. Our car’s tires were markedly less round at the end of our stint than they were at the beginning.For 2022, Radical is offering a factory halo-style impact protection frame inspired by the ones seen on Formula 1 cars. This wasn’t fitted to the demonstrator we drove, but we did get to experience it from the passenger seat of another SR10 piloted by one of the company’s pro drivers. The halo surrounds the cockpit like a very small roll cage and makes getting in and out far harder. Initial impressions were that it made the SR10 feel surprisingly claustrophobic despite its lack of a roof, but it only took a couple of laps for our brains to filter it out, as frontal visibility is only slightly affected. Radical has yet to confirm pricing for the revised SR10, but presuming it stays close to the $161,900 ask of the previous version, it will remain, in absolute if not relative terms, a performance bargain for those looking to hone their skills on the track.

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